New Partnerships!

November 8, 2014 - New Partnerships!

So, Shirley and I returned home and Fall activities got underway.  Shirley was teaching and enjoying her fabulous granddaughter, Madison Drew, while I was getting ready for the wedding of Caroline and Ryan!  Caroline and Ryan have been friends for many years and that friendship blossomed into a grand love and desire to journey life together.  I am so happy to have Ryan for a son-in-law!

August and September were full of last minute renovations in Taber House including ceiling fans, new chandeliers, knobs on the cabinets in the house, final touches on the new island in the kitchen, and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.  Don't ask me WHY Taber House needed new ceiling fans and new chandeliers BEFORE the wedding.  It just did!!!



October brought the hosting of the Bridal Tea here at Taber House and Joanna and Ryan's sister, Jenni, did an unbelievable job hosting almost 40 women at a sit-down tea in the back yard.  Shirley created a wonderful cookbook for celebrate their wedding by combining recipes from friends and family all over the United States.  A CD copy of the cookbook was given to all the contributors and participants!  A good time was had by all!

A great "cake" created by her Auntie Joyce for the tea!

One of the tea tables!

A great apron fabricated with her grandmothers' recipes and created by her sister, Joanna.

November brought the wedding and even more fabulous events!    The ceremony was held at First United Methodist Church and officiated by our good family friend, Rev. Faith Whitmore.  Caroline designed the tulle canopy in the 1925 sanctuary (the building is almost 100 years old but the congregation dates to 1849!). 

My favorite picture!  Her gown was by Zac Posen....her veil was stunning!  Sanctuary, First United Methodist Church.

Her "Auntie Joyce" and I created Dorothy's red shoes for her out of her best single girl heels!  Goodbye, single life!

Love this picture!  Starting out their life in their favorite pew in the church!

The fabulous Taber Women!

 Joanna sang "Because" which has been sung over the years at many Harrison weddings.

A fun dinner dance was held at The DoubleTree Hotel.

Dennis' prayer that he wrote in Berkeley at Pacific School of Religion. Caroline and Ryan used it as the blessing at their reception before dinner.

And...their official wedding portrait!

AND, this picture just happened this week!  The top photo shows Burgis and Rosa Mae on their honeymoon in the Spring of 1942 and the bottom photo is Caroline and Ryan --- Yosemite National Park.  See Glacier Point and the waterfall in each picture?  Amazing....73 years apart.




NOW -- we can tell you about the Cruise!  We had really intended to post while on the ship, Carnival Magic, but the very first day that we attempted my 2012 iPad broke!  It seemed like a sign to enjoy the cruise and post when we got home.  We'll do better on our next adventure which is in the mountains of Idaho at the end of May!  It's going to be a doozy!

Catching Up....Remembering a Great Man

Maundy Thursday, April 2, 2015

This might be the longest we have gone without a post but there are good reasons: life, life, life, life as our little brother likes to say!

Our trip last July, 2014 took an unexpected turn as I was called to my father-in-law's bedside in Lowell, Kansas to be with him on his journey home.  The experience was amazing and my sweet sister came to be with me the last few days.

Burgis was such an amazing man --- father, husband, special friend, grandfather, father-in-law, great-grandfather, mentor, spiritual guide and community leader!

He served in WWII in Northern Italy and the Caribbean, had a long career with B. F. Goodrich in Miami, OK and listened to God's call to service in the Kansas Yearly Meeting of Friends (Quakers) and in his local meeting, Lowell Friends Church.  He retired with just as much panache by volunteering for many years with Meals on Wheels, the Thrift Store, the Rural Water District, and as community board member spearheading the building of a wonderful skilled nursing center where he later was a proud resident.

His life was not without difficulty.  His beloved wife, Rosa Mae, passed away after a short illness in August, 2004, his daughter, Pattie, died after a valiant battle with breast cancer in 2008, and his son died after a 17 month illness with prostate cancer in April, 2010.  He was a hero to many for his courage during these losses and his bright and shining testimony to God's perfect timing and love.

Burgis left this life on Sunday, July 27, at the age of 94 1/2 wordlessly speaking to those in Heaven whose faces were shining before him and welcoming him home.

It was was my joy and honor to care for his well-being in the last few years of his life.  His legacy encompasses his son-in-law Duane, his daughter-in-law Kay, six grandchildren, their spouses and many great-grandchildren as well as a host of relatives and friends influenced by this gentle man's life.