LIFE'S LITTLE MOMENTS

I havent felt up to posting - or doing anything extra adventurous lately....so I thought I would just post a list (thanx for the idea W) for now so that when I am feeling all revved up and lots better I can come back and expand on these with posts and picts....

*missionary zone conference lunch went off without a hitch
*being sung to by missionaries with darling "thank you" song
*dear friends to serve with and for
*watching Ky's eyes get big as saucers and see him get excited about a special gift
*thankful for sweet friends who bring unexpected gifts just because, and because they love us
*listening to my 3 year old squeal because he has "discovered" pockets and how many cars they will hold at one time
*friendly, chatty sleep study technicians
*calm, hopeful, encouraging sleep specialist
*the Food Channel and amazing and wonderful shows that I could watch 24-7 (good thing we dont have real TV)
*YM who come over to hang out and play with Caiden even though they are so much older than he is - big thanx to M & A! You guys are the BEST!
*a friend who is always kind and patient no matter how much I cry and fuss at appts
*a friend who has been given great gifts to be used in my behalf, and that of my children
*a husband who continues to put up with me even when I am in total meltdown
*end of school terms and long weekends
*Georgia Mud Fudge blizzards and Keebler's soft choc chip cookies
*eating cheeseburgers and choc chip cookies with my almost 7 year old
*listening to my 3 year old start to recognize letters and numbers
*hot showers, a tub big enough to soak in for as long as I want
*bedroom fireplace that keeps me from freezing
*flannel sheets and my favorite quilt
*sharing homemade loaded nachos with my big girls
*little bits of sunshine
*finding tulips for a close friend in the middle of winter
*naps
*new flannel and cotton PJ's
*a doctor who has become our friend and doesnt mind me emailing him at home when we get ear infections over a weekend
*health, wealth, and prosperity compared to so many who dont have anything around the world
*forward progress, no matter how small
*"ah, hah" moments when reading scriptures or participating in class discussions
*friends who are willing to babysit at the last minute or when life is so crazy we cant coordinate help for all the big/little people at our house - thanx TONS E & M!
*the sound of rain on my skylight windows and on my white noise box
*enjoying an evening of sisterhood and amazing talents
*enjoying every minute of listening to SB talk about her life experiences, projects, classes, just about everything - she is SO amazing!
*sweet VT who come to give me a lesson, and end up folding all of my laundry instead
*naps
*early bedtimes
*DVD player in the van
*insurance that is willing to cover expensive medical equipment
*looking forward to spending fun bday day with kiddos for shopping, lunch, friends, etc
*watching and listening to little Miss learn so many new words to say and sign all in one week
*Listening and watching Little Miss swapping back and forth calling K "sissy" and "mom" and sometimes having her choose K over me - she loves her sissy
*sleeping in past 5am on weekends
*chinese take out (from our local restaurant or Safeway deli)
*watching movies and eating take out with my sweetheart
*laughing and playing on the Wii with just the two of us
*big girls who are willing to take on house stuff and being the "mom" when I am not feeling well or need to be gone to appts
*Kaeli's awesome art skills
*Ceana's excitement about participating in music at school with friends
*Laughing so hard until I cried with C while we watched her band retreat DVD
*Eating pudding and snacks and watching movies with P and big girls
*listening to sweet comments from friends about my big girls' babysitting skills
*shaking my head and knowing my girls are growing up when both girls are each asked to babysit for different families for multiple weekends in a row
*Listening to K hum and sing while she does everything and anything - music just flows through her...
*listening to kids being excited about singing in sacrament meeting on Sunday
*following friends' blogs and seeing how fun and adventurous their lives are, and how amazingly talented they are
*planning surprises for others

I am sure I will think of more....will add a little of this and that and try to post more soon

