Tough Week...

Our little miss Loran spent the last few days hospital with Pneumonia. It is such a bummer. She hasn't been feeling well for a while now. After a very long night Sunday night I took her to see her doctor on Monday morning. She looked pretty good that morning. She was active and alert. After learning she had a right ear infection, and coarse lung sounds on the right side we were immiediately sent to the hospital to get a chest x-ray and some blood drawn. After we had the studies done and were awaiting results, we went to Sonic to grab Loran a slushie. She wasn't interested with that sirens rang and I quickly moved from mommy mode to nurse mode and noticed she was looking a little flat. Her breathing was fairly labored, she was pale and looking rather exhausted. I took her back to the clinic where I was taken back to my friend Sue's office. There we were given an SVN, and the results of the tests. Loran's conditon had deteriorated a bit and with her holding her oxygen level in the 80's, we were sent out to the hospital with the Doctors orders for care. The next couple hours both exhaustion and helplessness tore my heart out as little Loran was poked and prauded several more times. The nurses down on Med-Surg were very helpful and kind as we tried to get settled. A friend came down from ER to start Loran's IV and did it without breaking a sweat. I was relieved to have familiar faces, and good friends to help me through the first hours while I waited for Jake to get out of work to come be with us. I discovered the level of exhaustion at which I reach my breaking point that day...I am thanking everyone who was by my side to hold me up so I could be there for my little girl. We stayed in the hospital till Friday morning. We were in a room that was painted beautifully by an artist and friend of mine Crystal Williams. The room was Loran's mermaid castle as it was painted to resemble an underwater scene! The pictures of fish and turtles popped out and made it easy for Loran to escape to a different time and place in the mermaid kingdom. Loran had good and bad times all week, but was able to make a decent recovery. We will still be monitoring her closely, giving treatments every few hours, and giving medicine to help her make a full come back. She is happy to be home now, to be in her own bed, and to have her Jellybob to run around with. Today she seemed to be back to her talkative little self! We are so relieved to be home where we can all try to regroup and get ready to get back to life as we know it. Thanks to all for the blessings, prayers, love, thoughts, and help. It meant so much to all of us!

Dancing Queen!

Not a lot going on at our house lately. We've been slummin as much as possible. I've been having some tough nights at work lately. Let's just say that I have seen too many things that have made me reflect on the fragility of life. I'm so grateful to come home to my little Loo dancing around a cluttered living room so carefree. Everytime I can come home to her and Jake gives me that much more grattitude for the simple fact that I have them in my life. Jake has been working as usual! We had the last couple days off together...where did they go! Anyway...Loran and I have a couple more days off. I am going to take her to the doctor tomorrow. She has a dang summer cold. She always has trouble when she gets a cough. Hopefully we can get her tuned up before I go back in.

The Icing!

Jake and I decided that we would get a swing set for Loran for her Birthday this year. Jake came home from work this afternoon and got it all set up for her! When I knew it was ready for a test swing, I opened the back door and told Loran to go and see what dad was up to. She started on the back poorch toward dad....paused.....then made a bee-line for the swings! She has never been so happy! She played until dark, and then wanted to play some more! She took a short time out to call Grandma from the slide to exclaim her excitement! The call was short lives as she quickly shoved the phone back at me so she could keep on playing. I got to play Dora with her as we ran from swiper the fox....and I got to help her build a castle in the dirt with sticks. I love how her little imagination makes me feel like a kid again. It brings back so many memories of playing on my swings with my cousins and the other kids in the neighborhood!

Woodside Weekend!!!! Pun Intended!!!!

Life had been packed with nothing but busy, busy, busy which made this years 33rd Annual Woodside Reunion the number one priority for us! The Woodside Reunion is the one thing that I look forward to every year. I missed it once three years ago because little miss Loran decided to make a very early and dramatic entrance into the world! Which was totally worth missing it for! There was a great turn out this year with around 130 of us! Jake and I had great times catching up with a lot of my relatives by day, and playing scum & mafia till late in the night! Loran had a blast especially with the countless cousins, endless dirt, hoards of food (cobbler included!), games galore with candy prizes, the raffle, the campfire, the cool air, and the quiet!

Happy Birthday Loran!!!

Loran Marie turned 3 while we were out at the reunion! We had a handful of cousins over to our camp to celebrate! Loran was so excited to blow out the candles! She had them blown out before we had the chance to sing to her!!! Round two of Happy Birthday to You prooved successful for a wishful extinguishing of the candles! Our sweet little girl shared cupcakes with all and had a blast with the other kids blowing and popping lots of bubbles! Infact she was having so much fun with the bubbles that she lost interest in opening presents! She had a great celebration with everyone! At dinner time when everyone was gathered together at the main camp, Cousin Mark had me lead Loran into a semi circle of loving family who sang Happy Birthday! Loran was overcome with excitement from seeing all those people singing especially for her! When the chorus had finished my wide eyed little girl said, "WOW!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!" It really meant a lot to have everyone make Loran's special day extra-extra special!!!

This year was a wonderful one! Loran was happy to run free....sometimes a little too free. I caught her in my cousins tent jumping on their air mattress at one point. They didn't sweat it, thank goodness...but still!!! I know that she had an amazing time out there with everyone. So did Jake and I! We'll see ya'll next year!

Catching Up!

