Surgery Day

Last week I had my tonsils removed. I have had strep throat at least 4 times in the last year and since we have met our deductible this year, there was no way I could pass on this surgery. I have been dreading it the last few months and heard horror story after horror story. I was near a panic attack all week with the thought of actually going in and doing it. 

Dr. Mayes and me.

He was all bright and jolly that morning. 

I appeared to be, but I really wanted to jump up and head for the hills. 

I told the nurse anesthetist that I was a little nervous (ok, a lot!) and he said I would be fine, but right before they wheeled me out I noticed he had a syringe of something that he slipped into my iv. I asked him if he could just let me sleep for like an extra four hours. I told him I had four kids at home and I just needed a really good medicated nap with no distractions. He said that he would probably get in trouble for that, but he could make it so I could sleep comfortably for the rest of the day after I left. Deal. That was the kind of nurse anesthetist I was looking for! 

I said goodbye to Vaughn and I remember him saying, "she won't remember you saying that." Well Ha! I do remember him saying that. I even remember being wheeled into the OR and whatever the nurses and I were talking about was SOO funny! Seriously. They cracked me up big time...it was probably the meds he gave me, but I just remember laughing and laughing and having a great time. That is all I remember. I don't remember moving to the OR bed or laying down or anyone else.    

Of course the next thing I remember was being waken up by the nurses and them telling me it was time to wake up. I started getting nauseous, so they gave me something to help with that and let me go back to sleep. It made me have to stay a little bit longer, but I didn't care! I just got to take my nap, so no worries for me! 

Finally, they kicked me out for good. I was still super groggy and slept all the way home. I didn't even notice that Vaughn stopped to get gas and stopped at Walmart to get my meds. What did I care? I was just snoozin' away in the passenger seat. Probably got a ton of weird looks, but I didn't care, so oh well! 

I slept the whole day and it was awesome. 

The 2nd day is when I started noticing reality. It was painful. It sucked so bad and I have lived off of pain killers ever since. 

It has been five days and today is the first day that I have been able to not take a painkiller and only use tylenol and ibuprofen. I am still super sore, can't eat anything besides liquid and have a frog sounding voice, but I can tell, slowly and surely I am getting better. I have been sleeping all morning and afternoon every day, thanks to my awesome mom. Who literally saved me with this surgery. She is gone now. Sniff sniff, but she took Taysom to Utah for her and my dad to watch and it has been the greatest help ever. I could not have done it without her. 

I do remember the doctor telling Vaughn that my tonsils were worse than he thought. Which doesn't surprise me. Every time I went to the doctor for strep I was told I didn't have it, because it didn't look like it, but after they swabbed me it confirmed that I did in fact have it. They were deceiving little devils. Anyway, he said he cut them out and they were chuck full of the nasty tonsil stones. Ugh. No wonder I always had such awful embarrassing breath. I can't say yet that I am glad that I did this, but I think I will be able to very, very soon. 

Parent Teacher Conferences

This year we had to meet with three teachers! It was crazy busy, but it was interesting to see how each of the kids are different and excelling in their own different ways. 

Vaughn took this picture and it just reminded me how sweet Drew is to his little sister! He may cause us a lot of heartache and frustrations, but he is such a tender hearted kid. 

I took the three older kids to a CSI Girls Volleyball game and Taysom stayed home with Vaughn. That kid gets away with whatever he wants when his daddy watches him! It's a good thing Taysom is so rough and tough! 

Jake's Baptism and a Mini Crisis

Today the boys and I headed to Boise to go to Drew's best friends baptism. I loaded up the boys in Vaughn's car and we were off! 

It was so great being able to be there to support Jake and his family. Drew was super excited to see Jake, but super sad when I told him we had to leave to go run some errands and not go back to their house. I promised we'd make another trip up there soon so they can play. 

We had a great time shopping and eating dinner out and I decided just to be safe that we would stop for gas and go potty before we got on the freeway. You know. Eliminate a stop. 

So we stopped at a Chevron and as I was putting gas in the car, I told Drew and Mason to run inside and go potty. They did and as I put the pump back and went to get back in the car, I realized a horrible truth. Drew had locked the door to the car with my keys in the ignition, my phone in the diaper bag and Taysom strapped into his car seat. I felt completely helpless. 

I went inside and asked for a phone and the cashier told me it only calls locally. Since I didn't know any numbers but Vaughn's, I saw this as completely unhelpful. Another customer heard my plight and told me she would call the 911 dispatch and see if they could send a cop but also told me to go outside and get her husband. (Which they won't. They will come and break a window, but they won't open it).

I went and asked Bruce (her husband) for help and man. Seriously. Some people are so amazing! He came over and looked at my car and started asking other people if they had a wire hanger that he could use. Another lady came out and offered to call AAA for me, but I had thought our insurance would cover it, so I thanked her and said I'll call mine. 

The husband had found a guy that came over to help and he had some tools in the back of his truck and they were able to get it through the door frame and unlock the doors!!! I was so grateful, excited, but most of all humbled at their selflessness. They dropped everything to come over and help me. 

