October

Oh October.  What a crazy month that was!  We started the month of with a bang... or a garage sale, rather.  Now... I have GOT to admit.  I hate hate hate garage sales.  Hate them.  I am not a people person... and so having the interact with strangers in that capacity... not my cup of tea.  But my dad and DLo did all that dirty work after I cleaned every crevice of the house finding "treasures" and setting it all up on the tables!  The kids had a lot of fun hanging out at Papa and Hanni's house while the sale was going on...Hanni had left for Korea (for a MONTH!) the day before... so I had to manage the three kids... but they were wonderful!  :)

We headed up north for several days the following week...and let me tell you... I was SO excited to get out of the HEAT!  It seems like this year just will NOT cool down!  (and wouldn't you know...that as soon as we get to Flagstaff...Phoenix decides to have the coolest, wettest weekend!) I had to spend alot of the week with the kiddos by myself in the hotel room- b/c Derrick had to be at rehearsal/church... but the kids and I had a lot of fun- and still had a great time w/ daddy too!  Some highlights from our trip:
*  going to Oregano's- twice!
*  the kids playing "elevator" in the closet
*  SNOW!
* the view of the trains
* the free breakfast- blahhhhh!
* the creepy guy from the church who answered for me that Emme's name is "beautiful" (roundhouse kick- at the ready!)
*  trying to "check out" on my own- and making about 500 trips down to the car (missing phone, missing wipes, more diapers...)
*  seeing the Waltons at church!
*  UFC at the Reed's

October was a month that also brought the family together.  Derrick and I hosted a delicious brunch with his Meme and uncle Jeromy (and family)... it was at this brunch that Meme informed us to go visit Pa at the nursing home... something we had been planning on doing for a while but couldn't due to different circumstances.  ...the brunch was on a Friday.  On Monday... I kidnapped Tori (drove all the way to her son's first day of preschool across town to pick her up!  The look on her face= priceless) and took her to the Red Door Spa for a day of pampering... and on Wednesday we went to visit Pa.  We were so glad we did... it was so touching to watch Derrick read the Bible to him... and to see his poor, frail body respond to the Word.  That Saturday... Pa left this world... it was a very sad sad time... I found myself grieving, not as much for myself, but for my kids- who will only know him through stories... and knowing that, seeing as they have 5 other great-grands, this will not be the last time they experience death.  Although he is young... Jude knows that Pa is with Jesus... and like the rest of us... is looking forward to seeing him again!

Pa's memorial was beautiful.  It was touching to see all the people come to support the Logan/Beaver family.  It meant the world to me, personally, that my dad was there... as well as Pasor Don, Joe  (DLo's boss), and Ashley.  Derrick did a wonderful job singing...we were all a hott mess by the end of the memorial... but it certainly opened my eyes- life is short- even if you get to live a full one... what am I doing with mine...and how much do I know about those whom I love?


And finally... Miss Kate!  She's getting so stinkin' big... and this month, she turned 4 months old.  Her smile brightens up any room... and those HUGE brown eyes melt my heart!