Matters of the Heart

My precious Brooklyn was born with a heart murmur that led her to get an echo and EKG as a three month old baby. The procedures revealed that she has a congenital heart defect called Pulmonary Valve Stenosis. Part of her Pulmonary valve is fused together so it doesn't fully open. The cardiologist said there would be nothing to worry about for the present time and he would re-evaluate her in two years. And well two years from then was today!

Jordan took the day off of work and we took Brooklyn to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake. Because she is so young, she needed to be sedated for her echo. Let me preface this with the fact that she has a cold. Stuffy nose. Hard to breathe... And clingy as usual.

After taking basic vitals, it was time for her to get the IV and be sedated. The room was too small for us to stay for the echo but they allowed us to stay until she was asleep. I laid her down on the hospital bed and stood by, holding her hand. In an attempt to distract her from the needle, I talked to her. Asking her questions about Ellie and Hazel. You could tell she felt the pain of the needle and was trying so hard to not cry. Her mouth pulled into this tender little frown and she started to whimper. My sweet sweet girl. They started the medicine flowing into the IV and I continued to stand by her. She was a little upset but I began to sing primary songs to her. They dimmed the lights and I continued to sing song after song as three nurses and Jordan stood by. What a sacred experience. The comfort the Spirit brought was indescribable.

After she was asleep, they led us out to the waiting room and told us they would come get us in about an hour. All went well and she was awake when they came to get us. We walked beside her bed while they rolled her into recovery. Her mouth was so dry from breathing through it and being sick and she was so tired from the medicine. She was miserable. She was so cute and so out of it.

I love the cute things that get donated to Primary Children's for all of these little patients. We are grateful for the many things Brooklyn received: a new blanket, Monsters Inc. book, sippy cup and baby doll.

Jordan asked her to smile for a picture and this was the best she could do....

All she really wanted was mommy. That is one of the best feelings in the world: to be needed by your child.

After a short time in recovery, we were released and taken to the cardiology unit to discuss the results of her echo with the cardiologist. We got a much clearer explanation today of what her heart condition is and what to expect throughout her life. Brooklyn only has a mild pulmonary stenosis, which usually does not get worse with time. Rare severe cases may require surgery, but the cardiologist does not expect this to happen for Brooklyn. She should live a healthy life with no limitations, just the regular echo for monitoring.

Yay for good news. And extra prayers tonight for all of the parents out there not receiving such good news. It is a terrible thing to watch our children suffer. May the Spirit bring you the same comfort that He brought us today.

Become

I wonder how many of us have this ideal in our head of this abstract person we want to one day become.

One day I'll fit into these clothes in my closet.
One day I'll have finally developed patience.
One day I'll have enough money to buy...
One day I'll get a food storage in order.
One day I'll learn how to play the piano.
One day I'll forgive that person.
One day I'll....

Or how often do we see another's talents and say out loud or to ourselves:

I wish I new how to make pies!
I wish I could sew curtains like that!
I wish I made desserts this well!
I wish I made friends more easily!
I wish I could draw like that!
I wish I was handy enough to fix things around my house!
I wish I new how to make homemade bread!
I wish I....

I'm sure the lists could go on and on. I'm sure we are all guilty of thoughts like these. Some of us more often than others. But what are you doing about it? Do you think if you say that you wish you made homemade bread, POOF now you can? Or if one day you want to play the piano, BAM that day comes with no effort on your part? If today you are not the person you always wanted to become, what are you doing about it?

Though each person is naturally talented at certain things, they could not develop or maintain those talents without effort. If you want to fit into the clothes you've been hanging onto forever, start today by being mindful of the things you eat and squeezing in some form of exercise. If you wish you new how to make a pie, call your mom, neighbor, or jump on Pinterest and give it a shot. I love the strengthening of relationships I find when I spend time teaching or learning with someone else.

My grandpa has been famous in our family for his yummy homemade bread. I wanted to give it a try so I asked him for his recipe. He replied that he could give me a recipe but that it would be best for us to get together on a Saturday and he would show me how to make it. So that's what we did and since then I have been making homemade bread for my family. Some loaves turn out better than others and I am continuing to learn each time I bake the bread. I feel I can now put "making homemade bread" on my list of talents and I loved spending that time with my grandpa.

Hopefully you are feeling at least a little inspired to get to work but I have one warning for you. Trying to develop a talent doesn't always go smoothly...

Just this week I decided I was going to become handy using a drill. The curtain rod needed hanging and I so desperately wanted the child locks installed on all of my cupboards and drawers. I learned the basics of how to use the drill and went to work. Needless to say, the curtain rod is still not hung and the wall has a few extra holes. Only two kitchen cupboards are now kidproof... What happened? Well I gave it my best shot and just couldn't get those darn screws in the way that I wanted to. This was FRUSTRATING to say the least!

Here are a few things I learned from that experience:
-Developing a talent or skill does not happen in minutes.
-Sometimes you need someone to teach you a skill and it helps if they are present while you practice so they can fix mistakes you are making and offer words of encouragement.
-If things don't run smoothly the first time, don't shut down. Try again soon!
-You won't master every skill but its always worth it to try.

Using the drill that day did not go as planned, but I am not afraid to try using the drill again in the future. I have not given up on learning that skill.

