Yep, we're back in the hospital again!!


Lowell fell on the concrete and broke his left elbow on Sunday afternoon. And, yes, it's the same elbow he broke in May.  He was carrying Logan and slipped.  His elbow took the brunt of their fall.  We came down to Spokane to ER and surgery was scheduled for Monday.  Surgery's over and we get to go home today!


These pictures were taken while Daddy was in surgery.  We tried to find something to keep these four monkeys entertained for several hours in a hospital.  So we visited the butterfly skywalk, the fish skywalk, the "holey" tree, the big bear, the fish acquarium, the Christmas trees, the cafeteria, the gift shop, the snow outside, and of course the "alligators" - excuse Logan, he meant the elevators. 

And of course, these two-of-a-kind are using the hospital bed as a slide.  I'm thinking they have some of their Daddy's adventurous genes.  I might as well reserve a room for us at Sacred Heart for the next 20 years since between 3 boys and their dad we will probably be using it quite often.

And, yes, I am bored and trying to keep myself from going crazy.  Lowell's feeling too good - he's pickin' on me!!  'Course, I can always hit him over the head with his urinal . . .

For now, I might just go get myself another cup of coffee!

 
My honey and I in Dad's apple orchard!




Jonathon and Dana Gish!  It was so much fun to see them again ~ kinda like old times.




Marc's poor gator got a workout with all the kids wanting rides.  Darla was happy to oblige!  In fact, we had to yell pretty loud when it came time to use it for the apples.




The patriarchs of the family hanging out on the porch ~ much quieter there than in the house where there was either a child, a bottle, or a toy wherever you decided to step.



Gettin' in line to help Grandpa make cider.




It's a wonder someone's nose or finger didn't get caught in there.  They all had to be right where the action was!



I think they're close enough here to actually smell it!




Hard work making apple cider ~ gotta take a break.




We were helping Mom Graber with her ground cherries.  I had never actually saw a ground cherry before ~ so that was rather interesting.  They look like a tiny tomato and even taste a bit like them.



Too much vacation ~ gotta take a nap!

The beaming wedding party!

 


Mom and us 3 girls!




Kiddos before the wedding ~ as you can see, Megan still needed her hair combed yet.  All the little girl cousins wore the same ribbon in their hair and we were still waiting on the ribbon at this point.



It was hard to keep almost a dozen little ones quiet while waiting for our turn to go sit down.  So they all went in a Sunday School room and sang their little hearts out!  There were so many little, wiggling bodies that I couldn't fit them all in the picture.




This is the brother of the bride showing us one of his most admirable qualities!!  Right in the middle of the reception, no less.  I hope my brother isn't too embarrassed because I thought this picture took the cake ~ no pun intended!




It looks like the father of the bride is trying to keep as many dishes away from the brother of the bride as possible! 

This is a video we have put together of pictures covering the last 4 months of our lives.  When uploading it to xanga, it made it quite grainy.  On DVD, it looks much better.  Anyway, enjoy it ~ and may you be blessed!

  How can we question our God?  He has a purpose in EVERYTHING!

We finally went and visited the accident site last week when Uncle Greg and Caleb were here.  I am so very glad they were along because without Caleb we may not have been able to get Lowell out of that ravine.  If you can call it a ravine . . . it was really just a very steep dropoff to the lake.  Pictures don't do it justice, but they do better than words. 

It was almost traumatic in a way to go back there.  All I'd ever heard was what the guys who were with him at the time told me.  And also the pictures they had taken.  But to actually be there in person and slide down that very steep dropoff to stand where Lowell landed affected me deeply.  In all human reasoning, I should be a widow right now.  There is no earthly possible way he could have flown that far off his bike down such a steep hill of boulders, missed so many trees and jagged rocks, and come out alive.  After physically being there and seeing it with my own eyes, I can only say that God is good . . . so very, very good.





This is the curve he was coming around when he flew off the left side down toward the lake.



His bike struck this reflector where we think he and the bike parted ways with the bike landing down toward the left and Lowell down on the right.  If he would've stayed with the bike, it probably would have crushed him.

 

This is standing at the edge of the dropoff, looking over to the lake.



And this is a side view (as best I could do) of how steep the dropoff was.



We think this is the rock that he bounced off of.



Lowell and Caleb went down first with the boys and I following.  You literally had to sit down and slide.  Lowell and Caleb are sitting down where Lowell had landed in the accident.



Lowell is laying in the spot he thinks he landed in and then woke up to.  I love this picture!  God is so very good to us!



I took this picture standing in the spot where Lowell landed.  He had to have flown straight through those trees from the road up above.



This is where his motorcycle landed.  The boys and I even found some pieces from the bike as well as a buck knife that had fallen out of Lowell's bike.



Lowell and the boys sitting where the bike landed, holding pieces of it.



Looking back up.



Getting ready to head back up the ravine.  Or maybe getting the courage to do it?



Partway up . . . you're getting there, Lowell.



Stopping for a break on the way up!