Birthday, hard times and a miracle!

 

Background paper are holy branches. So it's a Christmas card, even though it's only April.

This mouse is a free download from Beccysplace.

It's from her blog, from March last year.
I've used this digi-stamp many times. I just love it, so here it is again.
https://beccysplace.blogspot.com/20 24/03/march-challenge.html

Go to Beccys store NOW. Beccy's closing the closes the possibility of purchasing digi-stamps by the end af June. There's so many great stamps.
Her store:
https://beccysplace.com/

I'm participating with this card here:

https://kraftychickschallenge.blogspot.com/ # 16
https://dragonflydreamschallenges.blogspot.com/ # 23
https://alphabetchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ # 21

Hi All

The time since I last wrote has been a rollercoaster ride without equal.

The best thing has been that we celebrated Lars' 70th birthday.

Originally it was suppose to be a party for the WHOLE family - but when time came to invite people to the party, we had to admit, that it wouldn't be a big party. Our children and children-in-law and grandchild, and Lars' siblings and spouses came (and Mia's father). It was a wonderful time with the family. A few hours, but intense hours, where there was laughter and time to reminisce and even look at family photos. Lars was tired for several days afterwards. But he was happy - full of memories! It was all worth it.

Unfortunately, Lars has also been sick, he has had a TCI (transient ischemic attack, temporary blood clot). and for the first time we experienced that Lars woke up with a mouth full of clotted blood. We knew it could happen, it was scary. Fortunately, we were able to call for help, and everything is ok.

The biggest blessing in this past month has been... first a little background:

I didn't have a great upbringing. I moved away from home when I was 13. I went to school in another town for 3 years - after school I started working. When I was 19 I moved to Sjælland. There I met a fantastic family, the Jakobsen family. They were also members of our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saint. Karen, the mother, taught me everything I lacked in terms of both practical and spiritual qualities. I called them, and still do, my foster parents. I felt like part of their family. Being part of a real family was new to me. I learned so much during the years I lived in Sjælland. It is now 40 years since then, and I'm still in contact with them. Not so much the last few years, because of Lars' illness. But the gratitude and love for them is still there, and always will be.

Last week, I spoke to their daughter Zanna. She is amazing. Enthusiastic, insightful and spiritual.

The conversation turned to genealogy. I told her about Roothtech, a conference abt. genealogy.  Among many things, it allows you to see if there are others who have signed up for the conference - that you are related to. For fun, I opened my computer. I thought that feature was gone, but it wasn't.

Karen is my 7th cousin in a direct line! So the one who taught me so much that I admire - the ones who took me into their homes - is my family! Zanna is my 8th cousin!

The world is small. We can feel alone, but a family is what we make it.
A family is not only blood relatives, it can be people we meet, that we bond with... (and who, for me, by some miracle, are my family).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hej Alle

Tiden siden jeg sidst skrev har været en rutsjetur uden lige.

Det bedste har været, at vi fejrede Lars' 70 års fødselsdag.

Oprindeligt skulle det være en fest for HELE familien – men da tiden var inde til, at vi skulle invitere folk til fest, måtte vi erkende, at det ikke ville blive en stor fest. Vores børn og svigerbørn og barnebarn, og Lars' søskende og ægtefæller kom (og Mias far). Det var en vidunderlig tid med familien. Et par timer, men intense timer, hvor der blev grinet og tid til at mindes og endda se på familiebilleder. Lars var træt i flere dage bagefter. Men han var glad – fuld af minder! Det var det hele værd.

Desværre har Lars også været syg, han har haft en TCI (transitorisk iskæmisk infarkt, forbigående blodprop).  Desuden oplevede vi også, for første gang, at Lars vågnede med munden fuld af størknet blod. Vi vidste, det kunne ske, det var skræmmende. Heldigvis kunne vi tilkalde hjælp, og alt er ok.

Den største velsignelse i den foregående måned, har været... først lige lidt baggrund:

Jeg havde ikke så god en opvækst. Jeg flyttede hjemmefra som 13 årig. Jeg gik på skole i en anden by i 3 år - efter skolen begyndte jeg at arbejde. Som 19 årig flyttede jeg til Sjælland. Der mødte jeg en fantastisk familie, Familien Jakobsen. De var også medlem af vores kirke, Jesu Kristi Kirke af Sidste Dages Hellige. Karen, moderen, lærte mig alt det jeg manglede af både praktiske og åndelige egenskaber. Jeg kaldte dem, og gør det stadig, mine plejeforældre. Jeg følte mig som en del af familien. At være en del af en rigtig familie, var nyt for mig. Jeg lærte så meget, i de år jeg boede på Sjælland. Jeg har igennem alle de 40 år der er gået, haft kontakt til dem. Ikke så meget de sidste par år, på grund af Lars' sygdom. Men taknemmeligheden og kærligheden til dem, er der stadig, og vil altid være der.

I sidste uge, snakkede jeg deres datter Zanna. Hun er fantastisk: Begejstret, indsigtsfuld og åndelig.

Snakken faldt på genealogi. Jeg fortalte om konferencen, Roothtech, at man kunne se om der var andre, som havde tilmeldt sig - som man var i familie med. For sjovt åbnede jeg min computer. Jeg mente at, den feature var væk, men det var den ikke:

Karen er min 7. kusine i lige linje! Altså hende, som lærte mig så meget, som jeg beundrer - de som tog mig i deres hjem - er min familie! Zanna er altså min 8. kusine!

Verden er lille. Vi kan føle os alene, men en familie er hvad vi gør den til.
En familie er ikke kun blodsbeslægtede, det kan være mennesker vi møder, som vi knytter bånd med... (og som, for mig, ved et mirakel, er min familie).