Adventures in Family Life

Here are some of the latest edition photos. The portrait was actually from Christmas, but was so good, I wanted to include it.

The rest were from our recent family gathering in honor of Rachel's graduation. We did miss Reid and Russell both busy with their own adventures.

We loved having family all together and getting to play Grandma and Grandpa to our favorite grandchildren. The memories linger though all have now returned home. We look forward to the next family gathering.



We are missing everyone but are enjoying one another.

Last night we had another adventure/ misadventure. We decided to take Gus for a walk to get him used to the trails. We also took Elvis along. We were teaching Gus how to cross the water which he figued out. But once he got across he tried to go around us and go loose. We were worried about him running loose in the park (with Elvis chasing after), but luckily he just went home.

Back in the Saddle Again

'Back in the saddle again.' Well, not exactly, but metaphorically. This is referring to the fact that I got ejected from the saddle on Gus, see past blog, 1 month ago. I did suffer a hairline pelvic fracture and have been on the path to recovery. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I will be able to try a little slow riding again.

Today, I am walking sans crutches and even cane. I was walking to the mailbox to mail a letter to Russ @ Boot camp and almost forgot when I tried to run to the mailbox, because it is so cold (snow on the ground in Apr!). At any rate the best part is I can go for walks in our extended back yard, the worst part is I get sore from just walking. It's amazing how quickly one can get out of shape - esp in the over 50 crowd.

Now, let me get to what prompted me to write this blog in the first place - I read Beth's blog talking about really enjoying the phase of life that she is currently living. It is interesting I just recently wrote a letter to Russ and had a conversation with Rae about this very thing. Seems like a lot of country songs are hitting home to me lately. There is one called, 'You’re Gonna Miss This.' In it there are all these little scenarios in this man’s life from his teenage years, to having kids, to seeing his daughter first married, to her having kids of her own. At the end of each little vision into their lives, he says to himself or to his daughter – ‘You’re gonna miss this, you’re gonna want this back, you’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast.’ I heard that song on my way home from work 2 nights in a row and sat in the car and balled as it brought back a flood of memories.

I remember when were first married and we were both starving students living in a basement aparment while going to BYU (just around the corner from where Beth & Reid lived and a few blocks from the current residence of Rae & Chris. We used to do everything together, ride bikes to school, grocery shop, do laundry, work in our garden, study, go camping. It really was a great phase. I didn't realize how much I would miss it when I graduated and only he went to school.

Then when we had our first little girl, I enjoyed getting to stay home with her, while she slept in the cradle Ev made in the little nook just outside her room, noting her every mile stone. We had adventures going for walks and hiding in cabinets. Kris loved to stand up in her Dad's hand - the only one of our kids who would do that. Ev would pull her in the swing he made to hang from the hot water pipes. Wherever we went, we would just take her along. Often we went to SLC to visit grandparents and show her off. And Ev was working and going to school but was still close by and we had many family adventures camping and even backpacking with the Williams family in the Uintas. i also had a surrogate mother/sister in our upstairs neighbor who taught me to sew, and listened to me when I had worries or excitement to share, and gave great advice. Little did I realize what a breezy life it was in our little abode, the 3 of us.

We continued to move and grow. Ev got his first job in North Carolina and his boss was John Blanchard, a BYU alumnus, and their family welcomed us in and I gained another surrogate mom. We made great friends there, one of which became a great mentor, friend, after whom we named our second daughter, Bethany. There I had to be independent as Ev often had business trips doing out of town audits, but when he came home we would go play, or travel to see any BYU games that were anywhere nearby, even Kentucky. We were also close enough for weekend trips to DC to visit family. When Ev got offered a position in the FADP (mgmt training) program with GTE and we moved to CT, (when I was 7 mos pregnant), that was a challenge. I really did miss the blessings of southern hospitality and close work/church friends and a nice apt in a nice neighborhood.

I will continue the musings in my next entry. I promise there won't be such a long space this time. But I do want to second the theme of Beth's blog: enjoy where you are at. Look for the little pleasures and blessings that come with your stage in life and your events of each day. It all goes by way too fast.

