Random MAC events!

Trey's therapy organization had a 5k and 1 mile fun run that we all participated in. It was a lot of fun! We knew tons of people and laughed a lot. Trey loved that they had his picture blown up and on posters! He thought he was famous! He was such a funny boy the whole time. (not sure who was watching the missing children at this point! I hope they were close!!!)
Here is the crew at the starting line! Lainey and Porter rode scooters and Trey pushed the walker he had to bring! We kindly left it at the therapy center afterward so he didn't feel like he "needed" it again! Lainey was one of the first finishers and was so very proud!
This is how the boys feel about NEMO lately! I have to laugh when I see them all so interested in the same thing! Grayson tries to do the chant AH-ooh-WAH-HE-AH-HO-HO-HO. He yells it as he scoots around the floor as if he needs to be talking ALL the time! Who knows where he got that from?!!?
Lainey had her end of year program and it was SOOOO cute. I had so much fun watching it! She was one of about 10 kids who had a speaking part. She LOVED (that is probably an understatement) being the center of attention! She looked SO cute and was happy as could be.
Grayson and his favorite blankey! He couldn't live without it. HE sucks his thumb, but ONLY when he has the blue side of the blanket in the same hand. So SILLY! He scooted to the blanket which was on the floor and bent in half to lay his head down and suck his thumb. So yes, that is his foot! When Grayson is mad, he will also lay his head down on the floor and pout while in the same position.

Let's go G.N.O.!

Lucia, Lainey, Raygan and I got to have a GIRL'S NIGHT OUT! Taylor had her end of year concert for dance company, so we got tickets and went. It was pretty fun! First, it was lots of playing and then off to Subway for dinner. The concert went til about 9:30 so then of course it was SLEEPOVER CITY at our house! Taylor was in 10 dances that night, so we all loved it. The dance recital theme was "VIDEO GAMES" and honestly, it was the BEST HIGH SCHOOL DANCE CONCERT I have EVER been to! And, the ONLY one so far I would have recommended that the general public pay to see!
This is the normal height difference for Lainey and anyone else her age! She is so tall and pretty! Lucia and Lainey have been close friends since kindergarten!
She practices and practices and practices and practices!!! She is getting pretty darn close! Lainey loves Taylor to teach her dance things or show her the progress she has made! Lainey is sure is ALL GIRL!!!
The 3 cutest girls in the town! They, of course had to get on the stage when the concert was finished and preform for me! They were SO funny. This picture pretty much sums up how they were acting! We had such a great time. Bring on the next P-A-R-T-Y! I love you girls!

Spread the LOVE!

I always said that I would adopt 2 "brown" kids, I was just sure they would be boys! Our family has had the pleasure of adding these 2 girls to our family! Not legally, but we love them as if they are ours! Their mom works hard and long hours to support them, so we get to have them with us a lot! They are great girls. I love having kandid conversations with Tay and I am sure that I know more about teenage life than I ever thought I would. I am grateful that I am getting some training in before Lainey is there!
For Debbie, the girls' mom, we went and took these pics for Mother's Day! We had so much fun. Raygan kept us laughing the entire time. She is so full of personality! Even though she won't admit it, she wants to be just like her big sister! Lainey is right behind Raygan with Tay as her idol as well! Tay is such a great example, I would love for them both to be just like her!
I love the late-night chats, extra bodies at the dinner table, extra homework, extra smiles, extra laughs, opportunities to learn how to help two stubborn girls solve problems (Lain and Ray), extra tumbling classes to watch, dancing to loud music in the kitchen, watching the boys cry when they leave(Trey is convinced she is HIS girlfriend, and hardly calls her her real name, just GIRLFRIEND!), having extra hands when we go places, being reminded that there is more good to your average teenager than bad, seeing two little girls want to spend ALL of their time together, and just sitting back and watching as they all make us laugh!
Thanks girls, and Debbie for letting us have you guys as part of our family! We love you!!!

To be the MAMA!

