A day to celebrate!!!

We just returned home from Primary Children's Medical Center for Kaden's bone cyst check up that he has every 3 months. We were told today that his cyst is totally filled in and completely healed!!! We don't have to take him back for another 2 years just to make sure it doesn't come back. I'm so happy that for now we no longer have to worry about his arm breaking due to his bone cyst. I'm so grateful that we are all healthy and hope we never take it for granted. To celebrate we let the boys get ice cream and french fries down stairs at the cafeteria. (I know,not the healthiest lunch, but we felt under the circumstances we'd let the boys pick.) Anyways, Aaron has the whole week before Christmas off work so we have enjoyed having him home. He has been busy converting our camcorder tapes onto DVD so that we can watch them more easily. There is some video we totally forgot we had taken. Some of which contains video of Lucas with the boys. We got a little sad watching them but I'm so glad that we have them. Last night for FHE we had the opportunity to go with friends to a retirement home and visit some elderly people. We sang Christmas carols and took gifts and it was a good experience. I think the boys enjoyed it but they couldn't understand why some of them didn't speak. Well, we are looking forward to Christmas and spending time with family and remembering what Christmas is all about. The boys are still young and are so focused on presents, treats, and playing in the snow. We try to remind them on a regular basis that Christmas is a time to remember our Savior and to do things for others. And our last few FHE activities have focused around what Christmas is all about. But, when asked what their favorite thing about Christmas is, it's still the presents, treats, and snow. Oh, and no school. But, hopefully they'll have a better appreciation as they get older. I don't know how many more years we'll be able to get away with the whole Santa thing. Kaden has asked a lot of questions this year and I feel really guilty lying to him. But, I want just one more year of the magic of Santa for him. He says, "Mom, is Santa real?" I reply with, "Do you believe he's real?" "Yes." "Then he is." And I leave it with that. Jonas wants to know why we don't have a chimney and how Santa gets in. I told him that he has a special key that can open any door. And with that he was satisfied. Well, we wish everyone a very merry Christmas full of peace and love. Until next time....

Shannon

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCAS!!!

Lucas,

Today we honor you and remember the joy we felt when you first came to our family and everyday since. Happy Birthday! We love you!

Much to be grateful for...

Well, I first must accept first prize for the worlds biggest slacker. I can't believe it's been 3 months since our last post and for those of you who thought maybe we dropped off the face of the earth, my apologies. Let's see, where to begin? Kaden is in 2nd grade and loves school. Jonas started Preschool this year and is having a blast making new friends and learning many fun things. Halloween was great. We went up to Aaron's parents and my mother in law painted Kaden's face. He was Dracula this year and Jonas was Ironman. They did great Trick or treating and we only got rained on for about 10 min. total which wasn't bad. We had our umbrellas just in case. For Thanksgiving we also went to my in laws and spent the evening eating ourselves stupid and visiting. It was a nice relaxing holiday. The day after we put up the Christmas Tree and made a gingerbread house. It was a sticky mess but the boys did a great job! We found out we are having another boy which I was expecting only because this pregnancy is so much like the others so I had a hunch. Am I disappointed? Well, I think every woman wants to experience what it's like to have a daughter, but I might just have to wait until my boys get married to have those girly bonds. I love our boys and I am just so grateful that the baby appears to be healthy and strong and that we have the opportunity to have children period. I'm excited to meet him and his brothers are so thrilled to be getting another baby brother. They LOVE babies and making them smile and laugh! It's nice that they will be old enough to be big helpers too. Aaron is doing well at work and we are so thankful that he still has a job. Times are tough for a lot of people and we feel very blessed to be stable financially right now. We are all healthy and happy and just enjoying our time together as a family. I'm grateful for good friends who have been there for us through laughter and tears. I'm grateful for my testimony of the Gospel and for a loving Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ who's love for me I can not deny. Their comfort has been a constant companion throughout this past year. I can honestly say that without them, I don't know if I could have found peace through the most difficult trial we have ever faced as a family. We miss Lucas terribly and think about him every day. We will often sit down for dinner and reminisce about the funny things he would do. I don't ever want the boys to forget their brother and so we keep him alive through our memories. Well, that's all for now and I wish everyone a happy holiday season. No matter what the circumstances, there is always something to be grateful for.

