2 New Granddaughters and much more!

Wow, you shouldn't procrastinate doing things, because now I am a year behind in posting updates to my blog.
Since my last post, we have two new granddaughters!  Brigette Joely Greer born July 20 (on Liam's birthday).  She is a little doll!  and Elizabeth Audrey Wittwer, born October 23 right between Aunt Alysha's birthday and brother Ben's birthday.  Elizabeth is beautiful as well!  Earl and I were able to visit them in November in Springfield, VA.  What a joy this family is to be around.  They do the cutest thing every night.  They ask the boys what was your "apple" today, your "jalapeno" and your "onion".  Apple, something happy, Jalapeno, something really great, onion, something that made them sad or wasn't good.  Brooke and Will also give their apple, jalapeno and onion report and when we visit, we give ours as well.  Obviously our jalapeno was being there with everyone!
Savannah turned 5 in February and started Kindergarten.  Liam turned 5 in July and started kindergarten this year.  Logan turned 5, but not until October so he missed the September 1st deadline and has to wait another year.  His daycare provider is working with him on kindergarten stuff everyday sort of being homeschooled and he is excelling like crazy.  All the kids like school, which is awesome!  Ben has a hard time not getting to go to school like Liam, but Brooke keeps him busy with other activities like gymnastics which Ben loves. 
Carrie turned 3 in January and started preschool twice a week and loves it, wasn't sure about it at first.  She is also a big helper and "babysitter" for baby sister Brigette, she babysits while Mom is busy and does a terrific job.  Carrie loves Barbies, and so does Savannah (that's fun because I still like playing with Barbies).
Bella will turn 2 December 10. What a funny little girl she is.  She has this sort of husky little laugh and twinkle in her eye.  She is very loving and "runs" the house and loves her big brother Logan.  She is a beautiful little girl with these big brown eyes.  Rugby turned 2 September 14(same day as his dad's birthday).  He is all little boy, loves doing everything his dad does and likes to follow Michael around and "help". He is very loving and happy with a big grin on his face! 
So we have 9 grandchildren 5 and under and two grandchildren one is 15 which is Shylah and Coleton who is 11.  They are both growing up fast.  Shylah had her first date to Homecoming this year and is getting or has her learner's permit, heaven help us!  Coleton and Logan both love to go hunting with their dad.  They both love sports and are good athletes! 
I have 4 of the greatest kids and 3 of the greatest son in laws and 1 great daughter in law.  I feel very blessed.  My kids are good to Earl and I and I love them so much and having these precious grandbabies truly is the light of my life (next to Earl, of course).
Earl and I will be married 36 years December 18th.  I love and appreciate the great man he is, the great father and husband he is and always has been!
May 2013 bring all the blessings we could hope for as a family!

Grandbaby Update

Savannah is 4 years old and going to a pre K program at her school and learning lots of new things. She stayed with us along with her little brother Rugby for almost 2 1/2 weeks while Alysha and Michael went to New Zealand. We loved having them. We put a TV and hooked up the DVD player so they could watch movies in "their" bedroom, rented lots of movies from the library. We made cookies, taught Savannah to eat cookie dough (she's my granddaughter) and loved her reaction when they were done and she got to eat one, she said We made these?...
Rugby turned 1 while we had him. He is such a happy boy, he was almost walking (he is now!). We had so much fun with them, we went to the park and he played while Savannah was on the tire swings. I was worn out at night but both Earl and I loved having them.
Liam is 4 years old and also attending a preschool. He wasn't sure at first if he wanted to go, but he loves it. He is Mr. Social and is very loving and such a good big brother to Ben. Liam got binoculars for his birthday and he loves them. He is also a really good swimmer, he jumped off the diving board all by himself and swam to the side all by himself this summer! He is so fun to listen to when I call or they call to talk,he talks really well on the phone.
Ben is about to turn 2 on the 24th of this month. He is a smiler! Every picture you see of Ben,he is smiling and he is a great hugger too. Don't get to see these boys enough. He called the other day and sang the ABC song to me, I loved it! He did a great job. Hearing his voice just brightens my day.
Carrie is 2 1/2. She is just like a tiny doll. She says the most amazing things and cracks us up. She is quite independent and likes to copy her mom. She loves watching movies and helping mom in the kitchen. She came and stayed with us for a week this summer and we just loved it. We got our nails painted and she got polka dots on hers. She also got to watch movies, alot! She watched Cinderalla until I thought sure she was going to turn into Cinderella. She is a happy little girl and so darn cute. She has this adorable little voice that I love! She loves cookie dough too!
Logan is 4 and very much all boy. He stacked a bunch of things so he could climb onto his roof (a flat roof thank goodness) and get his baseball. He loves sports, loves to hunt with his dad and is loving. He can't wait to play baseball and do everything that Coleton (his older brother) gets to do. He came and stayed a weekend with us along with Bella (his little sister) and he really loves his papa and they watched movies together. He colors really well.
Bella will be 1 in December and is a little miniature doll. She just smiles and is so cute and a good baby. She just started walking. Danielle has these incredible hair bows (which I love) and she will just pull them off when you put them on her. She adores Logan and he can make her giggle like crazy.
Shylah and Coleton are JJ's children from his first marriage and they are great. I don't get to see them or interact with them as much as the little ones. Shylah started high school, I think and Coleton is in 5th grade. He plays all the sports he can, goes hunting with his dad and is a good big brother to Logan.
Shylah has high goals for herself and is a good student. Becoming a teenager, she is spreading her wings and learning all about "groundings" and such.
All of our grandkids are smart, talented and beautiful kids and we are so blessed! They truly are the Light of my life!
A special note about baby Brigham, although we only had him in our lives for 20 days, we are so blessed to know we can have him eternally. That has been a great comfort to all his family especially his parents. We feel his sweet spirit in our lives and know he is close by.

