In a Year's Time

The 9th of August marked the one year anniversary of Mike's death.  It's been a difficult year for our family.  However, it has also been a year of learning.........growing closer.........and a lot of living.

We wanted to honor Mike by having a celebration in his honor.  He would have loved that.  We fixed all his favorite foods (well, maybe not all of them.  lol)

BLT's, cheesecake, german potato salad, salami/cheese/crackers, and peach cobbler.  I couldn't possibly remember all the things that were there.  One of Mike's greatest joys was food.  Pam says that he would make his plate like an artist paints on canvas.  

Eric said some words before he ate that had everyone in tears.  I'm going to try my best to summarize it.  

He said that we came together for three reasons........

#1. This is the last of the firsts.  Meaning that we have went through a year of first holidays without Mike, a year of the first birthdays without Mike, and a year of memories without Mike.  This day marked the last time that we will say, "This is our first Christmas without Mike", or "This is the first birthday I've spent without Mike", or "This is the first trip that we have taken without Mike".  There is no doubt in my mind that we will still have firsts without Mike, but it seems that the first 365 days are the hardest.  Things are still so fresh in your mind.

#2. Gathering together as family and friends is exactly what Mike would have wanted us to do.  

Yes....everyone is busy.  Yes....I know it is a Tuesday night.  Yes.....I have to mow my yard too.  But this was important.  This was something you can't miss.  These are the moments you cannot recreate.  

#3. Our kids.  We need to do it so they remember their PaPa or their Ungle Mike.  We need to this so they understand what family is.  We need to do this so they recognize the people who will always be there for them.  When Mike was gone, one of the hardest things was seeing the kids upset.  I spent countless hours talking to my kids about it.  I know that my cousins did the same thing with their kids also.  Just because they are half the size of an adult does not mean that they have half the feelings.  

Then Joshua prayed over our food and by this time there was hardly a dry eye. 

If the above picture isn't a reason to celebrate, I don't know what is?

This was taken one year ago after Mike's funeral.  Wouldn't you agree that much has changed in a year!   

I really really love my family.  They aren't just family to me, they are some of my very best friends.  The little people make my heart swell.  They make me want to pinch cheeks.  They make me want to put bricks on their heads (so they will stop growing up so quick).

Pool Construction

This may be a long and boring post for some.

For the Smiths, though, it's an event that I would like to remember.

Hopefully this "hole in the ground" will provide us with many family memories.  

This pool was not a rash decision.  Rick and I had many talks about it, spent much of the last year thinking about it, and we reseached several companies before making up our minds.

Ultimately, I think our choice was for us, very wise.  It may mean that we take a smaller vacation next year.  But to me, that is a small sacrifice.  Quality time together (not in front of the television) is far more important.  

Therefore, I thought you might like to see the construction process.  Most of these photos were taken with my iphone (so I beg forgiveness on the picture quality).  Some were taken by my daughter (because I knew she wouldn't be embarrassed to take pictures while the men were working.  I however, was embarrassed.)

Large track hoes were brought in to dig the hole.  Since the pool is 9 foot at the deepest and 3 foot at the shallowest, the hole had to be exact.  Since the day Rick and I signed the pool contract, we were afraid that we would hit rock.  That would have required heavier equipment.  Which meant more "moola".  When we built our house nearly 8 years ago, we dug the backyard down 7 feet to make a walk out basement.  If you add that to the deep pool depth, that equals a whopping 16 feet in total!!!!  I'm still amazed that they didn't hit anything substancial.  Only small boulders that will make nice landscaping rocks.  

It's hard to see the scale in this picture.  The pool is 40 foot by 20 foot.  

This is the mountain of red clay that was dug out of our pool.  

This is a shot from the deck.  Sortof a different perspective.

This was my birthday, and I thought it would be appropriate to stand in the middle of my present.  

The next day they put up forms for the surrounding concrete.  They also put up supports along the upper edge of the pool.  

They installed our shallow end steps

They hooked up the plumbing and electric.  This is a picture of the bottom of the pool.  It rained some this day, so it made a bit of a mess.  It was much needed though.  The temperatures were over 100 degrees all week and the workers were spent.

This photo shows the steps in the deep end of the pool.  

Our backyard is an absolute mess.  Equipment, tractors, track hoes, bobcats, etc have been driving through the yard. 

The above photo shows our heater and salt chlorinator.  

When the pool finally dried out, they were able to put the pool sand in.  This is mixed with water then dropped into the pool.  The workers then smoothed it out before it dried and hardened.

After this was done I began to see a light at the end of the tunnel.  It started taking shape.  

The liner was then put in and the hoses were turned on.  Three of them poured into the pool for a total of two days.  

