A Travis Memory: For Roo on her Birthday

Today, my Roo turns 8 years old.

We had a fun week and have really celebrated her...

but let's be honest, 

all birthdays will be tough,

but 8.

8 is extremely hard for her.

8 is the age most Mormon kids choose to be baptized,

and most of them are lucky enough to have their Daddy do it for them.

When we met the Dr. and had the impossible discussion of being option less,

and running out of time,

the first thing we talked about afterwards was Sienna's baptism.

Travis just wanted to make it this long.

He was heartbroken for Sienna,

and we have felt the void pretty heavily.

So for Sienna, for her last b-day gift,

a Travis memory.

When Roo was 3 years old,

we were rushing to get ready for church.

I was in charge of sharing time that day,

and as always, we were running late.

Sienna was fevered,

and as we were getting ready,

she was getting pretty fussy,

and using the potty an awful lot....

we thought she probably had a UTI.

Travis took her to instacare while I got Adyson ready.

Just as we were getting ready to leave for church,

Travis texted me that they were sending Roo in an ambulance to the ER

and they told him she had diabetes.

Just like that...

they said her levels looked so bad that she needed to be rushed to the ER right away.

I called my mom instantly and she came to get Adyson

and I rushed in to the ER.

I will never forget seeing my sweet girl,

head full of curls,

pale face,

hooked up to an iv and monitors,

laying on her pillow in her hospital gown.

Travis was holding her hand and singing to her

and trying to keep her happy.

I ran to her other side and snuggled up to her to hold her hand,

and she gave me some of her attention,

and as soon as her eyes were on me,

Travis couldn't hold in the tears.

I will never forget watching him try to be strong for her,

and hide his worry-but he was heartbroken for her.

He was well into his treatments at the time and knew exactly how awful

it was to have a disease that can consume you.

The thought of Sienna having something so hard to face just did him in.

Sienna can't remember this.

She can't remember quite a few things from when Travis was healthy,

but I hope she can always remember that he loved her more then words can express,

and if she was happy, 

he felt about a million times better.

The ER doctors that day learned pretty quickly that instacare read

her results wrong,

and after lots of tests throughout the week,

decided she was just fine. (That's a whole different post)

The next Sunday Roo was back to following 

Travis around during sacrament meeting as he counted heads for his clerk calling.

(That's another memory I just treasure-Roo making him carry her as he roamed the room.)

Anyhow,

a memory that shows the type of father Trav was.

He was selfless and loving and his girls always came first.

And we miss him!

I just can't begin to express how much...

Happy Birthday Roo.

Your Dad sure loves you still.

Spring Break, Sienna's 8!, Breje's Prom, Easter

My little Roo-She's growing so fast.

Here she is after learning to make eggs for the first time.

She really enjoyed herself!

Spring weather has come, gone, come again, and gone again..

but when it's here we are really loving being able to run or ride bikes to see Trav's grave.

I am so grateful for such a lovely cemetery so close by.

The grounds are taken care of so beautifully.

Our spring break was very non eventful, considering we went on vacation

just before then.

We did make a trip to the zoo though, and it was just a lovely day!

The animals were enjoying the weather and were very active.

On the way home we took a detour to my Grandpas house, downtown in SLC.

I can't even handle how adorable they are.

we made it 6 months without Travis.

Some days it feels like much longer,

and some days it feels like yesterday.

We still miss him so deeply.

That day my lovely friends gave me this painting.

I am so in love with it.

And so grateful for my dear, dear friends.

Roo started spring soccer.  She scored the first 10 minutes of her first game...

we were incredibly excited! What a fun start!

Spring also has brought allergies galore!

Poor Ads looks like this quite often.

Roo got her baptism pics done...more to come.

Isn't she lovely!?

We found this hard plastic balloon to add to our Trav trees. 

It's the little things!

Easter this year was so bittersweet.

We tried to add a lot of fun into it this year,

and really tried to focus on the real meaning...

but that doesn't mean we aren't adding some eggs and candy into the mix!

I surprised the girls with these for lunch...

it was such a fun surprise.

Oh, here they are...

Roo's pics.

Eileen does it again!

Isn't she just the sweetest?

I adore this kid.

Easter Sunday we dressed in our best and headed to church.

Afterwords we headed to the Kidmans for our fun annual egg hunt,

and then to the Johnsons for egg dying and dinner.

It was really harder then I expected it to be...but we survived.

Another first checked off the list.

We took some Eggs to Dad's grave to top off the evening.

We miss him.

And Roo's bday week began!

We started by taking a friend for crepes...

her favorite.

Adyson, my little sweet girl,

asked for a crepe filled with bacon and sausage.

How wrong is that?

Then the bday party day came!

Roo chose an art party this year and it was a blast to plan.

We made self portraits (using doilies as frames).

The girls began the party by doodling on the table cloth and answering the questions

that were written all over it.  It was a fun ice breaker.

We did shaving cream painting and they turned out so cute.

But never. ever. again.

It was difficult to keep everyone under control. 

We decorated canvas bags with fabric markers.

It was lovely to have a place to stash all their works of art once they were done.

This was my favorite activity and I don't have the finish product to show!

We made "picasso pops" by melting down hard candies and adding a sucker stick.

They were so beautiful when they were done...they almost looked like stained glass.

The girls loved this one.

(I made sure to be super organized with this one so it wouldn't be too complicated.

They each had a spot labeled on foil, they did it one at a time, and I had the tags, with names all ready 

for when they were done.) 

Not sure why this is upside down...

but when they left these "thank you for helping make my party a masterpiece" tags were attached to their bags.  I love me a good cheesy pun.

One of my dearest friends,

and really a second mother to Roo,

always offers to make her cake.

She didn't disappoint this year!

It was so darling!

Courtney,

You are just amazing!

The darlings.

Sienna got this sweet book from her class at school with B-day wishes for her.

This one.

I just cry when I read it.

What a sweet kid.

We finished bday week by heading to Heathers for the weekend.

These 2.

BFFs always.

It doesn't make sense!

We were so excited to be their for Breje's first prom.

I was able to do her makeup and hair,

and am still in awe of how lovely she is.

Inside and out!

Heather made her a bday c

And after the long drive home-she got a basketball and hoop!

She was thrilled!

I'm so proud to be her mom.

It's been a very joyful 8 years.

She brings joy-love- and sunshine everywhere she goes.

I couldn't possibly love her anymore then I do.