Kinshasa

Daddy's en route to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo...a short jaunt of 6500 miles. We hope you're safe and nearly there, Jesse! And we hope none of your many counterfeit currency scanners were confiscated in customs. :) For your viewing pleasure upon arrival, here's a photo of Josiah we took while "camping" under the afghan last evening. We spent nearly an hour under there after Will went to bed...and our hairstyles showed it by the end! And here's also a short video of William doing "Lady Rides" when we got home from church today. You'll note that William isn't exactly in his Sunday best. He produced what is to my memory our all-time, ultimate, record-breaking diaper explosion this morning while I was minding the toddler classroom during Family Service. I'm not joking when I say I even wiped neon yellow baby poop out of one of his ears. Unbelievable! It was a winner on every count: velocity, quantity, spread, stealth. Will was completely and characteristically unperturbed from the first rumbling through the end of the protracted clean-up mission. Such a happy, sweet boy!

Lady Rides 1/31/10 from Krista Casler on Vimeo.

In Loving Memory

Gram, Jesse, and Josiah — October 2006

Jesse returned last week to Warren, PA. That's the town where he grew up...where his dad grew up...and where his grandmother called home for much of her life. Lila Beryl (Yankie) Casler passed away on January 5th, 2010 at the age of 96.

Gram was a wonderful woman. She loved life and was always ready to laugh, wearing many different hats through the years. For instance, nearly seven decades ago she worked in a small hotel in Kansas. She lost that job because she started seeing one of the long-term tenants who had offices in the building (how improper!). A while after marrying that tenant, Dr. Gerald W. Casler ("Doc"), they moved to Warren, where Gram joined and remained an active member of the First Church of the Nazarene, working with teens and serving on missions councils. They lived briefly in Pomona, CA during World War II where she became one of the famous "Rosie the Riveters" working in an aircraft plant. Then back in Pennsylvania, she was employed by Montgomery Wards and Gimbals Department Store. In her older years, Jesse remembers her best as his frequent childhood babysitter, picturing Gram wearing her apron at work in the kitchen.

In the midst of these many roles through the years, Gram was a steadfast model of Christian love and charity, and her example is still influencing her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and countless others. As a church member recalled last week, she never had a negative thing to say about anyone — not a bad way to be remembered, in our book.

She will be missed.

Click below to play a pictorial slide show that Jesse's sister, Lisa, put together for the funeral service. Make sure your sound is on.

Lila Casler slideshow from Jason Condon on Vimeo.

My Boys...and some recap pics

Wow am I smitten with my children.

My boys.

Josiah kisses Will constantly, and Will continues to be a ridiculously snuggly little sweetie.

I have some catching up to do with posting photos I've promised to various people, so up tonight: A few additional shots of our fun at Nannan and Papa's house in December. (Christmas Day itself will be reserved for another post if I can get my act together.)

Sledding with Papa.

Sending marbles down the ramps and through a big mailing tube down to the floor. Super fun!

Playing with buttons. Also super fun!

Mommy and William the Sunday before Christmas.