Welcome to Sunnyside!

Two weeks ago, I got a call from Kent who said, "Mom, the doctor has put Natalie on bedrest for two weeks.  I know this is short notice, but could you come out to help?"  "Certainly," I said.  Forty-five minutes later, he called with a plane ticket and I was leaving the next morning.  I scrambled around getting everything at school organized, packed my bags, and I was off the next day.  After three plane changes and 10 hours later, I arrived in the Tri-City Airport and there was Kent and Ethan.  Ethan had made a wonderful sign to welcome me there which read:  "Welcome to Sunnyside!"  I loved it! 

After a very nice meal with the three of us, we started the 45 minute drive home and when we arrived there, Ella opened the door and had another beautiful sign for me that she had made.  So sweet!

Kent and Natalie had told us about a month ago that they were expecting and even though they had gone through a miscarriage in April, this pregnancy seemed to be going so well.  Then all of a sudden at nine weeks, things started going very wrong with much bleeding and then they found out she had a huge blood clot which was getting continually larger.  Therefore, they told her she could either spend the next two weeks in the hospital or get a "take-charge" person to help out.  Was that a compliment or not when Kent called me?  Hah!  Anyway, I loved the opportunity of doing what I could to help out.  I kept the kids busy with jobs that they seemed to love to do. 

We cleaned under the sink--notice little Cinder "Ella".

We cleaned the truck.

And we killed flies!!!!  After a simple little barbeque, the house filled up with flies, and we were all killing them for two weeks straight!  In fact, this is what the fly swatter soon looked like, but we couldn't find another fly swatter in town for a week.  Everyone seemed to be having the same problem! 

Sunnyside is a small farming community which has beautiful farms--mostly of corn, grapes, asparagus, and hops.  I had never seen hops before, but this was the time they were harvesting them.  I guess they are used in brewing beer.  It is quite unique to see how they grow on very intricately placed strings and then a small tractor with a big cutter on the top cuts the strings and vines down and they are loaded in the back of a trailer.  Very interesting!

The grapes weren't quite ready, but Kent and Natalie said the whole valley smells like grape juice when the harvesting begins.

I came in on Tuesday, and on Friday morning I took Natalie back to the doctor in a little town called Toppenish.  Seriously, it is a little town that reminded me of Radiator Springs in the movie "Cars"--it hasn't changed since the 50's, I bet. 

At about the only stop light there is in the whole town, you can roll down the window and hear real country music playing.

I loved the little old-fashioned train station!

There are murals all over the town and a little horse and cart will take you around with a tour guide to explain them all to you.  (Obviously, we'll have to do that another time!)

Some of them needed no explanations!

Anyway, the OB-GYN said the clot was actually growing, so Natalie should continue to stay down as much as possible.  We didn't want to hear it was growing, but still the little baby looked very active and the placenta looked like it had moved more where it should be.  (In addition to the blood clot, she had placenta previa!)

When we got home, Ella was having fun with the baby sitter.

On Sunday, I took the two kids to church and taught Ethan's class at Primary.  Kent was in Dallas and of course, Natalie was home.  She has been doing all of her primary president duties from bed.  There were many wonderful people at their ward, and I felt right at home.

On Monday, Kent was back home, so we took the kids to Chuck-e-Cheese in Richland since it was Labor Day.  They had such a great time.

  Chomping all the tickets is always as much fun as winning them!

After nearly two weeks of taking the kids to school, I finally got Ella to go in to her pre-school without a complaint.  There was a spider that was always by the front door which she was deathly afraid of until I told her the spider was there because he liked her school so much.  Then she always looked for him and talked about how he came to her school, too--then she would laugh and laugh.  Sorry--didn't get a picture of that.

Each day, the kids loved to ride their bikes in the neighborhood with all of Ethan's friends.  They are all boys, but Ella would tag right along behind them--even though her bike had training wheels and she couldn't keep up quite as well.

 She did have one little friend who had a little four-wheeler.  He is actually a year older than her, but you couldn't tell by his size.  They would take off and go like crazy!  It scared me to death, but both of them just loved it! 

I loved going to Ethan's soccer practices--

And enjoyed watching a real game!  Here he is coming off after making one of his many goals!

One day, I got to take Ella to Kent's dental office to have her teeth cleaned.  She has been doing this for so long, she just climbs right up there and cooperates fully. 

In addition, Kent was so kind to do a crown for me which I have put off for so long because I knew it would cost me a fortune.  There are some really nice perks to have a son be a dentist!  Didn't cost me a dime!  Thanks so much, Kent!  Best crown I have ever had with the least pain I have ever had!  Honestly! 

Kent, as of July 1st is now an official partner of Community Dental in Sunnyside.  We are so proud of him.  He and his partner, Brent Martin, are buying the practice which consists of this beautiful dental center which has just been finished for a little less than a year.  There is a beautiful reception area--

16 chairs--

A prize center where they can put the coins according to how good they've been in the dental chair--

A surgery center where an anesthesiologist comes in for putting patients totally out--

A recovery room--

An office for both dentists--this is Kent's desk--sort of looks like my dad's desk; however, it has teeth impressions all over it. 

A huge employee room for them to get ready and eat in--there are 25 girls who work there as assistants and hygentists. 

Anyway, it was so impressive.  All of those years of dental school when Kent and Natalie sacrificed so much have certainly paid off.

On Friday, (now 14 weeks along), Kent, Natalie, and I went to Yakima to a specialist.  Again, another ultra-sound and many questions--not many answers.  Basically, he told Natalie that she could get up and around as long as she didn't lift or do anything to cause her body to get over-stressed.  He told her what was going to happen will happen one way or another.  We left knowing that everything is in the Lord's hands now, and we all said a prayer that whatever happens will be for the best and we will accept that.  We have had so many people who have fasted and prayed for them.  We all appreciate that so much. 

Later that day, my first roommate at Ricks College who lives in Connell, Washington, came for a visit--Mary Albaugh Jenks.  She was the funnest roommate and always made everyone happy.  Her husband was killed in a car wreck which nearly killed her, too, ten years ago.  She and her oldest son run an apple packing plant in Connell and have many acres of apples.  We had such a great time seeing her.

On Saturday morning, Kent and I got up at 4:00 a.m. and he took me back to the Tri-City Airport.  The night before we had a little good-bye family home evening with Kent, Natalie, Ethan, and Ella.  We all had tears--even the kids.  I so enjoyed being part of Kent and Natalie's sweet family for the almost two weeks that I had been there.  I will never forget this experience--they have such faith that everything will work out the way the Lord has in mind.  Their faith gave me faith.  Thanks, Kent and Natalie, for your sweet spirits.  You're so great!