She's 11

My baby girl turned 11 today.

We had her birthday dinner last night. She wanted BBQ and a banana split.

Corinna has a great personality. She is smart, helpful and kind.

Corinna is growing into a wonderful young woman. We trust that God will do great things through her.

Happy birthday to my Priss Pot!

The 19th

Ten years ago today my mom left this earth for her heavenly home. Although I am happy that she is with Jesus, and now my dad, I miss her. The 19th, the date they both left this world and entered 

glory, 9 years and 8 months apart. 

I don't have much to say, just wanted to acknowledge that I am grateful for the parents God gave me. I have such beautiful memories. I did not feel like digging through pictures, but I will post a few that were readily available. 

I typically do not visit the cemetery, but I did today. I sat on the cold ground and reminisced. 

I was blessed with two caring parents. I trust that I will see them again.

Flashback Friday: Girls' Beach Bash

I am way behind with blog posts. My hopes of catching up this summer were dashed. At least so far. I guess I technically have a few weeks.

I am taking it back to May 30-June 1. Our Life Group ladies took a beach trip. 

We had 13 in the house. A couple of daughters did not make it, but we had a good time.

(Photos above courtesy of my friend Beth, a pro photographer.)

Here are a few other highlights of our quick weekend mega slumber party:

Here's another of the "big girls". Maybe we will make this an annual event, even if next time we leave the younger girls with their daddies. 😎

Shore Delight

Hayden and I had a beach getaway last week. Drake and Corinna had soccer camp and preseason scrimmages so it was just the two of us, except for the few days Jake and Kelly visited.

The forecast called for rain but we had fantastic weather.

Hayden wanted so sing karaoke so he did so a couple of nights.

The Elk's Lodge had a chicken fry. It was delish. We've had the fish before but never the chicken. 

I enjoyed relaxing. I did a little reading and soaked in a lot of sun.

Hayden came out for a few hours each day but spent a lot of time watching tv in the house.

I got some walking/jogging in most mornings. I discovered a scenic walkway that I did not know about and I've been hanging at the six pack for 16 years!

There was even a lending library!

Hayden and I indulged and watched a few movies, Guardians of the Galaxy and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Surprisingly, I enjoyed both flicks.

Of course, it was fitting to eat pizza after TMNT!  I ate my pizza overlooking the ocean.

In fact, dined al fresco as often as I could.

Hayden and I took walks on the beach. We say pretty sunsets.

It was a fantastic way to wrap up the summer before the craziness of the school year takes over.

It would be nice to return in the fall, hopefully over Thanksgiving. 

Reverse The Order

July marks the month of celebrating the birthdays of 3 important guys in my life. This year, there was special significance.

Hayden turned 14 on July 8th. He will soon be entering high school. He's growing taller and slimmer. I will not be the tallest in the family for much longer!

Here he is getting his traditional birthday spankings. JJ says he can hold him down at least for a few more years. 

JJ is another July baby. Since he turned 41 this year, we were able to use the same candles from Hayden's cake and reverse the order. JJ's birthday is July 18th. He isn't a fan of birthday cake so he got a key lime birthday pie!

The other important guy in my life with a July birthday is my dad. We visited him at Alston Brook that morning. Some of his West Davidson buddies showed up at the same time. I really like how he is looking up and admiring his friends in this shot. These guys faithfully visited my dad the past 7 years in the nursing home. They took him to ball games and around to local high schools and reminisced about the good ole days.

On this day, July 11th, my dad was feeling fine at 69! Sadly, the next day he wasn't feeling well at all. He was struggling with aspiration pneumonia. 

If there are birthdays in heaven, next year he will celebrate there. But I imagine every day in the presence of The Lord is a celebration!

My dad spent a week at the Sticht Center of Baptist Hospital recovering from the pneumonia. I had to give up my role teaching Bible School at the last minute to be there with him in the evenings. God provided another teacher to take my place. It was a roller coaster of a week, with ups and downs.

There were days when he would lift his hand up to the ceiling or the light. He would say things we could not understand.  I wondered if he saw angels. My brother heard him call out my mother's name.

By the end of the week, my dad was doing better and was released to return to Alston Brook on the 18th, JJ's birthday. That morning, he had a visit from the pastor of his church and a church friend, Max. This was pastor Henry's first time meeting my dad. They prayed together, as my dad grabbed the young preacher's hand. Little did we know that days later Henry would be praying at my dad's funeral. I will say that I am do glad that God prompted Henry to visit my dad that day. 

My dad spent one final night at Alston Brook. Perhaps there was someone he needed to see. Maybe he needed one more night at "home" before reaching his heavenly home. I saw him that July 19th morning. I had to go sign some paperwork. He was in his wheelchair in the sitting room. Cartoons were on the tv. I did not stay long but I kissed him good-bye. My brother Jake stopped in a few hours later. Daddy was not doing well. They needed to take him back to Baptist.

By the time we got there, he was in the ER with a tube down his throat which enabled him to breathe. He'd aspirated again. Daddy tried to pull the tube out. He squeezed our hands to confirm that he wanted it removed. We were able to be there with him, although we were out of the room at the exact moment he took his last breath. They called us into the room. Our Father had called daddy home about 11:30 pm on July 19th. There is even significance that he passed away on the 19th. My mom died November 19, 2004. 

I will miss my dad. I am sad but at peace.  I put this picture on Facebook stating, "Here is my dad walking me down the aisle. Now he walks with Jesus." I say walks with a smile as my dad was wheelchair bound for years.

Both of my parents are in heaven together. And I will join them one day.

Here is the next generation of the Crim family. The legacy lives on! There is no reversing God's order!