Saying goodbye is never easy....

Friday night, shortly after midnight, Grandpa Brand gave into his battle with cancer and is at peace now with the Lord.  Today we will lay his body to rest at Serenity Gardens. 

I received a call Friday morning, letting me know that things were starting to move more rapidly than the previous week; so, I hurried over to spend my time with him and the family.  When I walked in the room, there was no denying that he would be leaving us very soon.  We all prepared ourselves that it would be sometime this weekend.  My grandmother, who is battling the advanced stages of Alzheimers, has made a few comments about "that man" is going to die, but, not realizing that "that man" is her husband of 59 years.  That is probably the most hardest part of this whole process. 

After I picked up Tyler from school, I took him back over there so that he could say his goodbyes.....and all he could get out was an "I love you grandpa" before running out of the room scared.  For that reason, he will not be attending the funeral with us today.  I want him to remember Grandpa in his finer days, teaching Tyler how to play the harmonica and such. 

Saturday morning at 9 am, as we were getting ready for a wedding, I got the call and broke down in tears.  My mom told me that she watched him take his last breath at 12:24 am.  It reminded me of walking into my Pawpaw George's bedroom ten years ago and finding that he had passed away.  All the emotions came flooding back and the day became a day of bittersweet memories....

             This is exactly how I want to remember you.....I love you.
                                      Rest in Peace Sidney Brand
                                                   1930-2011
 

5th grade

Monday, Tyler started 5th grade...where have the years gone? I anxiously awaited him to walk through the door at 3:30 and tell me all about his day, to see the smile on his face and I got just that.  He sat down and said, "I LOVE school"!!  Did my child just say that? He loves his teachers, his new school, and the fact that one of his friends from down the street is in his class. 

He told me that he had to type an essay on his expectations of 5th grade, and that he basically said he hopes it is easy.  I just laughed and said to keep dreaming! ; )  It is very nice to hear him say that he actually likes school now, instead of fighting me on having to go.  Very nice, indeed!

Check out his new L.L. Bean bookbag that his Aunt Shana got him!  Love it too...

Wow...where has the time gone?

I can't believe that it has been three months since my last post.  So much has happened this summer, that I do not even know where to begin.  We have taken several trips to see family, and go on vacation.  I think that heading to Birmingham in July was by far my favorite....we finally got to meet my sisters' boyfriend!  Then, they came down the following weekend, so we got to spend more time with them! 

Tyler is excited to start 5th grade in a couple of weeks.  Since we moved across town, he will start in a new school and he is glad he will have a fresh start and new friends.  Jeffrey and I are glad too....we have also started the process of adoption, where Jeffrey is going to adopt Tyler.  This process is going to take up to a year to complete, because his birth father is not responding to the letter of intent that I sent him.  Urgh!!  You would think that this would be a major blessing in his eyes.....but, I guess not! Oh well...

Things are getting exciting for me too!  I am down to my last three semesters in school, and will start student teaching on August 22nd!  I still do not know where I will be placed at, or which grade; however, I should find out next week.  The program is now placing student teachers in schools within their home zipcodes, so I am hoping to get placed at Tyler's school (Griggs) or at Pearl Haskew Elementary.  Tyler really wants me to teach at Griggs, so that he can brag on me....he is so sweet! He is growing up so fast!

More to come....until then, good night!