The Last Few Days

These last few days have just seemed to blur all together. There has been so many friends and family in town. Below is my Grandpa's Obituary:

Douglas D. Moffit, 73, Bismarck, formerly of Moffit, died June 6, 2008, at a Mandan care center. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, at McCabe United Methodist Church, Bismarck, with the Rev. Art Scanson officiating. Burial will be in Moffit Cemetery.Visitation will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. today at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a prayer service will be held at 7 p.m. Visitation will also be held on Monday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Parkway Funeral Service and on Tuesday one hour prior to the service at the church.Douglas was born July 30, 1934, in rural Emmons County, the son of George and Margaret (Glum) Moffit. He attended Burr Oak School. He married Donna Hayes on June 19, 1954.Douglas worked for Don Dralle for numerous years. In the spring of 1966, after a major blizzard, he went to work at the Long Lake Refuge. In the spring of 1968, Douglas and Donna purchased the Moffit Quality Store, which they had until 1976. In 1972, he was hired as a blademan for the Burleigh County Highway Department, retiring in 1997, but returning as a part-time employee in the summers through May 2006.He served on the Hazelton-Moffit School Board and was chairman of the Long Lake Township for 23 years. Douglas served many years on the church board of the Moffit Methodist Church of which he was a member. He was also a charter member of the Sterling Rural Fire Department and an active volunteer fireman and a charter member of the Moffit Lion's Club. Douglas was a civil defense weather spotter for many years and was president and caretaker of the Moffit Cemetery. He was the first bypass patient in western North Dakota at Medcenter One in September 1979. In 2000, Douglas was awarded the prestigious "Ben Kalberer Award," an honor that he was very proud to accept, as he was nominated for this award from the people of the Hazelton, Moffit and Braddock communities. In 2005, he was honored to be selected the "Grand Marshall" at the Moffit Centennial.Grateful to have shared his life are his loving wife of 53 years, Donna, Bismarck; his daughters and sons-in-law, Carmen and Al Kary, Steele, and Sheila and Carl Robinson, Bismarck; four grandchildren, Jesse (Becky) Mittleider, Gackle, Cody (Elaine) Mittleider, Streeter, Miranda (Randy) Grayson, Bismarck, and Holly (Jeremy) Will, Lincoln; two step-grandchildren, Joshua (Cindy) Kary, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., and Heather Kary, Watertown, Minn.; nine precious great-grandchildren, who he cherished; three brothers, Ronnie, Lincoln, Raymond, Bismarck, and Lee, Moffit; 10 sisters, Nancy Moffit and Rose Ohlhauser, both of Bismarck, Irene Reather, Great Falls, Mont., Shirley Lave, Billings, Mont., Jean Austad, Fairfield, Mont., Betty Grage, Alcester, S.D., Gladys Engebretson, Genoa, Neb., and Donna Houle, Susan Manson and Marcella Moffit, all of Rolla; one aunt, Wanda "Dolly" Anderson, Great Falls; and numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents; and one sister, Juana Dewald, Fallon, Nev.Go to www.parkwayfuneral.com to share memories of Douglas and to sign the online guest book.

At the prayer service on Sunday night they handed a microphone around and people could talk and recall things about my Grandpa or say whatever they wanted. Carmen started out saying the story about how she wanted to make sure that my Grandpa's grave was going to be staked out where he really wanted it to be. My Grandpa took care of the cemetery for years and years while he lived in Moffit. He taught Carmen how to stake out a grave. Well, she wanted to make sure that they were going to put my Grandpa where he really wanted to be so her and Al went down to Moffit to help the new person stake out my Grandpa's grave. On the way down there Carmen told Al that this wasn't going to be as hard as he thinks. She said there will be a sign. When they got there to the cemetery it started to rain, and it rained the whole time they were there. Carmen new the vicinity where my Grandpa had always talked about and when she walked over to the area there buried in the grass where beer cans filled with cement that my Grandpa had marked. On Monday my Dad picked up Cassidy and she told my Dad "Papa, I have a story about Papa Bug". She could never say Doug when she was little and all she could say was Bug, and it stuck with him as the rest of the 8 that came along still call him that. Anyway, she said "You know that story Carmen said about Papa Bug and those cans filled with cement, I was with Papa Bug when he did that." She said, "I asked Papa Bug, 'What are you doing Papa?', and e said 'You'll understand someday', now I know what he was talking about." Just gives me chills. Karenza took the microphone after Carmen. She is not afraid of it at all! She stood on her chair as she was sitting in the second row with Randy and me. She looked back at everyone and said "I wish for God to take care of my Papa Bug, he is at the die (that is what she calls it) and I love my Papa Bug!" Someone clapped, and she continued "Thank you, Thank you very much ladies and gentleman!" And she took a bow! Everyone laughed, as she didn't have a clue what she was doing. But she was just being her self! She lightened the room. Then I read my two pages I had wrote that I posted on Sunday below. It was hard to get through, but I did it.

