I don't have very many of these (my grandmother would be disappointed!), but this one I found really worked! If you need an ice pack, fill a large ziplock with 3 cups of water and 1/2 cup salt. Let it freeze and voila! You have a perfect ice pack that is slushy.
So, for Memorial Day this year we decided to actually act like a normal family and do something together. I, of course, forgot the camera, so you just get other people's pics to help embellish the story. We went to Boulder City, about 15 minutes from our house to a park there. For some reason it is very different than Vegas. I think it is because there are nice big trees and lots of grass. It was just so fun to play in some grass! We flew the girls Backyardigans kite-- it was perfect kite flying weather! The girls were so cute running down the grassy hill trying to keep the kite up. We also had a little picnic lunch there at the park.
So, I actually survived-- and more importantly, Baby survived. We made it through over 4 hours of surgery. And the anesthesia didn't seem to bother me as much this time. The pain was bad, of course, but seemed to subside pretty quickly. I guess the break was worse than the doc could see from x-rays, so I have even more hardware in my arm than expected. I think the total is 3 plates, 17 screws and 4 pins (including previous surgery). You should see the x-rays of my arm-- I look like some robot or something. Oh, and of course I am going to have two VERY large scars on my elbow/arm.
Baby did great! The doctor said they all enjoyed listening to the baby's heartbeat during the surgery-- and I got to wake up to the sound of her little heart!!! Yeah!!! Now, my biggest chore is getting to all of my appointments. I average about 4 appointments a week for the next 7 weeks-- or until the baby comes!!! Finding babysitters and cars to borrow-- what a chore!!! But, I suppose we will make it through. . . eventually!
Okay, so every once in a while my kids do something that makes me feel like I must be doing something right as a mom. They don't happen very often, so I thought I would share the latest.
Kira and Kamber were in their room building with blocks and Kira runs out of her room (ever the little informant) and says, " Mom, Kamber is building a really big wall for Samuel to stand on!" Oh, what joy filled my heart to know that our inconsistent family home evenings are sinking in at least a little bit. . .
An email sent to me a while back that I loved:
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
My confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat. Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to. In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?" In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing? Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it...no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in. My Best Regards.
Honestly and respectfully, Ben Stein
Okay, so, life just seems to be throwing more and more at us. . . First, I had four appointments in one week and no car. Then, on top of asking someone to borrow their car, I had to ask if they would also watch my sick children (why do kids always get sick at the most inconvient times?). Then I find out I need to have surgery on my arm, hip-hip-hooray. And on top of all this, Brandon gets the stomach flu and can hardly move. I think we have now made it through all the sickness (pray that the girls don't start throwing up!). And thank heavens for the Castle Ridge Ward! What wonderful people I have helping us! The day after I broke my arm, I had two people offer to take my kids, two people offer to clean my house and two people offer to make us dinner. Wow! Thank you all for your wonderful example! I hope that I can learn to be more like you and serve more selflessly!
It has suprised me how easy it has been for me to see the blessings we are receiving while going through all of this. On a normal day, it is easy for me to whine about how difficult life is and how unfair it seems at times, and then something big happens and all I can do is think of how blessed we are. Crazy, huh? I mean, if you are going to break your arm while pregnant and need surgery, I would definetly recommend breaking it at 7 months. It is late enough in the pregnancy that you can have anesthesia and cat scans, etc, and the baby will be okay, but early enough that you can be mostly recovered by the time the baby comes. Also, I am so glad it is my left arm, and not my right. How thankful I am that we have good insurance through all of this. And we have a reliable car, and I have such good girls that help me, and the list goes on!
As blessed as I feel, I still hope that there is some nice, bright sunshine after this downpour of our life!!!!
This evening, as I was returning from taking the trash out, I ran into Acadia Wynn. She looked at my arm carefully, than asked, "How is your arm doing?" She was so sweet and concerned. Then she asked why I would fall down. I asked her if she ever tripped and fell down. She said no, only sometimes. I then started up my stairs and she called out, "Bye!" It was the cutest encounter, I just couldn't resist sharing. Great job, Brad and Danielle at teaching her to really care for others! I could see her sincere concern in her big eyes!
After several requests, I finally have a picture of me at 7 months pregnant, with a fractured elbow. Just darling, right? (Rolling my eyes.)
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