Sorry I haven't done this in a long time

Sorry, I haven't written in this for a long time, but things are always hectic here as you all know. Since the last time I was in here, a lot has happened. The biggest being I've been diagnosed with terminal scerosis of the liver. I really look like I'm about 9 months pregnant and feel like it most days. Evidently the whole time we were thinking that the sarcoid was in remission, we were way wrong. The blood tests showed it was, but no one really checked anything else, so here we go again. This isn't my first time down this path, but last time Jess was just going on 4, and now she's going on 10, so I got a lot of extra time in there that I really wasn't supposed to have. However, the medication that gave me that miracle is also one of the ones that helped take it away. Of course, it would have just happened sooner without the chemo drugs, and yet I'm still complaining. Evidently I should have died back in November because my liver enzymes were so high and no one knew. They were doing blood work to check on the meds, but evidently there are a few different panels they can check and the important one wasn't done. So I kept getting sick and sicker, the good news being I lost tons of weight, even though I don't look like it with the stomach swelling and the large doses of steroids I take. Finally, I made them do the biopsy and look how much fun we're having now. The biopsy showed that I not only have tons of sarcoid in my liver, but also a fatty liver, and severe scerosis. Which is only treatable by a new liver. But lucky me isn't a candidate for it from any of the places that do it. I have too many things that will kill the transplanted liver, so they'd rather give them to healthy people, go figure. Anyways, there are some upsides to it, the pain management clinic has given really good drugs to ease the pain. I do fall asleep alot while on the phone or doing things now, but at least I'm able to actually participate in my families lives while I am awake. I even went to the mall for a little bit before going to the movies with my husband and 9 year old. Now that's an accomplishment for me. When my other daughter, Amanda, and her kids were here we went to the mall just to get shoes for the kids, and the pain got so bad that I was doubled over and had to go home right then. Wish I'd had them when they were still here, then I could have had more fun with my grandkids. Oh well, the important thing is that I leave Jessica with a lot of good memories of me, which require me to actually participate in her life instead of just laying in bed like I was. I'm even going to try and do a huge day on Tuesday. I'm chaperoning my daughter's class to the state capital and the museum, when before the meds I would never had thought about trying that. Luckily, they had a drop out and I got to take her place. Jessica is over the moon about it and has said that we have to take lots and lots of pictures. I did inform her that I have a smaller chip now for the camera and we'll just have to see how many pictures it will hold and how many are still on it from my older daughter playing with it. That day is even more taxing because the choir is performing after school and Jess is in every song, and then they're having an at show and Jessica has 2 pictures in the show. Not to mention David has to be at work even earlier than normal. So it's going to be a challenge, but for Jess, I'm willing to give it the old college try. Then, if things aren't hectic enough, I have a huge lesion on my face, right up against my left ear, and in it is MRSA. Whoopy! I'm on antibiotics, but they don't seem to be working because there is a huge core in it that will, according to my dr., will have to be surgically taken out and dried some how. Don't ask me, I don't know what she was talking about, but it doesn't sound like fun. Oh and she also said that she's pretty positive that I have a blood clot in my left leg, poor left side, and it's twice the size of my right ankle and leg, and boy does it all hurt. Good thing I have those great drugs. I was hoping to go swimming with jess this weekend, but can't put my face in the water because of how contagious this thing is. My wonderful husband passed it on to me, yes he is shareful. Anyways, sorry this is so depressing and long. But I haven't written in this for awhile. However, things are looking up in some aspects. One of my best friends from our ward, before it was split, is pregnant and I get to concentrate on her baby, and my friend that did live here and that has always been there for me since before David and I were even married, (just celebrated our 12th), has finally found us on facebook. I have been looking for her every since I was diagnosed because I just need her support. I even sicked our friends on her family to try and find her for me. Then all of a sudden my prayers were answered and she found us! What a miracle. I'm so excited about having her back in my life again, and now I feel really bad because I've not known where she was and she's been going through the hardest thing any parent will ever have to go through, the impending death of her son who is the same age as my daughter. He has brain cancer and I'm hoping that everyone that reads this will pray for him and his family. Well, that's enough I'm sure. So here's to hoping that you are all well and doing great despite the condition our country is in. Talk to ya later, K

The Best Deal Ever!

