Made In Heaven

Today was simply wonderful. More amazing memories were made in Missoula!

We went to the Farmers Market, walked along the river parkway and rode the carousel. The weather was marvelous and the people were so nice! Everyone said hello to Chloe and truly went out of their way to be nice to us. Have I mentioned that we love Missoula?!!!....

Later in the afternoon, we went on a scenic drive up to a an old mining ghost town, Garnet. The drive was just amazing and it was fun seeing the old town!....

On our drive back from Garnet, it started raining. Then it started raining really hard. And it didn't stop. I started to get worried about Heidi's outdoor reception and hoped that she had a plan B.

Turns out, there was no plan B. Rain or not, the reception was going to be in Michael's parents' yard.

It stopped raining, so Oby wiped the rain off all the tables....

While Chloe and I cheered him on....

Then it started raining again. Then it started hailing! As Oby put it, "All hail broke loose when Heidi got married!" It was a downpour of some pretty good-sized hail....

The father of the groom tried to calm the bride down as her dreams of a perfect outdoor reception were swallowed up by the hail storm....

A huge silver-lining to the storm was that we sought refuge under a tent with Heidi. If it hadn't been storming, she would have been off mingling with everyone else. It was so much fun getting some one-on-one time with my very dear friend. Oh I love her and am SO happy to see her so happy!....

We had to laugh at how appropriate the saying was on this decoration in Michael's mom's home. It became the theme of the night!....

It wasn't exactly the plan, but the garage was transformed into a wonderful spot for a wonderful reception!....

The first of many unexpected joys in their marriage!

Making Memories in Missoula

When one of your dearest friends falls in love and decides to get married, you go. Even if it means driving your family for 10 hours. You go.

So go we did.... to Missoula, Montana!

Centerpieces carved in birch wood by Heidi's dad

Heidi and Michael.... Ahhh, love!

Chloe's toes looked super adorable for the occasion!....

I don't think I can properly explain what a cool town Missoula is. If you've never been there, you need to consider a little visit. It's an outdoorsy urban oasis with beautiful views in every direction and mild temperatures. Wow, we have loved it so far and have another day still!

The historic downtown is super cool with cafes and boutiques galore....

The ceremony was just outside of Missoula at Placid Lake. The scenic drive was stunning every bit of the way. Here is just a taste of what we saw....

We got there just a little early to help set up. The scene could not have been more gorgeous!....

Chloe made fast friends with all the little girls while we waited. They were SO cute with her!....

The ceremony was beautiful....

and Heidi made a beautiful bride!....

Theirs is a beautiful love story. They were high school sweethearts who went their separate ways, then became dear friends after Michael's divorce and fell in love all over again. Heidi not only became a wife today, but a mother to Michael's daughter too. What a special new family they make!....

Congrats, you two. We are so happy for you both!....

Just Allergies

Chloe has never seemed to get 100% better since she had Croup over a month ago so we went to the doc. Thankfully he thinks it's just allergies, whew. I had to share this pic of Chloe at the doctor's office, though. It was too cute to keep to myself!

How We Do It

"How do you do it?"

That was a question I got from a random stranger today as Chloe and I were on a walk at a park. Chloe was in her wheelchair and she was having more myoclonic jerks than usual. I kept grabbing her hands to calm her down, then helping her bring her head back up.

I was a bit taken back, then responded with a smile saying, "It's a privilege."

The stranger looked at me like he thought that my response was the lamest thing he had ever heard. To which I thought, 'Whatever, Dude.'

During the rest of my walk, I thought about what I wish I could have said to that guy if we had the time. I wished I could help him understand our life and how much we don't want his pity, but hope for his ability to see Chloe as she truly is, such a special and unique individual.

I decided that if I could, I would start by showing him this picture....


Isn't she beautiful sitting up? Tilting her head just so and showing off her beautiful blue eyes.

What the picture doesn't show are her Grammy's two hands on her left side and my two hands on her right side holding her up. What the picture doesn't explain is that she was only able to hold her head up like that for a fraction of a second. What the picture doesn't show is the fancy camera that was used with an extremely fast shutter. It doesn't show the time the photographer spent on Photoshop to edit out our hands and blend in the background. It is only after you find out these things that you see how her dress is ruffled up on her left side from where a hand actually was. But all the time and effort was worth it to have this picture, this moment frozen in time.