LITTLE BITS OF HAPPINESS

*Playing "rock, paper, scissors" with my 6 year old
*Sharing laughter, cheeseburgers & ice cream with that same 6 year old
*Listening to Little Miss say "bot-tow" and signing milk
*Laughing out loud while reading a set of newfound favorite books
*Macaroni & Cheese w/ extra milk
*Hot meals prepared by our resident "chef" Miss K
*Hymns
*Dragons
*Flannel sheets
*Ocean waves in my bedroom
*Hot baths
*Grapefruit in the middle of Winter
*Listening to the sounds of little people "wheee, I did it!, laughing, whooping, giggles, etc)
*Watching and laughing at Little Miss "dancing" to Dora at the dinner table just because I said "you did it!"
*Listening to Mr C read a simple book
*Boxed chocolates (fruits, nuts, nougat, caramels)
*Finding a box of applesauce doughnuts in the freezer and eating them warm from the microwave (not the whole box....at least not all at once)
*Georgia Mud Fudge Blizzards
*Sunrises
*Watching little people's faces light up as they open presents from a surprise package in the mail
*Getting phone calls from little people to excitedly tell me about those presents
*Listening to my husband give blessings to our children
*Laughing as Mr C bolts out the bedroom door "Hey! My turn was different than you guys!"
*Listening to Miss K sing as she prepares meals, snacks, does homework, does just about anything
*Tucking Little Miss in bed with her favorite "kay kee's" (blankies)
*Watching Little Miss pout and turn her bottom lip out as she says "No! Don't" - she is so cute I cant help but laugh
*Laughing hysterically as Little Mr. makes all sorts of faces, he is so animated, all the time (happy or sad...oh, the drama)
*Email, blogs, scrapbook programs
*Listening as Miss K describes Little Miss with her new baby doll
*Looking at LJ flopped on the front seat of the van after an "exhausting" vet appt, poor thing...
*Toys, books, little people things scattered on the floor in every room in the house (they will be gone all too soon)
*Talking with Miss C about getting her learners permit at the end of the month....scary
*Listening to my children during their piano lessons as they laugh and enjoy music with their our dear friend whom we all adore
*Seeing another little miss cutie arrive at our house in her hot pink cowboy boots
*Doctors, specialists and friends who I know truly care about our family and have helped us through so much over the years
*Emails and packages from favorite "aunts-by-marriage" who never forget to let us know that we are loved
*Seeing my photography enjoyed, used and shared with others
*"thinking of you" phone messages
*Small moments of quiet
*Feeling the joy of my home filled with happy "adopted" kiddos
*Having Mr C finally caught up with his school work, and working ahead....
*Reading a good book along with eating a favorite snack
*Hot Chocolate Deluxe, in a snowman mug
*Sunbreaks

FOR MY LOVE, MY DEAREST, MY DARLING....

"You have set a crown of roses on my youth and fortified me against the disaster of our days. Your courageous gaiety has inspired me with joy. Your tender faithfulness has been a rock of security and comfort. I have felt for you all kinds of love at once. I have asked much of you and you have never failed me. You have intensified all colours, heightened all beauty, deepened all delight."
- Duff Cooper 1918

You have been my strength in times of weakness, the shining beacon in the darkness. Ever true and faithful, kind, patient, loving, and tender. Things have been so very difficult, and yet you have never given up on me. You give me constant encouragement, support and selfless service. Words can never tell you what you mean to me or express the deep gratitude in my heart. You are the most precious gift I have been given.

Thank you. I love you.

BE THANKFUL IN ALL THINGS

"Be thankful for the smallest blessings, and you will deserve to receive greater. Value the least gifts no less than the greatest, and simple graces as especial favors. If you remember the dignity of the Giver, no gift will seem small or mean, for nothing can be valueless that is given by the most high God."
- Thomas a Kempis

TIME TO CATCH UP...

I will be hopefully taking some time soon to get all of our posts caught up from this very busy month. There has been so much that has happened, so much to share.

For now, looking forward to the new year I want to share something I have read recently that seemed to hit home for me. I have been reading a set of wonderful books that seem to be filled with the perfect things that I need right now...this was one of them.....

"Suppose for a moment that God began taking from us the many things for which we have failed to give thanks. Which of our limbs and faculties would be left? Would I still have my hands and my mind? And what about loved ones? If God were to take from me all those persons and things for which I have not given thanks, who or what would be let of me?"
- Patrick Henry Reardon

I am not planning to make any new resolutions except for this one - to do one little thing - say "thank you" as often as I possibly can. To show and tell my gratitude for all things little or big. To show my gratitude to all those around me through words and works. If I can do this one little thing, all year, it will be a great accomplishment.

As we look back on all that we have been blessed with, and forward to all that we will be blessed with, I hope that our gratitude to Heavenly Father, the Savior, and to all those around us will be always be in our hearts and minds. I know I am going to do my best to make sure it is in mine.

LOTS GOING ON

Well, photography has been keeping me pretty busy the last few weeks. I will put a short post here, but please be sure to go check out my photo blog to see all the fun I have been having recently. I have been playing with lots of new techniques and special projects as well as regular shoots for clients. I have learned a lot and keep on learning. There is just so much to know and do and I expect that this next year will hold lots of adventure in this department!

This next week is going to be crazy busy. Preston will be traveling, there are THREE music concerts, plus tons of extra appts for me and colton. I am sure there will be plenty of adventure to blog about next week, so be sure to stay tuned! I will post more then!

GO PANTHERS! UH, I MEAN BEAVERS! UH.....

