A Surprise Visit

Grandma Shirley, Nikki & I

Nikki with 6 month old Ryker Jay

Shane & Ryker


Bella doing some kind of scary!!



Me going out on the town with Nikki & Yesenia

Grandma Shirley playing on the slide with Caitlyn. What 79 year old Great Grandma does that? Ours does. Grandma climbed up the back ladder and down she went.

Grandma Shirley & Caitlyn

Nikki & I

Grandma Shirley 79 Years Old

Pecan Pie for her Birthday Cake

Travis & Audra

Audra & I

Dustin & Yessie with Ryker

Well as you can see we have had a very busy week. We arrived home Sunday evening and on Tuesday afternoon my Grandma & cousin Nikki from Oregon flew in. This had apparently been planned for about 2 months. It was awesome to see them and spend the week with them.

We didn't really go anywhere. Just relaxing, talking, & playing games together. We were all here to be with Grandma Shirley. While she was here, she turned 79. I can't even imagine. She is such a wonderful Grandma and an example of a Godly woman. On her birthday, we had a mini-Thanksgiving Dinner with all the fixings. It was delicious. She had a pecan pie for her birthday cake. At dinner, we gave her the special plate that our family uses. It is a large gold charger and whoever has it, is the "special person" for the evening. Everyone at the table went around and told Grandma why we loved her and how special she was to each of us. It was pretty special. One of the reasons that I love my Grandma so much is because of the example of what a wife and mother should be. No one is perfect but she is pretty awesome. When I was about 11 she asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up...I said, "I want to be a Mom & wife just like you." Guess what. I am. To have such a beautiful heritage is the best. I am so glad she is around for my children too. She has 27 Grandchildren & 11 GreatGrandchildren. We are a truly blessed and fertile family. LOL

Well in the midst of all of this, Mom was still in Washington/Oregon visiting with Family & Friends. She came home on Friday night. Travis picked her up. So Mom and Grandma stayed in her room. Nikki & Ryker stayed in Chandler's room, Travis is living in Connor's room, (Yes I said living) and the boys stayed in the playroom on the hideabed. In the evenings for dinner there were 13 people and of course Sheba the dog. Crazy Crazy but lots of fun. It was nice to visit and step somewhat away and have a break from everything else going on in our lives.

So Travis is now living with us also. So our steady household residents are 7 plus Sheba. It is a full house, but overall I think it is functioning very well if I do say so myself. Travis will be moving back here permanently. He came down the Sunday we got home from the funeral and began job hunting. On Thursday, he got a job. He is working for the same security company that Dustin is working for. He started that job on Monday. So we are excited for him. And Audra is very happy!!! So are we.

Saturday night, Yesenia, Nikki & I went out to our favorite Chinese restaurant "House of Taipei". Yummy!!!! Nikki likes it and now it is a tradition when she comes to go. Then we went to a movie. So that was nice for some girl time out on the town. We are some real party girls!!! LOL JK

Tomorrow is my last day of treatment for radiation. I can hardly believe it. It feels like forever with having to go everyday but than again I can't believe I am finally done. All of the staff have been great. They were so nice and friendly thru the whole process. I will be sad not to see them each day. Kind of. The next big hurdle will be to get re inflated. Which I have an appointment right after my last radiation. LOL I am ready to at least look half way normal and I finally get to wear normal deodorant. Whoo Hoo!!!! Ahhhh..... the simple things in life.

As you can probably tell from the pictures my hair has grown out even more. I had it trimmed right before I went to Washington and it is growing like crazy. Nikki highlighted it for me. And showed me another way to style it. Today getting in the truck it was a little windy and I could actually feel my hair moving in the back. I sent a quick Thank you Jesus for my hair being long enough to feel it move. I have noticed with the colder weather and my "length challenged hair" that my ears and neck are going to freeze this winter. It is weird the things you never notice before when you have long hair. But it is finally growing and hopefully will be long and beautiful soon.

Please pray for my cousin Nikki's dad, Uncle Greg. She called my a while ago and said that they admitted him into the hospital with chest and left arm pain. They believe he was having a heart attack. He is only in his early 50's. Pray for a quick recovery and that God will use this to minister to him.

Thank you to Nikki and Grandma for coming all the way out here. It was so much fun. Thanks Yessie for the help in the kitchen with cooking and all.

Love

Rachael