Crazy Life

Today's events are too long to go into but it involved a bat (the animal), a ruptured disc, an ambulance, firemen, and surgery. Everyone is okay and we're all hoping for an uneventful Friday!

Website Wednesday - Bucketlist

Today's Website Wednesday is Bucketlist. Click HERE to see what others have included on their list. My friend Katie started one in junior high or high school (can't remember which one) and a couple years after college graduation she was on her third version. Katie left this world too early but knowing she had fulfilled so many ambitions is comforting. 

What would be on your list? I created one about 10 years ago, I need to find it. I might start working on a new one. Some suggestions I like are "plant and grow sunflowers", "learn to hot wire a car", "ride a mattress down a staircase", "create my own ice cream flavor", "travel to all 50 states" . . .

"Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans" -John Lennon

The Age of Questions

It's official, we've entered into the stage of questions. Here's just a few:

H: Why do people go pee-pee and poo-poo in toilets? (potty training is going great this week)

H: How do you crush submarines? (he's really into recycling videos)

H: Why don't people grow back fingers? (he knows that some lizards can grow their tails back)

Living Life

The other day, Ryan told me about his dad wanting to go snow skiing during his last visit to see us in Oregon. Well, other plans were made and it never happened. It's one of those lessons learned that life is too short so you must make the most of it while you are able.

So here begins a trip down memory lane. About 5 years ago, Ryan and I decided to spend Spring Break in Prague and Paris. I sent a summer studying in Europe and really wanted Ryan to see that side of the world. We didn't have much money but we managed to make it happen. 

We toured all the major attractions which were wonderful but it's the small things that really stand out. The above photo is a homeless lady feeding hundreds of pigeons outside of Notre Dame Cathedral. She caught a couple taking a picture of her and went a little crazy on them. I carefully hid my camera after this shot.

Here we are at The Rodin Sculpture Garden next to The Thinker. The garden was our escape from the street riots happening about a block away. If I remember correctly, they were protesting a labor law. It was a little scary but we survived.

I wish I would have taken a photo of this little deli we found. Neither of us speak French so ordering food was somewhat challenging. It was a rainy afternoon and we were famished so we popped into the closest deli. The lady (whom we nicknamed Grandma) spoke no English but somehow knew the perfect sandwich for us. We ate the world's best roast beef on a baguette underneath an umbrella and scaffolding in the pouring rain on a street corner in Paris. To this date, that was the best dining experience I've ever had. 

Another memory from this trip was our adventure to a nearby town called Fontainebleau. Ryan read about it in his climbing magazine so we decided to check out the bouldering area. Remember we do NOT speak French so locating a train to take us there was quite the quest. After hiking in the woods for about two or three hours and not finding anything, we called it quits and headed back to town. 

Whenever I go to a new city, state, country, etc. I love to browse the grocery store. Before catching the next train, we stopped at the grocery. Figuring out how to weigh and label grapes was pretty funny. I can clearly remember walking along the streets nibbling on grapes, cheese and baguettes with chocolate chips. And Ryan, I want to say to you, thanks for picking out the seeds :)

So Hard

No one can prepare you for the death of a loved one, whether they are young or old, healthy or sick, it's still heartbreaking. Elwood always said I was his favorite daughter-in-law (yes, I'm the only one) and he definitely was my favorite father-in-law. He touched so many people as a husband, father, grand-father, brother, teacher, coach, principal and friend. I don't know what we're going to do without him but I know he's watching us from above giving us one of his sweet smiles.

I always have to smile at this photo. It was taken about an hour after Harrison was born, which was after 15 hours of waiting. You can really see the love in this photo. 

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 

Baby Update

Well for the past couple of days I've been having contractions whenever I'm up and about. Yesterday, they started coming when I was sitting too. I called the doctor's office and they said head over to Labor and Delivery if they are frequent. Better safe than sorry, Ryan brought me to the hospital yesterday. I was a little freaked out b/c I still didn't have my bag packed and it's still pretty early for the baby. 

After monitoring my contractions and the baby's heart beat, they decided it was safe for me to go home. However, I'm on bed rest for 24 hours and need to take it easy. I can only get up to use the bathroom, eat and shower. I have a doctor's appointment on Monday so we'll see what she says.

On another note, please say a special prayer for the family and Ryan's dad a successful recovery.

ROAR

At Harrison's summer school program, he's been learning all about the circus. Tonight he was talking about getting shot out of a cannon. Do they still do that or is that just in books?