Thursday doctor visit!

I am hoping to actually get some sleep tonight but I wanted to update about Jace's doctor visit before I go to bed... I won't be around this weekend and wanted to do this before I get too busy!

We made it over to see the doctor that did the graft. They took the staples out and said the graft looks great! There are only a couple small places that haven't adhered as great but there shouldn't be any problems with it all healing perfectly. The stitches all came out also. They kept telling us how great it looked. There are a couple of spots that aren't healed as well as most, but that's okay, he's still healing in record time. We got back next Thursday and he will be getting fitted for the 'sleeve' he will wear on his leg while the graft continues to heal and to help cut down on it building up scar tissue. After next Thursday he will start physical therapy to start putting weight on it and learning to walk on it all over again. He was hoping it would be sooner but I say that is pretty good time! He kept teasing the nurse that she wasn't his best friend because she was hurting him and he didn't like her. She teased him right back and threatened to cause real pain... she kept telling him she just didn't understand why he was hurting so badly because the muscle doesn't have nerves and there are no nerve endings in the graft and she poked him right in the middle of the graft and said, "That does NOT hurt does it?" :) He about went through the roof and told her it DID hurt BAD! The doctor came in and said he wanted him to stay off it another week so it would be bullet proof before he put weight on it. Jace said, "Did he just say bullet proof? Really? We started laughing and the nurse he had been teasing said, "We all know you are NOT bullet proof!" He gave her a point for getting him back! His spirits are better. He was teasing Caitlyn and me about how sick we are for taking pictures and looking at it. Then whips out his cell phone and takes a picture to send to his friend Cory because it always grosses him out! Caitlyn has watched it all, not turned away over any of it... but today when the nurse started cleaning the entrance wound, she pulled off the scabbed part and was telling me that I would need to pack that so it would heal from the inside out.... when I looked up at Caitlyn and noticed she had gone white as a ghost... and then her head slumped forward and then her shoulders slumped and I realized she was passing out. I grabbed her and the doctor helped me get her sat down and he grabbed her a drink and she came to and laughed that she thought she was passing out. It was hot in the room and we hadn't eaten all day, but she has been such a trooper. I really think it all just caught up with her, she was there, she held up so well for Jace and for the first time it hit her with force... I mean really... she had watched everything but that little hole made her lose it! I told her she was pretty impressive and that she shouldn't worry about it, it seemed pretty normal for the trauma she had gone through and it was probably better to deal with it and get it all out instead of being so tough and holding it in. We laughed and Jace teased that she was not allowed to do that again because it was supposed to be about him there, not her!!! :) He teased that it was his leg that was messed up and she would have to get her attention another time and way! I told them please no... nothing else!!! This is before the stitches and staples were out and after! Jace says we are all sick for telling him how good it looks. I told him to toughen up, they only took 11 staples out of him... I've been stapled more times than that! :) He said I chose to keep having babies knowing they would have to cut me open and staple me shut! The nurse told him it was always guys around his age that whined the loudest about pain! Coming home I was talking to Buffy and she said if I really wanted to get him I could talk about the other kind of stitches you get after having a baby... in places he just couldn't comprehend!!! hahahaha... I might have to use that one on him if he gets too mouthy! lol The outside of the leg looks absolutely awesome...he'll get there!!!

I am just grateful we are home after a crazy trip. We had FIVE different close calls from truck drivers that must have all missed their morning nap and we are all having a tough time keeping their trucks in their own lane! What a day!!!

Snow, stress, service, and oh, just the sick!

We woke up to snow... a LOT of snow... and constant snow, all day long. I am sick of snow. I know it is a blessing for when summer rolls around, but today I did NOT need the dark, gloomy skies and a mess on the roads. I even narrowly escaped what could have been a horrible accident... defensive driving I say... good thing I spent all of those hours in the simulator during driver's ed all those years ago! Shopping while there is a horrible snow storm and terrible wind is fun when you are trying to get kids in the car and 2 grocery carts full of groceries unloaded. That's the snow part... (and praying it is gone for tomorrow since we are making another trip to the doctor in the morning!) This is what we woke up to... stepped out the front door to THIS!
The stress part... well, it's just one of those days where you want to completely break down and cry until you can't cry anymore.... oh... yeah, that's what I did! I think the last two weeks have finally caught up. Changing the dressing on Jace's leg just makes my stomach turn over. Today while I was changing them, he asked me, "Mom, how will this ever heal?" I told him to have faith... to believe that it would. All the while I was wondering, "How will this heal?" It looks like a shark took a bite out of his leg and it takes all I can do to not break down bawling when I change the dressing! I was also thinking this morning that it is amazing what you can do when you have to. I always thought I was weak... scared to deal with such things as a mangled leg that needs the dressing to be changed daily. Especially when it is for your child. Last year it was the feeding tube, PICC line, learning to administer medications through the PICC, dealing with all of the medical 'stuff'... this year learning about skin grafts, faciotomies, even bullet wounds and how to deal with all of it! I told Katie yesterday that I just did not know how mom's do long term care for sick children... she told me that what I did all last year wasn't exactly short term. But I realize that there are so many that have it so much worse, so many great moms who go month after month, year after year dealing with critically ill children... my hat is off to all those that give such loving care.

