Yesterday, my twin sister came to visit me. I was happy to see her because we haven’t seen each other much since I moved to Willow Creek. We hugged and I could tell, just tell that something was very very wrong.
“Callie?” I asked her. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Dad…” she said. “Britta, he…” she started to sob and that’s how I learned that my father had passed away in the middle of the night.
He was old. I knew that. I was grateful for the time we had to spend together in recent months. Both of us busy, both of us working for a common-and yet separate goal. I knew I was blessed for the extra time with him.
“How’s Mom?” I asked, more than concerned.
Callie shook her head. “Diana took her to the hospital. She’s as old as he is, Brit, and losing him hit her hard.”
She promised to keep me informed of Mom’s condition and to let me know when Dad’s funeral was.
The news of Dad’s death and Mom’s fragility rocked me hard. 
Despite knowing that they were old, lived full lives and accomplished great things, it was hard. I spent a lot of time alone in my thoughts, thinking about them and old times.
I also clung to Easton, my husband whom I would not even have (possibly) without Dad’s encouragement and understanding.
I missed my father, and all too soon, Mom passed as well. And the rainy Willow Creek season did not make me any happier.
Not too long afterwards, I was sent to Granite Falls for work. It was a several-day trip and Easton went with me. We stayed in a tent in the camp grounds and he got to fish and play horseshoes while I collected samples for the on-going project to save the world.
(Yes, I’m sort of being snarky there, but sort of not, if you think about it.)
Nights in the fresh Granite Falls air, away from the rainy Willow Creek, were invigorating and Easton and I indulged in newlywed activities.
We returned home soon after, and not long after that, we learned that I was expecting our first child.
Easton and I quickly realized that, being pregnant, a tent to live in was no longer adequate.
We bean construction on what would be our new home. It wasn’t much to look at, but having it made us both happy.
Having a house to take shelter in felt like a luxury after months and months of living in the tent. But it also meant putting in more time working to get money to buy the things we needed for not only the house, but for a baby.
Well, two babies. I learned from the doctor that I was actually expecting twins. Twins! Can you believe it? I told Callie and Diana and they were as excited as I was! So, obviously, was Easton, though he fretted about how we were going to take care of twin babies.
“Mom and Dad did alright with the three of us,” I told him, confident that we could, too.
