The silence is deafening

The week went too quickly for us. We enjoyed the visits this week from Andi and Ashleigh and from Brenda's family. We talked and laughed and enjoyed each other's company. But all things eventually come to an end.

Andi was only here for a couple of hours last weekend. Her visit ended all too soon. She had to go home because Matthew, Luke, her animals were all at home alone.

Grandpa Wagner was here this morning to give the Bonnichsens a good send off as they head back to South Dakota. Through a veil of tears, we said our goodbyes to Brenda, Chloe and Aubrey. We waived as their well packed van turned the corner and out of sight.

I've been wearing a headset all week to shut out the sound of people coming and going. I discovered a new web site http://www.pandora.com/. It's an internet radio station where you can create your own collections of music you like. I've been listening to all of my favorite music: Country and Western, Broadway Musicals, Rock and Roll, and rock artists from the 60's and 70's. It helped me stay focused on my work. Today after everyone left, I removed the headset and turned the music off. It was so quiet that it is rather unsettling.

Brewster romped and played with the kids while they were here. This afternoon, he enjoyed a long quiet nap. We love our kids and really enjoy them when they visit.

Cold Pillow

I was probably 6 or 7 years old and we went to Uncle Don's house in Alamosa, Colorado.

As I recall, us girls were playing and getting ready for bed at the same time. I believe I told the girls that I forgot my cold pillow and that I knew I was going to have a hard time getting to sleep. I also believe that Danette knew I needed a cold pillow! Danette and Marcy were trying evertyhing in their power to make me cofortable, so one of them put a cotton pillow in the ice-box to make it cold, not realizing that all I needed was a feather pillow and I would have been happy.
yep
Aunt Gloria discovered the stash and asked why there would be a pillow in the freezer and asked that we come to retrieve the pillow to put it in its place.

I love how my cousins always looked out for us! They always made me comfortable and want to come back to play again! :-D

Andrea's Promise

Andrea saw this photo during her recent visit and told me that there was a story behind the photo. She promised me that if I posted the picture, she would tell us the story. Andrea, the photo is posted, and we are anxious to hear your story.

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Such a cute little Girl I was! :D The other's were cute too! ;-)

Well, I did see this picture while Dad and I were playing on the computer, and I did say that I would post a story about my memories riding in the back of that yellow blazer, not really this particular picture, but the memories that I have of being a city girl, roughing it with my country cousins! You know the City Mouse Country Mouse kind of story! Marcy always reminds me, that I came from the City and they were tougher because they were from the country! I'd beg to differ, but.... ;-) Robert and I always LOVED to be with our Country Cousins from Alamosa!

Anyway, I remember riding in the back of this yellow blazer many, many times! Over the many visits it was modified to fit our many needs and their ever growing extended family. We would often visit the Sand Dunes and the Don Vance family had their vehicle modified this one particular time with the benches that were NOT bolted in the floor of the blazer lined up against the windows for the adults to sit on, while us kids sat on the floor in the middle, on blankets, sometimes us kids were lucky enough to sit on benches while Uncle Don drove up and down the sandy hills of the Dunes to find just the right spot to let us rugrats out to run-a-muck; to play in the water; burry ourselves in the sand; and basically wear the tar out of us so that we'd sleep well when we got back to the Don Vance Family castle.

I think I still have lumps on my head from when we'd hit a bump or two and the benches that were NOT bolted down would fly up, bringing us with it to knock our mellons on the ceiling of the blazer. Little sacrifices we dealth with to enjoy the company of our family and enjoy the Valley sun! I always though Uncle Don was a wild and crazy driver, and that was cool because we wouldn't have been on half the adventures we were in if he didn't take the risks he did!

That was the one particular memory I had of this blazer showing our fun loving cousins, Danette, Cory and the RKent Vance Family offspring, Andrea and Robert. I WOULDN'T TRADE THOSE MOMENTS FOR ANYTHING!

~I better get back to work for now! If I think of other memories of this blazer, I'll post more later!

There you go! :D

Our Family

I have wanted to add more but have had a hard time getting on the post. After Marcy was added to our family, we got Danette, She has been a great joy to me. then Cory, he was our first grandson. Andrea and Robert and Shandi and Emery J, came along, Arlo, Craig, Brian, Julie, Monica, Anita, John Henry, Debra, and Eric, When we got Betty, we got Brenda and Ed. This is all of the grandchildren that belong to Arlo and Me. My grandchildren are my pearls. I love every one of them.

Andrea Vance-Hurtubise-Dixon and Family Current Events

Uncle Larry asked me to write about some of the things that are going on with my family!

I don't know how to do that currently, I guess. Other than the regular hum-drum of our days, nothing is really "going on" with us!

Let me think.

Matthew is now a sophomore in high school. He is doing very well in school! Matthew's always been kinda quiet when it comes to friends and he usually doesn't really go anywhere. He's been coming out of that shell and going out to do more things with his friends. Luke seems to always tag along, not only because he likes hanging out with his bigger brother, but because Matthew's friends have siblings the same age as Luke! It's nice to see that they have a good relationship with each other and do things voluntarily with each other!

