Catch Up

Wow, it has been a long while since I have last posted an update.  Life has been busy, as it always is, but in the past 5 months we have seen many bigger life changing events happen, some of which have been part of the reason for the delay in writing.  As we prepare for another Nutt to enter this world I find it even more important to get caught up as life is about to change in ways we’ve yet to experience here at the Nutt House.

In the last few months the Nutt House has seen too many of our loved ones move beyond this world.  As we’ve experienced the passing of three loved ones, all of which have been a part of our lives and influenced each of us I’ve experienced a selfish sorrow each time – with feelings of why did this happen to this person, I’m not ready to say good-bye, what will I do without this person in my life, and how can I help those I love dearly as they experience the sorrow and grief that comes with the loss of a loved one.  One of the people that we’ve seen leave us was Brent’s great-aunt.  I never got the chance to know her as deeply as Brent did.  But, I do know, based on how this wonderful lady has always been spoken of, by the look in Brent’s eyes when he talks of his Aunty and the overall level of respect he has for her that she is a wonderful lady.  I will always remember the first time I met her and how I felt I could be in the presence of my Great-Grandma Lee.  She seemed to be so full of life, someone who wasn’t afraid of a hard day’s work and knew what truly mattered in life.  One of the other great losses and the one that personally hit me the hardest was the loss of my Grandma Lang.  Her health wasn’t the best and after my Grandpa Lang had passed it was in a way expected that she would go to, but I was not ready for her to go.  The ways in which this one woman have affected my life are too many to list with some being indescribable other than to say that who I am today is in part because of my Grandma.  I will never forget looking up to her as a child, having my first biscuits and gravy with her, watching her set up a classroom at the school where she taught, hearing of the adventures of her road trips with my grandpa, the advice she would give me as I grew, calling her to tell her of my road trip adventures, or the visits with her as I prepared to become and did become a mother and how she would regard my daughter.  While losing so many that we love over the past several months has not been easy, I cannot imagine how much harder it would be without my testimony that I will be able to see my family again.  And, as one of my favorite songs tells me, “We can be together forever someday…”  Those six simple words when put together with a testimony – a knowledge that they are true that we can be together as family forever bring a peace, an assurance that death is not where life ends, it is only a change in how life is that I am ever so grateful for and that I cannot live without. 

Okay – on to funner topics and adventures….

Shortly after my last entry the Nutt House clan took a trip to Quartzsite, Arizona to spend a few days with my family.  Quartzsite is an interesting place, one that words cannot adequately describe, though I will try with a description of the town in January --  it’s a city of RV’s, with a population that appears to have an average age of 68ish, and it’s a massive flea market where most anything can be found is the best personal description I can offer though I do not guarantee the accuracy of this statement.  

Couple of tired people after a full day of Quartzsite shopping

One of the perks to living in Arizona is that trips to a park or to the zoo in January and beyond are totally doable – and crazily enough – no coat is needed!  So, we’ve had many an adventure at the park where we’ve continued feeding ducks, riding trains and carousels, getting over the fear of swings, and learning then relearning the joy of going down a slide all by oneself.  

Driving the Snoopy car at the park

Sitting in the tree in the backyard

First kite flying adventures

 

As the Nutt House has been working to prepare for the arrival of Kaden it became evident that my Phantom Purple (actual name for the color) Mazda 3 Hatchback, affectionately nicknamed Purple-People-Eater would not continue to work for a family car, so we  upgraded to a yet to be named Greyish (actual name for the color not known) Chevy Traverse.   This isn’t just any Chevy Traverse; it is one with captain (bucket) seats in the middle row!!!  Now, hold your laughter, this was a KEY selling point for a car for me.  I love this car!  Please, keep in mind, that this is 100% NOT a soccer-mom vehicle (at least not this specific one) and anyone that tries to argue that point, may walk away with a bruised but or black eye – okay, at the very least a not so happy thought going through my head about them.