Remembering

Well, Shannon asked me to update the blog two trips ago. So I admit I have been a slacker. Maybe one day I will get around to putting the pictures up too. So here is the reader's digest version of what we have been up to.

At the end of July we took the family to St. George for a long weekend getaway and to celebrate our anniversary (It has been ten wonderful years). When we arrived in St. George, Shannon went shopping at the outlets for school clothes for the boys. She got a lot of nice clothes for the new school year. The next night we went to Las Vegas and stayed in a really nice Suite at Mandalay Bay. We ate ourselves silly at the Seaside Buffet that night. The boys were staying in St. George with Shannon's parents. The next morning we were roused to the telephone call informing us that Kaden had fallen off the couch he was sleeping on and was complaining that his arm hurt. We headed back to St. George and took him to the Insta Care in St. George. They determined that his arm was broken and that it broke so easily because he has a bone cyst in his upper humerus. Well, we enjoyed the rest of the vacation but Kaden had to wear a sling. On Saturday night we went to Tuacan and saw CATS the musical. It was entertaining and the boys liked it, but it was so hot even at 10:00 pm.

The other trip that I took was to California to go surfing in San Diego. My brother and his friend came along because they had some work to do in CA and they wanted to catch some waves too. We drove all night but stopped in Las Vegas and ate breakfast at an old Casino at 3 am where they served decent breakfast for a few bucks between the hours of 11:00 pm and 7:00 am. Vegas is a different world. When we did get to San Diego the next morning the surf wasn't great but I was with my older brother and his friend who knew their way around CA, so we headed North to Huntington Beach and found some waves. In all we ended up going to San Diego, Huntington Beach, Newport, Las Angeles (Venice Beach). As I mentioned my brother knows his way around that area and he took me to some amazing places to eat. The best had to be the Fish and Calamari Tacos in Huntington beach. On our way back from CA, after spending a few days there, we stopped in Las Vegas again and watched a cover band, The Crashers, perform. They are some pretty talented guys. I had a good time and it was fun to hang out with my bro for a few days.

Well, this was a short and scattered post. Maybe Shannon won't ask me to post anymore ;). The boys have continued to say and do funny things. Both have started school and Kaden is in soccer. We feel so blessed to have them and are grateful to be expecting our fourth child now. We hope to find out the gender in the next couple of weeks.

To end, and maybe the whole reason I wrote anything tonight is because I was thinking of Lucas. Tomorrow marks one year since he left us and returned to his Father in Heaven. We miss him so much but try to focus on the positive things, like the joy he brought to our family, that he is no longer battling Cancer and going through all that came with it, and that he is now with his Heavenly Father free from care and pain. Lucas, we love and miss you and look forward to the day that we can hold you again. Tomorrow will be a special opportunity to honor you and remember you, as we do everyday. We love you.

Big News!!!

