Home, Sweet Home

Finally, we are home. It has been a long month. After our visit in Utah, William and Zac drove out to join us. The five of us flew from Salt Lake to El Paso to spend some time with Troy's family in Mexico. We had such a wonderful time in the colonies. The orchards were beautiful. It was so fun to see all of Troy's siblings and families there. We had a fun-filled visit with everyone there. I wish we would have had more time to spend with the Uncles and Aunts. I didn't even get in one good game of Rook! Next year, maybe. I think next year will be when I start to send the girls down for a week or two each summer. It is important for them to know their legacy and really have a chance to know our Mexico family. The girls are so excited to go! After our visit to Mexico, we flew back to Salt Lake and proceeded to drive to Montana for William's nephew's wedding. It was a long drive. The ceremony was a traditional Greek Orthodox wedding. The entire ceremony was held in Greek, so I don't know what was said. But it was very beautiful. We were in Missoula for 2 days and then we drove home to Oregon. It was a very long 3 weeks for me and the girls. We were home for 2 days and then I had my surgery on Wednesday of last week. It sounded like a good idea when we planned it that way, but I was crazy. The surgery went well. I had some complications in the hospital afterwards. My doctor was a little surprised because I am so young. Usually women who have a hysterectomy are much older and more prone to complications. Well, as I said to my doctor, if it's possible, it will happen to me. I came home Thursday evening. It was nice to be home. My doctor thought it would be good for me to stay another night in the hospital, but William could take care of me so much better at home. So, home I came. To make a long story short, after some more complications and back to the doctor, today I think we have a handle on everything! Yeah! Now I can heal and just bet back into the swing of things. The girls have taken very good care of me, especially Camille. When she hears me get out of bed, she runs in and yells at me to get back to bed. It is very sweet. My friends have been so kind in bringing us food. This must sound like a rambling mess. I suppose it is one of the side effects of heavy narcotics! Maybe that is why I can't stay awake long enough complete this properly. I'll fix it later.......

Girls Gone Wild!

The girls and I are in Utah this week. Megan is attending a camp in Logan and Camille and I are staying with my sister Stacey. It has been a lot of fun. We have been very busy. Tomorrow we will go and stay with my sister Sydney. We spent our first full day, Saturday, at the mall. It is so nice to be back where I can actually shop. I am sure William is not pleased. The first thing the girls and I do when we come to Utah is go to the cemetery where Troy is buried. I have not taken pictures of it since they day of his funeral. I thought the girls would like a picture. It was a beautiful day. Every time I visit the cemetery, I feel bad about how dusty is headstone is. This visit we took a broom, water and rags to clean if up a little. The girls worked so hard to get the dirt out of the letters of his name. It was touching to see them both working so hard to make it look beautiful. After about 20 minutes of cleaning, they were satisfied enough to put their flowers down. When the girls were little, we would go up every week and take flowers to his grave. Camille would always choose a yellow flower, usually a sunflower. Megan would choose a pink rose. When we stopped at the flower shop, I didn't even tell them what to choose. Camille went right for the yellow and Megan for the pink. The shop didn't have sunflowers, so daisies would have to do. Megan found the perfect pink rose. I always take a red rose, and that day was no exception. I am so glad that I chose this particular place for him. It is peaceful and beautiful. The girls and I can just sit and talk and not be bothered. It is very private. The cemetery always has bunnies running around. Usually, the girls find them and try to catch one. We didn't see any on this visit. At least the deer will enjoy the flowers! It was a nice time for the girls and I to be together there. The next day, we drove up to Salt Lake to have dinner and spend some time with Troy's parents. They just bought a home there. For the last several years we have seen them, it hasn't been in their home. Because they live foreign, we usually see them in Utah or they come to Oregon to visit. It was nice to see familiar things in their new home. The girls spent the afternoon looking through Troy's baby book and photo albums. I am grateful for Troy's family and the huge part they have in our life. I am grateful that when we are with them, it feels like they are getting a little bit of Troy. His family is wonderful. They love us so much. I am grateful for their love for William, too. They have accepted him like a true part of the family. And I am grateful that William encourages us to be with them. I am thankful that I can go and remember Troy and know that I am free to still love him and not feel guilty. William is a very special person. I know that he is unlike any other man. I am a very lucky girl.

