Gabe

2010 Gabe flowers

5 red roses for Keith, Jennifer, David, Tommy & Nathan and 1 white rose for Gabe

Gabe's hand/foot prints

Four years!! I can not believe it has been four years since we lost baby Gabe. There are some days it seems like just yesterday and other days that it seems like forever ago. Every year this day is hard and emotional time for me. I still have times that I break down and allow myself to feel the emotions from the experience. But, I think that is good. It helps me. Sitting here today, I am emotional, as I look at pictures, watch ultrasound dvds, listen to Gabe's song, and touch his blanket and I am ok with that. He was and always will be my baby.

What a life changing experience for our family though! Feelings of loss, sorrow, concern and yes, gratitude fill our hearts this year. It has taken me a while to understand and truly be greatful for my experience with Gabe. How greatful I am that we had family that was able to help and be with us, both taking care of David and staying with me at the hospital while Keith was running back and forth. Greatful for the strength and comfort of the Spirit through prayer and priesthood blessings. Greatful for parents and church leaders who came to be with us and knew just what to say and what we needed. Greatful for my doctor who validated my concerns that weekend and knew just who and what I needed and came and spent the night in the ER with us, and the perinatologist that he called in that came into the ER in the middle of the night in her evening gown.

Thankful that Spring Valley didn't have what they needed to put me into labor and I had to go to Southern Hills the next day where it was more quiet and peaceful and I wouldn't have to be surrounded by so many mothers and newborn babies.Thankful for my mom who encouraged me to hold Gabe, knowing how hard it would be for me to do but knowing that if I didn't I would regret it. Thankful for my visiting teacher who had a very similar situation and knew what I needed.

. I am grateful that we were able to have Gabe and for all of the lessons that his birth and death taught us.

Gabe's hands

defiance

I love Tommy! He is my special baby, that I needed after we lost Gabe. Having him made it a little easier to make it through that part of my life. But oh my gosh!!! This kid definetly keeps me on my toes! He is the only one of my boys to have multiple broken bones, emergency surgery, allergies that required ambulance rides to the hospital and so many other exciting adventures. He has gotten to be pretty defiant as a 3 year old. He refuses to use the toilet if you suggest it, but if it is his idea its the best ever! That is kindof how it goes with anything, if I suggest it, there is usually a major tantrum that goes along with him yelling no, but if it is his idea....he's a genius and its the best idea ever! He wears his pajama shirt all day because he likes the picture/design on it, he won't wear socks cause they hurt his feet, he has to run cause his shoes make him to fast. This week we were driving on 215 and he had his window down in the car. He had taken his shoes and socks off almost immediately once we started driving because that is what Tommy does. He had a hotwheel in his hand that he was putting out of the window playing with, I told him to keep it in the car because we don't want it to accidently fall out of the car, he brought it back in. Then he took his shoe and held it by the velcro strap and stuck it out the window... it flapped in the breeze long enough for me to tell him to put it back in the car before he dropped the velcro strap and lost his shoe!! I didn't go back for it, and he cried the rest of the trip. He can be such a sweet little boy sometimes, but man he can be a defiant little stinker!!

4th

Happy first day of 4th grade David!!

Crawling

(commentary done by Tommy)

Nathan is such a funny boy!! He is crawling all over the house! He won't crawl to his toys or to people, unless you are holding a remote or cell phone, then he crawls super-speed to get it.

3 in 3

So I have decided to go back to school and become an orthopedic surgeon!! No, not really, but I should with all the money I spend on Tommy! Friday night, Tommy was walking through the living room "modeling" his new backpack. As he turned he fell over his feet and hit the floor. He jumped right up, saw he was bleeding and started crying. Once we got his bloody nose under control I noticed how swollen his nose was. He wouldn't let me touch it. So, off to Good Night Pediatrics we went. They wouldn't x-ray him, because the doctor didn't want that much radiation and light by his eyes. So, she told us yes it is broken, follow up with your ENT next week. Not really comfortable with what she said and how she wouldn't do anything, called a friend of ours that is a PA, and with his recommendation took him to Fremont Saturday morning to get x-rayed. Sure enough, he broke his nose!! Poor guy! He is not letting it slow him down at all!!

A day at the lake

We went to Lake Mohave Saturday with my parents, sister Erin and her kids. The boys were excited to go in Poppa's boat and tube, try wakeboarding and play with their cousins. After we found a good beach we had lunch and let the kids tube and play in the water. Then it started getting windy and the water was to choppy to wakeboard so the kids tubed again and we decided to head in and try again next week. On the way back, the wind started getting worse and the waves were huge and were coming over the front of the boat. The front of the boat started filling up with water. The pumps were not able to get out the amounts of water we were taking on. Everything that was in the front of the boat, seat cushions, toys, cups/bottles, towels started to float away as we realized that we were sinking. All 7 kids had their life jackets on. The adults grabbed ours and put them on as we were jumping/floating out of the sinking boat. I gave Tommy to my mom, who with Erin, Cami and Cass went one direction together and floated on and with a seat cushion. I took Nathan and went into the water and got over to the tube that had David, Cade and Carter in it. I gave Nathan to Cade in the tube to try to keep him safer and out of the water. We were in the water with 3-4 foot waves for about 20 minutes before 3 boats stopped to help us. The first boat went over to where Erin, my mom and the kids were. The second one came over and took Nathan, the older boys and myself (and the tube). The third one took Keith and my dad. They got us to the dock where we were reunited with everyone. On the boat that picked up me, Nathan and the older boys, the lady was talking to me and told me that they came from Willow Beach that morning and earlier they had stopped to help some boyscouts whose canoes tipped over, and about ten minutes before they found us, they had turned around to head back to their car and her and her husband looked at eachother and said that they needed to turn around, they did and found us. We were truly watched over and blessed as a family Saturday. It so very easily could have turned out differently. We are so grateful for the people that stopped and put themselves in danger just to help us. The kids all did so great. They really didn't panic, they all listened really well and followed instructions. They were scared and worried about what they could see and family members that we couldn't see, but kept saying prayers in our minds, and knew that we would all be taken care of. The rest of the night, boats were bringing in things that they were fishing out of the water from our boat. If it didn't sink we got it back, even the jar of peanut butter. It took the vessel recovery company all night to get the boat out of the water, where it was completely upside down. Monday the Park Rangers called my mom and asked if we would be interested in doing a public service announcement with our story about the importance of life jackets. There were several local news stations there as well as the two local papers. The Park Rangers gave all the kids t-shirts that say 'I got caught wearing my life jacket' and youth sized lifejackets. Tommy even got to go in the Ranger's police car and make the lights and siren work!!

http://www.fox5vegas.com/video/24519303

http://www.8newsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=12927519

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/aug/04/dozen-people-survive-boat-sinking-lake-mohave/

http://www.lvrj.com/multimedia/12-Member-Family-Survives-Sinking-Boat-99982614.html

http://www.ktnv.com/Global/Story.asp?S=12928053

7 months

Nathan is 7 months old today!! He is the perfect addition to our family! We love him SO much!! He loves to roll around the house and play with toys or anything he can get his hands on. He loves to eat, anything and everything. He is just over 18 lbs, and just moved from his infant seat to his big boy seat in the car.
We love you Nathan!!