Pictures of Ashton playing volleyball

Ashton is second tallest on the team.
She plays front center where she blocks and hits the ball at the net. She also serves.

I tried getting video of Ashton in action, but my camera batteries died before getting anything worth sharing! Maybe next time!

What Kaden said

Kaden has been asking the cutest questions lately. I've started making a list, and will one day post them. For now I'll just post what he said today. We went to my dad's house this morning. I call Dad every day and had been spending time at his house, helping with meals, dishes, cleaning, whatever needs done, twice a week. Since his nerves have gotten even worse, (Doc put him on an additional anti-depressant this week), I thought I would visit Dad more often. So, we went there today. I was outside pushing Kaden on the swing and he said, "My tummy feels funny when you push me on the swing. My tummy feels like it's flying out of my body. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" That last sentence just sounded like such a grown up thing to say, I had to laugh!

A little more on Dad... the cancer docs have suspended chemo for now. His nerves are so bad that it's imperative they get a handle on them before they proceed with more chemo. The new medication will take two to three weeks to help. We're still waiting for the other anti-depressant to kick in! It's such a long wait when each day is miserable and you have physical pain due to depression and anxiety. I pray Dad has the strength to endure.

The worry over meals

This has been a rough week for Dad. He continues to have extreme fatigue, feels like he just can't do anything for himself. He often tells me how he has to really force himself to do the simplest things. Pastor Karl recommended that one of us be with him over meal times to help get meals together for Dad. That seems to be his biggest worry at the moment -- What am I going to eat and how am I going to get it ready? Family and church friends have been bringing food, but just getting it from the container to the plate is often such a chore. Yesterday my brother Dave left work over his lunch hour to assist, and he was there again at supper time too. Today I'll be there for lunch. For his evening meal, I'm hoping I can take food and arrange it on a plate so that all he'll have to do it pop it in the microwave. That much he feels he can do. Dave had already said he could do Saturday and Sunday, I'll be on again for Monday. We just need to get Dad through this hump. He did see his psychiatrist on Monday. I think once the medications take full affect he'll be feeling much better, but it could be a long hull until then.

"Please take me to the creek!"

When the weather was warm last week, this was all I heard from Bryson, "Please take me to the creek!" He had been asking everyone deemed old enough to take him: Dale, Kassie, Brady, Ashton and myself. No one else had the time, or felt like going. In time I caved and took the three youngest boys down to the creek. It's about two tenths of a mile from our house.

Avery gives Kaden a little help through the mud.

As a child I loved playing in the creek near my home. Lifting up rocks and finding crayfish was so much fun! Now I prefer to watch... and take pictures.

I just love this picture of Avery and Bryson!

It was time to leave after Avery came running and screaming out from under the bridge saying, "A snake just hissed at me!!"

It was hard for Kaden to walk home in saturated snow boots, so Bryson decided to lend a hand!

I'm sure this is just the first of many trips to the creek this spring!