Tuesday

Headache, throwing up, headache, throwing up! Want this week to end!


Thank you's to:

Stacey Baer for cleaning my bathrooms
Kevin for El Pollo Loco, oranges, and kitty food
Seegmiller's for paper towls, and wipes
Lisa for potatoes, hot chocolate, and watching the kids all the time
Amy for helping Brad with the kids durring the baptism

Holmes family for great sloppy joe's tonight for dinner. The kids especially loved the pudding.

10 weeks tomorrow...heard baby's heart beat

Well i went to a new doctor today. i really like her but brad wants me to stay with the doctor i have. i am not sure what i am going to do. We heard the baby's heart beat today, it was so fast, it was so cool. i even have a little lump that the doctor showed me that is the baby. No wonder my pants are getting snug. The nurses came and changed my dressings on my picc line, it always stings so bad. The nurse said she thought my hubby was so funny last time. i asked why and she said, "you are throwing up, have a picc line, look like you are dying....and he is sitting next to you talking about how maybe the next baby will be easier!!!!" She said the funny part was he was so serious. i informed her that brad will have a different wife for the next child he has! i have felt alright today, the doctor told me to drink pepsi for my headaches, but the bubbles made me feel sick.

Thursday...almost 10 weeks!

well after the bad experience at my doctors yesterday i decided to shop around for a new doctor, i go see a new one at 2pm tomorrow, hopefully i will like her better.

Thank you Stockles for dinner tonight!

Wednesday...Dr Day

well i started off with a good morning. i then realized the zofran was suppose to run in my pump every 48 hours but was running every 40 hours for the last 4 days, so i was getting over dosed, maybe that’s why i have felt half way decent! why can't anything go right?

then i go to the doctors and saw the nurse practitioner and excuse my language but she is the DUMBEST PERSON i have ever meet, i mean ever! i was so mad, i rolled my eyes and really made her upset. she could not answer any of my questions and would not get my doctor! she had no clue what was going on with me, i told her i didn't want things done and she still did them. i told her i didn't want blood work unless it was through my picc line and she told me no. she told me i needed all these prenatal testing done but didn't give me any info on it. i was so made! she told me to drink water for constipation and if I took laxatives i would miscarry! so what am i suppose to do die every 4 days from cramps? she was so dumb! i might switch doctors, i know i will never see that lady again!

good news is the baby looked good, kicking and strong heart beat! lizzie was so excited!

i have only thrown up 1 time today! I lost 2 more pounds since last MOnday so for a total of minus 12 pounds in 5 weeks.

Thanks Dubray family for a yummy pasta dinner tonight. And to Lisa for watching Emmie while we went to the doctors.

tues...9 weeks 3 days!

Well it has been slow going. i still throw up a handful of times during the day, but not as much as before the picc. Today i managed to throw up my iv fluid, i have no clue how that is possible since it goes into my veins not my stomach. Sometimes i feel good other times i feel like the world is ending. i still bleed from my picc line but not as bad as Sunday and i can usually get it to stop. i took a bath today and washed my hair, ya! i have an ultrasound tomorrow like my 5th or 6th one. lizzie is going for the first time, she is so excited. She wants to be the first one to hold the baby. i owe a ton of thank-yous to people, thank you Miles family for subway dinner tonight brad and the kids loved it, i even ate some cookie. Thank you Marcy for bringing me reading material today, it was great, reading really helps the time pass when you are stuck in a bed or chair all day. Readers Digest had puzzles in the back i loved doing! Thank you Marcy! Thank you to Lisa, i swear if it wasn't for her i would be dead or in the hospital, she literally does everything for me! She even bought me shirts (one says mom) and cut them from sleeve to bottom on the left side and sewed buttons on it so i can dress my self now. It feels so good to be able to do something for myself since brad has to help me with everything! Thank you Lisa. Thank-you Kevin for being my check in man who calls twice a day loyally to make sure i am alive and offer words of advice (even if i don't always listen...lol). And thank you everyone for all the calls, e-mails, thoughts, prayers, and cards.

