Happy Easter 2020

I'm missing life on real life Newark-Granville Road.  I'm missing the routine and family time stay-at-home gave us.  I'm in the right place, this time with my parents as my father's life draws to an end is a gift.  Yesterday, was one of the beautiful and really hard days. Yesterday evening was a day with tears, uncontrollable, unstoppable, cleansing tears. It was needed. It wasn't the first since we entered this chapter or stage and it won't be the last. As I laid in bed heartbroken my focus was- Easter is tomorrow, there will be comfort. Easter is tomorrow, there will be comfort.  And yes today pictures of past Easters, memories, music, scripture, hymn, being together, texts and calls, the light of Christ, flowers, chocolate before noon and a great sermon have been providing comfort.  I hope you are finding comfort today.   Here are some of the words that have put me at ease and placed me in a state of contentment.  I hope you are finding comfort and peace today.

Sunday Morning TV- ahhhh- watching with my Mom and drinking a homemade latte:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/timothy-cardinal-dolan-the-renewal-of-spring/  I appreciated the attention to the Christian and Jewish faith and absence of religion, looking to nature for well-being.

FPC- Granville- our church- in partnership with Centenary Methodist across the street- beautiful Easter Service-the sermon truly is worth a listen. I hope we'll be able to read it in the future- impressive collaboration with our two ministers!  

https://www.facebook.com/granpres/videos/281901389487885/    Scripture important component of sermon starts at 24 minutes!

And this hymn we sang together and was printed in our order of worship:

Hymn - In the Bulb There Is a Flower

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;
There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity.
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

#denisonproud #thankyoufromDenison #thankyoufordenison

Quick follow-up to yesterday's post- we surpassed goals and were so inspired and touched by the gifts, comments and commitment to ensure support. Thanks to all!  This video says thank you but also shares what has been happening these past few weeks! I am #denisonproud!
https://www.facebook.com/denisonuniversity/videos/591172724813286/
Life on Granville Road is so touched by Denison and Denisonians every day.  Thank you.

#allinfordenison! 2020 Day of Giving

https://denison.kindful.com/day-of-giving-2020-2020/team-annual-fund    Follow the link to participate in Denison's 2020 Day of Giving.  Now more than ever Denison needs our support.  The COVID-19 crisis affects everyone differently.  If you are engaged with Denison- as alum, family member, friend- please consider a gift- follow the link above on April 9th- Thursday and join us in making a gift.

I'm grateful to my parents for their support- they too are #allinforDenison- they sent three kids and are proud of their four alum children (Joe makes 4).  My Mom encouraged us to visit - she had heard good things and it was my Dad that said- you don't know what you want to be- find a good liberal arts school.  Thank you Mom and Dad!  The picture below and on my FB page is from our graduation.  We were disappointed we had to move inside to the Livingston gym.  This was before Mitchell.  Seating was limited- they took the Sunday paper and were the first to arrive.  Life is figure eights. Now I go early to greet the parents and families I'm fortunate to work with and develop relationships with to celebrate the special day.

Class of 2020- 21-22-23 we're all in for you!  Class of 2024 we can't wait to welcome you- choose Denison!   Class of 1990- sigh our 30th reunion...and 91 and 89- oh the fun we were going to have. We'll get together later and different places- keep the faith Denisonians! My dear colleagues and friends- I miss you. Thanks for all you are doing.  Denison families- you are amazing- stay in touch!!
We are creative, innovative, smart, driven, connected and loyal- we'll unite and celebrate.  Stay safe and thank you for your support and engagement and being indeed- #allinfordenison  just as we are in our life on Newark-Granville Road!

   Will find other picture of Matthew '91!!

Help when needed, sharing good advice and the news in my LONGR....

Karen Straub Cowie  posted on Facebook 4-7-20

5 hrs · 

I work pretty hard at keeping my professional hat off in my personal circles, but lately I’ve found that harder knowing people I care about are struggling. So here’s some 5 cent thoughts from Lucy:

It’s obvious that we are going through unprecedented times. But what isn’t obvious is how to get through those times. We are faced with needing to use two different types of coping skills. First are the problem focused skills. This includes figuring out the logistics of working from home, developing a plan to balance work and caring for kids, problem solving financial strategies to manage job loss/ cuts in pay, or creating a new routine for your day, etc. It’s the “doing” part. Unfortunately given the unknown nature of the virus it doesn’t provide much relief of anxiety.

