Pictures!

We went and got some pics done of the boys.. and a couple of family and maternity ones! Oh, and I'm 28 weeks!! (Which is always exciting to hit since that is "Ansel's week".)  Here's a few of them.. with a link to the rest..

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151451038130253.837647.576240252&type=3&l=4a44a185db

Eli's two!

Well.. time flies. Eli just turned two yesterday! We had a little family party for him in Springfield with some Aunts and Grandparents.. He's such a funny boy. He can have a very loud scream at times, but aside from that I just love this fun age he is at.  He's learning so much constantly and trying to be so independent, yet still loves to give me kisses and snuggle a lot. So glad he's a part of our family!!
He's still a bit of a momma's boy too (although he's becoming more of a Daddy's boy lately!) The other day I had my shirt up over my tummy watching baby Addilyn kick away, and he came over, said, "Hi baby Addie!" Then he gave my tummy a kiss and said "Bye bye baby!" .. covered my shirt back over my tummy and jumped up for some big kisses and hugs! (Almost like he was saying... "hello baby, but it's my turn with Mommy now!") So funny :) Love my boys! Ansel has had the week of for spring break.. it's nice having him here more!! I miss him now that he's in school all day!!! (whatever happened to just half day kindergarten!?)

Here's a couple more birthday pics:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151427940740253.834475.576240252&type=1&l=bd66ae8a89

Fast Forward..

Since we've been missing in action here.. thought I'd do a quick fast forward on the last SEVERAL months!!

• We had our 7th Anniversary in November
• My little sister had her first baby in November, so we have a cute new niece, Xaniyah!
  
• Ansel had his sixth birthday in December 
• I graduated from nursing school in December (YAY!! So glad to be done!) and accepted an RN position in ICU in Joplin
  
• I passed my NCLEX in January (so officially an RN)
• Ansel had his first surgery in January (amazingly he didn't have any after his birth).. he had strep 5 times this school year, so he ended up with a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy!
• Also in January.. WE FOUND OUT BABY #3 IS A GIRL!! (Yeah.. I haven't even been on here to announce baby #3! She was a bit of a surprise but we're excited! Due date is June 20th.. so I'm half-way there!)  I had a feeling it was a girl.. mostly because I've been far more sick than I was with the boys!! (I was sick with them.. but not like this time!) It's wearing off now thankfully, but it still has it's moments!!
• I guess that's a quick summary for now :) Here's a few pics: (and links to more pics!)
  

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151210608910253.806950.576240252&type=1&l=b808a34540

 http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151203601795253.805694.576240252&type=1&l=d85b5f7de9 

Growing up..

Eli at 17 months

Ansel's first day of Kindergarten!

Ansel's first art project at school

Well, my boys are just growing up too fast on me.  The two biggest things that happened in the past couple of months were Ansel starting Kindergarten, and Eli getting potty-trained (day-time).  Ansel has been pretty excited for school and so far is really enjoying it.  The first few weeks were a little rough though as he keeps getting sick.  The second week he woke up about 3 am one night and continually threw up about once an hour or so (needless to say he stayed home the next day!).  Then the third week, I got a call saying he had thrown up at school (in his class poor guy.. and teacher!) He told me he tried to catch it all in his hands but some got on the carpet (yikes!).  He's usually such a clean thrower-upper at home since he's been so used to it through the years.  I think his body is just adjusting (and building immunities) to a new environment. He went to preschool at the same school but it was just twice a week for a few hours.  This is Mon-Friday all day, so much bigger adjustment!!  He has always had such a sensitive stomach to the slightest changes anyway,  (stress, food, etc) and it seems to be getting the best of him!  THEN, later that same week, he said his throat was still hurting.  (He had said it was the day before, but since he had no fever I just assumed it was from all of the throwing up).  Well, the next day, when a fever started, I looked inside his throat and was pretty sure it was strep. (Sure enough, took him to the Dr. and it was). So he missed another two days that week!  Last week he made it to school all week (there was a holiday Monday) and so far has this week too.. so I'm crossing my fingers that it will start to go a little better! He's definitely getting a flu shot soon too, hoping to at least prevent one thing!!

There's also a couple of pictures of the boys and their bike helmets (being cute together!) They really almost look the same size sitting down, but when Ansel stands up he's still quite a bit taller (although Eli is catching up..weight wise, Ansel is 30 lbs. and Eli is close to 25.  Eli seems so big sometimes but really he is right at 50% on everything so he's right on target.  Ansel has consistently been right at the 3%, so it's good he's been consistent at least!) 

Luckily he seems to be over this phase though!

