Farewell

We are counseled not to have "Open Houses" for new missionaries any more.  It was hard, but we are trying our best to be obedient.  Alex was a good sport.  He spoke on Mother's Day which was such a blessing in my life.  Because of weird circumstances, he had only spoken one other time in church - and that was when he was 12 years old and it was also on Mother's Day!  Alex was very nervous and worried about it, but he did such a wonderful job!  It was a beautiful talk on sacrifice and he seemed like a pro!  It was a very tender time for me.  Since he is younger than a lot of his friends, it seems that most of them had already left on their missions.  I was pleasantly surprised at how many younger friends and girls that he had that came out to support him.

That night we had family over to say goodbye.  A few friends dropped by that night and the next day on their own just to say goodbye and it meant a lot to him.

Aunt Jeanne

Uncle Greg 

Cousins - Adam, Jon and Celeste

Nana

Sam, Aunt Suzette, Uncle Andy, Cole and Isaac

Hunter, Matt, Uncle Mark, Aunt Susie, Melissa and Tom

The Aubrey Family

Brother and Sister Ward

Bishop Dickson

Taylor, Alex and  Brother Dickerson

5 yr Home Teaching companion Brother Mousser

Siblings - Danny, Ryan, Emily, Mallory and Taylor

Soon to be Sister-In-Law Mallory and Taylor

Some of Alex's cute friends brought him an Argentine dessert the day he was gonna be set apart!

Weekend Escape

Don and Leslie were kind enough to let us use their cabin in Pinetop for the weekend.  It was soooo nice to get away before Alex leaves and Taylor gets married!  They weren't gonna come at first.  Brad, Danny, Ryan and I went on Friday afternoon and then the older boys decided to come up the next morning.  We had a last of the season snowstorm on Saturday that was beautiful!  We woke up in the morning and it had been snowing all night and then it snowed well into the afternoon.  I loved reading while watching the snow and the fire.  It was so relaxing.  The boys played in the snow and read and played games and then we went and ate Mexican food.  What a great weekend!

Engaged!!!

Last night was a wonderful night for us.  We went to Greg Montgomery's wedding reception.  Yes - he is already married!  He got home from his mission in September!  Anyway, we brought the Dad's yellow blanket in the car, and he slipped it in Taylor's car while we were there.  Later that night, Taylor and Mallory called to share the happy news that they are engaged!!!!  We are thrilled and it is so exciting.  We are anxious for Mallory to join our family. :)  Aren't they cute?!

They came over today to watch General Conference with us and we took some silly pictures.

Murphy was watching conference too!  Not to be outdone, Moondog decided to share his picture too :)

Taylor and Mallory have been helping out at the Easter Pageant all week being greeters and photo ops for people.

Answers

I have a mixture of feelings today.  After many tests over the last couple of months, we found out today that Taylor has Hepatitis C.  I am so relieved, sad, scared, mad and confused - but I also feel a sense of peace.  1)I'm glad that we know what we are dealing with.  2) I am sad and scared because Dad had Hepatitis C and he ended up dying from complications from it and other things.  Course, medicine has come a long way since then.  3)  I am mad because this happened to him - and it's pretty obvious to us that he somehow got it in the DR, maybe when he had his accident.  4) I feel a sense of peace, because I feel Heavenly Father's hand in our lives and know that He will take care of him.

Back around Christmas time, Taylor started getting weird growth/tumor-like things in his arms and hands.  But only from the elbows down.  Over the months, he has gotten more and more and they have gotten bigger and his hands really hurt him.  We went to my knee doctor (because he also specializes in hands).  He then sent us to a dermatologist who ran blood tests, told us it was a bad immune disease but he didn't know what.  He then sent us to a rheumatologist who ran more tests - he then sent us to a gasttroenterologist/liver specialist who ran more tests and then told us he has Hepatitis C.  We just got done with him and we REALLY didn't like him.  He was very negative.

Our next step is to see if we can find proof that he got this from his accident in the DR and talk to the church and see if maybe we can take him to Mayo Clinic.