A friend called and asked if we could get her to the doctor. She is having some complications with her pregnancy and needed to get in. Her husband's car got stuck on their hill going up to their house so she was stuck in her drive way. I was able to get her to town and then we were able to get the car unstuck and her drive way shoveled. Tallin and Mav were troopers helping us.

Today while in town, a man came up to us in the parking lot and asked if we could spare anything to help him get a motel room out of the snow and cold. Honestly I thought my heart would break. I guess I was up all night the last couple of nights with Nate being sick and I am just completely exhausted and seeing this man suffering made my heart almost break. I can't imagine what Heavenly Father must feel as He watches His children suffer in so many ways. I didn't have a lot of cash on me, but we gave him some and offered to have my brother come and help him out. He said no to the help from my brother (who is in the bishopric in his ward in town) but had tears in his eyes as he thanked us for the cash. Maybe he really needed it, maybe he didn't. I didn't really care, I just wanted to help in any way I could to take away some of the suffering of another human being! It just broke my heart! I am not sure what exactly is wrong with me... I'm not pregnant (much to my despair) and not PMS'ing... so why the hormonal break down??? It all seemed so overwhelming today!

I had my day planned out to a T.... from laundry and packing for a trip to San Diego to getting Nate in for his LAST Synagis shot (yeah for it being April and for us getting through the winter with no respitory illnesses... knock on wood here!) to shopping for while we are gone and having the house spotless because I will be gone tomorrow and then gone through the weekend... oh the best laid plans!

So we have snow.... which created a need for acts of service....(this is the driveway we dug out for my sweet friend!)

The stress is just my life so there's not much I can do with it except walk through the moment and find gratitude in the blessings and joy in the crazy journey....

And just the sick... an updated picture of Jace's leg

Thank you Thayne

Today was one of those days... I was exhausted when I got up after having spent most of the night with Nathaniel crying or kicking me, so sleep was elusive last night anyway. I had to take Wyatt in to have his arm x-rayed because he crashed on his bike yesterday. Thankfully it was only a sprain... I have been throwing an idea around in my mind... I think I am going to Velcro my children to the wall... Kinzee stepped on a nail and sliced her foot open., Tallin split one thumb open and put a nail through the other thumb, Nate has been throwing up and I think it is starting to go around including Jace being sick, and now the arm. If I Velcro them to the wall they can just 'hang around' and not go anywhere to get sick, or do anything that causes accidents... yep, that sounds like a plan. I also spent an excruciating hour changing Jace's dressings on both the donor site and the incision where they grafted. It was horrible. I can't describe the knot in my stomach as I went through the process of peeling the horrible tape and taking off the dressing. I think we have gotten through the worst of it. From now on he shouldn't be in so much pain as we change it... but I am tired, beyond tired... completely exhausted, in mind and body! And as I pulled down into the drive way, the delivery man from the flower shop was there with a dozen long stemmed red roses! FOR ME! With a note that said, "You're Amazing!" That's it, that's all... just 2 words that made the sun shine on my lone and dreary world. It made it all seem worth it. So thank you Thayne, for taking the time today to send me a note, and beautiful roses that made me smile!

Dressed in their Easter best...

I didn't get to finish putting pictures of the kids in the Easter clothes before church yesterday day. They looked quite cute, if I do say so myself! I procrastinated making the bows and then couldn't find my good glue gun, but in the end I got them done and we still managed to get to church on time! The Easter Bunny left a note for the kid telling them if they were good they might come home to an Easter egg hunt. We usually do that on Saturday but things were crazy and I didn't make sure that would happen... the bunny kept his word though, and they had fun finding and eating even more goodies...as if they didn't have enough from the day before!!

The girls....

Kassi because she loves to pose for pictures...

Kami.... not sure what the look is about!

Kalli....

The boys, minus 3.... handsome as ever

Easter....

