So, we had a much better week this last week. Three of our family graduated. Katie (our youngest) from the University of Arizona, Evan and Collin from preschool! Lots of fun!

So, Katie is a graduate! She graduated from the U of A with a Bachelor's in Anthropology. She now get's to dig in the dirt officially and she seems to really enjoy it. She must, cuz she did this while raising Collin, being a business owner, a wife, a sister, daughter, and granddaughter! Plus she's pregnant with son #2! She wore lots and lots of hats and we are very proud of her! (The hat was actually Terry's from when he graduated....Katie didn't 'walk' so she doesn't have one of her own.)

So, Collin's preschool had a program for his 'graduation'. He, as of this Tuesday, will be in kindergarden! He was a shark in the play. They got to color their own guitars! And he got to beat on a really big drum, but we didn't get a very good shot of that. Sorry Collin. We love you!

This is Evan. HIS preschool did a graduation ceremony. Caps, gowns, tassels, the whole bit. He even got a 'diploma'! He was so funny! He took off as soon as we got to the school and when Heidi told him he had to come stay with her until they told her what to do, he said "Mom. I'm graduating today, I have to go see my friends!" Seriously! He is so funny! Afterwards, we went for icecream. Then, come the next Monday when Heidi told him he had to get up for school he said no he didn't cuz he already graduated! Aren't 5 year olds grand?

Look out kindergarden. Here he comes!

After Collin's play, we took him back to his classroom. He gave us all hugs and kisses goodbye. When it was Poppa's turn, Collin grabbed this little step and got up so Poppa didn't have to bend down to kiss him since his shoulder is broken. So sweet!

Ok, last week was totally crazy - no fun but lots and lots of blessings! When the Lord puts a bump in our road, he somehow makes it easier for us to get over. Tuesday, Del crashed his Q-link scooter. He wasn't hit by anyone and didn't hit anything, other than the curb that tipped him over and the sidewalk on his right side. He did the 'slide to stop' thing. He WAS wearing his helmet, which has a nasty case of road rash! Blessing #1 - he DOESN'T have road rash on his head. He broke his shoulder blade in three places - one close to the socket joint. Blessing #2 - it's not so close that they have to do any surgery! He broke his collar bone in one place and three ribs. Blessing #3 - no ribs hitting lungs, no punctures, again, no surgery. He has road rash on his shoulder that is healing nicely and one on his left hand. Oh, Blessing #4 - he's LEFT HANDED! :o) So his right arm in a sling is painful as are the broken bones - but he can eat, write, bathe, etc! Blessing #5 - he was only in the trauma unit 7 1/2 hours and I got to take him home!
We hadn't done the swamp cooler thing yet (I know, we live in AZ! It should have been done long before now but......) so on Wednesday, Kim and Jason came and Jason got on the roof and measured the pads and then they went to buy new ones (they paid for them too - how nice is that!). Then on Thursday, Jason and his dad, Scott, came and installed the pads, checked the pump, hooked up the water and turned it on! COOL AIR! - that's Blessing #6! You NEED cool air when it is triple digit weather! Happy Birth Dellas!
On Friday night, I noticed that I could hear water running in my bathtub and there was no one there! Dang! A broken pipe! ugh! So we turned off the water to the house and went to bed. We figured we'd deal in the AM! Saturday morning, I called a plumber that had an ad in our community news letter. He came out three hours later, replaced two elbows under our house then said that we still had water running down the pipe! So he went into the bedroom, cut a hole in our wall and fixed the pipe behind the tub. Then he went out, checked the hot water heater (I had turned off the gas so it needed to be restarted), told us that the tank was old and we were going to need to replace it in a few months but we would be ok through the summer since the weather keeps the water pretty warm all by its self. Total bill for nearly 2 hours? $150 - which we had! Blessing #7 - this was the first time in 39 years of marriage that we have had to hire a plumber (Del is quite handy) and we got an ethical one!
My zucchini plant is growing by leaps and bounds! We have two that will be ready by the end of the week, probably. We are excited - and I know that sounds weird but....... And the bunnies have only eaten one tomato plant before I fenced them in (they are in big tubs so who would have thought!) and IT is coming back! And the rose bush we planted and the bunnies ate to 6 inch stalks has leaves all over it (and a fence around it!). I'll lump that all under one Blessing! #8.
Oh dear, I KNOW we had many more blessings happen this week! Oh, I know, when we bought our new car in December, we kept the old one. So, when Dellas can drive again, he won't have to drive the gas hog 3/4 ton Dodge! So that will save gas. Blessing #9. When I was heading to the ER, I got kinda lost so I called Terry, Katie's husband, who talked to me until I got to the hospital. Then he came (even though I told him he didn't need to) and brought Collin in to see Poppa for a quick minute and then waited outside until Kim and Katie could come.. Blessing #10
Then, Heidi was too far away to come to the hospital - since we didn't know how much longer we would be there - so she went to our house, took the doggies for a nice long walk and then did my dishes! That was so wonderful to come home to clean dishes! Blessing #11.
I have a great job that says families come first so I was able to be with Del as much as I needed to be without worry. My co-worker's wife came and covered the phones for me! Blessing #12.
Wow, Blessing #13 is a biggie. Since Del drives school bus - he's pretty much done with work until school starts up in the middle of July (modified year-round school). When I took him to the office to fill out his time sheet for 1 1/2 days - they informed him that he has 106 hours of sick pay coming! I don't think I knew that he had sick pay! So, with VERY careful budgeting, we will be OK financially!
Blessing #14? We have wonderful children who are willing to do whatever we need help with and have been a really big blessings through all of this! They have rallied around us and supported us. Shawn, Heidi's husband who was in Chicago all week, was even going to fly home! Thankfully, Del wasn't hurt badly so he stayed in the cold! Jason, Kimi's husband, was going to skip class and come. Our grandchildren have all called Poppa several times to make sure he was OK. Evan, Heidi's son, was really upset because we didn't have a birthday party for Poppa on Thursday! Not even cake! We are doing something later, when Poppa feels better. One more family blessing! Shawn, who doesn't like heights, got up on our roof on Saturday because the water line to the swamp cooler had come loose and was sending water all over the roof, not IN the cooler! It happened shortly before they came so we didn't get too awfully hot before they got there! Since I don't like heights either, I know how hard that was for him.

We are so eternally grateful to a loving Heavenly Father! And to all of our friends and family who have kept us in their prayers, sent kind emails and thoughts our way. Thank you can't say it all - but you know what we mean!

How's this for totally crazy?! This woman was taking her bird for a walk! The red box in the cart was a pet carrier, I think. I took this from the road. She used the crosswalk in front of me and I couldn't believe my eyes as she walked past! I was sure glad I had my camera in the car..... This was actually taken in March. I wonder if she was taking him/her to Pet Co?!