We had an amazing trip to Nauvoo! Alayna did baptisms and we did endowments for family names our girls brought and Kayla and I were able to go through for sisters. Jared was awesome and toured Tyler around and introduced him to the directors of the performing missionaries there.
We did a little bit of sight-seeing for Brandon and got to see where Joseph Smith and his brother are buried. All these times in Nauvoo and I never knew they were there!
This sums up how we felt afterwards!
I have so much blogging to catch up on which always shows how busy I have been!
We just LOVED having Kayla and Brandon fly out to visit ( and we REALLY missed Marisa!)
Their friends Madeline and Kekoa were working in Cedar Falls so they came down for an evening and we went bowling and had Chinese food.
Ive been without a phone for about 2 weeks. Long story but I have been super irritated by it! So I dont have many pictures to show. We have been busy trying to relax and soak up the remaining weeks of summer.
We did go see the new Spiderman and just loved it! There are so many movies I want to see.
We finally had our appointment with the specialist in Iowa City for Alayna. She has officially been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Synrome (the hypermobility is part of that.) It is genetic.
“Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of disorders that affect the connective tissues that support the skin, bones, blood vessels, and many other organs and tissues. Defects in connective tissues cause the signs and symptoms of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which vary from mildly loose joints to life-threatening complications.”
Thank goodness she doesn’t have the severe vascular kind. We did have her eyes checked this week for any connective tissue damage and everything looks fine there. She will need an echo cardiogram in the next few months to check the connective tissue around her heart to see how that is doing. The great thing is she can manage most of it with healthy eating, consistent exercise, weight lifting (or physical therapy) and knowing her body well enough to know how to manage the pain. We can get some accommodations at school where we get an extra set of textbooks at home so she doesn’t have to carry so much around, etc.
We are happy to have some answers and to know its not super serious but something she can live with and manage now that’s she is aware of it.
Marisa went to the police station and got all her paper work taken careof. There was a mix up with the visa but I think all is well now. She looks so happy and is getting to see and do some really cool things!
Kayla finished her spring semester on Friday and is happy to be done with school for a while. She and Brandon are coming to visit in a few weeks and we cant wait to see them!
Bob was called as the 1st counselor in the new Elders Quorum presidency.
Tyler had an interview last week and 2 set up this week. Fingers crossed a job comes through for him that he can stick with.
This week I taught myself how to sew fleece cage liners with uhaul pads in between.
A beautiful storm hit with warm rain and hot outside
Grandchild wall ready to go!
Speaking of babies: we have spent a lot of time with these 2 beauties AND I now know why we have babies when we are young!
We had a fun, relaxing 4th of July. BUT I despise the new ordinance allowing fireworks for several weeks that goes all day and into hours of the night. It was like a war zone here. So maddening!
And because Shark Week:
And another successful Shelter Buddies
LOVED getting pics of Kayla and Brandon! Sounds like they had a great 4th of July!
Pics of Marisa: having lots of fun and super busy
Another busy, eventful, productive week!
We loved Kayla and Brandon’s fun and creative announcement that they will be having a baby girl! We are so excited to have her joining our awesome family in November! They are at a family reunion in Idaho this weekend.
Marisa made it to Brazil successfully and seems to be enjoying it a lot so far!
I was able to attend the Iowa Reading conference in Ames again. I always look forward to going. Its a great break for me. I wasn't as impressed with the classes this year but I did leave with some exciting ideas for next year!
View from my hotel
Tim Green- NFL football player, author, and lawyer
Roland Smith- my new hero. Has been a zookeeper, research biologist, and travels the world saving all animals, including endangered ones.
We had another successful Shelter Buddies! The shelter is FULL with over 200 animals and boy did they love having all these little ones come read to them! It takes all I have not to bring a puppy home with me.
We had a fun walk at Thomas Park to start out our 4th of July weekend
Alayna made her bird house this week:
Soaking up all the free time I have left!
