GRANT ANDREW ZINN.........

is celebrating his Birthday today

8-6-13

Let's begin in the beginning.........

August 5th!  I went for my OB visit and my doctor said this baby was getting TOO BIG (YOU THINK?  11 pounds of baby he was!) and I needed to go into the hospital on the 6th to be induced.  

I was awake off and on all night and was in much pain but it was unlike anything I had ever experienced in a pregnancy.  Bright and early we went to Parkview Hospital and I was going to be induced......

Making a LONG story SHORT... he was no longer in position to be born.  They took an x ray and found out the pain I was in during the night was due to the fact Grant was tired of the TIGHT quarters and decided to move.  That X-ray was the TALK of the hospital and all the OB doctors there that day wanted to LOOK at it.  We tried to get it for a 'keepsake' but they said NO we could not!  So Grant had been in position for birth BUT he wanted to stretch out. The pain that night was him trying to get comfortable and he did it!   His head was on my right side...... his back went across the top of my stomach and his legs hung down on the left side..... He was no longer scrunched up.  That also meant an emergency C-section!  That also meant a perfect looking baby!  

Grant brought joy from DAY 1...... he also brought controversy when it came to giving him a name.  I wanted his first name to be Isaac.... I thought it was appropriate since Abraham and Sarah gave birth to Isaac when Sarah was "old" and I was "old' when I gave birth to Grant.  I thought it was perfect and how I loved the name.  Well, when the children heard what we were going to name him they ALL called me at the hospital ONE by ONE to tell me that was a DUMB name!  They were persistent in the protest of the name so I gave in.  Grant was such a BIG baby and I thought the name GRANT was appropriate for him!  Grant Andrew would be his name! (but I still wonder what it would have been like if he had been Isaac)

Growing up with Grant was FUN!  He was such a good baby; a happy toddler and a fun young man!

Montessori school just made Grant blossom!  He loved school and did not like it when weekends came and there was NO SCHOOL!

Grant was good but he could make a mess......
when he got upset WATCH OUT...
the clothes came OFF!

Ninja Turtles wer the BEST!

"Who we gona call"?.......... GHOASTBUSTER!

Is it a surprise Grant became an accountant?

Grant was such a 'stable young man".  People would ask me what I did to make him so RESPONSIBLE...... and I could not take credit for it...... "he just came that way"! What a joy he has always been to our family!

Grant grew up; served a mission; went to BYU  (graduated with a degree in accounting); Met KATIE PARKER..... and they married.  Moved to Houston, TX
So far it has been a 'happy ever after' story..........

TWO THOUGHTS:  Grant grew up making the Lord a partner in his life.  It was not that he was 'problem free' but he faced the obstacles in life with his Faith. He was obedient to the teachings of the gospel. I have found when you are obedient Life is abundant!

SECOND: As a parent the greatest joy is to remember the first time you held your baby..... I can close my eyes and remember WELL the day Grant was born.  I remember holding this tiny (OK.... 11 pounds is NOT tiny but he was still a baby!)  infant to my face and loving him with all my heart. Kissing those tiny cheeks..... so happy he was/is a part of our family! 

Turn around and he has a baby of his own. 

We were together in July and how I loved seeing Grant as a father...

so tender to Emily

Only a mother can truly know those feelings I have.......

It is a mother's greatest joy.......

to see life come full circle.

 I remember all the middle of the night feedings

 Grant and his chronic ear infections and his first set of tubes at 3 months

Suzuki lessons starting at 4 and going to Bunch twice a week for those lessons......

Bunch Montessori School

Memoria Park Middle School

Snider High school

Being a Priest and taking the sacrament to the shut ins every Sunday

Wendy's uniform being washed quickly so my house did not smell like hamburgers :)

 The mission call

BYU

Marriage

now being a parent.......

Grant has brought me GREAT JOY in life!

Grant Andrew Zinn has painted my world with COLOR and I love all that you have brought into my life!  THANK YOU GRANT ANDREW ZINN FOR BEING YOU!

Happy Happy Birthday Grant

Eight 'plus' is Enough to Fill my HEART with LOVE!

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Posted by Barb Zinn 1 comments

July has ALWAYS been.......

the month we celebrated my two sisters birthday's!

7-28  Kay

7-30 Connie

Connie, Barb and Kay

that is how it has always been..... 

from the time I can remember!

