On Discovering the Horn
S: (Honking at a car stopped in the street) Move. This is a road not a parking lot. (Honking again)
K: Where is that?
S: What?
K: Do that again. That sound.
S: The honk?
K: Where is that?
S: It's in the steering wheel. It's called the horn. You push the horn to make it honk.
K: Do that again.
S: I can't. It would be rude to honk now. Other drivers would be mad at me.
K: Why? Talk about that again.
And thus ensued a 20 minute conversation about honking--who can honk, when and why. At dinner Kennedy told Susan that Sheryl "had to honk her horn today."
Labels: Bean
Growing Up and Anticipating the (Bean)Sprout
Aunt Gayle took this photo of Kennedy during our holiday travels. It's amazing how much Kennedy has changed. Just last night we were looking at photos from her first birthday (see link to archive). We are continually amazed at the amazing memory recall she demonstrates and how smart she is (of course we not biased!).
On the new baby front, things are progressing very well. We hit 33 weeks last Friday and it's been such a relief to know we're in the home stretch. We are so very excited to meet this little guy and are preparing ourselves and Kennedy for how things will be changing for us all.
A couple of weeks ago we had to have another ultrasound to make sure everything was in the proper place and we were lucky enough to have a lab tech offer us a 3D picture - below. This is his head and you can see his arm and hand covering his lower half of his face.
This pregnancy is starting to get pretty uncomfortable as I struggle with the additional beach ball out front and the pressure that's putting on various areas of my skeleton. We couldn't be luckier, though, to know we're going to have a new family member soon.
Labels: Bean, Bean Too
Gift Surprises
We received a package Friday from Cindy, a coworker and friend of Susan's. In the package were cool outfits for our baby-on-the-way and a wrapped gift for Kennedy. Very cool.
It was very thoughtful to include Kennedy.
Labels: Bean, Bean Too
Anderson Christmas and Random Photos
Now here's trouble on the couch! Ha. Grandparents Anderson and Great Granny Kay came over for our little Christmas gathering the weekend we returned from our holiday travels. We're finally getting around to posting a few of the pictures.
Kennedy was excited about all of her gifts, but made us laugh when opening one gift she exclaimed "... and a HANGER!" She was truly glad to have that hanger.
So, thus begins the random photos part of this post. When we returned from holiday travels Kennedy played with all of her toys as if she had never seen them before. She even brought out her stuffed animals and lined them up on the floor for her audience and played guitar to them.
This is a photo Kennedy took of Shelly, Susan and Sheryl reading the Sunday
New York Times.
Labels: Anderson Family, Bean
Ballet and Books
Kennedy is taking ballet and having such fun. We enrolled a bit late, only 2 days before the class started. Thankfully Aunt Gayle sent a gift of a leotard and tights to Kennedy last year. When Kennedy came out of her last ballet class she exclaimed "I had so much fun today!"
Aunt Shelly visited this weekend and Kennedy was in book reading heaven. She only has to ask "Read this to me Aunt Shelly?" and off they go with a stack of books. They are so cute together.
Labels: Bean, Sanford Family
Flower Girl
Kennedy was flower girl for her cousin Heather's and Qasim's wedding in December. It was her first flower girl experience and she couldn't have been more thrilled about the opportunity.
She took her role very seriously and we spent plenty of time practicing the throwing of the flower petals on which the bride would walk.
Of course, it was a bit different for Kennedy when she had 100s of eyes staring at her but she went into performance mode and did very well.
Here she is talking to Qasim, the groom.
And here she is with her cousin, Heather. What a special honor for Kennedy to be a part of the wedding.
Labels: Brandenburg Family, Sanford Family
Grandparent Rides
A lot of the fun in visiting Mimi's and Papa's place is getting to ride around in cool vehicles.
When Mimi stops, Kennedy coaxes Papa into giving her a ride.
Labels: Bean, Clark Family
Sharing Memories and Gingerbread Houses
Mimi pulled out a box filled with Susan memorabilia to share with Kennedy. There were grade cards and drawings and even this Kansas driving handbook.
Papa and Mimi helped Kennedy figure out how to put together the Gingerbread Train.
Labels: Clark Family
Christmas at the Clarks
Papa enjoys watching his grandchildren open their Christmas gifts. Here he is helping Kennedy with one.
Kennedy's cousin Jonas (Lola's brother) spent a night with us during our visit. These two had so much fun together and wore each other out running around the house.
Labels: Clark Family
Big Milestone - First Haircut
While in Kansas over the holiday break, Kennedy received her very first haircut at a salon in Kansas where my mom lives. Kennedy was a champ; she sat patiently (albeit a wee bit apprehensively) while the stylist gave her bangs and shaped up her hair.
We decided to hold off on this particular milestone so that Mimi and Papa could be a part of it. Mimi was excited to be a part of this special event and Papa was happy to give up his regular appointment so that Kennedy could sit in.
The stylist was fantastic (she has a 3 year old daughter which helps a ton!) - and Kennedy even received princess curls as part of the treatment.
A big hug from Mimi...
