What to say?!?

So, hours after I posted last week "could things get better, please"...Scott was in the Emergency Room with Calvin!  I guess that is the answer to my question.  Calvin got a severe concussion at school on Monday.  He was coming out of class and Alec was right there.  They normally "bump" each other or do something "brotherly".  This time the "bump" in the hallway caught Calvin off-balance and he fell strait backward and hit his head on the wall, instantly slumping down unconscious.  He wasn't breathing because of the way he was slumped and a teacher came and lifted his head up.  He started breathing, but then started to have a seizure, due to the head injury from hitting the wall.  Calvin said he doesn't remember anything except falling backward and waking up in the hospital.  The EMTs couldn't get Calvin to calm down enough for them to put an i.v. in and he was thrashing all around, literally throwing men off.  Scott said he looked and sounded like the Hulk.  They had four grown men holding him down and sitting on him just so that they could strap him to the gurney to transport him to the hospital.  Calvin said he was bummed he couldn't remember riding in the ambulance.  I was in Tuscon making a run for the mortuary.  Scott actually was supposed to go and I was just going to go along for the ride, but Scott's boss had a feeling that he needed to have Scott stay behind and have me just go instead.  I was a mess that day because there was nothing I could do and I was so far away.  I am glad that Scott was able to stay behind and be there for Calvin.  Alec felt horrible and was so afraid, but I think after Calvin came home, his fears and guilt here gone.  It really was an accident.  Calvin felt "fine" and was frustrated that the doctor told him to not watch any tv, use the computer or pretty much do anything.  He needed his brain to rest and can I tell you how hard that was to get him to do nothing?!?  Usually I'm telling him to get stuff done, but this time I'm having to tell him to do nothing!  That was weird for both of us.  Wednesday, I needed to do another run for the mortuary, and was gone all day.  I left Calvin home and he didn't eat very well and he watched tv and probably did more than his body was ready for because later that evening, he threw up again and went to bed early...he was not doing well.  I decided that on Thursday, anything I needed to do was to be cancelled so that I could make sure Calvin did nothing...  I had to force food down him (that's when you know he's not feeling well!).  By that evening, he was doing a lot better and decided to try a class on Friday.  He went to that and since he was doing so much better, I let him hang out with a friend.  He seems back to normal and the bump is almost gone.  It was really scary that he had a seizure from hitting his head.  He was out for 3 hours.  I cannot imagine parents that have kids that go into comas or have seizures forever (I know a couple of those).  I have a new respect of having to watch over your child and not much you can do.  I am so grateful that Scott stayed and that Calvin was only in the hospital for a short stay.  We already got the ambulance bill and all I could do is just put it aside because I don't know how this is going to work out.  I almost can't think about it because I start going crazy.  It's hard because we are trying to figure out how to feed the kids and such and then this happens.  I guess it will work out...it always does.

Can things get better, please?!?

I don't want to complain, but these past two weeks have been really hard.  We are down to 1/2 a car...I say "1/2" because the boys "drifted" in one car and popped the tire and the other car has the steering going out (we don't go far with it because I am convinced that as soon as I do, I will not be able to turn a corner and I will go off a cliff or something!).  Of course, money is non-existent to fix these problems.  There have been other things, but if I dwell on them I might not finish this post!  It's been taxing some days.  We had Stake Conference last night and today and I am grateful for the word that were shared because Scott and I knew they were for us.  Elder Eyring talked about how we choose to face the future...with optimistic attitudes or pessimistic attitudes.  There were days the last couple of weeks that, I must admit, my pessimistic attitude has come out...those days are dark and not fun.  But, I would wake up the next morning and start again...trying with a better attitude.  We had an offer from Scott's boss, a couple of days ago, to get licensed to sell "pre-needs", basically selling people their funeral plans.  At first I thought of things I could do, and then I started to freak out.  I am not a seller.  I don't like talking people into what I think they should do just so that I can earn a buck.  Scott said that he is going to start because he knows the business and knows those who are interested.  Anyway, I might just go in and help mail flyers for him and set appointments for him.  We'll see how it goes.  We know it is an opportunity to meet our needs and Scott's boss has offered to let him have all that walk in.  It will take time and it will be a lot of work.  I know Scott can do it.  I just don't know where I fit in (they offered it to me, too).  I just hope it starts coming in sooner than later.  Maybe the Lord will help and send a little "flood" of people that just happen to need this.  It could happen...

