Me and Grandma and Grandpa
Friedley about two years before I was married.
Well, I'm back. For those who don't know, my grandfather died about 2 weeks ago. I hopped on a flight to go be there in Indiana with my family and friends for the funeral. I am so thankful to have been able to go. My grandpa was 94 yrs old. We all laughed and cried as we remembered the jolly man who counted our ribs as young children and confused us with the "how many fingers do you have" joke. Somehow he always ended up with 11. He lived a long, joyful life. My grandmother died the year I was married (16 yrs ago) and all he has ever wanted since his love went to be with Jesus was to go be with Him too. He was never really negative about it all, just so looking forward to being there in heaven with his Lord Jesus and seeing grandma again. He would just sit and smile with anticipation. In the meantime, he continued to pray, as he and grandma had done, twice a day for everyone in his family (by name) and many friends from church. He kept busy, even up to the point of his stroke about two weeks before his death, visiting and singing his way through nursing homes and hospitals and sharing the hope and joy he had in Jesus Christ. Grandpa will be missed so much but he will live daily in our hearts and we will sing with him and grandma again one day when we join them in heaven with Jesus.
My mother turned 70 today. She has loved and cared for her father these last 16 years like I didn't know one could. Her example is amazing to me. I am so thankful I was home for the celebration last week for her as well. She loves her family so much. I know sometimes it just has to hurt to love so deeply. So unconditionally. Below are some pics of this past Sunday's surprise seventieth celebration!
Mom and dad and I
Mom and dad and my three older sisters and younger brother... and then the whole gang... to include mom's sister, dad's brother, my siblings and all their spouses, all their children and me.
I have to thank my husband and kids for the sacrifices they made and the hard work they did to enable me to go be with this big loving family for these occasions! I love you all!
We so enjoyed the autofreitag in Mittelbrunn early this summer we wanted to do another... especially since we now all have bikes. C, R and S were in need and we found some on sale end of the season...so we were off. We took the train from Landstuhl (after shuttling all 7 bikes to the station cause our car rack can only fit three at a time) headed to Neustadt. We rode on the Weinstrasse, which is a stretch somewhat famous in the state of Rheinland-Pfalz where alot of German wine is made. We started out together, then stopped for lunch, and then dad and the older boys went much faster ,and M and I and C and J took our time enjoying the view! The faster group rode about 30 miles all together. Us slower ones about 10 miles.
Our 7 bikes resting before we split into fast and slow groups.
C and J find a huge mushroom
We took time for C to climb the beer crates as her older siblings got to do in Garmisch last summer. This year she was tall enough!
It was a beautiful day!! The train ride back was a little crowded and thus hectic to get our 7 bikes back on the train but we made it ... and have good memories to share.
