Happy 5th Birthday Jack Ranger!

Little Jack Ranger was over the moon celebrating his birthday with his classmates including Will, Claire, Sloane, Bailey, Henry and Jayden. Andrew couldn't come due to a stomach bug and we missed him! Ranger's school gets out at 11:30 and we invited the whole class over for lunch, games and pumpkin decorating. The party turned out even better than I expected and quite a few of the parents and kids stayed after the party to talk and play in the backyard. I think the Magic Show from Grant was the highlight, but they also enjoyed the pumpkins and the pinata.

After the party, we put together ALL the lego sets that he received. He said it was the best day ever and I am so glad our Jack Ranger felt special and loved.

Pi Phi Halloween Party

The kids each picked out their own outfit for the annual Pi Phi Halloween party. It was their big chance to trick or trip this year since Mandy and Preston's wedding is on Halloween night. Cadie even made herself her own black tail out of construction paper. Nina and Papa got Jack Ranger his captain America outfit for his birthday and he loved being a super hero!

Funeral Weekend in KC

Copied and pasted from The Chapman's Blog:

We were in Kansas City last Thursday through Sunday for Grandma Jack's funeral. It was a whirlwind weekend filled with lots of fun, family, and emotions. My whole family was in town, and it was wonderful to be together again. When we arrived at the airport on Thursday evening, Larry and Betty picked us up and drove us to the Plaza where we were staying. We enjoyed a lovely dinner with them, then went to our apartment and crashed. The Walsh family arrived early Friday morning, and since they stayed at Aunt Kathy's house, we went over to see them and let the cousins play together. We went to a fun park, had a Chick-Fil-A picnic, and enjoyed the beautiful fall day. That evening, everyone come to my parents' condo on the Plaza for dinner and more playing.

Grandma's funeral was on Saturday morning at 11am at Nall Avenue Baptist Church. Lots of family members were there, including many whom I hadn't seen in years, and it was great to see them and spend some special time remembering Grandma. It was sad, but also joyful at times.

After the funeral, this kids rested while my mom, sisters, and I went to my grandma's storage unit. It was interesting to sort through all of her things, many of which brought back memories from her home on Riggs and her life with Grandpa. I brought home a few special things (a ring that Grandpa made) and a few practical things.

Saturday evening everyone gathered together in the common area in our condo complex and we had lots of fun watching the Royals playoff game, eating pizza, swimming, and playing. I think we spent 5 hours there, and it was the perfect (i.e. large) space for us to be together.

Some folks went to church on Sunday (Samuel went to the Sunday School class that Courtney is teaching) but Nathan and I elected to have a low-key morning packing and getting ready to go. After church, we all met at Aunt Kathy's house for lunch and hanging out until it was time to go to the airport. It was Jack's birthday, so we sang to him and had a little party. Again, it was a beautiful day so the kids played outside and had a grand time playing together. Samuel and Jack played Legos together for the longest time and played so well together. Jack was so sweet to Samuel and even gave him one of the Lego sets he received for his birthday. Our flight left KC around 6:30pm and we finally arrived at home in Athens at midnight. It was a long day for our kids, but they did fine and both slept a lot on Monday to recover.