sunday 22....D-Day...death day or so it feels

This blog continues from yesterdays. I didn't sleep well last night due to cramping. Then i woke up at 7am with really bad cramping. i was praying the laxatives would work but they didn't seem to be, so i got another suppository. As i went to use it i finally went to the bathroom, i went to the bathroom for 2 hours!!!! Painful!!!!! i took about 5 bathes to help relieve the pain. How am i going to handle this again in a few days? Cramping is worse then throwing up! While i was in the bathroom this morning i threw up more this morning then i have all week, now i am really dehydrated. During all this i disconnected from my zofran and hydration because it was in my way, which probably made everything worse.

Well when i thought the morning couldn't get worse, i was laying in the chair it was around 10am and my arm was covered in blankets, i still don't like looking at the picc. For some reason i decided to look at my arm and there was bright red blood all over the place! Like gushing blood, i freaked out obviously. Brad was trying to find the number to call for week-end emergency's we called it, they had to page a nurse, who seemed like it took forever for her to call back.....15 minutes, bleeding the whole time. The nurse said to apply pressure but that hurt really badly. She was about 45 minutes away. i was so scared that they would have to take the picc line out and do it again! Brad decided he couldn't go to church because even if my arm was fixed because of all the blood i loss he didn't want to leave me. i really wanted him to go to church.....he was teaching the elders quorum lesson....and i just wanted some time alone....i never have time alone! Brad does a great job taking care of me, but sometimes i need some air. Lisa even offered to come baby-sit me but there was no way he was going to leave me. Rebecca came and picked lizzie up for church....thanks a ton....she loved it! So, the nurse came cleaned up my arm, changed my dressings, stopped the bleeding, and flushed my picc line...and got it working again!! YA!!!!!!!!! so, somehow this morning i injured a blood vessel, now i have to be even more careful with my arm, i already can't do anything! i hate blood.

i would like to thank my heavenly father for being with me today and helping me through everything. i know he knows me personally and my trials. i know i am a daughter of god. i know things were bad today but i know they could have been a whole lot worse with out my heavenly father watching out for me.

saturday........9 weeks

i stayed in bed until noon, and felt good.

Uncle Kevin came over with lots of yummy food for everyone...including mash potatoes...my new favorite food! Thanks Kev! Him, brad and the girls went and visited my grandparents. I was very sad I could not go.

I then had a movie theater popcorn craving and brad and kev thought I was crazy. I told them if my dad was here he would go get it for me. So we called my dad and he said for sure he would get it for me. So brad and kev got it for me. Thanks a ton...it was great!

Do NOT read on if you do not want to know gross detail on this evening!!!!!!!


So I got constipated again. I tried a glycerin suppository and it did not work it just made me bleed. So I sent brad to the store to get an enema, and ask the pharmacist some questions. I do not think he was thrilled. He came home and i did the enema...first time in my life....all i have to say is GROSS! It did nothing also except make me crampy. Brad convinced me to call the doctor so I did (she is going to hate me). She said to go to the store a get milk of magnesium and drink away. Well I didn't think I could keep it down so Brad bought it in pill form, 4 huge pills! It can take up to 12 hours to work. I sure hope I live to see 12 hours!

MARCH 19TH, FRIDAY

well i am having an OK day today. i have not thrown up all day. i do not like the 4 hours of hydration i have to do a day, it taste like rusty nails in my throat. but at least it keeps me hydrated. brad is working from home today and the kids are being super great! if i had any energy today might be close to perfect! i want energy! i want to be able to type with 2 hands! i am really worried about constipation and i don't know what to do! please no cramps this week-end!