People often say things to me like "How do you do it?" "I don't know how you manage things, I would be crazy!" "Where do you find time for everything?" "The Lord knows who can handle things like that (referring to my family situation) cause I could NEVER handle it."

Well, here is what I have to say...Today I have had a touching day! Until now I thought that Mother's Day should be a day of rest for the mom. I should be able to take a bath by myself (novel idea) or read a book, or do something I wanted to do. Today I was blessed to have the opportunity to have my eyes opened a little bit! While I still need the things I listed above on occasion, today there is no place I would rather be than with my sweet family! At church today, our new Bishop challenged Jim and I to do a couple of things, and from that conversation, I realized there are a lot of areas that I need to work on in my life! I most definetly have hard days. Doctor appointments and therapy appointments along with sick kids and extra curricular activities keep me busy and tired! But I don't want it any other way! I love my job! I want to be a better example to my sweet children. I LOVE that I get to spend the majority of my time with them. Maybe even in the world 15 years ago, we probably wouldn't have any, or maybe one surviving child. Also, last year on Mother's day I only got to spend about half an hour with my big kids because we were at PCMC with Grayson, fighting for his life. Today that makes me grateful for the opportunity I have to be a mom! I feel so blessed to be at the point in my life I am right now! Each day and possibly each hour brings challenges I frequently wonder if I can handle. But, I am telling you now, I am doing my best to make the best of them and be grateful for the things I learn. I pray I learn the majority of the lessons the first time so I don't need to re-do the trials! I love my sweet family, and feel lucky to have them! So, today I feel lucky to be me and have the opportunity to learn and grow. Today Mother's Day means a renewed sense of love and an opportunity to do better! I don't know how I get through some days, but we do! And with little faces like the picture, I ask this question...

HOW DO I NOT DO IT???

HAPPY MOTHER"S DAY

CaN I StiLl cALL Him bABy gRAySon?

GRAYSON JACK... OUR LITTLE MIRACLE

MY baby is 18 months old! I don't know where time has gone. From then...1lb 8oz LivINg at UVRMC, TiNY and sICk but a FiGHteR none the LEss.

Did I mention TINY?

To 6 months old, living at PCMC, graduated to LIttLe (not tiny) , still SicK, StIll fIgHTinG, wItH a SmILe that will MeLT anyone's HeARt! (with Brennen from Alabama. These 2 had an amazing bond! Grayson LOVED to see him all of the time and would smile the BIGGEST smile every time he saw him. So tender!)

One special moment! Since Jim and I split duties (me @PCMC and he home with the other kids and working) the time these two got to spend together was limited. Grayson loves his daddy! And might I add, he is a pretty good one at that!

Grayson turns one! Finally HoMe, now BiG, sTill HaPPy, stIll FighTinG (not nearly as hard), @ McDonald's for my first birthday! One of the only things he would eat by himself was french fries! I let him out of the house and took him to the big M to have a dilectable meal!!! Yes, he ended up sick, my bad!

Grayson NOW... 22 pOuNdS, size 18 month ClOTheS, PenEtRaTinG Blue eyes, BiGGesT smile, TeNdeR hEArt and CuRLy hAIr!

He is still sick a lot, but nothing we can't handle. I guess my kids feel like they need ALL of the attention on birthdays and holidays because that is when we are always at the hospital. Grayson carried on the tradition having croup and needing some medical attention yesterday!

He is starting to talk and says, ma-ma, da-da, ball, up, jump, nay nee(Lainey), Tay-tay(Trey, Trey), Puh-Da (Porter), go, num-num, pead (please), moah (more), saidee (just like that), hot dog and lights! He scoots on his bum instead of crawling and looks more like a baby monkey doing it than you might believe!

He LOVES his blankie and bottle, hates most food, unless it is candy, and ALWAYS wants to be outside! It scares him whenever anyone argues or raises their voice. He is the most precious little thing! We are so blessed to have him. I am grateful that my Father in Heaven trusted me to raise this sweet little boy in this life. I can't even imagine any other scenario. We love you, BABY GRAYSON!!! Sorry buddy, you will ALWAYS be my baby!