Old Fort Days/Reagan Rally

It is no suprise to anyone when I say that this past year has been really tough on our family. The biggest worry on our plate has been of our sweet Reagan, who as you know if you read my blogs is my 7 year old little cousin that was diagnosed with a Whelms tumor. She has been going through chemo and lots of tests for the past year. Well, our home town of Ft. Sumner has an annual event each year that is a weekend long celebration. I thought that would be the perfect opportunity to get together with as many family members, ESPECIALLY cousins, as we can. I decided to have a Reagan Rally to raise money for cancer research..

Krista, Colton and I flew to Lubbock on Tuesday. Darla picked us up, we ran by and saw David and Aric and then I made a flying trip through Sam's to get groceries for the week. Then Darla drove us to Muleshoe where we met up with Nana. We switched vehicles ( I wish I had taken a picture of how much stuff I bought!), we barely fit! We spent Tuesday night and Wednesday night with Nana and Peepaw. It was so great to see them and hang out and let Colton get to know them again..we had some great home cooked meals. Colton especially enjoyed visiting Nana at the office:

Well, I think that price is a little too high...


Do you hear my phone?


Let me check my calendar


Mom, enough pictures

On Thursday morning, we packed up our stuff and headed up to Clifford and Molly's house. They just redid Grandma Cathy's place and turned the barn into a bunkhouse, and that is where the boys and Krista stayed, along with the Butler boys as well. The first night we just visited. Sherry and Bill West invited the WHOLE group out to their house and they cooked us steaks and potatos, the whole 9 yards!! It was so great to be around everyone.


Reagan lent Colton her stick horse, but we had to figure out the batteries!


Grandad and Colton had a grand time


Three generations


Is it fixed yet?

Zach also saddled up gooch, the oldest horse on the planet and made Colton the happiest baby in the world!!


Dear Jesus (Or Pop Pop or Santa).. if you would only bring me a horse like this at my house, I will be the best baby ever! Amen.


Momma, do you see me????



Cheese ball

On Friday, Molly, Clifford and Reagan had to go to Lubbock for Reagan to get her final scans. I felt so blessed that we could all be there and pray for her, and feel that connection. While they were gone, we had to get the Reagan Rally set up. Now, let me talk about my hero, Amanda Kenyon. You see, I emailed her and asked if she would help me run a couple of small games after the Old Fort Days sponsored games. She said of course (as usual). She went to the chamber to ask and came out in charge of EVERYTHING OLD FORT DAYS. Ok, that is a little exaggerated but.. she took on a LOT.. that is to say the least.. I could write pages and pages about how much she did for this to turn it into the success that it was.

Well, we got started on the little games, and up runs Reagan, they made it back JUST IN TIME!!


Reagan and her best friend Katy (Amanda and Rusty's oldest daughter) running the tombstone race.


Always protect the face!


You have heard of kissing cousins, right?


Working hard


Makin a dollar

On Saturday, we started off at the cow plop.. only in a small farm town will you have people stand around a fenced in cow, waiting for it to poop. It's like bingo.. if it poops in the square you bough, you win! And lo and behold, Uncle Mike won second place :) I thought I had pictures of this, but I don't. Kyla is sending some my way.

Then we went on to the parade.. Colton LOVED IT! (I was burning up hot, but he had fun)


ohhhh did you hear that noise mommy


Man, Pop should bring his car to this parade


Momma I am HOT

After the parade we went and ran the horseshoe tourney.. and sold water again for a dollar for the Reagan Rally fund. (no pictures of this either)

Sunday we got up and packed and then headed back to Lubbock. Molly, Colton and I drove together and Krista, Kyla and Zach drove together. Zach and Molly were headinng to get Zach registered for Dallas Baptist College (GO ZACH!).. we were all exhausted but man, we had a great time.

I am so very blessed beyond words at the people I have in my life. This renewed me and made me remember how lucky I am.

The icing on the cake, Molly sent out a mass text on Monday that the scans came back clear on Reagan.. our prayers were answered. Not that we can stop praying, it is going to take Reagan time to heal and gain all her strength back, but we cannot thank each of you enough for your thoughts and prayers for our family!!


When we were in Lubbock, Colton decided he was now officially a cowboy, so Uncle Aric, Aunt Ash and Aunt Brit bought him his first cowboy hat.. oh my GOSH, he has not taken it off since we have been home:








Sweet


Aunt Ash


Uncle Aric











Momma and Colton
Love,
Shauna and the rest of us!!