Yesterday it was gloomy all day and it didn't start to rain until we went to the cemetery. Yesterday was such a hard day. I am not sure if I mentioned that Randy was a Casket Bearer along with Jeremy, Cody, Jesse, Josh, and Wes (my Grandpa's nephew who his parents were killed in a car accident when he was 17 or 15 or something. My Grandma and Grandpa were kind of his replacement parents. He lives in Yakima, WA and I would visit when I lived in Seattle he is 50 now). Anyway, the church was packed. It was the same church Randy and I got married. It was such a big funeral and all the things people had to say about my Grandpa were so wonderful and we will forever cherish. I want to scan in the back of my Grandpa's program and post the music that was played at his funeral. As it was a song played for his Daughters, Grand Children and Great-Grandchildren on behalf of my Grandpa. Which If I get an extra minute I will.

Douglas D. Moffit - July 30, 1934-June 6, 2008

Below is what I am reading at my Grandpa's prayer service tonight. I hope I can get through it.

Over the last couple of years I have been admiring my Grandpa’s hands. When there wasn’t much else to hold, it was his hands I grasped to reassuring him of my love. There is something that I would like to read that caught my attention a few years back. My Grandpa, some seventy plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands. When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if he was OK.Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was OK. He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, child thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice. "I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to him. "Have you ever looked at your hands," he asked. "I mean really looked at your hands? I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making. Grandpa smiled and related this story: "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my Mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn daughter. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved your Grandma. They wrote letters and trembled and shook when I buried my Parents and walked my Daughter’s down the aisle. Yet, they were strong and reliable as I needed them for work. They have held my precious grand-children, and great-grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand. They have driven my family on vacation, they have fixed a broken bicycle, and they have made rocking chairs and toy boxes for my grandchildren. They have been the hands that my children, grandchildren, and great-grand children clasp onto. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands try to feed me and try to continue to fold in prayer. These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands, child, He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ." As I continued to sit beside him our hands intertwined I savored that moment. I will never look at my hands the same again. God has reached out and took my Grandpa's hands and led him home. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my daughter and my husband, I will be thinking of my loving Grandpa. I love you Grandpa and now you are no longer suffering. I have another Angel in heaven watching over me and my family.

Karenza Singing As Always

I was getting Karenza's pajama's while she was in the bathtub and heard her singing this from the laundry room. We heard this song on the radio when I picked her up from daycare tonight. Yes, I sometimes get to listen to the radio and not watch a DVD all the time. Sometimes I have to talk her into it, but she's easy. Anyway, this is her new favorite song by Leona Lewis called "Bleeding Love". Enjoy! Below is how it really is suppose to sound....pretty close for a three year old!

The Song Karenza is singing in the bathtub

Misc Pictures

Above is a picture of Dad, Cassidy and Karenza on his birthday.
Papa giving love to his girls!
Papa and his girls!
And the other girl we are waiting for! My sister looking amazing as always. This is at 25 1/2 weeks.

