Together With Family

We're still remembering our week at the farm to celebrate G'ma.

It was so great to have everyone gathered together...

I couldn't resist taking a few group shots... :)

The Moser Kids--Bill, Brad, Greg, Christi, and Cindy

The Moser Grandkids--Courtney, Jake, Ellie, Ben, Katie,

Megan, Zach, Erin, Garrett, and Allie

The Moser Kids with their cousins, The Jackshas, and Aunt MaryAnn and Rita

(this was the most tame of all the pictures...this group knows how to have fun!)

Daddy and Gracie getting ready for the funeral. Grace loves faces and skin--

and when she gets tired she feels your face like she's reading Braille... :)

Sweet Caroline

G'ma Caroline Moser

June 29, 1929--February 21, 2010

Blueberry muffins on her hospital bed

A picnic made for three

G'ma Caroline and I stole bites

Of this delicious Costco delicacy

Between handing "More, peez" bites to Gracie.

If I'd known this would've been the last time we'd be together,

I wouldn't have left.

But now, amongst many other memory connectors,

G'ma will be on my mind every time I get blueberry muffins at Costco.

It's been 3 weeks since G'ma has passed and I haven't posted because I have been unable to capture how special she was to us. After a rough year filled with doctor appointments she spent her last 5 weeks in the hospital and nursing home here in Spokane. And though her body was failing her, the last few weeks of her life she spent with great purpose--making special time with each of us, praying with roommates and guests coming to visit her, and sharing her heart with us during this part of her journey.

We were able to spend five days with family over the week of the funeral. It was so comforting just to be around other people who loved her as much as we do. My sister wrote the most beautiful eulogy, by my grandma's request, and I've included part of it below, as it so greatly captured Grandma Caroline's life.

Eulogy Excerpt:

"...Over the past few months, Grandma’s body began to fail her. It was tired and Grandma knew it. She knew God would be calling her home and yet, she orchestrated special moments with each of her kids and her grandchildren. Even from her hospital bed, she was thinking of others' pain and sorrow. She did her best to help US cope with the thought of going on without her. She talked openly of dying and meeting Jesus. She talked of her fears of leaving us behind, and her excitement to meet God. She made me promise that when I gave her eulogy that I wouldn’t idolize her by listing everything good that she had ever done…she said that the people who really mattered, were the people who already knew her. They knew her accomplishments, they knew her sorrows, and they knew her heart. So this is her personalized message to you:

Dearest family, neighbors, parishioners, Community members, and friends,

I want you to know that I have enjoyed every moment I have spent with you over the years. I so enjoyed getting to know you and love you. Each of you brought something very special to my life, and each of you has a very special place in my heart.

If I can leave you with anything it is this…when our daughter Pam died, our family was devastated. I didn’t know how I could go on, and a very dear friend invited me to a Bible Study. I found the comfort and peace I was searching for through Jesus. Accepting Christ as my Savior changed my life. My hope for each of you is that you will invite Jesus into your heart, make Him Master of your life, and Savior of your soul.

May God bless you and your families,

With all my Love…Caroline

Radiant…beaming, bright, brilliant. Although I shed tears of sadness because I already miss my Grandma, I can’t help but remember how tired and weak she was…she was ready physically, mentally, and spiritually to meet Jesus. And while I remember how frail she looked the past few months I can only imagine how she transformed when she saw God. I don’t know if she dropped to her knees, stood in awe, or became engulfed in his arms. But, I CAN tell you, she is absolutely RADIANT." --Katie Morrow

It's February!!!

We LOVE this month. :)

I just reminded Jeff that today is our Engagement Day anniversary--FIVE YEARS AGO Jeff flipped out a ring on a bridge over the Falls...

"That seems SO long ago..." he says.

"In a GOOD WAY, right?"

He smiles.

Sometimes life turns out better than you imagine it.

"Mommy Rest. Gracie Rest."

Mommy is a little tired these days......sometimes resorting to laying on the floor to "play" with Gracie in the evenings...
"Mommy tired. Gracie tired, TOO! Nigh-night, Mommy."
This was the calm before the Gracie-tackle: "I got you, babe!"

I've got you too, Grace Face.

PKU Update

I realize that we haven't posted an update on Gracie's PKU in quite a while... It's probably because her case is mild--which is rare in kids with PKU--and we haven't had to make drastic changes in her life. Blessed! :) At this point--20 months old--the only foods we've kept out of her diet are meat, eggs, and peanut butter. This is a lot easier to do than we originally thought--we just never introduced these foods, and she hasn't really known what she's been missing! Her body is able to digest SOME phenylalanine (one type of protein)--so we still let her eat dairy--which is something most kids with PKU are unable to do. She gets most of her protein from a special formula we add to her milk each day. At this point, we have her blood tested once a month and adjust her diet--usually the amount of formula that's added to her milk--accordingly after the results. We've just started taking her blood samples at home instead of going in to the lab. All-in-all, we are pretty blessed to have such a mild strain of this genetic disorder. The other good news we have received is that our next baby has a 25% chance of also having PKU, but his case would be very similar to Grace's--mild.

We are very blessed!

(This is a picture of the yogurt container that Grace emptied, threw away, and promptly retrieved from the garbage to lick clean...)

Daddy's Shoes

Yes! We've finally gotten to the little-girl-trying-on-her-daddy's-shoes stage! What a crack up! Gracie loves everything that belongs to her dad--from his CEREAL and SHOES to his DEODORANT--yes, his deodorant...she always wants the lid off and we're afraid that soon we'll find sticky blueish Old Spice gel on the walls--she thinks her dad hung the moon.


I know I've posted a picture just like this before, but it's my favorite part of the day. "More cereal, Daddy." You may see this pose again in a few months...just to mark this girls' growth! :)

"Happy Birthday, 'Eah!"

We cannot believe that "little" Alea turned FIVE this month! She and Kalei are such wonderful friends to Gracie--Alea had to make sure that Gracie (age 1 1/2) was invited to her Jump and Play birthday party with all of her friends. Grace had a GREAT TIME. Happy Birthday, Alea! Slow down! You're growing too fast!

Daddy went on the bigger kids' jumping toys with Grace. She was so giggly! How fun to be a big kid! :)
One going on five...?

Our Outdoor Girl

She'd just as soon be outside than anywhere. We learned this in the first few weeks of her life--often resorting to sitting outside on our porch just to calm her down. She loves her coat, her hat ("Good job, Jen!"), her gloves, her shoes...anything that assists her in her outdoor quest. It doesn't really matter where we go...a simple walk down the sidewalk or a trip to the mailbox to get the mail...she's content. But don't try going inside too soon! :)



The puppy in the window, the texture of the sidewalk under her fingers, "Cold! Brrrr!" the flight of a crow, "March! March! March!", the basketball sitting on the slab, "Mommy, hand."

Christmas Card 2009

Love Came Near

"They saw the child...and they bowed down and worshiped him...they opened their treasures and presented him with gits of gold and incencse and myrrh..."


The gifts of Christmas have been opened, sorted, and put away with the lights and tree...and yet we continue to be in awe that our Savior would come to US to give us the gift of abundant life. What a great season to celebrate this LOVE. We were so blessed to be surrounded by so many family members over our two weeks of celebration. We treasure the gift of family we've been given--as rich as gold, frankincense, and myhrr--this abundant life.