It has been a long time since I last blogged, I have had quite a few busy months. Here is why: Our family has had some serious illnesses that I have been helping with. Around Thanksgiving, my sweet father in law was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Needless to say, that became a topsy turvy Christmas and January. He has been seeking treatment at a cancer center and is feeling comfortable and we are hopeful that he will beat this cancer with prayers and faith.

In January my daughter Lily, age 11,  began having a severe headache that we just couldn't break . After more that three months headaches and testing, she has been diagnosed with severe migraines. I have mainly been dealing with doctors appointments, neurologists, 4 hospital stays, MRI’s, CAT scans, ophthalmologists, orthodontists, dentists, chiropractors, and more. Lily has missed the more than three months of school.  We have been helping her cope and trying to get the medication to ease the pain. The first medication we gave her was causing depression and we had to stop that.

We think we have found something that is working now but it has been a long road. It is one of the hardest things as a parent to see your children suffer. I just want to fix the problem and get onto the next task. We have certainly gotten closer as a family. It is a real learning experience for your other children to see one of their siblings so sick. At some points they are loving and kind and at others, they just want their old sister back so they can yell at her and make noise like they used too. She is back in school today so I thought I would blog.

I have also done some pretty cool service projects that I think I will film and show others how easy it is to do. It is for orphanages in third world countries. I just need to get on the ball!

I went to camp surf in San Diego last week with the 6th grade classes in our school. It was a really cool experience. But I have been gone for a week. I have to clean my house! It is a mess like no other. You know what it is like after mom has been gone and dad took over the “home”. Jordan took out the wet clothes from the washer and put them on the floor. He then dried one shirt and LEFT the other clothes on the floor. Then my other darling children mixed in their dirty clothes over then clean wet ones. This happened on the first day I was gone so my home smells oh so pleasant! I now have about 8 loads to do. The bathrooms are gross too. Why is it okay to pee all over the seat when I am not home? My son Josh said “OH! THANK GOODNESS MOM IS HOME! SHE WILL BUY US TOILET PAPER!” I think I found the culprit! I guess it never occurred to Todd to go and buy toilet paper. I am sure we had a few boxes of Kleenex floating around the house. I will wash all of the towels in the bathrooms just in case...you moms know what I mean. Great– that makes another load of laundry!