Hunting Weekend 2011

Every year the guys go hunting when the season starts.  Last year, it was crazy having a three month old and no husband for several days, but we made the best out of it. See here  Wow, have things changed...for the better!  It was so much easier this year.  The babies were so good which made time fly by, thankfully!

Bill left to go out of town on Wednesday for work and then met up with the guys on Thursday night in Dilly, TX ( sounds really masculine, huh?)  Ash bravely invited us over for another slumber party.  She made us some tasty dinner, we went on a walk to the park where the kiddos played, we put them to bed, and then had some relaxation time with just adults.  

Having a great time at dinner

Luke kills me!  He hammed it up big time for his pictures!

He immediately stops what he is doing, says cheese, and is extremely still until you snap the picture!

Playing after dinner

Garrett is such a cutie!

All three of the kiddos slept so well!  My motto lately has been expect the worst, but hope for the best.  That way I will never be disappointed.  I was bracing myself for a disaster- three babies all sleeping upstairs- but I never once heard any of them!

Yogurt moustache

So handsome!

Here he is impressing us all with his climbing skills.  Please note that these are the same jammies that he wore last hunting weekend!  

So fascinated with Luke's toys

 

Taking a break from all the playing

After breakfast, the babies felt the need to help clean up...

Ave did some dusting

Garrett did some mowing

Luke observed to make sure it was being done correctly- "Um, you have to have the pad facing down!"

Avery tried out another duster that was more her size

Working so hard

On Friday night, I had all the girls, kiddos, and baby to be at my house.  Here are some shots I took after dinner...

Emmalie was getting some practice to prepare for baby Gibson!

Lindsay was helping Luke push Garrett.  He thought this was hilarious!

This is what it looks like when Ave gets sand on her tongue.  Chelsea was so nice to brush the sand off :)

You can tell that Jackson LOVED his cupcake!

This is where the pictures stopped for the weekend.  I didn't take as many as last year, but we had a ton of fun thus far.  Saturday began a steady decline into what became one of the saddest weekends for me ever.  Shelby started becoming really wobbly when she walked around 12:30 on Sat afternoon.  Wendy, Bill's mom, came over to watch Avery while I took Shel to the emergency animal hospital.  I had to leave her there for some tests, went to Lindsay's house for dinner, then took Ave back with me to find out the results.  It ended up that she had two large tumors- one next to her lungs and the other next to her spleen.  They told me that I could either put her to sleep there on the spot or take her home, spend some time loving on her, then take her on Monday.  I was so shocked that I burst into tears in front of the vet.  Avery started laughing at me; she really knows how to comfort someone in pain.  Well, I opted for the second option so that I could get in as much time with her as possible.  I was also hoping that Bill could get home to say goodbye and love on her too.  Well, long story short, I had to make the horrible, gut wrenching decision to put her down at around midnight that night.  I have not cried so much in a long time.  There is nothing worse than debating when the "right time" is- you don't want to do it too early or wait until there is a lot of pain and suffering.  She was having a tough time breathing and couldn't really move.  I just knew that it was time.  Ave was such a trooper being woken up in the night. I, on the other hand, was a blubbering mess.  She was such a great dog, and I will miss her so much!  I plan to do another post about Shel, more for me to reminisce than for other people to read.

Hunting weekend didn't obviously turn out as planned, but we really did make some great memories in the beginning.  I have realized that life happens, and it isn't always in the most opportune times.  I am in a Mom's Group at Faithbridge, and we have homework daily.  The hw on Friday night was all about making God your refuge in troubled times.  Talk about application!  This really helped me get through Saturday night.  I am also so thankful for Bill and my mom talking me through everything into the early morning hours, and friends and  family being there for me in following days.  I really am blessed.