A legacy

My grandpa passed away this past Saturday.  We got a call on Thursday that he had a stroke on Wednesday that left him unable to swallow or speak (he also had pneumonia and an infection in his foot.)  My grandpa had already asked that he not receive any life support, including a feeding tube.  One of my uncles traveled, immediately, up from Florida to be with him and to speak with the doctors. He did not see him until Friday morning.  My dad left on Friday, frantically trying to get there before my grandpa died. My parents were able to be with him (along with one of my uncles and aunts) as they moved my grandpa to the hospice facilities at the hospital.  My dad said that he was communicating with grunts, eye movements, and really trying to smile (he said you could tell it was frustrating him to not be able to speak.)

E and our family had packed up Friday night in efforts to leave first thing on Saturday morning to try to get to N.C. before my grandpa died.  However, my dad called at 4:30 in the morning to tell me that my grandpa had passed. (Two of my cousins had driven through the night from MI and arrived only 30 minutes or so after he died.) 

Through out the next couple of days, more and more of our family arrived.  Until all of the brothers, all but one of the 11 grandchildren, and 9 of the great grand children were gathered in Waynesville, N.C.  (we all had to travel. Not one of us lives in N.C. My grandpa moved there in his later adult life.) 

Even though we were grieving, and processing the loss of my grandpa, we were able to reconnect with our family.  My grandpa's legacy.  What a great legacy it is. 

All of us

 The brothers.  My dad is the 2nd from the right.

My family, my brother and sister-in-law and my parents

My dad and my boys.

Meet Princess Consuela Banana Book Hammock

Whenever I say/type the word "sling" I think of a speedo. Which makes me think of a banana hammock.  Which makes me think of this episode of Friends. 


Don't you love when you buy a baby product, use it for several years, with multiple children, only to have it recalled for minor issues, you know, like death?  Yeah.  me, too.  I was upset when they did a mass recall of drop-sided cribs.  (Not only had I been using it for 5 years, I used it for 3 children!)

Before we found out we were pregnant with Eliza, we debated on whether or not to buy a new crib, or just move Isaac to a toddler bed.  He was 10 months at the time.  (It would've been a rough go to move him to a big bed.)  Since we knew we wanted at least one more baby, we went ahead and got a new crib.

The crib, however, still has some emotional value.  I mean, it provided habitat space for 3 of my babies.  When they WERE babies.  One railing had teeth impressions from A when he was a baby.  I can still hear the sound of O twisting one of the looser spindles when she was bored/waking up/falling asleep.    All 3 kids peeked out, peered over, when they first learned to pull up. 

I digress.  So, I've been searching and searching for crafty things to do with it.  I wanted it to be semi-functional, but not like laundry room functional.  More like, it does a job, but still looks pretty and can be a conversation piece. 

I scoured Pinterest and found an idea I liked.  But, the person's link/blog gave no real instructions or measurements.  Plus, I didn't have the same kind of crib. Ours had decorative spindles.  Crap. 

I'm not good with power tools (yet!) and E isn't the move envisioned ("really?  That's what you're going to do?  Won't it look cheesy?")  I enlisted my dad's help when they came down to visit in July.  He's kind of awesome with that stuff, so he went along with my craziness and helped me saw/glue/screw it all together. 

Then came the big job.  Filling the holes and sanding the entire thing. 

My little sanding helper

Then I threw two coats of white paint.  The color was, of course, *just* different enough to notice, thus requiring the 2nd coat. Then I sanded some of the edges to give it a distressed look.  (I did this for two reasons. 1.  I'm lazy.  I can hide my imperfections this way. and 2. I did the same deal to the side table in that room, so it "fits".)

The sewing was not complicated.  Basic rectangles with a top stitch and some snaps.  (The one I got the idea from had the snaps going the other way.  I liked it this way better.)  The most complicated that step was the prongy side of the snaps getting bent.  I know.  Tough stuff.

Finished!

In her room, with more age-appropriate books.

The reading/nursing corner. I love the way it looks against the blue wall, that matches the quilt, with the fabrics from Eliza's room as the slings.  

