Joshua and Caleb

I find that I am a feast or famine type person. For weeks sometimes, I won't eat much, and then I will eat like there is no tomorrow, for months. I am kind of like that with talking and writing. I will be quiet and not say much and then suddenly, you won't be able to shut me up. Judging by my lack of posts until just now, I see that I am babble blogging. I wonder if that is an actual term?

So I wanted to write about my little boys, and hopefully I will be able to post videos of them later.
Joshua: The riot of my life, he makes me laugh so much. He has started everything! He forms sentences, switches back and forth from third to first person when talking about himself (which is very humorous), and mimics whatever other people say, which has gotten slightly dangerous. Today he has stated saying "oh my dear gosh." I don't know who says that, I don't think it is me, but he has said it at least a hundred times this morning and I don't like it, even if it is kind of cute, it just sounds like he is going to swear. This is how he asks for something: "Mama, Josh please have some water" and his new favorite "Mama, Josh please have some pink milk." Pink milk is strawberry milk in case you were wondering. He also refuses to let anyone help him pray, he wants to do it all by himself. I love hearing his prayers, this morning he prayed that Mama would let him have pink milk. How do you say no when your kid prays for it? He also pretty much learned the first article of faith when he realized the Bishop will give him candy if he says it. He also growls, a lot, and says "josh linon" (meaning lion). He is so full of energy and sweetness and love. He is in desperate need of a haircut again though.

Caleb: Unlike Josh's mop, Caleb has just a tiny blonde fuzz, but it is adorable too. He smiles pretty much constantly. In like a week and a half he has developed and almost mastered crawling. He loves being able to get where he wants. Josh still hasn't even gotten mad when Caleb crawls into and messes up his toys. Caleb just loves Josh, he laughs everytime Josh growls, which annoyingly only encourages Josh. :) Caleb is learning to give kisses, clap his hands and wave goodbye. He says Dada all the time, especially when everyone is singing, like in church yesterday and Caleb was belting Dada over and over again and very proud of himself. He loves to lean backwards to look at people upside down. I should try it sometime because apparently everything is much more enjoyable that way.

So yes, I think I am done blogging now for a little while at least. I think I might just flip upside down on the couch now and laugh, I think Kenni, Heather, and maybe even DeAnna will understand. I'm not sure if I ever succeeded in getting Tyson to do that with me, it is just so hilarious. So if you are ever bored, flip upside down on the couch, let your head hang over the edge and laugh, you won't be able to stop and it is so fun. :) Anyways, i think I am done writing my rambling thoughts.

Just Bragging

I am hopelessly in love with the man I married. Today, he is home for lunch and we are talking and I start walking backwards toward our front room. I don't notice Josh's rocking horse, slamming my foot into it, which somehow catapultes me backwards to the floor. My first thought it "ow," my second is, "I feel like a complete idiot." Tyson hovers over me asking if I am okay and I just bust up laughing. How he can still love me even when I make a complete fool out of myself everyday is beyond me.

I love him so much. I watched him walk back to work and just stared after him thinking about how lucky I am. He is so handsome, wonderful, funny, serious, just all around perfect. I just wanted to type it all. Maybe I just like to brag, I don't know, like I just want to tell everyone, "see that hot guy? Yeah, he married me, cool huh?" :)

What's Up?

So I don't write on my blog as much as I want to. I still find myself creating posts in my head, but I never get to actually type them out. :) All three boys are asleep (I get to watch Jacob today, which both Josh and I are really happy about), so I have my chance. However, the camera and the cord to download pictures are in the room with one of the sleepers, so alas, no pictures. I promise, I will put up pictures of the house someday. :)

We have been crazy busy lately, I mean, not insane busy, but time just seems to be gone in a blink. I mean, last night I realized that I didn't even notice the 30th of May at all, which is my parent's anniversary, which I like to think as kind of a special day for me, since their marriage is the reason I came about and I'm thankful that they are still married and in love and that they have devoted so much of their lives to us and to each other. There are a lot of days that I just don't even notice. I blame part of that on the fact that days of the month really mean nothing to me, I am home with the boys whether it is the 1st or 21st, so I forget to care. The only days I notice really are Saturday and Sunday because that is when we get to have Tyson home all day with us.

Anyways, I ramble, what I wanted to write about is what we have been up to. Let's see (these are just the big highlights that I can think of), we moved, we painted, we fixed up the basement and now have four great girls living down there enjoying the sounds of our lovely children, our car died, Tyson's parents came to visit, Josh had a seizure, I got called as 1st councelor in Young Women's, we had our first party in our house, Caleb learned to crawl, still won't roll over, but he can crawl. What else? Tyson got poison ivy, Josh had a rash that turned out to be eczema, I finally finished my outline for my book, we bought a van, Tyson got called as Young Men's President, I went to the dentist (no cavities, huzza), Kenni and Chris left for a few weeks, making BV feel suddenly very empty, our van's tire started going flat so we got it fixed so that on Saturday we could go to the temple for the first time in 9 months.

So, as the dad from 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' says, "there you go." ;) That is what is up with the "Coops" as we are sometimes called. And Thursday marks the two month anniversary of living in our house, I can't believe all of the above and more that I don't want to post to the entire internet, happened in just two months. It makes me tired just thinking about it. Isn't life grand that there is never a dull moment? I love it.

The Amazing Vial Photography

My computer is acting funky about this uploading business, so here are just some of the amazing pictures Kenni and Chris took of our little family. I love them! P.S.- I LOVE Caleb's expressions. :)

Just because they're cute

"Though he giveth or he taketh, God his children ne'er forsaketh"

Today I went to a memorial service this evening. A wonderful family in our ward had a little baby girl that only lived a few days. She had several complications, so in some ways it was a blessing, but it is never easy to lose a child even if "it is a good thing." I was amazed by the parent's calm appearance and their complete faith in the Lord. I couldn't help but remember the feelings I had with Josh when he had his seizure. I felt at the time that I might lose him, but I cannot fathom actually losing a child. We sang this hymn and I was especially touched by the phrase "Though he giveth or he taketh, God his children ne’er forsaketh."

