Birthday wishes and dreams

Mason,
Another birthday is upon us. The 9th year since you graced us with your sweet spirit. I can remember all the mixed up feelings I had that day. But mostly complete Awe at your will to live. Your desire to be with us if only for a short time. We prayed with all our of hearts that we would get to meet you and gaze at your face if only for a short time. With all the miracles poured down that day...we got the greatest blessing we have ever received. To behold you!

You were so big...so full of life...yet so fragile. We knew our time was limited with you but we wanted to breathe in every moment of your life.

They whisked you away immediately upon your birth. Teams and teams of doctors and nurses there to assist you. When I finally got to gaze upon you...you were covered with so many wires and tubes...your face, hands, and feet were purple. They wheeled you over in your isolete...and I stroked your face. Oh the joy and the pain. I didn't know how long you would be here...yet I couldn't hold you. But just to touch you was more than I was ever promised by the medical world.

Dad followed you to the NICU, where more wires and tubes were inserted. I was alone still undergoing post birthing lovelys. I worried about each moment, whether you were still with us. You Dad was gone what seemed like hours. He returned to tell me of the sweet blessing he and Grandpa Vance were able to give you. It didn't matter how many nurses and doctors were around, he wanted to lay his hands on your head and give you a name and a blessing.

I worried all through the night...not able to sleep...wondering if you felt alone in your new home the NICU. Why couldn't I just hold you.

The next day, they wheeled me to your bedside. I tried to be strong just so thankful you were still here...but this is not how a baby is suppose to be...too much wires entrapping you. Again I stroked your head. I whispered "thank you" for fighting with everything to had to be here. Most babies with your congential heart defect never make it through the last trimester. But you fought on.

You laid so still...barely moving. You were up and down for the next few days. You had a heart cath to try to see what your heart looked like from inside. Your little frail body could not take that stress...and they returned you with burns on your chest from the electric shock paddles they had to use to restart your little heart. You could have returned home then, but it was not the time.

You were dwindling though. And at 7 days old we made a tough decision but one that was inspired and lead by the Spirit of the Lord. Open heart surgery was the only option but it was not a good one. You were too weak. Your defect could NOT be repaired...but there was a glimmer of HOPE that the surgeon could fix some other problems that resulted from the defect.

We plead to the Lord to know what to do...and at the moment I needed that answer of what to do...it poured down so clearly to me that there was no doubt...open heart surgery was the right thing to do.


How you survived such a procedure is nothing short of a miracle. They thought you would code on the operating table...they didn't know if you were strong enough to make it off the heart bypass machine and live on your own. There was some touch and go times. The morning after your surgery, you once again coded and the paddles of life had to be used on your tiny little body to get your heart beating. That memory haunts me still...seeing you die and brought back to life barely hanging on.


But then the miracles came one after another...you were getting stronger despite the defect which still limited your heart. You came home and blessed our home for the next 4 months. I was so scared of the responsibility that we shared. How could we keep you healthy.

I knew you would return to the arms of your Father in Heaven, but I am so eternally thankful that I was given 5 priceless months with you. There is a song that says "I could have missed the pain...but then I would have missed the dance". So true I would not trade the precious dance of being your mother to be out of the pain I am in. So I will endure...I have found a way to live with the pain and go on.

But it is only because of this

the temple of the Lord (click here to learn more)

and the covenants and promises we made there

that I know this

And that is how I survive. I hold onto the knowledge that our family is sealed together for time and all eternity. That I will be your mother again in the life to come and will once again behold your face. Your sisters can't wait. Sister #2 once wished that the Resurrection would just come so that she could see you again.
Your spirit lives on with us everyday. Your sisters love you and include you in every family drawing they make. Actually one sis will not let me say just I have 4 girls...she immediately has to tell every stranger about you.
Not a day has passed that I don't cherish some memory of you. I miss you but I know you are safe in the arms of Christ. Safe from all the firey darts of this life. Perfect and free from sin.

Happy Birthday my little angel. My heart is full at the memory of your miraclous birth. Thank you for allowing me to be your mother.
The quality of this slide show is not real great here on blogger...So I also posted it on You Tube. My first You Tube video and probably my last.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYsVWG-nT2c

All ye Pirates

My Little Pirate Princess,

Look what happens when your over the top Mother wants to throw a little party for you.

You decided back in October that a pink pirate party was what your heart desired 6 months down the road.

She invites all the pirate prinesses she knows (or maybe you know).

She decorates and preps for 2 days. Making cakes, prepping pirate crafts, sewing, shopping and whatever else she can do until 2am each night.

