Purest Love of Christ

How cute are they! Elder Jackson & his #1 fan! Uncle Kirk...who would hardly leave Ty's side!



Clear back in the spring our nephew Tylan was called to the Oklahoma LDS Mission...well, just a few days before he was to leave, he jacked up his knee playing soccer on P~Day (personal day)...so he had to be released :( come back home :( and have surgery on his knee :( The first 6 weeks go by, then the next 6 weeks go by! He is kinda still a "missionary" but released...he could of just decided to be DONE...and stay home...but he didn't! He did what the Dr. said to do for his knee to heal, he became very close to his younger brother (s). The next one to him is a Jr. this year and they have really bonded...it was almost like Braden was his 'companion' (my opinion) the were together a lot!...walked his 5 miles with his dad (had to be pain free for 5 miles..no running!) Golfing with his mom, teasing Chan, lifting with Austin, going to Football practice with both brothers.....getting to know his nephew better, hanging with grandpa and grandma, going to the Temple with grandpa (so cool...family Temple work!) and many other amazing things!! Anyway...Ty grew a TON over the summer...became an even more AMAZING MAN! (soooo proud of him!) on Sunday (yesterday) he was set apart as an "Elder" at home...not your regular deal...you see he wasn't going back to the MTC...his family was going to get to take him straight to the airport for him to fly straight to Oklahoma! How totally cool to leave like this! I am telling you right now that any weakened testimony present in my brother and sister inlaw's house that was not strengthened...is just.....I just don't know what is wrong with you! (lol) Seriously, before he was set apart, the Bishop Brick were there as was the Stake Pres (I think that is who that was) anyway...people from his ward and stake. His mom and dad were asked to bare their Testimonies to Ty, along with the grandma's and grandpa's and Ty himself...so by the time Ty was set apart the Spirit in the room was sooooooooo strong and emotions were pretty high. Then the members from Ty's ward left and as a family, we had the pleasure of having a personal family testimony meeting where so many amazing things were said, Encouragement for Ty, love and appreciation for the support he has, AMAZING THINGS were said! Well, (sniff, sniff ~ sheesh) Rhett & Brenan's youngest brother, Kirk, who is mentally disabled due to a childhood illness (spinal meningitis) as a 5 month old baby :( which left him with quite a bit of brain damage. BUT this man is SO amazingly smart! And so close to the spirit. He has his own way of saying things...when you are around him long enough you learn to understand him. He is 13 months younger than Rhett, and so very close to all his brothers and mom & dad! He has been in a group home for as long as I have known him (almost 17ish years!). He has his things he likes and does...like hotdogs and radios, mickey mouse and M&M's, birthday parties, Santa...ect... Oh do we love Kirk....well...Kirk LOVES Jesus! In this family circle, the Testimonies had pretty much come to an end (it gets really personal here!) when Kirk said "Me"... Brenan asked him if he wanted to bare his testimony...Kirk said "Jesus", Brenan then said "Do you want Ty to teach about Jesus?", Kirk said again "Jesus" as he started to cry. You see Kirk doesn't cry. NONE of us has ever seen Kirk cry. We have seen him upset and irritated..excited and happy...but never have seen him cry. Even Afton (mom) said she couldn't remember the last time Kirk cried. The love in Kirk's face for our Savior Jesus Christ was so PURE. The spirit in that room was so strong! I have never in my whole life felt anything like it! For my sweet little kids to see how much "Jesus" meant to Uncle Kirk was so amazing. For my nieces and nephews who are still in middle/high school...for us as adults to see this 'Testimony' in the purest form was and is unexplainable...my heart was and still is FULL! Bursting FULL! I am so grateful for the Gospel. For the love of our Heavenly Father and our brother and Savior Jesus Christ. I know they love us! We are children of GOD and we have been sent here on earth for a specific purpose. I know that Elder Jackson will be AMAZING in Oklahoma! I know that he is a HUGE example to so many ~ his own brothers and sisters, my young family! To me! He could have made so many different choices this summer regarding his mission and he chose to GO! He said that HE knew that he needed to get 'out there' and get to work! How totally lucky he is to have that kind of 'farewell'! To go into the mission field with the purest testimony ever told! To know with out a doubt what he is doing right now is part of the plan Heavenly Father has for him! Thank you for including us in this most amazing day! One that will be held in my heart forever! And thank you Kirk for strengthening me! We love you! (if you want to know more click on the Temple in the right hand column)

Melting the fat.......still...

