Last day with Isaiah & Melissa

You will notice that there are no pictures of Melissa, because she is the one that took all these pictures. Isaiah had a hard time, when it was time to leave. After they left I looked at these pictures and knew why it was so hard for him. We had such a wonderful last day together.
After Isaiah got done mowing Matt and Monica's yard, he decided Brennan and him should run through the sprinkler and had lots of fun with that.

Sawyer trying on Papaw's sunglasses, while papaw was grilling.


No, don't take my picture! Isaiah, like his father, would rather not pose for a picture.

Brennan on the other hand, will put on a show for you.Sawyer had lots of fun times with Isaiah.

Matt and Jeremiah while we were outside, making smores.

Jeremiah started sitting this week. He is such a sweet, adorable little guy.

Sawyer LOVES picking wild raspberries.

Fun times with the grandchildren.

Our last evening and we finally get a picture of us together with the grandchildren.

After we were done outside, Melissa and Isaiah went over to tell Daudy and Grandma, goodbye. It meant a lot to Grandma. She told Melissa that Isaiah was always pretty special to her.

When it came time for Brennan to go home, Isaiah begged that Brennan would stay up with him and sleep at our place. In spite of getting irritated with each other at times, they are still buds. They spent their last hour together, with Isaiah making sure Brennan knew how to play Paper Mario on the Wii. At one point after Isaiah helped Brennan, Brennan told Isaiah, "Thanks Bud, your the Best!" Within 5 minutes after Brennan was done playing and crawled up on my lap, we were asleep. Isaiah was determined to stay awake until they left at 3:15.

Tonight Brennan overheard me telling Matt that Isaiah was quite sad when he left and that I got a text from him last night, saying, that he missed me. Brennan came walking out to the kitchen all choked up, trying to hold back the tears. Matt picked him up and asked if he was missing Isaiah. He just nodded his head and then buried his face in Matt's shirt.

I'm sure Sawyer misses Isaiah, but he seems to be happy to have his brother Brennan's attention again.

Grandma Barbara's Goodbyes

I am way behind in my blogging, but I want to blog about Mother Barbara, while it's fresh in my mind.

Mother has been needing more help over the last few months, but Dad wasn't ready for outside help. However, everything changed when Mom fell on her back on Sunday, June 30th, dad's birthday. My family reunion was in KS over the 4th and we were struggling to know what to do. We started Home Health Care on the 2nd, the day that we left and by Friday, they needed to bring in a wheelchair for her. Mary ended up needing to stay with them Thursday-Monday early AM. Wil and I took her to the Doctor on Monday and then to the retreat for xrays. They did see a compression fracture at L-1 but couldn't tell if it was old or new.

We spent most of Monday with her and I spent the night. Have you ever slept in a house that has clocks that strike on every hour and half hour??!! Well, I found it very disturbing. I survived. Tuesday the aide came in the morning and Melissa helped out with grandma in the afternoon.

Tuesday night I was on duty again and Grandma was having a rough night. After being up the second time and not comfortable, I brought her out on the recliner. At 4:00 she was not feeling well and thought maybe if she could have a bowel movement. Soon after she sat down, she broke out in a sweat and passed out. I had my cell phone with me, supported her head,called Wil and simply said," get over here." After she rallied back and we got her back in the chair, Wil went home. Before she fell asleep, she said that she really wished she could see the girls again. We talked a bit about her feeling it was close to her end here in life, then we both fell asleep.

I woke to her panickly saying, "goodbye Kathy, goodbye Kathy". She really felt she was dying and then she asked that I please get Dad. I woke up Dad and he came out and I called Wil to let him know what was going on. I wanted to give them privacy, so I stayed out of the room but I did hear part of their conversation and it blessed me to see them hug. No sooner had she said her goodbyes to Dad when she told me that she really wanted to talk to the girls. I didn't really feel like it was an emergency but I knew if she did die, I would never forgive myself for not calling them. I first called Mary. I had to hold the phone for her and so I was blessed with hearing her conversation and I'm sure Mary needed to hear what mother said and then she even asked Mary what she had found out at her Dr. appointment. Next it was Sue and then she asked that Wil come back. She told all of us that she loved us, some she asked for forgiveness and then she also asked Wil to take care of Daudy and to make sure he isn't alone all the time. It was a special time for us.

Wed. morning after Melissa, Isaiah and Brennan went out to breakfast, they stopped by to see Grandma. 1st Melissa hugged grandma and told her she loved her then, Brennan said, "I love you Grandma Barabara, how are you?". She then looked at Isaiah standing at the foot of the bed and said, "and what about you, do you have anything to say?!! Isaiah then gave her a hug and told her that he loved her. Then Brennan, who was standing beside her bed, said, "how many days before Grandma dies?"! Melissa, Isaiah and Brennan had been having a conversation about dying and Heaven before they got there. Later in the day, Matt and Monica were able to have conversation with her as well.

