Velasquez Family: The Fun Never Stops

Well the fun never stops in our house. It's been a busy busy month in our home. We were somewhat surprised to get a phone call on the first of May letting us know that my grandfather had passed away. My grandfather was 89 years old so it wasn't a complete shock, but we weren't really expecting it either.

The funeral was arranged for the 12th which worked well for us because we were planning to have Matt's mom visit from Arizona and for his sister and her three kids to come visit from Ohio. All of them came on the seventh and it was a fun filled weekend. The highlight of the visit was going to Disneyland. Chelsea has been in love with Mickey Mouse lately and I couldn't wait to introduce her to him in person. As you can tell from the picture below, she really didn't know what to think when she actually met him; but she had a great time going on all the rides and spending time with her cousins.

Chelsea and I left for Minnesota early Monday morning. I'll tell you, traveling by yourself with an almost two year old while also being seven months pregnant is not as easy as it seems. :) It was a long trip out there, but we were so glad we made it. We were able to spend some very valuable time with all the family. My parents and all of my siblings, excluding Devee, were there as well as one of my sister-in-laws and one of my nieces. I also was able to see so many cousins that I haven't seen for years.

The highlight of the trip was being able to learn even more about my grandfather and to reflect even more on the meaning of life and the value of family. The biggest lesson I took away from my grandfather's life was not be afraid to do what is right no matter how old you are. My grandfather didn't graduate from high school. He wasn't proud of that fact and actually didn't tell his children until they graduated from high school. When he was older he, without telling anyone, went to the local high school to get his GED. By that time he had a career and a farm, but he still had a desire to do what was right.

Another example of this is when he decided to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My father joined the church when he was 19. Ever since that time my grandparents welcomed the missionaries into their home and took the discussions on and off for years. Finally, 27 years later, they made the decision to be baptized members of the church and were sealed in the temple a year after that. My grandfather was in his 80s. It was a good reminder that it's never too late to do what is good and right. It was a privilage to celebrate his life and a joy to see my family.

Promptly upon coming home, with dreams of unpacking and cleaning from the busyness of the month, I came down with the worst sinus cold I've ever had. It's a pretty bad one. I'm coming up on a week of having it and it's finally starting to slow down. I believe in sharing so I've given it to my poor husband and daughter, so we're doing our best to rest and recover this weekend. The fun never stops at our house!