Love and miss you always Mom

True love. I know what true love is. I've seen it. I've lived it and I've felt it. It's what I know of my mother's love. I know that first hand. My mother, our mother, knew how to give true love. She was a master at it. 

Until December 6th, 2017, my mother has been here. And although she wasn't with me in the flesh on every trip or every event or special moment in my life, she was always here to hear the story of it. And I've always loved to tell a story. And she loved my stories. She loved all of our stories. Because she loved us. 

No matter where we went, or what we did, she wanted to hear about it. No matter the destination or the situation, she was curious to know and to hear. She was such a good audience. Any one of us could sit and tell her a tale of happiness or woe and she would listen attentively and make sure you knew you felt her love. 

She was the most faith filled person I've ever known. She had many opportunities to question circumstances in her life. Ninety years of living certainly allows for the chance to have good times and bad. Plenty and want. Joy and sorrow. She had all of that. But she never quit. Not one time. I know she may have wanted to, but she did not. She did not quit. Instead she worked at making life better on bad days. Leaving a burned in memory of a day all of us in her family dreaded, when she showed up like this. 

On that first Christmas after Frank and Nina died she showed up dressed quite weirdly, even for her. But we've never forgotten her valiant attempt to change the day with some token of remembrance. And you know what? We've never forgotten it. We still talk about it. We still cherish the memory of her trying to make us laugh. Laugh at her. And we did. 

Well done Mom. You did it that day when you wore that outfit, because you loved us so much. 

I don't know how God managed to make her the way he did, and then give her to us. Or, give us to her. Her kids and grandkids and great grandkids were the lights of her life. And we knew it. She made sure we knew it.

She was this wonderful, amazing woman. And she was my mother. She was always a phone call away. And now I have to learn to live without her. And I don't yet know how I will do that. For 58 years of my life she has been here. And now she is not. 

But I won't grieve for the rest of my life, because she wouldn't want that. She would expect me....you....all of us, to remember her with so much love and smile when we think of her. And our love for each other. And live. Live well. And love.  

And so my dear sweet mother, I'll never let a day go by that I don't remember you and be grateful for you and miss you. I know you're where you want to be, but learning to live without you will not be easy. I wish it was one thing I could have skipped, like a childhood chore you assigned to me and I somehow got out of. But grief and sadness have found me. It found us all. It's an all too familiar feeling that none of us want to spend much time with. 

I promise we won't let grief take us over. We promise we will love as best as you showed us how. 

We promise. 

You were a gem, unique and wonderful. 

The prayers you prayed will last lifetimes and will continue to change lives. 

You made life better. 

I will love you forever and always. 

I will always be grateful you were mine. 

Aubrey Elise

There's always room for more sugar and spice, with that being said, the girls are continuing to make a comeback with the birth of one more tiny baby. Once again a precious sweet soul left heaven and joined our family on November 6th at 4:10 in the afternoon. What a blessing she already is to our family. 

First time parents, Mollie and Aaron, are settling in and getting to know Miss Aubrey Elise. Isn't it funny that she starts out being sort of a stranger to them even though she is their very own? But they have quickly set to the task of getting to know her and realizing all that she already is at this moment in time. They are her forever protectors and biggest fans. Somehow she probably already knows that. She will learn so much more about them as her tiny life unfolds. 

I know this, she has captured hearts from here to Peoria and I've never been able to say that before ever. For now, she's officially the tiniest member of our big family. I've said many times it's amazing to me who God chooses to send us to join our family. Married in is great, but handpicked by God to join us here on earth, that's even better. 

As usual, our family swarmed the hospital with great anticipation of her arrival. We walked and waited and ate and waited and then waited some more, and then she was here safe and sound and ready for the world. 

So welcome to the family Miss Aubrey. Lets see how the day you were born, and the following days, played out. 

Pre baby arrival. Last photo as a two person family. 

Anna and Dale were checking out the boxed items. She was NOT disappointed. 

Then she wanted to get her steps in down the hospital halls. 

What's that you say? You want whatever you want when you want it? Comin right up.

What she wanted must have been a stroll down the hall.

Sissies...and cousins make the best friends. 

Who took this pic of these people?

That would be me and James.

This is what we do when waiting on a child to be birthed. We take over things.

James eats cupcakes. 

Yes James, I was talking about you.

Back atcha David.

So while we danced and played....

They met their daughter for the first time.

There she is, first pic. 

Instant family of three. 

First moments are the sweetest. 

Making memories that will last a lifetime. 

Grandparents meeting her for the first time. 

Aunts and uncles meeting baby Aubrey. 

