Remembering Dougie

I really didn't have the "Christmas Spirit" the whole season so on the 24th I woke up and made my mind up that today would be the day and started working toward that goal. I got a call from Jenna at about 10:30 a.m. and she was on her way to Grandma Mary's. There was something with Doug and she said "mom they think he's dead"...my heart stopped and I couldn't believe what she was telling me. From that point on that day there certainly was no thought of Christmas. Our family was reeling with the news that Grandma Mary found Doug dead at between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. on the morning of the 24th. I called Velda and she was devistated and it broke my heart to hear her sob at the loss of her little brother, Dougie. Calls made back and forth throughout the day confirmed that indeed, Doug had passed away sometime between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. on the morning of the 24th. His body was taken for autopsy to confirm cause of death (we're thinking heart attack) and as of yesterday (Saturday) the autopsy was complete but coroner's report won't be ready for 45 days or so. His wife, Caroline, said that his wishes were to be cremated and she is honoring his wish. Details at this point is that there will be a family viewing on Wednesday or Thursday, cremation on Friday, and graveside services in Thatcher on Saturday or Sunday. My point for writing this is to sort out my emotions, to share my love for Doug.

When Don and I started dating back in 1969, Dougie was 6 years old and the cutest little kid ever... dark hair, dark eyes and all the personality that the cherished baby of the family has. His personality was fun and he loved to laugh. By the time that Don and I got married in 1974 he was almost 12 years old and still fun as ever. He stayed with us a lot when Farrell and Mary went out of town on buying trips or on vacations during the school year. One time in particular, Don and I were living in our little trailer over on Voigt Street and Doug was staying with us. The movie, "What's Up Doc?" starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neil came on the tv and Doug and I were watching it. It was a funny movie and that dang kid got to laughing so hard he would fart and the more he would fart, the more he would laugh. I laughed so hard I thought that I would pee my pants. Doug had so many good friends growing up, Scott Hamblin, Kelly Udall, Tony Eagar, Trenton Lund, just to name a few. Doug worked for Don plumbing once-in-awhile, too. He was terrified of Elwin Browning and one day they (Don & Kelly LeSueur) and (Elwin & Doug) were racing to see who could get x amount of plumbing done by noon. The losers had to buy lunch. Going along at a pretty good clip but losing slightly, Elwin yelled something at Doug and Doug said he looked up to see Elwin running at him on the floor joists then suddenly, Elwin fell and hit the ground. Doug just knew that was the ONLY thing that saved his life that day. When I told Elwin of Doug's death this morning he said that Doug had to have a testimony of prayer because why else would Elwin have fallen that day?

Doug will be missed and his loss mourned by all of us. He leaves behind his two boys, Josh 22, Justin 21 and the darling of his life, Maddie (4). We (my kids - know what it's like to lose your dad) and I know what his wife, Caroline is going through at the loss of her husband. It won't be easy for them, but I have a testimony that families can be forever. Heavenly Father knows their needs and will comfort them as only He can. We love all of them and are so very sad. I expressed to Mary that no mother should lose one child, let alone two. She is stronger than she thinks and is going to be needed by Doug's family. Caroline's parents are both gone and Mary is all she has. Priesthood blessings have been given and comfort felt.

I just want all of you to know that I love you. I love Doug and my heart breaks for his family. I love Mary and am thankful for the strength she has been to my family. We can get through this as a family with all the love and support that we have for each other.

Ok...It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas (again)

So there has been this BIG storm forecast for the last few days and we are supposed to be getting one of the biggest snow storms in years. So far it has spit a little. Wasn't the wind on Friday and Saturday something else? Those people living in the tornado states don't have much on us. So many trees in town blew over. I'm worried about the two big spruce trees in my yard and am thinking of having them taken out before they take my house or somebody elses out :o(

Kamryn is spending the night and so far I've only threatened to beat her with a stick a dozen times. Must be the terrible twos...actually she is pretty good most of the time but once-in-awhile she gives me a run for my money. We played chase with Sadie until Sadie got tired of us and went outside and now I am blog stalking because she wanted to see the pictures of the "owiee" on Whitney and Cord's blog. She and Gunnar are obsessed with the pictures of his welts from paint ball.

I am so far from being ready for Christmas it isn't funny. We decided to work on food supply and not spend money on foo foo this year as a family so it is different. Having a hard time deciding what to get for the grandkids. Don't have the money to buy everything I want so narrowing down to what I can afford and what is available is proving to be interesting.

Kamryn helped me decorate my little tree yesterday afternoon. She enjoyed playing with the "balls" - I bought some shatterproof plastic ones so that the grand kids could enjoy the tree and so far she thinks it is pretty.

Gunnar got a puppy and has started calling her "Sadie Sue" (that's what I call Sadie) and I guess it's gonna stick. Puppy might drive them over the edge - guess it cries non-stop 24/7. Just glad it isn't me.

Bailey wants to walk but isn't quite brave enough to take more than a step. Trentin is getting pretty brave and might beat her.

Tad is working on some remodels and last week had to work on some roofs (snow and all) and this week he says he gets to work inside.

Have to get some inspiration, energy, motivation or something...any ideas?

It's A Full Moon

The full moon Friday night will be the biggest one of the year as Earth's natural satellite reaches its closest point to our planet.
Earth, the moon and the sun are all bound together by gravity, which keeps us going around the sun and keeps the moon going around us as it goes through phases. The moon makes a trip around Earth every 29.5 days. But the orbit is not a perfect circle.
The moon's average distance from us is about 238,855 miles (384,400 km). Friday night it will be just 221,560 miles (356,567 km) away. It will be 14 percent bigger in our sky and 30 percent brighter than some other full moons during the year, according to NASA.
Tides will be higher Friday night, too. Earth's oceans are pulled by the gravity of the moon and the sun. So when the moon is closer, tides are pulled higher. Scientists call these perigean tides, because the moon's closest point to Earth is called perigee. The farthest point on the lunar orbit is called apogee.
Some other strange lunar facts:
The moon is moving away as you read this, by about 1.6 inches (4 centimeters) a year. Eventually it'll be torn apart as an expanding sun pushes the moon back toward Earth for a wrenching close encounter.
There is no proof the full moon makes people crazy.
Beaches are more polluted during full moon, owing to the higher tides.
The moon will rise Friday evening right around sunset, no matter where you are. That's because of the celestial mechanics that produce a full moon: The moon and the sun are on opposite sides of the Earth, so that sunlight hits the full face of the moon and bounces back to our eyes.
At moonrise, the moon will appear even larger than it will later in the night when it's higher in the sky. This is an illusion that scientists can't fully explain. Some think it has to do with our perception of things on the horizon vs. stuff overhead.
Try this trick, though: Using a pencil eraser or similar object held at arm's length, gauge the size of the moon when it's near the horizon and again later when it's higher up and seems smaller. You'll see that when compared to a fixed object, the moon will be the same size in both cases.
You can see all this on each night surrounding the full moon, too, because the moon will be nearly full, rising earlier Thursday night and later Saturday night.
Interestingly, because of the mechanics of all this, the moon is never truly 100 percent full. For that to happen, all three objects have to be in a perfect line, and when that rare circumstance occurs, there is a total eclipse of the moon.