Karen Louise

 I am so very blessed to have had such a wonderful woman as my mother-in-law.  She loved her family unconditionally, always.  She admired her grandchildren, she was devoted to her husband and their life on the farm, she was extraordinarily proud of her children and told stories and shared news about them often, and she always accepted and loved me with arms wide open.  I loved her telling stories, I loved the way she loved watching the kids play, and I loved her entirely.  

She will greatly be missed by me, by Keane, by our children, and by the huge family she raised, including six children, sixteen grandchildren, and seventeen great-grandchildren (with more on the way).  

Donn said he always told her he wanted to die first, and she wasn't to leave him here without her.  He misses her so much - his lifelong companion.  He said they first started dating when she was 14 years old.  While they knew of each other before, they first met when they both sang in a church choir in Wellsville around Christmas-time.  They were high school sweethearts (going to different schools), and they both with to Truman State for a short time together.  

They got married in 1960 and then shortly after, bought their first piece of land and moved a 10x50 ft trailer there.  Karen had told me that Daniel was 1st one born after they moved there, so they must have had Del prior to living there (he was born in 1961).  

Karen loved the color blue, loved every wildflower bouquet Donn brought home to her, and absolutely loved her dogs, Heidi, and more recently, Baylee.  She was pretty tech-savvy for her age and loved sending and receiving photos and kept track of records for years.  

The last in-person visit I got with her, she proudly watched the girls playing with the white dove pet at the nursing home she was at for the last couple weeks of her life, and she told me the story about when she was a kid and lived in Wellsville, she had a parakeet and took its cage outside to clean it, and her bird flew out and went soaring above her in the air, and then swooped back inside the cage and she locked it in safely.  She said another time, her sister Jean had a bird that did almost the same thing, but it didn't return.  

Donn said he realized that the world doesn't just stop when Karen left...but it sure feels like it should.  This morning, a cardinal visited Keane on our deck -- a sweet visitor from Heaven 💙  She gets to be with her parents and siblings and son.  I know she is enjoying that, but we really miss her.

Farrah - 7 Year Old Beauty

 I really had wanted to do something different for Farrah's birthday this year.  I tried to plan a family weekend to a water park or hotel, but Keane reminded me that there is something special and nostalgic about having friends over to help celebrate your birthday when you are a kid.  So Farrah invited her four best friends over for a "camping" style birthday party.  One friend decided not to come, and one friend decided to come over but not stay the night (although she stayed until around 11:00pm).  They came over after Summer School, and the entire evening was filled with one thing after another.  

Nana brought cookies, icing, and sprinkles, so the girls all decorated a couple cookies each.  They played on the slip & slide, with water balloons, opened presents, Keane grilled burgers and hot dogs for supper, and then I pitched our easy-to-open tent and the girls brought toys and tablets and got all cozy in the tent, and then came out, and went back in, which continued until I decided to move the tent in downstairs.  Throughout the evenings, there were many little tiffs but we worked through them all, and finally the night settled down and the girls said they talked for awhile before falling asleep.

In the middle of the night, Farrah woke up scared not knowing how to get out of the tent, but her friend helped her out, and I settled her nerves, and they all went back to sleep until 8:00am.  They woke up, had cinnamon rolls, and played outside a little more before the girls were picked up.

I know Farrah had a wonderful birthday with her friends!  We opened some presents with the family the evening before her actual birthday since that week was very full with ball games and events!

Farrah, you are extraordinary in so many ways.  Your emotions run deep and drive you completely.  You love to get goofy and be silly.  You love watching TV shows like Liv & Maddy and Good Luck Charlie.  You play really well with Augusta when you want to.  You enjoy playing with Barbie dolls, babies, and school.  You love helping and being right where I am.  You love to go on side-by-side rides to the farm and you especially love when you get to help open gates and fences!  You are always wanting to be in on all the conversations around you, but you are always so excited to share what has happened in your day, and to ask everyone what their favorite part of the day was.  You get excited if we get to eat in the living room for supper (mostly because you get to watch your tablet), you love family movie nights downstairs (even though you seem to like playing more than movie watching), and you are amazing at falling asleep quickly in your bed at bedtime.

You are excited to be going into the 1st Grade with Mrs. Davis as your teacher this fall.  You can read almost anything you attempt to read.  You are a great eater, loving all meat, vegetables, and fruit!  You love your family with all of your heart, and we love you just the same. 

Augusta turns 4, and then back to 3

Augusta is bound and determined not to grow up. It upsets her to even hear the phrase, "when you grow up..." She literally prays to God to not let her grow up. I privately pray against her wishes that she will, because the alternative scares me badly. 

So she was hesitant to have her birthday coming up. However, she did want a birthday party and gifts, but didn't want to turn a year older. After talking about it a lot, she finally agreed to turn four for the day of her birthday, but then wanted to turn back to three immediately after. 

Her fourth birthday fell on a Saturday, and a couple of weeks before, we had attended a birthday party for her best friend, Lincoln, at the Martinsburg park, so she wanted the same birthday party in a rainbow theme, which was easy enough for this mama. We invited her class a couple of her cousins, decorated with Farrah's unicorn birthday decorations from when she turned four. 

It turned out perfectly with the weather and the turn-out and the gifts. I also nailed her rainbow birthday cake with sprinkles and unicorn candles she had requested.  My heart was very thankful for all who helped celebrate our sweet little girl on her special day. 

From us she got a Polly pocket, a new Rocky (Paw Patrol), a gumball machine, a rescue pet toy, and heart sunglasses. Nana and Papa gave her the big Marshall (Paw Patrol) firetruck, and Grandma and Grandpa Brooks got her the Paw Patrol kitties. Her friends gave her so many great toys and Aunt Kimberly got her some cute outfits and a sunhat and sunglasses which Farrah got matching ones also. 

Augusta talks so much, and constantly asks if she can have something she sees, usually on her tablet, like a pretty dress and shoes. She says adorable thibgs like calls wasps "waps," says"craby" instead of crazy, and calls little kids "honeys." She takes her clothes off the moment we walk in the door because she gets hot, and her body really truly is warm. She might flip you off under the table and she is the toughest girl I've ever met, even though she's only four. 

Her prayers are simple and funny. She says, "Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for Mama, Daddy, Kaden, Kylie, Farrah, and myself. Thank you for our happiness and our self (supposed to be our health), please let...and then random things she's usually thankful for, like recently...my new room, please let the stickers on my bed, please let me new toys. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen."

My post to you: Happy 4th Birthday to our littlest one!! She was quite determined to stay three, but with all the love, celebration, and gifts she received today from her family and friends, she agreed to turn four with her prerequisite that she will go back to being three. 

Dear Augusta Joy, I hope your next year in this crazy world is filled with as much beauty and strength as you exude! 💙🧡 Let your soul shine ✨

Happy 4th Birthday, pretty. I pray you'll soon embrace growing up, because you're growing up so beautifully!