I'm sitting here coughing out a lung. Its uncomfortable to cough with a pregnant belly. Not comfortable at all. It has been an awful week. My Lydia got worse and worse and after a couple of doctor visits and Wade and I getting scared of her lack of improvement.....we had to admit her to the hospital. Not fun at all. It happened Thursday. The one Thursday a month that I am in charge of the monthly Relief Society meeting. I had cooked 40 cups of rice that I handed over to the RS president along with a quick explanation of how the program was supposed to go. I was sad to miss out....but more worried about my very sick child. I went home to gather a few things before heading into the hospital. I didn't know what I would need so I didn't end up grabbing much. Andrea started crying. I kiss and hug her goodbye and tell her I'll be just up the street and that we needed to go so that Lydia would get better. I kiss Damon and Wade and the tears start coming. I didn't want to go either. "Remember I made soup yesterday that is till in the fridge", I tell them. I get in the car and the emotions settle into determination as my mothering instincts kick in to get my baby well again.



The hospital staff was waiting for us and had her pediatric room all ready. I continue to talk to Lydia about why we are here and she seems content in my words. She doesn't talk much and looks terrible. She is half asleep, and has been for days. We wheel her down to get some chest x-rays. That was a little scary for her. Then we wait and wait in the room. Finally a male nurse comes in. He was the supervisor that night over the nurses. He did an excellent job putting in her IV. I was very impressed and grateful. I asked him before he got started, "Are you really good at this?" He said, "yes." I was grateful that they planned on him doing the IV when he wasn't our nurse that night because he was the best at it. One of those things as a mother I have to watch out for. I don't want my daughter stuck more then once because of someones lack of experience and expertise! One time a nurse came in to put an IV in me and she declared that she was messy at it. I learned a lot after that!



The nurses were all nice and did their best. It is amazing at the difference in nurses. I really can tell a big difference with the older experienced nurses verses the newer nurses. It is simply a learning curve and experience level. I was trying to be patient. It is so uncomfortable for me (surprisingly from the family I grew up in) to show my frustrations in someone. To say no I do not like what you are doing. But if it has to be done I will do it--in a nice way. Luckily I didn't have to get to that point. I had a miserable night. I won't go into details but I think I only got 2 hours of sleep. The next morning we got the results of the x-rays that she had pneumonia in both lungs. It was scary. We got so many calls from my family all worried and concerned for her and letting us know that they are praying for her. I was grateful for their love and support. Lydia improved a lot in one day. The next afternoon she was smiling and sitting up coloring. It was so beautiful to see. I hadn't realized how much I missed my sweet Lydia. She hadn't colored or done anything at all for 8 days. As soon as her oxygen levels were high enough the doctor said she could go. It felt so amazing to be back together as a family. Even though it was only a couple of days it felt so long. It is good to have something like this happen once in a while to make you realize how blessed you are. Health is so important. Life is so important.



We are home now and it is a slow recovery for her. She is slowly getting an appetite and wants to be held all the time. She cries and whines and doesn't use her words much. I think we will have some behavior set backs to work out this week but I will try to remember that she went through a lot and try to be patient. The worry, stress, and tiredness finally caught up with me and I am now sick. I hope I get over it soon. Wade is suffering from sickness too. My Andrea is so helpful and has been a real trouper entertaining herself and helping out. Little Damon has been very cute and happy and always doing something sneaky to get attention or make a mess. We had a nice Sunday today. Trying to relax and recover. It was a nice surprise to have one of our home teachers bring us homemade chicken noodle soup. Yay! I was very happy. The noodles were so pretty! goodnight

What is it about a mother and taking care of the sick?

When I was growing up, I remember my mother taking care of me when I would get sick. She was always there to help me with any need I had. "Mom!" I would call out for her.....and she was there. The first time I got the stomach flu after being married, I thought, who takes care of the mommy when the mommy is sick? Where is my mom? My husband did the best he could bringing me bowls, trying to force feed me crackers when I didn't want to eat!! :) He has learned a lot since that first time and he does a good job. But something is different. Something about the nurturing part of takeing care of someone when they are sick that women can do easily and naturaly.



Lydia is not better today. I'm surprised. It is sad for me and I hate to see her so uncomfortable. I sit with her, stroke her arm, her back, her face. I lay by her as she watches a movie and drifts in and out of sleep. I get up and help another sweet childs needs and go back to check on her. She calls out for me and I hurry over to see what I can do. I enjoy holding my children, rocking them, and wispering I love you in their ear and that you are my special girl/boy.

What would I do without them?

An amazing thing happened. I was at church and my nice visiting teacher asked me if she could visit me tomorrow afternoon. I said it really wouldn't be a good day for me. She said I noticed that you only have one child at church today, is someone sick? I said yes that Lydia was home sick today. She said will you let me bring you dinner tomorrow? I was surprised. Are you sure? Please let me bring you dinner tomorrow, she says. Well, okay! Great thank you.

And so today I didn't have to worry about what to make for dinner and spend most of the day tending to my sick little Lydia who is not better today. Even at the end of the day she was still not better. This is a bad sickness we got. So my wonderful visiting teacher and her daughters came to my home with a yummy warm dinner. It was delicouse! I will definetly pay it forward. It really does take a toll on the mommy after days and days of kids being sick. Its quiet tireing.

I told my visiting teacher that I would be up for getting families together to trade off with meals during the week. She said that she has heard of that and that they trade off Monday thru Thursday. Then you only have to cook one big meal a week. That sounds devine to me. Because I do enjoy cooking, just not having to cook every single meal every single day.

