Kamden Meets the Greats

The fence enclosed the yard, and the gate was barely finished when the guests arrived for a BBQ yesterday afternoon, first Nick and Christina with baby Kamden, then more family to welcome him with gifts and love. The day had come for Kamden to meet a few of his many great-aunts/uncles/grandparents.

Oh look, some gifts to open!

My niece Brittany and husband Cody, who are expecting their own bundle of joy next month,
Aunt Stephanie and her brother Tyler, Great-Aunt Jean and Serena 

Serena and Great-Aunts Jean and Carol

Great-Grandma Troyer makes beautiful quilts!

Great-Grandma Troyer, Great-Aunt Linda, Great-Uncle Galen

 When Christina opened our gift, she read the card and passed it to Nick, who looked askance at me and then asked if I wrote it a long time ago. "No, just yesterday. Why?" Oh my goodness. According to my card, I am praying for God's blessings on Connor's life. Yes, I know my grandson's name is Kamden. (But up until about a month before he was born, he was going to be Connor!) Oh how embarrassing. But then again, I AM a grandma, and that's a great excuse to be "forgetful". And it was good for a few laughs!

Serena peeking at Kam with Great-Aunt Carol

 Serena loves to look at pictures of Kamden on my phone. As she was scrolling through them, the baby pictures were interrupted by a bunch of fence-building pictures. With annoyance, she informed me, "These fence pictures are sure not very interesting to look at!"

Cousin Venisa looks lovely with a baby in her arms!

Such a cute little man in his flannel shirt and jeans! He was so good,
sleeping like a baby in spite of being passed around  to various relatives.

Serena followed Kamden and his grandma inside for diaper changing…surprise, he didn't need it.
Do you know the diaper gets a blue line if it needs to be changed? Amazing!

A somewhat awkward posing with the baby cake. What was the photographer thinking! But such a cute family anyway!

I didn't get nearly enough time with his sweetness!

 I neglected getting pictures of Eric and Molly, who were late because Molly worked today. Craig missed out altogether due to work. I think we had 22 people here. Oh, 23 counting Kam!

Great-Aunt Anisa finally gets him!

Grandpa gets the last turn.

Oh goodness, another awkward picture. Though we wanted Brittany's awesome baby bump visible, the shadow in this picture makes her appear far larger than she could possibly ever be, as well as looking like she to might have three legs. Sorry Brittany, my conscience tried to prevent me from posting this but it is just too funny! You are actually tiny compared to this!

Poor Brittany is a little upset with us for putting up the fence that separates her childhood back yard from ours. I had to point out that our front yards are still open, and a gate will be at the front, we just didn't take the time to do it yet. Later on in our yard, I saw a baseball being tossed in the air on the other side so I knew her younger brother was back there. I went over and yelled through the fence for him to tell his parents to come over and see the baby. And sure enough they did. So I think we'll figure out how to still be friends! It has been great having our yards open, especially when they were kids, and I will miss seeing their beautiful yard and flowers. But a fenced back yard is a very good thing for dog owners to have!

As the sun sank in the sky and the air grew chill, a fire was built. And oh what a fire! I don't think I've ever seen chairs quite that far away from our fire!

No, Venisa is not on fire.

On another note, did you know that my baby brother is going to be halfway to 100 later this week? He's somewhat thrilled with his annual rhubarb custard pie birthday present that Mom brought him today.

A contented man in blissful contemplation of the rapturous consumption of this treasured treat.
 (Despite many broad hints, he made no offer to share the wealth.)

I look forward to having the little boy Kamden around our fire with cousins, aunts and uncles, both great and ungreat!  Although I suppose that means the marshmallows and roasting sticks and s'mores fixing will have to be present. And so it begins again!

A Most Memorable Mother's Day

Mother's Day. All I ever really want for Mother's Day is just to have all my children healthy and all together with me and their father. (Well, maybe I want them to take care of dinner and dishes too!) Presents and cards are sweet, yes, but they're the frosting on the cake. 

This year, nothing worked to get everyone together at the same time, and we planned to celebrate on Saturday to best accommodate schedules.  However, late Saturday morning, Nick let us know that he and Christina would not be joining us because it they had checked into the hospital and were going to be busy having a baby. Oh, how time slows down when an eagerly anticipated event is about to take place! We got updates through the day as things slowly progressed.

Eric, Molly and Stephanie came for dinner (Craig had to work), then we headed over to Corvallis to the hospital. Stephanie was lucky enough to have official bracelet that gave her admission to the birthing room. We hung out in the dreadful waiting room awhile. (The real waiting room is down 3 floors. Who wants to be that far away?!)

