Summer Time Memories

I recently attended little Sofia's funeral, a heart friend we made at Standford from Salt Lake. When I read the text from Sussy that she had passed, it hit me hard. I was standing in the kitchen and tears just started rolling down my face. It was too close to home, and I couldn't seem to shut off the tears all day. As I was standing in line waiting at her viewing in walked Lisa and Shaun (Ethan's mom and dad). It was so good to see them. I missed them after they left Standford. It was great to visit and be together. They came so far ... I think it was like an 18 hr drive or some crazy thing. So if I can find goodness in being a heart mom it is moments like that, seeing good friends who have walked the same halls as me, have had hope, sadness, heart ache. It doesn't seem right to watch a mother put her precious baby girl into the ground. It shouldn't work like that, but what I have come to except is that sometimes it does. Before this last trip to Standford death wasn't something I was familiar with. Of course I had experienced it on a small scale, but now it feels like it is part of our life. I was all by myself on my way home from Salt Lake and I made a stop at a few stores. I bought a quote board that says, "Love you until the day after forever." Sussy and Scott we love you and know that Lord put you in our path for a reason. What a beautiful day ... Sofia was oxygen free, med free, and pain free. Although it didn't seem right, it also didn't seem wrong, she looked like a little angel. Some of us must fight battles that are bigger than life and Sofia did just that. Little Sofia we love you and will keep your memory alive! If I can find one good thing about Plastic bronchitis is that it has motivated me to take pictures and get our pictures taken! I just love these family pictures ... what an amazing thing to have Hatcher here with us. I think the kids are sick of seeing my camera out all the time. In fact the other day I spent all day washing windows. They looked great and boy did they need it! I was in fixing dinner when I looked up and saw Jax and Hatcher with the hose spraying all of them! I ran outside and was about to get mad when I started laughing and grabbed my camera instead! Thank you Hatcher for teaching me to enjoy every moment!
I can't even tell you how much these two love each other. It makes me smile just to think about it. There is too big of an age gap to fight I guess and Jax is such a mother hen.... I love these 2!

Hathcer, my favorite thing about you right now is that everything is so cool. You get excited over small things like getting to ride in the back of the truck, or ridding your bike down the hill. You continue to fight and amaze us. You still do breathing treatments 3 times a day and yes, you wear me out... but I feel like the luckiest mom in the world getting to see you do fun things this summer. You still insist on being a cowboy everyday, ride the couch arm like a bull and have to wear a button up long sleeve shirt even if its 90 degrees outside. I love you cowboy!

Oh my sassy little Jaxyn. You have your moments of spunk and you can't ever still, but you are so good to me! The other day I had told you that I needed to clean the bathrooms but didn't know if I'd get the time. The next thing I knew you were holding my hand escorting me upstairs to a clean bathroom. You did a pretty good job, toilet and all. You cleaned the entire thing with Kaboom ... even the mirror! It was a streaky mess and I don't know if that mirror will ever be the same, but I loved it anyway! Thank you for always helping me with Hatcher's treatments, meds and anything else I ask you....I am one lucky momma!

I feel like this machine is part of Hatcher .... now I can't imagine life without it!

This was actually taken when we were still in Cali ... I took Jaxyn on a river boat ride and we got soaked! What a fun memory!

Love seeing my good friends ... Heather we love you and thank you for sharing Jason with us ... He has been one awesome guardian angel!

Hatcher was able to live his dream of ridding a sheep at the McCammon rodeo. Of course Randy held on to him the entire time, but he was in heaven. He was in the paper and spoiled by Shane Haggard, the rodeo clown, and the Marsh Valley Rodeo ass. with all kinds of gifts! He loves his new buckle and wears it all the time!

We had a backyard camp out and it was a blast! Had to be able to plug in Hatcher's oxygen machine at night so the backyard proved to be a perfect spot. The kids were so excited and Jaxyn said, "The only thing better than this night would be to really go camping." They did a ding dong ditch and left treats and ran away ... so exciting!

Hatcher and Jaxyn making a wish for Sofia and her family.

So happy Lisa and Shaun were able to stop and see us on their way home to Canada from the funeral. So good to have such amazing heart friends!

We had a quiet 4th just the 4 of us. It was so fun ... Randy did a little firework show for us and the kids loved the sparklers. They were so easy to impress ... it was like Randy had put on the show of a lifetime and we decided we want to do it every year!

We braved a trip to Colorado to meet baby Brock. Although Hatcher decided to have some issues with casts and stressed me out, I was so happy we were able to go. It's like that song Live like you are dying", we don't want to have any regrets and want to enjoy our famly and see Hatcher and Jaxyn doing normal fun things like visitng cousins. We decied after that trip though that the family would have to come to us ... what a produciton to take Hatcher anywhere! Thanks Ryan and Haley for a wonderful weekend and lots of memories!