Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday, July 29, 2012


Today I cleaned up many messes made by the kids.  For once I was not angry or frustrated.  My perspective has been changed.  I just experienced the worst day of my life yesterday.  We were swimming at the Somerset pool.  I was visiting with nana and holding Teagan.  Tim and the kids got out to rest in the sun and eat some grapes.  They were out of the water for a few minutes when Tim said, “there are Xadia’s floaties, where is Xadia?”  There in the pool was her floating body.  Tim jumped in and pulled her out.  Her eyes were rolled back.  Her lips and fingers and toes were blue.  She was unresponsive.  Immediately Tim performed CPR.  I said a prayer in my heart pleading with Heavenly Father that Xadia will live and not have any defects from lack of oxygen.  After about 30 seconds of CPR, she started coughing up water and crying.  It was a huge sigh of relief.  But then she wanted to fall asleep.  We did all that we could to keep her awake.  The paramedics came and took her and Tim to primary children’s hospital.  I sat in a pool side chair crying.  I felt like the worst mother ever.  It never should have gotten to the point where Xaida was unconscious.  I failed at protecting and caring for my daughter.  Deb (nana Hefner) tried comforting me.  A woman from the pool said she would put Xadia’s name in the temple.  I felt a little better.  I was relying heavily upon God for support.  I wanted my little girl to be ok and to have a happy and full life.  I was not ready to bury her.  As I drove Deb and the rest of the kids to Deb’s house Jacinda asked if we could say a prayer.  I am so grateful that a 7-year-old knows the power of prayer and that God does listen.  I said, “yes, I would love to say it.” So in front of nana’s yard I said a prayer.  As soon as it ended McCabe said, “mom, stop crying.”  Oh to have the faith or the ignorance of a 5-year-old would be bliss but I was too overwhelmed with the situation.  I gave everyone a kiss and headed home to get some clothes and then to the hospital. 
                As I was driving down 400 North, I was singing, “I Am a Child of God.” I got really chocked up with the part of “lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way.”  Again I said a prayer and I had a feeling that Xadia was going to be alright.  However, I had issues with my parenting.  Again, I attacked myself for lack of supervision.  At the hospital, Xadia was watching Dora the Explorer in a big hospital bed.  The doctor said her lactic acid level was above 4 which meant there was some serious activity going on.  He wanted to keep her overnight to make sure that she did not develop pneumonia because there was some water in her lungs.
                Tim had given her 2 priesthood blessings in the ambulance.  I knew the power of the priesthood was in effect and again felt peace and comfort.  I spent the night with Xadia.  I slept next to her.  It was comforting to watch her breathe, to feel her warmth, and to feel her occasional twitching.  By the time morning arrived, she was back to her feisty self, giving orders and wanting things her way.  The family came and we ate breakfast in the cafeteria.  The kids had donuts, eggs, bacon, and ice cream (I know that will not happen again).  As we walked out of the hospital, there was a fountain falling into a pond.  I was worried that Xadia would be traumatized by water, but she just smiled and said, “water,” in a very happy voice.  On the way home, Xadia was talking and being her cute self. 
                I am so grateful for the powers of Heaven.  If for one moment you don’t think that the Lord is not involved in every detail of your life, you are sorely mistaken.  He lives and loves us.  If we are faithful he blesses us with His tender mercies.  I cannot thank God enough for all that he does for me.  I am forever an indebted servant.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Monday, July 23,2012


It has been a busy week.  We are getting ready to put sod in our yard.  We are also deciding on a water feature.  I would love one but hesitate because of the cost.  Unless we find a design that really wows us, we will not get one.
The kids had tae kwon do testing on Saturday.  They are now blue belts.  Jacinda broke her board on her first ax kick and McCabe was complimented for his back arch.  He was so good that Master Kim did not need to count to 10 (as he did with the other students) he just told the audience that McCabe loves to do back bridges.  His arch was nice and high and his head did not touch the mat.  After a little while, master Kim told McCabe he did well and to sit on the mat.
I have been getting crafts ready for super Saturday.  We are going to make family blocks, wreaths, bath fizzies and fabric roses.  I can’t believe how much time I spent on these crafts.  It was much longer than expected but I need a prototype for the display.  I hope we have good participation.  After doing these crafts, I have great appreciation for the past enrichment night committee who planned these activities. 
Teagan is so cute.  He is getting big of course.  He smiles a lot and makes cute noises.  He has no desire to take a pacifier but he does love to suck on his fingers and toes.  It is so fun to watch Teagan lay on his back and grab his feet and then put them up to his mouth.  He is such a sweet baby.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Sunday, July 8, 2012


As I think about this past week the first thing that enters my mind is Friday morning.  I like to go to zumba.  Debbie Coburn does such a great job teaching but the only thing is that it is at 7:45 am.  This past Friday I woke up and got ready.  The kids were not awake and kept complaining about how tired they were.  I had a very difficult time trying to get them out of bed so I skipped zumba.  It did not make me happy.  In fact, the rest of the day I had to drive kids to a birthday party, help them with their games and learning, make their meals, and do things that a mom is suppose to do.  By the time evening came I was ticked because the one thing I wanted to do the kids would not do but I spent my day serving them.  I sat down with the kids and had a talk about appreciation and sacrifice.  So next time zumba comes around, hopefully they won’t be so tired and have a willing attitude.
                I love the new blender.  We are having a lot of smoothies.  My diet lately consists of bagels and smoothies.  My kids loved it in the beginning but now, they are leery of the smoothies because some of them contain spinach.  It is really funny to watch them.  McCabe and Jacinda are both very fickle.  Sometimes they try it and really like it other times they don’t really care for it.  Xadia seems to like all of them.  Tim likes the blender also.  He learned a valuable lesson….don’t put things in the blender while it is running.  I was trying to crush some graham crackers and they were getting stuck.  I had to make dinner so I let the graham crackers sit in the blender while I made a meal for the family.  Tim decided to help with the graham crackers and stuck a wooden spoon in the blender while it was going.  I did not know about this until I heard a funny noise.  I turned around and Tim is fishing out the broken piece of the spoon.  I just laughed.  What more could I do.  Experience taught him a good lesson.
               
Teagan is now 4 months old.  He is so big.  I am guessing he weighs about 16 pounds.  He has his check up appointment this week.  It is great to see how big he is.  It is unbelievable that I use to worry about him not eating.  For the first few days after his birth he slept a lot and would not eat so I got really concerned. Now it is comical to think about that because he is such a good eater.