Vacation #1 Reno, NV-Tragedy in the Midst

I usually only get one vacation a year (if I'm lucky.) This year however we had 3. Two mini vacations and one big one. Our first vacation was a trip to Reno to see my dad and a family reunion/camping trip at their property up at Frenchman's Lake where I spent every summer growing up. Little did I know the tragedy that was about to unfold.

It's been a long time since my cousins and I have been together, so I was really looking forward to it. Also, I wanted our new foster son to get to meet the family and go camping for the first time.

I made my hubby stop several times at beautiful, picturesque spots. What's a trip if you're not looking for adventure along the way?

 We've never been able to spend time with my dad on Father's Day (we grew up in CA with my mom & he lived in Nevada) so we planned to bring him a homemade present from my sister and I. She read an amazing life memories story for him and then presented him with the present...it was a hit!

My sister Stacy and my dad after she read her beautiful tribute letter.

THE PRESENT!

The next day it was off to the property. Hiding in the thicket along the road was this mama and her baby. Bambi? I stopped and slowly crept up to get a good shot without scaring them away. It was short lived.

As we turned down the dusty road, all my childhood memories came flooding over me. What fun and adventure we had here.

We walked down to the creek (It's become very small from the drought...no more swimming holes.) We walked across logs, rode ATV's, sat around the campfire telling story's and reminiscing about "the good ol' days." We walked down to the lake, watched the kids swim, rowed in the raft, and then returned to camp.

 

Our new son got to drive all by himself on his 14th Birthday! He said it was the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

 

  

Then tragedy struck.

My sister went into a full Grand Mal Seizure. I'd never seen one before. I jumped up and held her by her neck and head as her body went stiff as a board. She was now sideways in her folding chair. Panic set in as my sister-in-law ran all the kids into the trailor. I tried to talk calmly to her, but quickly noticed her lips turning black. I began to yell, "is she breathing?" No one responded. Everyone seemed frozen and unsure of what to do. My husband was standing above her and I yelled, "Pray for her!" My cousin had dropped to her knees and was praying. My sister was fading away. I literally watched the color drain from her face, starting from her neck and moving up until she was completely gray. As I held her head, I knew she was passing away. She had stopped breathing. Her now dead eyes were blankly staring at me. I knew that I needed to get air into her. I haven't had CPR training since 7th grade. But as clear as someone was talking out loud, I heard the Holy Spirit say to me, "BREATHE FOR HER NOW!" I breathed three times. After the 3rd breathe, she gurgled, sucked in air and began seizing again. It finally stopped. SHE WAS ALIVE! Our prayers were answered. The Lord showed up mightily right there in the middle of our campsite.

After everything calmed down and my sister was doing okay. I ran into our tent, dropped to my knees and sobbed. I thanked the Lord for answered prayers; for saving my sister. I read some scriptures and let Him fill me up. My hubby took a walk with me down by the creek and prayed that the memory of my sister's dead eyes would be removed from my mind. I couldn't get the look out of my head.

It was a bitter sweet trip. The family time was incredible. The fact that we were able to leave the campsite with my sister, safely sitting in the backseat of our car, I can't put into word's what I was feeling.

When you get to carry a true life miracle with you...you realize, there is nothing more precious in this world than family and life.

Happy Father's Day to Both of My Dad's

I was lucky enough to grow up having two dad's...my dad and my step-dad.

Although the years were not long enough with my step-dad, I'm grateful for his unconditional love. When he married my mom he became an instant father of 3. He was patient, kind, supportive, caring and strict (as most policeman are with their daughters.) I was taught the valuable lesson of chores, being independent, and consequences for my actions. (I was difficult...very mouthy and stubborn.) One of the most special days of my life came a few years before his passing. He told me how proud he was of me for the mother I was and the person I'd become. To hear those words from a man I admired and respected meant the world to me! 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD! I LOVE AND MISS YOU!

My dad lives in Reno, NV. and every summer we'd fly out to visit him for a month. My dad's an outdoorsman through and through. So needless to say, I learned to love the outdoors...hiking, camping, sleeping on a cot under the stars, baiting my own fishing line and cleaning fish. I even learned how to dig my own holes when I had to go to the bathroom, (Oh Joy!) LOL! Yes I can rough it with the best of them. As I look back over the years...I realize that it was important bonding time. The nights sitting around the fire pit with my dad, listening to spooky stories over the radio, telling jokes, playing dice games, scaring whoever's turn it was to walk down the hill & turn off the generator and walk back up in the pitch dark. Then as summer would end, my dad, (the tell it like it is, rough exterior of a man) had to say goodbye. As he hugged us, a crack in his armor would start to roll down his cheek. Tears of love. Tears of a dad who had a difficult time sending his kids away until next year. 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD! I LOVE YOU!

I'm so blessed to have been instilled with the traits of both of these amazing men. 

Happy Father's Day Dad! I love you!

What Are the Odds?

I hadn't seen my dad and step-mom in a couple of years. They live in Reno, NV and aren't able to come down here to California very often. And unfortunately with our busy schedules, we're not able to go visit them. That's when I came up with a brilliant idea. My dad, LOVES football, so I told him he should come down and see Elijah play this year. He agreed!

Before Homecoming dance-Elijah w/Grandpa & Grandma Lemich 

We planned the date, (made sure it would be during one of our 'tough' games) and had it all set up for 3 weeks from the date of our phone call. In the meantime, I scheduled my outpatient laporascopy surgery, thinking I'd be fine once they got here. But as you saw from my last post...what are the odds that I'd have complications?

Grandpa Mike & Elijah in front of his poster-done before the game by the cheerleaders

 Grandma Rolene & Elijah

 My oldest son Josh & Charmaine

 So, the day they got here, my pains started & I was back in the hospital for the ENTIRE time they were here. Don't get me wrong, I'm SO thankful that they were here to take care of my family. They were able to see my son's game, take pictures of him before homecoming, and spend time with all of them...BUT, C'MON, REALLY? I didn't get to hang out with them & visit or anything, (yes, that was said in a very whiny voice-poor me!lol!) .

Rolene & my sister Stacy-Family BBQ-w/o me!:(

My stepson Adam with Grandma & Grandpa Lemich

 

The baby boys all grown up!

 

Guess I'll just have to use that as leverage to get them down here again...even though my dad is a nervous wreck in all this traffic.

But really, 'What are the odds?'