Struggling With Hope

Came across this blog post this morning and it speaks volumes.  The Audacity of Hope  This has been a tough week watching our grandbaby suffer again, working so hard to maintain her little life.  I don't think I have enough energy or brain cells at this point to articulate anything.  A quote from Angie's post...."to have the boldness to say that I trust Him above the hurt."  I do trust Him completely and I KNOW that He is working through this whole experience with His amazing and complete love and mercy to me, to Amber, to her parents.  To read Amber's latest from her mom, it is here.

Liberated!

Well, I'm not sure that's the best title....but 

this device has liberated my mom from a prison of silence!  I cannot remember the last time I spoke with my mom on the telephone.  For years I could just pick up the phone, or she could, and we could speak every day. My husband laughed because there were only two times a year when we would have any long-distance calls and that would be when my folks were in Florida for the winter or two months in the summer in New Hampshire.  I think it has been at least ten years or so that we have not been able to just pick up the phone and chat.  My sister and I, and my mom's sisters, have to go through my dad and that is just not the same thing.  My mom, on the other hand, has only been able to communicate face to face.  If she can see your lips, she can "hear" you.  She did finally get hearing aids a year ago, but they seem to only cause her frustration, making background noises louder and not making voices very clear.  Even with hearing aids, she still needs to read lips since it has been so long.  With this captel phone, a gift from my sister, she has to read our side of the conversation.  I spoke with my mom twice yesterday on the phone!!  It is not perfect either, but prompts a lot of laughter at the mistakes the captioning service makes!  And we have to get used to the delay, while our side of the conversation is transcribed and she reads it.  But to HEAR my mom's voice on the other end of the phone????  PRICELESS!!!!!

**I know, in this day of email and skype it seems incomprehensible that we have not figured out a way to communicate with mom before this.  My folks are very old school and their home is not wired or wireless.  Snail mail and phone calls are the way it is.  Her first call with my sister on Monday night, she announced that she was now texting!

Seen at the Swamp

Two afternoon shots a day apart before I brought the camera up from the edge of the swamp.

I had no idea anyone else was tromping around down there.  Boy, was I surprised!

Feeder Frenzy

Finally a snowy day so the feeder was very busy with take-offs and landings.

These two seemed a bit perturbed to have their picture taken.

There was also a bit of shouting, perhaps name calling as some took a bit too long!

Wildlife for a Wednesday

I've moved the wildlife camera from the edge of the swamp to get a look at the side of the house.  For a few weeks now, the cats are getting all fluffed up and we can't see anything outside that might be upsetting them.....till we heard barking last night!