2015
I look at this number - 2015 - and I am astonished!!! I still want to write a year like 1995 or 2003!!!! And once again, I have neglected to produce this yearly epistle before Christmas!!!
Be patient and continue reading! I do have good reasons...reasons, not excuses... as to why this has transpired again!!! So let’s begin a rambling recitation of 2015 at the Reimer Asylum!!!
Wearing glasses for distance was my way of life since I was 18 years old. In my “mature” years (mature in body, not in mind!), I now could have new eyes! One cataract removed in February! Boy, was I naive!!! Dale had it done a number of years ago and he did not remember one thing of the surgery! So I gleefully arrive, not nervous at all, even though it was the first time I ever had any kind of surgery. After all, I will not remember anything! Not true!!! I was awake and watched the entire thing take place inside my eye! I did not forget anything or feel any relaxation of my body! Good thing it only takes about 8 minutes to complete the whole procedure! How amazing my vision was afterwards! We are so fortunate to have such technology! The second eye was also corrected and now I enjoy 25-25 in both eyes! Only problem...remembering to have reading glasses with me!
Before and after this, I began to pack up our household in preparation for a move. Dale was hoping the airplane would be ready to fly, receive certification and then on to selling the house and moving to Arizona. Actually, I know at this stage of my life, I can not pack up a house in just a couple weeks therefore, I needed to approach this slowly and be able to organize very specifically. Thus far, I have packed almost 200 boxes, a big part of that is books! We live now with less space in several rooms!
Progress on the plane was difficult while Dale was working full time. April 2nd, he did it!!! He RETIRED!!! After 29 years at USAirways! Perfect timing as he did not have to learn all new computer systems and other things necessary to do his job as an inspector when the USAirways/American merger was completed. Now there are no excuses for not working every day on the plane! Except when it is way too cold or his arthritic hands and fingers don’t cooperate. Progress is being made and the engine has been fired up! All sorts of little items need his perfectionistic attention. Hoping and praying it flies soon...this year!!!
In June...we jet off to Bend, Oregon via San Diego (had to check in with the nine grands!). Elisha Alexander Reimer graduated from High School!!! This was a very important event for Eli!!! All of his Reimer cousins, aunts and uncles attended as well as both sets of grandparents and other Taylor aunts and uncles. We rented a house for us and Amber’s crew, and it became a good meeting, eating place. The weather was phenomenal! Beautiful, sunny days, actually hot at 90 plus degrees! We all enjoyed the whirlwind few days we were together.
Our Pilot Heirs hosted a beautiful celebration while we were all together to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Seriously, we actually survived each other for 50 years???? It just doesn’t seem like 5 decades have passed!!! The boys shared some of their thoughts about our marriage...the girls were busy with the meal and some of the children. Very special time and I treasure all these opportunities to have all our family together. We did miss having Kent join us but he was serving in South Korea at the time.
Back home in Charlotte, I had one week to pack and plan for the teens’ mission trip to Boston! I was the cook again for 40 + people...I forget how many times I have done this in Boston. Four or five times??? I thoroughly enjoyed it and we all had a great time together. Dale did fine at home alone because he was recuperating from our travels to Oregon!
Home again and another monumental event....Dale being sworn in as a United States citizen!!! After 50 years of living in the States as a permanent resident!!! He still has his Canadian citizenship as he didn’t have to give that up.
Vacation Bible School beckoned me again!!! I asked to teach the 3rd and 4th grade boys again...I would probably have gotten it anyway as workers are hard to come by who want to teach that class! They were great -- all 17 of them!!! I had some awesome teens helping me as well.
Abigail arrived the end of July with Cash and Chloe for just a day. They were on their way to her in-laws in South Carolina. She returned in two weeks and spent a week with us. And Amber arrived during that time with Xander and Bryn for the celebration of her 10th year high school reunion. Very busy here with 4 little ones running around! I loved it! And the kids always enjoy playing with the old Matchbox cars that belonged to their uncles!
Once again, Justin calls at the last minute and wants me to attend The Elisha Foundation Retreat being held up in Virginia near DC. No need to ask...my suitcase is ready to travel any time!!! It was a special time because we were able to visit Amanda’s grave site on August 19th...her burial was August 20, 2014. I had not seen her headstone there in Arlington. It was great that Justin and I could do this together.
The retreat went very well and this one was easy for me! I was just available to a young woman who had planned and executed our sessions, if she had questions or needed advice. It was unique in that we had a diversity in families...different cultures, different faiths. The Gospel was clearly presented and the Holy Spirit is at work always!
And here I go again!!!! Jetting off to San Diego the middle of October!!! Why??? Because Amber and Jordan were adding another baby girl to their family!!!! Poor Xander!! The only boy!! Side Note: The things we will do for our children, no matter how embarrassing, frustrating and crazy! Because I do not have a car when I am in San Diego and no one lives close to each other, I have been chauffeured all over the county. Traveling with two suitcases, and several bags of food, backpack and purse, I have been picked up in front of Starbucks, Target, Marie Callendar’s and etc!!!! And sometimes pick up was not accomplished in a timely manner! For the love of my children!
