Christmas Greeting 2010

Another year is ending . . . Twenty Ten.
As always, what began an empty page
is filled. The ups and downs upon our stage
give content to this missive once again.
Some things were planned, some took us by surprise.
The challenges of age were offset by
the freedom and the willingness to try
a new “If not today, then when?” reprise.
And so between the February storms
we flew to different places, both were grand.
He went to hunt with Don in Kona-land.
She spent the time in Arizona, warm.
What memories we made, what joy to be
with special friends and far flung family.

Spring dawned with added plants and greening vines.
Though lots of work, the vineyard brought a thrill
to Larry, Scott and Steve, who hope to fill
the future with a stock list of fine wines.
July held two reunions with our kin.
The Headings family hiked One Thousand Steps
to honor our beloved Ron, adept
in love and life and gathering people in.
With Kennels we enjoyed the annual ride
to Slate Run and Pine Creek. Fun, food and more!
Kids swim and fish, buy candy at the store.
We bike the trail or visit at fireside.
The gift of family does not dim or fade.
With thankful hearts we savor memories made.

September saw plans rearranged a bit
when Larry got wiped out by a recip.
His fall resulted in a fractured hip.
“A full replacement,” said the doc at Pitt.
Post surgery he lay flat, while miles away
a group of friends and family rallied round
to harvest our first crop of grapes. We found
it quite a humbling thing to see that day.
The trip from Pittsburgh home was not much fun.
But two weeks later, crutches tossed aside,
he went to work and hasn’t broken stride.
You’d never guess by all that he gets done.
As we go forward with our lives, we feel
much gratitude for how our bodies heal.

Some highlights of the “dream come true” design
unfolded for the Mrs. Yes, it’s true.
With Kratzes to Discovery Cove she flew
and swam with dolphins, gift of a lifetime.
In each of two 5K’s she ran her best,
and rode the train to NYC to join
with thousands using feet to raise some coin.
The goal, to banish cancer of the breast.
We’re glad to say our children all are fine.
We celebrate each little girl and boy,
sixteen in all. They fill our hearts with joy.
And every one to whom we send this line
has touched us in some way. We hold you dear
and send best wishes for the coming year.



Steve, Fran, Lily, Logan and Lucas


Reuben, Donna, Levi, Max, Judah, Ori and Gideon


Scott, Sarah, Jade, Colby and Tyler


Nathan, Terah, Bella, Noah, Jeremiah, Evelyn and Ruby

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer - New York 2010

The 2010 New York Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is history. What an inspiring and memorable event! Nearly 4000 walkers, numbers of whom are breast cancer survivors, raised over $9.4 million dollars to fund research and to help provide treatment for those who need it.


Donations from my family and friends contributed $2655 to this amazing result. The commitment of women and men of all ages was almost too much for me to absorb. Reading the signs and t-shirt messages made the statistics quite personal and often brought a lump to my throat or tear to my eyes.


"Walking for Mom". "Walking for Nana". "Walking for Auntie Jess". One man was walking for his grandmother and FOUR aunts! Another woman told me she lost her best friend and vowed to walk until there is a cure. This was her tenth year walking.


There were hundreds of volunteers who marked the routes, staffed rest stops, provided medical aid, prepared food, helped us set up our tents and transport luggage, or worked in traffic safety at busy intersections. This biker, along with several others, not only volunteered, but added a touch of humor in showing support to the walkers.


Sponsors provided food, supplies, and foot and back massage at the end of the day. It was a huge undertaking, well planned and orchestrated.


Our walk began at 4:15 a.m.Saturday morning. Here we are on the subway, headed for the starting point, Hudson Pier 84.


We gathered with thousands of walkers, deposited our luggage in the appropriate truck, and grabbed some coffee.


Here we are, ready to go!


We began by walking along the Hudson River.


We walked along at a pretty good pace . . . we were at Mile 9 by 9:38 a.m. and we were at the lunch stop by 10.


We were often greeted and cheered on by supporters standing along the route. We saw this couple at at least three different spots during our 26 mile walk.


Saturday evening we joined hundreds of walkers in a tent city on Randall's Island.



