Temple Square 2011...

Blessing Day...

On January 2nd 2012, Miss A was given a name and a blessing by her daddy and it was such a sweet experience. We decided to do the blessing over Christmas break at my parents house so that all our family could be there(well, most of our family), and Jeff wanted to do a short program to invite the spirit and it was perfect. My brother Steven gave the opening prayer and Jeff's brother Houston gave the closing prayer, and my brother Stayler played the piano. My mom, Jeff's mom, Jeff and I all gave our thoughts and testimonies, and then Miss A was blessed. Jeff gave the blessing and I know he followed the impressions he received and gave a beautiful blessing. My dad, Jeff's dad, Bishop Jenson(my parents bishop), my brother Stayler, Jeff's Uncle Steve, and Jeff's cousin Danny all participated in the blessing. It is such a privilege to be able to have Miss A in our family and I know her Heavenly Father has a lot in store for her. We love her so much!

Conversations...

Little Miss: Hey mom?!

Me: Yes sweetheart?

Little Miss: No mom, say "yes Belle?"

Me: Oh, yes Belle?

Little Miss: I need a drink.

Me: What kind of pizza do you want today?

Little Miss: Oh, I'll just have the one with the big yellow corns on it.

Me: Ok, I need to go get in the shower. (I stop to check the computer on the way)

Little Miss: Hey, you need to get in the shower!!

Me: I am getting in in just a minute.

Little Miss: Mom you are going to be late for the shower! Go now!

Me: Ok just a minute.

Little Miss: Mommy, I want you to go get in the shower. I will walk you to the shower. Would that be a great deal?! (said with a huge forced smile on her face, she is SO patient with her mommy!)

Little Miss always has to say a prayer on the food. And if you don't put all the food out at the same time, she has to bless it each time you put something out...so we try to bring her to the table once everything is on it.

2011...What A Year!!

2011 was quite the year, to say the least! It was full of trials, blessings and amazing miracles. It has been one of those years that has grown my testimony of my Savior and the reality of his presence in my life. It has taught me how much I love my family and the power of a mother's love. It has taught me that there is no room for fear where there is faith. I have learned the true meaning of sacrifice, service and gratitude. It has been one of those years that you look back on and realize you are a better person because of all these experiences, you are stronger, and that is exactly how I feel, each person in my family has found strength they didn't know they had. We grow from adversity...

January - Jeff started his 2nd semester of Vet School and I spent time with Little Miss and training for a half marathon.

February - Little Miss turned 2 and I got pregnant with Miss A.

March - I ran a half marathon...pregnant. I didn't know I was pregnant, and I am glad because I totally would have used that excuse to not run it! Found out I was pregnant. We went to Utah for spring break. Little Miss and I ended up staying for a month. I got really sick again with this pregnancy.

April - We went back to Washington. I continued to be sick, but only had to go to the hospital twice for IV's...it could have been so much worse! We didn't leave the house at all.

May - Jeff finished his first year of Vet School! We went back to Utah to work for the summer and I continued to be sick...but we lived with my family and they were so good to help me with Little Miss and everything I needed. My mom and dad are amazing.

June - Pretty quiet...I am still sick...

July - We had reunions for the Oyler's and the Sorensen's and spent time in Loa with Jeff's parents. I was finally starting to feel better. I flew to Washington and found out we were having another little girl!! Flew back to Utah...

August - We got a new niece, little Audri! Our brother in law was deployed. Spent a week spending time with Grandma Jean (my dad's mom) when she got sick and at the end of the week my brother John wrecked his motorcycle into a Nissan Armada and wasn't wearing a helmet. He was on life support in a coma in the STICU at IMC in Utah. He had a severe brain injury but was not broken at all except for a cracked sacrum. Miracle. He received a blessing that night from my dad, Jeff and Bishop Jensen and he was told he would recover and that this experience would be to teach him to rely on his Heavenly Father and correct his path. Jeff slept in John's hospital room and spent many hours with him until he had to start school again a week after the accident. Little Miss and I stayed with Grammy and Grampy and spent all our time at the hospital. John stayed in a coma on life support the rest of the month...not expected to live and certainly not expected to have any quality of life if he did.

September - After 4 weeks, John slightly came out of the coma and was moved from the STICU to an LTAC in Orem Utah. We spent a week with him down there and then Little Miss and I had to go home to Washington. Right after I got home I got a call and John said hi to me. I cried and cried.

October - John is transferred back to the IMC to their rehab floor, the docs in the STICU had said he would never make it there. Miracle. John continues to make improvements and is able to move a little more. Still a long way to go, but I know the Lord was always with him and that he would continue to improve. We celebrated Halloween and then Little Miss and I got sick...we didn't leave our house for 2 weeks straight.

November - Miss A was born!! Grandma and Pa drove straight here when I went into labor and stayed for a week after. They are so supportive and it always amazes me how willing they are to do anything for us. We spent Thanksgiving with our own little family and then my mom came to stay with us and took care of us for a week. I know what a sacrifice it was for her to leave John, but she never thought twice. I love her so much. She flew home and while she was at the airport I got a call from my brother that his little boy, Carter, was going to get a new heart. He had only been listed a couple months. Miracle.

