The Last Little Bits of Summer

This weekend, we squeezed every bit out of our last hours of Summer.  We are a Summer family.  We love lounging, water, impromptu ice cream outings, late night movies...complete with popcorn and hidden treasures on the bottom of the bowl, sibling slumber parties on palates, sleepovers, magical travels, and eat-when-you're-hungry lunches.  Let's not discount that they have a tendency to finagle sugary, caffeinated beverages...like coke a cola out of the glass bottle in the Summer...because we don't have to go to bed early, after all.

My parents, Honey, and UK came over for dinner.  I made Chicken and Dumplings and Arnold Palmers...served out of Mason Jars with bendy straws, of course.

We sat around the glow of a candle in a jar, surrounded by shells and sand...to soon be replaced by a fire in the fire pit when Fall decides to show it's pumpkin smiled face.

Sister needed a change and went with bangs.  In order to fully commit...I had to self talk my way through disturbing and haunting memories of my mother (and a few times, father) cutting my bangs entirely too short in an obsessive attempt to get them perfectly straight.  When Aiden's seemed a taaaad uneven...I left them ALONE!!

Trout made a trip to the vet, after jumping off of the chair and hurting his leg.  I was sure it was broken.  I had never heard a dog scream like he continually did after landing and then rolling around with his paw dangling in a weird position.  Then he couldn't bare any weight on it and when he would try...he would collapse onto his sweet, little face and whimper.  It was horrible.  But...we just know that as the kids and I prayed on the way to the vet, Jesus took favor on our little Trout and healed that leg right up.  By the time the vet saw him...it became only a sprain.  He had a lot of helpers at his clinic that morning.

After that traumatic event, we went to Yogurt Bear to recover.

****

And then sadly, this morning rolled on around, and we officially ended our Summer and started the school year.

As much as I love the Fall...the promise of cooler and crisper weather, pumpkins on the porch, the smell of freshly sharpened pencils and new boxes of crayons, candy corn and caramels, apples, and the crunch on fallen leaves under our feet...I think we were all sad to see this Summer go.

We made a lot of magic during the days of this Summer.  I just have a feeling, it will be one for the books.  You know the kind?  The holder of memories that grown kids sit around the table together and laugh about... year after year...long after Chad and I are gone.  Something about that makes me smile and cry all in one big minute.

After we walked the kids to their classrooms (not the big 5th grader, of course...he went it alone)...Annslee and I came home.  Where Annslee was.....well....she was Annslee.

Happy End of Summer.

I'm busy moping...so stop biting my ankles!

I'm enjoying the quiet that seldom is, waiting for the kids to meander down the stairs...blankies and stuffed bears in hand, with ragged hair and sleepy eyes.  Turns out, Trout likes to get up rather early to go outside and then spends the next hour bounding around and biting my ankles.  Even the continual, calming drip of the coffee pot doesn't lull him like I think it should.  Nope...the dog can't get enough of my jammy pants, it seems.  The whole way down the driveway...he is chasing and biting my pants.  Half the time, it looks like he is walking me.  But that's just in the mornings.  I guess shorts don't carry the same appeal.  Well...there also the fact that he can't reach them.  I'm getting to be friends with the early part of Good Morning America these days.  Every morning I think the same thing.  "This sure would be a great time to dust off my Bible and read a few chapters.  This would be the quiet time that you say you never have."  Yet, every morning I sit, coffee in hand, blankly staring at the seemingly important stories told by New York and things like concert in the park...which really do nothing for my mood, my heart, or my attitude for the day.  Maybe tomorrow...

Trout has finally calmed himself and is back asleep...but my coffee has perked me up, just enough, to not be able to go back to bed.  Everyone in the house is asleep but me.  And I must admit...it's kind of a nice feeling to start the day like the way I end it.  I should try it more often.  Although, today is meet the teacher and Monday marks the start of a new school year.  Let me be honest...I'm not ready.  I am finding myself moping around and in a general bad mood at the thought of it.  I wonder, is it the early mornings, the lunches, the homework, or the lack of laziness that I am dreading?  Each one of those things has something to do with it, I'm sure.  But just a little something.  I can't really put my finger on it.  Is it that we traveled so much this Summer that it doesn't really feel like we had one?  Is it that I'm so damn old that time is flying by at warped speed...unlike it does for a child, when Summer feels like an eternity of splashing, playing, and adventure?  This morning, in my solitude, the light bulb finally lit up that part of my brain that I have been successfully ignoring.  I don't want the kids to be gone for the majority of every day.  I don't want to miss lunch with them.  I don't want to see them for only 4 hours every day.  I don't want to start Colton's last year in elementary school.  I don't want Chase to be on the "big kid" side of the school.  I don't want Aiden to not be in Kindergarten anymore.  What the hedoublehockeysticks happened to last school year...that we seemingly started just a few months ago?  And what does that mean for this year and how fast it will go?  That means, I'm just a few blinks away from Colton being in Jr. High!!  Um...no.  I'm good with littles.  I'm great with babies.  I'm happy with having all my ducks in a sweet, little row...holding their hands and carrying them on my hip.  I savor the slow to wake, sleepy, cuddly, and lazy mornings...complete with jammies and lingering milks and coffee...everyone waking on their own time and joining us only when they are perfectly ready.

