Brea

My silence is only for lack of knowing what to say - how to express the jumble inside.  

Breanna, our lives intertwined first by the tight family bond of our husbands, but then by a friendship dance that took us trial and error to get just right.  

We got married the same year.  We had babies at the same times.  We raised those babies together.

We didn't always understand each other, but that was part of what grew our friendship.  The things you taught me or made me think about changed who I am as a mother even today, and I'll forever be thankful for that gift.  Babywearing, natural ways, homeschooling, knitting, researching instead of just accepting...the list goes on.

When we decided to homeschool, there were many people who accepted our news, but there was one person who celebrated it, and that was you.

My mind holds dozen of snapshots of us doing life together - teaching ballet (grin), hosting babywearing classes, planning for family gatherings, organizing church events.

Circumstance had put us back in the same town recently after many years, and we were just again beginning to find our intertwined lives and friendship.  The night we moved, when I was completely torn upside down, you showed up.  That's love in action.  You tried to teach me about city living and you told me you cried for weeks after you moved, too.  Our children, our most common link, are again loving being near each other.

We were not perfect friends.  I was not a perfect friend.  We laughed, we fought, we went silent, we apologized, we hugged, we needed space, we needed each other.  Regardless of the waves, I am so thankful that I had you in my life - that I got to experience your determination, your initiative, your you-ness.  You were truly one of a kind, Brea, and are already so missed.  

I promise to show up for your family and be love in action.  When your kids are here I will remind them to drink water, the snacks will be safe, and I won't give too much sugar.  I will treasure your greatest treasures, my friend.  I won't let you down.  And we will never forget you.

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Breanna Brummer, 36, of Oskaloosa passed away Sunday afternoon, October 18, 2020, at Mahaska Health in Oskaloosa.
Breanna Lynn Brummer, daughter of Timothy and Pamela (Bryant) Sparks, was born April 10, 1984, in Oskaloosa. Early in her schooling, she attended Oskaloosa Elementary Schools but completed her education through home-schooling. She earned her G.E.D. at age 16, she then attended Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, where she studied Sign Language Interpreting and graduated in 2003. Breanna returned to Oskaloosa and worked for Oskaloosa Community Schools as a Sign Language interpreter. In 2003, at a church softball game, she met her future husband, Eric Brummer. After a two-year courtship, they married on September 3, 2005, at the College Avenue Friends Church in Oskaloosa. They made their home in Lancaster, Missouri, where Breanna worked as a secretary for the Lancaster Christian Church. In 2015, Breanna and Eric moved to Oskaloosa. Her foremost priority in life was her family. She home-schooled her children and was also a Senior Ruby Wellness Coach at Plexus Worldwide. Breanna was a very caring person, and she used her time and abilities to help countless people.
Her family includes her husband, Eric, of Oskaloosa; her children: Elizabeth Faith, Jace Legend, and Rogan Creed, all at home in Oskaloosa; her parents, Tim and Pam Sparks of Oskaloosa; her sisters: Heather (Ben) Doak of University Park and Amanda (Tim) Drost of Oskaloosa; her paternal grandparents, Russell and Marie Sparks; 14 nieces and nephews; her husband’s parents, Dennis and Penny Brummer of Glenwood, MO; and a brother-in-law, Anthony Brummer of Columbia, MO.
In addition to her maternal grandparents, William and Ardyth Bryant, Breanna was preceded in death by a daughter, Ava Mila.
As was her wish, Breanna’s body has been cremated. A visitation will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, October 24 at Langkamp Funeral Chapel & Crematory. According to the rules put in place by the Iowa Department of Public Health, proper social distancing is advised and masks can be worn at your discretion when attending this public event. A Memorial service will be held at a future date. Memorial contributions can be made to her family to be used for her children. Langkamp Funeral Chapel & Crematory is handling the arrangements.

Week in the Life {New Shoes, Mock Election, Cousin Play!}

Sunday, October 11th

Mike and the big kids went to worship.  I again stayed with Evie as she fought the remainder of another runny nose.  After church, Granny Sara and Papa George came up and we met at a park with them and the Brummer crew to play and have lunch.  They treated us all to Hy Vee carry-out.

After we played at the park, everyone came back to our house and played some more for a bit.  The Beeler-Brummer crew hadn't been gone very long when Grandma Num text and said they were heading home from taking Aunt Annette to Iowa and wondered if they could stop by and maybe bring answer.  The answer to both of those questions is always yes.  

They only had a bit of time, as it was getting late, but it was good to see them.

Zayden is reading to Papa!

It was time for showers, PJs, and bed after a day full of sweet visits from family!

Her back to back colds have taught her to blow her nose at least.

Monday, October 12th

We had swim lessons on Monday and school tucked in around.

A new shirt for mom!

Mia jumped without using the noodle!  Go girl!

Evie and I played peek-a-boo while the kids swam.

Cousins came to play in the afternoon.

My little scholars and I did some bed time school - Evie's schedule still has us upside down some days.

Tuesday, October 13th

Evie slept in.  We worked on our school and Natalee had physical therapy in the afternoon.

Wednesday, October 14th

We were supposed to have hippotherapy but our therapist needed to cancel.  However, we'd already made plans to play at the park with friends so we went anyways.  It was the last beautiful warm day we were promised and we wanted to enjoy it.

After our park play, the 4 older kids went to play at their cousins' house, and I took Ev home for a nap.  Except she didn't nap.  But we tried.  I did get the floor vacuumed and things picked up, though.  When Mike got off work, we walked over to pick up the kids and came home for supper.

 Zayden and Theo snap chatted about soccer before bedtime.