Here's the thing though.  Taylor was going to go and buy and engagement ring for Mallory today.  We talked him into doing it anyway.  We feel really strongly that he is being tested and so is Mallory.  She is having a surgery next month to put a shunt into her brain to help drain fluid.  These kids belong together and Heavenly Father has big things in store for them.  So, here is Taylor after he bought the ring having the kind of day he did.  Huge mixture of feelings.

p.s.  (Later date) We have experienced many tender mercies from the Lord.  As far as any of us had known, Taylor hadn't gotten any type of blood transfusion in the DR, but we knew that he had IV's, so we assumed that is where he got it.  Well, ever since the accident, I had kept all of the medical papers in a file.  One day I was going through some papers in a box looking for something and I came across 2 prescriptions written in Spanish.  They were orders written for 2 units of blood in the hospital in the DR.  Brad also called the doctor there and he said that yes, Taylor had gotten blood there.  Proof!! - that it happened in the Dominican Republic!

The church was very helpful and understanding and is moving forward to get him treatment at Mayo Clinic.  We are feeling very blessed.

Last Pinewood Derby

So...it was the last of 12 cars that Brad helped his boys build - and it was awesome!  Ryan and Brad built a car that was a bowling alley complete with a speaker that boomed out tunes during the races!  I love that they have the opportunity to do this.  I am gonna miss it.

I also wanted to add a picture of Ryan after he went to a birthday party!

Danny's 15th!

Danny turned 15 today!  My, how the time flies (I know, I sound like a broken record)!  Danny is such a great kid!  He has grown soooo much this year.  He is quite a bit taller than I am now.  I think he's 5'10" now.  He is in his Freshman year at Highland High.  He is really involved in things.  He is taking an A Hour Spanish class so that he can participate in Choir and Orchestra.  He is also on the JV Volleyball team and played club volleyball in the Fall.  He is funny, considerate and pleasant to be around.  He is such a great young man and we love him very much!

 What . . . an IPad!

Jessica

Another niece got married!  Don's daughter Jessica married Michael Riding.  Fun fact:  Brad and I always measure our time together by how old Jessica is!  She was born when we first started dating!  I had surgery on my knee the week before, so it was kind of hard to get around on my crutches - but it was fun and we are very happy for them :)  It stole these pictures off of Facebook because I didn't have my camera that day.

 The happy couple in front of the Mesa temple

 Great pic of Jessica, Mom & Michael

Don & Leslie's cute growing family!

Miscellaneous Cuteness

I just had to post these because they are too cute!

 Cool shades that Alex got from Taylor & Mallory for Christmas

 Suns Game

Scottsdale Rodeo

Blue & Gold Creativity and Something Wicked This Way Comes

It's time for the Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet again.  This year the Dad's and the boys were given a challenge to make and decorate a cake "all by themselves"  I thought my boys did a great job!

We also got to take Danny & Ryan to see the Broadway play "Wicked" this year.  I was really excited to take Ryan because he had never seen it.  He LOVED it and I am so glad we took the boys.

The "Love" Baby :)

Ryan was due AND born on Valentine's Day and he absolutely loves it!  He turned 10 this year and I cannot believe that my baby is already 10 :(

 All situated for attention and gifts

 Isn't that a cute face?!

 His food of choice was Dad's homemade buffalo wings or "hot wings" as he calls them.  I think from looking at his hands and face that he enjoyed them :)

Things I love about 10 year old Ryan: He is almost always happy.  He seems to just be a happy Spirit.  He has the best attitude about life.  Everything he eats is the best he has every had, every movie is the best he's ever seen, etc.  I would love to have that kind of attitude.  He has a great smile. He LOVES to read.  He seems to be reading constantly.  We are always scrambling to find him something new to read. He is pretty obsessive about whatever he does for long periods of time, i.e. reading, video games, computer, tv shows.  There was a time this year where I think he watched every single Mythbusters there was on Netflix!  He is a great friend and a great little brother.  Brad and I talk about how he is our "dessert" in life!  We enjoy him and love him so very much.

 It was his year for a party.  They had a great time with an obstacle course that Brad and Taylor set up outside.  He also made a killing with money and gift card this year!

 Part of the obstacle course

 Ryan, Jack Raymond, Ryan Lundgreen, Quinn Samms, Hunter Kasprzyk, Connor Bowers, Braedon, Kolton Law

Lest I forget - which I wouldn't - it was also Valentine's Day.  My sweetheart gave me the most beautiful roses.  I love him more every day.  I truly can't imagine my life without Brad.  I don't even know where our separate selves begin and end.  I am so blessed that he loves me.