THANKSGIVING 2014

Lots and lots has happened in just four months.  How fast times flies anymore.  Too quick too catch your breath, much less remember what occurred day to day!

Pam passed away Saturday, August 2nd at 4:30PM.  The celebration of life was held two Saturdays later on Zane's 12th birthday.  There were around four hundred folks there, including Helen and Dwight, who drove up after church.  I was so thankful they made time for her, me, us, etc.  The funny thing was that we still had the Log Cabin luncheon the day after Pam died and it really helped for all the family to be together.  Jim, Jay, Ri and the kids weren't there, but they were in spirit.  George had passed away at the end of June, so we had all just been together right before the 4th of July.  The good news was that Abby was going to have a baby and she did get married to Jarrod just before Livia was born. I really miss Pam.  The flowers above are a collection from Connie's, Carolyn's, and my gardens that were put in a basket for the celebration of life ceremony and potluck. However, sunflowers are what Ri and Jay have decided have meaning for Pam.  The funny and coincidental thing is, I, too, also think of Pam whenever I see sunflowers now.  I still can't believe she is gone.  Perhaps knowing her for the short fourteen years that I was blessed with will continue to have some impact on my life.  I really hope so.


Pamela Skinner Smith, 67, of Delaware passed away peacefully Saturday evening August 2, 2014 at her residence surrounded by her loving family.
She was born January 27, 1947 in Circleville, Ohio to the late Jay and Alda (Hatten) Skinner.
She taught special education for 35 years at Buckeye Valley and Big Walnut Schools. Pam was a member of the Unity Church of Delaware, the Piece Corps Sunbury Quilt Group, Quilter’s Point of View of Mesa, Arizona, Friends of the Community Library in Sunbury, Sunbury Book Club and the Club of Creative Learning Mother’s Club in Kilbourne. Her passion was learning, teaching, sewing and quilting.
Left to cherish her memory is her husband of 46 years James “Jim” Smith; sons Andrew (Christine) Smith of Ft. Worth, Texas and Jay (Maria) Hoeffer of Cincinnati; five grandchildren Caleb, Makaio, Mei, Cassandra and Matt; brother Gary (Carolyn) Skinner of Delaware; two nephews Brian and Darin Skinner.
Celebration of Life Services will be held on Sunday August 17th at 1:00 pm at All Occasions Banquet Facility, 6989 Waldo-Delaware Road, Waldo, OH with Pastor Joanne Blum officiating. A Potluck reception and fellowship will immediately follow the services; sandwiches and drinks will be provided.
In keeping with Pam’s wishes and her desire to continue teaching and helping others learn, her body was donated to the Ohio State University Department of Anatomy.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Pam’s memory may be made to the Unity Church of Delaware, 4277 Columbus Pike (St. Rt. 23), P.O. Box 593, Delaware, OH 43015, Community Library of Sunbury Foundation, 44 Burrer Drive, Sunbury, OH 43074 or to the donor’s choice of charity.
The Snyder-Rodman Funeral Center in Delaware is honored to assist the Smith family in carrying out Pam’s final wishes.
Condolences may be expressed to the family and memories may be shared by visiting www.snyderfuneralhomes.com

School started with a bang!  The race is still on too!  One concert with first and third graders down, fourth grade in January, and kindergarten and second grade in March, along with my evaluation for a continuing contract next week, and the SLOs due in March as well.  I need to get my lesson plans done soon so I can post them for the principal's review.

Here is Zane with his goat, Scooter II, who did really well overall at the fair.  He came in second in his weight class and got fourth place in showmanship.  It think it helped Zane want to continue with goats in the future as we kind of had to force the issue this year.  And of course, it didn't help when the market truck came, and Zane was upset for the next three days.  Surely, this won't be so hard in the future?  Unfortunately, this year, Scooter II was a really nice goat and even I was sad to see him go.

Have taken a class for gifted and talented students on-line, which has added to the amount of work lately.  And we have started working on the kitchen.  Darin moved everything to the basement, I am still packing things in bins, but am slowly getting the hang of it.  On top of everything else, I can't seem to shake this sore throat.  I had lost my voice at the end of October, saw the doctor, but since I have never had a fever, couldn't give me anything stronger than what I was already doing.  It went away for about a week, but is now back.  At least I can say it isn't nodes, which is what I thought it might be since I couldn't talk for so long.  Singing was definitely interesting.  And I have been getting the hiccups lately too. Really weird.

But, I truly remain thankful in my heart of hearts that I have Zane and Darin.  I look back on all those years of being single, and sometimes I miss the quiet time, but I am so thankful that the Lord gave me such a wonderful man and a son who is who he is.  My gratitude sometimes makes me cry, but they are tears of joy.  I have been given so much, even if it has only been for a short time of my life so far.  So, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!