Bear Viewing Trip

We had an amazing opportunity to go bear viewing in August.  We have lived here for almost 3 years and I had only seen one bear and the kids hadn't seen any.  We left Ingrid with a babysitter and we headed out to the Katmai Peninsula on a float plane.  The flight was beautiful.  We were flying over a beach and I looked down and there were two bears running along the beach.   I was a little nervous that when Estelle saw bears that she would get scared, but she really didn't seem to care.

 The first bears we saw were the two behind us in the picture below.  The one bear next to the seagull was the laziest little fisher.  He just hung out on the shore and watched the fish swim, his head moving back and forth, back and forth.  Every once in a while he'd take a swipe at one.  The other bear was running all over the river catching fish.

 They were so close at times.  These bears are quite used to human just standing there taking pictures of them so they could care less that we were there.  Of course we respected their space, but if they came nearer to us we just kind of hung back and let them do their thing.

 This mom and her first year cub were my favorite!!  Look at that little one standing!! It was the cutest thing.

 This guy was quite the fisherman!

 We saw a total of like 12 or 13 bears the 2 hours we were out there.  It was amazing, I really don't have the words to describe it.

 It started raining quite hard toward the end.  Estelle doesn't really like to be wet or cold.  But we all had a great time.  It is certainly something I will remember for the rest of my life and hope the kids will too!

Our Annual Summer Trip to WA: 2015 Edition

I took the kids by myself to Washington this summer.  The flying was tiring, but it went smoothly.  Ingrid for the most part was good, busy, but atleast she didn't scream.  Our time there was packed full of events.  One of Reese's cousins got married in Seattle, my Grandma's 80th birthday party, and we headed over to Moses Lake for 3 nights too.

Girls picking blackberries at Grandpa Jim's

Before we went to the wedding we met Kelly and family at Chuck E. Cheese.  Good times!  Those two boys have been friends since preschool and I'm so thankful that I got a great friend in his mama out of that deal!  Kelly loves my girls and my girls love her too!

 Ingrid is the selfie queen, we totally practice at home.

 Later on that day we headed to the wedding.  I am so happy that my kids have so many cousins on both sides!  Grandma and Grandma (aka Mop and Poopa, aka Papa and Mimi) loved having those kid there I'm sure!

 Abby, Estelle, and Raylan

 My Grandma's 80th birthday!  She is amazing!  What a wonderful example she has been to us all.  So thankful for her!

 Those boys... 12, 11 and 10 what in the world?  And where did that 9 year old Will run off to?  They have so much fun together!

 I got a good one of these two!

 Daniel, Lane, Merit and Will (there he is)!  Kelly's family also met us in Moses Lake!  Hanging out at the arcade and in Vance and Michele's yard was a fun time!

 The water park the next day!

 The cousins!!  Kinda hard to get all 10 of them to cooperate.  But a great picture none the less!

 My three munchkins!

 During our down time, which wasn't much, we enjoyed hanging out in Grandpa's yard.  After Ingrid would go to bed we would sometimes take an evening golf cart ride around the 40 acres I grew up on.  Good times.

One of the last days we met Mop and Amanda and kids out at Beachwood to swim.  I wish I would have gotten a picture of Ingrid in the water.  She loves it!  I also wish I would've taken more picture of my girlfriends and their kids!!!  Anya, Lindsey, Kyrsten and Joelle.... we didn't take any "usies"!!!!  What in the world were we thinking!  I think every year this trip gets a little harder to accomplish, especially when Reese doesn't come.  But the memories we make are worth it!  Someday we will look back and think we were crazy for taking a million kids to an arcade or waterpark, etc.  But it was some good times anyway!

Ingrid's 1st Birthday!

 Ingrid turned one a while back.  But since August was probably one of the busiest craziest months on record, I am just now posting some pictures!  We had a little party for her and a boy who was turning 5 with a couple other families here.  It was fun, Ingrid seemed to like the attention, presents, and cake.

 We decorated cupcakes,

 Hung out with our friends,

And opened presents.  We had a pinata too but Ingrid didn't feel like doing that, she didn't want to be too much of a show off with her mad pinata beating skills.

 Estelle always enjoys decorating for a party and just parties in general.

 Ingrid's first birthday cake!  And we had to do it up right "Natasha style" with some cupcake sugar cookies!  Happy Birthday Ingrid!  You are pretty much the sweetest baby girl I know!

6 years old

Our Case would be a big 6 year old if he were still here. Every year it's hard to imagine that he would be that old. I am in Washington now so the kids and I got to go to the cemetery. Estelle is just beginning to grasp what all this means. She frequently says how much she misses Case. I love it that she never met him but yet she misses him.

