We are sad

 

Our Papa Jerry (Brian's dad) passed away peacefully Friday night. We are going to miss him. He was a great dad - of course, because he raised my awesome husband. And he was a very fun, caring and loving Grandpa.

Our family flies (yes, all 10 of us) out early tomorrow morning. We will be leaving for the airport around 4:45am and I can guarantee you...I will NOT be driving! We are looking forward to our time in Kansas with family and friends. Jerry's Celebration of Life service is on Wednesday.

I am still sore in my neck and parts of my back, but can still function.

Still no word if they caught the drunk driver. I will keep you posted.

Thanks for all your prayers. You are greatly appreciated.

Talk to ya later!!

Thankful to be Alive!

a post by my Mom...

 

Picture yourself driving to the Salt Lake City airport on I-80 westbound at 5:15 AM on Sunday, the 16 of August, 2009.  You are cruising along in the middle lane visiting with your spouse who needs to be at the airport for a 7 o'clock flight to Kansas City.  He is going to see his dad who had a massive stroke on the previous afternoon and is in a coma.  You pass the Junction at Park City and are at Jeremy Ranch when you check the rear view mirror of your Subaru car, again.  Horror of horrors, a vehicle is approaching in your lane at the rate of a speeding bullet!  What do you do?  Will the other driver realize what is happening and go off the road, will he hopefully change lanes?  Should you change your path?  SORRY, the "think time" is up!  You have just been hit by a drunk driver going 110 MPH in his BMW.

    You have just pictured the real scenario of Ashley and Brian.

    When the Subaru they were driving stopped spinning and was in the median, they immediately talked with each other to be sure they were both OK.  Then they went to check on the driver of the other car.  The car was there, the keys were in the car, but the driver had fled on foot.  Brian immediately phoned 911 and Ashley phoned a friend to come take Brian on to SLC to the airport.  Brian seems to have no problems from the accident.  He did not know it was coming and was relaxed - they say you are better off that way.  Ashley, seeing it coming, ended up with a whip lash down her neck and back and just stiff and sore all over.

    The police looked high and low for the driver.  There was a cooler full of beer and an open bottle in his car.  They could not find him.  They were very kind to Ashley and since the EMT's checked her over and found her vitals were normal and she had no headache, they took her home.  The Subaru was totaled.

    The low-down on the driver is that his behavior, even before this accident, earned him the label by the police as "a bad man".  He has quite a record of wrong doing with the law and currently has a warrant for his arrest for a felony charge.  He WILL be dealt with to the full extent of the law.

     At a time like this we again affirm our faith in our GOD.  We thank Him for the protective hedge He had around Brian and Ashley to keep them from  harmful injuries or death.  Their eight young children still need them and we are so grateful that they were spared!  We do serve an awesome God and we must remember to thank HIM in all things.  God has blessed them in so many ways not the least of which is through family and friends who have been very comforting, supportive, and loving at this time.

(my mom came up Sunday and took care of me and my children while I spent most of the day in bed with ice on my neck, Brian in KC with his Dad.  The children had a wonderful time with her. She blessed us tremendously - like always!  Thanks for "filling in" on my blog)

(Love you Mom!)

Calling All Prayer Warriors

 

Saturday afternoon, Brian's dad (Papa Jerry) had a massive stroke and was life-flighted to a hospital in Kansas City. There was/is bleeding on his brain. That night, Brian booked the earliest flight to KC on Sunday morning.  Brian wanted/needed to be there with his Dad.

Brian arrived to the hospital in KC, along with his sister and her husband. They spent the afternoon with their Dad. As of Sunday night, he was taking breaths on his own (but still has ventilator), eyes were open, responded to pokes, and could move his toes. The scan showed that there was no damage to the brain tissue. Just bleeding and they are draining that. Still many unknowns. Still in coma state.

Please pray for our Papa Jerry!!

Swim Little Duckie!

It was a cool spring (May) afternoon - not warm by any means - and the kiddos wanted to swim. I told them it would be cold. They said they didn't care.  So, we got the pool out and filled it up. Next thing I know Dani is bringing the ducks to the pool. Ah ha! That is why they wanted to swim so badly in the cool of the day. They wanted to swim with the ducks!