It's been a while since I've posted anything. Mostly because I've been busy picking up and getting rid of jobs, also because I have just let it fall by the wayside. Last I knew I was writing about spring, so lets start from where I left off.

March 23, 2009
Jake's 27th Birthday. I snuck Loran out of daycare early so we could have a little surprise party for dad when he came home from work! Loran helped put all the candles on the cake, and patiently guarded the cake while we waited for dad! Loran was especially excited to sing the Birthday song, and to watch dad blow out the candles!

April 2009

Easter came and went. We dyed eggs, and Loran enjoied her Easter basket. She was afraid of the Big Giant Bunny! Jake discovered the devastation on a routine trip to the Tucson Mall! Loran's favorite gift was by far her little sun hat. To this day we don't leave home without the poor torn up thing!

Mom's Birthday

I came home from work to be surprised by Jake and Loran! They had a cake all lit up for me with 26 candles...the cake was close to catching fire! It was a great day! They bought me a sewing machine, and were all packed and ready to go on a trip to The Valley. We got to swim, and we took a trip to the zoo!!! Loran got to feed the animals and I saw my very first shark! Loran fell in love with the sting ray's!

Loran and I took a sky ride above the zoo! She was tickled pink when she discovered we were flying above dad!

May 22, 2009
We welcomed our very first family pet, a little kitty named Jellybob! Loran named the kitten. Jelly and Loran have become the best of friends. I come home to Jelly curled up at the foot of her bed in the morning, they play like the best of friends, and Jelly lets Loran pick her up and play baby with her all she wants without scratching or biting her. This little kitty has been a wonderful companion for Loran. Jelly is a little rougher with Jake and I...but so long as she plays nice with Loran...she will always have a place in our family!

June 2009

Loran's vocabulary continues to grow and with that her little miss personality! She loves peanut butter from the jar perhaps more than ice cream...she scales the pantry to get the jar very frequently. Her and Jellybob are best buds! She is really starting to get into dolls. She has named all of her dolls 'Baby Maddie.' She is also very quick to name any baby that we see when we are out and about 'Baby Maddie.' Good thing I got a lot of family and friend's with Baby Maddie's...makes em feel good when they think Loran knows their baby. Who know's! Maybe she does!!!!

July 2009

Fourth of July Fireworks were fun for Loran and Jake. I was working that night so I missed the priceless reactions from Miss Maroo! They stopped by the ER after the fun to have a visit! It was great to see them that night before all hell broke loose!

Snowflake TripLoran and I took a trip up to my home town for the Pioneer Day's celebration! Loran loved the parade, the fireworks, and a great day at Aunt Jody's! Loran got a chance to try out the jumping castle at the craft fair. She at the wrong place at the wrong time when she was with Uncle Crage at the end of the parade. His friend from the fire department caught eye of him and hosed them both down with the fire truck. Cadre took her for a bicycle ride after the parade to quickly get through the crowd. She got to see my cousin's 'Baby Maddie!' She got to have the best day ever, full of fun, family, and love. She was pooped at the end of the day!

A Spring Hike Up Mt. Graham

Spring has sprung up on Mt. Graham. Tara & Andrew came down for a visit, so we decided to take an afternoon hike up Mt. Graham. The air was cool and crisp as we made our way down an old mountain trial. It appeared that no one had been down that way for some time. As we came up through some rougher terrain we entered a grove of trees that were trying to bloom for spring. Loran got to run around on the "Big Giant Mountain," searching for acorns and pine cones. She loved watching for squirrels. On our way back down we stopped by a mountain stream to take some pictures. Loran wanted to go swimming in the freezing water. It didn't matter to her that the water was icy. She wanted to, and would've taken a swim had I let her. We had a great time up there away from the world. Loran and I can't wait to get Jake to come up with us so we can have a blast together as a family.

Here's my latest picture project. Loran was sitting on the bench on my front poorch watching the birds at the bird feeder. I took a moment to snap a few photo's. Our little family is doing just fine. We've had some time together the last few days to enjoy ourselves. I've been going through the legalities to start work in Willcox. I will be working in their hospital on an as needed basis. It sounds like it will be nice to work there. Jake had to drive over to Morenci to do some work last week. We are both still blessed to have jobs. The economy has made us think twice about complaining about work when we come home. Loran is growing and learning everyday. We about have her potty trained and the bink is finally GONE!!! It's so fun to have such a sweet little girl.
Friday night was especially hard for me. A close friend and co-worker to me had a sudden deterioration in his medical condition and now has a very glim chance of survival. He dropped his motorcycle to avoid colliding with a cow on February 2, 2009 and has been hospitalized since. He was in the ICU for about 3 weeks and had just got out. He was doing very good until he developed a very bad infection. He and his family are in our every thought and prayer. I have my trust in Heavenly Father and his plan for my friend. I feel that whatever the plan may be, that my friend will be taken care of and watched over. With my worries for him I also worry for my other co-workers. In order to work in the ER you have to develop a huge amount of trust and care for the people you work with. I feel that the people I work with are like brothers and sisters to me. I see some hurting more than others. Some are very close to him and I worry for them the most. Regardless of anything everyone is hurting. You could cut the emotion and helplessness in that ER with a knife. It's hard to find compassion and care for others when you feel so down and out this way. A prayer or two would be appreciated for the lot of us going through this trial.