Bonus Post

I really had no plans to post these pictures, but they all landed together in my organizational file, and I thought they told a story.

Not too long ago, my cousin posted this picture of my Grandpa fishing--he loved fishing! He passed away before Graysen was born, but was expected, so technically they lived part of the same year. Graysen loves fishing. In fact, on a day when he and Brennen and their friends spent most of the day at the lake--Graysen was the only one to reel in a catch. I guess I never made the connection before, until I saw the two photos next to each other--two fishermen. That is pretty special to me!

My brother-in-law recently sent me a video. Initially I was confused about what it was, so I asked Buck to watch it. He immediately knew, "That's our old street and our old house." Whoa! I watched it back again and sure enough, the "Chocolate House" is sporting a new look after *our mark* lasted 15 years of its 143-year history. At first I was a little sad, but then I realized it actually looks pretty cute! And as my brother-in-law pointed out, that expanded porch will be amazing for watching all the parades that meander by throughout the year :) I also watch a lot of HGTV, and I recognize that owners taking pride in the home and updating it, making their own changes, well, those things preserve the longevity of the building. From the original rough-hewn, axe-marked floor joists to the new gray shingles on the roof, this house--filled with sweet memories--may still be around when our kids want to show our grandkids where they grew up. Here's to another 143 years, little Chocolate-into-Craftsman house!

I've got the lyrics to a country song in my head, "Life's about changing, nothing ever stays the same." But even in the changes, there are still glimmers of what was established long ago . . . like a love of fishing shared between a great-grandpa and great-grandson who never met, and a century-old porch door welcoming its family home.