The second type of coping skill are emotion focused. This process shifts the energy from trying to fix or solve the problem to allowing the emotions to come in and go out. It is truly the sense of riding the wave and going with the flow of things. This is accepting the situation that we have- not the one we want. So what does that look like?

~Self-care and compassion. Expect to be more tired- your brain is working on overdrive trying to make sense of all of this. This is a good time to practice some kind self-talk and treatment of your body.
~Try grounding yourself with fresh air and paying attention to your five senses. This will remind you of a time when things didn’t feel so surreal.
~Move your body. This is important because movement helps reset your nervous system. Your lizard brain is trying to figure out if things are safe, so it needs a break from the media for some fresh air and movement to allow your stress hormones to return to normal levels.
~Accept what you are feeling and give yourself permission to allow the feeling to come in and pass on through.
~Think creatively about alternative traditions. Rituals are an important part of our society. They mark significant chapters and experiences and help us feel connected to something larger. As time continues to pass and more things are canceled, the grief over the losses will start to accumulate. This puts us in a catch-22 because one of the best ways to manage grief is through connection to others and that is the very thing causing the cancelations. Rather than dismissing these rights of passage, think of ways these traditions can still be honored in a different way.

I’ve been encouraged by the increasing open acknowledgement of the toll the pandemic has had on people’s mental health. The anxiety of the unknown; the sadness associated with isolation; the grief over lost traditions; the fear of getting sick or getting others sick, etc. I hope that the silver lining in all this is a step closer to de-stigmatizing mental health and normalizing that everyone has times when things are hard.

Thinking of all of you friends!

Just what I needed, thank you Karen for sharing this on Facebook.  The timing was right. You articulate so many things I've known, wondered about, embraced and need to repeat or start!  Your point about being tired, the five senses, fresh air- oh so true, so true!  Many people know but I'll share it here. I'm in Maryland with my parents. My father's health is not good- related to the MDS. I'm grateful for his love, my parents' love and our relationships and the time to be together.  You'll see more posts related to this, for now take care of you and your families.

Capturing the Pandemic Moments and Milestones on Newark-Granville Road

 I enjoy capturing photos of life on Newark-Granville Road and sharing them on this blog.  Here is a professional photographer capturing families and homes in our village, the link to his blog here:https://www.henryfoto.com/blog/2020/3/30/granville-ohio-covid-19-pandemic-quarantine-project  What a treat to meet Henry Leiter and be included in this project.  This artist is doing important work and introducing me to new families, neighbors and what I hope will be future friends! I'll keep you posted on the progress- the coffee table book that follows or maybe an exhibit?  I do hope to connect with these families.  Thank you Henry for bringing us together during this time of being a part of our life on Newark-Granville Road.

Behind the scenes with this one- an intent of the blog was never just to post but to share the why. So why an apron- because I'm cooking most days and loving it! This week was chicken enchiladas- Aunt Dawn -summer vacation recipe-ish. That meant Joe roasted the chickens in the instapot- see his apron- Hail to the Chef apron, mine is Derby or Keeneland-and that meant chicken noodle soup and chicken salad for lunches!  Sally is holding our state of Ohio- we are proud of the approach our state is taking and the leadership https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home  Gov. Mike Dewine, Amy Acton (Denison parent of an alumnus) and Lt. Gov Jon Husted updated us daily around 2 pm.  Clare is in her Wooster work out gear- keeping her routine and the endorphins help with missing her college days.  Peter is rolling through his senior year - just as his bike took him to umpire work, the bike path helps him pass time during covid-19.  The yellow umbrella is for the Granville Library's bear hunt- keeping our bear dry.  Lucy didn't make the cut but she welcomed Henry!

April 1st was a special birthday for Peter- two cakes, a family favorite meal, Texas Hold-Em, lovely cards, gifts, texts and calls!  Thank you for helping us celebrate our dear boy!!  Pap celebrated in a similar way- Nana's cooking.  Our salmon cake, mac n cheese, stewed tomatoes, fresh broccoli Leithauser celebration meal was a Jeanne Stoner classic.