Well 2pm on Friday hit and it went all down hill until bed time. i hate throwing up!

top 10 things i am thankful for:


-my family......children, husband, parents, brother, grandparents, etc.
-my friends.....church friends, family friends, work friends, ALL of my friends!
-the temple.....church, religion, faith, integrity, hope, charity, destiny
-blessings.....food, shelter, health (overall), money, peace, love
-Water....in my IV, to drink, to cook with, and especially to bathe in
-doctors & drugs....that are keeping me alive and saving my life
-phone....keep in touch with loved ones and receive up lifting calls from loved ones
-TV.....what would i do all day long without it? Stare at the wall for 18 hours?
-Answered and Unanswered Prayers
-God the father, Jesus christ our Savior, and the Holy Ghost

Count your blessings, name them one by one and see what the Lord has done!

march 18, 09.............wednesday

The picc went great, it was scary! The operating table, being awake...the whole thing. The worse part was the 6 shots to numb your arm, after that you don't feel a thing. I was singing, I am a child of God, in my head to get me through the pain. Bishop Wansgard gave me a great blessing Monday night and i knew that God was with me during the procedure. It is weird to think I have tube from my arm to my heart. I would do the procedure again if I had to.

We came home and my nurse came out and started me on my iv's and med's. I have a double pick. My arm is very sore from being cut open and it looks funny to me. I had to have 4 hours of hydration therapy so I had to stay up until midnight.

But then at 11pm i had these really sharp pains in my side, it hurt to breathe. Brad called the doctor and she said as long as i was not bleeding it was probably constipation due to dehydration. i thought i was going to die. Brad ran to the store, nowhere was open, it took him 35 minutes to get me meds, i lay on the floor and screamed the whole time (poor liz was freaking out). Well when brad got home with the meds it worked in about 5 minutes and i sat on the toilet until 3:30am!!!!!!!!! i thought i was going to die it hurt so bad. Finally i laid down and woke up at 4am, i went to the bathroom 3 more times and it was all blood. We called the doctor again and she said the one word i hate, hydroids! i went back to bed at 9am when Lisa and Amy took the kids for a day (thanks a ton), i was awoken at noon when the nurse came to change the dressings and do blood pressure. i am so tired!

I thank my heavenly father so much for helping me through last night without him i would never had made it, I was praying all night for the cramps to end, because of him I made it throw the night.

Funny moments about the hospital:

-When they called my name to go to the operating room they said Sarah, I raised my hand and the male nurse said, "So, are you ready for your sex change procedure?"

-The 2 male nurses were trying to decide which one should scrub in to help the doctor with the picc.....so i asked who had more experience....they looked at each other and said, "Neither one of us have ever done this before, but we watched a video on how to do a picc line before you came!"

-The male nurse that scrubbed in had to put a gown on, mask, gloves, etc. When he put the gown on the other nurse tied the back, well it kept coming un-tied and the nurse said, "I just hate wardrobe malfunctions!" The other nurse said, "As long as your pants don't malfunction we will be O.K!"

-I told the doctor he did a good job, the nurse said, "Please tell all your friends that want to get a picc line in to ask for Dr. Michaels!" (Like I have a ton of friends waiting to get a picc line put in!)


Thanks Dubrays for dinner tonight...i loved the fruit salad!

Tuesday..The Big Picc day! Scared to Death!

Today is the day I am currently in the hospital. I got all checked in and even have a nice little wrist band. Luckily for Brad they have wi-fi! I am scared to death, i called my dad before I left and he said this can't be any worse then flying (I am deathly afraid of flying)...if I survive this I will let you know what is worse. They are running 15 mintutes behind and I am so nervous. I want this to end. Thanks to the Cotes for watching the girls today. Well I will update this afterwards.

Monday the 16th, 09

Well I had to go to the doctors today..yuck!!!!!!

The doctor reccemends a PICC line so I can get 4 hours of hydration a day. I told her I didn't think I was dehydrated but she said my skin was dry and I looked dehydrated. I lost 11 pounds in a few weeks. She did not like that at all... she is not going to be happy when I lose 30 pounds!

So, she just called and I go to the hospital at 1:30pm tomorrow for the procedure if I would like it done. I will be doing some serious praying tonight!

Thanks a ton to the Cotes for dinner tonight...it makes a huge difference!