The weekend was full of so many blessings, some big and some little, but together they helped make the weekend really special:
- We stayed in a condo on the Plaza that was in the building next door to my parents' condo. It is the home of their good friends Rex and Susan Bonar, and they were so gracious to let us have the whole condo for the weekend. It was great to have plenty of space for the boys and a place for our family to be separate from the large group. We rested well there and were so thankful for the gift of a place to stay.
- The condo complex where we stayed had amazing amenities, and we made full use of them. We enjoyed the pool, hot tub, exercise room, and game room. It was like staying at a really nice hotel!
- A chance to catch up with Larry and Betty; even though it was short, it was wonderful to touch base with them and enjoy a dinner together. We even had dinner at Houston's and it was fun to tell Samuel that it was the restaurant where Nathan and I had our first date!
- Wonderful weather for the entire time that allowed us lots of time outside at parks and the pool. Sunshine is such good medicine.
- Nathan, Josiah, and I took some time on Sunday morning to casually walk around the Plaza. It was sweet to be back in a place that holds so many memories, and it made me want to go back again soon.
- The Royals were playing in the American League Division Series in KC while we were there, and it was fun to be in a town that is so excited about a team. The fountains were all dyed blue, folks were wearing their Royals gear, and the town felt so alive.
- My mom arranged for babysitters during the funeral, and I so appreciated the chance to really focus on the service, remember Grandma, and have conversations with family and friends.
- So many family friends came to the service, and it was sweet to see people who have been a part of my life for so many years. I loved catching up with Sherry and Larry Rink, Gerri and Amy Webster, Gerry and Roxanne Andrews, Ray Hildebrand, and many others.
- Gullickson family members also came to the funeral, including Grandma and Grandpa Weldon, Aunt Kathy and Uncle Mark, and Alan and Shanna.

Grandma Jack Funeral

"Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. 

We headed to Kansas City early Friday morning - I mean really early! We left the house at 5:30am! We landed in Kansas City and Aunt Kathy picked us up and went to her house. My folks and the Chapman's came over and we spent the day at the park. It was a beautiful, cool day and Grant and Papa even make a Chi-fil-A run so we had an impromptu picnic.

On Saturday, we met at Nall Avenue at 10:30am and the funeral was at 11am. It was a beautiful service and Uncle Jack, Kathy McIntosh and I all spoke. I bawled the whole time. I did a little opening and closing, but most of my talk was reading this letter that I wrote for my Grandma about a year ago.

Happy Mother’s Day!

From Erin Walsh to Grandma Jack

May 2014

No matter how wonderful their life is, in their quest for independence I think most children dream of running away. From the time I was seven, I remember carefully noting each turn on the way to my Grandma Jack’s house, because if I was going to run away that is where I would be going.

My time with my grandma was filled with crisp, line-dried, ironed bedsheets; swinging on the tire swing; drinking the last few sips of her cold coffee in the mornings; angel food cake; outings to Winstead’s and church at Nall Avenue Baptist . She made holidays special with parties in her little house on Riggs, Christmas Eve special with Christmas jammies every year, meals special with the most amazing mashed potatoes and birthdays special with thoughtful cards and spending money.

As I have grown older, I count on her for a being available to take a call from me and chat about nothing or everything as early as 4am in the morning, for caring about big and small life events and for telling it like it is. When I told her I was pregnant with my third child, she said “You already have a boy and a girl and they don’t make any other kinds!” She told me once that her friends were speculating about how long they would live and her sage input to the exchange was, “I just hope I don’t outlive my money.”

I recently received a package from her with a little blue swimsuit with white trim which I wore to run in the sprinkler at her house when I was around 5 years old. Why she kept my swimsuit for 30 years is not entirely clear, but my guess is that it had something to do with how much she loves me. And I feel the same about her. I love her Keds, her faith, her Texas roots, her stubbornness, her manicured nails, her willingness to support her family and work for years at JC Penny, her home-cooking, her dedication to Grandpa Jack through his illness, and her love for me and each member of our family.

I am so proud to be your granddaughter. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your love and for your legacy. I love you!

Chapel

Ranger did so great "parting the water" for the Israelites to come through the Red Sea! (:

Grandma Jack Good-bye

Grandma Jack was tired and a bit incoherent when we visited her on Wednesday afternoon. I was never 100% sure if she knew me. I washed her hands, filed her nails and loved on her. CJ and I took her clothes to wash at Aunt Kathy's house.

On Thursday morning CJ fixed us little quiches and after breakfast we packed up some food to take to Grandma's. Grandma had a busy morning, but she was dressed, alert and ready for our visit. She was a somewhat uncomfortable, but she was calm and talked with Cadie about school and asked about her brothers. Cadie drew Grandma a number of pictures and we borrowed some tape from the nurses station and taped them up around Grandma's room.