Okay! so I didn't post every day last week...but I did walk. The thing is ~ the week before I popped my hip out of socket getting off my bed and so it was really super sore by thursday so I didn't go, then wished I would of! Oh well...I did go Friday, but was turtle slow and only did 1.5 miles then later wished I wouldn't of...ouch! The hip is popped back in but really sore so I walk funny :P I am looking forward to getting shock therapy on it today! yay! SO...this morning....I arrived a bit late, but I did it..I walked an hour...but I have NO idea how many laps I did, we all (Kayla, Janakaye, Liz and I) talked a lot so I don't think we counted laps well. That is okay...as long as I am sweating....And I was! :) I know in the long run I will be glad that I am doing this. I really do want to be inshape and I know getting up at 5:30-6 will get me up and awake so I will be more productive during the day...(or that is what I keep telling myself!) Sorry these posts are boring....but they are for me. Stay tuned though I have some fun stuff to post soon! HAPPY WALKING!!!

Melting the Fat!.....

Yes! you heard me correctly! Maybe if I do a daily blog post on "Melting the FAT" I might, just might keep myself motivated and accountable for the "POUNDS" that I really and truly want to shed! SO ~ from hear on out, along with "Washing that gray right out of my hair!" I am gonna "Melt that fat right of my BUTT!" lol! (singing the tune of that silly old commercial - if you are under the 30ish age, you may not know this tune! lol!) I am in such a good mood tonight! I guess when you have a skinny mini to walk with that you need to keep up with (well except when she runs, because right now I would like pass out!) you kick out 3 miles in a big ole hurry! (Thanks Kayla!) I am really going to do my very best to be on the ball and walk in the evenings as often as I can and again in the VERY early mornings (like 5:30 AM) as often as I can! I am REFUSING to say "I am going to TRY" because many years ago, I went to a seminar where I learned a few things and I learned that "TRY" is the most NON-COMMITABLE word (is that a word even)...basically means...that it is easy to say "I will try and do this or that or be here or there when REALLY it means...pretty much not gonna happen! AND I really want this to HAPPEN! I want to get in shape, I want to be able to RUN and not be weary! No, seriously! With my new attitude on life (that I have really been working on since January!) I feel the need to change physically as well as emotionally and spiritually! SO bare with me all you blog readers! Don't let me drive you totally nuts with my post...or if you want just skip them that is okay! BUT by December, I want a better ME!

TONITE>>>> THREE miles! YAY ME!! (kayla did over 4 but have you seen her! someday I will do 4 too!) lol it might help though if I arrived on time! lol! Wish me luck for my 5:00 am wake up call! As you all know I don't do early nights or EARLY mornings! Haha! Night All!

Cove Fort Days....

Ward Party

fun! fun! fun! that is all that needs to be said! :) great food, great friends, great ward family! Fabulous entertainment! FUN! It was a perfect night!

Football

okay for you blog lurkers out there...GVHS football is SMALL!....started out the first week of practice with 30+ players sr...thru...freshman! This is the beginning of GVHS's 19th year in football (i believe the first year was 1990)...I could be wrong..but it was really new when Rhett was hired on '16' years ago! WOW...16 years! those that play try hard and work hard and really should be comended! Rhett has a football coaching staff that consists of 1 teacher from the high school its~self...which is HIM! and 4 volunteers that are certified throught the school district....who work outside the school..other jobs...who leave work as soon as they can to come help...volunteer work is not cheap! Appreciated like you would not ever KNOW!... is football stress full for our family?! YES...how could it not be....there are days when Rhett is there with Freshman, JV & Varsity teams ALONE! Do you think he may come home a little stressed? Do I love football season...YES...do I like my husband coach...mixed...you see ... he loves his job...he loves 'his' boys....he loves IT....(most days anyway!) But it isn't perfect...these young men are really just KIDS...and sometimes it is really hard for the fans to remember that! AND a coach cannot play for the kids or want it more than the kids...it just doesn't work that way! A few words of advice....as the coaches wife...I get EARS full...really come one....please do not bad mouth the staff in front of the wives...not smart... you see in our mind...our husbands are serving your sons....they are with them several hours a day...and in some cases may even see sides of them that you do not...they care about your boys! there are lessons learned on that field that they will never learn anywhere else! and those coaches are not with THEIR families...they are with yours....so please remember the sacrifices the families of the coaches .... and take your comments some where away from us....or if you have an issue the coaches bark is usually bigger than the bite...talk to them! don't think you really know what is going on...pretty sure you don't....well...enough said...venting over and done with. I am excited for this year...mainly because I see Rhett's excitement...and the excitement from the other coaches (who by the way are: Brady McDonald, Cody Dyreng, Greg B. & Jack!) THANKS!! These young men on this years team are an awesome bunch of boys...come show your support and cheer them on...
first game is the 21st of August against So. Seiver! GO DOGS!