Also in Stake Conference, we were reminded that "We can do hard things".  I know that we can...I just don't want to, some days!  Hard things help us and the speaker counseled us to not "bail" out our kids, but to let them go through hard things.  Let them be sad and fearful and all the emotions that happen when things are hard.  They will learn where to go and what to do and the attitudes of "we can do hard things" for when they are in their later lives, married, working, etc.

Anyway, I know things will be okay.  It's just hard, but as said before "I can do hard things".  I just need to have the right attitude and keep hopeful because the opposite feels like it could tear me apart!  Just keep us in your prayers :).

Our Stake President also mentioned the huge problem Pornography has started to be here in Taylor.  There were several young men that went to work on their papers for a mission, but were held off because of their pornography addictions.  We were so happy to hear the Stake Pres. say that it is not a quick fix, and that you can't just tell someone to "stop"...it's an addiction!  Then today, Scott said that he mentioned it some more in the Priesthood meeting.  Afterwards, Scott had an hour and a half wait until conference started (and I came with the car), and he thought of talking to the Stake Pres. about it, but then thought, "oh, he's too busy...if the chance comes up, I'll talk".  Then a few minutes later, he looked up from where he was sitting and saw the Stake Pres. sitting by himself...for quite awhile.  Finally, Scott decided to go talk to him.  He briefly told him about his fight with it and how it has touched all our boys and that if he ever needed advocates of fighting against pornography, that he was willing to do whatever was needed.  The Stake President looked at him with amazement and said "you are an answer to my prayers".  It has had him so worried about our youth and has felt frustrated as to what to do about it.  Stake Conference is in four months, and he mentioned having Scott maybe do something then.  Scott was a little taken back, but he and I both know the devastation it can have on a family (and I think ours was mild compared to some families), and watching our kids battle with it has been even scarier.  If what we have learned and gone through can help someone out there, then we both will do whatever is asked of us.  I am so grateful to my brother who does this for a living.  He helped us through a really scary time in our lives...especially with our kids.  So, we'll see what happens with that!

Other news, Ashton went to a FFA conference and had to do a presentation to sell agricultural products.  He had to study up on items to sell to help impregnate a cow!  Then at the presentation, he had to sell the products.  Should 14 year old boys be studying this stuff?!?  There were 3 groups who competed and all get to go to State in a month.  Supposedly the more people you have in your group, the better the score, so Ashton said that their score went down 300 pts. just because there were only two of them.  They did good, though, and the judges were impressed that they presented well, even they were the only two.  Ashton was happy and had a fun time.  He is starting to make friends and trying to branch out.  So, in a month, Ashton will be headed down to ASU to compete in agricultural sales!  He is not his mother's child.  They can have it for free...just don't make me sell it to you!

Everyone else is healthy and well.  I am grateful for that!  We haven't been sick for a long time (knock on wood), and I know it's tender mercies.

And...we're done...

