Chills and Thrills

We started off the week with dinner with Grandma and Poppa. It was great to see them as we dined for the first time outside (a wee bit cold towards the end). During the week, we had friends over (all boys) and made bird feeders, which our birds love. Ended the week with a chance to hang out with Aunt Debbie at The Heard.

This week has been cost reduction week. We've been making changes to cut down on expenses and upgrade for better efficiency. (which is always a good idea but especially when you keep getting "surprise" medical bills in the mail)

Amazingly fun weekend! Fajitas with Aunt Debbie and Rossella. We splurged with s'mores and rice crispy treats.

Erik and Everett went to a Dallas Stars hockey game on Saturday and came back with an actual hockey stick (well, smaller than the real ones but taller than Evy!). Evy was thrilled with the experience and was able to take a friend, Jackson, and his dad.

On Sunday, we had like 9 inches of snow in our backyard. The best part was it was beautiful for a whole 24 hours and basically gone within a couple of hours the next morning. We finished out a restful Sunday at a friend's potluck. Always amazes me how much others have patience for the antics of children. We had a great time!

And, the wasps are back. For. Real. We are at a total loss as to how they are getting into the house and as to where their nest is. And, yes, we've had the bug guy over. Consensus is, until we find a nest, to use a rolled up newspaper (insert eye roll).

Sheila has a new calling, 2nd Counselor in the Young Women program (she is working with the girls 12 and 13 years old in the congregation she attends). She is excited about working with the girls! She is also back to running, a bit behind on the Boston Marathon training due a pause so her feet could heal, but she is back on the trails.

Evy and Merritt are well. Merritt was wheezing again, but today he is finally better.

Erik is holding down the fort amazingly as always. Lots of late work nights recently. You should hear how excited the boys scream when he gets home from work. Nothing better than that!

We've got our garden started . . . sort of. We are looking forward to being done with the tree trimming so we can get it all planted. Sheila can't wait for the cilantro to start growing.

The weather is AWESOME and it was great to see part of the sunrise this morning during the run.

Merritt, Merritt

Poor second child Merritt.

My updates on him are long overdue.

They are coming. Here is a preview.

He is on the move all the time.

Climbing tables, chairs, toilets, desks, drawers, couches, and recognizing that if he can get to the toy box--then he can reach another chair--and then the picture on the wall.

To watch him move is to experience wonder at this bowlegged little mover.

And, boy, is he bowlegged.

We all love him.

He is the hugger and the kisser in the house.

Moments of hysteria are saved for when he sees the milk and is afraid he won't get any (but only if warmed in a BOTTLE--little stinker).

When he doesn't want to stop but you want him to stop, he'll fling his hands to the sky and make his body slipperier than a greased up watermelon.

He knows when he up to no good and tries to get away.

He looks for his brother the moment he wakes up and watch out big brother if you aren't awake yet.

"Bawww!" (ball)

"DADA!" nothing like getting your named squealed in little boy delight.

"uu-uu-uu" means water, food, toy, book--exclusively.

He is too busy to sit still to read a book. Often, I just read as he wanders the room. Scripture time is harder as he isn't content to wander at that time of the day . . . he wants to dismantle.

Out of the blue signed for banana yesterday and said,"nana." I taught him that once like weeks ago.

And, he is smarter than his momma.

"Because We All Have a Right to Great Design . . ."

. . . is how Shelly aptly states her take on photography. This is one talented lady and photographer with experience in front of and behind the camera (be sure to check out her info page for a gorgeous shot of her). I know her because her husband grew up with Erik . . . and she has fed us on more than one occasion, which was particularly awesome when we were homeless and had no furniture. And, I've been eagerly awaiting this website so that I can share her with you!

The great thing about her is she knows how to get a great picture and how to avoid those awkward "I look like a total dork" poses. My personal downfall the is odd head pose.

Please take a look at her newly unveiled website:
Shelly Townsend Photography

If you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, contacting her about a photo shoot would be worth your time. In fact, you can enter to win a free session with her by sending a message through her contact option on her website and joining her fan page on facebook.

