Happy Birthday Grammy!!

Sorry we couldn't stick around another day to be there to celebrate your special day with you!! We Love you and hope you had a great Birthday!! We know you had a great birthday dinner and we are so jealous we weren't with you!!! Thanks for being a Wonderful Grammy!!!

Happy Birthday Uncle Jared!!

We hope you had a great birthday Uncle Jared!!! We're glad you are a part of our family!!!

Grandpa's Funeral

My Grandpa's funeral was beautiful!!! It was a little foggy and cold, but other then the weather it was nice!! At Brady's Grandpa's funeral back in August, I had taken some pictures at the Graveside Service, and I am so glad I did, so I went ahead and took pictures of Grandpa's Graveside Service. But we had prepared Jaylee a lot more this time for the military part of it, and she did great!!

This is the entrance to the Cemetery

The signs leading the way

Grandpa's flag covered casket in the back of the Hurst

A look up towards where the service would take place

Jaylee kept telling me that she needed to be with Great Papa and she kept going over to the Hurst where Great Papa was. She would not leave him alone!! It was sweet and so touching!!

She kept asking the funeral guy questions about why Great Papa couldn't get out of there.

The men lined up to do the military part of the service

The Grandsons were the pallbearers and the great-grandsons were the honorary pallbearers

Just before the service started-I was looking for Jaylee since they were doing the military part first, but she was already with Daddy!!

They had the Grandson's line up along the side of Grandpa-I thought it was cool

Grandpa loved flowers, especially yellow roses!!

Jaylee wanted to watch as they lowered Grandpa into the ground!! But she was not about to give up her rose!!

The Grave marker until the headstone comes in

So as a family we decided that we wanted to watch as they lowered Grandpa. Kind of a weird request but my dad had gone to a funeral out on the reservation one time and the family basically did all of this part and he told of how it was such a neat experience. Well our family is a little weird, so we wanted to be there. Anyone that didn't want to witness this was allowed to leave but most everyone stayed to watch. Jaylee was the one who really couldn't take her eyes off of it!! She now tells us that Great Papa is in the ground because he died, and went to Heaven to be with Jesus and Heavenly Father. Maybe she was a little to young to watch!! It was interesting though to see!!

We did red roses since most everyone else did yellow!! We had to be different!! After they lowered Grandpa, and put the seal on, they gave the family a moment to say goodbye one last time. My dear dad, went first and grabbed a handful of dirt and with tears streaming down his face, he said goodbye one final time!! A few others went but my dad's tore me up the most!!! Grandpa lived with my parents, they were there everyday to take care of him and my dad was right by his side when he died. He loved his dad and his dad loved him!! It was a very touching day and very emotional!! We love you Grandpa/Great Papa!!! And we pray that you may forever rest in peace!!! Until we meet again!!!

Beware...

The following post is just a few of my ramblings!!! I have a lot of emotions going through my head right now but I wanted to say a few things for me for later so that's what you'll find...

Be your Best-There is no Second Fiddle

I am a picture-aholic this I know!!! But there is a reason to my madness!!! As we've been here in California for my Grandpa's Funeral and now the death of my cousin's baby, we have been through a LOT of pictures!!! My mom and the rest of my family are the same way!! But the crazy thing is the fact that most of the pictures of not only my dad's family with Grandpa but all the other families have come mostly from either my mom or ones that I or my sister have taken. It's sad to me!! Especially with today's technologies we are so blessed to have digital and computers and the Internet. Use those cameras folks!!

