3.28.23 24 Hours

Today at 2 p.m. I realized we had 24 hours until Anna comes home. Will learn then who these people are she hasn't talked to us in a few weeks. 

25 hours prior Greg, Mark, and Lloyd set out for Moses Lake Washington to retrieve a truck Greg bought through an auction. The ensuing hours found him moving rapidly to the site to procure the truck and then head home before the mountain storm. This is March although the calendar refuses to match the weather. The truck refused to go more than 35 miles an hour and Moses Lake is 320 miles from our town. That's a long long ways to drive slowly. An added benefit of the truck are the strobe lights on all 4 corners. Mark and Lloyd patiently followed along behind him. Mark said he wore sunglasses I don't know how Lloyd managed the bright lights pulsating. He is patient that is for sure and long suffering. 

I was worried about them the whole time they were gone. In the midst of their adventure we took another trip to the doctor for strep tests. Andrea and I were positive, the doctor agreed to treat more then realized we had been treated a few weeks ago. He said not to get any drugs for the kids but I could take some. This is ludicrous as we are just passing it from one person to the next. Few people understand life in a big family there is a lot of sharing. Or new chant is "Don't share! Don't touch that!! Get your own." We are bleaching and bleaching but with the accompanying snotty noses there's just germs in our midst. I was too tired to deal with much more last night. I fretted and schemed but mostly just hoped for a solution in the morning and that Greg would be ok through his slow night driving.  I do love car visits where the nurse comes to our car and swabs throats. This way the kids can bounce off the walls in our car not in the doctor office where the try every knob and drawer at least 4 times. We only honked the horn on the car some. Love my car full. 

This morning I talked with a long time nurse who is familiar with our family we got the situation worked out and have prescriptions for the kids. I promise to give all 60 doses. I will make a chart to ensure success and cross off each pill taken. 

Hopefully that will make us safe enough to wisely bring Anna home. I am thankful, numb, excited, and leery of the next few days. I hope it is smooth and peaceful. I hope everyone gets along and we can say we like each other. I'm hopeful we give her space and support to re-enter our family and life post mission. I hope we don't disappoint her or ourselves. I don't have a lot scheduled hoping to allow time for life to just flow not be a race. We have been on the racetrack for the last 5 days and I'm ready for the garage. 

We are blessed by so many supporting, encouraging, and waiting in the wings. Life is good. A friend commented "you sure manage the twists and turns of life well." We manage a lot of ambiguity. We manage to stuff our days and nights full as we progress from day to day. One primary comment when our kids leave home is how quiet their days are. Leaving Greg and I's ambitious plans, and sure we can take on more, leaves them a lot of time to do as they please. 

Harold was part of a parade. He and other missionaries showed scenes from our past. He was part of the Mormon Battalion. He looks so good. 

Honestly looking like his dad here. Love my missionary! 

Andrea discovered her toes on this car ride. She slept well but spent a fair amount of time enjoying looking out the window. She is a good traveler which is a blessing as being the last one she will probably go all over watching her siblings participate in contests. 

Back at home Bruce was sad we didn't bring Addie home. The younger kids really missed her. 

After church when she still wasn't home he said well she's my best friend so I get to sit in her chair. Addie is very protective of her chair. 

the older kids played another round of the farming game. Alena and Bryce had played games with them while we were gone. Greg and I are not game players so this was a treat. 

They are just cute. Andrea was so happy to be back home in her space where she could wander and play with and be loved by all the other kids. Having only 8 kids at home was so manageable, although sacrament meeting at church was overwhelming. The best part was when Millie tossed Alia's doll from her spot on one end of the bench to GReg on the other. As a general rule we don't throw things in church.

 We had crepes after church for Reed's special meal. It wasn't too bad every kid had at least 10 he had 18. 

He ordered steak and lemon sunshine cake for dinner. We obliged with my parents joining us to eat and celebrate Reed. The one thing I noticed immediately is with older brothers they are always touching and restraining or throwing or physically interacting with the younger kids. This creates more noise. 

Harold went to a car show and a member had this. Thus Harold and companion climbed in and tried it out. I think Harold needs a bigger car. I wonder how he got out. 

As I sit pondering what to do with the ten days of spring break my kids are semi-content with simple activity like trying on shoes and wrestling on my bed. It makes me tired to think of coralling and packing for 13. I'm thinking day trips with the inclement weather we have time that we have never had before. 

Livy painted this picture she did well capturing the picture. 

 Slow and steady go the days. Life is good and secure in the fact it keeps on going. We are blessed

3.21.23 State FFA convention

We made our trek across central Oregon to watch this 5 minute even.t We are proud of his work ethic and ability to make friends. 

I cajoled him into a picture with me. 

One more with dad and Mark as a photo bomb. our little FFA enthusiast Andrea always along for the ride. The convention seemed huge this year, like double the size of last year. 

John was way more comfortable talking to peers than his parents. That's ok I knew that would be the case. I'm always thankful for the many parents who chaperone and for the comfort the advisor plans for. The kids are well fed, well housed and doing good things. 

New for me this year was having my sisters at convention. The one in tan had a daughter also receive her degree. The other is a supportive Aunt. Another sister was there supporting her husband who was running a college booth. And finally my brother came the next night to receive an honorary service award. FFA helped each of us grow and become more confident and capable. I'm thankful that so far my kids can have similar experiences and learning. So much has changed Boy scouts has succumbed to problems, church programs are vastly different but FFA persists for now and for that I am so grateful. It was fun to go to ice cream with these sisters after the session and visit without kids or responsibilities. 

 14 kids from our FFA chapter received their degrees I'm very impressed with the effort of the kids, advisor, and parents to make that happen. They were by far the biggest recipients per size of school. 
Big screen view of John.

