Friday, August 13, 2010

Where have I been?

Morning everyone! I'm not sure if you noticed or not but I was gone for 9 days and just arrived home on Wednesday. It was a long trip of 3944 miles in the car but the reason for it is shown in my first photo. I'll tell you about our trip in the photos below. The photos are quite large...sorry it took so long to load them!
We went to Iowa this summer so that we could visit with my grandpa. Not sure if you know it or not but he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer about 6 weeks ago and has chosen not to take treatments for it. I wanted to be able to visit with him before he got too sick. My grandpa means the world to me and is my mom's dad.
This is my grandpa and his wife, Fern. My grandma died in 1996 and grandpa was blessed to have found a wonderful wife in Fern. It was a match suggested and blessed by my grandma before she died!
This is grandpa and my oldest son Scott and is a photo of something we did a lot of in Iowa, eat. My goodness Fern is an excellent cook and we just couldn't not taste everything now could we?
While in Iowa Fern asked me to help make the memory board for grandpa's celebration of life. I was honored to do it. I couldn't do all of it though as they didn't have all the photos they wanted to use but above is the photo of the section I did that showed details about his Honor Tour.
And it wasn't all just driving, we made a couple of stops along the way, Mt. Rushmore being one of them. I have been there four times now and the beauty astonishes me every time. Kyler didn't remember our last trip to Mt. Rushmore so we had to stop this time. Also, we met one of the original drillers that worked on Mt. Rushmore in the late 1930's. We took a photo with him and had him sign the book he wrote...very cool addition to this stop!

So, there you have it...what I've been up to. Thank you for visiting today and looking at the photos. This trip was very special and I loved every moment but it was a very sad goodbye the day we left.

I doubt I'll be back before Monday so I hope you have an absolutely wonderful weekend!

9 comments:

Cristina said...

I am so sorry to hear about your Granpda. What special times you had with him. So glad you could make the trip.

Sue from Oregon said...

What a lovely and thoughtful post honoring your grandfather! I am so glad you got to go visit him at this time. Hugz

sari said...

I have been wondering where did you go...*lol* Sounds like a great trip! Love the foto's so sad to hear about your grandpa!!

Sharon-The OKI StampQueen said...

thoughts and prayers as you help walk your grandfather home...I've lost a husband to cancer and I know how difficult this can be. check out Stephen Ministry-it is a one-on-one, woman/woman or man/man lay person counseling program--FREE, non-denominational, world wide. It is someone to talk to for as long as you or your loved one needs. They try to pair people who have had like life experiences. It is an awesome, wonderful experience!

Sharon-The OKI StampQueen said...

thoughts and prayers as you help walk your grandfather home...I've lost a husband to cancer and I know how difficult this can be. check out Stephen Ministry-it is a one-on-one, woman/woman or man/man lay person counseling program--FREE, non-denominational, world wide. It is someone to talk to for as long as you or your loved one needs. They try to pair people who have had like life experiences. It is an awesome, wonderful experience!

Peggy said...

It looks like you had a great time. It sounds like fun and I'm glad you had a chance to visit with your grandparents.

bsgstamps4fun: Barb Gault said...

Thanks for sharig your trip photos, Lorie. I am sure your visit with your grandfather meant everything to him. Looking at the photo of him with you shows how much he loves you.

Dani said...

Oh so glad you got to spend some quality time with your grandpa! Hugs!

Kristine said...

WOW!!! What an awesome trip Lorie! Your grandpa looks so sweet. My mom's dad died the year I was born so I never got to know him and the other one passed when I was just starting H.S. How special to get time with him and how your grandma looked out for him before she passed... that's awesome.

Did I ever tell you I worked near Mt. Rushmore? 1/2 mile from there for 2 summers at a museum in Keystone called Rushmore-Borglum Story. I game tours to big groups and told them all about how Mt. Rushmore was carved and other works by Gutzen Borglum. OH, and a friend of mine here in Madras has a grandpa who worked on Mt. Rushmore years ago too! Small world huh?! I hope to take my girls there some day--hopefully before they get out of H.S.! *Ü* Glad you had a great trip. Is it as hot up there in WA as it is here in C. OR? It's been in the high 90's. Even reached 102 in Bend today when we were there shopping. UGH! LOL.