A couple things worth sharing...

Things tend to stay pretty light on this here blog and I must say...I like it that way. With all the drama that can sneak in through the cracks in our white picket fence, all the screaming and shrieking that can go on between two territorial toddlers (and a baby who thinks it's a game and enjoys immitating the shrieking) and all the moments of sheer exhaustion that I look around, backward and forwards at my life and feel utterly overwhelmed, I still am filled with a strong sense of gratitude and joy for all that exists in our world. So, for the most part, that "sense" is what is, more often than not, reflected here on these pages. Mostly told in pictures, this has been a way to tell the story of where we've been and what we've been up to with a few fun tags thrown in here and there. I enjoy it as a little haven of good memories and a place where I can talk as much as I want, knowing that at any time anybody could just stop reading if it gets to be too much (takes the pressure off me to try to pinpoint that moment myself!)
I don't intend to change any of that, but I have had a rather emotional and contemplative time in the last couple of weeks. Life has not changed much but my thoughts have wandered to many places I can't usually allow them to. Being sick and nearly non-functional has not helped me much this last week! It seems our little family has been passing around quite the cold, starting with James and finally ending with JC and I...though JC has managed to zoom through it and I am still, after a week, feeling like I just can't seem to get well! Anyway, all of that is pretty irrelevent but laying around trying to recover leaves my mind with room to wander.
I recently was blessed to spend some time visiting with an old dear friend. In the time we spent together, we realized that during our time apart, we have had some of the same kinds of experiences and thoughts concerning life...death...motherhood...and surviving all of the above! Our chat opened some doors in my mentality and a recent occurence threw them wide open. This same friend has some dear friends of her own who were handed a heavy burden to carry. In short, as I feel unable to give the right kind of explanation to the magnitude of this situation I have been following, a lovely couple with four young children were in a private plane crash in Eastern Arizona. Their names are Christian and Stephanie Nielson and they are continuing to slowly recover here in Maricopa County. I don't know them personally...well, I don't know them at all. But since I have heard and followed their story during the last weeks, I am deeply touched and inspired. For more about their sweet family, go here:
http://www.reachelandrew.com/NieRecovery/Home.html
I have been struggling with my emotions that have become intertwined in these dear people. Something about their story rings familiar to me but at the same time I could never claim to have experienced anything close to what they all are at this time. The only thing I can find to claim to relate to is that of the unexpected suddenly sweeping in and taking over your world. The sudden realization that there actually is no control but that sitting with our Heavenly Father and the grace that can enter our hearts along with that realization.
Having said all that, I still feel slightly out of place, talking about this family that I don't even know and feeling such emotion for them, sharing it with all of you. But, when I look back on times that I walked through in the past and think on how somebody as weak and easily defeated as myself could have survived, I find my answer very quickly. The grace of God and the kindness and prayers of family, friends and strangers alike are the things that carry us when we would have no other way of moving forward. I know that and I can never deny that the prayers of others can truly sustain. And not just the big things. The prayers of others can be what pushes you out of bed in the morning, what makes you able to smile and think, what makes you able to feel comfort, love and peace. At one time, the prayers of others helped me to eat when I should, to feel joy when it seemed I shouldn't and to put one foot in front of another, not even knowing what I was moving toward. It is an amazing and humbling feeling to experience the prayers of others literally, physically, holding you up...and to find that, in the greatest of tragedies, joy and awe can be found in that feeling. SO, that is why I delve into this. That is why I burst the light-hearted bubble of this blog and urge you to read about this family and feel some of those emotions I have been feeling. Because I've been to that place where all anyone could do was pray. I've felt that feeling, being sustained by prayer. And I want them to have as much of it as they possibly can.
Their story has also made me a better person, mother, wife. Maybe not much has outwardly changed but, again, my thoughts have. At times when I feel like I've given all I can give and one glance around my trashed house sends me into near hysterics, I think of them...and I know that the fact that a messy house is the biggest of my worries at the present, the fact that I am listening to my kids fight over a toy in the next room, the fact that I don't know what's for dinner tonight and I'm so sick I can't even think about standing over the stove anyway...means that I am standing in my home, I can walk into the next room and put my arms around my children. I can distract them from their fight by telling them that daddy will be home soon and maybe tonight we will eat pizza or corn dogs. I can push the toys to one side of the room and throw the cushions of the couch and loveseat on the floor to make a pillow maze around mommy. When they tire of that, I can hand them a pile of post-it notes and tell them they are bandaids to help mommy feel better, then get ridiculously covered in them. I can do all this without thinking about the fact that we're just adding to the mess or that the dinner they'll be eating isn't the most nutritional one they've had. I can kiss my husband hello when he walks in the door and kick the cat out of the way when he tries to maneuver his way into our hug (he thinks that he has first dibs on affection when JC comes home for some reason). And I can look at our life and know that it's not perfect but that that's not the point anyway. It was never meant to be. All that matters is that we are so blessed that we truly DON'T have room enough to receive it. And we wouldn't be where we are without the prayers of others.
Please, join me in praying for the Nielsons.
And, if any of you are still reading, don't worry...I've pinpointed the moment. I'll stop myself here. :)

