Sunday, January 9, 2011
Death in the family?
No. We had thought that Bob's father Herman was going to die this week due to his poor health. In fact, the doctors had prepared us for this. It was a shock (a good one) that Herman was healthier than the doctors anticipated and he was able to breathe on his own without a ventilator. He is not fixed, but he is going home.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Annual Family Update
2010 in Review and Happy New Year!
All that is Edwards, Atkinson, and Knox
Why send Christmas letters…
when you can procrastinate…
and send New Year’s Greetings!
First, we are all well and hope you are too! And we are looking forward to putting 2010 behind us and jumping into 2011! Watch out below!
Bob is first in our end of year round up. He is fine. He worked all of this year as a field technician for Forney Corporation based in Texas. Other than a brief try at another company last year, this is where he has been for the past thirteen years. He made it through another change in leadership, but things seem more stable on that end. He actually has not traveled much this year, but has gone to Argentina, Mexico, California, Arkansas, Wisconsin, and good old Springfield, MO. He has been doing a little writing of his own and spends a great deal of his time ruling worlds on his games.
I lost some weight, gained some back, and decided to lose some more. I spent some of my summer walking in the morning with the Senior Citizens (and Mom). In an attempt to be more physically active, I’ve done walking, working out at the gym, some bike riding, the current river walk at the pool, Wii Just Dance, and I accepted that I am too inflexible to do “Yoga for Inflexible People”. Free DVD available. I introduced on own summer program with my grandkids called, “Fabulous Fridays with Grandma.” We went swimming and to the various places for kids in the Warrensburg and KC areas. We had fun! I continued to write some, but am ready to get more serious. Speaking of serious, my 25th year of school has been HARD on me. Lots of changes…which I am not opposed to in general…, less than stellar management, and some unrealistic expectations about sent all of the teachers over the edge of sanity. Thank goodness I love the kids and my coworkers. There is a possibility I may be moving back to the high school to finish out my years, but we will see.
Rachel has had a rough year. There has been lots of stress with some of her family and in business with them and only some of it of her making. She is busy but keeps moving in a forward manner. I have faith that this year will be better for her. She’s been enjoying helping with Room Mother activities for Cash. She enjoyed our Branson trip and she went to CO to be with Drew when he was sick.
Drew has made all of us VERY happy this year by returning home alive from fighting in Afghanistan. He came home for a visit last February, then returned to the US for good at the end of May. He came home on leave for a nice visit in June/July. Then he came home again this fall for an unplanned convalescent leave due to the fact that he had contracted malaria while in Afghanistan. It took the Army a while to figure out what was wrong and he was quite ill and hospitalized for a week. Overall he is better, but returns to the base from his Christmas visit determined to get his liver functioning correctly. Once that occurs he is looking at some options for service, since the malaria limits his combat options somewhat. We are just happy to have him back and think often of those soldiers still serving overseas.
Mike and Ryan continue to live in CT. This has been a rough year for them too as they struggle to find ways to support themselves. Currently they are both working on getting some job training. Michael is going to go to Culinary training. Ryan has been working various temporary jobs and he has talked about joining a friend on a shrimping boat.
Veronica is a nine-year-old fourth grader. Fortunately, she still thinks most boy are “stinky”, but she continues to be a beautiful child who has gotten much taller. She managed to break her front permanent teeth off, but her bonding looks pretty good. She did not care much for multiplication or division, but has made great strides in both this year. Veronica is quite pleased with the after school arrangement that enables her to go to Grandma Martha’s after school to do homework and eat snacks. Veronica likes to write stories and design clothes for her Barbie. Veronica continues to be the Craft Queen, (much to her teacher’s dismay) is learning to sew, and she lives in hope of getting a puppy.
Cash is three and a half and is enrolled in “real” preschool. He, like all my grandchildren, is quite bright. He also enjoys talking…a lot! He is quite creative with his storytelling. He is really sweet. He has a good memory for things he likes. And although he loves all of us, I have never seen a child that loved his uncle as much as Cash adores Drew. Cash enjoys waffles, Batman, the color blue, and Buzz Lightyear. Early on at preschool he got in trouble for biting another child. When I told him, “It is not nice to bite your friends,” his response was, “They’re not all my friends.” Enough said.