December - Grandma Merlyn went into surgery and had a total knee replacement. We flew to Utah for Christmas. Went right to see John and Carter, both in the hospital, as soon as we landed. Left for Loa to spend Christmas there with Grandma and Pa. Grandma Jean got really sick and also broke her back and ended up in the hospital. We got a new nephew, baby Kyson! We came back to Salt Lake and spent the New Year with Grammy, Grampy and Uncle Steve. We spent all our time in Salt Lake visiting in the hospital with John and Grandma Jean. Jeff spent a lot of time with John and helped with his therapy. We got family pictures with my family and flew back to Washington.

I don't know what 2012 has in store for us, but I do know that whatever it is, I have my family for eternity and I can face anything knowing that. I have a lot of goals for this year and I hope at the end of 2012 I will be able to look back again and say I am a better person than I was. I have everything I need...an amazing husband, two beautiful girls, the best parents and extended family, solid friends and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It's going to be an incredible year!

Christmas 2011...

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! Little Miss was a huge helper to her dad and they got our beautiful tree decorated! Miss A and I got to hang out together and oversee the decorating:) While Grammy Nola was visiting she made some ornaments with Little Miss to put on the tree and they turned out so cute! I especially loved this Christmas because we were able to teach Little Miss about her Savior and why we celebrate Christmas. She understood so much better this year and I love that she is already developing a testimony of her Savior, as simple and sweet as it may be. She knows he lives and she loves him. We did our own little Christmas at home a couple weeks before Christmas and Little Miss got just what she wanted...anything that has to do with Disney Princesses! She especially loved her memory game, stool and toothbrush holder all featuring the princesses. We left for Utah on December 18 and got to spend Christmas with Grandma and Pa in Loa. Little Miss loves going to Loa and seeing her Grandma and Pa and getting to "help" on the farm. She got to spend a lot of time with her Pa and dad since Grandma just got a knee replacement and I had Miss A to take care of, and she loved every minute of it! We spent Christmas Eve with Grandma Great and Grandpa Great and the rest of the Oyler family. There was delicious food and we loved our gifts they gave us! We all received such wonderful presents this year and were well taken care of by both our parents as usual! The girls got some really cute outfits and their Christmas ornament from Grandma and Pa. Grammy and Grampy also gave the girls some really cute clothes and lots of books. Between those gifts and all the gifts from their Aunts and Uncles, they did pretty good this year! We love our families so much and are so grateful for the time we get to spend with them.

Miss A...

Oh Miss A, you have changed our lives! For the better of course! You have only been here for a short month and we already love you more than we can say. You have already taught us so much and we are so grateful you were sent to our family. Here are some things about you...You are a great sleeper and eater! You usually give me a solid 4 hours of sleep at a time during the night and day. You do have your fussy time between 8pm - 11pm but it isn't bad at all. I know you are still really little and need lots of rest, but we are so excited for when you are more alert and can play with us for longer!

You are such a sweet baby and you love it when your big sister sings to you. Even when you are crying and mommy can't quite get you to calm down, she can. She comes right up to your ear and sings really soft and you will stop crying to listen to her.

You love your car seat and your binkie. Whenever I put you in the car seat, as long as you are fed and your diaper is changed, you will fall right to sleep. You don't always need your binkie, but when you do you are sure happy to have to it! You do not like a messy diaper at all! You will let me know the minute something happens in it...

You love your baths and your daddy! You are so relaxed and calm when I am washing you, even when I wash your head and water gets on your face, you love it. There may not be another time when you are as content as you are when your daddy is holding you. You snuggle right up to him and you could honestly sleep for hours if he didn't have to move. He loves it too!

You are just a beautiful baby inside and out. I could sit and watch your little facial expressions all day and I would hold you forever if I could. Your daddy and I love you so much and can't imagine our family without you. Nothing brings as much joy to me as getting to be a mommy to you and your big sister. Love you Miss A!

A Heart for Carter...

This has not been an easy year for my family to say the least, but for every trial we have been given, we have also been able to experience a miracle. Carter's heart is one of those miracle's. Carter is my nephew and when my sister in law, Jessica, was pregnant she found out that Carter had a severe heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He had his first open heart surgery at 3 days old, spent his first 6 months of life in the PICU at Primary Children's Medical Center, and has been in and out of the hospital ever since. This little boy has been through more than anybody I know and and goes through all of it with a smile on his cute little face. Ever since he was born we knew that eventually he would need a new heart, but I always figured it would be in his teenage years or later. When complications came up and the final surgery he needed to reconstruct his heart was not going to be an option, we realized he was going to need a heart much sooner. He was listed on the transplant list a few months ago and on Sunday Dec. 4 Stayler and Jessica got the call that there was a heart for Carter. This came a lot sooner than any of us expected and after 13 hours of surgery, countless prayers and a lot of waiting, Carter had a new heart. I can't express my gratitude to my Heavenly Father enough for sending Carter to our family. He has taught us SO much in his 4 short years of life and has truly been a blessing to our entire family. Mostly, he has taught me what faith is. He has taught me that our Heavenly Father is in control and there is plan, even if I can't see it from where I am standing. His parents have taught me the true meaning of sacrifice and charity through their amazing love for Carter. Anyone who knows Carter loves him! Little Miss may be one of his biggest fans and is always so excited to see him. His road has been anything but easy, but his spirit is so strong and his will to live life is even stronger. I am so grateful to the donor family for their willingness to allow Carter a chance to live his life to the fullest with a new healthy heart.

And this is one of the most incredible families I know. My brother Stayler, his wife Jessica and their four kids; Carter, Bridger, Mason and Audri. Carter is so lucky to have them as his family, he couldn't be in better hands. They are his biggest fans and his constant support and I am lucky to get to have them all as my family and I love them so much!