Thanks a ton to Lisa for changing my site today and taking the kids all day!

Sunday 15th...8 weeks and 1 day

Yesterday I had a great day. I went 24 hours without throwing up! I couldn't get out of bed all day but I felt good. I even drank 32 ounces, took a shower, shaved my legs, washed my hair, and brushed my teeth! YA!

Today was a very bad day, I threw up enough today to make up for yesterday! I haven't really eaten or drank anything all day. I feel horrible. I missed church the first time in probably years! Brad took both girls to church and they all had a good time.


Dubray family told Brad they are going to bring dinner in Wednesday night and I am very excited. So, many people have offered to bring dinner in but Brad has been against it saying he can handle it. But, the reality is it is just one more thing he has to do in the evening. He was even seemed calm by the idea of one less dinner to cook. Thanks a ton to Patricia!

Brad has to go to work tomorrow but will be home Tuesday and Wednesday, so I just need to make it through tomorrow…SCAREY! So, no one laugh if I have to call you to come over and make my kids lunch...HA HA HA!

Saturday...March 14, 09...8 weeks...FINALLY!!

I still feel like death. I know when people see me or talk to me on the phone it might not appear that way, but that is how I feel most of the time. The pain never goes away...I feel sick all the time. Last night was the worse, I think I was really dehydrated and can't really remember anything pass 7pm. Brad said I was pretty out of it, I was at the point where you could go throw me in a hole a bury me. The doctor wants Iv's and my leg is having a reaction to the zofran pump, and is very swollen and irritated. I have had to change the site on my leg 3 times all ready. Thanks a ton to Kathleen and Marcy for helping me with that. I have to keep a heating pad on my leg at all times to reduce some of the pain in my leg. They upped the zofran dose from 24 to 32 whatever that means, the highest they can go for a pregnant woman is 34. I can't believe I am only 8 weeks, not even half way there. Usually by 20 weeks I feel better, I am never going to make it. This was a very bad idea. I am tired of feeling sick. I think I might give in on Monday and do iv's and maybe a picc line to help easy the pain in my leg, though a tube from my arm to my heart does not sound very exciting. Brad was a huge help this week and worked from home 3 days this week, thank goodness, but he is starting to get exhausted from all the cleaning, cooking, laundry, baths, and kids. The kids are real troopers and thanks a ton to Lisa for taking them all the time, and buying me apples as I told her on the phone, "The really hard ones...not the soft ones, I do not like them soft!" Even though they didn’t stay down, they tasted good. I am going to owe Lisa big time in 9 months :) Thanks Marcy for doing dishes and hanging out with me the other day, seeing people seems to keep my mind off things and keeps me from having to stare at the TV all day long.I will make it!

The Zofran Pump!

This is the pump!







This is the zofran!











This is the pack I carry the pump in that I wear around my waist





This is the site on my leg where the zofran enters my body!

Thurs...March 12.....The pump is not working very well!

I am still throwing up! Lucky Charms!!!!!!! Gross!!!!!

Wed, Mar 11, 09...7.5 weeks!!!!!!!!!

Well it has been a long week and it is only Wednesday! My mother in law came down all day Monday to help me because I was so sick. Brad was home Tuesday and Wednesday. My insurance denied me getting a zofran pump through a company called matria. Tuesday my insurance company found another company to do my pump but come to find out they had to have a picc line in which I didn't want so I threw a fit. Today I was sick again and the insurance company found a 3rd company to do a pump and they came out at 5pm tonight and put the pump in. Thank you Amy so much for watching the girls while the pump was put in. I didn't want to stress the girls out. The nurse came out and our friend Kathleen from church came over who is a nurse to help us change the needle site. Thank you so much Kathleen! The pump is in! YA! I now have zofran 24 hours a day and can not throw it up! It is a miracle...I don't feel better yet but I am hoping a praying I will. I do not think I can feel worse! Brad went grocery shopping last night with Emmie and he says he could never be a single dad..ha ha ha! He is attempting pancakes for dinner tonight.