Valerie's Bad Day....

My poor little Buddica! On Monday my little Valerie was putting her sister's bike up so she could go play with her little neighbor friend Janie, well, I was out front visiting with Janie while Valerie was getting her bike and all of a sudden I hear a GINORMOUS scream! (with kids you can tell a difference in your child's screams...this one...I didn't like!) anyway, so i go running to the back of by the garage and there is Valerie screaming her guts out with BLOOD covering her face! At that point I had NO idea where the blood was coming from, all I knew is that she had blood coming from her head, everywhere!....scared the holy crapenoly out of ME!... SO, I yelled for Jentrie and Janie to go get Jenny (Janie's mom), so of course they had to come see why and then they saw all the blood...I know head wounds bleed a LOT....but sheesh! she was pretty covered...her legs, clothes, feet, it was in her hair, dripping off our hands...I have NOT ever seen so much blood! Especially on MY child! so it would be safe to say I wasn't as calm as I should of been, which I felt bad about (after it was over...another story!) ...Once I got a towel to her face I calmed down more because I knew where the blood was coming from, and the picture below really doesn't show the gaping hole...it looked like a screw like thing had gone into her head! Jenny called her hubby at work to tell him I was on my way to the clinic (he is the PA for our family Dr.) I changed the towel and took off her bloody shoes and off we went to the clinic...leaving a nasty MESS on my front porch. Jenny, bless her heart was so calm and helpful and took my kids for me! (THANKS A BUNCH!) Then the sweet ladies at Dr. I's office were so good to calm Valerie down, by now she had stopped crying and I think the wound it self was numb because as long as you didn't touch it she was good and talking (something she loves to do!) :) Dr. Inouye stitched her up and was so cute about making sure she didn't have an ugly scare on her pretty face....it will scar but hopefully if she leaves it alone, it won't be to bad! She had to have 2 stitches on the inside and 6 on the outside. And PA Wade (or Dr Wade as my kids call him) was so cute with her~ talking to her. She was so BRAVE!!! She didn't even cry when they numbed her up! SUCH a brave little girl. She was more irritable yesterday, her nose hurt more and it hurt to breath out her nose.....but she is back on her bike and makes me crazy nervous! When we made it out of the Dr office we went to find daddy, (he had just left a few minutes before to run a few errands) we didn't want him to find the mess we left on the porch...seriously, when I showed him her shoes and the first towel...he was glad we found him! MY cell and camera were both in the Suburban, which is the car Rhett had! of course...so a thank you to cute McKell Ashton who took pictures for me with her cell camera and emailed them too me! THANK you! BTW~She is an awesome nurse! And JC was so amazing while cleaning up Valerie! DR. I's staff ROCKS! When we finally made it home, I had Valerie show me how it all happened. When she went to get off the bike, she fell on her bum and the handle bars came back at her and the end where the hand grips are... the little plastic circle was missing where the metal tube part is...that is what hit her (notice the curve)...and hit her good! I am just so VERY grateful it didn't get her eye! She is amazing brave! Love you Sis!

Before - it is swollen, some because of the wound itself and lots from the numbing shots....






After
Can you believe those smiles during all that trauma! :) So far as of yesterday, she does have the beginnings of black eyes...but not as bad as I thought it would be! The bridge of her nose is still pretty swollen though...she goes back on Friday to have the stitches removed...hope it goes good!

Now...why is it when our kids are sick or get injured they bounce back so fast and mom's get knocked to their feet! I serisouly was totally freaked out by all that blood on her face that I had to put my head down at the dr's office to keep from throwing up! I had calmed down a lot by the time they did the stitches (and it was a bit much for me to watch the numbing part...i shiver thinking about it and am so glad she couldn't see it!)...We were home 5 seconds when she wanted her hair pulled back out of her face so she could go play! when all I wanted to do, was go sit on the couch and hold her close! She ate lunch (ya...i was still pretty grossed out!) and then off to play for like the rest of the day! she did get a little whinny at bed time and cuddle with mom and daddy for a bit...I gave her some motrin and she was good to go! Mean while...MOM...freaks out everytime SHE walks! Sheesh!