A Bit of an Update

Well, I haven't been on here much, OBVIOUSLY.  A lot has happened since my last post and I just wasn't sure if I was ready to talk about it.  First of all, I received an email from Awkward Family Photos.  They said that they were told that they would have over 200 pages for their book but were told recently that it was actually a little over 100.  That being said, they told me that my picture will not be in this particular book, but that if they are allowed to do a second one, then they would love to use my picture in that one.  So, boo hiss about that, but cross your fingers!!
Next up, as many of you know, my dad ended up dying.  The day that he was intubated would be the last day he would be fully conscious.  He had a lot of scarring on his lungs from all that they had been through, fungus, infections, pneumonia, etc...  The doctors told us that barring some miracle the scarring would only get worse and couldn't be reversed.  He couldn't have a lung transplant because he was in such poor health anyway.  By the next week, things got pretty bad.  He received a blessing that said the Lord would work a miracle for him if that's what he wanted, but that the decision would be up to him.  We prayed that he would have the strength and desire to stay with us, and he was fighting up until the end.
The last day of his life, my mom and three brothers were by his side.  His heart rate was pretty fast, his blood pressure was very low, his oxygen was turned up all the way and he was unable to take all the oxygen in that he needed.  Things were pretty bleak.  He was given another blessing that released his spirit and told him that he was forgiven of his sins.  It was then decided to take him off of the ventilator.  Even at that point he was fighting.  He was still trying to breathe, they turned up his narcotics.  He passed peacefully with my mom by his side, holding his hand, rubbing his forehead and talking to him.
I know he is gone, but it's still so hard for me to actually believe it.  I try not to think about it at all.  I avoid it all the time.  I have hardly cried simply because I push it out of my mind the moment it comes.
My dad was a good man.  He was strong in the gospel.  He loved the Lord and his family.  His didn't always know how to show us how much he loved us, but he showed us by working hard to take care of us and teaching us well so that we could grow up to be good upstanding people. 
I do have many fond memories of him.  Walking halfway to his bus stop to meet him and walk the rest of the way home with him.  On Sundays, after his nap, he would come downstairs and play "tickle monster" with all of us.  I remember in the summers cuddling up next to him, laying my head on his chest while he watched TV.  I didn't even watch the TV most of the time, it was just nice to be close to him. When I turned 8 and was baptized, my dad gave me a Book of Mormon with his testimony written inside.  I hardly have used it because I want to keep it always.   One Christmas when we got new scriptures, he, in his robe, put on a Santa hat and went around handing out scriptures calling himself "Holy Claus."  I remember when I knocked my teeth out he was the first to show up and he was so worried and caring.  When I had to have surgery on my teeth he took the day off of work and stayed with me during it.  Then when we were waiting for my mom to pick us up, he sat and read one of my American Girl books to me for an hour until she showed up.  When I got a solo in elementary school for our Christmas program, he was the first one to ask me to sing my part for him.  When I got married in the temple he told me he was proud of me.  When I came to visit right after I had Duncan, he was so excited to hold him.  He walked in from work and said, "Let me hold that baby!"  He held him so lovingly, it made me realize why he had all eight of us.  His face said it all. 
I love my dad so much.  I wish I didn't have to wait all this time to see him again.  It's true that you don't realize how much you love someone until they're gone.  I look forward to seeing him again.
On a much lighter note, during this difficult time I had lovely nausea.  Nausea from a pregnancy!  That's right, #5 is on its way!  My dad got to know that one before anyone, since he probably has already met the child.  I am 15 weeks along.  It has been a rough first trimester.  I have been so sick and exhausted.  I got the stomach flu, a couple colds, a UTI and they couldn't get a heartbeat when I went to the doctor.  Luckily, we were able to have an ultrasound and see the little baby, who looks quite human and healthy.  I have been a cry baby about all of this.  After the whole scare with Rosaline, I break into tears at the first sign of something being wrong.  I am due in October.  I am very excited about this baby.  I am so happy that I have the gift, blessing and joy to have another child.  Mark has been wonderful through all of this.  He works so hard, but has been so kind and understanding to me and sympathetic.  It has made this go much more easily.  I love him so much.
There you have it.  I bit of an update.  Hopefully this will restart my blogging desire, especially once this nausea goes away and I am not associating computers with nausea and vomiting.

Awkward!!

Many of you may or may not have heard of  Awkward Family Photos.  They are on my blog list over there.  I love it, cracks me up.  Well, a while back I submitted some photos.  They got a book deal and asked if they could put one of my photos in the book.  Heck yes!!  Who wouldn't allow that kind of fame?  The book is out for preorder on amazon, borders, etc...  It's due out May 4th and Duncan and my sister Andrea are in it!  All thanks to me and my genius!!  I highly recommend it, simply because I am apart of it!!
PS-Keep praying for my dad.  It is so critical at this point.

