A Photo Blog

They say a picture is worth a thousand words...

I thought I would spare you that much reading :)

Kendall got asked to MORP :)

Tayler took some old junky metal bed frames and turned them CUTE! The opposite paint scheme is because she and Kinsley couldn't agree on colors, their chosen colors complimented each other quite nicely...kind of like the girls do!

This is Russell getting his EEG (electroencephalogram). We learned that encephalo means brain in Latin...oh the things I would understand if I knew Latin!!! LOL

We have proof that he does have a brain!

A quite active one at that!

Hunters pink pine wood derby that won all his races!

What a man!

Nate's pine wood derby car shaped like an arrow.

And the bunches of eggs he collected that day!

The colorful eggs in a bucket. Thought they looked cool!

Kinsley lost her first tooth!

What a week for everyone

I'm glad to get to read about everyone's week, thankful that Russell is o.k. and excited about Josh's exciting mission call news and Dad and Jennie Lou's wonderful Valentines Day activities. Not much has changed around our house. The economy has hit us - Rob's job has been affected by the state's budget cuts. They call it a furlough and it will cut 4 hours a week or 8 hours a pay period. So, it will change his schedule in that he will still have 3 day weekends every week but one week he will work 4 - 10 hours day and the alternating week he will work 4 - 8 hour days. So, with those budget cuts in our household, we may not be traveling to visit anyone very much - don't know quite yet, we're trying to cut everything we possibly can.

The other news is that we have a new family member. We are fostering an orange tabby kitty that is 3 or 4 years old. He was due for shots so we stood in line for about 1 1/2 hours yesterday at the feed store's value clinic to get him shots at a much reduced rate from our vet's office. He is a nice BIG kitty. He has made friends with Raccoon and Leonard - and well, you know Grandma kitty, she doesn't make friends with too many animals - Pepper is the only one she tolerates. But, it is so cute watching Blaze (new kitty) kiss noses with Raccoon and Leonard and watch him and Leoard play together. Like I say, he is a very BIG kitty. He outweighs Raccoon even. He weighed in at the clinic yesterday at 18 pounds. WOW!!! Weight control food for him too. He really isn't that fatty, he is pretty muscular like Leoard. We don't know how long we'll have him. We're keeping him for a couple that is trying to get their baby home from the hospital without CPS getting in the way. The baby has alot of health issues and has a tracheotomoy so they just absolutely can't have the cat and the baby. But, the baby has had trouble surviving and just putting weight on so hopefully she'll be ready to go home with them in a few weeks when they have learned how to care for her at home. Both parents are blind as well as the baby. If all goes well for them, we'll have a kitty for a very long time. So, I really hope all goes well for their family - not because we needed another kitty, but just that all goes well for this struggling little family. This is their first baby.

Here is a picture of our new little Blaze kitty and yes I've lost it - I think Pepper and Duchess look so cute in their bandanas from the vet.