I love Lane and his mature understanding of life in general. I told him recently I don't know what I would've done with out him. He has some great memories of Case and I hope he can hold on to those and share them with his sisters.

This Past Year

 Ingrid Faith

 1 month

 2 months

 3 months

 4 months

 5 months

 6 months

 7 months

 8 months

 9 months

 10 months

 11 months

Almost 1 year old

I have recently reflected on this past year since Ingrid is turning one.  This girl has been such a light in my life.  A light I've needed during some very dark moments.  When I found out I was in heart failure 2 months after she was born, of course it runs through everyone's mind, although I know they wouldn't ever say it to me, what if she would've never gotten pregnant to begin with?  Would she not have heart failure?  Of course that ran through my mind, you always go back and question things like that.  That would last a split second until I looked at Ingrid and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is meant for great things and that she is here for a divine reason.

 I shared my story with my MOPS group in March and I went over a timeline of the past 15 years of my life and how I had seen God work in my life. While I was preparing for it, I reflected on events that had taken place, the decisions I made and what came from those decisions.  It is interesting how when we take time to reflect we are able to see God's hand at work.  And yet we still worry and fret over every little thing today, when we know He always has and always will have it under control.  

When we made the decision to have Ingrid I had some major reservations for the 4-5 months leading up to it.  We had 3 months to try because I knew I needed to go to WA to have her and that needed to be during the summer so Lane wouldn't miss school.  One month before we needed to try a calm washed over me and I knew we needed to do it and I had a peace that if it didn't work that I'd be content with just having 2 kids here on earth.  My cardiologist was more than supportive and he sat in the room and talked with me about it well past the time the clinic closed and I walked out while the janitor was vacuuming the waiting room floor.  I was ready.  

Fast forward to November 2013, we had just had Estelle's birthday party here.  Everyone had left and I just told Reese that I was going to test early.  I ran to the store got a test and it came back positive.  I cried.  Reese asked me if I was crying because I was happy or sad.  I said I didn't know, I was scared but I also knew that it was the right thing.  

My pregnancy went well, I scared some doctors around here because I have an ICD and I was pregnant, but they soon figured out that I was healthy and doing well.  No complications and I left at the end of June at 36 weeks for Bellingham.  I saw a cardiologist in Bellingham as a precaution, he said I looked great. I was induced on my due date and a few hours later Ingrid was born.  I had a totally natural birth and I must say I rocked that labor and delivery like I never had before :)  Ingrid was perfect and I knew she completed our family.  And then 2 months later I find out I am in heart failure.

Ingrid has brought so much joy to our family.  She was motivation for me.  I had to get better, I needed to watch her grow.  In the beginning I really didn't know how it would all turn out.  I'm not trying to be dramatic, but I had fear that I wouldn't see my girls graduate or be able to see my grand kids.  I know none of have that guarantee but it was a real fear for me.  But over time my mind calmed down, my cardiologists were confident and God gave me peace that it would all work out according to plan, just as it always does.  I would hold Ingrid a little longer than I needed to after she fell asleep.  I always fed her bottles and cuddled her instead of ever propping them. She is almost one and I still snuggle and feed her.  I held her just a little tighter and God used her to comfort me.  She rolled with everything.  I had to quite nursing over night because of all the medications I had to start and she just started drinking formula like nothing ever changed.  She slept well so that I could sleep well and she's always had the biggest smile that could take all my sadness away.

The past year has held fear, sadness, confusion and it's been hard on our family and marriage, but it has also held greater joy and greater celebrations.  I had to resist bursting into tears and high fiving the doctor at my appointment in March when I found out I was up to 40-45%.  My "over saddened" self also wanted to "over celebrate" my victories.  I recently told someone that I've taken on the Y.O.L.O. (you only live once) attitude... I was being silly, but seriously... I kinda have.  

I am thankful for the growth that has taken place, for the healing, and most of all, I am thankful for my munchkins here on earth and in heaven.  And how God had a plan with bringing Ingrid into our family and as we watch her grow through the years I know that will become more and more evident.

Ingrid 10 and 11 months

 How is this girl almost ONE?!!  These last 6 months have flown by and Ingrid as developed such a great personality.  She smiles huge, laughs a lot and makes some really weird faces.  She has got her two top teeth now and the two side ones are about to pop through.  Her hair is really starting to curl up in the back.  I am going to be amazed if I have two curly haired girls!

 Soooo big is still a favorite!

 Blowing kisses and waving bye bye or night night are a couple of her new tricks.  We had some really warm days in mid June so I got to break out Estelle's hand me downs from Southern CA!

 Ingrid doesn't really crawl the traditional way, but she can really move now.  She sits on her butt and scoots along with her legs and arms.  She pulls up on everything and things she's pretty fancy when she stands up at the coffee table or in the bathtub!

See my teeth!!!