Oct. 9th Family Night Before Departure

geez, I needed some makeup, but oh well

Brian and April
Ashley packed and ready to go
This is a picture that I had been thinking of taking and since it was the last possible night, no time like the present and waiting til the last minute. While I was stirring dinner Greg came to me and asked if I wanted him to take the picture.. what a sweety that he thought of that while it was still light. And you ask WHY is this picture below significant? And it is only to us (me) as for years... since the kids have added one car after another to our "family", our 150 ft of cement has not been enough to house them all. And I have actually being blessed to have always had the parking spot in the garage (see my car in there?) Now heres been the rub for me is that I like green grass and at one time enjoyed it green (our yard is actually weeds all grown together tightly to appear as grass) and mowed just so. I used to take care of this no matter what shift I was working at UPS, it was done regularly and fertilizer, nutrients were added to it. And than as part of our advancement into teenage drivers, this sadly came to an end as U-Turns were made to work themselves out of a pinched in position OR they would simply park on the lawn. I HAD TO let go of it and truly it's such a big yard, it stunted it's growth and lessened my work. Shane being the only one without an allergy to grass (Greg/Brian) defer to him to take care of it. So this was as Ashley goes off to her job and life, the last night of all 5 cars in the backyard.. and that the four are all on the driveway is not how it actually would have worked because Brian truck is plugging the escape route as the edge of the house is just to the left of his back bumper.. ha ha ha

We all had dinner together, having invited my parents who had just arrived down in so cal in there motorhome, and Brians girlfriend April. I made taverns and my mom brought her pea salad which was my choice, and Grandma Cooks Pink Lady salad which was Ashleys favorite to add to the table fare..

When we were full and the table cleared, we sat around the table playing a dice game called Farkle. Now beings that our kids (three of them mind you) were all in sports, at the same time, different places, different counties at times and both days of the weekend some years with soccer. We didn't take the time or play table games. So hence this night, it took a little bit, one for them to grasp what we were doing and why? ha, and two how you played the game in spite of having help from my dad who is sharp at this game. But once we had gone around a dozen or so times, and points started to tally up, they picked up on it and were into it. We had a good time playing several games to 10,000 points, laughing plenty, and just sharing the time together.

What you see on the table in the blue topped container and plastic glass is the protein drink of all three of my kids, special shaker, and apparantly NOW was the time. The boys both needed to have her "shake" them the concoction as the night grew later.. what they won't do.

So this was that time for our family that when the all call is made that we are hanging out together, the kids have rarely hesitated to come together for family whether ours, or extended. Oh yea, there friends at times got in line ahead of us, but that we were good with and never resented this as we go with whoever shows up or just the two of us. For the day has come as we begin to change our home dynamics forever, in that we may scatter to the far ends of the earth, our hearts are forever intertwined. Our prayers will always be spoken for each other from wherever we are, and that we will do whatever we can to be in contact. In person, by phone, on facebook, texting, skype, so as you see we would have to be under a rock to claim our family as separated.