Abby's Arm, Again!

Back in February, Abby broke her right arm on the monkey bars.  It was a nasty break that left her in 4 different casts until the beginning of June.  We were glad to be over and done with that, especially since Summer was coming.  And casts get quite stinky and uncomfortable during the hot AZ summers.

I should have knocked on wood.  In late October at Taylor's soccer, Abby and her cousin were kicking around during half time.  She tripped and broke her arm.  I heard her cousin running across the soccer field, screaming "Aunt Becca. . . Aunt Becca. . . Abby broke her arm again".  And I panicked, especially when I saw Abby holding her arm together with her sweatshirt and screaming.  The same arm.  The same two bones, just 3 inches lower towards her wrist.  The same dramatic trip to the ER, the same closed operation, IV's, morphine. . .

This time though, as opposed to February, Abby's veins didn't collapse due to shock, and the ER doctors were able to get an IV in and working within about 20 minutes of the accident.  Then morphine came 5 minutes later, and she could finally calm down a bit.  Last time, it took over an hour and 6 pokes of the needle to find a vein that worked.

She had an orange cast for the first month to honor her soccer team, "Orange Crush".  She couldn't play but instead because the team's biggest cheer leader and the coaches "assistant".

Then she switched to a red cast, in honor of Christmas.  The cast comes off in mid January, then a brace for a month.

This picture is a little graphic and still makes my stomach turn every time I see it. . . but for history sake. . .

 Kind of weird. Needless to say, she's popping calcium supplements daily now.  And I'm knocking on wood that it doesn't happen again.

One thing I don't want to forget-- the main thing Abby screamed about on our way to the ER was her desperate need for her father to give her a priesthood blessing.  Unfortunately, John was about 40 minutes away at a meeting for work.  But Abby's uncle and another worthy priesthood holder in our church came quickly and administered to her.  Abby felt the strength of that experience and later shared with me her testimony of the power of the Priesthood, the Lord's power here on earth today.  I couldn't be more grateful.

Merry Christmas

I love this time of year, even with all the hustle and bustle.  I love it because it always refocuses me on the importance of the Savior in my life, and of the love of family.  

In November, when the Thanksgiving Holiday comes, I tend to count my blessings and recognize all that is good and wonderful in my life. Through this process, my heart becomes a little more tender, a little softer.  Then December comes.  And if I allow myself to look past the commercialization and find quiet time to contemplate and "feel", then comes the quiet, deep warmth of the love of God into my prepared heart.

I am confident that everything good in my life has come from my Savior.  Because I try to follow in His example, I am more and more able to feel of His love for me.  And that brings such peace and joy. 

Now, with Christmas and December coming towards a close, the goal is to remember these peaceful feelings all throughout the coming year.

Merry Christmas!

http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/glad-tidings-of-great-joy-the-birth-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng

Learning to Write

Andersen has enjoyed preschool this past semester.  I've been impressed with how much he focuses on following directions, tries to color in the lines, hold his pencil correctly, and memorize his phonograms.  He loves to learn, and I love that he loves it.   With kindergarten this coming year, he's been really working on writing his name.  Whiteboards make it fun to practice.  Last week, he came to me sooooo super proud of himself because he had remembered every letter and had written his name all by himself, with NO help.

Almost perfect!  He just forgot the letter "s". 

I LOVE this age, and I LOVE this left-handed boy.  He is such a smiley ball of energy in my life.