Bedside & Lakeside

Well...after we found out we were going to be adding a new Hightower to the bunch in June:


Rebecca got sicker than sick. She was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravadarum and had to get an IV and a PICC line within 2-3 weeks, and thus began pregnancy #3 for my wife. Insult to injury...she got a staph infection a week ago and had to be hospitalized! Somewhere in this past month or so, our community has really rallied, and meals, childcare, and prayer support rolled in like a river.

Thank you soooooo much friends and family, for throwing in your blood-sweat-tears during this time...it has been a wild ride...we hope that Becca is going to pull completely through this in another few weeks. Until then: Keep praying! We love you all...for serious. We won't forget your dedication through this. Below are some pics from the past month. Included is a trip I took with the boys to Lake Michigan (yes, someone WAS taking care of Becca while I was gone!), Maddie Martins' birthday, and some other shots...enjoy.

Nashville Tennessee Flood 2010

The Floodwaters Rise

Last Friday it began to rain in Middle Tennessee...from Memphis to Nashville and in cities all across the area. It continued Saturday - Sunday - and Monday, with barely a break in the downpour. Flash floods covered the area. Tornadoes came through and the thunder rolled. A record 13 inches of rain fell, with the Cumberland River and other rivers in the area going way over flood, or 'crest' capacities.

Watch this - an area known as Opry Mills was completely doused with water from the Cumberland:

It was, and still is, unreal. The death toll is anywhere from 18-27 and the monetary damage has begun at a whopping 1 billion dollars.

Here are some pictures and video from our place in Columbia, TN - from this weekend's mayhem:

The national news media didn't seem to really carry the story, but here are some that gave a short report on it:

• CNN
• USA Today
  
• NY Times
• FOX News

Here is a video from our house:

So yes, a crazy time...indeed. Please lift up the people of Middle Tennessee in prayer. Here's a link to go to if you want to donate: time, money, or stuff:

http://nashvillest.com/2010/05/03/so-nashville-is-flooded-how-can-i-help/

Boyz_Take2.m4v

Our Hair-brained Idea

Nothing like the wind in your hair!




To ignite your sense of adventure!













If you are looking for a little more adventure than throwing rocks in the creek, you may want to brave a camping trip with two toddlers and two golden retrievers...good thing we decided to go on a river crossin', snake hurdlin', bug watchin' hike to wear out the adults...er, I mean kids.

After a much longer hike than anticipated... all the while anxiously watching the sun dip closer to the horizon, we made it off the trail (that would never end) just before dark... and cozied up to the campfire for hotdogs... but despite the long hike we still spent some time unwinding the kids before they would drift off to sleep.

And although I would like to share some awesome pics of our campsite and the fun that continued on the next day... somewhere around 5:30am, we were awakened by some crazy lightning! Since we were out in the middle of nowhere, perched up on top of a mountain, surrounded by trees... we decided there were probably safer places we could be to weather the storm. We broke camp in fifteen minutes and headed to the nearest coffee shop on our way home. Wouldn't you know it started pouring almost as soon as we got into the car?!

So the next time the wind starts blowing, and the itch to throw caution to the wind on our next adventure... I would advise you all to remind me to check the weather one last time... but hey, it is all part of the experience right? The boys didn't know any differently...and in fact, they seemed to think it was the thrill of the unknown...

Well, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger right? Well, that's what they say anyway...

~the Hightowerz

3,2,1...

3 days shy of a year apart... my very own Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn are now 2 and 1.



They get into their very own set of trouble. Cadan getting in the freezer to help himself to some ice cream.





Or climbing down the heating vent to retrieve the toys he just threw down there.



Kai gets into his fair share of trouble...only his sort of trouble scares me enough to make a mad dash up the stairs as he somehow figured out how to get around the barricade, or stopping him from sticking the keys in the outlet. Don't worry, I didn't stop to take a picture of those near-death experiences.

But despite these harrowing moments, there are the sweet faces that make me smile and forget why my heart is racing or my legs cramping from the marathon sprints I make to keep these two safe.







We had a great birthday bash full of balloons, friends, family and plenty of mayhem.







Grandpa and Baba and Grandma and Pap "P" and Nana and Papi... all came to make it a really special time for both us and the boys!!! It really meant a lot to us to have our family celebrate with us the family we have begun together! Last year I was coming home from the hospital with Kai on Cadan's first birthday... I told Cadan... "This year I am giving you a brother on your birthday... don't expect this EVERY year!!!" This year we are celebrating them both together!







Well, the sun finally came out the other day and we all rushed outside to soak up any little rays of sunshine we could before the clouds could come back.

Kai was a little slow to warm up...





But Cadan seemed like frolicking in the sun was in his blood!











Even the dogs seemed to be soaking up some extra vitamin D...





Just when Kai started to explore... my camera battery died. Sigh. I guess all good things come to an end. Oh Spring, we are so desperate for you to get here so we can enjoy being outside again!!!


Once we got a taste of being outdoors the cloudy, cold, damp weather could not keep these boys from the sandbox they got for their birthday! Kai wasn't really sure he liked the texture of the sand, but he was the one that threw the biggest fit about having to go inside that day!!















Is this year flying by for anyone else? We packed and moved and unpacked and then before we knew it, Dave was leaving for Israel...and in the blink of an eye, mid-March comes rolling by! Life gets so busy and it is easy to forget to take some time and love on those around us! Thank you to those who have been lovin' on us during this busy season of our lives. It hasn't gone unnoticed.

All my love,

Becca