Peas Give Me More :)

Sunday Jack got to try a new food.  Peas!  And the verdict is....he loves them!  He had some more of the today and ate them all up.  We are excited to keep trying new foods with him!  We leave for the beach tomorrow, we are super excited!  Here are a few pictures of him eating peas. 

Father's Day

Today we celebrated Bryce's first Father's Day!  We got up today and I made French toast per Bryce's request :)  Then we gave Jack his first taste of food!  He tried some rice cereal and loved it.  He of course got it all over his face, but he was cranky between bites because he wanted more faster than we could get it to him.  We are excited to start introducing him to new foods over the next several months.  Harold was here in time for lunch, so we went to the Mexican buffet, then came home to exchange cards and presents before Harold had to head home. Here are a few pictures of the important Daddys in our life :)

Bryce and Jack

My Daddy and Me

PopPop and me, miss you so much PopPop!

Pops and JJ

Grandpa Jack

We have had a very busy weekend.  Friday, some of Bryce's family came to town to visit.  We got to spend time with Vera, Uncle Gerry, Grandpa, Lise, Kristen and Harold.  It has been a good weekend, except that it started out with Jack being sick :(  We took him to the doctor's Thursday afternoon because he had a fever of 102 and was moaning like he was in pain.  The doctor said she thought it was a viral infection and just to treat with Tylenol and make sure he was getting enough fluids.  His fever broke and he was feeling better by the next day.  When we were at the doctor they weighed him in at 16 lbs 12 oz.  He is such a big boy!  He goes back to the doctor this Friday for his 4 month check up.  She said that at what he weighs now he is above the 70th percentile in weight and that he looks a good height to weight proportion.  Jack is such a strong little boy, he loves standing up and held himself up in his crib for a little bit today.  He is so close to crawling, I am sure though once he figures that out, he will want to work on walking!  As soon as he figured out how to roll over it wasn't long before he figured out how to get his legs and arms underneath himself to scooch around.
Hopefully we have a nice relaxing week.  Things have been hectic since I got home from Maryland.  Last weekend I had class and Jack's baptism.  Then during the week I was helping with VBS, which was really exhausting.  I enjoyed it and would do it again in a heartbeat, but it definitely opened my eyes as to why I teach high school :)  I am ready to relax and get some stuff done around the house, Jack has a lot of clothes that need to be put away since he is growing like a weed :)  Here are a few pictures from the weekend!

 

Jack's Baptism

This past Sunday, June 13th, Jack was baptized at our church, St. Andrew's Presbyterian.  In attendance was his great-grandfather, Gingersnap, Pops, Gammy, PopPop, and his Godparents, Aunt Gina and Uncle Drew.  It was a crazy weekend but we were so excited for everyone who got to come down for his special day.  Here are a few pictures from the day.

Home Again :)

JJ and I had such a wonderful trip to Maryland.  Jack enjoyed spending time with Gammy, PopPop, Great-grand mom mom and the rest of my family!  Of course he was spoiled with all kinds of love, clothes and toys!  We had such a good time we can't wait to go back!  Memorial day we had a girls lunch at MomMom's house with Mom, Kelly, Aunt Mary, Aunt Georgia, Mandie, Jack (not a girl, but he was the hit of the lunch!) and me.  It was such a nice time to spend together as girls!  Later in the week, I got a facial (birthday present) and it was so wonderful and relaxing, then Friday I got my haircut, finally!  Sunday, Jack and I flew back to Maryland.  Not his best flight.  I think his ears were popping during our decent into Atlanta, and he was not happy!  While we were sad to leave Maryland it is good to be home.
JJ is growing up before our eyes!  He is now up to 16 pounds and about 26 inches long!  He loves being on his belly.  As soon as I put him down he is working on rolling over to his belly.  He is working so hard to try and crawl.  He can get his legs underneath him and he can bear weight on his arms, he just hasn't figured out yet how to coordinate them to get moving!  He has been kicking and squirming, so I am sure crawling is not too far behind!  He also likes when we stand him up he is such a strong little boy!
May was a hard month, on Memorial Day one of my students passed away in a car accident.  She was an amazing person, someone I would hope Jack grows up to be like.  She loved Jesus and loved to share him with others, I truly saw that she lived out Romans 1:16 (I am not ashamed of the gospel).  She loved sharing bible verses with her classmates every morning and discussing God and the bible at lunch.  Stephanie you will be missed, please continue to pray for her friends and family!   
Hopefully June will bring some brighter days.  We are looking forward to the beach with the family at the end of the month!  Here are a couple new pictures of Jack :)

Maryland!

Tuesday afternoon when Bryce came home from work, we left for Maryland!  We drove about halfway and spent then night in Salisbury, NC, then woke up and drove the rest of the way Wednesday.  The drive wasn't too bad considering we had a 3 month old and 2 dogs.  I fed Jack right before we left on Tuesday and then we stopped at a Chick-fil-a around dinner and he ate again, then was good to go until we stopped for the night.  We had a little trouble finding a place to stay because of the NASCAR races in the Charlotte area.  Staying the night in a hotel was an adventure, Pudge was so scared and paranoid the whole night.  He got up just about every hour and barked.  Needless to say I didn't get much sleep, but Bryce did which was more important.  We arrived at my parents around 3:30 and gave Jack a bath right away!  He was a smelly boy!  He has really been enjoying his baths now which make them go so much smoother.  Of course Gammy and PopPop were excited to see Jack and the puppies and I guess Bryce and I too. 
Today we had lunch with Mom at 700 South, then Bryce and I had Rita's for dessert.  The lady told Bryce they are planning to open up Rita's in Alabama soon, we can only hope so, there is nothing like a Mango Gelati on a hot day!  Then tonight we had Maryland steamed crabs, yumm!  Kelly, Jeff and MomMom joined us and we had a good time.  Here are a couple of pictures from the day!