Krista and Kelsey's graduation

WOW, can you believe the girls are graduated?
Krista graduated from Baton Rouge Community College and then Kelsey graduated from Calallen High School the following week.

I just can't believe how grown up they are!

Kelsey: It blows my mind to think that you are a high school graduate! It seems like yesterday Jett and I were driving to Corpus so he could introduce me to the family. I walk in to your bedroom and you had spent hours cutting out shapes and making letters to decorate your room for me. I felt so loved and was so glad that we all bonded so very quickly. Over the years, watching you grow up has been so much fun.

I hope you know how special you are to us and how proud we are of you. You are about to start a new chapter, one that most young people start to kind of phase their family out and branch off into the world on their own.. I hope you know that no matter where life takes you, or what decisions you make, this family you are blessed with will ALWAYS love you and support you... never forget that!!! We love you!


Dang Colton looked away :)





Krista: I can still remember you as a tiny little baby, and feeling SO proud when I changed your diaper for the first time.. I remember you riding the pet pig in your diaper, your mouth full of shiny silver teeth.. your bowl hair cut.. I remember how sweet you were, getting ready for church on Sunday's, but SCREAMING if we dared to brush your hair. You wanted to hang out with us so bad.. you always thought we were so cool... :) it was always so fun to go to the elementary and get you and bring you up to the high school with me :) Then there are the boys.. man, you and your crushes were always a constant source of amusement for us haha Remember Cage Kisser??

Then there was that moment, or series of moments when our lives drastically changed. Grandad Cones died, and the events that lead you to come to Lubbock, first with Jett and I and then with Darla.. It was so heartbreaking for me to see your anguish.. I was 20 years old and could not fix it for you, and it killed me to see you hurting, you confused and not understanding... yet you came out of it such an amazing and wonderful, confident young lady. You took what life dealt you and instead of feeling sorry for yourself, instead of using it as a crutch you made the statement to the world that YOU were in control of YOUR life, of YOUR destiny and those around you better watch out!

There have been so many proud moments, so many times my heart has just been filled with excitement and love for your accomplishments.. I think the most special memory I have of all, one that I will cherish for all times, is you sharing in the birth of Colton, you being in that room with Jett and I.. and welcoming our son into our family with us...

I love you and am so very very very proud of you. I know that whatever lies ahead, you will be a success, but most of all, you will be happy!!!!

Love,
Shauna and Jett



So grown up


Our Family





David and Krista


Dar and Krista


Pooped out

Remembering Josh

Wow, another sad post.. but I also have happy posts coming up, about my sisters graduation.. I just have to make sure that this post is done.

June 1st marks the one year "anniversary" (for lack of a better word) of Josh's death.

Everyone told me that with time, it would get easier, yet it has not... like my cousin Amanda Kenyon told me that someone told her, the pain does not go away, it just dulls... and I guess that is an accurate statement.

I am a facebook junkie.. I posted a note asking all the people who knew and loved Josh to share their favorite memories of him.. I am just going to share those on here. If you have a memory of Josh, please post it in the comment section.

here is what I posted:
"June 1st marks the one year "anniversary" of Josh's passing. 365 days have passed so quickly. I know that the day will be a sad one, and Krista and I really want to try to concentrate on all of the good times. So what we are asking is that everyone send us your favorite "Josh" memory... tag your friends, repost, forward but please tell them to send theirs to Krista and I, either add us as friends on facebook or email them to me shaunawalker01@gmail.com

I have SOOO many memories.. Josh used to do "funny" shows for all of us, with Mikey or the rest of his cousins.. Josh is the one who got me drunk the first time (GO FIGURE). Mo and Josh took me to Allsups to go to the bathroom, drunk as a skunk... sitting on the shelf next to the bread.. I can remember Melissa just laughing at me... on a snow day, he took a bunch of us in his blazer out to the air base and was doing donuts.. Joslyn was scared so Josh rolled down his window (Joslyn was behind him) and did a donut, we all look at her and she was covered in snow.. we used to have gord wars with kyla and adam... cruising with Mo and Derek.. one time some kid called me a bitch (which I probably was), but Josh went and tried to fight him.. of course, if you knew Josh back then, he was a little shrimp, but he was pushing and shoving him and just protecting his sister...him being in my wedding, and everyone teasing him that he "fell into a tackle box" because of all the piercings in his face.. I did not even ask him, but when he walked out in his tux, he had taken everything out and later told me he knew I would want my pictures to be classy.. I remember he used to take out his peircing in his chin and would drink milk and blow it out the hole (like a whale) to make me gag.. GROSS!!! I remember my heart catching when he held my son for the first time.. and I remember thinking "we are going to be ok.. things are going to get back to the way they should be" but I waited too long.

it kills me to think that the last years of his life we let stupid drama come between us.. i miss him EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. and I know you all do too.. I feel so bad for his friends, the ones who he talked to and laughed with, drank with and worked with... he was so lucky to have all of you but you were all lucky to have him as well.. please PLEASE share your memories with us.. we need them to get through this.."