We had a crew come from Kansas City to put "Cool Decking" on the concrete.  This is just as the name implies.  It makes the concrete cool during the hot summer months.  

We have yet to get the cover (it's supposed to be here Monday) and our chlorinator and filters aren't running.  

We have lots of landscaping to do.  We plan on doing some this Fall but much of it is going to have to wait until next Summer.  That will give me time to decide exactly the way I want it to look.  In the meantime, it's kindof a mess.  

T-Bone doesn't seem to mind.

Good think this big dawg doesn't like to be wet.  'Cause this is as close to the pool as he is going to get.

In memory of my "Ungle" ♡

It sure seems strange how much things can change in a year.

Really, things can change drastically within a day.

One year ago today changed my family forever.

It was the beginning of 2-a-days (football) for Ryan.  I dropped him off super early that morning.  It all seemed so routine.  Wake up, get the kiddos ready, make a pot of coffee, you know, the stuff you do every day.  While I was sitting in my car, waiting to pick him up, I got a phone call that no one ever wants to get.

It was Josh (my cousin who is as close as a brother to me), he told me that my Uncle Mike was in a wreck and was gone.  

So one minute........normal

The next..........destroyed.

The next hours seem like such a blur and honestly, I really don't want to think about it.

I miss him terrribly. 

My kids miss him.

My family misses him.

My Pammy misses him.

While today is going to be hard for us, I am also rejoicing in all that has happened in the past year.

I've learned that my family is thick as mud.

I've learned that it's ok to cry on each other's shoulders sometimes.

I've learned that we are stinkin' tough!!

This picture is special to me because it also has Tegan in it.  We lost her a week before Mike.  

This picture is how I remember Mike.  Smiling most of the time.  He even smiled while watching commercials.  lol  

What a good man and what a legacy he has left.

I love you Mike.  

I thank you for all our talks.  

I thank you for sharing Jesus with me.  

I thank you for taking us to the river. 

 I thank you for playing games with my kids.  

I thank you for your silly jokes.  

I thank you for making breakfast when I spent the night.

I thank you for babysitting my kids.

I thank you for loving my kids like your own grandchildren.

I thank you for taking such good care of Pammy.

I thank you for late night trips for ice cream.

I thank you for scrapbooking with me.

I thank you for nature walks and jumping across rocks at Burr Oak.

I thank you for your special song on my birthday.

I thank you for everything.

Idol, Pools, and Hands.....oh my!

Our American Idol Live 2011 was a tremendous success!!!!!  I had very low expectations because I've never done anything like this before.  In the paperwork, they mentioned that we would only meet two of the top 12.  Because I am pessimistic by nature.  I figured it would be my very least favorites of the top 12.  You cannot imagine my surprise when ALL 12 OF THEM WERE THERE!  Seriously!!!!!

Rick and Pia

You will be glad to know that I didn't claw Pia's eyes out.  I wanted to..........but didn't!

Paul and I

You may also notice that all the pictures of my hubby with the pretty idols turned out crystal clear.  While the pictures of me with the handsome boys turned out fuzzy. 

I think Rick carefully planned this.  

My new boyfriend, Casey Abrams

Casey is one of my very favorites.  He rocks the bass!!!  He made Jack Black look cool!!!  ANNNDDDDD, he gave me TWO super duper hugs.  

Haley and Rick

Yet another crystal clear picture of Rick and Haley.

Scotty and I

Hummmm..... little fuzzy, don't ya think?  And what is happening with my lips.  Really Rick?  lol

On to other Smith news......

Our pool is nearing completion.  They still have to install the cover and the basketball goal.  I'm pretty sure the heater isn't hooked up yet either.  Oh yeah, it's only half full.  But besides all these things, it's almost done.  T-bone is going to have to stay away from it or I will blow a gasket.   It sure has been a hot summer for him.  The pond will have to remain his pool though.  

Our yard is such a mess.  It's embarrassing.  We have had track-hoes, bobcats, numerous trucks and tractors mauling it in the last two weeks.  

We have oodles and oodles of 'mators ripening in the garden!  Most of them have these crazy cracks in them though.  I'm not sure what causes that.  Probably lack of gardening skills.  Or it could be 100% neglect.  Either way, they still taste the same.  Delish!

This photo is also going to double as a photo of my hand in my photo challenge. 

I am going to wait to post pictures of the clouds because it's grey and overcast today.  I'm sure there are clouds up there, but I cannot see them.  It really wouldn't make a very nice photo.

I'm planning on doing a monster pool construction post.  It will take me a little bit, so please be patient with me.  I took one million and three pictures.  Some with my iphone and others with my camera.  I even shooed Gracie out the door a few times because I was too embarrassed to do it myself.  You know, with the workers there and all.