Well, we are excited to announce that we will be adding a new member into our family. My due date is Feb. 3 and we couldn't be more excited!! I had a little scare at my appointment last week when the doctor couldn't find a heart beat however an ultrasound later that day confirmed that everything looked good. I think it's still sinking in and although we are thrilled, we can't help but feel a little anxious in hopes that the baby will be born without complications. We know that no one is exempt from the possibilities of health problems, but we can't let our fears hinder the possibilities of receiving wonderful blessings. (If that makes any sense.) Aaron is still enjoying his job and doing well there. We feel very blessed that he still has employment during this difficult economic time. He recently ran in the Wasatch Back race (or RAGNAR) with a group of friends. It consists of just over 180 miles where each team member takes different legs to complete the race. He had a great time and wants to do it again next year. The boys are having a great summer now that I'm feeling better. I wasn't exactly the most fun and present mother during my bouts with morning sickness but now that it's over I've tried to make up for it. They love to ride their bikes outside and do anything that involves water whether it be playing in the sprinklers, swimming, or going to the water slide park. Kaden’s newest interest is skateboarding. He received one for Christmas and due to the bad winter weather, he didn't try it out until recently. Aaron went and bought himself a skateboard yesterday (yes, he’s almost 35 years old) but he used to be quite the expert when he was a kid and has mad skills so who better to teach Kaden than his dad. They went to the skate park near our house last night and had a great time. Jonas took a scooter so that he wouldn’t feel left out. No one was hurt so I consider it a success and they can’t wait to go back. Kaden will also start soccer next month and hopefully he likes it better than Jonas liked T-Ball. Um yea, we won’t be doing that next year. He was so bored. I can’t believe that school starts in 4 weeks. Where has the summer gone? Jonas is excited to start preschool. He almost knows all of his letters and sounds. He also learned how to ride a 2 wheeler bike. But for some reason he only likes to turn left so he just goes in a circle. I love our boys and I cherish this time that they are small because I know it won’t last forever. We’ve been visiting Lucas’ grave a lot and it’s so cute to hear the things that the boys say to him when we go. They always want to leave him something even if it’s the smallest thing. We went to a friend’s house last week and Jonas had picked some raspberries in the back yard. My friend put them in a Ziploc bag and since we were in the area we decided to stop by and say hello to Lucas. Jonas put one of the raspberries in front of his stone and accidentally stepped on it when he went to kiss his brother's picture. So, he gave Lucas another one. He said, “Here Lucas, when you get resurrected you can eat this raspberry.” That melted my heart. We all miss him so much and still have our moments where the pain feels almost unbearable. But we also feel peace and comfort in knowing the bigger picture and that we will be with him again someday.

It's moments like this...

Do you ever wonder if your kids listen and grasp the teachings that you hope they are absorbing with those little sponge like brains of theirs? Well, on Saturday Aaron was outside with the boys and Kaden wanted to ride his bike but couldn't find his helmet. I was upstairs getting ready for the day and he came in and asked me if I had seen it. I told him I hadn't and to look more around the house which he did. A few minutes later it got really quiet and as I was doing my make-up I heard a little voice from downstairs say "Dear Heavenly Father, can you please please please help me find my helmet. Oh and I love you and Jesus so much Heavenly Father. Thank you for my blessings. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." My heart melted as I realized that he is listening in church and in FHE. Every Sunday we ask the boys what they learned in class and he always says he can't remember. No one encouraged him to pray for help but he knew that he could ask his Heavenly Father for help. And ya know what, shortly after that he found his helmet. His prayer had been answered. It's moments like this that make me so proud of him. I feel so blessed to have our boys and a loving husband who helps me to raise them with correct teachings and principals to give them the best chance of happiness throughout their lives. And I'm grateful to have an angel son who will watch over them as they grow up. Well, we are having a fun summer just playing outside and being carefree. Kaden will be done with summer school at the end of June and then 2nd grade starts the 3rd week of August so we'll just enjoy the time in between as much as possible. Jonas is in T-Ball and I wish I could say that he was enjoying it more but he's 4 and thinks that standing in a field holding a glove is boring. Imagine that. He likes to bat but that's only a few times during the game. So, he's going to finish what he started but I don't know if he'll be doing it next year. Kaden will start soccer in August and hopefully that will go better. In closing I just wanted to share with everyone that there is a little baby boy Tristan Woodman who is currently at Primary Children's Hospital who also has ATRT and his family could really use some support financially with medical costs. If you go on facebook and look up the "Pray for baby Tristan" group, every little bit helps. My heart goes out to his family during this difficult time as it hits very close to home. Please keep the Woodman family in your prayers and thank you again for all of the love and support you have given to our family. It helped more than you will ever know.

