The evening before Elliott's birthday (after my previous post) I got an unexpected phone call. It was my Dad on the phone, calling to tell me some really bad news. My dear, sweet, very loved aunt Molly was in the hospital and was very ill. I then adjusted our family schedule and Elliott's birthday celebration the next day so that I could drive to the other side of the state first thing in the morning to go see her. On my way there, I was going to pick up my cousin who goes to college near us, and bring her to see her mom, too. Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have imagined that a few hours later we would be saying our goodbyes to someone we love so much. Molly's diagnosis was a complete shock and total surprise, and after a fierce battle to hang on, we lost our beloved Molly just a few hours later. So instead of spending the day with Elliott and celebrating his first birthday as a Beresford, I was having my heart broken by losing someone I love very much. So suddenly. It's still hard to really fully absorb that I don't get to see her again. To hear her laugh or see her smile, or find cards or notes in the mail with her signature (BEAUTIFUL!) handwriting on them. She leaves a wonderful legacy in her two wonderful daughters and in a loving husband of whom I intend to stay close. Like I said, sometimes life just doesn't turn out the way you plan it to. She was a wonderful woman that lived a lot of the values other that people only talk about. I hope that I can live those same values and pass them along to my children.
Our birthday celebration for Elliott was unfortunately postponed a few days but he didn't seem to mind. The girls were more upset than he was. They had been eyeballing his birthday cake all day, and were really looking forward to swimming at the Holland Acquatic Center. We celebrated his birthday with cake and ice cream the next day ......
.....and Elliott opened a few presents.....
... and he even got a visit from his Grandma and Grandpa Burbank, who baked him a Da-Chi (bus) cake especially for him!
The following weekend we finally made it to the Acquatic Center, with it's water slide, whirlpool, and children's play area. The girls were elated, but Elliott didn't enjoy it like we had hoped. He wouldn't let me set him down to play in the water, or walk with him in the deeper water the entire 90 minutes we were there. So apparenly our little man still doesn't like to be in a pool. Fun fact: we just signed him up for swimming lessons that start next week. This ought to be interesting.....
On another happy note, our sweet Barney turned eleven this past week. He is a wonderful companion, and has been my 'furry kid' from the day I first laid eyes on him at the animal shelter when he was just six months old. I had been hoping so badly to adopt a dog and Matt brought him home to me after we got home from our wedding honeymoon. He was with us from the first month of our marriage, and to think how life has changed over that decade and here we are now raising three young kids and he is still here with us. He is my sidekick here on the farm, and I truely love this dog. He is doing quite well for being eleven; he is losing a little weight and has some cataracts developing but will still engage in a chase-me play session at any given moment. And he is so sweet and gentle with our kids. Happy birthday, Doonie-B!
Tomorrow we are going back to my hometown to celebrate the birth of my brand new nephew, Grant William Hardy, and the wedding of Matt's sister, Tina, to her best friend and soul mate, Brian. And as usual, I'll be toting my camera with me. Stay tuned! :o)
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