Jenneration: July 2009

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Summer Time!

Well, I don't really have time to write this blog, so here is the Ciff Note's of the past month. I have a Ward Breakfast on the Fourth of July, which was STRESSFUL! We (aka I) made posters for 20 families who have had military service. They were a TON of work tracking down the pics and info from the families and scaning/typing up stuff, ordering prints etc. But they turned out great and I am glad that I did it. I don't think I'll do it again though :) Breakfast with pancakes and eggs is also ridiculous to try to do for 200 people, but with alot of help from my committee and some GREAT volunteers from the ward, we actually timed it pretty well and got the food out on time. My Father-In-Law spoke and sang a few songs on his guitar, which was great.
The girls get bigger and in my opinion cuter and sweeter every day! Isabel is rolling all over the place and if you don't keep an eye on her, she travels great distances in a short amount of time. It's been interesting! :)

Matt is officially going back to school! WOOHOO!! :)

Because of the back to school stuff, we have decided to downgrade out of our wonderful rental house (sigh) and into a small and much cheaper apartment. it is a little sad (and really stressful and busy), but anything that saves us several hundred bucks a month is worth it! This will be our 4th move in 2 1/2 years. I am REALLY sick of moving, but I know that it is going to happen a few more times before we are really ready to settle. So for the next two weeks I am going to suck it up and live in the crazy chaos that is trying to move with 2 small children!
Next weekend we have a camping Family Reunion, we can't stay long due to Matt's schedule being changed up and the move, but it should be nice. We are also going to Thatcher for Pioneer Day. both of these events are bad timing with the move, they take up both of the weekends during our overlap of lease time, but we are hoping it will all work out :)
I also have to get church substitutes because in addition to my activities chairman calling I have also been asked to do the Primary Children's music. I love primary and our ward has an especially FANTASTIC primary, so I am excited. (and a little stressed, but I could use the extra blessings right?)

Anyway, life is crazy and busy and good. Here, as always, are a few pics.

Fourth of July Party

My Family's Poster

Boopah (matt's dad)

Our Patriotic Family

My sweet girls!

I love it when they match!

Izzie and Nana watching Lily and her cousin Rory (Barry and Janeals') playing "Ants in the Pants", she thought it was very entertaining.

Me trying to get Izzie to laugh, don't mind Lily totally choking on a piece of jerky halfway through, sorry about that.

After I took the above video of Izzie, Lily REALLY wanted me to do a video of her, so here it is :)

Boopah singing his patriotic medley

http://picasaweb.google.com/mattandjennearl/BoopahFourthOfJuly2009Performance#5356504856935974594

Riley Elden Warner

AKA the GREATEST Grandpa and possibly man, EVER!
I have been putting this post off, because I was going to wait to scan in some photos of him from my childhood, but I left them in Thatcher (after I pulled them out of albums of course...sorry mom). then it got close to the 4th of July and I was crazy busy with ward party stuff, more on that in another blog. Anyway, here are some things about my Grandpa.
My Grandpapa, is probably my favorite person of all time (excluding Matt of course). If you don't count my spouse and children, I can't imagine loving or respecting anyone more than I do my Grandpa. Growing up with a single mom, my Grandpa really filled the role of a Father in my life. He did all the Daddy daughter stuff, and also baptised me and witnessed as my wedding. Growing up he was really the only preisthood holder around for me. He was the best example I could have had. He really is the reason I am who I am today. He showed me how to work hard. How to serve QUIETLY. And of course how to make funny comments under my breath! :) His sense of humor and wit were QUICK. And I don't think I was ever around him without smiling and laughing a little. He was a mostly quiet man, but when he did say something it was either funny, or meaningful. He taught me how to be happy. That might sound weird, but growing up, I wasn't surrounded by many happy adults. Except my grandpa. Just that contrabution would have been enough, but he was so much more. Unlike so many people today, my grandpa wasn't afraid of just being ordinary. He never wanted to be in the spotlight or be recognized. But his quiet, humble, ability to be completely honest, hardworking and kind made him extraordinary. Both of my grandparents are the kind of people who are constantly doing things for other people. The amount of selfless service they have given to others throughout their lifetime is unfathomable to me. And most of it people would never know about, unless you caught them in the act. I will always strive to be more like them when it comes to working hard for other people sakes.
I could go on and on. Like I said the kind of love I feel for my Grandpa is unprecidented by any of my other relationships. I would say like some people are from birth "Daddy's Girls" I am and have been a Grandpa's Girl. No one has ever made me feel as special or as loved as my Grandpa has. I miss him more than I can say. I will miss silently sitting beside him in a crowd of people, knowing that we both feel uncomfortable, but glad to be together. I will miss nose kisses and couch snuggles, walks to texas, knowing winks and glances, good advice, loving hugs and smiles, funny phrases, silly jokes and unwaivering support and love. His presence being gone is like the sun has hidden behind the clouds. I know that he is glad to be rid of his decaying body, which became such a burden to him. And I am happy that he is no longer suffering. I know that it was the right time. But I was unprepared for the pain I feel. I thought that because I knew it was right and because of my faith that I will see him again, my pain would somehow be dulled. It is not. I have dealt with loss before, from grandparents and other relatives to young friends. But I have never experienced this kind of grief. He was the only stable rock in my life as a child and like I said before, his presence and example and influence GREATLY shaped the person I am. And it continues to. I don't think I have ever known a better man. He was not perfect, but he was GOOD to the core. Truly. He brought me so much happiness and love and laughter and tender moments. I LOVE YOU GRANDPA.