Reimer Timeline
2013
January
Dale has been working
Mondays on his ongoing WWI Spad project.
It is now at a slower pace as he designs and re-designs intricate
parts. The engine is in the midst of
overhaul as well. Lord willing, it will
fly before 2014 ends!!
February
Some dear sweet
friends who attended a TEF Retreat in August 2011 came to dinner. What sweet fellowship to connect again and
make plans for another North Carolina Retreat.
First American Down Syndrome
Teen-ager to Climb Mt.
Everest
First Base
Camp
Perhaps some of you saw on various news
outlets the story of our grandson, Eli, and our son, Justin. As a fundraiser for The Elisha Foundation, Justin
and Eli with a team of 7 other people, trekked to the 17,598 ft. first base
camp of Mt. Everest. A first for a 15
year old Down Syndrome teen. To say we
are proud of this team, especially Eli, is putting it mildly! The purpose of this endeavor was two
fold: to bring glory to God through
disability and to raise funds for TEF as they minister to families with special
needs children here in the United States as well in other parts of the world.
It was so exciting to greet them at the Los Angeles Airport when they
returned! Eli was not intimidated by all
the reporters waiting to interview him!
More on the story...www.theelishafoundation.org.
Next objective: Mt. Kilimanjiro in June 2014 !!!!
April
A brief visit in Arizona with my sister and
her husband to check out possible places to live in the future. We had a great time just the 4 of us even
though it was brief.‘
Then off to Oregon for just a few days to
visit the 4 siblings of the famous Eli!
Great time with Grandpa Dale and the kids flying this styrofoam plane
and other fun things. Then 24 hours in San Diego for a very brief visit with the San Diego offspring. Dale survived this crazy schedule to live and work again!
May
Off to Pennsylvania to spend Mother’s
Day with our son, Matthew and his wife, Krista, and three kids.
We went target shooting...not my field of expertise! Of course, our place to always celebrate
Mother’s Day...Panera’s!!!!
I enjoyed every moment even though it was only about a 36 hour trip. Normally, Mother’s
Day is just Dale and I so this was very special.
And guess what???? Yep, we are going to be
grandparents again!!!! Amber and Jordan
are expecting another little one the first part of January!!!
June
Our son-in-law was deployed to
Afghanistan, departing from Fort Benning, Georgia. Amanda’s
tongue cancer suddenly activated again and her only choice was to begin
radiation. God’s timing is never wrong...Kent’s orders were changed just a few days before he was to be
airborne to Afghanistan. He joined
Amanda as she began a grueling protocol with radiation. We made a quick trip to San Diego to show our
love and support to Amanda and for a special prayer time with her. We spent 13 hours in the Charlotte airport,
following other stand-by passengers from gate to gate! And we were at the top of the list!!!!! We
did finally arrive! Our hearts are
pierced with her suffering but we are abiding under the wings of our Protector
and Great Physician.
The latest PET scan showed the tumor still with active cancer, although
less so and confined only to the original tumor. Your prayers continue to be an
encouragement and a life line for her and our family. The radiation continues to work for up to 90
days after treatment ends so she is still dealing with a painful mouth and
difficulty eating, especially consuming enough calories.
In the midst of this heavy trial,
Kent will be promoted to Colonel!! He is so deserving of this honor and has
worked hard during his career. Now they
await the official ceremony some time in the spring of 2014 for him to
officially be Colonel Strader! They will
also be awaiting the next assignment that should begin in the summer.
After our quick trip
to San Diego, Jason flew out and he and I flew to Rochester, New York. He was finally accepted for grad
school!!!!! We are so excited for
him!!! In our two day visit, we were
able to find him a great attic apartment at a great price. Jay loves school but he is so very, very
busy!!! It is a goal he has been working
and praying for a long time!
July
A whole month now to
stay home! “Oh,
Mom! How about meeting us in Cincinnati,
OH to visit the Creation Museum?” Matt and Krista and kids were moving to
Arizona and along the way were going to visit the museum. Why not?
The museum is awesome! We really
needed another day to explore and the heavy
rain prevented us from
touring outdoors.
August
The end of July, Jordan and Amber received
the call they had been waiting 2.5 years for...a foster baby was in need of a
home...born April 15th, Eliana Claire joined our family at 2 1/2 months of
age. She is a healthy baby, crawling
and standing, giggling and asserting her self...or should I say...INserting
herself when Xander is playing near her! Another trip to San Diego for
Grandma!!! Have to see this newest
little one! And learn that the next
Hall baby to arrive will be a GIRL!!!!
September
Time to tune up the
jet! Dale and I took a quick trip up to
Rochester to see how Jason was doing.
Great BBQ at one of the most recommended places in Rochester. Dale was happy to see where Jay was
living...it is a cozy nook up there in the attic! This picture is of a 100 year
old wooden carousel at a park in Rochester, one of Jay’s photography assignments.
Excitement begins as we pack up to travel to
South Carolina for a Elisha Foundation Retreat.
The facility was perfect...loved my big room! Dear friends from Charlotte came along as
volunteers...Kim King and her son, Trevor and Ashley Suddreth. We three girls
shared a room and Ashley kept us entertained!! As usual, Kim was a tremendous
help with games. Trevor and Ashley
helped with the children of specific families or whatever else we needed. This
knight’s
costume was made by Trevor, every tiny little piece! It was an awesome prop for
our lessons on the Armor of God. Busy
time but new friends were made and lives touched.
