I hope they are dancing!

Today would have been the 57th Wedding Anniversary of my beloved Mamasan and PopPop. They were blessed to be able to share 52 of those years together. One of their favorite things to do their entire life was to ballroom dance, so I hope they are twirling around heaven enjoying one another today! Some pics I had fun looking at today.....miss and love you Mamasan and PopPop.

Celebrating

After the funeral last Friday, we had a reception remembering and celebrating PopPop at my parents house. We were surrounded by lots of good friends, good memories and good food! Angel had a blast playing with all the little ones and she and Abby really had fun taking turns pushing each other in the baby stroller. Angel also thoroughly enjoyed circling the food table and snacking all night long! Thanks to everyone who was able to stop by, your support and love means so much to us and definitely helps us get through the tough times!! It was very helpful to celebrate PopPop and the wonderful and full life he was able to enjoy!

Hard to believe...

...that it has been a week today since we said goodbye and buried our beloved PopPop. I feel like I have been in a bit of a dream...getting through the days and emotions and daily duties...and then when it is quiet and calm, remembering that we have lost the patriarch of the family. Feeling a big void and not sure quite how to fill that emptiness. In a way I am glad things happened so fast so he didn't suffer, but at the same time I feel like there were things not said, done or quite "ready". There are millions of things I will miss and that will be hard to be without over the next couple months. I will miss our Sunday dinners with PopPop sitting across from me, the shouting conversations so PopPop could hear, the LOUD television because PopPop wanted to listen, the loads of sugar we had to put in his iced tea, his frequent request for some Baileys, chocolate milk and cookies...the kisses and compliments he always gave and all the stories he told and memories we made. I was so blessed to have so much time with him and so many memorable trips to Florida...especially those on the sailboat and looking for sharks teeth and sand dollars....him giving me my first time driving a car by myself on the highway transporting their grandfather clock to their new place...sleeping in their loft...eating Juicy Fruit Gum and chocolate milk...dancing in the ballroom...three o'clock happy hour with him drinking his white russian, the hours he spent in his workshop making many a table and footstool, and so many more. He was always glad that I played piano, liked Elvis, had thick dark eyebrows and went to Maryville College where his sisters attended. I was blessed to have him at my wedding, at my girls baptisms and living close these last several years. I feel very blessed to have been there during his last moments on earth and the ability to tell him I loved him and kiss him goodbye....so while last week was definitely hard, we took great comfort in putting him to rest in a way he would have been pleased with. We had some music, some prayers, a blessing, and some heartfelt moments. We found a bunch of old letters PopPop had written to all of us over the years, and my sisters and I read excerpts from them....some were very funny and some were sweet (especially the one that he wrote to my dad after they got engaged)....I will share them with you below...we called it Remembering PopPop: In His Own Words. He was a beautiful and FUNNY writer (and published!)...and has inspired me to WRITE LETTERS MORE!! My sister Alli sang "Goodnight My Someone" while they lowered his casket...she used to sing that to my Mamasan and PopPop every night before she went to bed when they lived at my parents house...I don't know how she managed to sing it but she did a beautiful job and I know they loved it!! We sprinkled sand on the casket...a little bit of his favorite to rest forever with him. I had put inside his casket one of his old pipes he had given me when he stopped smoking, a sand dollar and a sharks tooth we had found together. Thank you to everyone who sent beautiful flowers, who left messages and cards, who braved the cold day with us (although the sun did come out...must be PopPop smiling!), who helped us say goodbye and to all for the prayers for him and our family...please keep those coming!!! It was tough to explain to Angelica about what had happened...but that night while we were saying our prayers, we always end with "I love you Jesus, love you Mary, love you Angels, love you Saints...Watch over me." That night after we said that, she looked at us and said "And we Love you PopPop"...she made more of a connection than we thought as we had told her PopPop went to Heaven to be with Jesus and Mary and the Angels and Saints. She kept coming up to everyone that day and telling us she "was not happy" and that she "missed PopPop"...she spent a lot of time circling the grave waving and saying goodbye and blowing kisses. That night when someone said they were sad...she said, "It's ok, because PopPop is in heaven"...and then went back to playing. I hope to embrace that childlike joy and faith that she shows and we will both now enjoy frequent visits and bringing flowers to both Mamasan and PopPop...together again and forever!!

a group from Cypress Gardens, where PopPop lived, came to say goodbye

Janice...the activity person where PopPop lived, they danced many dances over the last couple years and she always took great care of him.