Here are the comments:

John Carey: i truly have to many good times to stop and think of just one!! we hunted and fished on the river al the time so those are the ones that stick out along with wrestling on the trampalin and drinkn beer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Daniel: well there are so many the ones that most stick out are ice ice babby, hunting and fishing and just all of us hanging around with each other a nother one is when one of you got to come to lubbock for the summer that was always fun

Kyla: Oh Joshua...gord wars were ALWAYS fun! I use to love to go in that old trailer behind y'alls hous and dig through all that crap, funny shows, and of course, "She's Got the Jack" head banging sessions with our air guitars! Remember all of us squishing into Granny's car for church?!?! But what I like the most now is that everytime I see you and Krista, I see Josh in you. I miss him so much. I love you and can't wait to see you guys...two more weeks!

Darlene:
you all were a crazy bunch, full of life and fun, how can we forget his crazy smirk or those unruley cowlicks. it is so haard to believe its been a year....we will keep you all in prayer.

His very best friend Melissa:Shauna do you remember when Josh and I skipped school to go to Clovis and someone from the school called the cops on us and the cops stopped us heading out of town and tried to make us go back to school.

Granny:The first time Josh came to our house he was just a wee baby. Shauna,you were so proud of your brother you couldn't wait for Granny to hold him, all of 5 min.--then you wanted Momma to hold him so you could sit on my lap, after I was YOUR Granny.
The last time Josh was here it was the middle of May. He and Grandaddy played horse shoes.They finally quit after 6 games, tied 3each. Love you!

Jill Pruitt: Josh and I used to work together in the office at Finney Farms, when Annie Mae had her heart surgery. Most of the time it was boring unless Josh was there keeping me entertained. Josh was always doing something funny. I was also a witness to the gross blowing water out of the chin where he had his peircing. Denzel wouldn't let him wear the ... Read Morepeircing at the store so he broke off a green paper clip and would stick that thru his chin. He used to sneak into Denzel's office when everyone was gone, and get on the internet and watch Joe Cartoon. He was quite the character!

Denae: I have been thinking about you all day as I'm sure lots of others have. Just know there are lots of people who love you and are honoring your brother's memory today. xoxo


Robert Kenyon (wrote two) I remember when we were real little i used to go over to you alls house and play mortal kombat one!! with Josh and go fishing in the ponds by the shop when they were there alot of great times with that man and just know that my love and heart will be with all of you tomarrow and always! I Love and miss you all and hope that you all will stay happy and on course with your lives Josh would have wanted us to be happy......and take a shot of jack or two.. he he he
My God I don't even know where to start there are soooo many good memories of that man, It is really hard to choose just one of them. I remember when he rolled into the fire at the reunion, I think he was laughing more than any of us. I remember us running threw a fence and nearly going of the side of a cliff we all got out so fast trying to pick up the fishing equipment off the road before anybody seen that we tore up there fence. WE laughed about it for a couple days. There was also a time when we went fishing with our dads, God I will never forget this, oue dads got so wasted that night we had to littilary carry them to the trucks and drive them home, We drug them to bed and meet back at the fishing spot, just to make fun of how goofy they were acting. These are just a few among thousands. I could probley write a novel of fun tales that we had together. My heart is with you all on this day of rememberance All my love Robert Kenyon. We love you Josh!!! and can't wait to see you again.

These are just the ones that were sent on facebook..

It goes to show what an amazing guy he was, and how he touched so many lives.. and not a day has gone by that I don't think about him.. Usually on the drive to and from work, when I am by myself, I find myself thinking about him... I miss him..

I will say that all these comments helped Krista and I through the day, but there is one person who is our rock ,and that is Jett. He has so much strength and is able to not only comfort and console me but also Krista.. I really and truly don't know how I got so lucky, but I thank God every day for sending Jett my way.

For all the phone calls/text messages/emails sent to us.. we thank you and we love you.. one day at a time, that is all we can do.

All our love,
Shauna and Krista