In the Month of May

"The world's favorite season is the spring. 

All things seem possible in May."

-  Edwin Way Teale

Our Trip to Roseburg

It's been about three weeks since my family's visit and I am just now sitting down to write about it. Sigh! The life of the busy Mama!

Anticipation had been running high in the Whittaker household. Great Grandpa, Great Grandma, and Aunt Nancy were planning on taking a train trip to the Pacific Northwest and they finally arrived! I picked them from the train station and brought them home to enjoy lunch with the boys.

Then it was time to pack all seven of us and our luggage up in the suburban and head down to Roseburg.

Shoehorn, anybody?

We were all so happy to get out of the suburban and play.

Great Grandpa is the best wrestler!

Block towers were built (and destroyed)

Cousins were loved on.

Baby kisses were given.

We woke up on Tuesday morning and went searching for the Easter eggs that Grandpa, Grandma, and Aunt Nancy hid around the yard.

Who cares if it's two weeks past Easter! Grandma wanted to give her grandchildren some candy!

We enjoyed relaxing together...

And walking through the neighborhood...

The cousins all cuddled up in their Aunt Nancy quilts for some group photos.

Trikes were ridden around the patio...

...with the help of an older cousin

Aunt Nancy's hand tasted so good (and was so helpful and getting those first two teeth in).

Wednesday dawned hot and shining, so we walked to the neighborhood slime filled "waterfall" to watch the water flow.

When we got back, Great Grandpa was playing the Wii. We just had to watch him play.

Soon it was time for us to leave for the Kumar's house for a delicious Indian dinner and pretzel salad (to celebrate my birthday)

We were serenaded by the children who were staying at the Real Hope Center.

The boys enjoyed watching the kids and clapped along with the singing.

We were having fun and really enjoyed each others company.

Then Thursday morning rolled in with it's death and sadness as one by one the Whittaker clan succumbed to the dreaded stomach flu. Nobody actually died, it just felt like a possibility.

Tim magically appeared in the middle of the night (Greyhound is magical, right?) to take his ailing family home to rest and recuperate. Before we left, I insisted that we get the four generation photo.

In the Mail

Grief is a strange being in young children. The boys are continuing to process Great Grandma's passing and randomly come up to me and sigh, "I miss Great Grandma!" One time, I was met with excited flapping arms and the question, "Do you know that you are going to die, Mama?"  Are you excited about this, son?
Grief is a strange being.
This past week, my sweet nephew decided to write his cousins a consolatory letter.

 

"Ther Beniah and Elija and Isaac 

im sorry about your grandma I hope you fel bittr

From Jeshu

So sweet! I am definitely saving this letter.

Grandma Zella

   I first met Tim's Grandma a short while after we started dating. She was sweet with just a bit of spunk added in for good measure. She reminded me a little bit of my Great Grandma.  Fast forward a few years that included marriage, a baby, moving in with my in-laws, and a second baby. Grandma needed help caring for herself and moved in with my inlaws, making it a four generational house. While it was rough at times having that many people under one roof, it was also really nice for my boys to get to know their Great Grandma.

Great Grandma with 2 week old Elijah on moving in day.

Great Grandma with 5 month old Beniah

 Great Grandma enjoyed her great grandkids.

 

 (click on the photo to enlarge so you can see her hilarious reaction to Tim)

She had wonderful arms to run to when life got scary (especially when it involves Daddy and fireworks!).

It was so easy to love on her.

Great Grandma is now in heaven seeing the face of her Savior. We will forever miss her.

As Beniah so sweetly sighed tonight, "My life has changed forever!"