Amberly's first time in the hospital...

Tuesday night at 11:00 pm I was woken up by a blood hurling scream!  Amberly had fallen off the top bunk bed.  I immediately asked her if she hit her head or if she felt pain on any part of her body.  She was still half asleep and just screamed.  It continued on for about 2 hours.  Keith and I tried to comfort her and try and have her relax.  Keith gave her motrin at 1:00 am and after about 5 minutes she began to throw up and throw up and throw up.  It was horrible!!!  After cleaning up the mess, giving Amberly a shower and getting her settled down she finally fell back to sleep.  She woke up at 6:00 am and immediately started throwing up again...thank goodness we had a puke bowl right next to her.  She just cried and cried that her head hurt.  I called her pediatrician and they had an opening at 10:40 am.  I called my brother-in-law Steve to come watch Paige since she was taking a nap.  While traveling to the doctor's office she puked in her bowl and as we were sitting in the waiting room she through up twice.  They got us back into a room and it didn't take very long for Dr. Auxier to see Amberly.  I explained what happened and he looked in her right ear and said she has an ear infection and you need to take her in for a CT Scan.  He prescribed an antibiotic for the ear infection and drops.  We left and dropped off the prescription at Walgreens and headed home waiting for the phone call to get a CT Scan.  It was around 2:00 pm they called and we headed over to Cardon Children's Hospital where they took the CT Scan and told us she has bleeding in her brain.  Oh my gosh I thought!  I quickly went to admit Amberly.  I stood behind a lady that didn't know English and it took her 15 minutes to admit her little girl.  I was praying for lots of patients!!!  Believe me I really wanted to say something!  It was finally my turn and they asked me if they could help me.  I said yes.  I told them I was sent here to admit my daughter because she has bleeding in her brain.  I have never seen 7 women scatter around so fast in my life.  It was like a coyote in a chicken coop.  They immediately found Dr. Moss.  I met him and he said he would come see us after the surgery he was about to perform.  We were admitted and put in a room.  Amberly's head was hurting her so bad and she took some tylenol but through it all up.  They tried 5 times to get an IV in but her body was so dehydrated.  Bishop Chiles showed up right when this was happening.  He waited patiently to give Amberly a blessing with Keith.  The spirit was strong as Keith was giving Amberly a blessing.  Amberly never made a sound.  About an hour after the IV was put it she started to get her energy back.  She chewed up the tylenol.  We waited to see if she would through it up but she kept it down.  At about 7 pm Dr. Moss, the pediatric neurosurgeon came in to talk to us.  He said Amberly has bleeding on her brain and a fractured skull.  But she will be fine and it will heal in time.  He was so nice!  Amberly had some very special visitor's come to see her.  The Primary Presidency Sister Cluff, Sister Hancock and Sister Raine.  They brought a Tinkerbell balloon, a notebook, pin and new crayons.  Steve and Kirsten brought Shaylee and Rylan to see Amberly.  She really wanted to see her sister and brother.  It lifted her spirits even though she didn't say much at all.  Keith decided to stay the night so I could get some sleep.  I took the kids home, picked up Paige at Julie Shepherds and came home very overwhelmed with housework.  I got everyone to sleep and went to sleep myself at about 10:30 pm.  Keith called the next morning at 7:30 am and said Amberly is in a deep sleep.  She had to be woken up every 2 hours during the night.  He got home and I left after getting the kids off to school, Keith off to work and Paige picked up by Carol Stahle.  I left at 8:15 am and quietly opened the door to find Amberly awake wondering where her daddy went and why we had to switch.  It was so sad!  She had a little tear rolling down her cheek.  I hugged her and got her some breakfast.  She complained her head hurt so I got her some tylenol and she had to chew those discusting things up real quick.  While we waited for another CT Scan we watched a movie, snuggled, painted a heart frame and ordered cheese pizza and strawberries for lunch.  They finally arrived to pick up Amberly in a wheel chair for her CT Scan.  She cried the whole way down but held very still during the scan.  When we got back to the room her lunch arrived just in time.  She finally gave me a SMILE!  It was good to see her a little happy.  Then the phone rang and it was Dr. Moss letting us know we could go home.  He said it was great to have us around and we could stay if we wanted too.  I told him Amberly probably would rather go home instead.  The nurse came in I signed discharge papers while Amberly finished eating her lunch.  Her IV was taken out of her hand and I was so proud of her she didn't even cry.  It was 12:15 and we left to pick up antibiotics for her ear infection and drops.  We were so happy to be home.  Amberly took a warm bath and laid down and slept for 4 hours.  It was good for her to get some rest.  I was so proud of her braveness through her first hospital stay.  I immediately took the ladder down and put it under the bed behind the toys.  I just keep COUNTING my BLESSINGS, naming them ONE by ONE!

Disneyland...

Sick kids, mall performance and Valentine's Day...

My family has been so sick for about 3 weeks now but things are looking up...I just hope and pray I don't get it!!!  We all went to church today and Shaylee still has a horrible sounding cough but she does feel better.  I felt really bad and worried about what people were thinking.  I am so happy my kids are feeling better.

They performed last night at Superstition Mall.  All the dancers did such a great job!  This is the first time any of my kids have ever done this...it was great practice before Disneyland!  Camry (cousin) and Aunt Kirsten came to support them.  Afterwards we enjoyed a yummy hamburger from Fuddruckers!  DELICIOUS!

Paige loves books!  She will sit on the floor or in her walker and turn the pages back and forth and talk.  It is so fun to see her progressing.

This picture has great meaning.  When I was 19 years old there was an Elder Rylan Shaffer from Canada who served in New Mexico.  He and I became close friends during the time my old boyfriend was taking the missionary discussions and was baptized.  He was a great friend and missionary.  He got transferred and a lot happened while he was gone.  I moved away from home to Arizona, moved back home and got married to Keith and moved away.  A couple of weeks after my marriage he was transferred back to New Mexico for 2 months before he went home.  My family loved him so much!  Over the past 14 years we have kept in touch with each other.  Last Christmas (2009) he called and said he had a picture he was going to send to me it was called "Angels Among Us" by Simon Dewey an LDS artist.  Simon Dewey is his neighbor in Canada.  The amazing part is the women in this picture is his wife and the little girl is his daughter.  I was so excited to get it in the mail and waited and waited and waited.  It actually took him a year to mail it after finding the "perfect box".  I got it 2 weeks ago and placed it on my mantel in my family room.  It is so precious to me and is even signed by Simon Dewey.  I know I have "Angels Among Us" comforting me, watching and protecting us especially our little Paige.  I am so thankful for such a great friend.  I even named our only boy Rylan after him...and yes Keith was ok with that!

We just had a wonderful family Valentine's Dinner.  It was delicious but the best was the company.  We are so happy to have our aunt and uncle move here just 5 minutes away!

 i have a CRUSH on YOU!

Later that evening Kent gave Annie an early Valentine's present...a darling little chihuahua!  Annie was so excited and happy!  She was surprised!!!

They are the cutest!!!!  The saddest ever is the little doggy died of parvovirus on Valentine's Day evening after Kent and Annie had a wonderful candlelight dinner in our backyard.  It was really sad! 

Peek a Boo & Kisses

Everyday when Shaylee, Rylan or Amberly get home from school Paige just can't contain herself.  She gets so excited!  They always go right to her and give her a hug or a kiss.  One of her favorite things to do is play peek a boo!  Shaylee was laying on my bed one day after school telling me how her day was and Paige was trying to get her attention by handing Shaylee the pillowcase.  So Shaylee started playing peek a boo.  Paige loved it and then she started giving kisses and hugs.  It was a cute moment!