Tuesday, September 8, 2009

UPDATES AND CHANGES

Where I have I been you wonder....

Most of you know how my summer has gone, but for those that don't, this may explain why my blogging has been non existent up to this point.

Girls Camp...including all preparations for it.
Husbands bike accident (details later).
Life (Recover)
Little boy's surgery (quick recovery, simple hernia surgery, but it is still surgery)
Life (Recover)
Here I am.

I will try to be better and update my blog regularly. But, I am switching over. For some reason I have been unable to change my background, and I am sick of it. So, all new posts will be on my new blog which will be private. You are more then welcome to read my blog, just let me know and I will send you an invite.
For those that don't know, the details of the bike accident:
I got a phone call one Saturday, from a lady who seemed a little frantic on the phone. Immediately I knew something was wrong. She said are you Jeremy's wife? She said that he has been in a bike accident (as she is telling me this I can hear the sirens in the back ground). I immediately start freaking out. It is amazing how fast ones body can go from being calm, to feeling like I was just hit by a semi. She said that they thought he had been hit by a car. When they found him he was unconscious, but has been in and out of consciousness for a little bit. (Still hearing many sirens). She then put her husband on the phone (I think it may have been too much for her hearing me freak out not knowing if my husband is a piece of hamburger dead or alive on the side of the road). Her husband told me again, that they thought he had been hit by a car, and that there was a bad head injury and a lot of blood. (I could tell he was just trying to inform me of Jeremy's situation, and trying to keep me calm...wasn't working). Then the police officer got on the phone, told me the same thing, and was trying to let me know where they were so I could come be by Jeremy's side. Then he told me it would be best to just meet them at the hospital. With that said, I grabbed my kids. I had just gotten out of the shower (no hair and make-up done) kids still in jamies...(why can't it happen when we are looking our best!). Even though I feel I did the best I could at remaining calm when letting my kids know that we have to hurry and get in the car because their daddy has been in an accident...I wish I would have done better. I will never forget the look on Brayden's face and his cry. On the way to the hospital, I of course was at a dead stop because of the train. While waiting and saying a thousand prayers that Jeremy would be ok, I called family. In hopes that they would be their when he arrived at the hospital, and could call me and give me updates. (More on family later). I arrived at the hospital and found out that I actually beat the ambulance. I was right there when they brought Jeremy out of the ambulance. He was awake and he just kept telling me how sorry he was and that he loved me. His injuries were: 6 broken ribs (but 2 were broke in two places...so 8 were broken.
Broken clavicle, broken scapula, 1 collapsed lung, temporal head fracture, inner ear damage (csf fluid and blood were leaking out of his ears), permanent hearing loss in one ear, and major road rash all over his body (including his head, he looks like he has been scalped in a small area, and the hair will never grow back). Once all of the testing was done in the e.r. (which took all day into the evening) and I knew he would live, I was able to breath a sigh of relief. He spent the night in the hospital and was able to come home the following night. I stayed at the hospital with him. All of the anxiety from the day was still with me and I was unable to sleep at all. It was a very long night! He is healing well. He just started going back to work. His shoulder still hurts daily, and we don't think he will need surgery...but that will still depend on how his bones heal.
We are lucky enough to have an amazing family! My parents arrived at the hospital before I got there, ready to give him a blessing when needed. Jeremy's brother was there before I got there, and my bishop arrived right after I did ready to help out in any way. Soon after, the rest of Jeremy's family arrived, some traveling a couple hours. My dad and Jeremys brother Jody and our bishop were able to give Jeremy a blessing in the e.r. It was a beautiful blessing, and my mom reminded me that I needed to have faith in that blessing. I did, and I am thankful for that. My parents took our kids for almost 2 weeks. Jeremys family brought in meals, and helped out in so many ways. Both families supported and loved and cared for us so much during that time....we will never forget it. Ward members were amazing. They called to see how we were doing, offered to do many services, just knowing that they cared meant the world to us. I have never been on the receiving end of something like this. I have such an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. My testimony has grown in so many ways, and I have changed for the better. A huge thank you for your love and support! Thanks for everything!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Pre-school Graduation

He is one cute kid, and we are so proud of him. He has come a long way and learned so much this year. Chad we are proud of you and we love you! This was a fun graduation, I have video of him doing a solo, along with Kayla joining in...but for some reason it won't let me post it.
I can't believe he will be going to Kindergarten this year...sheesh, I wish my kids would stop growing and time would stand still.

He is singing his little heart out....He grew so much this year, at the beginning of the year he wouldn't sing...and now look at him.

He is singing here...trying to pull an Elvis or something.


Chad's Teacher....we loved her!

This is Awesome!

