Fun and Trauma

This week held such a huge range of emotion.  We had some truly, amazingly fun moments and some purely terrifying moments.

We had a family BBQ on Tuesday and that was the kick off to several days of family adventures.  Tala was supposed to grill but got held up at Kalani's football practice.  Jeremy and Ben ended up manning the grill and they did Tala proud.

On Wednesday we floated the Clackamas river.  The day turned out to be overcast and not the warm day we had hoped for.  The water level was low and we were unprepared for rock and rapids in our $3 tubes from Target.  We frequently got bashed against rocks and had to get out and walk along slippery rocks at times to avoid rapids that we were not prepared for.  Early on we saw a woman shatter her leg and have to be carried (screaming) out of the river to an ambulance.  It was supposed to be a 4 hour float but at the 4 hour mark we still had a ways to go.  We kept getting stranded on rocks and then when we would get free we would get separated from each other and battered against rocks in the rapids.  On one of the last sets of rapids I got pulled away from the group and was being sent down the river.  That is when I heard Merrick screaming "My leg! My leg!".  I wasn't there to see it but heard later that his leg got slammed against a rock and trapped between the raft we had and the rock.  Then he got separated from the group as they floated down the river and he was stranded, screaming on a rock.  Thankfully Memphis (Rick's stepdaughter) was able to grab him and pull him off the rock.  They started floating (tubeless) down the rapids.  I dove off my tube and clawed against the rocks trying to get to him.  When I did, he was still screaming and I was still clawing at the rocks hoping that we could somehow get out of the water.  Eventually the rapids gave way to calm water and somehow a boat appeared out of nowhere with a man asking if we were ok.  When I indicated that we were not, he helped Merrick into his boat and helped us get to the spot where we were supposed to be getting out (which was now very close).  Thankfully his leg ended up being ok, just some bruising.  If I am being honest we all have our fair share of bruises.  The important thing is that we all made it out safely and without any lasting damage, other than some ongoing PTSD and we did even manage to get a few pictures of the happy times early on.

On Thursday we were looking for a little redemption and some family fun that didn't include emotional trauma.  The weather was still overcast and a little drizzly from time to time but we decided to head to Oaks Park for our annual cousin Oaks day.  This year we were excited to have Em's family and lots of church friends join us too.  We got there just a little after it opened and stayed until close.  The kids had so much fun riding with their different cousins on the rides and roller skating.  After work Jeremy, Ben, and Tala joined us and the kids ran from ride to ride until they kicked us out.  It was a great day!

Yesterday, Jeremy and Merrick got to have a once in a lifetime experience touring the air traffic control tower at the Portland airport.  It was to finish up the aviation merit badge the bigger kids had been working on when they flew the planes a few weeks ago.  But, since Merrick flew, he got to go to this too.  It was a really cool experience for them. 

Not that that wasn't enough for one week, but Jeremy also took the Washington State Bar exam yesterday.  He (of course) passed so now we just have a little bit more paperwork and he will be licensed in Washington.

What a week!

Scouts and Wiffleball

This week was Scout Camp for Merrick.  That means he spent all day, everyday out at camp.  He did archery, obstacle courses, woodworking, BB shooting, and it was pretty much everything a 9-year-old boy could hope for.  Everyday he came home filthy and excited to tell me about what had happened that day.  I think the highlight for him were the 4 bullseyes he got over the week during BB shooting.  I am disappointed to say that I don't have any pictures of him from the week, but I was only out at camp with him one day and even on that day I didn't get to be with his group.

While he was gone, the girls and I had a blast despite really missing him.  We did lots of shopping and crafting, including making bath bombs and even went for a treat one day.  We had a good time.

Tonight we capped off the fun week with family wiffleball.  This is the third week in a row that we have played.  The first two weeks we played with a bucket as our judge of stikes.  It wasn't the best so yesterday Jeremy and Merrick stepped up our game and created a strike zone.  Hopefully, now that we are better outfitted, we can keep the tradition going.

Before I wrap up tonight I need to give a quick shout out to Jeremy.  Tomorrow is our 14th anniversary!!! How did that happen?!?!  I am so grateful he has put up with me all these years.  He is my favorite!

Waiting

Time for a get real post.  We had another fun week with near constant playing and hanging out with friends and cousins and an epic sleepover.  Life isn't completely rosey though.  Pretty much constantly on my mind is our housing situation.  Our house has been on the market for over three months now.  That is an eternity when you have three kids who are home for the summer and you are desperately trying to keep the house clean.  I worry all the time and get upset that things are not working out the way that I want them to.  At times I feel trapped by the situation.

Last Sunday our bishop gave a talk and one thing he said was that sometimes the waiting give us time to learn to be content with where we are and what we have.  This really hit me and has been my focus this week.  While I maybe don't have everything I want, I have everything I need.  It is ok. 