And then there is the reality of turning them over to adults that I know absolutely NOTHING about every day.  It takes just about the whole year to really get to know all of their teachers and friends that they are spending all of their time with.  Later this morning, we all meet each other for the first time.  I am faking excitement.  After all...I wouldn't want the kids to feel my trepidation.  I better pull it together fast.  Our Summer consists of only 3 more days. 

I never promised "nothing but cheer" here.  Hopefully you don't hold my "debbie downerness" against me.  For too long, anyways...

The Rest of Colorado

i finally got my camera battery charged and the second half of the trip uploaded.  i am in love with some of these shots.  so much so...that i will let them speak for themselves.

my grandpa's old creel and my dad's fly rod.

Creede, Colorado

meanwhile...back at the ranch:

I must admit...it has taken me a while to get my groove back after getting home.  It was great to be re-united with Chad...but the heat and the lack of mountains, rivers, fishing, horses, and family laughter over empire games and memories have left me blue.  but...my yellow is comin back, slowly but surely.  In the mean time...I am playing games like beauty shop and make-up mommy, where I can keep my eyes closed most of the time while I either get my hair brushed and tied in all kinds of knots with bows, clips, ponytail holders, and ribbons...or the girls put make-up on my face wtih no rules.  It's actually pretty relaxing.  Especially when I remember to remove the scissors from the hair basket BEFORE I hear them snip.

It made me chuckle when Aiden asked me what "mascary" was.  And I got a little nervous when both boys made this face upon entering the room.  Chase  said, "I better get you some soap."

So, here is the situation with Trout.  I was headed to the small grocery in South Fork to get Annslee some Children's Ibuprofen.  As I was walking into the store, there was a family out front with these puppies.  A little, blonde girl held him up like Simba and said, "Do you want a puppy?"  Now I challenge any of you to not, at least hoooooold the puppy that was just about placed in your arms as if it was dropped right down from Heaven by Jesus himself.  I took him, but said, "Ohhhh no.  I can't take him.  My son is allergic to dogs."  The momma was a yellow lab that was only 9 months old...a teen mom.  The papa was a black lab.  They had a litter of 10 puppies and she couldn't take care of them all and they were giving them away.  So, naturally...I called my brother back at the cabin.  At first he said no.  But then decided that I was clearly right and that we just HAD to take this sweet puppy back from the ranch with us.  It didn't hurt that I said I would help out with the shots.  He told me to get a male.  Luckily the sweet, little bear cub that was sleeping in my arms was just that.  So...I just never put him down.  I went into the store and got him food and snagged the last bottle of children's advil and headed back to introduce Kevin to the pup that he new he could find a home for if it didn't work out with Timber...his dog, and surprise the kids.

Now...it should be added that Chase has been consistently praying that God would heal him of his dog allergy.  And not even because HE wanted a dog...but because he didn't want to be the reason his brother and sisters couldn't have one.

And wouldn't you know it?  Apparently, God answered that little boy's pure-hearted, selfless prayer...because he never broke out into hives.  Not even once.  Not even when he held him and was licked by him.

So...we kept him.

And we named him "Trout."  After all...trout was all we caught that week in Colorado.

Although...he may have caught us.

A Story About a Horse

Do you see that horse?  You probably are looking at the one that we are on...but this story is about the other one.  It's a story about the horse in the background...the one that is quietly grazing...the one that looks thin...and a little bit lonely...and who is staying out of the limelight, even though a little attention would have probably done him good.  This particular morning, to be honest, I didn't even really notice him.  It wasn't until after...when I was casually looking through my pictures that I saw that I had captured him forever...even though I wasn't intending to.

****

I was thrilled to meet Holly, the guide and operator of the stables, at the base of the mountain trail that we would be riding on.  It was just Aiden and I for the first day.  We were introduced to the horses we would be riding and could barely wait to mount them.  Holly had brought along an extra horse, just in case Chase or Colton decided that they wanted to go.  They both decided to go fishing instead, so Apollo...the horse in the background...got to stay back.  I noticed he was neighing a lot as we left him at the base...and then when we got back as well.  After the ride was over,  Aiden and I had to hang around and wait for mom to come pick us up...so we talked with Holly and the horses while she saddled Apollo up for the next trail riders.  As she was putting the saddle on him, he began backing up and bobbing his head...as if pleading for Holly to understand.  She picked up on his signs right away and Aiden and I began to watch her work.  The next trail ride was about to begin and the people arrived.  If this trail ride was going to happen, Apollo was going to have to have a rider.  Holly quickly apologized to them and said that there was no way that Apollo could make the trip.  There was no question, as they saw Apollo struggling and graciously agreed to re-schedule and pulled away.  So, there we were.  Holly, Aiden and I...along with 4 horses...a mile up the mountain and alone.

