Four Generations and Grandpa

Surprise. I got to see my mom and dad at the end of March. What a sweet blessing. Mom, Grandma, Jill, and I took a much needed Four Generation picture. 

And Jill got to meet her grandparents. By the end of the trip she was in love with Grandpa. It must be that soft, soothing voice he uses to win the favor of very small children.

We love you Grandma and Grandpa and were so excited that we got to see you this Spring.

Big Sis.

  

Being a new big sister is hard work. Some days we're very happy about it.

Some days we're not very happy about anything.

And some days it's hard to decide how we feel.

Moods are not a fun thing to figure out. But it's okay. Mom understands.

New Recruit

The first round of draft picks have begun early this year

Meet

MaryEllen Svedin

At 7lb 1oz, 19.5 in long,

she's a perfect pick for our team

And she came right in time for spring sports:

April 8, 2011

2:24 AM

Maturnity Modle

So, I'm due tomorrow!!!

I know you haven't seen much of me during the past 9 months. I'm a little bigger around the middle, that's all.

It's not that I've been avoiding the camara; I just haven't thought about taking pictures. Until one day a very kind friend of mine stopped me and asked me to do a little spin. She said, "Have you looked in the mirror today? I love this. What you're doing here is fabulous. You could be a modle." I honestly had not looked in the mirror for very long so I was a little worried about what she saw.

This is a picture of what she loved . . .

Apparently she's a big fan of pea coats on pregnant ladies, and bright pink socks with black shoes and white pants.

What ever it was she loves, her thoughtful comment made me remember that I needed to take pictures. I decided I'd better do it before I looked in the mirror.

Here's a side view without the coat. Happy early birthday, Baby.

The Shirt

One of my sisters bought this shirt at a thrift store.

She lent it to another one of my sisters when she was pregnant. 

Who lent it to another sister when she became pregnant.

There is something stylish, and bonding about wearing Jacki-O when you're 9 months along. You can only imagine my sheer delight when I received Jacki in the mail just in time for my last month. I proudly wore this shirt at a "Mother's Blessing" baby shower, (I'll tell you all about it later, and you will love it.) and to the movies last night. Just a little bit longer and Jacki will be making her way back to Texas again. Thanks for sending the shirt all this way for little ol' me.

I love my sistas!!!

Grandpa Dean

I've been thinking all week about my Grandpa Dean. Since Christmas he's had trouble catching his breath, but that really hasn't slowed him down any. Then, two weekends ago he went to the hospital with maybe pneumonia, but no. Last Monday his doctors flew him to the U of U for a lung biopsy and found that the old dairy man (80 years to be exact) had developed a lung disease called Pulmonary Fibrosis. His options were A) live in the hospital for the rest of his life or 2) live in the hospital for the rest of his life. I think he chose one of the two.

Grandpa Dean passed away Tuesday morning, 2 days after his and Grandma's 17th wedding anniversary.

You see, Grandpa Dean's wife and my Grandpa Phillips passed away when I was 13, and Dean and Grandma by a sweet gift of grace (and an even sweeter childhood sweetheart story) found each other and were married a year later.

I remember when Grandpa Phillips died. I had just turned 13 and was very awkward and thoughtful. I remember visiting Grandma and being very upset about the sleeping arrangements. Grandma asked me if I was lonely and if I'd like to sleep with her because she got lonely too. I remember thinking outside of myself for the first time that summer, and then, being very grateful for Dean and the thought that he and Grandma would be together.

The first time I met Dean my big family was eating breakfast at Grandma's kitchen table. Dean came in, filled a bowl of cereal and went outside to eat it alone at the patio picnic table. Remember how I always felt a little lonely? Well, I picked up my bowl and went outside to join him. We didn't say much to each other, but I remember feeling good just sitting with him. I liked him from the start.

Years later, after I'd graduated from college I really got to know Dean. One Sunday afternoon I was playing Grandma's piano and he asked me to play A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. I played it through and looked up to ask if there was another he liked, but didn't because he was wiping his cheeks. Then, quietly he just said, "That's my favorite."

I'll never forget Dean's sweet tenderness, his laugh, or the way he loved old Westerns. He loved to work hard, he loved his family, and he loved to know that there were people who loved him back. I loved him very much and I'll miss him very much.

Snow Day!

What do you know, it actually got above freezing this week.



This is not our first run in the snow, but it is one of the few events captured in picture.
Jill loves these pink snowpants. She would wear them every day, just around the house, if I let her.

At first she didn't know what to do with herself.

Then she got brave.

All the snow here is old, gross, and icy under the fluffy top layer, so we didn't venture into any drifts. We just ran up and down the sidewalk in front of our apartment and looked at the snow on our hands and feet.