SCHOOL days

Anabel-in-toe with her "pack pack"...she wanted to know where her class was?

A good day finished!

our little angel has angels

Day 2: with doggy and blanket beside me it's going to be a good day!

It has been a week today since our scary mishap with our youngest...one of those mishaps that could have gone so, so much worse and in the moment it seems it just might.  Nathaniel and I were throwing on our tennis shoes to take the kids on a walk up to the field to catch grasshoppers for their praying mantis and ride their razors...Asher and Anabel were just outside waiting, a common thing, and Evie was probably still looking for a missing shoe; when in runs Asher and says Anabel is crying.
Nathaniel goes right outside and hears her crying but cannot see her anywhere.  We live on a somewhat steep driveway that goes straight out from our garage and then turns down the hill to the road.  Its about sixteen stone steps or 8 feet vertically off the road from the highest part of the driveway.  Nathaniel asks loudly "Where is she Asher?!" and Asher points down the driveway....Nathaniel races down the driveway and once at the bottom realizes she is behind him on the road crying, trying to get back up the brick retaining wall she has just fallen off....in a stroller!  The stroller rolled across the driveway, through the grass, hit the retaining wall and flipped over the edge and onto the road.  As he carries our very bloody, in shock two year old quickly up our stairs, my panic-mom-go-mode sets in....she has a deep oval "hole" above her right eye and blood is covering her face, arms, legs and clothing.  We quickly get ice in a towel, get the kids in the car, and race to ER...it was one of those scary, speeding drives to the hospital, very unsure of just how bad her head injury was given that she rode a stroller over a 7 ft wall to land in the street on the pavement below.  Anabel, in a sleepy shock state was barely awake...a moms most terrifying moment as I am continually talked louder, saying her name and tapping her cheek trying to keep her eyes open.
The rest is probably just details to the casual reader but what I must say is how thankful I am to our Father in heaven for keeping His angels watch over our youngest that day.  The ER docs were so wonderful and gracious (as they ordered a ct scan), saying how often they are amazed at how God made the little ones out of rubber, but I know it was angels that kept her.  When I look at the mangled stroller handle that must have hit first, and her bruised shoulder and head where she hit and her scraped legs, I know how bad it could have been.  Even as I think about it now, only three stitches and a bunch of scratches and bruises later, my eyes well up and I am grateful beyond words.  Its a story that ends so badly for some, as the neighbors lay awake at night worrying, wondering...but for us, its a reminder of God's mercy and care for His children, this child.  Mommy wasn't there when Asher decided to help Anabel into the stroller...and I should have been; thank you Jesus You were.  Now we can smile in thankfulness every time we see your giraffe stuffed animal they gave you at the hospital, reminding each of us how precious life is.
And one day we can look back at the pictures and retell our stories, like the Israelites, and remember what the Lord has done.  Praise and glory be to Him, always.

August: A Whirlwind

 Coug Day at Silverwood! with grandma... A perfect day, overcast with spots of sun and mild crowds. Anything that begins and ends with young and old riding up and down on a carousel horse that goes by the name 'Buckeye' has got to be a really good day!  Topped off with a constant din of an old banjo jig and a few really bumpy roller coasters and you have yourself fun for all! Asher could go on everything this year except the biggest coaster, and he gladly obliged daddy numerous times as we sat in amazement and I in gratefulness to have to experience some of them just once :)  My stomach is officially aging....it just can't take the tilt-a-whirl four times in a row anymore and I end up laughing, crying, and almost peeing on the first ride now instead of the last! hee hee.

Next came Seaside with the family....wow. Its always good to be reminded that you can not just survive a week of close quarters, long car rides and multiple families, children, etc but instead savor it!  We Love the Coast!....every year. :)  It always seems like our week together will crawl by and then we wake and are sad to wave goodbye again, until next time....
This year we tried a few new things too that we had not done with the kids....a trip to Astoria where we saw some seals in the port, giant ships and enjoyed an excellent lunch at an open air brewery.  Dad also rode a unicycle that my brother in turn bought for him out of just being completely impressed with dad's balance and boldness to ride down the sidewalk for all to see after probably 25 years without practice :) it was awesome and we got it on video, even better.
Another highlight was mom RUNNING into the freezing ocean with the boys and Than ready to pick her up if she couldn't get out after going completely under water...what a woman! :)
We also went barnacle hunting at low tide at the base of Cannon Beach...the kids loved exploring the sea creatures on their own turf and not behind the glass of a tank.
Another highlight was spending a morning and a whole day at the beach having a huge campfire roast and dinner of hotdogs and s'mores with some loved ones while two or three kites, old and new, soared above us in the fresh ocean air.  Did I mention I love the coast?  Maybe one of the cooler weeks at the coast in years and it still was amazing.
We also had an awesome meal a McKeown's, made fun pottery with some old friends from Nathaniel's childhood, and swam to our hearts content! :) I know I have probably forgotten some of my favorite moments but if I wait any longer I will only forget more :)  I can hardly wait to develop the pictures...
I am just so grateful our family takes the time to enjoy one another and sets a week aside despite all our busyness each in our own right and takes the time, effort, patience, and care to head to the coast again :)  What great memories we have shared together, looking forward to more!

Between the cracks of August I found myself pondering how amazing blackberries must have been in the garden...without thorns. Yet I found myself every few days grateful to be out there risking life and limb as I dangled above flesh-tearing bushes in order to enjoy fresh wild blackberries in the months to come.  A small price to pay for a years worth of jams and cobblers :)