Prayer

Last week our lesson in Relief Society was on prayer. I rarely if ever comment in class but I certainly had a lot to say. I don't' mean to always bring up my Jersey Girl but her and the experiences I had with her taught more in those few weeks than my 28 years combined; at least those things spiritual.

I remember driving to the hospital one day, Jersey was doing awful and, as became my routine, I was begging and pleading for her to be healed as I drove the 45 minutes there. I remember the distinct thought come to my mind, "everything will be just fine". How relieved I was to know that although the storm was ragging, though I could barely keep my head above water all was well, she would live. I needed that optimism, I needed that little ray of sunshine to help me endure. I needed the hope that while things looked so very bleak if I only clung to "everything will be just fine" I could last until she was home however long it may be. I tried handling my trial with grace and understanding. Fast forward a few weeks, Jersey did well for a moment but she could hang on no longer, it was time.

I remember being at home and looking back on that drive and the response given to me. I felt so very betrayed, so tricked. Everything was NOT fine! Jersey died! I am not fine with that! How dare I be given false hope.

I thought about it often and it wasn't until one quiet afternoon it dawned on me, Jersey WAS/IS just fine. No suffering, no drugs, no future surgeries or tortures. She would never envy other little children running when she couldn't or wish her body wasn't so beat up and scarred. It never quite dawned on me in the moment those words could be interpreted any other way. For me the ONLY way was for her to recover and come home.

Sometimes the answer is simply no even though it may be a very righteous desire, even though we do everything we can to live the way we should. I feel like so many times I hear of only the experiences where yes was the answer, where some one was healed right then, where everything immediately worked out. I feel like it's just as important to also add in faith promoting stories the times when the answer is no and things don't work out they way we have so diligently fasted and prayed they would. In my opinion it takes more faith, more understanding, more patience when the opposite of what you want happens.

I know my girl is exactly that, "just fine", better than she's ever been. And today, right now, I'm just fine with her being my angel.

BIG Happenings

Tucker started pre-school! He LOVES his teachers and his class! He and I went on a date and picked out this very handsome, oh-so-cool dude wear, he felt totally hip! He was so excited to wear his new clothes, shoes and backpack!

Tuck loves his backpack!

This is his cute little friend Boston. Tucker is lucky to go to school with 4 of his buddies, Austin, Brock, Luke, and Boston.

Tater lost her first tooth! She was SO brave and fearless, she did most of the dirty work. I helped pull it out at the very end and she was SO excited! That evening the tooth fairy came and left her a dollar, gave her a sparkly kiss on her cheek and left sparkles on her pillow! Ever since Tatum has excitedly displayed her smile with a hole. Her second is short to follow.

Saving the best for last...

Sweet Leah is here! This is my newest niece, my sister Callie's princess. Pretty sure I'm her favorite auntie.

When Tatum finished school the blondies and I raced to the hospital to meet and hold little Leah. Tatum was in love while Tuck was bored. She's a cutie and we're excited she's here!

Diamond Backs Picnic in the Park

Saturday, August 22 @ 3:30pm, come have a dinner picnic on the field, run the bases, tour the dugouts, get tickets for a future game, pictures. . . ALL INCLUDED while watching the D-backs game live on the jumbo-tron! I am selling tickets to this great family event in honor of The Heart Center at St. Joe's, where Jersey was so lovingly taken care of. The D-backs foundation will donate $20,000 to the Eller Heart Program at St. Joe's! Let me know if you are interested. Adult $45, Children over 3 are $35. heidi.anderson@cox.net or comment on the blog. If you can't attend, donating 1 ticket would help a heart family in need attend. If you do plan on attending tickets need to be paid for by the 12th of August.

Tucker's Big, Fat Mouth

We don't say the word fat. Well, Chris, Heidi, and Tatum don't say the word fat, Tucker, however does...and often and many other hilarious, naughty things. His favorite though is fat, and not just saying it, calling someone fat. We've had numerous discussions about it but they aren't sinking in. He's too honest and so LOUD about it. I'm waiting to get beat up by the recipient of Tucker's honesty. Here's last week:

We're in the grocery store checking out. Tucker says, LOUDLY, "Mom her booty is bigger and bigger and bigger!" I couldn't pay and walk out of there fast enough. While we're walking to the car we have "the talk" AGAIN! After the grocery store is Costco. We're in the bathroom, an enclosed, echoing area, when a lady walks out of her stall. "Mom her belly is huge!" Oh my, not 10 minutes before we had "the talk". "Tucker! We don't call people fat!" "But Mom," he innocently says, "I didn't call her fat." How can I argue with that?

We're at Target, leaving when we walk by a cute, smaller girl. Tuck pipes up, "Her booty's not big." And it wasn't. "Tucker, we don't talk about people's booties," I gripe back. "Can we talk about their bellies?"he asks. Seriously???

Yesterday he says to me, "Mom, your garments are just a liiiiiiiiiitle bit too small, huh?" I should have smacked him, Heaven knows I wanted to.

We were in Utah and Tatum and Tuck slept in the same bed. They were in bed for the evening when I heard Tatum sobbing. Tucker called her fatness and her feelings were hurt.

Other naughty things: Chris was laying on the ground and Tucker walked by and kicked his head. Chris got upset with him and Tucker says back, "Your head was in my way, move your head." I guess it was Chris's fault for having his head in the way.

Tuck was mad at Chris and he yelled, "You're being impossible!"

Actually Tucker, YOU are impossible, not quite sure what to do with you.

