Monday, August 16, 2010

Day One Hundred and Ten

Actual Date: Tuesday, July 13, 2010
On this morning we were all busy running around trying to get stuff ready for my Grandpa's funeral service the next day. First my Mom, Chelsea and I met with Pastor Larry to go over the information he needed. I think in that meeting is when it finally felt real to me that Papa was really gone. It was the first time I had talked about him in the past tense. It was hard but it was also a much needed healing process.
While we were explaining the details of my Papa's life to Pastor Larry he was shocked because he said that almost everything we were saying about Papa's Military life was exactly how his Dad's life had been as well. They were both in the Navy and they both worked at the same Navy Ship yard in Long Beach around the same time. Then when we talked about Papa's mission work in Mexico, Pastor Larry said that he himself had been to the very same hospital that Papa helped wire, many times. What a small world we live in.
After we were done at the church we decided we should go back to my Mom's and finish working on the photo boards and I needed to finish the video slide show I started.Whenever you pull up to my Mom's house her little dog Jasper runs out to greet you. As I was unloading my Mom from the car, my cousin Cindi, who was obviously paying more attention to Jasper than we were, said to us "Now, I don't know Jasper all that well, but I don't think he looks right..."
We called Jasper over so we could get a better look at him and sure enough his whole face was swollen. Mostly around his mouth and neck. Somewhere we had heard that you can give dogs Children's Benadryl if they needed it. Luckily we always carry that around with us because of Brooke's peanut allergy. So we gave him a dose of Benadryl and he started to show improvement within the hour.
Poor little guy. I wonder what he got into. He's completely better now. But knowing Jasper, I doubt he learned his lesson. Jappy is not a quick learner. We call him our "special dog." No really. He went on a hike with Brian once and got lost for at least two hours. We all went up on the mountain looking for him and he was huddled up under a rock shaking when we found him. And it's not like they were walking around in unfamilar territory, they were up on the hill in my Parent's back yard! He's just not the smartest dog there ever was. But he is so sweet so that makes up for it.
Parker and Aunt Anne hanging out.
And may I point out something? Look at that black dot on Anne's shirt, right above her elbow. That is a fly! The flies were nuts this year! In all the years I have lived out there I have never ever seen them as bad as they were. They were out of control!Gram Leona and her sister GinnyChris and ChelseaBefore the sun set my Uncle Donnie's family wanted to get a picture of all of them together up on the mountain. Little Ryan was so excited he wanted to be in the picture too. I just love his little jazz hands and cheezy face!Abe, Cindi, Jacob, Don and AnnRyan, Jacob and Brooke
Here's the cool story behind these three: They were all three born in the same year. But it's even cooler than that!
They were all born from different generations in the same family! Isn't that cool.
Brooke was born first, from me of course. Next came Jacob from my Mom's Cousin Cindi (which is my second cousin). Then came Ryan from my Mom's Uncle (my Great Uncle). Isn't that crazy?
I have been just waiting for the day to get them all three together to take this picture.Everyone wanted to climb to the top of the rocks to take a picture with AbeJacob and Brooke.
These two are a month and a day apart! I just love Jacob's sweet little smile.Birthday Cake! Since Jacob had just celebrated his birthday a few weeks before we decided we would give save his present until he got there so we could have a little birthday party for him while they were visiting from Florida.It was the cutest thing ever when we sang Happy Birthday to him.
He wasn't quite sure that it was for him yet because there was so many kids around. He was singing along with us and when we got to the part where we said "Dear Jacob" his face lit up. That face was priceless.Opening his present.My Parent's and I went in together and bought him a Tag Reader. My In Laws had bought one for Brooke for her Birthday and she just loves it. I figured it might keep Jacob busy for his poor Mama on that long flight back to Florida. Hopefully it helped a little. I know ours was a life saver on our drive.
All the kids with their cupcakes!
Too much fun. I wish we all lived closer so we could do this more often. Can't ever get enough of this.

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