She tries her hand at decorating a cake...Hmmmm...better luck next time.

It looked so much better in my mind.

She makes you have sword fights on the pirate plank...with your much older and meaner older sister.

She dresses the other sisters up too for the event. Although one looks more gypsy pirate.

And then she collapses.

Have sweet 7th birthday. May all your pirate dreams come true.

Love Mom

My Days

No big ground breaking news...no complaints...just random events of our lives this week.

We have had the most beautiful weather known to man. Really. I know I said something positive about the place I live, but its truer than true.

I have spent the better part of each day breathing in the sunshine. I try to make myself productive by weeding the thousands of nasty weeds that survived the long winter. How do they do that.

I am only on my 2nd bed but I have made huge progress considering I am also chasing around a 1.5 year old toddler who seems to enjoy climbing into the most dangerous of places.

I look up from weeding and sprint to save her as she hangs her toes over the edge of our yard and peers down the 6 foot boulders to the neighbors.

Better than finding her at the top of our jungle gym in the "tube that leads to no where" except a terrible 7 foot fall.

Or better is when I discover she has let herself into the dogs yard on the north side of the house. She is no match for the 85 pound beast named Snickerdoodle.

The thing we loved most about our home is the multi level yard that wraps around all sides and has no fences to stop your eye from the view....but for the next year or two it will test my patience as I hover over the littlest who...trying to keep her from harm.

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Last week I was out doing all the things mentioned above....and my 2 middle children were inside glued to the TV. Upon finishing their Hannah Montana marathon...they needed some motherly care. After searching my favorite places...the bed, the bathtub, and my computer...they looked outside.

Well if you have seen my house...you would know that you can't just step outside the front door and yell and expect someone 3 stories down and in the back of the house to hear you. So the two put their thinking caps on and decided I must have walked to the park with the littlest who.

The oldest of the two was busy with the stomach flu and couldn't leave the designated plastic bowl...or the before mentioned marathon. So that left the 4 year old who to run the half mile down hill...crossing 3 cross roads to find MOM. Only to discover that Mom was not there. Hummmm their logic proved them wrong.

I only discovered this gross error in their thinking...as I was still out weeding and chasing the littlest offspring...and I saw a 10 year old friend out of breath running up the steapest hill you will ever climb...screaming my name.

I raced down the hill in the back to meet this frantic child (who is also Madison BBF)...and in between her panting and gasping for breath...the story unfolds...that Ri-Ri came to the park alone. Panic stricken I raced down...only to stop in mid step and realize that now I have left baby alone on the trecherous terrain.

I sent the 10 year old friend to watch baby while I race back down...this time I meet my eldest daughter racing up the hill with NO little sister in tow. She is way out of breath and in an asthma attack and all I gathered was that another girl was carrying Ri-Ri back home.

This poor girl is 12 but no bigger than a peanut, and has been piggy backing the 4 year old up the hill. Mind you I can barely walk this hill with no extra beings in tow...but this 70 pound nugget was half way up with a 40 pound lug on her back.

I rescue the 12 year old from exhaustion and want to spank the smithereens out of my 4th born. But I patiently listen as we all gather back at my house to hear the full story. The 2 middle children are pointing the finger at the other on who's great idea it was to send the 4 year old looking for MOM 1/2 a mile away.

The 3 other girls (Madison and 2 of our neighbor kids) just so happend to be playing at the park at the same time that Ri-Ri appears out of no where. They waited for 5 minutes fully expecting me to be following behind...only to finally coax the story out of the runaway...why she was alone.

That night after replaying the senerio in my mind for the 15th time...about how it could have gone terribly wrong...that lightbulb moment of thanksgiving poured over me. I got out of bed to pour my heart out to my Father in Heaven for protecting my children even when I didn't know they would need it. For putting angels in her path to protect her on that dangerous journey.

Who knows each day what we are protected from.

Another Day another Giveaway

So this week I am trying to win this yum yum.

You can check them out here http://wechirp.blogspot.com/ and here http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6098238

Just adds 5 pounds looking at them.

March Celebrations

OOPPSS!!! I wrote this blog entry last week and forgot to post it. A day late and a dollar short and 6 people sick with the stomach flu...has really screwed up my week. Hope you get a snicker out of it anyway.

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My cute hip and stylish young friend Teigan did this once on her blog...so I copied her idea. Isn't copying the biggest form of compliments...at least that is what my Mom told me when my young and immature sister would copy every thing I did and borrow all my clothes.

So I was searching online for something to do yet another bullentin board for the school and I came upon a list of March celebrations...

So here is week 1

1 National Pig Day - I had piece of bacon. Does that count??? Probably shouldn't since it was turkey bacon. Ok so I missed that day.

