Communications

"Hmm, 'Mark's cell', it said," I mused, seeing the words on my cell phone as I pulled it from my purse.

"What? Marcella's dead!" my husband exclaimed in surprise.

"No!" I laughed, realizing he had misunderstood. We both have hearing problems, so I couldn't laugh too much, especially after what happened the next day.

I was sitting at the computer with my bedroom door ajar. My daughter-in-law, Joanna, saw me, and said, "Wanna ride to the phone store?"

"No, thanks," I answered. I knew that a new ATT&T had opened recently, but I distinctly dislike going into phone stores. An hour or so later, I saw the children with purple stains on their mouths.

"What have you been eating?" I asked, and they answered, "Snow cones. Mommy took us to get some."

Oh-h! That's what she'd asked me, "Wanna ride to the snow-cone store?"! Something is sometimes lost in the translation with grandparents.

Nothing was lost in the translation the past few days, though, as my husband's birthday and Father's Day were celebrated. All our six kids remembered their father, each in his or her own way. Greg had been asking what he could get his dad for his birthday, and I couldn't think of a thing until finally I remembered his hair dryer had gone out. Howard was as pleased with that as he could have been with anything. (Greg surprised him with some antique musical instruments for Father's Day.)

Son Mark sent us three envelopes: one a joint birthday card (my birthday is soon, also), one with an anniversary card, and an envelope with a Father's Day card. They enjoyed two long telephone conversations, as well.

As her gift to her dad, daughter Julie wrote a moving tribute and posted it on Facebook; it brought tears to our eyes. Son Trevor called him for both birthday and Father's Day. Daughter Amy talked to him at length both days. Our youngest, Jamie, surprised his father with a Keurig coffee maker for his birthday. At the end of the day yesterday, I saw a message on Facebook from him. "It's not midnight yet, so it's still Father's Day. Happy Father's Day!"

Talking to Jamie today, at the end of our conversation I asked him if the kids had said anything funny. He thought a minute, and said, "Maddie (3) did something wrong the other day, and I corrected her. She looked up and said, 'I apologize.'" She is learning to communicate and say all the right things! No translation necessary in any of the thoughts from our kids, either. The love came through loud and clear!