The best made plans of mice and men......

May 6th at the end of the day around 10:30 PM, Chad is still out with our tractor and planter finishing up the last field of beans.


Beginning to wrap things up and put them away.


Dave Horras brought up his JD tractor and planter from Millersburg about 20-25 miles away

Dave cleaning the beans out of the planter

Too often we think that we know what plans we have made, but that can be changed so quickly. Two weeks ago Charlie started getting these severe gut aches. This is a man who only goes to the doctor to get his ears cleaned out.

But after a couple of days of pain he went to the doctor who scheduled a colonoscopy, thinking he was dealing with a bad case of diverticulitus. So he made an appointment for May 10th. The next day he called them back and said - can't wait that long. They decided he needed to come in for a catscan. That was on a Thursday. Put him on antibiotics. Friday he went back to the doctor on Friday, still in pain. Told him to take something to clean out the barium from the catscan.

So on Friday he took this stuff. Nothing, now he was getting concerned so we went to the ER on Sunday AM. He was completely plugged and still hurting. More tests on Monday and was determined the blockage was not diverticulitus, but a tumor.

They would have done surgery on Thursday, but Charlie asked if there was anyway he could by some time???? to get his beans planted and "To get his ducks in a row" The surgeon gave him till May 11th. and put him on a steroid to shrink the tumor - it worked. Charlie went home and with the help of Dave Horras, Garry Smith, Bob Baerg, Kenny Folkmann, Andy Kloppenburg, and son-in-law Chad, all of the beans were planted by May 6th.

AWANA, AWANA, I wanna go to AWANA - It's a family affair!

On the same night of Ally and Drew's AWANA awards Kaylee and Lauryn had their awards night in Omaha, too. Kaylee and Drew both finished their books and graduated from Cubbies. Ally almost finished 2 books this year!


Tana just wants to play with the bulletin


Drew was in Cubbies and will go to Sparks next year.


Ally on awards night at their AWANA in Iowa City (note the new look of hot pink glasses!)

One of my Sparkies on a crazy hair night - Lizzie Greene

Easter Bunny hid some eggs at the Klaassen Farm

Chris's 31st Birthday April 15th

Make a Wish!


Chris also requested no cake - but Farmer Nick's Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie



Who says girls can't play with cowboys and indians

Chris requested I bring some matchbox cars and plastice cowboys and indians and horses that he played with when he was ..................younger.

April 1st a time for family and saying good-bye

The funeral was April 1st and all of Dad's 13 Grandchildren made it home from the uttermost parts of the earth. We sang praises to our Lord and King and I wonder if Dad was singing with us!


James Walker , Jody Smith, and Shane Walker


First Cousin - Ted Burden and Dad's sister, Doris Burden

Nathan and Karrie Smith

Joe and Christine Totten

Tana Rae Willis

Nathan and ????Della or Shiolh

Kimberly Walker and Christine Totten

Chris and Shelly Doubleday

Charlie and Uncle Floyd-Dad's youngest brother

Brenda Jason Rachel

Brenda, Kim, Shelly, Debbie, Jane, Renae, Karrie

Rhonda Dean Linda Ken

Happiness and Sadness in the same day

March 26th was Tana Rae's first birthday and March 27th was Ally's 7th. The day was to be filled with a party, but an early morning telephone call changed the day. Dad went to see Jesus. Even as I write it brings sadness to my heart, but he was so ready to go, his body was giving out on him, was basically blind. Ally will have the memory that Great Grandpa Melvin went to heaven on her birthday.

Precious moments with Dad/Grandpa

Dad was given 3-6 months since they found cancer on his liver and pancreas. He lost his appetite and lost alot of weight. His mind was good, but he just got weaker as the days passed.

Sometimes Charlie got a little aggressive with his snow removal and the "big dogs" had to be called in to pull him out.

A Long hard winter with lots of snow

Charlie felt like all he did all winter was move snow. With three farms to take care of and two of them have loooong lanes, it was an unending job

Christmas 2009

Jason modeling his underware of compassion (inside joke)

Charlie and Drew(Grandpa's boy) chill'n

No Rachel that is not where your new undies go.

Chad Kaylee Ally and Lauryn

Tana banana (as Brenda says)

Chris Amy and Lauryn

Always look forward to Christmas, but this year was the "off" year when all the kids go to the other side for Christmas. They were all home for New Years. Our 15X15 living room gets a little overwhelmed with all the warm bodies and boxes and wrapping paper!

Happy Birthday Dad

Long time no write. Who says that when the nest is empty, you'll have more time. Phooey, forgot to say.... but you move slower, so you still don't get things done.

Been a strange last few months. In December my father, got very jaundice and ended up in the hospital to unplug some bile ducts. But the sad news is that it was some growths that were clogging them up. The stints worked though and he was able to celebrate his 90th Birthday December 13th.