30 Day Challenge: Day 8 WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTO

A photo(s) that makes me sad is located here. I am not going to post it on my blog, as they are graphic pictures, but you can go to the blog site and see them. They are photos of 2 babies strapped down to be circumcised. Then it shows a freshly circumcised penis. If you follow me on Facebook, you might have seen me reposting some articles there. There is NO medical reason for circumcisions, and no medical organization in the world recommends it. Yet, doctors still do them. And even more astoundingly, parents CONSENT without having done ANY reading or ANY real research. Asking a couple people that are friends about it, is not research... Last year the rate for circumcisions in the US had dropped to 33%. There goes that locker room statement. Europe and most of the rest of the world does not circumcise their newborn males. Anyways...I know I'm preaching to the choir for the most part.

Remembering

A year ago today I got a random and kind of shocking phone call from my dad that my Grandma had died. I was like, "What?" It's still incredibly sad to me that I lost my remaining 3 Grandparents by the time Claire was 1 1/2. Who wants to go to a funeral before their 6 week post-partum check? Here's some video footage of my maternal Grandparents. She said to wear yellow at her funeral. So we did. So weird...last October she was just having a blast watching Claire walk around for the first time. Claire didn't walk until the end of September and so when we went to see her in October, it was the first time she was able to see her walk. It was kind of ironic, as both Vernon and LaVerne were depending more and more on their wheelchairs. At our last visit, LaVerne was just laughing and giggling in the way that she did, commenting how by this time next year, Claire would really start talking. And boy, was she right. CLAIRE.LIKES.TO.TALK.!!! I think the hardest part was that Vernon was expected to go first and was in poor health, whereas LaVerne was pretty much fine and died of a sudden heart attack or stroke. So I was just thinking about that today and how fast and fleeting time is.

Light a Candle Tonight

Watch this video remember baby angels, taken all too soon:

Grandmother Beaten

Wow. This story is awful! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/28251160#28251160 Some old lady was beaten really badly...

May She Rest in Peace

It seems like we were just there. And she was watching Claire play and enjoying it sooo much.
I'll always treasure our last visit. These are the last photos I'll have with her on this earth. It was just less than a month ago, and we were going to see her on Turkey Day, too. :(

My maternal Grandma passed today. She laid down on her bed shortly before lunch and never got up. :(


LaVerne Joy (Hill) Mitmoen was born March 23, 1926, in Bismarck, North Dakota to John Hill and Magdalena (Kerzmann) Hill. She grew up on a farm near Rose Glen, ND with her brother Ervin and her beloved sister, Gladys Arlene (who both preceded her in death), Viola Goldan, and numerous cousins. She was baptized, confirmed, and married in the Lutheran faith. Her father was elected McLean County judge, and they moved to Washburn, ND. She graduated from High School in 1943. She entered nurses-training at Bismarck Hospital and became a Registered Nurse. After working a couple years, she attended the Lutheran Bible Institute where she met fellow student Vernon Barton Mitmoen. They married August 26, 1950, in Washburn, ND. After graduating from LBI in Minneapolis, MN, they moved to Canton South Dakota. They were blessed with three children who survive. Victor Leroy Mitmoen (Lynn) of Kenosha, WI; Arlene Joy Gross (Wilfried) of Valparaiso, IN; and John Barton Mitmoen (Mika Leckrone) of Middleton, WI. Grandchildren who survive are David Gross (Kristin Busse); Maria Joy Gross Starr (Joshua) and great-grand daughter, Claire Joy Starr; Holly Gross; Richard Gross; Kami Jo Mitmoen Sanner (Anthony); Michael Barton Mitmoen; and Mark Victor Mitmoen.After living in Duluth, MN, they moved to WI and then N. Manchester, IN. She was a member of Zion Lutheran. LaVerne worked as a nurse and then became the Director of Nurses at Timbercrest Retirement Community. She was employed there twenty years. Their retirement was enjoyed by many travels and wintering in Arizona, while summering in Duluth, MN at Caribou Lake and were members of Bethlehem Lutheran in Twig, MN. They returned to Timbercrest as residents in August 2007.LaVerne entered her eternal rest with her Lord on November 12, 2008. She was in her home with her husband of fifty-eight years at her side. Memorial Services at Timbercrest on Friday, November 14, 2008. Funeral Services at Ellestad Funeral Home in Mt. Horeb, WI, on Saturday, November 15, 2008 at 2 pm. Visitation at 1.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Timbercrest Retirement Community, Visiting Nurses Association/Hospice of Valparaiso, IN, or Bethlehem Lutheran in MN.