CONFIRMATION DAY

Confirmation Class of 2015
Zion Lutheran Church, Weyburn
Abbey Johnson is third from the left

Alan and I began this day by driving to Weyburn for my granddaughter, Abbey Gabrielle Johnson's confirmation service.  I was thinking back to her baptism. Her sponsors were her uncle Todd and Jodi's niece, Rea.  Those years have flown by!

Clare with baby Abbey Gabrielle Johnson
Trinity Lutheran Church, Torquay
Dec. 23, 2001

Confirmation Day also brought back memories for us.  Alan and I were in the same confirmation class at Bethel Lutheran Church in Frontier.

Confirmation class of 1957
Bethel Lutheran Church Frontier, SK
Jerome Heggestad, Alan Lutz, Pastor Pegelow, Charles Pegelow
Elaine Erickson, Diana Havervold
(Pastor Pegelow, Charles and Diana are deceased)

After the service, Clare, Jodi, Abbey and Shauna left for Frontier to be with the Sanfords at the family supper in Frontier and the prayer service at Climax Catholic church.  On Monday morning at 11:00 they will be taking in the celebration of Blaine's life at the Rec Centre in Frontier.  The lunch to follow will be Blaine's favourite after hockey treat - cheeseburgers and Coke. I had decided not to go out for the services as Alan and I were planning to go out on May 17th and spend time with Sandra and Merle then.  But when the Johnsons left at noon, I was wishing I had packed my bag and gone along. 

Last Monday we stayed overnight in Frontier with Alan's cousins, Edna (Holmgren) and Clifford Thoring. We had such a good visit that evening and enjoyed our breakfast with them before we went back to Sandra and Merle's for another visit.  On Friday we learned that Edna had suffered a massive heart attack and passed away in Shaunavon Hospital. What a shock for Clifford and all their family and friends. Our plans changed once more.  Now we will be going to Frontier later this week for Edna's funeral service at Bethel on Saturday, May 9 at 11:00 am.  She had lived most of her 82 years in Frontier area and was loved by all.  Alan said that she never forgot his birthday.  She was known for remembering people's birthdays and added my name to her birthday book before we left.  I am so glad that Alan wanted to spend that night with his special cousin.  Little did we know that would be our last visit with Edna.  He is honoured to be a pallbearer for her.  We plan to spend Friday night in Gull Lake so Alan can visit with two of his sisters, Donna and Joyce.

Last week was a busy week here at the farm.  Clare and his hired man, Gerry, were busy getting ready for seeding. On Wednesday Alan and I were moving everything out of the living-room to have it ready for the carpet layer on Thursday.  He finished the job on Friday so now we have a "new" room after 36 years of the same rug.  Tomorrow we will do the same in the office - get it emptied out for the new flooring to be installed on Tuesday.  The rug shows  that it has been in the house since it was built!

On Saturday we took the day off and went to Lampman for Jamie and Lindsay's dance recital in the afternoon.  Shauna had 13 different outfits for the two girls to get them changed into at the right times!  It all went like clockwork and we both enjoyed it, along with Abbey who was pleased to go with us from the farm.  We stopped in Estevan on the way home for groceries and KFC to take home for supper.  Here are a few pictures of some of the costumes.

Today we also went to Milestone to take in Ashley's dance recital. I will add pictures tomorrow.

On the way there we learned of a fatal accident west of Estevan.  Lorne and Dorothy Sovdi died when their eastbound car entered the westbound lane and was hit by a semi hauling fertilizer.  Such a shock for their family, friends and neighbours.  Dorothy is my friend on Facebook and I had a visit with her in the Co-op store in Estevan not long ago. 

 It is the third reminder in little over a week that we never know when the last visit with someone might be.  Our prayers are with the Sanford/Corcoran families, Clifford Thoring and family, the Sovdi family.