Cool Stuff . . . thermometers

I'll get to the best thermometers we've ever used in a bit. And, yes, there are some great ones out there that make even the digital thermometers look antiquated.

First, I am just frustrated with Evy's gag reflux. It is a given that when he has a cough, we know he will throw up several times. And, this cold was no different. He did end up having an ear infection, which means medicine, which means further instigation for the gag reflux (so we always make sure there is enough "extra" to cover at least two vomited doses).

We usually weather it well and respond to the vomiting as a matter of fact in the course of how he gets better.

Did you know that vomit will bounce off hardwood floors? Yeah, I am trying to make his antiseizure medicine as a part of our routine and to start approaching it as such. Dumb idea. I should have made sure we were right by the bathtub as usual. (He has only thrown up this medicine twice over the past week and a half--so, I think we'll stick with it.)

I just spent an hour cleaning up a freshly mopped floor, wiping down all our dining chairs and table, trying to keep Merritt happy because he isn't used to the vomiting yet and it scares him, and trying to not make a big deal of it because I don't want Evy to develop any further issues with vomiting.

My friend in this journey is in meetings all day. I miss being able to vent.

It may be time for another trip to the ear/nose/throat doctor.

I am just frustrated right now.

Thermometers--because of our, I guess, former relationship with febrile seizures, we have purchased and tried every thermometer out there. These two have been the best ones by far:

Exergen TemoralScanner--we found on one sale at Walgreens recently. I feel like some sort of medical professional when I use this one because the science behind it is explained with the product and it is so cool, I think.

Mobi Ultra Digital Thermometer--less expensive than the Exergen, we've used this thermometer the longest and it has withstood the test of time with the kids "taking" temperatures, also. Make sure you learn how to turn the "talking" mode off before throwing away the product information.

gifts

I have come across several publications recently related to baby showers, parties, and gift giving. And, I am appalled at what I have read related to the general topic of gift giving. In general, much of the irritation revolves around the entitlement that the honorees of the occasion have around gifts.


The baby shower recipient who is irritated at her guests because they didn't use the registry. HELLO! What about the fact that it is a gathering of people willing to surround you around the birth or adoption of your baby? What about the truly incalculable level of love that they offer in attending to say,"I love you and want you to know that you are important and that your baby is important"? What about the scores of stories and nuggets of wisdom that they will be able to offer you as your along your journey as a parent. A registry is a list of suggestions, not a list of demands. A baby shower should be viewed as a celebration, not an occasion to get goods.


The birthday party honoree that accepts gifts but purposefully opens then afterward. Now, I know that special occasions can be hectic, and I have been guilty of not opening a gift at an event at the moment it was given, but I always feel bad that I wasn't able to open it in the Giver's presence. A bigger pet peeve: when children do not open birthday gifts at birthday parties. How on earth am I able to show my sons the intricacies of gift giving if the recipients horde the gifts on a table showing off the bounty but ignoring the opportunity to open and thank the children at the moment of giving? If you don't want the hassle of opening gifts at a party, then state on the invitation "no gifts, please." If you feel like you are going to be mobbed while opening the gifts, invite fewer people. I actively include my kids when making or buying gifts. Including the gift givers for the "full circle" of the giving is important.


Do you remember Gift of the Magi? Gifts that showed sacrifice, thoughtfulness, and love. We've been giving gifts a long time as humans (some research has shown that the first gifts were bark and moss). I think most people give to show love, to express concern, to fill a desire to better the other person's life. As receivers of gifts, do we keep that in mind?

Chills and Thrills

We are on the mend! Alefreakingleuia!

Merritt is much better. He escaped from his crib again this afternoon. I came upstairs to the sound of knocking. He was knocking from inside his room on his door because he wanted to come out . . . and, yes, he had totally dismantled the humidifier, that wonder that has water.

Evy is feeling better (he was afflicted by the middle of the week). Erik is better and Sheila took a nap!

We had a great time at Dessert Group last night with several other families from our congregation. Just a great group of people with some really nice kids!

