I needed to attend a Scout meeting after church one Sunday.  Brian was also at a meeting, so I was trying to think of who I could take with me to lessen the tending job for Brad.  I thought James would be able to come and he could sit and color by me.  I asked James if he wanted to come with me to my meeting.  He thought about it and did.  As he was eating, he was talking with Rylan and they were getting ready to play, so he told me so politely that he wanted me to video the meeting.  I wasn't sure why he wanted me to video the meeting.  He was trying so hard not to hurt my feelings when he told me he decided he would rather stay home and play.  He wanted me to video the meeting so he could still see what he would miss by not coming to my thing.  He thought was important to me, like a school play or something.  So sweet.  When I got home he asked me for the video to watch.
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On Wesley's third birthday in May he was so excited to "blow out my candles!"  He would tell everyone.  I took him with me to the local grocery store, Lee's.  He told the cashier that he was going to blow out his candles.  They sang happy birthday to him over the PA.  He was looking all around at the ceiling while smiling.  He finally saw the guy who was singing at the customer service desk.  He was so happy about it.
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My kids wrote letters to some U.S. servicemen to be mailed.  Rylan wrote his letter to the "ormemans".  (army mans)  Reagan told them that he liked their muscles.
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On the forth of July we were in Idaho with family.  It was so fun!  I think Wesley ate too much junk and was spun one too many times on the giant swing because after dinner he did what he described as, "I hiccuped and it 'sploaded.'"
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At dinner one Sunday after church Reagan asked Brad, "Do you remember going to nursery?"
Brad said, "no."
Wesley, who had just come from nursery, stood up and said loudly, "I DO! I DO! I DO!"
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Back to school blessings had to be done in two phases!  Four on Sunday and four on Monday.

Wesley ALWAYS wants to be blessed during ANY prayer that is said in our family.  If you bless the food and forget to bless him then after the "amen" he whines, "BLESS WESLEY!"  So, then a second short prayer is said to bless Wesley.  Well, after Rylan received his back to school blessing and we all said amen, Wesley whined, "bless Wesley!"

James received his blessing on Sunday, but then when he saw us doing it again on Monday he wanted and received a second blessing.  That really bugged Wesley.  The injustice!

It was getting late and Eden still had not gotten her blessing yet.  The kids were tiered and Wesley was still crying over James' second blessing so we had them all go to bed.  Eden was fussy.  I decided to nurse her while she got her blessing.  She was contently eating while Brian spoke her blessing with his hands on her head.  Then he said something about her being able to ween. (I think I am having a hard time with the weening as much as Eden.  Feeling very sad to say goodbye to nursing forever.)  Anyway as these words left his lips she immediately unlatched looked up at him annoyed and tried to get his hands off of her head.  She wouldn't stop.  She did not want him to continue. It struck us both so funny, that we started laughing...hard.  Brian couldn't talk.  He finally finished up her blessing and then she went back to nursing.
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My parents came for a visit a few weeks ago.  My dad brought Brad his tie flying "stuff".  Brad has really enjoyed figuring it out. We hope to take him to Idaho soon for some good fishing with Grandpa.  My Mom and Dad stayed in a hotel close by because Kristel and her family were coming the same weekend.  Anyway, my mom was telling us how she saw the maid in the hallway and told her she didn't need to clean their room.  I teased her saying that she probably cleaned the room and left it cleaner that the maid would have cleaned it.  My dad was nodding his head when she added, "Well, there's nothing else to do!"

Eden is 15 Months

 mimicking Mom

She is done.  ha ha

Miracles

"Miracles were and are a response to faith." the Bible Dictionary tells us.  They encourage more faith.

Jesus raised people from the dead.
He healed the sick.
He fed 5000.

Today we still see many miracles.  We need to PRAY, have FAITH in JESUS CHRIST, and it must be GOD'S WILL.  Fasting and Priesthood blessings help us exercise faith for blessings and miracles we want or need.

My family has seen miracles!  I am thankful Jesus Christ is a God of miracles and that miracles have blessed my life.

Reagan was assigned to give a talk in Primary at church last Sunday on the topic, "Jesus is the Son of God and is a God of miracles."  That was the talk he gave.  It was a very timely talk.

We are coming up on seven years since Brian started having seizures.  We were told he had a brain tumor.  Prayers and fasting flowed.  He received two priesthood blessings.

Our neurosurgeon took Brian's case to a tumor board.  They all agreed that surgery was the best option.  As we sat there in the office and the doctor held a model brain, he described to us how "I will just lift up this part of the brain here and..."   I felt as though I floated to the top of the room and was looking down on the situation.  It seemed utterly UNREAL that this conversation was happening to US.  This had to be a dream, a nightmare!  This is something you only watch in the movies.  I was holding my baby and wondering what in the world was in store for our family.  The neurosurgeon finished his lengthy play-by-play of how this was all going to go down and asked us about scheduling.

Brian then asked, "What if we monitor it?"

The doctor stammered, not sure how to reply to that.  They went back and forth a bit and I was looking at Brian in disbelief!  He must be in denial!  "Are you sure you want to wait?!" I asked.  He was calm and sure.  There would be no surgery scheduled.  We left and scheduled to have an MRI in three months.

I immediately began to question Brian.  He did not second guess.  He was confident in his decision.  I was a mess.

Late one night after talking more about it, he fell asleep.  He never doubted his decision.  He told me that he had a blessing and felt strongly that he did not need surgery, at least not now.  He tried to help me feel more at peace with his decision.  He told me, "Everything is going to be okay, Anj.  We'll grow old together.  I promise."

I knelt down on my floor and really poured out my heart to God.  I cried.  I was so worried.  SO SO worried.  I cried to  Heavenly Father all of my concerns.  I was imagining the worst.  I remembered crying to the Lord for Isaac to be healed, but he was taken.  I knew that could happen again.  I prayed and prayed that Brian would be healed, if it was God's will.  In the depth of my "break down" (can't think of any other way to put it) as I was curled up on my floor by my bed sobbing, I felt a peaceful feeling engulf me, and I heard in my mind, "Everything will be okay."  I knew I needed to trust and fully support Brian.  I did not know how everything would be okay, but I knew it would.  If he died, everything would be okay.  If he chose a difficult treatment, everything would be okay.  If he chose surgery, everything would be okay.  If he chose nothing, everything would be okay.

As months went on and MRI's went from three month intervals, to six month intervals, and eventually to yearly events, I have marveled at the results EACH TIME.  No change.  Every time.  Last week Brian got yet another MRI and the report came back with the final results saying once again two simple yet amazing words, no change.