Joseph Knight Rogers

A few months ago while I was visiting my parents in Joseph City my dad set me to work going through a box of some of my grandpa's things. My dad wanted to put together some pictures for him to bring to a family reunion. I was never real close to my grandpa Joe and have few memories of being with him. I do remember him always walking with a cane and later I discovered why. 


As I went through this box I learned so much about my grandpa and explored this man's life. Among the pictures and paperwork was a small envolope with some old cards and letters. They were aged and delicate and the script style was difficult to read. The letters were sent to my great grandmother with from friends and family expressing their condolences for her son who had gone missing in the war. My heart hurts for how she must of felt having a son missing on the other side of the world and unable to do anything about it. After doing some investigation and finding a one page autobiography, I pieced together the life of this amazing person.


My grandpa grew up in Stafford AZ and as soon as he graduated he sighed up to join the army. My grandmother made him wait to graduate first. I read in his year book  that the senior trip to Carlsbad Caverns was canceled because of the war. We've moved to New Mexico last year and the Caverns are only about 30 minutes from us. 


 He was on the 101st airborne division and was a paratrooper on D day June 6, 1944.  I've heard that on his jump his pack and plane were overloaded resulting in them missing there target landing place and my grandpa breaking his ankle or foot on landing. It had to be terrifying for him. I can't imagine.


 He was later taken and put in a prisoner of war camp. He managed to escape by riding under a train only to be discovered and captured again my German soldiers. He was forced to particiapte in a death march. I've learned this is where the captured soldiers are forced by gunpoint to walk mile after mile with very few rations. Some how grandpa Joe escaped again, I think someone helped him get back?? 
When he stated the war he weighed 185 pounds and after he was 140. 


After the war he married married a lady from Joseph City ( I totally can't remember her name right now except she was a Rogers too) Grandma Charlotte Petersen has told me she met him before at a dance or something and everyone was intrigued by him being a war hero. They had twin babies who were still born and later separated. 


His next wife was my Grandma Carol and they had my dad and uncles. It didn't work out because they separated too but if you knew my grandma you wouldn't blame him.... ((Just kidding grandma Love you!!!)) He ended up spending his life with my sweet Grandma Marie. My grandpa had jobs like working at a school and being a truck driver. He enjoyed to garden and had a green thumb. 


I'm so great full that I discovered this history of his life. I wish that I knew more and had gotten to know him better. I am so proud to be able to say that Joseph Knight Rogers is my hero and on this memorial day you are not forgotten.

Every girl deserves a Valentine!

Okay I just have to brag about my amazing husband!
The last three mornings  I've woken up to find beautiful flowers in my kitchen! My table is full with lilies, tulips and roses! This morning I found a dozen roses in a beautiful vase with one artificial rose and a note that saids..."I'll love you til the last one dies" Jeremy saids one dozen flowers for every year that we've been married.

And he even left some fake roses just for Layna....When I said something about this you know what Jeremy said "Every girl deserves a Valentine" Isn't that the sweetest thing ever? I love my husband!

February Bring it on!

Howdy Hey! Well things have been going good lately for my little family. We moved again two days ago from the worlds smallest apartment to house. We feel so relived to be out of there! The kids each have they're own room again and the kitchen is definitely more functional here. We have a huge back yard too. Our new landlord is super sweet and friendly, he didn't even make us sign a lease. Now that were more comfortable we can relax and take our sweet time while we look for a house to buy or even build.

Masen and Layna are getting bigger and bigger everyday. They surprise me by how much they know and pick up so easily. Masen has taken apart and put back together his skateboard several times. He has the tool box he got from Christmas and he sets up shop. I took him to the park where they have like a skate park area set up and he sat on the board rode down the ramps. I was surprised that his skate board stayed together the whole time. My son is such a bad ass!!
Masen had a eye appointment and the doctor saids that he needs to wear an eyepatch on his good eye to make him use his bad eye more. She said he sould wear it for a few hours a day for the next few months. We tryed it and that lasted like two minutes. He hates it. He get frustrated and feels like he can't see. We havnt been forcing him to wear it because its just impossiable. But he does look like the cutest pirate in the world!

Layna is now mostly potty trained! We started working with her a few months ago and gave up because she just didn't understand. About a week ago I just stuck a pantie on her and its like a light bulb went off in her head because she has hardly had any accidents!

Jeremy's work is starting turn-a-round this month. Its like an over haul where they shut things down so they can replace and fix things at the plant. So since they're working on a lot of things on the south side where Jeremy works, he'll be working every day this month. Well he'll actually be working nights. I'll only see him a few hours a day :(

 Jeremy won't have any days off until March so were planning a Joe City trip that month yay!! I'm so excited to see my family! I'm still getting use to being so far away from my family. I miss my mommy! Yeah I'll say it!! I don't think I've ever gone more than maybe two weeks with out seeing her.