We won't soon forget that experience, as we tried to pitch our tent in very blustery wind with no tent stakes provided! Later in the day, one of the men fashioned makeshift pegs out of a medium grade wire. Only then did we feel free to leave the tent!



Sunday morning sunrise along the East River.



Crossing the finish line! A bit sore and feeling our age after 26.2 miles, but exhiliarated to accomplish our goal!



Many of us stayed for the closing ceremony. The speaker was celebrity Suze Orman, one of the event's biggest fundraisers.



In it to end it . . . because every statistic is someone's best friend.

August letter

This is a slightly edited version of my August letter sent to the Headings family:

The last month has been slow for embryo work, almost non existent, actually. We did have work this week, and we have now scheduled some things into September, for which we are grateful.

In the meantime, we didn't have trouble finding things to do! Larry has been working hard in the vineyard. We are grateful for Scott and Steve's help. It looks like we will have a nice crop this year. Normally it would be another year before harvesting grapes, but we had such good growth and established the vines so well last year, that we were able to let fruit on. I think we will be selling most of this year's crop, as we just aren't yet prepared to handle them. Another source of huge frustration for Larry is that we learned recently that the nursery sent us the wrong grapes last year . . . pinot noir instead of merlot. We do not have the optimal growing season for pinot. This means we will need to replace vines, losing two years of production and labor. A consultant for the nursery is coming next week to confirm this mistake, and then we will need to figure out what we do from there and what compensation we might expect. Sarah took some pictures for us this week. If you want to see what the vineyard and grapes are looking like, check out her website at www.littlemomentsbysarah.com/Grapes

A couple weeks ago Larry and I spent about four days up at the house/cabin. It was pleasant to be there, so peaceful! We have known since the first summer that there are bats occupying the attic and that we wanted them out! But how best to do that was the problem. We do want to have them around, just not in the house. So, while we were there, Larry spent three days building a large bat house (a bat condo, really!) out behind the garage. This week, enroute to a client in New York, we stopped overnight. Larry had discovered a simple "bat exclusion device" which would allow the bats to get out, but not back in, a 10 inch long piece of 2-inch in diameter PVC pipe. Up on the porch roof we went, fitted the pipe to the crack in the soffit, taped it securely with duct tape, as well as taping carefully along the remaining crack. That evening we sat out in the yard and waited . . . about eight o'clock, bats started dropping out through the pipe. We quit counting at 56! The next morning, at six o'clock, we went over to the bedroom window nearest that soffit. What we saw was amazing. Bats were swarming up to the taped soffit, trying desperately to get back in. They didn't! But I almost felt sorry for them. Their anxiety was obvious! They would fly in, scurry along the tape, drop away, fly in, feel along the tape, drop away. Oh, well, they do have a lovely condo waiting, if they are interested. I took a video. What a scene. We want to get back up soon and permanently seal the soffit, assuming all the bats have vacated.

Reuben and Donna were at the beach last week. Reuben and the boys stayed here one night on their way back home (Donna stayed another couple days along with some friends). Larry took Judah down to the ChooChoo Barn to celebrate his birthday (just a bit late!!) I took Bella to the Pottery Works one day last week to celebrate her birthday. She starts back to school in first grade soon.

This week is significant, isn't it [Note: a year ago on the 18th is when my younger brother died unexpectedly of a heart attack] . . I know we have all been thinking about Ron, as well as Jill, Holiday, Meredith, Devaron and Shae. May we continue to be inspired by Ron's life!

On Sunday, our church will have services here in the grove and a fellowship meal. That's always a fun time. Our church family suffered quite a blow two weeks ago when we learned, during the service, that one of our own, Glen Lapp, was one of the ten workers gunned down in Afghanistan while on a medical mission in a remote area. The intensity of loss we all experienced in this community reminded me over and over about the many, many losses that families have experienced in Afghanistan and Iraq, and other places around the globe....each life special, each loss leaving a huge hole in a family and community. It is sobering.

The end of September several of us are going to Pittsburgh to participate in a 5K "Great Race". I'm looking forward to being back in Pittsburgh . . . we have lots of good memories of that city!

