Announcements

Just in case anyone needed reminding....

Peter and Genica are having their baby soon. Genica will be induced February 24. HOORAY!!!

If we are still in this ward in June, Abby will be baptized June 19th. We'll let you know if the date changes.

Heather and James are getting married in Glacier Park on August 19th.

I'm just putting these dates out there. Everyone is welcome to come hang out with us in June. We'll let you sleep on the floor.

I do think it's funny that each of these events happen around other special events: Our new nephew will be born just after JC's birthday. Abby will be baptized on Pete and Genica's anniversary. Heather and James are getting married on Lori's birthday.

I guess some dates are special all the time, for lots of reasons. Josh just guesses some dates just come around once every year.

Seeing Gramma

Josh and I stopped and saw Gramma this afternoon. She was pretty medicated and out of it. Unfortunately, she's still in lots of pain, regardless of how loopy she is. She hopes to be released from the hospital on Thursday. She'll probably have to use a walker for four weeks and then crutches for another two. She plans to stay home that entire month of the walker because she isn't "an old lady."

We left the big kids with Dad, but did bring Millie with us. Millie and Gramma have begun bonding. Josh brought Mils down to Gramma in her bed so she could give Mils a kiss. Millie promptly gave Gramma a big, slobbery open mouth kiss--tongue and all.

Hopefully Gramma will be up and running soon.

FYI...

Just in case you didn't know, Gramma Courtney will be going in for a knee replacement surgery on June 22. She got all of her pre-op blood tests and such done and she's in good health--except for that knee. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Gramma!

Grampa--Tell Me 'Bout the Good Ol' Days

Today we went to Mom and Dad's for Memorial Day. Gramma and Grampa were there too. I made the comment that our family is very fortunate that everyone who served in the military (especially those that were at war) have all come home. We haven't lost any of our family members to war. Then Gramma told me about some of the times we almost lost Grampa...

One time, as Grampa was standing at the door of the plane as it was flying over its drop-off point, he was throwing things out of the door (it was along the side of the plane, not in the rear like they are nowadays) and didn't realize his foot was caught in a rope that was part of whatever was being thrown to the ground far below them. The rope caught around his loafer and took his shoe and part of his head out of the plane. He regained his composure and was safe. If he'd been wearing his boots the rope would've held onto him and he probably would've been taken out of the plane.

There were also a couple of times when mountains appeared out of nowhere and pilots fell asleep at the wheel. We're really lucky to have Grampa still with us!

Then Grampa began telling stories of his childhood. He remembered when he was in high school and some of the seniors caught a pig that had crossed into the school grounds. They threw it down the outhouse pit. When a teacher went out to use the "facility" he heard the squeals of the pig from below him. He made the boys fish the 150 lb porker out of the outhouse hole. Gross!

He also told me about when he was in school they snuck over and ate sugar cane from one of the locals. They ate so much of it throughout the season that the poor guy had no sugar cane left when it came time to make syrup. By then the parents of the kids (including Great Grandma and Grandpa) all donated part of their supply to the guy to make up for their kids wiping out his crop. Grampa was chuckling as he told me this. He just remembered the cane being really, really good. Dad thought it was interesting that the parents just took care of it and the sheriff wasn't involved at all--much different than if something like that happened today.

Anyway, just thought I'd share the gems of Grampa. I've got to take a tape recorder over to him and just record all of his stories, especially if I can capture them with the flavor that he adds to them.

Happy Anniversary

Today is Gramma and Grampa's 58th Anniversary! Congratulations!! We love you!

A Visit With Heather

Matt, Heather and me

Matt, Heather, and Aunt Jo

Our cousin Heather has been visiting her parents the last few days. She and Aunt Jo came over to visit today. I had to laugh when Heather played with Millie. If you don't know, Heather is a self-proclaimed non-mother-type and one of her most difficult rotations in nursing school was with the babies. But, she happily held Millie and I thought she was just playing with her, but she was excited to discover all of Millie's newborn reflexes. She really made me laugh. Heather had a lot of fun with Matt too. He loved being thrown around and swinging by his ankles.

Heather seems to be doing really well in Indiana. Her boyfriend James just found out today that he was accepted as a PhD candidate. I'm not sure if that's the correct phrasing, but basically he gets to work on his PhD now. Heather is working the oncology unit at her hospital. Something I could never do.

It was really fun to see her and she'll probably be back this way this summer.