Grandmother

So I have know for about a month that my Grandma McKouen was/is dying of cancer. It spread to her liver and she is slowly wasting away into oblivion. The doctors gave her 6 to 8 weeks and it is closely hitting that 6 week mark. I went home this weekend to see her for what I know is my last time. She is a dark tint of yellow (due to the cancer spreading to her liver) and she is constantly sleeping (another sign that its near the end). She has survived it all. She made it through the great depression, WWI and WW2, not being able to have children and adopting 3 (including my mother) and over spring break she turned 90 years old. The hardest part of all of this is my Grandpa. He wants to be so strong and do everything. He is so tired. I wish I would have payed more attention while I was younger. My grandma would tell us all of the stores of where she got the possessions that scatter her house. There are many wonderful pieces. I would like to share some with you.

Layers

I also attended the CMU Pow Wow. I wish I would have attend past events and went this entire weekend. I got to witness the drum competition and part of the dance competition. I got to work on my stop action shots while the kids strutted their stuff. I can't wait to see it again next year.

I have a few good pictures so i haven't narrowed it down. I wanted to show them all!

moments

Pictured about is MPFD Firefighter Randy Keeler. Copy block to follow.

2 year old Elijah Raymond is always on the run. His grandpa seems to be the only person or thing that can slow him down.

Duane McMichael got to choose when he was ready for fatherhood. Becoming a grandfather was sprung upon him abruptly.

McMichael, 52, wasn’t ready for the news that his oldest daughter was pregnant.

“I knew the day of our 30^th wedding anniversary, explained Pam McMichael, wife. “ It was so hard to sit across the table from him and not say anything.”

Being the average two year old, Elijah has the stamina of a track star. He can’t seem to share but loves running back and forth between his two play rooms.

It’s not uncommon for families in this day and age to not be “normal.” By normal standards a family consists of a mom, dad, children and maybe siblings.

The McMichael clan fit into the norm only so much. McMichael lives with his wife and youngest daughter. Elijah His daughter and grandson, Nicole and Elijah, live close by. McMichael is the only father figure in his life.