Freedom, Food, Family and Friends

July 4th, 2011

This picture will forever be special to me.
It is Kylie sitting in her Great-Grandpa King's lap for the last time.

It's been pretty crazy around here lately, which is why I am so slow to blog about our 4th of July festivities.

Our weekend began with the drive home from Florida. Luckily, it was extremely uneventful (unlike the drive down). We left Jacksonville on Thursday, June 30th ad drove about 8 hours a day for the next 3 days. We stayed in Chatanooga, TN on Thursday night...Although we didn't have time to sight-see, we did learn from driving around that it is a beautiful city at the base of the Appalachian Mountains. On Friday, we stayed in Hannibal, MO...The home of Mark Twain. I was excited about this town, but it was a disappointment. The city was not beautiful like I had imagined, and in fact was pretty run-down. Maybe I was just on the wrong side of the tracks...Who knows?!? Oh well. On Saturday, we cruised through Iowa and made it home by 3:30pm. And it felt sooooo good to be home! :)

Our goal was to make it home in time for the annual Orthopedic Surgery Welcome Picnic...and we did! So, Saturday evening we went to the Welcome Picnic for the incoming Orthopedic Surgery residents. It was a great time and really fun to see all of our Ortho friends after 3 months away!

BIG KYLIE EVENT ALRET!!!!

Kylie started showing interest in eating during our last weeks in Jacksonville, but I didn't want to start solid foods down there. So on Sunday, July 3rd, she had her first taste of rice cereal. She seemed to be okay with the taste and texture, as she didn't make too many weird faces. She is still getting the hang of bringing food into her mouth rather than pushing it out with her tongue. She is getting much better now, but at first there was definitely more food coming out than going in.

Mmmm...Rice cereal!

July 3rd was also my 10 year class reunion, which I helped to organize. We had a fairly good turn out, and it was fun to see many of my old classmates again. Everyone seems to be doing really well, which is so great!

Kirsten Fryer and her husband, Justin.
Kirsten and I are also great friends from college.
AND she is the pastor who married Jon and me.

Brian, Gary and Kris.

Molly, Kris and me...Amanda was there too, but left before the picture.

For Kylie's first 4th of July, we did many of the traditional activities. We went down to Lake Florence Park in Stewie with my family for Arts in the Park and fried food. Then in the evening, we enjoyed the parade, in which my parents (the mayor and first lady) were a part. They rode in a horse and carriage this year!

Kylie was very festive in her red, white and blue!

My mom and dad in the parade.
My mom was taking pictures of us as we took pictures of them! :)

But the most special part of the whole weekend was that Kylie got to sit with my Grandpa King for the last time (see picture at top). Sadly, my grandpa passed away this past Sunday after a sudden illness and short hospitalization. We didn't know it would be the last time then, but we all got to spend a little more time with him during the parade. Most of his grandkids and all of his great-grandkids were there with him. I'm so grateful for those moments. I am so grateful for 28 years worth of wonderful memories. And I am so grateful that little pieces of Grandpa King will live on in me, in Kylie, and in all of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be missed!