The Continuation of, "Conversations On A Swing"

Tonight, I was working on the lawn around the swingset while The Lou did a fantastic job of kicking and pumping herself!  While she kicked and pumped and I edged and weeded, we talked.  It went something like this:

Daddy:  "Baby, you are doing great!  You can pump and kick yourself on the swing"

The Lou:  "I know, Daddy!  I am fast!"

Daddy:  "You are SO fast!"

The Lou:  "God made me so fast!"

Daddy:  "He did, didn't he?!"

The Lou:  (While looking up towards heaven) "Thank you, God."

The Lou:  "I told God 'Thank You' so that he will make me even faster."

Daddy:  "That is right, babe.  When we express thanks, he enjoys blessing us"

The Lou:  "Like in prayers!"

Daddy:  "Yes, exactly."

Isn't she a peach?!

Second Spring

I love living where I live.  Being one that finds peace in the beauty of nature, I am blessed to live close to it.  So close in fact, within fifteen minutes I can be in complete solitude with the exception of the loving arms of God's care wrapped firmly around me in the form of mountains, streams, trees and clouds.  They say that Fall is the 2nd Spring, when every leaf turns into a flower.  The hills and mountains of Utah are truly a resemblance of this quote.  I took the opportunity on my staycation to spend a few minutes at The Buck N' Beaver Lodge in TimberLakes and to take a drive up the American Fork Canyon and to Cascade Springs behind my home.  While I was about 5 days late, it was still beautiful.  As is usually the case, I spent much time in grateful prayer and consideration for the love my Father in Heaven has for me.  His love is apparent everywhere we find good, but I always feel it in nature and a little bit more in Fall.  Well, Fall was officially ushered in just a few days ago.  Often when it officially arrives, it truly doesn't arrive until weeks later.  Not this year.  Fall got the memo and was quite punctual.  Here are a few pics of my travels...well, at least before it dumped rain on me in my topless Jeep that is!

"I Have To Do My Homework!"

The Lou recently started her 2nd year of pre-school at the Busy Hands Pre-School.  She absolutely loves it!  She declares at least once a day, usually at a strategic time to get out of doing something else, "I Have To Do My Homework!"  I love that she enjoys learning.  I hope she maintains that enthusiasm for homework throughout all her years of schooling.  

She is so bright and her little brain absorbs things that surprise me regularly as they naturally spill out of her.  For example, she and I were walking to the bathroom at the campground a couple weeks ago (at 2am) when she looked up at the stars and said, "Daddy, what constellation is that?"  "Constellation?!"  I thought to myself.  What 3 year old uses that word?!  I asked her if she knew what a constellation was and her reply was, "A gathering of stars".  Again, even the word "gathering" seemed advanced to me.  Then again, she is my first and I have nothing to compare her to, but she certainly seems smart to me!

30 Weeks and Counting!!!

Only 10 Weeks left.  It is getting real!  I can't believe it!  This weekend, we, along with our Mothers, The Lou and Pooh's Sister, Molly, went to do a 3D sonogram.  Truthfully, I was a little disappointed.  The nurse explained that #2 was using the placenta as a pillow and it was covering his face.  Therefore, she was unable to get a great picture.  Nonetheless, it still made it more real.  Seeing his nose, eyes, ears, feet, legs, arms, hands, figs and hair helped it settle in a little bit more.  HE IS COMING SOON!  Crazy!  

His heartbeat is strong.  We saw him exercising his lungs and apparently he has a lot of hair.  He is in the 45th percentile regarding his weight and length.  Everything is just perfectly on track.  We are so excited for him to arrive, but there is so much for us to do before he arrives!  We need to paint and decorate his room, organize his closet, find a home for all the crap that found it's way into his room over the last two years, get the rest of the house ready for company...and...and...and...oh yeah...GIVE HIM A NAME!  Please feel free to suggest any names in the comments section.  

We came home that day from the ultrasound and immediately went to work on his room.  My brother-in-law, Duane, came over and helped me paint.  I thought we did a pretty good job.  Sarah picked the colors and will be going with a nautical theme for the little grom.  What do you think?  

I think I did a pretty good job.  The Lou loves it and is anxious to show anyone who comes over.  "Wanna' see my baby brother's room?  It's brown and the paint is dry."  She makes me smile.  She has really embraced the thought of this little guy coming into her life.  She struggles a little bit when it comes to sharing the limelight, but she is also very excited to be a big Sister.  She has gotten some attention out of it as well, and a few presents!

