UNC

On Wednesday, we moved Asher to the University of Northern Colorado. 

We loaded the last few things then Asher, Micah and I drove over to Greeley and spent the morning doing the official check in stuff and getting Asher's things moved into his dorm. He's in one of the newest dorms on campus...in a double, single, single suite. He has one of the single rooms and shares a common area and a bathroom with the other three. 

His room is on the corner and has fun circular windows...which he's already outfitted with paper plate eyes. :) He's on the third floor. (And each floor has it's own lounge, kitchen and laundry room!) We made use of the elevators to move the large items (because even Micah didn't feel like lugging the mini fridge up the 40-some stairs, lol) but he's also right near a staircase, which I'm sure he'll mostly use. As luck would have it, move-in day was also one of the hottest we've had this year. Thankfully, the building has AC and it appears to work well. (Also, thankfully, Asher didn't really have much stuff and bringing Micah meant I had fewer trips carrying things, lol.)

After we got everything moved and assembled and arranged, we had lunch at the dining hall then drove home to move the standing desk (we hadn't been sure initially that it would fit). Then I got this picture before leaving my boy to go meet his hallmates while I headed home to numerous texts and calls about my gram and the services, shopping for a few last things Asher needs/wants, dealing with a small paperwork issue for Micah's medical records, and stuff like that. 

Since then, Asher's been doing the move-in week things and getting ready to start at this new college. As a transfer student, he's finding it tricky when people ask what year he is...since credit-wise he's a junior (having graduated high school with his AS and having a year at the University of Nebraska Omaha also under his belt) but it's his first year in this program (Sport and Exercise Science: Physical Education K-12 Teaching) but (thanks to already having that AS) he'll finish the program in three years rather than four. 

In any case, he went bowling last night with the Asian student group and apparently dominated at laser tag and says he met some cool people. He'll be back home tonight for karate demo team and then will head back to campus on Sunday in time for the involvement fair with all the groups and clubs on campus. Classes will start Monday. Yay!!

Gram

Well, apparently she wasn't invincible. My sweet gram passed this morning. She was tired and had been refusing to eat or take her medications. Hospice was brought in this week and she passed quickly. The services will be next month. In the meantime, here's a layout I did years ago for a family history project book. I asked her these questions and recorded her replies.

I'm so glad I have this record and am so thankful I had the chance to know her. She led a life full of interesting stories and adversities, and it's incredible to think about all that she witnessed in her lifetime. She had a complicated relationship with her children (having left them when she divorced my grandpa) but a simple one with her grandkids and great grandkids. She was just gram.

Sixteen years ago

It's been sixteen years since we lost my dad in a tragic farming accident. At the time, these were his grandkids...nine littles that he adored. In the years since, nine more grandkids have been added. The baby in this picture from the funeral is now a senior in high school, and the rest have all graduated.  

(Total tangent but isn't Micah adorable? Look at his little belly that kept his shirt from being tucked in!)

In the past, I've covered things he taught me and favorite layouts I've made about him and Father's Days of the past and when we all got together to celebrate ten years of missing him and so much more. 

I miss my dad. But I'm so grateful for the years I had with him. It breaks my heart that his grandkids didn't get that growing up.

That's really all I came here to say today.

Nathan's birthday & Father's Day celebration

You may remember that I've decided that we had too many events in our summers (with Mother's Day and my birthday and Father's Day and Asher's birthday and Micah's birthday and Nathan's birthday all in a row) so I declared that we're now celebrating Mother's Day on my birthday and Father's Day on Nathan's birthday. :) 

Well, yesterday was Nathan's birthday. We celebrated by elevating our Father's Day mini golf tradition and trying out Top Golf for the first time. For three of us, it was the first time we'd ever swung a golf club outside of miniature golf. We didn't do great but we had fun. :) (I even accidentally hit the guy in the ball collection cart, lol.) And I got our traditional photo of Nathan and the boys...

We enjoyed some wings while at Top Golf then went to a late lunch at a nearby ramen place. We weren't able to get pie as planned when we got back to Fort Collins (multiple places we tried were closed or had their dessert section closed for a few days...it was a little ridiculous) so got ice cream instead and then enjoyed vegging for the rest of the evening. It was good.

So very blessed to celebrate this man! We're a little busy this month, but I hope he knows how appreciated he is.

Karate West

On Saturday, Asher and the demo team performed at the black belt & advanced black belt promotion at Karate West. It was also the 45th anniversary for Karate West. It was kind of a big deal. :) 

There was all of the usual promotion exhibition stuff (the actual testing takes place ahead of time so the promotions are more about showing family and friends what the candidates have learned and can do), eight demo team performance pieces, and a number of photos with all the past and present black belts who gathered to celebrate. 

After the official stuff, there was much visiting and enjoying each other. And the Yees' grandson adorably wrapped the demo team members around his little fingers...getting them to color with him and sword play with him and chase him around the mats. 

I'm continually thankful for this karate family! Just as at the 40th anniversary, I loved just standing there and watching all of the relationships that have been built. Just look at these friendships...

(The bottom photo was all the demo team members who were at the celebration...including Micah and three others who aren't currently on the demo team but still came to support the others.)

Yup. I hung out and chatted with people and watched my boys in this second family. It was lovely. Congratulations to Mr & Mrs Yee and sincerest thank yous for 45 years of building an amazing thing!