Up On The House Top

I was looking through our December pics and came across these...

The first of December was an unseasonally warm day and Carl had the day off so he decided to put the Christmas lights up. I was gone and came home to find not only my husband on the roof but all four of my children having a little party several feet off of the ground. They reminded me of the chimney sweeps in Mary Poppins. Was this the safest place to play? No, but they made some fun memories and I'm sure will talk about it for years to come...

"Remember when Dad let us play on the roof when he was putting up the Christmas lights?" "Ya, that was fun and we're so lucky we didn't fall off and break our necks!"

Luke's Heart

Our lives have been blessed to have had a glimpse into the short life of Luke. Luke is the nephew of our very good friends. (our friends from Omaha that couldn't live without us and followed us out West :) He was born with a congenital heart disease February 9, 2006. Luke had a heart transplant in November. In this picture he is just days out from his transplant excited to finally eat real food after having been on a feeding tube for so long. The past two months have been full of ups and downs for this guy and his sweet family. Yesterday Luke passed away. The strength and testimony of his parents has been amazing.

Here is an excerpt from their care page...

"I put on some hymn music in the background. John annointed Luke's head for a blessing and Troy gave him the blessing with John and Ryan. The blessing said that he fulfilled his mission and has touched many peoples lives and released him unto our Father in Heaven. They had been clamping the ecmo, took out his breathing tube, gave him more sedation meds, and put him into my arms. I held him in my arms for a couple of hours visiting with doctors and nurses and those I mentioned before. We also got hand prints, foot prints, molds of his hand and foot, and locks of hair. As he left this mortal life I believe in Christ was playing followed by I know that my Redeemer lives. My faith and testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ reassures me that I will see Luke again. Families can be together forever and this brings me the peace to carry on."

I know that our family is one of many who have been deeply effected by Luke's story. I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to truly know that families can be together forever. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Sulley family.

Luke's heart has touched ours forever!

Sorry - No Picture For This One...

Carl had to work Sunday morning. Savannah woke up early and was snuggling in bed with me when she reached over and pulled my pajama top down. I asked her what she was doing and the conversation went like this...

SK: "I just wanted to see if you still had milk in your boobies."
Me: "Nope, no more milk since I stopped nursing you."
SK: "Why does your boobie look like that? It folds kind of flat."
Me: "That's what happens when you nurse four babies."
SK: "It looks weird." She has crawled out of the bed and over her shoulder she says, "Maybe you should think about filling your boobies up with milk again."

Thanks once again little one for boosting my self confidence. In less than a week - my mothering and now my body image. I just keep remembering what my sister Jenni once told me. Something about flat chests being very vogue!

Bam It!

Recent conversation with Savannah:

Me: "What did you just say Savannah?"

SK: "I said Bam It."

Me: "Um, that kind of sounds like another word that's not a really good word. Maybe we shouldn't say it."

SK: "Well, actually it is a good word."

Me: "What does it mean?"

SK: "It's the word you use when things just don't work out like you want them to. You just say BAM IT!"

If she only knew how often I could be saying, "Bam It, Savannah!"

My Sisters Keeper

Morgan was born the year after Carl went back school and it was "our plan" to wait to have anymore children until after Carl finished Grad School. Fortunately, we listened to the quiet promptings that allowed Savannah Kate to come into our lives at a time that was really crazy and we were really poor. When Savannah was 18 months old and shortly before Carl graduated I had to have a hysterectomy. When I watch Morgan and Savannah together I am so grateful that in this instance I got it right. They are truly the best of friends and have been since we brought Savannah home from the hospital. They are only two years apart and there has never been a moments jealousy. They always have each others back.

They help keep each other honest.

For example: Yesterday...

Me: "Morgan, what happened to your toe?"

Morgan: "Nothing."

Savannah: "Yes sir, you wrote on it with a marker."

Morgan: "No I didn't."

Savannah: "Morgan, its not good to lie. Yes you did."

Me: "Morgan, tell me the truth did you color your toenail?"

Morgan: "I didn't."

Savannah: "Yes she did. Morgan you need to tell the truth."

Me: "Savannah, did you see her color her toenail?"

Savannah: "Look at it mom its her handwriting!"

Morgan quickly fell apart and couldn't tell us why she didn't tell the truth but that she was very sorry.

Right now as I write this I can hear them playing in their room together. What could be better than a sister that is not only your best friend but your conscience as well!

Father Like Son

My little boy is turning into a young man that is every bit as good as his dad. Last night Tanner had a friend over after school he stayed for dinner and then I took them to the theater so they could see the movie Mall Cop. I dropped them off and told them I couldn't imagine it being sold out but that I was going to run into Bath & Body before I went home and for them to call me if it was. I drove around to the other side of the mall and reached Bath & Body at the same time Tanner did. He looked a little like he was going to be sick. I asked if the movie was sold out and where his friend was. Tanner said they had gotten into line right behind a group of kids from school and one of their uncles was buying tickets to Gran Torino and did they want tickets. Tanner's friend said yes and Tanner said I will see you guys all later. I wanted to scoop this kid up in my arms even though he is bigger than me. On the way home he said I think I had one of the strongest spiritual experiences I have ever had tonight. Every part of me said you can't go to that movie its rated R and than a voice said your mom is here go find her. I am so proud of him and his desire to do the right thing. How easy for him to have just gone to the other movie - we would have never known but Tanner has figured out something that took me well past thirteen to figure out... He would know and more importantly his Heavenly Father would know. Last night I looked up to my son in more ways than one!

Husband Tagged

Catching up on my blog and reading everyone elses I found that I had been husband tagged and didn't know it. So here is everything you may or may not have wanted to know about my sweetheart...

5 things he loves:
1. Projects that he can design, plan & do all of the work
2. Spicy food
3. College football

4. Rock Climbing
5. Doing the right thing

5 things on his to do list:
Just in the past six months Carl has done 2 things that have been on his list for a long time...

1. Fishing in Alaska (July)

2. Visit Maine in the Fall (October)

3. Open his own practice

4. Build shelving in Krista's craft room

5. There is always Bishop stuff on his list

5 foods he enjoys:
1. Oreo cookies w/ a big glass of whole milk

2. A good steak dinner

3. Nerds Blizzard

4. Spicy (He & Tanner just did the spicy burrito challenge at a local Burrito joint and it was nothing - so hot they made them sign a release!)
5. Anything that I cook (so he says)

5 things you might not know about him:
1. He has never yelled at me in fifteen years

2. He stresses about his student loan debt

3. He has never seen a rated R movie

4. He snores if he is sleeping on his back

5. He is a hobby photographer and especially loves taking pictures of flowers

5 places he's lived:
1. Provo, Utah

2. North Edwards, California

3. Wenatchee, Washington

4. Pullman, Washington

5. Omaha, Nebraska

5 quirky things about him:

1. He talks with his hands - infact I don't think he can talk without them

2. He is really organized & clean except for his dresser and car

3. He can't stand ketchup & feels very strong about it

4. If he is working on a project he lays in bed & can't sleep thinking about it

5. He is so good, patient, kind - no drama with this boy - it's actually a little quirky!

5 people to tag:
Anyone who I would tag has already done it - but if you haven't - Go for it.