Sock Garters, Anyone??

I had to share these pictures of Cavy.  They were from two separate mornings before preschool.  I love that he picked out the socks all by himself...and found nothing wrong with the way he looked.  Ha!  He even argued with me about changing the socks (or simply removing them to wear flip flops).  I eventually had to bribe him, although I'm sure his teachers and the other parents would've gotten a kick out of his style sense.  ;)

This child never fails to make me laugh. :)

Blessings,

~S

Have You Got A Minute (Part Duex) :)

Well, my friends, here we are again...another late night.  The kiddos have been tucked away in their beds for awhile.  The hubby is sawing logs in the recliner, and the dog and cat are actually snuggled up together...sleeping on the other end of the sofa.  :)  I'm yawning, but gosh, I really want to get caught up. ;)

Last weekend we travelled to Missouri again...this time we cruised right down I-35.  We spent another day travelling out of state for the hubby's cousin's graduation.  We had another nice time catching up with family (the hubby's dad's side this time).  The kids were excited to see Matthew (the grad) and his sister, Sierra.  Mr. B is always especially glad to see Matthew because they share the same birthday - January 6th.  :) 

The kiddos with their cousins...including Sierra on the left - holding Cavy.

The hubby's dad (seated), his Aunt Collen, Uncle Roger, and his Uncle Gary (Daddy of the grad.)  I'm glad to see they are still goofy after all these years! :)  The photo on the right is the graduate himself and Mr. B. :)

The hub with his Uncle Rog...I'm thinking they could pass for brothers. LOL

As much as I love seeing family, I was also excited to make a little stop on our way to the graduation to view a small part of my family history.  I have been researching my family history for quite some time, and I'm always amazed when I can see something tangible that connects me with my ancestors.  My great-great-great grandfather was laid to rest in a cemetary named in his honor - there was a chapel there too...many, many years ago...also named for him.  It was called Hobbs Chapel, named for my ancestor Ezekiel Hobbs, who came to Missouri from Virginia with his first wife and their children (which included my great-great grandfather).  Ezekiel, or "Uncle Zeke," as he was called, fathered 19 children, and had 4 wives in his lifetime (3 passed before him).  We had a short visit to the old cemetary, as the rain started to fall on us, but it was enough to pacify me for now.  It was nothing short of amazing to stand at the foot of his headstone...my ancestor.  It was incredible.  Our stop was less than an hour away from the hubby's uncle's house...so rest assured...I will return (with my detective cap on).  I'm sure the local library has some goodies hidden away on their shelves...just waiting for me. :)

History...

Back at home, we are nearing the end of the school year (7 more days), and I'm not sure how to feel about that.  I may have to let you know in a few weeks. :)  It is time though, for all of the end of the year activites - including a track meet for Mr. B.  Cavy and I went down to the football field to watch the events.  It was fun and I know Bubby was glad that we were there to spectate. :)  

 

Mr. B doing the long jump...he had some serious air! :)

Cavy had his end of the year program at preschool.  I'm still struggling with the fact that there will be no more mornings at preschool.  See him singing his "Goodbye Song" for the last time here.  He's all done now!  Now, we just wait until August...for Kindergarten.  Goodness...where does the time go?  My baby is growing up too fast.  He has also learned how to ride his bike without training wheels ...another milestone achieved.  The hubby said it took Cavy less than two minutes to figure it out, and I'm not surprised.  He's been on the go since he was in utero.  LOL 

Mr. C with his teachers, Carol and Kathy. :)

"Watch me, Mommy!"  See Cavy ride here! :)

...there goes my baby (and my other baby running behind).

Mr. Jones has been trying to hurry along - not just after Cavy, but on our project list as well.  He finally got some bushes planted in front of the house (to replace the pokey ones we ripped out).  He also got my raised garden box in place for me.  My plants look a little sad and lonely in there, but I'm going to be happy with my small garden this year, maybe next year will bring expansion.  I still think it was so sweet the hubby placed the box right next to the deck (anything to make it easier for me and my knee).  I sure love that guy. :)

It was getting dark, as I'm sure you can tell.

Well, my yawns are beginning to overtake my brain function, so I will call it a night.  I will leave you a picture of my friend Julie and myself.  We had a girls night out...it was fun...but it also confirmed what I already knew...