A Day to Remember

Well, yesterday was Memorial Day and I have to admit that in years past it hasn't really been anything more than just another day off work to get things done around the house and maybe have some fun with the family. But now it has taken on a whole new meaning. We decided that it would be fun to start a tradition of having a picnic with Lucas every year. The weather couldn't have been more perfect and we just sat on a blanket with our subway sandwiches and talked to him. It was great! I had never been to a cemetery on Memorial day and wow....it was incredible. Usually when we go we are the only one's there. It was truly amazing to look around and see the numbers of people there to remember and honor their loved one's who have passed on. And oh the flags, there were flags everywhere which was quite a sight to see. We had a good time and I'm sure Lucas was there in spirit enjoying the picnic right along with us. Well moving on to another topic, Kaden has graduated the first grade. He should be out for the summer but was invited to attend a four week course of summer school where he will be working with a specialist to help his reading and writing to improve. He starts tomorrow and it's 3 hours a day for the month of June. He was right at benchmark however, I believe he can make leaps and bounds and be that much more prepared for next year by taking advantage of this opportunity. I plan on taking him to the Library this week to get him his first library card which will hopefully get him more excited about reading. I feel kind of guilty because I think had I read with him more last summer, he would have been reading at the same level as the other kids in his class. However, I had a lot on my mind and was slightly distracted last summer so it is my goal to make up for it this summer. Well, I am very tired and have to get up early to get Kaden to school on time so I am off to bed.

Back from California

Well, we just spent the past week on vacation and it was so much fun and much needed. We first drove down to St. George to celebrate my grandparents 80Th Birthday Party Hawaiian style. Pretty much all the relatives on my dad's side were there and we played games, ate yummy food, watched a video of their life, and just visited. It was great! And somehow the Easter Bunny was able to find us and left the boys Easter Baskets. We had an Easter egg hunt for the kids and their cousins which was fun. Then we drove to Victorville, CA and stayed with one of Aaron's friends and his family. We woke up Monday morning and the weather was overcast and raining. When we arrived at Disneyland, the lines weren't too bad, but as the afternoon arrived and the sun came out, so did everyone else and their dog. IT WAS CROWDED! I haven't been since I was a kid and I don't remember the lines being so long. But Tuesday proved to be even worse when it came to the lines. We still had fun and the boys were really good about all the standing and walking we had to do. We were up really late both nights and as soon as we entered our hotel room they were ready to go to bed without any arguments. One cool thing is that Kaden was just barely tall enough to go on the big rides. He went on the big roller coaster at California Adventure with Aaron and loved it! He's our fearless one. Jonas did pretty well but a few of the rides scared him just a tad. He still had fun though. I can't get over how expensive the food is there. We looked forward to the times when we could eat somewhere cheap off of the park property. McDonald's never looked so good. On Wednesday we slept in and then drove to San Diego to my Aunt and Uncle's house in La Jolla. They were so hospitable and had everything we needed to go to the beach waiting there for us. We changed into our swim suits and made our way out to Pacific Beach. I laid on the beach trying to get some color while the boys played in the water, collected sea shells, and built sand castles. We couldn't stay to long because we had a limited parking time but it was good. We had a BBQ that night and the next day we took the boys to Sea World. They loved it. I was disappointed because the dolphin show was closed and we only stayed for part of the day because we ran out of things to do. It's not like at Disneyland where you almost feel like there isn't enough time. We saw all of the shows and exhibits and ate lunch (which was also outrageously priced) and let the kids pick out a souvenir. Then we went down to this children's beach where they had it roped off. Every year the mother sea lions come and give birth to their babies and stay for awhile to keep the pups safe. It was cool to see up close. It was amazing that they didn't seem bothered by everyone looking at them only feet away from their babies. I guess they just get used to it. We went out to dinner with my Aunt and Uncle and had awesome fish and chips. Friday morning we went back to St. George and stayed at my grandparents overnight to break up the drive. We had to make it back for Church on Sunday because our ward split the week before and Aaron is now in the Bishopric. I'm so excited for him and I'm excited about our new ward. It's much smaller and I think it will be easier to get to know people better. However, I'm going to miss a lot of the members in our old ward. I've been called to play the piano in Relief Society which should be interesting. I haven't played in over 15 years and never learned any hymns so I'll just have to do the best I can. I guess the Lord wants me to learn this talent again. I used to be a pretty decent player when I was a kid but it's true what they say..."If you don't use it, you lose it." I'm way out of practice. Life is good and I enjoyed the driving part of our trip just as much because Aaron and I were able to have some good conversations. I love my husband with all my heart and couldn't imagine being married to anyone else. He is truly the perfect mate for me. I'm so grateful for all of my blessings and for the opportunity we had to create these precious memories.