We did some family traveling together this year. We all went to Branson where we enjoyed shows, helicopters, swimming, waltzing waters, and magic! Mom and I went to CO to a writers’ convention and met some of our favorites. Then we visited Drew. We had a nice trip to the zoo too.
Our ugly Beta fish Jack has died. We have not replaced him. Xena, our cat lives on…sometimes just barely as she is OLD!
And that brings us to the end of the update on our immediate family. Now, on to our extended family…
My mom turned 65 in March. She is retired but has been busy feeding us good food, tutoring Veronica, and organizing a family reunion for her mother’s side of the family. Since moving to MO, she has purchased and renovated her house. We enjoyed the fair parade from her new lawn. She also has been dealing with the deaths of her brother-in-law Wilbur and her only brother Forrest. Not easy times for her.
We were also saddened to hear that my Uncle John passed away in November. He was the last of my father’s brothers and I knew him better than most. I was glad that Mom and I got to visit with his family when we were in CO in July.
My sister Bev is still working for the Juvenile Department. She continues to be very busy. She stills lives in Warrensburg, but drives a great deal over to Cass County.
My brother Bill and his wife Debbie moved into the country this year near LaTour. He has been quite ill this year with some blood pressure and migraine issues. Hopefully, he will get those taken care of soon. He has been enjoying doing some leather and knife work. Debbie lost her son Josh in July and has been busy helping to care for her other son David who has been ill. Through it all she continues to be the kind person she has always been, but this has been hard on her. They both enjoy their grandchildren.
Bob’s parents are good. Some days are better than others for Toni when it comes to her health. They both enjoy the visits from Veronica and Cash. Veronica gets with Toni and just jabbers to her. Cash is a little more subdued, but they have good toys to play with and it doesn’t take him too long to loosen up.
Bob’s sister Ellen is busy with her boys Cameron and Logan. Cameron is graduating in the spring and has done exceptionally well on testing and is getting scholarship offers. Ellen does a lot to help Herman and Toni.
And that brings us to the end...
All in all 2011 had…lots of ups…lots of downs…lots of laughs…lots of tears, but mostly lots of love.
We hope 2011 brings you all the good things and very little of the bad.
Goldie and Bob, Rachel, Drew, Michael, Ryan, Veronica, Cash and Xena
All that is Edwards, Atkinson, and Knox
Why send Christmas letters…
when you can procrastinate…
and send New Year’s Greetings!
First, we are all well and hope you are too! And we are looking forward to putting 2010 behind us and jumping into 2011! Watch out below!
Bob is first in our end of year round up. He is fine. He worked all of this year as a field technician for Forney Corporation based in Texas. Other than a brief try at another company last year, this is where he has been for the past thirteen years. He made it through another change in leadership, but things seem more stable on that end. He actually has not traveled much this year, but has gone to Argentina, Mexico, California, Arkansas, Wisconsin, and good old Springfield, MO. He has been doing a little writing of his own and spends a great deal of his time ruling worlds on his games.
I lost some weight, gained some back, and decided to lose some more. I spent some of my summer walking in the morning with the Senior Citizens (and Mom). In an attempt to be more physically active, I’ve done walking, working out at the gym, some bike riding, the current river walk at the pool, Wii Just Dance, and I accepted that I am too inflexible to do “Yoga for Inflexible People”. Free DVD available. I introduced on own summer program with my grandkids called, “Fabulous Fridays with Grandma.” We went swimming and to the various places for kids in the Warrensburg and KC areas. We had fun! I continued to write some, but am ready to get more serious. Speaking of serious, my 25th year of school has been HARD on me. Lots of changes…which I am not opposed to in general…, less than stellar management, and some unrealistic expectations about sent all of the teachers over the edge of sanity. Thank goodness I love the kids and my coworkers. There is a possibility I may be moving back to the high school to finish out my years, but we will see.
Rachel has had a rough year. There has been lots of stress with some of her family and in business with them and only some of it of her making. She is busy but keeps moving in a forward manner. I have faith that this year will be better for her. She’s been enjoying helping with Room Mother activities for Cash. She enjoyed our Branson trip and she went to CO to be with Drew when he was sick.