Gila Valley Arizona Temple Groundbreaking

Saturday, April 14, 2009 - Valentine's Day
We have returned from a very special event, though we could have watched it from the warmth of a chapel in the area we really enjoyed being there. There was a special spirit present. It was a very clear beautiful morning. With the snow capped Graham mountains standing high into the sky, the day was very picturesque. What a neat Valentine’s Day. It was also a very cold morning, with the temperature at our house in the early morning down to 29 degrees. The gates were to open at 6:30AM but we got there at 6:20 and they were opened and people flowing in. We got a very good parking place just next to the dedication sight. They had announced in sacrament meetings that there would be limited setting primarily intended for the elderly and the infirm. So people should bring their own chairs or be prepared to stand. So most people brought their own chairs, only to find out that they did set up a several hundred metal folding chairs in a large half circle, but they were covered with frost and very cold to sit on. They had them roped off for the elderly. It was obvious that some people had taken their own chairs over the night before because they were also covered with frost. There were about two rows of these. We took a couple of metal folding chairs and sat them in the middle of the third row of the personal chairs. As the morning went on there were about 20 to 30 rows of personal chairs.
We sat for awhile then went back to the car where it was a lot warmer, we had about two hours to wait before we were to be in our seats. I think the cold scared of most of the elderly and infirm, because there were a lot of metal chairs available, even if was not cold I don’t they would’ve had that many elderly. Just before the meeting started they open up the rows of metal sets and let anyone in. With pre-setup chairs and personal chairs there were enough chairs for everyone. I wondered why it had been planned to start so early in the morning, but the thought came to me, later in the day the wind would probably come up and it has. W
The talks were great and every speaker mentioned how President Kimball was probably there and very happy about this day. He was probably saying, “Camilla, look what’s happening in the Gila Valley”. They praised the pioneers and their hard and long struggle to settle this valley. President Eyring sent a message that he loved this people and it was eluded that he would probably be here for the dedication in May of 2010. They called upon Kathleen McBride Crockett (President Crockett’s wife) to bear her testimony and she said “she had worn her mother’s leather gloves – because she knew she would want to be part of this” – Katie also said “she felt the presence of lots of people from beyond the veil there”. The program lasted a little over an hour. How many people were there, we didn’t count, probably not the 7 ,000 they thought might come but there were several thousand. I’m sure broadcasting the program into the chapels in the valley and out of the valley cut down on those attending in person. We saw a lot of people who came back to their home roots just to be here and I saw a lot of people from the upper Gila Valley who did come down.
After the main people put in a shovel anyone who wanted to could go up and shovel some dirt and take pictures, but we didn’t want to fight the crowd so we took advantage and got our car out before there was a rush. Though it was very cold and we got cold, we were very glad we made the effort.
We took a picture of the program that had a picture of the temple and the order of service inside, but my windows media would not read my camera chip.

From brain scan's to mission plans....

It has been one heckofaweek!!! I tried to post the video Josh talks about below, waited for an hour and it didn't post. So I might have to work with him and get it on youtube or something. I am glad he got to tell the news!!!

MY MISSION CALL!!!

ok well my mom said that she was going to post about this but she hasnt yet and i'm not one to wait, so i figure i will offically announce to my family at large (on my fathers side) that i have received my mission call!!! i have been called to serve in the chicago illanois south mission and i will be speaking spanish!!! i report on may 20th. i am really excited and think that it will be an amazing experience and i cant wait! anyways i just thought that i would let all of you know where i was going and when and yeah :D my mom will probably be posting a video of me reading my call shortly, i love you all and will talk to you later.

Love,
Elder Joshua D. Rapier

(it still seems strange but its really exciting as well!!!)

The diagnosis

Russell has been diagnosed with epilepsy. He has focal seizures caused from abnormal activity in the left frontal lobe of his brain. He is on medication and seems to be doing well. Yesterday, just before we got the diagnosis I got this letter out explaining what had happened up until then, but just before I finished the neurologist came...and so I didn't have time to copy to this Blogg.....

Just wanted to let everyone know that Derek and I are at TMC in Tucson with Russell who has been having these episodes that may be seizures. Apparently he has been having these at night for some unknown amount of time and Hunter has been aware, but we were not let in on the news until Saturday night when Tayler and Hunter saw him have one. On Monday the school nurse called telling me he had a strange kind of event in the class room and that the teacher who normally is NOT rattled, was. I called him later that day (I was in Safford) and he had an event while I was on the phone with him. Later that evening Derek and I saw him have one, and I wouldn't have called it a seizure but there was no real good way to describe it. We had to take a friend to the Hospital and decided to take Russell with us and visit the ER. While there Russell had an EKG and a CAT scan (he does have a brain BTW and most importantly there were no masses!) They also did some blood work and a urine sample. ALL came back normal. He then had an event while in the ER while the PA was talking to a Neurologist in Tucson. I asked the PA if she would call that a seizure and she said yes. The Neurologist requested the we see our family doc the next day and have him order an MRI and an EEG and then see her. We left the hospital at 3:30 a.m. and it was snowing up a storm. We slowly drove home on snow packed roads and got in at about 4:30 a.m. Derek (bless his heart) got up with the school kids and got them off, I slept in until 7:30 and we went back to Safford with Russell for a doc appt. expecting to have appts set up for the future. The ball got rolling and hasn't stopped since. The doctor did set up appointments, we left Safford right away with a room number and bed assignment! We still thought that it would be just for the duration of the tests, and no more. When we got there they informed us that he was admitted to the hospital and would be staying the night. Russell continued to have episodes after leaving the ER and had one here at TMC. They gave him some anti seizure med through an IV, and now orally and he has not had another one for almost 24 hours now! They had to wake Russell at 4 a.m. this morning and keep him awake until the EEG, I guess a sleep starved brain is more likely to evoke a seizure, and they would have liked to have seen one, but Russell did not perform. We are now waiting for the Neurologist to come and tell us what the results of the testing showed and make a treatment plan. I believe she said she would be in after "clinic" this evening...but I don't exactly know what time that will mean. We are very much hoping that we will be able to go home tonight and try to resume a "normal" life!