Right now, Ev and I are busy and often go different directions, but we do have a lot of time to spend together one on one. It is sweet and our friendship has continued to develop. It is great to support each other in our endeavors. I got to spend a day watching him teach - that was so remarkable. He has been so sweet helping me since my injury. It is a treasure. But we also often mention missing those busy days when our lives were filled to overflowing with kids activities and diaper changing. We are grateful to have those days to look back on and being able to catch a glimpse into it in the next generation. We LOVE being grandparents.

The other night we stopped by Kristen's and the kids had already gone to bed, Ev sneaked upstairs to just peak into their rooms and it was like looking into heaven. What a joy. We certainly can't complain.

The window of time when we had all our children close by was a great treasure. Now, we are coming to the close of another window of time, with Rachel and Chris leaving for new adventures. It has been great to have them close by, to see and share Sunday dinners, do laundry, have Rae come up to help me after my accident, to go to dinner with them as our Christmas present, take Sunday walks and hikes up the canyon, to get to see Rae defend her thesis and give presentations, meet Chris for dinner when Rachel was away and Sunday mornings on their couch. We are very much looking forward to our adventure in Peru with them.

GUS

Colonel's Gold Under Saddle (Gus)

We have a new family member, Colonel's Gold Under Saddle (Gus). He turns two this month (Feb 2008) and has started training. Janet and I rode him last week. He is doing great.

We learned that Jack has Cushing's disease and hope he'll make it another summer and then Gus can take his place. Jack has been a good horse. It will be hard to put him down. But so far Jack is doing good. We have enjoyed the horses.

Gus is as nice as he is pretty. It will fun to see him out on the trails this summer. Janet really likes him.

This morning, in about a foot of snow, I put the round pen up on the back of mom's lot and ran Jill. She needs the work and enjoyed playing in the snow.

As for the Colonel part of Gus' name - it is not a throwback to Magruder High School (Colonels) but his mother is out of Colonel Freckles and Doc Bar. His dad is out of Mr. Gunsmoke. These are big name horses. The trainer wants to put Gus in performance training - cutting or reining. Perhaps Janet will yet make the Cowgirl Hall of Fame.

Fast times

Ev and I just returned from our first rafting trip since we did it when our kids were young. This time was with a student group, an interesting experience with a bunch of free-spirited 'river people'. We camped and rafted down the Colorado River from before the confluence with the Green down through Cataract Canyon and ending up at Hite at the start of Lake Powell. It was cold and wet, but exciting and fun.

Bonding times

I have been very lucky lately to have gotten to spend some 'bonding time' with my kids/grandkids. My last blogs show my trip to Austin. I have also gotten to go hiking with Rae in the mountains we love. That has always been one of our favorite activities - "I like to hike!" It is a great time to get away and talk about things that are close to our hearts: family, future plans and dreams. The outdoors and the exercise always leave us feeling renewed and invigorated.

I have also gotten to spend a lot of time with Kris, Ben and Em. We have gone on hikes as well out our back door with our little 'Hiker in Training' and our Glacier Jr Ranger. You'll have to ask Kris about our hike with Ben, he remembers having a great time; it was quite interesting. Em is a real go-getter with her head ahead of her feet at times and Ben keeps us entertained.

Au Revoir Austin, Contd

It was hard to leave the little family behind, but so good to look forward to the next visit. I can't wait to see Lareine crawling great guns and really getting into mischief. Won't she have fun with her cousins.

Au Revoir Austin

I wanted to include more pics from my trip so you can see what a great time we had and all we accomplished.

Lareine really captured my heart and it brought back so many memories of when I was in that position, a young mom having so much fun with each of my children as they went through those exciting times when each day brought some new discovery and they wanted nothing more than being with the ones they love (besides eating, sleeping, and playing). It was really fun to relive those days for just a little while. Thanks to Beth and Reid for letting me have such a precious little window into their lives.