Girls Camp 2010

Kaley and Madi went to girls camp!!

This was Kaley's 6th year and Madi's 3rd.

For some reason, my girls love to camp!

Me... not so much.

Kaley went as a YCL again. This was her 2nd year doing that.

She really loves to be around the girls and get to know them and love them.

We didn't know if Madi would be able to make it this year

because of her back surgery.

She didn't decide until 2 days before.

She was so excited to go!!

I was so grateful she felt well enough to go.

But I was nervous wreck.

but she did a great job and had an amazing time!

The theme this year was

"Courage to Stand"

It takes a lot of courage for these young women to stand up for what they believe in.

To be strong and courageous in a world that is throwing things at them from all directions.

I was lucky enough to be able to go up for the day with mike and the other members of the bishopric and their wives for bishop's day.

What a neat experience!

During our ward testimony meeting with the girls, our Bishop said something that really stuck with me. He told them that they could either courageously stand or cowardly sit.

I have thought about that often since then and wondered which of those I do more.

It has made me reevaluate things. I am striving to be more courageous!!

I am so thankful for the Young Women's program!! I am so thankful for all the leaders that help my girls to be strong, faithful and courageous in the gospel.

I have a testimony of this program. I Love it!

Madi getting on the bus!



Kaley, heading out!

Me with my girls!

One Month

It's been exactly one month since Madilyn had her surgery.

She still has some recovering to do.

But for the most part she is doing great!

She still can't stand or walk for long periods of time.

She still needs her pillow for comfort.

Her right shoulder continues to bother her,

but we truly are grateful for how well she has healed.

The body is an amazing miracle!

Her incision looks so good!

(as far as incisions go)

The doctor told me it would be really thin.

I just couldn't imagine how that would be.

But it truly is!

It's super long, but it is straight and thin.

Soon we will start applying some topical stuff

to it to help it hopefully disappear!

The summer has been rather hard and boring for her.

I feel bad.

We are still up at the cabin, but she is still limited on what she can do.

There's only about a month left of summer.

bummer.

We'll just have to chalk this summer up to a good old lesson

of being patient while going through trials.

Doesn't that sound like so much fun?!!!

Oh well. Life is good.

I know this will be something we will always look back on

and reflect on.

Some things I am so thankful for that has happened during this summer with Madi...

Spending so much time with her.

We've always been really close, but this has brought us even closer.

Being able to help her, pray for her, take care of her, serve her.

It's been an incredible blessing for me.

I probably drove her nuts though! ha!

But for me, It's a time I will always cherish.

Not watching her be in pain. absolutely not that.

But for the time I had with her.

For me learning to rely more on my Savior and feeling his deep and incredible love

for me, Madi and my family.

Being so grateful for the simple things like

Madi sitting up again, seeing her walk again, seeing her smile again, watching her

want to eat again, seeing her get dressed by herself again.

ya know... things I really took for granted.

I love her so much.

She is an amazing and strong young woman.

I am truly blessed.

Just FYI

Have you ever heard of Pandora Radio?

No?

Well, let me tell you about it.

Pandora Radio is an Internet radio.

You can create your own stations and then choose

the music that you want to hear.

And best of all...

It's FREE!!!

Once you pick a station,

Pandora will start playing songs that go along with your station.

If you like the song you're hearing, click the "thumbs up" icon.

Then every time you log in, the music you chose will start playing.

If you can't stand the song, click the "thumbs down" icon.

That song won't be saved to your station.

Cool, huh?!

You can create up to 1000 stations, I think!

YOWZA!

I love it!!

You can listen to it at work, while you're crafting, while your cooking, etc!

As long as your computer or laptop is by you,

you'll have access to all the music you love!

and remember,

It's FREE!! :)

Try it out! You'll love it!

Pandora.com

(I don't know how to link things yet. Anyone know how?

Please leave me a comment and tell me. I'm a dork.)

Pinetop!! Whoo hoo!!

We made it up to Pinetop!!

Can I just say how much we love it up here!

The drive was beautiful but it took a little longer than usual.

We hit this... It started pouring rain!!

Almost to where it was hard to see!

SCARY!

Then we hit this!

A police situation

and

construction.

Lovely.

But we did make it here.

Eventually.

(i don't know why this is now double spacing. ugh!)

The drive up for Madi was pretty good.

She started hurting after a while, but she pulled through like a champ!

