Michelle

Michelle, when did you take this on my phone? :) I just now saw it.

Daddy's Gone

Mercedes looks so sad in this picture. Jon Mark left for a few days to go to Utah on a hunting trip with Mark. The kids aren't used to him leaving for so long. It really shook up our daughters. Mercedes cried every night. She had me take this picture of her holding a picture of our family that she drew. She wanted me to text it to Jon Mark. He didn't have great cell phone coverage in the mountains, so we went most of the time without any contact. One night, Mercedes was crying for a long time. The day before she had me text Jon Mark requesting him to send a picture to her of him pretending to shoot an elk. Because of the lack of coverage, we didn't get a response for almost 24 hours. She was crying and saying, "Why doesn't he send me a picture? I asked him yesterday to send me a picture." I responded to her that he probably couldn't but that he would if he could. Then, literally right after I said that, my phone dinged saying that I had a new text message. She got excited and I told her that it was probably someone else. But, it turned out to be from Jon Mark and it was indeed a picture of him pretending to shoot an elk.

The kids spent the night in my room with the door locked. They didn't know I was scared. I told them that for fun we got to have a slumber party in mom and dad's room. I felt more comfortable with them with me, not because they would protect me, but because I could protect them easier if they were all with me. This helped me sleep at night, knowing they were safely on my floor.

Luke wanted to send some pictures to Jon Mark. So, we made a goofy strand of pictures.

Andy's Funeral

My friend's husband passed away from cancer the other day. He was a huge motorcycle fan and at his funeral, 67 motocyclists led the procession.

These pictures were my attempt to capture them. Leyla rode on a motorcycle behind the hearse that was also pulled by a motorcycle. They were calling it, Andy's last ride.

The funeral, and the events leading up to the funeral, were both inspiring and sad. He died of cancer, but he wanted everyone to know that cancer was a blessing to his family. He felt the love of his Savior so deeply through the trial, and the trial gave him the opportunity to live like he was dying. 

I feel so much for his wife, and their two children. Such a trial is one that I hope I will not ever have to endure. But, their experience taught me so much about trials. If we accept the Lord's will with grace and humility, the Lord will yoke Himself to us and help us carry the burden. We will feel His love for us more deeply, and we will begin to see with our spiritual eyes the truths of eternity. Leyla and Andy lived the last two years with grace. They allowed this trial to change them and mold them to be more like our Savior. They were strengthened through Christ.

I cried so much at the funeral. I barely held it together at certain points. I know Andy is watching over Leyla and their children, and I know our loved ones are nearer to us than we know. I am thankful for the priesthood power that seals families together forever.

As I was pondering over the loss of Andy, a certain scripture kept coming to my mind. I am not a scripture scholar, I hope that my application here is appropriate. And, I hope it makes sense.

John 15:12-13 

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

The first verse is a commandment to love one another, even as the Lord has loved us. When we love others, they are more receptive to what we have to share about the gospel. Then, in the second verse, we are taught that the greatest love we can show is to lay down our very lives for our friends. Jesus literally laid down His life for us, because He loved us. Andy's graduation from mortality was not his choosing, but he accepted the Lord's will so completely. He gave his life to Jesus Christ. At the funeral, there were many "typical" LDS persons in attendance. But there were others there too, who, by appearance, appeared to not be of our faith. Yet, they were there, partaking of the spirit that filled that room. Their love for Andy, and Andy's love for them, brought them to the chapel where they were able to hear testimonies of those left behind about matters concerning eternity. 

Through dying, Andy brought many to the knowledge of the gospel. His death changed lives, people came back to the fold of God. Like the prodigal son, they were lost and now they are found because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Andy testified, so strongly of the goodness of God. Of eternal families. Of temples. Of the love of Christ. I know for a fact that his brother in law, mother in law, and father in law, came back to the church because of the spirit that they felt as they watched him go through cancer. It was the spirit of the Holy Ghost that converted them. Because Andy accepted the Lord's will, his trial became a tool that the Lord used to change so many people. I hope I can go through my own trials with such grace. Does that make sense?  

Boutique

My sister, Lindsay, hosted a boutique a few weeks ago. This is my table of items I made for the boutique. 

We all wish we could call it a success. But, unfortunately, it was not. And, that is not because of a lack of talent. All of the lady vendors were very talented, and I thought that for the most part the pricing was pretty decent. Hardly any people who came were in a buying mood. Some people came for free food and then left. 

I don't know if Lindsay will host one again. It was a lot of work. She put quite a bit of time and money into the event. It was fun for me to do some painting though.

Paintings

Scorpions

On Saturday Hannah got stung by a scorpion. She disturbed some scorpions when she picked up a towel from off of the ground. At first she was just crying, her foot swelled a little bit, but it didn't seem too serious. Michelle called the pediatrician and he said we needed to go to the ER. I am so glad that we did. 

The drive over to the hospital was the longest and scariest drive of my life. Hannah began to foam at the mouth, throw up mucousy stuff, her eyes began to roll around in opposite directions really fast, she had jerky movements with her legs, her breathing became louder and she was doing a weird raspberry thing with her mouth. I could see her getting progressively worse as we drove, and I kept yelling to Jon Mark to drive faster. He turned on his hazard lights and sped at about 85 MPH. My poor baby was in so much pain. By the time we got there, the receptionists were going to make us wait in line to register. Jon Mark said with urgency that she had been stung by a scorpion and needed to be seen now. We were rushed back by some doctors who heard him, and soon the entire ER staff (or so it seemed) was in our little room working on our sweet girl.

They hooked Hannah up to oxygen and started suctioning her airway. They gave her some pain medicine that knocked her out while they continued to work on her. Someone asked Jon Mark to go with them so that he could give them some information, and that's when I kind of lost it. I asked the nurses if she was going to be okay. I had tears flowing,standing there still wearing my swimsuit from earlier, I am sure I looked a little frightful. The nurse was reassuring to me. She said, "just wait til we give her the Anascorp, you will witness a miracle. She is going to be fine." I did witness a miracle. She has been my miracle child twice already and she is just 2.

I am grateful. So, so grateful. I am grateful for a husband who gave her two blessings. I am thankful for parents and in-laws who pray for us and who are willing to drop everything to come to our rescue. I am thankful for sisters and brothers who care so much about our children, who will watch our children at a moment's notice. I am thankful for the support of family. I am grateful for little Mercedes and her sweet, very tearful prayers. I am grateful that Michelle thought to sing our kids some primary songs to help ease their fears. My heart is just so full of gratitude. I know that Heavenly Father was looking out for my family.

Hannah is doing fine now. She had a follow up appointment with her pediatrician and he said that we were very lucky that it didn't happen a few years ago. Before the anti-venom, there wasn't much that doctor's and nurses could do for young children and babies. Patients would spend days in the ICU and some would die. Before Anascorp, they used an antibody from sheep's blood and the majority of patients would get what is called "serum sickness" and almost die from the medicine that was supposed to help them. So, I am grateful. I am thankful for advances in medicine and for medical professionals.  

Baptism and Boy Scouts

What a great day it was yesterday! Aside from Hannah being stung by a scorpion (a post for itself), it was a fun day. Joshua was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We had a luncheon afterward, and then we went down the river. Then, we swam at my in laws. The day ended with the ER, but it was a fun day beforehand.

Joshua was a little embarrassed from being the center of attention. He was a little shy. He was a good sport with all of the pictures, and Kevin did some great dance moves to make him smile. :)

Joshua also has started cub scouts. He LOVES scouts!!!!! He gets so excited. He comes home super happy and tells me all about it.