Tooth Fairy Crossing!

Any channel flipping at this time of year will guarantee you a movie where Santa is in some kind of trouble, and a special somebody comes to the rescue to save Christmas. But at our house, the only legendary figure that comes to mind is the toothfairy. And I think she must have lost her wings considering she hasn't been able to leave. We might as well build a permanent bunk house up in our attic for her, because it is raining teeth under our roof. Each one of my kids are spitting out their babies, and getting in their permanents. It seems that every day one of them will race up to me in wide mouth excitement, "mommy, my tooth is loose." Pointing out the next ivory that will be nestled under their pillow for a generous coin drop from our neighboring fairy. I look at them in shock, "again?" I guess when you have four kids, things do tend to multiply... and so you can say... there is more wealth under their pillows then in our wallets. Lucky kids!!!

These pictures were taken on the same day. See what I mean? Crazy, crazy, crazy. "Now where is the building stuff, honey?"

What now?

Well, so much for smooth sailing. I returned to the emergency room on November 7th, because I was having terrible pains inside my stomach. Micah finally forced me to go in, on the grounds that he couldn't handle seeing me in such pain any longer. He was right too. It seems I got an infection in my bowels and needed to be hospitalized for 3 nights while they got control of the infection. I was completely wiped out. It was hard to talk, to eat, to move. Even my sleep was robbed due to terrible sharp pains that gurgled and snapped inside my gut. I was glad Micah was there as a solid rod to hang onto in this frustrating point of time.


I kept telling him, "I felt so much better before my surgery." Atleast that pain was more tolerable. He gave me a gentle reassurrance, "don't worry Emily . . . we are going to get through this. I'll be here for you. And you are going to see that you will feel so good after all this is said and done." I love this man. He may be young, but he is wise and strong. Just what I need.

Jeremiah and Kirsten have been so wonderful to help out my family. They watched our children in times when we needed it, as well as Kirsten prepared the meals for them while I was in and and out of the hospital. I'm almost scared to start cooking for my kids again because Kirsten is a fantastic cook. They'll miss the gourmet meals. We truly love them and appreciate their help.

Arianna and Isaac visited me in the hospital.

Doug (a guy both Micah and I work with) visited me in the hospital. It was really nice of him to bring me a gift. He gave me stuffed puppy and the movie called Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. He loves movies, so it suited him well (at work, he always comes up to me just to discuss the next great box office or tv series - something we both enjoy - makes me smile). Micah said that when he took Doug to the store that Doug kept asking, "should I get this, should I get that?" Finally Micah had to say, "listen Doug - if I choose everything you get for her, then it will be from me and not you. And you want the gift from you." It was cute. He did a good job. I have to admit though, I was soooooo nervous for anyone from work to visit me there because I had no makeup on, I felt terrible, and I wasn't sure I had the stamina to stay awake more then five minutes. And that might even be pushing it. Plus the people at work only see me when I'm all dressed up, perky, and wearing my happy go lucky expression. A smile. But he was sweet to say, "you are looking good." Common courtesy, I'm sure. Smiles.

My family in Utah was also very concerned. My mother was great to give me or Micah a call to constantly check up on me. If it wasn't for me telling her not too, she would have been on a plane destined to Seattle the soonest she could type in her credit card number in the computer and get to the airport. But I just wasn't sure how long I would be sick, or how long the stay in the hospital would be.

Today, five days after my ER visit - is the first day I feel somewhat human. Though it's hard to admit, I was feeling pretty discouraged. Hopeless. I'm glad there is sunshine at the end of a very trying tunnel.

A Ghostly Gathering!

This Halloween was a bit different for my family. I had emergency surgery to remove my gallbladder and appendix the week before the holiday. So you can rightly say, that I was NOT fully myself by the time Halloween crept into sight. It took everything in me, to get up, dress, put in my colored contacts (the kids were so excited for them that I had to oblige), and go over to Jeremiah and Kirsten's house for a dinner party.

