Anderson Antics

Sammy, September 12, 2008

2008-12-25T18:03:00.008-06:00

All ready for the big event!

Introducing: Samuel Stephen Hayes

with proud parents, Steve and Christine and big sisters: Madi, Brooklyn, Aubrie & Cady.

Grandpa Paul & Sammy

Coming Home

Sammy and great grandmothers Catherine

Grandmother Greene

December

Mom & Sammy

A sweet, happy boy!

Fall Festival, October 2008

2008-12-25T17:42:00.005-06:00

Sheriff Zachary

Soccer Champion Emily

Queen Esther - Cady

Vote for Madi for VP

Cassidy - Sacajawea

"On the good ship lollipop" - Aubrie

Broolyn - Tinkerbell

"News, news, read all about it"

Alex

Events and Pictures in October, 2008

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Our sweet South Carolina grandchildren:

Timmy, Max, Isaac & Jordan

Abby & Josh

Home Education:

Max

Isaac

Timmy & Jordan

Joshua and Abby are taking a "Dora, the explorer" break :-).

In October, Nathan and Pam had the opportunity to take a little vacation. Paul and I drove to South Carolina to stay with the children. While we were there, my mother had an accident. On October 6th, she fell and broke her hip and leg in three places and had to have emergency surgery that night. We were so thankful that Kirsten stayed with her during that process. Melinda flew in the next day and Christine came from the lake and they along with Kirsten helped Mom during her difficult days in the hospital. When we returned, Mom was sent to another hospital for two weeks of rehab. She is home now and is still having a difficult time recovering. We are praying for her to regain some of the strength she had before her fall.

Mom & Mary in Riverside, CA , May 2008

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While we were in Santa Barbara, Mother was visiting with her sister Mary in Riverside.

Mary had a backyard full of beautiful azaleas. Mom is on the right.

Graduation Days in May, 2008

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Cody graduates from college.

The first week in May found us in Santa Barbara, Ca where we attended the graduation of Cody (our first and oldest grandchild :-) from Westmont College. He graduated "Cum Laude" with a physics degree and is now enrolled in a five year doctoral physics program in USC San Diego.

Proud parents, Dave & Melinda with Drew, Cody & Austin.

Drew graduates from High School.

The last week in May, we were in Scottsdale, AZ where we attended Drew's graduation from High School. Drew is now enrolled in Point Loma College in San Diego, Ca.

Pround parents again :-)!

(Proud grandparents too . . . way to go boys!)

Florida in February, 2008

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In February, we joined our friends Paul and Laura Sentman in Marco Island Florida for a little R & R.

We enjoyed beautiful sunsets . . .

long walks . . .

great seafood dinners . . .

and wonderful fellowship. We are so thankful for good friends!

We also took a trip north to meet both Nathan and Pam and Christine and Steve and all their children who were also taking a little vacation time.

Back Row: Isaac, Max, Timmy, Madi, Jordan & Cady

Front Row: Abby, Brooklyn, Aubrie & Joshua

Christmas in South Carolina, 2007

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"Merry Christmas" Y'all . . . a Texas Christmas in South Carolina!

A few weeks before Christmas, Nathan and Pam packed up and moved to South Carolina with a little help from Grandpa and Grandma :-).

There were Texas boot stockings hung from the chimney with care.

And a tree loaded with lots of Texas ornaments . . . little reminders of happy days spent in Texas.

A Hayride in South Carolina, October 2007

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Max was a good tractor driver . . . way to go Max!

Pam, Timmy, Isaac and Abby sitting on haybales and waiting for the tour by tractor to begin.

Nathan and Grandpa Paul

Timmy says, "This is real hay!" (he's a city boy :-). Abby is ready to go!

South Carolina is a beautiful place to be in the Fall. What fun to enjoy it while on a hayride.

