Cache Valley Portrait Project

We spent a Friday afternoon at the Cache Valley Home and Garden Show. It was fun. Overall, Tyler decided we need new counter-tops. Lee and Becca decided that the fence will probably be delayed another year. At one point, I saw a really cute little girl sitting on a child sized picnic table at the next booth area. I started to point her out to Lee and realized it was Laura. I just wasn't used to her new hair cut. We got to ride a bike to see how much energy it takes to light up light bulbs. We collected lots of candy. Lee got signed up for the tree trimming class put on by Logan City (for free). We played with some old toys at the Western Heritage Center's booth. But, maybe the best part was, we got to be part of the Cache Valley Portrait Project. It was really fun. The very friendly Levi took pictures all day. He didn't really mention much about the business cards sitting behind him, he had his personality and portraits do all the talking. He was super nice to the kids. He even told Tyler he had a nice smile. (Tyler worries about his smile, so that was a big deal.) He took a few pictures of each of the kids. He even asked them to pull a funny face or pose. He also took a few pictures of the whole family and just Lee and I. It was kind of fun to see the results of a normal lazy Friday. We didn't plan on doing pictures, we didn't stress about what to wear. It was just us. How we really are. Even right after a major hair cut. Tyler liked that he could see the pictures displayed live on a screen as they were taken. Hence, the bunny ears. Laura didn't blink, that was how she posed. Here is what he got from our family in less then five minutes.

 

One Dozen

It's tradition! I always make dipped strawberries for our anniversary. Sometimes I add other fruit into the mix. The kids all enjoy this tradition too (but they ate theirs off of paper plates). It is great to be together. We have had several years when we didn't get to spend our anniversary in the same state as each other because of military assignments. I'm so glad we get to spend forever together.

Laura's First Haircut

Laura got her first haircut yesterday. Her haircut came in two phases. Unfortunately, Emma cut the first phase. And not just a little bit. She cut off four-inch long chunks all over Laura's head, and cut her bangs to her scalp. I tried to buy Laura happiness yesterday. Balloons, candy, stickers, a toy, silk flowers-to make more hair clips, chocolate, she didn't want anything. She cried the whole afternoon.

 Fortunately, Shayla cut the second phase. Laura still has some sections that are, umm, let's say layered. Shayla was smart enough to just leave some pieces shorter. I thought it would have to all be as short as the shortest part, and that is really short! It looks lots better than I thought it could. The layers blend in pretty good. Her bangs, plus some more under where the flower is, are really short. Laura wouldn't let me take a picture without the flower. I'll be making more large hair clips really soon. Thanks Shayla for making time for us, even on Zoe's birthday!

Missing a Tooth

Andrew lost his first tooth at the end of February. He was trying to eat an indoor s'more and said it hurt. He said he had a wiggly tooth a few weeks before, but his bottom teeth were so close together that it didn't really wiggly very much. I tried to wiggle the wiggly tooth and the one next to it jerked forward. Andrew went into the bathroom and pulled it out all by himself. Andrew still has the original wiggly tooth, but probably not for long since it can wiggle freely now.

Breaking the Silence

The secret of my Fibromyalgia is out.
I was asked to do a testimonial for the Chiropractor that I have been working with for my Fibromyalgia.

There was some confusion about what they wanted. Andrew was sick the day they asked me, so I just got asked over the phone, instead of in person at the office. I was (mistakenly) told it would be a 30-second clip. I was not even planning on using my name!! They filmed me unscripted and we ended up with a six minute video clip.

