27 August, 2007

getting old...

last night some of us were watching t.v., with the rare circumstance that the mom had the remote...and the channel clicking came to a pause when I noticed a movie I liked, recounting days of extreme racism in America. The setting was obviously not modern, and one of our sons asked "Is this movie OLD or WHAT?!?". We checked the channel info, only to find that it had been released in 1985. SO Ben says "Yep - 22 years old". He looked at me and said "That means WE are old! To say the we once watched a movie that is 22 years old. Wow." I asked him, "Will you still love me as I get older and uglier?" He thought for a millisecond, and said, sweetly, "Oh, I can't imagine you being any uglier".


Then we both burst out laughing, knowing full well that was not what he MEANT to say, and all corrective comments that followed were meaningless. The words had escaped his mouth. And there you have it, folks. Just when you thought life was going along smoothly. You hear you are as ugly as you'll ever get. Guess I can live with that.

25 August, 2007

Free $15 Best Buy certificate!!

Just fill out a survey..it took me about 10 minutes...asks questions about your current electronic services..tv, phone, 'net...here is the web site:

Just log on at http://www.bcwebsurveys.com/

and enter 75137 as the PIN number.

I can't lie...it also means I get 2 free on-demand movies because you were so wonderfully nice to do this, but you will get your $15.00 fun at B. Buy.. Thanks SO much!!

20 August, 2007

we are home!!

phew, and getting back to normal! I found Victoria in the living room yesterday and asked her how she was feeling, having been home from the hospital about 14 hours, and she said "Well, I tried to do a cartwheel". (I gritted my teeth, thinking "OOWWWW") and she followed that up by saying "It didn't go so well". hel-LO. She tried again to do one in front of me, with her hands down on the ground, and her little feet just hopping gently in a 90-degree curve behind her. She asked "Is that a good 'sick' cartwheel?" Poor thing...she is ready to live her normal life again. Before leaving the hospital, she said "Now I can go home and jump on the trampoline!" I gave her the classic mom response... we will see.

Here she is ready to head OUT! The church sent her a giant balloon bouquet, and friends added a couple more. her bag is loaded with new stuffed animals, including a little beanie baby fish named "lips"...a gift from the nurses, that soothed the pain a bit in the E.R.
THEN...on the way home, there was the most beautiful sunset....shining brightly behind a storm system moving away from the mountains...it was so refreshing to see daylight again!!!

19 August, 2007

a history in pictures

just so you can feel like you lived through some of this with us...i was not able to get pictures right away, as the camera was in the car! but starting the day of her surgery, after she was up and around...we have preserved a few moments in time, and are so glad to finally be home as of 8:30 p.m. saturday night!



This was our first try at walking the halls...at a children's hospital there were all sorts of fun little things like this. I said to her "This is quite a vacation!". She responded with "This is NOT a fun vacation." You might be able to see she is pretty stiff and protecting that tummy!

Jordan and Anne were the first visitors, and they went for a walk with us, too! By that evening, Victoria was in very good spirits and happy to have guests.


3 owies in a row...one hole was for a the camera, the other two for tools.The white board in her room, where we could write anything we wanted to. Visiting friends and family added something, and I tried to post up there what other friends sent via text message. If you click on the photo, you should be able to see a (somewhat blurry, sorry) close-up of the board and all the fun notes.
Day 2...feeling
stronger and
able to sit up
on the edge of the
bed to watch t.v.
She got a giant bear, "Curly"
from grandma and Grandpa Jensen...
the nurses gave her a roll of bandage
tape so she could "play doctor", too.
**********************************************************************************

Her best friend, Makayla. Ben brought her up when he and the kids came, and they were so happy to see each other. If the hospital would have allowed it, she would have spent the night. When Victoria was packing up to leave the hospital she asked if Makayla could come over that evening to play!

Luke hopped onto the bed, too...then Christian. Even at her sickest, she still looked like an angel!

