You're a good example...
You have a good heart...
You're a good sport...
You're good for a laugh...
You're a good worker...
You're a good provider...
You're a GREAT husband...
You're a WONDERFUL father...
We are the LUCKY ones! HAPPY FATHERS DAY!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
You're a good teacher...
You're a good example...
You have a good heart...
You're a good sport...
You're good for a laugh...
You're a good worker...
You're a good provider...
You're a GREAT husband...
You're a WONDERFUL father...
You're a good example...
You have a good heart...
You're a good sport...
You're good for a laugh...
You're a good worker...
You're a good provider...
You're a GREAT husband...
You're a WONDERFUL father...
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Mel and Jack
Cliff and I were so lucky to be raised by AMAZING fathers.
Mel (Cliff's Dad)
I remember my dad always having my brothers and I pick grass for the rabbits, dig holes to plant orange trees, or till the garden. I never understood why we had to do these things until I was older. He was teaching us how to work. My wife often praises him (and my mother) for teaching me this.
My favorite memories of my dad are that of sitting on the shore of a lake or fishing in a boat. Every summer my family would load up the family "gypsy caravan" and head for southern Utah to camp for weeks at a time. I'm glad he taught me to appreciate nature and cook in a Dutch Oven. (All of my family has come to appreciate this.)
Many hours were spent in dad's wood workshop where I helped him make cabinets, toys, and anything else you could make out of wood. I learned how to create useful things with wood.
In a nutshell, my dad wad a great teacher and I'm grateful to him for all that he taught me. I love you dad.
Cliff
Jack (Andrea's Dad)
My dad was the play wrestle on the floor, easy to manipulate, teach you how to handle a firearm kind of dad (yes, us kids could easily manipulate you and you know it.)
My most favorite memory of my dad (and my childhood) was when my sister, brother, and I decided we needed to get out of town for the weekend. We would wake up dad and tell him we wanted to go on a long drive (which meant a day drive or an overnighter somewhere). Of course dad knew this and unknowingly played along by fervently answering "no". We knew it wouldn't take much convincing before he said yes and we'd be on our way. We would just drive and stop at all the out of the way places and sometimes stop at a hotel for the night. (Thanks for saying yes dad! Those were some of my favorite memories and Cliff and I now do this with our kids from time to time.)
Some things I can vividly remember about my dad is when he made me a sparkly star wand out of wood one year when I wanted to be a fairy for Halloween, going on power walks and salad diets, asthma attacks then puffing on Primatene Mist, always having a stash of M&M's in his shirt pocket, and teaching us kids how to drive the car at Falcon Field Airport...when we were 7 or 8 (relax everyone, it's too late to call CPS now :0)
For these and so many other memories dad, I love you.
Andrea
*~HAPPY FATHER'S DAY~*
My favorite memories of my dad are that of sitting on the shore of a lake or fishing in a boat. Every summer my family would load up the family "gypsy caravan" and head for southern Utah to camp for weeks at a time. I'm glad he taught me to appreciate nature and cook in a Dutch Oven. (All of my family has come to appreciate this.)
Many hours were spent in dad's wood workshop where I helped him make cabinets, toys, and anything else you could make out of wood. I learned how to create useful things with wood.
In a nutshell, my dad wad a great teacher and I'm grateful to him for all that he taught me. I love you dad.
Cliff
Jack (Andrea's Dad)
My dad was the play wrestle on the floor, easy to manipulate, teach you how to handle a firearm kind of dad (yes, us kids could easily manipulate you and you know it.)
My most favorite memory of my dad (and my childhood) was when my sister, brother, and I decided we needed to get out of town for the weekend. We would wake up dad and tell him we wanted to go on a long drive (which meant a day drive or an overnighter somewhere). Of course dad knew this and unknowingly played along by fervently answering "no". We knew it wouldn't take much convincing before he said yes and we'd be on our way. We would just drive and stop at all the out of the way places and sometimes stop at a hotel for the night. (Thanks for saying yes dad! Those were some of my favorite memories and Cliff and I now do this with our kids from time to time.)
Some things I can vividly remember about my dad is when he made me a sparkly star wand out of wood one year when I wanted to be a fairy for Halloween, going on power walks and salad diets, asthma attacks then puffing on Primatene Mist, always having a stash of M&M's in his shirt pocket, and teaching us kids how to drive the car at Falcon Field Airport...when we were 7 or 8 (relax everyone, it's too late to call CPS now :0)
For these and so many other memories dad, I love you.
Andrea
*~HAPPY FATHER'S DAY~*
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Accomplishments
Hayden earned his ARROW of LIGHT...
WORKED HARD
MOVING ON TO BOY SCOUTS
WAY TO GO HAYDEN!
Stephanie GRADUATED from high school...
WORKED HARD
MOVING ON TO LIFE
WAY TO GO STEPHANIE!
WORKED HARD
MOVING ON TO BOY SCOUTS
WAY TO GO HAYDEN!
Stephanie GRADUATED from high school...
WORKED HARD
MOVING ON TO LIFE
WAY TO GO STEPHANIE!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Post I've Been Avoiding
I'm never quite sure how to express my feeling when its not about LOVE. I have no problem gushing adoration or affection, but when it comes to sorrow...not so good. But here goes.
