Full Release

We went to SLC Thursday for an appointment with Dr. Kubiak's NP.  He said Jeremy's leg was fully healed et gave him full release to return to normal activity as tolerated.  WHOOHOO!!!  To celebrate, we got tickets to a SL Bees baseball game (Jeremy doesn't know how to get his pic without some crazy face or sticking his finger up his nose)...

Other than the chilly breeze, we had a great time.  We made it to the 7th inning before the tight bend required to sit in the stadium became too much for Jeremy's knee... Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!

 Jeremy's "All-Star Dog"

My Momma

Isn't she beautiful?  She's amazing too.  She is one of my bestest friends ever!  I am one lucky girl. 

Some of my favorite things:

Special holiday meals:  She always made holidays special.  Valentines breakfast included a pink heart shaped waffle with cherry/strawberry syrup and cool whip, pink milk, and a treat special for each child by our plate.  Green pancakes, green eggs, green milk etc for St. Patricks.  A variety of colors, fake raw eggs (pudding and half a peach) for April Fools Day.  She always out does herself for Halloween... here is an example:

For Christmas, we would always have her "magic cocoa" before bed.  Hot cocoa, whip cream, sprinkles, and a candy cane stirring stick.  Our birthdays were a big deal.  We got to pick our favorite food for dinner... she would make us a special cake (our choice), and homemade ice cream.

She always took/takes time to make each child feel important.  It seems like a little thing, but when she would make big grocery trips, she would take turns letting us skip school to spend the day one-on-one with her.  I NEVER heard my mom talk about how excited she was for school to start or for us to go back to school.  She was always just as excited about days off school and summer break as we were.  Even yesterday she told me how excited she was for school to be out to have Levi home for the summer! 

How important the gospel and Jesus Christ are to her and her willingness to share her testimony with us.  My mom sees the Lord's hand in everything!  I hope I can have half her faith some day.  She made family prayer, family scripture study, and FHE a priority in our home.  I remember her et my dad frequently taking the day to go to the temple-showing us how important it was.

She always tried to make chores fun.  We would play clue and all sorts of other games to get the chores done.  My favorite memory was playing Mrs. Piggle Wiggle... that didn't work out so well though, cuz she would put one of us in the dungeon (root cellar), but we liked being in the dungeon (it meant we weren't doing chores)!

She was always willing to play with us.  Snow sculptures in the winter was a favorite.  We made all sorts of animals et she would put food coloring et water in a spray bottle so we could color our creations.

She always took time and still takes time to really talk to us. 

She still takes care of me... even though I'm 27!  For instance... this year Jeremy and I were doing in-vitro... Jeremy broke his leg right in the middle of it.  Mom came to SLC et went to appointments with me, and then came home with me et took care of me on bedrest... when Jeremy was able to come home from the rehab center she took care of us both for a week.  We COULD NOT have done it without her!

I love you SO much mom!  HAPPY MOTHERS DAY (even though it's a day late)!!!

Go Fish!

I am the Primary chorister in our ward, I was so scared when they asked me, but I can't think of a better calling... I LOVE this job!  Today we went fishing.  All the fish had songs on the back and if the kids sang the song well the fisherman/woman got to keep their fish if the song was iffy the fish-and-game (primary presidency) made them throw the fish back.  I was trying to give more kids a chance to fish, so along with the sea creatures, I made an old tire, a boot, and some seaweed (no songs attatched).  A little guy got the tire... he cried... I felt like a bully... I still feel like a bully... boo :(

How's Jeremy Doing?

He's doing good!  He has been back to work for a month... maybe six weeks.  Thank goodness he has a desk job et has been able to work!  He is still on crutches/walker... but is only two weeks away from the 3 month mark at which point he will be able to start walking on it... YAY!  For the most part his pain is pretty minimal, though he is finding storms hurt!  A couple weekends ago Crystal, Doug, et Levi came to visit, we were all outside et I guess Jeremy was feeling left out...

Good thing the 4-wheeler has a crutches rack!