On Friday I was at my sister's house and saw she had this written on her chalkboard.

Jeremy says it doesn't do anything for him, but to me it is the perfect reminder.  God is in charge and knows what is best for me better than I do.  He knows my goals and has a plan for me and my family.  I can wait.

Summertime Fun

This week has been tons of fun! It has been so much fun that I am forgetting to do things I am supposed to, like write the blog.  Since it is getting close to bedtime, my words will probably be few tonight, but that's ok because what we all really want is to see pictures of the cute kids anyway.

So this week we spent LOTS of time with our cousins.  We went to the park several times, we went swimming, and we went to the bounce house.

 

This weekend the fun continued with Jeremy home.   Yesterday morning he took the kids to the parade for the Old Time Fair (I didn't walk the parade for the preschool this year because I was too busy getting ready for the open house we had yesterday). Then we went to the Stake Picnic.  It wasn't as fun as last year, but the girls liked their face painting and Elsie seemed to really enjoy herself.  We capped off the fun weekend with some family wiffle ball at the park this evening (hence me forgetting to do the blog).

It's was a fun week in the summer.  Let the good times roll.

Welcome Em and The Young Eagles

This week was full of major events, first off on Tuesday we welcomed Emily, Tala and the boys (plus Rick and Jillian and Jillian's two kids, but that is a story for a different day) as the newest residents of West Linn.  They left AZ last Sunday and after two and a half days of driving with very little sleep, they pulled in to their driveway late Tuesday.  We had about 30 people from the West Linn and Trillium wards show up to help them and they unloaded the huge Uhaul in record time in the rain, a true Oregon welcome.  We are really happy to have them join us.  My whole family is now present and accounted for.  Now we just need to work on Jeremy's side.

The other major events of the week took place over Friday and Saturday.  Merrick took part in a program called the Young Eagles.  The adventure started on Friday when he and Jeremy, along with Ben, Quincy, Colvin, Kalani, and Kai headed out to Estacada and spent the night camping with some other kids from the ward.  They spent night in the backyard of a family that used to live in our ward.  What boy doesn't love camping with his cousins?  So, that in and of itself was an adventure.  But, the fun was just getting started.  On Saturday morning Emily drove Maude and Jillian's kids out and they all met out at the Estacada airport to FLY PLANES!  Each of the kids were taken up in a two seater plane with a pilot.  Once in the air the got a chance to take the controls and fly by themselves.  I think Merrick was nervous at first, but had a great time.  He loved that his plane had sea turtles painted on it and that he got to fly close enough that he could see West Linn.  I don't know if he will get to do this again or if it was a once in a lifetime thing, but it was definitely a memory that he will hang on to for a long time.

While the boys were gone, the girls and I hung out with the remaining Browns.  We played at their house, went to dinner, and to a park with a splash pad. I don't think Carrigan feels like she missed out on anything.

The only sour note of the whole ordeal was that Jeremy hit a big stick on his way home and ripped a hole in his back tire.  Just to make life even more fun, apparently nobody carries his size of tire so we had to order one and are now waiting for it to come in while he drives around with a doughnut.

All American 4th of July

This week we celebrated the 4th of July and we did it in just about as American of a way as possible.  We started the 4th at the park with some baseball practice.  We then went home and went for a swim.  We have done a lot of swimming this summer but Jeremy hasn't been around to come very often so it was good to have him there to join us

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After swimming, we got cleaned up for a BBQ and fireworks at the Brown's/Robbin's compound.  They haven't had their 4th BBQ for several years so it was a fun return to tradition.  It was also good to spend some time with our friends, the Wilsons, before they move to Utah in a few weeks (insert crying face here).  I took this picture of Carrigan and Ruby at the BBQ.  I think these girls will really miss each other.  I didn't get any pictures of the firework because I ended up taking Elsie home for bed.  To say that she wasn't a fan of the fireworks is an understatement.

The rest of this 4th of July weekend was all about baseball.  You don't get more American than that.  This was our last tournament of the summer and we played two games on Friday and two on Saturday.  It has been a rough summer and while all the boys have learned and grown so much they have been in tournaments where they are significantly out matched, sometimes playing kids a year or two older than them.  Going into this weekend we had yet to win a game.  Friday was more of the same, but Saturday we knew we had a shot and we came to play.  We had some amazing plays and led at times in both games.  In the end we lost the first game and tied in the second, but I could not be more proud of how the boys fought.  Merrick ended up getting MVP in the first game for his work at first base.  Nothing got by him and everyone started calling him stretch.  He had some vintage Mark Grace, 3/4 splits, catches for outs.  I have to say that, while baseball has been a lot this summer, I am sorry to see it go.  I think the smile on Merrick's face in the photo of him with his big first baseman's glove (which was generously gifted to him by coach Caleb) says it all.