We're Baaaack

So, you have to excuse and forgive me for lack of posting for the past little while.  It has been a whirlwind the past couple months.

We had some great things and some not so great things come our way.  I'm going to just try to stick to the calendar and tell you what has been going on.

In October, our little Hazel dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood for Halloween:

 I think the reason I haven't blogged for awhile is because of this next event.  I didn't know how NOT to post about it, and I didn't really know how to approach posting about it.  But on the 17th of November, Maurice's father, Lamar Jenkins, passed away.  It was unexpected and hard for a lot of the family members.  He had gone in for surgery a little less than a week before and was recovering at home and passed away in his sleep, just a week before EVERYONE in the huge Jenkins' family was coming home for Thanksgiving.  It was a hard time but a joyful time for me as I got to hear a lot of wonderful and inspiring stories about him as we all hung out at the house.  It made me wish I had known him better.  Maurice and I have been out of the state since I came into the family.  I found myself wishing I could've hung out with LaMar and had more time for me to get to know him and for him to get to know me and Hazel a little better.   I just want to share one act that really showed what kind of man LaMar was.  This past summer when Hazel and I were visiting Utah without Maurice, I went up to their brand new house on a Sunday afternoon to spend some time with G and G Jenkins.  We had a good time and Hazel completely warmed up to her Grandpa.  They live in the mountains on a large quantity of land where I had to park our car far away due to the mud from some construction, and when it was time to go LaMar insisted, in his quiet way, walking me and Hazel all the way out to our car with his flashlight even though he had an injured hip.  -It hurt him to walk around the house!!-   I tried to tell him that we could make it and that we would be fine, but he wouldn't let me go unless he walked me out there.  I gave in, even though I felt bad that he was walking on his hurt hip.  As we walked he told me how happy he was that Hazel and I were able to come visit. I drove away very touched and grateful for such a sweet father-in-law.   I know to some this little experience might be insignificant, but to me, it's something that I will always remember.  I think of the saying, "it's the little things that count."

 

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We headed straight home to Utah to be with family when we heard and stayed until just after Thanksgiving.  Once things had settled and calmed down the Jenkins' boys still pulled out their fun for Thanksgiving.

Our nieces, Mariah and Madison tied down their cousin and uncle while they were taking a post-turkey nap, Gulliver style.

Idaho had snow and Hazel and I partook.

Since we were able to stay in Utah for awhile, we slipped down to Ogden for a day to say hi to my parents and we had a night out at the Ogden Christmas Village.  It was opening night so there were fireworks and all.  It was fun!

more blogging to come...