Endocrinologists Report

Monday, I got back from the doctor and his analysis of the Women's Panel (blood tests) taken last week...Jonathan and Susie came with me to the lab. Jonathan was quick to point out the six HUGE vials of blood taken with a comment similar to "Wow, look Mom--that all came out of you!" Endocrinologist's Report: Infarcted Posterior Pituitary, Sheehan's Syndrome, Centralized Hypothyroidism=Forever Tired! (Also, I was put on supplements to increase thyroid receptors effectiveness and given a synthetic thyroid prescription). Jonathan used to think this statue was him when he was younger and we visited Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. My older daughters used to run and hug the children. (If you look closely, the finger of the boy and the doll's hand re rubbed shiny gold).

Our new "Potty Girl!"

Joseph took Susie's diaper off to get her a dry one before bed and she kept insisting she had to "poop." He stuck her on the potty and boy, was she proud! Also, she did not poop, pee, or do anything but smile really big for about thirty minutes after which her tired parents tried to think of a way to get her off the potty without too much fussing...Joe tried the EC cues, no go. Big smile though from an (almost) big girl!

Rekindle the Flame: A Celebration of Marriage

Mom and Dad Clayton graciously invited all adult children to this conference at Thanksgiving Point. We heard speakers talk on Money & Marriage, Communication, the Intentional Marriage, and Intimacy. Over a catered dinner, author and keynote speaker, Richard Paul Evans spoke of his lovely wife and the time in their marriage when they met to draw out their divorce papers. A very touching speaker, Evans spoke candidly about the struggles he and his wife had before learning to ask, "how can I show you love today?" He states that in the beginning, his wife was angry when he asked this. He got up each morning and cleaned the kitchen and fulfilled other requests, sometimes "faking" the generous emotion when he did not feel it. With prayer, and a conscious effort, love came back into their relationship. He mentioned that within a couple of months his wife commented to him, "I don't deserve you!" He also told a fictional story which helped woman realize how important intimacy is in marriage. Randy S. Chatelain spoke on rekindling a marriage and told a story about how in the early days of the church, members would donate ten percent of their income back to the Church (Lord). One day a chicken farmer brought his son out and asked him which of the ten chickens they should donate to the Bishop's Storehouse. The son replied, "Quick Dad...if we hurry, we can deliver that chicken before it dies!" (I am liberally paraphrasing). How often do we bring our half-dead chicken home to our spouse and offer it in the relationship? Communication Skills: Avoid the Harsh Startup--talk without care for the other person Avoid Flooding: no way out, hopeless feeling, flood of emotions trigers the fight or flight response in spouse, lack of ability to solve problems as a couple. 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse 1* Criticism 2* Contempt 3*Defenseiveness 4*Stonewalling Be aware of your body language (and what it is subconciously saying) The opposite of love is apathy Opposite of apathy is interest/curiosity (Be curious about one another!) Curiosity leads to love. We show love when we want to know about another person, curious, interested.

Fourth File, Fourth Picture Tag

(Well, I think I have posted this one before). Family Dinner and Game night (April, 2008). Pictured above are Amy, Ryan, Alex, Joe and Mike setting up Ticket to Ride. On a stranger note, my old (but cheap) Laser Jet printer is printing a bajillion General Conference Activity Packets. I am not sure why but technologically advanced machines can sense my presence and randomly do funky things. A friend e-mailed these packets to me and they are very well put together...some things for older kids and some for younger ones. I am really looking forward to General Conference and the spirit and messages it brings to our home. Hope you have a great weekend! If you would like me to forward you the packet to print for your kids, let me know. I will e-mail it to you. Hope you have a great weekend!

Mind Pictures

Does life seem to be going in fast forward sometimes? I will get to the Education Week posts because there was some great things learned. Yesterday I finished typing up R's Confirmation and Baptism letter from us...how sad...only 5 weeks or so late! A friend once told me to "turn and take a memory picture" when a camera was not available. Lately, I have a few. Picture this: Susie two nights ago, tired. I was on the computer and Joe came to me and said,"I have read FOUR bookies and she doesn't want me any more...it's your turn!" I came and swaddled her and laid down by her. She turned to me in a quiet voice and said, "happy, happy!" Yesterday, I came into our master bedroom to find Susie on our bed with my big set of scriptures on her lap "reading" and "nursing" her baby doll (on her belly button, no less!). Ha ha!. Picture this: Jonathan's face was soo happy I was reading to him his new Transformer "book." (This beginning reader from the school book fair seems more like an over priced advertisement of products). The "story" is about the strengths/characteristics of fictional robots battling for Energon to rule the universe. Hey, does anyone know where I can get more "energon" as a mom just to keep up!? (Hmm, suppose I will have to try and contact Maximus Prime!) Picture this: A sift through a pbunch of papers on the ground next to where Rebekah has recently "emptited" her backpack and find a letter addressed to me on lined school paper about how I was her hero because I stay at home with the baby and do housework! (I am not invisible after all!) Picturer this: Hannah sprawled out on my bed, content I am giving her her spelling pre-test and making silly sentences to define the words. What are some of your mind pictures lately?

Education Week Highlights

We're in Business

As you have guessed from the recent post, we have a new camera. Thanks Joe. It is smaller, thinner, better. Do you think that happens to people or just technology?