Stephanie lost her baby.
She and Zack had a hard time with the news in the beginning. They have mourned. They have re prioritized their future. They are still happy together and seem to be doing better every day. That's a lot to go through at such young ages and being so inexperienced at life. These things can either make or break you. I'm glad to see them leaning on each other.
Sometimes I feel like there must be one specific emotion that I'm supposed to feel but I'm not sure what it should be. Sorrow, acceptance, gratitude, what? It took some time before I even accepted that this baby was coming but I bucked up, wrapped my heart around it, and loved it more and more every day. I daydreamed about how much fun we were gonna have together. Man, I was gonna be a good grandma. Stephanie and Z had already chosen names and started collecting baby thing. This baby was becoming familiar to us. Each week we read about what he or she looked like at that stage and marveled at our little miracle. Although the size of a strawberry, the baby was almost fully formed, from tooth buds to toenails. We don't know what happened. Sometimes you never do.
My first emotion was true loss and sadness. Then I felt relieved. I thought about what this meant for my son and his new wife. A chance to start marriage off on the right foot, a second chance, which lead to my next emotion...guilt for feeling such a thing. What a roller coaster!
My latest heartbreak is that Zack and Stephanie are moving to AZ after Stephanie graduates from high school (July 1). Now, I don't consider myself one of those mothers who can't or won't let go but I'm not so sure I've been allotted the standard "letting go" experiences yet. There are days when I can be heard muttering, "Who's life have I jumped into?" or "When exactly did I lose control?"
When they told me of their plans I honestly had one of those experiences where you see a film reel of your child's life flashing before your minds eye. In only a moment I remembered everything between birth and the moment he was telling me he was moving hundreds of miles away. I didn't know I would be learning how this feels so early in my life. I'm not ready to say goodbye to my firstborn child and yet I have to somehow find a way to be okay with it.
I will very much miss my sweet, new daughter in law Stephanie too. I just got her! I feel fortunate that I was able to get to know her and spend as much time with her as I did. She will be a good wife and mother and from what I have been able to witness, I believe their marriage will last forever. Comforting thoughts I will be clinging to.
So, maybe I could have summed up this entire post with 3 sentences...
-Letting go is hard...and painful.
-Emotionally, I'm hanging on...I think.
-When it rains it pours.
But that wouldn't have been as therapeutic.
Stephanie lost her baby.
She and Zack had a hard time with the news in the beginning. They have mourned. They have re prioritized their future. They are still happy together and seem to be doing better every day. That's a lot to go through at such young ages and being so inexperienced at life. These things can either make or break you. I'm glad to see them leaning on each other.
Sometimes I feel like there must be one specific emotion that I'm supposed to feel but I'm not sure what it should be. Sorrow, acceptance, gratitude, what? It took some time before I even accepted that this baby was coming but I bucked up, wrapped my heart around it, and loved it more and more every day. I daydreamed about how much fun we were gonna have together. Man, I was gonna be a good grandma. Stephanie and Z had already chosen names and started collecting baby thing. This baby was becoming familiar to us. Each week we read about what he or she looked like at that stage and marveled at our little miracle. Although the size of a strawberry, the baby was almost fully formed, from tooth buds to toenails. We don't know what happened. Sometimes you never do.
My first emotion was true loss and sadness. Then I felt relieved. I thought about what this meant for my son and his new wife. A chance to start marriage off on the right foot, a second chance, which lead to my next emotion...guilt for feeling such a thing. What a roller coaster!
My latest heartbreak is that Zack and Stephanie are moving to AZ after Stephanie graduates from high school (July 1). Now, I don't consider myself one of those mothers who can't or won't let go but I'm not so sure I've been allotted the standard "letting go" experiences yet. There are days when I can be heard muttering, "Who's life have I jumped into?" or "When exactly did I lose control?"
When they told me of their plans I honestly had one of those experiences where you see a film reel of your child's life flashing before your minds eye. In only a moment I remembered everything between birth and the moment he was telling me he was moving hundreds of miles away. I didn't know I would be learning how this feels so early in my life. I'm not ready to say goodbye to my firstborn child and yet I have to somehow find a way to be okay with it.
I will very much miss my sweet, new daughter in law Stephanie too. I just got her! I feel fortunate that I was able to get to know her and spend as much time with her as I did. She will be a good wife and mother and from what I have been able to witness, I believe their marriage will last forever. Comforting thoughts I will be clinging to.
So, maybe I could have summed up this entire post with 3 sentences...
-Letting go is hard...and painful.
-Emotionally, I'm hanging on...I think.
-When it rains it pours.
But that wouldn't have been as therapeutic.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Taking Chance
Taking Chance with Kevin Bacon
After watching this movie, you'll never pass a military man or woman without stopping them to thank them for their service to our country.
I was so HAPPY to see this today because...
this is how his morning went.
He was "hugging" the garbage can ALL morning and aching from his 104' fever! Poor guy. So I was so happy to walk into his room and see his happy smiling face. Being SILLY even.
this is how his morning went.
He was "hugging" the garbage can ALL morning and aching from his 104' fever! Poor guy. So I was so happy to walk into his room and see his happy smiling face. Being SILLY even.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
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