I can't remember at what point she started telling us what to do again and Wil said, "she's back!"

Wed. night Wil and I both slept over there and I slept on the recliner and Wil on the couch, using our baby monitor. Wil never even found out when Mom woke me at 2 to take her to the bathroom. After that I couldn't sleep and so I sent text messages to my email address for something to do.

TickToc...Tick Toc...Tic Toc...Two different clocks ticking, all night long. Oh wait, now it's the refrigerator running....The breathing and snoring sounds coming from the monitor. The snoring coming from WIl lying on the couch, the couch that I wish I'd be on...Wil's phone reminding us every 15 minutes that it has a low battery. Bong, Bong, Bong, at 3:00 both tick toc clocks reminded me at different times that i still had not gone back to sleep after the 2:00 potty. Then came the 1/2 hour reminders, then 4:00 bonging and now the 4:30 reminder. Dang those clocks!!! I give up. I then woke up Wil and went upstairs to bed and slept 45 min. before going to work.

Mary helped out a lot this week and stayed with Mom Friday through Saturday so we could have time with Melissa and Isaiah. This morning, Wil said that Mom was asking for me. He told me last night, that he really feels like she is close to her end. I went over to her bedside and she said, "there you are" and then she just hugged me, and just kept her arms around me until she fell asleep. Sue is on her way here from KS to help out this next week, and we are grateful for that but for a while, we wondered if she would be coming for a funeral instead.

Camping

Wil and I went camping with Isaiah and Brennan and I was reminded once again how much work it is to go camping. Most of the people at Twin Mills don't camp the old style way, but merely drive in, park, push some buttons, sleep in air conditioning and relax. Well, in spite of all the
work, we had fun.

Papaw and Brennan getting a fire going the 1st morning
Wrapping the wounded toe.
The swimming, biking, playing with the fire and the Golf Cart Parade where they got candy were the highlights.
Then Sunday morning Matt, Monica, Sawyer and Jeremiah came to join us for Brunch and fun. Sawyer had been sick and seemed to enjoy getting some fresh air.

Papaw and Jeremiah checking each other out

Ouch!

Last evening while out with some friends, we got a text and picture of Brennan's toe from Monica. Isaiah and Brennan were outside having a great time swinging on the bench seat of the swing. Brennan got his foot off to the side and got it pinched in between the board. The little guy, that seldom cries very long when he hurts himself, screamed and cried. By the time we got home to check it out, he was sleeping but he woke up when Papaw was checking it out.

They were looking at the IBU trying to decide how much they would be able to give him for pain. Monica said, that she would have to cut it in half. Brennan only heard the latter part and started to wale uncontrollably and said, "No! don't cut my toe in half!" Needless to say, everyone felt bad that he thought we would cut his toe in half.

This is how the toe looked this morning.
He wanted to play the wii with Isaiah so I brought him to our house and he propped his foot on a ball. Since we don't know if it's broken or not, I put a non-stick gause on it with ointment then taped his toes. While I was doing that, he said, "it makes me feel so good how everbody is taking care of me. Everybody is being so nice to me." He said that numerous time. Of late he has been the big helper and I'm sure he enjoyed having the attention although didn't like the pain that came with it. He really like the fact that Daddy slept on the couch with him last night. He had to reschedule his swimming lessons that he had just started on Monday.

Father's Day

Today Wil got to celebrate Father's Day with all 4 of his grandson. We missed getting a picture of him with all of them and we missed not having Maury and Melissa with us. Brennan and Isaiah spent most of the day playing Wii, then in the evening we entertained Daudy's, by biking around their circle drive. Sawyer ran around the circle drive 5-6 times, in his crocks and ended up with a blister. Isaiah wanted to do a longer bike ride in spite of the heat and humidity and so Wil and him biked 5 miles. Brennan really wanted to ride with them but his little 12" bike couldn't quite keep up, in spite of his little legs pedaling like crazy. I did ride a little over a mile with him.

Papaw with Jeremiah Bemnet

Sawyer and Brennan both trying to entertaine Jeremiah

Mommy really has her hands full these days!

Isaiah has arrived

We met Isaiah and his other grandparents in Pittsburgh, PA Sunday evening then drove home on Monday.
Sawyer was playing shy with Isaiah the 1st day

This is Wednesday, my day off work , so Brennan had spent the night and Sawyer joined us in the morning. I had a really hard time getting the boys settled down at bedtime. Brennan ended up in the bed after I finally got him to sleep then Isaiah and I slept on the recliners.