Dad, Jason, Chris, Casey and good friends Doug and Alan were pallbearers

Kim & Becca Gray and Alli did a beautiful job leading the songs

Deacon Hamlin did a beautiful job

reading excerpts from PopPop's old letters

PopPop had a brilliant and funny way with words...

sprinkling of sand, PopPop would have loved this!

looking at PopPop's picture board, so many memories

waving lots of goodbyes and blowing kisses to PopPop

Excerpt from PopPop's letters (except for the one to my dad after they got engaged becuase we read that one as a surprise to my mom)

I agree that just talking with each other is the best entertainment of all. As I grow older, I seem to remember more and more conversations I had with my parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. I only wish I had asked more questions, because sometimes in thinking back, I come up with blank spaces where I want answers, and I especially wish I had learned more about our family history.

I still think that some people are cut out to study and some are not, and I just wasn't. But if I was really interested in a thing, I could study it hard- like literature, or yacht designing or navigation. I just dont think I was ever too bright mentally and I attribute that to having been slapped on my head too many times. Whenever any of us kids got near our grandparents, theyd slap us along side our head, and we'd say "how come you did that? We didnt do anything." and they'd say "THAT is for all the times you do stuff you shouldn't and we're not there to catch you."

We've had lots of rough, windy weather this winter, and a few times I wasn't quite sure I'd make it across the Bay in the kayak, but it's always fun and a challenge, and I love just looking at the sea and sky, and all the wild critters.

I'm having lots of fun with my kayak, and go out an average of twice a week (I think Mamasan is happy to be rid of me for a while). The thing I enjoy most is to explore, mostly places where no other boat, other than a canoe or kayak, could go.

I'm happy to hear you now have a cat. We've always loved cats, and had one or two all the years your mom was with us. I think I like cats because they are so independent-- you dont own them, they own you!

I've always loved running, and every day walked from home to school and back, about 1 ½ miles, even went home to lunch. But instead of usually just walking, I'd run, and try to beat my record every day. I couldn't have smelled very well when I arrived back at school.

Please thank Albert and the girls again for that wonderful gift of having our daughter all to ourselves for a bit.

We've gotten rid of so much stuff the last few years, so thoughtlessly, and I think now we're down to the bare minimum! Your mom keeps giving stuff to the church and other many charities, that I really keep an eye on my clothes in the closet. Suddenly it seems I've only about two pairs of britches and three shirts to wear- but I guess it's all for a good cause!

She wrote of events and persons of the Revolution I was never aware of, and it was fascinating to me. Which shows- we're never too old to learn.

I realize she's had wonderful models in Erin and Meghan, but Caitlin is really an original- and so smart! That must come from the other side of the family!

As your mom and I keep saying to one another, what have we done to deserve such a daughter? And being with our baby grands is magic in itself. It's so wonderful to be able to just sit down and TALK with the girls, they're each their very own person, and yet a very strong member of your team. And again, we ask ourselves, " how come we're so blessed with grandkids like this?? But we'll quit asking and just enjoy!

The Herb Club, thank God, is having their annual dinner with just the club members this year, no captive husbands. I suspect they heard the growls of growing mutiny at the last year's dinner.

For her birthday, she's requested I make her a kneeler, which she can use every morning with her prayers. It'll fold up, so won't take a lot of room. I'll send a photo when I complete it. In the back of my mind I was wondering how i'd make her a gadget to help her up from it???

I thought, when I was a kid, that old people just sat rocking in a rocking chair, and dreamed about the good old days, and only got up when they were called to meals. What a SHOCK. It ain't like that at all, but we're just trying to do the best we can.

PopPop, Rest in Peace

I wanted to post a quick note mostly to say thank you to all our amazing friends and family members that have blessed us with their thoughts and prayers over these past couple of days. Our beloved PopPop, John Davison Williamson, passed away Wednesday morning about 9:45am. He made a sudden turn so unexpectedly and we had to rush to be with him, but I am so thankful that we were able to be with him during those last moments. I will have to share the beautiful story later as well as beautiful pictures from his service and reception. (the two pictures here are ones we used on his program). I really want to compose my thoughts which are emotionally raw right now. But for now, I am trying to savor the last couple of days and all the memories to help get through the hard moments....I think right now the shock is just starting to wear off....so please continue to keep us and PopPop in your prayers...I did want to post below an email we received from my cousin Christor in Ireland...he summed up my PopPop very nicely....