 

Rolling Over!

When I come to the end of the road

It has been a difficult week for my family. Last Friday, May 7th, my grandfather, George Rhinehart (PopPop) went home to be with the Lord. For many years now he suffered from pulmonary fibrosis a condition where the lungs become scarred and because of this lung function is decreased. Early last week my family decided to take him to the hospital after as he put it, "was panting like a dog" for several days. During his hospital stay this time they decided to perform a cardio conversion because he heart had been out of rhythm for over a month. After the cardio conversion, which was successful on the first try, they discovered that the "panting like a dog" had caused his heart to become weakened.

Thursday I was about to head out of town with softball when I spoke with my mom who said that PopPop was not doing well. I went home and frantically began to pack while Bryce found and booked a flight for Jack and me. We left for Maryland and arrived late Thursday night. We went straight to the hospital and I got to see PopPop. He was weak and it was hard for him to breath and talk, but we had a nice little conversation. The nurses however would not let me take Jack back to see him. PopPop even asked me where Jack was and I said he was here but they would not let me bring him back. He said I bet they would if you asked. It broke my heart at the time because I really wanted PopPop to meet Jack, but I had to tell him that we already asked and they said no.

Friday we got to the hospital in the afternoon and spent the day crying, laughing, praying, reading scripture and singing. PopPop was surrounded by his family all day and it was really special. The doctor came and spoke with MomMom, Mom and her sisters around 4:30, they decided that it was best to take him off the various medications and just administer comfort care. On Thursday PopPop had already said he was at peace and ready. Shortly after they met with the doctor, I spoke with one of the nurses and she let me bring Jack back to see PopPop. It was truly a special moment! It was just after they administered the morphine, I came in and said PopPop, Jack is here to meet you. He opened his eyes and smiled the biggest smile. PopPop loved babies and I know he would have loved Jack all the more had they gotten to spend time together. That was a moment I will never forget! Pretty much right after he saw Jack, he closed his eyes and rested peacefully until he passed. It was amazing and refreshing to see him sleeping peacefully and breathing easily. He had struggled so for a while to get rest and catch his breath.

It was so hard to see PopPop lying in the hospital bed weakened and frail (well as frail as a man of 200 plus pounds gets), but even though that was my last memory of him, that is not how I will remember my PopPop. PopPop was strong, tenacious, hard-working, organized and a little stubborn. He was a wonderful husband to my grandmother and father to my mom and aunts. He was even a wonderful father figured to his sons-in-laws. He was the best PopPop a kid could ask for and I am sure his other 7 grandchildren would agree.

I leave you with this-a beautiful reading that my sister read at the funeral:

My dearest Pop Pop...

On the last night that you were here, we reminisced about all the memories we shared with you. And although I loved listening to these memories and took comfort in them, I am heartbroken to know that certain things will never happen again.

Never again will I see your handsome face.

Never again will I see your beautiful white hair.

Never again will I see a bag of your tomatoes sitting on my parents' kitchen counter.

Never again will I hear your deep, comforting voice.

Never again will I go to your house and find you sitting in the computer room.

Never again will I hear you complain about how badly the Orioles are playing.

Never again will you ask me how my car is running.

Never again will you carve the turkey on holidays.

Never again will I hear you sing one of your songs like “Here Comes Santa Claus”.

Never again will you sit at the head of the table at family dinners.

Never again will Drew, Mandie, Kristin and I take you out to Red Lobster.

Never again will I see you sitting in your chair outside your garage.

Never again will I receive a card signed “Love, Mom Mom and Pop Pop”

Never again will you tell someone they have about 6 inches on each side of the car when parking in your garage.

Never again will the girls receive boxes of Whitman's chocolates at Christmas.

And never again will I receive a warm hug from my beautiful Pop Pop who loved us all so much.

But as devastated as I will be, I would gladly trade it all just so that you are at peace and no longer suffering. It would have been selfish for me to ask you to stay, but I can take comfort in knowing these things...Never again will your heart go out of rhythm. Never again will you have trouble walking. Never again will you need an extra blanket because you are cold. And never again will you struggle to take your next breath.

I found this poem and thought of you:

When I come to the end of the road

and the sun has set on me,

I want no rites in a gloom filled room,

why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little--but not too long,

and not with your head bowed low,

Remember the love that we once shared,

miss me--but let me go.

For this is a journey that we all must take,

and each must go alone.

It's all a part of the Master's plan,

a step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick of heart,

go to the friends we know.

And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds,

miss me--but let me go.

To my family...I would like to leave you with these thoughts. In the last few years of my grandfather's life he did not want to use a wheelchair, his oxygen, nor did he want to be in the hospital. It is now my belief that as much as he suffered and knew that he needed these things to improve his quality of life; his greatest fear was that his family would always remember him that way. He wanted to spare us from seeing him the way we had not known him to be.

Well, Pop Pop, no worries. For we do not think of you as that person, but rather the strong, independent, and heroic man that you truly were. Over time, your body became weak and it just could not keep up with your relentless spirit. It was not important how you died, but rather how you lived. While we were sitting together for the last time, I told you that death would not conquer you. Your earthly body may be withered and gone, but your precious soul will remain in the lives of your loving family. You were a gardener, growing both tomatoes and love. And while the tomatoes eventually perish, the seeds of love that you have planted in our family will flourish and remain everlasting. For it is in our hearts that you will remain immortal and eternally be our beloved Pop Pop.

On Friday May 7th 2010, with family lovingly by his side, God saw my grandfather's weary face, took him by the hand and said, “come home”.