Update on Kenneth's Health

Kenneth talked to the Oncologist a couple of days ago and he sent him to have an X-ray done of his chest. As it turns out, he has pneumonia. I actually felt great relief with this news; it means it can be treated with an antibiotic. Kenneth was a little worried by the news, and understandably so. He is just ready to be done with this whole experience, not have one more complication on top of it all. (Not to say he is not completely grateful for how smoothly it really has all gone considering)
Here we are now a couple of days after starting the antibiotic and Kenneth does feel a little better. He still has some pain, but not like it was before. Last week he said it hurt so badly to sneeze his body wouldn't allow it to happen. It would stop the sneeze before it could start!

In other news, we had a special visitor last night! Many of our friends in New York will recognize this guy:

Scott H. reading to the kids

The kids took right to him, as you can see, even letting him read the bedtime story! It was fun to share a meal and visit for a little while. I guess its one of the perks of living in such a busy place; we often get to see friends and family who travel here on business!

Happy Fifth Birthday, Emma!

Wow! Five years old already!! Emma has had a great Birthday today! She chose all the food we ate all day: Baked oatmeal for Breakfast, Noodles with red sauce and cooked carrots for lunch, and Swedish meatballs and rolls and peas for dinner. We are having a little party for Emma on Saturday with some friends, so I hadn't planned on making a cake today, but Kenneth thought I should, so I whipped some up to have after lunch. I know what you all are going to say. . .didn't I learn my lesson last time?! But, before you think that know that I had at least made these before and knew we really liked them. I made cupcakes with avocado and cauliflower puree in the frosting. They were fantastic! (Unlike the cake I made for Arianna with the beet puree in it. At least she liked it!) Emma requested purple frosting. Someday I will learn how to not make it look so gray. Emma asked for a notebook and sunglasses for her Birthday, so that is what she got. She was delighted! Here are some pictures and a video of the day:

Opening her present this morning.

One very happy little girl!

Where did she get that pose?!

Enjoying her cupcake!

Here is her notebook. I took a regular notebook and designed a cover for it.

She has already written this much! I haven't talked to her about journaling, so I am not sure where she got the idea, but I think it is great! I taught her to write the date and she asks us how to spell all the words, but she came up with it all and wrote it herself. In case you can't read it I will quote it here:
"I have special sunglasses. They are not made to play with or they will break. And what I am writing in is my new notebook. I found it in my Birthday present. I went to Target yesterday and I went to the park. Am five years old. I went outside to check on my roly-poly but it was dead. I stay outside for a couple more minutes and we ate snack outside then I came inside. My mom has a notebook that is a cook book."

And here is her Birthday interview:

How old are you today?
5

What is your favorite animal?
a kitten

What is your favorite color?
purple

What is your favorite food?
Swedish meatballs

What is your favorite treat?
a jelly bean

What is your favorite book?
In the Piney Woods (we just read it for the first time last night)

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A mommy

Who loves you the most?
Jesus

What is your favorite time of the day?
Going to the Park

Who is your best friend?
Natalie

What is your favorite activity, or thing to do?
Read my brother books

What is your favorite song?
Scripture Power

If you could choose to go anywhere, where would you choose to go?
To that fun place with the dragons and you can play a little game, you shoot the ball and see if it will go in the little hole. (The miniature golf course close to our house)

What kind of cake did you choose for your Birthday?
A dragonfly one with raspberry flavor and blue frosting.

And finally, for your viewing pleasure, the video of singing Happy Birthday! We love you, Emma!

They grow up way too fast!

Before I talk about the children, I will let you all know that Kenneth feels a little better today. He will still call the Doctor tomorrow and probably go in to be seen, so I'll let you know more when we know more!

These kids grow up way too fast! Grant attended Nursery at church for the first time today. He looked so old showing his coloring page to people in the hall after church! He is 20 months old exactly and we felt like it was time- chemo having ended almost 3 weeks ago now.