Labels: Bean, Clark Family
Mimi and Papa Clark
We went to Kansas to stay with Mimi and Papa Clark. Kennedy really enjoys spending time with these two.
This year, Kennedy's cousin Lola (1 year old) came over for a visit. Lola has the sweetest temperament.
Labels: Bean, Clark Family
Mr. Potato Head and more Christmas Photos
Our Sanford family has grown so much that we started drawing names. This is Kennedy's Mr. Potato Head gift from Shawn (in the background). She couldn't have been more thrilled!
Here's a photo of a few of the cousins--Heather, Robin and Stacey.
Kennedy took this picutre of Jason and Shawn playing Christmas music.
And finally here are Sheryl, Stacey and Carl. Did you see the big tunas Carl and Stacey caught? Wow! Check out their
blog.
Next up, photos from our Kansas Christmas with Mimi and Papa Clark.
Labels: Bean, Sanford Family
Holiday Noodles
Mema put Kennedy in an apron and guided her through making her own homemade noodles for the family Christmas meal.
Knowing how independent Kennedy is, Mema let her do the work. We never heard Kennedy say "Let me do it!" like she does with us when we try to take over. Here's Mema holding the bowl so Kennedy could stir the mixture.
Mema had a special rolling pin just for Kennedy to roll out her noodles.
She also taught Kennedy how to sift flour onto her work area. How cute is that?
With a little guidance and careful watching, Kennedy also cut her own noodles. When eating the noodles an occasional fat one would show up and we would laugh saying it was a Kennedy-cut noodle.
Labels: Bean, Sanford Family
Chickens, Cows and Uncle Jimmy
Uncle Jimmy took Kennedy out to feed the chickens and cows on their beautiful ranch. The chickens are few and really are there for Aunt Sharon who loves to see them and to hear the rooster crow.
The cattle herd is growing by the year, though.
Seeing this picture, taken by brother-in-law David, was deja vu. I (Sheryl) remember riding in Uncle Jimmy's trucks when I was about the same age as Kennedy and older to go check on wells or run other errands.
Labels: Bean, Brandenburg Family
More Papa and Oklahoma
Our nephew Jason told me that his earliest memory is from a funeral of a beloved Grandfather. Jason was 2 at the time. Kennedy is 3. Death is a difficult concept to grasp. We told Kennedy that we were saying goodbye to Papa's body but that his soul is somewhere else in heaven, though it was easier for her to grasp the concept that he was living in the stars. She still talked to Papa when she saw him saying things like "I like your hair, Papa" and "I like your shirt, Papa." Uncle Pat (Mema's brother) read from Acts 27 during the graveside services. Kennedy picked up on the boat pieces in the passage. When they carried Papa's casket away she said "Where are they taking Papa in his boat?" Here's a picture of Kennedy and cousin Bryan's dog Paige.
At the funeral services in Texas everything was so raw that no one thought to or wanted to take pictures. Our cousins Steve and Suzette and their children Landon, Brooke, Jerrod and Colton, spent the night and we told stories about Papa and laughed and cried with eachother. It was good. We were able to gather together and share our memories in Oklahoma too, at Uncle Jim's and Aunt Sharon's home.
Uncle Jimmy was a wonderful storyteller. We all listened with interest to his stories of Papa and others who have passed on--Grandma Mary Bell and Grandpa Charles.
Most of the family played 10 point pitch. Kennedy, Susan and I played open handed Go Fish or as Kennedy calls it, "Go Fish Go".
The day after graveside services we visited Uncle Pat's and Aunt Louise's goat farm. Our nephew Jason jointly led the services for Papa with Uncle Pat. They shared their stories and spoke of the things that we all carry with us about Papa--his love, passion for the Lord, and his humor. When Jason first spoke he said "Papa..., well, he was my Papa." Exactly.
Here's an entry from
Jason's blog about Papa from 12/24/2007
Papa
I've been delaying in making a post about Papa for a while now. It's hard to put into words how someone impacted your life and it never seems like enough. Daily, almost hourly, I think of ways that Papa impacted my life. The memories are very precious to me and sometimes I fret over losing some of the them.
But as I think about Papa's life, I'm reminded that worrying/fretting is something he would counsel against. He would probably quote Matthew 6 where Jesus says not to worry, because it doesn't add a single hour to your life. Papa seemed to always be living in the moment yet seeing things from an eternal perspective.
He loved unconditionally and it didn't matter whether you were family,neighbor, or a random person in a store. He treated people the same and made them feel special. He sought to let the Christ in him flow out to others around him. He was constantly changing and everytime I saw him he seemed to be even more full of love and the Holy Spirit. It was amazing to see a man so full of physical problems be so full of joy and peace. I know it's easy to exaggerate a person's life after they are gone, but I don't feel that I'm doing that. He was an amazing man.