But let me rewind here to May!!! Amber had informed us about the new baby coming and that was exciting, as usual!!! She mentioned to me one day that wouldn’t it be something if they got a call from Foster Care that Ellie’s mother had another baby... and would they like to be Foster parents to this baby too? The very next day, they received that very call!!!! Olivia Jane was born May 15th!! She was born in a different hospital than Ellie’s and has a different father. It was a hard decision to make but I knew when they went to visit her at the hospital and held her, they were goners! One of them went every day to see her, bonding with her during that time. She is so adorable and doing very well. The adoption is in process and hopefully by spring it will be finalized!
With 4 kids 4 years old and under, I needed to help Amber before the next baby came as well as some afterwards. So the majority of my time was at their home. Dishes, picking up toys, changing diapers, babysitting for whatever appointments or shopping, etc. A new Target opened up just a half a mile from Amber’s apartment. Taking walks to Target became Xander’s favorite thing. A LunchAble to choose and eating it with Grandma at the Target Starbucks! I even braved taking 4 of them one day! So much fun and I love all their personalities as they grow up! I shared a room with Xander and Olivia. So I was up 2-3 times a night giving Olivia her bottles. I could have easily brought her home with me as she is such a good baby!
Seven weeks there with week-ends either at Jason and Eymie’s for a night or at my sister’s place. With now 5 kids 4 and under, Amber and Jordan are very, very busy!!!! To put it mildly!
Oh, and Brooklyn Shiloh arrived quickly in the car in front of the hospital on Thursday, November 5th! 8 lbs. 4 oz. 21 ins. long!!! Brooklyn is changing every day but it is obvious this blonde, blue eyed baby is a Hall! I survived at home with the kids during the hospital stay!!! Not bad for a 69 year old Grandma!!! Should have counted the number of diapers I changed! And Amber does it every day!!!
I decided to fly home for a week in order to organize my brain and my bags! And then it was off again, this time with Dale, to spend Christmas in Bend, Oregon with our son, Justin and his family. We had a great time with the 5 grand kids...no diapers to change at this house! Instead, I gave the two little girls sewing lessons and Dale watched WW2 movies with grandson, Abe!!! And there was snow on the ground for Christmas!!! I was so excited!!! My dream Christmas!!
I won’t bore you with the details of our trip home, flying stand-by!!!! I might blog about that though! Always interesting!!! We did finally get home after being gone 2 weeks...actually got to visit the San Diego kids and grands for two days!
Update on Pilot’s Heirs:
Our son-in-law, Kent spent 6 months in South Korea this year, in between his job in Hawaii. He married a friend of Amanda’s...a MK from our days in Africa. They are very happy together and he became an instant father to 4 young people as well as a Grandpa! We keep in touch and hope we can spend time together in the future.
Matt and Krista are loving their home in Prescott Valley, AZ. They are enjoying some snow this winter! Micah has had many video opportunities, using his excellent gift wisely and professionally. Titus reads so many books throughout the year and still enjoys searching for fossils. Eden loves doing crafts, her American Girl doll and drawing/coloring.
Jason graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology the end of May with his Masters in Photography (or whatever fancy title designates it now)!!!! Long hard 2 years!!! And a long, exhausting drive across country to San Diego to begin a real married life with Eymie and fathering little Audrey! We are so proud of all his hard work and perseverance. He is now an adjunct at San Diego City Community College and teaches one class at another community college in the area.
Justin and Tamara are always on the go with their 5 children. They are growing up too fast!!!! Eli is 18 and works 3 days a week at a Subway store. Noelle is busy with online classes for high school and a class at the local high school. Abe is all into model airplanes and WW2 movies. He helped write a script for their Christmas Skit at school! We certainly recognized where his influence came in as we were able to see it in person! Vangie and Naomi are great sisters, love playing with their dolls but enjoy many games as well.
Abigail and JT experienced mold issues in the home they were renting and moved out. After hopping from hotel to hotel for a couple months, they purchased a 37 foot RV. Cheapest rent in San Diego! They are loving their RV adventure! Not everything is completed with the renovation but it is getting there! Cash gets to ride his bicycle around the RV park and play in the sand at the beach front. Chloe is working on walking alone. She doesn’t know the words but she can sing the ABC song with her own vowel sounds!
Last but not least is Amber and Jordan!!! I have mentioned them already! Jordan lost his job in June and finally was hired at Solar Turbine through an employment agency. Great company to work for! He is doing IT and hopes to move up quickly. They need a house with a yard for all the children to run off energy!
Our dear Amanda has now been absent from us and present with the Lord for almost 18 months. That year of FIRSTS...her birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving, their anniversary, Christmas, our family time in Oregon...the anniversary of her memorial and burial...they all have passed. Yes, we think of her, we miss her but God has given us such peace that she is where she is supposed to be according to His plan for her. I cannot ever express in our simple language how God has given me such confidence that this is His plan. It isn’t hope we have that we will see her again...it is a PROMISE God will keep!!!
God has given us another new year to walk with Him. Today here in America, evil seems to be everywhere. But our God is everywhere and He is ultimately in control. We must gird up our loins with God’s Word and fervent prayer in these last days!