...home is where is the heart is.  <3

Blessings (and sweet dreams),

~S

Have You Got A Minute? ;)

We have been running around so much lately, when I sit down at night...I just want to chill...you know...instead of blogging. LOL So, I apologize for my lazy behavior - it's time to get caught up - in a BIG way! You may want to use the potty before passing this point...you may be here awhile. ;)

The week of Grandma's funeral was an over-the-top busy week for us. We ended up having visitation Monday, the funeral Tuesday, I had finals on Wednesday and Thursday - Mr. B also had a band and vocal concert Thursday evening, and Friday we left for Quincy, IL for the hubby's brother's wedding on Saturday (you still with me?). :) I'm telling you ...it was nuts. Oh, and also on Friday, Shay had a Mother's Day Tea that I was invited to...it was delightful and oh, so precious. We made it through the week of madness...somehow, and managed to survive. :)

My finals went well, I ended my semester on a good note...with good grades, and I'm very proud of that! :) Things got a little stressful and tricky towards the end..Miss Shay was even home sick on Thursday, but all got done. :) I have been enjoying my time off from homework, but I am looking forward to summer classes (why does that just sound wrong?). I am taking 3 classes this summer and will begin this coming Tuesday. I am also already signed up for fall semester (and I have my spring semester mapped out as well) - gosh, I really wish I could keep my house that organized (of course there are no children tearing up my school scheduling).

I think her tummy was feeling better by this point. ;)

She looked like a little Army guy with her (non-used) puke bowl on her head.

Speaking of the chillens...Mr. B ended his final band/vocal concert on a good note. Unfortunately, we didn't have a good view of him during the concert, but you can hear the band play the "Theme from Star Wars" here. Mr. B will be going to the "big school" next year - middle school. It will house all of the 6th and 7th graders in the city (approx. 1300 - 1350 students). It's going to be a little bit of a change, but I'm praying he will be alright. He assured us he's going to get beat up next year because I made him sign up for chorus...such drama. LOL

Getting lined up on the risers.  Mr. B is in the brown.

Playing an instrument during one of the vocal songs.

Mother's Day was short and sweet this year, we spent the morning in IL and the rest of the day on the road home, but it was nice. :) The kids all made me something for my special day - I love the gifts they make - they truly are the best and most heartfelt. Mr. B wrote me a poem, Bear wrote and illustrated a calendar complete with poems.

Miss Shay made me a book (all about me - Mommy), and my little man brought me home his handprints with a special poem. Am I spoiled, or what? :) They are the best!! Here are some pics from Shay's Mother's Day Tea and her and her classmates singing here...it was so sweet! :)

The drive to IL seemed to take forever, and the hubby "almost" got pulled over only once. It was pretty late when we arrived in Quincy, but the kiddos were excited to cross the Mississippi River, and of course...to swim at the hotel. The wedding on Saturday was nice - congrats to Charlie and Bri! The kiddos and the hubby all had a part to play...and myself? I had the great pleasure of sitting back and snapping some pictures...just what I love. We enjoyed seeing family and friends and visiting while the kiddos boogied down at the reception. We had to leave the reception at a decent time however, because there was more swimming to be done. :) We drove around Quincy a bit before we left on Sunday. What a neat old town...and what beautiful old homes!! I'm such a sucker for old houses....maybe someday, huh?

Enjoying some R&R.

The kiddos before the wedding.

Cavy & his little cousin, Cassie (flower girl & ring bearer).

The older boys were ushers and Miss Shay & cousin, Naomi, passed out bubbles.

Cousin Naomi lives in Fargo, ND, so these two cherish their time together! :)  They were so cute watching the wedding, I just had to snap a picture. :)

What a cute trio, but I was especially partial to the handsome guy in the middle.  ;)

Bear helped decorate the car.

Me & my baby.

Our little family.  :)

The hubby with 3 of his 4 siblings. :)

The hubby & his Momma - she looked so nice!

The bride and groom.

These two wouldn't pass up a chance to dance together.

Magically...the DJ played "Brown Eyed Girl"

....but I'm pretty sure her Daddy requested it.  :)

Miss Shay slept in the window overlooking Ol' Miss - she thought it was SO cool!

The boys shared a bed (Cavy was OUT). 

Taking in the view a last time before we checked out.

Mr. C rode the cart out to the parking lot.

It was nice to spend time with Grandma Nancy on Mother's Day.  :)

Checking out the sites!

The bridge crossing over the Mississippi.

There is more to blog, but I'm heading to bed...besides...this has been long enough.  Thanks, as always for checking in with us.  Peace & love (as a friend would say).

Take care,

~S

The Rock Slinger & His Greatest Hit

I've been a little lazy about blogging lately.  I have lots to blog about, but I will exercise some restraint and re-visit the kiddos' church musical before I go any further.  The first weekend of May, the oldest three kids participated in the annual spring musical at church.  This year it was a musical based on the story of David and Goliath.  Mr. B got to play the part of David, the shepard boy - who in the end, takes down the giant Goliath.  I could gush for hours about how proud we were...and still are of his two performances!  That boy was as cool as a cucumber!  I'm assuming he gets that from his dad. :)  I tend to get really nervous up in front of people...Mr. Jones...not so much. 