****

After only a few minutes, Apollo was so uncomfortable that he was trying to lay down and roll.  I knew enough that a horse was not supposed to do that, but I really didn't know why.  Holly said that he had colic, and that if he layed down and rolled, his intestines could kink up and if that happened...he would die.  The only way to fix it would be surgery within an hour of kinking, and that was impossible.  So...the only option was to keep him walking.  This could help the colic to pass and Apollo to get comfortable again.  So, she began walking him.  At this point, Aiden watched while I tried to figure out some way to help.  The other horses had to have their saddles and bridles removed so that Holly could load them into the trailer to take them back to the stables, however Apollo could not be allowed to lay down...which was all he wanted to do at this point.  So........she gave me the reigns.  She just looked at me and said, "keep him walking."

****

So, while my daughter watched, I lead Apollo.  When he would try to lay, I would pull his reigns and keep him up.  When he would rear up, I would hold him down.  And we he would whine, I would gently talk to him and use one hand to stroke his neck that was already beginning to sweat from pain.  Holly worked quickly, but it seemed like forever.  I will never forget looking into his eyes and watching him begin to pant as Holly took the reigns from me to load him into the trailer.  The vet was already on her way and was meeting them at the stables.

****

The next morning, I walked down to the stables to check on Apollo.  He had died.

****

It was a weird feeling...knowing that I had been a part of his last few hours; that I had softly spoken to him as I lead him around; and that my face was one of the last ones he saw.  I wished I had noticed him before...when he was quietly grazing.  I wished I had sat proudly on him and taken a picture.  A picture where you could see his gentle, brown eyes. A picture where he looked strong and able.  A picture that would have made him feel as important as he was.

****

 Aiden had quite the introductory to horsemanship.  And me?  Well...I fell more in love with horses than I already was.  Gentle animals they are...right up until their last breath. 

Colorado or Bust

so...maybe you didn't know we went to colorado last week.  it was sorta impromptu...sorta not.  a few weeks before we left from iowa, my dad offered us a trip with my parents and my brother to wolf creek ranch...where he grew up going with his parents and grandparents, and where i grew up going with my parents and grandparents.  so that alone meant that i couldn't say no.  so...even though chad couldn't go with us due to our insanely long travels the month prior...i re-packed the kids and i and headed north.  again.  1000 miles through texas, new mexico, and part of colorado snuggled us deep into the rocky mountains where i reunited with the land, trees, river, rocks, and cabins from my past.  it was like seeing a long, lost friend that you sort of forgot how much you loved.

i swear i think i could have been a barrel racer in a previous life.  well...if i believed in that sort of stuff...which i don't.  i was most excited for my dates with a few horse suitors and was really hoping that the kids would love them as much as i did.  in hindsight, i should have saved the story about how i got kicked by one up here when i was 8.  the boys were not super thrilled.  however, it turns out that the girls were.

sister friend was enamored right out of the gate.  every time we walked outside...she literally ran in a bee line for the stable, pointing and saying, "hiiiiiii....hiiiiiiii...hiiiiiii!!!!"  she pet their noses, and would stay with them as long as i'd let her.  which was fine by me.

little, big man was unsure.  he eventually went on a 2 hour ride on this fella.  his pride wasn't bruised, but his butt was. 

i got a peek right back in time with this one.  she is our little cowgirl.  she wants to be in a rodeo someday...and you know what????  i think she could be.

they are such beautiful, strong, gentle animals.  just beautiful.

take a look at that rock balancing up there.  my great grandma and grandpa kelly used to marvel at this and wonder aloud, "how on earth is that thing balancing up there?"  i marveled and said the very same thing.

my brother fished for trout.

we hiked up south fork...a family tradition.  what happens on south fork...stays on south fork.  there have been many, many memories made on that mountain.

the boy caught his first fish...a small, speckled trout.

she played on the rocks in her waders...a fun to do no matter how old you are.

my animal lovin girls played with the dogs.

this was out cabin.

and this was our view.

and this was the babe, waiting to fish.

this is my dad...fly fishing for trout.

the kids enjoyed smores.

the girl proved herself as a fisher girl.

especially after she caught a trout.

****

well...the tired kids have groggily meandered downstairs and into my presence, requesting breakfast and their new playmate, so i'd better save the second half of the trip for another day.

oh...did i forget to mention the souvenir we brought home from wolf creek?

here he is.  meet our black lab........

trout.