Ta-da! 

It even earned a compliment from my husband.  Which is big, people. Big.

holiday version of a random list

• I'll start the list out right, on a very lovely note: Eliza slept through the night last night! Can I get a "Woot! Woot!" (I'd love to say I'm well rested, but, come on. I have 4 kids. One of them is bound to wake up while on vacation.)
• It seems like O almost always has an asthma attack while we are visiting my parents.  If I count back, she's been on steroids the last 6 visits with my family.  (most of those are when we were visiting Michigan, two of them were when we went to Florida.)
• Poor O has had 1.5 weeks of various steroids in her body.  First with her rescue inhaler for several days, then the nebulizer, then an oral steroid AND the nebulizer. 
• I have introduced E to the world of Swamp People.  That show just makes me laugh a little bit. (while at the same time hiding in a corner since I have a weird fear of Alligators.)
• E and I went to Greek Town in downtown Detroit last night with some friends from college (E's old roommates.)  We left the older 3 kids at home with my parents.  It was SO fun!  The place had a lot of dairy free options for me to eat (which was wonderful) and we had a wonderful time visiting. 
• Speaking of yesterday, I had two wonderful people come visit me during the day at my parents house.  The first was my beautiful cousin, that I've blogged about before, and her baby girl.  We surprisingly didn't get along very well as small kids, but we've grown to love each other as adults.  I SO wish she was closer so we could hang out more. The second person was one of my college roommates, and a childhood friend.  It was so great to catch up.  Facebook is good at keeping some of the major details up to date, but there are some things that are just better learned in person.
• I'm dreading Christmas a little.  I actually LOVE Christmas.  It is one of my favorite holidays.  But, it is on Sunday, and we leave on Tuesday morning.  It just makes me a little bit sad to think about leaving already.
• I haven't run a single time since we've been here.  I forgot my cold weather running clothes and I'm not about to brave 38 degrees in shorts and a t shirt. 
• My momma is making pancakes for me so I'm outie. :)

This will be funny some day

Every time we spend time with my parents, someone gets sick.  Last time, when we went to Michigan, O ended up in the ped's office with Reactive Airway Disease issues.  The time before that, O had an ear infection. Once, my mom had RSV.  Another, everyone got the stomach bug.

This visit- Isaac got croup on thursday night.  We avoided the ped's office friday, since they just called in his meds.  Friday night, he screamed a good portion of the night.  He and I ended up spending over 3 hours in the nearest Urgent Care for his ear infections on Christmas day. He screamed for hours on saturday night as well. Yesterday, he started running a fever. 

Christmas Eve, my mom threw up for a few hours.  Along with Isaac's fever yesterday, O woke up with croup, and I woke up with a cold as well.  My brother sounds like HE has croup, and my dad woke up today with a cold, too.

Its quite comical when I think back about how often we get sick when my parents are around.  I can almost see the humor in it all now.  Almost. 

Significant Sunday

For those of you who don't know my dad: He worked 30 years at GM in a factory. During the last few years he spent there, he was taking online courses. Before he retired, he earned his degree in biblical ministries. After retirement, he and my mom changed churches (after much prayer, and trials- even a lost friendship... which was extremely sad.) my dad became an intern. In January of this year, he started his salary position. Today, they ordained him- certificate and all- as Pastor Fred Brooks.

I'm so proud of him! I can't believe that he preached a sermon today in front of over 800 people. I remember the thought of speaking at our wedding for him was nerve racking enough... he did so well, too!

So, today was a significant Sunday.



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In sort of related things, I learned a new tid-bit about regifting. Apparently, its okay to regift USED things. My dad recieved 2 communion sets (up until today, I didn't realize they even had communion "sets"). One was very nice, glass cups, gold bread holder. Classy. The other: not so much. The container to transport the juice/wine was stained, the disposable cups a little sticky. I'll let you chuckle a little and wonder along with us: who gives a used disposable communion set as a gift?

Well, at least it wasn't a croched Jesus tissue box holder, which E's dad proudly displayed during his years of pastoring.