Who Said 13 Was Unlucky???

Well, for some strange reason, I am not allowed to make this Facebook official, but she told me I could blog it! (???)  Hey, who am I to argue?  However I am thrilled to announce grandbaby #13, currently known as "Avocado" mostly because mommy and daddy haven't come up with a name that will be worthy of the princess this little one will surely be!  Avocado is, well, it's kind of funny.  When we were in Hawaii for Chris and Kassi's wedding, we had lunch at Bubba Gump.  The waiter was a hoot, and his name tag said Avocado.  When Kassi found out she was pregnant she started calling the little one Avocado, and it seems to have stuck.  Poor baby.... since it's a girl, not a boy!  But it makes us all happy (and makes us wish we were in Hawaii again!).  She is due to make her appearance in early October, but who knows with this one.  She's done things her own way since she was no bigger than the period at the end of this sentence.   Kassi is seeing a midwife and plans to have her in a birthing center.  It's going to be an exciting ride.  Chris is out of the military and deciding where to go to school so we get them around for a little while.  I will surely cry when they decide to leave, because we have all gotten extremely attached to having Kassi and her sunshine back with us for a while! 

So, our family continues to grow in the most amazing ways.  These grandbabies are... there are no words for how amazing they are.  Each with their own amazing personalities.  It is so fun to watch them grow.  Thayne has the most tender heart and if it's been very many days in a row without seeing them, he starts telling me we need to see them.  He's gotten soft in his 'grandpa' years which is probably why he recently insisted we get a play house/swing set for them.  One much nicer than he did for his older kids (yes, we heard about how spoiled the younger kids are, but we couldn't help it that the younger kids were born the same time the grandbabies were being born).   Life is busy.  It's sometimes overwhelming.  There is so much going on in everyone's lives, and often we get pulled in to the whirlwind, above and beyond the normal whirlwinds of our own life.  Last week, we had plans to get out of town overnight for our anniversary, but heard Kimi was planning to come and spend the weekend.  Thayne just shrugged his shoulders and with a goofy grin on his face, he informed me that this whole crazy mess was my idea!  He always tries to turn it around on me!!!  haha  

Honestly, I have a million dreams, a million hopes, a whole bunch of 'stuff' I want to be working on now.  But I know that in the end, the love these babies show to us, the hugs and loves and kisses and squeels of laughter, well, isn't that what life is all about anyway???

13 is the perfect number to round out the year.  Our arms are full... you should see our hearts!

Did I say 11 was great? What I really meant to say is....

If 11 is great, a dozen is even better!!! 

Yes, a dozen grandbabies. 

Garrett and Tiffany gave me the best birthday present.

An ultrasound picture of our next grandbaby,

due in August!

And she's a girl...

God Hears Our Desperate Prayers

Faith proceeds the miracle.  I have been taught that my entire life, and even when things don't turn out exactly the way I had hoped, I still trust that the Lord is in charge and I have found peace in even the most trying circumstances.  We have to actively believe in order to see miracles.  Though often the miracle is not exactly what we wanted, but simply the understanding to get through whatever it is that we happen to be struggling with.

Yet sometimes, things happen that teach us that everything is not exactly as we believe it to be, and that we have angels watching over us, and praying for us... and just maybe, we need to take a little more time to pray for others.  The past month have given me many opportunities to recognize unseen hands in my life, and to take the time to pray for those that I don't even know.

Kailee and Kalli were recently in an accident.  A woman was having a diabetic reaction. The girls had passed her on the highway by the high school and were concerned that she was drunk because of the way she was driving. Kailee's exact words to Kalli were, "Let's get around this crazy right now!" This is the busiest time of the day and traffic in both directions is nonstop.

They had traveled less than a mile after passing her when Kailee looked in the rear view mirror and sees the same SUV rapidly approaching her. There was absolutely no place to move. To the right were cars, the left had oncoming traffic. The lady continued to accelerate and Kailee did her best to maneuver to the left so that she didn't hit her straight on from behind, which probably saved their lives (for the first time!). But it propelled Kailee into oncoming traffic. Hit her so hard she was thrown into the slow lane of oncoming traffic. Somehow a man in a truck was paying good enough attention and they crisscrossed paths as he moved to the passing lane. She was able to get off the road and stop. They were shaken up, Kailee hit her head several times and they both had whiplash. Kailee especially had serious whiplash and is still dealing with pretty severe pain. Kalli is a lot shorter and because Kailee warned her they were going to be hit, she kind of curled around the box she was holding and didn't get as banged up.

