I've been dying to share this news with all of you but didn't want to jinx it before the land deal was signed. Remember my last post about the barn? Well.....we are building on the exact site of that old barn! In fact, the guys that tore it down didn't do a very good job of cleaning up after themselves so I snagged that large beam I talked about and hope to creat a fireplace mantle or something with it.
It's going to be a HUGE undertaking, especially since we are acting as our own contractor, but I'm hoping it will save us enough $$$ that we can buy some nice new furnishings.
So, welcome to our new adventure! Feel free to sign up for any of the following:
Paint Party USA
Roofing Raucous
Flooring Freaks & Tile Torture (for all of you thrill seekers!)
Moving Maniacs (We're hoping to be doing this by Mid November so plan now)
Any other Construction Crew Parties that you would like to host at our location would be greatly appreciated and invited! Let us know & we'll sign you up! *grins*
Thanks so much for all of your good thoughts, prayers & help!
Living in the country, aka "God's Country", "Middle of Nowhere", "Armpit of Hell", "20 minutes past the middle of nowhere" and many more, spring is greatly anticipated. In the last week we have experienced, Snow, Rain, Sleet, TERRIBLE wind gusts & more. We've also experienced the most perfect 70 degree weather, warm sun and gentle breezes. Welcome to Spring in the Utah Desert.
This morning I walked outside to take some photos (I'll add those at a later date) and I experienced a great flood of nostalgia.
It began with a barn. A Big barn, A barn where horses and cattle would find shelter from the same kinds of storms and crazy weather in days gone by. A long rope used to hang from the center beam and my kids would swing and squeal with great delight from a simple old rope. The same rope that little children who grew up to be old men and wise matriarchs would swing from.
A manger, still filled with hay was nestled just inside the giant door. Dollies wrapped in swaddling clothes as the Nativity story was retold and reenacted for baby brothers. Many cats became momma cats as their kittens were born there.
A giant room for whispered secrets both big and small with a loft overhead where nimble feet pranced on creaky floorboards & mothers held their breath after ordering a swift dismount.
In days of grey dispair and heartache, the old barn stood, a gentle reminder of strength and endurance. Boards snapped and tin recoiled, doors sagged and beams became unsteady, but the old barn stood and weathered it all until the bitter end. Some young entrepreneurs with visions of greenbacks persuaded a kind-hearted woman into letting them tear it down in order to sell the barnwood. I tried really hard not to cry as they mocked the craftsmanship and innovative foundations. I reminded myself that they were young and immature and that I was just a sappy ol' broad. It didn't help. I still cried. And today there is very little traces of the old barn left. A cement slab, some random planks and old hinges, and one more thing. The old giant beam minus the rope that will someday, once again, reclaim it's rightful place of beauty. I promised to honor this land for as long as I lived here & today, in my springtime musings, I'm so grateful to be a part of this land where old barns and old souls feel like home.
God's Country....yeah, that feels right....Let's go with that.
I have been so blessed with such great friends that I hesitate to single them out because I don't someone to feel slighted. So I hope that all of my friends know that I honestly & truly love you all. But today I need to do this...I need to single out someone and give them a very BIG thank you!
This morning started out with a vengence. Head pounding....stomach churning & choking for clean air. Needless to say, we didn't make it to church. But as I tried to drift off to sleep, the wind howled and barn creaked outside. But a new sound slammed some reality home as I realized the old tin roof was being lifted off by the wind.
Darren went out in the FREEZING wind and attempted to nail down the old tin, but everytime he did, the side would curl back over and nearly smack him upside the head. The ladder wasn't tall enough to reach & without getting to the top, there was no way to prevent it from flying into the house risking further damage to house, or person.
So, to quote Pooh Bear, "I thunk and I thunk and I thunk!" and then knew what to do! I called Kelly & she sent Jerid! To hear his old chev truck roar to life and then turn the corner was such a comforting sound. Together they STETCHED and pounded nails, drilled and cut and all the stuff hardworking great men do.
And then to end the day on a perfect note, Miss Kelly went and did THIS!
These were taken at a performance last night. It wasn't their best, and Karlee came home pretty upset. It helps to have friends who lift and strengthen your kids too.
So our day started with Jerid strengthening the roof and protecting us there, and ended with Kelly lifting and strengthing a beautiful young lady in need of a little love. Kelly & Jerid were our heros today! Thanks guys! Love ya!
*NOTE: ALL PHOTOS PROPERTY OF KELLY BENNETT PHOTOGRAPHY! USED WITH PERMISSION ONLY!
OH DEER! Look what happen to my DEAR husband's car this morning?!
