MOM’S MEMOIRS – IRENE LOUISE (NEE KUCKKAN) MUELLER
(Continued)

Mom’s Autobiography – Chapter 60 – In Book, Page 144

Dick’s 75th Birthday Celebration, Baby Shower for Becky Kluck, Football Game at Luther Prep, Wedding Shower for Karen Ihde, Death of Beatie Nehls (Irene’s Sister), James Weiland and Karen Ihde’s Wedding, Julia’s 19th Birthday, Thanksgiving Day – 2005, Matthew’s 17th Birthday, Three Great-Grandchildren to be born in 2009
 

SEPTEMBER 7, 2005 – DICK’S 76TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATED

Wow! What a surprise! Our family surprised us with a birthday party for Dick at the Ponderosa in Hartford, Wisconsin. Besides all the family loved ones from Wisconsin, Dick came from Orlando, Florida, and Steph came from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Thank you both for coming. All of us had a delicious meal, and there was a beautiful birthday cake to celebrate Dick’s 76th birthday. Emma and Elaina Wilson, Ann and David’s little girls, made wonderful cards for their great-grandpa. Dick had been wanting a pressure washer to clean our park model trailer and deck at Pioneer Park, so guess what they gave him – yes, a pressure washer!!!! He was so happy. What a great family we have – much to be thankful for.

After the celebration at the Ponderosa, all of us went to a park in Hartford. The idea was so that all the big, and little, kids could run and play. And they did, while the women visited, took pictures, took care of the little ones, and oooohed and aaaaahed over Jonah, Jenny and Kevin’s beautiful baby.

Dick did manage to get a haircut from Steph, the beautician, before she left for Cheyenne. She is the only one who he says gives him a great haircut. She is an expert. Thank you, Steph, for all the haircuts and hair-dos you’ve given our family.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2005 – A BABY SHOWER FOR BECKY

The shower was held at Mountain of the Lord Evangelical Lutheran Church, outside of Wausau, Wisconsin. We had a lot of fun playing games, watching Becky open beautiful gifts, and just being together. Many of the gifts were the color blue for a baby boy. It amazes me that in this day and age mothers know if they are going to have a boy or girl. In my day we did not know that.

OCTOBER 1, 2005 – A FOOTBALL GAME AT LUTHER PREP

This football game was special because both Matt and Mitch played an exciting game. During the half time, we watched proudly as Sue and Tim walked out on the field with Matt, and Steph and Jeff walked out on the field with Mitch. (In the background of the pictures in our 2004-2005 album is the gray-colored hospital – St, Mary’s – where I was born. The beautiful red bricks were painted gray, but later on the paint was taken off. It looks great now with its original color). Steve and Sammy were there for the game, too.

OCTOBER 8, 2005 – BABY SHOWER FOR BECKY – WEDDING SHOWER FOR KAREN – AND THE DEATH OF MY SISTER, BEATIE NEHLS

The showers for Becky and Karen were held at Debbie and Glen’s home in Colgate, Wisconsin. The Weiland, Wilson, Mueller ladies, and many more relatives and friends were there. Many exciting games were played, and many beautiful gifts were opened by Becky and Karen.

I went to the shower, but was very uneasy because my sister, Beatie (Beatrice Ann Kuckkan Nehls) was in the Regional Health Center in Watertown. She had been doing volunteer work at a thrift shop (she was called “the button lady” because she sorted and packaged buttons) when she had an inoperable hemorrhage in the back of her head. At the thrift shop she had complained about a headache and passed out. She was taken to the Regional Health Center.

During the shower, I said to Debbie, “We have to go back to Watertown to be with Beatie”, which we did. She was in ICU. We talked to her and prayed with her, hoping she would hear us. I held her hand, and was sure she squeezed it once. It wasn’t long after that they “pulled the plug”. We were so thankful that we came when we did.

Beatie was 74 years old. Her funeral was on October 12th at St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Watertown, Wisconsin. She died so unexpectedly. We are comforted by Matthew 24:42 – “Therefore keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” We must all be prepared for when God will send his angels to carry us home to heaven.

OCTOBER 22, 2005 – KAREN IHDE AND JAMES WEILAND’S WEDDING

Karen and Jimmy were married at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lannon, Wisconsin. Karen was a beautiful bride. All the people there looked wonderful! All four pastors in our family, Jim (Jimmy’s father), Tim, Jeff, and Dick took part in the service. During some of the picture taking, our Debbie took us to the basement where she taught Sunday School and proudly showed us a huge bulletin board. Across the top it said, “Proclaiming Peace Through Jesus”. In the middle was a treasure chest with what I think might be pictures of the Sunday School children spilling from it. And on the bottom it said, “Every Soul is a Treasure”.

The wedding cakes were spectacular. The one in the middle showed a beach scene, another of a picture of Karen on top of it, and another with a picture of Jimmy on top. Everyone came out for the reception wearing their “beach clothes”. Wow, some of those getups were outlandish! Jeff looked like a true beachcomber. What a great time we all had, thanks be to God again for bringing us all together!

OCTOBER 30, 2005 – JULIA’S BIRTHDAY

How can little Julie be 19 years old? Well, the pictures in our album prove it. And again, there is the “invincible” balloon tablecloth. And there is Jonah Timothy Poston, born July 22, 2005 – what a cutie – growing by leaps and bounds! All of us had a great time together celebrating Julie’s birthday with delicious food again served by Sue and Tim.

THANKSGIVING DAY – NOVEMBER 24, 2005

First of all, we went to church to thank our gracious and loving God for everything He has done and does for us; for all the blessings He bestows on our family and us. We were invited to the beautiful home of Joanne and Jerry Brandt where again we were served with delicious food. After the meal, the pictures show how very content everyone is, some even sleeping. Thank you, Joanne and Jerry, for having us.

DECEMBER 1, 2005 – MATTHEW’S 17th BIRTHDAY

We have absolutely great pictures of Matt with his beautiful and delicious birthday cake on the family birthday tablecloth. Behind Matt is the lovely Christmas tree. What a cute smile he has, just like his father and grandfather!

NOTE: ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THREE GREAT GRANDBABIES TO BE BORN IN 2009

(Julia Poston, our granddaughter, told us on EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2009, that she and Tom are expecting a little girl in August! Her name is Adalynn Susan Pasch – another blessing! (Please see details of Addie’s birth on foregoing page 143).

And Julia’s sister, Jenny, told us on APRIL 13, 2009, that she and her husband, Kevin, are expecting a little boy in August too. His name is Tyler Matthew Poston – another blessing! God continues to pour out His bountiful blessings upon us, and we thank Him from the bottom of our hearts! (Please see details of Tyler’s birth on foregoing pages 143 and 144).

And that’s not all! Mark and his wife, Jamie, Wilson called us on APRIL 17, 2009, my 79th birthday, to tell us that they are expecting a baby in November, 2009. What a glorious birthday present! They don’t know if the baby will be a girl or boy yet. Again we fall on our knees and thank God! (Please see details of Aubrey Leigh Wilson’s birth on pages 142 and 143)

And that’s not all! Our son, Steve, and his wife, Melody, called and told us that Gabe Tapper Lockrem, daughter of Carly and her husband, Carl Lockrem, was born MAY 22, 2009. He was born at 11:30 a.m., weighed 8 lbs. 12 oz., and was 20½ inches in length. God is good!