I think that's about all thats going on with us. I just feel so thankful lately! Things have been so awesome I feel spoiled. Like really?! This is my life I love it! I am so blessed! I'm so lucky to have such wonderful kids and an amazing husband! You guys make my world go round!

Christmas Pictures!

We had tons of fun and a busy weekend! I was in the kitchen cooking like a mad man, (I can't believe I ate so much cookie dough yowzers!) the kids helped decorate cookies for Santa. Our tree had exactly two Christmas ornaments on it. We started to decorated it last week when i realized all my ornaments were glass so we only put up six of them and only two survived our tiled floors.

My Mom and Dad came down for a few days and it was so great to see them. We went over to Aaron and Staci's new house and ate dinner. We played cards and the kids had a snow ball fight with Papa. Heres some pictures, I hope everyone had an awesome Christmas!

Playing in the snow

Alayna had so much fun!

Decorating cookies for Santa.

Opening presents, thanks grandma!

The only shot of Layna opening presents.

New Mexico!

We've been here for about a week and a half and today we finally got Internet so I'll update you guys on our new life! Jeremy started his new job on Halloween and he saids its been boring so far. They have to train him on safety and explain how everything works. It sounds scary to me! He said theres some kind of gas they use for something but if you breath it, it'll knock you right out. So he has to wear some kind of monitor thing that lets him know if any is in the air. They have told him all these horror stories about accidents that had happened and I think it scares me more than him! I think that's just how it goes the first few weeks they have to make sure everyone understands safety procedures before they let him do anything. Mostly all Jeremy has done this week is sit in a classroom and get lectures and watch training videos. Hes looking forward to actually looking around the plant and doing something more physical.

Were the worst parents ever because we kinda skipped Halloween. Opps! My kids didn't have any costumes and we were still getting settled so we just decided they didn't need the candy. I'm pretty sure that there will be another Halloween next year too.

When we first got to our apartment we didn't unpack right away. We were in total shock. Our apartment is SO small. Its way smaller than the one we were in to before and it was filthily. The area its in is kinda ghetto too. Its funny because theres a sign out front that saids "Shady Lane Apartments" and it deffently fits this place. Me and Jeremy just looked at each other and said what did we do! We left our family, our home and Jeremy's job for this?! But after about an hour we recovered and started to unpack. Matt and Erin drove out of they're way to come help us unload. We are so thankful they came and helped us. My brother came over and helped after he got off work too. Having family over totally saved us mentally.

We are pretty settled in now and are more comfortable. Our apartment is small but now it feels like home. Durning the day I've been babysitting my brother's kids Chaz and Kenzi and between them and Masen and Alayna  I stay pretty busy. Jeremy comes home at lunch so thats fun. His work is only like 5 minutes away. After a few months he'll be making more money and we can start looking at houses. They re having a company party in a few weeks and I'm looking forward to getting out and meeting more people. We're not sure what Jeremy's schedule is going to be like but we want to try and make it back to Joe City for Thanksgiving.

Everything is going well and we know we made a good choice by moving up here and starting our new life as New Mexicans!

Oh and I've lost six pounds since we left Joe City! Probably from stress but eather way Joseph City you can keep those pounds! :D

Yes I am that awesome!

I made this shirt yesterday for Layna! I bought a pattern from my favorite second hand store for crazy cheap. Its from 1962 and its actually just for the top piece of the halter top making it a belly shirt. So I added a ruffled panel to the bottom for more coverage. Even though Alayna has the cutest belly ever I decided not to share it with the rest of the world and keep it just for me! I love the little collar on it!! Just thought I share!

Durango!!

On Saturday my best friend from high school got married in Durango Colorado. We hired a babysitter for the first time ever and drove the four hour trip there. We where only there for the day so that kinda sucked. We left in the morning and didn't get back until midnight. I was worried that the drive would be long and boring but it so much fun! I was excited for the time with Jeremy.

When we got to Durango we walked around downtown a little while and then headed to the wedding. Kirra got married in this cute little park next to an amazing creek. She was such a beautiful bride! It would be great if I could go to a wedding without balling my eyes out and messing up my makeup but there was no way to resist! I've never cared for romance girl movies but weddings totally melt my heart! Its so amazing to be a witness to someone pleading their heart to another person. I'm really happy for her! We went to her reception and then snuck off so that we could get home for the babies. I wish we had more time to expore Durango. Its the cutest town ever! It was a rushed trip but totally worth it!

Congratulations Kirra and Jake!!