Getting ready for Winter

Yesterday I was able to put a "checkmark" on my to-do list after I stacked two loads of wood!! There is another load of wood coming so the checkmark didn't last long but it still felt good to get one (like getting a gold star!). We had our first rain in 2 months and the weather was cooler (in the 70's) so it was a nice work day with the drizzly rain keeping me cool. Our doxie dogs, Bogey and Birdie, helped by looking for lizards. We spotted 2 plus a frog. There were no bunnies hiding in the wood pile though. Today the dogs ran all around the wood that was under the canvas wondering and looking for their favorite hunting spot. They couldn't figure out where their mountain had gone.

Resident bunnies

One thing I really like about where we live are the wild animals. Ok they are not wild like lions and tigers but they are not pets either. However, these 3 bunnies have been at our house all summer. They have decided that under the front and back desks are nice places (unless the dogs poke their noses in) and they love the clover growing in our lawn. They are cuties and make me smile every time I see them.

Freedom isn't Free

The central Oregon community worked together and organized a "Tribute to Heroes". Part of that tribute was sponsoring the display of the replica of the "Vietnam Memorial Wall" which is 80% of the actual size of the memorial in Washington DC. The tribute also had areas honoring the veterans of all the other wars American's have fought in including those who have lost their lives in the current war on terror. I went to see the wall today and found the name of mom's cousin Marvin H Brown who we called "Uncle Willie". Everytime he came home on leave he would visit us for a few days and bring us presents (I still have some of the jewelry). He was a medic and died in Vietnam on his third tour while trying to help another soldier. I got more emotional than I thought I would when it dawned on me that the dates at the bottom of each panel of names were the dates when they died. Sometimes the date range on a panel was only one or 2 days. Uncle Willie's name is on panel 32W and his name is on line 90. The dates on his panel were Feb 9 - Feb 23 1969. I was a sophomore in high school. There are over 58,000 names on the wall - it is very sobering and at the same time very impressive and overwhelming. We owe so much to those who are willing to fight and die for our freedoms. We have much to be thankful for.

Keon - an inspiration

Keon has figured out how to make his leg cast a "walking cast". He has accepted the casts with very little complaining and just figures out how to do what he wants the best he can. He gets around the house amazingly fast and has discovered that in a real pinch the arm cast can be used to "bonk" a bigger brother. Thankfully he does not use that trick too often! He loves to go for rides in the stroller and has accepted his circumstances with remarkable grace. He has been able to show this Granma to not dwell on the negative and to just do the best you can to continually "move forward" and make progress. In the pictures he is playing frizbee with Grandpa. He truly is an INSPIRATION.

Back home in Central Oregon

We got home from Chico, CA on 7/28. The boys and Amy were glad to get home after the 8 hour drive. Keon yelled "home" when he saw the pizza parlour by their house. I took the boys to the Deschutes County Fair parade on Saturday and both Terry and I have gone back to work now. Amy and the boys are getting stronger and more self-sufficient. James will hopefully get out of the hospital and head to central Oregon tomorrow.

in Chico CA

I am catching up on my posts. Here a couple of pictures of the kids and Amy. We spent 2 days in this motel room after 8 days in my Mom's RV. Most of the 10 days in Chico were spent keeping the kids calm and quiet on the couch in the RV or on the bed in the motel, or taking walks and playing in the swim pools. The rest of the time was spent at the hospital.