After our Friday night Pre-4th-of-July fireworks, we woke up Saturday for a day with Gram.
We went to eat and shopping (a hobby both Gram and I share!) I just had to take her to Marshall’s. :)
When we got home, we noticed that Coleman had written on Gram’s shirt during lunch:
Then, with the camera out, Jeff decided to host a little photo shoot (with bad shadows!) Our kiddos are SILLY BILLIES! I want them to Never Grow Up.
At Marshall’s, Gram bought Coleman a new pair of shoes. They are awesome and fast Pumas. Every time Coleman gets a new pair of shoes, he has to put them on immediately and see how fast he can run in them. This is him running. Pretty fast, huh?
Thanks, Gram, for coming to visit us! We miss you!
Sunday came and we headed out to our friends the Davis’ house for some swim time and dinner. Unfortunately, as soon as we finally got to the pool, lighting filled the sky around us and the pool closed. Shelby, Jess and I were at the very top of the slide, completely dry, next in line to go down when the whistle blew! Such a bummer, especially for Shelby and Coleman! We were able to go back after dinner for about an hour of swim time, but their cool big slides were closed by then so we will have to go back again and let Cole and Shelby experience the slides!
I didn’t take my camera out (I was way too busy spending my time with sweet Jocelyn!) but Jess got a couple of cute pictures of Shelby reading to Joe.
In this one she’s petting his head…such a little Mommy.
Thanks Davises and Meikles for a wonderful evening!
On Monday, 4th of July morning, we woke up with plans to have a family day and cookout with family at Nonnie' and Poppy’s pool, but one phone call brought devastation and tears with the news about Aunt Jan. That evening back at home, Jeff, Shelby, Coleman and I decided to run up to a local parking lot and watch the city’s fireworks from the bed of our truck.
It was a long, difficult day, and I thought about Aunt Jan as we watched the big explosions in the sky, as I know we all will every year for the rest of our lives. Janet was very sentimental about trains and the sound of train whistles reminding her of her daddy. I think she’d be honored that the booms of fireworks lighting up a dark sky will forever make us think of her.
This has been such a busy summer.
We have been blessed with many family visits and little vacations. Just since March, we have been to Disney World, camping at Lake Tawakoni, had 2 trips to Arkansas, and just returned from a lovely time of relaxation at Mustang Island beach (Port Aransas, TX) We do not know how much time we have here on earth to enjoy our family, to love our babies, to make people feel what they mean to us. I want my life to be about striving to love my Lord, my babies, my husband, my family and friends.
"Enjoy the little things in life, for someday you will realize they were the big things."
On Monday July 4th, our family was hit hard with the death of a very close and very adored aunt. In fact, I wrote of Aunt Jan's visit in my last blog post before this one. How lucky we were to have that weekend with her! Shelby and Coleman remember their "date" with her in the pool on the morning of the last day she was here, and of coloring with her at our house while we watched the Mavs play. My memories of her are countless, which is such a blessing. Jan passed away on Monday morning of a sudden massive heart attack. We miss her so much.
Janet is my mama's baby sister. As my mom put it, "I truly don't know how people without hope in a Risen Savior make it through times like this. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because of a world full of good people like you, I can even smile. Thank you."
This is the first close loss that many of us "kids" aka nieces and nephews have experienced (within our memory.) It is a pain that is unexplicable, and also something that really makes songs and words touch you that otherwise might have not.
There are numerous songs that now and will always remind me of Aunt Jan. Cat Stevens "If You Want to Sing Out" which Luke amazingly played for us all as we said goodbye to her on that Friday morning...I had never even heard the song and yet when we played it, the lyrics are exactly how Janet lived her life. Other songs are "You and Tequila Make me Crazy" and others that we all listened to as we were gathered in her kitchen with memories swirling. A song that Mom put on her facebook the day we returned from Arkansas. "Save a Place for Me" by Matthew West. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbsBUf9VKyc )
I saw this song on another blog this morning and it really touched me. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28
"Blessings"
-Laura Story
We pray for blessings, we pray for peace Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?
We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the achings of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?
Janet lived her life with no regrets. She loved being a teacher and obviously made a huge impact doing it. She had kids that she taught 20 years ago telling stories about her...she was that ONE favorite teacher that everyone remembers. She had tons of students come to say goodbye to her at the funeral home. I really don't think many teachers make THAT huge of an impact...but it sure is an honor when they can!
She loved her husband more than anything. She loved her mom and her family. She was always in the moment, and always, ALWAYS made sure everyone was enjoying themselves. In fact that last weekend she was here in Fort Worth, I was really into the book I was reading and one day was just kind of carrying my Nook around with me and reading it when I sat down or when there was downtime. At one point, she looked at me and yelled, "STOP READING!!!" She wanted me to be "there" with everyone and talk to her! I laughed and put my book down. :)
Her donor status on her driver's license allowed her to continue the GIVING even past her lifetime. She was taken to Little Rock med center, where they were able to use a lot of her to help make other people's lives better. Just that fact has made many of us make sure we have our donor status and wishes known so we can help out in the same way when it's time.
We all love her so much, and she will be missed and thought of for a lifetime to come.