Prayers Please!!!

Many of you may know that my dad has suffered with Leukemia since May of 2008.  He was put into a drug induced coma at that point for about 2 months.  He then had to go through rehab for quite a while.  He had to teach his body things again that are so normal to the rest of us, that we often take them for granted.  He got to come home in November 2008.  He seemed to be doing so much better.  He was taking longs walks everyday(he could hardly move after the coma), playing guitar again, etc...  He was able to go back to work last May.  After 2 days, he got sick and found out he had pneumonia and that his cancer had returned.
This time around he had to get a stem cell transplant.  My Aunt Krsten was the donor.  They had to kill off all of his bone marrow, then replace it with her stem cells.  This was towards the end of the Summer.  He is still in the hospital and has been struggling so much.  Every time things seem to getting better there is another setback.  Well, now there is a huge set back.  Last night he was intubated, put into his 3rd coma, due to bleeding in his lungs.  They did a biopsy to see if there is an infection or if his lungs are breaking down.  He is in our Heavenly Father's hands now.  All we can really do is pray at this point.  That is what I am asking anyone who may read this.  Please pray for him.  If it is His will that my dad should be with Him, then I suppose I will have to accept that when that time may come.  But my dad is only 55, I have never gotten close to him.  I don't really have a relationship with him.  So now I am in a bit of a panic mode here.  I want another chance with him.  I don't want any regrets about our relationship.  I don't want my mom to be alone.  I am not ready, and I am hoping that my dad isn't ready for this either, but it seems he realizes what this all could mean.
Please pray for him.  Please!!

Pretty Please With Sugar on Top?

My very talented niece is in an art contest.  She needs as many votes as possible to win.  She is an amazing artist and I would totally brag about her talents any day.  This is one of those days.  All you have to do is click this link and vote for her.  I know you'll want to.  There are no strings attached here.  I promise.  You won't even feel forced because her artwork is THAT good.  Thank you!!  You won't regret it!

Don't miss out

My best friend has this site...

Toddler Boredom Busters

and this site has a huge giveaway that ends tonight...Saturday.  I wan't going to tell you because I wanted to win myself, but if she gets over 150 comments Amazon will release a $300 gift card for 3rd prize!   So go to her site and enter there is a ton of cool stuff she is giving away!!!

Peace.

P.S. They do ship to India

It's that time of year...

This is my least favorite time of year, but I have tried to be more positive.  I don't want summer to be here already (in Utah we don't have Spring).  I just don't like the half year of cloudy weather.  And I am still bummed that Christmas is over, even though it's been over for a month.  Today the sun is shining, which is so unlike Utah in February.  I should be grateful for this and soak up all the vitamin D I can.  Instead, I am sitting here, thinking about the chaos that took over my house in the last few days.  Not that anything out of the ordinary happened, just messy kids and that always happens.  I should clean it up, but eh, I don't want to right now. 
I am a little concerned, my funny writing abilities have faded over the last little while.  I have been so out of practice that now I can't even think of funny things.  You all must be so disappointed in me.  Luckily, I can still entertain people in person.
I have really gotten into the show "Ghost Hunters."  I have never really believed in the paranormal, and I still don't, but I LOVE this show.  I watch it every night right before bed and it helps me relax before I go to sleep.  I have always loved spooky things and getting startled.  This show doesn't even do that for me, but I still love it.  I suppose it's the histories of old and sometimes mysterious places.  It could also be the sugar beet factory behind my house.  It looks creepy.  I love that about it.  I think I will invite TAPS(the atlantic paranormal society) aka Ghost Hunters over.  I love telling people, whenever there is a weird sound or something falling or being moved somehow, that it's paranormal.  I know all the technical terms, so I sound pretty awesome.  Better pull out the K2 meter to check the EMF levels and then start an EVP session.  Sounds good right?
This is all so completely random, but there is nothing going on in my life, haha.  What is going on in yours?  No one is blogging or commenting on blogs anymore.  I miss you all.  Come back. 
Rozzy is still half bald and yet somehow people are telling me she has so much hair.  I tell them, "Thanks.  She used to have more until her sister cut half of it off."  Then they say, "Oh, really?  I didn't even notice."  Let's be honest here, people!  She is half bald, quite literally.  She has stubby hair all over that can't be covered or hidden without a hat.  I won't be offended if you shout, "Oh my gosh!  What happened?!  Her hair is hideous!  Please hide her poor horrible head of half hair!"