Well Jess's birthday is coming up and it's time to figure out what to get her that we can afford. I don't want to get her something she's just going to play with once or twice, or something that the dogs are going to eat because she left it down again. So while I'm trying to figure this out, two wonderful things happen: one, Sean cleans out the garage and we have a yard sale, so a little extra money; two, Toys'r'us puts out an internet sale a few times a year showing special sales and they just so happen to have one this weekend for friday and saturday, showing an air hockey table, which is a family game that we all love, especially Jess, that sells normally at $199.99, on sale for $39.99. After everything today and we tally it all up, including my urgent care bill, we decide that we're going to get that for her birthday, so I call them and they only have 2 left. Yeah!!! So we left our name on one and Sean and David went and got it and our neighbors are hiding it in their garage till the big day!! Isn't that just the greatest present ever!!! I'm so excited, I hope I can keep the secret till then, hope you can too!

Aren't You Jealous!

Well my nephew has been here for about 3 or 4 weeks now. My sister, his mom, asked aren't you ready to kick him out, which I'm not certain what that comment was about. But he's the best house guest we've ever had. Now don't get me wrong, I love when our kids come to visit and bring the grandkids, it sure makes me smile, but we've had others who have stayed and destroyed our home. Even my darling Amanda and grandkids, make some what of a mess, although she over comes that by being my company and helping me in so many other ways. But Sean, is just a great house guest. Everyone seems to love having him here. Jessica likes to asserht what she thinks is her authority occasionhally, but I think I've figured out hot to stop that, and he's so patient with her and doesn't lose his temper with her or argue with her at all. He's just really great with her and when I apologize for her, he's always oh don't worry she's a good kid, she's just being a kid and I invaded her space, so she's trying to tell me so. As her parent, I still don't find her behavior ok, but they seem to be working it by themselves. I just said the other night that I was very disappointed about how she's treating her cousin after all he's been through and all she knows about the gospel, she should know how she should behave. She looked a little hurt, but was a ton better to him, so maybe that's going to work. Anyways, back to Sean. He may not be able to contribute financially really, however, he did get emergency food stamps and gave most of it to us, which was great of him, but he helps us in so many ways and he's someone to talk to during the day for me. His foot and hands are stil bothering him quite a bit, so we're not pushing him to get a job right not, but he's so antsy, but his feet hurt too bad to walk to the bus stop which is pretty far away. We're working on getting him access for insurance, but it takes time. But he's so helpful around the house. He's done so much for David and I both. He made our yard look the best it's had since we started doing it ourselves, he really cleaned out the garage, not just rearranged and found tons of stuff for me, he cleaned out my pantry, cleaned the carpets and the couch, detailed our van inside and out, takes Jess to the park to play basketball, does dishes, vacuums, sweeps and mops and then still does the few things we ask him to do, the others were things he just decides to do on his own. Who wouldn't want a house guest like that! Plus he's such a good person and has such a great heart. We reminise about my mom and stuff and that is so great. I've had less nightmares about her since he's gotten here and we've been talking about mom. David loves having him here too, the two of then really connect, so it seems to be a good situation for us all. I'm just hoping that he continues to like it here and finds a job when he's ready and will be able to save enough money to get his own place and get everything all straightened out and have a great life because I think he's just had a bunch of bad luck and deserves a good life, because he has a heart of gold. He's also looking for family and trying to reach out to them. He's been looking up his dad's side of the family which has basically abandoned him, but then again, our side hasn't been any better. I wish I could get my other sister and brother to reach out to him and start communicating with him. But I don't if that will ever happen. Oh well, can't blame me for wishing and hoping. Well hope everyone is having a great April so far. This is such a busy month for us, so many birthdays. We have David's son, our daughter-in-law, our grandson, my aunt's, my brother-in-law, son-in-law, and Jessica's birthday all in one month and two weeks after Jess's is David's. So we'll be busy. See ya. Love to all!

