It's been a while since I have posted anything... Minus the one I just updated for my Big Dad. Our family of 4 is doing well. Kevin grows smarter every day. This Monday his school had an award ceremony and Kevin got 3 awards. Two were for staying on Honor Roll for both grading periods and he received one from his Drama teacher for being the most improved in his class. Jim and I are both so proud of our Kevo's accomplishments thus far. Kevin is coming more and more out of his shell every day. He's getting better about vocalizing his feelings and desires. He still uses a much more advanced vocabulary than I used at his age. For no real reason other than we wanted to, we bought Kevin a new bike, which he loves as he and I went for a bike ride today. Kevin said "it was awesome" and that he loves spending time with me. Having two kids makes it harder to have one on one time with Kevin so when we do get time alone it's a special occasion.
James will be two in a matter of months! His vocabulary is growing more and more every day, which I love witnessing. We play games on my phone, he loves watching Mater Tales, so all of us can pretty much rehearse it along with the show or when we're given a cue. He's also very tall and is wearing a size 3T already! He needs to stop growing... But alas we love our little Jamesers. Even Kevin loves his little brother and loves to help out with him and getting him to laugh. His newest accomplishments have been: sleeping in his own bed, in his own room, and drinking from a sippy cup. We finally threw away all his bottles. Yay!
Jim is still up to the same ol', same ol'; working til he drops. We all appreciate it though. Because of his hard work I don't have to work and we have all our needs met. We all love Jim and are so very grateful that he takes such good care of us.
Then there's me. I spend a lot of my time hanging out with Baby James and picking up/dropping Kevo off at school or his activities, which I love spending time with my little guys so I'm forever grateful. I only have two resolutions this year and that is to live a healthy lifestyle and to be mentally healthy as well. This past week I have noticed old symptoms resurfacing so I am back on medication. A part of me is really saddened by this, but I also know that it is for the best.
So to all those who are suffering just hang in there. It'll get better. I still believe it. My sons and husband are what gets me through my tough days; and with all the accomplishments of James and Kevin I know that I must be doing something right. I am so grateful for them and for my husband as well. I hope 2015 brings us much happiness and we all accomplish our goals. I wish that for those reading this as well. May we all strive to be healthy and happy! And to only compete with who we were yesterday!
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Happy Birthday, Big Daddy!
So I meant to post this for my Big Daddy on his birthday...:
Today would have been my grandpa's, Big Daddy's, 85th birthday... I've heard a lot of stories about him over the years and so I wanted to share a few...
When my dad was forced to retire from the Air Force my parents wondered where we would go. My dad's parents had passed away previously and so my mom suggested we move to Florida so that my siblings and I could get to know our only living grandparents.
We lived at Karlo Court in Deltona for a short time with our grandparents. My sister and I shared a room and my brothers shared a room. There was an outside pool in the backyard and a play house where the neighbor kids and I all played. It was a big adjustment but over time I think we all learned to love it. Big Daddy loved all of us and wanted to be a part of our lives. I think that's why he let six people move into his house that he shared with his wife and son.
Big Daddy always attended family functions. He attended The Nutcracker, baptisms, and, of course, was around for holiday get-togethers. I am forever grateful that he allowed Jim and I to have our wedding in his backyard.
He loved having the family together so a lot of times we'd go to Time Shares together in Georgia or at Daytona. He also liked playing cards games and over the years taught us to play Old Heck, Phase 10, Hand and Foot (which later became Hand, Knee, and Foot), and Dominoes.
For those that knew Big Daddy knew that at times he could be a handful. He liked things a certain way, he could be loud, or argumentive but he always meant well. After our visits he'd say, "Drive safe. PC," which meant precious cargo because that's what he thought of all of us. We were, we are, his precious cargo.
He loved the LDS Church and even when he and Granny moved into The Villages they still attended church regularly. He loved playing golf in the gated community in which they lived. He and Granny made friends there that would play card games with them. Whenever we went to visit them it was always guaranteed that we'd go to the town square to dance and end the evening at Ollie's where Big Daddy would treat us to ice cream.
I especially missed him over the holidays. We have always had our holidays together as a big, loud family, and remains one of my favorite times of the year. This year, however, Big Daddy wasn't there to bless the food, to meet his new great-grandchildren, to hand out hugs, to hand out money to the younger kids, and enjoy our company...
Granny has been handling his passing well. She said it's like he's at work (the army) and he'll be back, even though she knows it's not true. She misses him greatly and so she and some family members are going to visit his grave this weekend.