As for Eli and potty training, I truly was shocked with how well it went!!  I had been dreading it, (and really had no intention of starting it until after school got over since he doesn't even turn 2 until March anyway).  But one day he grabbed my hand and pointed at the potty, so I sat him on it.  Even though he didn't go then, I knew he was ready!  So (at 16 months old) we started potty training (daytime only). The first few days were of course filled with accedents, but seriously, he basically had it down by the end of the week (started on a Tuesday, and by Saturday I was able to take him on an outing for 5 hours and NO accidents!)  He only wears a diaper at bedtime since he rarely wakes up dry.  He still has occasional accidents (especially once he starts getting tired) but the majority of the time he goes anytime you take him.  We taught him a potty sign, but usually he just points at his underwear when he needs to go (so he can definitely communicate the need!) He also tries to say potty (although it sounds more like "paw-pi").  Signing has been fun with him too though.  One day he came over and signed medicine, so I asked him "Why do you think you need medicine? Does something hurt?" Then he pointed to his teeth and said, "teeth".  I just love the ages my boys are right now.  It's so fun watching them learn new things, (and Ansel always says the most hilarious things.. I really should do a whole post about that sometime..if only I was better about keeping up with this!  Nursing school finishes for me in December! I really do enjoy it, but I'm ready to be done and pretty excited to be in my final semester! Well, gotta get to bed.. the morning comes early!

There truly are no words...

     I have felt such overwhelming sadness the past week and a half. I've also seen so much hope.  When a disaster hits such as we got in Joplin, there is just no way to really convey it (and I wasn't even in Joplin when it hit, and didn't lose my home, car, or family members like so many of my friends have; nor did I have to witness the horrible scene of that first tragic night).  I live just outside of Joplin, but it is such a big part of our lives.  My husband works there, I am there at least several days a week, we have family that live there, our stake center was there, and we have been staying with Grandma and Grandpa there a couple of days a week (during school) while Grandma watches my boys for me so I can go to school and clinicals.

     That Sunday we were having dinner at my inlaws (in Carthage).  Nothing out of the ordinary. . we were so oblivious as to what was about to happen.  The tornado sirens went off, again, having grown up in the midwest, nothing unusual there.  We went to the basement until they were over and returned upstairs.  My sister-in-law and her husband were there as well (who live in Joplin also) and suddenly we begin hearing little reports that this store and that store on Rangeline had been hit by a tornado. (Again, still oblivious to what had really just happened.)  We turned on the TV as everything began to unfold.  When they displayed St. John's hospital, the hospital I've had clinicals at for the past two semesters, it began to hit how bad this was. (St. John's is not very close to the places we had heard got hit on Rangeline! Not to mention, the impact of losing one of the two main hospitals at a time like this! It is not very far at all either from the other main hospital, such a blessing one was spared.) I got on facebook to see statuses from several friends who (since they had their phones) were able to post that they had lost everything but were alive (and thankfully their children were too).  Then we got word the stake center was gone (and that some of our ward members had been in it when it happened but all inside were okay.) I immediately began to think of so many of my friends.  Many worked at St. John's, but those who worked at Freeman were deeply on my mind too.. as I knew this was likely going to be the most tragic night they would ever have to work.  At the end of this last semester, we took a test over prioritizing in a disaster. I remember wondering to what extent we would ever end up using it. (Although I knew it was necessary and very valuable to teach, you never think the big tragedy is going to hit your area). I just assumed we would hopefully only have to use it on a smaller scale, for minor disasters. It kind of hit how much more is involved in nursing (and the medical field in general)  than your day to day concerns.


        I worried too about whether or not some I knew were still alive.  I sat near my sis in law as she wondered if she would even have a home left to go back to (fortunately she did).  We waited to get word from Grandma and Grandpa as we were unable to get through to their phone lines (and had heard already reports of it hitting not all that far from them.)  I wondered if Cody's work was even still there (again.. it was not all that far from the damage)  The more things unfolded.. the more heartache (and worry for those I had not yet heard from) there was.  There is so much more I could say about that night, but suffice it to say, so much had changed for so many in just a few minutes. 

     Since then, my heart continues to ache with each tragic story conveyed (either on the news or from friends who worked that night, or friends who were there when it hit).  I got to help out one day with my nursing school at a triage center. There are so many more stories from people I talked to that day that just overwhelmed me.  We had many different supplies at that center as well.  I watched several people walk past kind of looking at everything. I went and talked to them, asking what I could get for them.  Many of them broke down, overwhelmed that they could get some of the very basic things they needed, for free. Some just needed a hug, a shoulder to cry on, and someone to tell their story to.  Again, there is more I could say about that day too. 

