THIS IS AN AWESOME PICTURE OF ROBBIE

We are coming up on what would have been Robbie's "25th" birthday - June 9th. As I was going through the photos, I found this one that my brother Bernie and sister-in-law Gail found in their pictures and had reprints made for us. I had not ever seen the pictures till they sent them. What a nice thing for them to do. I think he was about 8 months old in this one.

Having photos of Robbie are a blessing. They hold such dear and fond memories for us. Especially the ones that someone else has that we have not ever seen.

For those of you that don't know, Robbie had Megalencephaly. This means "big brain". Every one in 4 of our children would have it. It is a hereditary disease. It caused his head to be large,(note his forhead, he was developmentally delayed, he did not walk or talk till he was 3. He had several years of speech and physical therapy to help him catch up. When he finally did, he was just like the rest of the kids, registered for kindergarten and 3 weeks shy of his 6th birthday, killed by a car. Photos truly hold alot of memories for us!

Granny & Emmy Awhile Back

Used to love to tie things in Emily's hair when she lived with us in her first 18 months of her life. Found this pic in the piles of photos. As you can see, I am trying out the scanner I got for college.

IT WORKS!

This is Natalie when she was little

I am trying out the scanner. Found this of Natalie. She was 8lbs. 3 oz when she was born. I lived with my mom at the time cause Nick was stationed in Rota, Spain and I couldn't travel with. So mom had this scale and it was a Kodak moment.

So Nan, do you look like Hunter?

A BUGS LIFE

And tell me why God made Lovebugs in Florida? I decided that I could no longer read the Harley Davidson license plate on the front of the Camry due to all the bugs that were mashed on it from our trip to see the babies so I got out there with hot water and a bucket and scrubbed. My car has only looked this clean one other time in it's entire life! There were so many bugs on it, it looked like it was tarred and feathered. I had a better pain level day today and I was moving much better so I felt motivated. I wished though that I had taken it to the car wash, I think a sprayer would have worked much faster and better on those critters.

Think about it, when you hit a lovebug, you get two for the price of one automatically!

Breakfast and Dance Recital Day

When we were in FL visiting we did breakfast and later that day went to Rebecca's dance recital. Rayah is "a princess". She cried in the morning because her mom made her wear capri jeans. She wanted to wear a dress - because she is "a princess". She didn't feel pretty in those jeans. I asked her what "Sissy" (that's what she calls me - not Granny) could get her for her birthday - she requested a princess dress! Silly me, to even ask.

NEW MEANING TO FREEZER BURN

Well, the minute we got home from FL, I ran to the garden to see what had sprouted. Low and behold, NOTHING! In fact, ALL the tomato and pepper plants looked like this picture. I had a feeling, it was due to drought or Bambi had made his appearance. In the few days we were gone, it hadn't rained and no one had watered so, as I stood there looking bewildered, remembering all the hard work I had put into carefully planting each one, making sure cow manure was in each hole and they were strategically placed, they had all bit the dirt (no pun intended). I had to go get the camera and I just laughed out loud, thinking - yep, only us - it was bound to happen. We found out later that we had a freeze and that's what killed them.

So back to the hardware store today, got more plants and I will plant them with the stinky stuff once again. I told Nick, if it freezes again, we are going out with little fires and blankets and do like the movie where they saved all the grape vines walking up and down the rows waving their arms. Nick said if these die - we will be buying them from Ingles in the produce isle.

MAY 17, 2007

Today, on the anniversary of Robbie's death, we had the joy of holding our first grandson's. Our first little boys born in our family in 25 years. It was a happy and sad time. Although Robbie's death date is difficult for us, seeing these little ones was so awesome. They have such sweet personalities (for babies) and you can definitely feel the difference in their weights. Tyler is little and Hunter is a chunk. Tyler will no doubt have dirty blonde hair and I think Hunter might end up a "toehead" like his mom was. Both are handsome little guys. Granny and Gramps had to stop at the Harley Davidson store in New Symrna on the way back from the beach to get them a Harley onesie! (The leather jackets were tooooo expensive) They will have to wait on those :)Natalie and Skip wrapped them in these blankets that velcro. They were like papooses. It made holding them even neater.

Being grandparents is so fun, you can love em and give em back and sleep through the night! Awesome for us. Best of both worlds. Seeing Skippy and Natalie's dark cirles under their eyes brought back LOTS of memories of those sleepless nights.

BAMBI BEST NOT TAKE ONE STEP

Ok, tonight we planted the garden. It was crucial to get it in because time was of essence per Nick. Gardening is HARD work! Tomorrow I will not be able to move. We put in tomato plants, pepper plants, zuccini squash, summer squash, wildflowers, lettuce, beets, OKRA - YES OKRA, pole beans (don't ask me what the difference is between a "bean" and a pole bean - all taste the same to me. I love vegetables and I am ready for Dianne Morgan (our friend) to teach me how to can all this stuff.

All I can say is BAMBI had best take his family elsewhere and not come around when it starts to grow. I do believe though that there are about 9 deer that cross through our backyard on a regular basis. The man at the store said Nick should sweat in a shirt and hang it on a stick so they smell it. Glad to hear B.O. is good for something.