She shared a popsicle with Emme, who thought that was just peachy! I apologize for the outfit and raggedy hair, lol...fashion was NOT at the forefront of Ben's mind that day! Perhaps you can see him in the background, wiped out on the oh-so-uncomfortable little cot they provided for parents. Well, one parent. Actually, one SMALL parent.

17 August, 2007

update on the patient...

she is doing very well!! Went in for surgery (finally) at 7am on thursday after a LONG night! she was back in her room by 8:30 a.m., and slept most of the day. By late afternoon, she was eager to get up and walk, and the nurse said "that morphine must really be working!" with the way she cruised down the hall with her iv pole, as if nothing had happened top her. Back to bed she went for a few hours, and the NEXT try at a stroll was a little more difficult. Lots of company yesterday left her a bit worn down, and late at night she was in a lot of pain. A new dose of morphine made it evident tht her iv site was no longer good, so they needed to remove it and movbe to a new spot. She was VERY apprehensive about this, but I requested some Emla cream (lidocaine, a local anesthetic), and that made a HUGE difference...needed to sit on her hand for about 45 minutes, and she hardly winced when they inserted a new needle. They did get it in on the first try, so that was good. within one hour, she was comfortable and sleeping soundly.

Today, we ordered some breakfast...french toast, broccoli, and pears, and she had some of everything, which seemed to agree with her just fine. The surgeon came in and said if she has 2 good meals with no complications, and passes the "mom" test, she can go hom. how sweet is that?!?!? I never like it when they send you home before your are truly ready. Victoria is anxious to be there again, so that is a good sign.

She said she thinks she feels better because of the white board in her room, where people can write little notes. Her brothers wrote funny things, and I have been trying to add the kind words that friends and family have texted to our cells. One dear (non-serious) friend, Chip, said "Life is like that. You wake up one day and BAM! No appendix!". She really enjoyed that one!

Thanks everyone for your prayers, thoughts, time, meals, babysitting, driving, balloons, stuffed animals, and toys. God has truly worked through all of this, and i will post more later, as right now I need a NAP!!

16 August, 2007

here I am...

sitting in this comfy chair, where I have never sat before, at the Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City ,Utah. My precious little girl, Victoria, is lying in a bed hooked up to an i.v. of saline and morphine ,waiting for surgery to remove her appendix. Holy cow....just TRY being a sensible mother for ONE DAY. Two days ago, (Monday), she did not want to go to school...i have been thinking I would homeschool her, but still have not been sure of what is best for her...anyway she said her tummy hurt. I told her to drink more water and take some Vitamin C. Tuesday she happily went to school...came home and said her tummy hurt still, I suggested she use the bathroom, drink more water, and rest a bit. Wednesday morning, (was that today, or yesterday?) she became teary, still saying her tummy hurt, now explaining that she had had diarrhea for a couple of days. I gave the child HALF OF AN IMMODIUM, and SENT HER TO SCHOOL.

1 hour later, I got a call saying her tummy hurt a LOT and I should come get her. I put on my "public" clothes (like you sarah...have to be comfy at home!) and went to pick her up. we drove TWO BLOCKS and she said she felt sick, so I pulled over, yanked her out of the car, and in a moment, the grass held proof that she indeed needed to come home! By 11 o'clock she was yelping in pain about her tummy every 30 seconds or so, as i was calling ben and any friend I could to pray and ask for advice. Ben made it home around 4, and we were still not sure what to do with the sometimes-drama-queen. Finally we decided she should go in, as all of her symptoms fell in line with appendicitis.

HOURS later, we were settled into a room...we had arrived at the hospital at 7 p.m. She did very well while they inserted an i.v., drew blood from another site, and ran a CT scan which included a rectal catheter to fill her with fluid and make her appendix more evident. Quite traumatic for a tiny 9-year-old who doesn't remember ever having visited a doctor! It is now 4:30 am, and we may get an operation underway around 5:30. She is quite fearful about the whole thing, and has asked if they will cut the wrong thing or place, or what happens if she wakes up during surgery....i am praying she is OUT fast!!

so...tomorrow. (today?) I will post an update on how things are going. They say this is our home for the next few days or so..depending on the looks of things when they "get in there". hanks, everyone for your prayers and thoughts. if you have any funny jokes I could tell Victoria, I am sure she would love to hear them.