No "Official" Diagnosis

Dear Family and Friends, Michael has been staying with us in town to be near his fiance, hospital, and work. They are still awaiting a crucial test (from part of the lumbar puncture) that is due back soon. So, there is no "official" diagnosis yet. Most of the evidence, especially the MRI of the brain showing lesions lead the neurologist to believe it is MS, Multiple Sclerosis. Thanks for your prayers on his behalf. I think the reality of this life change is settling in and is understandably frustrating and frightening.

Hike to Stewart Falls

Friday's Teacher Training Day meant fun day for us! Our family hiked to Stewart Falls (part of the Mount Timpanogous Trail), ate picnic lunches, and enjoyed 7/11 Slurpees on the way home. Jonathan was the trail leader. Bekah and her Storkee enjoyed having a friend, Drew and his stuffed koala Coconut along, and Hannah brought Frogee for the trek. The slower pokes, Mom and Dad, were the caboose engines carrying or walking with Susie. The weather was wonderful. Wildflowers, lower and upper falls, sunlight and cool breezes. A beautiful day!

Tomorrow's Another Day!

Wow--guess this is just a country kind of time for me lately! (Does that mean my husband left me, my dog left me, and I've turned to the bottle...NO!) Aww, just some comic relief. (I am laughing at my pathetic attempt at humor...laugh or cry sometimes, right?) Susie is very sad right now because I am not helping her (properly) to dress her water-babies (actually H and R's) the way she wants me to. I had to sit down and write a follow up. I was so touched by your comments to my last post. Thank you for caring. I know many of you have your own day to day challenges as well. Monday was challenging because we anticipated it was surely something and it turned out to be the longer, more life changing MS. The brain MRI and spinal puncture were performed early in the afternoon. The MRI results came back first and showed brain legions as big as 1.4 cm. The mood turned bleak. All results will not be back from the spinal tap for a few days. Still, the neurologist at that point was fairly certain of Multiple Sclerosis. There are different forms and we live in a good age where some medications (I.V. steroids and gamma) make living with a chronic illness better. Mike returned back to work (and a training session) at 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. He still struggles walking and driving himself currently because of numbness. He believe this is just another trial to overcome and does not want this to become a label. he told few people at work (only those responsible to know) and by the end of the day most colleagues were coming up to him and saying comments like, "I just heard man...and I am real sorry). He is still upbeat. He laughed. "It's like people are greeting me like I am dead." His fiance, Beth, is a positive light in his life and supporting his treatment. They will work out their own sort of balance I am sure. R, J, and baby were home sick today. Beth's children have had the stomach flu the past couple of days and so that may be coming to our house too. Hope not. Oh well. We had some sweet smelling rain this morning and my sister Amy got me some fresh raspberries at a great price. Is anything more delicious than a fresh raspberry? O.k. you don't have to anwswer that one but we devored two little containers of them (and had Grainola and apple sauce for dinner)...it was one of those kind of days, homework, missed schoolwork and errands. Time runs so fast lately.

Just Another Day in Paradise

The title of this post seems apt...a country ditty which explains why my posts have been so sparse of late. Ever have one of those morning? I awoke early to check R's homework (TWO weeks worth) and wake girls to get dressed and pack their school lunches. H stayed in bed. I felt rather "hungover" from a fourth night comforting Susie through the latest viral illness. (Her fever broke Sat. night...Jonathan got his last night!) I heard a scratching in the kitchen. Sliding the lazy-susan around, a sleek brown haired fat mouse is nibbling on the Raman noodles and has eaten through several packets of instant oatmeal. Rebekah and I stare in fascination at the long mouse tail as we spin him around the cupboard too chicken to try and catch him and too tired to let him go...Dread. Now in addition to the daily chores, I will be sanitizing, cleaning and throwing away stuff from inside my cupboards. (Don't you wish it were code to have a spring-loaded door closer in a house with children?!) I dropped R off to school late, H ate breakfast and felt better. I dropped her off. Got medicine and a warm bath for J, changed S, and then started getting calls about my brother who I had to bully back to the hospital last night. Diagnosis from the ER on Saturday night (two herniated discs is NOT the solution to the numbness that now had gone into his torso and arm!). He was hospitalized at 3:30 a.m. because he needs a spinal tap and an MRI of the head to diagnose between Guillian-Barre Syndrome and MS. (His fiance, Beth--Joe's sister, was with him and we helped last night with his children and her children and our children!). Still awaiting the news. Turned on the TV to pass a few minutes and the BYU Devotional was playing. It was Elder Holland (1/17/89) speaking on "The Will of the Father in All Things." Even though the circumstances around us rage at times, there is peace within the eye of a storm.

Sweet Simple Things

I wanted to remember the sweet things lately. Little Susie kneeling in prayer (on our big bed) next to Jonathan...repeating after him, "Dear Heavenly Father, I am thankful for sister Rebekah," "(hushed) Bekah" "and I am thankful for Hannah" "Hannah" "and I am thankful for Mom, Dad, and Susie!" "Mom, Dad,...(Joe and I listen because she has not said her name before...) Baby (she smiles and nods her head up and down)." I am sure God's heart fills with joy and He can't help but smile as He too listens to these sweet innocent prayers. Joy is the pitter patter of little feet crossing tile, little hands caressing softly my hair, surprise bear hugs, little love notes, winks, bubbling laughter from the other room, an unexpected call from a friend (or sister), a look at the grapes from Grammy Campbell, apples and peaches from Amy, and sweet, juicy nectarines from a local fruit merchant. I spy on sleeping children--so serene...Life is good!