Our Trip To the Land of Oz

Sorrow visited us once again this May as I lost yet another classmate and fantastic friend unexpectedly.  I had not seen Tyler in a few years but he was one of those friends that you could run into and pick up where you left off.  He was a friend in those rough times when I felt no one was, and then I would look up and he would be cracking a joke and wearing a grin.  Loosing two young, healthy classmates has been a strong reminder that no one is promised tomorrow.  Make a difference with each day you are given and treat each encounter as if it may be your last.  So we made the best of our extended visit home for Tyler's funeral and to see family.  The picture above is 7 of us from the class of 1999 who attend the OHS alumni dance that the funeral brought us in town for.   

This is a fantastic picture of some of our kids after a play date on Memorial Day.  Pictured are Jill Grohs' son, my two and my nephew Sebastian, two of Carolyn Nichols', three of Kaylene Heller's and two of Janie Dunstan.  It warms my heart to think of our kids continuing to enjoy these play dates in the years to come. 

Siena and Carson took advantage of the extra daylight hours and played hard until long after the sun went down with anyone who would play.  They explored a pirate ship, rode around on a golf cart, chased Papa Knoll, played catch and watched Uncle Dave dance on First Street for anyone who needed some entertainment on a Sunday evening. 

And for the first time in a while, all four Gashaw kids were at home in Osborne.  What a reason to celebrate, as well as Mom's upcoming 60th birthday and Sharon's 30th next month!

We took the little ones to Osborne's Alpaca Farm north of town for an education and our own petting zoo.  How strange that they were more interested in the farm cat than the rare breed of South American animals. 

The warm weather made us act like kids and goof off at the park.  Kansas may be a fly over state, but it's where we all began our journey and holds so many great memories to each of us.  It's a part if our legacy and more importantly, the people we hold so dear to us call it home.