When I know more, I'll post. I have felt mostly calm and at peace through the series of unfortunate and fortunate events. I feel blessed that we were able to get all the testing done so quickly so I don't have to wait and let my mind wonder what it could be. We have been greatly enlightened about possible explanations for some behaviors we have seen in Russell. We pray that we will be given the answers that we need.

Any news about Russell yet?

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Isnt this Cool.
Shauna =)

My discouraging moment of the day.  I got down to the end of the driveway only to discover that I really needed to start all over again.  I probably should have done it again but was too tired from all the shoveling.  It will just have to wait until morning.  Maybe in the morning it will last or a few min or at least until I get back into the house. Better yet maybe I will just send the kids to do it.

Only eight inches to go till level with the roof

Here is the final landing part.My phone only records 20 seconds.

Here is a couple of clips of angel five landing on the dolly. We do this after each flight. This is part of the operation that I do not like much. As you can see it can get very shaky. Also this was on a calm night with no wind. You can imagine how fun it is when it is windy. 

I took this when our pilot was coming back from a maint. flight.

Proud to Announce.....

Derek and I have successfully changed out the fuel pump on our van! Wahoo!!! It feels good, although we are contributing to the bad economy by a do it your self job.

Our Family News

Nate and Hunter get to go to districts in the pinewood derby. Nate only won 2 of his races....Hunter didn't loose any of his races. Hunter made his car into a pink heart if you can imagine that...and Nates car was an arrow.

Russell's basketball team lost to Safford in the championship game and settles for second. Fortunately he can use his basketball shoes for general use now...his toe was poking through his other tennis shoes!

Tayler got her face in the news paper playing basketball! It isn't a flattering photo, but it shows her stealing the ball. I taught her to be nice, and then I cheer for her when she is mean (oops, aggressive, not mean ;)? We have been discussing WWJD if he played basketball!!! LOL Her team is not that great, but she is a pretty aggressive player and I have been told she is good. I am still learning how and why she is good.

Kendall is eating, drinking, and breathing basketball. He has improved dramatically from last year, and when he is on...he is down right fun to watch! The team has been inconsistent and the players and the coach have been struggling to get on the same page so there have been some frustrating moments. It looks like they have a pretty good chance at going to state.

Josh was called to be the second counselor in the Elders Quorum in the college ward he is in. The Stake President pushed the button to send his papers on to SLC last night, so AGAIN, it should be 2 weeks or so :) His 19th birthday is Thursday, I can't believe my baby has grown up!

I was summonsed to Jury Duty. I got drawn in the first group to be questioned, and was the 3rd to be dismissed after the defense attorney realized I was the wife of the County Attorney...he said that he assumed I was some relation, but not the wife, and he would have not required I come if he had known. I was amazingly nervous through the process...and actually glad I got to see how it works, well for a while anyway. We believe the fuel pump went out on our van...and I am going to see if I can change it out. I also need to finish a quilt. I have stopped spending as much time on the computer...and I have found my time to be filled up with plenty to do!

Today we found out that my daughters BF's father was layed off (Will Wearne) along with many others, some we know and others we don't. We are very sad, and they will leave some holes in our ward that will be difficult to fill.

I believe that is all the Rapier news...(Duncan, Edition)!