Class of 2020

Well, it was quite the unusual and disappointing way for our two seniors to end their year!  No one ever dreamed that the last 2 1/2 months of school would be done from home.  But they arose to the challenge and we are proud of all they have accomplished in the past few years.

Renae was able to have a drive-in Graduation at Greenwood Mennonite School. We are still waiting to get pics from the school of the event but here is a few family shots we took.

May 31, 2020

(Ericka had a shoulder surgery hence the sling)

A few weeks later we had a grad party for her down at the pond.  Lyn BBQ'd chicken and it was a lovely evening.  

There was also a yard full of people, but this was the table of her classmates.

And for those interested, here is picture of Renae and Calvin, 

the guy that's been hanging around a lot these days.

Dwight had a virtual graduation from Rosedale Bible College.  It was hard not being able to bring closure to the school year.  When they were sent home, they were hoping to be able to go back and finish out, but that didn't happen.  They are still hoping that they can have a "reunion" weekend yet this summer to get together and say their goodbyes.

We were in PA the weekend of the virtual grad, so we were able to watch the grad with two other RBC graduates; his cousin, Daniel and a friend, Paige.

The main reason we were in PA was to celebrate our grads with Lyn's brother, Joe & Naomi and their kids.  They had three 2020 grads.  The kids had fun dressing up and taking pics together.

Dwight & Daniel - RBC (associates)

Renae & Jewel - high school

Sara - bachelors

Celebrations

Welcome 2020.  So far it is turning out to be quite the year!  The Covid-19 virus is certainly adding to the craziness.  This is to document some celebrations that have happened recently.

Devan turned 16 (4 days before 2020)

We have our last driver on the road!

Renae's 18th birthday in Feb. 

We had fun surprising her by inviting some friends over from the youth group.

The girls celebrating the end of Renae's basketball season.

Because of the coronovirus, Dwight was home for his 20th birthday last week.

This past weekend, we celebrated Ericka's 23rd birthday outside around a bonfire with extended family so we could practice our "social distancing" a bit better.

Darryn & Danae are celebrating their birthdays (2 weeks apart) in Columbus.  I think they cooked themselves a nice steak dinner because they couldn't go out to celebrate (restaurants closed!)

We are thankful for family!  May we be able to continue to find ways to celebrate life amidst the uncertainty we seem to be experiencing this year!

RIP Charlie

It was a sad day in our house last week when we had to make the decision to put one of our 4 legged family members down.  Charlie has been a part of our life here on Bushy Tail Lane for over 13 years.  He wasn't an indoor member, but a part none the less.

The early years of boundless energy are a very distant memory.  We remember how we had to put boards over top of his 4 ft kennel because he would climb over the top of it, how he would run away to the neighbors and dig in their flower beds, and how he killed a few of our chickens.  He would bark excessively at Amish people, bark at sticks, get into trash, and drag deer/beef bones up from the woods that he found that the neighbors dumped and then leave them in our yard or front porch.

The later years he became a dog that we could let loose all the time.  He enjoyed every cook out and took his naps on our back deck.  He had become mostly deaf, and he would come in at night when it was cold or rainy and sleep inside the deck door in the kitchen.  We will miss him.  There is something comforting about having a dog around to alert you to visitors and other noises, even though it also was sometimes annoying.

The last month or so we were noticing that Charlie was having troubles with his hips and he was stiff going up and down steps.  He was eating as usual, but was losing weight.  He seemed to pant a lot and he wasn't hot.  His eyes seemed sad even though his tail would wag.  We could tell that his days might be nearing the end.  His hips seemed to get much worse the last week and one night he struggled to walk into the house and the next day he wouldn't get up.  Even with help, he wouldn't stand but just laid back down.  He didn't seem to be in pain.  He didn't fight at all when Lyn picked him up and put him in the car.  He seemed content to just lay there.

Devan and Renae were the only kids home to say good bye.  You were a good one for our family, Charlie!

All smiles.... trying not to think about the inevitable.