His Mom

This afternoon about 1:35, Den's Mom passed into the next life. 

Two of her daughters had been by her side since Sunday.
We are so thankful she did not die alone.

She was 94, and had been on and off hospice for over 4 years. 


Both his parents in 1970 at Den's police academy graduation.

Den has told me many times through the years, as a little boy if he 
had a nightmare and said, "Mama" she would come right away. 

Her solution to most of those nightmares: 
"Go to the bathroom, and get a drink of water 
and then go back to bed."

Thinking back lots on his childhood today Den said the most 
important thing was his mom was "always there."

He repeated it again with tears, 
"She was always there. She was my security."

Growing up, whenever he got home and would walk in the back 
door, he would say, "Mom?" 
And she would answer, "Right here." 

The simple things are the big things.


I'm certain all 5 of her kids would say the same.




It's hard to lose a mom. 
I think no matter the age, Den feels a little like this today.

Denny about 1956

But he also keeps saying how happy he is for her now.
Out of all that long suffering. 

Back with loved ones who have gone before her.
And back with loved ones she knew before she came here.


I think it was summed up best by his sister Debbie 
when she called to tell us the news:
"I'm a little sad, but a whole lot happy for her."

Wonders of the past few weeks...

 1. Den and I enjoyed this documentary recently.  Identical triplets adopted into 3 different families. None of the boys knew the others existed until they accidentally came together. Fascinated us both.


Anyone have suggestions for other good documentaries?? 


2. Our granddaughters, Scarlett and Annie are over 2 years apart, yet they are nearing the same size. McKenna says they get mistaken for twins. 


4. I had forgotten we had this sibling picture taken at my Dad's 80th birthday party so it made me happy to find it.
Robin, John, Heidi, Dad, Jill, Richard, Peggy, Scott


5. Two year old Daisy apparently set up camp the night before big brother's birthday. She didn't want to miss anything!





6. Before the Delta took over, it was fun to have Brock and Erin and the girls for a "snicky snack dinner." It's where I just pull out stuff from the freezer and fridge and call it dinner. Elora calls it, "hospital lunch all grown up!" (I say, they are easy to please!) 





7. And if you like miniatures like I do, take a look at this.....




8. And this.....
Sept 7th marked a year since McKenzie's passing.
Her family all went to Hawaii in her honor. 
Alli, Andrew, Ashley, Sarah, Robin, Dave, Ben, Brooke, Kate, Lauren, Davy, and Summer.

And Amy sent me this on Sept 7th.
Amy, Téa, Ryann, Logan, Chandler, and Jonas

I'm certain Mackie has much to tell us all. 
Someday, someday...

Our family in 1887

So this story will make sense, I will start with my grandparents, 

Earl and Lella Slinkard...


Grandma and Grandpa Slinkard, with my Mom in the middle


The Mom in the picture below is the sister of my Grandpa's mother Ellen. I wanted to learn more. What is the story here?

1887


Claude (standing by his Dad), Alfred Ellis, Maude, Frank, Elizabeth Slinkard Ellis, and baby Mildred.
They went on to have 4 more children! (Ione, Gertrude, Houston, and Henrietta)

I found out that they had two sons (Pelham and Henry) before these four children. They were three and five, dying only a week apart during a diphtheria epidemic. Can you even imagine.

I reached out to the person who posted that picture on Family Search and got an immediate reply from a Vernon Gauntt, but he goes by Casey. He figured out we are 3rd cousins.


Casey and I have the same Great Great Grandparents, Solomon and Laura Slinkard.

Elizabeth is Casey's Great Grandma, and my Great Aunt. 

The sister just under Elizabeth, is Ellen my Great Grandma.

And do you see Laura down a few years on that list?

She had quite the story that made headlines back in the day.


Casey's Great Grandma Elizabeth, (after the death of her first husband), with her new husband Mr W William Hughes, and her youngest daughter Henrietta.


Fast forward many years, and that's Elizabeth Slinkard again, with her five daughters, Maude, Mildred, Ione, Gertrude, and Henrietta.



Cousin Casey has an interesting website with lots of personal stories: Write Me Something Beautiful.

Meet my 3rd cousin Casey in this 10 minute film. It's about an incredible experience he went through shortly after the death of his son.

The Letter from Steven Date on Vimeo.

This is how we get to know him better...

Our almost 10 year old grandson Grant, loves to draw. He's incredibly bright. He also has autism.



Scarlett, Jack, Annie, and Grant

So often we don't know what's going on in his mind. But now that he draws, it's like opening up this huge surprise each time.  


Drawing hair styles is one of his specialties.



Who needs arms when your hair looks that good.


And this one below was so intriguing. After he finished drawing the animals, then he drew a baby for each one.



But so far this one has been my most favorite of all! 


Minnie and Mickey and Donald all holding hands!




She's just looking out for others...



On Instagram last week I saw this picture of my niece Kaidy. 

I was a bit alarmed. To me, it looked like she was at a clinic or maybe ER. So I reached out to her and asked if she was okay....


Her beautiful eyes. 

So the conversation Kaidy and I had on Instagram went like this:



Good for her!

They say masks don't really help the person who is wearing them.
They help more the person next to her, whoever that is. 
❤️❤️❤️

As a side note, Den was looking for a zoom link to a funeral we attended today. In that process he came across an obituary about a person neither of us knew....it said in the first paragraph of it that they were not going to name the disease he died of. 

And then the very last paragraph it said this:

"Words cannot express the gratitude we feel for the men and women who are fighting with all their might against this and all disease. Thank you simply isn't enough. They had hoped Steve would get well and become an ambassador for vaccination. As he is unable, our family would like to express our hope that you will find true and correct information and decide accordingly."

Thank you Steve Lee Jabbs
who died 8-24-21 at the age of 62


And thank you Kaidy.
You are caring beyond your years. 


Look what happened last night

  Just a little pre-graduating gathering for our DIL Amy.... Not everyday a Mom of 7 and a Grandma of 7, graduates from college. It was not ...