I don't remember much else that happened during the week except I have never seen our house that messy/disorganized. We've mopped and the kitchen is clean. All is well.

Merritt has a well check this Tuesday. That in itself isn't interesting, but Sheila and the pediatrician's office are at an impasse. Tuesday will tell if Sheila made the right choice in continuing to go there. (Pediatrician was adamant on the phone that all will be taken care of despite, uh, inaccuracies in the past.)

We continue to stay busy with our callings.

High note: the weather is warming up. We fed the ducks and seagulls (?!) at the local "lake" on Saturday.

Great Documentary

According to Netflix, my taste in movie viewing runs along the lines of documentary, independent films, films with strong female leads (I can hear my family chuckle at this one), and inspiring family movies. Never really considered how to categorize my prefences, but they make me sound kind of boring.

In any regards, I watched a documentary recently that was worthwhile, A Walk to Beautiful. Brings a reminder to state that I love my parents, my husband, and my children. I am very blessed.

Chills and Thrills

In all, it was a busy week. Aunt Debbie's Baby Party went well. The games, food, and hostesses--awesome! We LOVED having the cousins come to visit, and Sheila especially appreciated visiting with her sisters and parents. We enjoyed celebrating Riley's birthday on Saturday!

We are now cable free. Took the help of two tech savvy friends. And, the installation of an antennae in our attic and some new technology (bye, bye 1996 TV)--we are cancelling cable this week. We've actually not used it for over a month now. And, we need it no more. And, I can record the beloved Dinosaur Train for whenever we want to watch it. "Waahooo-we love to chew!"

Merritt has added the word "ball" to his list that includes: hi, bye-bye, night-night, dada, sorry (oowwyy), momma, baby, Evy (ewwyy), and no (nununu). He is great at playing ball and is the best dancer in the house.

Evy, thankfully, has been able to take his new medication with relative ease! This was quite a worry because it is an acid . . . not very tasty (and no one in our town carried the medication . . . less than 1% of his peer population has the type of problem that he has). And, the pharmacy promised to keep the medication in stock for him.

We've had our share of medical bills lately, and they continue to stack up. Merritt went to an acute care facility on Sunday and the ER on Monday. He is finally pulling out of the fever from his ear infection, upper respiratory infection, and wheezing. We are back on the nebulizer every four hours, and he will not tolerate his steroid. (In fact, Erik is cleaning up the vomit from tonight's medicine right now.) Not sure what we will do 'cause none of our usual tricks worked. But, at least tonight his breathing wasn't as labored as the previous two nights.

(Grandma Albritton---We LOVE the new stethoscope!)

Erik is braving a back injury and a touch of some cold. We (insert "Sheila") are looking forward to cheerful Erik making a comeback. We (insert "Sheila") may not laugh at every joke, but he always lifts our spirits.

Sheila is busy with her calling and the boys. They had some great playdates last week with boys the same age as Everett. With Merritt's recent sickness, Sheila is trying to not fall into a desperate hysteria at the end of each day---and is doing so with marginal (ah-hem) success.

State of the Neurons

*Neurons (c) IMB Labs

Today was the neurological follow-up to Evy's testing. The doctor started the conversation off by reviewing what I had told him about Evy's seizures and "neuro-ticks." Didn't seem like the kind of thing to do if the tests showed all clear.

The MRI was fine. There were no physical abnormalities on the MRI that would explain what happened or is happening. No signs of an aneurysm or a brain tumor. The EEG, however, did show seizure activity. In all, we have come to the conclusion that Evy experiences generalized seizures, specifically absence seizures. It isn't a clear science particularly in someone as young as Evy. We will start him on medication today.

Hopefully, since his brain is so young, preventing the seizures will allow the brain to, in a sense, heal and prevent the need for lifelong use of anti-seizure medication. Or, the condition is heredity and he may grow out of it. At this time, he'll be on medication, twice a day, for two years. The medication does have side-effects. So, we'll be going in for a blood test in three weeks and then routinely go in for a blood test every three months.

