They Love Their Papa. And Their Popcorn.

Labor Day weekend movie night, watching "Timeline." Papa and the boys seemed to think it was very intense. Grandma S.'s expression conveys the general consensus of the rest of the audience. Only Papa and Maddie made it through to the end. The popcorn was good, though! :)

I just transferred 300 photos from my phone to the computer, so I may be playing catch-up in the next few posts.

Empty-Nest Update

Interesting experience:

My dear friend, Kimberly, who is also a recent empty-nester, told me this anecdote while we were walking last week. She had walked by the elementary schools the day before and was surprised for a few seconds that people were dropping off children for school. It came as a momentary surprising thought to  her that if SHE had no school children left, why was school still going on as usual for others???

It wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining to me if I hadn't had almost the exact same experience the day before. I was driving to the post office and I saw two teenage girls walking in the park. "Hey!" I thought to myself, "That looks like (Maddie's friends) Jana and Amy." Then I scoffed, "Oh, Silly. It can't be Jana and Amy. Jana's working in an orphanage in Cambodia and Amy's away at college." Then, just for a moment I thought, "Well, how can there still be high school girls here, if I don't have any left?? Why is school still going on as usual for others..." :)

                                             Jana, Amy, and Maddie in their
                                            "Charlie's Angels" prom photo.
                                                   

Kinda silly, I know, but just exemplifies how completely our lives have changed. I DID have children at home for 36 years in a row, after all!

# I Feel Obsolete...

You know what's cool and kind of sad at the same time? My granddaughter Ally has been sick (not cool at all!) and I made her a little "care package." In it, I put a crochet hook and a ball of yarn, thinking I could teach her to crochet to take up a little time as she is recuperating. I called to see if she wanted me to come over to teach her...and she had already crocheted several little items after teaching herself to crochet from the internet! What a smart, talented cookie she is! (On the other hand, not much need for grandmothers anymore... )

Now that I think of it, I DID pick this dress out for her for Christmas and she apparently likes it, so I am good for SOMEthing! 

Hurting and being out of school hasn't changed her smile or her sweetness, though! Love you, Ally! 

Old New Post :)

In cleaning up this blog and writing some new posts, I came across a draft that was never finished.

If you are interested in seeing pictures of the musical that Maddie and Julie were in their sophomore year, go here:

http://sargeo.blogspot.com/2014/09/cinderella-cinderella.html

Thanks!

Cheering Up

Uh huh. Organizing photos on my computer is really helping my empty-nest depression. Workin' real well... :)

Sure do love these girls.

 And these guys too.

Calvin Jace

Welcome to the world, little guy. Calvin was born August 10 and is almost four weeks old in this photo. His brother Tyler is almost 10, sister Aubrey is 7 and brothers Justin and Logan are two-and a-half. He is dearly loved, as you might imagine.

He is wearing his daddy's outfit in this picture. Brian was eleven weeks old when he wore it, but he had pyloric stenosis and only weighed 9 lbs. 2 oz. then. Calvin weighed 9 lbs. 3 oz. at birth!

Once again, I am amazed at how much I already love this little boy. A month ago I didn't even know him. Now he is one of my very most favorite people. (I think he likes me too. He is so observant and follows the sound of my voice and looks right into my eyes.)

Welcome to the family, Calvin.

Real Life

So, school is in session. We have taken our last daughter to college, picked her back up to spend Labor Day with her, and Jeff brought her home this past weekend for Calvin's blessing. Now everyone is gone and I am truly home alone. With Jeff working in Park City my nest is really empty. And my new reality has begun.

I am going to miss this girl-singing in the shower when I wake up in the mornings, giggling uncontrollably as she tells me her exploits with friends ("Hedgehog Killer," anyone?,) setting the tables for family dinners every other Sunday, kneeling by her bed morning and night saying her prayers as I walk by her room, flopping on the couch with fat textbooks on her lap, slicing apples in the kitchen every evening, giving me "eterna-hugs," and just generally making my life happier.

Don't know what I would have done without this happy-little-surprise baby.

Love you, Maddie.