2012 Year in Review

Its time to get back to blogging this year.  It has to be time to stop making excuses about why I can't do it.  Here is our annual Year-in-Review video.  I hope everyone has a blessed 2013!

Liam the Golden Belt

Liam took Tae Kwon Do this summer through the rec department... at the end he earned his gold belt.  The highlight was him breaking a board with a side kick.  The smile at the end is priceless.

Owen's Drawing

I'm committed to trying to post more on the blog and less on Facebook or Instagram... so here is a picture that Owen drew a few weeks ago in church.  He even numbered it himself and explained it with no prompting.

#1 - Jesus on the cross (nice crown of thorns and guards with mean faces below)

#2 - The tomb with the rock in front (on the left)

#3 - The empty tomb

#4 - Jesus ascending into heaven (up above)

First Day of School 2012

Hard to believe that school has already started, but harder to believe that Liam is in 4th grade and Owen is in Kindergarten.

K5 & 4th Grade

Owen with Mr. Rosenow

Rose C. Heikes, 97, Dexter Township, Minn.

My grandmother entered eternal life this past Wednesday.  We will be traveling to Minnesota today for her funeral tomorrow.  While sad, it is a wonderful thing.

Rose C. Heikes, 97, of Dexter Township, Minn., died July 4, 2012, in Clara City, Minn.

Rose C. Heikes

Rose Clara Florence Goetsch was born on May 9, 1915, in Dexter Township of Mower County to Otto Goetsch and Johannah (Baumgartner) Goetsch. She was one of nine children, one of whom died in infancy. She was baptized as an infant at Trinity Lutheran Church in Dexter Township. She attended rural school at District 121, and later attended parochial school located near her church. She was confirmed in her faith at Trinity Lutheran Church in 1929.

Rose’s mother died when she was twelve and she spent her teen years taking care of the home with her grandmother for her father and brothers. When she was 17, her grandmother died, and she began doing housework and child care for various families in the Austin area.

On Nov. 14, 1936, she was united in marriage to Joe Heikes at Trinity Lutheran Church. To this union, three children were born, Myrtiss, James and Ruth. Joe and Rose resided in Dexter Township, spending most of their married life on their farm east of Brownsdale until they moved to their home in Austin in 1984.

Rose worked beside Joe on the farm, where she raised many chickens and helped wherever help was needed. She was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She taught Sunday school for 20 years, taught Bible school, and held various offices in the Ladies Aid and the Ladies Circle. She loved visiting shut-ins, nursing homes, and cared for various relatives that needed special help.

Rose suffered a debilitating stroke in September of 2000 and after that resided at the Clara City Care Center in Clara City until her death. She continued visiting the bedridden and reading to residents for many years at the nursing home.

Rose was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in 1994; her son-in-law Elmer Weckwerth in 1999; her son, James, in 2009; her sisters Louise, Tillie, Lydia, Elsie, and Alma; her brothers Harvey, Art, and Leonard and their spouses; also all of Joe’s eleven siblings and their spouses.

She is survived by her daughters Myrtiss (Norman) Riediger of Willmar, Minn. and Ruth (Dr. Ray) Dusseau of Pewaukee, Wis.; her daughter-in-law, Carole Heikes of Hutchinson, Minn.; her grandchildren Kimberly Heikes, Kevin (Gloriann) Heikes, Wyatt (Heather) Weckwerth, Kandice Kath, Heidi (Craig) Witz, Kari (Steve) Rettig, Robert (Cathy) Dusseau, Michelle Dusseau, Keith (Tess) Heikes; 15 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by step-grandchildren Galen (Susan) Riediger of West Salem, Wis. and Duane (LeeAnn) Riediger of Arkansas City, Kan. and nine step-great-grandchildren.

The funeral service for Rose will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 7, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Austin with Pastor David Flesichmann officiating. A visitation will be held on Friday evening from 3 to 5 p.m. in Clara City. Interment will take place at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery.

Blessed be her memory.

Grandparents

Here are a couple grandparent pictures from Easter time...

I'm Horrible at this Lately

Well, I have probably lost all of the little loyal reader base that I had, but I'm determined to give this a whirl again. I know my last post was January, but I need to start posting some things again. This school year has been hectic as I am trying to finish 18 of my PhD credits in three semesters, we moved, and school is busy. I know, no excuse. Anyway, here is to starting again. Below I've got Liam and Owen's Easter picture. Enjoy and welcome back.