To Kassi

It's been kind of a rough week. My friend Kassi that I taught UCA with, passed away from Leukemia.   I wasn't super close with her. We sort of kept in touch over the years through social media and mutual friends. But this past year she regularly posted updates about her cancer and her fight with it. She had such faith, joy and courage during all her struggles and was such an inspiration to me. I grew to love her more and more with each post. She was seriously an amazing woman. Her death hit way too close to home. She was only a year older than me, and a mother of two little babies. So pretty much every  moment with my kids or with Kevin this week has brought me to tears. Just because I am so grateful for them and can't imagine not being around to see them grow. Praying lots for her family and friends. As President Uchtdorf said on Saturday, "I think God knows something we don't." And I know that is true. It seems like such a tragedy to lose such an amazing mother, daughter, wife, and friend. But the Lord says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."- Isaiah 55:8-9 He has another job for Kassi to do. And even though it's hard I've got to have faith in the Lord, that he really does know whats best. Much easier said than done.  Kassi definitely had that faith. I'm trying to be like her and just put my trust in God, and know that he knows best. She was amazing. And she will be dearly missed. My deepest condolences to her family. Such a hard thing.

This week 75% of the sales in my shop are going to the Schroeder family, so you could go buy something from my shop to help out their young family or you can click here to donate. She spent the last few months in the hospital, not to mention she had two bone marrow transplants costing over $500,000 each!!! 

I was looking for pictures of me and her and all the ones I found are pretty funny. Haha. Just goes to show what a fun person she was! 

Miss you Kassi. Can't stop thinking about you and your sweet family. So I'm dedicating this week to you pretty girl.

Ailee had her EEG on Thursday. She had to get 22 wires pasted onto her head with this sticky lotion, so they could monitor her brainwaves. The Technician kept warning me that she was going to hate all the wires on her head and that she would fight, so I'd have to hold her down and we'd just have to hurry and get it over with. Then he would wrap the gauze on her head and she'd be fine. 

So I was all ready to pin her arms down and hold her still, but he started sticking them on and she just stared at him. For the whole thing. The Technician was blown away by how good she was being. She was the cutest. Once all the wires were on we just played. She looked at my phone and pulled everything out of my purse. (I found out after that there was a big stack of books and movies and toys right outside the room. Cool guys. All I had to entertain her for about 45 minutes were some snacks and my keys!! Real cool)

Anyway, the guy said that they got a good read. We don't meet with the neurologist until the 6th, so we will see what he has to say.

Our little angel, however, is getting wilder by the day. She is climbing on everything these days!

She also loves playing dress up and tries to put on every article of clothing that she finds. She also has learned to gargle water, make fish noises, bark like a dog (it's more of a growl but its still pretty cute) and beep everyones nose. She has also started saying "Uh Oh." I think that's her real first word... is that even a word? Haha. We have also caught her taking a step or two on occasion, but she is still rather timid and prefers to crawl.

Ailee also is really into coloring, probably more so than Calum has ever been. Calum wanted to paint the other day, so I let Ailee paint with some water, she loved it, until she dumped it out after about 2 minutes. Haha.

The face paint was stored with the watercolor, so Calum had a hay day coloring on his face too. I think he painted his face then washed it off about 4 times. Haha.

He's been really into "playing" Blockus lately. He just sits there and tries to put all the pieces on it. It's awesome. This and legos is the only way I can get this kid to hold still. Haha.

He also lined up all my nail polish for me the other day. He was pretty proud of himself. Hahaha.

I discovered the reason I keep running out of hand soap so quickly. Dang kids.

Stuff I sewed this week :) Fun Halloween stuff. I also put up Halloween decorations yesterday, because October starts this week and I found a few cute things in Targets Dollar Spot and I was excited to put them out. I'll post some pics next week.

 

Kevin's been busy planting flowers at the temple, so we have gone and helped out a couple times. Well I've helped out, Ailee's eaten suckers and dirt. And Calum has made piles of dirt on the cement and ran around with shovels, real safe. But it's been fun, we always love planting at the temple and working with dad :)

Look at all those bulbs!

 We went to the local rival high schools football game. So that was fun. First high school football game since high school I'm pretty sure. They all looked so little. I swear I wasn't that young in high school. Haha.

Having them pose for me on Sunday, and then Ailee sat in a puddle and I had to go change her. And Calum refused to wear the jacket and ended up pulling off the bow tie after about 20 minutes. Why won't they just cooperate? Hahaha.

Kevin sending me selfies on the Sabbath. Haha. We had a baptism and the temple devotional to attend. Kevin also had a meeting and some home teaching visits to make. Day of Rest? Not so much. :) But we were definitely well fed and It was much needed. Church is definitely for our benefit, it strengthens and uplifts us. So grateful God has commanded us to go to church. What a blessing it truly is. Again, he must know whats best.

It's my turn to teach joy school this week and it is so much fun! They are all so cute. I think Calum is really liking it. Ailee didn't mind it too much today either :)

Anyway, I'm so excited for General Conference this weekend, where we get to hear the word of God directly from the Lords appointed! What a blessing! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check it out. 