New Bedding

So, Jeremy decided we needed a king size bed in our room... I was sure it would not fit.  I was wrong.  So, I went shopping for new bedding.  I am in love with gray and yellow right now.  I saw a set that I L.O.V.E.D., but it was 300 dollars (of course it's on sale for 200 today lol)... :(  Then, I found something similar... a duvet cover and shams for 41 bucks... I didn't have a duvet... but that was only 50 dollars from amazon, so for 1/3 of the cost I got a similar look (I actually like it better).  So, now I had the gray bedding, I needed to add the yellow.  I was initially going to make pillows out of an old yellow sheet I had (Jeremy bought them... at that time I thought he was crazy, it felt like we were going to bed on the yellow brick road!), then I was at the DI and found some lovely yellow burlap.  I've seen lots of cute pillows around blogland and have been anxious to make some of my own.  I took a cheap pillow, cut it in half to make 2 throw pillows. 

I had to hand ruffle the burlap as the thread kept breaking when I tried the machine method.  It was totally worth a bit of work.  I really love the shabbiness of the burlap.

Next, I made a big yellow burlap pillow with a monogram.  I cut the monogram out of dollar store shelf liner/contact paper with my silhouette, stuck it to the burlap and used gray acrylic paint... Easy peasy and I LOVE it!

Finally I found this adorable bow pillow tut over at Say Yes to Hoboken and fashioned some gray bow pillows.

I really like how it all came together... Whatchu think???

I so LOVE the monogrammed one... I want to make some more!!!  Now for the rest of the room... Is it too depressing to paint the whole thing gray?

Spring

OK, spring can start, I got my mantle done!!!  OK, it's not really a mantle, it's the top of the computer desk, and the top of a dresser, but it works for me!

I'm not 100% with the results, but I was allready super late, so it's gonna have to work for now, I'll keep working on it til I take it down... I do love the spring banner though (and my Cameo). Oh yeah, and the bird cage... $2 DI find... whoot whoot!

UPDATE:
OK, I fixed it... the basket with plant was too heavy... I like it better now!

DI Dream Come True

So, this DI trip started out like any other, walking around, looking for anything that might have makeover/crafting potential.  I was about to leave when I decided to go check out the lamps to see if there were any glass pieces that might work with my spring decorations.  Then I spotted IT.  I was SO excited!  I have seriously day dreamed about finding some sweet granny's jar of buttons... who knew it would be disguised as a hideous lamp!

I got so excited about saving these little treasures I didn't catch the true "before" photo... but you get the picture... I don't know if this is a 1 1/2 quart or 2 quart jar... (I don't can :()  But at any rate there are a lot of buttons!

And they scream vintage!  There are some gorgeous pieces in here...  Check out these beauts!

Are you jealous?  You should be!  Oh yeah... 3 bucks baby!!!

Happy Birthday Tuna!

Happy Birthday Utahna!  I LOVE you a million dill pickles!  You have been and always will be one of my best friends!  I feel so lucky to call you sister!  You are an amazing woman.  I am so thankful for your example.  I admire you and your family more than you could ever know!  You are an incredible mother... your babies are very blessed!  Hope your day is incredible, you deserve it!

  By the way... Can you imagine...???

The Easter Bunny Would Be Disappointed

So, yesterday I went to the store for bread and milk when the Easter isle got me.  I came home with all sorts of easter goodness including a bag of Jolly Rancher jellybeans (not as good as JellyBelly, but still delicious).  Today, I spent most of the day in the back bedroom listening to General Conference while I scrapbooked.  Jeremy spent the day in the captains chair.  When I came out tonight, this is what I found:

That's right, all the orange, green, and purple (my fav) jellybeans are gone!  I told him:

that this was completely improper jellybean etiquite.  He laughed.  I told him I was not impressed.  He said "I always eat m&m's one color at a time."  I informed him all the m&m's tasted the same, no matter the color on the outside.  He laughed.  Good thing I didn't leave these tasty morsels in his reach:

Seriously, these things are uh-mazing!  Oh dang... I just saw the 210 calories when I uploaded this pic... I hope that's not per piece... :s  I am in trouble!

I KNOW that my Redeemer lives...

A Del Parson piece... it is one of my most favorite pictures of the Savior.

