Calgary! *** fun in Moses Lake

The zoo! Look at that giraffe!

Vance and Merit are back from 8 days in Calgary, Alberta.

 The Riverdogs placed 3rd in regionals. 

Merit said it was a great ride and he could not be more thankful!! He was the youngest

on the team and he learned a lot. 

Coach Dave Johnson won a special place in Merit's heart. 

All of the coaches have a lot of knowledge and a lot to teach these guys. Learning is always happening.

I love to hear stories about the team! 

Vance and Merit had quite a bit of down time on the trip and enjoyed sight seeing, fine dining, and fun adventures!

And at home...

Wild Will does not like to pose for pictures like he once did! He played a lot of basketball while Merit and Vance were gone. He got home from Gonzaga basketball camp the day V and M left. He did a two evening basketball camp/clinic up at the HS and loved it! He helped me with yard work. Our flower beds were looking pretty shabby and although there is still a lot of work to do, he made a difference!
We went for a couple of walks in town in the evenings.
It was a relaxing, quiet week. I needed quiet and relaxing. My head and heart have been quite concerned about Tasha. My dad is going through some health stuff too and when I get reports from "home" my head hurts a little.
Had the Riverdogs won regionals (and golly it seemed oh so possible !) Next stop would have been Alabama in August and I was dreaming of taking that trip!

An early morning walk through my garden

BLUE SKY

Sunny, Sky, Hazel, and Marilyn

Summer Nights Moses Lake

Bubble fun

SUMMER NIGHTS

Tasha is at home

I am praying that she gets good rest, that she does not feel fearful, and that God protects her heart.

I know that smile

Tasha's home! We are all thankful.
Praying she doesn't have headaches or dizziness.
Praying her heart is protected even HEALED!

These kids have been so sweet through this.

Hazel: "Mom, good job on the dishes." (encouraging me in even little household chores)

Oren after seeing this pic of me and Tasha:

"oh! She's feeling better. I know that smile."

which I thought was the cutest thing


I get a message from Willem at Gonzaga "I am praying for Natasha"

Merit is texting Tasha. Praying for her throughout the day.


I am so grateful.

This house has never been messier - so, I get a grip on this or attempt to
The Riverdog team that Merit is on is playing in Calgary!! Regionals! 
Good luck to these guys!!!

Tasha May

I can usually come up with the positives really quickly. Sometimes they feel blurry though, the positives - when there is concern and heartache.



There is always something to be grateful for.

It was a beautiful day in Seattle yesterday. I got to the hospital to visit Natasha (UW) and she was in good spirits. What happened Wednesday night with her defibrillator going off twice was very scary. She passed out. Reese was in the truck, east of the mountains. A friend took her to the ER.

At the hospital, she has her own room (phew!) no one would have wanted to listen to what we were talking about and joking around about!

On Thursday,  I placed a Walmart grocery order to be picked up yesterday. Then I realized I was heading to the hospital. I asked Vance to pick it up (he's a first timer). I bragged "It never takes more than five minutes! It is usually like 3 minutes!"  I said "you don't even have to get out of your car!" I get a text from him yesterday asking if 15 minutes is normal to wait. Oh dear, no. He waited another five min and they came out. He is on time for pretty much everything and he does not like to make people wait. He does not like to wait. Why was this happening to him? So, Tasha and I giggled a bit about that.

We asked if we could please go down a level and sit on a little deck at the hospital. We could even catch a glimpse of some boats in the water. The nurse said no, that we needed to stay on the fifth floor. blah.

Maria sent me with a basket for Tasha that made her so happy!
I left her with a bunch of 10 cent thrift store magazines (thank you Senior Center).

We had a "to go" lunch from a really yummy Mexican place, Aqua Verde.
She got a little break from hospital food.

This genetic defect is scary and hard and ugh
But we can pray.
I can talk to this girl about anything, laugh with her about so much even during really tough, scary, sad times. She has had so much hardship. I believe it to be unfair. But it does not really matter what I believe. I do NOT understand. But my job is to try to be love and light! To quit trying to make sense of it all and to trust God.
Her kids need her around for a long time. She is a wonderful mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend... and the list goes on.

