Getty's Got It Goin' On

Before...

After! 

By the time he gets his braces off, he'll be 16 and behind the wheel picking up his date. (!)

He's hunky as it is... just imagine him in two more years ;)


Ha!

The contents of one pair of Getty's jeans: a hacky sack, gum wrapper, a quarter, earphones, and a deck of cards for magic tricks (that's how he impresses the ladies).

(The rock was in Cam's pocket, true to 8-yr-old form.)

What Are Friends For?

Mia was giving a talk in sacrament meeting that Sunday. This is when Mason stepped up to the plate:

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Friendship and Fraternizing

Last week, Mia's cheer squad noticed a teenage girl in the stands in a wheelchair and invited her to cheer with them. This week, they gave her a cheer uniform and taught her some moves. She's front and center (where she belongs!).

After the game, the football players ran over to the stands where the newest cheerleader sat with her parents to thank her and give her a chant from the team. Still brings tears to my eyes.

Mia's favorite football player. I still have to remind myself she's old enough to fraternize with boys—dangit.

Grief: 19 Months

As I often do, I stopped at Elle's grave as I rode my bike toward home today. I knelt down with my head on her grave marker and choked out my thoughts to her.

I told her how I keep reliving the accident and the days following it in the hospital. I'm awake again after living in a fog of grief for over a year. Now I'm facing those life-changing events with my normal energy, mental faculties, and personality in tact. I feel tremendous regret that I ever left her side.

I told her how I've been thinking about parents who, during wartime or poverty or adoption, send their children to another home in order to give them a better life. They are willing to sacrifice the presence of their children in order to keep them safer and/or to give them better opportunities for happiness and success than they could provide. I told Elle I would do anything for her. She's already gone, and I don't remember having a choice about that, but I'm trying to see our situation for what it is. I have to do what those parents do for their children. I have to sacrifice my time with her, so she can be in a much safer and happier place, with far greater opportunities, and with Parents that love her more than we do (hard to imagine).

The problem is, I want her to be with me. It's not enough for me to think she's near or "in the next room." I told her I want to be pregnant with her again. I want her to be inside my body. That way I could go on with my life without leaving her behind. She's a great part of me, and I don't know how to live without her.

I told Elle that I hate telling people I have 5 kids or that my youngest is 8-yrs-old just to avoid the awkward conversation sure to follow.

I told her I won't do that again. I'll deal with being put on the spot. What I won't deal with is pretending she's not a part of our family.

I kissed my four fingers and touched them to her sweet face pictured on the grave marker, told her I had watched her be fiesty and awesome on some home videos Sunday night, and picked up my bike to go.

I blew a kiss to little Angie's grave as I rode away. She was only two when she drowned in a hot tub. It gives me strength to remember Elle is not the only little girl to leave home.

And that we are not the only parents that live with only a promise of a better day.

The Latest and Late with MK

The Soccer House

Aloha Stadium

Effects of Hell Week

A few of my favorite MK pics from last year...

Whose idea was this?

Miss you, Punkin :)

Flashback: Toddler pics

Anna McKenzie
Just so excited to go anywhere and 
play with anyone.

Mia Lorenne
We called her "spicy." Marathon tantrums 
that made me moan like Chewbacca.

Patrick Getty
"I'm Rob, ok? I'm going to work." 
Would call me "Honey," change his 
clothes to match Rob, and shave his face 
with an electric toothbrush.

Robert Cy
Told me he loved me 27 times a day.

Cam Briner
Easy as pie and just as yummy.

Isabelle Marie

The Entertainment.

(Can you stand it?!)

Cam Turns 8 and Gets Dunked

Comforting Cam when he opens his first and much anticipated birthday present only to find he has unwrapped a birthday present meant for Cy (two weeks from now).
Pity party...

Unfazed, Cy tries on his new KD jersey :)

Cam recovers.

He just lost his second front tooth and has a brand new smile.

8 Reasons I Love You, Cam

1. You are calm and reasonable in a house of maniacs
2. You enunciate your words much better than your English major mom
3. You're assertive and have a strong sense of self
4. You don't take things personally or get your feelings hurt easily
5. You were such a protective, sweet, entertaining big brother to Elle
6. You still let me dress you for school (thank you!)
7. You have an obedient, honest spirit
8. You don't let Cy talk you into sneaking cookies :)

August 3, 2013. Cam gets baptized.

 Baptism Brunch prep

Looks like Mia's keeping an eye on those chocolate muffins...

... thought so.

These three had the best time making movies and funnies together.

Ryan showed us how to wrestle a bear...

Bentley's bear surrendered first thing.

The Priesthood Circle: Uncle Craig, Daddy, Grandpa, Grandpa Doug, Uncle Scott, and Uncle Mark (who was busy giving kids rides on the go-kart for this pic).

Don't mess with the Priesthood!