Iowa- Summer 2013

Slip-n-Slide with Libby

Visiting Dave

Silly Kids

Gaskill Cousins

Adult Line-Up

Keri with Kids

Alyssa, Kaylee and Jada

Sisters- Bree, Keri and Stacie

Rylan

Walker Cousins

Rylan and Ryan

Jada

Kianna

Aliyah

Trace

Kaylee

Grandma and Mom

Libby, Debi and Dan

Mommy and Kids

Libby with her new camera

Trace fell asleep halfway through the fireworks

Tubing the river

Bruxen opening his gift

Cook Cousins

Bruxen

The kids and I just returned from an action packed week in Iowa. We timed our trip back home to coordinate with my sister, Debi, and her family's trip there. They live in Colorado and we hadn't seen them since our Grandma Gaskill's funeral in January 2012. It was so good to see Debi, Dan and Libby. We both stayed at our dad's house and us girls stayed up chatting until 1:15 AM one night and 2:00 AM another night. I don't remember the last time I had stayed up that late chatting away. It was fun!

We also were able to see my brother, Dave, which was very important to me. Dave and Darla were in a head-on collision on June 7th where he was air lifted to the University of Iowa Hospitals. Dave suffered three broken ribs, a broken pelvis, a shattered femoral head and hip joint resulting in a total hip replacement; as well as, nerve damage resulting in a loss of dorsiflexion (raising foot upwards) in his left foot. Along the way he has had several complications including two blood clots and a knee infection. He was transfered to St. Luke's Inpatient Rehab where he has been making good progress. He is able to walk 125 ft with his walker while not putting any weight on his left leg. It has been a long road to recovery and it has been hard not being there to show my support. The kids and I were able to visit him several times and cheer him on as he was discharged to his home on Friday. He will continue outpatient therapy three times a week. I am so thankful he is alive and that he is doing so well. Praise God!

The rest of the trip was spent catching up with more family and friends. Some highlights include:

• Spending the 4th of July with family we hadn't seen in awhile.
• Watching the kids play on the slip-n-slide with their cousins.
• Watching fireworks downtown.
• Floating down the Macquoketa River with my mom, Bree, Aliyah, and Kaylee. It took us five hours and the weather was perfect. We had some good laughs along the way...
• Trace's sleepover with Bryker.
• Kianna's sleepover with Grandma Becki.
• Kaylee's special evening with Grandma Becki.
• Kianna and Trace's time at the Cook Family Reunion.
• Celebrating Bruxen's 1st Birthday by watching him open his gift.
• Lots of cousin time...
• Amana Colonies
• Girls Night Out

As much fun as we had in Iowa, we were all ready to come back home and see Daddy!