                      

Christina still hadn't progressed very far. Nick left her with a friend in the birthing room and we went outside for some quality family time.

 My youngest son, on the precipice of becoming a father. Myself about to become a grandmother. What a feeling!

Craig was off work by then as well, and look, I got to be with all my kids together on Mother's Day weekend after all! I didn't mind a bit that we were in a hospital parking lot! We even had snacks, because I brought Nick his favorite no-bake cookies!

And let's not leave out the girls. I absolutely love the girls who our boys have brought into the family. (Including Christina, who was a little busy!

Stephanie, me, Molly

Molly and Stephaie with the big daddy-to-be!

 We hung out at the hospital for several hours, but the prediction was that baby wouldn't be born til morning, so we came home and went tried to get some sleep, keeping our phones very close!

Stephanie called around 4 am and told us it was time to hurry that way. In record time, we were dressed and back in the waiting room. Eric and Molly showed up shortly as well. Stephanie kept us updated with texts, announcing at 5:44 am "He's here!!!", followed shortly thereafter by a pic of baby on mom's chest, then one of Nick cutting the cord. Awhile later, a text with the weight, "7 lb 8 oz, 20 1/2 " long, 13 1/2 around the head." We already knew his name was Kamden William. Again, time dragged on interminably until we finally got to go in for a brief visit around 6:30.

The first time I held my newborn first grandchild. What a perfect, beautiful little face!

Amazing love.

Ok, I guess we'll let Grandpa hold him too! 

Stephanie was in awe of this miracle and declared that Christina made it look easy!

We never tire of looking at that tiny face!

We let Steph have a turn too!

Out of the womb for less than an hour, this little guy is getting his first glimpses
 of the people who are going to love him for his whole life.

 We couldn't stay too long and soon headed back home to nap. We were very fortunate to have about two hours alone with them when we went to visit that afternoon.

Daddy's hand is the big one, not the wrinkly one on the left. Yep, wrinkly hands belong to grandmas!

Just look at that perfect little sleeping face. Don't ask me why I rolled the blanket around his head like that. I don't know. 

Mom is looking radiantly great!  She did SO good!

 The rest of our boys and girls joined us after Craig got off work.

Steph and Craig (who are getting married Aug. 17!)

So much love in one room! Everyone is smitten with this sweet baby!

Oh look, is our whole family together on Mother's Day after all? Being all together in that room for about an hour and sharing the love and joy of this new life was so awesome.  I recall Pastor Roy Hostetler occasionally greeting us in church on Sunday morning with, "Aren't you thankful that you are here instead of in the finest hospital in the state?" Well, this was one Sunday that I was pretty happy to be in a hospital with those I hold most dear!

"Oh nurse, could you please take a family picture for us? Because we don't
expect we'll ever enjoy spending Mother's Day in the hospital again!"

The happy little family.

We are all enjoying our new roles. We've done pretty well about not fighting over who gets to hold him when we visit. No screaming or tears when our turn is over, and only a little pouting. We're trying not to be pesky grandparents who visit too often and out-stay their welcome. Although who can blame us for wanting to hang out when you see sweet sights like this?

Kamden, age 6 days

Kamden, age 6 days

He looks a great deal like his daddy, but I think he has his mommy's lips. (I took the last two yesterday during a lunch-time visit.)

What a Mother's Day weekend, one to look back on and cherish forever. Having our family together twice, united in love to celebrate a new life,...the most precious gifts a parent can receive.  Words cannot begin to express the love and joy and sweetness and gratitude that accompanies the beginning of this new era in our lives.

I'm a grandma!

Fallen Hero Memorial Hwy and Mother's Day

On Monday, April 28, Will and I went to the local American Legion Post to a dedication for two Fallen Hero Memorial Highway signs that will soon be placed nearby.  State Rep. Andy Olson, who has been working with Tyler's parents to develop the Hero Memorial Signs program, unveiled the signs honoring Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler Troyer of Albany and Army Spc. Eric McKinley of Philomath.

Andy Olson gave the background of each of these men. I can't get my video of his remarks about Tyler (my nephew), to upload here. (I did manage to upload it on my Facebook wall.) So I will quote the Albany Democrat Herald's story of Olson's remarks about Tyler. (The entire article can be read here.) 

