Life

Two of my sister-in-laws do a weekly thing on their blogs where they tell what's going on in their family that week. While I love to read theirs, I'm not disciplined enough to come up with stuff to write about every week. But periodically, I can do it :) So, here's what's going on with us . . .

Dan: Dan is getting geared up for Senior Portrait season. He has committed to taking Sn. portraits again this year for an International school in the area. Zeke's preschool also asked if he would take portraits of their students, but a time hasn't been set for that yet.

Tami: Yesterday my friend invited me over spur-of-the-moment. So I grabbed Kaiyah and we went over. Well, when we got there, my friend's 3-year-old son started opening the front door, yelling and crying wanting us to leave. I watched for awhile and then asked my friend, "Do you want him to have to learn, or do you want us to leave?" She said, "I guess you should go." So we left. Culture is a funny thing.

Zeke: Two or three days ago Zeke got home from school. A few minutes later I heard him messing around in the kitchen. I went in and he was drying the dishes. He said, "I just wanted to help you by drying these dishes mommy!" So sweet. I've been reading a book called "Raising Real Men." One thing it talked about was looking at a chore and deciding who the youngest child is that could do the task. I've been trying to do that more and include both Zeke and Kaiyah in on more of the tasks around the house. Now I know drying dishes can be added to that list :) Zeke is also doing an amazing job reading. We're really proud of him.

Kaiyah: Kaiyah is the pretender in this family. I love it. Everyday I catch her with her toys in the middle of some discussion. Recently I caught her with my pick that I use for my hair. Each of the prongs (is that the right word?) was a different character. One prong was telling the other they were going to get a spanking with the naughty spoon! Ha!

Sierra: Sierra is teething again. She seems to suffer more when the big canine teeth come in, running fever, up in the night, lots of dirty diapers. BUT, she gives lots of sweet cuddles too, whereas she's normally too active for such things! She now has added nah-nah (night-night) to her vocabulary and uses it when she is tired and wants to go to bed! Still no mama though!

Have a great day!

Grandma Hunt

2437 S. 128th east avenue . . . It's a funny thing, I couldn't tell you a single address of where I lived growing up, or in college. I can't remember the address of the apartment I lived in post college, shoot, I can't really even tell you my current address. But I think my Grandma's address is permanently etched in my mind. She hasn't lived there is a LOT of years, but it was the address we used for our permanent address when I was growing up overseas, so I guess that's what it is, a permanent address! My Grandma passed away yesterday, but the funny thing is, the Grandma I remember is the Grandma in this house. Dan never met this Grandma, I wished he had. So, I thought in her memory, I would share some of the memories I have of her.

When I was in 5th grade or so, my sister and I went to live with my Grandma for a few months while my parents studied language in another country. A lot of my memories come from this time period. Who can remember Grandma without thinking of jello and nutty buddies for dessert :) We always had Taco Tico tacos for lunch on Sunday because they had a 3 for $1.00 sale. And there was always cosmopolitan ice cream in the freezer.

I remember my Grandma was willing to play game after game with my sister and I. I don't know how many rounds of skipbo we played in a week! Dominoes were also a favorite of hers. She had a pool table in her garage, and she could definitely hold her own.

I remember hours of Mr. Ed, Green Acres and [gasp] soap operas! I can still hear her saying, "You're going to catch your death of cold!" and "Lawzie". I think my sister at one point started a book of all her funny sayings.

I remember her out working in her yard, mowing the lawn tirelessly even when her knees ached with arthritis. She grew tomatoes and had a pretty grape vine.

She was very giving, always looking in on her neighbors as they looked in on her. Giving people rides when they needed it. She always greeted people with a sing-songy "Good Morning!"

Before my Grandfather died, they had planned to come visit us in Africa. My grandfather passed away, but my grandmother chose to go ahead and come all that way on her own. I don't remember the circumstances, but on this visit she and another lady had to bring a fishing boat part way to get to us. I have this vision in my head of my sweet and fairly large grandma being carried over the last few waves by this little African man. Haha. I'm sure I could go on and on but I'll stop here. I'm grateful for the wonderful influence Norma Hunt was on my life and so many others around her. I am so happy that she has been released from the captivity of a body and mind that is fallen and is now complete and whole, living joyfully with our Savior.

I love you Grandma.