If all has been posited correctly, he should fall less and not have any "illness" related seizures while he is on his medication. (One of my concerns has always been how much he falls when he is running, standing still, whenever. For awhile I just attributed it to clumsiness and his delay in motor skills. Now, his falling makes more sense.)

And, we have determined that he never had febrile seizures. It is more likely that Everett has been experiencing this generalized seizure disorder since at least a year old and those febrile seizures were grand mal seizures triggered by illness or fatigue.

We are grateful. Evy, despite being premature, has had relatively few long-term issues. He is bright, cheerful, inquisitive, and ever sensitive to others.

In the elevator going to the doctor, another couple stepped into the car with us, and Evy slid over to Merritt's stroller, stroked Merritt's head, and said,"Don't worry, I'll protect you." He is a sweet boy.

Cool Stuff . . . for the wiggly wittle one

Merritt is a mover and a groover. When he plays he roams the rooms, the house, climbing and emptying everything in his way.

When he is in a grocery cart, his curiosity and propensity to move aren't hindered at all by that strap that comes with the wheeled vehicle no matter how tight I pull it. And, he can stand within seconds . . . and get himself into trouble.

Each time we went out and used the grocery cart, I ended up continuously restrapping him in after he maneuvered himself to the surfing position again, and again, and again. You know the position . . . where he is standing facing away from me with his hands gripped firmly on the cart squealing with delight as if I was moving fast enough for wind to rush through his hair.

A couple of months ago, in that place of many embarrassing mommy moments, the grocery store, he stood up-turned around-and jumped for a flip all in the moment it took for me to look at a label and back . . . split second timing. Thankfully, that inadequate strap was adequate enough to hold him from flipping completely over (I was lucky he didn't step out of the strap before jumping). He was upside down with "grill" marks across his face. In all, no permanent damage. Some blood (and, yes, I am going to start his dental savings account any day now), some hysterics, and lots of concerned looks from passerbyers.

That day I went home to find a harness. One that would keep him safely inside the confines of the sitting area so he wouldn't flip over and "grill" his face again.

I decided on the "baby sit-tight"--and, no, the "I'm wearing overalls" look isn't quite what I would have gone for in the baby couture . . . but it keeps him safe. The straps that go over his shoulders prevent him from standing up (and the straps are adjustable). It is pretty compact and fits right in with even my smallest bag that I use with the boys. After using it for awhile now, I consider it one of the best purchases I've made for him.

Even better, he doesn't mind it all . . . and probably would like it if I brought his cowboy hat to complete the look.

I love me a good football movie . . .

Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first instinct is to laugh. But then I think, what if I was an ant, and she fell on me. Then it wouldn't seem quite so funny. [by jack handy in case you couldn't tell]

How often do we really put "important" in the proper place with "urgent" . . . How often do we respond only because we are the ant . . . How often do we put energy into something that, on the surface, has no tie to us but is solely for someone else . . . How often do we put ourselves before others, before others' children?

When Evy was a young toddler, he was placing books in the book return box at the library. A lady rushed in, shoved Evy aside to put her books in while breathily saying,"sorry," and then ran further into the library. Do we do that . . . okay, not literally shove a kid, but do we overlook children? I am sure the lady would have been appalled if she had really thought about what she was doing.

I've been thinking quite a bit about stewardship recently. The stewardship of children.

Several weeks ago, I spent hours trying to figure out how to present the needs of children who are at-risk to a group that, at best, probably gives the topic a passing thought, when forced to. The group members aren't callous . . . but, in reality, they probably don't think they come across a child who is "at-risk" on a daily basis. So, why should they care about what I have to say?

Why do I care about what I have to say?

I ended up presenting it as a leadership issue. Those children that are at-risk eventually become adults and the behaviours, attitudes, and habits that developed through their childhood are part of who they are and how they function. As leaders, we work with adults who were children that were at-risk. That kind of strategy.

After presenting, I am not sure it was the right way to present it. I know of at least one person in the group that refused to embrace the idea that we should hold ourselves responsible as leaders to meet those we lead where they are and find ways to support them for success.

