My Holidays/Trip to Missouri

I love his smile as I give him a kiss.

How about this sexy picture of my Mom and Othermom. The picture was taken in 1952 at Lake Michigan. My cousin found it in her Dad's collection of pictures and shared it with me.  Don't have a lot of pictures from my Mom's youth due to a house fire so I love whatever I get or have.  As you know I made an unplanned trip over Christmas to my hometown in Missouri to see my Dad.  

While there I ran by the Senior Living home where my Aunt and Uncle live. I had them take a selfie with me so I could send it to my Mom. They haven't seen each other since April 2015. They talk every day but I know they miss each other very much so I figured a picture would help.

Christmas Eve Pamela got to meet her new baby cousin Beckett who lives south of Kansas City in Raymore Missouri. She sure is getting the hang of this baby stuff but that's a good thing since she's a nurse in the postpartum unit and her hospital does couplet care meaning she cares for both baby and momma.  My Niece and Nephew aren't getting out in the weather with a new baby to go up to my Dad's so they let us stop and spend Christmas Eve and Day with them. 

My Dad came down with my Little Sister.  Come to find out Pamela got to hold and meet Beckett before her cousin Emily. Isn't he a cutie?

Oh word of warning this post is picture heavy.  This blog will preserve the memories of possibly our last Christmas with Dad. I noticed he looked tired and knew how hard this last year and a half had been on his body and him. Since we left he's fallen a couple of times and has started napping more plus he hasn't wanted to drive any where. Which is unusual for him.

Emily finally gets to hold and meet her new baby cousin.        

Christmas Day..

.Since Baby Beckett couldn't open his present one of his sister's Benilli opened the package.

Here's the proud parents and sisters Benille and Winnie.  I'm sure I spelled Benille wrong so forgive me Melissa and Jeremiah don't tell Benille that Aunt Carla misspelled her name.  LOL                                              My niece is an OR nurse and my nephew passed his test and is now a Professional Engineer.  YAY    

     

Grandpa and Pamela

Me and Dad

Emily and Pamela

How about this cute pillow gift box. My friend Ashley at work helped me make these for gifts like money or gift cards. Thanks Ashley.

Emily gives Grandpa a big hug.           And Dad with his newest Great Grandson.

Dad's other Great Grandson Carson, grandson Zachariah my nephew and Zach's fiance' Bailey Jo with Dad

Day after Christmas Fun with the rest of the Family

My little sister's family
Jerri Lynn had to work so she is missing from her family picture
and the picture of Sisters with  Dad

Sister's with Dad
Nancy, Me, Barb

The life of a nurse is never done. We have our fair share of nurses now in the family.

Grandkids and the Great Grandson Carson in front
l-r back Shelby, Emily, Pamela, Tyler
l-r front Zach, Dad and Josiah
Front and Center Carson

My sister Nancy with her two children Tyler and Shelby.
Shelby just graduated
from nursing school. She's going into cardiac care 

My sister Barbara and Cresia   They are both in education.

I love this picture of my Dad and Shelby as she snuggles with Grandpa. We had been giving Dad a bad time about crossing his right leg over his swollen left due to the tumor pressing on the arteries so he swung the right leg over Shelby. Problem solved Which brings up a funny story. Christmas Day my Nephew Zach told Grandpa "Your left leg is as big as mine" (Zach). To which my Dad replied....... Are you ready..... "I took Viagra but it went to the wrong leg." My Dad the comedian.

My sister Barbara came up with several games for everyone to play such as the one in the pictures here. Each person was given a candy cane that they put in their mouth and tried to hook other candy canes to put on their plate. 

The one with the most candy canes won. It was quite hilarious.  

Cresia  Tyler  Pamela  Zach  Shelby

Then a friendly game of cards

On the Sunday after Christmas I took a quick side trip by my Grandparents old house before going to Dads. It looks so different. Like plain. I would have sworn it was much prettier.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and of a child.  I spent many happy summer breaks in this house. Good Memories

Sunday when we left my Dad's to go back to the hotel it started to snow to Pamela's delight and my dismay. I had never driven in snow. I had moved away before I was able to drive. Oh boy this will be a fun drive home.

I looked out the hotel window Monday morning the 28th and this is what I saw.               Snow!                                     

We drove to Dad's for a final Goodbye and Hug before heading back to Texas. While there it started snowing again.  Yippee. For a minute I couldn't even get out of Dad's driving when I was trying to leave. I backed up and when I put it in drive my tires started spinning. oops. Finally got some traction and took off. 

It was such a bittersweet trip knowing that this might be the last time I'll get to hug my Dad. He made the decision to live out his life by doing the things he hadn't been able to do in the last year. Like got to the local coffee shop where all the farmers and truckers hang out, drink coffee, smoked way too many cigarettes (something my Dad never did), discussed the weather, cussed the prices of crops and maybe tell a joke or two. For as long as I can remember my Dad went there every morning and maybe at lunch and dinner to hang out.

Treatments aren't an option anymore. All my sisters and I can do is honor his decision and love him. It's breaking our hearts but he's fighting a good fight but unfortunately the cancer is winning. 

 Pamela snapped this picture of a random house going down the road. We thought it was the perfect picture for a Christmas card.
Snow  Trees  a Home

This picture doesn't do our drive/day justice. We drove between 25 and 40 mph for about 140 miles. Pamela took the picture not me by the way. We had a couple of scares while driving but we survived and I did okay for my first time in snow. It was snowing really hard and I really wanted to make a stop down the road before we hit the interstate.  I couldn't believe it when I found out that this quilt shop that is a big hit among quilters for their deals and tutorials was only 40 minutes away from my Dad's and I never realized it. I always thought it was in Hannibal. If you're a quilter you'll recognize the name right away..... The Missouri Star Quilt Company. Home town girl made it big Her son and daughter helped her start up the company that helped revitalize the dying town of Hamilton Missouri. I could smell the fabric when we got to the exit.... I was so tempted but all the exits off the highway were going up and when cars got to the top and stopped at the stop sign the couldn't go forward. All they did was spin and slide. I really really wanted to stop for some Quilt shop therapy but knew it wasn't a good idea. 

I don't think David would be happy with me calling to say I was in a ditch or a wreck

But I'll be going back in June for my nephew's wedding so I'll try to squeeze in a visit.

While I was in Missouri David was home with our pup Lilley and the Grand-dog Sophie celebrating Christmas and his birthday with his siblings and their families. I hated leaving him but he wasn't able to get off work due to a project that was due on the 30th but he insisted I go to Missouri. 2015 has been an emotional roller coaster. I'm glad I went and spent time with Dad and the rest of the family.

Well I've probably bored you with all my pictures. Sorry 

Until next post.. Live every moment like it's your last.