Make sure you pause my music before you start this.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Remembering my Grandpa's

I am so blessed to have such amazing grandparents, and although my grandpa's have passed on and are in a better place, I think of them often. But it is this time of year when families visit the graves and we remember all of the good things about their life, it makes me miss them that much more.

I am fortunate that not only was I able to have my grandparents around while growing up, but my children were able to get to know their great grandparents as well.

This is my grandpa Penrod. One thing that I will always remember about him is his laugh. It was a laugh that was contagious, happy and warm. He was positive, and well liked by his family and community. He was a giving man. I remember all I had to do was play on my guitar and sing one of his favorite songs and out would come a $100.00 dollar bill. He would say it made his day and wanted to give me a little something special.
He was a very hard worker. He was a successful dairy farmer, but it rings true what was said at his funeral, that "His greatest happiness came from raising His favorite crop, His Family".
He had many interests and talents, and one that comes to mind was learning to ski. He and my grandma around the ages of 68 took on skiing for the first time at Sundance. They loved it so much and went skiing until the age of 74'ish. They went often enough and were noticed because of their age, that most that worked there at the time knew my grandparents personally, even Robert Redford.

I am so thankful for all of my wonderful memories of him, and how he helped mold me into who I am today.
Grandpa and Grandma Penrod's Posterity:
9 Children
40 Grandchildren
50 Great-Grandchildren and counting

 

 
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This is my grandpa Rasmussen. One thing that I will always remember about him were his talents. He was an excellent mechanic and could fix almost everything. He was a World War II Honoree, and used his mechanic skills on the airplanes. In fact one story that I loved listening to was when his airplane went down and he parachuted into the ocean. He was in the ocean by him self for 24 hours, he said every little wave looked like a sharks fin and was never so grateful to be rescued.
Another talent he had was he was a great craftsman. His garage was filled with all kinds of tools to make things with. I am lucky enough to have a shelf that he made for me in my home.
The talent that gives me the most memories is his gift of singing. He loved to sing. My dad, his brothers, and my grandpa formed a quartet. They sang on many occasions, weddings, funerals, sacrament meetings, they were even invited to sing for "Margret Hulahan, on MASH" for her birthday one year. Each Sunday we would go to my grandparents house and they would practice. While they practiced, us cousins had fun playing together, and listening to them sing.
Another memory of him is every Christmas he would wear one red sock, and one green sock...then he would say "I have another pair just like them at home".
He was a hard worker, and he loved the out doors.
His family was most important to him. He gave me many wonderful memories that I will always cherish, and I am a better person because of him.
Grandpa & Grandma Rasmussen's Posterity:
6 Children
32 Grandchildren
30 Great-Grandchildren and counting

 

Friday, May 22, 2009

Bye Bye Birdie

Early Sunday morning, I was on the computer and heard these little tapping noises on my front door. When I opened the door, 2 birds flew away, but not too far, and they started chirping at me (they were ticked off). I looked up and saw how busy they had been building a nest on top of my wreath. (Keep in mind there was no nest Saturday night). They had been very busy.
As much as I like birds, and hearing them chirp in the mornings, I couldn't leave there nest there. I wouldn't be able to use my front door until they laid their eggs, hatched and then the babies were old enough to fly away. Then you have the mess of poop and feathers all over my front porch. Not gonna happen!

So we took it down, and while I was up in my bathroom getting ready for church, those two birds flew around my house for at least an hour chirping the whole time, letting us know they weren't happy, and trying to find their home I just got rid of.
Hopefully they have made a new home for their babies, and all is well. But, I don't dare put my wreath back up until I'm sure...I still see them in my yard daily picking stuff out of my grass.

This happened to us once before, we left our Christmas wreathes (that were out by our garage) up too long. By the time we noticed there was a nest, there were baby bird eggs in them. So we had to leave them up, until the baby birds grew up and flew away.


Father's & Son's

My boys had a blast! I love that Jeremy wants to take them, and the boys get to spend some quality bonding time. I love that we live in such a great neighborhood, and that my boys have really good friends. Good friends are so important, and for that I am truly grateful.
Kayla and I went to my parents and had a sleep over of our own. We all stayed up late and watched my sisters favorite old time show "April Love" with Pat Boone. If you like old movies, you'll love this one!

This is the second sunset picture Jeremy has taken at Father's and Son's...last years was beautiful too. If I had the picture, I would show you.

In case you were wondering, Brayden did go...he was probably off playing with his friends when Jeremy had the camera out.






The only thing in my garden....



This is a Rhubarb plant. It has grown so well this year. The first year I planted it, it was too small to eat. Last year, I think I ate it too late, because it was "woodsy" and tough.
This year though, ...yum, yum, yum,... I like to eat it green. I wash it, peel the skin, cut it up like celery, and then put salt on it and eat it sour. So, if you like sour things...this is a must try.