happenings

There is so much going through my head these days. I am consistently thinking of all the things that need to get done at the house while I am away and then when I am home I have all the kids and need to help them with homework, get dinner on the table, do a quick clean up, and get them to bed. By the time all of that is done my chores have just be begun. I then handwash all the dishes from dinner, pack the kids lunches, do laundry, do my Bible study (that really isn’t a chore but I *need* to make time for it or it doesn’t get done) sweep up, and get the kids clothes out for the next day. It is just pure craziness. J is usually gone most of that time. On Saturday we went to our old house to finish cleaning for the open house and then he went to work. Then Monday he started doing compliance checks at local businesses for tobacco so he won’t be home until late for those and they have to go to every place that sells tobacco. It is good overtime though. With Christmas fastly approaching we could definitely use the extra cash flow. Selling our house would be much nicer!

Monday was Jack’s wake and the three older kids each wrote him a note. This is what they said:
Dear Jack,
I miss you. I remember when you bought us ice-cream. I always liked the way you called T~ red. Or when he hit us on the head and said it was a bird. He was such a fun neighbor. The dogs are getting hungry! I loved him SOOOOOO much! (she had the soooo underlined)
Love, B~

Dear Jack
What I like about Jack. Was whene Jack let us feed the dogs. And whene he called T~ red. And when he let us draw on his sidewalk and driveway. And whene he let us shufl his driveway. I like doing that. He wanted us to rake his leafs whene it was fall. We love you Jack so so so so so so so much.

to: Jack
from: B~

Dear Jack, (I dictated for Red)
I hope you go to heaven with God and I hope you have fun. I always liked helping you feed the cats and dogs. Bye Bye Jack. Your going to heaven and I am going to miss you. I love you, Jack.

Love, T~

When we walked in Peanut says, “Jack is sleeping. He is taking a nap.” It was so sad yet cute at the same time. J told me later that when he brought her up to the casket that she said, "Jack died." Then she rubbed her eyes. He asked if she was sad and she said, "yes". After she learned to say mama and dada her next word was Jack. He was outside all the time and the kids really enjoyed playing with him. They would even go to his house if he wasn't sitting outside and ask his wife Marilyn "could Jack come out and play."