Wednesday, January 25, 2012

A tribute to the life of Barry Joe Williamson



The following was written by Jerry Williamson, Barry's Brother and shared at his Memorial Service January 21st.

 
BELIEVE.        Barry Joe Williamson
This day is obviously a tough day for all of us.
My brother Barry meant a great deal to all of us.
To me personally, we were not just brothers, but we were great friends.
Especially when we were little guys sharing a bedroom together.
During our childhood, Barry, Dennis, Christy and I had no secrets from one another, which meant we knew everything about one another and I mean everything.
Don't worry Christy and Dennis, I won't tell if you guys don't tell.
Barry of course was the youngest of the four kids in our family and we naturally referred to him as the baby of the family.
He hated that phrase baby of the family because all he heard was he was being called a baby.
Well you know what that meant, Christy, Dennis, and I called him the baby of the family every time we saw him or at least until our mom made us stop.
Another thing that Christy, Dennis, and I thought was funny is we all told Barry that he was adopted and his real name was not even Barry, it was actually Mike.
This was great fun to Christy, Dennis, and I because Barry would cry and cry and tell us that he did not want to be Mike because he was Barry.
Barry would have to seek out our mother to be reaffirmed that he was honestly a Williamson and a part of our family.
Today, it is simple for me to understand why that teasing we would do to Barry would send him into a fear and panic like it did.
The reason is so obvious, he loved his family, he had such a strong love in his heart for his family that he would have done anything to prevent separation with his loved ones.
That happenened when he was a child, and that quality or trait became stronger throughout his life.
He so loved his family and would have let nothing change that.
As Barry and I became adults, we lived in different states, quite a distance from each other.
Our distance kept me from seeing Barry, Kari and the kids as often as I wanted to the past few years, but fortunately my mother, Christy and Dennis stepped in and unselfishly comforted and loved Barry in my absence.
Kari and the kids made it possible for Barry to live in the comfort of his home instead of the hospital, what a true blessing that was.
I am eternally grateful for everything you all did for Barry, especially during his last few months.
When I was asked to speak about Barry today and I first thought can I really do this?
Am I capable of expressing in words the sweet nature and the natural inner goodness of my brother, Barry?
I can tell you  that It is my honor to be able to speak for our family members about Barry.
This is just a small way of saying thank you Barry for all you did for me and all you meant to all of us.
If you have watched or followed the National Football League at all, you have most likely heard of Walter Payton was one of the greatest nfl running backs of all time.
 In fact he was so good that he was inducted into the hall of fame.
 Walter once said "when you are good at something, you tell everyone, when you are great at something, they'll tell you".
Walter Payton possessed fantastic skills as a nfl running back but he is known by most for something totally different other than his athleticism.
 Most people today know him by his nickname, "sweetness".
He earned this name When He was living because  he constantly smiled and he had an unbelievable heart for others.
Walter always thought of other people before himself.
He was a truly sweet hearted man.
He could have been given many nicknames that described super skills but he wasn't.
He was named and known by his God given human skills instead.
Walter Payton and Barry had much in common.
God gave Barry a heart for others.
Barry loved those who he knew and those he did not know.
He always smiled, you can see this in the photos of him. It was his natural disposition.
To this day, I have never known Barry to be mean to anyone.
I think all of you have to agree, Barry Joe Williamson is truly the real sweetness!
Of course, I referenced football when thinking of Barry since our entire family loved being together and cheering on our favorite team, Dallas Cowboys.
I'm really not sure if wasn't honestly the togetherness that we actually loved or the game itself.
I am sure of this, even if when we were all together on one terribly hot hot day well into the 100s, we were all together at Texas Stadium and witnessed our Cowboys take a whipping from the hated Philadelphia Eagles.
Even as painful as that game was to watch, Barry soon made the entire huge bunch of us forget the ugly game we saw.
Barry was riding in very back part of a 13 passenger van and could not stand to see the agony we were going through, so what did he do?
He mooned about 1000 cars behind us on the way back home
Believe, he achieved his goal to change the mood
Many of us to this day, still smile and laugh.
I guess Barry would go to any extreme to us from hurting.
 I remember When we were young guys, I was around 10 and Barry was 8.
I was truly being mean to another kid my age and Barry stepped in the middle of the situation and he looked me directly in the eyes pleaded with me to stop and think about how I was making the other boy feel.
I looked into Barry's eyes in that instant his eyes showed me his heart.
I could honestly see  with no doubt what Barry was feeling and because I was inflicting hurt and pain on this other boy, it hurt Barry.
That was the first time in my life when I noticed a quality in Barry that I had never seen in anyone else.
I was fortunate to be able to witness his great quality for the remainder of his life.
Even when Barry life was near the end, he would never want his family to know if he was hurting or in pain.
He did not want anyone else to feel badly for him or hurt for him.
That is Barry, it is who he was.
Barry watched the family spending pretty closely, in fact those closest to him some days called him frugal.
So you can imagine the surprise to Kari a few weeks ago when he told her that he did not want a cheap funeral.
Well Barry, this is a grand funeral a true tribute and celebration to your life, well done Kari.
Believe bracelets.
Many of acquired a bracelet soon after Barry's surgery which was when he first learned of him having brain cancer.
Many of us have not removed our bracelet since we received it.
This bracelet is special and has provided with the feeling of connection to Barry no matter how many miles have separated us.
There are only a few words stamped in these bracelets, which are BELIEVE for Barry.
They could have chosen anything they wanted to have stamped in these bracelets and the one power word they chose is BELIEVE.
This word has many meanings during Barry's bout with cancer.
At one time believe meant that Barry would beat cancer and be restored fully to himself.
Today the word believe means that Barry is is in heaven singing and dancing probably doing his infamous air guitar to a AC/DC song.
I can picture him performing for our King and I know that Barry is making him smile just like he did for each one of us while he was here with us.
At Barrys house on his coffee table is a small book with quotes and poems.
Lexi thought this captured Barry.
Believe that friendship is priceless and an honor.
If you want trust, trust others.
If you want respect, respect others.
If you want help, help others.
If you want love and peace in your life, give them away.
If you want great friends, be one.
That's how it works.
I am thankful for the special memories Barry has left all of us and with that, I hope and pray that my brother and the legacy he created will live forever within our hearts and minds.
On behalf of Barry, Kari and all of our family, we thank each and every one of you for your prayers, visits, and all of the love and other acts kindness you have shown us. Your generosity cannot be explained in words how you have comforted our family.
So here's to you Sweetness, until we meet again.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Heaven received an Angel today...