Drew has made all of us VERY happy this year by returning home alive from fighting in Afghanistan. He came home for a visit last February, then returned to the US for good at the end of May. He came home on leave for a nice visit in June/July. Then he came home again this fall for an unplanned convalescent leave due to the fact that he had contracted malaria while in Afghanistan. It took the Army a while to figure out what was wrong and he was quite ill and hospitalized for a week. Overall he is better, but returns to the base from his Christmas visit determined to get his liver functioning correctly. Once that occurs he is looking at some options for service, since the malaria limits his combat options somewhat. We are just happy to have him back and think often of those soldiers still serving overseas.
Mike and Ryan continue to live in CT. This has been a rough year for them too as they struggle to find ways to support themselves. Currently they are both working on getting some job training. Michael is going to go to Culinary training. Ryan has been working various temporary jobs and he has talked about joining a friend on a shrimping boat.
Veronica is a nine-year-old fourth grader. Fortunately, she still thinks most boy are “stinky”, but she continues to be a beautiful child who has gotten much taller. She managed to break her front permanent teeth off, but her bonding looks pretty good. She did not care much for multiplication or division, but has made great strides in both this year. Veronica is quite pleased with the after school arrangement that enables her to go to Grandma Martha’s after school to do homework and eat snacks. Veronica likes to write stories and design clothes for her Barbie. Veronica continues to be the Craft Queen, (much to her teacher’s dismay) is learning to sew, and she lives in hope of getting a puppy.
Cash is three and a half and is enrolled in “real” preschool. He, like all my grandchildren, is quite bright. He also enjoys talking…a lot! He is quite creative with his storytelling. He is really sweet. He has a good memory for things he likes. And although he loves all of us, I have never seen a child that loved his uncle as much as Cash adores Drew. Cash enjoys waffles, Batman, the color blue, and Buzz Lightyear. Early on at preschool he got in trouble for biting another child. When I told him, “It is not nice to bite your friends,” his response was, “They’re not all my friends.” Enough said.
We did some family traveling together this year. We all went to Branson where we enjoyed shows, helicopters, swimming, waltzing waters, and magic! Mom and I went to CO to a writers’ convention and met some of our favorites. Then we visited Drew. We had a nice trip to the zoo too.
Our ugly Beta fish Jack has died. We have not replaced him. Xena, our cat lives on…sometimes just barely as she is OLD!
And that brings us to the end of the update on our immediate family. Now, on to our extended family…
My mom turned 65 in March. She is retired but has been busy feeding us good food, tutoring Veronica, and organizing a family reunion for her mother’s side of the family. Since moving to MO, she has purchased and renovated her house. We enjoyed the fair parade from her new lawn. She also has been dealing with the deaths of her brother-in-law Wilbur and her only brother Forrest. Not easy times for her.
We were also saddened to hear that my Uncle John passed away in November. He was the last of my father’s brothers and I knew him better than most. I was glad that Mom and I got to visit with his family when we were in CO in July.
My sister Bev is still working for the Juvenile Department. She continues to be very busy. She stills lives in Warrensburg, but drives a great deal over to Cass County.
My brother Bill and his wife Debbie moved into the country this year near LaTour. He has been quite ill this year with some blood pressure and migraine issues. Hopefully, he will get those taken care of soon. He has been enjoying doing some leather and knife work. Debbie lost her son Josh in July and has been busy helping to care for her other son David who has been ill. Through it all she continues to be the kind person she has always been, but this has been hard on her. They both enjoy their grandchildren.
Bob’s parents are good. Some days are better than others for Toni when it comes to her health. They both enjoy the visits from Veronica and Cash. Veronica gets with Toni and just jabbers to her. Cash is a little more subdued, but they have good toys to play with and it doesn’t take him too long to loosen up.
Bob’s sister Ellen is busy with her boys Cameron and Logan. Cameron is graduating in the spring and has done exceptionally well on testing and is getting scholarship offers. Ellen does a lot to help Herman and Toni.
And that brings us to the end...
All in all 2011 had…lots of ups…lots of downs…lots of laughs…lots of tears, but mostly lots of love.
We hope 2011 brings you all the good things and very little of the bad.
Goldie and Bob, Rachel, Drew, Michael, Ryan, Veronica, Cash and Xena
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