It is indeed very sad news and I am grieving as I read and re-read Erin's touching letter. A part of me has died today. John and Fran hosted Val my Mother and me when we went to Sarasota for the wedding of the century, we always remember and recall. He was so welcoming, most entertaining and deeply concerned for our well being and happiness. An again I stayed with them both in Palmetto in 1995.... and Erin came down to help with their movement to a smaller house. I remember him with great fondness. His daring trips to Ireland... he used to describe the risks to his life and limbs of living in a sunless sky. Sean, Lily and me shared our memories this morning on the phone.
John was out there a liberal, ever an adventurer, challenging the environment, out in his boat, feeling his inner ties with the whole of nature with his gentle acceptance of the divine oneness of all life, and the laws of cycles, rebirth, and karma. This formed the groundwork for Johns existence and in this context he saw death not as the end, but a temporary transition into a different phase of life. I believe that his life and death were very much at one with Emily Dickinson when she wrote:
Because I could not stop for Death—
He kindly stopped for me—
The Carriage held but just Ourselves—
And Immortality.

On the back page of the program for the service we included some fun facts about PopPop and called it a Little Log of John's Life (a nautical term for the avid sailor that he was). Hope you enjoy learning a few things about him as well:

- Served 3 years as an ARMY MP during WWII in Aruba.
- Official career was as an oil terminal manager, second career was having fun on his sailboats of which he owned 72 throughout his life.

- Thoroughly enjoyed weight lifting, body building and arm wrestling.

- Learned how to ballroom dance at age 50 & did so every weekend for years.

- He loved classic cars and classical music.
- He always had a good book and loved biographies.
- He was a published author in several boating magazines and even wrote a book.
- He also learned to kayak at age 50 and often went for a paddle.
- White Russians or Baileys Irish Cream was his preferred drink, along with iced tea that could

never be too sweet or too cold.
- Could never have enough ice cream, chocolate, juicy fruit gum, and milkshakes.
- Could often be found in his workshop building another table or footstool.
- Preferred bare feet and the hot sun.
- But most of all, he loved his First Mate (Mamasan), his beautiful daughter, his favorite son-in-

law, his four baby-grands and three great baby-grands.

Prayers Continued

PopPop Update:
Today has not been a great day. PopPop has been in pain with his arm and also not eating or drinking much of anything. He has some severe bowel impaction and also spiked a fever for a bit. He started having difficulty breathing and sounded very gurgly for awhile so they gave him some oxygen. I joined my mom at the hospital for a couple hours tonight and the doctor happened to be there. He was worried about pneumonia, so said not to give him anything to eat and drink for awhile...and also ordered him to sit up for a bit. Mom and I kept trying to get him to cough, and poor guy still had a sense of humor when he could manage to stay awake and respond now and then. He had an x-ray of his lungs taken and before I left we found out that he had not aspirated, which is good for the pneumonia worry, but just has some fluid in the lungs. So....we are waiting to see if we will be able to get him into surgery tomorrow for his arm or not....his kidneys and blood work was better so we are hoping we can get the arm fixed. Please keep the prayers coming, it is so hard to watch him in pain and struggling with breathing and such. Also please pray for my mom as she handles his care and needs strength, both physical and emotional, to get through these next few weeks.

FOR NANNIE:
Yesterday we also got a phone call that Jason's grandmother, Nannie (Louise Bentley) in VA, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday. She was having chest pains and found out that her blood had gotten to thick so her heart was working too hard. However, the hospital gave her too many blood thinners, which then caused her to start bleeding out of her nose PROFUSELY and her wrist where they had pricker her etc. It was so bad they had to admit her and pack her nose and change her sheets several times a day. Today her levels were back to normal so she is hoping to get released tomorrow....all the tests were inconclusive as to why her blood thickened up...but hopefully she is on the mend!!

Thanks for all the prayers!!!

