Sometimes Life Just Isn't Fair...

Some of you all know what has been going on this week...some don't. Instead of re-writing the whole story I am putting a link to my sister's (in-Law) blog. She explained it well. My feelings to a T.

Myca's Blog

This was hard for the whole family. We know him better than anyone, and know this was NOT a fair judgement by ANY means. But, sometimes life just isn't fair. It is all part of the plan. This affects all of us a little differently. Ryan had to be in the middle of it all, Mom and Dad...well that's obvious, for Collin and I it just causes a lot of confusion. We had made our decision to move there and felt really good about it... then something like this happens and you question everything. It is definitely scary. We don't know where the Lord wants us right now. I guess all we can really do is have faith, pray and wait to see where he brings us. It has been a long stressful, tear-filled week, but in the end we have what is important. Each other.

I love you Dad, you're one of the most amazing men I have EVER met.

Proof

I have a lot of friends who think that Makenna never cries. She really is a sweet, and for the most part, quiet baby. But, she DOES cry! Here is my proof... this proves how awful she has been feeling this last week. Yesterday, I could do NOTHING to console her... she just sat (rolled, flailed, etc...) and cried like this for almost 45 minutes. It was SO sad.

(it's another phone video, sorry the quality is so poor)

P.S. She still has diarrhea, so she is going back to the Doc in a few hours...and I am bringing a poopy diaper. Awesome...

Poor Baby

Poor Makenna has had such a rough couple of weeks. Last week she had the whole chicken pox fiasco, which she actually got over pretty quickly without much drama. She was doing well from about Monday until Thursday. On Friday, I noticed she was running a bit of a fever and started having diarrhea. The poor baby has had it EVERY diaper change SINCE (that is including me getting up in the middle of the night for poo-up-the-back diaper changes). That is already 5 days, and it doesn't seem to be letting up. Of coarse, along with nasty diarrhea and a baby comes... DIAPER RASH! My poor little monkey has the WORST diaper rash I have ever seen. I feel SO terrible when it comes time to change her because as soon as she even SEE'S a diaper and wipes she takes off and starts screaming. Today she started not taking her bottle. Formula is usually the one thing she will ALWAYS drink. Nada. The only thing I have convinced her to drink today was a juice box (I know, I know, not the best). I am just starting to worry she will get dehydrated. I hate feeling so helpless. Anyway, I made home made wipes today so hopefully that will help. I also got cortizone and triple-paste for her little tush. I guess now I just keep my fingers crossed that we're at the end of this and things will clear up... If it's not done by Thursday, the doctor wants me to bring her back and run a culture (of her diarrhea)...FUN!

Final Answer

We have made a decision. It's been a long, and stressful process, but we have decided that after graduation in May we will be moving to Moses Lake Washington. As most of you read in a previous post I am having seriously mixed emotions about it. I am really sad that (at least for now) we will be so far away from my family and old friends. At the same time, I feel SO blessed that I love my in-laws just as much as I love my own family. I am excited to see what the future there brings us, and I look forward to being with that side of the family more than we have been able to since we got married. Thank you all for your prayers and support...I know there are only more trying times ahead in the next year or so and I only hope that we are as blessed in this decision as we have been in our decision to move here, to South Dakota. We really are gonna miss it.

Oh man, I almost forgot to give a shout out and a HUGE thank you to Nena and Ryan (and Doug and Connie, since it is their house)who offered to let the 4 of us move in with them and add to the chaos. We are so grateful to have such wonderful siblings who are willing to put up with us for however many months this may be. You guys are the best and Marlee can't wait to be "sisters" with Hendrix...she asks every day if we can move to Washington yet. We love you guys.

Maybe Next Week...

Well, once again only two of us made it to church today. Makenna had been acting funny last week, just not really herself. She wasn't sleeping real well, she was a little more irritable and wasn't even eating/drinking normally. I brought her into the Dr. and he said he thought she might be having a reaction to her Chicken Pox vaccination. He said, if this is what it was then right around 2 weeks she may actually break out in a rash/get some chicken pox. Well, yesterday (two weeks after the vaccine) we noticed a little bit of a rash spreading over the trunk of her body. Poor thing, so naturally, I left her home today with Collin, even though they told me they didn't think she would be contagious. On the bright side, Marlee gave her first Prayer in PRIMARY. It was cool, she did so well and wasn't even the slightest bit scared. It was a "proud mom" moment. I love her so much. We snagged a couple of pictures before we left in the outfit Auntie Jenn sent her for Christmas, as promised. Thanks Jenn she looked so cute! (Well, at least until she ripped giant holes in her brand new pink tights in the first hour...) Maybe next week they will finally wear their Christmas dresses...