This is definitely not like the olden days. These children all love electronics! I thought this was too cute to pass up. Sawyer watching Veggie Tales on my little DVD player, Isaiah on the Computer and Brennan playing the Wii.

I'm finding that my two oldest grandsons are used to being #1 when they are here and neither really enjoys being told what to do, especially not from each other. They are both too smart for their own britches. They both get offended by the other one trying to tell them how to race their cars. In spite of all that, they do compliment each other while playing and don't want to be apart.
One is quite verbal while the other one tends to sulk or walk off. I think most of you can figure out which does what! It is all intriguing for me.

After lunch we took off on a bike ride down to Larry & Elsie's(Isaiah's old babysitter). It was so cute to see Brennan's little legs petal away. Sawyer fell asleep just as we arrived home.

Isaiah thought that Brennan looked like a miniature of himself.

I just overheard Brennan bragging on how good Isaiah was playing then he said, "Isaiah, you are the BEST friend I have Ever had!! You are just the goodest Wii player!"

Mom Beachy-87

Today we celebrated my Mother-In-Law's 87th birthday with a, Tea Party. My sister-in-law, Mary brought along hats, since that is what one is to wear for a tea party. Well, mother did not enjoy wearing her hat and after the picture was taken, I wore it instead. We enjoyed, garden tea, Blueberry Coffee cake, Blueberry Muffins and Custard. The party consisted of Daudy, Grandma, Mary, Brennan, Wil and myself. Brennan kept saying that he had never been at a Tea Party before. He tasted the custard after some encouragement but by the look on his face I knew he didn't care for it. He didn't want to say that he didn't like it but such relief when he knew it was ok if he didn't like it. The devoured the muffin in no time.

Thanks Mary, for making everything except the tea!

By the way-If you talk to Grandma Barbara.....Don't tell her that you saw this picture. I had strict orders from her, not to put it on my Blog. She had a hang up with the hat, but I thought it was one of the better expression- pictures, that I had of her.

After the Tea Party, Mom wanted to drive around to some of their old stomping grounds. I lucked out, since I had a Father-Daughter banquet to go to. I don't really enjoy that kind of thing a whole lot.

Brennan's 5th birthday

The highlight of Brennan's 5th birthday was his ability to ride bike on his own. He has been so determined to learn but the bike that he had was just a bit too big for him. Today one of his friends got on the bike and took right off. Tonight he told me that his friend didn't have fear and that is why she could ride it. "Grandma, I just need to keep trying until I don't have anymore fear".
Tonight when Matt got his new little bike ready for him, he took right off. I got a text during our prayer time at small group saying that Brennan was riding. I guess after his first ride, he was so happy, that he got off his bike and jumped up and down. After we got home we went over to watch him ride. I was telling him to make sure he went to Daudy's tomorrow, because Daudy will be so proud of him. After a bit.... "Excuse me please....Are any of the three of you, proud of me?" We all three raised our hand.
This is Brennan with his buddy Noah who was born the same day. I got a call this afternoon, saying the birthday boys wanted to play the wii. The wii game didn't last too long after they saw that I had water balloons and squirt guns.
When they found out it was time to go home, they needed to have a treat yet.

This was the scene that greeted me when I went over to Matt's house Monday night. Matt mowing yard with Brennan and Sawyer riding with him. Brennan right away, wanted to come to our house to play the wii. When it was getting late, I asked him if he didn't think it was time to go home and asked if he didn't think hos mommy missed him. "No, she has two babies, well...our whole family does. We have a baby and a toddler to take care of." How do you help, Brennan? "Well... I think I obey and I help with Jeremiah the most. I really take care of both the boys. I talk to Jeremiah and I play with Sawyer." I got the feeling, he thought he deserved this free time. I understand from his Mommy that he really can be a big help if he wants to be.

Remote

There isn't a whole lot that makes Sawyer happier than having a remote to play with. The problem is, that he isn't content with just any remote. He needs to find one that really works. We used to be able to take out the batteries and he'd think he was doing something but that no longer works.

When I found him here, he said, "I did itMamaw!" Yes you did, Sawyer. He is such a busy body and so much fun right now. That is Grandma talking of course. His parents think that he is a sweet hand full right now. Since he has to share his attention, he is taking advantage of Mommy's full arms!

Grandma's house

Today I got a text at work from Monica saying that Sawyer took off on the path to our house, calling out, "Grandma, Grandma".

I sent a text back saying, I was sorry that I was not at home.

I got a text back saying, that Brennan said they would wait, along with this picture.
Brennan and Sawyer sitting on our lawn chair. She bribed them back home with snacks.

Another random phone picture that Wil took last Saturday on Great Grandma's deck. Sawyer looks a bit frustrated. I wasn't there, but I imagine he wasn't sitting there too long.