In October, as some of you know, I plan to join a good friend in NYC for a two-day "marathon and a half" 39 mile walking event called Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. If any of you want to honor someone you know that has experienced breast cancer, a (tax-deductible) donation at my web page will get their name printed on my T-shirt! http://www.avonwalk.org/goto/Marilyn.Kennel
I have to commit to raising $1800 to walk, and I've set a goal of $2000. I've never done fundraising before, but almost everyone knows someone touched by this awful disease. I can name five people without having to stop and think about it. My T-shirt list already includes a sobering number of honorees and memorials....

If you have nothing better to do, here are links to online photo books of summer 2010 Headings and Kennel family reunions....

They are long links so you may have to copy and paste although they show up as live links in my program:

Headings book with special memorial event is at:

http://preview.picaboo.com/Webview/CoverPage.aspx?album=000000000007B12F0D&user=0000000000002725C7

Kennel book is at:

http://preview.picaboo.com/Webview/CoverPage.aspx?album=000000000007C2DB5C&user=0000000000002725C7


-- Post From My iPhone

Book Review: The Help

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the first book I've read in a long time that I absolutely didn't want to put down. Part of the fascination is that the setting (Mississippi, 1963)is one I know little about. I remember the Civil Rights movement from a northern perspective. This book gives a glimpse into what it might have been like to be a "colored" domestic, as well as the consequences for a young woman who challenged societal norms.

View all my reviews >>

Book Review: A New Kind of Christianity, by Brian D. McLaren

The past fifteen years have found me becoming more and more uncomfortable in the presence of those preaching or espousing a traditional Christian theology. I get down right squirmy, followed by a churning knot in the pit of my stomach. I haven't always been able to articulate why.

McLaren's book is one of several I have read in recent years that have helped clarify what I seemed to be growing into instinctively. Something about the "gospel" I was taught just doesn't seem like good news. Previous books I've read and reviewed (If Grace Is True by Gulley and Mulholland, and more recently, Thank God for Evolution, by Michael Dowd) move in a similar direction, though perhaps with broader language and metaphors.

McLaren stays closer to traditional Christian language. What he adds that was helpful for me was the exposure of the Greco-Roman paradigm which has shaped and distorted both the Hebrew image of God and the role and message of Jesus. His metaphor of Bible as Constitution or Bible as library was also helpful.

At this point in my journey, I can only embrace a spirituality that is willing to explore and practice faith in the manner of McLaren.

Another book read

In June I ran my first 5K ever and I ran in Tevas. You ran in Tevas? Yes, Tevas. Only my nephew who is into barefoot running thought that was cool.

"So," I asked him, "what kind of minimalist running shoes do you recommend? "

"Vibram FiveFingers," was the unhesitating reply. So I bought a pair and have been jogging in them ever since. I also wore them to climb a mountain and plan to run another 5K in September.

In the meantime, that same nephew sent me a book he wanted me to read--Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall. I just finished it. I found it to be an interesting mix of history, philosophy, physiology and story. The facts as presented reinforce my long held biases about conventional wisdom related to the superiority of technology and medicine, and how scientific discovery is misused and manipulated in the service of power and greed. That's a mouthful, I know, but it is my perspective based on many years of observation and experience.

I am encouraged in my new found interest in running. A comment from the book: "we don't stop running because we get old, we get old because we stop running". Hmmm. This may be my best decade yet!


-- Post From My iPhone

Book Report: Have a Little Faith: a true story, by Mitch Albom

This is a great little book about faith, hope and the goodness of the human spirit across religious traditions. His lifelong rabbi asks Mitch to deliver his eulogy. Stunned, Mitch decides he'd better spend a bit of time getting to know him. This leads to eight years of wonderful conversation full of wisdom and joy. This story is juxtaposed with the story of an African American's life and how he came to be a minister to the homeless in Detroit. It's a moving and heartwarming book. Highly recommended!

Book Report: Thank God for Evolution, by Michael Dowd

Last week, Larry and I finished reading the above book. It took us a couple months to read for several reasons: 1) It is an extensive and thought-provoking work, 370 pp. with fairly small print; 2) we only read while traveling for work; 3) we paused half way through for some lighter fare.