I think quite a bit about my role as a mother in my home and what responsibilities I have to children outside my home. What can I do on a daily or weekly basis to be a help, a support, a whirl of energy for improvement rather than a blind eye? On the days when I am grateful for just a chance to use the bathroom by myself, I would say that I have no idea how to accomplish all that and make sure the kids don't eat cookies for dinner (though I think Erik would be okay with that one).

As I push ideas around in my head, squashing some . . . making room for others . . . colliding those that seem to maybe work together, I am sure I'll figure out whatever this is that is motivating me to think about the stewardship of children. The responsibility to them that we all have as adults. To be mentors. To be supports. To be providers. To be teachers. To be examples. To provide love. To provide consequences. To provide safety. To give them space to make mistakes.

I love me a good motivating sports movie . . . especially if it revolves around football (Rudy being my favorite). I recently saw the movie The Blind Side. It might rank right up there with my Rudy. To me, this movie was all about the stewardship of children.

As I endeavor to find ways to teach my children about Christ and about right and wrong all while we change diapers, laugh, get on each others' nerves, and fight with the cable company, I don't want to let the urgent cloud what is important . . . I want to harness this motivation to do something to better embrace fulfilling the stewardship of children and do it alongside my children. I lack the eloquence to fully phrase my meaning here. But, fragmentally phrased, we need to honor the stewardship of all children . . . it is our responsibility as adults.

And so, I have no grand resolutions. I have no huge project to do this. I just have to continue to keep it uppermost and try to do it every day.

Chills and Thrills

At some point, I will post pictures . . . until then, know that we are smashingly handsome and dazzlingly beautiful!

I've been reading a new "digital" project for a couple of weeks now and deem it worthy to share. If you are interested in the role of women and how other women fulfill their own paths, I'd suggest taking a look: www.mormonwomen.com

This past week we had a great time gearing up for our Valentine Party, which we had last Sunday, a visit from Grandma Powell, and taking care of the day to day business.

We invited over several friends for a Valentine dinner, made Valentines to share in preparation (which included our yearly "recycle crayon bits" project in making new crayons in the shape of hearts), and enjoyed good health this past week. Sheila made a pavlova, a dessert named after Russian Anna Pavlova, for the first time, and it was HUGE. Much bigger than she expected. (She also made a lemon tart which ended up being more of her favorite.)

Merritt is on fire walking everywhere and climbing everywhere else. Evy is doing just fine.

Erik and Sheila went to a movie for the first time in ages. Excellent time! There is an Indian restaurant in our little town now . . . yippee!

Last week we had over 10 inches of snow. Everett loved it and enjoyed going sledding (on the golfcourse) for the first time. And, just as a perfect experience with snow goes, it is already gone! No grey or yellow snow around here.

We visited with Grandma Powell for several days. Evy and his grandma played "sword fights" and made chocolate covered pretzels (with sprinkles) together. Merritt was charming, as always.

This coming week we are preparing for Aunt Debbie's Baby Party and excited to visit with cousins!

Chills and Thrills

The past several weeks have been busy but good.

We are awaiting the appointment with the neurologist.

In the meantime, we've been able to visit with friends and family here and in Waco. Sheila presented at McClennan Community College. Erik has been working really hard.

In all, we've been relatively healthy and appreciate all our blessings.

Evy has taken to being an ice hockey player. He has a special whistle that he devised . . . he sticks his finger in his mouth, purses his lips and then screams a "whistle." He uses it to start races, get Merritt's attention, and for everyday revelry. He knows how to turn his socks so that they are "swippery" and he can "skate on the ice." Yesterday he told me that his buddies wanted him to go skating with them. I said okay and he proceeded to skate along the hardwood floors.

Merritt is everywhere. He is the cutest one baby demo machine ever. He can now climb up the drawers in the kitchen . . . I am just waiting for him to discover the countertops. He is daily analyzing doorknobs and refuses to drink milk.

This week we have family visiting and a Valentine Party planned.

