Update

Well, Gannie made it through the first surgery. They had informed us that because she's 89, she may not come out of the general. She did and she knew my Mom and Dad right away. They only fixed the hip though, since she was under so long, they didn't want to do the shoulder and keep her under any longer. We're going up to see her this afternoon, and I'll find out more. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

Gannie

This is my grandma, Gannie. My Mom and Dad called this afternoon to let me know that she'd fallen and they were at the hospital awaiting x-rays. I just talked to them again and they now know she has a broken shoulder and a broken hip and she'll be having surgery tomorrow, which means that she'll have to go under general anesthetic again. She had to a few years back and has never really been the same since (dementia). Apparently elderly people don't always do well with general. If you could please pray for her if you read this, it would really mean a lot. My Gannie was one of grandmas that did everything (I even remember her trying out my new skateboard). She travelled all over the world (and took each of my brothers and I with her on a trip), she was always doing so many things and never was "old" at all. It's been hard seeing her get old recently. I tell my kids about the lady that she was, because all they know is the Gannie in the senior's home who can't play with them. They do love to go and visit her though. Thanks guys.

They're growing up too fast

My little scientist, as usual... exploring. I used this picture instead of one of Samuel inspecting the the dead quail a couple of days ago (although you may just get that later). Sometimes, at six, he is still such a little boy and I need to remember and cherish that. Other times he just seems so old and I don't know where the time has gone.
Someday, many, MANY years from now, some man will marry her... but he will never have known the little mermaid who wears her goggles at the park and who wants to grow up to be a flower in the daytime and a fire breathing dragon in the night time. Stop growing and just stay here for a while longer. I love these of Liam. It's unusual to actually get serious pictures of Liam where he's not laughing his little red head off... these are really neat because they really show another side of him. He looks so much older than four to me in that last picture - of course the food (or dirt) around his mouth brings him back down a bit!

Helicopter School

Wow. I've always wanted to learn to fly, and I'd be thrilled with fixed wing or helicopter. Although I doubt that it'll ever happen since we don't have $100K sitting around that we're just trying to figure out what we should spend it on. I also don't have any hidden asperations to follow my big brothers into the military to learn to fly. So I guess I'm stuck on the ground, relying on other pilots. We had a really interesting afternoon at the helicopter school though, met some really neat people and learned a lot. Of course the fact that Uncle Michael is a helicopter pilot made it that much more personal for all of us.


Here's Samuel learning about the way things work with a US Navy Black Hawk pilot. (This school here is very specialized mountain flying so pilots come from all over the world.) We were wishing that the Black Hawk was with him.

The cutest pilot ever. (Dig the issue purple boots too!)


This was SO cool. We got to climb up and see inside to really understand the way that everything inside works. It was amazing to see how the controls moved things and it really put it all together to really understand it all. Incredible. (Okay, when I say "understand" I don't mean on a greatly technical level - if my brother ever read that he'd have a very sardonic laugh and comment for me!)