It was funny, tonight Grant noticed that Kenneth's hair is starting to come back. He had fun rubbing his hand over it and kept saying, "Hair." What a cute little guy!

Here is a random picture of Grant I hadn't yet included in a post, taken a couple of weeks ago. We were in the middle of breakfast when the garbage truck came on our street, so I whisked him up on the counter to watch out the window and while he was up there we decided to test out Dad's phone.

Arianna also went back to nursery. (She's been going to Sunbeams to stay out of the germy nursery) Boy is she ever happy to be back there! She's been very difficult in Primary lately. I am in there as the Music Leader and she is very difficult to deal with; she won't stay with her class, has to sit right next to me and come up with me when I lead a song (usually causing trouble while she is up there), and the last few weeks she is actually throwing herself on the floor and just being downright rediculous. I will say one thing for her, when she knows what she wants she will definitely put the pressure on until he gets it.
In good news about Arianna, she is learning to write her name! She wanted to earn a toy back (that was taken away because she won't clean up) and I off the cuff said that if she learned to write her name she could have it. I fully expected that it would take her a week or so to learn to do it. Up until this point I could barely get her to cross her A after I wrote the 2 slanted lines. She sat right down and with just a little coaching she did it!
I was so proud of her!!! She still has trouble doing it all on her own; she needs to look at it written and sometimes if I am not right there to coach her she will write it right to left, rather than vice-versa. A couple of days later, she wanted to earn back more confiscated toys and I challenged her to write her whole name. She did great!

Speaking of growing up fast, Emma will be five years old on Tuesday! How time flies! I can't believe she is getting so old. She is really becoming a wonderful little girl. A year ago she was at times painfully shy and would burst into tears in uncomfortable situations. Just today, she gave the scripture in Primary like a pro. The size of our ward and primary are major contributors to this, I believe. There are just a few children, and she knows and feels comfortable with all the teachers and leaders.

In other news, my sister, Sheri, and her husband came over for dinner today. They only had a couple of hours to spend with us, but it was so nice to see them! (My brother-in-law was in town on business)

Easter and Kenneth update

Before I tell about Easter, I will give a small update on Kenneth. He has been having some pain in his chest the last few days. It is hurting to breathe and he regularly has some sharp pains that cause him to wince in pain. We aren't sure what is going on. Kenneth is hoping it is because he started to exercise a little more this past week and nothing more. He will go in to see the doctor on Monday and hopefully we will get to the bottom of this. On Thursday evening, Kenneth was trying to read stories to the kids, but had to stop because of the pain. Arianna said, "Dad, is the bug poking you in there?" What a sweetheart. We'll keep you all updated on what is going on. In good news: His hair is also starting to grow back!

We had a wonderful Easter this year! This is the first Easter that Grant really remembers. So, it was fun to see him get excited about the eggs. It didn't take him long to discover that he really likes what is inside! This Easter was also special because the girls are old enough that we can really talk about the true meaning of Easter. In the Friend magazine, there was an article with a paragraph and picture for each day in the week preceding Easter. So, every morning we talked about what the Savior was doing the week before His resurrection. The girls really enjoyed it. I also enjoyed Sunday itself. We had an amazing Sacrament Meeting program put on by our Ward Choir. In Primary I have the privilege of singing so many wonderful songs with the children about the Savior and about the Resurrection. I certainly am enjoying my calling! In the evening, a good friend invited us and a couple other families over for dinner. We had a wonderful meal and excellent company! A perfect ending to a lovely day.

The few days before Easter we had an Easter Egg hunt with our Playgroup Friends. We colored and dyed some eggs here at home and then had another hunt here at our home. The kids loved it all! Sunday, the girls finally got to wear their Easter dresses I bought a couple of months ago. They have been waiting for this day! Grant also wore a new suit; his first suit ever. I know I am biased, but I think he is the most adorable little boy I have ever seen! Enjoy the pictures!

