amazing island park 2009

A few weeks ago we rented a cabin in Island Park with Courtney's family. We had a great time!

We arrived Thursday evening and stayed until Sunday morning. We stayed in an amazing cabin in Ashton right on the Snake river. Beautiful. The big hot tub was a favorite spot of the kids, and they could be found "swimming" there most any time of the day. We enjoyed peaceful walks, air hockey, ping pong, and card games, lots of laughs, and made more than a few good memories. Here are a few of the highlights. . .

Mesa Falls and a Grandma J devotional before heading home Sunday. . . (Kate didn't want to be in the picture).

Friday we spent the day lounging around and just plain being lazy! It was the anniversary of Sept. 11, so we watched some documentaries on that and reflected upon that day. Games were played, naps taken, and yummy food consumed. All in all, a great day.

On Saturday, we set out for Yellowstone in what we called the "Amazing Race". We split everyone up into 2 teams. Each team had a list of challenges to accomplish before returning to the cabin that evening. Among them were: find 3 "stinky pots", get pictures. . .watch old faithful erupt, eat an ice cream cone from the lodge, get pictures. . .wade into Firehole River up to the knees. Bonus points could be earned with pictures of wildlife (which held various point possibilities, depending on the kind). Also, each team could earn a bonus point for out of state license plates. 10 points were given if you had a picture of a team member with the license plate owner! Also, points were given for the first team to arrive at a challenge location, and the first back to the cabin.

The race is on. . .

It didn't take long for us to start recruiting poor strangers to pose for our out of state license plate pictures. (Turns out this is the wife of a celebrity of sorts-in the hunting world, anyway. Uncle Nate spotted her husband in the convenience store, and was thrilled to meet a guy he'd watched so many times on his hunting videos. Yip, they really do exist.)

Oregon

Michigan

Megan and Emmy posing at Stinky Pot #1.

More stinky pots.

Daddy, Grandma, and Grandpa waiting in line in front of Stinky Pot #2.

Grandpa exits Stinky Pot #2. Alive.

Stinky Pot #3.

Rival team members Ryenne, Madeliene, and Lauren. (Or as Uncle Courtney claims, stinky pots #4, 5, and 6.)

Aunt Shelly and I cornered these cool New Yorkian dudes and their license plate to get an extra 1o points. I think they were a little worried about our sanity. Good thing Aunt Shelly is so darn good lookin'.

This picture was taken just as Grandpa J exclaimed, "Oh my #*@! I forgot to pay for these!" (In reference to the candy bars in his hand. He had picked them up in the Old Faithful lodge and done the ol' five finger discount.)

Don't worry- he went back and paid- but not until we had all had a good laugh!

Aunt Shelly and kids o' plenty.

We got ice cream, and we've got proof!

. . And saw Old Faithful. Still as faithful as ever (give or take a few minutes).

Bridger commandeered Uncle Nate's ice cream cone.

Ymmm, gotta love ice cream hands all over your clean shirt.

Nothing that a little Spray 'n Wash won't take care of!

Wading in Firehole River.

Emmy and Megan were little troopers. They hung in to the last challenge and then finished our Amazing Race in style!

After the race, we met back at the cabin and then hooked up the camera to see everyone's picture proof and add up points. Everyone got some good laughs at the other team's "bear". (A picture taken of a bear in a movie on Darrell and Alyssa's van DVD screen. It was creative, you've gotta give them that!)

The Amazing Race turned out to be a great day!

All in all, we had a fabulous time with our family. We were bummed that the M and J families couldn't make it.

Hopefully this is a tradition in the making, because we're already looking forward to next year!

twinkletoes

When the girls turn 5, we let them choose an activity to participate in, along with the music classes they take from Aunt Nan. Ryenne has done ballet, Kate, gymnastics. This year was Emmy's turn to make a choice, and she had a bit of a hard time deciding. When all was said and done, however, she chose ballet. And to top it off? Her best buddy and cousin, Halle is taking ballet with her! Emmy keeps telling everyone she is in the "ducky" class (which is the dance the youngest ballet class learns at the studio).

I don't think there has ever, EVER, been two more excited ballerinas. In their minds, they are professionals. Professional duckies, that's what we have.

school days, school days. . .

Summer has come to an end (sigh), and it's back to school again. It's always hard for me to see the summer end. I just love the time we have for the girls to grow their imaginations and to just be kids! But, alas. . .I suppose we must grow our brains too.

We are so happy that the girls have fantastic teachers this year. We have always been lucky to get great teachers, and boy- do they make a difference!

We actually missed the official first day of school due to Grandpa Great's funeral. So, we took our traditional first day of school pictures on the second day instead!

Kate and Mrs. Rhees

Ryenne and Mrs. Wilkey (An interesting fact about Mrs. Wilkey is that she has 11 kids of her own!)

We're off and running toward another fantastic school year!

my little girl?

Tonight was my turn to drive Ryenne to ballet. When I went into the studio to get her, I could see Miss Frederick wasn't quite done with them. Seizing the chance to watch my little girl dance for a minute, I huddled onto the floor next to the sliding glass door trying to get a peak through the curtains.

Though my vision was limited, I could see the black leotards. Pink tights and graceful bodies moving across the floor to the music. My, they looked beautiful! Remembering that Ryenne is in a class with girls a few years older, I kept looking beyond these girls- trying to catch a glimpse of my little girl among the older, taller dancers.