My poor sweet Lydia is not feeling well today. She was up all night fevering and coughing. Damon had it first for a week, then Andrea for a week, and now Lydia has it. Thats a lot of weeks with someone sick! It is awful to see a child sick. When I know they aren't their happy vibrant selvs it breaks my heart.

Friday night we went to the temple with my in-laws. It was the first time we have been to the temple with them since we got married almost 8 years ago. How sad that we haven't gone together. But we had a great time. Wade and I were lucky enough to be the witness couple. LLoovved it! It adds a lot to the session. My mother was also there as an ordiance worker in our session. It was great and will be a good memory for me. I hope to go to the temple often in the next couple of months before the baby comes.

I am feeling happy to be able to be pregnant. I love to feel the baby move. It is a real miracle. My tummy is growing bigger every day and I will have to say this is not my body anymore! What a change!

Lydia

My beautiful brown eyed Lydia Renae turned 4 this month.

She has been waiting to turn 4 for months!

This little girl brings sunshine into our home. She is so much fun to be around and is a little princess. She loves to wear dresses and skirts and get her hair done. But her favorite hair do is a pony tail. I remember wanting my hair in a pony tail every day at her age too. Lydia is very charming and has these adorable theatrical facial expressions. Those eyes are adorable and flirty! She is kind and shares everything she has with her brother and sister. She loves to dance and play. My family would not be the same without her. She is a joy to be around. I thank the Lord every day that I have her in my life.

This year Andrea was very kind and loving on Lydia's birthday. Which was not the case last year!

A Mother's Calling

Service in the gospel is so important. It helps you to forget your problems. I was feeling so tired. So tired of cooking, not accomplishing what I want in the organization of my home, keeping up with the needs and teachings of the children, that I started feeling down. I felt like I can't do this. My day to day life feels like a never ending marathon that will have no finish line.

Then I pulled out the Ensign to prepare for my visiting teaching message. What a gold mine of support and nourishment. My life purpose was restored and I again felt hope and peace in the life I have chosen.

I feel like being a mother in the gospel is like going to war. What am I fighting for? I am fighting against the world. What the world values, the fun, easy way. But it really isn't easy in the long run. It just looks easy from the outside. I think the only easy thing is knowing that most of the world is doing it and it gives justification to lowering your standards.

In Lehi's dream of the tree of life it describes a lot of how I feel sometimes. When the righteous people are clinging to the iron rod and partake of the fruit of the tree of life there is a huge spacious building with beautiful people laughing and pointing there fingers at them. The people at the tree look down in shame and some of them leave the tree to try to join them at the spacious building. That is the world trying to tempt us to turn away from living the higher law.



I read a great little quote in the ensign yesterday, from the article: What Mothers Can Learn from the Savior.

Remember a Mother's Calling

"The Savior understood and fulfilled His role in Heavenly Father's plan. As mothers, we need to strive to do our best to fulfill the sacred obligation we have. As the Brethren have taught, we should do our best to stay home and be the strength and support for our children.

For some families, however, it may not be possible for mothers to stay at home.

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, ' There are some women...who have to work to provide for the needs of their families. To you I say, do the very best you can. I hope that if you are employed full-time you are doing it to ensure that basic needs are met and not simply to indulge a taste for an elaborate home, fancy cars, and other luxuries. The greatest job that any mother will ever do will be in nurturing, teaching, lifting, encouraging, and rearing her children in righteousness and truth. None other can adequately take her place.'"

Congratulations Fancy!

Yay for Snow, and a Tidbit

We were so happy to wake up this morning to snow falling down!

This is before Daddy takes off to go snow plowing.

Damon seemed to be happy too.

These are the rain gauges the girls made, covered in snow- not rain.

Yesterday I kept battling the thoughts of discouragement in this awful economy. We ran into someone at Home Depot on Saturday that is going through a tough time like us and Wade said, "Remember the message (home teaching) last month, 'hold on a little longer.'"

It is amazing how hard it can be to keep the right perspective.

Its a daily thing I have to work on.

The thing I have to remember is that Satan never sleeps. He is always trying to get me down. And the fortifying that we do as a family to keep him away is crucial to make it through this life. We had such a nice Family Home Evening last night.

I got out my guitar and we sang "I am Child of God" and Wade told the story of David and Goliath, which we realized we haven't taught them yet and they were fascinated. I remember as a child thinking that that was a cool story, he taught about the creation of the earth and about the Kirtland temple.

After that we went over the first article of faith that the primary children have been encouraged to memorize this year. It was fun and the kids did really good memorizing it.

It is probably the easiest one,

"We believe in God the eternal father and in his son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost."

We made a little sign about it together and to finish off the night--

we watched Little House on the Prairie! Very Nice!

I have to look at the good in people and the good in every situation.

I'm so happy it snowed today.

Two new posts below!

Saturday Workshop

We went to the Home Depot Kids Workshop.

Lots of fun.

The kids loved it.

They made Rain Gauges.

Daddy made a stand for the finished products that sits outside. Didn't get a pic of that yet.

Sabath Pies

My girls are always eager to help in the kichen!

This Apple pie crust and filling is completly from scratch. I feel so proud of that!

I get this strange impulse to bake.

After my long nap after church today, I baked.

I myself do not like cherry pie. But my husband LOVES it. I prefer apple.

Two pies had to be made.

I thought they looked so pretty after they were baked, so American.

I felt like an American Pioneer Woman.

Are pies American?

They are because I'm an American, and I made them, so there.