“299: Children of Our Heavenly Father,” Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, no. 299

1. Children of our Heav’nly Father
Safely in his bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.

2. Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord his children sever;
Unto them his grace he showeth,
And their sorrows all he knoweth.

3. Though he giveth or he taketh,
God his children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.


I am so thankful that sweet family was so kind to let us all come and have a memorial service with them. I'm not sure I would want to see anyone if I was in their shoes. I am so thankful the Lord blesses each of us. I often wonder why He blesses us with the trials He does, and I'm not sure what trials I will have in the future. But I am so thankful the Lord has been so generous with the things He has given me. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world. I hope to always remember that no matter what happens, the Lord has not abandoned me, because He never will. Nothing can seperate us from His love.

Never Been So Scared, or So Thankful

Some of you may know, or be wondering, what happened yesterday with Josh. I love a good story and I love to tell them, especially about my babies, but I'm not sure I will be so good about telling this one, I may skip parts just because I don't want to remember it.

Yesterday morning, Josh was normal, running around causing trouble. He was a little clingy, but I didn't really notice it. He was really tired and went down for his nap early, and didn't sleep long. I thought it was because he was used to being spoiled a little because Tyson's parents are here, I didn't think much of it. He wanted to be held and was acting really tired, and Mom Cooper said she thought he felt a little warm. "Oh that is normal for him when he is sleepy," I thought, so I just held him and he fell asleep in my lap. That was new, he never snuggles or holds still for anything, it was really cute.

But then he just kept getting warmer and he would wake up on and off and just lay there. I kept thinking, I should give him some Tylenol or something, but I didn't, I kept thinking "I'll get up in a minute." A thunder storm rolled in bringing Tyson and his Dad inside and we were all sitting in the front room talking I think. Then Josh started shaking and I remember saying "um, guys," then he really started convulsing and Tyson jumped up and put his fingers in Josh's mouth to keep his tongue away from the back of his throat. I was so scared, I just kept thinking "my baby, my baby, stop, stop, please don't die, please don't die."

Maybe to other people, seizures are more normal and aren't as scary, I have never seen one and never want to see one again, especially from a little child, MY little child. Needless to say, that was the most terrifying moment of my life. When he stopped shaking, I picked him up and put him on my lap and forced myself to calm down and talk to him. I told him he was going to be okay, and he calmed down a little at my voice. Tyson and Dad Cooper gave him a blessing and then they called 911.

I was thinking of writing the whole story, but I don't think that is the important part, what is important is what I learned, and am learning. Josh is really sensitive to fevers and so we have to keep his temperature low or he is at risk of having a seizure again. If he does have a seizure again, you don't stick anything in his mouth, you just roll him onto his side so if there is any drool he won't choke on it, and then just wait it out. However, I really hope I don't have to ever worry about a repeat of this. Tyson and I slept on the floor in Josh's bedroom last night, I think we just wanted to be as close to the little guy as we could. Plus, I was scared his temp would spike again in his sleep, I think I woke up every time he moved, it was ridiculous.

I also learned how much I love the Lord, and how much smaller my faith is than I had always thought. I was so scared, it was so hard for me to trust in the Lord at all, to remember that He is over all things, and whatever happens, He will help me through it and it is for my good. I am so thankful we brought our sweet little Josh back from the hospital, that he was okay and his normal self. I was ashamed a little though, at my lack of faith. I'm glad and so thankful for the blessing this was to me, to shake me awake and get me to really start praying again, to listen to what the Lord wants me to hear.

It was been wonderful though, the Lord is so full of tender mercies. It couldn't have happened more perfectly. Tyson's parents were here, they made me feel not so alone and scared. Our car won't drive very far without overheating, so it was wonderful we had their rental car to follow Josh and I in the ambulance (that was pretty cool, I have to admit). Dad Cooper was there to help Tyson give Josh a blessing which made me feel much better. I don't remember anything that was said, I just remember Tyson telling me right after "Josh is going to be fine, remember the blessing." Most the people at the hospital were very kind, especially the doctor. He explained everything to us and made me feel so much better. He was so good with Josh too. Kenni and Chris brought us dinner, the saints. Dad Cooper waited in the waiting room the whole time. Mom Cooper and Cassie stayed home with Caleb and made it so I wasn't worried about him and I could take care of Josh. Tyson was an angel, so patient with everything and so brave so I didn't get any more scared than I was. Once the medicine kicked in with Josh at the hospital, he wanted to get down and play, but we couldn't let him (it's a hospital, not kid proof). Tyson played magic tricks with Josh, played color games with him for about 2 hours. It was so sweet.

When we got home and everything was good, I called my mom and had a cry out. I finally just let everything I was holding together go and she was the wonderful Mama she is and cried with me. I found out later that about a million and a half people were praying for us, for little Josh, all at the same time. Even people that don't even know us, it was so neat. Thank you all for that.

I went and checked on Josh during his nap today and just watched him, his chubby little arms, his perfect round face, his long lashes, just such a perfect little angel. I know it probably wasn't a close to death experience as I thought it was when his seizure hit, but it hit me how much I love him, how sad I would be without him. The Lord is so good, so perfectly good and merciful and I hope that I can learn to be thankful no matter what challenges I am given. Sorry this is so long, it is really more for me to just type it out, to bear my witness of the Lord's love and infinite mercy for each of us.