Would you pray with me that she has many good days ahead!! Many days where she has energy for herself and for her family. 

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.

 Nahum 1:7

Pullman to Ephrata

Merit is a busy kid. He left for Pullman on the 4th at 2 (thanks JC and Shelli)

Hazel, Oren, and I did not go till the 5th. 

They got a little time with cousin Quinn.

And we enjoyed viewing fire works from our deck that night.

Merit played Thur., Fri., Sat., and Sunday. Sunday he played in Ephrata.

He only gave up one earned run pitching yesterday.

wow, Pullman is growing on me. I wonder if God is trying to prepare my heart for a WSU student some day? 

Lego fun and exploring at the ball games and a little bit of baseball watching! For H and O

Dave Johnson, a legend around these parts

Willem was a fishing fool up at fish camp in AK I hear.
He loved cousin time. Vance and Willie both had a great trip.

Summer is oh so sweet!

Miles and Oren

Buddies!

Hazel, Quinn, and Oren

Garden goodness!! I love sunflowers!! and that cutie peeking through!!

A new toothbrush~

When I was a year or two older than Merit, Santa gave all five of us kids a toothbrush in our Christmas stocking. The only funny thing was, they had names other than our own on them.

My mom would be bright red blushing if she knew I was blogging about this story!!

I remember seeing a bit of a clearance sticker on the toothbrush package. We all probably needed new toothbrushes. This story makes me laugh harder than it ever has because I am at that stage of being a mom.

I am shopping quick because I usually have somewhere to be!
I am grabbing from clearance.
Silly mistakes are made that my kids giggle at me for.
I warm up my coffee in the microwave at 9 a.m. but don't find it till 4:30 p.m. - awesome, an afternoon cup.
I weigh weeding the garden, somebody having a friend over, washing windows, going to coffee with a friend, taking the kids swimming, and re-stocking my items at the Favored Farmhouse - prioritizing being oh so tricky.
Gosh I love this.
#thesearethedays

Reaching Out

This post will be vague in an effort to respect privacy.

Hazel and I have known a little boy for three years. A boy who is forgiving and brave. Along with these important qualities, he is also witty, smart, and fun.

We learned in November that he would be moved into foster care, the boy and his two siblings.

 Someone mentioned that he and his siblings might not be placed in the same home. Thanksgiving right around the corner, I fervently started praying. I asked my praying group of friends to lift this family up. I called Marilyn and begged her to pray, sharing a few vague details. 

A few weeks later we were invited to our friend's, the little boy's, birthday party.
He and his siblings were there. Not only had they been kept together, they got to go live with family members.

Fast forward some time. 
The kids miss their parents, there are financial hardships for the foster parents, and the children are feeling confused. 

Sometimes kids placed in foster care are not abused but neglected. Sometimes they only have one parent, maybe that parent is ill...

Sometimes parents aren't equipped to ensure their children get the proper help or nutrients. 

My dad came to visit in January. The day before he came, we spent part of the day with our friend, the boy in foster car and his siblings along with one of their foster parents. Money was very tight. Good care was being given to these great kids. 
I told my dad the whole story the day after we had been with them, the day he came to visit. 
He asked me if I could give the family some money. He wanted to give the family some money. 
I wasn't sure how, but had some people I could ask some questions. 
The beginning of June I still had the money and was not sure how to share it. The children now back with their parents, people I do not know, I just know the people who had fostered them.

It was then brought to my attention that free breakfast and lunch at school will be missed by these kids once school lets out.
It was brought to my attention that money for summer treats would be a hardship. I explained that my dad had given me money to give to these kids. A grocery gift card seemed like a helpful gesture. SUCH a cool thing, WINCO has "family friendly" gift cards. Alcohol cannot be purchased with the card. 

I am thankful to know we can pray for these kids. We can give these family grocery gift cards.We can treat them to a pizza night. Delivery or dine in. 

And as I watch my kids run and play and eat their ice cream, I remember to help the kids whose summer looks different.