    Later in the week I went with my sister (from Tennessee) who had driven up a van full of supplies that had been donated mostly from her husband's unit. We were able to drop things off and stay and help at some of the drop off points.  We drove past some of the main damage areas to get to some of the drop off points..it was so overwhelming to see such things (and surreal to see places I had gone just the day prior to the tornado completely gone).   The pictures truly can't give you a full picture of how horrendous the damage was.  It's unreal to be able to see for miles and miles in the middle of Joplin (and to see miles and miles of nothing but "debris"). 

     Another day I went and did assessments with our church (to get work orders ready for when all the volunteers that are scheduled to come get here).  We drove past the stake center to get to our assigned street.  Again, it was just so overwhelming to see the destruction, and to really struggle to even recognize an area that was once so familiar.  As we did our assessments, one guy told us they had found a hand during cleanup (and his house received very minor damage, mostly just some trees that needed cut up.)  It's just all so sad.   However, you also really saw neighbor helping neighbor.

      So many expressed condolences for our stake center (as it was just down the street from them) and concern if there had been any losses (as another nearby church had unfortunately lost several who had been inside)  We were fortunate that all were okay there.  In fact, it was announced on church Sunday that our members were accounted for and although there were a couple of injuries and many homes lost, there were none lost.  Likewise, our nursing students were all accounted for as well. (again, several who lost homes and had amazingly survived in those same homes) but all were well.  You see so many photos of homes with just one tiny area left standing (as the case with some of my friends and the stake center) where people say amazingly they were in that one tiny area that was barely left standing. While there are so many heartbreaking stories as well, it's heartwarming to hear of those times where there was divine protection. It all makes me appreciate even more the things I am blessed to have.  (Oh, and on a side note they also announced Sunday that the stake center will be rebuilt by December 2012!  For now the two Joplin wards are meeting at our building in Carthage..such a good thing they expanded it a few years back!) 

     On a happy note, the highlight of my week was Ansel's preschool graduation. It had to be one of the most adorable things I've seen! Watching them all do their cute little songs in little caps and gowns was just priceless.  As one friend stated, it was a "beautiful distraction" from the week.  So I will leave you with a picture of that beautiful distraction of such an overwhelming week.
    

Happy Birthday Sweet Eli!

It's hard to believe it's been a year already! (Especially if you look at this blog and can see the post from when he was born still! I haven't had a lot of time to update things this year!) It's been a really fun year though and Eli is such a fun boy to have around!  He's getting really steady when standing, but not quite walking yet.  He's been climbing everything for a couple of months now though and is so busy! AND.. his first tooth STILL has not come through yet! One of the bottom ones is getting pretty close though!  He has his one year appt. tomorrow so I'll add in his stats then! I'm so grateful though to have him as part of our family. We're truly blessed! Once again.. a link to a few more pics!

 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=641880&id=576240252&l=27c28d2187

**Update after one year check-up:

 At one year Eli weighs 23 lbs even and is 29.5 inches long.  (He was 50-75% on weight and head circumference and 50% on height! Right on target! :)

Zero Heroes.. and other snow fun :)

Well,  I don't think this week has been so bad even though we've been snowed in! We have our family, and electricity and running water.. what more could you ask for :)   We haven't played in the snow too much since I don't want to take Eli out in it for very long, but Cody was off work yesterday so we got out there some!  Cody and Ansel built a little snow fort so they could have their "zero heroes" camp out, (and it got to -7 degrees.. so it was definitely below zero!)  I guess there is a scouting badge called zero heroes.  Cody's going to have Ansel so ready for scouting by the time he gets there.  He's always showing him a new knot to tie or something fun to do.  He's such a good dad.  Anyway, Cody told him about this and he was so excited.  They made it through the night with only one phone call to me, because Ansel wanted a pillow, and since the fort was in our front yard. I ran one out to him :)  I asked if he was cold and he said no, and that he was warm. Cody's a pro at this kind of stuff though and they had good sleeping bags so I wasn't too worried.  I considered doing it too,  but I think Eli's just a bit too young for it yet! I don't think he would have liked being confined in a sleeping bag either. Cody had to wake Ansel up in the morning so he could get to work and the first thing Ansel asked was.. "where's my badge?"  haha.. I think it will be a fun memory for him! 

Here's the link to the rest of the snow pics:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=618644&id=576240252&l=dbc97fa51e


Here's another link for more pics of the boys from January:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=618694&id=576240252&l=b7ef78d451