My precious husband, Barry, no longer has to suffer.  His battle courageously ended this morning in his home, surrounded by his family.  As hard as it is to say goodbye, I am so blessed to have shared my life and our children with him for the last fifteen years and know that he was welcomed into heaven with open arms.  Barry was loved by so many and will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.  For Barry, we will never stop believing.  We love you Barry.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

No End in Sight...

Brant's assignment in English was to take a sheet of newspaper and black out all words except the words that he could use to create a poem.  Brant received a 98 on this assignment.  Here is his poem:

          No End In Sight
Lost
With two months to live
Stage 4 Cancer
Destroying quality of life
Livlihood affected
Situation doesn't change
Alive this month

His teacher made the following comments on his poetry rubric: 

There is so much heart in this, Brant.  I can't even imagine what you go through on a daily basis.  It must be incredibly consuming.  My thoughts are with your family.  You're a strong guy.  Let me know if you need anything!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

New Year update...

Thanks to every ones prayers and the wonderful staff of Faith Presbyterian Hospice, Barry is comfortable at home, surrounded by his family and has had many visits from friends.  He has been seizure free for three weeks now.  He is tired of being confined to his bed and longs to have his life "back to normal".  Due to the progression of the tumor, his left arm and leg have lost all mobility needed to support him to be able to walk.  This frustrates him at times, but he rarely ever complains.  He has had many good days recently and is still able to communicate with us.  As always, Barry is a pillar of strength for this family.  He holds us all together and it is so precious to all of us to be able to enjoy this time with him.  He is loved by so many people.  I am so very proud to call him my husband and the very best friend anyone could ever have.  Please continue to pray for Barry.  His children and I ask that you pray for his continued comfort, peace and a healing miracle.  Love to all.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Brotherly Love...

Today, Barry's brothers, Jerry and Dennis came to spend the entire day with Barry.  They reminised about old times and shared stories of their childhood.  It was a very special day for Barry.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

May I have your permission...

 
Russell asked for Barry's blessing to marry his precious baby girl, Chelsea today. 
Russell proposed on Christmas Eve 2011, She said YES!


Sunday, December 18, 2011

A peaceful weekend...