I love the science fair portion. It's fascinating and impressive how the advisors are linking life situations to agricultural education. 

I'm thankful the kids were engaged in service being courtesy corp or door holders for session. They took on the bouncer persona pretty easily. 

Another shot of the recipients. No John is not shorter the middle man is on his toes. 

Addie got 3rd with a photo, Mark 2nd with an essay or his speech, his friend got first with hers. Another friend got 1st on her information poster. So new entries and activities it was a good experience to spend time with other FFA members. We are blessed and life is good- even better to be home and eventually caught up on rest. 

3.20.23 Day by Day

People keep asking if we are counting the days until anna comes home. Yes and no. Her return is most welcome and we are excited to see her, but the truth is everyday has projects and activities for the kids here that we are trying to keep at the right place on the right day while managing everyone either being or not being at that place. It's a lot to keep track of everybody and all that is expected of them. Last week Millie participated in a wax museum biography project. This has been a major undertaking in the past. This year Millie's teacher did it all in class. That was nice but caused a bit of a disconnect. Millie took care of all the details all I did was mend and iron her dress. I'm thankful for her independence. The resulting day was awesome!

 

I've been yearning for some personal fulfilment so right now painting is my outlet of choice. I made these cards as thank you for all the help we received after my surgery. 

Reed had a final project for school Addie helped and I was able to paint some for him too. We sure appreciate Addie helping make projects look good. 

Andrea is so curious she wants to be a part and figure out everything that goes on here. 

She hangs on my legs wanting to be picked up to see more of what I'm doing. 

Greg and I stopped at DI on our way home to drop off a donation we then went inside and brought home more than what we donated. The boys got yellow shirts. My experience with their older brothers is orange and yellow shirts are favorites. I was so thrilled to find so many things we needed to make my kids look like they are cared for and not orphans. 

It was so inviting in the evenings last week I went for a walk. It was nice and odd to be alone. I walked to some new land we are renting. We have a lot of work and decisions to make this year a success. Lots to be done but the weather demands we wait. 

A classic picture my grandmother would have taken. We were so impressed with the water flows and amount of snowpack. This has all improved and changed tremendously in the month between our last trip across the state. We were thrilled. Most people don't understand our interest in water but as agriculture is in our blood and livelihood we daily pray for moisture and know it is the lifeblood of living in the west. 

Snow up to the third fence line. That's really good. This is not melting yet and our reservoir is about half full. Too bad it doesn't hold more and is so full of silt. But nonetheless we will be grateful for what we have!!

 We are always thankful for clear roads and little traffic. It's always nice to get away. As Bend was our first couple only getaway years ago it's always nice to look forward to that time alone. IT's good after all the busyness of raising a family, running two businesses, and the miscellaneous other stuff that comes up to spend time just us talking and removed from the stress of the day to day. I'm always thankful we are still good friends and like each other a lot. We're thankful we didn't have to cross the big mountain passes and grateful the kids at home fared just fine. Bryce and Alena hosted them on Saturday and the kids enjoyed games, jumping on the trampoline and a day different than the norm. We are blessed. 

3.9.23 More time passing

My care taker on Tuesday was Reed. He is good with Andrea. he is also getting strong. It always surprises me to watch my little boys grow into men. He's the strong silent type. He gets things done and is definitely a boss. He made pie completely on his own I was very proud of him. He also did lots of dishes and some laundry along with reading a book or two. 

That night it started snowing as we walked to dinner. 

I thought it was cute how Alia was the queen of the party. 

The accumulation after dinner we got an inch an hour. A total of 4 inches with the power going out shortly thereafter. 

After  an early night due to no power and wifi, and the two youngest sleeping with us or being in our bed not sleeping all night the snow the next day was a beautiful enticement for the well rested Bruce and Lia. 

Because laundry was not being processed as fast as usual, Merle couldn't find pants by his own looking. He enjoyed the spring snow in shorts. 

Andrea started a fever on Monday night and was miserable all day Tuesday and Wednesday. With ibuprofen she is not a crying wreck. 

Lia sure loves her sister. And finally they all just took a nap with me. 

Bruce enjoyed watching a national geographic movie with me about yosemite national park. We learned about bears and newts. 

To do something anything each day I have been watching some tutorials I've been trying some watercolor  pictures. They are so quick and forgiving. And fulfilling in my limited living right now

The day before. Watercolor is much less precise but working with the water the way the paint moves and drying times. Brush control is the secret along with having a vision for lines. 

My neck is healing. It's looking pretty good I think. 

My cousin in hospice is slipping away. The slow descent to death can be agonizingly painful when cancer is involved. I was talking with his sister last night who is also watching for cancer flare-ups. This is scary, facing your mortality is hard. Her kids also have cancer in their future via their genetics. It's hard as a parent to know you have given your child something unknowingly and despite your best efforts that will challenge them. Yet it is good to have those same children and to realize (hopefully) that today will not be their tomorrow. Life is constantly changing and evolving. What I go through what my experiences are will not be my children's. Just raising them in this crazy world teaches me that day after day things that were time tested facts and truths have been erased as opinions and oppression. 

I told my cousin it is better to love and loose than to never love at all. I believe that! I think loss is hard because we love so much. I wouldn't want to not love. I wouldn't want to live a life with less love. Many people have served us praying for us, feeding us, helping my kids be normal, checking in and visiting with us- just helping to carry our burden. We appreciate the concern and shared strength. We ar meant to lift each other and cry together as well as laugh together. I believe in heaven and I believe God is Real I know He has answered my prayers. My secret longing prayers and my loud and well thought out ones. I pray for my cousins and wait for my own results which won't tell me my future but will be one more piece of the puzzle for now. 

So today we will enjoy the rare white weather, relax and hold hands, and give thanks to be together. Life is good and even in the hard we are blessed more than we know.