Day 12 - 31 July 19 - Aug. 7, 2010

We left the McLeod home, in Burlington, Washington and headed toward MT... We were anxious to get there to see Paul, Grace and baby Zoe... And were hoping to get there before she was born. We stopped in Ellensburg for fuel and snacks....
Before reaching Ellensburg we had to go over Snoqualmie Pass... "My favorite Pass in the whole world!" Those who know my history involving this pass know that is far from a true statement. Imagine this road covered in snow, a 7 year old girl screaming in terror because we might slide under the semi truck in front of us and die, then two older sisters trying to calm her down. Imagine those two oldest sisters maybe throwing her on the floor and holding her there so she couldn't see... Maybe slapping her around and saying, "Shut up!!!"... Maybe something like that...

I had forgotten how breathtaking the Northwest is... I'm glad I was able to cross this pass again and take in the beauty of this place. I now have much fonder memories... It is gorgeous.

These pictures cannot even do justice to the beauty...

Stopping, just over the border, at a rest area..

My home state.

Some were glad to get out of the van...

Even for just a few minutes.

Duke enjoyed the rest stop as well.

Grandma wanted to check out the "resting" rocks too...

The Shuler Gang... And Grandma.

We traveled all day and into the night, determined to make it to Havre, Montana in one day. We arrived around 1 am and Paul and Grace were waiting up for us. We were so glad to be there and we were sooo glad that baby Zoe had not been born yet. Grace had been on bed rest for three weeks, to keep her from going into labor. Now that we were there, she was ready to get the show on the road... But not then, we needed sleep. We stayed up and talked for a couple hours then headed to bed.

We visited, shopped, walked, cleaned and played for the next 5 days and no baby. Saturday, July 24th came and Grace went in... Her water was broke at 2:20pm. The whole family eventually made their way to the hospital... There were 13 altogether. Grandma stayed at Grace's house, she wasn't interested in the action before the birth... She'd just wait until the baby was here and join in.

The hospital waiting room became the "game" room.

Although Tommy told me it felt like a prison,

since he could not leave.

Internet time... You do what you have to

when Internet is not available, away from home.

Jacob, being his normal self... Goofy!

The "labor" walk...

With the grandparents...

The anxious Aunts...

I had a picture of Grace in labor, but I thought she might shoot me if I posted it... She did real well. She was a trooper... Of course she has the "Wilda" glare down to a tee when she's in extreme pain I would be dead, if looks could kill, and so would a few others, Paul included. She did hit Paul once... She raised her voice at me telling me she WAS NOT tense, when in fact she was :-) but she was polite at the same time as she was snapping at us, she would say, "please" and "thank you". The nurses were in awe... They could not believe a young lady, in this day and age, would have a baby, completely natural. Grace refused all pain killers and she was amazing. She is WOMAN, hear her ROAR!!! Finally at 2:29am, Sunday morning, Zoe entered this world... A perfect little baby girl. 7lbs 1 oz and 19 1/2" of God's amazing little bundle given to Paul and Grace. She is so perfect and so gorgeous... She looks just like her mommy.

The proud daddy.

There is nothing in this world that can match

the feeling of holding your new little baby...

How can I be a Grandma? How did this happen? Life

goes by so fast... It doesn't seem like it was that long

ago that I was holding Grace... Now she has a baby

of her own. I'm gonna love being a Grandma.

A VERY proud Grandpa. Zoe had him wrapped

around her little finger the moment she arrived.

Uncle Jake...

Uncle Philip...

Aunt Sara...

Aunt Megan...

Uncle Tom...

We left the hospital around 3 - 4am and headed back to the house to get some sleep and let Grandma Bunny know that the baby had arrived with no complications. We slept a few hours and headed back to the hospital, with Grandma, so she could meet the new baby.

Grace looked great... She was ready to go home.

Grandma Bunny and Zoe...

This was taken about 8 hours after being born.

Her first outfit, to be worn. Isn't she a doll?

The nurses and doctor could not believe that Grace was ready to go home so soon. They wanted her to stay another night. The doctor asked her why she wanted to go home so soon... Grace told him she wanted to sleep in her own bed and that she had family from out of town... He thought that was a good enough reason. The nurse, on the other hand, did not think it was a good idea... She was concerned about ALL of those people in Grace's home. Little did she realize that we have had some experience in taking care of newborns and taking care of the mommy too. When she came home Zoe was held by everyone, nonstop. We couldn't get enough of her.

While in Havre, we were able to attend Church services with

Paul and Grace. This night was a Singspiration... Colin,

Jacob and Philip helped Paul out with musical accompaniment.

We had to have some pizza... Pizza Pro has the

best pizza in town... And you can play pool too.

I was trying to show them how it's done...

But I stink!

Meet Zoe Isabella...

Zoe and Mommy

Zoe's baby shower...

Four generations in this picture...

Grace was hoping Grandma Bobbie

would be able to come too, but they had other

travel plans....

The silly girls....

I have to tell you a little story, going along with the previous picture. The girls had been dancing around in the living room... Then Tiny Tom (Mandie's son) decided to dance along. He was dancing and having a good time. Some pencil drawings on the wall were noticed and Mandie knew who the artist was, so she grabbed Tiny Tom to show him that was wrong... As she picked him up, he never missed a beat... He was still flailing his arms and legs and saying, "I'm dancing , Mom"... It was so funny, seeing him dancing while she was being carried off to... Well... You know...

Nap time with Aunt Sara...

Colin trying out the Rip Stick...

Zoe, on dedication day... Aug. 1, 2010

We are so blessed to have Zoe in the Alexander/Shuler

family... It is now time to dedicate her to the Lord...

Parents and Grand Parents

The whole family...

Grandma Shu and Zoe... She was sun bathing...

Megan was able to celebrate her 13th birthday in MT.

Aug. 4th... We went to the lake and had a pic nic

and some did a little fishing...

Megan fishing, with Jim Alexander looking on...

Then we went back to Kirby and Nancy's for

cake and ice cream...

And gifts...

Getting ready for her first bath... Poor baby...

No privacy in this family...

I won't post pictures of the bath...

Duke decided that the bottom of the coffee

table was a great place to rest.

Watching something scary...

Finally the time came, that were all dreading...

The day we had to leave. Everyone had to say

goodbye to this little one that had stolen

all of our hearts...

Parting is such sweet sorrow... Bologna!!!

There is nothing sweet about it!!!

Papa took it real hard...

Grandma Bunny had to have her turn...

We hated to leave Paul and Grace and this tiny little human that we all fell deeply in love with. we all cried... The van was quiet for a while except for the sniffles that could be heard. Then we bagen to look to the future of the next time we will get to see tham all again.

And now begins the journey back to AZ... And it was a doozy... Stay tuned...