Halloween 2007

2007-11-04T07:24:00.000-06:00

This Halloween the place where my mother lives had a special luncheon. The dining room was decorated in Fall colors with pumpkins, fall leaves and a few ghosts and goblins. The residents were encouraged to come in costume. I decided this was an event that needed to be shared so Kirsten and her children and I picked up my mother-in-law, Catherine and drove to Dallas. The children wore the costumes they were going to wear that night at a party at our church. Emily was "little Red Riding Hood", Alex was an FBI agent, Cassidy was an angel and Zachary was a knight.

Mother surprised them when she arrived in her "costume" :-).

The previous weekend, Brian and Kirsten dressed up for an evening out with friends. The theme was "the 70's".

White Rock Court

2007-10-23T13:56:00.000-05:00

It has been over three months now since my dad passed away. There have been some rough and lonely days for my mother, but, we are so thankful that she is doing much better and adjusting to this new phase of her life. In September, we moved her into a two bedroom apartment on the first floor so now she can have overnight guests as well as enjoy sitting outside and watching the birds and now the leaves changing and falling. She is also making new friends and reaching out to others. There are others here who have lost spouses and need a smile and a word of encouragement.

God has been so faithful. My dad is greatly missed, but we know he and my brother Mike who passed away in January as well as Lindsey (Mike's granddaughter) who went to heaven last November are rejoicing to be together with the Lord and as a family we are all looking forward to a wonderful reunion one day. Thinking of eternity puts everything in our life in proper perspective. Our lives here are on earth are just a blink in God's timeline. And, during that "blink" we want to "...walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. strengthened with all might according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy." (Col. 1:10, 11)

July 3, 2007

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REMEMBERING

Paul Forest Greene

December 30, 1912 - July 3, 2007

On July 3rd . . . my mother's 89th birthday . . . my father left this earth . . . leaving his frail body and entered glory. That morning, when we suspected that his time on earth was drawing to a close, mother leaned over and kissed him and told him that it would be so wonderful that he got to be with Jesus on her birthday. Tim, Mother and I were all together as his breathing got more difficult; he had seemed almost semi -conscious since the night before. There was a knock at the door and it was a Fed Ex package for mom's birthday. The package contained a CD that my nephew Rick Greene (Mike's oldest son) had made. It was a recording of him singing some of my dad's favorite songs. Tim put in on the CD player and turned it up so dad could hear it. The first song was "There's just something about that name". "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there's just something about that name." About the third "Jesus", dad opened his eyes wide. He was struggling to breath but we were able to look in his eyes and tell him we love him and what a wonderful thing that we would one day meet him in heaven. The second song was dad's favorite " 'Til the Storm Passes By" . . . and then "Amazing Grace". We sang it together for him with tears streaming down our cheeks and during "Amazing Grace", my dad went to Glory. He is rejoicing with my brother Mike and his great grand-daughter Lindsey and all of his family members that knew Christ and went on before Him. They are all in Heaven, praising God together.

A FAMILY TRIBUTE

Paul Forest Greene was born on December, 30, 1912 in Tyler, TX to Albert O. and Ada Graham Greene. He grew up on a farm in rural OK and had five sisters and one brother. He graduated in 1936 from North Eastern State Teachers College where he majored in Math and P.E. and went on to receive his Masters degree in School Administration from Oklahoma University. As an athlete he lettered in football, baseball and track and was twice named as all-state quarterback. He went to the semi-finals of the National Intercollegiate Wrestling Tournament.

Paul married the love of his life, Mildred Hayden, on March 27, 1937. They enjoyed 70 years of marriage. His son Michael Paul was born in 1941 followed by Mary Susan in 1944. His third child, Timothy Hayden completed the family in 1948. After teaching and coaching in Oklahoma he moved his family to Texas. There he was an Assistant Principal for a number of years at Benjamin Franklin Jr. High School and then at Thomas Jefferson High school. He then went on to become the Principal of Lagow Elementary School from 1970-1978. His years of service were marked by high dedication and loyalty to the children and staff who came under his direction.

Uppermost in his life was his love for his family and his Savior Jesus Christ. He faithfully dedicated himself to serving Him. His life was richly blessed with the 13 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren that God gave him. He was a great example to all of us by the love and tenderness he showed his wife and children. He was a diligent man who taught us all how to work hard as well as play hard. He showed us the importance of giving your all whether it was getting an important job done, growing the biggest tomatoes, or catching the biggest fish! He was strong and determined to the very end when Christ lovingly called him home for some much needed, well-deserved rest.

