Life Grants Us Gifts! I am a Grandmother!!! Woohoo:)

Wow! I am now the grandmother of beautiful Addilyn and beautiful Madeline! What a blessing to have these two. I am not even going to talk about their wonderful parents at this point - just the gift of grandchildren. So, the upshot [thank you NY Times] is that I am rekindling my love of sewing - which I haven't visited since my kids were in grade school and needed costumes for various events and Halloween. I LOVE sewing. 

Now, I have to update our Christmas stockings: Add 1 for Addilyn [decided NOT to buy pre-made ones but to match all those I made for our children and spouses] and 1 for Madeline as well as a few more because I feel there are more grandchildren on the way...time will tell. 

Here is Sarah's made in 1985

Passing of a Generation

Time to grow up. What a year. In Jan. of 2015 my father, Forest Harvey Montgomery passed away. Truly hospice is wonderful for the patient and the family. We felt like being hugged to the bosom of a wonderful aunt...soothed, educated, and blessed. Then in April of 2016 my mother, Alice Irene Bonnell Montgomery, suddenly [1 day into hospice] passed away. Again the bosom hug of hospice ...short but so necessary. Then in December of 2016 my last two Montgomery uncles: Junior Harold Montgomery and Donald Max Montgomery passed away. As Philip [only sibling] and I drove to Uncle Donnie's funeral in Peru, Indiana, we learned that Uncle Junie's funeral was held the day before. Uninformed - we missed the closure a funeral brings to family and friends. Lots of loss in these past few years.  Wonderful uncles! The four brothers served in separate branches of the service during WWII - all lovers of horses - all owners of horses in various capacities.

Not a secondary matter; however, I have also lost aunts uncles on our mother's side: Uncle Argel [Spud] Bonnell, Margaret Ann Bonnell Bechdol, Millie Bonnell Roth...

Now Phil and I are in our separate paths but connected through my family. He has gladly been a reader at each of the kids weddings: Anna and Adam, Zach and Elissa, Sarah and Sam, and Liz and Justin. There have been road trips from Indianapolis to Houston. Lately, Liz and I traveled to Houston to meet Philip's new friend, Melissa and her daughter, Chloe. Life goes on; yet, I remember Alice and Forest tenderly...Dad comes back through an engineer's train whistle; mom speaks to me through baking bread, cooking, and being a grandmother - my new fav experience. Life goes on - yes it does!