Prayers for PopPop

Please keep my grandfather, PopPop as we call him, or John, in your prayers. Yesterday after Church we found out that he had fallen at the assisted living place he lives. He has had some trouble with falls lately, especially when he gets very dehydrated...which has also been occurring more frequently. But....due to his fall and the abrasions he got on his head, he also broke the area above his right elbow (just like he did to his left arm a bit back) and will need surgery. The sad part is that he fell and then was on the floor unattended to for probably most of the night. So this affected his blood work and kidney function levels. So they are trying to get all those levels back to normal ranges, so it looks like the surgery will not happen until Wednesday. The surgeon said he has NEVER seen this happen where the exact same break and surgery occurs on one arm one fall and then the other arm this time. Leave it to PopPop!! He has been in some pain, quite groggy with the drugs, not much of an appetite... but as usual has pretty good spirits. I took the girls in this morning to try and cheer him up, but of course hospital rooms for little ones only allow so much of a visit. We will keep you posted on his progress, but please pray for pain relief, a safe surgery, easy recover and PLEASE PRAY for the answers and direction for the decisions of where to call "home" for him after this is over as we do not think he can go back to where he was living!! I watch my mom and dad take such good care of him and only hope that I am as good a caretaker for my parents when that time comes. I know my Mamasan is watching over him too!!

Anniversary Memories

Today would have been my Mamasan and PopPop's 56th Wedding Anniversary. I was thinking about it today and it must be so hard to lose someone and have days like this pass without the person to share it with. I am so glad they were able to celebrate 52 of them together and I know Mamasan is watching over PopPop today and sending him her love and all the happy memories they shared over the years. I am so blessed to have such incredible examples of marriage and commitment as both sets of grandparents have celebrated over 50 years and parents over 30. Days like today make me thankful for the blessings I have in my marriage and the ability to share that every day with my special someone. I hope that PopPop feels the love of Mamasan still surround him and that of his family as well.

Updates

PopPop Update:
He is doing well, still at Northwoods Lodge but hopefully not for too much longer. He has never complained of pain, just boredom!! He has been a bit disoriented but he tends to get that way when he isn't in his normal surroundings. He is walking pretty well again and the swelling in his hand seems to be getting better. He is in a big brace for his arm, not a hard cast anymore. He tends to get up and out of his bed on his own still so at least he is still wanting to be independent...however he also keeps setting the bed alarm off!! Poor guy....we try to keep him happy by bringing him goodies and the girls to make him smile!!

Pepe Update:
Pepe is still in the hospital although the doctors say he is doing well. He is getting his appetite back which is good because that wasn't going too well at first. He still has the drainage tube left and cannot be discharged until that is taken out. Right now they are trying to get his blood chemistry back in normal ranges. First he was anemic, then his potassium levels drop etc....so trying different things to fix that so he doesn't have to have a transfusion. He gets up several times a day to walk and slowly get his strength back. So we are hoping that maybe in the next day or two he can go home.

Other updates:
My sister Meghan found out her official due date for Baby Sturhahn is December 20th!! She is still feeling really well (remind me not to hate her!). Dad is still in Florida for his dad but will be coming home Saturday. We are supposed to have 80-85 degree weather this weekend starting Thursday so that should be nice!!

Prayers!!

First, update on PopPop....he is doing well so far. He is at Northwoods Lodge, a very nice rehab facility right now. The doc changed his dressings yesterday and put him in a hard cast right now. He should have stitches removed soon and possibly then a splint put on. PopPop has done very well...still has a good appetite, doesn't seem to be in too much pain and loves having us visit. We hope the recovery will continue to go well and he can regain use of his arm as much as possible...a long haul ahead!! Thanks for all the prayers....From one grandpa to the other...this morning my Pepe (paternal grandpa) had an angiogram for his heart (he suffered a mild heart attack a few weeks ago during oral surgery). It showed significant blockage in all arteries and we already knew of his faulty valve. So....they admitted him right away and he will have open heart surgery tomorrow and from what I know and understand right now....5 bypasses will be done and the aortic valve fixed too. So this is major surgery and we are all praying very hard. My dad flew out right after he got the phone call and will be there tonight to be with his folks and help out however he can. Wish we could all be there Pepe to give you hugs and kisses and wish you well. You are so strong and healthy, I am sure you will pull thru this like a pro!! Meme...we wish we could be there to distract you and give you strength, but know we are praying and will call lots!! Thanks to everyone for the prayers...keep them coming especially tomorrow and we will keep you posted on the news...

