Photo of the Day 6/25/2012 - Happy Birthday Dad

A Simple Prayer

To be for my children what I've had -  a Father like my Dad.

Happy Birthday Dad. Thank you. I love you.

Photo of the Day 6/24/12 - Happy Birthday Courtney

Gone too soon. Happy Birthday from your cousins.

Photo of the Day - 6/13/12 - Happy Birthday Alec

Now we are six. So much joy, so much personality, so much strong will all wrapped into one perfect package we can't imagine being without. Here's to you Mr. Alec - Happy Birthday.

Photo of the Day - 6/10/12 - Joy

Another picture from this past November's Thanksgiving celebration. Everyone was sitting around in the living room while the kids ran around outside and told stories, laughed, and reminisced - knowing somehow that things may not ever be quite the same.

Regardless, there was laughing and there was joy.

Photo of the Day 6/9/12 - Wedding Day

Grandma and Grandpa are waiting here for Julie and my wedding reception to either get under way or finish up - not really sure. I am so glad both were there and even though I don't remember spending a lot of time chatting with them - knowing they were there and supporting us brings me joy. 

Growing up there are so many memories of both of them - at baseball games, taking care of us kids, and surrounding us with love. Grandma and Grandpa always have meant home to me. 

Photo of the Day 6/8/12 - The Queen Mother

Grandma Boysen's 92nd Birthday is coming up - so for the next few posts we'll be having the Queen Mother Show - this is one of the ways I can secure myself as the Favorite Grandchild (taking my cue from all the Favorite Children). Pictured here are Grandma Gigi and her favorite Great-Grandchildren taken this past November at 3306.

Grandma fell yesterday and I'm told made it through today's surgery with flying colors. Our thoughts and prayers are with Grandma for a speedy recovery. We love you.

Photo of the Day - 6/7/12 - Remembering 116 in 2001

The nation was still in shock from the horror of 9/11 when the 2001 Baseball season resumed after a hiatus in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. The Mariners were on their way to a record 116 wins. I remember we bought the best seats we could (all the games sold out back then) and ended up a few rows back of the dugout. The Mariners beat the Angels and clinched the division on 9/19. Following the game, the team came out onto the field and carried the American Flag to a standing ovation. I still get goosebumps and tears thinking about how much we've all changed since that day. I remember watching every airplane during the game on approach to Sea-Tac thinking it was going to veer into the stadium - awful.

2001 was a big transition year in our little family - Ian was born, Nisqually Earthquake, working in San Francisco most of the time (got laid off and rehired in an afternoon), I turned 30, lost close family members, and incorporated SiteCrafting (even though it existed as a sole proprietorship prior). Big changes.

Photo of the Day 6/6/12 - It's a Big World

Have you ever stood at the edge of the ocean and just wondered? Today's picture captures a few small souls seeing the enormity of the world in which they live. My prayer for them is that they will embrace the challenge.

"The world is big, but so is your spirit - make a difference."

Photo of the Day 6/5/12 - Horseshoes with Great Grandma

Pretty much every summer we took a road trip from Burbank to Burley, Idaho. We'd often stop along the way to see family in Northern CA or Nevada - but we always ended up spending most of our time at "The Farm". The Farm was home to my Great Grandmother Rachel Forth and her sister Eunice Congleton. It was the Congleton Farm. For a time there were cows, other times crops, it was over a hundred acres of adventure. As long as we avoided the irrigation ditches, we could trounce around the farm gathering treasures and hunting snakes and grasshoppers. Afternoons after fishing we'd spend time on the giant lawn - playing horseshoes or croquet. Sometimes Mr. Wilson would flood the grass from the irrigation canals to water - it became the world's best natural slip and slide. Great memories of a simpler time and life on The Farm.

Photo of the Day 6/4/12 - A Grandson

I remember the day each of our children was born. I remember the crush of responsibility that I felt knowing that I was somebody's "Dad". It didn't really hit me until a few hours after Ian was born and I finally peeled myself away from the hospital to get a couple of Taco Bell burritos. Even though I was exhausted and starving I wanted to get back to the hospital right away to check on Julie and take care of Ian. It's been that way, every day, since that first day.

Becoming a parent is special, but I also think becoming a grandparent must be overwhelming in a different way. I'm speculating here, but my suspicion is you immediately remember the birth of the now Mother or Father. You cannot imagine how it all went so fast and you worry that even though everyone has somehow made it, the future is still uncertain and the world can be a big, scary place. For a moment though, you are at peace - like holding your child for the first time - you are holding your grandchild, your legacy - and there is pride for a job well done.

This is a special picture to me - Mom and Dad and their first Grandchild, Ian Christopher Forth.

Photo of the Day - 6/3/2012 Elba

As was tradition when taking a summer trip to Idaho, we fished the famed creeks of Elba, Idaho. There are too many stories to tell - but this is the place where I learned to love fishing. Small creeks full of wild fish with so little fishing pressure that if there were any more of them, they'd have to be smaller. We'd leave the farm in the dark, hit the Conner Creek store for beer - then fish until early afternoon, when we'd meet Great Grandma Rachel, Great Aunt Eunice, and Mom in the park at Elba. Our guide, Mr. Cecil Haycock - a man with countless stories, a love of snuff, and the patience of Job.

This may be the first year I was permitted to attend the early morning Elba trip - along with Uncle Dick (my Godfather) and his dog Sadie. I was challenged to jump an irrigation ditch one day by Dick since "Sadie could do it" - but that story is for another day. 

Thanks to Dad for sending this picture. :)

Photo of the Day 6/2/2012 - The Forth Boys (and Kate)

In August of 2002 we took a road trip to CA to visit Grandma and Grandpa Forth in Los Osos. Four generations of Forth boys (and the first girl, Kate, to be born into the family since Cousin Nancy - on the Forth side) pose with Grandpa Carl Forth. This would be the last time we were all together prior to losing Grandpa. We had a great visit to Morro Bay, Montana de Oro, and to a few different restaurants in the area. We took this picture just after breakfast before heading back to Burbank and then home to Washington.