My Sunbeam

Yesterday was Marlee's first week in Primary (or cry-mary as she calls it). I didn't get any pictures of her leaving for church because well, I had been barfing and really didn't even think of it. It is such a momentous occasion though. My "baby" is a Sunbeam! It seems crazy to me that I am old enough to have a child that will be singing obnoxiously loud in the primary program this year, or embarrassing me when she gets up to give a scripture or prayer and runs away scared. I am so excited to see how she does being with the "big kids". I can believe she is a "big kid". I love her so much and she has SUCH a wacky little personality. I really hope she can start to learn more about our Savior and what church is really all about, now that she doesn't get snack time anymore. I will get some pictures up next week, hopefully my girls will get to wear their "Christmas dresses" on Sunday. Between my surgery, Nana leaving last Sunday, church being cancelled, and all of us being sick, we haven't all been together for over a month!

Life...Stress...Prayers...

OK, this is a REALLY hard post for me to write. I have been a TOTAL stress case this last week (and no, it's not just because of the drugs). Our plan until now has been like 90% sure that we were going to move back to Colorado and take the BAR there. But, the last month or so we have both started having some feelings that maybe that is not the best plan for our family right now. It breaks my heart to think that I may be the only daughter away from my mom and dad, the only auntie away from all me nieces and nephews, and my girls the only cousins to never be around (really, you have NO idea... tears are streaming down my face as I type this). That being said, with the economy right now and everything else, we feel like our best chance to get some good job experience may be to move to WA. The good thing, is that we found out that there is reciprocity from WA to CO, meaning, that if he passes the WA BAR and works there for a few years, it would be possible for him to transfer to CO and practice there as well. This is not a SURE thing, but we are leaning this way. We are praying every day for guidance as to what would be the best move for our little family. I know this will disappoint a lot of people(and I am SO sorry for that), and make a few others thrilled. We just ask that you all give us as much support as you can and pray for us that we can have the strength to do what will be best for us as a family. We love you all.

I'm OK!

Just a quick update for those of you who know that my mom left yesterday and I wanted to die. Ok, not really, but kind of. I just wanted to let you all know that I am alive and well. The girls let me sleep in a little this morning, and so far so good. I am still feeling a little out of it, and they told me this morning they think it is just because of the drugs. My neck actually hurts worse than my face at this point! Hopefully Collin won't be at school ALL day today. Thank you all for the concern.. I am ok!

Big Girl

Kenna had a nice birthday this year. I am still out of it, she has an ear infection and Marlee has conjunctiveitis. So, we kept it really low key. My mom is here helping with the girls and the house while I am still under the weather so it was just our little family and her. Kenna LOVED her cake, as you can see she completely demolished it. There was nothing left of it but mush when we got her out of her chair. Besides that, she had started chucking it around the room, even hit my mom with a handfull in the back of the head...woops, sorry Nana.

She had her 1 year doctors visit today and everything looks good. She has hit all the important milestones she needs to and is ahead in some things. They aren't worried about her teeth yet, they say it is genetic. I was a late teether and so was Marlee.
She is in the 75% for weight and the 50% for both height and head.

I just love that at the end of the day, even though she is one, she is still my baby.

Surgery Update

Ok, so here are the promised pictures. I don't know how much this will mean to any of you unless you know what it is you are looking at. It may just look gross.

So the top left is my left maxillary that was completely walled off. The top right is the right one, apparently Collin tells me the right one was closed off as well...didn't know that. Not anymore! And now for the picture right when I got home. (I had only been awake for like 2 hours and the anesthesia was still kicking my butt! I could barely keep my eyes open...don't really even remember having this taken!)

I really don't look THAT bad (at least compared to last time!). They had already taken off the drip pad and everything, so I didn't even have to have anything stuck to my face when I left. It was great, I remember feeling so claustrophobic after the first surgery with the splints and everything. I am a little swollen under the eyes and over my nose, but other than that, no real bruising or anything. The hospital called to check up on me yesterday, and the lady said it sounded like I was really lucky and healing really well. They even gave me a cool new Lewis and Clark Specialty Hospital t-shirt! I knew this surgery would be good for something!

Not a "Baby" Anymore

(A couple pictures from today in her birthday dress)
Well, today is Kenna's first birthday. It is so hard for me to believe that a year ago RIGHT this very minute, I was in so much pain trying to get her here. We didn't even know who she was. Now, we can't imagine life without her. She is such a gentle little girl. Ever since her first day in our family, we have known she was special. She never cried, always wanted to cuddle, and was always so patient when she needed something. She still is a lot of those things, but she has definitely gotten more of a personality these last few months. Here is the low down with her:

-Still NO teeth, nope not one...

-Done nursing

-Crawling really well

-Pulls up and walks along furniture, but not alone

-Says and knows "Mama", "Dada", "Nana", "Papa" and "Mar mar"

-Signs for milk

-Weighs 21 lbs.

-Her favorite game is peek-a-boo

-Usually still naps twice a day (If we're home)

-Sleeps through the night sometimes.... maybe 50% these days

-Does NOT like getting her diaper changed

-Still eats everything

-Loves to dance

I will post some birthday pictures tomorrow, but I just wanted to make sure I did an actual "birthday" post. I am so thankful for my sweet little girl and all the joy she brings to our family! Happy first birthday baby Kenna!!!

***She has her 1 year appointment tomorrow, so I will post some more stats and pictures afterwards. I will probably also put up some surgery pics tomorrow. Happy New Year Everyone!***