Birthday Whimsy!

I enjoyed a simply delightful birthday with my husband and friends & family both far and near. Face Book is such a wonderful tool in this technological world in being able to share and receive birthday wishes of good cheer in combination with hanging out with terrific friends in the flesh! No gifts required at this stage in the game folks but Jon, ever the romantic, the tease, the sentimentalist, and the comical man that he is surprised me with an adorable blown glass, pink flamingo figurine (a family joke and a different story all together) and a terrific DVD focusing on the year I was born … what a hoot!

Another one of my special surprises was receiving a copy of my dearest childhood story book which has been lost for years and now found by my dear friend Gayle! She obtained a copy of ‘Timmy Mouse’ which is no longer published (she also sent me a copy of my other favorite book which I call ‘Go Away Little Stray’ at Christmas J) I was so shocked that Gayle had found this treasured book that my mother used to read to me over and over again that it compelled me to snap pictures of it positioned throughout our home (grin). News flash … crazy lady on the loose; Beck the pathological photographer could not get a grip on herself! lol

I’ve posted a few of the photo’s I took of ‘Timmy Mouse’ for my posterity to see; the original two story books will certainly be kept under glass and displayed in a prominent place in our home – NOT! However, they will be kept to share once again with our grown children and future grandchildren. And WHY do you ask do I post the things I do on my blog? As an ongoing personal history; a snippet of our lives as a family for generations to view via the internet … a two-clap (my version of a standing ovation) and a WINK for modern technology and birthday whimsy!

Bebopin Birthday Fun!

Best friends - road trip to Vegas :)

The kidlets enjoying SLC & a quick road trip to Vegas with friends :)

Summer magic!

Its SUMMER ¸.•'*¯`*•♫*♥Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ♥*♫´¯`•.¸¸​. does it get any better than this?!!

My recent Face Book status - I enjoyed another sparkle night at dusk on the deck with Jon surrounded by beautiful flowers, my multicolored fairy lights strung about and a plethora of magical lightning bugs flickering here and there … will be forever freeze framed in my memory!

I love summertime! I'm not referring to this unbearable heat permeating the country; rather, summer is a state of mind, an attitude, a time for more abundance in creative thought, and a time to enjoy leisure activities helping to refresh ones soul.

Summer is a time to sing at the top of our lungs, to catch moon beams in our hands, to enjoy the extraordinary visual spectacle of flowers in bloom & trees providing shade. Summer, as all seasons, is a time to give thanks to God for our many blessings and to further enjoy all that He provides in an attempt to bless our lives so richly.

Summer IS magic! (wink)

My darling Ashley

Magnificent blessings

Note: The photos are a few shots taken by Ashley out west while on her adventure as noted at the conclusion of this entry.

February through June I have been dealing with three major disc surgeries; the story is bizarre if not a total nightmare! However, thanks to our dear friend who is now practicing neurosurgery out west my life has literally been saved! After enduring a botched surgery and horrendous follow-up care for over a month then followed by still another horrifying chapter of this experience at still another hospital’s ER and nine more days in that hospital drugged up but never fully evaluated or treated we were inspired to call our friend for help who arranged with a brilliant neurosurgeon to take over my care; my current surgeon had completed his residency with our friend years ago in our area. (Did ya love this run on sentence lol)

After hearing four different doctors in this second hospital tell me I was just fine and my MRI was just fine (as if they had memorized that line) once Jon was able to literally get me out of that hospital after literally threatening them so as to meet with my current surgeon at still a third hospital, he showed us point blank that I had been suffering from a massive re-ruptured disc since the initial surgery in February!!!!!!! Four doctor's literally lied to me though the proof of my incredible pain screamed out at them from my MRI and each time anyone simply touched my leg causing it to spasm out of control compelling me to scream at the top of my lungs! I was literally told that because I would not allow my initial surgeon to treat me in this hospital (and I quote) “no one at this hospital will treat you!” The intense and insane experience I then endured as a result of an ‘old boy's network’ set in place to protect the ego and image of my initial surgeon caused me to become the victim of what turned into the nightmare of a lifetime! Many abnormal things occurred which I documented and plan to present to administrators and others in the near future; and hopefully to help protect other patients from ever having to experience what I endured.

Far too many strange and damaging things occurred which I am not writing about in this blog; and through it all I have never experienced pain as horrific as I endured for so long but through the power of the Priesthood, the faith and prayers of my incredible husband, family and friends everywhere, and a skilled medical team I am literally a walking miracle! I feel ever grateful to my Heavenly Father as He was with me through each bleak, tormented moment as I truly experienced the refiner’s fire learning many important personal and spiritual lessons throughout the process. Now after enduring a cerebral spinal fluid leak repair which prior to surgery felt as if my brain was about to explode out of my skull, still another horrifying aspect of this medical fiasco, I am now well on the road to recovery. I am told it will be a lengthy process of healing overall, but considering what Jon and I have endured over these past frightening months I feel encouraged and at peace that my Heavenly Father will continue to oversee my recovery.

Many sincere, heart felt thanks to all of you for your endless prayers, calls, letter, emails, texts and Face Book messages which have helped to lift my spirits when I have been most down! Your love and support has been a supreme gift to both Jon and I!

On a lighter note: Ashley is enjoying the summer working out west so as to spend time with her brother and other Latter-day Saint roommates, friends and co-workers. She is thoroughly enjoying visiting with family in the area who have been spoiling our kidlets rotten as well as being entertained by the coolest older brother on the face of the earth! Cam and Ash have a most remarkable brother-sister relationship which warms the heart. We miss both of them to pieces but are so pleased Ash is in such a terrific environment enjoying herself, learning additional life/coping skills and making exciting decisions regarding her future. In addition, Cam recently accepted a new position for which he is excited; a very comical story which I will post as my next blog entry :)