My Britney

It's hard for me to talk about things that are personal. Especially things that are painful. Two months ago (on Fathers Day weekend) my best friend Britney got really sick. She had just moved to Arizona and recently had a baby. She has three young children and her husband is in residency for medical school. She got toxic shock syndrome and almost died several times. It is a miracle she is still alive today. She was on ECMO (heart bypass) and a ventilator for a long time. She is breathing on her own now and her heart is beating on its own. However she is still in a coma. She makes little progress each day. Things like: no fevers, opening her eyes, wiggling her toes, swallowing.

My life will never be the same. This has changed me. I morn for the loss (though hopefully temporary) of a friend. I ponder all the ways she has touched my life. Strengthening me at a critical age of youth. Constancy through the years. A listening ear in my times of trial. A wonderful example of faith and love. She is a true friend. And I miss her dearly.
It pains me to think of her lying in that hospital bed.
I feel like I have to learn something from this to give the sorrow some meaning. So, I live my life more grateful. Grateful for every beat of my heart. Grateful for every breath I take. (sometimes I just listen to my heart and feel the air as it moves in and out of my body and just marvel at the gift of life). Grateful for my family-my three beautiful children, my wonderful husband, my parents and brothers. Grateful for the gospel and the knowledge of the plan of salvation. Grateful for my testimony and faith. (I cling to my faith and pray that she will come back to us.) Grateful for her faith. Grateful for my friends. Grateful for memories. Grateful for my learning.
Grateful.

I have felt so many emotions (anger, confusion, guilt, sorrow) but I always come back to peace. and faith. So, I ask you to pray with me for my dear friend. Someone who is only a stranger to you. But who will feel your prayers and be strengthened.

So the day after we got home from our graduation trip we headed out to Denver to see Britney and her family. It was good, and hard to see her. But I wanted her to feel my love, for her and me I guess. (I haven't really put it all together in my mind yet.) But when she wakes up, she will know I came. And that I love her.



While we were there I got to visit with an old friend of ours. Elisa. She is so sweet.

We kept the kids happy by taking them to this wonderful park I went to as a kid. It has a train and a river and an airplane!

We also did a little sight seeing in down town Denver. This is the capital.


It reminded me how much I LOVE Colorado. Maybe we will move back someday.

Thank you for listening to the story. Here is her blog if your interested in updates on her condition. britneywinklerupdates.blogspot.com
and her family blog before she got sick. here

Friends

BFF

Isn't she the cutest little baby! I love her.

I'm so lucky Lindsay is a profesional photographer! She took our family photos while we were there. The last ones were taken right before we left.



While we were in Indiana we got to visit (and I mean spend almost every waking hour with) our good friends the Russells and the Naughtons. They are like family to us. When I was with them I felt so comfortable, like home. We miss them a ton! We're working on getting them out to the west with us. We had so much fun doing all the things we used to do like going to the fountain, hanging out, Tropicanoe Cove water park. Our only complaint is that the trip was too short.

Claire's Second B-day

Claire turned two in the same day of Mike's graduation. She's two! So my friend Lindsay threw a joint b-day party for her son her was born a week after Claire. It was also a congrats Mike party.



Roman helped the little ones get the candles blown out.

Best cup cakes I've ever had! Van agrees.

I miss these guys!

camping

The weekend before graduation Mike wanted to celebrate being done with his dissertation (aka beastertation) so we went camping (obviously his choice). The kids loved it. Their favorite part was chopping wood. They thought fishing was boring and the lake was too cold for swimming. All they wanted to do was go back to the camp and chop some wood. Fortunately nobody got hurt! Claire love playing in the dirt. She refused to wear shoes. (beats me?) Look how dirty her cute little face is.

The morning by the fire.

I did not sleep so well on account of a very determined little critter trying to get in the van where Claire and I were sleeping (or not sleeping). Even after drinving away the critter was still scratching away at the door crack. It finally took hose him down with bug spray (throught the crack) to get him to back off. It was a long night.

Notice how the bear is wearing the shoes, not her.

They did manage to hack their way through several logs. Good thing we saved the money on not buying firewood and spent it on a hatchet. Hours and hours of old fashioned entertainment.

One of the boys

After our visit with cousins in July the boys didn't want to wear their shirts. (Cousin Cash is rarely found with a shirt on- hey at least he wears pants :0) And Claire just wanted to be like her brothers and sported the same look. Don't worry, not in public. And since then, they have gone back to wearing all their clothes.
Notice how they both had to sit by her. I tell you, they just adore her.

GRADUATION!!!!

He did it!!!! Wow, I can't believe it's finally over!! After two years of masters work and five years of PhD we are no longer students. Mike had many LOOOONG nights and worked so hard to get his PhD. We are so all so proud of you. What a great accomplishment.

In the background is the building where Mike had most of his classes.

Mike's Mom was able to come to graduation with us and show her support. Thanks Ann. We're glad you were there.

Mike's mentor

Yeah!!!!! Wahoooooo!!!! We're done. (sigh)

little league

Ethan and Andrew both played baseball this year. Ethan was on the Cubs. The same team Andrew was last year. They thought that was pretty cool. Both leagues were really low key. No score. No outs or stikes. We have 12 games in three weeks! Almost every night! The boys had a great time.


look at that action shot!


most of time it was like this though.

and when he wasn't on the field he was playing in the grass.

This is Andrew's team. This year I took more video that pics. And the pics I took didn't turn out.

family visit

We made a trip to Idaho to visit with family. Two out of three of my brothers made it. We missed you Scott and Hannah. But we had a great time and we were so busy. Cash and E and A had a great time and got to know each other a bit better. I think they would love to live closer. So would I. Just not sure how to get that to happen...

cousins (minus Eliza)I like Andrew's accidental GQ look. He is really just about to scratch his chin I think.

Claire found my mom's old clown shoes and wig. My Mom used to be a clown for parties and do face painting and balloon sculpting. I know, she's amazing.

Morning loves. Claire's got to have her binky and blankie.

Dad and David trying to figure out a technical difficulty. So cute how they were standing the same way.

Movie time with the cousins.

Gma and Gpa have a pool in their neighborhood so of course we have to go swimming EVERYDAY! By the end the boys were really good little swimmers. Claire didn't like the water so much.
Ethan's a pro with the snorkel. I could never have done that at his age.

Claire is holding Wyatt's foot for Gma to tickle.



David made awesome home-made tortillas for us!

Nothing bonds two brothers like working on a car together.


We loved our visit and we already miss you all.
Thanks for coming so far to see us David and Jolene.