Memories

Here is my sister Liseanne comforting her son Cordell. This was about a half hour into the viewing. He is finally understanding what has really happened. He loved grandma Beverly.
Here is Haylee. She loved grandma as well.
My nieces Madison and Morgan. Madison was having a hard time and Morgan came over to comfort her sister. Here is proof Melinda that they do love each other. :)
What wonderful friends I have. Mary came to the viewing and funeral. Her son is in my grandma's preschool. Lucky kid!!

Yup I am wearing Orange. I like to be the black sheep. I hadn't seen Brady for 4 years.
This was a favorite moment of mine. We lived 5 houses from my grandma growing up and we were all very close to her. This was the first time we had all been together in over 8 years.
My three brothers.
My mom and sister Melinda. We had a great time. We laughed, we cried, we laughed more and cried more. We were so lucky to have such a wonderful grandma. I got a very nice card from my friend today and on the front it says, "All that we love deeply becomes a part of us" (Helen Keller) I love that and found it very fitting.



p.s. I did OK on the plane and only cried once or twice. :)

aerophobia

It is 3:09pm on Wednesday. I have finished packing my bag and it is starting to set in. I am really feeling sick and my heart is pounding. I HATE to fly. HATE HATE HATE to fly. I didn't used to be such a chicken. I actually enjoyed the times I had flown, but about 4 years ago I had an awful flight and at that point when I realized that I was in the air and my kids we on the ground it all hit me. I have only flown once since then, but I had two of my best friends there with me to support me and give me all the pity and attention that I needed to make it onto that plane. Tomorrow I will get on the plane ALONE leaving my wonderful husband and 5 darlings behind. AHHHH my hands are shaking. I need to go do something to get my mind off of this. Here is what wikipedia has to say about fear of flying...

Symptoms
A fear of flying is a level of anxiety so great that it prevents a person from travelling by air, or causes great distress to a person when he or she is compelled to travel by air. The most extreme manifestations can include panic attacks or vomiting at the mere sight or mention of an aircraft or air travel.

The fear of flying may be created by various other phobias and fears:[1]
a fear of closed in spaces (claustrophobia), such as that of an aircraft cabin (I am ok with this)
a fear of heights (acrophobia) (don't love heights)
a feeling of not being in control (yep)
fear of having panic attacks in certain places, where escape would be difficult and/or embarrassing (agoraphobia) (um I think I am ok here...we will see tomorrow)
fear of hijacking or terrorism (not so much anymore)
fear of turbulence (yes very much so)
fear of flying over water or night flying (can't swim too well, but I would probably be dead if we crashed over water and wouldn't need to swim)
fear of crashing resulting in injury or death (yes yes yes yes yes yes..one yes for each person I am leaving behind)

I know I am silly and it is safer to fly then drive, but still.......

Grandma Beverly

My grandma Beverly passed away early this morning. What a wonderful woman she was. My heart is so full of different emotions. I am so sad she is gone, but so happy that she is with my grandpa Chester again. I'll never forget the way she laid on his chest and cried right before they closed his casket. I like to think that right now she is lying on his chest crying again. She is also with her son, Louis who passed away when he was 18 and her parents.
I don't know how people face death without the gospel in their lives. I am so sad, but feel so comforted at the same time. I feel so blessed and so lucky to have this knowledge. My dad told me to read in Alma 40 this morning and as I did I came across v.12, "And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow."
I love the look of relief on my grandma's face in this picture. It was the day my parents returned from their mission. She looks so happy. Maybe this is what she looks like in heaven...her in the middle with her parents on each side of her.
I was lucky enough to live only 5 house away from them my whole life. We used to sleep down their every Friday night. She would always have ice cream in the freezer which we loved. She would always make me a Strawberry Pie for Thanksgiving because she knew it was my favorite.

This picture was taken just this past Christmas. I hadn't seen her in 4 years. I am so glad we decided to take the trip out there.

I love this picture for many reasons. This is my darling nephew Chester who was named after her husband. I love that they are both sleeping. I love the look of her mouth because that is so my grandma, :) I will miss you grandma. I love you!

Happy 11th Birthday

Today is his birthday. 11 years old! That is amazing to me. I can't believe how fast it has all gone. This is one of my favorite pictures taken when he was 5. LOVE IT!
This is him this morning. Playing the computer before school....a big no no in our house, but he asked his dad (the softy) and because he was ready for school he got to play.
Happy Birthday son!

I love you.

Giving up naps

The problem with a three year old who no longer wants to take naps (even with bribs) is that she will fall asleep anytime after 4:00, anywhere! I have to be sure to keep her busy and happy or we are in for a late night.

Baby it's cold outside

Currently At 6:24PM


8°F
RealFeel®
-23°F
Winds: WSWat 29mph

I don't even know what else to say. Can you believe how COLD it is here.

I am taking a photoshop class tomorrow and Tuesday at Chris' work. Deborah is taking it with me and we are both very excited. I have always wanted to learn how to do more than shrink my pictures with photo shop. So I owe a huge thank you to Alissa, Sarah, and Suzy f0r taking the girls for me so that I can do this.

Rosemary

Here is our adopted grandma Rosemary. We have known her as long as we have been here. It was the spring after we got here. T was 3 and C was only 8 months. We were sitting outside and Rosemary walked up and started talking to T. She asked if he wanted to go with her and get a cookie. Like the good mom that I am I sent my 3 year old son with a stranger to get a cookie. She has been part of our family ever since.
She moved this past weekend to Baltimore and we are going to miss her so much. She has been with us through so many things. She was always bringing the kids cookies, chocolate, and taking us to dinner more times then I can count. When C was about 2 years old his favorite food was chocolate because Rosemary was always bringing him little Hershey bars. The great thing about Rosemary is that the noise of 5 kids never seemed to bother her. Everytime we had another baby I thought for sure the dinner trips would end just because of the noise and crazyness of taking so many kids out to eat. She never cared and loved them all so much. She always called T her first love. He is now taller then her.
Here she is at the hospital holding Am.
Rosemary would come everyday without fail to take E for a walk. She even bought her this blanket so her legs wouldn't get cold. Somethimes C would go with them, but mostly it was just Rosemary and E.
We love you Rosemary.
Thank you for loving us and being part of our family and letting us be a part of yours.
We will miss you so much!

Cookies

Thursday I just had Ab home with me so we decided to make cookies. The dough had to sit in the fridge for 2 hours so when the other kids got home from school we made them together.
The first question they asked was, "who are these for?" They were so excited when I said they were for us.
The older two rolled the cookies into balls
Ab then put them in the bowl and covered them with hot chocolate.
(I got this recipe off Jaime's website)

All she wanted to do was lick the chocolate off her fingers.
Him too.

In the mean time Am got home from her playdate at Danes house with these cookies.

His mom is AMAZING!

Which cookies do you think they wanted to eat.