Well between our trip to Utah and the craziness of our schedules in July it's been a really long time since I last posted--July went something like this--4th of July--week after Mandy was at a Youth Conference for our church--next week was Joe's long work week--week after was Mandy's pre-camp prep overnighter with the girls she was over at camp--week after that Mandy was at Girls Camp from Tues-Sat--Sunday Joe headed to Utah for Guard duty until Friday morning when he gets here to GA at 5 am and has to be at work by 11 to start yet again his long work week!!!!  If you count it all up we haven't had a "normal" week for well over a month!  And school starts in less than 2 weeks so life will continue to be crazy.  We are all doing well but are ready for some kind of a change--who knows what, where, when, or how we just need to figure out a way to feel like we can breath!
Mean while I really hurt my neck at body pump this morning--have I mentioned that I have lost close to 40 lbs in the last 9 months?  Slow and steady seems to be the winning factor on that one for me! 

Who wants pieces?

One of my favorite movies maybe my #1 is While You Were Sleeping, with Sandra Bullock. I love that movie for oh so many reasons but one of my favorite scenes is when they are all sitting down eating--and everyone is spouting off random things. I love it, makes me laugh every time--well lunch at our house is kinda that way.  Jimmy was well into his I loves  "I love noodles" "I love watermelon" "I love movies" "I love dragons" etc. etc.  Chase was mumbling about sticky seeds and the matching game, Joe and I were in shock and awe as Chase was actually eating watermelon, we were also reminiscing about him eating broccoli last week...then Jimmy shouts out "you wanna piece of me FOLKS" Joe and I just laughed and laughed--and told him the same thing we always do "I don't wanna piece I want the whole thing!" 

And that's just it together we have the whole thing and I couldn't love them all more!!

Hard to write.........

I have been having the hardest time trying to write about my trip to Utah--partly because I have been so busy getting things put back to "normal" but mostly because I have been missing someone and I'm still not so sure I can write about it, but maybe it will do me some good I don't know.  Just as we crossed the border into Utah I received a phone call telling me my dearly loved Uncle RJ had passed away--I was heart broken to say the least I still can hardly think about it--it hurts so! I hurt for his family, I hurt for my Dad, I hurt for my Grandparents, and I hurt for me! 

 At his viewing they had a place to write down memories and I just couldn't bring myself to write down just one so I just wrote down a general idea--but since then I have been pressed to share one particular memory--I don't even remember how old I was 11 or 12 but I was going with RJ, Kathie, and Shery to St. George for a few days (now I may get some of the details wrong but it was a while ago) and the day we were to leave Aunt Kathie had been vacuuming out the car and somehow lost the diamond to her ring, she was obviously upset about it and we looked and looked and looked but didn't find it--we went on our trip and when we got to St. George I remember how important it was to RJ to get Kathie a ring we went to a store (I think it was a southwestern gift shop) and he had her pick out a ring she had to have a ring--I remember thinking that when I grew up I want a man who would care that much about me that he wouldn't be mad about the ring he would just want to make sure I had one.  I don't remember what ring she picked out--or even if she did but I do remember how special I thought it was--but mostly I remember how special I felt when Shery and I got to pick out rings too! How I wish I could find it now.

 Uncle RJ was always trying to get me to break out of my shell--trying to help me realize I was braver than I thought, stronger than I thought, I think he made everyone feel that way like we were really special and important not just in general but that we were special and important to him. I love him dearly........and miss him so much.

 

Rex J Walker 1951 ~ 2010 Rex J Walker, 58, of Pleasant Grove tragically passed away Thursday, May 20, 2010 from a fall while working at Timpanogos Cave. He died in the mountains where he loved to be. Rex was born May 30, 1951 in Coalville to Rex B and Margaret Stark Walker. He married Kathleen Hansen on August 7, 1970 and they were sealed for time and all eternity in the Manti Temple. Rex is survived by his wife Kathie of Pleasant Grove; four children: Jennifer (Mike) Bascom, Pleasant Grove; Lauresa (Brandon) Peterson, Grantsville; Jimmy Dan (Natalie) Walker, Monticello and Sherylen (Quin) Wilkerson, American Fork; 15 grandchildren; parents; siblings: Carolyn Winterton, Cheryl Hughett, Barry Walker, and Garry Walker.

Pre-trip happenings!

I guess before I post about our trip to Utah I will post some happenings from just before we left!

I had a great "girls night" while Joe took the boys to a father and son campout--Ruth, her girls, Kim, Janice and I participated in Columbus' Relay for Life--we had some tears but also a lot of fun!! The boys and Joe had fun too-but there are no pictures of them.

Then we also had Chase's Kindergarten "graduation" it was a lot of fun and so cute--he was given the award of "Top Reader" in his class!  Everyone just loved our Chase--we are grateful to his teachers they worked so hard for our Chase he is so amazing!!

 

A Poem for RJ

I'll never forget all those warm summer nights that followed the days of cold water fights.

Or the man at the center of every one, my dad's older brother, gramps oldest son.

you could see that big smile all over his face as his Harley pulled up to visit our place.

And it wasn't to long before he got hold of you and each of us knew what we had to do.

We cried,

Mercy mercy uncle J I think that's all I can handle today, I'll be ready for more when you come back again but until then I love you my friend.

I have never felt pain like I did on the day that I learned from my sister he had been taken away.

I fell to my knees and begged the lord please, don't let him be gone without one final tease.

I thought of my aunt and my cousins too, My heart swells with love and sorrow for you.

As we carried his body aloft in the air past the uniformed brothers and sister all there.

I thought of the times he held me in the air and tossed me higher than any would dare.

With a mind full of memories and soul of unrest I removed the flower that was pinned to my chest.

I placed it back on top of the box dyed tan, near the truest of banners "The most Wonderful Man"

And I cried,

Mercy mercy uncle J I think that's all I can handle today You'll be waiting for me when I come back again but until then I love you my friend.

~ Mark Walker~

Thanks Mark for putting into words what I couldn't!!

Here goes something?!?!

Just a few updates for each of us--

Joe and Mandy--last Friday Joe and I celebrated our 11 year anniversary, we headed down to Florida with the kids and had a blast going to the beach and a movie and just hanging out as a little family, had so much fun that oops--I didn't even take one picture, sorry! Joe has been super busy with work and school and church responsibilities and of course us! I am grateful for all he does--he is our own SUPERMAN and we all love him so much.

Chase--this kid is amazing he is doing so well in school and loves loves loves to read, anything, to anyone who will listen.  He also likes to write sentences and show off his spelling abilities.  He has been doing so much better in his communication and has started to be able to carry on conversations with us without getting sidetracked as much! You have no idea how excited we are about this--he is simply amazing!!!

Jimmy--today we started a new therapy with our cute little big Jimmy--it's called Wilbarger Brushing Protocol, we are so ready to see how this will work, so far today he has loved it, can't say that I see many changes but that is to be expected at the beginning. We (his teachers, therapist, and us) are very optimistic!

School is almost out and we are excited about our upcoming visit to Utah! And to a fun summer-I'm just not sure I'm ready for the heat and humidity!

Where a kid can be a kid!

For so long we have avoided this place--not wanting to partake in the chaos--the noise--the games--but alas we finally caved--and of course had a BLAST!!!!!

And no that is not me behind Chase, just some random lady :(