My heart has been touched because of these two sisters in my life...... we held hands as children; grew up to women hood and started our own families but we never lost sight of our bonds as sisters.  In turn our older children played together; celebrated birthdays together and holidays...... 

when miles came between us the bond was never lost!

Connie & Kay

Connie & Kay

both expecting their first born child

who are these women?......

MY SISTERS

growing up I have fond memories of times with them.....

fun times together.

we lived in a generation that was simple and not filled with the concerns we

now have today.

It was summer nights and waiting for it to get dark so we could

play with all the neighborhood those fun games.

Hide and Seek

Rover red rover

Ghosts.......
red light/green light
Mother may I

catching lightening bugs and putting them in a jar.....

there were trips to the library and bringing those books home

then laying on a blanket and reading as

summer was in full speed!

riding bikes

going to Lake Bracken and spending time at my grandparents summer home
homemade ice cream
boat rides

Christmas Eve and sleeping together in excitement of 

Christmas morning.....

memories that will never be taken from me no matter what.....

sometimes I can close my eyes and it seems like yesterday

other times it seems like a lifetime ago!

We would talk about growing up and our 

future lives!

close your eyes and it 

happened

before we knew it.....

It was fun for a time to

have all three of us close by

as we experienced life

as adults

mothers

sisters

friends

Kay changed her title to Mother.....

and then Patrick grew up

KAY...... 

has had more than her share of trials

but you would never know it

if you spend any amount of time with her.

I will tell only ONE story here....

that just transpired a few weeks ago....

She was going to a new doctor and

when the doctor walked in

she said:

"I reviewed your records

before I came in and I was

not expecting to see someone like you

I expected a much older; frail and sickly person"

It is amazing what Kay

has; does and can do

with her limitations

that she ignores 

and goes on.....

I admire her and 

use her as

an example that

"I CAN DO HARD THINGS"

Now this next picture is NOT flattering

and I am sure I will be in trouble with putting it in this blog post

BUT:

to me it sums Kay up

This was taken during the wedding reception

of Eric & Irene

It was in the Nauvoo Temple so Kay hosted all of our family

during the time we were there.... 

she cooked wonderful food for us; helped us set up for the reception

and never

complained

I just happened to catch this picture when she did not see me

she is willing to sacrifice all...

for others!

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAY!

Connie:

“If you have a sister and she dies, do you stop saying you have one? Or are you always a sister, even when the other half of the equation is gone?” 

― Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper

Yes, Connie has left this earth and there are

only two of us now.....but 

it has not changed the dynamics of

CONNIE, BARB, & KAY

Happy Birthday Connie!  

I hope you can take a moment out of

your busy work in heaven

and look down on us knowing

how much we love

and miss you

and look forward to the day we

can all sit down together once

again and laugh together

work together

and hopefully get to play a little together

Eight plus is enough to fill my heart with LOVE!

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Posted by Barb Zinn 0 comments

GRANT, KATIE & EMILY........

Came to visit us!

:)

The greatest joy to me is being able to spend time with my children and grandchildren!

When miles are far

we do the best we can by

face timing with 

them on Sunday's!

but there is nothing like

HANDS ON

and that is what happened 

the first week of July

with the Grant Zinn family!

Grant had a work assignment in Chicago on

Monday and Tuesday

he brought Katie & Emily with

him and we were able to have a

hands on visit!

Grant, Katie and Emily were here for Christmas

but Emily was only3 months old.... 

what a change the past six months brought

to her and we took every opportunity and moment

we had to be together and enjoy this

beautiful little girl!

Just look at those blue eyes! 

Emily and Grandma Barb getting reacquainted 

Uncle Eric

Aunt Irene

A trip to the pool...
she is a beauty where eve she goes

What a beautiful mother Katie is....
she is so amazing and therefore
we have an amazing grand daughter
Emily 

Happy, Happy Emily!!

Early morning... she is happy and ready to make us all smile at her..
Emily is
soft
cuddly
cute

4th of July celebration....
was the best with
emily

All eyes were on Emily when she was awake!

when she was sleeping it was

marathon SUITS series

or a good game!

One very HAPPY Grandma Barb
:)

Ok.. this one of Emily is more serious
her daddy told her she had to leave Grandma Barb! :(

THANK YOU

Grant & Katie

for giving us this week....

I am filled with joy.

we are blessed to have each of you

in our family circle!

Eight plus is enough to fill my heart with love!

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Posted by Barb Zinn 1 comments