Summer in Utah-- Catchup!!!

I wanted to at least try to catch up on our summer events before its a lost cause (it might already be a lost cause....). We had such a fun summer. We lived with Steve's parents. Steve's sister and brother-in-law also lived with his parents and his other brother and his wife live only minutes away from the Hale' house. Then at the beginning of July, Steve's other brother and his wife and their three kiddos moved into the same house. Yes- Steve's parents had 3/5 grown and married children living with them. Plus, once Annie got home from her mission they had 4/5 children living with them (Annie was only there for like 5 days before we left on our cruise- but still!) It was chaotic, fun, crazy and at times exhausting. I wouldn't have done it any other way though. It seemed like everyday was busy and we were traveling and/or doing something fun!

We went on a camping trip for a few days with Steve's brother Scott, his wife Rachel and their very new baby. They took us to a beautiful place where Steve could try out his new fly fishing rod and we could all relax. We took a couple of bike rides, went for a few hikes and ate a lot of good food. It was a beautiful place.

One day I decided it would be a good idea to read a book in the sun with no sunscreen on and midcalf length capri pants. You can see that this actually wasn't a good idea and I got a nasty tan line that never actually went away.... Lesson Learned.

Even though it was the end of June, there was still a lot of snow on the ground. I love this picture of a little bloom poking up through the snow- it must be a determined little plant.

Steve's prize rainbow trout (EDIT: Correction: Steve has just informed me that this is a brown trout- not a rainbow trout... and he made me change it in this post :)

We were going to be en route to and in Venice on our 4th Anniversary with Steve's whole family-- so we decided to go overnight to Park City and stay in a fancy hotel overnight to celebrate. As always- we had a problem! First of all, Steve didn't even feel good and second of all I got in a bath and when I got out I saw that there was water EVERYWHERE. The tub had leaked all over the bathroom floor and into the bedroom area. There was like 1/2 an inch of water on the ground. So, at like 2 in the morning we had to pack up all of our stuff and move rooms. They gave us a discount luckily but it was still a bummer. Someday we'll go somewhere for our anniversary without a hitch. So far, it hasn't happened!

We got these great Hale Family pictures taken right before our cruise. I thought they turned out great!

Oh ya- the in-laws are sooo ridiculously good looking :)

We also went to Lagoon one day with the whole family- the kids had a great time and the adults had an even better time. We were there as it opened and stayed until it closed. We got on the bumper cars about 50 times over and over again right before we left. It was awesome. Steve, Mike, Jordan and I also did the skycoaster which is so fun! It totally fulfills any desire I might have to skydive or bungee jump!

Then- Annie came home from an 18 month mission in Nebraska. We were so excited to see her!!!

Mike also had a birthday...

The rest of these pictures are just random pictures of the day to day we experienced this summer. We had to try really hard to get Lucy to like us- we finally got her one treat at a time :)

Abbie and cute little Adelaide

I promise that we even did the mundane kinds of things like folding laundry- and I also promise that those underwear on Steve's head are clean :)

Adelaide love to look at pictures of herself!

Next up- 12 days in the Mediterranean!

Miscarriage: Part Two

It has been almost four weeks since we found out about the miscarriage. To be completely honest, I am shocked at how good/normal I feel and how much hope I have for the future.

The D and C went really well. I hope every surgery I have is that easy. I woke up in the recovery room a bit dizzy and disoriented and really hungry! We stayed at the hospital for about 45 minutes after I woke up and went home. After we got home, we watched movies all day. I had no pain and was only slightly bleeding. Saturday, we ventured out to get lunch and I did some Christmas shopping. Since then, I have had no pain and only bled lightly for about 5 days. I am so happy that I chose a D and C. I think it really helped expedite my healing and grieving process.

Though I felt pretty good, the weekend was tough for me. It was filled with lots of self-talk, blinking back tears, and Steve's reassurances that I could indeed make it through this trial.

Steve had to go on a business trip to Dallas from Sunday to Wednesday. So, I had rescheduled my flight to Utah for Sunday also. I felt a little dead inside thinking about being apart from him- I was so scared to venture out on my own and not have my rock there with me. Needless to say Sunday was not my favorite day. That night, I was at my in-law's house and stayed up practically the whole night talking, grieving and crying with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. It was so cathartic.

Then, when I woke up Monday morning, for the first time since I heard the news, I felt good. I felt hopeful. It was truly the strangest thing I've ever had happen to me. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ heard all of the prayers being said for me and blessed me to feel that way. It was as if overnight, the whole burden had been lifted and I could rejoin the land of the living. It was one of the best blessings I have ever received in all of my life. I have still had some hard days, and hours but overall I have truly felt happy.

As I have thought about this experience and the ability I've been given to heal, I can't help but be grateful. I feel like I have truly been able to experience the happiness in life I had been missing and to know that when I am blessed to be pregnant again and have a baby, I will be able to experience the full spectrum of happiness and joy that come with that experience. For that I am truly grateful. I remember someone saying to me that to take the pain and sorrow out of life would also be to remove the happiness and joy and love too and it is so true.

I also can't help but be grateful for all of love and support I have received from everyone in my life. Words can't express how much every gesture of kindness meant to me. It has been especially helpful to hear stories of others who have gone through this experience, which I'm sure isn't an easy thing to talk about.

For now, I am still taking things one day at a time, but in a good way. I am hopeful, excited for the future, and grateful beyond words for the blessings I have been given.