MY BUCKET LIST

My Bucket List :
1) Go to Tuscany,Italy
2) Become a Certified Home Stager
3) Go to Hawaii (Haven't been since 1986)
4) Plant a Herb Garden
5) Take my family on a Cruise
6) Take my grandkids to Disneyland (Parents can come too)
7) Build a family cabin
8) Buy a pontoon boat
9) Open a small boutique
10) Own an IPad2
11) Get my passport stamped (before it expires)
12) Lose weight
13) Serve a church mission with my husband
14) Learn to play the piano/flute
15) Write a book

Nana's Update

It has been awhile since I last posted. I am at work most of the time and all my pictures of the grandbabies are on my home computer, I need to transfer them to a flash drive so I can bring it with me to work and download pictures of them. They are all growing so fast.
Savannah is 4 and is getting to be such a big girl, she is doing good with her potty training. She talks very well, loves to color, loves to read books, loves playing with Rugby, loves to play in her little kitchen, she has always loved music, she loves doing her somersaults too. She likes being in Primary. She's getting to be quite the swimmer too.
Liam will be 4 in July and is also getting to be such a big boy, he is potty trained, did great with that, he is a great big brother to Ben, Liam loves reading, loves going places and doing fun things, riding his bike, climbing trees, eating M&M's that nana sends him, he likes Primary, I love the voicemails he leaves for me when he calls and I don't answer!
Logan will also be 4 in October. Yes, we had 3 grandbabies in 2007. It was the start of a wonderful experience. Logan is potty trained, and he never stops, doesn't walk, only runs until he is exhausted and collaspes, he loves sports, loves following Coleton everywhere and thinks he is bigger than he is. He is very loving, but also all boy and tough, he rolls with all his little scraps and bruises. He helped his dad lay sod recently, he helps Danielle with Bella and Bella thinks he hung the moon.
Carrie turned 2 in January. She is this tiny ball of energy and so smart (all of our grandchildren are smart!!!!), she has this cute little voice and you love listening to her talk, she loves to help Mommy in the kitchen and in her own little play kitchen, she loves watching videos/dvd's and is a very good little girl, she is so adorably cute!
Ben will be 2 in October. I haven't got to be around Ben very much. The first time I was able to meet him was when Brooke came for Brigham's funeral. Ben is this happy, smiley loveable little boy. I can't wait to get to know him better and love on him some more. He seems to think that Liam is a pretty awesome big brother, he has an independent spirit Brooke says, he loves books, loves to be busy, playing with his blocks, or cars and following Liam, he loves food! Loves bananas and is adorable.
Rugby is 8 months old and is such a happy baby, he laughs and plays and is very good natured, he is trying to crawl, loves to bounce in his bouncer and watch everything going on around him, he doesn't like for you to leave him alone, he loves attention, he loves his baths and big sister Savannah.
Isabella (Bella) is 5 months old and adorable as well. She is a beautiful baby and very good natured, she loves Logan and is starting to coo and jabber more, she thinks she is big enough to try and crawl, she's a momma's girl right now since Danielle has been taking her to work with her.
Brigham is always in our thoughts and prayers and an important part of who we are as a family unit. His spirit touches us and reminds us he is close by. We love knowing we can be eternal families and be together forever.
Shylah is 14 and is a big helper to Danielle. She is involved with track right now and texting and using her cell phone, she's been babysitting for people more and has high goals for where she wants to go to college, she is a good student.
Coleton is 8 will be 9 in October. (We have a ton of october birthdays). He is playing little league baseball and is a very good athlete, he is good with Logan and loves to hunt with his dad.
I hope to get pictures posted of each of them soon!
We have a family reunion planned for our family in June with all the kids coming and the grandbabies, I can't wait. We are renting a cabin/house and it is going to be awesome! Lots of pictures will come!!!!

