Moving Forward

I've debated sharing this at all, since I haven't posted anything on here since June - and it's now October. But I think it would be helpful for me to write some things down, and share a little about missing my mom, and also our recent trip to spread her ashes.

I sure do miss her.

I borrowed this picture from Beth - our computer crashed and I can't get our old pictures yet.
This is a great way to remember her - Mom loved being at Lake Pearrygin!

When I'm driving lately, I keep thinking, 'I should call Mom.' and then I catch myself.

There have been a lot of things going on lately - some good and some really hard. I just want to ask her what I should do - ask her what her thoughts are.

But I'm adjusting. I'm learning to lean on the Lord - He is my strength. I've discovered the comfort that is found in the Lord, in turning to Him when I'm frustrated and my heart is hurting. I love that hymn,

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. O what peace we often forfeit, o what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

It might sound simplistic or trite, but it's truth. Jesus is the Comforter, the loving Counselor. It's something that I've come to feel in ways I didn't understand before. My heart still hearts, and I miss my mom, but I feel a peace that isn't found anywhere else.

Last weekend, my dad, Brother, Sister, Uncle Rick and I went for a hike in the mountains up near Mt. Baker. It is a hike that I had been on before - when I was 5 and Brandon was 4 - Mom was pregnant with Steph at the time, and went on the hike. It's steep - and it's 2.5 miles to the first meadow. I admire her ability to hike at all when she was pregnant, but this was a hard hike - she was such a strong-willed lady!

It was a beautiful hike!

The meadow that we chose to stop in was one that I remembered from our previous hike - it's a place that's held a lot of mystery and intrigue in my memory, so it's a very special place to me. It was absolutely beautiful! There was a foot or more of snow, and little patches where you could see the plants or streams in the midst of the snow.

I can't wait to come back up here this summer, because I think it's going to be a very beautiful place when the flowers are blooming and everything is green and growing!

I felt like I had a great opportunity to reflect on my mom and her life, and to say goodbye to her in a way. It's not that I will forget her now, or not miss her anymore (because I still miss her an awful lot) but I at least feel more closure after having spread her ashes.

A Weekend Away

Last weekend we took a little family trip - to visit David's grandparents in Packwood, Washington and then up to see my family in Everson for a couple days. I took two days off of work, so it was a nice, long weekend.

In Packwood, David, Micah and I went for a walk in the woods, up to a waterfall that is a favorite of ours. We took Belle, who was a very good walking companion. 

Not only was it Audrey's first trip to Packwood, it was her first time meeting GG and Papa Bob. She loved being with them, and I think they liked her pretty well too! Besides the fact that Audrey didn't sleep well, we had a great time in Packwood! It's so nice being with family and getting to relax and enjoy one another's company.

It was Flag Day while we were in Packwood, so Micah got to help Papa Bob and GG put out their flag. He even sang 'O Say Can You See' when the flag was hung. That boy has a patriotic heart! As I'm typing this, he's singing the national anthem, with emotional arm thrusts for emphasis. A video will be coming sometime around Independence Day.

After Packwood, we went up to Everson to spend time with my family. My sister and brother-in-law were up for the weekend also, and we saw my brother every day we were up there, so it was a great time of seeing family! Micah especially enjoyed playing in my dad's back yard. He would have spent the entire weekend out there if we had let him! 

I was reminded of one reason why I love the valley so much - everything is so green and pretty in the spring and summer. Not like Hermiston, where we have a little green and a lot of brown. My dad's back yard was beautiful! I loved spending time out there and checking out the plants and flower beds, but it really made me miss my mom! She loved spending time in the yard, and I know she would be really happy with how it looks this year.

It was a really nice weekend with family, but we're always glad to be home and back in our routine - and sleeping in our own bed!  We're thankful for great house-sitters, so we know our house and pets are well taken care of, and we can relax without worrying about them! I hope you all had a good weekend too!

This Week, and Taking A Family Picture

It doesn't seem like it should be that difficult to take a family picture.

How hard can it be for four people to look at the same place and smile at the same time?

All we have to do is smile.

Well, it's close.

This week:

* We celebrated our fifth anniversary! (The family pictures were taken on our anniversary... A lot can change in five years!

* Audrey is learning how to sit up on her own. And it's decided. She doesn't like grass.

* We spent some time cleaning up the back yard, getting ready to spend lots of free time in the shade back there this summer! 

* Micah played in the back yard for half an hour one day, and then said, "Mommy, our tree has leaves." It sure does, and the shade is heavenly!

* Our allergies have arrived. David and I will be sniffling through the next couple of months. I'm afraid to take any allergy medicine while I'm still nursing Audrey, so unfortunately, the only relief in sight is not having plants... Thankfully, my symptoms aren't very severe, so I'll just suffer on through, and enjoy my plants.

* I finished a quilt top this afternoon. I still can't decide how I feel about this color scheme. I was thinking about adding a white border, but I'm on the fence.

* I cleaned up my craft supplies/sewing area. (This picture is the cleaned up space... not that it looks all that clean. You should have seen it before!) I found some fabric I had forgotten about, though, so that was pretty exciting! 

* We've had many visits from Micah's new (imaginary) friend, Micah-Nini, and also Micah-Nini's mom. He's a pretty popular little guy in our house.

I hope you had a good week!

It's Been A While

We've had a few very busy months here - two kids really keep us running!

In a lot of ways the last few months have been very hard, but God is good and He is continuing to provide for our family in ways we don't expect or deserve. This verse has really been meaningful to me, and a source of comfor: John 16:33 - "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

I miss my mom an awful lot, but thankfully, I've had lots of things to keep me busy the last few months.

This last weekend we went to Eugene for a baby shower, and to visit friends. We also took a short trip to the beach - it was the best weather I've ever seen at the Oregon coast! Nearly 80 degrees, with a little breeze. Both kids loved it - and it was Audrey's first trip to the coast.

Madison, Micah and Audrey

Walking with Peter at the beach

She was in LOVE with the beach! And also with having all of her clothes off.

Sara, Kayla and Me

The whole gang, minus Madison

I'm hoping to keep up a little better with blogging. And I've really gotten back into quilting and sewing, so I started a second blog - great idea when I haven't posted here for five months, right? It's really going to be for the projects I am working on, and complete, so I have a place to keep track of what I've been making. Feel free to check it out if you want: Joy In The Stitches