Number Eight Grandchild Ross Milo Atwood

Michael Andrew and Melanie Whitney Atwood welcomed their fourth child, Ross Milo Atwood, on Monday, September 15, 2003. He was born in Iowa City Mercy Hospital, a cute little guy with red hair, blue eyes and weighing 7 lbs. 11 ozs. Andrew was in his last year of dental school at the University of Iowa. I enjoyed going back to help Melanie with her new baby and spending time with my special grandchildren (pictured above) Michael (5), Kambri (7) Milo (4 weeks) and McKayla (3) I was thrilled that they chose to call him Milo after my father, Milo C. Moody. He reminds me of my dad with his bright blue eyes, happy smile and cheerful disposition. I sometimes call Milo my "All American Boy" because he has RED hair, WHITE fair skin and BLUE eyes. Because of his fair skin, he is the one who suffers the worst sunburns on our Lake Powell vacations.
I had a wonderful visit with the Atwoods in Iowa City. We visited an amazing children's museum that had so many fun things to do and see. Since it was in October, Michael and Kambri helped their mom make Halloween sugar cookies. We had so much fun frosting and decorating the cookies and even more fun eating them.

Now the Atwood family lives in Bellevue, Washington. Mike and I visited them again in October. This time McKayla and Milo helped their mom make Chocolate Chip Cookies. Milo (5) has grown up now and is playing the violin and piano. McKayla (8) is a little performer who loves to sing and play the piano whenever she is asked. Michael (10) is active in sports like soccer and baseball. Kambri (12) is almost a teenager who loves to read and talk on her cell phoneAtwoods of Salem with the Andrew and Melanie Atwood family at Lake Washington, Oct. 2008. Back row: Kambri, Milo, Andrew and Melanie. Front row: Mike, McKayla, Michael and Marilyn.

Mike & Marilyn Welcome Sixteenth Grandchild

Mary Maranda, my sixth child, gave birth to my sixteenth grandchild on Friday the 16th of January 2009. Maranda arrived at the Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska at 3:30 AM on Thursday the 15th and was induced shortly after that. Her labor was long and intense. It was 24 hours later that the baby finally arrived. I was happy to have her come on Friday since according to the song "Friday's child is loving and giving". I was NOT happy that Maranda's first experience with giving birth was so long and difficult for her to endure. Maranda's husband, Joel Douglas Taylor, was there by her side to support and encourage her through this long ordeal. He is a law student at Creighton University and now he is a proud father. It was a joyous moment when Kamryn came into the world at 3:38 AM. She was almost 8 pounds (7 lbs. 15.8 ozs.) and was 20.75 inches long. She is a darling little girl with lots of light brown hair that will probably turn blonde as she gets older. Mike and I flew in Friday afternoon to spend a week with Joel and Maranda and to help welcome little Kamryn into our family.