13 August, 2007

THIS little girl...



Ugh. She is so sweet, and so smart, but can't seem to hack first grade. We (both of us!) shed so many tears last week over her inability to be with a crowd of kids for an entire day, with a routine that is rigorous and changes occassionally without much warning...in case you don't remember, Emme arrived early. 3 months early, in fact, giving her the distinction of being a "micro-preemie"...born before 29 weeks, and weighing less than 2 pounds. I thought we had conquered so many of these obstacles before...crying at a sudden niose, sensitive to a lot of commotion, red dye, or an itchy shirt tag...but this new change has been overwhelming. For the first few days, I insisted she go, and she "adjusted", but would come home silently introverted, and cry in exasperation if a sister asked her 2 questions, or if a brother walked by and hugged her without warning. The first week was a little rocky, then we went camping, hoping the break would help her ease into things a bit. Day #6 of school...tough but she went. Day #7, I had her all prepared to walk out the door, and she fell apart! Crying so hard she could not tell me what was wrong, just a blank stare off into oblivion, frozen in fear. Finally she said "yes" to the question (#473) "does your TUMMY hurt?" so, not wanting her to be sick in school, and really not knowing WHAT was wrong, I kept her home.





(This is her with big sister Victoria...emme is about 3 months here. )


Day #8 - Brought her breakfast in BED, with a SMILE..."Get up, you're going to school today!" She got dressed, daddy was around, I asked HIM to take her thinking he won't cave as quickly as I do. 7 minutes later, he returned, walking into the kitchen for some pancakes. I was so relieved and was just about to ask how everything went, when around the OTHER way of the house's circle came EMME! I was obviously surprised, and said "What happened?" He said "Apparently, she would rather have a spanking than go to school!". This shocked me further, as it is strict policy at our house to only spank for deliberate disobedience. This was not the case. He said he had pulled up to school, the other two kids got out, and she sat in her seat, frozen. He said "Emme, hop out of the van - you have to go to school". She just sat there and began to cry...the type of cry you see when a child is deathly afraid of a dentist or of water. She could not talk to him, or even stand up, she just sat crying. He threatened, bribed, everything he could think of and said if you don't go to school you will get a spanking - is that what you want? she just continued to cry. So, he came back home! He did have a little chat with her later, explaining that she did not NEED a spanking, but he needed to know how serious she was about missing school.

We discussed it at length...What do we do? do we want her in school? WHY do we want her in school? do we HAVE to make her at the age of 6? can we wait? Do we go back to kindergarten? Do we try to do half days of first grade? What does the Bible say? What is best for Emme? Are we babying her? Has she improved at all since the age of 2, with the hourly crying spells over a doorbell ringing or vacuum cleaner starting? Why do we want her there again? Why is this so difficult. We came up with YES, and NO, and more of the WHYs.

The root of the problem is an underdeveloped nervous system...apparently the medical community has still not developed an artificial womb. Tiny babies exposed to beeps, lights, needles, tests, nasal tubes, iv's, and gruff doctors can't seem to build up resistance to every day life the same as a full term baby would. Coming home to a bustling house full of children did not give her further opportunity to balance out her inner "self".



When my word program cooperates, I will add more of the pertinent info I have recieved froma wondeful new friend on Oregon..she is a special-ed teacher with a micro preemie as well, and included in her affirming email that for Emme to be in a busy public place is honestly physically painful. Ugh. so, as a mother, you think "I have been FORCING her to go be in pain every day?!?" followed by guilt. Therefore, we will slowly work on her, guard her, watch what she eats and how much time she spends in groups, and tell her over and over - you can not cry over everything, but you must communicate with people so we can help you. For now, she will be home schooled, along with Victoria who is feeling overwhelmed, too. we are glad because it will be much more peaceful, and a little sad because it means one more school year of intense mom-kid time, and not just MOM time! Some days I think "I did not sign up for this. My expectations were to have well-adjusted children who can be confident in any setting and make friends easily". Instead, I was given precious gifts..well in advance of when I thought they would arrive. I was able to witness the miracle of them opening their eyes for the first time. I watched them breathe on their own, and learn to drink from a bottle, and smile when they recognized an older sibling - all with intense appreciation. When life hangs in the balance, it is so much more miraculous to see it be fulfilled. For now, I know we are doing the best we can, as any parent does. I know that our little girls can handle staying with their grandparents peacefully, and that they can answer the phone politely. The day will come when they can face a crowd without fear, and not be offended when another person looks at them and says "Hurry UP!" In the meantime, I will treasure every moment I can. I know those moments are gone with the wind all too quickly.

