My Dad's Legacy, in the Form of a Sink

My Dad was always helping people.  He helped his brothers and sisters to paint their houses, move into new houses, and do home/car repair.  He helped his friends with the same.  He helped his department at work build frames for their entry into the Sand in the City competition.  Anything anybody needed, he would do.  He built me shelves in my storage room, painted my living room and kitchen, and he put in our wood floor.  When his parents were still alive, he did their bills and went to their house every Saturday to mow the grass and give my Grandpa a shower.

He taught us through his example.  He taught his children to always serve others, and put others first.

I see so much of my Dad in my brother Creighton.  I saw it this Friday when Creighton and my brother in law Luke came over and installed this beauty in my kitchen:

I am sure I have complained about my old kitchen sink here before...it was only 6 inches deep, and did not include a sprayer.  I lived for FIVE STINKIN' YEARS without a sprayer in my kitchen!!  Have you ever tried to clean up after Thanksgiving dinner with a 6 inch sink and no sprayer?  IT IS NOT FUN.  So now, I am loving doing dishes with my 9 1/2 inch deep sink, and it's beautiful, wonderful sprayer.  Best of all though, I got to see a piece of my Dad when Creighton volunteered to help me with this project after hearing me curse the old one.  I love that my parents worked hard to create a family that loves and helps each other.

And fittingly for Memorial Day weekend, yesterday at church we saw that this plaque had been installed at the foot of a tree planted in memorial to my dad:

 It's comforting to know there is this piece of comfort at a place that is so important to us.

Charlie: Class of 2011

Yesterday afternoon, my baby Charlie graduated from preschool.  My baby who has somehow morphed into a precocious five and a half year old.

He was adorable and proud as he received his diploma.  But I think occasions and rights of passage such as these are always bitter sweet for us mothers.  I love watching him grow and develop into the person God created him to be.  At the same time, I yearn for the small chubby baby I rocked to sleep in the wee hours of the morning.

There were only 4 graduates in his class.  I am anxious and excited to see how he will make the transition to 90 Kindergarten classmates.

I am beyond thankful for the women who nurtured my baby the past 5 years during the times when I had to be away.  They have been a gift!

And now?  We are off to enjoy the magical days of summer.

Oh blog...how I've missed you!

This spring has been crazy busy for us.  It's meant I have been kept busy keeping my family going, with precious little time to sit at the computer and record my thoughts.  I am excited to see summer at my doorstep (we have our last day of school this Wednesday!!  WOOOHOO!!) when I will have time to catch up here at the Sole Woman, on the house, and with my kids.

April was a month of drastic changes for my family.  On April 2nd, my wonderful Grandma Rose passed away.  She was just short of 90 years young.  She was miserable at the end, and was dealing with congestive heart failure, so in some ways her passing was a blessing.  I am filled with happiness to know she is once again with my Grandpa, her parents, and her brothers and sisters.  After loosing my Dad, I have a different perspective on death.  Death is so hard on those of us left behind, but I have a new respect for the joy they must be feeling in heaven with Jesus.  In many ways, I don't know if I've been truly able to process her death.  I am still feeling pretty numb from Dad's death.  Her funeral and the events around it were a little too much to deal with at the time.

Two weeks later, on April 16th, my little brother Creighton married the love of his life, Lindsey.

It was a perfect day and a perfect ceremony.  I love them both beyond measure, and I am so excited Lindsey is my official sister.  I've felt that she has been for awhile, so it was nice to make it official formally true.

The combined effect of the funeral and wedding plus Easter the next weekend all made us feel like we were a bit bipolar and having massive mood swings.  We are all looking forward to a little down time, and some recovery time.

Looking forward to seeing my blog on a regular basis!