#60.2, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024

Historical Setting, 629 C.E. Creek House in the Vosges Mts.           Hannah took the donkey cart today, over to the castle lands to see her sister and the new baby, Willinod, and now she’s returning, and with her on the cart are Layla and the baby. This is what Ana wishes for more than anymoreContinue reading “#60.2, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024”

#60.1, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024

Historical Setting, 629 C.E. Creek House in the Vosges Mts. Ana seems well on this new day, though the dread of her diagnosis is a heavy weight on her and all of us who love her.          Mater Doe named Ana in spoken prayers, so those who came to worship at the secular church inContinue reading “#60.1, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024”

#59.13, Thursday, August 29, 2024

Historical Setting, 629 C.E. farm in the Vosges Mts.           The blade was put to Ana’s breast and nothing good came of it. But at least we know the shape of our desperate prayers. She’s been resting and is easily healing from that little wound by the blade now. None of us who loves herContinue reading “#59.13, Thursday, August 29, 2024”

#59.12, Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Historical Setting, 629 C.E. farm in the Vosges Mts.          I want to grieve. Ana wants to talk about Hannah’s new love, Vizsla.     “He is nearly as talented as Hannah with surgery. Together they did the best that could be done”          Ana knows my grief for her in this illness and that griefContinue reading “#59.12, Wednesday, August 28, 2024”

#59.11, Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Historical Setting, 629 C.E. farm in the Vosges Mts.           These things that Ana keeps on her shelf of precious things speak of our family at different ages. The value in them is in the ‘once was,’ and not the ‘someday, maybe’ of it. Simon’s ashroot harp that Brandell also learned his music with sitsContinue reading “#59.11, Tuesday, August 27, 2024”

#59.10, Thursday, August 22, 2024

Historical Setting, 629 C.E. farm in the Vosges Mts.          While Ana sleeps, I keep watch and I am remembering the times of our lives looking at this shelf of precious things Ana keeps.  Now I see that Ana keeps a love letter I wrote to her while I was observing silence with the monksContinue reading “#59.10, Thursday, August 22, 2024”

#59.9, Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Historical Setting, 629 C.E. farm in the Vosges Mts.          I find myself pacing, worrying, contemplating emptiness while Ana sleeps here.          Here in our house by the hearth is Ana’s shelf of precious things. It is where she keeps the icon Greg brought as a gift – the treasure that sent Brandell off toContinue reading “#59.9, Wednesday, August 21, 2024”

#59.8, Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Historical Setting, 629 C.E. farm in the Vosges Mts.          “She’s sleeping.  We talked. I know. I don’t understand it, but I know what you know.”          “I’m sorry Papa. I’ve seen this before. Momma knows this thing also. Vizsla and I didn’t agree. But Momma told us what to do.”          Vizsla speaks, alsoContinue reading “#59.8, Tuesday, August 20, 2024”

#59.7, Thursday, August 15, 2024

Historical Setting, 629 C.E. farm in the Vosges Mts.          Ana asked me to hold her hand.          “Laz, I know you are worried and hurting and I only thought if you were asked to pray for someone else who was in grief, you would just get beyond yourself. I didn’t know he was justContinue reading “#59.7, Thursday, August 15, 2024”

#59.6, Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Historical Setting, 629 C.E. farm in the Vosges Mts.          Vizsla came into our house in the middle of my prayer just in time to hear my spoken prayer asking God to be with Vizsla in his time of grief in the passing of his mother. So, he holds onto me now, as his brotherContinue reading “#59.6, Wednesday, August 14, 2024”