The bright side

As an attempt to follow in my Mother's footsteps I would like to do a post focusing on the positive times we had during our two months in Iowa.

This first picture is what I like to call "My Peace" - being a single mom during a difficult time away from home were made easier by my son...my peace. Sawyer took care of me in so many ways.



When daddy was able to visit which was EVERY SINGLE weekend (Bless his heart...and two speeding tickets)he didn't have any distractions like we do at home. He simply spent time with his son. It was a blessing in disguise :)



Grandpa Roth spent lots of time working on the new shed as a release of energy. Uncle Aaron was able to help too and they got a ton done. This first picture is one of the first few days and by the time Aaron returned to Virginia the roof was on and the walls were insulated!




Lots of fun play time with Uncle Aaron, Aunt Jana, and Great Grandma Norris were had during our time together:




Sawyer on Christmas Day



Sawyer got to hang out with his cousin PJ, one month older than Sawyer



Sawyer asleep peacefully in his daddy's arms at the visitation

Inspiration

One of the main reasons I decided to start this blog is because I am terrible at scrapbooking and although I'm not clever with words, this was my best shot at a record of the changes in our lives.


Sawyer knew his Grandma Sandy for five months. She was there the day he was born. We spent lots of time in Iowa, especially at the end. She held him, fed him, and laughed with him. During her time under hospice care she was there and alert for the moment he rolled over, and Sawyer would lay in grandma's bed with her hand on his chest after his morning feeding every single day.

I want him to know everything about her that he possibly can as he grows. Here is my first attempt:

Sawyer: Your grandma is my inspiration. I am who I am today because of her and your grandpa. They were so in love, high school sweethearts even. I didn't know it wasn't normal for parents to hug and kiss and cuddle until I was in high school and had friends over. And it never let up :) They had a deep respect for each other that showed my brother and I stability and strength.

She was a wonderful teacher. She told me once that sometimes she thought she should be paying THEM for her to teach. She had a passion for her job and each student that entered her classroom. Theresa told me once that mom was just as stubborn as she was patient - the perfect teacher :) She was a strong christian. She tought me to live by the Golden Rule, to lead by example, and the meaning of unconditional love. One of the most important things she tought me was not to judge, that it was "between them and God". I work on this everyday.

Something I have always cherrished is that your grandma would listen to me and boy can I talk! She would stay up late talking to me in high school and when I would come home from college. She would answer the phone every time I called and listen to me babble about my day, only for me to get to my destination and have to let her go even though I hadn't had a chance to hear how her day went. She was humble, forgiving, silly, and loving.

I am lucky to have been a part of her 56 years here on Earth. I look forward to enternity with her in Heaven. A huge thanks to my father, my brother, my husband, and every single person that supported us with love, hugs, time, food, friendship, fellowship, and prayers.