The wife immediately went to Taysom (who was screaming) and asked if she could take him out. I said yes and she offered to hold him and watch the other boys while I went inside to return the phone book that I had borrowed and get a treat for the boys. 

When I returned I just kept thanking them and thanking them and the wife came up and gave me a hug and asked if I would be alright to drive home. (I'd told her we were on our way home to Jerome). I told her I was so much better and I was. The crisis had been adverted. I couldn't believe how many people offered to break a window for me. Uh, no thanks. I wanted to keep all my windows for the long drive home. 

The last few days or so I have just been sick to my stomach about the world we are living in and watching it just fall apart and tonight has really renewed my sense of decency that there are so many good people in the world! I am sure one day I will be able to pay it forward and help someone else in their time of need. 

Trip to Washington

Last week, our family had the opportunity to travel to Pasco, Washington to see our best friends! We have been planning this trip since they moved there in August and it was finally time to go! Three weeks before we left my friend scared me half to death by coming to my house. I wanted to get her back, so we told her that we would be coming on Thursday, when we were really planning on being there on Tuesday. Which just happened to be her birthday!! 

We left Jerome around 9 am and made the almost seven hour drive. I had been texting her husband and I knew that she would be outside when we arrived. Oh, how I wish I would have planned our entrance better! As we approached her drive way I was SO excited! I took off my seatbelt and Vaughn had to practically hold me back from jumping out of a moving vehicle! I wish we would have stopped before we reached her house and planned our surprise. I totally could have sneaked up behind her! Anyway, so we pulled into her drive way and she was literally right there with her husbands cousin. She looked at me and waved hi and then I think she realized that it was us, as I started yelling HAPPY BIRTHDAY to her, she totally threw the rake that was in her hand and started screaming and jumping up and down! 

It was so great to be able to spend the end of her birthday with her. It was a sad to think that this would be the first time I hadn't seen her on her birthday in years. I just was so excited that it worked out for us to be up there. 

We had so much fun up there. The kids were so excited to see their friends and it was nice just to hang out. We could have stayed home all day every day and we would have been totally content, but we did go out and experienced some of the awesome things they have in their new life and that was just icing on the cake! 

Taysom loves dogs and this dog loved Tays!

Tays loves to kiss dogs with his wide mouth open and the dogs just loved that. Ewww! 

We went to Kevin's uncle's house and went zip lining! The kids had a blast and Vaughn and I even tried it once. 

Drew was such a dare devil and went first! I was so proud of him! 

I was honestly surprised that Mason tried it. He kept saying how scary it looked, but the next thing I knew he was getting strapped in and ready to go! He is such a nut and this picture fits him to a T! 

I finally got a good picture out of him! Drew and Mason could have spent all day on the zip line! It was  terrifying, but fun. (Drew just told me to write that!) Kevin had to literally kick me off the platform. Not very nice of him, but I probably wouldn't have gone otherwise, so I forgive him! ;) The ride was nice and fun, until I got to the end and then I had a bit of a bumpy ride and got a nice bruise on my back! Oh well, I would totally do it again!

I walked in and found Vaughn and Tayla totally chilling! I have missed my little Tayla so much! 

Had to snap a picture of Vaughn snoozin' on the couch. Guess that shows how comfortable we all are with each other! Vaughn totally didn't care that Alayna and Kevin were sitting there! 

Vaughn got to ride all day with Kevin in a chopper! Later in the day Alayna and I took the kids out and my kids all took turns riding with Kevin and Vaughn. 

We took the kids fishing! My boys had so much fun. 

We didn't catch any fish, but the kids didn't mind!

The kids had a blast exploring and going on adventures! 

Horrible picture of me, but this girl cracks me up!

 We have discovered that neither of us can go cross-eyed! 

We were seriously trying so hard to go cross-eyed! Really we just look like a couple of goons!

The sunsets were so pretty! It was such a peaceful night!

We went to the farmers market! 

We went shopping! Sam loved this huge gorilla! She was so funny with it!

We went four wheeling! It was so awesome! The kids loved it and Vaughn really loved it! We rode the four wheelers from their house down to the river, which was so fun and then we got to play on the banks of the river! We were so dirty and gross, but it was oh so fun! 

Sam, Hadley, Drew, Mason and Aubrey

Lloyd (Kevin's dad), Vaughn, Kevin & Alayna

We were actually out on a little sand bar...I think that is what it is called!

Sam loved going fast with Vaughn. Every time I thought she was going to be scared I would look closely at her face and there would be a huge smile on it!

Our last night out to dinner. It was quite eventful and memorable, but still so fun!

After we got back to their house our kids crashed! 

Oh, we went swimming as well, but didn't get any pictures of that! Kevin took us out and let us each drive a tractor. That was way fun, but I think the highlight for the boys was Lloyd letting them each drive the four wheelers! There were so many amazing things that we did and I know I am forgetting tons. We had such a great time in Washington and we felt right at home with the Bleazards. I have missed them and their girls so much. It was so great to be there with them for almost six whole days! 

Tays did a pretty great job traveling. 

It was so hard to say goodbye and to leave them behind in Washington, but we will have these fun memories forever and we'll just have to plan more trips up and continue to make memories!