Happy 2008!!

For those of you just picking up on our blog, you read that right, 2008. For those of you that have been with us since I started the blog, you know I'm moving right along and I will be caught up to real time before our next big Navy adventure~ Okinawa, Japan!! Although, I just found out today (real time=April 29, 2010) that instead of October of this year, we could be looking at August/September!!! Oh, man...SO much to do and time is getting shorter!!!!

Anyway, back to blog time~ in our Navy life story that is being told here, we are now up to 2008.... We had some big excitement that year of which you'll be seeing posts, the biggest of which comes first~ our cruise to Cabo San Lucas! We also were back home in time to catch the Mizzou/Illini Arch Rival football game!! Then there was our first Navy Ball; and in December, we hosted the Weaver family Christmas!

So, sit back, relax, and continue to enjoy our story.....

PS~ I changed the setting, so feel free to leave us comments!! :)

Merry Christmas, 2007

Merry Christmas!!

(taken at the Amphib Base Chapel)

We started the season with issues with our Christmas tree stand. So when we took it off to fix it, Rodney said we had a laid-back Southern California Christmas tree!!

And so, began our first SoCal Christmas together. Recap of the last few Christmases: 2006~he was deployed, I went back to MO; 2005~we were on the road enroute to SD; 2004~would have been our last Christmas together with family in MO!!

So, we had a quiet Christmas together, but Santa still brought us some goodies~

Rodney got a U2 CD set and some midget tools.

I got some scrapbooking stuff.

Truman got a new NAVY collar and leash.....

....and a new sweater :)

And a Merry Christmas was had by one and all :)

Poinsettia Bowl

December 20, 2007 ~ We took advantage of being in San Diego and got tickets to the Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium (where the Chargers play!). Besides the excitement of being at such a big game, we really wanted to go since NAVY was playing!! It was the Navy Midshipmen and the Utah Utes......

It was a VERY exciting game which came down to the last seconds, but sadly, the Midshipmen couldn't hang on to it and the Utes pulled out a win of 35-32. But we can say we saw it live!!

Christmas at Disney!!

December 23, 2007 ~ Merry Disney Christmas from SoCal!!

Cinderella's castle was all decked out...

...and so was "It's a Small World"...

....but, our favorite transformation was "Haunted Mansion", which had been redone as "The Nightmare Before Christmas"!

In the plaza between Disneyland and California Adventure, the letters spelling "California" were all "Christmas"ed, too!!

As was the French Quarter

Merry Disney Christmas to all and to all a BEAUTIFUL SIGHT!!

Thanksgiving 2007

After Grandpa's services, the rest of the family went back to their respective homes for a few days while I spent some one-on-one time with Grandma at their house. My aunt came back a couple of days before Thanksgiving and we went out to the cemetary.

Grandma and Aunt Phyllis picked out some flowers from the gravesite.....

...and we made a place of honor for Grandpa.

We also had a candle that was lit each Thanksgiving and Christmas for my Mom.

Then everyone arrived for what would be our last Family Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa's house and then.... it was time for TURKEY!! And my Uncle Eddie fries a mean turkey......or two or three or four!!

Cousin-in-law Marvin

Uncle Wally

Then there's all the "fixins" to be fixed....

(Don't be fooled--I didn't fix ALL the fixins by myself :)

....and set out....

......and hands to wash.....

.....and THEN it's time to EAT!!!!

And finally some time just to hang out with the family :)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

ENJOY YOUR FAMILY!!!

My Grandpa

November, 2007 ~ The first of November, we received a call that my Grandpa had been hospitalized following a routine doctor appointment. He was jaundiced, so they wanted to run some tests. Turned out he had liver cancer. I spoke with him each day over the phone and had some wonderful conversations with him. It was so hard to know what to do. I went back and forth about flying home. But, following a phone call from one of my cousins, I caught a flight back home on Sunday, the 11th. My Grandma and a couple of my cousins had been spending the night with Grandpa at the hospital, so I got to stay there, too. Grandpa was still pretty alert when I arrived and I was able to have a couple of sweet conversations with him. Then Tuesday morning, we were at his bedside when he drew his last breath. Such a bittersweet experience.....

Following the services a few days later, I had the honor and priviledge to stay a few days with Grandma, just her and me, back at their house. That is a time and memory I will always cherish.

Here are a few pictures I'd like to share in memory of my Grandpa......
My first Christmas. I was 10 months old....

They were in town for my college graduation, Dec. 1995

At Elephant Rock, summer 1991

At Dillard Mill, May 1994

I love and miss you, Grandpa!!