Sunday....March 8, 09...7 weeks

Well hyperemesis has finally hit, a lot later then usual. I usually get it between 4 and 5 weeks, this time was 7 weeks almost to the day. Friday night I started throwing up and throw up all night. Saturday morning i couldn't even keep a sip of water down and threw up my stomach lining...2 times...is that even possible? i thought the world was ending. My hubby coached church basketball Saturday and i really wanted to get out of the house so I went, I did pretty good needed help when Liz had to go to the bathroom, moving makes me feel sick (thanks seegmiller family for the bathroom run help). We came home and I got sick all afternoon, I can't keep anything down. Brad and I were supposed to go to the temple with the crocketts, cotes, dubrays, and seegmillers. I wanted to go so bad, brad didn't think it was a good idea but we were doing family names at the temple that were important to me. So we went, the wangsgards watched the girls.... thank you so much wangsgards, you are the best! We went to the temple and had an amazing time, brad baptized the cote girls (his first time baptizing anyone) and it was very special to him. Brother seegmiller baptized brad 15 times (I am sure he is sore today) and it was great. All the crocket sisters took great care of me even though I probably looked like death. Thank you everyone for the wonderful temple experience.

I was then sick most of Saturday night and woke up 5am Sunday morning thinking the world was going to end I threw up my stomach lining 3 times...yes 3 times since there was nothing in my stomach….stomach lining is the worse by the way to through up....it looks like raw eggs and taste like acid burning your throat. I then took a bath which didn't help and then I came downstairs, at 8am I was still the only one up and I finally had my first big melt down, I felt like the world was ending, I feel so sick, and the ending seems so far away! How will I ever be able to do this?

I didn't want to go to church but brad thought it would help. We were just going to go to sacrament meeting but we stayed the whole time. The bread for sacrament made me sick so I had to run to the bathroom. We stayed the whole 3 hours of church and I am glad we did.

Hopefully this week will get easier!

7 weeks...March 7

I am going to die!

March 3rd...6 weeks & 3 days

Today was our big ultrasound; if I was under 6 weeks I was going to cry because under 6 weeks is when I got sick with the girls. Now that I am over 6 weeks I am hopeful I will not need home IV therapy, but no guarantee. I should be 8 weeks but the the baby is measuring 6 weeks and 3 days so my due date is October 24th, so most likely Halloween since my baby's like to bake an extra week. The doctor said my insurance is not in network with the home health care I would need, so it would be 500 dollars up front to get it started if I needed home IV or a matria pump for zofran. I told the doctor I am not throwing up 24/7 like I was with the girls but I feel like I am going to throw up 24/7 and the room is always spinning. She said maybe it's a Boy! Brad was very excited! Brad said we can handle not throwing up and I said I can't handle it I am tired of not feeling well! He says I need to be thankful for no IV's and think of the positives....maybe I am being a baby but I am tired of not feeling good. I did lose 6 pounds in the last 2 weeks (thank goodness I gained 15 pounds before I got pregnant so I could afford to lose 30 pounds...now I have extra weight!) HA HA HA!

We told Liz about the baby, as soon as we told her she ran to Brad and hugged him and said, "Thank You Daddy Thank You!" What did he do? Why did he get the credit? Lame! She is so excited; she loves my belly, and swears the baby is talking to her. She also swears it is a girl and her name is Lucy, she does NOT want a brother, she said next time she wants a brother...this oven is closing after this baby! If it is a boy the only name she likes is Charlie Brown or Willie (from Alf). We went to Target tonight and she picked out a pink car seat, pink clothes, pink crib, pink towels, and everything else pink she wants for the bay...she would not look at anything blue. I am a lot more excited now that she is excited. Emmie is just excited about having a baby, when they did the ultrasound today she was with me and her eyes got really big, and she said, "Me No Owee!" She did not want the ultrasound near her.