We have already been blessed with so much support and love.  I feel it necessary to let everyone know, there is no need for gifts.  Thank you for all you have given us over the years as you have followed our journey to build our little family.  Nonetheless, the women in Pooh's family have taken her to lunch and showered her with gifts as has both Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunt Kathy and even her friend Loretta.  My Mum, and good friends, Brenda, Andra and Dana are putting together an open house on November 3rd.  Mother and son are grateful for every ounce of love they have felt.  

Pooh is feeling great.  She is starting to feel some discomfort as the little guy kicks her bladder or sits on her sciatic nerve, but other than some discomfort and fatigue, she is feeling fantastic.  She has been lucky enough to not experience morning sickness and hasn't had any crazy cravings.  In fact, the only change in diet would be that she has lost her craving for candy!  She looks fantastic and I think she is as beautiful as ever!  I understand now the glow others speak of when discussing pregnant women.  Sarah has that glow and she is so happy and grateful for the experience.  I love her so much.  Seriously, I AM THE MOST BLESSED MAN!

It is still surreal, but more real every day.  30 weeks down and 10 to go!

An Apple A Day...

I am excited today to go to the doctor's office.  Why?  I know that is weird to hear.  I typically avoid the doctor like the plague, but I can bear it no more.  I have to go.  I am the most blessed man I know of, however that does not mean I am without trial.  In fact, much of who I am is a result of trial, but that is another blog post for another day.  I have been blessed with a few different health issues; a few of those being auto immune diseases, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Psoriasis.  Lucky me!

Fortunately, supposedly, these should all be treated with the same medicines.  Unfortunately, that has  not proven to be the case for me.  I first tried Enbrel.  MIRACLE DRUG!  Seriously, within a couple weeks I was active, running around, hiking, etc.  It almost completely eliminated any pain associated with my Arthritis, but it did nothing for my Psoriasis.  So, about a year and a half ago, I decided I would try Humira.  Humira helped a little on with my Psoriasis, but did nothing for my Arthritis.  After a few months I tried Stelara.  This drug proved to be a miracle drug for my Psoriasis alone, but only for three months, then it was business as usual.  Throughout all this time, my Arthritis has never hurt more. 

I can't explain the pain and achy-ness.  I hate it.  How sad is it that I can't wrestle with The Lou because   my body feels like it is 80+ years old?!  How painful is it?  Painful enough that I now use a shoe horn.  Not a small shoe horn like you may be familiar with, but a super long one so that my knees don't have to bend so much and I don't have to shove my fingers between my shoes and feet.  Pathetic!  I am one painful month away from getting one of those bathtubs for old farts where you can sit down to shower!  The pain is so intense and consistent that I have monthly thoughts of selling my Jeep because it is difficult to get in and out of!  This pain has been with me for about a year and a half now; ever since stopping my Enbrel shots. 

Timing being what it is, about 7 months ago, I took a HUGE pay cut which made it impossible to afford these drugs, at least not without major sacrifice.  This is frustrating for me, but it also makes me worry for all of those seniors, those that mostly require these arthritis drugs, who are living on a fixed income.  Nonetheless, I have reached the point that my Arthritis is becoming disabling and will ultimately affect my income therefore, it is a necessary expense that I can no longer put off.  

So, there you have it.  Way more information than anyone ever asked for and probably more than should have ever been offered.  Nonetheless, you now know why I am absolutely and totally stoked to go to the Doctor's today.  Hopefully, if my blood work comes back fine, I will be poking myself with needles again in no time.  Never thought I would ever hear myself say that!

One Decade Down and In the Books

Recently, Pooh and I celebrated 10 wonderful years together.  We have been quite blessed the last decade and I have been generally (albeit inconsistent) good at documenting our adventures in my journal, photography and my blog.  For our 10th anniversary, she made my blogs into books!  Awesome, right?!  I am so stoked!  The first book is of my first blog which I had to turn private due to a disturbed individual I sued who, in turn, found my blog and proceeded to level threats in the comments.  The 2nd book is of the 2nd blog, this blog here, that remains public but does not contain any names of my family so as to protect them.  Receiving these books has inspired me to write more.  As you can tell, my writings have fallen off completely over the last 4 months.  This is truly sad considering so much has happened in that time.  Now the question is, to catch up or not to catch up?