Kailee called us. Very shaken up. Obviously. The SUV had continued driving. In fact never slowed down. Thayne headed to the girls ahead of me. As I left the house he called to tell me there was a bad wreck with multiple cars at the round about. The woman had continued another mile plus and hit two more vehicles causing a pile up at the round about. I stopped there and let the cops know the woman was responsible for the girls wreck also. The officer said they were just putting it all together. So I headed to meet Thayne and the girls at the hospital.

It was very scary but we were so grateful for the very obvious miracles that had saved them that night.

Fast forward a few days later. Kailee went into work to meet the delivery driver at work. Freight was due in that morning. She waited and waited and they didn't show up. So she decided to run to the bank forgetting that the bank didn't open until 9am. There is the main doors and then the ATM and the inside doors to the bank. She tried to open the inside doors as it dawned on her that she was early. A woman was standing in there and an older, Indian man who had been in a big truck came in and told Kailee the bank opened at 9. She said she just realized she was early. She gets nervous around strangers and tried to avoid conversation. But this man started telling her about an accident he had witnessed the week before. He described Kailee's red car (obviously she wasn't in the car so he had no idea it was hers). He told her if he had ever doubted God, or that God hears our desperate prayers, that night, he knew the truth. That God hears our desperate prayers because he prayed desperately for the people in that car. He told her he watched the SUV hit the car and throw her into oncoming traffic. He said the truck moved into the opposite lane just missing the red car. And then he told her that the other cars just disappeared. He said there were cars coming and that there was no way for them not to be hit. Except the cars disappeared.   Kailee was in tears by now and told him that she was the driver of the red car. He kind of smiled and told her God was there. He heard the prayers, and He was there. That the other cars just disappeared so she and her sister were safe.  Kailee went into the bank. Both she and the other lady had tears in their eyes. She came back out and the man, who hadn't even gone into the bank told her God was there that night.  Then he told her to go to the site of the accident and sprinkle some blessed water and pray so her back would be healed.  NOT knowing her back was hurt really bad. Interesting thing. At the very moment he was telling her, I was in Idaho in classes at Butterfly Express MAKING BLESSED WATERS!!!  Homeopathic remedies called blessed water.

The man turned to leave. Kailee told him he never went into the bank. He just kind of shrugged and told Kailee, "God bless you" and got in his truck, and left. He was at the bank early, and then never went in.   But delivered a message so powerful, I doubt we will ever be the same.

God hears our desperate prayers.

Ten is a great number! 11 is better!

 

I have so much to catch up on...

It's kind of overwhelming to think about,

and I ask myself why I get so far behind.

I love blogging.

I love journaling.

But sometimes life just seems so busy and overwhelming,

and things change before I can even get my act together.

However...

I do love these particular changes.

Babies growing.

Adding babies.

Can't ask for anything better.

Ten is the magic number today.

11 will be the magic number in May!

Oh! And THIS!

I waited all day to be able to post THIS one!

Yes!  This happened tonight.

Tallin and Janae are getting married.

 

Don't mind the picture of a picture.

I couldn't be there to take it,

so a couple awesome friends stalked them!

(Not really stalked, Tallin DID ask!!! haha)

More pictures to come!

 

I can't even begin to express how happy I am about this.

I knew it was something special the first time he said,

"MOM!  So, there's this girl."

I have wanted nothing more than for this sweet boy to meet the one.

And the moment I met her...

clear back, last week...

I knew he was in love.

The forever kind!

 

No details yet on dates.

Tallin has a very exciting few months coming up.

He graduates, will move back here to go to work with his dad and brother,

and will be gaining a wife.

While I gain a new daughter.

The easy way.

 

Welcome to the family Janae.

I am so very excited to see what the future holds for you both!

And then there is this....

There is simply so much going on that it makes my head spin a little bit!  Why'd these kids all go and grow up on me at the same time???  It's like we don't have one of anything... except babies, we only ever had one baby at a time... but now these kids are having kids at the same time, together, one right after another.  As if that could ever be a bad thing.  It's just that I foresee life forever being crazy like this.  FOREVER!  Isn't that the greatest thought in the entire world!

