Great Granchild # 9 Arrived last week. Enzo Landon Schnell

 

May 21, 2023

Dear Family:

The big news this week is the addition to the Taylor/Kelsy/Cooper/McKay Schnell Family.  He was born Thursday evening at 9:55  and 20 ½ inches long.  He has dark hair and he and his mom are healthy and well.  His name is Enzo Landon and he is beautiful.  Brad and Sheri have been over there helping this weekend.  Brad’s job is flexible and he can handle phone calls.  Sheri’s position as a Permanent Sub requires that she be back tomorrow morning, so she flies home tonight.  Brad will be staying until Wednesday night.

Enzo Landon, 2 days old, McKay 2 years old and old Great Grandma Suzanne

I was reminded by Don this morning via “Whatsapp” that today is 2  years since our Judy passed away. Don has had the hardest job during these past two years adjusting to living alone and adjusting to his new lot in life.  Glennda, Jay and I – her siblings – miss her everyday.  It was 2  years ago this weekend that Hayden was graduating from high school and I went to be there with them.  I got the news as we were driving from SCL to Mapleton, from Amy. I won’t belabor the matter except to say that Judy was an extraordinary person/wife/sister/mom and friend.  Incidentally at my birthday celebration  at Saylor’s Old Country Kitchen 9 days ago, Amy, Haley and I were all commenting about her; I had on some of her clothes, Amy had a cosmetic bag of hers, and Haley had on a pair of shoes of Judy’s that I had given her because I’m too old to wear such classy shoes.  We decided that she would be thrilled that we were still remembering her and honoring her and we decided that she was there celebrating with us.

Jackson Grubbe is graduating from law school in Virginia today.  Mike, Amy and family are there joining in the family celebration.

My nieces Haley Lewis and Angie Schnell and their daughters visited New Orleans last week and I’m so happy for them.  I hope to hear all about it soon.

This has been a tough week for me in the “Home Ownership” department.  I have vapor barrier/insulation/heating duct damage in my crawl space from past ground water and rodents.  I very likely have rodent damage in my garage and attic as well.  The rodents have to be dealt with before I can have the damage in the crawl space taken care of. One inspector said the smell that bothers me so much is likely from rodent damage in the attic. Yikes!

 My friend Norma (who I minister to) has decided to move to an assisted living facility.  Besides being in constant pain with no remedy available, she is tired of keeping up her home in King City.  I get it!  I think the solution would be to buy a new home – in 10 years sell it and buy another new home, repeat, repeat.  My home is 34 years old and it has been a steady stream of replacements and repairs for the last 12  years.

But my home is paid for, and because I teach piano and save those earnings for home repairs, I’m prepared.  So don’t  feel sorry for me.  I can do this too!

I had a wonderful birthday dinner with Brad and Sheri last night at Oswego Grille.  Visiting with your adult children/spouses is what I treasure most these days.  It’s really interesting what things come up.

I really like these quotes about our grown children:

 It's not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself.

Joyce Maynard

With grown children, we can look back at both our mistakes and what we did well in our parenting, having conversations with a greater degree of honesty than was possible before. In getting older themselves, our adult children may begin to comprehend the burdens and strengths we carried from our own parents.

Wendy Lustbader

 

After spending the last weekend in close contact with my 3 children (and their spouses) I am I awe.  They are lovely, loving, hardworking people.  Thank you kids.

I love all of you.  From a distance, I can imagine the trials and hardships of those of you who live in other states.  My God support and bless you.

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne