just breath

As I got out of the shower this morning I burst into tears.  .  .   

why?

 I usually do my crying in the shower not as I am getting out, it's easier on the eyes and my face doesn't get as red. 

There was really no reason for the tears and there was no warning, other than the thought I had just had that unless plans change, it will only be Kim and I with Karly, Kloe and Kyle on Christmas morning. To some this still seems like a large group, but to our family this is almost an empty house. The thought that came right after that was that this could be Kyle's last Christmas morning as my little boy. No, you have not missed any thing, Kyle is not engaged, but he is a returned missionary and I count each holiday with him as possible the last before he is married and off to his in-laws home instead of ours where he belongs.

This last month reality hit Kim and I in the face. I spent the summer mending my broken ankle and not thinking about the impending changes fall would bring. Knowing I would have to be out of town early Sept, I spent late July and early Aug. shopping for fall. I enjoyed getting Kloe ready for 8th grade without admitting she would actually attend school as an 8th grader. I cherished the shopping with Karly getting her ready for college without ever considering that she would actually leave home and go away to school. As far as Kyle, I just refuse to shop for him, so he snuck things into the piles. Kloe turned 13 just days after our family vacation and I left town the next day to handle house business in southern California. Kim was left in charge of making sure Kloe was on time for her first day of school and someone took pictures of her, also that Karly and Kyle were packed and ready to leave for college. I was so busy while in California I never had time to think about my babies growing up and leaving home. I was home for less than 24 hours and we were on the road taking Karly and Kyle off to college. On the drive back home Kim and I talked about how quiet things would be with just ourselves and Kloe, still not until this morning and the quiet had settled in did reality hit me that my babies are growing up and I am almost out of a job.

I have thought about going back to school or spending lots of time volunteering or getting a part time job, but none of those things will give me my babies back, they are wonderful, healthy people, growing up and going on their own just like they should and I am having to reminding myself

to just breath.

Grandbabies

. . . . are heaven on earth!

Last month for a few short days, we had all 6 of our grandbaies together.

  Kerin and little Junie were here for a visit and we took advantage of the moment.

  Kassey and Will took some pictures for us out on our lawn.

I am not a bragger, but we really do have the best grandbabies in the world. Don't believe me just ask our kids

Elder Porterfield

It's been a while since I posted anything about our son, the missionary, so I thought I would give a little update.

He is serving in the Texas San Antonio Mission. 

He was in the north west area of San Antonio, then he was transferred to Eagles Pass, Texas on the Mexican boarder.  He could stand on a hill and see across in to Mexico. From the top of the hill it looks like a large fence runs through the center of the town.

I was a little nervous to have him on the boarder with all the drug wars and illegal issues that are going on right now, but I knew he was where the Lord wanted him and he would be watched over and protected. 

He seemed to enjoy the area and loved his companion in Eagle Pass. The only complaint he ever made was about the heat. He has also mentioned that he likes Baja-California food better than Tex-Mex, but we'll see if he still feels that way at the end of his mission. 

He was transferred back up to San Antonio about a month ago. This time he is in the south east area of the city.  His area goes to just outside of San Antonio and is mostly suburbs and has some farmland. He is the Spanish speaking Elder in his companionship and they work with both an English speaking Ward and a Spanish Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He seems to get along great with everyone and every animal he meets. 

He found a lost puppy a week or so ago that he named Chuck. He tried to talk us in to letting him send it home, cute puppy, but no.  A member of the ward works for the animal shelter and is finding the Chuck a good home.

He loves the people and the work. Most important, he loves to teach and share his testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We love our Elder Kodyerman and miss him, but would not want him any other place right now.

Ouch! Dang-it! What!!!

That about sums up my feelings. While hiking at a GEM family reunion with my dear Uncle Freddy, my summer plans were changed. I am now the owner of a pair of shinny silver crutches that I use to keep my cast from touching the floor. We did have a fun family reunion despite this being the highest number of real injures at one of our reunions.

The GEM (Gideon Earnst Marquardt) family gathered at Camp Myrtlewood, in Oregon, just west of Coos Bay. The weather was perfect, sunny days and some rain one night. The crowd wasn't big this year, mostly because we had to have it early in the summer to get the location and some still had kids in school, the economy didn't help either. There have been years our numbers were in the high 100's. This year was sponsored by Uncle Dres and family. We can always count on a relaxed, fun time with great food when they are in charge.

We played kickball, volleyball, softball, hiked, danced, roasted marshmallows, played cards and board games, talked about the good old days and of course had a talent show. Very few of us have any talent, but we pretend. It was great to get reacquainted and introduce the next generation to each other.

Kim came for one night and Kassey, her girls, Karly, Kloe and I were planning to be there for the whole time. After the first night Kassey realized no one would get any sleep without Will. Baysil wanted her daddy and she let us know about it for a while before falling asleep, but woke up at 6:30am with the same sad song. She was soooo fun during the day, that it was hard to believe she had a ruff night. She and Winnie were both fun trophies to have with us. Not wanting to have another sleepless night, Kassey caught the dad bus home while she could, but not before betting Karly she couldn't finish the remaining diet coke before the reunion ended. Karly won the bet and finished the coke, but I don't think she's had a coke since.

Karly and I enjoyed just relaxing and mostly visiting. We saw Kloe at mealtime and bedtime and a little bit in between. She was making great summer memories with cousins we hadn't seen in almost 10 years or more.

On day one the first two of the injuries happened while playing kickball, cousin Bruce dove into 1st base and fit cousin Pam (his sister) pretty hard, Ouch! pulled his hamstring Dang-it! and Pam crawled away with a compressed vertebrae, What!!

The next injury happen the morning of day three while Uncle Freddy and I  hiked up to Vista Point. He had already done it but was sure it wouldn't take as long with me since I am younger and in better health than Aunt Ruthie and Aunt Marietta, ohhoho. We got up to the top in good time despite the wet trail from the nights rain. Near the top as we were starting back down, I step on something small with my right foot that rolled and went down on my left foot that didn't move, Ouch! We heard a loud crack and realized it was my ankle. I then realized I still had a mile and quarter to hike back, Dang-it! With the help of Uncle Freddy's walking stick and his shoulder, I destroyed Freddy's hopes of finishing up in the shortest time. Karly packed us up and we drove home a day early with what I thought was a ankle joint that had partially dislocated and bad sprain. The next morning I found out it was a broken ankle, What!!?!

I am not thrilled about the fact that I am out of commission for most of the summer, but as of now I don't need surgery and I had a great time with my family at the reunion and we are having another reunion next year! Just a little silver lining.