Spring!

Our tree bloomed last week! The neighborhood has been beautiful the last two weeks. I haven’t blog about Bridger’s last Dr. appointment, but you can rest a sure “no news is good news”. Every thing went great. Nothing had changed, and no new results had come back. Bridger no longer has to wear his mask, except when at the hospital. This makes him very happy.

I am happy we found a house to rent it has been a big stress to me. We have a very nice home to move into. I will say that our prayers have been answered with more than we asked for. I think we will be moving around the first of April. I guess I better think about packing. I feel like life has been a little out of sorts but I think life us always keeping us on our toes.

Two weeks ago during a RS lesson a discussion on ways to get kids to help around the house got started. There was a tone of ideas. The favorite was, hiding all the power cords until all chores were done. I was trying to make the point that some times we simply need to remind our kids (I am talking from my experience witch is in the age rant of 6 and below) that we are to help one another. A few weeks prior to this Bridger was complaining about helping pick up. I flippantly said “Bridger you see your hands Heavenly father and Jesus gave you hands to help. You need to help your family and all everyone around you”. Of course there was no response and begrudgingly he helped. However in the next couple of days. I was taking some laundry to the washer and with out being asked Bridger picked up a large arm full and hauled it to the washer. I said “Thank you so much for helping Bridger you are so big and strong”. He quickly replied “Jesus made me this way, strong and helping”. I thought it was so sweet. Well today after staring with wishful eyes at a booklet of lego sets for the last two days he said “Mom, Jesus made me so that I would like lego sets when I was big”. I think he thought this would convince me to rush right out and buy it because it was all part of the plan.

My Brohters Have Always Known...

My brothers have always known I was an airhead, but its taken me some time to come to this realization. I was cleaning my house yesterday and plugged in my Hauun steamer to steam clean my floors. I use it every week. I turned it on and while waiting for it to heat up went on to some other choirs. When I came back the lights were off and it wasn’t working. I was so irritated I started threatening (in my head) to call the company and yell. I’ve only had my Hauun for 4 months, so I was pretty upset. Now you have to understand that our house can’t take a whole lot of electrical load. My floors still needed washed so I went ahead and did them all by hand. (My enter house has either tile or hardwood floors except for the four bedrooms). After I was done washing I moved to the vacuum. The vacuum wouldn’t work either. I had been using the vacuum earlier so I knew it worked. I finely figured out…. I had blown the circuit. The steamer and the vacuum were plugged in to the same outlet. I am relived that it is working and yes, JaDee as usual, you are right.

Strawberry freezer jam, Is it a curse or a hidden blessing?

Yesterday morning while looking over the local adds I noticed that strawberries were “buy one get one free”! I immediately thought of making strawberry freezer jam. But was stopped short, realizing this was indeed a very scary thought. The last two times, I guess the only two times I have made strawberry freezer jam in our married lives we have moved. The first time was after living two years ID. My sister-in-law and I decied to make a bunch of strawberry freezer jam. A month later we moved to AZ. I had to leave it all behind. After living in AZ for four years one of witch was in our first home we bought. I once again saw those strawberries for sale and couldn’t resist. So with in a month or so we where on our way to TX and the jam got left with my mother in-law. So I had great fear after I had the thought of making my cursed freezer jam yesterday morning. So I called Blake at work with this scary thought. He suggested we try and break the curse, to go ahead and make it. Not an hour later I received a phone call letting me know that our landlords (because we rent) are putting this house on the market. We will be moving with in the little while. I was devastated, this time I didn’t even have to make the jam. Just the thought of making it was enough. Truly there is never a dull moment in our lives. I feel like we just moved here. The fact that I have spent more time in a hospital than I have in this house is mostly to blame for that. We were just getting back into a routine and feeling settled in again. Life felt like it may start to be some what normal. We found some options to help Bridger with his schooling. I had just got into a running pattern with a friend. Blake just got a new calling in our ward. And now we have to move! I some times feel like we never get a break, and then I cry. But I have to remember that each time we have moved we have been greatly blessed. It usually takes a while for us see our blessings because we have tears in our eyes from leaving loved ones, the fears of uncertainty and moving boxes surrounding us. Hopefully this time it will be a close move and we will stay right here in our town and ward. But like everything in our lives all we can do is put our trust in the lord. We have always been lead to where we needed to be. So I will try and think positive, “take courage” and remember the words to the hymn by Mary Brown, I’ll go where you want me to go. The first verse reads,

“It may not be on the mountain height. Or over the stormy sea, it may not be at the battle’s front my Lord will have need of me. But if, by a still small voice he calls, to paths that I do not know, I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine I’ll go where you want me to go. I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, over mountain or plain or sea; I’ll say what you want me to say, dear Lord; I’ll be what you want me to be”.

Feb 18th already?

Bridger’s Great Grandma Mc. Flew out to see us for six days. I think she may have been a little bored seeing how the only sights we our selves have seen in TX are the hospitals. However we showed her around our neighborhood and local shopping. We went to my second cousins baby boys blessing here in TX. It was a very exciting day because we let Bridger play with some kids for the first time in six months. He loved it but was exhausted and fell right to sleep on the way home.




I took my Grandma to the American Girl Doll store, my Grandma collects’ dolls. Bridger as you can guess was not thrilled with the visit but found some enjoyment looking at the little stuffed animal toys that went with the dolls. On this same adventure we found the Sprinkles shop and bought four cupcakes for around $14.00. I don’t think we will be going back soon because the next day Blake was sicker than a dog with the Flu. Not from the cupcakes, but that was the last thing he ate for the next 18 hours. It may bring back bad memories.