Ceana has discovered football this year via participating in the high school pep band. She is loving this side of being in high school and all of the fun it has brought. This first pict is of ceana and her best friend Ana. It was the morning of the CHS Homecoming Pep Rally. I painted both the girls faces before they left for school. They were both all dressed in red and black (school colors) and they were literally jumping off the walls because they were so excited to attend their first homecoming activities. The pep band played at the ralley and other activities and the game that week.
The Panthers made it into the playoff round, much to everyone's surprise and excitement. The kids bundled up with extra layers to stay warm with our freezing temps and went out and had a blast playing music and watching the game. Preston took these on his new cell phone - not too bad....and I was thrilled to know he had gotten some so we could journal this for ceana

Ceana had me take this pict of her the night of the OR Civil War (OSU vs UofO) Because Preston graduated from OSU, we naturally hip and hooray for the Beavers. We were all saddened at their loss this year - esp that it meant losing to the Ducks, AND losing the PAC 10 championship, AND losing their chance to get to the Rose Bowl - yikes! We will look forward seeing what bowl game they do get to, and to a great season next year! GO BEAVS!

LITTLE MISS CHATTY KATHY

This little girl is just too smart for her britches. She is constantly watching all of us and apparently sucking it all in, including watching us talk on the phone. Kels is our little miss "sticky fingers", and the big kids are constantly being reminded to pick up and put away their school things so Kels doesnt get them. Well, one of the big girls' big monster scientific calculators got left out and Kels helped herself to it. When we all realized she was using it as a phone I got out the camera and just started quietly following her around.....
She LOVES buttons, and was more than happy to "dial up" whoever it was she thought she needed to talk to....
She was really having quite the conversation with herself - wish we had a video camera to capture all her antics....
Apparently whatever she or "the other person" said was uproariously funny....I was in hysterics trying to get the pict. I have almost an exact copy of this pict of Caiden about this age...every time I even think about those picts - and now this one - I laugh hysterically!

She got very serious for awhile, and the chattering she did on her "phone" went on for quite some time. Wish I could have heard that conversation and understood it all!

Way to multi-task - you go girl! She spent quite a bit of time walking and talking - boy is she learning it all early.....(dont you just love those pants she has on...they were kaeli's until a couple of years ago...they really do fit her around her middle, just a bit long, but probably not for long!)

OH, SOOOOO TIRED

Both Ky and Kels have pretty much stopped taking naps....which leads to some very tired and often very cranky kiddos by the end of the day. We usually try to do dinner early (5-ish) so we can get night jobs or homework finished. This last week or so though the kids have not even made it through dinner...
Every once in awhile I let the kids have a "picnic" in the TV room. The boys came in to tell me they were done so I went to check on kels - and this is what I found....she was totally out. Much to my dismay though, when I tried to move her to her bed she woke up. She thought she had had a power nap and was up for hours after that....


Ky has been in a "toast and choc milk" stage - at least we have moved from the only choc milk stage - he was running around crazy when I finally got him to come to the table and eat. I walked away for a few minutes and came back to him totally zonked. I think he did get through 1 piece of toast.....thankfully he was so out that he didnt wake back up and he was done for the night.

Sometimes the only way I get Ky to stop is to gather his blankets and pillow. I had separated everyone one day to just get everyone to chill out for awhile. He finally stopped for about 2 minutes and was totally out. He took a good long nap which helped a ton for us to get through an extra crazy day.

QUESTION: WHAT NOW?

Answer: I don't know....

After many sleepless nights filled with anxiety and dread my sleep study has come and gone.

I wish I could say things went well. The only thing that I guess went well enough was that we were able to rule out severe sleep apnea. I did have some slight breathing concerns, but not big enough to do anything about it. The other good thing was that I was again given the very kindest, nicest, sweetest nurses and technicians ever. That has been a true blessing each time I have needed to go to the hospital for anything.

I spent a mostly sleepless night at the sleep center. At least it felt that way to me. Their results actually clocked me with 6 hours of sleep. I cant even remember the last time I had that much sleep in one night. Even though those 6 hours were interrupted multiple times, it still left me with too much energy to complete the needed REM tests that they held me another 8 hours to do...and they ended up sending me home early with no further information to work with.

I am now just waiting for a phone call from the dr office to schedule a follow up appt. Not sure how far out that will be, or even if we get there, there will be anything that can really be done.

The disappointment was so overwhelming that I cried all the way home from the hospital. It is just one more, on the ever growing list, and I have lost the ability to hold back the tears.

At this point, we are right back to where we started. Still doing everything possible, but with no results and no answers. I really dont know what will come next....only the unknown.