2020...!

 WOW !!!

2020 has been THEE craziest year, but, for me, it's been the happiest and best!

My life has changed in ways I only dreamed and I am sooo excited to share Matt & I's new adventures!

For starters;

You can call me Mrs. Julie H. Shumway.... I love how that rolls off my tongue and brings the biggest smile to my face!!!

My New Fabulous Life...

I just got my blog up and running again.
So, much has happened. It's been wonderful and good and I feel so incredibly blessed !!!
( Now I just need to figure out how to change all the setting on my blog, so I can update it!)

My children have all grown up and made big changes....
I'm excited to get all caught up on that !

I'm HAPPY and that's what I've been wanting my whole life.
I love how the Lord loves us and blesses us, He knows us so well.

More later....

2017...

We've had a good 2017 year so far.....

okay, okay, so it's only been a few days.....

but,

Kurt and I have been going to a "life coach" she has been amazing.....

it's really changed the way we think... and that's were it all starts!

the kids are good.....

I wish Candice & Steven lived closer.

I miss having them around and in our lives.

but,

we face-time them, and they are doing great.

I need to post pictures of the wedding, it was beautiful.

Dave and Kristen stopped by to see us, 

and as usual it was fun and entertaining and insightful,

as they could talk to the kids and help them understand that families aren't perfect, 

but, we all try.

(it's hard, because sometimes you think your family is the only one that is dysfunctional,

when, in all reality.... every family has it's ups and downs....)

It's hard, cuz social media portrays a whole wonderful world of fun family perfectness....

it's hard for kids to see and separate the two worlds.... it's hard for adults to do that as well!

Every time I'm around Dave, I just laugh, he says the funniest things!

Kristen talked to us about doing the 26 day cleanse...

so,

we bought the stuff and are going to do it as a family.

we all want too.

and,

 it's nice to have Kristen, she is the pro and will be able to help us.

Thanks to Dave and Kristen.

What a better way to start the new year with a healthy body!!!

CHEERS TO  2017!!!

Howdy and Hello....

It's almost the new year and I have a sweet but strong feeling that I need to start blogging and journaling for myself, and for our family again!

It's been so fun to go back and remember what we were doing, when, where & why......
 and to see the kids grow and change and just to touch base and share.
Writing is a creative outlet for me and I've not only missed it, but have felt stuck  in my creativity.
It's good to be back....!

The last 2 to 3 years have been hard and I haven't wanted to write and have every post sound like a
"Debbie Downer" so I choose not to write.....
 but,
 it's a new wonderful year and I feel like we, my little
 (not so little anymore) family are doing good,
 sure, we still have bumps in the road of life,
but..... divorce or not, there will always be bumps in the road..... that's what life is all about,
it's those bumps that make us grow....
I think Kurt and I were on auto-pilot in our marriage, and getting divorce has been the best, but, hardest thing ever...
 but..... it has woken us up to ourselves, our relationships, and our children....
 all in all, it's been good. hard, but good.
We are not on auto-pilot anymore!
We have to be present and accountable for our actions.

Candice and Steven got married September 3rd 2016 in Lake Tahoe on the beach.
it was the most beautiful, spiritual, stress free wedding! They are both so happy and are doing good.
They drove in for Thanksgiving and we loved spending every minute with them.
She is baby hungry which is so cute.

Caitlyn is good.

Spencer has decided to get his GED and move onto college.

Lynzie is a health nut, she is so diligent in her eating and exercise, she is starting lacrosse in a few weeks...... likes school, gets good grades.

I just got my cortisone shots today. It's sooo painful getting them, but worth it....

Kurt is working hard......

We are going to counseling separately... which is been so amazing for the both of us!!!

So, I am going to keep journaling and recording about my cute little families life
 cuz I love them so much,
and they are worth it.....

2017, is a good time to make a fresh start.

As you can imagine, there is so much to get caught up on!!!

Happy New Year......

a birth day....

He was thee cutest little peanut ever!

....

....

 19 years ago, my water broke
 and I spent April 24 through May 1st, 1996
in the University of Utah Hospital,
my water was low,
but I had enough to keep Landon safe, 

we worried about infection,
 I would stayed in bed all day on bedrest,

 and the sweet nurses
 would come in every couple of hours
to check on Landon, 

we were just trying to buy time..... 

every moment that we could keep him
 inside was a blessing, 

we were at 31 weeks
 and are goal
 was to get at least to 35 weeks,

 even longer if possible.....

 losing him never crossed my mind,

 so on the 8 day
of being in the hospital,

 I woke up and call for the nurse
 because I knew I was in labor, 

they brought in the ultra sound machine
 and that is when they realize
 that his heart beat was too low, 

so they yelled
 "code blue"

 about 15 nurses and dr's, were in my room
within seconds......

 they rushed me down to delivery to do a c-section,

 everything happened so fast,

 they had to get him out as fast as they could! 

 I had one sweet nurse straddled over me
 pushing on my stomach 

to wake Landon up

 or

 to get him moving and his heart beat going,

 then when we reached the delivery room, 

they did another ultra sound
and realized that he was gone.....

......it was too late....

I went back up to my room,

 and within a few hours
I delivered the cutest little baby boy, 

he was perfect and it broke Kurt and I's hearts. 

 We got to spend time with him and just hold him

 and cry for what would have been,

we missed him already....

 our dreams of our son were shattered.

I wish we had the internet back then,

so I could have
written and documented in greater detail.

19 years seems like a life time,
 and really it is.....

He would be getting ready to go,
or
on his mission already!

I don't feel a sharp pain in my chest this year,

 April 24th - May 1st,
that week that I spent in the hospital

 is always the hardest for me....?

This year I'm just a little sadder than usual,
 and have a dull ache in my heart....

I'm grateful
that I'm not broken
 as I have been in the past,

 it's honestly too painful
 to have to endure that pain every year.....

Happy Birthday little buddy!

Until we meet again...