Sorry I didn't post this earlier. I lost my password and log in!
To all our family and friends reading this we wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas and a very prosperous New Year! Here is a long overdue update on the Crotteau family:
Josh (our baby) graduated from high school and left in early September for a 6 month Army school. His interest in mechanics is ever increasing as evident by the vehicles that are parked in the shop and the back yard. Besides his 2000 Pontiac Bonneville he has two project vehicles a 1991 Ford bronco and an old 1978 Ford pickup truck (3/4 Camper special). For the record we have a difference in opinion as he thinks their old, where I on the other hand remember both vehicles when they were relatively new.
Jacki and her fiancé Zack and are raising three wonderful boys (Austin, William, Wyatt) together and now call Mankato their home. Zack asked us for her hand in marriage, we couldn’t say no. He is a good man and places Jacki’s and his family’s needs above his own. Not to mention that his kids are absolutely amazing and call us Grandma and Grandpa.
Matt relocated to the Alexandria area where he met a wonderful girl named Trista. Just recently he asked his father in law to be for her hand in marriage. Our belief is that with a good woman by his side his options in life are endless! His daughter Aubrey is growing like a weed and makes my heart skip a beat when she flashes me her smile or calls me poppa bear.
Doug is buying a house and soon he will be leaving home to start the next chapter of his life. He has someone special in his life by the name of Dusti that we are quite fond of. Sad to say he will be going back to Iraq early next year.
Darcie is still traveling through life with her sights set high and is determined to change the world. She still dabbles in photography taking awesome pictures and is working hard to land a management position with her current company. Whenever possible she and Roxie travel to the farm as she calls her childhood home.
We are truly blessed by our ever growing family and welcome both Zack and Trista into our family. We love them both and can’t wait until the 2011 Weddings.
Let’s not forget to add to the excitement that after thirty years of wearing the uniform I finally retired. I’m now a civilian contractor working for the Government doing the same job but on a much smaller scale. The biggest difference besides the pay cut and living apart is that I wear comfortable jeans and short sleeve dress shirts. To be honest it’s quite refreshing to be a little different than the guys in my office who are all wearing ACU’s (Army Combat Uniform). I know a few of you are smirking right now thinking that it’s not the civilian clothes that make Dave different.
Susan is doing well and has now worked for Wal-Mart for over 20 years. She is contemplating going back to school, or now that the kids are older getting a new job. For so many years Susan has put her family’s needs above her own. With the kids all of age now, her future is for her to decide. No matter her decision, I support her and will stand by her side like she has stood by my side throughout the last 23 years.
We spent some time this year downsizing with happy thoughts of moving to our Cabin in Osakis and making it our permanent home. We had a massive garage sale getting rid of a lifetime of accumulation and said good bye to Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and the three wise men. I really wanted to hand the outdoor decorations off to the next generation for them to make their own holiday traditions. Nobody had the storage space required. A man with 5 kids under the age of 8 made me a deal I couldn’t refuse. Truth be told I made him a deal that he couldn’t refuse and he became a hero to his kids. You see his kid’s eyes were already sparkling in anticipation of the next Christmas wonderland in their front yard. Call me a softie but I would rather have our treasures go to a good home than to wind up at Goodwill lined up next to the walkers, and seldom used exercise equipment.
Lately we have been going through the precious treasures that our kids have given us through the years. Everything from homemade cards (all occasions), to some fine works of art that our children had labored over for us. There are cards to mom that say “There have been some bad times in the past, but this isn’t one of them” to “You might be the Queen but I’m the joker”. So many memories as we went through the boxes from the past. We wanted our kids to know how much we love them while were here and want them to share their treasures of their youth with their kids someday. Some of the stuff we held onto is hard to explain but hopefully they will see that we held onto it because it meant something to us. I know to some it may seem gloomy but the laughter we shared going through the treasures past or a tear that may have been shed together is priceless.
In closing we want to say enjoy your time with your family now while you can. Hold them close, tell them you love them even if it embarrasses them. Never forget that life is so precious and you may never again get the chance to tell them that you’re proud of them. Or that you never said you were sorry while they were here and find yourself wishing that you could after they are gone. I’m not sure who said it but the quote goes something like this. When I die I don’t want to go peacefully living life cautiously. Instead I want to slide over the line at the pearly gates saying “wow what a life and what a great ride!
One last request from us to you is to say a prayer tonight for the soldiers serving in harm’s way. For the spouse that is alone for the first time this holiday season. Lest we forget our public servants and our government in hopes that they will do the right thing by us and for us no matter the cost.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
No comments:
Post a Comment