Another thing I have learned, of course once again, is how precious life is. With Uncle Rick, then Grandpa and now Baby Chace, you never know when it's coming!! You see when Brian and Jared were killed 16 years ago, I think Heavenly Father was preparing us for things yet to come!! I come from a very strong family full of very strong individuals, but life changes people and life sometimes changes relationships. I am so glad I know our Heavenly Father's plan for His Children!! I'm so glad that I understand life after death and the joys that come with that knowledge!! I love my family and with each one that has passed on, my heart breaks a little more!! While I never want to experience death on the same level as some of my other family members, especially loosing one of my own children, I do understand that we never know when these things will happen.
Another experience as I've watched the video that my brother-in-law has been working on, is how strongly my grandpa felt about his family. He LOVED his family and he expressed that every day!! My sister did a video interview with my grandpa a few years back and it has been so touching to hear his feelings expressed from his own mouth. He had a lot he taught each of us while he was here and yet there is more he wants us to understand in all of this!! Family is very important and I don't believe that it is by chance that we were sent to the families we were. But unfortunately we tend to be less forgiving and less accepting of those within our family as we might with those outside of it. It's hard!! Family can bring so much happiness yet so much sorrow and pain. They know things about us that sometimes we might forget, yet in the end they are there for us when we need them. They don't make choices that we agree with all the time, and maybe they take attention from our parents that we want, however it's their life and they will have to deal with the consequences of their decisions. I know I'm not perfect but I also know that I have a Grandfather who said the Best knowledge he learned from his youth that he carried with him through all his life was "Be your Best!! There is no second fiddle" And that is all I can strive to be everyday and that's all I hope my family will strive to be everyday!!
Mom and Dad-I hope I can live up to the name that I carry and always be part of a wonderful Legacy that has been shared with me by a Great Man!!
To my dear husband-I love you and am so grateful that you are so forgiving(especially now as I have so very little patience during this pregnancy)!! I Love you and am so grateful for the wonderful things that I have learned from your dear family as well!!
And To my darling little girl(and this new baby coming soon)-You are my world!!! I love you so much and am grateful every moment that I am blessed to have you in my life!! You bring so much happiness to my life and I can't ever imagine loosing you!!! So you can't go anywhere!!! I watched as my own parents lost 2 of their precious sons and I've watched as my dear cousins have lost their precious baby, and I don't ever what to have to deal with it!!! Sorry I'm selfish and I'm putting in my request on this one!!! Thank you for letting me be your mom!!!

A Few of my Favorites!!!

I was playing around with a few pictures this morning as I've been going through mine for my mom. I sure Loved this Man!!

This one of Grandpa and Kevin is sweet too!!

This is another one from when Jaylee first met Great Papa!! I guess I should be grateful!! A few years ago as I watched my siblings have kids and watched those tender moments with Grandpa and them. I Longed for those moments with one of my own. When Grandpa got really sick just before Jaylee was born, I thought I would never get that. But then he got better, so when she was 2 months old, she and I flew to California so she could meet this special man. I remember as we walked through the door I couldn't help but smile as I placed this beautiful new little spirit in the arms of this amazing old spirit. I took a ton of pictures that day and the 3 days we were there, but my heart captured moments that a camera never could. I am so grateful that over the past 2 1/2 years, I've been able to get some great memories of this Gentle man with my little girl. A little girl that is so much like her namesake. She is one of the 9 that carries a part of his name, but she carries so much more then just his name. And I hope it always stays that way!! Yes Grandpa was stubborn, and a "slave driver" at times, he was opinionated and at times loud, but you always knew where you stood with him. He was gentle, and kind and sweet. He was tender and loving and had an understanding of family and love like very few I know!! If that's how Jaylee turns out to be, she'll be okay!!

This is from this last Halloween. I love how big he's smiling here!!

And this is just a classic picture of a young man going to serve his country and the story is told, he came home a better Man!! He served his country Great!!! He worked hard, he cried for his Army Family, and he laughed with them. He found new ways to get along in a bad circumstance. He wanted warm showers so he took an old radiator and tinkered with it until he was able to get his warm shower. Her served in Japan for a time and when he and his Army family found food stashed in these huge underground rooms, they shared it with the people of that country. He was the go-to guy!!

We Love you Grandpa Hoover!!

I was once told that when you write you should write about things you know. This is what I know!! The little boy in this picture grew up to be a GREAT man!!!
A loving brother who always looked out for his sisters and brothers!!

A Corporal in the US Army, he served our country with great strength and great pride. He believed in the American way, and he LOVED America!!

A Veteran of World War 2, he came home and continued to be a hard worker. And he was all of his life!! He was always tinkering with something!!

He had a smile that made you believe that you could do anything!! And if you needed the help to do it, He was right there to help you!!

He LOVED his family!! 4 Children, 14 Grandchildren and 18 Great-Grandchildren with 3 more on the way. His family was everything to him!! The only times I've ever seen him cry, were always associated with his family!!

His hands had so much strength and so much tenderness as well!!

He LOVED to be involved in what was going on, even crazy things like 3 witches thinking they are so cute and so cool!!!

He LOVED to play and it didn't matter what the game he loved to spend time with the kids!!

He will always have a very special place in my heart and I always knew I had a special place in his heart!! I was his "Little Doll" all my life and I always will be!!!

He was loved greatly by his kids and grandkids and great-grandkids!! 9 of them carry the Lee part of his name in some way!!

He was a man full of love and ready to give to anyone who needed it!! He lived a Great LONG life and we're happy he's having a sweet reunion with his family. His Parents, siblings, 2 grandsons and most recently his son, Rick. We will miss you so much Grandpa, but we will always remember the Legacy of Love and Family that you shared with us!!! May you forever Rest in Peace!! And may you forever Know that our Love for you will never die!! Thanks for being a wonderful Man, Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather!!! I know why my Dad is so wonderful-He had a GREAT example!! We Love You!!!