wacky day & marching band

 

 

 

This past week at my girls school they have been having spirit days. That's where each day the school had organized for the kids to do different things like where red one day, crazy socks the next, blue and white day, wacky day, and Jersey day. These pictures are from wacky day. Both Bri and Bella won the best of there class. Not many people actually dressed up. But I was glad my girls didn't hold back they went for it and had a fun time. The other pictures are of Bri and Bella in the marching band. There school participated in the Halloween Parade in Strasburg. It was a chilly night but we had fun seeing the girls in there very first parade. It was also fun watching Edwin run after the band taking pictures of the girls. The other funny thing was watching my husband and Rico run after the candy that was being thrown out by people in the parade. Edwin he acts like a kid. One of the things I love about him. You have to realize too that Rico doesn't eat candy. Edwin brought a nice supply home.

Amish friends..........

Last night my mom and my sisters and our husbands were invited to friends of my parents home. They are Amish. The father of the family was unable to come to the viewing and funeral so instead he invited us all over to be with him and his family.
What a kind thing to do. This man has a beautiful wife and 9 sons and 1 daughter.
We had a fabulous meal it was like Thanksgiving. We had roast beef, gravy, mashed potatoes,baked corn, carrots, filling, brocolli salad, applesauce, homemade rolls, homemade butter and jelly. For dessert we had coffee, chocolate cake, pie, and whoppie pies. What a meal! When we got there we visited for a bit in living room while the ladies put the finishing touches on the meal. Then it was time for dinner.
We sat around the table and then Christian (the father) asked what was Daddy's favorite song. We told him Amazing Grace. So we sang that song and then we had silent prayer. After thorougly enjoying our meal we ended our meal with another song and also another silent prayer. Then the ladies helped with dishes we weren't supposed to but we helped anyway while mom and the men visited some more in the living room. When we were all gathered in the living room again Christian kept the conversation moving. Christian and his boys own a carriage shop. One thing I noticed and I commented on was that beside where I was sitting there was a book rack and on the rack was "Beside Still Waters" the same devotional a lot of us use. That ws cool to see. We had a wonderful evening. What a blessing this family was to us.
They were full of life and had ready smiles all the time. This will be a good memory for us all. Some of you may be wondering how mom is doing. I think she is doing very well. Yes, she misses Daddy and has her moments but she is keeping busy with her taxi service. And that's a good thing for her.

Daddy..........

 

 

My dad went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Oct. 3, 2007 at 1:35a.m. My dad had hip replacement surgery on Monday the 1st. He came through the surgery fine. Rico and I went to see him the afternoon of the following day and he seemed okay not his normal joking self but that was understandable after an operation. We visited for a bit and then I had to go pick up Bri. Later that night around 10:30 we got a call from my sister saying her and mom were on the way to the hospital cause they had called and said daddy wasn't doing well. Till we got in there Daddy's condition was very grave.
It wasn't long before I heard them calling "code blue" to his room. What a surreal thing. The doctors think Daddy suffered a heart attack. We haven't got official word of that yet though. It is the most unusual thing to lose someone you love so much to have them with you one day and then the next be gone from this earth. I take comfort in knowing that my dad very much wanted to go "home" to be with Jesus. He had been ready for awhile now. My dad had a life full of physical pain. He had had eighteen operations in his life time and this was his fifth hip replacement. I'm glad Daddy is where he wanted to be. And even more then that I'm so glad he had a personal relationship with Jesus. I love you Daddy.

funeral........

 

 

 

We buried Daddy on Saturday, Oct.6th. We were so blessed at the amount of friends and family who came to the viewing and the funeral. I think my dad would have been surprised. It was a joy to greet each visitor. The viewing was on Friday night from 6-9 but the line started before 6 and it ended about 10:15 that night. I would have gladly stood longer to greet each person and I think my sisters and my mom felt the same way. What a blessing to here all the wonderful comments people had to say. I learned things I didn't know about Daddy and the things that were said were wonderful. Mom did so well with greeting everyone. Her beautiful smile was a comfort to many and to me as the many times I glanced a look to see how she was doing. Each time she greeted each person with that warm smile through her many tears. The gospel was preached through my dad's pastor and I know that was what Daddy wanted. He layed it out nice and clear. My oldest sister and I spoke during the funeral. God's grace was there to help us do it and I'm glad we were able to do that.
If you think of it pray for my mom. It's so hard knowing she is by herself in her home now. She is a strong woman I see that more and more but I know she will be lonely. You may be wondering about the "yes it's me" sign. My parents have an amish taxi service and whenever we would pass daddy's van on the road we would have a hard time figuring out if it was Daddy cause there were alot of vans like Daddy's out there. So my sister had the great idea to get Daddy that license plate one year for christmas so we would know it was him. The head stone that you see in the picture above is the back of the headstone of my Dad's parents who Daddy is buried beside. Yes, God is our refuge and strength.