Barry has enjoyed a peaceful weekend at home.  We were sad to see his Mother leave us for a few days, but look forward to her return closer to Christmas.  As of today, Barry has not had any seizures for over a week and his headaches have been successfully controlled with pain medicine.  He continues to maintain a positive attitude. We were blessed with visits from Rachel and Jude, his brother Dennis and Lexi and Joey.  His friend, Dave, also came by for a visit earlier today.  We want to thank everyone for their continued prayers. 

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Pops and Baby Jude...

 Rachel brought Baby Jude over to see us this afternoon.  Pops was so excited to be able to hold him.  It really brightened his day to have his grandson in his arms.  Jude is such a precious baby boy.  Several people had said that Jude looks like both Barry and Brant as a baby. 

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Pops and I meet Baby Jude for the first time on Monday December 5th.  Mommy and baby were so tired after their amazing journey.  We gave him kisses and said goodbye so that they could get some rest.  Rachel and Brad brought Jude back over to our house on Thursday.  He had a big smile for his Pops!  We are both so in love with this precious baby boy.  He is perfect in every way.  Rachel is glowing as a new Mommy and Brad could not be any more attentive to his baby boy.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Heavy heart...

It is with a heavy and saddened heart that I write this entry in Barry's blog.  Barry has fought so hard against this terrible disease and never once complained.  He has fought like a true gentleman.  He has given his all to stay strong, focused and be the best husband, father and friend he can be to all that know him.  Consider yourselves extremely fortunate if you have had the honor of knowing Barry.  He has brought light to so many people and has felt the light of prayer over him during this difficult journey.

Barry's health has deteriorated greatly over the last two weeks.  He has experienced great weakness in his left side and has suffered through very difficult seizures a few days ago. After lengthy consideration by his Neuro-oncologist, she and her colleagues feel that Barry's recent tumor growth has progressed beyond the point of repair.  She has suggested that he be under the watchful and spiritual care of Faith Presbyterian Hospice.  It has been extremely difficult to hear that we are out of options, but have been assured that through Faith, we will have everything we need to make Barry as comfortable as possible throughout the remainder of his life. 

Barry has been surrounded by love throughout this time in his life and will continue to be.  His mother, Vada, has been staying with us and has been an Angel on earth for Barry, Brant and I.  It means so much to Rachel, Chelsea and Lexi to have her here as well.  With the support of his children, his Mother, Father, Sister, Brothers, Family friends and neighbors, Barry will have the best of care.  He is at home in a comfortable, soothing environment blanketed in love and support. 

Thank you to all for everything that you have done for Barry and our family.  We have experienced first-hand the power of your prayers and ask that you continue to BELIEVE for Barry.  It is never to late for a miracle. 

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Our Grandbaby Jude is born...

Barry and I are officially POPS and GRANNA!  Rachel gave birth to a 7 lb, 19.5 in beautiful baby boy today at 3:31.  We are so excited and can't wait to see him!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Natl Brain Tumor Society Walk 2011...



Barry and I are so proud of our precious children and the special people in their lives. Today, Rachel, Chelsea & Russell, Brant & Bree, Penny & Alex walked to show support for Barry in the fight against Brain Cancer. Although Barry could not participate this year he is beaming with pride knowing that his children were there for him. Lexi, Joey and Brad there in spirit.

Friday, November 4, 2011

November has begun...

Barry relaxed relatively well last night.  How comfortable can you be in a hospital bed!  He awoke this morning without feeling the intense pain or extreme weakness.  It was such a positive sign.  He has received an increased dose of steroids every six hours since we arrived last night at 7:00pm.  It was explained to us that the active tumor growth was causing swelling and pressure on the brain, resulting in the weakness and headaches.  Thanks to prayers and advances in modern medicine, Barry awoke without a headache this morning.  We were both THRILLED!  Barry was very tired and napped on and off throughout the day.  Mid-day, while he was talking to his brother Jerry, he seemed to have what I would call a small seizure.  As he talked I could tell that his speech was slurred.  I was shocked that he could tell this also and asked Jerry if he sounded slurred.  The conversation ended rather abruptly and I called the nurses and DR in.  It seemed to pass within 5 minutes.  Then he was just really tired.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Halloween, talk about scary...