07 August, 2007

more on camping...

Gabe and fellow camper Ryan Dutson...oldest son of our wonderful friends that went with us! we did what we could to talk those boys into a HAIRCUT! I have not yet lost hope!

Our friends Jennie and Enoch, near strummin' Christian...

The fabulous rain cover that the men strung up in the trees when we were sprinkled on during saturday's dinner. it was SO nice..you hardly knew it was raining, and it only lasted 25 or so minutes. The forecast had heavily predicted rain, so we were sure praying for dry weather!

Ben and Victoria...happy campers!
Christian and Gabe, chompin' on typical camping fare - CHEETOS!

Emme's ready to go fishin'!!
Boys playing a game, and Christian with the ever-present guitar. He sat and figured out how to pluck the Mission Impossible theme, in the woods!



Emme had a go, as well...her brothers will play the chords or notes while she strums, leaving her to think SHE is a pro guitarist!
Yummy....I told Ben later we could live quite cheaply on s'mores in the woods. The challenge was to see how many layers you could roast and remove from your marshmallow. 3 was the record!



THIS is how I found Victoria in the middle of day #2.


ZONKED!

06 August, 2007

More on the camping adventure...

Can you say "Idyllic"??
Emme loved the CHILLY stream!! no one else could stand to be in it for very long. she insisted that if you took your shoes off, it wasn't so bad!

the 4 oldest boys "juggling"...
mmm..sweethearts :o). it was FREEZING that night!


2 sisters...ben HAD to get this inflatable love seat...it was never empty!!

WENT campin'!!

The ride UP the mountain had amazing views!
Ben and Christian...figuring out the new tent with its pathetic directions!!


HOORAY!!! All the parts were there!

The boys,er, MEN, had their own tent across the stream...helped at night while they were composing "The Camping Song" and others about lovable characters like Barney...that poor guitar never had a rest!

More to follow.... (see above. how weird is that?)

03 August, 2007

Goin' campin'!

Yep. And it was my idea! Not to brag...but if you know me, I am MUCH more in my comfort zone at a Marriott! About a month ago, we went on a picnic with some friends to the most beautiful spot. (see here for a refresher...) I SO wanted to spend more time there, so now we are planning to go this evening with some friends, and stay through Sunday. I think we have everything we will NEED...my only concern is BEARS. yep - they are something of which to take note. SO...we lock up the food, and pray for safety! The link included here shows where we will be, and we are staying at site #29, in case we don't return home by Sunday evening. There is no cell reception up there, which means we are ROUGHIN' it! not really...it should be fun, and I will post lots of photos next week. so if anyone reads this, you could pray that we are fine, and you might want to let the park rangers know "Novice campers in The Timpooneke Mountains. We don't know WHAT they were thinking"...

see you next week!

01 August, 2007

New endeavor

well...we are embarking on something new...something that has been on our hearts for quite some time now, and God is opening doors! last night, we had the associate pastor and his family over for - what else - PIZZA, and sat and talked for over an hour about the newly formed "realtionships" facet of our church's ministry, and the role we would play...it has evolved into a many-week series, with information gleaned from several top parenting teachers around the country, as well as our own experience teacing 10 years, and parenting for over 14! The poster that will be displayed will resemble this,





and will hopefully and prayerfully catch the eye of families who could benefit from it. I will keep you updates on the exciting progress!!