The last day my Grandma was here Blake was quarantined to his bedroom (I don’t think he could have left if he wanted to.) I changed cloths any time I had to go in to our room and Bridge wasn’t even allowed to go down the hallway. By answers to our prayers and some extra Lysol Bridger didn’t get sick. My poor grandma was sure it was food poising because I had been a little sick the night before. So she wouldn’t eat anything in my house. I finally got her to eat some prepackaged items before we took her to the air port. Yes, it is all my Grandma Mc’s fault that we all are such worry warts to the extreme. My mom, sisters and I carry the same gene and are always worried about something or some one. Bridge seamed to keep her entertained and Grandma was a great sport she even played the wii with Bridger it was great to have her with us.



The next day, Thursday Bridger had a Dr. appointment in Houston so we were back on the road. The appointment went well. His #’s are good. He did drop in his Donor cell % again. But hope to see it stable out in the next three months. We talked about what would happen if Bridger ended up getting the flu. (He would need to be back in the hospital to watch his levels.) We stayed the night one last time in the beloved trailer. It actually made me a little emotional. It was a place that was home during a critical time and we met some great people. It was also like taking another big step forward in his recovery. To add to it on Thursday he got his Central line REMOVED! Hurray for Bridger! Bridge hates going under the anesthetic so he cried all morning before the procedure and all the way home after. He doesn’t like the pain form the medicine going in and he really hates wearing the mask with the sleepy gas it makes him feel like he is going to suffocate because he won’t breathe in until he absolutely has to. It doesn’t help they mash it to his face. It was a very traumatic day for him. It was heart wrenching to watch him so upset by it. Now he is very happy that the line is gone and he can take a normal bath.

To make the trip home even longer we drove home in a snow blizzard. Thankfully we made it home safe and did not end up on the side of the road like at least two dozen other cars/trucks we saw. Though it was a long drive home it was fun to play in the next day. It was perfect snow. Bridge and I had great snow ball fights and then he made a snow angel. Our dog Chester loved the snow too.




As if this excitement wasn’t enough on Friday we just had to celebrate the opening ceremonies to the Winter Olympics! We had some friends over and had a small wii tournament (mostly between Bridger and his friend) I attempted to make Olympic torch cupcakes. At least the kids enjoyed eating them. The weekend was way to fast but we had a nice valentines day. I have taken Bridger to the park three times now. Only once have there been other kids actually present and he was to shy and didn’t even talk to them. We have a lot of adjusting to do.

"My hair doesn’t come out anymore"!

Look at how much his hair has grown in the last month! I can't Believe it.

In this last month Bridger’s hair has really come in. It is getting thicker and longer. One day he said “My hair sure is coming in…and it doesn’t come out any more”. He is continuing to do great he is sort of getting used to the new schedule or maybe I am just getting used to the phrase “I don’t want to do my school lessons today”

He did get a rash on his face last week but I think it is just from being dry. He doesn’t have to go to the Dr. until the 10th of Feb. We the test results are back by then. Below are some shots we took with our new camera!


Smile for the camera


My handsome boys





Bridger loves his new toys, and his dog Chester!


Happy New Year



Bridger playing with glow sticks. On Sunday nights even though it may not be the most reverent game we have Sock wars. We save all our miss matched socks just for this game. We role the socks up and then run around hitting each other with them there is no order and no point but we always laugh a lot. And have to shake off a few accidental hits to the head. Tonight however we added a twist by turning off all the lights and wearing glow sticks around our heads. Too mucuh fun!!!

Yay! A real grass stain

Bridger has always enjoyed his little cars and air planes more than sports. Today was a turning point. It was beautiful outside so we were blowing bubbles. After an hour of that we started to play some badminton. For the first time Bridger actually dove for the ball (birdie) and he hit it! He also got a real grass stain. We were so excited over both him hitting it and the grass stain we cheered for both. Bridger joined in and said “hurray I got a grass stain” It may seam an odd thing to be celebrating about. But the fact that he is out side wanting to run and dive for a ball is such a big step for him. He was having so much fun he kept diving for it over and over again. As I look at the stain on his jeans I am not sure how to get it out because I have never had to worry about it before. But like the wood sing on my laundry room wall says “There is always something to be thankful for."

Day 138

We made another quick trip to Houston last Thursday. We made great time and had a fairly short appointment. We left the house by 6 am and where back home by 7pm. The appointment went great. Bridger continues to gain weight and grow. We got great news that we don’t have to go back for THREE weeks! Watch out everyone we just took our first big sigh of relief. When we got home that night Bridger said “I am so happy we don’t have to go back for three weeks”, I agreed. Then first thing in the morning he woke up out of bed and walking down the hallway he said “Mom it was so nice of the Dr to let us come home for three weeks”. It is definitely on his mind. They made it sound like they will take out his central line when we go back or shortly after. Things are moving in such a positive direction we feel very blessed.

The other day we ran out of bread. I only had hamburger buns to make Bridger his signature “triangle” sandwich which is made of peanut butter and honey with the bread cut in to four small triangles. He was in dyer need of a triangle sandwich and relented to use the buns with a strong suggestion of slicing the top half of the bun in half the long way “to make the bread last longer”. He went in to the other room and thirty seconds later I heard “how’s my sandwich coming in their?” Later he was trying to convince me that it was time for me to let him play video games and said “mom I really insist”. What a funny boy.