Busy, busy, busy!!!

Well, life has been crazy lately. A little over a month ago I accepted a calling to be the meeting counselor in the Relief Society Presidency which has been a lot of work but sooooo rewarding and fun. Aaron went to Arizona for a conference for work and we are glad to have him home. We were able to make it to the temple last night for a session and it was much needed. We hadn't been together since the day we received Lucas' diagnosis and so we were both very emotional. But it was great and the spirit was very strong. Kaden and Jonas are enjoying the warm weather we've been having and after spending all winter cooped up in the house with cabin fever, it's been nice to get outside in the fresh air. Jonas is signed up to play T-Ball in May and he is really excited. Kaden wants to play soccer which starts in August. There are a bunch of mom's in our neighborhood who have signed up their kids as well so it will be a lot of fun to visit and watch the kids play at the same time. I love our neighborhood. I'm not attached to our house but when the day comes that we decide to move it will be difficult to leave our friends. Well, that's pretty much all I have for now. I wish I would do a better job of remembering the little things that happen. I guess that's why I should be recording more often when things are fresh. We are greatly blessed and although we have gone through some difficult times, I'm grateful for all that we have been given and for the growth that has been a direct result of our trials.

Where does the time go?

I can't believe it has been over a month since our last post. I guess life has been pretty uneventful so I just haven't felt the need to post an update. We are doing well and enjoying the small things in life. Yesterday marked 5 months since our sweet Lucas returned home and although it's still difficult, the cry sessions are getting fewer and farther between. I think it's because we've just accepted that this is the way it is until we meet again and the pain is getting easier to bear with time. I've been trying to stay busy which helps also. I did make it to his grave last week and it was the first time I had been by myself. Usually we go on Sunday's as a family so it was nice to just sit and talk to him alone. I started exercising with some of the girls at the church and it has been so much fun. Jonas and I go to play group once a week and I have the opportunity to volunteer in Kaden's class once a week. I am so lucky to have them in my life. I am also blessed to have the most awesome husband to walk the earth. He is sooooo good to me even though I can be a stinker sometimes. We recently got called to be a Maw and Paw for Trek this summer. We are so excited for this opportunity and I know that it will be such a spiritual experience. (Trek is held in Wyoming for 4 days. The youth and some of the adults in our church cross the plains where our early pioneer ancestors walked to reach Salk Lake City. We will be dressed like pioneers and pull handcarts with our belongings all the while getting a taste of the sacrifices and blessing that came with this journey.) We have decided to take the kids to Disneyland the last week in February which is coming up. I haven't been since I was a child so I am very excited. I think the boys will LOVE IT!!! We haven't been on a vacation like this since Kaden was 5 months old and we went on a cruise. We figure why not go now? We could use a little get away and the timing couldn't be better. Hopefully the weather is nice and it isn't too crowded. And now that we have a minivan with a DVD player, the drive shouldn't be too bad. It will be fun. Well, that's all for now. It's time to get the kiddo's ready for bed.

Shannon