Baby Brigham Returns to Heavenly Father

Baby Brigham died January 27th at 11:30pm. Justin and Rebecca were able to hold him for the first time after all the tubes and machines were removed. His little lungs just weren't able to provide the oxygen he needed for his body and his lungs just weren't able to develop normally due to the diaphramatic hernia.
Justin commented that he made a couple of little gasps and then was gone. Justin said he felt that noble spirits were there in the room with them to meet Brigham and take him home. The nobility I have seen in my son and Rebecca is just awe inspiring and I am so proud of them.
His funeral was held February 1, 2011 at 10:00 with a beautiful memorial and then followed by the graveside service. This cemetary is an absolutely beautiful setting with well manicured lawns and flowers and palm trees. There is a section of the cemetary called "BabyLand" just for babies and that was just so sweet, tender and precious as well as heart wrenching.
Justin carried his sweet baby boy to his final resting place and it broke my heart as I watched him carry his baby son's body in the beautiful tiny white casket. to the cemetary.
20 white balloons were released into the air by family members celebrating the 20 days he was here on earth with us.
He touched many people's lives, including his nurses, doctors and other patient families.
His little girlfriend, next door in the NICU, Alana also had the same congential problem and just recently passed away last week.
These tiny precious spirits that have touched our lives will forever change us as well. Brigham will help us strive to be better, stronger, more faithful individuals so we may one day live with him again.
Justin and Rebecca have been amazing in their faith and the strength to do all they have had to do the past several weeks. Even though they knew there was this possibility, they didn't allow themselves to think about that, their hope was always for a miracle. A miracle has come in the form of the strength to go on, courage to face the sad days ahead and faith that they (we) can be together forever. Carrie is indeed another miracle in their lives. She will be their greatest joy and bring them their greatest comfort.

Brigham Update

I got to spend the weekend with Justin, Rebecca, Carrie and baby Brigham. It was so great to finally meet Brigham. It was very hard seeing him hooked up to so many tubes, IV's and not being able to hold him. I was able to hold his hand, touch his head and hair (it's a beautiful highlighted blond color), or his feet.
He is still swollen from all the fluids they are giving him. His kidneys are working but can't keep up with all the blood products and fluids being added. He is on the ECMO machine, it is the heart lung bypass machine, it allows his lungs to rest and let the machine do the work. Eventually, he will need to come off the machine and learn to breathe on his own. He still needs to have surgery to correct his intestines and liver being in the chest cavity, those will be moved to where they are supposed to be, it hopefully will also relieve pressure on his lungs and the hypertension might subside. He has a long road ahead of him and so Justin and Rebecca are having others besides just family help with Carrie, bring in meals once in awhile and they are going to stay some with Rebecca's parents so they can cut down on the drive back and forth. It is about 45 minutes to an hour from their home to the hospital. Justin would prefer they be able to be at home, but they will give this a try.
To find out the latest updates, go to their blog at justinandrebeccagreer.blogspot.com

Brigham Justin Greer is Here!!!!

Born at 2:03pm January 7th, (One week before my birthday) 6lbs 5 ozs, dark hair and lots of it!
So excited and happy for Justin, Rebecca and Carrie.
Rebecca did incredible! 3 1/2 hours basically from the time she got the Pitocin and had Brigham.
There will be up and down days as we watch Brigham progressing through his diaphramatic hernia problem. Surgery will be in the next several days and the doctors will continue to watch him carefully in the NCIU. He is intubated and on an oscillating ventilator.
Earl and I hope to go to Arizona in the next several days to help in whatever way we can.
It is so hard not being "there" and wanting to help.
I'm reminded of how fragile life is and when one of these babies comes, it truly is a miracle. Each and every one of them are created by our Heavenly Father and it is just incredible how perfect they are.