He had just dropped Karlee & Sarah off at basketball practice and was driving back to the office. I personally think the deers last name must've been Busch with a swerve & swipe like that! hee hee (Only NASCAR fans will understand that reference).
The deer did survive, but it did leave a little scruff behind! I guess since he can't drive a company vehicle until his drug test comes back clean....(hopefully tomorrow), he'll be HOOF-in' it! (Ok, everyone groan at my bad jokes now!)
From the time I was a little girl, I loved the thrill of a roller coaster, the ups and downs and twists and turns, screams and squeals of delight and terror. At some point I realized that some of my friends were terrified of the same things that gave me such a thrill. Over the years I've come to realize that there are different types of roller coasters. And some, like the rickety ol' white coaster at Lagoon, are familiar and fine. But there are some I hope to never ride because I'm sure I would NOT like it.
Last week our family was shoved onto one of those nasty-scary coasters. We've experienced the frightened anticipation of knowing what could be coming, and still being TERRIFIED when it does, all the while screaming (both outwardly and inwardly) that we didn't want to ride anymore.
This particular Roller Coaster has a name:
Type 1 Diabetes
On Saturday, Feb 21st we attended the Draper Utah Temple Open House. It was a BEAUTIFUL day! The sun was shining, the sky was blue and it was a warm, pleasant day.
During the trip we noticed (and were annoyed) at Carson's frequent need to urinate & get a drink of water. It was after about the 8th time of needing to go in as many hours (or less) that we became concerned. Upon arriving home we did a little research on http://www.webmd.com/ and became very concerned. We decided to adopt a "wait and see" attitude. After confirming with his teacher Tuesday morning that he was doing the same thing at school, we made an appt. with our Doctor. At 3:30PM on Feb. 24, 2009 we hit our first big SCARY dip on this ride.
A normal blood glucose rate is between 70-120. Carson's official number (after a few blood tests) was 541! Dr. Grose called Primary Childrens Hospital and arranged for us to admit Carson that night. My head began to swirl & scream, my stomach lurched and my heart just pounded out the tears. I'm not one of those "hold it in until your child can't see you" kind of moms. I tried. I honestly tried, but the tears just softly fell. (at least I held in the sobbing and screaming part).
The only experience I've ever had with Type 1 diabetes was when Carson's best friend, Parker, died 2 years ago from this dreaded disease. I didn't want my child to die. I didn't want him to constantly worry about his fate being the same as his sweet friends. I wanted him to eat ice cream and skittles and get invited to birthday parties where cake was served. I wanted him to always enjoy Halloween and trick or treating. *STOMP* I want a different diagnosis....tell me it's a UTI and that he can take an antibiotic for a few days and then be fine. But it didn't come and we still have the same diagnosis & a whole new life.
Upon arriving at Primary Childrens Hospital in SLC we were greeted with warmth and kindness. The staff there is INCREDIBLE! Every single one of them are my new Heros! On a scale from 1-10, my stress level went from a 125 to about a 3 in the matter of minutes. There is a very special spirit there and I felt enveloped by their caring, capable hearts. They had Carson completely relaxed and HAPPY very quickly. He was so excited to be able to go down to the cafeteria at 11PM and choose whatever he wanted to eat. What an adventure.
The next few days are a blur. We stayed right in Carson's room. Darren slept in an upright/non-reclining rocking chair & I slept on a fold-out chair that I nicknamed "The Ironing Board". People came in and people came out. Everytime we redefined "the new normal". We learned out to count carbs and divide by Carson's "magic number". We learned all about the 2 different kinds of insulin that Carson is now taking (FOR LIFE!), how to figure out the dosage & how to draw them up from vial to syringe and then give him injections (a MINIMUM of 4x a day!). Darren & I even got to give an injection to each other. By day 2 Carson was independantly checking his own BG (Blood Glucose) levels and calculating & giving his own Insulin Injections! HE'S A ROCKSTAR!!!! And so BRAVE!!!!
We arrived home on Thursday night to a happy sister (thank heavens for cell phones and texting!) and a cleaner house (THANK YOU Kelly!) and supportive and wonderful friends! (Too many to name, but BIG shout-out to Tamara, Desi & Kris). He went to school on Monday and while I held my breath and prayed every second that he'd be ok. At the end of the day he came home with a packet full of love, a collection of get-well cards from his classmates who had been so worried.
This is my new life, and while I'm really sad about it, all I have to do is remember the wisdom of a wise old soul who happens to be my favorite little boy. When asked by his daddy (who happens to be my sweetheart) if he was doing ok with all of this, he said, "Yeah I'm ok Dad, Sometimes Life isn't Easy and it's Ok"