1 Peanut Butter Lovers' Day -got that one covered. I eat 2 heaping teaspoons of peanut butter each day on whole wheat crackers.

2 Old Stuff Day- Heaven's knows I have plenty of that laying around...so I went down to the basement and grabbed a handful of stuff to take to DI.

3 I Want You to be Happy Day- That should be hubby's moto...he just wants me to happy everyday. I will try that line on one of my kids tomorrow.

3 If Pets Had Thumbs Day-I can't imagine the trouble my 2 dogs would get into...refer back to the dog who ate and tore up someones car blog from last fall.

3 National Anthem Day- I will sing it loud in the shower tomorrow. How many celebrations can we honor in one day???

3 Peach Blossom Day -Peach Blossom Day is a day to celebrate peach blossoms, and for girls to celebrate being girls. The attributes of peach blossoms include: pretty, delicate, dainty, and sweet smelling. These are all feminine traits. As a matter of fact, calling a young lady "peach blossom" is a term of endearment to some. The roots of Peach Blossom Day also trace directly back to Japan. A Doll Festival is held in Japan every year on March 3rd. This is also when peach trees bloom in Japan. Simply said, it's an opportunity for girls to celebrate being girls.

I have plenty of girls and plenty of dolls to celebrate this day... I even have 2 Japanese dolls that my brother brought back from his mission there. Thanks Dave.

4 Holy Experiment Day -Holy Experiment Day is a day to try something religious. It is a chance to try something, or ask for something, and to measure the results. UMMM HELLO...SHOULDN'T WE DO THAT EVERY DAY. Pathetic we need a day set aside to remind us.
4 Hug a GI Day - I'll head over to Hill Field Airforce Base in Layton and wait for the cutest GI I can find and hug his neck off. I'll let you know how that goes.
5 Multiple Personality Day -UMMM! I may know a few of those to pay tribute to.

6 Dentist's Day-AGGGGHHH!!! Just the thought of the dentist makes me want to eat a big sticky lollipop that can get stuck in my molars.

6 National Frozen Food Day- ok...ok...Twist my arm...I will eat some Ore-Ida french fries to honor that day.

6 National Salesperson Day - I will run to Anthropologie and spend as much money as I can to help a salesgirls commission that day.

7 National Crown Roast of Pork Day- How do you cook one of those. Are those the things with the little chefs hats on the end???

Let me know how your celebrations go.

I'm Walking on Sunshine

Ok maybe I am not Walking on Sunshine today, it's warm but cloudy...but we had a few blessed days where that bright thing peeked out and graced our lovely yards and bodies.

I saw something I haven't seen in a long time......

My toes...my thongs(hey don't get any sick ideas...no this Mormon Mom has not hung up her G's for thongs...but that is what we use to call flip flops) Still don't know what the point is to modern thongs...I spent the 1st half of my life trying to keep it out of there...so why put it up there.
And we also saw some of Matt's most prized possessions....I would like to insert a picture of his girls....but we all know Matt's first love is the garden. He was so happy to see these little babies...but also praying they didn't burst too early and will killed by the next snow blanket.

I also saw something else I haven't seen in a while ...kids playing outside.

Each spring and summer day...I would rock in the hammock watching the kids play waiting for Dad to come home...can't wait for that again.

It sure was nice to give them the boot outside....quickly I realized that I will be pulled by my pant legs to go outside all the time. I can't just leave the door open and let them run amuck....I will have to actually watch the littlest offspring. Lots of things to fall down...It reminds me of the first time when then 2.5 year old Ri-Ri walked down our backyard and did a "Jack and Jill" move down the hills...I am still laughing. Luckily no broken crowns...we will leave that to our littlest nephew Joey. This is the poser of the family. But sure is cute.

It's also her birthday month. Lots to smile about.
I even parked in the driveway with no fear of snow falling.

Look Mom, no snow...pack your bags and come.

So grateful for small things wrapped up in sunshine. Bring it on Mother Earth and tell that Groundhog to go take a hike.

Pick me!!! Pick me!!

Check out this great give away on my sister in laws (or outlaw as we so affectionately call them) blog http://www.wechirp.blogspot.com/

The gal who is donating her creation is very a la Anthropologie looking. She has fabulous accessories. I wish I was bold enough to wear the peacock headband...but I will jump for joy if I can get the 'Pink Sabbath" flower pin. I need it to jazz up a 19.99 cardigan I just bought. If I win I can pick anything I want from her Etsy site, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6379945.

Go look for yourselves and see all the delish goodies to adorn your body.