P.S. After reading about the Nielsons, if your heart has any room to swell further, check out these pictures. I cried like a baby. I guess the official website is under construction, so this is the link to the photographer's blog. Just scroll down a bit and take it all in. They will be available for purchase soon, apparently, and probably all over my house. :)
http://rustyhelenrobsonfamily.blogspot.com/2008/08/capturedmiracles.html

Matt singing

Matt singing

The Kear Cabin Get-away!

Our July was full of fun getaways and relaxing retreats. The weekend I spent up in Heber with the Kear family goes filed away under both! As life gets crazier, families grow larger and schedules get fuller (a word? not a word?), time together can be a rare experience. BUT, two years ago, we all gathered at this astoundingly huge cabin and vowed to return in two years! So, about a month ago, we all met up there to enjoy the lovely weather and each others' company. JC was kind enough to stay back with the kids so that I could go spend time with everyone with a clear head and use it as some "me" time. Thanks again, honey! It was so much fun!

Here's little Josie. Matt and Alice are in New Mexico now and I hadn't met her yet. What a sweetie! First of all, she is just as cute as they come. And second of all, she didn't mind letting me snuggle her whenever I was missing my own babies! Look at that smile!

I took this picture from the porch...it's a bit far away but I'm pretty sure that's Matt giving Carter a turn on the zip line. I wasn't brave enough to try it, but those that were sure seemed to enjoy it!

Krystal dives into a cupcake...they were so good...I looked just this excited when I devoured mine. Bless you, Krystal, for allowing me to capture this on film!

Judson watches the zip line fun from the porch. And we also have Kaitlynn, looking like the lovely little lady that she is.

The little ones find a GREAT sand pit to dig up and play in...

...and get chased away by us grown up bullies so we can play some volleyball!

Luckily, they found a better spot anyway.
Mike gets fancy with his serves

Alice gets fancy with her...falls...

and Matt, her sweet husband, laughs it up.
Kristi, with one of her wicked serves (she must have taught Mike)
That night, after several hours of volleyball and some good grub (it was a KEAR gathering after all), some form of karaoke via some form of video game system became all the rage. I totally got awesome video of Matt singing but darn it all, my camera doesn't record sound apparently, so you will all have to be sufficed with this picture. Unless, of course, I decide to post the video anyway. For some things, all you need is a visual.
Judson tries to not fall asleep so he can stay up and sing with the big people.

Then, the little cutie catches me taking his picture.

Chloe, however, was completely oblivious that I was doing so. Guess she was telling us all that it was time to turn in!
In the morning, the kids did some crafty stuff that Grandma Polly was kind and creative enough to set up. Here we have Kaitlynn, Mason, Michael and Chloe making bug catchers.
And here we have the big kids refining their own craft.
Michael gets brave and tries to pick a fight with Uncle Matt. This did not end well.

I couldn't pass up this photo op. What's cuter than a bunch of little kids? Here, Mason and Josie have taken the opportunity to enjoy some down time while their cousins, Judson and Corbyn seem anxious to get them up and playing some more!

A little while later, Judson and Mason discover that it has begun to rain...hard.
It not only rained, but HAILED. Michael makes a bold move and tries to catch some in his hand!
His older sister, Kaitlynn, decides to go with a less painful approach.
In the meantime, Krystal practices her volleyball skills. What a dedicated athlete!

Yes, that is hail on the ground.

...also, here's some gathering on the porch.
Michael had decided to get his own box to catch the hail in, however, at some point they gave up and used them for something a lot more fun...
Too cute.
Mason being adorable. And freezing.

But there's nothing that can warm you up from a hailstorm like a rousing game of..."Don't Eat PETE!" Let it be known to one and all...I had never actually played this game before, only heard about it. I had always avoided it at all costs because it involves two of my greatest fears:

1)people watching me eat and 2)getting yelled at.

