Wednesday, July 27, 2011

40 weeks old!










I got to babysit today and look how fun it was! Dang, she is so cute!

She took a little nap and the dogs wanted to watch over her.

Our bedroom is about to be repainted by me. 1. I'm tired of the poor paint job I did almost 10 years ago.   2. I have been dreaming about dark teal and I vacillate between safe beige and the dark teal. I am thinking to just go for what I really want.  3. It will be matte. I also made the mistake of using semi-gloss last time. What was I thinking! 4. I'm going to get curtains. 5. I'm going to work on a couple of art projects for my room that I may or may not show.  6. We may get new carpet for our room. It's been the same industrial strength blue carpet (probably the original 30 year old carpet). 7. I'm so glad that Jeff lets me do anything I want to the house (well, within reason and I'm mostly a reasonable gal).  8. I'm thinking I'll start after school begins when I may have more time.

I'm still learning about the camera and don't know exactly how to get the lighting just right but it sure is fun to practice and I'm all right with that!

I was...


I was going to post these pictures along 
with a list of 10 things I was grateful for
but as I sat down to the computer
with the list brewing in my head,
I got a call from one of Sheyla's 
teachers telling me that Sheyla had some
seizures and that she was doing better
but that she wanted me to come to pick her up.
I was going to say that I was grateful for Bajio
and for Jeff and for lots of different things
which I really really am grateful for
but I had to take her to the ER again.
They gave her a small amount of IV Ativan
and she had hallucinations all through 
the visit and partly on the way home
and I just got her tucked into bed
after getting her night medication
and helping her to the bathroom
and feeding the cat
and cutting off her name tag.
I was going to say that we went 
to Bajio because we had two kids 
to get to two different places 
at two different ends of the valley
at two different times
and I really really wanted a Chicken Ensalada.

I was going to tell you
about a woman I saw at the grocery store
that used to live a few streets up from us.
She is in her 70's and our oldest son
used to do some yard work for her.
I said hi and said that she used to live
in our neighborhood years ago
and said that it's been awhile,
and she said loudly,
almost with a gasp,
"Holy Cow it sure has been!"
I thought to myself that she meant,
Holy Cow you're fat and old!
I would have cried but I told myself
that she could have meant
Holy Cow it's been so many years!
I also told myself,
I am over weight and I do look older
and it's been a long day
and she doesn't know that I took
my daughter to the Neurologist this morning
and that we had to schedule an
MRI for Friday so they can check
to see if there is scar tissue
in her brain.
She also didn't know that it's been 8 weeks
since I've had my last Diet Coke/Pepsi
and that I'm trying to exercise but that
I don't always exercise as much as I want
but I'm not giving up and I'm trying to be healthier.
She didn't know that my son is walking 
more and more with his crutches and his boot
and that he was in a wheelchair for 6 weeks
and that he will be able to walk soon barefoot
in the house
and that he can't be left alone
even though he is 17 years old.

I was going to say that I 
couldn't go to bed until I knew 
Sheyla was asleep and safe in her room.

I'm going to bed now.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Nine months old!








Last Evening.

Davis and I walked just a little 
on the street in front of our house
(he walked earlier up and down the street).
The sky was breathtaking
and all I had was my phone.
Although, I could have
run inside to get my camera.

Davis was so happy to be able to walk.
Well, with a walking boot and crutches.
Every time I ask him how he is doing,
he says,
"I'm doing great!"
Or he gives me a thumbs up.
I can learn a thing or two from that kid.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Look who got his cast off!

last week of summer school.

waiting for the bus.

Yesterday after nearly a 45 minute
wait at the doctors office,
Davis got his cast off.
He had been so excited for days
that he told me,
"I'm going to exercise 
AND exercise all day!
His cast was off by 3:30
and we still had to wait for the PA
to see him.
We forgot his crutches
so he wheeled himself around
quickly and happily using BOTH feet.
We met Dad for dinner
and much to his disappointment
we still had to take oldest sister to school.
After we got home he wanted
to walk around the whole neighborhood
but I told him he could only walk up and down 
our long driveway.
I told him that he needs to work up his strength.
Last night at 9:00
he yawned and yawned and complained 
about how tired he was.
He exclaimed,
"I worked myself to the bone."
Which made us smile.
We had scripture and family prayer right 
next to the twin bed that he temporarily sleeps in
which is on the floor of our Living Room.
When we were done
he was fast asleep
with a hint of a smile on his face.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Perfectly Precious Pippin.


We went to visit Grandma and Pippin.
Pippin was so happy to see us.
He runs and runs all over the place.
He jumps and tries to get to us.
He burrows (but only for a second) in our necks
and busily licks our faces.
He seems to smile and laugh
as he runs around and around us.
He seems to show off for us
and runs in circles and jumps
on the couch for the first time.
He makes us smile and laugh
as we watch and play with that little
fluff ball of energy and joy!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Bravery.

