There is a ladder up from the abyss

Dear friends,

I know all of you have been very concerned about our family, and especially our son Jaye. I'm here to update you. Since my last post, there has been tremendous improvement. Jaye (and Kelly, too) has been responding to therapy in a positive way. He is laughing a little when he talks about Lauren, remembering good times with her, and is able to think about her in a way that he wasn't before. Of course, the sadness and heartache will never completely go away, but that he is able to talk about her without breaking down is a huge step in his healing. I'm not naive; I know there are times when he is alone that he relapses, but now he is able to pull himself out of it relatively quickly. I also believe that he has become more accepting of the fact that they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he had no control over that.

We felt confident enough in his recovery, that we were able to take our planned camping trip to northern Michigan to see the beautiful fall color, and it has been spectacular. This is our first trip here, but I know it won't be our last. We've fallen in love with the Lake Leelanau region and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. We made our plans months ago, but we were right on in the timing for peak color.

I want to apologize for my lack of attention to your blogs, especially considering how wonderful you all have been to me. You are good and loyal friends. I will get back to them someday. I hope it won't be long. I will have a lot more time as the cold weather sets in and keeps me indoors. I will leave you with a little of the beauty of northern Michigan in autumn.

Love, Susan

The view from our campsite at Lake Leelanau RV Park.

Young turkeys crossing the road. They joined a huge flock of thirty or more.

One of the many vineyards in the area...Crooked Maple Vineyard.

The birch trees are everywhere, and the bark is outstanding against the fall color.

From atop Sleeping Bear Dunes, looking out to Big Glen Lake.

And, of course, you know this is a milkweed pod. It's hard to believe this sand could support the diverse vegetation.

From atop Sleeping Bear Dunes, looking toward Betsie Point in Lake Michigan. It is a 450-ft. drop to the water.

No explanation needed.

An inlet in Omena, on Grand Traverse Bay.

A funky little airport/park, where the airstrip is grass, and there is no hangar, only tie-downs.

At Grand Traverse Lighthouse...the wind was 50 mph, and the waves were fast and furious.

Nearly big enough for surfing, but kinda scary.

Grand Traverse Lighthouse. The flag was flying half-mast to honor National Fallen Firefighters.

Historic Fishtown in Leland, Michigan

Again, Historic Fishtown

Waves breaking on the seawall in Leland, Michigan

Son Shadows

I am not a small woman

feeling at times Amazon-ish

among other women.

My two sons made me feel,

when beside them,

petite and somehow more feminine.

The older one intelligent

and burning with the thirst for knowledge,

sensitive and quiet,

giving warm, enveloping embraces.

The younger one burning,

just burning,

feeling too deeply,

in your face making you be honest with yourself.

Nothing too scary, too fast

or too insurmountable,

except for life.

The older one's shadow

still giant-like

beside my lesser one.

The younger one's shadow

is a ghost

I chase in my dreams.

~~Susan~~

Picture Day

A thirty-three-year-old birthday boy who loves his mother's chocolate fudge cake with chocolate fudge frosting made from scratch











A couple of very cute and charming 2-year-olds



Hiding in the front closet













A handsome young man being kissed by his Aunt Aimee


And being held in his great-grandmother's arms


Mr. Smiley Matthew


And a couple of equally handsome older boys

New Kid on the Block

Matthew Tyler made his appearance in this old world at 10:01 this morning. Mommy's C-section went smoothly and both she and the baby are doing very well. He was quite a big boy at 9 lbs., 12 oz. and a very long 22 inches. He has large feet and hands just like Daddy! Great-great Grandma Hinkle always used to say they need a good foundation to stand on, so I think he is fulfilling that requirement well. Here's a look at his hand as he waves.



Matthew is named for his dad's middle name and his Uncle Joshua Tyler who we lost two years ago in May. Jaye and Kelly were trying to come up with an M name, because they wanted to keep the alphabetical sequence of their first initials: Jaye, Kelly, Lauren. We sat one Sunday afternoon and went through all the M names in the baby naming book and they couldn't agree on any of them. So I said well what about Matthew? At first they were reluctant, because they didn't want it shortened to Matt. Take that as a warning, family and friends! But lacking anything else that they could agree on, they decided to go ahead with it. Aimee, our daughter and Jaye's sister, suggested Tyler as a tribute to their brother, and so Matthew Tyler it is. I think it's a fine name and very classy for a beautiful little boy.