Volunteering is fun to do, fun to do, to do, to do...

Recently I took on a new project of being a volunteer at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center as a member on a Patient and Family Advisory Council.   I get to go meet with other patients and family along with hospital staff and administrators and we talk about ways to improve patient care.

Because of my "gift of gab" and gullibility I volunteer to do the craziest things.  In August the hospital had a "Town Hall Meeting" for all 1300 workers to attend and listen to a few speakers and guess who said "yes" to being a speaker?  Yup...yours truly!  I don't even want to talk at church let alone in front of that many people who include all of James' bosses.  I thought I would be an idiot and get him fired for sure!  I had about a month and several dry runs to practice and I actually had it memorized!  I was so proud of myself.  I didn't do too bad either...well compared to what I saw happening in my mind and nightmares at night!

Yesterday I did it again!  I said yes when I was asked to speak to all of the directors at the hospital about the important role of nurses.  I have to speak to all of the directors and CEO people at the hospital, including James.  Maybe they will feel sorry for him when they see what a crazy wife he has to live with!  Ha Ha!  At least give him a raise to pay for my crazy pills.

I find it very therapeutic to turn a terrible ordeal with Averi into something that may help other families.  The coolest thing is that James' bosses listen to everything I say and actually do the things we suggest!  It is awesome!  What a power trip!  Just kidding (kind of). 

Averi on the day they were going to turn off her life support

Such a cute pic. of when Ave could still see us.

Daddy and Ave

Poor little bald Chemotherapy baby! OH!  Silky is in her hand!
One of MANY silkies!!!

In a 5 month coma. With a BAD rash from Bone Marrow Transplant.  Silky by her head. 

The first time in months I got to hold Averi

Thanksgiving a few weeks before we found out Ave was sick.  This was a very rare smile!

Not my best look...I can tell I had some pain meds in my blood-I have crazy eyes!

Look at these two!  Like little twins!

My girls!  Taylor has been Ave's best friend from this moment on

My little helper buddy! 

Happy all of the time Averi!  She loves life!

Do I have gullible written on my forehead!?!  NOOOOO!!!!!!  I do have dark circles under my eyes though...yikes!

This and that and other stuff.

Here is post #2 of this year-I am on a roll!

I'm a Pirate!  No not for Halloween, but in real life.  I think I am anyway...if that is what someone who blog stalks and steals pictures from her family is called, that is what I am.  And I am not sorry about it either.  I need to take advantage of other people being smarter and less lazy than I am.  I ALWAYS FORGET MY CAMERA!!!!!

 AVERI

Our sweet little miracle baby Ave turned 9 this year on August 9th.  We waited a little bit longer to baptize her so that she could understand it better.  Although I think she is perfect and that she is a special spirit who probably doesn't need to be baptized, but she wanted to do it.  We were so proud of her and she was so proud of herself.  I was glad I had to go "behind the scenes" to help her because I was a big bawl baby and cried out of pure joy that she is with us and got the chance to have this moment.

The funniest thing was that she jumped up after she was dunked and yelled "I AM BAPTIZED!"  and then for some reason she wouldn't put her feet on the bottom of the font and James had to pull her along to the stairs with her feet floating behind her.  It was so funny...I loved it soo much!  She is amazing and brilliant!

They are so cute!

Grandma and Grandpa Williams

Grandma and Grandpa Empey

My 2 cuties!

Averi practicing getting  baptized...we had to do A LOT of practicing so she wouldn't be too nervous to lay back in the water.  She did so awesome, not one glitch at all.  Our prayers were answered!

Family picture...not of the baptism because I don't have one.   So here we all are together anyway!

CHRISTIAN

My little tiny boy got ordained a Deacon in March when he turned 12.  He gets to pass the sacrament and I am so proud of him.  He just got made the Deacon Quorum President too and gave his first talk in sacrament a couple of weeks ago, but James wouldn't let me video tape it!  I kept waving at him from the back row until my bishop saw me.  I did the same thing the first day he passed the sacrament...it that weird?  I can't help it!  I am so proud of my little guy.  Actually he is not so little anymore.  He is 5 ft. 7 in. tall.  I am only 5'4" and I think he outweighs me too.  I AM SAD!

Christian and Austin his cousin-they are 13 days apart-so fun!

My football hero!

 I have been babysitting my little niece Clara-Chris and Diana's baby and I have been playing with Nathan-Jessie and Ben's baby and I miss babies.  I am sad that I didn't get the chance to enjoy Ave's baby months and that I couldn't have any more, but I love being an aunt!  I get to sleep all night and still enjoy the little kiddos.   I know I whine about kids sometimes, but I am really the luckiest mom in the whole world!  I have the best kids!

