Shelley and Tim sent gifts from the Orient. Specificially a Thai outfit for Maddy. A note from Tim about Sawasdee: "So sawwasdee means hello and goodbye in Thai. It literally translates to something like "have you eaten rice lately" which just shows how much they enjoy eating food over [in Thailand]."
A note to Shelley, we haven’t killed all your plants yet, but I am trying. Most are quite healthy actually and love the front patio or the back deck. Here is a link to pictures of individual plants.
Well, the Hall family is settling back into a routine. We have been traveling or having company for the last two weeks. We spent a week in Indy (pictures) and then immediately following, had my Dad and Connie down with my neices, Alisha, Cassie, and Kayleigh (pictures). While Indy was stressful, the time spent with family was enjoyable and Maddy had loads of fun with relatives.
Well, I want to first thank all of you for your continued thoughts and prayers for myself and my family. Knowing that we have the support of all of our friends means the world to both Brad and I.
For those of you who did not know, I was in Indiana during the last week of June. My Grandfather had been extremely ill and I was traveling home to say my farewells. He had been hospitalized and diagnosed with a UTI and was aspirating his food. (For those of you who, like me, have never heard that term before; Aspiration takes place when the epiglottis in the throat isn’t working properly. Therefore, it causes a portion of a person’s food to enter into the lungs instead of the stomach.) By the time that I arrived in Indiana he was transferred back to the nursing home and had been put on a "care and comfort" routine. This meant that, while he would still receive food and drink, he would no longer be actively treated for his ailments. He was receiving medication to keep him comfortable but not to treat his infection.
He was kept comfortable and was with us through the July 4th holiday. However, God called Keith L. Bowser home yesterday July 9th at 1 pm. He passed peacefully in his sleep.
My Grandfather, Keith L. Bowser, was a loving and caring man. He always put his family before himself and not one of us ever felt unloved. Granted, like any father or father figure, he had his days of making us all feel a little "young for our ages" but once the situation we were in was said and done with, we all realized that it was only because he loved us and wanted us to be happy, healthy and safe. I will never forget the stories of his life, the anecdotes, and the fun that I had with him. He was a terrific man, and a great friend. He is survived by 4 daughters and son-in-laws, 12 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren. While he will be missed by all, we do know that he is where he has really wanted to be for the last three years, by my Grandmother Maxine’s side. She preceded him in death by three years and 6 days.
I would now like to quote a poem by Ellen Brenneman:
"His Journey’s Just Begun"
Don’t think of him as gone away – his journey’s just begun,
Life holds so many facets – this earth is only one.
Just think of him as resting
from the sorrows and the tears
in a place of warmth and comfort
where there are no days and years.
Think how he must be wishing
that we could know today
how nothing but our sadness
can really pass away.
And think of him as living in the hearts of those he touched…
for nothing loved is ever lost –
and he was loved so much.
With all our love,
Alisha, Brad, and Madison
Funeral Services will be held at Hartley Funeral Home in Cicero, Indiana.
Viewing will be Friday from 4 to 8 pm.
Burial Services will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at The Arcadia Church of the Brethren in Arcadia, Indiana.
Well, the faithful day has come and gone. July 4th 2005. I didn’t catch myself on fire, nor did my house didn’t burn down. In the immortal words of Brian Gannon, "Take that Darwin!". We spent the holiday out of the heat. I took a nap. We went to Old Settlers Park behind the Dell Diamond up in Round Rock to enjoy the professional fireworks. My dog didn’t go nuts this season either which is nice. Pictures of the day can be found below, click on the firework icon.
It was a pretty uneventful weekend. Swimming, picking up Alisha from the airport, cooking out, mowing the yard. The usual. But it seems everyone beat me to posting weekend photos and blogs (tim, gabe, dave). Oh well, you all should have more important things to do.
Well on a wetter note, we finally got some rain after 36 days of dry. It stormed like the dickens and dropped about a quarter inch in about 30 mins. The rain was refreshing, but I will still end up having to water my lawn this weekend.