The kids lined up waiting for the hunt. Notice Grant's 'hands-off stance' with Arianna next to him leaning in.

Grant starting out on the hunt with Dad. It was fun that he was able to come with us on Friday morning for the Playgroup hunt.

Finding the eggs.

The whole family.


"Open this please?"- The kids enjoying the spoils.

Sitting on Dad at lunch after the egg hunt.

Decorating eggs here at home.

The egg hunt in our backyard.

Trying to get into the 'Jackpot Egg". Grant doing his part to help.

Ready to go to Church in the new dresses!


The kiddos after Church

Heidi and Grant

The whole family (Yes, this is the best one we got. You all know how it is trying to get this many children looking and smiling at the same time!)

Handsome as can be!

All tuckered out after church. Let me tell you, so was I. She was a BEAR at church this day! Good thing she is so cute!

Fun times with the little ones

It is hard for me to believe that Grant is at the age that Arianna was when he was born. I can't even imagine having a newborn right now! Kenneth asked me the other day if I enjoyed the girls at 19 months as much as I am enjoying Grant. I had to think for a minute, but no, I don't think I did. I was too pregnant and/or too sleep deprived to! I am just loving Grant at this age. He is so funny and sweet and cute and saying so much!!! I just want to eat him up!!!

I wanted to share some of the fun things the kids have been doing recently:

• The girls don't nap any more, but they do have quiet time in the early afternoon and love to look at stacks of books. Usually they sit on different couches, but on this particular day, they sat together.

• As many parents do, I count to 3 to motivate the children to do whatever it is they need to do if they are not moving as quickly as I would like them to. Grant has caught on to this and when he sees the girls doing something they shouldn't, he will come close to them and hold up a finger and say in a bold little boy voice, "Two!". It cracks me up.
  


• The kids fight over who is the "rotten egg". I don't know where they learned it, but they say things like, "first one kneeling down is the rotten egg!" and are actually sad when it's not them!


• Arianna was at work here! I don't even know what she was trying to do, but the kids called us in the room and this is what we saw:Luckily only the motor to the humidifier was plugged in and the base and water tank were already being cleaned out. Otherwise, all their clothes in the drawers would have been wet! I think Grant is trying to help stand the dresser back up.

• Emma has taken a real liking to the snails out in our yard. She collects them and plays with them and shares them with her siblings. One day she collected a little container of them and left it by the screen door. A little while later the kids when back over there and the snail had made its way a quarter of the way up the door. The kids thought it was so neat. Even Grant was poking at it and squealing. That evening if Grant heard anyone mention snails, he would get excited and say, "Up! Door!" We are using this snail fascination to our benefit and have enlisted Emma to capture all the snails in the garden area. The blasted things are eating up our plants!!!! In New York it was the rabbits, here it is the snails!Here they are playing with the slimy little things.
  
  Arianna was a little wary at first, but Emma showed her the ropes.
  
  

Arianna letting the snails move across her hand.

• The girls love to play with each other and with their stuffed animals. Lately, they have been playing 'moving'. (Hmmmmm. . .do you think they have experienced that too many times in their young lives!) They move everything except the furniture from one room to another. It is crazy! We have since put a stop to it, however, because after the initial fun of it all, they refuse to clean it up and then it's really no fun for any of us!

I also found them one day after Arianna had been sick taking care of their animals and had even set up 'throw-up bowls' around the beds they had made for them.

• We enjoyed some lovely Spring weather the other day and the kids had a blast playing out in the little pool. Is was still a little chilly because of a breeze, but they loved it!!! We have the best neighbor, from whom we borrowed the pool!

When Grant woke up from his nap he joined them. He hates it when the girls pour water on his head! Poor little guy!

• A couple of weeks ago we made another trip into San Francisco to go to the Exploratorium. It is a Museum of Science, Art and Human Perception. The first Wednesday of every month, they have a free day. On a regular day it would have cost our family $40 to go there! The kids loved all the hand-on exhibits. Grant loved watching the fish swimming the a tank and we all were very interested in the Cow Eye Dissection we were able to witness.
  

