A Few Days

Well, let's see.
There was Family Fitness Night at Kyler's school.

Eric drove to Oregon for the Suns vs. Blazers game.
And had sweaty palms during the whole process of bidding for tickets on ebay.
And was deeply disappointed when the Suns lost.

I took the boys to see the play, Beauty and the Beast.

Then, this was our Sunday entertainment.

Kacin and Food

The Royal Bald

Built the YMCA

Out of Legos.
A project that Ky has worked on a little here, a little there,
but the goal has always been the same:
the YMCA.

His next project?

The restrooms.

The Talk

A while ago, Eric and I were talking about how we really should start studying together from Preach My Gospel, but, at that point, it was just talk. Then after General Conference, we decided we really should study from it and we even took the next step and chose Sunday as a good day to discuss it together. And so, it was last Sunday that we got back from a family walk and, without a plan (what? Me and E without a plan?!), pulled the Preach My Gospel books off of the shelf and sat down at the table. We didn't expect the boys to join us. They just came and sat down, too. And we definitely didn't expect the comments and insights and excitement that came from our impromptu family gospel discussion. All we did was read from the first page, stopping whenever we felt like it, and said just what we thought or wondered. Kacin's eyes were shining and he didn't stop talking (and what he said actually pertained to exactly what we were talking about!). Eric and I walked away thinking "Wow!" It went really well.

I think that it was when we were getting ready for church this morning when Kacin started asking about when we were going to have the talk today. And as we sat in the chapel before stake conference he was explaining to us that a good time for the big talk would be right after lunch. Eric decided that after dinner would be best, and so all afternoon we heard questions about when we would talk. We finally gathered around the table and had another really good discussion based on two paragraphs out of Preach My Gospel.

Mind you, we're not talking about some news-breaking, spectacular insights or thoughts here. It was really just a simple conversation that gave us the opportunity to share what we know to be true in a very simple way and to help eachother understand principles better. Yet, it was powerful to get together in a relaxed setting just to talk. I really think it went so well because we didn't have a plan. There was no "teacher" or "leader", per se. It wasn't a listen-to-me-and-talk-only-when-you're-asked-to lesson. We didn't just take turns around the circle. We all asked questions and shared what we were thinking when we felt to. It was a conversation. And we kept it short.

I'm so glad we stumbled upon this way of teaching and learning together!

Cast #2

Kacin had a Dr.'s appointment on Friday. They re-x-rayed the arm and noticed the blue cast was getting loose (It had been placed over the splint that was put on at the ER, making it really bulky.) They decided to re-cast the arm (without the splint) and so now he is in cast #2: black, with hearts, cars, and love from his family.

Trike-a-Thon

Kacin participated with his school in a Trike-a-Thon for St. Jude's Hospital.
He's been excited and talking about this day for weeks.
A broken arm could not stop him.
So our very nice neighbor let us borrow their old trike
and he was as happy as could be.

He knew all 4 of the bike safety rules

(he's been reciting them to me all week)

and was happy to share with the group.

To Canada and Back

To Canada meant
getting a blue cast on and then spending a few hours in the car.

To Canada meant
 we got to attend the British Columbia Temple open house.

To Canada meant
 a morning at the Aquarium and an afternoon exploring Stanley Park.

Back home meant
a few more hours in the car,
but this time laughing as Indian Chief Eric told stories, in his own "Indian" accent and of his own creation, of the adventures of Nooksack River and how the first raft came to be.

Ulna and Radius

No smiles for the camera.

Tuesday afternoon.

Left arm.

Two bones.

Fractured.

In Kacin's words,

"I stuck my head down the ladder on Kyler's bunk bed then I bammed down and twisted my arm."

At the time, we also had three neighbor kids over.

They were playing house.

Kacin was the baby.

The baby who climbs on the top bunk and hangs over the edge until he falls.

I think I frightened the poor children to death after I heard Kacin's scream and saw his arm looking like silly putty bent in an unnatural position and commanded them all to get their shoes on and go home.

There is a reason I am not a nurse, a Dr., a firefighter or anyone else who needs to stay calm in unexpected situations.

It was a horrible thing.

It was even more horrible
 when the first clinic I carried the screaming child into

didn't take his insurance.

It became even more horrible 30 min. later 

when we got him into a different hospital

and they didn't get the IV in the right place the first time.

And even more horrible when they tell me he will be "sleeping"

as they set his arm,

though he might moan and groan a little, they say.

But he doesn't.

He screams and cries and flails and yells for me, his mama, A LOT.

It was heart breaking.

After seeing my little boy hurting so much and feeling so helpless,

yet knowing it had to be done, for his good,

I will never be the same girl.

I don't think I realized before just how deeply I love that boy.

I am so happy and grateful to be his mother,

and it hurt so much to see him hurting.

Kacin's not sleeping well and doesn't have much of an appetite,

except for jelly beans,

but he's hanging in there and doing pretty well.

He is such a tough kid.

We go to see the Dr. tomorrow.

They told us they might have to set his arm again (we're praying not!),

but he should just be getting his cast on.

Kacin was so worried that breaking his arm meant
he couldn't play the Wii anymore.

But worry no more,
he has figured it out.

A Happy Easter

Kacin and Kyler were super excited Easter morning.

Kacin heard the Easter Bunny hopping around downstairs.
Apparently, at 5am because that's when he came in to wake us up.
Eric was pretty excited about that.

The bunny filled our baskets and hid some eggs around our house.

We ate a big breakfast, watched conference, munched on jelly beans, walked around the neighborhood together, and ate dinner at a friends house.

Eggs of Many Colors

We're ready for the Easter Bunny!