Rewind

Taking a few steps back ... whew!  It's been crazy for so long I'm not sure if I'm coming or going.  But I finally got through all the current photos (well, kind of) and realized how many more were hiding on my computer.   I have just a little catch up to do, so hold on.  I'm taking you along with me on the roller coaster ride we've been on ourselves.

Lexi had her fifth birthday while we were in Puerto Rico.  It was a "Frozen" party and Makinzee managed to pull it off in fine fashion in spite of the fact that "Frozen" is the really in thing this year and nothing "Frozen" was left on the store shelves.  

March 6, 2014 - Photo courtesy of Makinzee

March 13, 2014 - Photo courtesy of Tabatha

 And Tabatha, too, sported Frozen merchandise for her 17th birthday the week later.  I love being part of the grandchildren's birthdays so I always feel bad when we end up having to miss them.  At least we got to give them each hugs in real life afterwards (Lexi) and before (Tabatha) their birthdays, which was almost like being there (well, close but not quite).


I watched Bill and Stephanie's crew Saturday March 15 while they got away for a dinner with some friends.  We went to McDonalds and I took the camera.  Am I the only idiot out there who documents trips to McDonalds????????:

This kid loves to close her eyes when she smiles for the camera right now.

We had a wonderful time together, and they definitely can find lots to do in that playland.

On March 17 (St. Patrick's day), Brent's father Leo tangled with a garbage can in battle with tornado force winds and the can won.  He ended up in ICU at Intermountain Medical in Salt Lake City and that began our roller coaster ride.  I should have taken photos of him while he was there.  I just couldn't bring myself to document his bad times, looking forward to opportunities to catch better moments in the days to come.  His subdural hematoma did not look life threatening.   We had hope for a good recovery.

And we tried to make life go on as usual.  That meant partying as much as we could with Leslie Harms, who announced she was moving to Texas and we only had limited time with her.  So we tried to fill every Sunday with as many memories as we could there.

Brent was going into work very early to spend time with his father before work, and then spending as many lunchtimes as he could at the hospital as well as visiting him afterwards.   I got up there when I could but pretty much held the fort down at home at the same time.  One day Leo would be chipper and alert and out of ICU, and the next everything would crash and he'd be back in intensive care.  He recognized family but other things just started to stack up against him.  He couldn't swallow right.  He aspirated and got pneumonia.  They put a feeding tube through his nose into his esophagus.  He'd pull it out.  His kidneys, which were already in stage 4 failure, got worse.  Dr. Jacobs at work called it a "case of the dwindles."

We took care of Cub Scouts.  We took care of the weekly Sacrament Meeting bulletin Leo had been doing since Brent was bishop. We took care of Visiting and Home Teaching, and Brent's Sunday lessons and my monthly ward newsletter.   We took care of being parents and grandparents.

Friday, March 28, I took Front Runner to Salt Lake City where Brent met me and we went to Heather's, parked and took Trax a few blocks to the Little America Hotel where we had dinner in their Coffee Shop (very good!) and then went on into Abravanel Hall to enjoy an evening of music celebrating the works or Rogers and Hamerstein with the Utah Symphony.  It was a great night, good to take a break and spend time alone with our youngest.

Saturday, March 29, while Bill and Stephanie had their kids up to visit Leo, Ashlyn fell off the chair and got a concussion.  They spent the evening with her at the ER while I stayed with the other two girls.  It was a few days before she could move much without it hurting her.  

On Sunday, March 30, Lilly turned TWO and we celebrated with Mike's family!  And, yes, I kind of did a photo overload.  Tried to pick my favorites to post here, but that still ended up being a lot of pictures:

Lilly and her monkey cake - both were adorable!

Oh, Joy!!!  Aunt Heather joined a coloring party!  Loved all the artists!

(I can't remember the joke that was going on, but the laughter is still contagious!)

Lexi's adorable picture

Kamryn - take one

Kamryn - take two - and her adorable picture

 Bill and Mike were playing against each other in a Word game.

 GIFT TIME!

Aftermath...

Birthday Girl tries out the new doll crib first.

Maddy knows who's really supposed to be in it.

 CAKE TIME!

Lilly was sure the lighter was going to make something go "POP!" so she got ready for it.  Wondering if the only time she sees the lighter is to set off fireworks???

Make a wish and BLOW 'em out!

Hahaha - Grandpa Steve would dish up a spoon of ice cream and then get involved, not noticing Lilly trying to get her mouth around that spoon!

Dishing up the goods!

 PHOTOS WITH LESLIE

Okay, since Leslie only had two more weeks with us, we figured this would be a great time to get some photos with the kids altogether, right?

Wrong!

Well, we tried:

(Ashlyn was still recovering from her concussion and just wasn't feeling well.  Karsyn was being a clown.  Kamryn was in a frump, and there you have it!)

A lap full of wiggles!  Watch Jack in the next several photos...

 Oh, well.  We'll just always love Leslie and are missing her already in the worst way.  But she's sharing life with her sister's family in a way they've been missing forever, so we totally understand.  I loved this photo of just Leslie:

On Tuesday, April 2, Leo was finally discharged from IMC and moved to Stonehenge Care Center in American Fork.  It was good to have him closer to home and we were so hopeful physical therapy would be able to get him so he could return to his home with Edna.

I remember the hope that was there.  I remember the concern at the same time.  I think, lingering under the surface the entire time he was in the hospital, was the feeling, actually the knowledge, that his mortal life was drawing to a close.  There were so many good things happening, and yet so many emotionally trying things happening at the same time during March and going into April.

I've run out of time this morning to continue, and I'm sure you're grateful for that.  This has already been a long post.  I guess I've been saving up. Rewind will continue in a day or two - so many more things to come:  Brent's Birthday, Conference Sunday Birthday Dinner, Chicago, Leo, Easter, concerts, shows, baptism!... and life goes on.