After about an hour, Grandma was really very poorly. She had begun to throw up and she was very tired. We said our good-byes and both Cadie and I hugged and kissed her. As we were walking out the door Grandma called to us and asked us to give Grant, Jack Ranger and Colton Alexander her love.

I started crying as we walked out of her room because I knew that would be the last time I saw her. I was crying pretty good and so Cadie and I went into the bathroom. Cadie said, "I know why you are crying Mom, but it is only good-bye for now." Of course, that made me start crying even harder.

Grandma died exactly one week later. I was in Argentina this past Thursday and I had a feeling that I needed to call my Mom. I called and after a few minutes my Mom decided it was ok to tell me that Grandma had passed away around 9am that morning. My Mom had been worried about giving me the news when I was by myself and far away, but I was grateful to know and I had already said my good-bye. We prayed on the phone together and we both cried.

I am beyond thankful that God spoke in his still, small voice and prompted me to visit Kansas City. Grandma's services are this coming Saturday and while they will be hard, I told Grandma one last time how much I loved her and how much she meant to me and that will make all the difference.

I love you Grandma Jack. I miss you already.

KC Pumpkin Patch

About two weeks ago I felt a stirring that I needed to go to Kansas City and visit my Grandma Jack. She fell and broke her hip about two months ago and while X-rays showed that her hip was healing, it is very difficult to recovery when you are 90+. I was going to be in Argentina the week of Oct. 5 for work, so I shuffled by schedule around and Cadie and I took a super quick trip to KC on Wed. Sept. 30 and Thurs. Oct. 1.

We arrived on Wednesday morning and drove my parents car from the airport to Aunt Kathy's house. My parents had left for Seattle that morning and we had missed them by only hours. CJ was off work for both days and my main goals were to visit with Grandma Jack and be with CJ.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day so CJ, Aunt Kathy, Cadie and I had a light lunch at Aunt Kathy's house and then headed directly to the KC Pumpkin Patch which is one of my favorite KC events. It was practically empty and we had the best time!

After the pumpkin patch, we headed back to Aunt Kathy's house and Cadie stayed with Aunt Kathy while CJ and I went to visit Grandma Jack. Aunt Kathy and Cadie had a wonderful time together watching Peter Pan and snuggling. It the the perfect start to our whirlwind KC trip.

Kids at PepsiCo

As a reward for their good behavior while I was in Argentina, I took the big kids to work with me! We ate in the cafeteria and then they played in my office while I responded to emails. I didn't have any conference calls because it was Columbus Day so the office was quieter than usual. The kids did really well and had fun drawing on the white-board, getting candy from Susan Williams office and meeting people at my office. I loved having them around!

Cadie is 7!

Cadie designed her whole birthday party! We talked about a lot of different options and she ultimately decided to have a small party with her best friends at Build-a-Bear. She invited Carter, Taylor, Anna, Sutton and her brothers. We had the party on Sunday at 2pm after church.

The Build-a-Bear party was really sweet and included the kids picking out their animals, stuffing the animals, decorating their houses/boxes, dressing them and Cadie ringing a bell. Cadie really enjoyed it and said it was just what she wanted it to be. After Build-a-Bear all the kids picked out a cookie at the cookie store in the mall and then we went to the patio outside the food court to eat our cookies and open gifts. I am so proud of her for planning her party and for being a great hostess. She was inclusive of all her friends and she made sure to tell everyone that she was thankful that they were able to come to her party.

After the party we headed home and I packed up to catch my flight to Argentina! Never a dull moment.

This is a page that Cadie wrote in Sunday school about why she is special. She is definitely special and we love her SO much! I love that she creeps into our bed and snuggles me EVERY morning. I love her bangs and her sweet dimples. I love how she takes care of her brothers and is willing to help me with anything including dishes and vacuuming. She is intuitive, kind, opinionated and sweet. I am beyond thankful to be her Mom.

I am special because I am sensitive.
I am special because I am very good at art.
I am special because I love to nap.
I am special because I was the first kid in my family to be born.