Follow Friday - Happy New Year & Second Year Blogiversary

Happy Second Blogiversary to 

"In Search of...?" all with the help and support of Geneabloggers with such a fantastic networking system and Thomas. 

Thank You So Much Thomas!

"Thanks to family and friends for their support this second year. I do appreciate it. Thanks for hanging in there with me especially when I just didn't write at all for several months. Several health issues and the passing of my mother that just hit me hard and of course this was the last think on my mind......  actually I thought about it a lot but just didn't do anything. Sorry. I let myself down.

It doesn't feel like a whole year has gone by already, but it has and  I guess I am mostly thankful that it is over. This was my  second year posting on my blog and I have to say there were lots of ups and downs and I will need to be able to deal with things a little better.  There were some great things that happen in 2015 that I have not yet let you in on and will be excited to blog about soon. I met new cousins YES  a couple  of new NEW COUSINS!!"

Here's to a Happy & Healthy New Year 
***2016***

My hopes for this third year will be a year full  of good friends, lots of fun family gatherings, more traveling than last year, amazing finds, crumbling brickwalls, finding living relatives, locating that elusive ancestor, finding that parish/town of origin in Germany
(Bavaria & Hesse-Darmstadt).

Tombstone Tuesday: RIP Mom and Dad at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery

On Wednesday September 2, 2015 my husband and I, my brother and wife, and my two sons gathered at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, California to unite my parents for all time. It was a small gathering but one that was satisfying, very emotional and with a closure that we all needed.

                       John Patterson Jr. and Mary Jane (Little) Gardner both laid to rest today

They are both veterans of World War II. My dad also served in the Korean War. They were each given honors and a 21 gun salute. Very moving. An American Flag was folded and presented on behalf of my father to me and another American Flag was folded and presented on behalf of my mother to my brother. After the ceremony we visited the grave site and watched the two small boxes being laid in the ground. Stones will be put in place in a couple of weeks. Sacramento Valley National Cemetery is a spectacular place, clean, well maintained, unfortunately with plenty of acreage to grow. It is on a very flat piece of land just off Interstate 80 in Dixon where there is nothing but HEAT, DUST,  and WIND and more DUST.

And a month had gone by and both stones are in place. They are buried side by side. But now there are so many more that have been buried that it is difficult to see their two stones,.......  and of course their stones look the same as the other 10,000.......  white. It is impressive to see the thousands of white stones in very straight rows acre after acre.

Motivation Monday: Together Forever

.........and it has been 20 days since my last post....  I thought I was ready but I wasn't once I started to write.

Now I am ready  to talk about this sad news........my mother, Mary Jane (Little) Gardner,  passed away August 7, 2015. I am still today mourning her passing.

On the other hand I am also celebrating her life. Now she is back with her husband, she is happy and out of pain, she now has her vision back and can walk upright without fear of falling. This all makes me happy but sad because her physical body is gone.  I can no longer ask questions, no longer ask for advise, no longer share the good news and the sad news. But life has to go on, and I am sure the hurt will turn more into good memories in time. They say time heals.

My father, John Patterson Gardner Jr., passed and was cremated in 2006.  He has been living, so to speak, in the hall closet of my mothers home for 6 years, patiently waiting for his beloved wife and lover to join him. He lived on top of my refrigerator for another couple of years. But now the wait is over, they are together and it is forever..............

Obituary................
August 23, 2015
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento, California
Local Section, page 6B

GARDNER, MARY JANE (LITTLE)

Mary Jane, 95, of Citrus Heights, California passed away on August 7, 2015 at the Citrus Heights Terrace, Citrus Heights, California where she has been living the past 3 1/2 years.

Mary Jane was born May 11, 1920 in Cuba,  Allegany Co., New York. She is the daughter of Burton Harry and Emma May (Bristol) Little of Cuba, Allegany Co., New York. She was a long time resident of Roseville, Placer County, California and currently of Citrus Heights, Sacramento Co., California.

Married to John Patterson Gardner Jr. April 9, 1943 at Ft. Geo.G Meads, Maryland just before each of them received their overseas orders for World War II. ... she has been a California resident since 1957. She has lived in New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas & Germany. In 1957 they moved to California, first to Daly City, then San Carlos, Cameron Park, Roseville and last to Citrus Heights.

Mrs Gardner is a 1938 graduate of Dryden High School, Dryden, New York and 1941 graduate of Buffalo General Hospital Nursing Program, Buffalo, New York. She served with the 23rd General Hospital European Theater in the Army Nurses Corps during WWII (1942-1945) in Africa, France and Italy. Honorably discharged and returned to Alliance, Stark Co., Ohio to begin her married life. She retired in 1969 from Peninsula Hospital in Burlingame, California after 10 years as Assistant Nursing Supervisor. She continues to maintain her membership in the California Nurses Association & New York Nursing Association.

She is a supporter of the Women's Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. Mrs Gardner loved her family, gardening, cooking, reading and soap operas. She has an extensive collection of hummingbirds in glass, ceramic, wood and paintings. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother and a good friend to many. Her family and friends will miss her.

Survived by her daughter Sandra Lee (Gardner-Aberle) Benward (Charles) of Citrus Heights, California; a son Robert Michael Gardner (Nancie) of Castro Valley, California; two grandsons, Michael John Aberle of Lodi, California; and Jason Gardner Aberle (Krisi) of Citrus Heights, CA. Three great grandchildren: Ashlyn Maykala Aberle and Aden Jackson Aberle of Lodi, California, and Josh Allen Nichell.

Preceded in death (Feb 7, 2006) was her loving husband, John Patterson Gardner, Jr.

The family requests that any remembrances be made to the American Cancer Society. Now Mary Jane and John will both be laid to rest in the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, California.

Wisdom Wednesday ......... Back At Last

I am back.

Yes, I am back again.

Sorry for the empty months of no posts. I apologize for that, but I developed a health issue that stopped me dead in my tracks at the end of February, it really  tipped my world around, and turned it upside down.  I had to make a lot of daily life adjustments, but first I needed to admit I had a problem and then deal with it......... I learned how to breath properly, new medications, new eating plan, new exercise plan, new outlook on life. I want to live well past 100 so I needed to pay attention now AND  I HAVE. Medications are doing their job, food changes have worked wonders with 60 pounds gone (and hoping for another 40-50 this next year) Aqua classes weekly (and loving them even into these cold winter days), more walking thanks to my friend Jo and an app (Stepz) - it just lets you know how many steps you are walking throughout the day. Helps to know if you need more or you are doing fine. Some days ARE better than others. On top of that, my mother's health has been failing and she needs more attention and care.

I am happy to say with all the changes I have made, my health issue seems to be under control and I am able to get back into my old routine with some modifications. (but I will not take my health for granted, paying attention is the key to success) This year I canceled all trips especially if I had to fly.I really look forward to traveling again this next year and seeing all my genealogy friends and family across the country.  I am very thankful for the help of my doctors and my husband for caring enough to stick with me, lots of encouragement and support.

So I am back!!!!