For me, this is one of the most transformative books I've read in recent years . . . definitely equal in influence to If Grace Is True, which I wrote about in an earlier blog. Dowd presents the entirety of cosmic evolutionary history as sacred story, one that continues to emerge, guided by Divine Reality, an ongoing story of which each of us is a part.

He honors the traditional sacred stories by nesting them within a larger story, reinterpreting them in refreshing and life-giving ways. Larry and I laughed out loud, for instance, when Dowd related his present application of his Pentecostal "speaking in tongues" gift. Nothing of our heritage is discarded, all has value when understood in its context, and REALized for the present. (Dowd's definition of REALize is making otherworldly religious concepts real in the world of our actual experience.)

Dowd finds the evolutionary paradigm useful in observing all areas of life . . . cosmic, biological, societal, cultural, physical, moral, spiritual, ethical, psychological, technological. There is no aspect of our lives that is not moving and evolving. All is interwoven and interdependent, moving forward together.

He calls us to commit to lives of integrity, humility, authenticity, responsibility and service to the Whole. Moving beyond post-modern relativism, Dowd insists that we can "once again speak boldly and prophetically about right and wrong, and do so without appealing to ancient texts... A thing is right if it helps individuals and collectives to grow in trust, authenticity, responsibility, and service. A thing is wrong if it tends otherwise."

The ethics of Jesus have always been important to me. Dowd's call to living with integrity embraces these practices at a depth missed or ignored by many self-proclaimed Christians in America today.

In years past I've been troubled by the insistence that we "believe in faith" that which we can not understand. It seemed that to be a good Christian, one had to check one's brain along with one's coat in the church vestibule. How wonderfully refreshing to be invited to observe and learn of God's ongoing revelation with all the gifts we have been given!

I challenge anyone to read the book in its entirety. You may not agree with all of Dowd's ideas, but you will certainly be invited to see our beautiful world in new and sacred ways, and to embrace your life with joy and integrity.

Brief book review

I recently finished reading Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen. I'm glad I didn't buy it. I thought it was mostly fluff, a mixture of adolescent humor, dissing her family and trashing her heritage with a few of her insights (nothing new) thrown in at the end.

Perhaps I'm too hard on her. Perhaps my response says more about me than about her. So be it.

Anybody want my copy? First come first served. It was given to me and I'll be happy to pass it on!

-- Post From My iPhone

A Little Change of Pace

This is my January family letter, and I thought I'd post it here as well. Some of my friends may find it of interest . . .
---
It has been a busy and eventful time around here, though our embryo transfer work is modest in this economy and at this time of year. Even though slow, it has been steady, and we are paying our bills with gratitude!

The relaxed pace is something Larry and I both enjoy. He continues to keep busy with vineyard and winery planning. There are plans for converting the barn into the winery and tasting room. There is also the zoning and licensing process. He has spoken with the zoning officer, and turned papers over to an attorney in preparation for the approval process. The current project is to get the vines pruned, hopefully before the end of the month. He has also spent quite a bit of time trying to find some of the vines he wants to plant this spring . . . he had ordered last year, but was recently notified by the nursery in California that there was a problem with the grafts and they won't be available. He doesn't want to lose another year of projected production so . . . we'll see.

I seem to keep busy as well. I wonder where the days go. Well, I know they often start at a slower pace, with a little reading or journaling, writing email and checking facebook! There is still office work and data entry, and lab catch up that I can hear calling if I bother to listen! Currently the squeaky wheel is getting all the 2009 stuff ready for the accountant who shows up on Monday. We also enjoy having the children and grandchildren drop by . . . what a blessing that they are so close by!

Larry and I felt quite privileged on Christmas day, as our children who live locally each invited us to visit. We had brunch at Fran and Steve's, a mid-day feast with Nathan and Terah, and supper at Sarah and Scott's! A first for us, and very special.

We enjoyed having our family Christmas gathering down at Fran's on January 2. Reuben and Donna and the boys stayed with us, and it is always fun to have them here. What a fun time at Fran's!

The older grands enjoy being together and they were off at various corners of the house entertaining one another.