On Sunday, I took Sheyla up to the Salt Lake area
for the Homecoming of her mission President and his wife.
Over the several years they served,
they had about 400 missionaries serve with them
in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania mission
(and that's missionaries from all over the world).
These were the ones that could make it to Utah on Sunday.
Sheyla is the one on the far left, front row
(not a too terribly bad photo for taking it with her phone).

Monday night I went to pick her up from school
and her instructor came out and got me 
saying she was having a hard time the last 20 minutes.
She was on the couch having a partial seizure.
So I took her to the ER.
They did some blood test, 
a CT scan
and found out the results from her EEG
from a week and a half ago.
The doctor said,
"She had epilepsy when she was young
and now it is back."
They started her on medication.
We still have to drive her everywhere until she is stable.

Sheyla is being brave in the midst of a scary trial.

Courage doesn't always roar. 
Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day
that says I'll try again tomorrow.
~Mary Anne Radmacher

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Happy Anniversary!



These two cute lovebirds have been married for two years!
Happy Anniversary!

Marrying for love may be a bit risky,
but it is so honest
that God can't help but smile on it.
~Josh Billings

Friday, July 8, 2011

37 weeks old!





Rian is so cute and such a happy, happy baby!
Little Miss Sunshine
brings sunshine to my soul!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Attention: if you can read it.


This sign has been driving me crazy.
It is in such a dangerous spot of a freeway off ramp.
I think it's for the construction crew.
How would anyone else know that?
 I think it would be hard for even them to read it.
I laugh at it almost every time we drive by it.
I said I was easily amused.
I had Sheyla take two pictures of it
(as I was driving)
lest you think I risked my life to get these photos.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Independence Day.





Really this is from Saturday.
Jeff, Davis and son-in-law went to pan for gold.
I went to the Farmers Market to hang out
with Britni and help with her booth
(She had her adorable handmade wallets
and I had my felt flowers).
The booth didn't go so well
but I LOVED being with Britni.
I had to drop Sheyla off to school in the morning
and when I went to Britni's apartment 
I saw tons of hot air balloons in the air.
I didn't get the shots (photo) that I wanted
but at least I got a drive by of Darth Vader.
Later I picked Sheyla up from school
and the three of us ate lunch together
in the shade of a canopy
(doesn't that make you think 
I just said can-o-pee).
We did get to see the amazing fireworks
with Britni and husband.
Along with Sheyla and Davis,
Me and Jeff.
I LOVE fireworks
and appreciate going to see them with family
because many July 4th's I was 
working at a hospital.
We usually go to the parade on the 4th
but having Davis in a wheelchair seemed 
like it would be 100 times harder 
to squeeze in when we arrive so late.
I do LOVE a good parade.
We went out to lunch and
we went and saw Transformers.
Sheyla and Davis 
loved it.
 Jeff and I felt a little tortured
as we were stuck watching that movie.
Somehow, I feel a little safer with those
macho cars protecting our planet.


Friday, July 1, 2011

Life...

I took this picture with my phone.
Yes. 
My phone.
A couple of weeks ago.
I posted it before 
but it deserves another post.
I'm so in love with this picture
(I really got lucky
and I'm easy to please).
Look at the beads of light on the fence.
I love the Dr. Seuss looking flower.
The sky is amazing
and the plants in the background are just perfect.
I love it and I'm not afraid to say it!

Anyway.
Back at the faux-mid-century-modern...
Davis still needs the wheelchair 
and is very bored.
We have tried to entertain
but that kid is 
voracious when it comes to curiosity,
need for projects and need for friends.
We can help with some of those things
but we cannot fully measure up.
He would usually scope the neighborhood
for friends or people to talk to
or things to do;
interspersed with his own projects 
that he comes up with every day
and then we have adventures together 
when he has exhausted all other avenues.
It's just not easy with a cast
and a wheelchair.
He gets to go get dirt for gold panning 
this weekend and he has been over-the-moon excited.
Jeff and our cute son-in-law 
will do all the work
(Davis will supervise)
so they can bring home dirt for him to pan
for the next couple of weeks.

Sheyla
(24 and our oldest)
may be having seizures.
 I took her to get an EEG the other day.
My mother was kind to come
early in the morning to be here with Davis.
We now have to take her everywhere
she needs to go
and she has school in the evening.
She had epilepsy when she was young.
Hopefully we find out next week
what is going on.

I've been so very grateful for Jeff
and all his help and support
and so grateful
that I can be home to take care of
 what needs to be taken care of.