Summer Memories... Life Changing Trials

Over the last few weeks I have been having this little voice telling me... 

you need to Blog, 

YOU NEED to BLOG...

I've been telling this voice back,

 " I know, I know...I have so much I want & need to talk about! "

I want to tell you about some of  the Highlights that happened this Summer for me...

it had some happy & sad moments. 

{this is your cue to get a tissue, you may need it later}

A "Bummed" moment.... but ended up being a Blessing later...

The Hubby had been applying to hopefully get accepted into a Paid Summer Research Program at diff. colleges but did not get accepted to any of them... We were pretty bummed. 

But looked at this as more time to spend with Family this 

Summer since it will mostly be our last one here in Boise.

{grad school is next!}

On June 6th, 2012 

Jamie Hilton, her Husband Nick & bro. 'n law Greg were Fishing at Hells Canyon.

She fell about 10-12 feet on her back on 2 large rocks & then slid off...

To read more details about her accident go HERE to her blog.

 I had gone to HS & Graduated with Nick Hilton but had only seen Jamie once at the 

Grocery Store with Nick many, many Years ago.

In Dec. 2010 - I was going through my fb page looking for fb friends that I could ask to model for

noVae.... I wasn't friends with Jamie at the time but was Nick.

I messaged him asking if his wife would be Interested in helping us by modeling, etc. 

noVae was only like 1 month old!

He said me that she would love too!! I was super Excited!

I did a little research on fb & found out that she had been Mrs. Idaho America 

the year before. I thought to my self... WOW! - so cool that someone as "Big" 

{in my mind} that I hadn't really officially met would be willing to drive 

all the way to Star (about 40 mins. from where she lived ) 

in the Snow to do a fitting... basically playing Dress Up! ;)

She came & was so Nice & Happy to help! 

Loved the clothing items & was Excited to do the photo shoot the next day! 

She called me later that evening telling me that she didn't feel so well... & thought I better find 

someone else... We were both pretty bummed. She ended up like having the flu or something

'cause it lasted for days.... 

We lost touch with each other after that.

So when I heard about Jamie's accident My Heart & Soul just Sank with Sadness....

I cried for Nick having read that he witnessed the accident... I cried for her Children & for Jamie for days,

the pain she might be in & the "Possible" Outcome!

I read Nick's fb page updates & then a friend set up a Blog for Jamie...

another source for people to go to for Updates & Follow!

I was glued to that for days/months - still am!!

Are you a Follower?

After reading one day an update about the Hilton's not having any Ins. to help with medical 

bills... I just knew & "Felt" I needed to do something!  Heavenly Father had blessed us (noVae Clothing) with the Creation of the Distressed Blossom Cadet 

We hadn't released them on the site yet but had been selling them with another Site & Sold many!

I knew this was the Product we needed & the Timing of it all...

(it had not being released on our site yet)

I used my one BIG Advertising Blogger to help me advertise this 

Fundraiser we were going to do 

for Jamie & her Family!  My first concern was I didn't want people thinking I was doing this to 

gain attention ... to noVae... 

Our business was & is doing Great, we just wanted to help & Give back!

I struggled with this thought for days.... 

but knew, once again after praying, that it was the Right thing to do! 

I don't recall exactly how many hats total (150+...) we ended up selling for Jamie's 24 hr. Fundraiser

but we ended up donating: $2525.00 to them. (that's a lot of hats...)

Mrs. Idaho Amercia 2012- Beverly Hartle With Jamie in the Hospital

My Mom & Sister came over to Pin some 

Blossoms on the Cadets to help me not fall so far behind.

{we had just finished a Deal with another site selling these hats for a 2nd time & sold 360+ cadets} 

They worked for like 2-3 hrs. & had to have done 100+ hats! 

Each Cadet has 2 blossoms...

I know their Thumbs were sore! 

{I've also Pinned 100's!} -lol

I Was so Very Grateful for their Help!

When the Hubby & I went to visit the Hilton Family a few months later, 

There were Tears Shed, the Spirit was felt & Gratitude filled the Room!

It was AWESOME!

Jamie wanted so Badly to give back in any way... she offered to Model again...

I was so EXCITED!

I told her that we had some CUTE hats coming & I was planning on pairing them

with Outfits, so it wouldn't be awkward for her to be modeling Every outfit with a hat.

{again, Perfect Timing!}

I'm very grateful for Jamie & her willingness to do this....

She is so BRAVE & COURAGEOUS 

a True Inspiration to me & a Living Walking MIRACLE!

Go HERE to Read & Follow 

her Full Story & her Inspirational Stories & Thoughts!

On Sat. June 16th, 2012

(10 days after Jamie's accident)

I was surfing my fb news feed, which I rarely do on a Saturday.

I stumbled upon an article posted by one of the local News stations that caught 

my attention. I opened it & read it. 

It talked about a Crash happening on HWY 44 & HWY 16- just outside of Star.

We lived in Star for 6 years!

