Sisters

(Me, Mom, Michelle, Kyndra)

After I arrived in Salt Lake City, I decided to get together with my sisters (there are 6 kids in my family)and go to dinner before my mom and I drove up to Idaho. It was really fun I must say. There is something about getting together and reminiscing about old times. We laughed, and laughed and laughed! We remembered a time when we were little. My dad was in the National Guard, so one afternoon my dad took us down to the river. Not sure where my mom was, but it was a rare time when my dad was "in charge" of us kids. We were all standing there by the beautiful river bank, when my dad pulls out a hand grenade. He pops it off and throws it into the river. I wish I could describe how it looked, especially to a little kid, but it was quite impressive. Water shot straight up into the sky and the sound was deafening. After the water settled, fish started to float to the top of the water. Uh-oh. My dad looked around. "Kids...go get in the car". We hurried and left the scene of the crime. It is forever imprinted on our brains. My mom is mortified by these stories of course. There was never a dull moment when we had our time with dad. I'm surprised that we are all still alive. I'm sure the angels worked overtime every time my dad watched us.

Anyways. .. This picture was taken by Nathan. He was acting so "lazy" and wouldn't' get up off of the couch to get close enough to take the picture. I finally said jokingly, "Nathan, I don't' care if you have 107 fever, get up and take the picture". We all laughed of course. After the picture was taken I went over by Nathan to look at it, and my sister commented that Nathans face was flushed. I felt his forehead and yep...he was hot. We took his temperature and he had 103.7 fever. Talk about parental guilt! He kept quoting me about the 107 fever thing, and how I made him get up...when he really did have a fever. Yadda...yadda. Guess I better put another 10 bucks into the therapy fund for him. Poor kid is gonna need it. We don't' save for college or missions around here, we save for the future therapy our kids are gonna need. :)

Slip Slidin Away

I looked out the window and what did I see?

Thank heavens for Tide.

I'm BA-aaack!

Whew...I am back. It may be a few days until I am able to start posting about my trip to Idaho. Let me just tell you about one experience that happened Tuesday. Well, it officially started on Saturday when Jonathan started puking and diarrhea...then 8 hours later I started it. It is a violent flu bug that after 24 hours leaves you with no fluids left in your body whatsoever. It was quite interesting to be puking, or wanting to be and having to clean up another persons puke. (I kept having to tell myself that it was not as bad as when Trent and I got this sort of thing at the same time...that was awful!). I was actually able to muster up a chuckle one night as I was laying on the bathroom floor in front of the toilet with Jonathan laying and crying on me. I thought to myself what a funny picture this would make. You could title it, "The Joys of Motherhood" Twisted humor when one is deliriously sick.



Anyways...Tuesday we drove down to Salt Lake City and got a hotel so we could fly out on Wednesday. We met up with my younger brother Scott (Jonathan looks just like Scott when he was a baby...it is almost eery!) and his girlfriend Whitney.

We went to Olive Garden for dinner. I was STARVING! I hadn't had much to eat in the last few days from my puke fest and I was bound and determined to make up for it! We were just given our salad and I was putting my fork down to take a bite when Nathan says, "Mom! I need to go to the bathroom! I don't feel good" Normally I would remind him that he just went to the bathroom right before when we got there, but the look on his face said it all. I jumped up and grabbed his hand and started the mad dash to the bathroom. We made it to the tile floor where the people were sitting in the bar near the restrooms in the front when Nathan projectile Vomited EVERYWHERE!!! Who knew that so much liquid could be in an 8 year old body? It was red (from the strawberry shake earlier) and chunky (from the tater tots). I looked up and apologized to the gagging people trying to eat their dinner as they witnessed this. We continued our run to the bathroom practically shoving a couple of girls. Nathan was retelling the story to someone else, and I heard him say, "My mom told those little girls to "get out of the way!" my son is sick!".

So...it was quite the night. I left the restaurant. My mom boxed up my untouched dinner, and a long night begun of cleaning up vomit and diarrhea in the hotel. "The joys of Motherhood". He finally stopped before it was time to get on the airplane. Thank heavens! It would have cost me 400 bucks to change my flight to the next day. Never thought I would say that I was grateful that he puked in Olive garden, but it was sure better than if he would've started puking on the plane! Yikes!

I am now home. Trent has a violent cough. I was up most the night pressing on his diaphragm to help him cough so he wouldn't choke to death. You can't cough when those muscles are paralyzed. Good times? Can we say...Vacation is over? It is good to be home though. My bed is so comfy. Hope you enjoyed my vomit story...sharing is caring right? I must truly care for you all. :)

I'm outta here!

Well people, I am outta here! I am headin on out for a couple of weeks to go and visit some family and hybernate. I am totally lookin forward to doing nothing and eating lots of junk food. Now don't think that since I will be gone that you can come and steal all of my stuff. Trent will still be here, so just erase that thought from your mind. Him and his dad will be "bachelorin" it. Should be fun.

I'll fill you in on all the juicy details when I get back. I am sure that it will just blow your minds. heh heh

Perspective

Perspective...a word that I have come to personally love. If there is one thing that I have learned from being married to Trent it is how to keep things in perspective. I only have to look at him and realize that my own pity parties and frustrations are minimal compared to what he has to deal with every single day. He amazes me constantly. He is confined to a wheelchair solely relying on others for help, and yet he chooses each day to have a good outlook on life. To choose the higher road and be happy.

Perspective. I rarely lose perspective with Trent as an example to me, however, in referring to my Sanity Saver Post I had lost my ability to see the big picture. I was bogged down by the things that were going on...things that are physically, mentally and emotionally draining and kept going on and on. It seems that when you lose perspective, you start to see all the bad things in life, and you get deeper and deeper into your own pity party. I was in this frame of mind when I was reading another blog and ran across this post about Janis, a mother of 8 yr. old twins. A woman who survived breast cancer a few years ago, and recently found out that it is back with a vengeance in her bones. She is hoping for a few more years with her boys. Right then and there, I had a huge dose of perspective. Everything came back into focus for me. My heart ached for Janis, and I realized that no matter what I have to deal with on a daily basis, I am healthy. I still get choked up trying to imagine having to face this reality like Janis, that my boys would soon be without their mother. I have thought of her often and I have said many thankful prayers for all the gifts and blessings that I have in my life.

My perspective is back. Thanks Ali for sharing about your friend Janis. My heart and prayers go out to her.