So in closing I just want you to know that you are missed, Big Daddy. I think of you often... I remember you arguing with Kennedy that she was going to get food all over her dress and Kennedy said it wasn't a dress, it was a big shirt; this argument went on for a while until Granny asked "Are you arguing with a three year old?" And you said, "I'm not arguing, she's arguing!" Granny then replied, "It takes two to argue."
The year before that when we were at the cabin we: Renee, my mom, Granny, Emma, and I went to get food (and you were really craving French Fries); well Renee accidentally drove us into a ditch and while we waited for someone to help us Granny sat in the car and ate all the French Fries. When we finally got back to the cabin we told you that their fryer was down.
I remember after the eighth grade you took me on your trip to Illinois where I met Uncle Miles, Aunt Janet, Todd, Ally, Jeremy, Holly, and Katie for the first time. I remember being really nervous at first because I was a shy teenager but I had a lot of fun hanging out with my cousins. I got to see my Uncle's goofy sense of humor first hand after hearing about his pranks from my mother. I got to see my Aunt and a couple of her many talents: teaching, cooking, baking, quilting. I had a lot of fun.
So for the fun memories thank you. I hope you know that you're missed. I hope that wherever you are you're at peace. Love you, Big Daddy and Happy Birthday.
Today would have been my grandpa's, Big Daddy's, 85th birthday... I've heard a lot of stories about him over the years and so I wanted to share a few...
When my dad was forced to retire from the Air Force my parents wondered where we would go. My dad's parents had passed away previously and so my mom suggested we move to Florida so that my siblings and I could get to know our only living grandparents.
We lived at Karlo Court in Deltona for a short time with our grandparents. My sister and I shared a room and my brothers shared a room. There was an outside pool in the backyard and a play house where the neighbor kids and I all played. It was a big adjustment but over time I think we all learned to love it. Big Daddy loved all of us and wanted to be a part of our lives. I think that's why he let six people move into his house that he shared with his wife and son.
Big Daddy always attended family functions. He attended The Nutcracker, baptisms, and, of course, was around for holiday get-togethers. I am forever grateful that he allowed Jim and I to have our wedding in his backyard.
He loved having the family together so a lot of times we'd go to Time Shares together in Georgia or at Daytona. He also liked playing cards games and over the years taught us to play Old Heck, Phase 10, Hand and Foot (which later became Hand, Knee, and Foot), and Dominoes.
For those that knew Big Daddy knew that at times he could be a handful. He liked things a certain way, he could be loud, or argumentive but he always meant well. After our visits he'd say, "Drive safe. PC," which meant precious cargo because that's what he thought of all of us. We were, we are, his precious cargo.
He loved the LDS Church and even when he and Granny moved into The Villages they still attended church regularly. He loved playing golf in the gated community in which they lived. He and Granny made friends there that would play card games with them. Whenever we went to visit them it was always guaranteed that we'd go to the town square to dance and end the evening at Ollie's where Big Daddy would treat us to ice cream.
I especially missed him over the holidays. We have always had our holidays together as a big, loud family, and remains one of my favorite times of the year. This year, however, Big Daddy wasn't there to bless the food, to meet his new great-grandchildren, to hand out hugs, to hand out money to the younger kids, and enjoy our company...
Granny has been handling his passing well. She said it's like he's at work (the army) and he'll be back, even though she knows it's not true. She misses him greatly and so she and some family members are going to visit his grave this weekend.
So in closing I just want you to know that you are missed, Big Daddy. I think of you often... I remember you arguing with Kennedy that she was going to get food all over her dress and Kennedy said it wasn't a dress, it was a big shirt; this argument went on for a while until Granny asked "Are you arguing with a three year old?" And you said, "I'm not arguing, she's arguing!" Granny then replied, "It takes two to argue."
The year before that when we were at the cabin we: Renee, my mom, Granny, Emma, and I went to get food (and you were really craving French Fries); well Renee accidentally drove us into a ditch and while we waited for someone to help us Granny sat in the car and ate all the French Fries. When we finally got back to the cabin we told you that their fryer was down.
I remember after the eighth grade you took me on your trip to Illinois where I met Uncle Miles, Aunt Janet, Todd, Ally, Jeremy, Holly, and Katie for the first time. I remember being really nervous at first because I was a shy teenager but I had a lot of fun hanging out with my cousins. I got to see my Uncle's goofy sense of humor first hand after hearing about his pranks from my mother. I got to see my Aunt and a couple of her many talents: teaching, cooking, baking, quilting. I had a lot of fun.
So for the fun memories thank you. I hope you know that you're missed. I hope that wherever you are you're at peace. Love you, Big Daddy and Happy Birthday.
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