In case I didn't mention it before.  Grandbaby #10 is due this month.  The 22nd is his exact due date.  His dad, Josh, thinks it would be kind of cool to wait until the 25th and be born on his birthday, in the same hospital 20 years later, delivered by the same doctor.  It's a possibility, since Kinzee is seeing the same doctor, and delivering in the same hospital that Josh was born in.  But I think Kinzee would be more excited if he would come earlier.  Like tonight or tomorrow! 

We will call him something other than his number.  Although #10 isn't a bad name.  It's just that we aren't officially announcing his name yet.  Even though his initials are all over his room.  I'll make that announcement after we see his chubby little face in person.  They tell her he could be a big baby, and his ultrasound pictures really do show chubby cheeks.  Just the way any respectable baby boy should be!!!  A friend told us that since #9 was 9lbs even, that #10 should be 10lbs.  Kinzee isn't so sure about that!

While the pregnancy has not been uneventful, there were a few scares.... Kinzee has done surprisingly well and we are all looking forward to this little man's arrival and can't wait to welcome him to the family!

We miss Kassi

This is the reason everyone misses Kassi!  She's fun, and she does crazy things, and makes messes, but everyone is happy!

Sometimes I leave her in charge and I come home and find that she has made a fort with chairs and blankets and some plastic stuff she had in her truck from work.  And the kids are laughing and happy and the house is destroyed and I can't do anything but take pictures.  And laugh with them.  Then demand that SHE is the one that cleans up the mess.

I love this girl.  I love that she is happily married and that she gets to live in Hawaii.  But I miss her so much.  She is so much fun.  She always makes me smile and I hate that I have to be so far away from her!  The kids all miss her too!

Win, Lose or Draw...

We did this!

A dream my dad and I always talked about...

Going to a Cowboys game.

From the time I was a baby,

I watched the Cowboys with my dad.

The first year, I would sleep on his chest as he cheered on his team.

It really didn't matter if they won, or if they lost.

We liked it better if we won,

but he always said it was the Cowboys, win, lose or draw.

Willie kept telling me we should just go to the game.

An impossible dream.

Jace started looking into it and told me that it really wasn't impossible,

that in fact, we could make it possible.

One day, the idea was just a dream.

The next day, we had flights planned and tickets bought

and I was trying to find clothing that would keep me warm enough to handle

being in the wayyyyyyyy below zero temps that were happening in Wisconsin.

 

We flew in to Minneapolis late Saturday evening.

Stayed up all night visiting my brother and sister in law.

Left at a ridiculously early hour Sunday morning.

Drove to Green Bay.

Stood for the entire four hours we were in the stadium.

Because you cannot sit down during a play off game.

Especially when that game was between the Cowboys and the Packers.

Drove back to Minneapolis.

Stayed up the rest of the night visiting with Shiloh and Joy again,

and left at an even more ridiculously early hour

to catch our flight home.

Who needs sleep anyway?

It's overrated!!!

You can always sleep...

but you can't always make memories like this!

 

They lost..

They were ROBBED.

Even the really obnoxious Packers fans in front of us said that it was a catch...

But it really didn't matter.

It was the experience.

It was the game.

It was being there with my Cowboy's loving sons,

and with my dad in my heart.

This memory was for you Dad.

I hope you got to be there with us!!!!

 



What a way to wake up!!!!

We never really got used to Hawaii time...

Which wasn't a bad thing because it gave us more time

to enjoy the absolutely beautiful sunrises.

 

The first morning I woke up at about 4:30am.

I kept telling myself to just go back to sleep,

until I realized I was IN HAWAII!

And we were only a block away from the beach...

And we could watch the sunrise!!!

 

It was the most amazing, beautiful morning.

It was so peaceful.

A cute old man sat fishing on the dock.

He didn't speak English, so we didn't understand what kind of fish

he was catching. 

But he looked like he knew what he was doing.

There were several others out with us,

watching as the sun came up,

and the surfers coming in with the tide.

 

We finally decided it was time to get something to eat.

Thayne joked that he had seen an IHOP and asked if I wanted pancakes.

I told him yes...

Because I had seen a cute little place called Eggs and Things.

If there is something I miss the most about Hawaii...

It's THAT place, and THOSE pancakes!

Okay,

I miss the beach, sand, sun and water...

but THOSE pancakes were something SO wonderful!

