Back to "Normal" Life

Well life is rolling on for us again without anything major going on for the moment (that's right, for the moment!). Steve finished up in New Jersey at the end of March and I am so glad to have him home everyday! We were able to make a trip up to New York the weekend before Steve finished. We got together with my college roommate Desiree and her family. We had a fun time going to the Natural History Museum in New York with them.

Almost all the family picture!

Des and her three little ones (three under three!)

Dad and Tyler

After we got home, I left for Utah 2 days later. I wasn't planning to go that soon, but my Dad developed something called encephalopathy and I was scared to death he would be in a coma before I got there, and that would be how I would have to say goodbye to him. So after getting tickets at 2 AM I left at 6AM. My dad was actually doing better when I arrived and I was so grateful for that. It was so nice to spend some time with my dad and family. A few days after arriving, my dad's blood pressure fell to nearly nothing and he ended up in the ICU for almost 3 days. That was scary and seeing my dad looking lifeless was very difficult. But he recovered and then was feeling GREAT! After a week of getting BETTER, he went home a couple of days ago (he was in the hospital for 3 weeks). It is crazy. The doctors never expected to send him home before his transplant, but they also didn't expect him to start feeling so good. We are not sure what is going on. And we know it won't last long. My mom was by my dad's side the whole time and she continues to fight for him and make sure he is getting the best treatment. I dare to say that without her support and her watching out for my dad, my dad would not be here today. She is amazing. And my dad is amazing too!

My dad and the girls. They loved to give Grandpa hugs!

Me and my Dad...and my gang!

We were able to get together with some family and friends briefly while in Utah. My good friend that moved from Maryland this past summer was in Utah while we were there. It was great to see them. Priscilla was my lifeline when I first moved to Maryland. She invited us over and invited us to anything that was going on. Thanks Priscilla! Her daughter Rachel and my Sarah became best friends while living here in Maryland and they had a great time seeing each other again.

Priscilla, me, and Tyler


Sarah and Rachel

Steve's sister Cheryl and her family came by to say hi and we enjoyed visiting with them too. Her kids are all such good kids. They are all so well behaved!

Livia and Sarah (aka BYU college roommates!)

Sadie and Tyler (these 2 are just a few months apart, can you tell who is older?!)

So now we are home, and I am trying to catch up on a few things. Tyler came down with pneumonia at the end of our trip in Utah. So the minute I got off the plane here in Maryland, I called his doctor and took him straight there. He had a cough and runny nose that just wouldn't go away...then began running a high fever of 102-104 degrees and became lifeless. He even slept the whole plane ride home, which was nice but really scared me. After being on antibiotics for a couple of days, he is slowing becoming himself again and sleeping at night (thankgoodness, that was so hard, 4 nights of him tossing and turning ALL night long)