Trek West Part II: AZ

So with sweet grandpa in the hospital, of course Mimi did not come back to Arizona with us. We drove home with Papa Mike, which was actually a pleasant drive. I think the kids knew deep down that if they acted like they did a week before, I would leave them on the Indian reservation.

So we arrived in Az on Sunday and went straight to Troy and Sheila's for dinner. Again, it was so nice to be taken care of by family. I was a little emotionally unstable at that moment.

The next day Colbi, my hero of the week, came over and did every day to help with kids, hang out with me, take me to buy make up and Sprinkles cupcakes, do my hair, cut my hair, color my hair, take the kids on a fun day at her mom's house. She was amazing. And I can't believe I didn't get one picture of her. But THANK YOU Colbi! I love you!! And so do my kids.

Livy got to paint my nails while my hair was getting done.

Sean came over Tuesday morning and took Johnny "hunting" in the back yard. He even wore his camo shirt and Johnny put on his camo outfit that Colbi had bought him.

My parents live next to a house full of kids and their two youngest, Ivy and Dalton saved my Johnny boy. They are best friends and had so much fun running from house to house all day.
Johnny started the summer in floaties, only swimming in the baby pools and now look at him!! I couldn't be prouder.


Livy learned how to climb right out of her pack and play while in Az (boo hoo) so naps were non-existent. This is one of the two that she had all week.
Janelle and kids came over to play and the girls had fun together. Jenna and Livy are kindred spirits, but are a year apart. Second children.
I am SOOOO nice and shared my sprinkles cupcakes with the kids. I know right? So nice. They thought they were just okay and I licked up every crumb left over.

Pretty pathetic, that's all the pics I took in Arizona. I wish I had pictures of the sweet two hours I had with Sarah and her kids at Chick-Fil-A. We've never lasted longer than an hour there and it was so nice to catch up with a best friend! And I wish I had pictures of Keira, Janelle and I eating our Dangerous Dilemma cake at Euro, laughing till we cried then running to Target to buy cute dresses from the clearance rack before they closed. Keira and her boys came over one morning for a fun swim, lots of energy in the house that day! Our kids are made out of the same stuff and I love being around them! And the last day, Janelle's sister volunteered to watch ALL of our kids so Janelle and I could go to Lu Lu Lemon to get Janelle a real sports bra which also ended in another trip to Sprinkles...and a cup of Yogurt Land yogurt:) It was a great trip. I love being in my parent's home, even if my mom isn't there. But mom, lets not do that again, K? And that concludes the three week trek west.

A Surprise Trip to Provo

My mom and I had planned months ago to drive to Monroe after San Diego to spend a week with Grams and Gramps at their cute little house but...plans changed. So the Sunday after the wedding we packed up and hit the road. It was a hoooorrrible drive. I gave the kids Dramamine which worked wonders on Johnny and turned Livy into a rabid animal. There was literally blood, sweat and many tears shed on that drive but by midnight, we were in Monroe and drove to Provo the next morning.

The weather in Provo was splendid. And even though the circumstances of the trip were horrible we made the best of it. Karl and Barbara, Ryan and Jess, Andrea, Mom, Dad, all helped make the trip better for us all.
Another gorgeous afternoon in the Wrigley's backyard.

The Boxx boys were over one morning and Johnny was sooo happy to see little boys his age!
Livy was scared to death of the hospital and gramps, understandably. So she spent lots of time snuggling with Mimi and taking walks to the cafeteria. I was super frustrated at the time because all I wanted was quiet time with grandpa but I felt bad. Poor girl.

It was so wonderful to have Ryan and Jess just a few a minutes away. They helped out every day and gave the kids and I a break from each other. This day they took the kids to their neighborhood pool.



Karl and Barbara were so sweet to let us all stay at their house while we were in town. I have so many wonderful memories at the beautiful home. And now my kids have their very own!


Shannon and Brad drove in Tuesday and Wednesday I took them antiquing and to DI then to sushi at Happy Sumo.
Most of our days were spent in the hospital, room 382. Grandpa had good days and bad days but it was just nice to be there. Grams and Mimi treated us to lots of cookies and cheetos from the cafeteria!

We were all a little tense so Shannon pulled out her magic fingers and gave us some neck massages.
One morning I took the kids to Costco to develop some pictures and the kids found this piano in the corner. It entertained them for a good 20 minutes until they found the microphone and started fighting.

My sweet Johnny was so good day after day in the hospital. He would just find his corner and ask for a pen and start drawing. Mimi was so good at keeping his imagination going. He drew for hours and hours and hours. love him.