*********

This is what we woke up to this morning!

overcast skies, cool temperatures!

We are spoiled!

Soon the clouds opened up

and it started to rain!!

So excited!!!

You can't tell by this picture, but I promise

It's raining!
Then within minutes, it was completely pouring!!!


Check it out!!!!

Love it!!

It even hailed for a minute or two!!

Oh happy day!

*************

I drove up Madi and Luke

and Mike is coming up later this week with Lauren, Boe and Kaley

to celebrate the 4th!

Can't wait!!

*************

Hopefully, I can figure out why I'm such a dope and

find out why the spacing is going crazy on me.

ugh!!!

Church

Madi did it!!!

She went to church today!!

We didn't stay very long,

We took the sacrament and

she was done.

She looked cute and felt pretty good.

It was such a blessing to have been able to take the sacrament today.

Last week, 2 boys in our ward, Alex McBride and Conner Ward,

came over to our house after church and gave us the sacrament.

I cried. I was truly humbled.

I will be forever thankful for those two boys

and the service they rendered.

I love my Savior.

I am forever grateful for His atoning sacrifice.

*******

Tomorrow we head back to Phoenix for Madilyn's

first post op appointment.

If he gives us the "OK" we will be headed up to Pinetop

on Tuesday for a few weeks.

Hoping to give Madi a change of scenery.

Remember the two stitches that popped out of Madi's back?

The doctor told me to cut them off!

What the...?

Madi wasn't too sure about that.

Neither was I.

But I did it!!!

The rest got sucked back in and hopefully will

dissolve soon.

*******

We are forever grateful for all the thoughts, prayers and well wishes

from so many.

I wish there was more I could say

or something more I could do to adequately show

our sincere love and appreciation to you all.

My faith has been strengthened.

my testimony grown

because of this trial and because

of all of you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

*******

P.S. Don't be shy. Please feel free to leave a comment.

Out And About!

We did it!! Yesterday, Madi and I went out!!

Yippee!!!!

We actually got in the car and drove!!

Whoo hoo!!!!

She had a pillow and a bottle of water and we drove!!

And even though it was 112 degrees

It felt awesome!!

We weren't gone very long,

but it was sooooo good to be

out and about!

Now on to our next goal...

church tomorrow.

Not all of it, but at least sacrament.

hopefully! :)

Keep your fingers crossed!

we're so happy!!

Sweet Relief

It's been just over two weeks since Madi's surgery.

We finally think the worst is over!

Now don't misunderstand...

It's NOT over,

but the nasty, ugly, excruciating pain is just about gone.

Boy are we ever thankful!

Madi is up most of the day now,

she is eating a little more every day,

She is starting to walk, at times, without her walker,

the sparkle in her eyes and her fun personality is slowly coming back!

Her goal is to try and take a ride in the car on Friday and

maybe even go into a store for a few minutes.

We will see. We are hopeful.

It is such a sweet relief to finally see our girl getting back to normal.

Slow and steady wins the race,

Right?!

Madi doesn't want to post her incision. I don't blame her.

It's long. 14 inches to be exact.

It starts below her neck and goes alllllllllll the way down the center of her back.

Yesterday, as I was looking at it to make sure it was healing ok,

(I have to look at it about 2 or 3 times a day)

I noticed something weird at the bottom of it.

( just so you know, there are absolutely no stitches or staples on the outside of her incision. they are all on the inside. disolvable.)

There was about 2 inches of a stitch that decided it didn't want

to stay inside anymore.

It wasn't there the night before. It just popped out!!!

Are you kidding me right now?!

So I called my go to, on call, favorite pediatrician, neighbor and good friend, Dr. Mousser.

What a lifesaver. He is always coming to our rescue over here.

We love him. We owe him BIG time!!

He came right over and looked at it and said it should be fine.

He said sometimes our bodies will reject them.

What?! weird. whatever.

He said it would either totally fall out or the doctor would just snip it off.

So we covered it with a band aid and called it good.

SOOOOO,

Today as I was looking at her incision, guess what I found?!

Yep!

ANOTHER stitch popped out at the TOP of the incision.

UGH!!!

Another call to Doc Mousser.

He really must hate me. :)

He told me to call Madi's doctor and let him know and see what he says.

I called, left a message, and am waiting.

I'll let ya know what he says.

It's never a dull moment around here!