We are not all blessed with a comprehensive set of talents because we need each other. We all have unique gifts to offer the world around us. If you have tried something multiple times and are just no good at it, embrace that. Be content with that. If you gave it your best effort, don't waste more time and energy wishing you could be the best. But if you haven't even tried, stop wishing and start working! If you have been waiting to grow older, or be less busy so that you can start becoming the person you want to be, stop waiting! Have the courage to try new things. Have the courage to fail. Have the courage to become the person you want to be. And have the courage to start that journey now.

Making Changes for the Better

This last week I had a friend ask if I'd like to do some sort of  buddy system to eat healthier and I am so grateful for her asking. It was just the motivation I was looking for.

These were my main goals.
1. Stay under my calorie count.
2. Eat at least 2 servings of fruit and 2 servings of vegetables a day.

So far its going pretty well and I have been meeting my goals most days, and on the scale I am already seeing a difference. But what I really wanted to write about is the things I have noticed about my eating habits as I have begun this journey.

One thing I realized is that I eat my children's leftovers all of the time!
Another thing is that I nibble on everything that I'm making whether its a meal or a dessert.
I also usually finish whatever I've put on my plate whether I am still hungry or not, even if it doesn't taste that great.
And lastly, I eat at least a little of everything I see that looks good.

I am proud of the self control I have exercised this week. It feels good. I've gotten up each morning and exercised, which adds a few more calories to what I can eat a day. I've refrained from eating my children's leftovers, even if it kills me to throw them away. I didn't nibble near as much when I made some delicious treats for my sister's bridal showers. And as I attended those wedding parties this weekend I did not pig out on all of the fun food items available. One huge blessing is that I am actually enjoying my food more. Savoring every bite, not just mindless eating and looking forward to the next helping.

I'm happy with my progress thus far. I hope that if you have considered making some changes to your eating habits, you can find the inspiration you need to get going today! Let me know if I can help you!

What are your healthy eating and exercising tips?

All I can Think of is That Chocolate Cake

Its late at night. I'm tired. The baby is crying. And all I can think about is sneaking into the kitchen and eating whatever treat I can find...

As long as I can remember, I have been an emotional eater. No matter the emotion, food was the answer. A bad day always needed some chocolate. A good grade rewarded with ice cream. And on and on. Especially when it came to treats, abstinence was a battle I'd rarely won. 

I love making treats. And I make some really awesome ones, if I may say so myself. I find momentary relief as I indulge my cravings, but it is usually followed by feelings of guilt. This can send me into a vicious cycle. Eat. Guilt. Eat. Guilt...

Food and treats can bring family and friends together and play a role in making memories. Therefore, I don't plan on ridding my diet completely of treats. What I do plan on doing is exercising a little more self control. One cookie instead of 5. Enjoying dessert with my family, instead of sneaking into the kitchen by myself for a snack. Moderation in all things.

The word of wisdom, recorded in section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants is a "principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints" (D&C 89:3)

I surely have been weak...

The Lord has provided the goodness of the earth for us to enjoy with "prudence and thanksgiving".

And this is his promise:

 18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in         obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

 19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

 20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

I'm pretty sure the first step in changing is admitting that you have a problem. So here it is, "I have an eating disorder. I am an emotional eater." My goal is to exercise self control and enjoy all things in prudence and thanksgiving. I know this will make me happy and healthy. 

I am hoping those who read this can help keep me accountable.

Are any of you emotional eaters? What methods do you use to keep yourself in check? 

"Wow, you must be busy!"

When I was at the hospital to deliver Hazel, almost every nurse asked me how many children I have at home and how old they are. My answer, "I have two girls at home: Ellie is 3 and Brooklyn is almost 2." The most common response was, "Wow! You must be busy!" And well... its true, but I can't imagine anything better to be busy doing.

Hazel Grace Ross joined our family 6/26/15 at 8:06pm. She weighed 8lbs 13oz and was 20 1/2 inches long.

The miracle of bringing a child into this world never ceases to amaze me.

When it comes to love, its not like you have a limited amount that you have to divide up between those you love. When you choose to love someone, God gives you a greater capacity to love. There has been an outpouring of love in our home.

Hazel's sisters absolutely adore her. They love to hold her, pat her, stroke her cheeks and hair, hold in her binky, cover her with a blanket and shower her with kisses.

We are grateful to our ward and family members that have taken the opportunity to serve us and share in our excitement of this little piece of Heaven. Thank you!

Friends Make Life More Awesome!

We moved into our condo back in November and I have met tons of really nice people. We say hi, we smile, we chat, but only recently have I really clicked with someone. The best part about it is that our children and husbands clicked too. SCORE!!!

Doing everyday stuff with a friend is so much more fun that doing it alone.

Its really nice that when you need something, you know who you can call.

Its nice to get homemade bread.

Its nice to share popsicles, stickers, and toys.

Its nice to feel and give a little extra love.

Just Doing My Job

Its an interesting thing to ponder the person your child will grow up to be. Each day they are growing and becoming that person. What a neat job it is as parents to believe in our children, to encourage them in their pursuits, and to be their number one fan. I sure love my girls and can't wait to see what life has in store for them.

We were all matching in our sweater dresses today

Its not every day as a large pregnant woman that you feel attractive, but today I thought I pulled off the baby bump pretty well so I got my mom to take a couple maternity shots for me.

We finally picked a name! Hazel Grace Ross :)

Hazel is doing fabulous. Her kidney ultrasounds looked great and she seems healthy as can be. We are almost 37 weeks along now and can't wait for her arrival. She is due on Father's Day. I can't think of a more fitting gift. :)