Cookout ~ Mark's Birthday ~ A Visit

Mark and Maddison ~ "Are you really 64 Uncle Mark?"

Mackenzee watching Uncle Mark change the candles so no one

mistakes him for 64!

Happy Birthday!

Maddison
Mackenzee, Maddison, Laurel


Gemma

Yesterday, after the girls left with their mom, Brent called from the 17th hole to see if I wanted to ask Sara, Mitchell and the girls to come over for a cookout. I told him that would work out great since it was my brother's birthday...he and my mom could come over too.

Maddison and Mackenzee absolutely LOVE when we have "cookouts". They love the "party" atmosphere. So I took stock of what I already had, went to the store to get what I still needed, added a New York Style cheescake and a can of cherry pie filling and some candles for Mark's brithday cake.

Mackenzee brought over her newest "best friend", Gemma, a tiny little brown bunny who she carries around constantly. She even uses her teddy bear's front pack carrier to carry the bunny around the house. She called first to see if it was okay, and Brent told her to hang on, he'd see if there was room on the grill. Oh my gosh, I could hear her yelling clear in the other room! But, isn't that what grandpa's do? Try to get a rise out of you? I know my grandpa always did.

So Mackenzee walks in with a little carrier (I think for tiny dogs) holding Gemma. We were all sitting out back while Brent grilled on his new grill. I don't know how the conversation got started, but I heard Sara saying that her father-in-law said that when you find a tiny white feather, it's a spirit. I kid you not......less than five minutes later she said, "Oh my gosh, Mom, look, there's a little white feather". It sure was....I grabbed it and saved it and looked up the meaning this morning. There are all kinds of things out there. It does mean something. I found this:

Supposedly it is an angel's sign to you, they are communicating with you and it can also be a sign or communication from someone you love who has died. It's usually associated with them saying "I'm ok" or "I'm here"

So, of course, we all knew what it meant. This summer, anytime we all get together, we really feel it....my dad not being here. So yesterday, we were all together and even though none of us said it, we all miss him still, especially at gatherings like that. How cool, he is okay and he knows how much we miss him. Now, of course, my brother thinks it was my dad coming to see HIM. Even though the whole famdamily was there.... oh well, to each his own, I guess. But the rest of us know......my dad wanted to let ALL of us know he's okay.