Dad

"Grief is love's shadow. Tears release sadness that must not dominate, leaving only love, somewhat older, wiser, calmer and yet renewed, reborn, freshened, enlarged, flowering. The soul was not made by God to be sorrows home. He would have us happy."

                                                               S. Micheal Wilcox




My dad passed away on January 24th, 2012. I was fortunate enough to be with him when he passed as were other family members. He passed very peacefully and I'm so grateful for that.

 These two photos show some of the display we had set up at his funeral. Dad served in the Navy. He joined when he was only 17 years old. I cant imagine one of my sons doing that at 17! My heart aches when I think of what my grandmother must have suffered when he left home at such a young age!

 Dad owned a service station when I was a little girl. It was called "The Beeline." I have very fond memories of riding my bicycle there to visit my dad and to get candy and a soda pop!

 My Handsome boys were pall-bearers.

 My cousin played the bagpipes at the burial. The protocol is to stand at a distance from the burial site before he starts to play. Then he walked all over the cemetery as he played. It was awesome, and made for uncontrollable tears!

 Here are the pall bearers, a son-in-law and some grandsons carrying  Dad to his final resting place.

 and he walks....

 Dad had a military service and this is the flag ceremony. It was awesome (to say the very least) watching them fold the flag and present it to my mother! What a tear jerker!

 Here's the 21-gun salute, but they really only shoot three times. That was awesome as well! What an
honorable, wonderful and well deserved tribute to my dad.

A final loving gesture to grandpa.

And he walks.....

It was hard to watch my dad suffer so long with his many health problems. I'm grateful that he is finally happy and free of pain and misery.  One thing I now know for sure.... it is much easier to let someone I love go,  than have them taken! ........Dad now lies to the east of David.

I love you Dad. xoxoxo Until we meet again.... 

Surgery

Helga tore her ACL and had to have surgery on November 29th.

We took her to the Veterinary Specialty Center in SLC for her surgery.

Here is the vet explaining what will take place in Helgas surgery.

Showing us the metal plate that she will be receiving.

Helga asking us to get her out of there! Lol!

This is our first visit after her surgery. It was very emotional for us.

Helga is panting because of the morphine they had just given her. This was her hospital bed.
Alison is a nurse and works in the Shock Trauma ICU, and was amazed that this place is just the same as her hospital ICU is (with exception to the cages of course!) They have all the same equipment and give the same medications as they do for humans. I guess we hadnt really ever thought about what they use or how they do surgery for animals and so it was interesting to us to see the whole set up.

This is where they start the surgery preparations. They shave them here.

Then they bathe them here.

The operating room.

And here is Helga baby all drugged up and happily sleeping at home.

She is healing well and we are thrilled! We have to keep her calm and cant allow her to jump or run or play or anything that might cause the screws in her metal plate to loosen for 18 weeks! Poor girl, she is sooo bored! Its really really hard to keep her chilled out! She wants to play and run so badly and even though that part is  difficult at least we know its a sign her leg feels just fine!

Bicycles

This fall Bryce and Amber bought this bicycle baby trailer. After Sunday dinner each week we

 went for  bike rides together. We would get the babies all tucked in and cozy! They loved it and usually fell asleep by the time we got home.

This is what I could see as I rode next to them......Two little noggins bouncing around! Hahaha!

And of course..................... as usual.......the poser!

Halloween

Sheesh! Ive been so busy that I havent had much time to blog but there's no way I'm skipping a post on my little trick-or-treaters!! Amber, Alison and I spent an afternoon taking pictures of the babies in their Halloween costumes. That statement is plural not only because there are two babies, but because there are two costumes per baby! Hahaha, Amber is so funny! She was so excited to dress them up, that she had to have them be more than one thing!

                                    MOO!!

             We LOVED this shot of their bums and tails!

They didnt like being in such a tight space together!

Liddie

Matthew

Liddie "cracked" Ali up! Hahaha!

At this point they'd had enough picture taking!

Sweet little bugs!

I LOVE being a grandma!

Family Photos

 Yesterday Bryce and Amber had their family pictures taken and she asked me to come along to help with the babies. I took a few shots of my own while we waited for the photographer to get there.. They decided  the next time they do this they will try for a morning photo shoot when the babies are usually happier!

I snuck this photo with my iPhone while the photographer was setting up. I wish I had taken some of them in this spot with my Nikon! Those leaves were incredibly beautiful!

Life goes on.........

My parents wedding photo. They have been married 64 years.

Dad is 85 and mom is 82 now. Both of them have been blessed with good health for the majority of their lives. When dad was 70 he was diagnosed with diabetes. He has done very well considering and luckily not suffered any major problems like blindness, comas or amputations and things that come with that disease. However, he was diagnosed with a slow growing prostate cancer a year ago, that has now turned into a fast growing lymphoma, which has presented itself in his leg in a huge mass of infection that had to be removed and is currently a huge open wound.  He is now and  has been for three months in the SST rehab center. The good news is, this fast growing lymphoma is easy to kill and his leg is healing, but very slowly due to his diabetes. Then, a few weeks ago my mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. We were all very surprised by this because she has no tremors. Apparently not everyone with Parkinson's has tremors. That was a surprise! We are grateful in that regard! Her doctor immediately put her on some meds  that have improved her mobility, thought processes and coordination immensely! We had taken her to a physician who told  us she had dementia and gave us pills and sent us on our way, but we werent satisfied with his diagnosis as it didnt fit her symptoms. We took her to a couple more physicians and we are so grateful that we did! Oprah has said many times that we should get at least three opinions if we have a serious medical condition. I totally agree!!! It makes me sick to think what would have happened to my mom had we not done so! Anyhow, I decided to blog about this because Ive been so wrapped up in caring for my parents lately and I looked at this photo this morning and the reality of what happens in life hit me hard. Getting old is freaking scarey!!!!!!  I need to enjoy my health and be happy with my age compared to theirs as much as I can! Life is so short, and I need to make the most of it every single day! I need to do what I can to be healthy as long as I possible can! Im sure when my parents posed for this photo they never even imagined what was headed their way,  just like the rest of us. So now thanks to them, Im uncomfortably aware and Im going to appreciate where I am in my life and my good health...... ;)