The lives of the Nutt House moved to Valentine’s Day where I found myself trying to think of the best gift I could for Brent.  At the end of the day I ended up writing out 101 ways in which I love him, typing them out, and placing them in 101 balloons that filled our office.  Watching Brent see the balloons, pop them open and read the reasons made all the balloon tying worthwhile.  

Finished Room

Balloon Popping

One of the scariest adventures we’ve had was Kara’s first hospital trip.  Our family had a cold that seemed to go from person to person to person and back again for about a month or longer.  While we all struggled getting over this cold, Kara really seemed to struggle more than Brent or I.  So, at the end of February I took her into the doctor for a checkup.  Well, that check up quickly turned into a trip to the hospital when the doctor found that Kara had pneumonia, RSV, and her breathing levels were not where they should be at.  We went to the ER to see if they could help us clear out Kara’s lungs, but after the exam there it was felt the best course of action would be to admit Kara overnight and keep her on oxygen.  The sound of her cries as they attempted to draw her blood and get the IV in her will haunt me for such a long time.  I’m her mother, dangit and supposed to keep her from being hurt, not watching someone hurt her!  Fortunately, after doses of medicine and oxygen she was improved enough that we were able to bring her home!  After we finished the medicine she returned to normal, except she could no longer sleep through the night and we have spent literally months getting her back to a point where she can sleep in her room all night long or if she does wake up, get herself back to sleep.

Sleeping at the hospital

When we went to St. George for my Grandma's funeral we were able to enjoy time with my family.  While funerals are not a pleasant reason to get together with family I am always grateful for any reason that allows us to spend more time with any of our family.  One of the highlights of the trip, was Kara getting to spend time with her cousins.  (A sight that always warms my heart)

Kara with her cousin feeding grandpa's chickens

Being swung by cousins after enjoying time at the park

The months progressed and we saw Easter come to our home.   While I feel this year I pondered the real celebration behind the bunny for Easter more than I have before we enjoyed watching the Easter Bunny come to the Nutt House and bring Kara a bucket full of treats.  We were also able to enjoy her first egg dying and Easter egg hunts this year.  

First view of the Easter basket

Ready for church in her new Easter dress

Hunting for Easter Eggs

Success!

There have been many other adventures at the Nutt House, but as time has passed and I’ve become more and more pregnant some have slipped my mind and with others – a picture says 1000 words – so here are a few other pictures of our adventures and a brief description of them.

Kara enjoys wearing my shoes and the higher the heel, the better.  We do have a fashionista in our midst.

We have enrolled Kara in a music class that she has absolutely fallen in love with.  Her class participation isn’t always the greatest, but as soon as we leave she is all about singing the songs again and again and again.  “Wheels on the bus” is definitely her favorite song.

As my parents and sister came down for a baby shower a few weeks ago Kara enjoyed some quality bonding time with one of her Aunts and her Grandpa.  Where family means everything to us at the Nutt House, these moments are what we find life to be all about.

Another benefit to Arizona living  has been the fact that it is the beginning of May and we are already harvesting parts of our garden.  Fortunately, I have an amazing helper who enjoys picking everything (whether the plants are ready or not)!

We are preparing for our greatest adventure yet.  This pregnancy has been as different from Kara’s as night and day.  I’ve been sick, achy, sore, and almost every other thing you can be while pregnant this go around where with Kara the pregnancy itself was so easy.  Thanks in part to all the pains of this pregnancy tomorrow morning (5/7/2012 at 7am) I will be going into the hospital and walking about back out with Kaden in my arms (probably wheeled out and him in his carrier, but still).  We are so looking forward to this day!!!  At the same time, so many unanswered questions circle my tired, achy, pregnant head – are we ready for a second child, is Kara ready to be a big sister, can I give the time to each child that they deserve while finding time for my husband and some time for me, will I ever sleep again, and many, many more.  So….  Stay tuned as the adventures of the Nutt House continue and hopefully each of these questions will be answered (please let the first be can I sleep again with an answer of yes!!)