A Tearful Goodbye.....

Brent, Jonathan and I waiting for Brent to board his flight

Elder Knoblauch ready to serve the Lord for the next 24 months

A TEAR FILLED goodbye

I can't believe how FAST 6 months came and went!  It seems like just yesterday we were gathered together in January at my parents opening his mission call thinking, "JUNE 1st? Really?  That seems so far away!"  Well June 1st is here and we sent Brent off this morning to Sao Paulo Brazil for the next 24 months.  I can only imagine the heartache/joy my mom & dad felt as they hugged a tearful Brent one last time....I know my heart was overflowing with love and the tears fell as I hugged him one last time for the next two years.  I'm not quite sure why it was so hard to let him go....as I type this the tears are still flowing!  He has been such a HUGE part of my life for past 22 years and while I know he is doing the Lords work and he will be an amazing missionary, he will be a greatly missed part of our family while gone.  He has been the funny, loving, baby brother that every sister could ever want.  I have LOVED every minute of watching him grow up - sort of like a second mother and will be eternally connected with him as we are literally one in the same since my two bone marrow transplants.  It has been a joy to watch him prepare for his mission and I can't wait to hear about the all the missionary work in Brazil.  I know 24 months will come and go before I even know it, so for know I say tearful prayer that the Lord will keep him safe & in His hands for the next 24 months!

Memorial Day Fun....

We had one last family gathering at my parents before sending Brent off to Brazil for the next two years....

Jonathan could LIVE in the water!

Kendra and Trenton playing in water

Papa taught Jonathan how to snorkle.....Jonathan spent HOURS snorkling in the pool

All 4 kids together one last time til 2012

Gardening Day

Jonathan and Kasey getting ready to plant the garden.....with summer vegetables.  MMMMM! 

Cleaning out the winter garden....peas, carrots and radishes....they grew wonderfully!  Way to go Jonathan

Planning out where everything is going.....

All planted with tomatoes, green peppers, & YUMMY spaghetti squash.  Can't wait to eat them!

I love seeing my boys working, laughing and talkin together! 

I LOVE THESE GUYS!!

Rough few months......

I am not even sure where to begin this post.....these past few months have been so rocky and all over the map to say the least!  We have definitely had our share of trials and are still trying to get through them one day at a time.  We had a great Easter with my family Jonathan and Trenton had an Easter egg hunt in the back yard and loved every minute of it.  Right after Easter I got a nasty stomach bug that has taken me until Wed. May 26th to get rid of.  I have spent 22 days total over the past two months in the hospital trying to stay hydrated while doctors scratched their heads wondering what in the world was wrong with me.  Finally after 6 - 6 other doctors had no idea and decided it was in my head (yes - apparently you can involuntarily vomit for WEEKS on end and it can be caused by your head!)  Whatever is what Kasey and I said and made an appointment with my oncologist whom had been previously out of the country - and in ONE appointment and a few hours he had a diagnosis and me on the road to recovering.  My Hemochromatosis has reoccurred - unusual since I have not had any blood transfusions in years - but apparently can happen.  So I had a portacath placed again and have started weekly phlebotomy's again.  They take a pint of blood a week from my port - which forces my body to search out the iron hiding in my liver.  It's 100% curable, just takes time and lots of blood - literally.  Over the past 2 months have I lost over 16 pounds, had my faith tried, tested and pushed to the brink, and am FINALLY on the mend.  I have a WONDERFUL family that loves me, a husband that ADORES me and sits up at 3am with me getting me water to rinse my mouth after vomiting countless times and still tells me I'm sexy even though I look like a Holocaust victim, and a son who thinks I am THE MOST AMAZING MOM in the world!!  I honestly do not know how I have been so blessed!! THANK YOU!!

Such a slacker......

My poor blog has been neglected for far too long.....but, I am resolving right here, right now to get back on top of it!  Life has been crazy busy while getting the Ivins Soccer season put together and games started.  For those of who don't already know, Kasey and I started our own business (a non-profit business) the Ivins Soccer Association.  We now own & run the local soccer league here in Ivins.  It has been a huge undertaking since we were supposed to take over the business from the previous owners, but decided to just create our own league and let the previous owners disolve theirs.  We just compeleted our second week of games and it has been SO much fun!  Kasey and I are having a GREAT time wondering around the fields Tues, Wed, and Thurs nights taking time stopping to watch each of the teams play for a few minutes.  The kids are all having a blast and we LOVE that we have such great parents on the sidelines!!!!  It has been amazing to hear all the cheers, laughter and even the team spirit that has come alive at Unity Park.  I am SO grateful to have a husband who has been my number one supporter and cheerleader along with everyone on our board that has made it possible for us to pull this season together in such a successful way....we are 308 players and 49 teams strong and off to a fantastic start!  :-)  We are so blessed to live in such a great community that has rallied behind us and given us 100% of their support!  We look forward to many years of promoting health, fitness, self confidence and of course SOCCER in southern Utah. 

PLAY SMART  PLAY STRONG  PLAY HARD
Ivins Soccer Association

Called to Serve......

Brent Showing off the envelope.....waiting for everyone to get home

Brent reading his call......The Soa Paulo Brazil North Mission

All smiles.....we are all excited for Brent to FINALLY have his call

My mom, dad & Brent

Brent & his super cute girlfriend Lisa

(who I am secretly hoping will still be around when he gets home!)

We are so excited for my baby brother Brent to get his mission call.....he will leave for the MTC in Soa Paulo Brazil Wednesday June 2, 2010.  I am so proud of Brent!  Thanks for setting such a great example for Jonathan!

Office Christmas Party

Normally for our office Christmas party, Matt (Dr. Hammons) takes us all out to dinner with our spouses and we enjoy an evening laughing and chatting about all the things that have happened during the year.  This year though, Matt decided to do something totally different.  Back in Oct. Matt told us that on December 11th we would be going somewhere overnight with our spouses, but we did NOT get to know where or what we were would be doing for the two days. So at 2:30pm on Friday the 11th, we loaded up into Matt & Haley's mini van & off we went.....(all 8 of us)

When we got to Vegas we stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel in seperate rooms - That bed was SO comfy....I just wanted to run and dive on it!

Kasey Chillin' on the bed watching sports center on the huge plasma tv in our room

Jess & Aaron

Stacy & Jared

We had a GREAT time in Vegas!  Friday night we went to dinner at Memphis BBQ, they we went and saw Invictus at South Pointe on the XD Screen (which is like watching a movie on the huge screen in Springdale).  We must all be old though cause after the movie - all of us went back to our hotel rooms and crashed. 

Saturday was probably the most fun we had while we were there.  We started off our day by eating lunch at Chipotle - YUMMY - then we drove to one of the MANY shopping centers in Vegas.  It was sort of like The Gateway - an outdoor mall - anyway, Matt  & Haley then gave us a challenge.....each couple was given cash to spend at the mall - BUT the only rule was, you HAD to spend it all or whatever you didn't spend you had to give back.  It was so much fun.....Kasey and I finished with only 2 cents left and it was really fun spending someone elses money!  ;-) I am SO blessed to have a job that I love....I have a GREAT boss & a hygienist & assistant that I just love!  We have so much fun at work everyday!  We definately have THE best staff in all of St George! (even if I might be a little bias)  It was a great weekend get-away as an office!!  :-)