The hanging pins table

After a couple of hours of fun, we went outside to picnic. The Exploratorium sits right next to the Palace of Fine Arts. I have always wanted to see it and in all my times in San Fransisco never had up until this point! Apparently, it was built as part of the Panama-Pacific Exposition (like a World's Fair) held in San Fransisco in 1915. Most of the other structures built for the Exposition are now gone, but this one was kept for its beauty. And is it ever beautiful!



Here we are picnicking by the columns

Arianna and Grant romping amongst the History

The little ones.

Then we went back inside. While Emma did this:


Grant did this:

Boy, was I glad he was able to fall asleep in that noisy, busy place. It made the rest of the day so much happier!

Playing with the magnets

Across the street you are at the Bay. That's, of course, the Golden Gate behind them.

Grant and Mom. Boy, was it windy!

A what? Flew up where? recounted by Grant

Ever since the 'bee up the nose' incident if Grant is reminded of a nose or a bug, he will recount the story like in the video above. (Of course, he is easily distracted and in the middle he usually talks about something else, like a tractor, as you will also hear in the video) (If you can understand Grant language, that is!)

He is such a funny kid! He is so into talking right now that after we put him to bed at night, many times he will stay up for 30 minutes to an hour just happily talking to himself! He also wakes up and talks to himself for a while in the morning. (Much better than the crying like he used to always do!)

He amazes me sometimes by the things he knows and says! Yesterday morning, Emma and I were out scouting snails and I was carrying Grant with me (he was still in his footie pajamas and I didn't want to set him down) He craned his neck and looked up in the tree above us and I hear him say, "umming. bird." He correctly identified and said hummingbird! I was amazed!

Last night before bed Kenneth and I were talking to Grant and looking at some of our family pictures. I was asking Grant where everyone was in the pictures and he would point to the corresponding person. Then I asked him where Dad's hair was. He did a double take from the pictures to Dad sitting next to him and looked very confused and said, "gone." Then he said, "Kite. Gone." He's making connections!

Opposition in all things

There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon I thought of today. . .

"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so. . . righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad." 2 Nephi 2:11

That is just life! It's kind of funny, but what really brought it to my mind today was the snails in the garden. They are horrible little pests! They are eating up plants even though we have snail bate everywhere and Emma has been out scouting for them. Hopefully we will beat them yet!

Really, though, that is life. Most of you reading this have probably already heard this quote, but I need to be reminded of this every once in a while:

Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, quoting columnist Jenkins Lloyd Jones, reminded us that life will always have its challenges:

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey … delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

Before the Cancer, we had had it pretty easy. We have enjoyed a fairly simple, easy life. I guess it was just time for some opposition. Kenneth has been so amazing through all of this. He really is a good man. I am thankful that he is mine. And I am thankful for the life that is mine- challenges and all.

By the by, he is doing much better since the bee-sting. The swelling is down, but he says he is still a little tender. He never did feel that bee come out. Hopefully, he won't start stinking in a couple of weeks. (My sister-in-law told us about a child at preschool who started stinking and they discovered that there had been something up his nose the whole time and had begun to rot and stink!!!!!) Just kidding, Kenneth, even if you did, "others say that he. . . stinketh, . . .but as for myself, to me he doth not stink." (Alma 19:5)

Okay, well, that's a little update for tonight. I have another post that has been in the works for a few weeks now about all our fun times with the kids lately and I never get around to posting it. Hopefully soon. By the time I get the kids in bed, do the dishes and take care of everything I am usually so tired I just don't feel like blogging. The other day I fell asleep while praying. No, not personal prayers (that has happened to me many a time, unfortunately). I was praying OUT LOUD with Kenneth and he had to nudge me to wake me up to finish.