Erika's birthday

Here it is a beautiful sunny day . . . February 19, 2009 . . . some 34 years after a memorable February 19th of 1975. Erika joined our family. 'Twas a beautiful night in our little trailer near Ketchum, Idaho - except for one thing - contractions!! Having been through this once before, I decided I didn't want to spend a long time at the hospital . . . so stuck around the house waiting and watching TV. Then when the contractions became quite serious, we loaded up Andrea and headed to the hospital in Hailey. Dropped Andrea off at our friends, Jay and Carole Butler's and then to the hospital. After the initial exam by the on duty nurse, Vic got a royal chewing out for waiting so long . . . They hurriedly called the doctor . . . and prepared me for delivery . . . But Erika has never been one to do things the easy way - so instead of having her right then and there, once the doctor arrived, they had to use forceps to turn her head . . . as she was posterior. Had that not happened, I would probably have had her near the world famous radio station KSKI. We stayed overnight at the hospital (well finished that night out) and spent the day . . . then home. She was the best baby - she slept through the night the very first night at home! I knew from that time on I was gonna love this girl!

She joined her big sister, Andrea. Shortly after she was born, we bought our first real home and moved to Bellevue. There we were happy as could be on Lower Broadford road. She gave me my first real mother scare when she was less than a year old . . . she had a cough that didn't seem to go away - so finally took her in to have it checked and they put her right in the hospital with pnuemonia. It broke my heart to leave my baby laying there in that steam tent knowing I couldn't pick her up and hold her. She recovered quickly . . . thank goodness!

Next door was a little neighbor - almost the same age as Erika. Robin Moore. They spent many hours together - at our place or across the fence at Robin's. Before Erika started school she and Robin were playing "superwoman" - running and jumping as they held hands . . . well on one mighty jump, Robin landed before Erika - but still held on . . . Erika cried a bit . . . actually quite a bit. I should have remembered the pnuemonia incident . . . but she went on for several days still managing to play . .. but at night when I would put her down and go back to check on her, she would groan . . . told Vic I thought something was wrong . .. but since we could see nothing out of the ordinary we figured this too shall pass. But it didn't - so after about 3 days, took her in and guilt overtook me again . .. not only was her arm broken, but her shoulder was out. Put a cast on and she was back in business . . . I realized then that she was a tough little person!

Not only was she tough physically - but we discovered that she had a rather strong spirit! Especially when it was time to eat her peas at dinnertime. She could sit for hours . . . knowing we would break - or else if given the choice of "which do you want, to eat your peas or take a spanking?" she would take the spanking - and then would look Vic in the eye and tell him "that didn't hurt!". We discovered some peas that were mummified alongside her bed . .. have no idea how long they had been there!

Erika loved to play dress up . . . and she had a favorite dress that we got at a thrift store . . . it was a little black number that had a plunging neckline and rhinestones. When she was in kindergarten, her teacher let me know that Erika was wearing her dress at school . . . she would put it in her backpack - unbeknowst to me - and then do the quick change before school started. I should have known that she was just developing her own fashion ideas . . . and she still has her own unique style . . . always stylish . . . but just not what I would have expected.

Oh, there are many stories that I could tell . . . but today I just want to say how happy I am to be Erika's mom! She has brought me great joy and I have learned much along the road of motherhood from her. She has such a caring gentle heart . . . and how happy I am that she is my daughter! As the years have gone by, I think she is more and more "her mother's daughter" - scary as that thought may be (to both of us).

So no matter how we remember you - as "Stub", Smirkie, or Mrs. Griffin - you have touched our lives and I love you lots and lots!! Happy birthday!

My Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine's Day . . . what better day to begin a Blog than today? It's hard to believe that I've spent almost 40 years with my Valentine . . . Vic!! Many happy days have been ours and many more lie ahead. I had this little thought the other day . . . the longer we live, the shorter our moments. Maybe I'm just getting a little more "grown up" and realizing that I need to cherish my moments as they come. The events of the past few weeks have made this even more meaningful to me.

It hardly seems possible that just last Saturday I was at my niece's (Jana Bell Thornton) funeral. How quickly her short life went and how she left us so suddenly and unexpectedly. I wish that I had spent more time with her . .. but will cherish more and more the times we were together. Vic and I were celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary (January 28th) - sharing the scrumptious delights at Sizzler . . . my choice. We had gone early in the evening so that we could head on out to teach the ladies at prison for our usual Wednesday night. As we came out, got a call from Laura on my cell phone telling me of a horrid accident invovling Jana and Brock. They were driving to the Salt Lake airport to fly out to see her sister, Holly, who lives in Chicago - hit some slush . . . rolled the car . .. they were thrown out and Jana had extensive head injuries. So the family spent a long 4 days filled with hope . . . but knowing in our hearts that her chances weren't good. The hard decision was made to take her off life support . .. and we arrived at the hospital just prior to that decision. She only stayed with us for a short few minutes after that and we were left with our broken hearts and memories. I am sharing 2 photos that we took of her at her wedding which was on September 20, 2008.

So as I celebrate posting my first blog, I also celebrate all the wonderful members of my family who love and support one another through hard times and happy times. What is life without family and faith that the family bonds are forever?