To me personally, Papa was the person who led me to know Jesus Christ. He told me about the hope, faith, and love found in Jesus at a time when I saw no hope in life. At a young age I was already exhausted from trying to please people and fill the void that I felt so deeply in my life. Living for short term highs of achievements and honors seemed so pointless. Papa was so gentle and simply gave me his bible to read after sharing about the hope that he had. As I read the bible for myself, I soon found out why he had hope, faith and love. Jesus totally changed my life as I submitted my life to him and it was amazing to have Papa their to talk with me about it. He rarely forced me to make a certain decision or choice, and he simply guided me to live by the Holy Spirit living in me. I lived with Mema and Papa for 3 years and it was probably one of the most influential times of my life. It's not that they told me things to do, they simply lived life in front of me. Nothing was hidden.
Anyway, I could probably talk for days about the things I experienced with Papa, but the greatest thing is that he shared Christ me. Jesus Christ has changed my life and I am so blessed that he used my grandfather, Papa. Thanks Papa. I love you and look forward to the day when I can see my Lord face to face as you now do.
Here's a photo of Jason with some of the goats.
It's hard for people to grasp the bond between twins, but if Aunt Sharon and Mema are "Frick and Frack" (as cousin Bryan calls them) then Uncle Pat and Papa are "six of one, half a dozen of the other." They were best of friends and knew eachother for over 50 years with both having a great love for family and God. Uncle Pat is in the baseball cap in this picture.
The goat's are friendly! This is Shelly and one of the goats.
We got to see our South Carolina cousins (Amber and Colton) that we don't get to see enough. Amber started college this year. Wow. Shown here from left to right are Robin, Amber, Stacey and Colton.
Finally, here's a post from
Stacey's blog about Papa from December 19, 2007.
I'm very sorry to report that my Papa, Del Sanford, passed away last Thursday, December 13, 2007. He was the most amazing man I've ever known, and I will miss him dearly. I feel so incredibly blessed to be his granddaughter, and my only hope is that I will grow to be half the person that he was. He was a man of God, a wonderful husband, an amazing grandfather, and a dear friend to so many. This was never more evident to me than at his funeral service. At both services (one in Texas and one in Oklahoma), there was standing room only. People came from all over to pay respects to a man that made such a tremendous impact on their lives. So many people stood up to tell their stories of how my Papa changed their lives and helped them get through good times and bad. He will most definitely be missed, but I know I'll see him again in Heaven and as long as I walk here on this earth I will carry with me the love and compassion that he so humbly exuded and instilled in me and all with whom he came in contact. Labels: Brandenburg Family, Sanford Family
Nutcracker Ballet
While in Texas, we were able to make it to Houston briefly to see the Nutcracker Ballet. Here's Aunt Shelly and Kennedy in her dress--a gift from Granny Kay.
Kennedy really enjoyed the ballet this year. She sat on the edge of her seat and when asked what she liked best about the performance she said "All of it!"
Labels: Bean
Del Sanford, Obituary, Published in Houston Chronicle
BROTHER DEL SANFORD, 67, of Sheridan, Tx, moved "away from the body and at home with the Lord" on Dec. 13, 2007, from Methodist Hospital. Born March 29, 1940, Del married Shirley Brandenburg of Ralston, Oklahoma, on March 19, 1960. Del was Pastor of New Life Fellowship in Sheridan. The family wishes to thank Methodist Hospital Transplant Team of Houston, and in particular Dr. Guillermo Torre, for their exceptional care and heartfelt service these past 14 years. Del is survived by his wife Shirley, their 5 children, Debbie Ware and Stacy of Schertz, Texas; Shelly Sanford of Houston, Texas; Sheryl Sanford Anderson and Susan of Portland, Oregon; Gayle Thornton and David of Magnolia, Texas; Patty Buegeler and Darrin of Freeport, Texas; their 11 grandchildren and numerous other friends and family. Del was preceded in death by his parents, and his 3 brothers. Services will be held at Henneke Funeral Home in Columbus, Texas, on Sat., Dec. 15, 3 p.m., viewing at 2 p.m. Graveside services will be Monday at 2 pm, Riverside Cemetery, Ralston, Ok. We wait for the day when we will rejoice with Del in "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul. A hope both sure and steadfast...." Henneke Funeral Home Columbus, TX 979-732-2143
Published in the Houston Chronicle on 12/15/2007.
Labels: Sanford Family
Oklahoma
On a stop on our drive to Oklahoma for Papa Sanford's graveside services, Kennedy took this photo of Aunt Shelly (Sheryl's identical twin) and Mema.
We stayed at the Binkley Hotel aka Aunt Sharon and Uncle Jim's home. Here is a photo of Aunt Sharon (Mema's identical twin) on the left, Heather (Sharon's daughter), and Mom (Mema) on the right.
Here's a photo of Mema, Aunt Sharon and Aunt Sherry (Mema's sister) walking through the Riverside Cemetery in Ralston, Oklahoma, where Papa was buried.
Labels: Sanford Family
Home
We arrived back home last night. More soon, but for now here is a photo of Kennedy resting on the baby (we're 8 months along today). We were watching a movie Aunt Gayle and Uncle David gave us,
Brother Bear. Uncle C.K. is in the background in this photo.
Labels: Bean, Bean Too
