Happenings

It feels like it has been forever since I have last posted.  School is keeping me really busy with all the other things I have going on.  We are mostly doing the same as always.  Elizabeth and Rebecca are keeping busy with school.  They are such a wonderful help to me.  They have started walking home from school on nice weather days.  Not a big deal for them I know but for me it is a big deal.  They do enjoy the exercise and sunshine on the days they walk so that is good.  Dakota has spring fever and goes outside whenever she can but it is still pretty cold so she can't wait for warmer temps.  She is counting the days until she is in Young Womens with her sisters.  Megan is growing like a weed.  She is so sweet and funny and she just melts my heart every time she flashes her sweet smile at me and tells me that she loves me.  She still has a hard time when Alex touches her or her things but she loves him.  I love to watch her teach him something and then tell him he is a good boy and pat him on the back when he does what she says.  Alexander is growing too.  He is such a busy little guy.  He loves to touch and play with EVERYTHING.  Typical baby stuff yes, but it is still so fun to watch.  It still amazes me how fast babies grow and learn.  He is still so little that I just want to hold him and rock my little baby but he quickly lets me know that he is not a baby anymore no matter how little he is.  CJ still works for the same company and we are grateful everyday that he is able to go to work.  They have threatened to close his department so many times but still have not done it so we feel blessed. 

Being so far from both of our families I always fear when the phone rings and it is family.  I love to talk to them any chance I get but you never know when it is not going to be good news they are calling with.  The morning of March 9th I received a call from my mom and this time it was not good news, in fact it was one of the calls I fear the most.  She called to tell me that my father had a heart attack at work and was just rushed to the hospital and she would call again when she knew more.  My first thoughts were how to get to Arizona as quickly as possible, I couldn't stand being so far away at a time like this.  I am so thankful for the effort my mother made to keep me up to date on his condition.  She knew how hard it was for me not being able to be there.  She even had him call me when he was able just so that I could hear his voice and know that everything would be okay.  Because he got to the hospital so quickly they were able to treat him and stabilize him before any major damage was done.  I was able to go to Arizona with all the kids this last week to spend time with him.  What a blessing that was.  He is doing very well and has even returned to work.

The weekend that we were in Arizona happened to be the date of my niece Heather's wedding.  She and I had talked about the wedding and I really wanted to be there so I was very excited that I got to be there for her on her special day. 

Engagement picture.

Heather with her Bridesmaids and Sydni as the flower girl.

Heather



Patrick and the Groomsmen.

 

Heather and Patrick.

On the day of the wedding the girls got together with some of their cousins to hold a charity lemonade stand and bake sale.  I was busy helping to decorate for the wedding so I didn't get any pictures of the lemonade stand but they did a great job.  Together they earned $112 that they donated to the Red Cross for relief efforts in Japan.  They all signed a letter and sent it to the Red Cross with the money.

Elizabeth, Rebecca, Dakota, Maxi, Sami, Megan, and Dani
with the money and letter for the Red Cross.