We had one nasty misfortune when little Ori, toddling toward his daddy, dived into the stone hearth of the fireplace. He got a cut and a nasty bruise on his forehead.

Seems Fran and derma-bond are required companions at our family gatherings lately.

Starting last summer, we decided to spend a day with each of the older grandchildren for their birthday. I took Jade to the Strasburg Railroad in August. In September, Levi and Larry went to Clyde Peeling's Reptileland. Max and Larry went fishing in October. This month was Noah's turn. He and Larry spent an afternoon at the Farm Show. We think they are having fun and we hope we are creating some good memories!

Mother and I are planning a trip to Phoenix early in February. Yes! This "dream" trip evolved quite unexpectedly for me. In fall of 2008 Larry was part of a team from the American Embryo Transfer Association who planned a good will and promotional trip to Russia. Tickets were purchased. Then there was a political episode in Georgia, and the trip was cancelled. We "ate" the tickets, so to speak, but after some negotiation, Larry was given a non-transferrable voucher for most of the costs. The team went back to Russia this fall, but for various reasons, Larry decided not to accompany them. So he has this voucher to use. When his brother Don was here from Hawaii in November, he encouraged Larry to visit, saying that American Airlines flies into Kona. Since now is a slow time, Larry has decided to go to visit Don. He will also be doing some hunting with Kimo (you may remember us telling about the young man who stayed with us while helping put the roof on the barn/winery and had the accident with his ring finger). I was welcome to join him, but decided I'd rather visit my sister in Phoenix, as well as two dear friends, one in Yuma and one in Tucson. I've also contacted a high school friend who is also in Phoenix. In talking with my sister Christine, she mentioned how much she'd like Mother to visit. So it turns out that I will drive to Ohio on Friday, Feb. 5, then Mother and I will fly to Phoenix together. The dates are Feb 7-15. (Larry's flights are Feb 7-16). I am looking forward to another memorable experience! It feels like such a gift when "wouldn't it be nice" becomes a reality!!

Our church has been without a lead pastor since last August. The chosen candidate was with us last weekend and the congregation had various opportunities to meet her and her family. A vote is scheduled for this weekend and I fully expect her to receive strong affirmation. She seems like a good fit with our faith community. Are we getting old when the new pastor graduated from LMH with our daughter? :-) Yes, she grew up in this area, but has lived in Pittsburgh and Atlanta during her adult years.

I am looking forward to this Saturday afternoon, when a delightful mix of my friends are coming for a lia sophia show (led by Sarah, of course!). We will have some food, Larry is providing a selection of wines for sipping, a couple of the spouses are coming along and will keep him entertained. It's an excuse for a party!! (Shameless promotion: it is also the best sales deal of the year for anyone who enjoys lia sophia jewelry. Buy one at regular price and get TWO MORE EXPENSIVE items at half price!! If any of you want to check it out, go to http://www.liasophia.com/sarahhaines where you can view the catalog, or email Sarah at hainessc@gmail.com and she can help you.) We didn't grow up encouraged to wear jewelry, but as I've gotten older and freer and had daughters who enjoy pretty things, I have begun to enjoy wearing jewelry too!

The last weekend of January, as has been our tradition for 25 years, we will be going to Spruce Lake for the winter weekend retreat with folks from Etown Mennonite where we were members for many years. We look forward the opportunity to re-connect with these friends who have been an integral part of our lives and with whom we share many memories. The trip up and back with Irvin and Kathy Peifer is always fun, and the Saturday afternoon hike to the top of the mountain is also a highlight. It should be a bit easier for me this year, as I have fewer pounds to drag along!!

As I come to the end of this letter, along with gratitude for the many good things in our lives, I am sobered by an awareness of many who are suffering. Not only the international horrors of earthquakes and war, which are of a scope beyond my ability to comprehend, but the devastating consequences of each individual loss we have experienced in our own communities. There have been several deaths among our church family in the past couple weeks. We are aware of the added loss for Jill and her sister. There have been more diagnoses of serious illness among our circle of friends. And so we hold all these things together, suffering and joy, grief and celebration, grace and mercy and love.

And the greatest of these is love,
Marilyn