I ♥ Faces Week 33

This week's theme over at I ♥ Faces is "Nostalgia." I am usually johnny-on-the-spot when entering and have planned what image to use etc. This week's theme gave me pause and caused many hours of going through archives to determine what image best fit the theme.

I finally decided on this image of Niko. As a child, I spent many hours in the back yard playing badminton (I want to spell it badmitten!) so when I found an affordable set, I couldn't help but buy it for the boys.

You can tell what Niko thinks of the whole thing!



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State Fair 2009

"Our State Fair is a great State Fair...."
I tagged along with the youngest daughter and her family while they visited the Indiana State Fair this year. Dillybar and Geeko had a great time seeing the animals and playing at the Pioneer Village.

Because We Love Him So...

There have been many wonderful things done by a lot of wonderful people in honor of my daddy.

A lot of food donated to feed hungry people... he would have been both pleased and surprised at the response. I just don't have the words to properly express my thanks for the words of comfort and the donations made in his memory.

My daughters and I decided on a more permanent memorial. Daddy so enjoyed the hummingbirds that came to his window feeder - it was one of the things he looked forward to when we brought him home from the hospital so we situated his bed in the front room so he would have a clear view.

Our memorial may seem strange to some, but the idea came to us all simultaneously and we just felt compelled and knew it was "right" for us. Three identical hummingbird tattoos... because he loved them so.... because we love him so.

It's So Hard to Say Goodbye To Yesterday....

While I knew I would one day write this post, I hoped that day would be far in the future. There are so many words, thoughts, images and songs flitting through my brain I only hope I can sift through them enough to make some semblance of order befitting the subject.

I wrote this post not long ago. My Father's Day wish was granted, although not in the manner I had hoped, when the Lord cured Daddy by taking him to Heaven on Wednesday, Aug. 5.

The weeks leading up to his departure (it was, after all, only a departure from this life to the next) were filled with love, laughter, hugs, kisses and many trips down memory lane. My sister and I left are daily lives to spend every last day we could with Daddy. We were blessed beyond measure to have had the opportunity to say the things we wanted to say and to hear the things he wanted to say. There is no doubt in my mind he left this world knowing how very much his girls loved and appreciated him. I was witness to God's love and mercy as he gently led Daddy home.

My brother-in-law, Kyle, wrote the obituary below. He also read the scripture at Daddy's service and gave us all comfort and food for thought.

Bennett Ray Collins, 71, of Versailles, Indiana, passed away peacefully August 5th in his home after an extensive battle with cancer. He was born on April 20, 1938 in Isom, Kentucky to Luther Collins and Mae (Sexton) Collins and he married the love of his life, Thelma Moore, on July 1, 1960. He retired from the IUPUI Medical Center in 1988 after 20+years of service. Bennett was a loyal Christian and a faithful member of the North Madison Church of Christ.

Bennett Ray is survived by wife Thelma (Versailles, In), daughters Kathy Smith (Indianapolis, In), Kendra C. Marks (Frankton, In), Sister, Francis Moore (Indianapolis, In), Brother, Lloyd Collins (Indianapolis, In), Grand Children; Leia Duty (St. Louis, Mo), Dejah Smith (Ingals, In), Nathan Marks (Frankton, In), Caleb Marks (Frankton, In), Shelby Marks (Frankton, In), Great Grand Children; Jalen T. Johnson (Greenwood, In), Dylan Smith (Ingals,In), Nikolas Wilson (Ingals, In)

Private Family Services will be held Friday, August 7th at the Harry W. Moore Funeral Care and Crematory (Allisonville Road Chapel @ 8151 Allisonville Road, Indianapolis, In 46250*317.849.6800) with burial at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens.

Family request that no flowers be sent to Chapel or burial site, nor any food items be delivered to any family member. Monitary donations can be made to the Open Hearts Helping Hands(http://www.openheartshelpinghands.com/), any local food pantry or to the American Cancer Society.

While he may be gone from my sight, I am so thankful to have the many photos I can visit from time to time.

I love you Daddy...

On the Road Again

Just wanted to let everyone know I will be away from home and blog for the next week. I'll be with Mom and Dad so no internets for me :(

His Future's So Bright He's Gotta Wear Shades

Some folks have difficulty getting their little ones to wear hats, sunglasses and other protective gear. This is not the case with Gam's boys! Geeko, especially, loves "stylin" with the numerous pairs of sunglasses, reading glasses, hats etc that he comes across.

Photo by Monkeys Jump

Photo by Monkeys Jump

Playing Catch Up Minus Photos!

This post is long over due. I'm trying something different this time out - no photos... just words and horrible punctuation (sorry, Francis - just look the other way ) and run on sentences etc. You'll soon realize why I post so many photos! Photos will return shortly, I promise!

The past 2 weeks were busy ones for me - taking me away from home and blog. I apologize to my online pals for not posting my absence beforehand. I'm so new at this "blog thing" that it never occurred to me that I would cause anyone any worry - I'll do better next time!

I took the JayBob to visit his auntie, Monkeys Jump, and her husband, Brian, in Saint Louis over the 4th of July. I thoroughly enjoyed giving him my undivided attention for 4 days. While he loves his little brothers, he also loves being an only child for a while. We took him to see the new Ice Age movie (awesome show and so funny) which he enjoyed immensely. He opted to purchase fireworks to do himself rather than go see "the big ones," which disappointed Gam's just a bit as I had heard St Louis has one of the best displays in the country. What is it about boys that causes them to revel in blowing things up?! Uncle Brian had more fun than anyone being the designated pyrotechnician - giggled like a little kid!! I challenge any city in the country to put on a better display than the one I saw on JayBob's face that evening - so little money for so many smiles :)

After returning home from Saint Louis, I left the next day to stay with Mom and Dad for a few days. They live about an hour and a half South of me so it was an easy drive through beautiful country scenery. I mentioned in a previous post that Daddy has been battling Colon Cancer for over 6 years now. While he has managed, for the most part, to not let the disease slow him down, he has had a time of it due to some physical changes that have made day to day activities much more complicated. I'll not bore you (or gross you out) with the details - but the changes make it so difficult for him to leave home. You wouldn't believe what he has to go through. While Daddy has never been a "social butterfly," he and my mom enjoyed travelling the country for many years before his illness. I know he misses that. He has lost a lot of weight lately, making him very weak. The last chemo treatment prescribed was just too much for his body to handle so he has made the decision to leave things in God's very capable hands. There will be no more treatments.

While Daddy is content with his own company, Mom has always been the social one. I know it has to drive her crazy not being out and about. I was hoping she would take the opportunity to get away for awhile while I was there - no such luck. She still ran errands with the same sense of urgency - feeling she needed to get back in case Daddy needed anything. There are no adequate words to express my admiration for my mom and the way she deals with this. Unfortunately, this is not the first time she has sacrificed her own time to be with a family member suffering through cancer - it is actually the fourth go around for her not counting moving in with her own mother at the end of her life. I cannot fathom the strength needed for such an undertaking! While mom is no saint (she tends to hold onto hurt feelings for far too long) I only hope that I am half the woman she is. They say that God won't give you anything you can't handle in life...if that is so, then He certainly must think Mom has the strength of an army!

Please forgive me if posts are sporadic in the future...I plan on spending a lot more time "down home." Unfortunately, home may be where my heart is, but it's NOT where the internet is! I'll be back later to post some photos of my very gorgeous little men and update everyone on their shenanigans.