One of the perks of being a teacher is getting to have Spring Break! This year I
abandoned traveled without the husband (he was starting his new city job!) and headed north to see my family in Kansas. I drove "The Beast", aka Michael's Dodge Ram 2500, so I could haul back the antique organ from my parents' house. My mom is now babysitting my cousin's little boy and my niece and needed more room in their house. I have plenty of house and couldn't bear to think of that organ being sold or given away, so I volunteered to take it!
Anyway, I got to play with the babies a lot, saw a few old friends, visited with the family, drank green beer, did a little shopping, and even squeezed in a pedicure. Then I got to make an unexpected (but good!) trip to Iowa when my Great-Grandma Fannie passed away. My dad, sister, niece, and I all loaded up into the car and made the trip. Little Emma did such a good job in the car, but we were all pooped by then end. I have a few pictures I am going to share, including one I found today when I was going through the boxes of stuff I had stored in my grandparents' attic back in 1997, and just brought back home with me this trip. It is a picture of my Iowa cousins and my Great-Grandma. Enjoy!
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| Me and Emma Grace on St. Patrick's Day |
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| Emma Grace and her mommy, Hannah, on St. Patrick's Day |
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| Modeling a dress I bought for her |
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| Emma and I in Iowa |
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| Emma and I the morning that I left |
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| Taylor, Mallory, Carly, Hannah, Emma, and me |
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| My Iowa Family |
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| This was taken the summer of 1995 |
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| This is the organ and stool I brought home. I found the serial number under 125-year-old dust, and this was built by the Estey Organ Company between 1884-1886. |
Oh gasp! That organ is stunning. What an heirloom to inherit! It seriously gives me a bubbly feeling in my heart to think about and look at it. I'm really strange about old things. What an amazing thing to have a great grandmother even into your early 30s! I had one but she passed away when I was probably 8. I'm sorry for your loss. Were you able to be very close living in different states? I often wish I'd have more time with elderly people to pick their brains and gain more wisdom and hear about their lives, before they die. I'm so strange that when I hear about "the world oldest woman/man" dying I suddenly wish I'd known them and had a chance to talk to them before they died. I always imagine it would be so incredible to talk to someone that lived so long ago in an age that is lost to time. And I think I'm afraid of those older days being completely forgotten by new generations. Anyway, I love all the pics!! Your niece is a doll. :)
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