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Sunday, April 20, 2025

Farm Photos

Susan and I spent Easter weekend in the Tioga/McGregor area with my sister Sandy and our dad. Here are some pics:

(Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

Sandy serves as musician for several area churches, including First Lutheran in Tioga. We joined her for Easter morning service.

Before the service, the women of the church served a breakfast in the fellowship hall--so we arrived early and enjoyed a meal first.

We had spent the day before with Sandy. She lives on the family farm where we grew up. Note the Easter treats that she had waiting for us!

We enjoyed playing with her friendly cats.

Cool pattern of shadows on the deck.

The evergreens in front of and behind the house and surrounding the yard are the only signs of green so far.

Well, I guess there is a little green coming up in the yard, too.

Sandy took us out in her side-by-side (UTV) to explore the countryside.

When I was a kid, our dog and I used to "explore" and play in the pastures, tree rows, and hay fields of our farm. Might not look too exciting here, but this was one spot for many adventures during my childhood.

When we slowed down to take photos, we scared away the waterfowl from this creek north of the farm.

Pretty early-evening sky.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Guest Bloggers: Daughter Updates

I asked our daughters if they would share updates on what they have been doing lately, summaries that I could share here for you, Dear Reader, so that you may catch up on their lives. Here is what they offered from the first quarter of 2025:

(Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

Hillary

  • In January, I took a trip to Reno, NV, to visit two of my college friends. During that trip, I also got to visit relatives Connie, Laura, and Monroe Moberg.
  • In February, one of my friends came to Murfreesboro to visit, and we went to the Cody Johnson concert in Nashville with Suzanna and Jake [Suzanna's boyfriend]. Suzanna and I also ran a 5K toward the end of the month.
  • In March, Suzanna and I went to the T-Pain concert in Nashville. I just returned from a long weekend in New York City visiting Abigail at her new apartment! We attended a couple Broadway shows, tried some famous restaurants, and spent time with her medical school friend group.
  • And in each month this year, I have been working my life away.

Abigail and Hillary in NYC, dining out.

Hillary and Abigail in NYC, exploring the city.

Abigail
  • I started the year in my rental house in Islip, NY, doing clinical rotations at a hospital on Long Island. In January, Suzanna was able to take advantage of a snow-day weekend to come to NYC, and we spent a lovely (albeit short) weekend together.
  • The rest of January and February consisted of studying and celebrating time with friends, especially after I passed my clinical comprehensive examination at the end of February.
  • Now March has ushered in an exciting change: I moved to Brooklyn, where I will be living for the rest of my time in medical school, finishing my clinical rotations at a hospital in the Bronx. Hillary is the first one in the family to see my new place, and we just this past weekend had a wonderful few days together enjoying the entertainment and eatables of the Big Apple.
  • I continue to study for my next big exam and prepare for my upcoming graduation at the end of Summer 2025!
Suzanna and Abigail in the Big Apple, dining out.

Abigail the med student, thriving in NYC!

Suzanna
  • In January, I began my sourdough bread journey by mixing up my sourdough starter, which I have named "Dough-reen." I hate Doughreen but also am determined to make a successful sourdough loaf, so I am toughing it out. That month, Jake and I went to NYC to see Abigail. I got to see the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree all lit up; I got to eat lots of amazing food; and I got lost on the subway. It was a great weekend!
  • Hillary told about the Cody Johnson concert and 5K in February. I also got to enjoy lots of time reading and snuggling with Zoey during all the snow days from school.
  • In March, Jake and I traveled to Cleveland, OH, for a quick weekend visiting with his family. I also discovered my love for making homemade bagels (move over, Doughreen!). Zoey turned 5 with the cutest rodeo-themed birthday party.
  • I continue working daily on homework for my Ed.S. degree (education specialist, a post-master's degree, this one in school leadership), and I am finishing my fifth year of teaching high school English.
Jake, Suzanna, and Abigail in NYC.

Zoey and Suzanna, celebrating Zoey's fifth birthday!

Sunday, March 02, 2025

Blessed to Be a Blessing

Abigail's medical school adventures have taken her across the world: two years of classes on her American school's Caribbean campus in St. Maarten; one year of clinical rotations in hospitals outside London, England; and now a year of clinicals in New York City. She has spent her first several months on Long Island and now is moving to Brooklyn for her next placement in the Bronx.

While on Long Island, Abigail has been attending church at Christ Lutheran Church in Islip Terrace. Before Abigail moved to NYC, we discovered via Google Maps that a Lutheran church was located a matter of minutes from the house that she would be renting. So once Abigail got to Islip Terrace, she visited the church one Sunday ... and immediately found a church home away from our church home (St. John). The congregation welcomed her, fed her at church meals, invited her to their homes for holidays (knowing she was far from her family in North Dakota), and made a place for her in their choir.

Susan and I have been so grateful for the people of Christ Lutheran (people we have never met!) and the care they have shown for Abigail in the short time they have known her. And we have been proud as can be to hear Abigail performing music in their choir. For example, I highly recommend you make some time to watch this video of their annual Christmas concert, featuring Abigail in several solo moments alongside a group of impressive musicians.

However, even more moving to us was this morning's service, Abigail's last regular Sunday with this congregation. You can watch the entire service below or else go directly to these three particular moments, which had us in tears as we watched the livestream:

  • 0:37:10 -- the pastor brings Abigail to the front to "bid farewell and Godspeed" to her and to pray for her, calling Abigail a blessing to the congregation and someone blessed to be a blessing to others
  • 0:42:35 -- Abigail provides special music for the service, singing "You Raise Me Up" (many tears of pride!) ... and watch for how the congregation responds at the end of the song!
  • 1:04:25 -- a member of the congregation speaks about their gratitude for Abigail's time with them and presents her with a card and a hug ... and watch for how the congregation responds when told that Abigail will be returning on Palm Sunday!