Amber came to visit
again with both little ones...brave girl to travel all that way by herself,
carting car seats, stroller, diaper bag, one lap baby and one walking
toddler! And 5 months pregnant!!! Xander had fun with all Grandma’s toys!
Plans were for me to
fly back with Amber and help her with the children. Change those
plans! Justin needed someone to
teach the children’s program at the
October retreat in Oregon!!! With a two
day notice, I packed again and on my way!
Great to have a real ticket and know I was going to get there!! Although the getting there was almost a 24
hour day!!!
OCTOBER
Crazy and Chaotic but I
will cherish the memories made at the TEF Retreat in Lake Creek, Oregon. It was cold but beautiful sunshine! I was blessed with awesome volunteers and
sweet children who loved having books read to them.
With just 10 days in
between retreats, I
jetted off to San Diego
via Salt Lake City to San Diego, to prepare for another retreat in Carlsbad,
just a 45 minute drive north.
This retreat was at the
Sheraton Resort! Fantastic venue with
wonderful, thoughtful, helpful staff.
And the room for our kids was so big and awesome! Abigail’s ShutterBooth added a special touch to this retreat as parents
and kids were able to make picture memories.
Such precious families and children. It was a special privilege to work
with them.
NOVEMBER
JASON
PAUL REIMER IS ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED!!!
In June, Jay had met a
young lady at his church and they immediately found many things in common...and
that they both loved the Lord passionately and faithfully. Our 40 years of prayers for Jay’s mate have been answered!!! Wedding to come in January! The last of the six to enter the state of
matrimony!!
A few weeks back home
in Charlotte to complete a few sewing projects, put up Christmas decorations
and then begin to pack again. Dale
originally did not have Thanksgiving week off and that was a disappointment. Our Oregon grandson, Abe, had invited us to
his Grandparents Day scheduled just before Thanksgiving Day. We hated to
disappoint him. But the Lord worked it
out because of a department change at work and Dale got the week off! Of course the big concern was flying stand-by
over a holiday but we got on the second flight we wanted out of Charlotte and
made our flight out of Phoenix on the first flight. Then rented a car for the 3 hour drive over
the mountains to Bend. We spent 3 days
with Justin and Tamara...one trip to the ER with Dale because he strained a
ligament running from his sciatic nerve to his knee! But he made it to Abe’s Grandparents Day and we had one happy grandson!
I had purchased one way
tickets on American Airlines for our trip from Oregon to San Diego on the day
before Thanksgiving. That was definitely
planned by the Lord! It made it so much
easier for Dale, who was still in pain, to fly with a confirmed, normal ticket.
We were able to fly directly from Justin’s town to Los Angeles and Amber drove there to pick us up and to
drive us to San Diego. What a wonderful
family time we had in the desert! My niece had purchased the former home of our
grandparents and two of my brothers renovated the entire house. Great place for our party! Over 50 family
members and my mother had all 6 of us kids there!
 |
| Right to left is the chronological order of us six kids. |
 | |
I did not travel home with Dale after
Thanksgiving. He made it home on his own in spite of his painful injury! He did have to take some sick leave for a
couple weeks though. I spent time with
Amanda, babysat the munchkins, helped with other odds and ends for a week. Then began the wait to get back home! We have never seen the flights so over booked
for such a long time! It took me 2 days
to get a flight home!
Back home in Carolina...December 9-22...just
enough time to go through all the mail, clean, unpack, and re-organize to pack
again! Jason planned on flying a buddy
pass with me back to San Diego for Christmas.
Dale would follow on the 28th so he would be at the January 4th wedding.
Come December 22nd...flights were sold out
again!!! But Jason got the last seat on
the direct flight! He needed to because
there were many wedding things to take care of.
As for me...the only hope of getting to the West Coast...fly to Tampa,
Florida and then on to Phoenix, Arizona and then San Diego. Lord, have mercy and get me on all these flights,
please! I got the last seat on the Tampa
flight...thank you, Lord! It was a long
layover in Tampa--- almost 5 hours. I
was number 5 on the list to board but I was contemplating what I would do if I
didn’t
get on...spend the night in Tampa, go back to Charlotte??? I got the last seat on this flight as
well!!!! Up at 3:30 am and arrived in
San Diego at 12 midnight EST!!!!
JANUARY 2014
Everything fell into
place and Jason married his best friend on January 4th in San Diego. He is now a father to 8 year old Darren as
well. It will be an unusual beginning to married life as they will live apart
while he is in grad school. Eymie (pronounced Amy) is a licensed vocational nurse,
working in two locations in Urgent Care.
Time will pass quickly with them both so busy and they will have school
breaks and the summer together. |
| Cash with Grandma |
 |
Four of the seven granddaughters!
|
 |
| Eight of the grands |
We are thankful for the health we enjoy, the provision for
daily needs, Reimer Heirs who love the Lord and the greatest grand kids
ever! But most of all for the hope we
have in Jesus in these uncertain days in our world. God is on His throne and His love surrounds
and protects us.
Until he comes!
P.S. She’s here!
Brynlee Noelle Hall
Brynlee Noelle Hall
Thursday
January 16, 2014
8 pounds 1 ounce
20 inches
She just missed my
birthday by about 7 hours!!!!