Dibble-Dabble

Today was another day spent outside watching the girls and their friends in the pool. It has been so warm here. The fires from Northern California are huge and the smoke from them has blown several hundred miles to Southern Oregon. It looks like we are in LA because of the haze. We are lucky that we don't have any fires close to home. I am sure they will come. As the kids were swimming, they wanted to play a game. The game to play is 'Dibble-Dabble'. I am sure you have never heard of it. My brother-in-law's family made it up over 20 years ago. Let me give a quick summary. One person has the dibble-dabble, while everyone else is out of the pool and backs turned. The person dives in and drops the dibble-dabble somewhere in the pool and quickly gets out. As soon as they are completely out, everyone turns around the tries to locate the dibble-dabble. The first one to grab it and yell "Dibble-Dabble" wins. The first one to 5 wins. You may not dunk or push anyone to get to the dibble-dabble. The only way to get try to keep someone else from winning is to splash like crazy and try to move it away from anyone. It gets loud and crazy. Our game today was a little less crazy because we were only playing with 7 kids. When you get 10 people and adults, (they are the worst) it is insane! Oh, you may ask what is the dibble-dabble? This is the most important part. It is a small piece, usually around 1-2 inches, of sky-blue colored pencil. It is so hard to find in the water! Such a fun game. The overall winner today was....Camille! She was so proud of herself! This particular pool game has become a legend around here. Kids are always asking to come over and play dibble-dabble! Just another day in our insane home!

Our Family Slideshow

She Is Home!

I have some time while William and Zac are out painting the front porch. I loved it black, but William wants to try it the trim color. Whatever, as long as it looks good! Doesn't Zac look thrilled! He hates primer. Well, it has been a long week for me. Last Sunday, on Father's Day, we took Camille to camp. It was in Ashland, about 45 minutes south of us, at Southern Oregon University. The camp, Academy, is the same camp that Megan has attended for the previous two years, and the camp I went to as a middle schooler. I have nicknamed the camp "nerd camp", lovingly of course! It is a camp where talented kids spend a week with like minded peers and living in the dorms while living the college life. The kids receive course descriptions and then put in a schedule request. That was fun for Camille. Each camper is nominated by a teacher and must receive 3 letters of recommendation along with current test scores, report cards and 1 page essay stating why they should be considered for acceptance. It is a lot of work for a 10 year old. But she was in! William and I were so nervous sending Camille. We had never been nervous sending Megan. Meg had several friends that all went together. Camille went solo. We didn't know any other girls there. A couple of boys from her school were there, but no one she is really friends with. Let me set the scene. We arrived a little early for drop-off. We were standing around on the lawn in front of the dorm waiting. Camille heard the bushes moving and ran to see what was there. Well, she found a huge snake. Then some other kids from across the lawn said that they had found a rat over near them. I was freaked out. Then, as I am pleading my case to William why Camille should not stay, out of the corner of my eye, on the steps up to the dorms, I notice something grey. Another huge rat running on the stairs! How could I send my baby there for a week. Now, Camille was so excited at the "wildlife" around her. She begged me and said she would be fine. So we left her. I was sure she was going to need a rabies shot or something when she returned. In the car on the way home, Megan and I were talking about Camille's room. A couple of years ago, she was fed-up with sharing a room with Megan and decided she would like her own. After much discussion, we chose to give her the guest room. We pulled out the queen bed and took her bunk and put it in the room. The room was boring. We had not put much thought into it. We had spent time on the other room. She didn't care. Anyway, when William and I got new furniture in our room last year, Megan got our old stuff. Her room is huge, as it was designed for two kids. Camille then got Megan's bunk too. Well, then Zac grew and needed a new bed. He got a queen sized bed. So, we sold the bunks at the garage sale and gave her Zac's twin bed. Her bedding was Megan's old Hawaiian theme. Anyway, nothing in her room was anything she had chosen, all hand me downs. So, Megan and I decided to re-do her room. We kept the furniture, but rearranged it. I painted the room. Yes, you read correctly, I painted. We bought her new bedding and accessories. Megan and her friend, Kylee painted the mats for some picture frames that contained photos of our family and Camille's friends. We placed them all over her room! We finished the last details last night about 11 pm. Zac put together a new stand for her TV all by himself. He also repainted her old pot for her dead plant and bought her a new plant for her room. Megan worked hard all week in that room, on top of her regular chores and Camille's that needed to be done in her absence. We left early this morning to go and retrieve Camille. When she got home, I told her to take her things right upstairs and into her room. She opened her door and screamed, "What the....." She turned to look at me with the most confused look. She was so shocked it took a couple of minutes for her to realize that this was really her room. She loved it! It was all worth it! She is an amazing little girl who always gives to everyone else without ever complaining. This was her turn to receive! She deserves it!