I have definitely felt Christ's love for me this week. He made the atonement and gave his life not only to free us from sin and to make it possible for us to be resurrected. But he also suffered our pains and afflictions so that he might know how to comfort us. What an amazing gift! Only he knows exactly how we are feeling. Only he knows how to help us through our trials. I am so grateful for that knowledge. Just like he did with the people in Mosiah 24:15 "The Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease." I know that if we rely on him through hard times, he will bless us and make our burdens light. 

If It's Not One Thing, It's Another

So we were all just getting back on our feet. Calum went to school Thursday and Friday, I went out for my friends birthday and then BAM, Ailee has a seizure and takes a ride in an ambulance to the ER.

So that was terrifying and I wasn't even there to witness it. I was with the missionaries teaching a lesson. When we were done one of the sisters phones rang, she handed it to me just as I read this text from Kevin, 

"We're riding in the ambulance headed to littleton hospital. Ailee fell and got knocked out."

I told Kevin I was on my way. He told me that she was OK and that they just were getting into the room.

When I got there Ailee was mad, it was her bedtime and she was sick and tired of getting poked and what not. Also having a seizure, they told us, is like running a marathon. So she was way exhausted anyway. I snuggled her and it didn't take long for her to fall asleep. 

They don't really know what happened. Ailee was sitting on the couch watching a show with Calum. Kevin stepped out of the room and when he came back she was on the ground shaking. He picked her up, and she was having a hard time breathing and was totally out of it. So she maybe fell off the couch and then started her seizure, or she maybe started convulsing on the couch and that made her fall off. We asked Calum, and his story changes every time. He wasn't a very reliable witness :)

The doctor said that falling off the couch onto the carpet isn't really a likely source for a seizure. They said usually it would be caused from a much higher fall onto something hard like cement. On the ambulance ride she had a low fever of like 99, and then at the hospital is was around 100. Again, the doctors said that usually seizures are accompanied by much higher fevers. But we did learn that seizures are actually fairly common in kids. And they aren't really as dangerous as they seem. So thats good. 

Ailee woke up when we laid her down for her CT scan. They wrapped her up all snug, and she was actually still fairly tired so I just stroked her cheek and sung to her and she kind of dozed in and out which was perfect for the scan. It came back looking totally normal as did all of her blood work. 

We gave her a blessing and a bottle and before too long she was acting like nothing even happened. She fell back asleep her fever went down and they let us go home.

Such a weird, freaky thing. Kevin is still traumatized from it, but she seems to be doing fine. So thats good. She has an EEG later this week to check her brain waves and we will be meeting with a neurologist in a couple weeks. So we will see what they say.

Calum was a trooper. The firemen showed up and helped Calum get his jammies on (because of course he was running around in his underwear), he sat perfectly still as they rode in the ambulance. The firemen held Calum's hand and walked into the EMT hangout in the hospital. They got Calum a snack and then brought him into the room. He got a coloring book and crayons, watched Kung Fu Panda and him and Ailee got some cute handmade pillows. 

People are just so great. When I heard about all the people taking care of him while Kevin was busy with Ailee, it just makes me so grateful. So thanks everyone who made this horrible experience better for us. Im seriously so grateful. I don't even know you but I love you! 

The same day as Ailees episode, our niece Brittany had brain surgery to remove a mass. Kevin's brother texted the family and told us something along the lines of "We've had enough of hospitals today. Everyone go to bed, say your prayers and go to bed." 

Brittany is recovering well and they think they got it all. So grateful for all the blessings.

The rest of the week was fairly typical. We pushed our kids around in cardboard boxes.

Tore it up at the skatepark.

Played dress up for some free food. (Which Kevin says he is never doing again, because last year when they dressed up like pirates and went to Krispy Kreme Kevin ripped his toe nail off, also, I'm pretty sure it was the day that Ailee got to come home from the hospital from her fever last year, and then this year Ailee had her seizure.) Talk like a pirate day we blame you. Next year we aren't leaving our house! But they are cute little pirates. Yarr Matey.

Played at the Park.

Watched shows, (This is just before Ailee fell)

We went on walks, 

Standing on her own. She has been for a few weeks, but I don't think I've gotten a picture.

Kevin's parents treated us to dinner, and Ailee couldn't get enough. Haha. I looooove her.

My cousin and her fam just moved out here to Denver, so we got together with them, played games, ate dinner, went swimming and they even let Calum take a ride in their Power Wheels. He was in heaven.

Calum tried out some new looks, 

but he decided his favorite look is matching me and Ailee. (I accidentally dressed us all in the exact same color. Hahaha.)

I got my business cards in the mail

Yup, still just sewing away.

Fun Halloween Fabric. Muahahaha

How cute is this outfit. Ailee couldn't wait to put it on :)

 I wish she would've posed for me this good outside in the better lighting, but I'll take what I can get. I love her and am so glad she is OK.

After all of that. Guess who woke up yesterday saying he felt sick, then puked and then was perfectly fine the rest of the day? This kid. Why does he do this?? He has seriously done this multiple times over the last year. What a weirdo. I guess if it's not one thing it's another, right? We'll see what next week brings. Hopefully nothing as eventful as this week. But if so, we're so glad to have the gospel of Jesus Christ and know of his love for us and that he truly has a plan for us.