The glare of the sun was making it even harder, but my eyes focused and settled on one particular girl. She was so beautiful and moved with such grace. Just as I was ready to look beyond her to find my Ryenne, she turned. My breath caught a little when I realized.

That beautiful, tall, and graceful ballerina I had been watching was my little girl.

One more reminder that she is growing all too quickly for the likes of me. I wondered at the girl I saw through the glass. Could that really be my Ryenne Ashleigh? In my mind, I still visualize her in pigtails and chubby cheeks.

The whole way home, I watched her in my rear view mirror. Laughing and giggling with the other girls, I loved the way she was so candid. So open and honest, not trying to impress. My heart was full of admiration for a girl who is quickly coming into her own.

Although this growing up business keeps taking me by surprise, I must admit.
I like what I see, Miss Ryenne.

reassurance

Some nights go well and some don't.
This one didn't.

Some nights I do well, and some times I don't.
Tonight, I didn't.

I laid in my bed discouraged. Frustrated that I'm not more patient. That I get angry. Just this morning, I vowed that I wouldn't hurry the girls so much. But the night got away from us, and there I was.

"Hurry and get your job done."

"Hurry and get your homework done".

"It's past bedtime."

"HURRY!"

I wish we didn't have to hurry so much. And maybe we don't. . .after all, they're just kids. But still, it's all gotta be done. Doesn't it?

Anyway, I didn't do it well tonight. I felt unkind and unworthy. I rushed to my room, almost in tears. I wanted to cry, but I was too mad. Mad at myself.

Instead, I decided that once my breathing returned to normal, I would go crawl in bed with Kate. I needed to tell her I was sorry.

And you know what she said? She said it was okay. And when I told her I wished I was a better mom, she asked me in the cutest, most comforting voice, "How could you be a better mom?" (Like I was the mom of the year or something.)

I told her that I wouldn't get angry. And without missing a beat, she sweetly reassured, "Now, what kind of mom could do that?. . . Nobody's perfect."

For a moment, she was the caretaker, and I the cared for. We lay there with my arms wrapped around her, but it was she who had completely enveloped me in her love. It was so unconditional, so tangible that I could feel it.

Thanks be to a Father in Heaven who loves me enough to send me children who are better than I am. In so many ways, they are the teachers- I, the student.

So glad to have an eternity with these precious little girls.

grandpa great's big party

The morning after Grandpa Great died, we talked to the girls one at a time about his passing. They loved Grandpa Great completely.

Of course there were a few tears.

He had teased them, sang to them, shared his Cheetos and cookies, taken them on four-wheeler rides to the park, and most importantly. . .he had delighted in them. That's the best word I can think of to describe it. I've never seen anyone delight in a child quite like Grandpa did.

He seemed to get an especially big kick out of Emmy. Something about her giggle, her freckles, and spunky personality. His eyes would sparkle with laughter as the two of them bantered back and forth.

The day of the viewing, we talked with the girls about what would be happening the next two days. Emmy kept getting a little confused. Throughout the day, she kept asking me questions such as, "What time is Grandpa's reception?" Each time I would try to explain things again, but I could tell it was all a bit confusing.

You have to understand, Courtney has a very large family. Lots and lots of cousins, a few who he hadn't really visited with in years! And so, as we arrived at the viewing there was, of course, some fun visiting going on. Lots of reminiscing, catching up, and laughter.

After we had been there for an hour or so, Emmy came to me and asked me to take her to the little girl's room. We held hands as I led her in and out of people down the long hallway. Once inside the restroom, she went into the stall while I waited by the door. I could see her little feet kicking back and forth while she contemplated the meaning of life. After relating a few of her observations to me, she paused and then chirped,
"This is a pretty big party, you know."

I could just hear Grandpa laughing.

giant among men

Last Thursday evening we received a phone call at 3:00 am. The minute the phone rang, I knew.

Grandpa Great had gone to Heaven.

Courtney and I called my mom to come stay with the girls, and we rushed to the hospital. As we gathered in the emergency room with Grandma Great, Grandma J, and other family members, we couldn't help but feel the spirit that filled the entire room. A spirit of love. Peace. Sorrow. And gratitude. Gratitude for having known such an amazing man.

That night was a spiritual experience for me, so I won't write too much about it, other than to say I was so touched by the fact that even in death (perhaps especially in death) Grandpa made a statement about what mattered the most. He loved his family. And even though his departure came unexpectedly, in the middle of the night, we watched the room quickly fill with grandchildren, some driving as far as an hour away in the middle of the night, just to be there. One after another, we all came to say goodbye. Because in our hearts, we knew he loved us the most.

More than anything else, he loved us the most.

Thank you Grandpa Great. Thank you for all that you taught us. For the expressions of love, laughter, praise, and encouragement. For always making us feel like we were the most important thing in the world. Like there wasn't anyone else. Any thing else.

At Grandpa's funeral, this common statement of Grandpa's was remembered often. "If I had a million bucks and I didn't have my family, I wouldn't have anything". He was always saying things like that. He loved his family so fully, so completely, that he was a wealthy man after all. And to be sure, no man was ever more loved.

That night I witnessed the truth of what he had been trying to tell us.

You had it all, Grandpa. You had it all.

We love you.