"I want PIZZA!" screams Evy

We are back from the MRI. All went well with the anesthesia and the staff was wonderful.

Evy is exhausted and is a cranky drunk. I am exhausted. I totally underestimate the stress I experience with each of these procedures. Something about leaving my little boy in the hands of strangers to be put in an artificially induced sleep kind of exhausts me. Then there is the "they are taking longer than they said they would, a lot longer, does that mean something . . . ." Sort of how you are when you apply to college and you get a reply . . . and you anxiously wonder as you walk into the house: is a skinny envelope good or bad? Illogical or not, there it is.

And, Merritt's godmother sends me a link that sends bells going through my head. It helped me with the vocabulary needed to describe what Everett experiences. When he was initially diagnosed with febrile seizures, the doctor basically said "it'll be okay, nothing to worry about for the long term." So, what I focused on was febrile seizures. I didn't try to build a knowledge about epilepsy. I wish I had. I am not saying he has epilepsy, but knowing more about the larger realm of seizures would have made me a better advocate for him.

So, if your child has febrile seizures, take a look at this link and be sensitive to what your child experiences: Types of Seizures

And, Evy just screamed in with, "Where's Merritt?!?" (For the record, a very nice friend offered to watch him longer since Everett is a cranky drunk right now.) Even while Cranky Drunk Evy, Evy thinks about his brother. What a nice boy!

Wanted: A House for 50 Cents

Keeping Everett up until midnight proved harder than I thought. He watched movies and played with us . . . but we eventually resorted to chocolate to keep him up and interested. And, of course we all shared on the goods.

Everett did a marvelous job putting up with the irritations of the EEG! He laid so still while the wires and sticky stuff were placed on his head. He weathered the itchiness of the hospital bed very well and was asleep within ten minutes. Since then, he has been really tired and a tad cranky. But, we don't blame him.

On Tuesday, when we loaded into the car for our long ride to the doctor, I gave him a "magic bag." In the bag was the Chosen Blanket, pjs if he wanted to change for his "nap at the doctor's," magic gloves that he could put on his hands if the wires were bothering him and he wanted to scratch, and 2 surprises.

The first surprise was gum--which he loves for the whole 30 seconds he chews each new piece. The second surprise was a bag of yogurt balls, which I thought he liked. Which he didn't think was the second surprise as he looked at the bag, tossed it aside, and kept digging for the other surprise. "No, this is not the surprise, Mommy."

In an attempt to keep positive vibes going, Erik and I scrounged through the nooks and crannies of the front of the car and I slipped two quarters into his bag.

"MONEY!!!" he screamed when he found the quarters. And, since then, those quarters have been a precious commodity. He pocketed them confidently to take with him into the doctor. He made sure they were in a safe place while he slept . . . and now he plans to spend them.

"I have money. I buy a house?" he asks because he knows that Daddy goes to work so we can have money to pay for our house.

So, anyone know of a house for 50 cents? Evy is interested.

Next stop, MRI with sedation.

EEG tomorrow

Friday was Everett's neurology consult. The doctor was just as concerned as I was about his seizure a couple of weeks ago. Good, in a sense, because it means I wasn't totally overreacting and being sensitive. Bad, well-you know, who wants their child to have something weird enough to warrant a doctor's concern. The result, a quick scheduling of an EEG and MRI. yuck.

(He was amazed at the size of Everett's head. We've already established that big heads run on my side of the family, but it is still a bit comical to see the looks on their faces when they measure him.)

Finding his doctor was a huge hurdle. I miss the options that the DC area has for medical care. I now understand better why people travel hours to find a doctor that is right for them. We were initially scheduled with a 5 doctor staffed pediatric neurology practice not far from our house. But, I never really talked to a person. They emailed me my appointment which was 6 weeks away from the time I called for an appointment. There were TEN attachments to the email . . . and not one mentioned their concern for quality care for my son. They were adamant about an EEG BEFORE meeting the doctor. I was able to ask the doctor if we could delay the EEG until after she, uh, had seen my son. In the end, I felt like Everett's care was second to their punitive policies and crazy scheduling staff that lied to us several times.

