My Week: The Cabin, Shae's Picnic and Brian is in ICU?

Last week went by so very quickly.

 

Tuesday night, I went to the Oakcrest Kick Off with Jodi and sat there shivering cold, shaking my head that Oakcrest is literally around the corner again.  What?  Where does the time go?

 

Thurdsday night we took Kristen out for her birthday.  We went to Bucca Di Beppo aka Bibbity-bobbity-boo in my terminology.

 

We shared family style Italian and Kristen was brought a huge candola?? (large multiple candle holder) and was sung happy birthday to.  I kept thinking my hair was going to start on fire.  It didn't.....sigh of relief.

 

I love my dear friend, Kristen!  There isn't anything in the world I wouldn't do for that kid!

 

While at Kristen's party, Brian sends me a text:

 

"Want to go to the cabin tomorrow?"

 

What???  A spontaneous getaway!  Yes, please!

 

We drove down to the cabin because Brian was nervous that the pipes may have frozen and burst.  His dad usually goes down to check on things, but the Rentmeister's have flown south to Arizona for a week getaway from the smog.....and the 4 degree weather.

 

So we packed for an over night trip and headed out the door.

We saw so much wildlife down there.  We saw 2 Golden Eagles (pic above) and 5 Bald Eagles.

We saw a crazy amount of cattle and almost as much deer.  We watched a deer get hit by a truck in front of us.  We pulled over to see if we could help, as I watched the deer limp away.  A driver of another truck stop too and pulled out a rifle to put the hurt deer down.  I begged Brian to pull away quickly so I didn't have to watch. 

 

I walked across my first frozen lake.  Ottercreek is completely frozen over, so Brian and Shae wanted to go check it out.  I was completely hesitant as I watched loved ones earlier slip and fall on the ice up by the cabin and didn't want to have any broken arms, wrists or elbows to have to deal with.  Alas, Brian got me out on the ice and then I listened for the first time the sound of the ice cracking.

 

BOING!  Seriously was the weirdest, most interesting thing to hear and feel.

Shaeler was in charge of her Faith in God picnic this weekend and since we had the spontaneous trip to the cabin, she brought the picnic with us.  This kid LOVES going to the cabin!

 

For her picnic, she decided the food, decorations, went shopping, helped cook and clean up.  She and I made flowers together that she laid on the blanket.  She hung the streamers and we had hamburgers, french fries, clam dip, and shakes for her picnic.  It was a lot of fun and she did a fabulous job!

 

The skies were a bright blue down at the cabin and the temperatures were in the 40's.  We had originally planned to stay just over night, but because of the beautiful weather, we decided to stay a second day and spend it together as a family.

 

We drove into Marysville and texted Maddie that we wouldn't need her to babysit that night and that we were staying another night at the cabin.  She texted back "OK" and then we drove back to the cabin laughing and giggling for the extra day of glorious rest and sunshine. 

 

On Sunday, as we were driving home and came into cell phone coverage, both our phones starting ringing with messages and texts.  "Call me when you get this message" on Brian's phone and a voice mail on my phone from Michelle "Suzanne, we are worried about you guys, please call me when you get this message."

 

Both Brian and I scratched our heads.  We told Maddie that we were staying and she responded back saying that she got the message.  So, we started calling everyone and no one picked up.  Finally, Maddie called back with quite a story.

 

Apparently, the University of Utah Hospital called the Rentmeister house and asked for Audrey.  She was not there so Michelle took the call.  They told Michelle that they found her brother face down in the snow, not breathing.  He was in ICU and someone needs to come to the hospital.  She didn't hear the name correctly, all she heard was "your brother".  She asked them where Shaeler and I were and they had no clue.

 

So with her brother in the ICU and Shae and I missing, Michelle called all of the family, including the Rentmeisters who are in Arizona for their vacation.  Joyce and Grant had just sat down for dinner when they got the call.  They threw money on the table, drove back to their trailer extremely upset and praying, loaded their trailer back on the truck and were ready to head home.

 

Brian's sisters were all a wreck too.  They kept calling the hospital to verify the name, wondering to contact police since Shae and I were missing and all of them at home were upset, emotional and a wreck.

 

Finally, Shauna was able to verify as she was driving to the hospital that it was Audrey's brother that was hurt and that Audrey needed to go to the hospital.   (Audrey is Brian's Navajo sister).  Unfortunately, Audrey was not spared from the bad news.  They called the Rentmeisters and told them not to come home and Brian had to call all of his family members to let them know we were just fine. 

 

Joyce and Grant are still very emotionally struggling with this all.  Thankfully, my side of the family was not included in the drama.   We are just fine, but we appreciate the love that was shown if we would have really been hurt.