July 26 - Gage and a Busy July

July has been a busy month for us.  We knew it was going to be.  It is our month of fun vacations and camps.  Along with the fun activities, was a month of busy farm work.  We work hard on the ranch to help look forward to the activities. 

The first part of July, Jason and I had a 4 day trip planned with our dear friends, the Yeck's.  We call it our "Save the marriage" trip. We try and do this annually.  This has been the first time in awhile that we were home and available to do the trip.  So, we planned a motorcycle trip along the Oregon coast.  Jason loves Harley-Davidson motorcycles and has wanted to own one for a long time.  We drove to Portland and rented the motorcycles.  We had a great time and enjoyed seeing the oregon coast on a motorcycle. 

Meanwhile, Sierra was home with the boys while we were gone.  She informed us that Gage wasn't eating very much and was acting really tired.  His appetite was starting to decrease a little before we left and he was acting a little tired.  When we returned from our trip, there was a marked difference in how Gage was acting.  He wasn't eating anything and just wanted to lay around on the couch.  He didn't have a fever, but wasn't drinking either.  Looonnnggg story short, he and I were life flighted to California.  We spent 5 days there.   They biopsied him, did a CT scan and a few other labs.  All tests were negative so they did a stool sample and found out he had Shigella.  Shigella is a cousin to E. Coli.  Once the diagnosis was made and Gage was feeling better, he explained that "sometimes when he helps Hunter change sprinkler pipe in the field, he drinks from the sprinkler because he is sooo thirsty.  But it is okay because the water is clear."  This is water that comes down a ditch that cows and animals have defecated in.  Oh how I love his simple mind.  I explained that he is never to do that again and he can take 5 water bottles with him when he changes pipe!

Fortunately, Gage and I made it back from California just in time to leave for a family reunion in Yellowstone.  We had a lot of fun with cousins and picked up Hunter's good friend Jules from the airport on the way.  He is here for a week and we are having a great time with him. 

On Saturday, we leave for Gage's Make-A-Wish.  He asked to go to Disney World.  We fly out early Sunday morning and return the following Sunday.  On Monday he has an appointment with Chubakka, since that was the character he wanted to see.  Not sure how that conversation will go.😊  We are all really excited to go, so this is our work hard week.

When we return from Florida, we have one day at home and then we repack and leave for California.  All 3 kids will have biopsies and appointments and Megan will have a check up as well.  Stay tuned for those results.  This will hopefully be a good biopsy to send Sierra off to college with, as we get ready to send her out on her own.  Yikes!!

 Some fun friends came to visit while in the hospital.  Anuj and Jacob stopped by.  It was really nice to see them.  Jacob had a transplant 3 1/2 months ago and is doing great.  

 Jules and Hunter at the airport.  So nice of Jules parents to let him come.

 These are all pictures of Yellowstone.  I had to snap this one.  I thought it was hilarious.  Jason and I ended up with the teenage cousins in our suburban.  It was really a happening place, they slept.  I caught this picture of Megan and her cousin Roper.  Notice the drool spot on Megan's sleeve.😂

 I thought this was an appropriate spring for our family. The "heart Spring."

 Gage's Make-A-Wish party

 Thank you to our wish grantors Stephanie and Linda.  They did a great job!!

June 20, Summer is Here

Wow, it has really been awhile.  A lot has happened, and as we keep putting off updating, more will continue to happen.  So, I am making it my goal to try and do better at updating the blog.  I will start off where we left off and try not to make this too long.  Gage's last biopsy was a ZERO!!  We were really happy about that, as this was his biopsy being off of steroids.  He has a leaky heart valve, that happens from being biopsied so frequently.  So, he does not have to be biopsied again until August along with his 2 sisters.  He is currently on 6 medications, instead of 12.  He is not complaining about that.

In April, my dear father had a massive stroke and he did not survive.  I was able to spend the week being with my siblings and helping with his funeral.  It was a really helpful experience for me, as it helped give me closure.  I was able to see my father one last time while he was still responding and tell him good-bye.  Jason was left with all the kids in their busy schedules and his crazy end to tax season to face.  They all pulled together and survived the week I was gone.  I really appreciated that.

May was filled with track season for Hunter, Megan and Lindsey, graduation for Sierra and baseball for Gage.  It has been a long tradition that the last day of school we ride our bikes home.  This is a 7 mile bike ride.  It was so great to be home and able to do it this year.  Everyone rode their bikes home except Sierra (who had graduated).  We take the bikes up to the school in the morning and then I will ride my bike home with them.  All wonderful events that a year ago we were wishing we could do.  Most days we take the time to celebrate the fact that we are home and how blessed we are.  All of the kids had echocardiograms (ultrasound of the heart) done in May and they all looked good. We will take that!

Sierra's graduation was great.  I am really proud of her and her big accomplishment.  She is planning on attending BYU - Idaho this fall and will major in nursing.  This was an emotional event for us as there were times we weren't sure she would make it this far and still be here with us.  She is becoming such a beautiful young woman and her heart is so full of empathy towards others.  It will be great to see her growth when she is on her own.

Megan is looking forward to being a senior this coming school year and has been preparing by taking the SAT.  She received a great score the first time she took it, but it wasn't perfect, so she took it again.  Hunter and Megan have a summer job changing pipe for our neighbor.  It has been a good learning experience for them.  Some lessons you just can't teach your children on your own.  They are better learned from others.

We are looking forward to a summer of being home and together and enjoying the busy work that summer brings.  Thanks for checking in on us.  Stay tuned for more frequent updates. 😀

Gage at his biopsy in April. Below he is celebrating his zero with a pickle. 

 All of my siblings and my mom together after my father's funeral.

Track Season: Hunter long jump, discus, 1500m, 800m and 4 x 400m relay, Lindsey hurdles, javelin, 4 x 400m relay and long jump.  Megan pole vault, triple jump and 4x100m relay.

Beginning of Gage's baseball season

 Prom 2018

 Helping work cattle

Lindsey's 8th grade field trip to the Oregon Coast.  I was fortunate enough to be a chaperone.  Lot's of fun!

Jason's birthday at home with all of us there (a rarity).

Sierra's Graduation cap.  Love it!

K-3rd graders end of school year trip to go bowling and then for a picnic.  Pictured below is 1st-3rd grades.

Our biking crew on the last day of school

Just got back from a really fun family reunion in Stanley, Idaho.  Lots of fun with cousins, Aunts, Uncles and grandparents.