This photo was the last time I visited my Grandma Black. Just about a month before she passed away. She had made ginger bread cookies, and little sacks of candy for the great-grand children. Here she is holding Jence. Jence is named after my Grandma's Father, and Grandfather. This photo really captures how my Grandmother is my link to my ancestral roots, and also my future. Her posterity is tremendous, and as the new generation of great grandchildren grow I hope that they remember her shining example of courage, optimism and faith. I hope that they know that they have the very same pioneering blood flowing through their veins, and that same pioneering spirit which embodied my grandmother. This is their inheritance from her. She didn't leave wealth, or fame. What she left was far more valuable, and ten times more precious. Her legacy was one of faith. Faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, a heart that was pure and full of joy, a will that was strong and trusted in the Lord and an unfailingly positive attitude that was unconquerable.
I love this photo. It was taken on Christmas eve of 2006. It is the only four generational photo that I have. It shows my Grandma Black, my dad Kirk Black, myself and my two oldest children Kirk and Kate. I just wish Benjamin and Jence could have been in the photo too. This was taken shortly after my Grandmother underwent hip surgery. She was a tough cookie, and recovered amazingly fast. I'd like to think of my Grandma as a Rolex watch. "She takes a lick'n but keeps on tick'n".
This photo was taken at Christmas time in 2007. As you can see just one year after her hip surgery she was looking really well. I think that this was one of the last Christmas eve's we spent at my Grandma's house. Christmas eve's at Grandma's is one of my most poignant memories of childhood. Grandma made these wonderful stocking's for all of us grandchildren. The anticipation of receiving our stockings on Christmas eve each year was the highlight of the holiday. We would start the evening with a delicious dinner, and after visiting for what seemed like an eternity, my Mother, Grandmother, and Aunt would leave the large family room, too go "play Santa and fill the stockings".
Each year we would look forward to a little white box filled chocolate treats, and dried fruit. All of it was homemade by my Grandma. I can't imagine how much work she went to, to make so many chocolates for all of the grandchildren. That is what made it so special. We each had our very own box, we didn't have to share. It was that kind of individual attention Grandma always gave. I can imagine her making each little box of candy with so much love. In this photo I am about two years old on Christmas eve it's 1984. You can see Grandma is holding my Christmas stocking.
This was my Grandma Black's favorite swing. She would spend her summer day's staring out at her beautiful yard, and swing in her chair. She loved her home. She never wanted to live anywhere else. She was independent, and lived in her home right up until the last moments of her life, when she received her wish and peacefully past on in her own home. 
I remember eating on these same steps as a child. They made a perfect place to eat a delicious plate of food. 
Here is Kirk eating his lunch. The spaghetti was left over from the night before. I asked him today what he wanted for lunch and he responded with "I want spaghetti and meat balls, macaroni and cheese, corn dogs, a peanut butter sandwich, a brownie and Cheetos". I'm not exaggerating. He is just like his Dad. A bottomless pit, Dan can eat all day long, and still never gains an oz. When we first got married I'd feel bad because I'd work hard to make dinner, and about an hour after dinner he was eating a second dinner (usually ramen noodles, or Doritos, or some kind of junk food). I use to think it was because he didn't like my cooking, now I just know that's how his metabolism works. It just burns everything up really fast. If the boys are anything like their dad I'm scared to see what our grocery bill will be when I have three teenage boys. They are going to eat us out of house and home.
If you haven't noticed Kate has been growing out her hair for a couple of years now. We have only gotten small trims for the past year. Ever since the film Tangled came out she decided she wanted really long hair. Her goal was to her waist. Lately, however we have discovered why the film was called tangled. Kate's hair was just getting to hard to care for. Every morning was a battle with the brush. She hated it when I'd brush it out, but if I didn't it would have huge knots in the back. I told her that either she lets me brush it, or it's gotta go. So we started looking at hair styles on the Internet. She picked out a cute short A-line cut. If she was going to go that short, she might as well donate her hair to the locks of love a charity for children with permanent hair loss ( I was familiar with the charity because I donated some hair to it in high school). We checked out the website, and I almost cried. What a tremendous blessing these hair pieces are for kids with Alopecia. Alopecia is a auto immune disease which attacks the child's hair follicles. They will never be able to grow hair. Locks of Love is 100% non profit charity which provides hair pieces for underprivileged children with this disease. The website explained that with the hair pieces the kids aren't afraid to do the things most kids take for granted like going to the mall, and not getting teased at school. It gives them a whole new life and self confidence. Kate became super excited and could hardly wait for the weekend to go and get her new cut. I'm so proud of Kate for contributing to this great cause. It took alot of guts to cut off so much hair. I think she looks adorable in her new cut. She wears it with pride, and is eager to tell how she was able to donate it to children in need. We love you Kate. Your sweetness, and love for other's shines through like the candle in a dark room. You are a precious light in our lives, and so grateful to be blessed to have you as our daughter. 