Today was a very scary day in the Williamson household.  Barry has been experiencing excrutiating headaches for the last two to three days.  Although he has pain medication, it only lasts about two to two and a half hours.  He has been on his new chemo treatment (Thalomid) for five days.  Barry woke today with another excrutiating headache.  Later, after resting most of the morning, Barry decided to clean up for the day.  During this time, he was very weak and found that the majority of the weakness was on his left side.  After struggling with what are usually routine tasks for Barry, he agreed that we needed to talk to the doctor and see what our next step should be.  After talking to Dr. Maher, it was off to the ER at St. Paul Hospital - part of the UT Southwestern Campus.  Thankfully, they were waiting for us to arrive.  They were fairly quick to get Barry back to a room to be examined.  He was still in pain when we arrived, so they gave him an injection of pain medicine that they described as 10X stronger than Morphene.  I was SHOCKED that he could even talk after receiving that type of medication, but he was still coherent enough to talk to me.  After a short stay in the ER, he was admitted to a room following a CAT scan.  Thankfully, the CAT scan did not reveal any bleeding as a result of the new tumor growth.  (The new tumor is growing in the same place where the original tumor was removed.)  Once in the new room, Barry decided that he was starving and had a nice "hospital" meal.  We settled in for the evening knowing that our son, Brant was being well taken care of by our dear friends the Chaney's. 

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Barry recently had an MRI and the result were not what we were hoping and praying for.  Dr. Maher, Barry's Neuro-oncologist, said that the MRI that he had on Wednesday showed that the tumor (the same one that was initially removed during surgery) has started to grow again. She said that there was some bleeding around the tumor which is causing the pressure that he has been experiencing, resulting in the return of his headaches. The headaches are not as frequent as the last time he had new tumor growth and he is only taking one pain pill a day, sometime two. Overall, he feels really good and is mentally clearer than Brant and I have seen him in a long time.
The news hit him hard on Wednesday. We both thought that it would be more of the same news, slight shrinkage, but he has accepted the news as "part of it" in his words. He has promised me that he is not going to let this get him down and will continue to fight and maintain a positive attitude. Yesterday, he talked to Dennis on the phone for a while and conveyed a very positive attitude about moving in a different direction with the new treatment. He is an AMAZING man with such great courage and determination to beat this. In fact, he and I went to our friends gym yesterday and had a great workout. It lifted his spirits tremendously to be back in a gym setting.

The new treatment consists of three new drugs (listed below with information on each). The only really negative side effect for Barry will be in the first two weeks of taking Thalidomide. Dr. Maher said that it would make him extremely tired, so tired in fact, that we may have to wake him just to get him to eat during that time. After that, the intense fatigue wears off and he is better able to tolerate the medication. (30% of patients on this drug saw the tumor completely shrink, 60% of patients, the tumor stays the same and does not continue to grow, the remaining patients did not respond)

We love you all so much and thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Love you all,

Kari





Thalidomide was used widely outside of the United States as a hypnotic/sedative agent in the late 1950s and the early 1960s, but was withdrawn from the market because of the high incidence of severe birth defects attributed to this drug. Thalidomide was never approved in the US until recently, when it was approved for use in the treatment of leprosy-related conditions. However, there has been renewed interest in thalidomide over the past several years, particularly in the treatment of AIDS-related conditions, cancer and HIV-induced wasting, complications of leprosy, and bone-marrow transplant related graft-versus-host disease. These effects were attributed mostly to specific inhibitory activity on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production.

Observations that thalidomide is also an inhibitor of angiogenesis (prevents formation of new blood vessels in tumors) has prompted investigations of its use in the treatment of cancer. In order for a rapidly growing tumor to maintain its growth, a tumor "signals" already existing blood vessels to sprout new branches to feed it. Without a supply of oxygen and other nutrients, tumor growth would be impaired. As a tumor continues to grow, additional blood vessels would need to be formed to sustain new areas of tumor growth.

Clinical trials of thalidomide as a single agent in malignant gliomas that have recurred following radiation therapy have shown evidence of that this drug is active and can produce responses. Thalidomide is currently being tested in combination with a chemotheraputic agent active in malignant gliomas (carboplatin), and single-agent clinical trials are being initiated in the treatment of recurrent brain metastases and in the treatment of recurrent atypical or malignant meningiomas.