So, my goal for the rest of the week is to have a positive attitude even if I feel horrible. I read a good article in the Ensign about prayer by President Monson:
(this article really has helped me know that through prayer anything is possible)


Come unto him in Prayer and Faith

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”1 So spoke the wise Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.

Jacob, the brother of Nephi, declared, “Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith.”2

In this dispensation, in a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord said, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”3

This divinely inspired counsel comes to us today as crystal clear water to a parched earth.

We live in troubled times. Doctors’ offices are filled with individuals who are beset with emotional problems as well as physical distress. Divorce courts are overflowing because people have unsolved problems. Human resource administrators in government and industry work long hours in an effort to assist people with their problems.

One human resource officer assigned to handle petty grievances concluded an unusually hectic day by placing facetiously a little sign on his desk for those with unsolved problems. It read, “Have you tried prayer?” What he may not have realized was that this simple counsel would solve more problems, alleviate more suffering, prevent more transgression, and bring about greater peace and contentment in the human soul than could be obtained in any other way.

A prominent American judge was asked what we as citizens of the countries of the world could do to reduce crime and disobedience to law and to bring peace and contentment into our lives and into our nations. He carefully replied, “I would suggest a return to the old-fashioned practice of family prayer.”
Strength in Prayer

As a people, aren’t we grateful that family prayer is not an out-of-date practice with us? There is no more beautiful sight in all this world than to see a family praying together. There is real meaning behind the oft-quoted “The family that prays together stays together.”

The Lord directed that we have family prayer when He said, “Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.”4

Will you join me as we look in on a typical Latter-day Saint family offering prayers unto the Lord? Father, mother, and each of the children kneel, bow their heads, and close their eyes. A sweet spirit of love, unity, and peace fills the home. As father hears his tiny son pray unto God that his dad will do the right things and be obedient to the Lord’s bidding, do you think that such a father would find it difficult to honor the prayer of his precious son? As a teenage daughter hears her sweet mother plead unto the Lord that her daughter will be inspired in the selection of her companions, that she will prepare herself for a temple marriage, don’t you believe that such a daughter will seek to honor this humble, pleading petition of her mother, whom she so dearly loves? When father, mother, and each of the children earnestly pray that the fine sons in the family will live worthily that they may, in due time, receive a call to serve as ambassadors of the Lord in the mission fields of the Church, don’t we begin to see how such sons grow to young manhood with an overwhelming desire to serve as missionaries?

I am sure that family prayer motivated a letter written some years ago by a young Latter-day Saint girl attending a Colorado high school. The students had been asked to prepare a letter to be written to a great man of their choice. Many addressed their letters to well-known athletes, to a noted astronaut, to the president of the United States, and to other celebrities. This young lady, however, addressed her letter to her father, and in the letter she stated: “I have decided to write this letter to you, Dad, because you are the greatest man that I have ever known. The overwhelming desire of my heart is that I might so live that I might have the privilege of being beside you and Mother and other members of the family in the celestial kingdom.” That father never received a more cherished letter.

As we offer unto the Lord our family prayers and our personal prayers, let us do so with faith and trust in Him. Let us remember the injunction of Paul to the Hebrews: “For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”5 If any of us has been slow to hearken to the counsel to pray always, there is no finer hour to begin than now. William Cowper declared, “Satan trembles, when he sees the weakest Saint upon his knees.”6 Those who feel that prayer might denote a physical or intellectual weakness should remember that a man never stands taller than when he is upon his knees.

We cannot know what faith is if we have never had it, and we cannot obtain it as long as we deny it. Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.
Accepting His Invitation

If our desire is to discard all doubt and to substitute therefor an abiding faith, we have but to accept the invitation extended to you and to me in the Epistle of James:

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”7

This promise motivated the young man Joseph Smith to seek God in prayer. He declared to us in his own words:

“At length I came to the conclusion that I … must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to ‘ask of God,’ concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.

“So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. … It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.”8

Now, if we have hesitated in supplicating God our Eternal Father simply because we have not as yet made the attempt to pray, we certainly can take courage from the example of the Prophet Joseph. But let us remember, as did the Prophet, our prayer must be offered in faith, nothing wavering.