We found out in the fall, through a Kaiser doc, that Matthew MAY have scoliosis. Matthew had an appointment with an orthopedic doctor with Kaiser on Wednesday last week 01/30/2008. Doc says that it doesn't look like scoliosis, but rather another form of curvature to the spin. Scoliosis curves to the right, his curves to the left. He said something else may be going on to make it curve to the left and we now have to get an MRI done on his whole back, in three sections. I wasn't impressed with the doctor and I wish that I would have been better prepared with questions for him. But basically what I got from the visit is that there isn't any kind of treatment that would help it, other than surgery to fuse the spine. I DON'T WANT THAT FOR MATTHEW! He hasn't complained about his back hurting. I've always been the one worried about the "hump" on his back. I really need to get in gear and figure out what kind of exercises can strengthen his back so that he will not have a life of pain! I worry about the jobs that he'll be on his feet for long periods of time! I'm very proud of Matthew and his strengths!

Luke's in Sixth grade and has been struggling with school. I don't think that he's struggling with understanding the work, but completing his homework. Working full-time makes it hard to have the energy to stay on top of his school work and then having two homes and two different ways of dealing with his parents, he's manipulated us to believe that he's doing ok. After parent teacher conferences, and hearing ALL his teachers say that he's missing the majority of his work, that he's a smart kid, and they know that he can do 100% better, that he flies under their radar; I've made him keep a planner and then I've had to make him have his teacher's sign it so I know we are all on the same page! Matthew was always so disciplined in getting his homework done, I would take his word for it and Luke just isn't Matthew and I have to remember that! As far as I know, for the last month, he's been doing better. But he's been trying to get me to let him go to his friends houses, when I told him he had to show me for a month that he was doing better and progressing before he would have that priviledge. Other than school Luke is a sweet loving young man and I am very proud of him!

Ashleigh's in the first grade, loves school and is always playing like she's a teacher! I love to listen to her mimic her teachers and pretend to give lessons. She wears out her whiteboards writing her classmates names; writing math problems; practicing her spelling. She's had a little bit of trama this year just before Christmas, due to the death of a classmate. The story has gone national, I don't know if you've read about it or not!?

Jeff has the kids every Wednesday, Thursday and every other Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Those little breaks help keep us all sane. The kids need their Dad and he sure makes sure that he is there for them when they need him!

I myself am still at the same job I've been for 13 years now. I work for a Law Firm in southern Longmont. Our firm is making a move and it is way over due! Looks like we will be moving downtown.

MONDAY!

I wake up every Monday morning with the thought! THIS BED IS SO WARM, I WANT TO STAY IN IT ALL DAY LONG!

However, I must get up and get ready for work, so I can make the cheese to support my babies!
I try to get ready but it doesn't always work out on time. I seem to drag my feet!

It's snowing today and I'm not looking forward to the commute back home! Our office is also making a change and I feel like dragging my feet on that one as well, but know that I cannot!

I wish you all a good day!

Treasures

Today has been an emotional day for me in a really good way. I have been working hard at packing our office and trying to sluf off some of the rubbish that has collected in desk drawers and in book shelves. It's been hard to decide what to keep and what to discard.

Among the treasures unearthed today were three letters. The first was a letter to Andrea and Robert that was never mailed telling of my love for them and the frustration of not being able to see them. Another was a letter to Betty to reasure her of my love as she prepared to go through the temple with her Mom and Dad without me because I was not worthy to go with her. The third treasure was a letter from Larry at a time in my life that I was really hard on myself because of the poor choices I had made. These are three treasures that I'll always keep. It has been good to remember those times and realize that I have made progress in my life.

The love of my family has made all the difference in the world.

I didn't get all of the packing done that I had hoped to do today, but it has helped me realize that the greatest treasure I have is the love of my family. That is something you can't pack in a box or store in the cupboard. Althought I can't hold it in my hands, it can be mine forever.

Visiting Family in the Valley

1980s at Uncle Don's

I remember staying with the cousin's in the Valley one weekend when we were younger.

Danette pushing me. "Wake up, wake up," coming out of slumber. She says... "The house is on fire!"

I lift my head and look toward the door. Uncle Don in his garments scurrying down the hall for a bucket to put out the flames! Very serious.... it was kinda funny! Flashes of light flickering from the passage, I should be headed for the door!

Thoughts never went to "this is it!" I didn't feel nervous or scared.

I put down my head and closed my eyes again.

I remember seeing the burn mark on the carpet for so long. It was a familiar feeling, warm.

A Photo of ...

I believe that I shared this photo with Aunt Gloria a few years back and I just came across it again! I need to get it off my work computer, so I've uploaded it to photobucket and I wanted to share!

I've always loved this photo of the little Vance girls! They were so fun and sweet when we were kids. Danette was always such a kick in the pants! I always loved to go to the Valley to see them and play with them and see what kinds of new adventures they would get us into! Those are the years I miss the most. When we were little, and we all did things together, and they, Marcy, Danette and Cory watched out for Robert and I.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity have grown up with them and have them in my life! As time has worn on and distance has separated us Marcy and I have become good friends. She has been my strength at times when I didn't think I had any strength left! I'm glad that we can get together and share time with each other! I miss that so much about being little and having family close!