Oh, What a Beautiful Baby........

Here are some of my favorite photographs.

Joshua on his blessing day.
He is laying on a blanket that his Great Grandma Hales made him.

Proud Mum and Dad!

 Joshua loved his binkie........

 What a sad face!!

 Joshua laying by the Christmas tree.......
he had just gummed his present from Grandma and Grandpa open!!!

 Joshua was a little bit of a messy eater.....still can be

 Getting ready to go trick or treating.

 Cute cowboy!

 The Purdy children have all loved Winnie the Pooh and Storybook Island.

 Ridin' down the highway.......
Oh, how Joshua loved his 4 wheeler.

 Loved riding his bike as well.
3rd birthday party

Yesterday Joshua and Courtney posted the following pictures.

 Several months ago, we found out that Joshua and Courtney were expecting a baby around June 8th,
Yesterday, they found out if they were going to have a boy or a girl.

It was my birthday yesterday, so I got to do the cake cutting honors and the big reveal.

BLUE

We are so excited to welcome this little baby boy into our family.

When you find out that you are going to be a Grandmother, it makes you stop and think, and it stirs up many emotions.

It does make you feel a little old.......

But, then I stop and think some more.

 We have an 8-year-old, we can't afford to feel old!!!

It also made me think back to when I was pregnant with Joshua.  The excitement of becoming a mother with all its expectations and dreams.

I only have pictures of "little" Joshua in this post.  Mainly because these are the years that I have been reminiscing about.

Also, these are the photographs that Jim has downloaded on his computer!!!!

Joshua was such a beautiful baby.

Dark black hair when he was born, but it turned lighter and he had the most beautiful soft curls. 

 I am sure Joshua is thrilled that I keep using the word beautiful!!

Words could never express how much being a mother means to me.

I hope that my children will always know how much they are loved.

I am excited that Joshua and Courtney will get to know that kind of love.

I remember the moment that each of my babies was placed in my arms.

Joshua, Jessica, and Samuel.

Peace, awe, gratitude......

We only got to hold Emma for such a short time in this life.  I can't wait to hold her again and feel peace, awe and most of all, gratitude.

 

I am excited to be a Grandmother.

Different excitement than finding out you are going to be a mother.

But, it is still pretty darn exciting!!!!!

 

Sally-Ann





Shhhhhh.............

When I was a kid, I went to the library a lot.

I loved it.

During school term breaks my friends and I would go to the library to work on class projects.  The librarian would always tell us to, "Shhhhh!"  We would for a little while, and then our voices would eventually get back up to "Shhhhhh" worthy again.

When we lived in St. Paul, Minnesota, our neighborhood library was in a lovely old building.  In the summer time, I would load Joshua into his wagon and we would walk through the historic neighborhood to the library.  Our family used the library a lot, no matter where we lived.  When we moved to Tampa, we continued to go to the library.

That was....

until......

the saga of.......

It is a story for another time.

But, it is really Joshua's and Jessica's story to tell.

Each version will most likely be different.

All that matters is that "Thunder Bunny" was eventually returned to its library home..........

 

Today I took Samuel to the library.  We have not been to the library for a long, long time and I thought that it was about time that we made it a weekly event.  I picked Friday morning because I knew it would be quiet, no story time groups.  Eventually we will work up to going when it is busier, but I wanted it to be a good, calm experience today.

 

Sam's therapist, Liz, met us at the Seffner-Mango Library at 10am.

Sam walked into the children's section and declared,

"Oh boy, there must be 1,000 books!"

Sam played on the computer for a few minutes and then went about the serious work of selecting books.

4 Curious George books, 4 books about gardens and 4 Step into Reading books later, we left with plans to return next Friday.

 

We love to read in our family.  It was so wonderful to see Sam so excited about books.  He had his pile on the seat next to him on the drive home and excitedly told me all about them.  Such wonderful words coming out of my little boy's mouth.  We are slowly, but surely making our way together.  I love to see the world open up before him,

Even a simple trip to the library.

 

Sally-Ann

 

 



Today

I was going to repost this a few days ago, but didn't.
It is a post I did about my brother.
I have changed my mind and will repost it after all.
Today is Veteran's Day here in the USA.  My brother didn't serve in the military, but he will always be a hero to me.

A few days ago I titled one of my posts, "Sometimes".

Last night and today, and I am sure in the next few days, I have thought about that post and the emotions behind it.

It has been a very long time since I have actually sobbed when I have cried.  The big heart wrenching sobs that are uncontrollable.......the ones that actually hurt your chest.

It amazes me how quickly life can change.  

How the world as we know it will never be the same.

In the blink of an eye........

 Or the ring of a telephone........

Today, I got out of bed like any other day.  I got Samuel ready for school and drove him through rush hour traffic to get there.  I sat through PTA meeting, walked through the mall and bought brining stuff for our Thanksgiving turkey.  All normal, every day type of stuff.

But, today wasn't the same.

Everything is different now.

Katrina, Graham (brother), Dianne (sister-in-law), Anthony and Jason.  Andrew wasn't there.

 This is my brother and his family at the airport when I left Tasmania to fly to the USA to marry Jim.  Nearly 25 years ago!

Anthony, Jason, Katrina, Dianne and Graham.  Andrew isn't there again!!!  I sense a pattern.

 Both these photos were taken last July when we were back in Tasmania for vacation.

Aahaa!  The elusive Andrew is on the right!

Graham getting an earful from Auntie Lyn.  She was telling him to visit!

Finally!  One of them all together.

This photo, and the next several, were taken in Western Australia when Graham and Dianne went to visit their kids and grandchildren.

I've been trying to recall my earliest memory of my big brother.  Graham was 17-years-old when I came into the picture.  My sister Gayle was 14.
Here are some of my memories:

• Every pay day, Graham would buy me a little bag of mixed lollies.
• I loved Graham's bedspread, it had a horse on it.
• Graham drove trucks for a living at one stage, and sometimes he would take me with him.
• I loved riding on the back of his motorbike, especially when he would take me to school sometimes.......I felt so cool  :)
• Graham was hired to cut down some big trees at my elementary school.  While there a huge bull escaped from the local "Sales" yard and made into the school yard.  While everyone watched out the windows, my brother caught it and took it back to where it belonged.  Then, after school, he took me home on the back of his motorbike.
• Whenever I got into trouble with my Mum, which happened quite frequently, Graham would swoop in and rescue me.
• Most of my summers were spent at Graham and Dianne's house.
• Everyone loves to hear Graham stories.  My brother is Crocodile Dundee and Steve Irwin all rolled up into one package.
• Everyone knows my brother
• I know that if I ever needed anything, my brother would take care of me.  Everyone needs a big brother like Graham.  A little rough around the edges, but a heart of gold.
• Graham would buy me mega cans of Milo.
• When I was asked to speak in Sacrament meeting at church, Graham would always come if I asked him.

Granny Geale, Graham and Mum

Grandfather Geale, Granny Geale and Graham

My sister Gayle - 12, Graham - 14

These are the only pictures I have of Graham in his "younger" days.  My scanner isn't all that flash, so this is the best I can do for now.

This photo was taken at a picnic right before I left to come to the USA.

 So many in the above photo are no longer here.

They are my family.

Last night.
With the blink of an eye.
With the ring of the phone.
Everything changed.

Eric Graham Johns
Graham is a son, big brother, husband, father and grandfather.
He loved his family.
Graham loved going up to his shack at the lakes.
Words cannot say everything that Graham is.


Last night,
Graham died,
and now, everything is different.

Sally-Ann