And now.
COMMENCE UPDATE
1. I am leaving for the Provo MTC in 12 days! woot woot The Visa papers were submitted for Brazil a few months back, but due to infinite missionary applicants and the current political craziness the Visa process has been crawling. Luckily the work is the same everywhere around ze world and I will be where God wants me to be. (Which is probably stateside for a while)
2. Ariah came and visited the East coast last week- I will treat you to a visual party of the shenanagins soon. She was just meant to live in this Eastern American paradise. heh heh Mostly with the Mitchell clan.
3.Those who have become a photographer of any sort may have had this horrible moment of realization too. I have been making moments to capture them, not capturing moments I experience. It was quite an easy mix-up considering the reward of a moments capture last's forever. But it what the worth ...if that single moment you captured, was not actually experienced? Because of this I have stopped being the photographer for a bit. It has been bit painful seeing or experiencing the lush parts of Gram's glen, or the exquisite wood art that coats my Grandma's house and not being able to document. But a healthy pain. One of those pain's that really teaches you a good deep lesson.
4. I am right now partying it up in Upstate New York. Fun fact? Rochester is my second home. Just imagine this real quick: 53 first cousins. A rickety old white porch. A huge wooden swing hung from the peel-painted ceiling. Smells of home-made donuts and sounds of the 11 aunties cracking up like old folks do. Guitar chords, and grasshopper choruses. And neighbors about 2 feet away enjoying the sound of unfazed German offspring singing at the top of their lungs. Second fun fact about the Siebachs? We all have big hips, and an ability to go crazy with each other. Not just a bit. But dance to Accordions and loose all sense of time and space. See, that is what I love about a big family. 14 kids, infinite love, Food, Happiness. Gosh. There is absolutely nothing like it.
5. Inevitably as time, these people who you love so much, do pass. On June 21st 2013, My dear Aunt Theresa left us. She was full of strength and devotion. All of us miss the unbound laughter she gave so easily. I heard these stories second hand (which means the details may be a tiny bit off) but with all respect I will take a quick moment to remember her by telling them to you. I hope they will remind us to live knowing that death is near but God is even closer.
-Hospital room with my Aunt Jeannine. The first thing you should know about my Aunt Theresa is her contagious laugh and her wonderful bluntness. It was quite late this specific day and Theresa's eyes suddenly opened wide
"WHATS THAT?"
"What? What are you looking at Theresa?"
"That tunnel."
she pointed to the uppermost corner of the room. Aunt Jeannine looked up and saw nothing. Theresa continued "UNH-HUH THERE IS NO WAY I'M GOIN' DOWN THAT TUNNEL."
She defiantly lasted another few weeks.
-Aunt Memory was there in Grandma's room. By this time the lack of food and fluid had taken a toll on Aunt Theresa's body. The Chemo and Cancer hadn't done much to help her either. But Memory and a few other sisters were gathered around the bed talking of the old days and remembering their youth. Theresa suddenly looks over and said in her upfront sassy way-
"What are they doing here?"
"Who?" "Who are talking about?"
"Matt and Dad. What are they doing in here?" She was looking at the empty section of the room. My uncle and Grandpa passed away over eight years ago.
-Theresa's eldest son, Benjamin, had been married in 2011 and since moved to California to start his own family. He was able to visit a select few times, but a flight across the country is not an easy journey to make, especially with limited funds and a little baby. Because of this Theresa had not yet seen her first grandchild (who was now almost 2)
Theresa had passed, the aunt's said, 3 times. She went without breathing for 5... 10 minutes. Her heart would stop. But then, quite abruptly, she would take a huge breath and life would return into her. All of them were sure Ben wouldn't make it in time. There was simply no way. Theresa was in a coma, and needed food and water pumped in and out of her.
The final moments had come. They all knew it. But Ben was still on his way. My mom waited outside, and saw him walking up with his little girl.
"Ben." mom said, "Run."
He sprinted up those two flights of stairs and into the bedroom. He reached over and gave his mom a final hug. Those who watched, saw her open her eyes for a moment. And then her spirit left us.
There is (probably) my last long post until you start getting my mission updates. So bask in it folks.
P.S. Happy Fourth of July!
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GOD BLESS AMERICAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAa
