A birthday surprise from Tyler and Karen!

Tyler made a video for Den's 70th birthday...but this is not it.

Below is actually the trailer for that video! 
We were SO excited to watch it the morning of Den's birthday.




If you would like to actually see the video he made, 
send me an email or message me on FB, 
and I will see what I can do about sending you the link for it, okay?

The beginning of Den's 70th birthday weekend

Dennis was sitting here clueless yesterday. 
He had no idea what was about to happen...

I said, "Hey do you mind if we just have leftovers tonight?"

He said, "Sure. That's fine." 

Time passes, he's getting hungry 

and he's not seeing any leftovers being heated up. 

Our surprise still has not arrived so I said, 

"How about we just go out to dinner?"

He says, "Sure, let's go"

More time passes.

It's now 5:15 and he asks, "Uh when are we going?"

So I say, "Let's go at 6:00."

He does not look happy and sighs, but in a discouraged way. 

So I can tell he doesn't know what's up.

More waiting.

Then....

Unbeknownst to him, 
his kids and grandkids flew in to spend 
his birthday weekend with us!

They brought a little happiness.

A few nights ago when I came by to bring my Dad's laundry, 

and Susan's daughter and grandkids were there with him. 

I think it was the happiest he's been 

since Susan died on Christmas Eve. 

Perhaps, with some of Sue's family around him, 

in a sort of way it was like having her back a little.

And they even did this to his fridge before they left...

It's the little things that are big things right now.

And by the way, he loves company!

Susan's Memorial Service

Susan was the oldest of 4.

I always thought it interesting 

how her siblings were all 5 years apart. 

I wonder if her parents planned it that way.

It was sad seeing this empty chair 

next to her siblings at her viewing. 

Spencer, Corinne, and Dale

There's got to be a story behind this picture below, 

but I haven't learned what it is yet. 

I hadn't even noticed anything wrong with this picture at Susan's Service until my granddaughter Elora found me and said in a panicked sounding state, "Did you see that picture of Susan? She has 3 hands! Why does she have 3 hands?" 

My guess is Susan preferred this picture.

She loved to laugh.

Her kids did a most excellent job speaking about her life.

Story after story about how Christ like she was.

But it was also pointed out that so many of her virtues were developed through the years through her numerous trials, perseverance and softened sweet heart. We were reminded that she didn't just arrive on earth like this.

Susan had a very tough life. Her son remembers her always sick while he was growing up. She was in and out of the hospital continually with Lupus, and then heart disease. Her last baby, Carly was stillborn. Her first marriage didn't survive. 

She was then single for 21 years.

Susan then prayed to find someone she could take care of "to repay all the service that had been given her." And as her son Jon said in his talk, "Enter Richard Rozier. And little did she know that he would be such a blessing to her. That he would serve her, and love her unconditionally like she deserved."

I'm thankful Susan was and is a part of our family. 

I could feel the unity that day at the burial...

with other family members who had passed, 

on all around our feet...

My nephew Romeo who drowned in 1998 at the age of 18 months. 

My niece Robin who died of leukemia in 2008,

with her maker right there near Susan.

And my Mom very near by who died in 2007, 

and my brother Chris in 2008.

Susan's Memorial Service was a sweet experience.

Over 100 stayed for the luncheon after!

The brothers in law together. 

My Dad and my Mom's brother, Don. 

It was fun having my brother John with us that day, 

and Suzanne...but don't know where she was for this picture. 

So many many pictures I didn't get that day!

My brother Richard asked me why sometimes I take pictures of him yet don't put them on my blog. So he will understand, 

I include this one with one eye shut, with my Uncle Don. 

My Dad has pretty much had this same look on his face 

since his Susan died on Christmas Eve.

Thankfully this life is not all we have.

There's a better life to come where pain and loss are no longer. 

And we will be reunited with our loved ones. 

I want to quote one part of her son's talk:

""...My Mom became who she was because of her afflictions. She was humbled and she turned to the only source for peace there is and that's Jesus Christ. She went to him and said I'm broken. He said I know and He was there for her."

My Dad and Susan surrounded by her children 8 years ago.

Jon, Stacy, Jamie, and Dawnie

How he copes with his grief

The head of our church, President Russell M. Nelson, lost his 2nd daughter just 2 days ago. This is how he is coping. 

A sad day

Trying to go forward

Since beginning the journey to help our ailing parents 15 years ago, my biggest fear was the day my Dad would be alone. Loosing our Mom in 2007, and now Susan, last week, that fear has arrived. 

Having Dad 40 minutes from our home, and in a facility that was not very attentive to him, we couldn't leave him there without his Susan. 

But what to do? 

We all prayed. A lot. 

United prayer is powerful. Love and prayer combined could solve all of the world's problems, is how I see it.

So beginning on Christmas morning we began looking for a new home for Dad. And to make a long story short, we moved him in 4 days later!

I could feel the prayer working. I think we all could. 

I'm thankful to be a Rozier!

This was a nice touch the first day at his new home.

It took a village to get him moved in there!

The new facility treated our 8 family movers to lunch. 

Some were still working while I took this picture. 

Robin for example. Den says she works so hard, 

"That girl's a machine!"

I like this view of Shaw Ave from Dad's bed. 

He can watch traffic go by. 

I'd rather see that than just greenery. 

All the women in this facility are named Barbara. 

Ok, only SIX, but it seems every where we turn 
there's another Barbara. 

If you look closely you can see one of the Barbaras 

giving Dad some pointers. 

This Barbara also asked me, "Do you have warm blankets on your Dad's bed?" 

After I said yes, she touched my neck scarf and said, 

"But are his blankets as warm as this scarf? 

It gets cold at night." 

The women tend to flock around him. I'm not sure he likes that. 

During the long paper signing meeting the day

 before we moved Dad in, 

Erik Schuk, who is the executive director had this to say,

"This is my philosophy of life. Enjoy every single day and love as many people as you can."

He also said to us, 

"This isn't a perfect place, but I want it to be."

The boss of the new facility has a heart.

We're not looking for perfection, but a facility that keeps trying. 
And so far, that is what we are seeing.