"Olson said Troyer loved playing baseball and was a left-handed pitcher for the West Albany Bulldogs. He enlisted in the Marines soon after graduating from high school at the age of 18.  
“Tyler was 17 years old when he started talking about joining the Marines and when 9/11 happened, he knew he wanted to defend his country,” Olson said. “His parents gave him their love and support and signed the papers.”

Troyer was killed by an enemy sniper in Al Karmah, Iraq, in November 2005. He was just three months short of rotating home.

“He was a friend to everyone and had a great sense of humor,” Olson said. “He was always happy and always smiling.”

Although he considered going into law enforcement, it appeared he was going to attend culinary school after his tour of duty was over — his favorite dishes were Chinese.  

Troyer served with the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines and Golf Company."

After Olson's remarks, the signs were brought out. It was very moving to be reminded of the sacrifices these men and their families have made and then to see these signs. Olson then invited the parents to come forward and speak if they wished. Michael Thorpe showed a picture of himself and his son Michael (Tyler's brother) in front of a bridge in Massachusetts named in honor of one of Tyler's friends, Lance Cpl Shayne Cabino, who was also killed in action in Iraq.  He told how this inspired him to work on getting this highway memorial program in Oregon. 

Eric McKinley's parents (left), Tyler's parents Dave & Sandi Troyer (middle), and
Terri & Michael Thorpe (right)

Dave and Michael

 My brother Dave was unfortunately delayed in getting down from Sherwood and arrived just after the ceremony ended. He and Michael worked together on this project.

 It is so beautiful to see how their shared deep love of Tyler has unified his two sets of parents to work together and forge a closer relationship.

Dave and Terri

My brother Galen poses by the sign.

Will and Dave help carry the sign outside.

We stood around and visited for awhile afterwards, and when the lights went off, I thought maybe it was a hint that it was time to go. But no, power was off in much of Albany, which caused our journey across town to be fraught with peril due to dead stoplights. Fortunately the restaurant we had chosen had a generator and we were able to enjoy some great Mexican food with Dave, Sandi and McKenna, a rare treat since they live in Sherwood. His daughter Brittany and her husband joined in, as did our sisters Linda and Jean, Jean's children, Mom, Galen and Carol.

Linda, Brittany, Cody, Dave, Sandi, McKenna

After coming home, I noticed my favorite purple irises are blooming and went out to enjoy their beauty.

 We live next door to Michael and Terri and loved having Tyler and his sister Brittany grow up as our neighbors. I thought about these irises blooming at my house when Tyler was a kid next door. Though they have been divided and transplanted many times since, they bloom every spring, then go dormant through the winter, just as they always have. Though Tyler's life on earth ended and his family's lives were irrevocably changed forever, the cycle of life all around us continues. The sun continues to rise and set each day, just as it did when Tyler lived next door.

I took a sunset walk that evening, and thought about Tyler's short life, reminding myself to savor the beauty in each day.

I thought about Tyler's last visit home before he left for Iraq. I remembered how important it was for him to see his family, how he contacted his aunts and uncles and arranged visits to their homes.

I remembered him knocking on my door early one morning before he left from an earlier visit, wanting his Uncle Will to see him in his dress uniform.

Tears come when I realize the next and last time I saw him in the uniform, he would be lying still, looking like a stranger in a casket. So wrong.

I walk, and I think how precious our time is with the people we love. How thankful I am that Tyler lived next door. How I wish I would have gone to more of his baseball games. I wonder if he and my son Craig would have ended up in culinary school together. How fun it would be to hear them talk about food and cooking and chef careers. How grateful I am that my boys are all healthy and living nearby, that each of them is blessed with a wonderful woman in their life, that I not only have three boys but also three girls to nurture with a mother's love. (Although they are no longer boys and girls, but men and women.)

And now, nearly two weeks later, Mother's Day is approaching. I think about my mother, who went to heaven when I was 14. Mother's Day was a sad day for many years, becoming much happier after I became a mother at age 27. I can't even imagine the pain of mothers who have lost their children when Mother's Day comes around. 

So Mother's Day approaches. One of my sons has to work, two other sons are with girls who need to be with their own moms,  and Mother's Day is not all about me.  They offer to share their day between the moms, but really, it's not about that particular day, is it?  If I have a chance to be with all of them sometime this weekend, I am a happy woman. And if we manage to get all of us together at the same time, I am blessed indeed. The anticipation of the birth of our first grandchild, hopefully within the next week, adds an extra element of excitement to our time together.

None of us knows how many Mother's Days we will have with our children. I am grateful for each experience I get to share with them, and pray that God will extend his peace and comfort in a very special way to all the mothers who are missing their beloved children on Mother's Day.