Snuggling on the babies

Nathan

Averi

Me and my baby

TAYLOR JO

My heaven-sent little angel Taylor is so awesome! She has more talent in her little finger than I have or ever will have in my lifetime!  She has been learning to sew and entered a patchwork pillow in the fair for 4H this year and got a ribbon for it!  I was so proud of her.  She helps me so much, I couldn't function without her most of the time.  Heavenly Father knew I needed her for sure. My kids teach me so much.  Taylor is my little best friend and I love it!

Taylor is so motherly, even to her puppy Bandit.

My BEAUTIFUL Taylor Jo and my niece Clara Jo...they are SO much alike

Look at that face!!!!  Sooo sweet!

I have been BAD!

 I haven't blogged in sooooo long!  I don't even remember how to do this.  We have had a crazy 2011.  Soooo crazy that I didn't even have time to blog about it...o.k., that is a lie!  I was just far too lazy.

In April we took the kids to Disney World for Averi's Make-A-Wish trip.  The best trip EVER!!!!  It was a nice treat for our family to receive after the trials my kids have endured.

I was the photographer because James and the kids were sick of pictures so I had to FORCE them literally to stop and let me take pictures.  So...no pictures of me-dang!   I also can't get these pictures to move around very good.  I've lost my blog skills. 

WE ARE REALLY HERE!

WOW!  They are darn cute huh?

This is at our Give Kids the World Village.  This Rabbit guy is the "Mayor"...how do you explain a giant fake rabbit guy to a blind kid?  Hmmmm....Averi wasn't too keen on him.

Averi had sooo much fun in the giant tub with bubbles. 

We got to meet this Sea Lion Oggie.  The nice "pirate" guy saw Averi in the audience and thought she should meet him because she couldn't see the show.   Awwwee....

We had the coolest pool at the Village.

We got to really play with dolphins!  They were just like puppies.  They smile and laugh and LOVED to be pet.  My dream come true.  I love them.  Averi said they were stinky and she thought they may bite her.  Funny.

Averi LOVES Dr. Seuss.  She was so excited to visit his village.

This is her favorite Seuss story.  She just listened to it tell the story and laughed the whole time.

The best Daddy EVER!!!

SIlky's travels...we can't go anywhere without that pink thing.  It is like another child for me.  A good obedient one!  

Poor Babycakes got sick and she and I stayed at our villa while daddy took Christian and Taylor to Animal Kingdom.  SAD!

Ave still sick but determined to swim still.  I took it easy on her.

The kids signed their name in the sand.  Averi didn't want to.  I should have done it anyway.

Averi got to add her star to the ceiling of the castle.   We wrote her name in braille.  She left her mark there. 

The Village was AMAZING!  We were treated like royalty I felt very comfortable with it.  Ha ha!

Our very, very favorite ride!  Averi loved it so much.

Our little villa.

Weirdos!  There was actually NO water in that tub!

Manatees...what the heck!  I am very fascinated with these HUGE sea "slugs".  They just float up and down and sleep all day.  We saw them in Belize too, I want one as a pet.

Our little pirate friend and a freakishly huge Walrus.  Gross!  It had a weird endearing quality though.

This is Sea World and the whale that accidentally killed that lady last year.  It was it's first show back.  We kept our distance.

We got presents on our table every day.  We got so much fun stuff, it was like Christmas every day!

The plane ride with Averi was the funniest!  She is scared of big rides and so I threw her on every big ride I could....I am mean!  I wanted her to have fun.  She liked them, so don't judge me!  : )  On the airplane her favorite part was the turbulance!  She kept saying "this is tickling my spleen" and everyone around was laughing.  I loved it!  Christian and Taylor loved it too, but it was a long 5 hrs. in the air both ways.   OUCH! 

So.... James and I took a little trip to Mexico with some of our friends...we are spoiled I know!  I needed a vacation after a vacation with my kids.  It was hard. 

Cabo San Lucas

Real Wild Sea Lions

My cute Hubby risked his life to stand under these arches.  All the men went and us women stayed on safe ground.

Not the best shot, but I had to show how happy we were.

A cool beach in the middle of NOWHERE! We were literally dropped off in the middle of the desert and told good luck...the beach is that way.  I thought we were dead meat for sure.  I am so glad James speaks Spanish.  We were naive, but we lived and have fun adventures to talk about for years. 

I should have been born in the tropics. 

Our AWESOME travel friends.  Travis and Louise Marchant, and Zach and Shauna Weiland.  They are the BEST!

Isn't he so handsome?

Travis and Louise

Zach and Shauna

In the middle of Puerto Vierta on the way to our Zip Line tour.  So Fun!

Sailing off into the Sunset!

Oh yeah...and I got in a wreck on Feb. 24th.  Everyone was o.k., but it was freaky!

My poor car!

I will blog more....I don't want to overdo it today!  Next is Averi's baptism and I have to steal pictures because of course we forgot our camera!  BIG SURPRISE!