"Gratitude changes everything."

I honestly don't have the energy to think and write anything more than a few things that I am grateful for.

I'm grateful for a healthy body that allows me to do pretty much anything I want.

I'm grateful for a family that loves me unconditionally.

I'm grateful for technology.

I'm grateful for my husband's job.

There are plenty of other things that I'm grateful for, but I'll continue the list another day...and muster up some energy to write a bit more about the things I'm thankful for.

I hope we can have an attitude of gratitude as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday.  Let's also hope that that attitude will continue on even after Thanksgiving.

"They say everything happens for a reason..sometimes I just wish I knew why."

Last Mother's Day, May 12th, Maya fell off the back of our couch and broke her arm.

It instantly swelled up so we knew something was wrong.

It was late and she had gotten out of bed and wanted to hang out with us.  I had told her five minutes and it had reached the point where she had been told to go to bed two or three times.  She was playing up on the back of the couch and I mentioned she should get down because we don't sit on the backs of couches.  Well, she got down alright...she fell of the back.  Her arm swelled up so fast.  I was prepared to get mad at her, but when I came around the back of the couch I could tell that something was not right.  

Arthur gave her a blessing, we called a friend to come watch the other kids, and we were on our way to the ER.  The wait was terrible, and by the time we got in to see a doctor, Maya was exhausted, and so were we.  They took an x-ray, and they saw a small break so they put a splint on her arm and had us call the pediatric orthopedic office in the morning.

They couldn't see her until two weeks from then and I was concerned that that was too long, but she reassured me that they like to wait that long so the bone has some time to heal a bit and the swelling has gone down.

Once we got into the doctor's office, they took an x-ray and the ped ortho surgeon says that she'll need to have surgery because the break was a bone chip.  It was hard to see on the initial x-ray at the ER because of the swelling and perhaps Maya not remaining still during the x-ray.  She was scheduled for the day after Memorial Day to have two pins put in to place the bone.

She had no idea what was coming.  We got her all dressed for the surgery and they gave her a little cocktail of meds to settle her down.  When the nurse came in 30 min later, Maya was still super up-ity.  She was a little confused and thought she hadn't had her meds yet.  Well, she had and our little Maya just reacts to meds differently than other kids.  They have the opposite reaction on her...instead of sedating, they made her a little bit excited and hyper.

She finally settled down and they wheeled her out and I began to wait.

About an hour later, the surgeon came out and said everything went great and that they'd call me back to be with her while she came out of the anesthesia.  I'm pretty sure that is the worst thing for a mother to have to watch...their child coming out of general anesthesia.  She had no idea what was going on and she was in a lot of pain.  The nurse put some medication in her IV but it didn't help.  So, she pushed some more meds...nothing, Maya was still very agitated and sad.  The nurse looked at me and said, "usually kids are knocked out after I give them this medicine."  She put SOME MORE meds in her IV and still Maya was complaining about pain.  The nurse said, "I can only do one more dose. After than I'm not sure because I've never had a kid not fall asleep after one or two doses."  Oh geez, our little freak of nature.

She finally fell asleep and stayed asleep for about two hours.  I think they like to discharge an outpatient pretty quickly after they come out of the anesthesia, but since Maya had such a hard time and they had to knock her out, they had her recover in a different area of the department.  We finally were headed home after about six hours from the time we got there.

Car ride home - she was pretty out of it.

After about a week after the surgery, we went back to get another x-ray to see how the healing was going.  It was going great so they put another splint on and sent us off for another four weeks.

On July 5th, we went in to get her splint off and the pins removed.  She was so happy to have that thing off.  I was so happy that she could take a normal bath and finally go swimming.  It had been a hot summer and since swimming was out of the question, we had to get creative.

I wondered why she had to break her arm and Arthur kept saying to me, "If not now, then later.  Let's be glad it's now and not later."  I am glad it happened when it did, I just hope our gal can keep off the back of couches and her feet underneath her.

"Though she be but little, she is fierce." - Shakespeare

Maya one day old

Maya was born five weeks early; she measured at 29 weeks.  She was 3 lbs. 10 oz. and 17 3/4 in. long.  She was just a tiny thing and boy was I scared.  We call her our miracle.

I started having high blood pressure at 34 weeks.  High BP is a sign of pre-eclampsia.  This is dangerous for both mama and baby.  I was put on bed rest and a week later I was being told that my daughter wasn't thriving so I'd have to deliver her that night (or get the labor process started).  I was terrified.

She was born the next morning and rushed to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).  I was expecting that so I didn't feel confused or surprised.  Arthur went with her and the nurses got me ready to be transferred to the Mommy/Baby Unit.  It was strange having visitors and I didn't have anything to show them...my baby was down the hall where only parents and one or two family members were allowed.  

She spend 14 days in the NICU; a very long 14 days.  My mom and dad started making their way to Idaho the minute Maya was born.  During those 14 days, my mom was here for about half and it was so nice to have her around.  She drove me to the hospital to be a part of Maya's feedings and baths.

On Christmas Eve, Arthur and I went to visit with Maya, like any other day, and some of our friends, whose baby was in the NICU too, were there with their car seat and diaper bag.  I was so jealous that they were getting to take their daughter home.  Once we got settled with Maya and after saying our hellos to the wonderful nurses, they came over to us and said, "Would you like to take her home today?"  Um, yes!!!  So, Maya went through all kinds of tests to be sure she was ready to make the five minute drive home.  She had to keep her oxygen levels up, which she'd been doing fine already; she had to be able to ride in her car seat for an hour without her stats dropping, which she failed; and she had to be eating all her meals on her own from a bottle, which she had been doing for about six days.  

