A Sunday of Blessings

On Sunday afternoon Will and I were able to go up to Primary's and see Jacob and his parents. It was a wonderful experience. His parents are both so strong, and full of faith. They know that they are being guided and watched over. Jacob is slowly improving. As his dad likes to say, "Two steps forward, no steps back." It was very exciting to be with Jacob today and be witness to some of those huge steps forward. While we were in his room his eye's opened a little. (He has been in a drug induced coma since the accident, and is just starting to be taken off the medicine that keeps him comatose.) The nurse asked him to wiggle his fingers if he could hear her, and he quickly wiggled his fingers on his right hand. She kept checking on him, and his dad walked around, took Jacob's hand and spoke to him. "Jacob, it's dad. Squeeze my hand." Jacob immediately tightened his grip on his dad's hand.

About that time, I went looking for Jacob's mom, so she could be witness to his great progress. Once I found her, we RAN all the way back to the picu. We were too late, they had already given him more meds to sedate him. His mom seemed disappointed to have missed the exciting event, but thrilled with his progress. Apparently he had squeezed his dad's hand again 4 or 5 times while I was gone. It is a huge step in the right direction! I am thankful for prayers being heard on this Fast Sunday of Blessings. I helped his parents set up a blog to keep family and friends updated. You can see more about Jacob at http://www.pray4jacob.blogspot.com/

Prayers for Jacob

Last night as I was walking down the street to pick up Ashlyn from her friends house, I saw a helicopter flying very low. I didn't think about it very much, until Will got a phone call later that night. One of Will's Deacons, Jacob had been riding his bike, and was hit by a car. To make matters worse, Jacob was hit by a sweet woman who is also in our ward. She was so completely distraught. I can't imagine how she must be feeling. Jacob was life flighted to PCMC with severe head trauma. We don't have much more info than that. I think it is kind of a wait and see thing. I do know that he had a shunt placed in his head to help control the swelling. It just breaks my heart, both of these families involved have already had their share of pain and heartache.
Earlier this year Will and Jacob's dad took some of the kids including Jacob, and my McKinley and Ashlyn down to the Moab area. Needless to say, the girls took it very hard. My sweet little Ashlyn said she was going to pray all night for Jacob. Conner came racing into the house with the news just minutes after Will got the phone call. He had been up by the accident site, and saw the helicopter. Brennan, in his (new) mature style, waited for all the little kids to clear out, and then grilled me to see if I knew anything more we weren't telling the little kids.
Our hearts are heavy, and filled with prayers for Jacob, his family, and the woman who hit him.

Stalking the mailbox!

Last week I received a very exciting phone call from the Chicago County Courthouse. When I was out there in June, I petitioned a Judge to unseal the adoption records of my Great, Great, Grandmothers son. (That is if the records even existed, and then if they could find them!) I didn't have his birthday, name or anything. Only his birth parents names. He was adopted away when my G.G. Grandmother died. Well...... Sweet Teresa did some digging on my behalf and found the records! She then took my info to the Judge and he approved giving me the info!! In Chicago, adoption records are sealed indefinitely. They usually don't open them. So now I am stalking the mailbox waiting for the information to come. I had to mail out a check for the certified copy of the records, so I have to wait for them to get my check, process the info, and then send me back the records. I know it can't possibly come yet, and I still keep checking the mailbox. How humbled I am at how an impossible situation has worked out just the way I needed it to. I know it is not a coincidence, but a blessing from my Heavenly Father.

EFY....Especially Flirting Youth!

In August, Brennan and his cousin Devon went to EFY down at BYU. Brennan had an awesome time, and loved every second of it. Here is one of the rare pictures of him with one of his "guy buddies."

I sent Brennan with the camera hoping that he might come home with a few pictures. He had such a blast and took a ton of pictures, much to my surprise! Of course there was a large majority of pictures with cute girls. :) Ha Ha! He had such a wonderful time and totally loved his counseler.

He met kids from all over the USA. He keeps asking me when we can go to Chicago! Too funny! One of the guys in his group is from Chicago, and he wants to go visit.

Anyway, to all of you with kids heading into those teenage years, watch out. It's a fun, crazy ride!

I wouldn't miss it for anything!!

Yellowstone

In August we went to Yellowstone with most of the cousins and Grandma and Grandpa. (We missed you Justin and Jaden.) Ever since Ashlyn learned about Yellowstone from her school librarian, she has wanted to go. We went to the hot pots and saw lots of animals. Ashlyn was in heaven. She for sure is our "outdoor-nature girl". I thought she might burst from excitement at Old Faithful.

This picture was so funny to take. Everytime we would get ready to take a picture, the steam would kick up so we couldn't see anything!! One lady thought these were all my children. 10 kids! AGH!!! I've got my hands full with half of that!

We had a fun time with the cousins being able to hang out together. I would have liked to go on some hikes, but it was a quick trip, with lots of sightseeing.

This lake was right by the continental divide. It was so pretty, and had lily-like flowers floating everywhere on the lily pads.

Brennan looks like a tough guy here, but he really is a sweetheart. (And he got a haircut the day after we got home!)