Fun-packed Memorial Weekend

It was a fun Memorial Weekend having lots of family around and lots of fun activities. It wasn't really as fun for Kristine because she can't do much, but she enjoyed watching everyone. I had my last chemo on Friday and it went okay. I slept during it and after. Saturday I had a pretty good day, but for some reason on Sunday I had some kind of an anxiety attack and it was pretty hard on me. I haven't felt well the last few days either. This chemo treatment definitely has been my hardest to deal with. I have been pretty sick, but I am trying to fight my way through it! Being with family made my weekend happier. Austin blowing out the candles on his birthday cake. It was a yummy layered ice cream cake that Rakel made. She also brought cupcakes for share.

Sunday Dinner and Austin's 3rd Birthday. Here they are celebrating, Austin, Todd, Rakel & Alayna.

Casey & Nichole join the party too!

Chad, Melinda & Mikell eating Sunday Dinner.

I love this photo of Austin getting his free Birthday ice cream treat! What joy! Cade & Alayna watch from behind. Friday they had a party at Pirates Pizza and I had to add this darling photo with Austin & Mikell with their Pirates' hats on.

Sunday we all got together to celebrate Austin's birthday. He already opened his presents at his house but had a few here at Grandma & Grandpa's house. We can't believe he is 3 years old!

Mikell also had fun swimming in Grandma & Grandpa's swiming pool. Mikell loved her first boating trip and didn't want to get off the boat when the day was over. Grandpa Gardner was her good buddy on the boat.

Cade & Neil tubing on Saturday, the weather was windy so they were mostly only able to go tubing.

Happy Birthday Kurt!

How could I dare post on my blog today and not mention the importance of the day!!! Kurt Wayne Gardner was born this day 20 years ago!! I don't know if Kurt ever looks at my blog, but if he does ...Kurt we are thinking about you today and hoping you are having a great birthday out their in the Dominican Republic. We love you!!

Father & Sons Outing '09

Here is Cade swimming in the pool fed by the natural spring water.

Neil & Stockton play in the river that goes through the property. They boys said that playing in the river was the most fun.

This last weekend was Father & Sons Outing and our Ward went to a really cool place down by Moapa, Nevada called Warm Springs. The Church owns the property and I guess a misionary couple oversees the area. Brent said it was this little valley oasis out in the middle of the desert. There is a natural spring that empties into a swimming pool. They had a nice grassy area to pitch their tents. They had a great time! Above is a photo of Neil and his friend Stockton and the background is a snapshot of the area.

Found some photos finally!

Casey has a birthday May 1st. Nichole has a fun party for him in their basement apartment. Doesn't he look thrilled!?!

Nichole graduates with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education Magna Cum Laude from Dixie College. I missed the graduation (sadly) but Casey & Brent were there to support her.

Above: Neil playing in the Church Regional Basketball Tournament. Unfortunately it is blurry but their team did really well and barely lost in the final championship game.

Above: You can see Troy, Amy, and Nichole in background and Neil & Casey mugging for the camera.

Below: Fun night out at Pirate Island Pizza. Here is Casey, Neil & Cade...they found video games!

When Troy & Amy came to visit, Amy promised her brother they would go check out Pirate Island Pizza (a client of his). So Brent, Troy, Amy, Casey, Nichole, Neil, & Cade met Todd and Austin there. Rakel stayed home with Alayna because she was sick, and of course I had to stay home. Anyway, they had a great time!

Here is Cade playing the chimes in the 6th grade Band Concert. The song is the theme song from Halo.

Oops I messed up!

I meant to just preview my last post and totally didn't know what I was doing and got all messed up and so I ended up posting my post instead of editing it, so it doesn't make any sense with the title because all I talked about was Kurt and not about the hospital but now I will do that!

My post before I was so happy about being home and hoping to be on the mend, however on Saturday May 1st I started getting sick again and ended up in the Emergency room on Sunday May 2nd. The cdif bactieria came back and luckily we got over to the hospital early enough this time and so they only had me in the hospital until Wednesday May 6th. I was pretty discouraged to have to go back again, but it did help to get me well quicker. In fact, I wasn't feeling really great on Thursday after I came home and wondered if I had come home a little too early. Slowly I am doing better. I am really tired this time and so spending a lot more time in bed, but able to get up to do laundry, ironing and a little housework. The doctor put me on a much stronger antibiotic and so hopefully it will kill that bacteria for good! Also, the nutritionist has me drinking Danactive 3 times a day (which is really hard because it hurts so bad to swallow, but I am doing it). The Danactive is supposed to be building the good bacteria in my digestive tract.

I had a great Mother's Day! I actually slept in until almost noon while the family went to church. Brent fixed a big Turkey Dinner for the family and we had Todd, Rakel, Austin & Alayna over for dinner and the evening. Casey & Nichole spent part of the day with us and part with the Nuttalls. The kids all gave me wonderful and fun gifts and we had fun visiting and talking to Kurt. I still can't believe I didn't even think once to take a photo of any of the day. I feel bad about that.

I am happy I can enjoy Mother's Day...I didn't always like Mother's Day because I had insecurities about my ability as a mother and didn't always feel deserving of it all. So my perspective has changed...blame it on the cancer, or blame it on my age! I am so happy to be a mother! I love it and hope I can still mother my children for many more years! I am so grateful for the wonderful mother who gave birth to me and she was such a great example of motherhood for me. I miss her dearly. I am also grateful for Mom Gardner (Brent's mom). She is an amazing lady, so full of love for everyone and so giving...I feel lucky to have such a great mother-in-law. Also, I love to think about my awesome daughter-in-laws! Rakel and Melinda are such great moms and I love to watch them with those beautiful grandchildren! (I know Amy & Nichole will be great moms too when they get the chance.) It was a great day, what would have made it perfect is if I could have attended church and if I could have eaten the great meal Brent made...all I got was Danactive and water! Oh well...next year!

Back from the Hospital Again

The power goes off and on for hours at a time. Here is Kurt trying to schedule their next day by candlelight. They also have to have mosquito netting over their beds and their study areas or they get bit like crazy. We loved talking to Kurt on Mother's Day!! He sounds great and is very happy! We talked longer than we were supposed to, but it is so hard because our family is so big and everyone wants to talk to him and Kurt wants to talk to everybody...and Kurt loves to talk! He said in his email to day that it really helped to buoy him up and it made him feel really ready to work hard again!

This is a photo of Kurt and his companion Elder Ogando (he is his first Dominican companion) at the baptism of Josefa. They have had quite a few baptisms lately, but it has taken a lot of work. So many of their investigators need to get married first and they had to help take care of that.