Thalidomide is an oral agent. In the ongoing clinical trials for gliomas, meningiomas, and brain metastases, it is taken as a single dose at night. The dose administered is dependent on the trial and is based on body surface area. Toxicities are usually dose-dependent and include drowsiness and constipation (most common) as well as rash and neuropathy (nerve damage) in the arms and legs. The most serious toxicity is the damage that thalidomide can produce in a developing fetus. All women receiving this drug require monthly pregnancy tests (unless not medically necessary). All men and women receiving thalidomide are required to use at least two forms (barrier and hormonal) of contraception.

Dexamethasone Brain tumor-associated cerebral edema arises because tumor capillaries lack normal blood-brain barrier function; vascular permeability factor (VPF, also known as vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) is a likely mediator of this phenomenon. Clinically, dexamethasone reduces brain tumor-associated vascular permeability through poorly understood mechanisms

BCNU is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug. BCNU is classified as an "alkylating agent." (For more detail, see "How this drug works" section below).

What BCNU is used for:

Used to treat certain types of brain tumors; glioblastoma, brainstem glioma, medulloblastoma, astrocytoma, ependymoma and metastatic brain tumors.

Other cancers treated with BCNU include multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, melanoma, lung cancer, colon cancer.

How BCNU is given:

BCNU is usually given by an infusion into a vein (intravenous, IV).

There is no pill form of this medication.

There is a form of this medication (Gliadel® wafer) that can be placed and left in the cavity after surgical removal of a brain tumor. The carmustine wafer allows for delivery of the drug directly to the site of the brain tumor. (See separate listing "carmustine wafer" for more details regarding this formulation).

The amount of BCNU that you will receive depends on many factors, including your height and weight, your general health or other health problems, and the type of cancer or condition being treated. Your doctor will determine your dose and schedule.





Sunday, October 2, 2011

Barry's Bunch of Believers in the DFW Brain Tumor Walk


Family and Friends,

It is time to begin planning for the Dallas Ft. Worth Brain Tumor walk sponsored by the National Brain Tumor Society. This will be our second year participating in efforts to support Barry in his battle against brain cancer, and also an opportunity to raise funds for research. Research is vitally important; It will enable health care professionals to learn more about brain tumors and hopefully find a treatment that will be 100% effective.

How can you help? Join our team! Last year we had a FANTASTIC turnout and we hope to have even more people this year. This is a time to gather with Barry and show our dedication to helping him in his fight against cancer.

Click here and select"Join Us" so that you can be apart of our team.


Don't think you can make it to the walk? No problem! Support Barry in the race by donating to the NBTS here

This year the race is on Saturday November 5, 2011. The race will again be held at Trinity Park, Ft. Worth Texas. Here is the exact address to type into your GPS:

2100 River Drive, Ft. Worth, TX 76107.

Here are some fun facts from last years walk:


•Barry's Bunch of Believer's came in 22nd place... out of 139 teams!!
•We raised $2,550.00 as a team
•Total raised was $325,421.69

Awesome huh?

We are getting a late start, but I am POSITIVE we can meet or exceed our stats from last year!

If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions please feel free to email me, call me, or get in touch with me on facebook. I am looking forward to seeing you all at the walk in support of my dad. Thank you all!!

Love,
Chelsea

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Father/Son bonding over fire...

We decided that we were desperate for a steak.  It has been SO long and I was finally able to find some that did not break the bank.  We started out on the gas grill and just as Brant put the steaks on the grill, the propane tank went out... time for FIRE.  The pics say it all.  Men... Fire... BONDING!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Happiness is Lubbock, TX...





Actually, the song says... Happiness is Lubbock, TX in my rearview mirror; however, for us happiness is arriving in Lubbock, TX.  Barry's Mom and Dad, my Dad and his wife, all live in Lubbock, as well as many of our other family members and life long friends.  We just enjoyed a great weekend at "home".  It was so great to see family.  We went to the beautiful wedding of Barry's cousin, Keith to his new bride Amie.  The new Pentico's.  Thank you both so much for inviting us to join you.  It was absolutely beautiful and we wish you both the best.  At the wedding we were able to see a picture of Barry's grandparents as a young couple. 

 

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

August MRI..

Barry received good news concerning his August MRI.  There are no negative changes over the results he received 6 weeks ago.  In fact, the images looked a little better... yea!

Barry has been spending lots of time at home indoors due to the exhausting Texas heat.  He can't wait to get back out and do some fishing.  He has been extremely tired lately and experiencing some balance issues.  Other than that, he is doing pretty good.  Just getting a little stir crazy around the house.   It drives him crazy to see Brant and I working on household projects and not be able to jump in and take over.  His fine motor skills are challenged not only by the initial surgery, but also by the medication that he takes daily.  His short term memory also seems to have decreased a bit lately.  His spirits remain high and his beliefs strong.  

