Pictures from the Past

I just absolutely love this picture! I sure do miss those days when they were little babes! Aren't they so cute?!!! I never used to believe people when they told me "kids grow up fast." It is so true. Now that these two babes of mine have left the nest, I can't tell you how unprepared I was for their absence in our home. I miss you Ether and Kita!

Ready for church! Arent' they so cute!

This is outside the courthouse after Pat legally adopted Ether, Marikita, and Marissa! As you can tell, Gretchen is about ready to join our family!!

I goofed

Somehow the pictures below got spaced further and further apart the farther you scroll down! Whoops!

I will be posting pictures soon from Ether's concert last year and our family trip to Utah when we took Ether to the MTC!!

Random Pictures -2009

The snow fort Pat and the girls made in our back yard!!

Marikita's Graduation Day 2009!!!!

Ether - first day in the MTC!!!

Ether and Rebecca - PROM!!

Ready for church!!!

Marissa, Adam, and Simon - State Choir

Pat's hunting gobbler!

Marissa post production -"The Great Easter Egg Hunt"

Ether receives his Mission Call to Bogota Colombia North Mission!!!

Hannah's baptismal day!

Ether and Rebecca - 8 months!!!

Ether is our "cookie man" in our house, making choc chip cookies no doubt!

Marikita singing solo at the April 2009 Choregraphed choir concert!!!!

Hannah's Birthday Take 2

The color in the photo was kind of goofy, but here she is with her cake sans the candles!
Hannah's birthday was actually February 19th, so I am a little behind!

Hannah's Birthday

I am not a fancy cake maker, but I thought this turned out cute anyway. The important thing is that Hannah loved it and that's what counts!!

If Time Could Be Bottled?

There never seems to be enough time in a day! You know the saying "if I had a penny everytime I ________, I would be rich." Well if pennies were little bits of time and I had a penny for every morsel of sweets I have eaten, I would have a TON of time! LOL!
Some moments I wish could be "freeze frame" and other moments don't you just wish would pass you by faster than the speed of light (mostly embarassing or uncomfortable ones).

I just mainly wish I could have been a stay at home mom all these years. Now that the two oldest have left the nest, I am feeling the regrets, the heartache, and time lost that I can never recapture. On a brighter side, we are told we will be blessed in the eternities for that which we did not fully receive here if we are but faithful, obedient, and keep our covenants.

Don't put off tomorrow what you can do today.

Honoring Grandma Marie Ida Coupe

Celebrating Grandma's 100th Birthday

Grandma's Graduation Picture

Grandma and Grandpa's Engagement Pictures

Today I attended the funeral of my dear Grandma Marie. She lived to be 101 years old. She lived a good long life and I am so happy for blessing for her and for our family. Growing up we lived 2 hours away and so we saw her probably about 4 or 5 times a year. She would always bring us candy when her and my Grandpa would come and visit us. I will miss her a lot. I will miss a lot of things about her, but I really will always remember her kindness, her love for children, and her silliness. She really was a little child at heart and she had the cutest giggle. She giggled all the time. She made the best home cooked meals and just loved family time and gathering everyone around her.

Grandma Marie attended Peru State University and received a bachelors in education. During her time at the University she became a track star and received honors and medals for her athletic abilities. My dad always joked that it was no wonder that she could always catch him when he was naughty and he would try to run away!

My Grandma met my Grandpa while a student at Peru. Shortly after they were married she taught school for a short while until they started their family.

The matriarch of our family has returned to her Heavenly home and although we will miss her so much, she is relieved of the infirmities of her body and reunited with dear ones who have since passed years before her.

Here is the eulogy written by my Aunt Joan, the only girl in a family of 4 boys.

"We are here today to celebrate the life of Marie Coupe. She lived a quiet unpretentious life, never any medals, trophies, or commendations, but she did acquire a few titles. That of wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother. Of these she was truly proud.

Her married life began during the days of the Great Depression, but she always worked hard and was ever the faithful wife in good times and bad. As mother, she somehow always had the creativeness and ingenuity to "make do" so that we always had what was needed. As grandmother, she loved to see the grandchildren every chance she got. She was lovingly know to some as Ma, Grandma, and Grandma Doodie.

Her sense of humor often showed itself in quick one-liners. She had a very even personality and rarely spoke ill of others or criticized them. She remained active until she was in her late nineties, playing bingo and pincochle, helping out in the classroom with the little ones at Sacred Heart School. Collecting Campbell soup labels was a past-time that she enjoyed because they could be redeemed for items that the school could use.

This is a just a thumbnail sketch of a great woman who will be missed more than words can tell. God granted her a long life. She made good use of that time here on earth and now we entrust her back to her Maker and the eternal rest she so richly deserves."

I love you Grandma.