So, I went with a doctor that has a home base in Sherman (30 minutes away). He is in my town twice a week. He is the only pediatric neurologist in their practice. But, he LISTENS and he was great with Everett and he was very thorough in answering my questions.

I learned that the "ticks" that Everett had in the past were more serious than his previous pediatric neurologist had considered them. I learned about the potential harm that successive seizures have on the brain even febrile seizures. I learned about how early medication now can prevent a longterm dependency on antiseizure medication. Yes, I've read quite a bit on seizures, but nothing is like a 20 minute conversation with a very thorough medical practitioner who is answering questions related directly to your child.

Today I've been showing Everett images of the children getting an EEG through google images. He thinks that it is silly that he will take a nap at the doctor's office. We've picked out his kitty and his blanket that will help him.

We've been through both an MRI and EEG before . . . but Everett was much younger. The MRI was much easier than the EEG. This time there won't be any medication involved. Alle-freaking-luia!

Adoption and a Great Family

I am placing a new link on the blog. That in itself is not noteworthy. However--the link, the family it speaks about, and why is important to mention is noteworthy

Melanie and Trey Morgan have been our friends for a long time. We knew Melanie and Trey before it was Melanie AND Trey. Trey and Erik grew up together. Melanie and I were undergrads at UT . . . Melanie even helped with our wedding reception. They adopted their son Max as an infant a couple of years ago, and we were lucky to meet him when he was a wee baby. Currently, Trey and Melanie are actively pursuing adoption again.

Please take a look at their profile. We all know the of the power and importance of adoption. Melanie and Trey are spectacular people and parents.

Trey, Melanie, and Max Morgan

Chills and Thrills

Last week we had a great Family Home Evening hosted at our house. It was fun to be filled to the brim.

This weekend we had family over to visit. We went to the Tornadoes ice hockey game, which Everett loved. The cousins had a great time playing together and entertaining the rest of us.

Sheila is enjoying the fact that Merritt is back to better sleeping at night. The weather is warmer and she is loving that.

Everett's speech has just blown us all out of the water. In the past couple of weeks, he has grown so much and started to really, really, really talk. The current favorite . . . dinosaurs.

Merritt is all over the place. He is signing and starting to talk a bit. Nothing stands in his way if he wants something. He will literally bulldoze his way through the house, pushing furniture out of the way with his body, sometimes his head.

Erik is busy at work and with his calling.

The next couple of weeks will be especially busy. It keeps us honest and out of trouble.

A Debut of Sorts

There is this draw to the podium that Evy has had for a couple of months now. Whenever I was in the building setting up or counting this or that for the activity committee, he would want to step up to the podium in the primary room and address his invisible crowd.

Today he had a real crowd with a mircophone that was ON. Poised with the rest of his sunbeam class on the front row, he went for it. Four times, no more no less--as reported by his primary leaders, Evy took the podium (evidently he waited for the gentlemanly long pause between podium users). And, what did he say, what wisdom did he impart to his peers--only a language they could understand because he spoke total jibberish all four times. (he does this sometimes when his mother's native tongue of English fails to fully encapsulate what he is trying to say in that important moment).

The leaders reported that they thought it was riotously funny. So they must have understood him on some level.

Beating the Cold--Baking Style

My house is awesomely cold. Probably not an issue in a regular winter, but it is during this one. They just don't make homes in Texas to withstand cold weather. I am colder here in my home built in the 90s than I was in my townhome in the DC area built in the 70s.

I had a terribly hard time with some dough this afternoon; it would just not rise. I tried to start it early enough to shape it for cinnamon rolls to allow them to rise a second time in the fridge for a party tomorrow. But, it was too cold for the dough to work.

After 4 hours of nonrising, I put a heating pad above and below the bowl, and it is working beautifully! And, so I go out on the internet and other people do the same thing like on a regular basis. Who knew? It is working so nicely, I think I'll do it from here on out.