Oct 22, Great Week, Great Biopsy Results

Last update, we were heading to Chicago.  Our whole family (except Megan who stayed for volleyball), was flown to Chicago to participate in a gala for a not-for-profit called "Saving Tiny Hearts." It was founded by a couple who had a child with congenital heart defects and they have been going strong for 12 years.  They raise funds that go to research for heart disease and this year they wanted it to go towards cardiomyopathy.  They asked if our family would come and tell our story at their gala.  We were happy to go.  We spent Saturday walking around downtown Chicago (in the rain) and went to the Fields Natural History Museum.  The only down part was that it was pouring rain the whole time.  By the time we walked to the museum from our hotel (almost 3 miles) we were soaked!  It was still fun and memorable.  We attended the gala that evening and met some very wonderful people.  It was a great experience and we were honored to be invited to share our story with the 500 people attending.  As we told our story, we emphasized and highlighted how far research has come in the last 11 years from Sierra's near death ordeal in 2006 to Gage's 512 days of waiting on the machine.   The research is still needed to help understand the disease and what doctor's can do to improve kid's lives.   Anyway, it was a good experience to be able to share our unique story.

Sunday we flew back from Chicago. Sierra, Gage and I took a flight from Boise to San Francisco for their biopsies the next day.  Jason, Lindsey and Hunter returned home to Oregon.  Gage and Sierra both received ZEROS on their biopsies!! Very excited about that, especially since they told us Sierra's pressures were elevated the day of her biopsy.  Sometimes this can mean nothing and sometimes it can indicate rejection.  We were relieved to hear it was nothing and she received a zero.  Gage, Sierra and I returned home Tuesday evening.  We were home for a couple days then Sierra and I left (again) for Salt Lake where Sierra purchased a used car for herself and we went to pick it up.  We left Thursday, spent the night in Logan with my family.  Friday morning she did a campus tour at Utah State University and then we went to Salt Lake.  After picking up the car, we headed back home to Oregon so we could be back in time for Megan's district volleyball tournament Saturday morning.

Jason stayed in Oregon and worked with Hunter to get him ready for his first boy scout camp out.  Jason and Hunter left Friday for his campout and had a great time.  Saturday was Megan's district volleyball tournament and for whatever reason, their team was just not "on." They ended up loosing and not placing in districts. It was a really sad day.  She's still working through it. Quite a bummer for her and her team.  She did receive first team honors and the team won the dreaded sportsmanship award.   Nothing wrong with good sportsmanship, it's just that the award NEVER to the winning team. 

Now its on to the next adventure.  Jason is leaving for elk camp in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.  Hunter is into basketball.  Sierra and Lindsey are doing dance (which Stacy is coaching).  Gage is itchin for YMCA basketball.

So life is moving on.  We have no trips planned to Calif until January.  So we are livin' and lovin'.

A great fun in the rain. Heading past Trump Tower.

Don't ya love Hunter's look. 

Sierra, Gage and Stacy off to Calif.  The rest of us heading home.

Just finished cleaning the baler out.

Hunter's first boy scout trip. Heading across the Snake River to the hot springs at Oxbow.

The Sportsmanship Award....

And 1st team honors...

Oct 12, little catch up.

Yes, it has been a month.  A very good month here at home in Oregon.  Gage, Sierra, and Lindsey are all doing well.  As of today, they are all at zero rejection with good heart function.  So with that, we are moving forward back into our 'normal' lives.  Kids are involved in school, sports, church, and even dance.

Stacy and I were asked by our church to help teach a dance routine for the Meridian Temple open house.  So for the last month we have been teaching about 24 kids ages 12-18 a 1920's Charleston dance.  It has been really fun to teach the tough moves and see the kids pick up on it. Our kids along with rest of the crew are really picking up on it. They will combine with about 200 kids to perform the dance at the Taco Bell Arena in Boise some time in November.  Should be really cool.

At the end of  September we have our annual Deer camp over in the Imnaha area. The kids (including their Dads) look forward to this as much as if not more than Christmas.  This year we had 8 Dads and 21 kids ages 18-8......and only 2 deer tags.  Every year a new group of 8 year olds get to go.  This year it was Gage, Lyndi, and Stran.  It is really nice for Dad's and kids to get to hang out at deer camp.  We have been going to the same place since 1981.  A great tradition to maintain.

Megan, Lindsey and Hunter have been involved in fall sports.  Hunter has been playing junior high football as a 6th grader.  It has been really tough on him to run with the big 8th graders, but he loves it and keeps coming back for more.  Lindsey has been playing junior high volleyball and loves it.

Our dear Megan is a major part of the high school volleyball team.  They are currently in 1st place in the district and ranked 10th in the state. She works really hard at it and puts a lot of pressure on herself to do well.   They have one more week of district play then they start into the district and state tournaments. 

This weekend will be interesting.  We are being flown out to Chicago to participate in a fundraiser for a foundation who supports children's heart disease.  I believe it is called 'Saving Tiny Hearts'.   We are speaking at a fancy black tie gala in down town Chicago.  We have rented tuxedos and will be speaking to about 500 people this Saturday night.  Should be interesting.  Stay tune for that.

Other than that, it just really nice to be home in Oregon.  We do love and miss our Calif friends, and we know the day will come when we have to go back, but for now we are home and doing well.

 Fun deer camp pictures

 You can see camp WAY up at the top.  Still had a long ways to go!

 Look close you can see the horses and kids wayyyyy in the bottom

 The bear cave

 All for that one HUGE buck.  Good shot Nick.

 Have we ever told you that Gage LOVES football. Especially when he is playing against his cousins.  Full contact by the way. 

...and his new BB gun

 Sierra toured BYU-I.  This statue was here back in the late 80's when I was there. 

 Hangin out at Michone's wedding.  The whole gang was there. 

 2 nice boys who took Sierra on the tour.

 One of my favorite places to visit back the good ole Rick's days.