We ended up going back there every single morning except one.

Funny that I lost 2 lbs eating like that on vacation!!!

I'm sure the miles we hiked didn't hurt.

It's a great trade.

Eat amazing pancakes drenched in coconut syrup every morning,

hike up beautiful trails and see amazing scenery,

and lose weight!

 

What a way to start out the day!

 

 

 



Going places we've never gone...

I'm going to be honest.  Our family is more of a 'fly by the seat of our pants' kind of family.  We aren't big on making real long term plans.  Or maybe it's that we are impatient and when we want it, we want it now.  I'm not sure.  But we've all got a little gypsy blood running through us and when we jump, it's usually fast, and hard!  You know, like marrying Thayne within 2 months of meeting him, or of him asking me to marry him on our first date.  Those kinds of things!  The fact that Kassi had made some plans to be married all the way in June had every one in the family teasing her about being the run away bride.  Would she or wouldn't she?  That was such a long way off.  The fact that Chris is stationed a few thousand miles away was also an issue.  She missed him.  I didn't blame her.  Thayne and I still don't do well apart.  Our kids seem to be the very same way once they fall in love.  That's a good thing!  But she started hinting that she wanted to get married.  Sooner.  And in a far off land... using the excuse that housing would be easier to get in March than it would be in June, or some silly thing like that!  She also hinted that she really wouldn't get married without me or her dad, so what did we think of going to Hawaii, say in 2 or 3 weeks, and just do this!  Her dad didn't faint, not really, I mean he didn't actually pass out.  He just looked a bit... spooked! 

We leave the kids.  On dates, sometimes 2 or 3 days... but never this long, and this far away.  We have friends that want us to go on cruises with them, but we haven't been able to commit because we aren't really sure we want to be that far away from our little ones.  But this was different.  We couldn't let her elope without us.  She insisted that we be there.  So Thayne spent a few minutes (hours) on the computer looking at flights and rooms and kept asking me questions about how or why or when.  I finally told him to just DO something and quit stressing me out.  It didn't help that for the past 3 years I have been really struggling with PTSD after Noah's really traumatic birth, and the thought of being gone that long, that far away brought me to near panic mode.  But I had been working extra hard on that, working through the emotions, and he finally bought the tickets. 

Can I tell you what an ordeal that was to pack for us, and haul Kassi's extra baggage too???  We laughed when we got there and later found out her new father in law had also brought luggage full of shoes for her!  Good thing we love her!  I have re-evaluated the way I pack and next time I will take a couple of outfits, several swimming suits and a skirt to go to church in.  That's it.  That's all.  I WAY over packed last time.  It's a bad habit my girls and I have.  I do believe next time everything will fit in a carry on with room to spare!  And there WILL be a next time!  I intend to say that I never went to Hawaii until 2015.... but then I went 5 times that year!!! :)  I will be taking some kids over in the next few weeks to visit.  And I CAN NOT WAIT!!! 

They picked us up at the airport in Honolulu and we slowly made our way through traffic trying to get to our hotel by Waikiki Beach.  Once we were checked in, we just decided to park and walk, explore the stores and the beach, put our feet in the water and walk along the beach.  From the moment I got onto, and then off the plane, something changed in me.  I relaxed.  I let go of every fear I was worried about.  I realized that I can't spend my life worrying about what will be, I'm just going to take it as it comes and savor the moments as I can.  And enjoy we did!  We had so much fun people watching.  There were so many people there, from so many walks of life.   That weekend would the huge Honolulu Festival and people all over the world would be participating in the huge parade.  Which made it even more fun. 

We ate dinner at Jimmy Buffett's.  Probably the best tasting macadamia nut crust maji maji.  It haunts me even still.  It was amazing!  Best place in the world to kick back and enjoy the scenery.  And people watch, because they were everywhere.   And then we walked, and walked, and enjoyed the scenery so much.  Stuck our feet into the ocean and enjoyed the beauty of it all.  I wanted to experience Hawaii.  To see the sites and enjoy it all.  And we did!  The first night was perfect. We got to get to know Chris better.  The first afternoon we got to do a little site seeing, relaxed and got ready to try new things.... and over the next 8 days, try new things became our motto!!!  I have never been so relaxed in my life.... oh to be there now!!!

Day 1 complete, and not nearly long enough time to go...