Well, it's hard to believe that another Easter has come and gone. The days and weeks seem to fly by so quickly. We get so busy that it's sometimes easy to forget the true meaning of Easter... Yet we have so much to be grateful for, especially right now. I remember 15 years ago when I had to have emergancy surgery after almost bleeding to death from my c-section. I spent Easter alone in the hospital. It was the most lonely and sad day, but I knew that I was never really alone and I was so grateful to listen to General Conference that weekend and hear about the miracles of the Atonement and the gift that the Savior gave to us! We have been given miracles, which seems so appropriate since this is the season of miracles! I am so grateful for the peace I feel in my life. We have been so very blessed in our lives.

Kalli, Kami and Hyrum wanted to go to the Easter egg hunt we've gone through for as long as we have lived here, at the local grocery store. They started doing one across the street at the marina but Hyrum has issues with the ducks/geese and the messes that they make and didn't want to go there. So Kailee offered to take them while Willie, Wyatt and Hayden went over to the marina. Because there are now two different Easter egg hunts the one at the store was not as packed as it normally is and they brought home a ridiculously crazy amount of candy!

We didn't do much as far as celebrating a crazy weekend. Had Katie's family over for dinner, but that's about it. And having Katie's family here is like having famil so it's not a big deal! :)

Thanks Anna.... and Karen! :)

Last night my sweet visiting teacher came over to drop off Easter treats! Karen and her girls, Carrie and Anna,are some of our favorite people and we love having them come over. Karen gave all of the kids huge lollypops and a lemon cake... and the cutest bunny cake, that Anna said was for Nathaniel! Is it any more obvious that Nate is quite spoiled??? Nate enjoyed having cake and milk for a midmorning snack and all of the kids teased him for being so spoiled! He didn't seem to mind and just kept smiling at us as he ate his cake!

Thanks Anna... you are the best!

Nate waiting for the cake...

The cute bunny cake...

Nate was trying to lick all of the icing off so he put the bunny face right on his face...
Trying to eat with a spoon like a big boy!

Forgot to add...

I forgot to add pictures of Hayden and his birthday cake! Another year gone by so quickly and he has grown so much. He's such a sweet little guy! Here's the cake and of him while we sang to him and he blew out the candles! Hope your wishes all come true little man!!!

Look at the positive

As usual, I left the house completely a mess because I was still trying to organize and put things away and hang things up after painting and carpet. It has been hard to do much between taking care of Jace and the usual cleaning. I was getting pretty depressed about not getting anything done.

So the night before I left I actually got ONE room done. Wellllll... it needs trim, and closet doors, and I don't know what I am doing for the walls... but it was cleaned and put together! Bummy and Nater's room is all done (except above mentioned items!)... I am going to concentrate on the fact that I did accomplish something!!! :)

Surgery is done...

The doctor came out and told me that the surgery went well, looks like it was a success!!! They said the donar site will likely be sore for a bit but the wound looks well and everything was a success as far as the surgery. He will be completley down this weekend, with his leg elevated. We come back Monday for a check up and then another time next week. But so far so good... we have been very blessed!

My sweet Kailee Anne!

I just want to give a HUGE shout out to my sweet Kailee Anne! My little mini-me who always steps up to the plate and does what has to be done. I have an incredible family... really amazing. But tonight I feel like I really need to express out loud how amazing this daughter of mine is. I was talking to Thayne on the phone tonight. He was running late getting home... he had to stay late, it was his turn to do the bbque at work (of all things... sheesh! It's like a mom who rewards her kids with food :) They do the same for the guys at the mine!!!). He got out of it last week because I was in Salt Lake with Jace. But he said something that really hit me. He said, "There isn't another group of people that can take on what we left our kids to do while we are taking care of things that have to be done." And he is absolutely right. I left Kailee with a bunch of things that had to be done today. She had to pick up Nate's Synagis to take to the clinic since our insurance covered it until the 10th of this month, but he doesn't get it until the 17th. It had to be delivered to the clinic so they can store it until next week. I also needed Jace's prescription picked up and she did the deposit for the video store and did the start for the store and hit the grocery store for me. Because she can't drive the car yet (she hasn't learned how to drive a stick shift yet) she was worried about getting Kinzee to work on time. The van needed the license plate put on and something else put back together. SHE DID IT!!! This daughter... this sweet girl is always willing to jump in and do what needs to be done. I have always been able to leave and know that she will do whatever needs to be done. I can't thank her enough. She is so precious to me. She has been my shadow since she was a tiny little girl... even now she will hang out with me as much as possible. She isn't one that plays the teeny bopper games, she doesn't do well with the high school mentality. She has always been old beyond her years and has the most amazing sweet spirit. She is beautiful inside and out and I am so very grateful for her! She has added so much to our family, she is a gift to me and I can't say enough about the wonderful things she does for us!

You rock Kailee! And I love you!!!