They actually stayed in for quite awhile and had a blast. The ducks enjoyed themselves too :)

   

Aren't those baby ducks so cute?

Next time they want to swim - no matter how cold it is...I won't hesitate. My answer will be, SURE!!!

 

Fast Forward 3 months...

The two cream ones were the babies swimming (above pics) with the children. They are Fawn Runners and the little Mallard is the one Caleb rescued (from the wild) at Big Canyon Lake. They are quite the 3-some. They no longer swim with the kiddos but they do swim in their own little mud-hole pool.

They are fun additions to our little farm.

 

P.S. Hey all of you blog friends, maybe you can help us! We need help in naming these ducks. There are 2 females and one male. Any ideas??

You are being tormented...

 

People continue to surprise me. Let me tell you why...

I took my 5 girls with me to run errands. We were in the grocery store. Tess was sitting quietly in the seat of the cart. Dani Rae was sitting in the big basket of the cart. Elizabeth was standing on the end. Abbi and Maggie were walking along with me. No ruckus. No fuss. All happy and helpful. It was a sweet moment UNTIL...

a lady (about mid 30's) standing there said, "YOU are being tormented." I looked at her with a very puzzled look. Was she talking to me and why on earth would she say that? So I said, "What did you say?"  She said it again, "You are being tormented!"  With a smile and still confused, I asked, "Why do you say that?"

Her reply was, "You have FIVE daughters!  I had two and that was way enough. You are a brave woman."

I told her that I also had 3 boys and all of them are a blessing to us. I left it at that.

I was still confused by her question but then I became very sad for her. What has happened to her so bad that would cause her to make such a comment? Why was her view of children so negative? Had the desire for her own pleasure gotten in the way of "being mom"? Were her children a nuisance? Had she become vain and prideful with no time for her daughters? I don't know.

I prayed for her and her daughters.

I also prayed for myself. I prayed that my heart would not become hardened towards God or my children. I prayed that I would joyfully seek God's will and not my own pleasure and that my children would see Jesus in me.

I am so thankful God loves me -with all of my impurities and imperfections.

God's Love and Forgiveness gives me hope!!

Giddy Up and Very Giddy!

July 6, 2009 

Abbi (with the help of our trainer, Melissa) worked Tally in the round pen. She passed all of the tests for being a safe horse to ride. So today was to be the day that Abbi rode her. We got to Melissa's first thing. Melissa wanted to go through everything one more time before Abbi mounted. Oh my goodness!! She was a crazy horse.... buckin', kickin', snortin', strong-willed and stubborn! We were all shocked.

So the work began! And she got worked hard. Melissa did all of the rope work around her belly, haunches, and legs again.

So instead of riding Tally that day, Abbi took a ride on Sugar - Melissa's pony.

  

And so did Dani Rae!

  

July 7, 2009

We returned to Melissa's the next day. Tally was a new girl. Look how mellow she was - with the rope around her belly. Went through everything (on the ground) again and...

Ta Da!!!

Abbi riding her Tally!

They were both smiling ear to ear!!

More!

 

The Big Canyon blog is ready for your viewing again. Another post!

http://bigcanyonupdate.blogspot.com/

See ya over there!!

Grandma ~ The Kayakin' Queen

Grandma June (Brian's mom) came for a visit (from AZ) at the beginning of July. I know, I know - that was a long time ago. But remember I have been a "slogger" and now I have to go way back in time to get caught up. So anyway, where was I? Oh yea, she came out. She celebrated my most favorite holiday (the 4th) with us.

We also spent the afternoon at Big Canyon Lake. Oh fun! She has never kayaked before and wanted to try it out...

Here she is getting all of the instructions on how to paddle and distribute weight so you don't tip and all of the other important things - which I have no idea what they are. She also has an audience - - all of us.

 

Here she is with the final instruction - DON'T RUN OVER BANDIT!!  And the big push send off. Away she goes! A little nervous and unsure about the whole thing, but not going to give up.

 

AND look at her now... The confident kayak queen!

 

A few more pics of our time at the lake...