A Party for Elise

Saturday evening the family gathering continued at our house.  You'll be surprised (not) to know that I took a lot of photos!  Lucky for you all, many of them were blurry or otherwise flawed.

Elise and Maria
(I love this photo!)

Our son, Sam, and our son-in-law, Eric

Elise with her great uncle, Joe

Great Aunt Sue had her turn as well.

A lot of visiting, game-playing and eating took place.

Sunday was Elise's baptism.  Wearing a family gown that is 117 years old, Elise looked beautiful.  To read more about that gown, please click here.  Our daughter, Maria, already wrote up a nice post about it.  The gown was made by Elise's great-great-great grandmother!

It was fun to have so much family together at a church service.

Cordy

Me with Elise

Karen, Mike, Carol, Sue

(Mike with his mother and sisters)

Elise and her parents

After church we enjoyed a lovely meal at Maria and Eric's home.

Erin (our niece) with Maria

My handsome husband, Mike

Cordy giving Grandma Carol a Hug

 Elise 

  Our son-in-law, Eric, visiting with our brother-in-law, Gregg, and Mike's sister, Karen.

Some of the family had to leave yesterday afternoon 

but the rest of us gathered at our home last night.

Grandma Carol with Elise

Yes, we do know how absolutely blessed we are to have so much family supporting and loving us!

Yesterday was a simply sweet day.  I went over to pick up Maria and Cordelia for a morning out.  First, though, Cordy let me know that it was her "pretend birthday".  So, we went up to her sweet little girl room and ate pretend birthday cake and then I sang "Happy Pretend Birthday Dear Cordelia".  She was pleased but needed to rest for a minute before we headed out.


We then went to search for vintage treasures for Wyoming Rose Boutique.  We found some new dandies.  Maria will clean them and look for any needed repairs and they will soon be found here.  I also found a few new tops and after I clean them and look for any needed repairs they will soon be found in my closet.


Next, on to Hobby Lobby.  That place is like a magnet to us!  Cordelia was so pretty and sweet, she looked almost angelic.  As I put her in the shopping cart she sweetly said, "I'm going to toot in the cart!"  I think that is enough about that.

We always enjoy Hobby Lobby but it is really a dangerous place.  We both already have so many projects going, yet I found myself saying things like, "Maybe we need to learn to quill."  We had to step away from the quill display, realizing we needed to keep our focus.  I just love learning a new craft, but I was there on a specific mission.  I was looking for fancy strings or tiny yarns.  I'll update you on what that is for in the near future!

We took our PBJ's and ate a sack lunch at church with Mike.  After we ate Cordelia was feeling good!  There was some piano-playing, dancing and playing of follow-the-leader.

After dropping off the girls I took the lazy route home just to get a glimpse of the river.  It changes daily but I always feel a little refreshed just by seeing it.   

Later in the afternoon Mike called.  His sister, Karen, and her husband, Gregg, were in town.  Sam came with me and we all met at the mall for some visiting time.  It's nice that we live within just a few hours of them now so we are able to get together more than we have in years past.

Mike had to work late last night so I worked on a project for Hospice.  I am on a committee to set up resources for pediatric hospice care.  I do not look forward to caring for a pediatric patient in a hospice setting but I want to be fully prepared when that day arrives.  Just reading the material makes me weep.  I can not imagine being a parent of a dying child... or maybe I can, but I don't want to.

Well, I started off with a fluffy, happy post but I sure ruined the mood with that last paragraph!  Sorry.

I hope you have a lovely day today.  Does anyone have any big plans for the week-end?

Thank-you for stopping by. Feel free to use my photos but please link them back to my blog. I am honored if you wish to share content of any of my posts on Facebook, Twitter, etc. as long as it is linked back to my blog.

Monday Memories

Grandparenting Up Close

Is there anything better than holding a sweet child in your arms while reading a book about baby animals?  I think not.

Mike took this photo one recent evening when Cordelia spent a few hours with us.  When she comes over, she is a delight the entire visit.  She doesn't throw fits for us or cry when her parents leave.  She's delighted with almost any little thing we do and she frequently, without prompting, tells us she loves us and gives us powerful little girl hugs. 

This tiny charmer is super smart as well!  Riding in the car yesterday she wanted to discuss each turn, usually correctly stating whether we were going left or right.  She knew the way to the mall!  We were going there for our usual "mall lunch", a weekly ritual.  This lunch was special, though.  We were meeting Mike's sister, Karen, who was in town for some appointments.  Cordelia was planning ahead.  She told me she was going to give Karen a BIG hug.

Time with Cordelia is one of my greatest joys.  It makes me feel rather guilty, though.  During most of the years our children were young we lived a great distance from either of their grandmothers.  I have to say I don't think I really got it.  Now I know what exquisite delight it is to be able to see this little person many times each week and I am so sorry that Grandma Carol and Grandma Grace did not get that with our children. 

I think there was a lot of good in the way things were in the past, when many generations of family lived in the same area.  Don't get me wrong.  I love that my children have so many opportunities and can follow their dreams.  I would never want to deprive them of that.  My own mother never ever made me feel guilty for following mine. 

I also know that with our 3 children, it is unlikely that I will be able to always live close to all my future grandchildren.  I guess that is why I am savoring every moment I can right now.  I have come to appreciate "moments" so much more than I ever did before.  I'm just very, very grateful for this chance at up-close grandparenting.  I see it for the precious gift that it is.   

Thank-you for stopping by. Feel free to use my photos but please link them back to my blog. I am honored if you wish to share content of any of my posts on Facebook, Twitter, etc. as long as it is linked back to my blog.