It was the Primary Program today and we are DONE with it for the year!!!  The reason I am so excited is because I play the piano and this years program had 12 songs!!!  That is a lot of songs for a program.  Usually they have about 8 or 9.  It went really well and Scott said that he heard no mistakes...I fooled him!!!  I just kept doing what my grandpa always said and that is if you mess up, keep going...so that's what I did.  I liked how they wrote the Program this year because if a child didn't show up, then it didn't matter to the script, but if they did, then it added to the script.  I have been in some where the teachers would read the parts of the children missing and it is kind of distracting.  Anyway, it was good this year.  We were laughing because every Primary Program there is something that a child does that is so innocent, but so funny and this year a little girl was telling the story of Jesus being baptized (quoting the scriptures) and the adult leader was helping her by whispering the lines to her.  So the girl said that after Jesus was baptized "he went straightway out of the water and the Spirit descended on him in the form of a duck"!!!  It was so funny.  She was so embarrassed because she was really trying hard to say what the leader was saying, but dove and duck are too close when you are whispering!  It was funny.  After the meeting, I got to go into Primary and they decided to have a sing-time day!!!  It's not as exciting as it sounds because I had no idea what songs we were singing and that was fun...(not so much), but the chorister was fun and for some reason on a couple of the songs I did fine until the last note and for some reason I couldn't get the last note, so she would have the kids hold the note until I found it.  It was fun and made me laugh (by then, I was so tired I didn't care!).  I do love the Primary songs, though, and I really am not complaining...I'm just glad the stress of performing is over.  I have always had stage-fright and  was able to keep my eyes off the audience today, so I think that helped (plus several prayers before!).  On to next year's songs!

this is the puppy...named "Trouble"

This is Sally, who comes to visit...

This week we were able to babysit a puppy.  The boys have been wanting another dog and we keep telling them that it just isn't smart, especially because we are hoping to end that phase of dog raising when the kids all leave (Shep will be 12 or so, and I know Angel will be gone by then).  Anyway, it was fun to babysit this puppy, especially seeing Angel pounce around chasing it and playing with it like she was a puppy, too...but she's 12!  Dallen went with the family of the puppy on a camping trip and boating trip.  He got to go tubing and kneeboarding and catch crawdads and got really muddy...it was a perfect trip!  The water was even warm!  This family lives two doors down and have 4 boys and 1 girl.  The neighborhood will never be the same.  The funny thing is that they have another dog, Sally - a boxer, who will walk into our house and camp out with our dogs, eat their food, and just hang out if the door is open.  It's pretty funny.  The other day, I realized that Dallen does the same thing to their family!  He walks in, camps out, eats their food, especially if their door is open!  So, I thanked her for letting Dallen come over and she thanked me for letting Sally come over!  I think it's funny.  Anyway, when Dallen came home from camping, and this is what happened...

They were zonked out by 6:30 pm, for the night...there was no moving them, either.  Angel was so exhausted from playing with the puppy and Dallen was so exhausted from boating.  I think they missed each other, too.

Ashton and I got to go on a day date yesterday.  It was just Dallen and Ashton home.  Alec and Calvin drove down to Phoenix to visit their Aunt Heidi and cousins and attend the mission farewell of Jonathan Hooper...the first friends the boys made in Mesa and is a true blessing in their lives.  He will be serving in the New York, New York mission.  Did you know that mission included Bermuda?  I had no idea.  Anyway, back to Dallen and Ashton.  So, Ashton asked if I would like to go to the movie with him...just the two of us.  I said, "of course" and then I told Scott that it would be just him and Dallen home and so they decided to go horse-back riding (Scott's boss has 4 horses and is always telling us to help ride them because they need the exercise).  Scott and Dallen went riding and Ashton and I went and saw "Hotel Transylvania".  It was a really fun/cute movie.  We had a good time.  We'll have to do it again.

Scott and I, then, got invited to go to a fundraiser for the Heritage club which helps restore old buildings and history of the area.  We were invited by the Click family.  Brad and Craig Click are in our ward and Brad invited us to come.  We really like being around them.  They are really funny and witty.  Their wives are really nice and according to their husbands are "too serious", but they are just as fun.  We met some really nice people and had a great time getting to know the Clicks better.  It was kind of an initiation into the community :).  We are all for that!  Anyway, the program was a celebration of Arizona and the area and it was fun to learn some new things.

Everything else is going good.  We have "trunk or treat" this year at someone's house...usually you have it at the church building, but because everyone has so much property around here, we are able to do it at someone's house!  It should be fun.  I always like playing a game in the back of our car for the kids to "earn" their treat.  I'm not huge on decorating, but big on games...gotta go with my strengths!  We'll post pictures next week.