What about the bad weeks?

From time to time I wonder what to write at the end of a bad week. One thing I don't like about social media and blogging etc., is how everyone's lives look so perfect all the time.
There's an inspirational blog I used to love to read but I had to stop. Their family has a big trial too, but sometime's it seems as if everything ELSE is so perfect. Like, yeah they have this trial that they can't help, but they're doing EVERYTHING right and it can sometimes make me feel inadequate.

Alternately, I wouldn't find it appropriate to air out our dirty laundry online. So this is me trying to strike a balance. The trial of Sophia is not the only one we have. Sometimes our trials are given to us by Heavenly Father. Sometimes they are the result of the free agency of others, or even ourselves.
Have you ever had a bad week? We have.
If a bad week happens to you remember to lean on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They will help us with ALL of our trials.

Good Parts of This Week:

Friday night movie night. Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and Harry Potter ;-) Watching halloween movies is my favorite October tradition with the kids. 

Look at her face, she must be 9 ;-)

Gave Sophia a bath during the movies and just had to take a picture of her curls!

Take a close look at the pumpkin sitting with Max...

He took a field trip to a pumpkin patch with his preschool yesterday, and this has been his constant companion since 😂

He took it to the park with us....

And this is how I found him this morning ;-)

So at least our week had some comedy, thanks to Max ;-)

Anyways the worst of this week is over. This weekend we are looking on the bright side and taking the kids to the New Harmony Apple Festival, Swimming at a hotel, and having a little staycation to celebrate Jason and my sealing anniversary.

Also a shoutout to my sister Millie and her Husband Nate who are celebrating their 6th anniversary today!

General Conference

I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I write often about my faith because it helps me through my trials. Especially the trial of knowing I will outlive my baby daughter. Conference is the best place to learn what we believe, and the principles that help us. Tune into conference today!

CONFERENCE WATCHING OPTIONS HERE (finally learned how to make something into a link guys. It was so easy it's embarrassing ;-)

The above link shows the many different options for listening or viewing online, tv, or radio.

https://www.lds.org

You can find it on at these times:

Today (Saturday Oct 6th)
10am to 12noon (morning session)
2pm to 4pm (afternoon session)
6pm to 8pm (women's conference)

Tomorrow (Sun Oct 7th)
10am to 12noon (morning session)- there's usually a good chance the Prophet will speak at the end of this session.
2pm to 4pm (afternoon session)



And then here's what we've been up to :-)

Video's from the last couple weeks ;-)



"Sophia Jane-Marie laughing at Max under the window"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YWkNFoafOQ
this one's dark, but just listen careful to hear how Max can really make her laugh ;-)

"Sophia Jane-Marie laughing/biting Daddy's finger"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwkUIhr6wzM

"Sophia Jane-Marie grasping tight and pulling"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWEhpuYbJFY
And she continues to develop! Watch here as she is getting better at intentionally grasping and pulling. She does this all the time now when we drive, and she is often successful at getting that tube on her suction machine unhooked! Our little miracle!

"Sophia Jane-Marie sitting sweet in the morning"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSchEE8mmMw
This is just this morning ;-) She's just turning into a little girl!

Pictures from the last couple of weeks:

Rolling down the hill at the park during respite ;-)

Mariahnna's Birthday ;-)

Grandma May and Grandpa Steve watched Sophie while we went to the cemetary ;-)

We brought home Mariahnna's balloon for Sophia

Took the kids to Zion last Saturday while Jason worked in the yard.

Max climbed up here himself and promptly wanted to climb down lol

I told him he had to smile first haha

Picnic at the Zion Lodge before the hike

Found my infant backpack for the hike. She's so big, but it worked! Look how long she is! (she's in the 99th percentile for height this week btw!) 

Emerald Pools hike.

 I carried Sophie and held Max's hand. Michael and Sarah took turns pushing the stroller with our supplies. We got so much encouragement when people would see us."Look at that beautiful family!" "Amazing kids you got there!" "Wow Mom you are so great!" People are so nice, I just love them!

(sidenote, one day I think those socks of Sarah's might just disappear ;-)

One view from the hike

Sunday best ;-)

Took this picture to commemorate Michael's last Primary Program and Max's first ;-) They were so darn cute. I was so proud that all our kids knew their lines and said them so cute in their own way's ;-)

Sister's ;-)

We took off for a fall drive on Cedar Mountain after Sacrament ;-)

Stopped at a park in Virgin on the way home

Got Halloween out!!! It's a mix of emotions this time of year. Fall is my FAVORITE season. I also worry so much about germs for the next 6 months.

My rule with my kids is they can try lots of different activities, or get really good at one, as long as they are doing something ;-) Michael played flag football this season and had a good time ;-) He's the green blur ;-)

Late evening run to the pharmacy ;-)

And Ice Cream ;-)

That's all for this week! I hope you all are having wonderful weeks as well. Make memories and take a few pictures!

Happy Birthday Handsome

Happy birthday to my dear husband. We've always had big challenges, but if I'm so grateful to go through them with you. You are my rock, and the greatest love of my life for eternity! Love you Han

dsome!

Happy Birthday Ahna/Wireless Doorbell

First and foremost a very happy birthday wish for my beautiful sister Ahna. Ahna and Sophia have much on common, as they both bravely fight rare diseases every day. Still through their trials, they put on a smile and try to comfort those around them. So proud of you girls. Happy birthday Ahnie. Love you.

Sorry for anyone who's been wondering. Sophia hasn't been feeling great this week so I haven't had the time to post. Her symptoms are mostly under control and we're no where near leaving for the hospital. But every virus she gets comes with extra duties as they all cause more secretions and as a result more coughing and vomiting. Thank goodness for her night nurses who are saving my life on days like this.

I can't lay her down or the secretions run to the back of her throat so I'm stuck in a recliner holding her upright. The kids have had quite the lovely Saturday with it though. Not that they'd wish it for Sophie, but they quite like "sick days".

They don't have to do their regular chores or earn their screentime. They have to watch after each other and help me when I need. So they've been playing and watching tv and laughing all day. Every time I need something fetched, or Sophia's oxygen turned up, or someone to drop a piece of toast for Max, I hit this genius conrtaption called a "wireless doorbell" and all my little helpers come running ;-) They are really a good bunch ;-)
So good that when Jason came home from LA I sent them off to the movies ;-)

Sophia keeping in good spirits after her bath yesterday.

Earlier this week and last...

 Michael practicing his baritone, he gets excited whenever he masters a song he wants to play it for all of us ;-)

 Michael was proud that he could get Sophia to stick her foot out to be tickled ;-) She would do it, although I couldn't get a picture of it ;-)

 Wouldn't it be great if we all didn't have to taste our vegetables? ;-)

 First day of preschool....

 On the steps at preschool...

 Right before I left him there (and bawled like a baby to Sophie on the drive home). She's a good listener ;-)

 Watching tv with her "littlelest big brother" earlier in the week.

 Date night last week (thanks to Grandma May and Grandpa Steve for driving out! ;-) Went to see some festival homes. Couldn't pass up this photo op with the 5 fingers and a rainbow in the back. How I wish New Harmony was closer to a hospital ;-)

 Contraption Daddy made for Sophie to watch her pad. Max likes it too ;-)

 Finally got Jonah's pictures up. Just took this one from where I'm sitting. Everyone got one of these for Christmas last year. Jonah's watches over Sophia while he's on his mission :-)

 And his frame on the mantle. We are proud of that kid.

Me and Sophie all day...