Tatum Starts Kindergarten

Tatum started Kindergarten on Monday, July 27th. She picked: her outfit, which I ironed, shoes, hair do which her Nonnie drove all the way over to french braid, breakfast of eggs and bacon, necklace and bracelet and she was ready to conquer her first day! She's so darn cute! She was really excited and did great, no crying. Me either. She was excited that her new best friend, Tyler, wore the exact same outfit, they wear uniforms.

I thought it'd be fun for Tucker and I to eat lunch with her on her first day. When she walked into the lunch room she hesitated and I asked her if she'd like to sit with us or her class. She chose her class. I'm glad she's confident enough to eat with them, especially on her first day. Half way through she changed her mind and sat with us. I'm glad. I missed her.

At the end of the school day she was SO tired. She said she was tired of learning, tired of listening, and tired of holding still. I think she was also tired from the blistering temperature of 116. She had a great first day and was thrilled homework doesn't start until next week.

Today was a different story. She was hysterical for 45 minutes before Chris finally dragged her out the door. She tried 3 different outfits, put her knee highs on 2 different times, tried 2 pairs of shoes on-twice, didn't want her hair done and then freaked out when I wasn't doing it, didn't want a bow and was then mad she didn't have a bow...seriously. Nothing made her happy, no choice was good enough. I expected a melt down sometime this week. Hopefully tomorrow and every day after we can all say good bye with a kiss and a smile!

Pioneer Day

For Pioneer Day our ward had a little celebration. We couldn't not dress up! Tater wearing her pioneer skirt and apron and Tuck sporing his pioneer get up.

There was the classic stick pull game. Chris beat both missionaries.

And wasn't too tired to beat Josh. He's my hero.

The kids brought their bikes to decorate for the parade. Tatum did not get off her bike until she marched in the parade, they were SO excited about it! I like how she is modestly sitting on her bike in a skirt.

Christmas in July

It was such a pleasure planning, making, worrying about, organizing, instructing, and loving this project. I certainly could not have done it on my own, so many people helped and I am SO grateful for their generosity. If I do say so myself the packages turned out darling and had more in them than I anticipated. I had enough to make 40 packages when I originally planned on 25. Once again I am overwhelmed with people's generous hearts and caring excitement. Chris and I delivered our bundles on Saturday, July 25th. While it wasn't near enough it was the best we could give. We'd love to send these families on a cruise or to a spa but how impractical is that! We made these bundles with sincere love, complete understanding, and knowing that everything will work out, even if it's saying goodbye. It was healing to give back and hopefully this is the first of many more projects. Our holiday at a glance.

Christmas in July started a bit early, on Wednesday these cute 8-11 year olds went down to the hospital to show the staff what they had worked on and to see and understand what really goes on in the unit. These girlies made: all the blankets, donated all the stuffed animals and headbands for the girls, and made 10 sets of thank you cards. Thanks girls and thank you Eve for organizing these activities! And thank you to Nicole and Ashley for accommodating and speaking to these girls. And THANK YOU Heidi for sharing your experience, I know it wasn't easy but it was PERFECT!

39 stuffed animals

Aren't these so cute? They were just as soft as they were adorable! Not too big, the perfect size for a perfect, little body!

Each baby girlie will look precious in these headbands! There were 26 total.

I ended up with 36 sets of thank you cards. Each set had 5 cards, that's 180 cards! They were all SO creative and I know they took hours to make. I was not blessed with creativeness and so I really appreciate those cute girls, and my amazing friends: Karen, Chris, Kristin, Lindsey, and Renae!!

My super cute friends, Jen and Natalie made 25 of these darling packaged, super cute cd's. Those are Jersey's shoes she got for Christmas and never got to wear. The songs they selected for this cd aren't coincidence. These songs played a major role in those 6 weeks we had with our girl. I feel like they were inspired to chose the songs they did.






These cute tags adorned the outside of each bag. Not only are they SO cute but they briefly share Jersey's story and darling face. Thank you Shanen and Mom for helping me with these, they were perfect!

It wouldn't be Christmas if there wasn't something yummy to eat. My fabulous mother-in-law, Eve, made 40 soft, delicious sugar cookies, enough for each family to have 2. Thank you !

Each basket also got an eye mask. My mom and I spent an entire day, and I mean a good 12 hours sewing these adorable, pain in the rear cuties. We ended up with 32. Thanks mom, I know it was a very looooooooooong day!

That's my cute sister who's modeling. She and my mom helped package up all these fun things.



I ended up with 85 beanies, 85! That's a ton! Thank you Chris's sister, Carissa's friend,Kristin, Jamie, Mandy, and Jesse! They came in many different sizes from teeny to large.


That's my friend Jamie, she's responsible for at least 25 hats, sorry girl, I forgot to count! I appreciate you learning for me and then spending a zillion hours crocheting them! Your flowers are better than mine by the way.

I have the sweetest, most generous, concerned friend, Mandy, she has a heart baby too. She's sent us fun packages in the mail, things for my blondies and even a precious bracelet for me. She writes me often and is always up to date on my blog. When she read about my project she wasted no time and made 14 darling sets of bows for the girlies. I've never met her, she lives in South Carolina but I hope someday to meet her and darling little Evie. Thanks girl, they were perfect!

Because it's MY project I felt it appropriate to include something about Christ so each package had a small picture in it. It was a good missionary opportunity.

Natalie, my sister, and I assembling the packages. My mom was in charge of organizing everything in the bag and then Natalie and I tied the ribbon and tag to finish it.

Girl package. Boy package.

25 assembled packages.