it's time

I have been putting off this post because it is a hard one to write but it is time.  This last August, our wonderful Dad and Grandpa passed away.  Ammon's step-dad Terrance Marren died on August 14th of complications from diabetes.  He had part of his toe removed earlier in July and from that came infection which led them to later amputating his leg just below the knee.  It was really touch and go for a while but he seemed to start recovering and we were so grateful.  We were planning our yearly trip out and we wanted to be able to see him.  We knew if he still had MRSA that the kids would not be able to see him but thankfully he was over that.  Bless Terry's heart, even though he had just had part of his leg removed and couldn't even stand on his own, he called the court and told them he would be back to work in a few weeks.  He LOVED his work.  He was as a Senior Court Judge in Las Vegas and was such a go-getter.  We have countless stories of Terry and the fun character he was.  I wish I could tell them all but that would take forever so maybe I will just share a few on here.  Terry came into Ammons life when he was about 11.  He told Ammon he was not there to replace his dad but that he would be there for him and support him.  That he did.  Even though he was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he supported Ammon on his mission and even was a home teacher.  He LOVED to tell the corniest jokes and would always find the pun in everything. :-)  He taught Ammon the love of the outdoors and took him backpacking every year to Yosemite.  He LOVED his grand-kids and he and Addie were impossible to watch a movie with...well at least impossible for me since I get annoyed when people talk through movies and you could not get those 2 to shut up.  I will miss answering the phone and hearing "hello darlin, it's your dad."  It made no difference to him that we were not his biological children.  He treated us just the same and was so giving.  I remember when they came out a couple years ago to visit and our washer had just broke.  I was looking on craigslist for something we could afford and he insisted that we just go check out Menard and see the washers there. I can be a little hard-headed and I sometimes think I can do everything on my own.  I am a red head and so was Terry.  I wish I had a video of he and I in the store together and him trying to convince tell me that he was buying me a washer and the only say I had in it was to choose which one I liked best.  Somehow I let him talk me into walking out of the store with a washer and then him INSISTING that we go back in to check out dishwashers since ours was broken.  "We are just going to look" he said.  Yeah right!  I thought I was strong willed but I have nothing on Terry.  In his words "Chalise, it's just money" were a great lesson.  Somehow, we walked out of the store that day with a new washer AND a new dishwasher I will never quite figure out but every time I put in a load, (which is quite often with a family of 6) I'm reminded of his generosity.  

He loved to be the life of the party and really knew how to embellish stories :-)  He loved to tease me and would never let me live down that when I thought I was pregnant with Addie that I bought a dollar store pregnancy test.  He just thought that was so funny. Or when I supposedly called Ammon's stereo that he had bought with his first pay-check "ugly".  Oh how he loved to tease me about that but I still don't believe that that is what I said...I was just trying to suggest we put it in the closet since I didn't want it to be our main decoration but Terry insisted that I called it ugly ;-)

I stayed FAR away from Black Friday shopping up until I met Terry.  He INSISTED that I go but you have to realize that Terry is a die-hard Black Friday shopper. He loved to tell about how one year this older women just came and hit him and said "I hate that man" as they were shopping.  Well the first year I went with him, he had our route planned out.  Our first stop was JCPenny where the first so many people got a little snoopy snow globe.  Well as we are running through the store, I see something we actually need.  Pants for Ammon are hard to find...especially that are not super expensive.  I told Ammon to check through the jeans and I would try to stall Terry.  HA! Stall Terry, who was I kidding.  I did not realize the huge sin I was committing in stopping the "plan."  To make a long story short, Terry won and we did not get any pants ;-)

Those are just a few of my MANY memories with Terry but here are some pictures as well

Terry, Teresa, Addie Kimball at the Zoo.  This was actually the day he bought our washer and dishwasher for us.    

 One time when they were out visiting, we went down to Kansas City and went to a fun little train restaurant.  He loved making the grandkids happy.

 Same trip, we went to the Deanna Rose Farmstead and he took the kids fishing.  One of his many loves.