MOTHER'S DAY

Two days ago I was really down all day. As I drove home from work, the tears began to flow. I cried off and on the entire evening. Nick just looked at me. As I sat, hemming a dress for someone, I kept thinking about what it was that was making me so upset. I had just come off a week of excitement of having two new grandsons being born. They were healthy and their births were great. I continued to sob.

I realized then that we are fast approaching Mother's Day (May 13th). I have not liked Mother's Day ever since Robbie died. It is a day I would just assume forget. The day he was killed, I had gone to get my hair done - it was my Mother's Day gift from my children that year. It was when we got home from my picking the girls up from school and Robbie and Skippy up from Wanda's house that they all went out to play while I cooked dinner and then Robbie was killed.

Last week was so much excitement, this week I am experiencing a feeling of bitter-sweet joy. These two precious boys that were born last week are the first boys we have had in our family in 19 years. We are going to get to see them next week and we will see them on Robbie's death anniversary date. This holds not only joy but sorrow for us. I am looking forward to swooping them up into my arms and nuzzling my nose into their tiny necks.

The Lord has truly blessed us with these babies. Not only do their names hold special memories but they are proof that life goes on. If Robbie was here, I could imagine him as a proud uncle, loving them just as much as we do.
P.S. Tyler & Hunter will have Harley Davidson jackets from Granny & Gramps

GOTTA COUPLE MORE PICS OF THE BOYS

AND WHO WOULD DO IT

I was driving past the library and saw out of the corner of my eye in the cemetary this headstone. I was saying to myself, I have to go back and take a picture. It's worth a million words on a blog moment. So I got all geared up, parked the car and guess what my friends, yes, Beth, Terri and Kim - the RECHARGEABLE batteries were DEAD (no pun intended).

So I went back home to get new ones and here it is. Now tell me, who would want this for a last name? Any takers out there? I imagined naming my children with it. Natalie Duckworth, Sarah Duckworth, Skippy Duckworth. None fit.

I would have to say you could only use Mr. or Mrs. Duckworth. I like that better. Kinda brings back memories of my maidenname that I was happy to trade in for Langdon. And no it wasn't Duckworth.

WE'RE GROWING GRASS

Honey, we are growing grass. Here it is - the fruits of the labor. I can say finally cause it was a "joint" effort.

I'D RATHER BE HOLDING THOSE BABIES

Today we had to clean a house. As I finished washing the last of one of the "76" windows that was in this house, I kept thinking, I would rather be holding those babies. I called Skippy up at the hospital and told her to pinch that baby and make him cry so his gramma could hear him cry. She unfortunately said he was taken to the nursery to have his billiruben count tested as he is a little jaundiced. BUT she said she could pinch Hunter cause he was there visiting his cousin. I am anxously awaiting pictures of them latching their arms - so Skip says they got of the two of them. I will post as soon as I get them. 76 windows, hopefully we will make enough money on the cleaning to be able to travel to FL to see these new babies. I can't wait!

Here comes Hunter

Here are couple pictures of the new Boys

GRANDSON NUMBER 2 IS HERE

OK, It's Tyler John Staley. And he was born at 3:20 a.m. this morning. He came screaming into the world weighing in at 6 lbs 14 oz. 20 inches long. Mom had a relatively easy delivery and is recovering at Florida Hospital. She slept for most of her dialating as they gave her a sedation shot and it caused her REALLY relax and she managed very well through most of it and pushed 15 minutes and out popped Tyler.

So now we have 6 grandchildren and 3 step grandchildren for a total of 9 and we are only 49 years old. WOW.

By the way, the middle names on these two baby boys were given in honor of Robbie, Langdon to carry on the Langdon name because Robbie couldn't and John because that was Robbie's middle name.

GRANDSON # 1 IS BORN MAY 2nd

OK, most people pace the floor waiting for a baby, these grandparents were mowing grass. Some fun huh? Had to stop and keep checking the cell phone for missed calls because the mowers were too loud to hear the phone ring. Got home and waited till the call finally came at 11:23 that Hunter Langdon Weeks had arrived. I quickly asked Skip, how much did the little guy weigh. No answer. About 5 minutes later she called back. 8lbs. 4 oz. Us Langdon's, we grow them BIG. Natalie was 8lbs. 3 oz when she was born. Must be them Uebelhoer hips that produce such big babies. Allows us to birth the big ones. Mom had baby at home with a mid-wife - BRAVO for her (not me -never ever - drugs all the way.) Skip was there by her side. That convinced Skip she was doing the hospital delivery and the drugs ALL THE WAY.

At 1:00 p.m. today, May 3rd got a call from Skip, her water broke. As I type this she is at Florida Hospital having ______ John Staley. We are excited. 2 babies in less than a week. We will keep you posted (no pun intended) Looks like we will be making another trip to FL soon.

6,7,8,9......

CENTIMETERS THAT IS. BABY NUMBER ONE WILL BE BORN TODAY - WE ARE ANXIOUSLY WAITING TO HEAR. MORE NEWS TO FOLLOW AS SOON AS WE KNOW!