Heartbreak, after an entire year of infertility treatments, IVF (in-vitro fertilization) was unsuccessful.  They drew my blood Monday for a pregnancy test, which was positive, but the quant HCG was very low.  The nurse called and told me that while I was pregnant, it was unlikely that the pregnancy would continue.  I asked Jeremy for a blessing, which like prior blessings admonished me to accept the Lord's will.  I knelt at my bedside and sobbed while pleading with my Heavenly Father for a miracle.  That night I started bleeding and knew it was not the Lord's will for me to have a child at this time.  Wednesday's blood test confirmed.  I was devestated!  I thought I didn't want to even think about babies!  But Tuesday night at work I took care of an 11 day old and I thought "I have got to get me one of these!"  I decided it was time to quit crying and figure out what to do next and started planning our next move.  I was thinking... this is the miracle I prayed for... the ability to move past the sorrow and accept the Lord's will for us.  Then, today in Sacrament meeting, they had a special musical number.  A sister sang, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives", I felt the spirit SO strongly and realized, Jesus Christ is my real miracle... my miracle every day.  The song touched my spirit so deeply and reaffirmed my testimony.  Jesus Christ lived for me, Jesus Christ died for me, and Jesus Christ lives again for me:

• He lives to bless me with his love. 
• He lives to plead for me above.
• He lives to silence all my fears.
• He lives to wipe away my tears.
• He lives to calm my troubled heart. 
• He lives all blessings to impart.
• He lives my mansion to prepare.  He lives to bring me safely there.

If I never have a baby in this life, I know that my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love me and are mindful of me specifically.  They know me.  They know my joys, and they know my struggles and sorrows.  They can see the whole picture.  They know what is best for me.  I am so blessed to KNOW that my Redeemer lives. 

The whole song.  It is beautiful:

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

I know that my Redeemer lives. 

What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, he lives, who once was dead.

He lives, my everliving Head.

He lives to bless me with his love. 

He lives to plead for me above.

He lives my hungry soul to feed.

He lives to bless in time of need.

He lives to grant me rich supply.

He lives to guide me with his eye.

He lives to comfort me when faint.

He lives to hear my soul's complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears.

He lives to wipe away my tears.

He lives to calm my troubled heart.

He lives all blessings to impart.

He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend.

He lives and loves me to the end. 

He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing.

He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He live and grants me daily breath.

He lives, and I shall conquer death.

He lives my mansion to prepare.

He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

He lives!  All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

The knee incident. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth... according to me.

So, Friday, the 17 of February about 1430 or so, I was in the house getting ready for work.  I could hear Jeremy ripping around the back yard on the 4-wheeler.  Then... my phone rang.  I couldn't get to it in time... it was Jeremy.  I tried to call him back, but the call got dropped.  My phone rang again.  Jeremy "babe, you gotta come help me, I'm hurt."  So being the good wife (and nurse) that I am, I leisurly walked around to the back of the house where I could see Jeremy lying on the ground.  "Babe, you gotta hurry, I'm hurt!"  What?  I didn't see any blood, and he was still talking!  So, I ran back to him where he told me his story.  He was going to park the 4-wheeler by the truck when the throttle stuck (a friend later came et looked et fixed it, the tension spring in the throttle broke).  To keep from hitting the truck he made a quick turn which caused the ATV to tip.  Well, instinct says a rolling 4-wheeler is no bueno, so he stuck out his leg to stop the 4-wheeler.  The weight et force of the ATV pushed his knee outward and he heard "a lot of popping and grinding."  So, apparantly right after the accident his leg was sticking outward, so he stood up and straightened it et then fell to the ground... where I found him.  We talked and he decided he should go to the hospital (it's true... at this point I thought he was being a weiner).  I work in the ER so asked if he was ok to just lie there while I finished getting ready (wife of the year... I know) and then I would just take him to work with me (I always threaten him about making me go to work on my day off, so he did ok).  He agreed if I hurried.  So I changed into my scrubs, didn't even put make-up on (sacrifice).  By the time I got back out there some neigbors were standing there et Jeremy had managed to stand up and lean against the truck.  He didn't think he could get around to the front seat, so insisted on riding to the ER on the tailgait of my truck (totally redneck huh? But it's only a block.).  When we got there I left him on the tailgait, went to check in et get a wheel chair.  I asked if we had any rooms open.  The day nurses said no and asked why.  I told them it was bring your husband to work day.  I told them I would just put him in the waiting room (yeah, I still thought he was being a weiner).  They told me to bring him to a trauma bay.  I assured them he would be OK in the waiting room... they insisted on the trauma bay.  So Mollie (my friend and RN) helped me get Jeremy and we brought him back where he struggled to get in a gown and on the bed.  But Mollie (or good nurse as Jeremy refers to her) hooked him up with an IV and some pain meds and Dr. Bradbury was in to evaluate et ordered x-rays (he scolded me for being mean to my husband et assured Jeremy that I was usually a very compassionate nurse).  This is what x-ray and subsequent CT scan revealed:

Okay, at this point I think it's possible he's not just being a weiner.  Dr. Bradbury told me Jeremy was going to need surgery.  After discussing it for a while, we decided to leave Vernal and try and get him in to an ortho specialist at Park City.  That was unsuccessful, so since I allready had to be at the University of Utah for our In-Vitro that week we decided to send him there (so glad he landed there!).  While waiting for a bed assignment in SLC, our bishop et Jeremy's friend Tyler came to the hospital and gave him a blessing.  What a comfort it was for both of us!  The one thing that really stands out to me was the promise that he/we would have no lasting physical or financial problems (both have been a real comfort several times through this whole ordeal!).

So, I didn't think that Jeremy needed an ambulance (neither one of us wanted to wait for one anyway).  So, we loaded Jeremy up with pain meds, then loaded him into the back seat of the truck (it's better than the tailgait) padded him with pillows, and headed for SLC.  We arrived just before MN.  It was a long night... waiting to hear about surgery, plus they cut his pain meds back significantly from what he was recieving in Vernal, so the pain was significant and uncontrolled.  Finally the next morning thanks to good nurses Sherry and Kris, pain meds got upped and Jeremy finally got some sleep.  At this point he still hadn't had anything to eat or drink since the accident... as we were still waiting to hear about surgery.  Finally we got some news.  Jeremy would go to the OR around 1930.  Here he is...

He got back to his room around midnight.  He was still pretty drugged, but you should have seen the cheesy grin that he got when Sherry, RN told him that after nearly 33 hours he could have some water... priceless!

14 1/2 inch surgical incision:

 Dr. Kubiak said it was a difficult surgery, but was pleased with how it came together.  3 plates, 12 screws, and 20 cc's of bone cement later:

Tuesday I was down eating lunch when Jeremy called panicked telling me to come to his room.  One of the reps from his insurance company had called et let him know that UofU was out of network et now that he was "medically stable" they would no longer pay for treatment at the U.  Although at this point he was drugged and unsure if they would pay for his surgery... Remeber that blessing?  This is one of the times where I am at peace and know that everything is going to be OK.  Well, the case manager from the U worked with the insurance who agreed to pay through Wednesday when they would arrange and pay for transfer to a skilled nursing facility (fancy for nursing home).  Wednesday a fellow with a super rickety stretcher that was not tall or wide enough for Jeremy (he kept looking at me like "you're really going to let them take me on this thing?) showed up et transfered Jeremy to Draper Care and Rehab.  The rig:

Jeremy spent the next week at the care center recieving physical and occupational therapy.  And, once again he had superb therapists, nurses, and CNA's.  I stayed Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night with him and then decided to come home Saturday as I was scheduled to work.  Boy was that hard to leave him there!  After one week Jeremy decided he had had enough and was discharged to home with home health.  Was sure nice for both of us to be reunited!  At this point I was on bedrest d/t the invitro... thanks a million to my mom who came and took care of both of us! 

We feel so blessed to have such amazing friends and family.  Thanks to all the doctors, nurses, therapists and aides, especially my ARMC family for taking such good care of Jeremy.  Thank you to all who came and visited, called, took care of our house and dog, brought meals, offered your time, sent flowers etc, etc.  WE ARE SO BLESSED to have each of you! 

Jeremy was unable to bend his knee for 2 weeks, but 1 month later he is up to 70 degrees (whoohooo!).  He is non weight bearing for 3 months which means it's a walker/crutches/wheelchair until May!  Overall he is doing really well and is going to try and go back to work (office job) Wednesday!