Since she failed the car seat test, they had a fix for that...they gave us a car seat bed.  

It's a pretty simple contraption, but it was such a chore getting her in and out of that thing.  I couldn't wait until she was big enough for HER car seat.  We took her home and she weighed 4 lbs. 8 oz.  We couldn't believe how much she had grown in that short amount of time, but she was still teeny tiny.

People who know her now, have no idea she was born premature.  She is a strong-willed, healthy little girl that pushes the boundaries everyday.  She knows how to get her brothers all riled up and knows how to have a good time.

Love you Maya!!!

"You are stronger than you think." - Unknown

Having children is quite an adventure.  For me, just when I think I'm getting the hang of things, something happens that brings me back and makes me realize that this is, and will be, a continued journey and learning process.

My mom and I were just talking about having kids and it made me think of all the many wonderful things I have learned from each of my children. 

From the beginning, Maya has been a bundle of surprise.  She is our little miracle and she continues to amaze me with her strength and her healthy body that, even when it is sick or broken, it heals properly (with time) and she's back to her normal self.  From the beginning she has been described as feisty and she has lived up to that characteristic.

Kade is living proof that this mama could open her heart to more kids.  When Maya was born, the love I felt for her was incredible and so natural.  When I became pregnant with Kade, I didn't understand how I could love another child as much as I love Maya.  Well, silly me, when Kade was born, my heart grew two sizes and he fit right in and we couldn't imagine life without him.  We call him our gentle giant.  He is so sensitive and so kind-hearted that sometimes just looking at him brings tears to my eyes.

Jett certainly is our wild card...he came with plenty of warning, but because of my stubbornness we almost didn't make it to the hospital.  He has been such a joy and getting to know his personality has been such a blessing.  He has penetrating eyes and sometimes I feel he can see into my soul.  

Raising children is a roller coaster.  Sometime I wonder if we're gonna make it to tomorrow and I always tell myself, try again tomorrow.  So, yes Amy, you will make it to tomorrow.  

As we learn and grow from that parent-child relationship, we learn that we are stronger than we think we are.  Those are words to live by.

I love my family and couldn't ask for a better fit; families are like puzzles, sometimes it takes awhile to get the pieces in the right places but once they are placed right, the big picture is beautiful and worth all that hard work.

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything." - Irish Proverb

It is the end of daylight savings and tonight it got dark at five o'clock.  My brother and I were talking about how we have a love-hate relationship with the darkness during this time of year.  I love it because my kids don't complain about going to bed and I hate it because the natural light is gone so early.  AND we get an extra hour of sleep.  Whoot, whoot!!!

 Today was my sweet nephew's baby blessing and when a baby blessing happens in our family, it means a bunch of families getting together and having a sweet experience and a fun time; lots of laughing.  My brother and sister-in-law threw quite a shindig and I enjoyed every minute of it.  

I made it before midnight.  You're welcome!!!

"He who kneels before God, can stand before anything." - Unknown

The Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple

My daughter is getting to be the age where her prayers are more meaningful and she really thinks about what she is saying.  Last night we were getting ready to eat dinner and dad asked Maya to say the prayer.  We had just talked to her about our plans for the next day (today, Saturday), and one of those plans was mom and dad going to the temple.  In her prayer, she asked that mommy and daddy have a good time doing service at the temple.  It made my heart sing and made my eyes sweat a little bit.  She is growing up so fast and she's always learning gospel principles that we, as her parents, hold so dear to us.

We decided to attend the temple today because we're getting ready to make a big decision with Arthur's work; I'll blog about that later.  

The temple, in the LDS church, is a place where, those that have properly prepared, can go and serve the Lord to feel and be closer to God.  

Click here to find out more.  

We have learned over the past year just how important it is for us to continually strive to put service at the temple as a main priority...if not THE priority.  Going to the temple helps me sluff off all of the woes of the world and really regain my focus on what is important, and these days it is my family and being the best wife and mother I can be.

I love the warm fuzzies I feel while I'm there; I know that to be the Holy Ghost.  I know that I am able to recharge mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally...among other things.  The work that goes on there is sacred and allows me to connect with my Father in Heaven and better understand the role He plays in my life.  I'm so grateful for temples.

The Oakland California Temple - this is where Arthur and I were sealed for time and all eternity...that's FOREVER :-)

"Don't let yesterday use up too much of today." - Will Rogers

I've heard you can make a goal when it's not the new year...crazy right?!

That's utter shock on my face.

Well, here I am, at the encouragement of a loved one (one of my favorite loved ones), blogging for the month of November.  I haven't blogged since my third baby was born...he's now almost eight months old; it's been a looooooooong time.  I think I'm hoping that doing this will help me remember the importance of documenting my life and will reignite the desire to put my thoughts and feelings down on 'paper.'

I've been looking for reasons to put down the TV remote and be proactive in my life and I feel this will be great!!

So here it goes...wish me luck and feel free to leave comments with ideas of what to write about. I've got a pretty substantial list but it's 30 days people!! A little help will not be refused.