Thursday, July 28, 2011

A message from Barry...

By now I am sure that everyone knows what has happened to me this last year. That I have diagnosed with Brain Cancer. To me, a very big shock. At that point in my life, I thought I was in the best shape of my life. I felt 20 years old. I was working out every other day, I was lifting weights, I was training for a 5K which is the equivalent of 3.3 miles. I was doing this every other day.


The next day at work, I had a seizure and did not know what hit me. Thank God that Texas Instruments had a great response team and I was taken to Medical City Dallas where they performed an emergency craniotomy. I found out about the Brain Cancer Diagnosis soon after I was released form the hospital.

Thank s to my wife and children, they have been there by my side the entire time. I have pulled through this. The last MRI has shown very positive results and hopefully will continue.

Thank you Mom for raising me as a Christian and for being by my side, supporting me mentally and sometimes financially when times were tough. I could not ask for a better Mother and Father. Chris, I thank you for your strength, knowledge and the perseverance that you taught me throughout the years. I am blessed to have you in my life.

Christy, I thank you for leading me to an amazing medical staff at UT Southwestern. Dr. Maher has been a Godsend to me and that is all thanks to you and your knowledge of the medical field and the great people in it. Christy, you are always there providing comfort to me and my family and we thank you so much for everything you have done.

Dennis, thank you brother for being there for Kari and I. It meant so much to me that you came to see me every day that I was in the hospital and have since made sure that me and my family are ok. Even though you couldn’t fix my garage door.

Jerry, what can I say, I can’t believe that you and Jake broke the speed barriers making your way to Dallas to be by my side during my surgery, wait, that was how you usually drive… ha ha. To see you standing there when I woke up was so meaning ful. I knew that you had driven all night and were exhausted, but you were there for me. Thank you brother. I thank you seventy five times a week.

I never imagined that I would have people from all parts of the world praying for me throughout this last year. I have received hundreds of cards, emails, texts and phone calls. Thank you all so much.

Don’t take anything for granted. Eat right and stay in shape.

The Lord has blessed us all. Do not take the Lord for granted. He has blessed us all.

Get back in touch with your Savior. Without GOD I would not have survived any of this. If you have lost touch with Jesus, now is the time, surrounded by family that love you, gather together and ask for forgiveness. I have experienced the Lords healing powers first hand. I feel that the Lord is working through me to bring more people into his kingdom.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Family Gathering...







 







Friday, July 22nd, we all gathered at Lake Texoma for a wonderful family weekend. Kellie found us a six bedroom cabin near the lake for us to share with the immediate family and our additional family members found lodging in the same campground. It was the perfect place. There were wall to wall people, but it worked out perfect.
Barry was very tired during our stay. He had a chemo infusion the day before we left for Texoma. The cabin was set up so that we had our own room and he was able to relax throughout the day and evening. Thanks so much to everyone for bringing all the food and snacks. We had tons of food throughout the vacation. Special thanks to Mom for the hard work she put into making sure everyone had plenty of breakfast and for making her amazing sausage casserole. Thanks Norma and Guy for the great home-grown tomatoes, goodies and the cute t-shirt aprons! Thanks Ron and Christy for all that you brought and special thanks to Ron for braving the additional heat from the grill! Everything (burgers, sausages, ect.) were great. We all appreciate you so much. I know everyone brought something to eat and contributed in some way and for that a big THANK YOU to all.
One of the highlights was watching all the children swim in he lake. Watching the older kids take care of the younger kids. It was awesome to see how well they got along. Seeing family everywhere we looked was wonderful. Kids playing volleyball, adults playing washers, kids tossing the frisbe, fun was shared by all.
The next day, Barry venured out on a jet ski with Dennis. That meant the world to him. He really enjoyed getting out on the water, even if Dennis did dunk him in, hahaha. Jerry did his best to throw everyone off the tube being pulled behind the boat. To all that helped pay for the boat and Jet skis... THANK YOU so much! I know that my children had so much fun on both. That was such a wonderful addition to our trip.
Jerry and Kellie - thanks for the amazing shrip boil on Saturday evening. Everyone enjoyed it so much. I know it was so much work and just wanted you to know how wonderful it was. m.