Thursday, October 15th

School in the early morning sun.

snuggles

Evie has started tossing people out of "her" chair and now they seem to just sit in it to try to get a reaction from her. 

Queen on her throne!

After Xavier practices piano he calls Evie over to play a tune with him. Such a sweet big brother.

Natalee had occupational therapy on Thursday with Shawni.

Evie was so crabby in the afternoon.  We are struggling so much with a nap schedule.  I took her outside until Mike got home so I could keep my sanity.

The rest of the tribe followed us out.

Ev has also discovered where the snack bucket is that I keep for the kids.  Sigh.

Friday, October 16th

We were up and around early Friday to head to Missouri for our mock election.  It was a wonderful day!

Zayden read while he waited for everyone to get through the shower.  Mia taught him to blend words and he's amazing me.  Like, what am I even doing with my life if I don't need to teach him to read?

We ended our evening with popcorn and a movie night.  I bought Evie puffcorn for the first time, and she felt like mighty big stuff to have a snack with our movie.

We watched Playing with Fire. It's not groundbreaking videography but it's cute and "clean" (for today's world, especially).  Mike and I had previewed it a few weeks back.

She's so happy when all her people are in one room.

Saturday, October 17th

Today was a simple day.  We tidied house, Mike worked a bit (his call week) and met up with some friends this afternoon, and then cousins came to play.  They've been working on a Lego village when they are altogether here.

Mike had to go to the school's bowling alley to fix something this morning and picked up doughnuts on his way home.  

I bought a box of "colors of the world" crayons for the kids.  New crayons are the best.

Lego time!

Zayden and I ended our day at the shoe store.  He showed me yesterday that his shoes do this!  Goodness!  He said, "aw they are just a little floppy, mom."  Floppy and full of leaves, buddy.

  Usually our kids outgrow their shoes before they get this far gone, but his feet are the same size, so he just needed a fresh pair.  He picked some out and they go so fast!

Saturday ended with a little bit of Ticket to Ride game night action before bed.

Mock Election 2020

 Four years ago, when it was a presidential election year, I contacted our county clerk and, with her assistance, organized a Mock Election for our local homeschool group.  We again find ourselves in a presidential election year, and I really was feeling the itch for a mock election.  I just kept thinking about how beneficial it is for the children to see the election process and be comfortable with exercising their right to vote, and I really wanted my kids to get to experience it.  However, since I haven't really integrated up here, I again contacted the county clerk in our old area and asked for her help.  I also touched based with a couple of Missouri friends and made sure Mike could be off work before committing, because I knew I would need help.

Our county clerk, Bree, again did a large bulk of the work for the actual election part of the event.  Chelsie did all of the decorating and balloon drop set up the night before, and then several of us brought activity stations for the kids to do while we all took turns voting.  Many hands made light work and the morning went great!

We started with a welcome, and then I read the kids two books.  Four years ago when we were planning the mock election the other parents and I had a lengthy discussion about what we should have the kids vote on.  We decided that the election process was our focus and chose to have the kids vote between two books instead of two presidential candidates.  I stuck with that this year and I think it's a good way to run it - to keep political differences off the table.

This year's books were I Say Ooh, You Say Aah and This Is Owl.  Both are interactive stories and very fun and lighthearted.  

Before I read, I reminded the older kids that, while the books may feel a little juvenile, they were really there for the election process, and to remember that they could vote for just which they liked best or they could think about it more in depth and vote for the one with the best story line, better illustrations, funniest, or a culmination of all those traits.  We had a great and respectful group of kids in attendance.

After we read the books, the children started freely rotating around the craft/activity stations (all patriotic themed) while parents took their kids over to vote. 

To keep the work load less on the clerk's office, we find our own election judges (Thanks Nana Debbie B. and Nana Cindy S.! - grandmas of some of our attendees) and handle the registration sign in sheet and voter's registration cards on our own.  When the children signed up to attend, I emailed the voter's registration cards to their parents to print out.  The kids had to take those to the courthouse with them, show them to the election judges, sign in on the registration sheet, and then they received their ballot.  Because Bree orders official ballots, that means the kids get to feed them into the ballot machine, which they of course think is amazing.

After everyone had voted, Bree let the kids come over to watch her shut down the machine.  She printed our official results, but they went into my pocket to be announced later.  

The next activity was a patriotic scavenger hunt around town for everyone.  Our attendees broke up into groups - some as families, some as friends, some as a mix, and headed out.  While they did the scavenger hunt a couple of us went back and quickly tidied the craft tables up.

A silly group photo was on the scavenger hunt list!

As the kids trickled back in I had suckers or a chocolate for the "winners" of the scavenger hunt.  In the end everyone got a treat.  

Once all the groups were back in, we announced the winner.  A TIE VOTE!  How fun that it was an even split!  When the winner was announced Jake pulled the balloon drop cord and showered the kids with red, white, and blue.

Balloons are so festive.

Watch my little dolly in red who thinks she's a big girl.  I had to swoop in and get her - she almost got trampled in the balloon fun.

That was the conclusion of our mock election.  Some of us brought a carry in lunch for our families and stayed to visit together after, which our children enjoy as much as the planned activities. 

After lunch, a group clean up effort!  These sweet boys, born just weeks apart, were kings of the chairs!

When we were all done cleaning up, we slipped away to the windy, blustery park to play for a bit and catch up with our Welte friends.  It happened that they were in town from south Missouri and able to attend the Mock Election and we were thankful to get a few more minutes of play with them before saying good-bye.

Then, it was just a long drive back to Iowa.  We stopped for pizzas on the way home - I'd purposefully put in on the menu for supper because I knew I'd be tired and boy, was I grateful!  

We finished our night with a movie and popcorn.  What a great day!