adventures of a not-so-common fellow

Jack!

Oh my son Jack-- 

He is quite the adventurer, as you should know if you are a regular reader here.

The week before last, he took on another adventure and had his first 

Endoscopy

aka: Colonoscopy

This Kid Knows How To Party!

(Jack as he started his "colon prep." By the way- he will not be drinking blue gatorade again)

Jack has had severe gastrointestinal problems since 6 months into his mission.

We didn't know...

Didn't know he was going to the poorest state - in the poorest section of Brazil.

Brazil- where the sewage runs free. 

Heaven knows I was better off not knowing.

He certainly didn't tell me.

 Neither did his mission presidents.... no comment here on that.

I guess Jack is right, what were they going to say? 

 This guy is no stranger to the hospital-

and let me just say

AMERICAN HOSPITALS

I love you

I love your doctors & especially your nurses.

I love your hospital gowns & clean pillows.

Your machines that tick away working diligently. 

I love your mostly private rooms- and clean blue gloves.

I know you are not perfect... but oh the difference. 

If we knew what other countries know-

we would pray with thanks to the All Mighty God for what we have!

Jack writes all about his Brazilian hospital adventures & much, Much more in his new blog:

The Adventures of a Common Fellow

check it out

Let me know if you do & what you think?

in my world

I always drive home from work the scenic route

 I love to see the Salt Lake Temple. 

Temple Square is one of my favorite places on earth.

This is the view out my kitchen window!

It's so lovely- today I am stressed a little bit- thinking Fall is almost over.

It always goes to fast.

(Krystal's birthday lunch- )2013

I still meet nearly every Wednesday with a group of ladies for lunch & try to get something CREATIVE done. Mostly I just unwind & feel supported by these fabulous friends.

I find things like- baby socks around my house again.

OH THE JOY of a baby sock!

Brian frequently texts me a picture of the twins in their Sunday clothes!

They got matching P-Coats for winter. Oh my gosh- they are so cute in them, but I forgot to get a picture when they came over last night! 

My cooking class is going strong-

we had a field trip at the beginning of the month.

Dairy Queen!

The kids had a blast checking out behind the scenes & making their own ice cream cones.

Making an ice cream cone is harder than it looks. The last class for the semester is this Friday. I am not teaching in December. I'm hoping to get lots of handmade things ready for Christmas, and to spend more time with the kids. I really love teaching these classes- they are super fun & super messy & kids- I maybe should have been an elementary teacher? I just love being around them. They give me energy & hope for the future. I guess that's why I have so many of my own? I start teaching again in January.

I love to send out invites for Thanksgiving- it just feels more special.

I'm sure I've mentioned it before, Thanksgiving is Brett's favorite holiday. 

We always have so much fun.

Raking leaves- it's nice that Batman comes to help.

I didn't make it to Charlie's Halloween parade at preschool. 

But this picture shows the joy on his face.

Brian & Laura took their first family vacation with the twins,

Finn helped with the driving... such a great helper.

They had fun in St. George & hiked Zions.

This weekend we spent time with all of our grandsons & didn't get any pictures.

It's such a joy to have them so close.

We baby sat the twins & then Megan's boys & had a blast!

Joey & Charlie are getting so big. I can't wait to meet their new little brother.

It's a good life.

chloe's story part one

This is a true story from my own point of view of the past year as my family & I have been blessed with the opportunity to learn hard lessons. Lessons on love, acceptance & why we are here on this earth anyway.

As the mother of children with mental illness I write this for three reasons:

1. therapy for myself

2. to help others- if you have ever struggled with mental illness or even worse, your child has- YOU are not alone. 

3. I never want to forget- actually there are a lot of things I want to forget- but I always want to remember so many things about this journey. I am a better person than I was before. 

 As most of us know...

Chloe has been ill for some time.

She was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at 15 1/2.

She knew she had it longer, but didn't want to worry us & held it in-
 ticking only upstairs tucked away in her room.
After being diagnosed with severe OCD - then Tourette Syndrome on the same day. I was absolutely speechless, argued with the specialist, shocked, flabbergasted, how did I not see it?
I was devastated.
So was she.

Little did we (Brett & I) know that Tourette Syndrome was going to be the least of her problems.

We went through the rest of that year of school & dance & the summer- with lots of therapy. She hung on. Then she had to quit dancing. Her feet- the arches were about to fall- the pain was too intense. At a certain point it just wasn't fun- but mostly painful. The Tourette, she was trying to hide, got in the way & the OCD was starting to take over. 

She started obsessing about her body- she was "too big." Even her feet were "too big." She couldn't help it, she couldn't really see herself. It was all unreal. The depression got worse & worse.

Then the ticking-
 she just couldn't hold it in anymore.
She knew she shouldn't, her therapist told her not too,
 her mind told her not to-- but she was a 16 year old girl.

She would try to hide it at school then tick like mad- screaming ticks & hitting- when she got home. 

She compares it to holding in a sneeze- it just builds up until it has to come out at which point it is much bigger than when it started.

My sweet Chloe was at her limit.

The depression grew unbearable. Who could blame her?

It got worse & worse..... 

Christmas break 2012 it got so bad she was ticking loudly, screaming, hitting herself, and had her first tick storm. Ticking so violently she had to lay on her bed. I would put a pillow on her side while she beat herself & convulse & scream out ticks. It was excruciatingly painful for her - her dad & I felt completely helpless. The drugs- that were supposed to calm the ticks-- they made her feel drunk. She would randomly fall down at school and dance.Worse than that, they didn't stop the ticking.

The storms would start & Brett would call one of our dear neighbors to come help give her a priesthood blessing. They would leave in tears.

 I would kneel next to her bed & pray & keep saying-- it's okay, it's okay - just let it all out. 

just a little halloween post

It was pretty darn sweet to have Chloe home (and home permanently!) for Halloween!

I am working on a post all about our journey with Chloe's illness -

it's very difficult to write & is taking a long time.

Anyhow!

She came home for good -

on October 30 sigh- then SHOUT for joy!

After being home for a bit-

she got all dressed up for the church Halloween Party!

Oh this costume is so funny to me- she's a hitch hiker dude.

My favorite part is the underwear sticking out the back of her pants. hahahahha

This costume is so funny because she is so opposite of this & it's so fun for her.

Last Christmas Brian & Laura gave Brett this plastic dog poop.

Oh DEar - HeaveN Help Us All.

He pulls "the dog poop prank, " and I gotta admit- it is pretty funny... sometimes.

This time it went on Chloe's friend Daniel's shoe. 

He came in to get his shoes before they all left for a party & was so not happy.

hahahhaha - for a minute.

Chloe & Friends

Chloe's Costume #2

this one is pretty gross & had Trent loudly proclaiming

"GET OUT OF HERE!"

OH poor tormented Trent.

Ethan "captain America"

&

Trent "Batman"

Trent is over the top in love

with these Batman PJ's- he puts them on as soon as he gets home from school.

Vampire Larkin &

"Cat"niss Hailey

Later Hailey & Ryan went to a party too.

Ryan was truly scary & went as a 

"student loan"

Halloween is not the same without little people around.

I miss that.

a lot

But- it's okay. That's why I did it up BIG while I could.

NO Regrets.

a couple of birthdays

We celebrated a couple of birthdays in October~

It's so fun to have everyone together for a family celebration!

Someone turned 4 and someone else turned 20.

Yep- 16 years & one day apart.

It was so fun.

Pasta for dinner & two different desserts.

It just doesn't get any better than that.

It will get better when these 2 cuties can eat cake!