High School?

It has been a busy week and I haven't had time to write about the school year ending. We had the chance to attend graduations for Zac and Camille at school. It was a bitter sweet time for us. I will say it again, time is speeding and moving too fast. I have officially left the "Elementary School" life. No more play days, jog-a-thons, room parties or the like. In the Fall, Zac will be in high school and Camille will be in middle school. Maybe it wouldn't have been so hard if they both hadn't happened at the same time. But, they are great kids that have to grow up. I can't (and on most occasions DO NOT want) keep them with us forever. They both did very well again, as did Megan. Megan and Zac both had 4.0's. Camille's school grades a little differently but had the equivalent. Well, except for penmanship. Maybe she'll be a doctor. Okay, no more bragging. I have added some photos of Zac and Camille at their respective graduation assemblies. Zac is now "too cool" to smile when asked. Camille was all dressed up for her themed graduation, "You Are A Star". She even wore little heals that belong to Megan. I was proud that she didn't trip on the red carpet. William and I are so proud of our kids. It is a scary time to be parents of teenagers. The worry was to be expected, but the sleepless nights and chest pains were a surprise! What will we do when Zac starts driving so soon? Ugh! We are blessed. I, being completely insane, agreed to let all 3 kids have parties that day. So, Camille had a big graduation party from Noon until 2:30, complete with bounce house. Megan had an end of the year swim party from 3:00-5:00 and Zac rounded out the day with a sleepover that started at 6:15. Both of the girls parties were crashed by the neighborhood boys. Normally I don't let them swim together, but it was fun! Plus, I had a lot of help keeping an eye on things! I didn't get photos of Zac's friends at his party or the bounce house. I am a slacker. By then, I let William take over and I was done. He did not think about the camera. It was a great end to a long but fun day! We now begin the next chapter....hold on! It will be a crazy ride.

Track Meet

Today, Camille participated in the 4th/5th grade track meet. She did very well. She ran in the relay, 400M, and the 200M. She also did the obstacle course. She loves to run. She

finished 2nd. It was fun day. Camille's school and the middle school that Zac and Meg attend are just separated by a field in the middle. The track is located at the middle school. So, I was able to spend the afternoon watching Camille while spying on the older kids at lunch. I didn't see Zac until the last 5 minutes, but I saw Megan and her "crew" right away. So, I thought I'd share a photo of the posse, as we refer to them. We had a wonderful day. The weather was perfect. The track meet had been rained out twice. We are having such strange weather! I hope the sun stays for a while! I can't believe the end of the school year is so close. Zac will head to high school and Camille to middle school...scary. The time if flying by much too quickly...