Mary's Lullaby

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This time of year I always find myself reflecting back to when our sweet Sarah was sick. It usually begins a little before the April LDS General Conference and lasts till her special May 1st day. I find myself reliving bits and pieces of the difficult decisions that we made and the memories that we tried desperately to create.
I feel so blessed to have experienced every aspect of her life. Someone once asked me if knowing what I know now about how things would end with Sarah would I make the same decisions regarding her treatment again or would I not do any treatment. My answer is YES!I would choose treatment again. We were able to enjoy 3 1/2 wonderful years with her. As you can see in the video even though we had difficult times, there were many happy times and those memories outweigh the bad times.
When I hear Mary's Lullaby I am automatically drawn back into a time when I held the sweetest angel and rocked her day and night while singing her primary songs and of course "her song". The words speak my heart. Sarah now "feels the warmth on [her] cheeks from the Son," always. Someday I hope to feel that warmth with her. But for now we carry on and feel the JOY of life today!

(The words and music to Mary's Lullaby were written by our dear friend Shauna Snell)

A Day With Anna

I know the picture is a little blurry,but they were moving targets! Anna is our inquisitive, ingenious, always busy, Houdini. By 18 months she could pick any lock, climb any height, and open any childproof bottle. However, she happily smiles as she inquisitively discovers new things. This week she covered Jake in baby powder while playing the "baby powder game." While I was talking on the phone with a friend and building a train for Jake, Anna walked  up behind me and dumped a glass of water over my head. My friend was talking and I couldn't interupt her at that moment so I grabbed a blanket and started to wipe up the dripping mess. Quietly, Anna sneaked behind me again and poured another glass of water over my head, while I was saying "uh huh" to my friend on the phone. Sopping wet I gave her the glare that all mom's know so well. She laughed at me while I was trying to grab her, but she was off and running knowing she had gotten away with it because I was on the phone. When my friend was finished I said good bye. Found Anna. Put her into the bathtub. She was kicking and screaming that she did not want to take a bath! I told her not to worry she wasn't going to. I proceeded to dump a glass of water over her head. She was screaming by this point. I asked if she liked it? She obviously said no! I told her I didn't like it either. I handed her a towel and walked off, keeping my cool, but smuggly snickering inside!

The list with Anna could go on and on. There is not a day that goes by that we don't have a major mess. Spilled hot chocolate all over the kitchen because she disobeyed, lipstick all over her sleeping sisters face, marker allover her friends face because she was putting make up on her, mascara worn to church (she did a good job of putting that on!) water messes in her bedroom, making her own oatmeal, cooking on her own, coloring over Sarah's picture and frame. Best of all though was when Emilyhad friends over friday night andI had put Anna to bed, she opened her window and yelled out at a boy "Cooper, you can't be here Emily doesn't like you anymore!" Well, that was all this week! So where was the mama during all this? Usually changing a batch of laundry, folding laundry, or vacuuming up the mess made right before! 

Oh how WE LOVE OUR ANNA JOY!!! Because even with all of these acts she joyfully loves everyone and every aspect of life.

Jake playing Ref

Jake playing football coach. The thing in his mouth is his microphone