Here we are, just past the middle day on our November/2025 calendar, and Thanksgiving is next week.

Yesterday marked 1 year since we buried my daughter Autumn’s ashes at one of her chosen resting places. This one is marked by a headstone. Yesterday also was 6 years since our last family Thanksgiving/ Christmas before my husband Jim passed away.

The clock continues to tick tock, and the calendar pages

continue to turn month after month.

Life just has a way of continuing on with or without us. I remember a period of time in my life when I lived like I thought it depended on me 😊. Like the earth would rock on it’s axis without my input. 😊

Work like it depends on you and Trust like it depends on God.

It reminds me of the day I went to pick up my 8 year old Granddaughter from school. I walked into the room and told the teacher I was there to pick her up for an appointment. She said “So you are the infamous grandma Hope”. To which I said“ Well I am Grandma Hope”. “No, not in your granddaughter Randi’s eyes” was her reply. She went on to say we were discussing whether God took vacations or days off sometime. To which Randi proudly spoke up and said I don’t think He does, but if He did for like a week-end my grandma Hope could take over from a couple days.:) 

So when you have those days when none of it seems to make sense. I promise IT’S NOT ME! 😊 😊

         My son calls at least once a week and he usually starts off the conversation with OK I have a question, or I want to talk to you about something. Then he will tell me who he wants to talk to by saying now I don’t want Pastor Hope, Nurse Hope, Grief Share Hope. I want to talk to my Mom. There are times he wants input from one of the others.

         A good reminder that we will never be anyone everything, but we can always be somebodie’s someone.

         This week was the celebration of life for a very good friend of ours. Dick Fosnot age 83. Dick and my husband we very good friends. Our families have been friends since the late 80’s.

Before Jim passed away, Dick’s son brought him and his wife Karla to the Madison VA to see him. Jim was having one of his in and out days. As you can see in the photo he just reached over and covered Jim’s hand with his.

Just as if they had discussed plan B, If there was ever a time they couldn’t talk, just rest your hand on mine. So He Did!

A friend of theirs sang All My Life He Has Been Faithful. As she sang I couldn’t help looking around the room at many people I had also known for over 30 years.

Many of the kids that were in youth group with ours (now they are all in their late 40s and early 50s). During their catch up on each other’s lives the subject of retirement came up. As conversations go, one thing led to another, pretty soon one of them said Oh my gosh, do you all realize we just spent 10 minutes talking about Medicare 😊😊.

As I looked around the room to my right was a precious lady that’s son was killed in a car crash. In front of me was a lady that lost her husband of many years, just 2 months ago. To her left was another couple from the church who son was hit and killed while delivering papers on his bike. On the front row was the widow, who also buried her son, a war veteran who took his life. I know for a fact not one of those mentioned felt like God had let them down. But they realized no matter how difficult the days, nights, even years we suffer we all know We are not alone. He will never leave or forsake us, is not only a Bible verse but it is a tried and true fact.

Some have children in the ministry and on the mission friend. And yes there are still some living in their parents basement with part time jobs and the latest, best video game.

We had our first snow yesterday. We got about 4 inches. This was great granddaughter Wren’s first snowfall that she could recognize. She thought it was raining. It actually was quite enjoyable with the big, fat, feather like snowflakes. She went out for a short visit then decided it was TOLD out there.

I think the snow is what got my granddaughter Kaci in the holiday spirit. She had off today and it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in our house!! A lot of Autumn’s Christmas items are setting out. She loved The Little Drummer Boy. Her Last Life Saver Book 2023 sits untouched up on the shelf. By Christmas she was no longer eating much of anything.

Kaci is training as cook at her job. I said “well you like to cook so you’ll enjoy that”. To which she replied “No I like to bake, and I am fond of my crock-pot. 😊

It will be a different type Holiday season this year. I have been VERY involved in all the church ministries for many years. Now my energy is spent more on my great grandkids.

My Granddaughter Tara’s children call me Great Grandma Hope. That was too much for Wren so she just called me Hope. So when she calls me Mom I say No, who am I? She will say Hope. This past week I was on the phone with the market place for nearly 2 hours ☹, so I set the phone down between us with the speaker on. She heard my name many times in that span of time. When the call was over she called out Mom to which I responded I am not Mom, who am I? She looked up at me and said  “Hope Bennett”. It bothers some people but we had many of foster kids and they called me Hope most of the time.

Life never ceases to be interesting.

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       Recently a comment on my Blog read

 Sometimes your blog makes me laugh,

    and sometimes it makes me cry!

           BUT it always makes me think!

         I repeat: Life NEVER cease to be interesting!!

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Blessings!  Thanks for reading!