Happy Birthday Angelica Rose!!

Today our "baby" turned TWO!! So hard to believe. Angelica Rose has changed and grown so much in this past year and continues to bring so much happiness and blessings to our lives. She is a sweet little girl and growing up so fast. She had her two year check today and weighed in at 25 pounds (25%) and 34 inches tall (50%). Poor thing is still trying to readjust to being home and has yet to get back on a routine since we have been spending some time at the hospital with PopPop. Marmee came over today and made one of her favorites for dinner though....spaghetti!! We are going to have her party and celebration on Saturday so Aunt Caitlin can join us as she will be done with school!! It was special that she had a celebration in VA with family and will have one here with family. Angelica....mama and papa love you so very much and never realized until you were born how to love someone so completely and unconditionally. We hope you have another healthy and wonderful year ahead and enjoy being TWO!! I am trying to put together a little slide show of our favorite pics so far and a cute video of her showing how old she is....but will have to post tomorrow....as after a long day....I am off to bed.

(POPPOP UPDATE: We were at the hospital for awhile this morning and again tonight and PopPop's spirits are very good...although he is quite a bit of pain. Luckily he has a great appetite and loves watching his great-grandchildren. He tries to get some rest and the doc has him sitting up for at least 6 hours of the day. His surgery site is oozing a lot which I guess is normal and they won't redress it for awhile yet. He is supposed to get discharged tomorrow to a rehab facility....we will keep you posted and thanks for the prayers!)

Update

We made it home safe and sound after a very LONG day of flying. It was sad to say goodbye to all the family and I think we were all in tears as we waved goodbye!! We had a short lay over in Cincinnati and got in to Seattle around 630pm yesterday. The girls were AWESOME on the flights and such troopers. The main thing I found difficult was trying to nurse in those very tiny seats on a crowded FULL flight and a long baby that likes to stretch out and move a lot when she nurses. Luckily I had THIS....which has made nursing in public so much more manageable especially with Emma who squirms a lot because it allows both my hands to be free and see her at the same time!! Dad and Alli picked us up, we stopped for some Teriyaki (thanks dad!) and then saw Marmee at the house. After baths we hit the sack...all exhausted and ready for bed...unpacking would have to wait until tomorrow!!

Updates: When I landed in WA, I had two voice messages on my cell phone. The first was from Mom H. in VA wanting to let us know they were ok. The tornadoes that hit Colonial Heights (where Jason's church in VA is and family close by) did not hurt any of Jason's family or homes. Luckily we had flown out of VA just a few hours before it hit!!

The other message was from Mom V. telling me that my grandfather, PopPop, had fallen that morning helping the ladies from his assisted living place into the activity van and gotten pretty hurt. He had cuts and bruises all over his face...some that needed internal and external stitches. His knees and hands were all scraped up...but the worse was he broke his left upper arm...a complete break in the distal part of the humerus near the elbow. His wrist was pretty sore as well, but not broken. So we spent this morning at the hospital with him, and this evening around 530 he went into surgery for his broken bone. The doctor had to use two plates and screws to fix it....and ended up breaking another bone to get to the injured one. But the doctor was pleased with the outcome and PopPop handled the surgery well. He is right now just into his room from recovery and in a lot of pain!! So please keep him and his recovery in your prayers....not a way to start his 87th year!! Right now the arm is just in a splint and the doctor doesn't' think he will cast it. He will probably be in the hospital until Thursday and then most likely in a rehab facility for about a week. Hopefully he can return to his assisted living home and his own room soon and we are praying for the best recovery of range of motion and use of his arm!! We will visit him tomorrow and update then.

PopPop update

This afternoon PopPop is being discharged from the hospital but cannot return to his room at the assisted living home until he is able to stay steady on his feet and walk. So for now he is going to a nursing facility on Bainbridge Island until hopefully room will open up for him at one in Bremerton. Once he is assessed by a PT hopefully we will know more about how long he might have to stay there before he can go back "home". Thanks for all your prayers.