Friday night on the way to opening night, Bear kept saying how nervous he was (HE takes after me), and shouldn't Bub be nervous too?  But, Mr. B let nothing frighten him - I'm still impressed thinking about it.  I have to admit, it was only after I saw him in the musical that I decided I could sing at Grandma's funeral.  And, I have to admit, I had to really think about how cool, calm, and collected he was and I tried very hard to emulate that.  I did okay...but he was AWESOME.  :)

Bear had some speaking parts and a duet with a gal, and he did a really good job as well.  I know he was nervous, but he did a great job of NOT showing it.  Miss Shay did well too, she had a couple small parts (she didn't get a solo because she had a solo for the Christmas concert - and was a bit miffed too LOL).  Overall, it wasn't the best timing with all of the extra stuff going on, but maybe it was exactly what God had planned - something that would fill our hearts up with so much pride and love, when it was feeling so sad and empty.  :) 

Here are a few short videos from "The Rock Slinger & His Greatest Hit."
Blessings,
~S

The Final Chapter...

It feels like it has been forever since I've posted. The past eight days have flown by and stood still all at the same time. Last Tuesday, when I last posted, I came home and just needed to feel the routine of my life for a few hours. It worked - Wednesday, I was back at the hospice house with my grandma and my mom. Grandma seemed so uncomfortable and could no longer tell us what she was needing. It's a horrible feeling to be unable to help someone you love so much. I sat on the hard fold-out bed, where I had slept the Saturday night before, laid out my school books and laptop - and went to work. It's weird trying to focus on homework when your grandmother is feet away from you in a spiraling decline. I took breaks now and then, held Grandma's hand, smoothed her hair, kissed her forehead and just let her know that I loved her.

Before I left Wednesday night, I told Grandma all about the kids' upcoming musical at church, and how she'd be so proud of the great job they'd been doing in rehearsal. I also told her I thought I was going to finally bake the last of her apple pies that I had hidden away in the freezer. Bless her heart, her mouth would move, but there was barely any sound, and there was no way to understand what she was trying to say. So, I tried to save her the trouble of talking and recited all the frozen pie rules she had taught me over the years: bake on a cookie sheet - in case the pie overflows (then it won't burn all over the bottom of the oven), cover the outer edges of the pie with tin foil (so the crust doesn't get too brown), and sprinkle with sugar before you bake it (at 350 degrees, of course). I don't know if she understood what I was saying or not, but I pretended she did. I told her loved her and that I would see her tomorrow.

When I left that night, I remember looking at the moon - it was a full moon. There were clouds moving slowly in front on the glowing sphere. It was so beautiful...and yet, I felt so sad. I hopped in my van and picked up my phone (sorry, Oprah), and called my number one supporter - the hubby. I was hoping to lay my burdens on him and somehow feel better, but he seemed rather busy and said he wanted to get some things done before I got home. I was on my own. I switched the radio on, only to hear the retro classic, "Spirit in the Sky." So, I sat there listening to the eerie lyrics while the moon guided my way, "When I die and they lay me to rest. Gonna go to the place that's the best. When I lay me down to die...goin' up to the spirit in the sky." It was a little surreal, so when the song was over, I flipped the station with a small sigh of relief, only to hear a man talking of the "last installment" of a 14 part series. "This week," he said, "we deal with death and grief." What the hay?! So, I listened carefully to this minister who reassured me that we don't really die in death, we live in death - we live with Christ. So, by the time I made my way home, I was a little disillusioned at either my odd luck or divine intervention. I pulled into the drive to find the hubby pounding away in the garage (it was 11pm at night), and he was working on a raised garden box for me - which was so very sweet. I felt so bad that I was so emotionally and physically wiped out, I just half grinned and said, "Thanks."

The next morning I received a call from my mom. The minute I heard her tearful sobs, I knew Grandma was gone. It was done. I had said my last words to her, my prayers for her misery to end had been answered. I knew I just had to hold it together and get to my mom as fast as I could. Cavy and I raced up to the hospice house, where Papa Edd met us (to take Cavy). I sat with my mom, my aunt, and my cousin until my mom was ready for the nurse to call the funeral home. It was a long time, but I understood her need to say goodbye. For me, the woman lying in the bed had somehow transformed into an empty vessel; my grandmother was no longer there. I held my mom as she wept, and then strolled the hallway making phone calls to family to deliver the grim news. I held it together pretty well that day. I helped my mom with plans at the funeral home, picking out a casket spray at the flower shop, and going to my grandma's house to pick out clothes for the funeral. Being in my grandma's room was the most difficult part of the day. I stood there, surrounded by her things - her clothes, her jewelry, her shoes (she loved shoes), and her pillow - which still was indented from the last time she slept in her bed...in February. I laid down on the bed, and snuggled up next to the pillow. I inched my nose closer to the gentle curve, and I smelled her. I laid there and breathed in my grandmother and sobbed like a child.