It was every bit as terrifying as I guessed.

But it was sure fun to watch. :)

Alice ate too many "Petes."Super Kristi!
Colton, Polly and Mark making home-made ice cream. Yum! Though, I actually had to freeze mine into a hard rock before I felt comfortable eating it...the recipe apparently contains eggs which I am just fine with. However, when Matt is sitting next to me when I'm attempting to eat it in its soft form and fake-gagging on his and sputtering "eggs...I can taste the eggs..." I CAN NOT handle it. Ice cream is one of my great pleasures in life. Curse you, Matt, for tainting it!!!!!
Since, again, this WAS a Kear gathering, it was only a matter of time before the arm wrestling began. Here are Kody and Corbyn getting things going...

Matt, seeing if Chloe got his "strong as an ox" genes...

And, of course, Matt and Mike engaging in a little brotherly competition. I think I have been attending Kear Family Functions for about a decade now. And I think I have seen this particular scene at nearly every one of them.
This picture makes me smile every time I see it.
Pretty soon it was time for the kids to have a competition of their own. A ladybug pinata! In the tradition of going youngest to oldest, Mason is first up. Now, after getting the blindfold firmly in place, it seems to have slipped. I don't think anyone minded.
Corbyn's turn! Uncle Mike gets yet another blindfold firmly in place.

Now, this is the point at which my camera batteries started to die. I think they were protesting the number of pictures I had been taking between this weekend and the week before, which had been spent in Texas with the kids! So, I missed quite a bit of the remainder of the pinata. :(

But I DID get this picture of Chloe getting prepared for her turn...and her brother, Mason, finding something about it hilarious. SO cute.

Colton then introduced everyone to a super fun game which involved a candy bar (always good), a pair of socks and some plastic utensils. Everyone looks like they're having fun!
A sweet picture of Kristi and her baby boy. I remember babysitting Michael when he was a super little guy. In fact, Mason's first attempt at a proposal was interrupted by Michael waking up crying in his crib when we were babysitting him! Good times.

Also, worth noting - - Kristi looks like a supermodel. So photogenic!
While his wife and son are posing for their picture to be taken, Mike opts to show off his more casual side...crashed on the couch with his little girl.
But then, upon hearing that his nephew needs some instruction on how to do a proper headstand, he jumps to assist. (boys are funny)

Matt joins the lesson and demonstrates the beginning position.

...and the lesson continues. Looks like Kody got the hang of it!
Mike, demonstrating proper form in the finishing position.
Sweet Josie, cuddled to sleep by Shay. Awww.
But, it wasn't bedtime quite yet! Gotta get some hokey-pokey-ing into the weekend! Grandma Polly and Aunt Alice teach the grandkids the ever-popular dance, knowing it will be a social tool at all kinds of stake dances and wild wedding receptions in their future.

You do the hokey-pokey and you turn yourself about...

That's what it's all about!
For the big finale, Krystal breaks out her DDR. Corbyn and Mason get the first go at it.
I guess Mason won the last round because he moves on to play Aunt Krystal.
Best part of the night? Polly and Kristi gettin their groove on.

Did I play? Yes I did and no, there are no pictures of it. That's the glory of being the one with the camera. Also, for any family members that may have snuck a shot of me doing so...um...I'd like to have a word...

So, after a couple days full of hours of volleyball, board games, crafts, zip line, hail, video games, food and downtime sweet downtime, we said goodbye to each other and the beautiful view from the cabin porch. I had such a good time. Besides it being one of the least stressful times I have had in the last few years, I just really love my Kear Family. :) They always have treated me like one of their own from the first time I walked into their life, a nervous sixteen-year-old desperate to fit in at a Thanksgiving Dinner that involved amazing stomach capacities, nacho cheese and Totino's Pizza Rolls. Oh, and arm wrestling. Ten years later, I don't have to feel desperate anymore because they love me no matter what...and...well...I did eventually become converted to nacho cheese.

Can't wait for the next Kear Adventure.


P.S. Thanks to everyone for not making too much fun of me for having my face burried in a book much of the time this weekend...a book about VAMPIRES at that. I can't help it if my first exposure to the Twilight series happened to come before our gathering...and I would like to note that TWO family members have since read the series and sang its praises to me, so I don't feel TOO guilty! :) Good stuff, eh, guys?