John Davis

John is the man on the end. Everyone of those widows sitting before him would dance to get to know him better...they just wish he was older!!! He is pictured with Preston and I at the farm in front. John married my GrandDad's Niece, Lois, who also passed from Cancer not very long before my Mom. John is a saint. MY SAINT. He lives over 2 hours away from GrandDad in a town called Wireton on the water. He had an ugly fall the week before, but still he came. And once I called him to tell him, he made sure to keep in touch with me to see what I needed. Even though we aren't really related by blood...it's better than blood...we choose each other. His heart and goodness are such a comfort. I have come to rely on his checking in on GrandDad over the years...and me. His life profession was in social work. He couldn't have picked a more suited profession. His gift is truly in tending to people and just being there for them. I love you John. Thank you for the calls, for coming, and for loving us.

Canadian Poppies....

The red poppy is a common weed of Europe and was adopted as the official flower of remembrance and honor to those whom fought and died in foreign wars.
The poppy is a ancient symbol of both the finality of death and of enduring sleep. The latter probably from association with the drug opium and opiates that can be extracted from the variety “papaver” which is inclusive of over 120 variant species.

Another meaning of poppies from Greco-Roman influence is the promise of resurrection after death. For their culture, the bright colors of poppies (especially red) signify life after death. In many cultures, vibrant red means life and white means death.

Did I tell you HOW MUCH I LOVE MY BROTHER?????

I usually make the trips to GrandDad's alone. Don has gone a few times, but mostly I am alone. Don was leaving for Lima , Peru the next day and couldn't come with me with out a huge hassle. Preston HATES flying. Let me write that again. PRESTON HATES FLYING. But he loves me. He came with me. He loves me BIG. AND I LOVE HIM BACK BIGGER!!!!
I could NOT have done this alone. I was thinking maybe I could, but I had no idea until when I got there how much I really COULD NOT. I never would have been able to stay at the farm by myself. I couldn't even get my own shoes on right when I was shook.....
I will never forget Preston's coming with me. I will never forget his letting me sleep on the other side of the King sized bed when I felt alone and afraid to be in my room by myself. I'll never forget how even when I could feel myself being crazy he would just patiently say "Whatever you think is best". How when it came time to put Minnie down (yes, can you believe that I ended up being the one to have to do that??????) and I was so happy and so sad at the same time, and he just helped me put her in the cat carrier and went with me. How happy he was to see a store called THE BEER store...we had to go inside and get his picture taken. He might apply for Canadian citizenship yet. How easy he is to talk to. How he "gets" me. How he never judges me. How he is so thoughtful of me. How he just melts in and makes me stronger. How he giggles when he's had a few. Buddy, you are one of my life's greatest gifts. I love you. I love you. I love you. Thank you isn't enough. I'm grateful I have a lifetime to make it up to you.

Shoes are telling...

I have pictures of GrandDad and Olive in the hospital just after it happend. He doesn't look so good and I don't want to remember him that way. So I am not posting them.
Mother's Day morning, I had just come back from a run, showered, and was on my way to Wingham when the nurse called to tell me GrandDad was really struggling and that we should get there as fast as we could. I sped back to the farm to get Preston and somewhere in all of that I somehow ended up with 2 different shoes on...I didn't realize it until I got out of the car at the hospital...an hour away from either matching shoe. Being an hour away, I just stayed like that for the whole day. It was extremely symbolic for how off kilter I felt. For how I especially feel like 2 different people in the same body sometimes...especially in Canada with trying to "feel" my way through how to best be GrandDad's grandaughter. How each shoe is my favorite for comfort but for different weather. How GrandDad and I have been through so much "weather" in the last year and a half. Who knew there were such huge lessons to learn at 46 and 47 years old? Then I had to laugh thinking back to my wedding day when I forgot to pack my white pumps and only had the BLACK pumps I arrived in to get married in. I have pictures. Then I thought of how I never remembered to BRING the slippers to the hospital when having my scheduled C-sections. I guess the shoes say it all for me. By then we were in deep love with our nurses tending to GrandDad, so we ALL had a good laugh about it several times throughout the day. We took Olive to a Mother's Day Dinner at the Legion in Brussels later that afternoon and only a few people noticed...or dared to stare.---That crazy American GrandDaughter of Bill's can't even get her shoes right. Nope. She can't. And GrandDad was just teasing...he wasn't leaving that day...he wanted to go on the 12th...so waited until he was ready. And more than once the thought crossed my mind that he was just as stubborn in death as he was in life. And in stubbornness, I am truly his.

A few missed pics...

Things got crazy so fast after I got home from Sheri's with GrandDad that I didn't get to post some of these pics....so here you go you Ahlborn cuties!!! William was so patient to let me push him while I ran--he fell asleep everytime. Austin was AMAZING at his Jazz Band Concert!!! This was a park Austin "googled" the directions for and we went on an Adventure to find...and FOUND it!!! William was in love with the esculator at the Mall so we let him ride it round and round until he had had enough....it was a FEW times:) Finally, pictured are the Blueberry scones Austin made with the fresh "citrus" glaze that was awaiting me when I returned one morning from my run. 12 years old and he could put the Food Network Channel to shame. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Lovies for such a sweet week to bolster me through the one to follow!!!!!

Letter from Josh 17 May 2010

hey everybody!!!

this week was a bit slower than normal. it rained almost everyday and so people stayed at their work and school and other places for longer so we couldnt meet with them because they got home too late. plus when it rains it is hard to get a matatu so in some cases we couldnt get to the person. then on saturday there was a wedding that we attended, which was very fun, but the wedding took a lot of the day so there wasnt as much teaching because of that. but it wasnt too bad. hopefully the rain will stay away this week though.
somebody give mom a hug for me, i know that in some ways the passing of grandpa Steadwell (i'm not sure if that is spelled right)is relieving but death has this way of bringing sadness no matter how stress relieving it is and no matter how well you know that the person is in a better place with people they miss. and mom, i know that he is thanking you from the other side for all of the attention and care that you gave to him. along with your mom and grandma. i hope the funeral and everything goes well.
there isnt much new here. moses' baptism was resheduled for this saturday. pray for that to happen. we still have to meet with him twice this week on top of his school and stuff. its the last week of the transfer and we both want to be here for the baptism since we are the ones that taught him. transfers are next monday and i have a feeling that something is going to happen.
sorry this is short but i got to go. i love you guys!!!!!

Josh