Choosing Costumes - All of the kids either chose out their own costumes or agreed with me to wear the one I finally bought for them after many days of store hopping. Arianna struggled tremendously with making a decision on who or what she wanted to be. Finally I went to the store with Micah, grabbed the one I felt she might like, and handed it to her with just one request "try it on first, before you say you don't like it." She decided she really liked it and was excited for the day to come. But when I ratted up her hair and put leaves and sticks in it, she frowned with undeniable displeasure "I look ugly!" She pouted. I tried to convince her that cave women where suppose to have hair like that, but she was unwavering. It wasn't until she returned home from her party that she came up to me, bright eyed and says "my hair is my favorite part of my WHOLE outfit. Everyone loved it." I just grinned, nodded my head, and said "I'm glad they liked it, sweetie." It took everything NOT to say I told you so, I told you so.

Arianna starring as cave girl - 7 years old

The boys were much easier specimens to please. Anything rough, tough, and mean was a sure thing to stardom. OH, and of course Star Wars. Good things never die. Nor good movies, so it seems.

Isaac starring as Bumble Bee (Transformers) - 6 years old

Isaac is a character. It is challenging to even get a picture of him because he is truly a animated boy. The whole time he was "HI-YAHing, and KER-CHAWing" for these pictures. Dang boy, settle down while I get a picture of you. Everytime he sees the camera he yelps, "wait mom, let me do my super moves."

Levi starring a black ninja - 9 years old

Levi on the other hand is my super poser. Camera is out, and he can strike the perfect strike a pose look. FROZEN solid until you get the picture. And frankly, I prefer ones like that. I spew less motherly warnings, such as "stop that, hold still, won't you please not touch him/her, hey - I mean it, don't do that, if you don't smile I swear I'm gonna put you in time out" kind of mumbo jumbo. Even I get annoyed by my own voice. Imagine the damage I am bestowing on my children.

Lazarus starring as a clone trooper - 11 years old

This is the look Lazarus give when I say, "smile Lazarus, won't ya? Geez." Otherwise he would rather have the look that says I'm gonna kill you. He calls it the "tough" look. I call it the "I don't want to remember it" look.

Finally all my kids together. And see what I told you about posing. Here I was probably just sighing deeply as I took hundreds of photos. But man, I really do love them. Despite their flaws.

I wanted to add in a few pictures of our Halloween party as well. I made it a whole hour at Kirsten and Jeremiah's house before I had to have Micah take me home. He was great to take Isaac and Levi Trick or Treating. Arianna and Lazarus met up with the Popp's (neighborhood friends) to go around with them. Everyone had tons of fun, and each one made sure they came to me and told me how much they missed me. They were all great to make me feel loved and needed.

Micah, myself (Emily), Jeremiah (Micah's brother), and Kirsten (Jeremiah's wife)

Melany (Jeremiah and Kirsten's daughter - she is 11)

Elizabeth (their youngest daughter - she is 1)

Ariella (their other daughter - she is 2) didn't want anything to do with her costume. Using it as a pillow was the closest is was going to get to on her while I was there.

Arianna always B-lines to the babies. She is exactly how I was as a child.

Melany strung up all the spiderwebs by herself. It was actually super awesome. I have to say I was impressed, and told her I was going to have to invite her over to my house conveniently next time we decorate for Halloween. She beamed.

Brothers. Wouldn't want to meet them in an alley. Actually their expressions make them very approachable. Maybe even a tad funny . . . hee hee.

Jeremiah and Kirsten. Laughing. I love this picture. Makes me laugh everytime I see it.

So that was the end of a very interesting carving of Halloween memories.

I FINALLY DID IT!

Ok, ok, ok . . . I've heard it for months now. Like a broken record echoeing in my head over and over and over again. "EMILY, MAKE A BLOG!" I guess you can say I'm stubborn, and a bit lazy. Or maybe even practical. I simply justified it by believing statements and questions that rattled between my thick skull plates. Who would really want to read my blog? I don't have the time to make one. What is the point really? AND mostly, do I have anything to say? But the honest truth is, I knew there were easy answers and truths to all my self jabber that I allowed drag on for far to long. SOOO thus, I did it. I broke down. Here is my family blog . . . smiles. Maybe now you all can get to know a little about who we are. Good luck.