An Effective Weekend

Wow! The weekend always seem to fly by and I never seem to get anything done at home. Maybe it's because I work from home, and like to be gone during the weekend. However, with it raining a couple days and it being cool outside we decided to do some cleaning this weekend. On Saturday we cleaned Karenza's room. Threw away some toys that were broken, and packed up toys she doesn't play with anymore. I re-arranged her room so it is more efficient for her to play. I put her kitchen toys in one place, her play clothes/dress-up in another place, stuffed animals in another place, barbie dolls and dolls in another place. It took all afternoon to go through all her stuff, but it is so nice now and not to mention clean!! She has been playing in her room non-stop since. We then were going to start on Randy and my bedroom, but we didn't start on Saturday. We were like we got two more days! So Sunday morning we woke up and Karenza and I started making pancakes and the phone rang at 10:15, and before I could see who it was I said to Karenza "I bet that's Papa!" Sure enough he wanted to take us for breakfast. So we put the pancake mix in the fridge and would save it for breakfast Monday morning. So after breakfast with Mom and Dad we went to every parking lot in Bismarck/Mandan to look at cars. We aren't looking for anything new now, but our truck is going to be paid off in 8 months and we would like to update to a newer car instead of having to drive the Expedition everywhere all the time. We don't seem to all work well in the Mazda! So we wanted to look to see what we like. Only seen a couple that caught our eye. The Mazda is good for Randy to do all is running in because it gets good gas mileage. Anyway, we came home and all took naps. Mom called at 2:15 to ask is we were home because they were at a farmer's market and had fruit for us. They bought us a seedless water melon, apples, and a cantaloupe. It is so fresh and so good! Mom even cut it up before she left which is even better! I never know how to cut fruit and usually end up hacking the crap out of it! Well, Karenza was still sleeping when they came and I told Dad that he could go wake her up as she had been sleeping for a couple hours. So he did. "It's so nice to see you again, Papa!" is what Karenza said. She ate some fruit and her and Papa went to play in her room. Mom and Dad were headed to S&B landscaping to buy another fruit tree for their back yard. It closed at 5:00 Mom thought, and Mom had to watch the time to make sure they would make it in time. My Dad told Karenza that he had to go, but that he'd see her again real soon. She started to cry and said "Papa it hurts my feelings when you have to go 'cause your part of my life!" Well, you can about imagine how that made my Dad feel! It about broke is heart to walk out the door. She knows just how to get you at the right time the little stinker! It's Dad's birthday tonight so we are meeting for supper. He wanted to go to the kids store (Snoopers) for supper. It's a place where he takes the girls and it has a indoor playground and it sells pizza and hot dogs (that aren't the best!). I told Mom to tell him that he doesn't need to decided on a place for a 9 and 3 year old! It's his birthday and his choice where we eat. He has decided on A&B Pizza where they have games there for kids. Should be a fun night. Randy stayed home with Karenza today as her daycare was going to close at noon today anyway so he just kept her home. She has been practicing singing Happy Birthday so she can sing it to Papa. Randy took her to the YMCA to play basketball and play and get her out of the house so I could work. They had been gone almost all day. It's nice they do that, and she gets to spend time with her Dad because it is usually her and me spending all the time together. She gets to do things with him that I don't do with her so she loves it. I can't wait until it gets a little bit nicer out and then her and I will go for nature walks or bike rides on the bike/walking trail by our house. I'll bring my camera tonight to supper, and hopefully remember to take pictures. I forgot on my Mom's birthday so we'll see! Have a great, short week!

Miranda

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday Dad! I hope you have a wonderful day. Below are some pictures I found this morning. We'll see you tonight! :o)

Dad getting ready to give his speech at his customer appreciation dinner.
This is when we just moved back to Bismarck. I don't know how many pictures I have of these three like this. It's usually me or my mom snapping the pictures.
Karenza's 1st Birthday (Sweetheart, as my Dad calls her) and Papa
This is Christmas 2004 at my Grandma and Grandpa's in Bismarck. I still lived in Seattle at the time and came back for Christmas. Mom and Dad had just left the beginning of November and Mom couldn't stand us being away so they bought me a ticket to come home. I was still on maternity leave. She was such a good baby on the airplane too with me traveling all by myself as Randy couldn't get off of work.