Father's Day 2007

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What a wonderful day we enjoyed as a family. We gathered in Dallas for lunch and to wish my Dad a "Happy Father's Day" It was fun to have Melinda here, too. (She took the pictures!)

Brian, Kirsten & children

Nathan, Pam & children

The Hayes family had arrived from Russia but had gone to San Antonio for the weekend.

Melinda, Christine and Brooklyn with Mom & Dad

We got together as much as we could while both Melinda and the Hayes were here and wished for Dave, Cody and Drew. There is always lots of laughter when the Anderson big kids get together and you can imagine the excitement with 14 children from age 1 to 13 running around.

Brian, Christine, Melinda & Nathan

Sisters and "Best Friends"

Kirsten, Christine, Melinda & Pam

Mom & Dad Greene

2007-06-04T18:45:00.000-05:00

The very night I returned from Arizona, Paul and I were wakened with a phone call from my mother telling us that Dad had fallen and thought he had broken his arm. He was right . . . the fall broke his left arm and it took an emergency crew to lift him and take him to the hospital. He spent about 5 days in the hospital and then almost 3 weeks in a nursing facility following that. He has not recovered from the trauma to his body since the fall and has increasingly been losing strength. He is now back with Mom at White Rock Court where they moved in March and Hospice is now involved in helping us care for him. He is not improving and seems only to be losing ground. Our goal is to keep him comfortable (and he loves it when Paul brings Duffy for a visit). There are good days and bad days and Mom is doing the best she can and trying not to be discouraged. We are daily looking to the Lord for strength and encouragement. We know that Dad's time is in God's hands . . . we are trusting Him!

The Chapmans in Arizona

2007-06-04T18:14:00.000-05:00

It is now June . . . where does the time go??? The week after Easter, I went to Arizona to stay with Drew and Austin while Dave and Melinda went on a vacation to Costa Rica. "Babysitting" the Chapman boys sure has changed over the years. I kept them fed and in clean clothes and we did manage a little conversation in between school, work, and their various church and other activities. They live very busy lives! I also got to take care of their two golden retrievers, Payton and Reggie. It was the easiest "babysitting" job I have ever had :-). These Chapman boys have grown up overnight . . . Paul and I are so proud of them and the fine young men they are growing up to be.
Dave and Melinda had a great time in Costa Rica and made it home with lots of fun pictures and stories of their time there . . . hiking through rain forests, near a volcano, enjoying the ocean and all the wild life.

School is over now for the Chapmans and Cody is back home and working as a summer intern for a medical engineering co.. Austin is getting ready to go to a LaCrosse camp and Drew is going on a missions trip to Poland.

He is Risen!

2007-04-08T22:45:00.000-05:00

I have used words like "Anderson Antics" and "Anderson Family Fun". . . because we do have fun when we are together and there are plenty of "antics". . . but . . . we share sad times as well. Last November, our grandniece, Lindsey Boehm passed away suddenly. She was 5 years old and even though she was born with a heart defect . . . she seemed to be doing well and it was expected that when she was older, her heart defect could be fixed with surgery. Her death took everyone by surprise. That same month, my brother Mike Greene was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer which had metastasized to his liver. He underwent some surgery, blood transfusions and chemotherapy in an attempt to reverse the cancer . . . but God chose to take him home on January 21st. Mike was at peace with God and he died surrounded by his family (including me and my other brother, Tim) as we were singing " Safe In The Arms of Jesus". He and Lindsey are together in Glory. Today is Easter Sunday and we are again reminded that Jesus Christ defeated death and our hope is in Him. We know that we too, will one day be with Christ and Mike and Lindsey. "He is risen . . . He is risen indeed!"

Family Dinner

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Here they are . . . Nathan and Pam!

The Big Egg Hunt

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Joshua is ready to find all those eggs!

Max's bucket is full & running over!