Easter 2008

Well I hope every one had a great Easter this year and enjoyed the day. I couldn't believe how fast it crept up on us this year. I definitely wasn't ready for it. I had a back procedure on Friday and couldn't travel, so David and Jess went to Tucson to Josh and Erin's by themselves this weekend with the promise they'd be back on Saturday. Erin took the kids to the park to a big easter egg hunt and picnic thing with games and face painting. They all had a blast. Jess got painted like a big easter bunny and hopped all over the place telling her big brother that she was an easter bunny watch me hop! Then it got late and they stayed over anyways. So they had easter morning with them. Which I guess was a good thing because I was told by my daughter that she had the best Easter ever! The Easter bunny made a rhyming easter egg scavenger hunt for each one of the kids to find their candy filled eggs and toys and treats. Jessica loved it and said it was the best ever and could we have Easter with them again next year! So the Easter Bunny at my daughter-in-law's house is the best ever and deserves a lot of credit! Jessica was bowled over by the whole ordeal. Yes, they finally came home that day and made it to church. I was still supposed to be down with my back, so I stayed home, but it was so nice to see them. I'd missed them so much that weekend. Hope you all had as great a time as Jess did. Love from us all.

New Addition to our Home!

As of Friday we have a new addition to our home! My nephew, Sean, is coming to live with us. For how long, I don't know. I guess until we can't get him a job and a place to live, so how ever long it takes. He's been living in San Diego and not making a go of it and we've all been so worried about him, so that's a good thing. My sister worries about him all the time and so do we, especially Jessica. When ever it rains or storms, she prays and prays for him that he'll be okay so I think this will be a good thing and it will teach her that you help those that need help. I hope it turns out better than the other times we helped David's family, we've always wound up on the loosing end of that. But then again, I think Sean is a much better person than Alethea is in the first place. I can't see him stealing from us because he didn't from his mother, and Alethea stold from her father over and over again, starting since she was young and still does when ever we're away from the house and forget to lock the garage door opener. I've always thought he was such a good kid and that he just needed help, so I'm hoping that between David and I and the work services through the church that we can get him up on his feet, if he'll let us. I love him a lot, and I love my sister alot, and I don't want to cause her any problems in her marriage, so David and I talked and the best solution for everyone is for him to come here. My best friend Cheryl, went out of her way to help us too, and I'm so grateful for her. She picked him up from the hospital and took him in too while he was recovering until we could figure out what to do with him. How many friends would do that for you? I'm just so blessed to have such good friends and family that it's amazing. Anyways, after he's healed a little, David could use his help. David can't keep up the back yard with his feet like that and I don't have enough strength in my hands with the arthritis, so maybe he can earn his keep by helping with the back yard and pulling the little tiny weeds we get occasionally in the front yard. David keeps those intact with the help of Jess, but if there's just the littlest one peeking up we get a notice from the yard police (association). Anyways, it should be interesting and we're all excited to have him here. I'm hoping we can help him heal and get his life back on track. We just love him so much. Will let you know how it's going.

First night with only one puppy!

Well we only have one puppy left now, all the other puppies are gone. The one we have left did great last night to our amazement. We picked the one we thought would whine the least to keep, and he did great. He got out of his box and he does when ever he wants, but made it to the couch to Dad in the middle of the night and asked up and he put him up there and he just cuddled up and slept. Then I wasn't feeling well and laid down while David took Jess to McDonald's to play and he got out of the box and was asleep with his mom up against the bathroom door. What a good boy he is. He's just adorable and cuddly. If we don't sell him, Amanda's going to take him back with her after she comes back to visit in April. So we'll get the fun part and she'll get the hard part. Oh well, it's been so much fun, we've all enjoyed having the puppies, and with my medical bills and Jess's lately the extra income has been a blessing. We've spent over $800 in copays at the pharmacy in the last few weeks. So the puppies were born at the right time that's for sure!

David's accolades

David was published on the districts website this week for his accomplishments and it read:

Congratulations to Sunset Hills teacher David Pyle for being selected to serve on the state’s AIMS-Alternate Reading and Mathematics Alignment Study Committee. His expertise in special education will be used to help analyze the alignment between AIMS-A tests and reading and mathematics standards.

We're all very proud of him and excited that he got recognized for this and was able to do it. He's such a great teacher, husband and father and we don't think he gets recognized for it enough. So we're blowing his horn for him for all to see and hear.

We're also down to one puppy if anyone wants one. He's a real cutie and only $300, what a deal. You'll fall in love the second you see his little face. His brother is on Amanda's blog page, just click on her name, but his fur isn't as curly on the face and he has blacker eyes. Love to you all!