After we had finished with our business in Story, Mom came back to our house and we worked on the obituary. The days following were really a blur. My Aunt Colleen flew back in from Arizona and stayed with us for 5 days. May Day came and went; I almost forgot about making baskets, but we got it done. The older three kids had their church musical Saturday night and Sunday morning. They did so good - I'll blog about that later, because it really does deserve a posting of its' own.

Monday evening brought the visitation and Tuesday was the funeral. The older thee kiddos sang "Amazing Grace," I sang, "Old Rugged Cross," and Brett and I sang "On Eagles Wings." You can see and hear the kiddos practicing here.  I was so worried I wouldn't be able to do it, but it all turned out okay. I broke down a couple of times during the eulogy I delivered, but I made it through. I kept thinking people must think I'm so egotistical - I felt like I was doing everything (except for the minister's part - she did a great job), but no one else wanted to do anything...it's not that I wanted to be the one doing it all, it's just that I felt the Grandmother who had done so much for me in my lifetime - deserved a nice service. I believe that's what she got - I felt like she was smiling down on us.

I will leave you with Grandma's eulogy, and I thank you for your prayers, your positive energy, and your love. It really has (and continues) to mean so much to me and my family.

"When I sat down last night to write something about Grandma, I kept drawing blanks. There is so much I could say about the amazing woman I was lucky enough to call my Grandmother. I could literally write a book about what she meant to me, and perhaps an additional one just documenting the times we spent together. Grandma was a lover of life. She had a wonderful sense of humor. Hearing her laughter and seeing her when she was laughing was simply the best. She was always proud of the hard work she had done in her life, what she accomplished because of it, and the many friends she gained along the way. Grandma was also so proud of her family. She did such a great job keeping up on us all - even the extended family. If ever I wanted to know how someone else in the family was doing, Grandma was the one to call.

Almost 8 years ago, downstairs, in this very church, I had the great pleasure and honor of surprising Grandma with a wonderful party for her 85th birthday. I remember how surprised she was - thinking she was coming to baby shower for my daughter...only to walk into a very full room of family and friends. She was overwhelmed. For a long time after the party, she would talk about how many people were there and all the cards she received - and then she'd tell me - "you know...I have a lot of friends." She was so right.

It may be a ridiculous notion, but there was a time I believed Grandma just may live forever - or perhaps it was just wishful thinking. Grandma meant something different to all of us, for me - she was my hero. There is part of me that still can't believe she's gone. And another part that knows she wouldn't have left unless she knew in her heart that we were going to be okay. This has been a difficult time, perhaps the most difficult thing is realizing there will be no more quick phone calls to ask about a recipe, or to just talk about nothing. There will be no more drives to Grandma's house in Story City for big hugs, long visits, and cookies for the great-grandkids. There will be no more cards in the mail for birthdays, or Christmas, or notes just saying good job. For those reasons and more, my heart is aching.

When I look at the other hand, I try remind myself how lucky I've been...how lucky WE have been to have her in our lives. She was such a blessing, such a joy, such a treasure. I am so thankful she was my Grandma. I am thankful for the long life she had, for the wisdom she gave, for the faith she displayed, and for the love she showed. She taught me about what kind of person I wanted to be.

I am most thankful though, that my children had an opportunity to know her and love her. When my Grandpa passed away almost 12 years ago, I stood in this very spot eulogizing him at his funeral - and also expecting my first child - a boy - Brayton Caleb. From day one, my sweet boy had a very special relationship with his Great-Grandma. We were visiting Grandma one day, and she was getting ready to make her delicious apple pies. Her kitchen table was full of apples, and little Brayton, who was not much older than one, and was just tall enough to see above the table, took notice of all the apples and from that day forward called her Grandma Apple - a name Grandma loved and cherished. God blessed my husband and I with 3 more children after Brayton, and each one of them had their own special relationship with their Grandma Apple.

Grandma would be so happy that you are all here today to honor her memory. She would understand if you needed to shed some tears. But Grandma wasn't a believer of dwelling in sadness. I believe in my heart that she would want each and every one of us here today, to celebrate her life - to remember the good times - the special moments that we shared with her, and to know she is at peace with her Savior, Jesus Christ. We will all carry our own precious memories of her in our hearts, and we may remember her in different ways. For myself, I will choose to remember Grandma full of life, full of spunk, full of laughter, and full of love."

God Bless You

~S