Traveling: Don't Talk to Strangers

My amazing, generous mother offered up her air miles so that Hattie and I could tag along with my sister Megan and her girls' trip to Washington.  It was so nice to go home to Anacortes.  I haven't spent much time in my hometown since Mom moved away. But the trip was difficult at the same time.  I had to be away from Kurt, I missed and worried about him.  And I had to talk to people.  I tried not to, but kind, well-intended individuals can make me cry.  The simplest of questions- how many kids do you have?  Or do you have any more kids?  Since I was with Hattie.  The main question asked, as we were with my sister and her 3 girls, was wow!  Look at all those girls!  No boys?!

I actually did start crying a couple times.  There is a boy.  There is a perfect, beautiful, sweet, happy, boy.  He's just not here.  And I miss him so much.

And sometimes I would wonder how no one knew.  How does everyone in the world not see my pain?  Not see that a little boy should be in my arms?  It's so huge, and all encompassing...to me. But the world goes on.  I know this.  I know that my pain and suffering is but a drop in the bucket to what the world has seen.  And I don't even want to talk to unknown people about this, so why should it bother me that they can't see my pain?  I don't know.

Despite my personal hardships, we did have a good time.  At least one misadventure has made it into the canon of Mom's bedtime stories for Hattie.  More to come on that!

Hattie was excited to "go way up in the air in an airplane!"  I wish the enthusiasm had lasted.  The landing of our second flight was quite awful- Hattie was one unhappy girl.  Screaming and crying.

We were glad to have a stroller in the airport!

We did eventually make it to Washington!  Here are the girls eating on the back porch at Moppy and Poppy's.  Breakfast is always better with horses.

When it's too cold to swim- take a bath!

Everyday

I haven't blogged in a while so I'm not going to be as thorough as usual.  Here are some snapshots from July-mid August.


Digging in Grandpa's garden:

Wading in a pond on a hike with the Roths:

Eating dinner at City Creek with the Hendersons:

Don't you eat wheat thins like this?  Using a super old baseball mitt?

Supergirl!

Sunset as viewed from the trail by our house:

We installed as swing on the back porch!

"Mama fell down".  Hattie told everyone we met for a couple weeks.

We went to visit Henry's grave for the first time and see Grandpa too.  We visited Grandpa on Memorial Day weekend and measured Henry on the wall with everyone in my family's height.  Henry at 2 months was taller than Hattie at 5!  How can our children be so different in size?

Sitting with her brother.

I tried to keep Hattie from sitting the headstones...until Grandpa decided it was ok.  They're both sitting on Granda's brother's headstones.

Getting some chairs for the back porch.  Hattie enjoyed the ride?

Our much improved back porch!

The girls gave me a make over.

Hiking!

My sister Ashley and her husband Adam had their 3rd child on July 31st!  Her name is Olive Ethel (Ethel after my grandma who passed away in December).  Beautiful girl!

Hattie helps me clean.

Bloody nose!  For weeks afterwards whenever her nose was runny she'd say "I have a bloody nose!"

Hattie loves to paint her nails!

Henry's Funeral

Kurt and I both spoke at Henry's funeral.  It was difficult.  But we did it!  We felt incredibly loved and uplifted by people near and far.  Thank you to everyone who came to his funeral.  I know Tuesday mornings aren't the easiest time, but we were so grateful for those who took off work and especially the family and friends that flew in.  After the funeral we had a luncheon and then went up to Iona for the burial.  Then dinner at my Grandpa's house.  It was an odd mix of feelings I had that day.  Sadness, dread, anxiety, uneasiness, but there was also some happiness surprisingly.  I was surrounded by those I love most.  My family, my sisters, my friends.  They're not usually all in the same place.  And I'm usually far away from most of them.  I'm thankful for those who hugged me, cried with me, and even made me smile.

You can listen to Henry's funeral here.  (It doesn't seem to work on phones)

My amazingly talented cousin, Wendy, took pictures.  Thank you Wendy!

Even though we live in three different states and did not talk before hand- my sisters and I still accidentally coordinate outfits.  Black, white, blue, and stripes.  Mom too!