Bryan playing "Christ the Lord is Risen today" Last Easter you may remember Bryan crafting his own Eastertide service which he shared via video with Rev. Tim Craven of Lancaster County. This year he celebrated with us in a different way. Mom and dad have been singing with an Episcopalian church choir throughout the pandemic,…

Notes for research On my birthday last week, Bryan asked me after dinner, "What are the Bible verses about Maundy Thursday?" When I tried to dig deeper into what he was looking for, he said that he wanted to know where the Maundy Thursday story was in all four of the gospels. So, I trudged…

The first meeting of Uncle Bryan and Finley Bryan Perry. Several years ago, Bryan expressed to me his desire to become a father someday. It broke my heart to think that dream would probably never be realized. But now (thanks be to God!) Bryan has become an uncle. On March 10, 2022, Finley Bryan Perry…

A strong bond! I remember two quotes posted on my seventh grade science teacher's walls : "Many look, few see" and "Many hear, few listen." They've stuck with me for many years. Bryan is good at truly listening and remembering things many of us would have forgotten long ago. He dredges things up from the…

We have just returned from our annual pilgrimage to Sanibel Island in Florida, our Happy Place - the coveted yearly trip for just the two of us. While we were there, I was reminiscing about a time several years ago where it was not as enjoyable initially. In fact, it was downright tough at first.…

Bryan with roommate Glenn at Longwood Gardens. Two weeks ago our local newspaper's headline editorial piece read : "Pa.'s most vulnerable need our help". It featured some stories of families across Pennsylvania who we would deem "in crisis" due to chronic underfunding of state-contracted non-profit organizations that provide much needed support to those who cannot…

The love of a son! I sat in my chair in the cold family room, bundled in an afghan - a lump of isolated pandemic depression. I'm not good in a normal year in mid-winter. Seasonal Affective Disorder grabs ahold of me and won't let go. And it was Valentine's Day. My husband had worked…

One happy fella! This week, Bryan received a gift from the husband of my first cousin, who lives in Florida. Bobby has known Bryan since he was a baby but, because of moving South, has not seen Bryan in many, many years. And, yet, he thought of him in a very special way. In reading…

The littlest angel singing as a Cherub. When Bryan was born, many exclaimed "You were blessed by God with this angel from heaven!" Unfortunately, I was not feeling that way at the time. Many other thoughts swirled around in my mind - angel was not one of them. The voices continued..."God knew you would be…

Bryan has been learning to play the piano for many years. He first showed a desire as a little tyke, sitting on the bench next to me and pushing down random keys. When he became a bit older, he tried piano lessons with the church organist. That didn't last long. Music therapy with a therapist…