Papa Mike got to Provo Thursday night and Friday morning took us up the canyon to Bridal Veil falls. I lived just minutes away from this place for four years and never went, isn't that sad. I'm not much of a hiker but guess what? There's no hiking involved! It was a five minute walk through the beautiful trees to the bottom of the falls. The kids looooved it! The water was so nice and cool and those mountains just take my breath away.









My favorite picture of the summer!

I was telling Johnny how sometimes people leave piles of rocks for people they love when they go hiking so we built rock castles for grandpa Baker.
thanks for such a fun morning grandpa!!

The next day, Saturday (which was also my dad's birthday), Papa took the kids back to the falls and then to Hobble Creek with Uncle Karl. He is the BEST grandpa a kid could ask for!!

Last Day

Last day with Grandpa...

My mom got a phone call from grandma Saturday morning (Aug. 7) saying that we should hurry to the hospital, the heart doctor was there and it was not good news. So mom, dad, the kids and I piled in the car and drove quickly to the hospital. I went up with mom while dad stayed in the car with the kids. We went in and grandma was crying, never a good sign because she has been so strong during this process. The doctor came in shortly after, sat by the bed and talked directly to grandpa. He was very alert and aware that morning which was such a blessing. He told grandpa that the artificial heart was no longer an option. Neither was going to the home in Richfield. He told gramps that his heart was barely working, his kidneys were gone and he would not spend much longer on this earth. Grandpa sat there with his head hung saying "I know, I know. I thought I had a little bit longer." Grams, mom, and I sobbed quietly as we listened . We knew this would happen some day, we had been waiting for it for three years but the time was here. And suddenly we were not ready. I couldn't stop crying. I knew deep down today would be my last day with my grandpa. I had been in Provo for six days, my dad had to leave that night to be back to Az by Monday and I had a flight leaving the next Saturday. My poor babies had endured hours and hours of sitting in the hospital. The timing was just right. I didn't know when/if gramps would pass away. Maybe it would be one day, maybe it would be ten days. Do I stay? Do I go? So I prayed...a lot. And I got to spend one last wonderful day with my grandpa.

The entire time I was in the hospital with grandpa, he had no appetite. I really didn't see him eat anything but that morning I asked if I could get him anything and he said "yes, some strawberries and pineapple. Big juicy strawberries" (as he held up his fingers showing me how big). I grabbed my purse and ran straight out the door. The cafeteria around the corner was closed, the cafeteria downstairs had no fruit so I came back, found the nurse and started bawling. I did that a lot. I told her that he hadn't eaten anything in days and all he wanted was strawberries and pineapple. She was so sweet, called the dietician people and in 15 minutes, they had a fancy little bowl just for him.

What would normally be such a silly, ordinary moment was one of the most special moments I've ever had and one that I will cherish forever.

Grandpa was so adorable all day. Making us laugh, which then made us cry. He is one of the happiest people I know. His sense of humor was fully intact until the very end.

When the California family heard the news they called one by one to say their goodbyes over the phone. He had such sweet conversations with each of them. He told Sharilyn (as she sobbed) that it sounded like she was having a bad day. And to remember to always make good choices. He told Jacob (as he sobbed) to call him back when he got himself together:) He told Jared that he was sorry he didn't take him fishing the last time he visited, that he would take him another time. He told Daniel that he loved him buddy. He had seen Shannon a few days earlier and smiled so big as he talked to her. He told his son, Scott how much he loved him too. We sat and smiled and cried some more as we watched him say goodbye to each one of his Baker grandkids.


I'm so glad I got a shot with grandma right next to her love, where she sat for three years.




He felt like sitting up so we took another family picture. Look at the way she looks at him.

The last picture of grandpa. A picture of his hands. Probably my favorite piece of him. And his mustache of course. Even while we thought he was sleeping, he was always doing something with his hands. Tying pretend knots, trying to find something or trying to find the remote which was always in his hands.

Saturday night at around 9:00, dad and the kids came back to get me and it hit me. It was time to go, time to say goodbye to my grandpa. Forever. I struggled to breathe. He was sleeping so I thought I would just kiss him on the forehead and slip out. But as I grabbed his hand, he woke up and said "what's going on sweety?" I just looked him in the face and told him how much I loved him, gave him two big kisses and one more hug. and he told me he loved me too. And I've always known that. And then we all walked out the door. Sobbing of course.

**Just so I don't forget. Johnny was a little teary eyed and papa mike asked him what was the matter. His reply: "nothing, my eyes are just sweaty" And dad walked out with tears in his eyes, shut the door and sighed, "uhh that was the hardest part." Yes it was dad. You cute dork.

I will miss my sweet grandpa so much but I know that I will see him again someday and that brings me so much peace. Love you grandpa.

We met Ry and Jess at McD's to say goodbye since we only get to see them once a year. Good luck in Italia!!!