As I read more the report stated that a Ford Explorer had crashed into the back

end of a Dodge Caravan, full speed. The Van was at the Stop light - stopped.

 It said that there were 3 children involved & driver in the Caravan....

as I kept reading I just knew I knew these people... but couldn't pin point it! I looked through my fb feed again to see if any of my Star friends had posted anything about the accident, etc. 

nothing.

It weighed in the back of my mind & I thought about calling one of my 

Best Friends Chelsea from Star to see if 

she had heard anything but I chose not to "bother" her on a Saturday.

Later that day we went on our First Family Bike ride down town on the Green Belt!

On our way home my daughter's bike handle got caught on the handle of the Bike trailer that our 2 yr. was riding in & she fell & tried catching her self & in doing so 

she hurt her arm just above the wrist.

I just Knew it was broken... I had the hubby take her to the ER that night, close to midnight.

this was taken a few days before she got it off, therefore the Smile! ;)

Sunday was Father's Day & then Monday came & I get a phone call from 

my friend Chelsea... I thought she was calling to chat like we usually do & I asked her 

how her Husband's Father's Day was. She said kind of crumby.... I thought, oh no...

his Father had past away or something... then she asked me if I new the Strauss'?

Danny & Linda.

um. yea.... then she said: 

"Alvin Passed away yesterday."

{on Father's Day!} 

 I'm thinking.... What? .... then it all started to come back to me.

The Car accident that I read about!

I immediately start crying & then try to tell the Hubby through my tears.... 

I was in Total SHOCK!

Chelsea then proceeded to tell me more details 'n such & the hubby & I made plans to meet up that afternoon to go visit the Family in the Hospital, where their 7yr. daughter had just been moved from ICU.

We meet Danny & Linda & take our daughter with us to keep their daughter company... 

a little History about Linda & I...

Linda was one of my Childhood Best Friends Growing up! Then her Family moved to Utah

& I never saw them again 'till about 11 years ago... 

Linda & I ended up being in the same Ward when we lived in Star (for 6 yrs) & 

we were Visiting Teaching Partners for Years! (per our request!)

She is my "Bosom Friend!" 

We watched each others kids while we went on dates, She came over to our house

with the kids a lot to play over the Years while we lived in Star! 

When we opened the door to the Hospital room both the Hubby & I exchanged hugs with Linda & Danny with Tears & Love... we later found out that they were actually at that same Hospital 

Sat. night when the Hubby took our daughter into the ER... 

Saying goodbye to Sweet little Alvin.

I often Wonder if I would've made that phone call, if Chelsea would've been home? 

Was I needed? was the Lord trying to let me figure it out so I could help & maybe I 

didn't give it enough thought.... 

 To this Day, I still don't know why I couldn't connect all the pieces to the puzzle...

the brand of the van, the 3 kids, the young mom....

then the trip to the same Hospital where they were saying Goodbye...

5yr. Alvin

To read more details about the accident go HERE.

 The 17th of September is the 3 month mark of Alvin passing away....

My heart still aches.

She is in my thoughts & prayers more than I think she knows... 

 Linda & Danny have so much Love, Faith & Forgiveness in their Hearts that I know that is what has helped them through this Life Changing Trial!

They both are my Hero's! 

Go HERE to watch a Video on how Families can be together Forever!

Both of these Accidents happening within 10 days of each other Really Opened my Eyes!

I mean, Opened them BIGGER!

We all have our own Personal Trials that we deal with... 

one of mine is I'm a Workaholic. 

I LOVE to work... 

I struggle with playing with my kids if my "List" in my head isn't Complete.

It's not that I don't want too... Or I don't like too...

Both of these Accidents really hit my Heart & Soul Hard. 

They both made me look at my life -filled with work & the path that it was going.

Was I "making" enough time for my kids & hubby? 

How could I do this? 

What do I need to do to make these Changes in my Life?

I've started by thinking of Linda...  

when I would do certain things with my kids, especially my youngest...like

when I lay my 2 yr old down for his nap in the afternoons & 

I have soooo much work that needs to be done.  

Instead of watching TV to put him to sleep, I read books & Sing to him now. 

(because that is what Linda did with Alvin)

I'm trying to make each Day Count. 

To Live with No regrets! 

Because You NEVER know if the Next Day is 

going to have a Life Changing Accident.  

 

 
We have Hired more Helping Hands because 
noVae Clothing is just too much for me to do all on my own now! :)

Every day I remind my Helping hands 

(I will introduce her to you soon!) 

the time she Gives me is Time she's giving Me to Give Back to my Family! 

I don't want you to think this was our entire Summer.... it wasn't. 

We had a Wonderful Time Spending time with Family & Friends & Traveling!

But, I'm extremely Happy that the Hubby stayed here this Summer to help me & Support me through these Trials & our Friends'.

It just goes to show me once again... 

the Lord knows what is Best for us (& You)

In HIS Time not ours!

  to be Continued....