"Look Grandma"

Happy Birthday Abigail

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Happy 1st Birthday Abby!

Daddy says "blow Abby"

Abby loves her new baby doll.

The Anderson Family

2007-04-03T06:06:00.000-05:00

I am discovering that one of the most fun aspects of creating this blog is that I am hearing from friends I haven't talked to, seen or heard from in quite a while. I love it!

Some of you have asked me to identify who is who. I will do a better job of that in the future postings . . . I am still learning!

In the meantime, I have a few pictures of my family to identify each of them . . . although I couldn't find a recent photo of Pam or Nathan . . . I will have my camera ready when we are together for Easter .

This is a picture of Paul and me (although, ahem, my hair is a little darker now :-), with our newest grandchild, Abigail - #17 and our sweet "Duffy".

The Chapmans live in Arizona. Dave and Melinda have three boys: Cody is a Jr. in college in CA majoring in Physics (and baseball :-), Drew is a Jr. in High School and the family musician, and Austin is 14 and a LaCrosse player.

More Family Pictures

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Brian and Kirsten live in Texas and have 4 children: Emily - 10, Alex - 8, Cassidy - 6, and Zachary - 3.

Steve and Christine Hayes live in Russia and have 4 daughters: Madison - turning 11 in one week, Cady - 8, Aubrie - 6, and Brooklyn Mildred Jean (named after her great grandmother, Mildred Jean Greene :-) is 2

You can read more about their family at: http://hayeshere.blogspot.com

Nathan and Pam also live in Texas and have 6 children: Isaac - 13, Timmy - 12, Jordan - 10, Max - 7, Joshua - 3 and Abigail who is turning 1 in a few weeks.

"Surprise"

2007-03-31T14:29:00.000-05:00

Recently, we decided to pull a little surprise on Brian. Brian turns 40 on April 13th. When Melinda turned 40, we all decided to surprise her and drove to AZ where her sister and brothers (in disguise) followed her in a store while acting strange. It was videotaped by Steve. It was obvious she noticed these strange people but didn't recognize them and in fact thought they were stalking her. Was she surprised to find out who they were! So . . . in turn . . . Melinda and Dave disguised themselves as senior citizens and were seated in the dining room of the retirement center where Mom and Dad are now living and Paul and Brian just "happened" to stop by with a plant for the folks when they were on their way to Mom and Dad's house to move some furniture. Ruth was also there and when all were in place, she moved to the piano and began playing "Happy Birthday", the entire dining room joined in and Brian was looking around to see whose Birthday it was. Imagine his surprise when these children came down the stairs with signs and balloons and then a "little old lady" came and kissed him on the cheek and put a cap on his head. We got him!! Happy Birthday Brian.

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Joshua, Alex, Max and Zachary

Austin and Cassidy

Isaac, Cassidy, Austin and Drew

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"Old Man Brian", Emily and Timmy

"Old Man Brian" and his young bride

Brian and Melinda

Guess Who?

A glimpse into the future?

2007-03-31T12:34:00.000-05:00

A surprise visit from Sue

Lots of "catching up" to do

"Ode to Joy"

A Day to Celebrate

2007-03-31T12:31:00.000-05:00

The day of celebrations for Mom and Dad was such fun. My Aunt Sue came from Oklahoma City and surprised them and their great grandson Drew played "Ode to Joy" for them on his guitar . . . way to go Drew! God has been so good to them to give them 70 years to share.

Happily Married for 70 Years!

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My Very First Blog!

2007-03-31T12:04:00.000-05:00

The day has come . . . my very first blog. I am a little nervous about putting it out for others to read, but my picture file is getting so big and I didn't want to keep all these good pictures just for myself and this is a good way to share them with others . . . so . . . here goes . . .

I am the very blessed grandmother of 17 wonderful grandchildren (which explains all the picture-taking :-) and have taken it upon myself to be the "Family Keeper of the Memories" for the Greene and the Anderson families.

We recently celebrated the 70th Wedding Anniversary of my parents, Paul and Mildred. They were married March 27, 1937. It was a wonderful day.