Hi friends & family, some sad news over here at the blog today. My Grandma passed away this week and, because this blog has turned into such an important journal of our lives, we thought it would be appropriate to share a few of her memories.

Grandma Rita was a generous and kind woman – someone who has left a mark on many many hearts. While her passing has been incredibly difficult, her life was abundantly blessed! Here are some photos that make me smile:

I love the photo with her family, Grandma is the last on the right in the bottom row (oh those glasses! and that hair! so trendy).

She was born in 1935 in a little farm in Earling, Iowa – a teeny tiny town of maybe 300. We still visit when we’re in that neck of the woods and we still have plenty of family there. Grandma married her high school sweetheart (to none other than that handsome Julius in her high school class picture) and had three children of her own.

Here’s the entire brood:

That’s my mom there in the middle in the left photo, and that ornery (Grandma’s favorite word) one in pink overalls who’s refusing to play along on the right is me.

Grandma married again about 10 years ago. She was so so happy in this photo on the left. In February, just after Liv was born, she came to visit Kevin and I, and we took the opportunity to take a photo of the four generations:

So special.

I found all of these great photos while helping to sort through binders at her home in Omaha and I’ll cherish the memories they bring. We’ve had our chance to say goodbye – but it’s consoling to know that now she’s looking down on us from heaven, and will continue to watch her family grow and flourish.

Grandma, we love you.

xo,
Morgan, Kevin & Liv

Today is Kev’s birthday! Liv and I are so grateful to have this mister in our lives.

This was actually Kevin’s birthday card that I made in Photoshop (you could use Picasa to add word art to your photos, too – great tutorial here) and had printed for him in an accordion-style card (so that the little messages were one on top of the other). That ‘faces’ reference up there refers to Liv’s obsession with grabbing mouths and noses – anyone and everyone’s mouth and nose. We think she’s well on her way to becoming a dentist.

Kevin, we love you!