 Avonlea and Grandpa

 When we went to Vegas this summer and he was in the hospital, we made this picture to put in his room.  The kids sure do love their Papa.

 It was really hard to see him in the hospital and struggling health wise, but we were so grateful that we WERE able to see him and even though we didn't know it, say goodbye.  We got home from our trip and a week and a half later we got a call saying that he had had 2 heart attacks during the night and was not going to make it.  Ammon flew out but the funeral wasn't going to be until Oct 4th (his birthday) so we stayed since we had just gotten back.    

 Those few months that we had leading up to the funeral were hard. Not only because we had lost Terry but also because of Terry's son from his first marriage.  He is a real piece of work and since he did not get his way (which included Teresa paying for everything he wanted: open bar at the funeral, an omelet breakfast the next day for everyone at $50 a head, and several other unbelievable things) he threw an absolute fit and was trying to ruin the funeral as well as Teresa's life.  It was so sad to see. Thankfully everything went smoothly and the funeral was beautiful.  We were able to find a great deal for flights and the kids were excited to be able to fly for the first time.  It is going to be so hard to go back to making the 20 hour car trip now that they know we could get there in 2 1/2 hours by plane.

 I looked over during take-off and saw Avonlea grabbing Kimballs hand.  I think it was a mixture of fear and excitement.

 For some reason, some of my pictures turned sidewards and I don't know how to fix them right now :(

 It was absolutely wonderful seeing all the family for the funeral.  I wish we could spend more time with them.  This is Ammon's uncle Russ.  He is such a great guy and he and Jarom were buds.  

 We did end up doing our own omelet breakfast the next day with family. Grandma Jensen, cousin Lindsey, Aunt Suzanne, Aunt Jannie, Uncle Russ and Jarom.  Such wonderful people that we love

 Grandpa Jensen and Aunt JoAnne, more lovely people

 Terry's brother Mike and his wife

 Ammon's sister Stephanie and Kimball

 cousins, Annie and Katie

 Here is Nana and Mr. Handsome

 My kids LOVE Teresa's dog Jake and he seems to enjoy them as well

 Good ol' Jakina puts up with so much

 

 Ammons Grandpa with all the kids.  Judging by Grandpa's pictures when he was younger, I now know what Ammon is going to look like in 50 years.  They could be twins.

 Grandma Jensen and Addie, the 2 red-heads

 This was the first time I actually got to meet Ammons Aunt JoAnne.  I felt like I had known her forever

 We love Aunt Jannie

 Ammon had to fly home early for school but the kids and I were able to stay a week.  We snuck up to Parowan for a day and my sister Valerie and her family came down so we could spend some time together.  There little baby was in the hospital for a lot of the time when we were out this summer so we weren't able to see them very much.  We were happy to be able to make up some of that time.  We watched conference together and it was actually pretty quiet for having 8 kids under the age of 8

 They were able to go play and pick raspberries in between sessions.  yummm

 The next day we went up the canyon to see all the Fall leaves but unfortunately we had already missed most of them.  The kids had a lot of fun playing anyway and I was happy just to be in the mountains

 My stunning sister Valerie

 The babes 

 When we went back, we had Nana all to ourselves for a couple of days and it was wonderful to spend time with her.  We took Jake to the dog-park and the kids had fun "teaching" Jake how to run over and under all the fun dog stuff they had there.

I had to include this next picture.  Just as Teresa was going to take this picture Jake and I heard a crash and looked over just as the photo took to see Addie laying on the ground.  Jake was just as attentive and ran over there to see if she was okay.  What a good dog.

 I was a little nervous for the flight home.  Well not actually the flight itself but just getting to the airport, returning the rental car, going through security etc. all by myself and the 4 kids, especially since it was 4am.  However, they did beautifully and were so helpful.

 Like I said, how are we ever going to go back to the 20 hour drive home now 

 Even Jarom seemed to know just what to do.

Well, I made it through. I think that is the longest blog post I have ever done.