Monthly Archives: June 2021

Carter’s 5+1 Angelversary

As we remember and celebrate Carter this year, auntie Lori shares…

Hey Carter,

So Sonya asked me to write the 5+1 Carter Blog for this year’s anniversary.  Yes…she’s poking fun a bit at my mental math that is often done out loud…in reality, I just want to make sure everyone can follow 😊 6 years have gone by…that’s crazy.  We think about you often especially when walking Oscar and I see the two red cardinals down on the walking path.  I tell myself it’s you and Grandma Betty…Oscar tells himself he’d like you to be squirrels down on the ground instead. 

Updates – well, as you likely know, Katie is getting married!  Can you believe it?  She and Belle (and Lucas and PJ) live up in the cities by me now.  I was certainly happy to have Lucas and PJ up here willing to help me install a basketball hoop in our backyard…Belle and Tiffy supervised the dogs and ordered the pizza.  Katie is going to be student teaching this fall and Belle is attending school to be a chiropractor.  Tori moved into her apartment in Brookings and has an internship – yes, an internship at a real Architecture firm…talk about becoming a grown-up!  Tori enjoys going to the lake up north with Kyle  – he works in Olivia – he’s an adult now too it seems.  It makes me wonder what you’d be up to…just finishing your second year of college too.  Speaking of college, Sam graduated and got a real job and bought a house!  Cody continues to drive truck and help farm and Dylan seems to really enjoy working at Bend Rite.  Jackson finished his “first” year of college but is super smart like me (😊) so is already ½ done…he, too, has an internship this summer…man I’m starting to feel old!  Time seems to fly by.  

The “Littles” aren’t so little anymore.  Wyatt is going to be a SENIOR this fall and still a beast on the ice. He went to prom this year – cleans up pretty good when he wants to.  Jonah and Tiffy will be juniors – both still playing LOTS of sports.  In fact, Jonah and Wyatt played golf together this spring on the high school team.  Jonah plays football and basketball as well – don’t tell him, but he’s a pretty good athlete.  COVID kind of put a crimp in fall sports this past year so Tiff ended up doing cross country since volleyball was delayed – dude, I literally had to push her out of the car the first day!  She ended up loving it – who knew (I mean clearly I knew, but what do parents know).  She also did volleyball, basketball (went to state and actually played against Marshall – that was fun!), and then decided on track this spring.  Oh…and they both turned 16 and got their licenses this year – yikes!  Baby size JR, the littlest little, is no longer the littlest.  He is going into the 8th grade and is one exceptional athlete in football, basketball, and baseball.  He still gets to play the “baby” card as he is the youngest even if he’s not the littlest. Needless to say, they are living their lives to the fullest, and I like to give you the credit for that!

As for the adults…we’re all doing well and really can’t complain.  We have our health and some great kids to keep us busy and the memories of you to keep a smile on our faces. We also have our dogs – lots of them.  Oscar loves it…he has lots of “cousins” to play with wherever we go.

It’s almost time for the annual week at the lake…remember when you talked Grandma and Grandpa into going twice that year?  You always were such a stinker. Tonight, while we all may be in different places, we will be enjoying steak sandwiches and Silver Oak cabernet in your honor.  We miss you dearly and hope you are keeping everyone entertained up there…playing ball and telling jokes.  Until we meet again, “Stay Awesome!”

Stay Calm & Stay Awesome!
Profs Dr. Wendy & Dr. V. 

“That Sounds Fun” Book Talk

Say YES to fun! That’s what Annie F. Downs, author of That Sounds Fun, strongly recommends we do. I am all in to this recommendation!!! 🙋 I’ve never met this gal, but I would LOVE to hang out with her for a day or two. I know for sure we would be friends.

How did I find out about this book? I listened to Adam Weber’s podcast when he interviewed Annie. He mentioned Annie’s book in Episode 116 so I called our local library to see if they had the book. We are small town America, so they had to put a hold on it from a distant library who did have it. Three weeks later I picked it up. I just finished the book and it is fabulous. I told my hubby it was so good, I want my own copy. Yep…buying it!

Annie has a podcast called That Sounds Fun. She explains in her book how that title came to be. On page 55, Annie tells of her being a huge fan of author Ted Dekker. Through a good friend who knew Ted, Annie had the opportunity to record an interview with Ted. Annie asked her friend what she wanted her to do with the audio. Her friend asked her “have you ever thought about starting a podcast?” Annie’s answer, and I quote: “And hand to heaven, I responded, ‘That sounds fun.” The podcast title and the book title were born.