As a follow-up to the last post- 3 of us gave blood!  The three eligible to give and I'm so proud of them and grateful!  Thank you to all that posted, shared, donated and made appointments to give- it matters!  My Dad's health has him very weak- MDS is a slow decline- we've hit a bump in this road and maybe a pothole- more later.  The blood he has received for many years has allowed him to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary with my Mom a few years ago, attend Clare's hs graduation last year and share and coach on so many things from screen porches, to books he reads.  Please keep him, my Mom and our family in your prayers- we feel your love.  

More pictures later- technical difficulties!  Thanks for sharing our life in this pandemic on Newark-Granville Road

Blood is Needed- Close to my Heart

https://www.redcrossblood.org  There is an extreme shortage of blood right now- supply and demand are impacted by our pandemic state due to the COVID-19 virus.  This link: Give Blood will take you to the Red Cross site to find a donation center that will safely support you leaving your home to give blood.  Please take a look, go on line or call 1-800-733-2767 to schedule an appointment, ask questions.  My father receives blood every week for his MDS and last week he was only able to receive one unit, he usually has two.  He is weak and needs the two units. He is just one example of someone in critical need of blood.

I have been giving blood for years- I remember it really kicking into gear in Omaha, NE. The hospitals there needed plasma and I was single and had time so I could kick back and relax while doing good.  Now I do my best to get to a drive-in town- at the high school or at Denison.  As we all rethink priorities (a stay at home/reset can do that) being a blood donor is moving to the top of my passions.  I'm inspired by our dear friend, bonus daughter, Charlotte Mattimoe who has advocated for quite some time and been a stellar volunteer for the Red Cross. Charlotte's philanthropic leadership is close to my heart just as she is.

Thank you for spreading the word, giving if you can.  You have to 18 or older or have parental consent.  Peter and Clare have never been able to give- they will go this week. I'll help them.  Joe has not been able to give in some time- fingers crossed he'll be eligible- he traveled in Europe but that was years ago. He too has an appointment this week.  Life on Newark- Granville Road is grateful for all that give and share energy.  We'll take your prayers for my Dad and Mom- the stress of the health care situation exacerbates the situation as well.

Where are your Happy Places during Social Distancing?

I'm finding mine.  Dinner table, yoga mat in the sun room, screened in porch (!!!), sofa couch with cozy blanket and sleeping dog, greenhouse, bedroom tucked in with good book or Netflix with Joe, kitchen while making dinner and drinking a scotch, my desk while blogging and seeing people go by.... I’m embracing being home can you tell?

So, the yoga on the sunporch- I figured that out yesterday.  ahhhhh- it felt so good.  I immediately started the draft of this post and said: taking my yoga glow out to the world as the instruction said and that means sharing it here in my life on Newark-Granville Road and beyond!  https://www.granvilleyoga.com  Granville yoga is keeping on during these stay at home times with on-line classes.  Silver lining- trying something new. Engaging with instructors in new ways.  I just did the Wed noon 30 min power class and loved it!  Thank you, Breath, at Granville Yoga!

I did not love seeing all the dust bunnies on my sunporch, I did love the sunlight and activity around me on actual, reallife Newark-Granville Road!  If you like yoga- give this a try and support local! Thanks, Kelli Biehle- new owner and Christy Plaugher past owner and the instructors for offering this outlet.  I'll tune in on a regular basis. I've missed having yoga in my routine/regular life and have a new favorite place!

Tonight, we also brought a favorite place into our living room- Camp Alleghany! Three cheers to Elizabeth and family for the virtual camp fire via zoom!  Clare, Sally and I sat on the couch with 276 other families from all over- singing, thinking about camp, sharing memories and stories.  I got teary- it made me so grateful we have camp. It made me miss West Virginia, the Alleghany mountains and Greenbrier River...

We're making this work. We're embracing the time together and change of pace.  The noise is there and part of my happy places are quiet places these days.  In many ways, these days feel like gifts that we'll never have again.  I type about my life on Newark-Granville Road tonight relaxed, tired, happy. Last night there was stress and frustration despite a wonderful day filled with connection and good news, but the worry and concern can take over- topsy-turvy days for all.  Good prevails.  Prayers are given, relationships prevail and God is good.