First day was in the books and happiness was the order of the day while celebrating a beautiful baby girl. 

That's perfection right there. 

And she's already hogging the bed. The child was ready to stretch out. 

Grampers is happy. 

Such a cute little bow headed burrito!

I had a hard time taking any photos out. But then why would I?

This picture is magical. 

Dad getting some me time in with the first born. 

Then just like that, the hospital sent them on their way to Grandmother's house they went. Once there, she had an audience with the matriarch. It was the most important meeting so far...

Grandma imparted her love and wisdom to Aubrey for the first time. 

It was a good and successful first meet cute.

By the next day, she discovered she had found her most favorite place in the house. 

I think they're both smitten.

Grandma's got lots of love to spread around. 

Ninety years difference in those hands.  

I love this picture. 

Dad snuggles.

Marlie snuggles. 

These are snapshots of a moment in time that changed lives and will last forever. The first born into a young family. It's a precious moment to treasure and remember and retell the story of... So now the story of Mollie and Aaron includes the lovely phrase..."I remember the day you were born..." 

Now, Aubrey is part of her smaller family, but also a part of the bigger whole, as we continue to walk this life out together. Doing our best, living, loving and trusting and praising God as we do. That will always be the most important part of us. 

It's the happiest day in our family when a new baby is born into it. It's the culmination of all that we hope and dream to be wonderful and sweet and blessed. It's who we are, and what we know to be. But above all else....loved.

And so we are happy to meet you Aubrey Elise, and so happy you were God's perfect choice to join this big, loud and blessed beyond measure family.

We all can't wait to see you grow into the woman of God you will be.

We will watch and cheer and love and protect and pray over you all the days of your long, healthy and happy life.

Always loving you forever. 

Here are more frig messages and a little news

It's Wednesday and the first day of November, which means the countdown to Thanksgiving as well as Emma coming home is on! It's been since the first of September since I've seen Emma's face in person, and that's too long. November 1st also means that the serious countdown to the new family member is on as well. Aubrey will be the newest and smallest Thanksgiving attendee in....ever. Or since Brooke was born in 1978. I just transposed those numbers and it said 1798. That would be unimaginable. 

Update on the broken refrigerator. It still is. I can't talk about it since I don't cuss anymore. 

In other news, the back bathroom reno is ramping up to the fun stuff. The tile on the walls and floor are complete and now the bathroom floor is next and then it's grout for everybody!! Well, I realize tile isn't people and that statement made it sound like we would be grouting people, but it's very exciting and I just got excited! We still have to change out a small window and buy a new commode. That's gonna be awkward. I don't enjoy the thought of shopping for a terlet.

In some more news, girl's trip commences tomorrow...or later today and so I'll be out until next week. In the meantime, here are the latest of our frig messages...or better yet broken frig messages. But I can't talk about it...because of the no cuss rule. 

I'll be back Sunday and maybe I'll give a report of the weekend. 

Until then...

This is a quote from Project Runway back when it was good. I don't cuss, but our frig does. 

Hmmmm mum's the word on who posted this message.

This was a request from William to Emma and Olivia. At least I think so. 

This is a song quote? Emma's friend Jessica from Alexandria participated in the frig messages when she was here for the day. I was very excited for her effort. 

Someone was angry at certain children one day and put this up. She was brilliant to use the stick-it note due to so many A's and S's used in this phrase. 

This is a famous quote from John. When the kids were little, they were in the bath and had splashed so much water out of the tub that it went into the hall. John walked into the hall, slipped, fell and hit his ankle on the door jam and yelled, "I snapped it!!" Someone overreacted much? I'd say yes. It still simultaneously makes me laugh and annoyed at the same time. 

This just brings a smile to my face still. 

From an old movie I can't remember the name of. Maybe State Fair? 

We got on a roll here...

A jelly roll! Ha ha ha ha I always crack myself up. 

This isn't true for me. It's green paste and not delicious. 

This is completely true forever and always. Notice the temp inside the frig. It's sweater weather in there. 

My darling son made this message after looking in the balmy frig and finding nothing there. It's been VERY frustrating. But again. No can talk. If your sensibilities were offended by that word, get over it. I found it very amusing. 

But it's been a dry spell on the old frig for many days now and then Olivia said she thought the repairman was coming and so she was waiting until after he left to write something. As I've stated multi times, it's still broke. 

And that catches us up for now and since it's 2:44 I must go to bed quickly so that I can get up and leave town before lunch. 

I sleep very little anymore. It's really just changing positions from sitting up to lying down. It's a fact of my current life. 

Until I'm back, stay real people.