At the end of her podcasts, Annie will ask her listeners what sounds fun to them. She has PAGES of ideas in her book from her guests and her listeners. If you are struggling for something fun to do…look at just those pages. As I was looking at many of these pages in her book, the one that stuck out to me is from John…what sounds fun to him is Front porch swing talks. John is speaking my love language. I have a porch swing out front AND out back! And a sign that asks others to come sit with me on my porch swing where the friendship is free.

I thought about my friend, colleague, and blogging partner when I read page 79. Sonya (Dr. V. to all of you), lost her nephew and blogs about it each year on Carter’s home-to-heaven anniversary (look for this blog at the end of June). Her family continues to celebrate Carter in FUN ways. Annie writes “To me, making strong fun memories are some of the best ways to partner with the pain you feel and give it purpose. Fun is never meant to replace pain….. But fun can walk alongside it.” So, I sent Sonya a text message with a snap picture of page 79. Today as I write, I am thinking of you, Dr. V., and ALL your family as you near the anniversary date of Carter going home to heaven. Love you all! ❤

 As I get older and realize life is a little wonky at times, I get a feeling that is hard to describe. I could never put my finger on this feeling. Well, I got my answer from this book. I yearn for Eden. I ache for the time when life was simple. No hatred. No disease. No sadness. No loss. No shame. Just love! Perfection. I want the time BEFORE Adam and Eve screwed it up. 😉

Eden. Yes, Annie, that’s it. I can now put my finger on that indescribable feeling I’ve had for years. I long for Eden.

Until then, Annie…I plan to have fun because as you share in your book on page 74, “Most anything CAN be fun. It just depends on us.”

Amen, Annie! Amen. Thank you for such a touching book. I encourage all of our blog readers to read it!

Stay Calm & Have Fun!
Profs Dr. Wendy Dr. V.   

A Memory of My Dad

I am a member of Patsy Clairmont’s private Facebook group called Writerly Intentions. Today she asked us to write a memory we have had of our father or father figure. Below is the brief story I shared…

My dad, Edward Carl Wussow, was electrocuted on New Year’s Eve in 1974 when I was a 9th grader in high school. Seventy two hundred (7200) volts of electricity entered his body when the tip of his middle finger on his left hand barely brushed over the substation hot wire, passed through his heart between beats, then exploded out his right arm, fingers, knee, and foot.

The miracle…he lived to tell about it. The miracle…the electricity passed through his body BETWEEN heart beats.

My dad endured indescribable pain, and yet he persevered! He survived! Thank goodness my dad was a man who had a strong will to live because he needed an overdose of that will during those years of his recovery.

I watched him fight for healing with all the courage and strength he could muster up. The doctors told him he would only live for about five years after that electrocution because of the toll it took on him. Well guess what? That accident happened to my dad when he was 45 years old. He lived until he was 85!

My dad…the strongest, bravest, most courageous man I have ever known. (Thank you, Jesus 🙏🏼 and St. Paul Ramsey Hospital Burn Unit in St. Paul Minnesota for saving my dad!) ❤️

Dad…I know, without a doubt, you are enjoying Father’s Day in Heaven. I have peace knowing I will see you again someday. Until then, please know how much I love you and miss you!

Patsy asked us, now we ask you: Please share in the comments below a memory you have had of your father or father figure.

Stay Calm & Happy Father’s Day, Dads!
Profs Dr. Wendy & Dr. V. 

We Are Treasured

“…the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.” ~Deuteronomy 7:6 (NLT)

Sometimes treasures are buried deep down just waiting for us to excitedly uncover them. Other times, treasures are in plain sight. Treasures like:

A rainbow over the ocean…

Or, a sunset on the Minnesota prairie…

Or, a sundog in winter…

OR…a child’s Vacation Bible School music program finale. 🎶💝

I got goosebumps listening to my grandson and all the other children sing about being “forgiven and chosen forever, I am a treasure.” The message in that song was exactly what this grandma’s heart needed. A reminder for me, and all of us, that we ARE who God says we are.

Deuteronomy 7:6 (NLT) reminds us of this: “…the LORD your God has chosen you to be His own special treasure.”  Hmmm…why would he choose me I wonder? Why did the Lord choose us? A few verses later in Deuteronomy 7:8a explains why: “…it was simply that the LORD loves you…”

Wow! I don’t know about you, but that blows my mind, and it gives me more goosebumps. It is exactly what I needed to hear…again!

Please know, we are loved and we are treasured! It’s that simple! Both are in plain sight!

Stay Calm & Know We Are Priceless Treasures! ❤
Profs Dr. Wendy & Dr. V.