I would explain that 'how we do it' is much like this photograph.

Just as the picture captured only a fraction of an instant and didn't explain all that went in to getting that photograph, the stranger passing us in a park and watching us for a few moments doesn't give him the full scope of our life.... the challenges AND the blessings.

Also, just like the picture, there are unseen angels holding us up and giving us help. Some days we are each others' angels. Many days our family and friends are the unseen angels. But always there is a heavenly presence with Chloe. It is not visible to most people.... it has been edited out by the chaos that is all around us, but angels are indeed there.

I would ask him to look into Chloe's eyes to see how much love and wisdom she gives, rather than the burden he saw her as.

The 24th

Hike up Adams Canyon:


BBQ with friends:


Fireworks with the fam:

Bear Lake For Heaven's Sake!

Today both Oby and I had off work and no obligations for the majority of the day. This was a one in a million opportunity we had to spend the day together doing something fun as a family. And you know us.... when opportunity knocks, we answer!

I just dragged Oby and Chloe along with me for a couple appointments in the morning, then we went on our way. We decided a day trip to Bear Lake would be a good time, and we were RIGHT. I couldn't have asked for a better day with my two sweeties....


We stopped at our favorite place to eat, Laketown Drive In. It looks like a dive, but I tell ya what, they know how to grill up a mean burger and the onion rings are DIVINE! Don't worry, I saved up all my weight watchers points just for our little pit stop and it was worth it. Yummy!

Chloe has been the BEST eater lately. We've been talking about and researching g-tubes for a few weeks because this string bean is just too skinny and it's starting to be a concern. She must have overheard us and made the executive decision that she doesn't want a g-tube because she has been eating more than most adults lately. This morning she had so much for breakfast, that it took me an hour just to feed it all to her. Then today at lunch she ate the majority of our milkshake and almost an entire order of large fries! Go Chloe!!!....


We had a great time at the beach. The temperature was perfect with just a slight breeze. Plus it was beautiful, as Bear Lake always is....


This girl kicked and kicked and kicked and kicked. She's going to sleep good tonight!....


But when she got out of the water, she was FREEZING! She shivered and snuggled and basked in the sun....




Back to work tomorrow. BOO!

Instant Gratification

Since our house remodel, we have been living in a big dirt pit. It has been driving me crazy, but between work, school, fund-raising, bad weather and unexpected kidney stone surgeries, we just haven't had time to do all the prep work and lay the sod. Until today!

Here was the yard at 7 a.m....


And here it was at 8:30!!!....



That's the closest thing to instant gratification that I can think of!

The guys who did all the work may not have thought it was so "instant...."











Thanks SO much for your help, guys!

I really do love our little house. Whenever I'm pulling into the driveway, I get that feeling of HOME and I just love it! We probably won't live here forever, but I think a part of my heart always will.

I try not to look at all the little things I'd still like to do, but I can't help it. I have a giant list in my head of projects I want to do and now I can check off "put in the yard." Next up: the flower beds!

Live. Laugh. Breathe.

Today was the big day.... Makenzie's Live Laugh Breathe Event!!!



Tomorrow would have been Kenzie's 1st birthday, so there was birthday cake....



birthday hats, birthday banners and confetti...


Although the birthday girl wasn't "there," she was still everywhere. It was definitely HER day....




Chloe loved Makenzie's big day. It was pretty much every kid's dream party!....

Chloe with Snow White & Ariel

Chloe with her animal balloon & the clown

Chloe with her face painted

Chloe had such a giant crush on the safari guy that she must not have noticed the giant snake slithering by her feet! Yikes!!!

I think Oby was in charge of almost every booth at one point or another. He did the bean bag/ball toss, the obstacle course, the balloons, the snow cones, the baked goods, and the cotton candy. What can I say, he's "the man....."

Everyone sent messages for Makenzie on balloons....


Makenzie's parents are truly amazing and inspiring. This was their day too, and they should be proud because it was a definite success....


The purpose of the event was not only to celebrate Kenzie's life, but also to raise money for research of the disease that took her life, SMARD -- an extremely rare form of SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy).

As the balloons were released, they played the song Angel (for Zane). Zane is another angel baby whose life was cut too short because of SMA....



The special song is available to purchase HERE and proceeds go to help SMA research.

Happy Birthday, Makenzie!....



You are loved and missed....