It's been over a year since I last posted, seems like major events draw me back to Melissa's blog.
Hip replacement was major, and hard to believe, but it's been awhile since we've had another "major" event.
This past couple weeks have been crazy busy. Took Max to 4 football camps. Ohio University, Indiana (he was invited to Indiana!), Notre Dame and Ohio State. Lots of driving in a short time, but we love it!
Then Andrew's graduation. It was just yesterday that he was sitting on my lap and I was reading to him...wasn't it?
Graduation was a month ago, and his graduation party was this past Friday night. Mere asked if we'd stop over to help take some stuff to the venue for the party. OF COURSE! We were ALL excited, (mom and dad a little stressed), and I made things ever MORE stressful. Picked up the bowl (plastic, thank goodness) of potato salad to take to the car. Knute, their blind/deaf dog, didn't see me or hear me. And I didn't see HIM. Somehow, he got tangled in my feet, and I went flying. LITERALLY. Couldn't tell if I fell flat or as Mere said "you went sliding!" In any event, I ended up face first on the hardwood floor, potato salad EVERYWHERE. Picture this, the crime scene where they outline the body on the floor, only MY outline was POTATO SALAD!
I told Andrew he should have taken a picture (I want to capture EVERYTHING)...he said "Pamma! I thought you were dead!" Because I laid there for about 10 seconds wondering what the hell just happened, and wondering if I hurt anything. Oh, and I didn't say I was dressed for the party. In a dress and a jacket -the only potato salad on my was on my right sleeve.
No injuries. Just 10 pounds of potato salad gone. UGH. Fortunately, Belmont Catering was still open at 3:30 on Friday, and they sold us what we needed.
Party went off without any more hitches. And I wasn't allowed to carry ANYTHING in. Maybe that was my plan all along. HAHA.
The next morning we got up to go to Casstown, Oh (between Troy and Tipp City) as guests at a book signing. Author (Tonya Carrie) wrote a book about surviving the death of her son. She really wanted a man's perspective on grieving, but included me. We love sharing Melissa's story.
Then on to Ella's graduation party. (Andrew's girlfriend),
Now we are preparing for the NEXT party.
Our 50th anniversary.
Not many people have big 50th anniversary parties like they used to. My mom and dad, Donny's mom and dad and both of our grandparents had 50th anniversary parties. I think now if people make it to their 50th, they travel.
We decided to celebrate with our friends and family. At the VFW, where we had my mom and dad's anniversary party. We know several people who were close to making their 50th anniversary and lost their spouse. So we aren't going to pass up the opportunity to share the joy with all the people that helped us get here!
After losing JP, then Melissa and John, I felt like our family kept getting smaller instead of bigger.
But I started thinking about all the "families" we are a part of. Not just our blood families, but friends we consider family. Moraine Meadows, St. Helen's, Wilbur Wright, Carroll, Fairmont friends, Basketball, Softball and of course the Franz family! Our families have grown over the years and we want to celebrate with them.
Melissa would have been a big part of this. Nick knows it. He's not a planner like she was. But he'll be there to do whatever we need. Mere and the boys too.
It's kind of a Celebration of Life - only with both of us there. Shouldn't we celebrate more often, instead of waiting until your loved ones are gone?
So next week, I'll update WITH pictures.
For now - photo dump from the last two weeks...we were busier than I thought!
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