The doctor's wife, asked me a few questions before we filmed and then would say, "Oh, say that part". She convinced me to discuss some things that not many people know. She wanted me to give examples of symptoms and how much better I am now. Most of the other patients that did testimonials are done with their treatments. I am still going three times a week. I can see great improvement, but I couldn't tell her that I was all better. I have had that conversation with Dr. Kingston many times. I say I'm doing better, he takes new x-rays and tells me I'm not better. I think of better as a comparison, he thinks of better as cured and ready to end treatments. For example, one of my symptoms was I had headaches 100% of the time, now I have headaches 40% of the time. Better right? Better but not better enough. He can see improvements, my newest x-ray last week shows lots of improvement, but the doctor told me it was still worse than some of his patients just starting the program. When I started the program and physical exercises fifteen months ago, my doctor told me that if I didn't do anything different (and this program luckily is different), I would be in a wheelchair within a year. That was not a surprise to me, I already knew that! I had already been teaching my children to show love to everyone, even people in wheel chairs. I knew they needed prepping for what I felt was coming. When I started I had a reverse curve in my neck which put a lot of pressure on my spinal cord and caused the headaches, pain, numbness, vision problems, the list goes on and on. All symptoms of fibromyalgia. I’m in the healing process and I don’t think of every holiday or event as my last anymore.

Fibromayalgia has so many different symptoms that it makes it hard to diagnose. For this reason they wanted lots of patients to give part of their story so someone looking for their own answer could identify with one of us. Hoping to help someone else, I agreed to do the testimonial even though they were asking for way more than 30-seconds. I understand and have lived through almost every story on the testimonial page. I feel like all of the "before" quotes in the main video could have applied to me, they just said it better than I did. I am still working my way to their "after" quotes. I'll say that maybe this is "just as good as I get" and it’s lots better then where I was (see I use comparison all the time), so I'll live with this. My doctor won't accept that, and keeps pushing me. Lee and the kids are a great support and fill in the gaps of everything I can’t do. I hope that someday I’ll even be able to get off my medications. I want to feel 100% better. I will get there.

I asked Dr. Kingston to let me know when they were finished with the editing. He jokingly said something like he’d let me know before he linked it to my Facebook page. He knows this is a huge step for me. It has been a month since filming. This is not easy for me. I have kept this as a personal secret. After all, it is hard to share something that so many doctors have told me was just in my head. If doctors don’t believe me, why would family and friends believe me? I have gone back and forth many times about it, but finally decided I’m really going to post this. My Fibromyalgia secret. Not because I want sympathy, or I want to be a service project, or so I can complain and share my aches and pains. I am posting this because I am so grateful! Lee and I recognize how amazing everything fits together. The timing was perfect. In a priesthood blessing years ago, Lee blessed me with patience. A few hours later when we were in the waiting room at the ER we joked about misunderstanding being a patient. With hindsight, I can see that all eight of the other doctors I have worked with and tests I have done had a part in ruling out so many diseases and other chronic illnesses. Heavenly Father lead me here. I know that. Through the Atonement, Jesus Christ knows my pain and with Him I can overcome this. Alma 7:11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind…he will take upon him the pains and the sickness of his people.

Here is the new website. Fibroinovations.org

Not All Bears Hybernate in the Winter

Tyler earned his Bear patch and one Gold Arrow point. It was awarded to him at our Western themed Blue and Gold Banquet. (He took off his hat before the picture.) It accrued to me that last year, at his first Blue and Gold, he was awarded the Bobcat patch. (He earned it before that but they didn't give awards at the Pine Wood Derby or in December.) I found that kind of fun that within one year he was awarded his Bobcat patch, Wolf patch, and Bear patch. He has been a Bear Scout for five months.

 

Now he has over six months to earn Silver Arrow points. When he was a Wolf he earned seven silvers. I think his goal is to earn more than that as a Bear. I don't know that many more than that will fit on his shirt. It was a lot of fun to be his Bear leader. The Sunday before the Banquet I was released and sustained as the Primary President.

Sledding Hills: The Old and the New

 Over President's Day weekend we took the kids sledding twice. The first time we went to "our" hill. It is fun, but once you blaze the trail beyond the crest of the plowed snow you end up in the parking lot. We have ended up with road rash more than once. So, this time, we knew when to stop. The camera battery stopped before we did.

We had been told about the park at Cliff Side twice in the same weekend. One of the times we were even invited to join some friends. The park was obviously built by people that know Logan has long winters. There were lots of people at the park, but the hills didn't seem crowded. There was various levels of adventure on the hill so all of the kids could enjoy it. The playground was accessible too. I think we have a new sledding hill.