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that the brother of Jared saw the finger of God touch the stones in response to his plea.9

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that Noah erected an ark in obedience to the command from God.10

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that Abraham was willing to offer up his beloved Isaac as a sacrifice.11

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea.12

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that Joshua and his followers brought the walls of Jericho tumbling down.13

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that Joseph saw God our Eternal Father and Jesus Christ, His Son.14

Now, the skeptic may say that these mighty accounts of faith occurred long ago, that times have changed.

Have times really changed? Don’t we today, as always, love our children and want them to live righteously? Don’t we today, as always, need God’s divine, protecting care? Don’t we today, as always, continue to be at His mercy and in His debt for the very life He has given us?

Times have not really changed. Prayer continues to provide power—spiritual power. Prayer continues to provide peace—spiritual peace.
Faith in Action

Wherever we may be, our Heavenly Father can hear and answer the prayer offered in faith. This is especially true in the mission fields throughout the world. While presiding over the Canadian Mission, under the direction of President David O. McKay (1873–1970), Sister Monson and I had the opportunity of serving with some of the finest young men and women in all this world. The very lives of these young missionaries exemplified faith and prayer.

There sat in my office one day a newly arrived missionary. He was bright, strong, happy, and grateful to be a missionary. He was filled with enthusiasm and a desire to serve. As I spoke with him, I said, “Elder, I imagine that your father and mother wholeheartedly support you in your mission call.” He lowered his head and replied, “Well, not quite. You see, President, my father is not a member of the Church. He doesn’t believe as we believe, so he cannot fully appreciate the importance of my assignment.”

Without hesitating and prompted by a Source not my own, I said to him, “Elder, if you will honestly and diligently serve God in proclaiming His message, your father will join the Church before your mission is concluded.” He clasped my hand in a vise-like grip, the tears welled up in his eyes and began to roll forth down his cheeks, and he declared, “To see my father accept the truth would be the greatest blessing that could come into my life.”

This young man did not sit idly by hoping and wishing that the promise would be fulfilled, but rather he followed the sage advice that has been given of old: “Pray as though everything depended upon God. Work as though everything depended upon you.” Such was the missionary service of this young man.

At every missionary conference I would seek him out before the meetings and ask, “Elder, how’s Dad progressing?”

His reply would invariably be, “No progress, President, but I know the Lord will fulfill the promise given to me through you as my mission president.” The days turned to weeks and the weeks to months, and finally, just two weeks before we ourselves left the mission field to return home, I received a letter from the father of this missionary. That father wrote:

“Dear Brother Monson:

“I wish to thank you so much for taking such good care of my son who recently completed a mission in Canada. He has been an inspiration to us.

“My son was promised when he left on his mission that I would become a member of the Church before his return. This promise was, I believe, made to him by you, unknown to me.

“I am happy to report that I was baptized into the Church one week before he completed his mission and am at present time athletic director of the MIA and have a teaching assignment.

“My son is now attending BYU, and his younger brother was also recently baptized and confirmed a member of the Church.

“May I again thank you for all the kindness and love bestowed upon my son by his brothers in the mission field during the past two years.

“Yours very truly, a grateful father.”

The humble prayer of faith had once again been answered.

There is a golden thread that runs through every account of faith from the beginning of the world to the present time. Abraham, Noah, the brother of Jared, the Prophet Joseph Smith, and countless others wanted to be obedient to the will of God. They had ears that could hear, eyes that could see, and hearts that could know and feel.

They never doubted. They trusted.

Through personal prayer, through family prayer, by trusting in God with faith, nothing wavering, we can call down to our rescue His mighty power. His call to us is as it has ever been: “Come unto me.”15

March 1..Brads Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to my hubby!

this week-end has had ups and downs. Yesterday.. i felt horrible yesterday morning, we tried to walk aroung bed bath and beyond but i had to sit in the massage chairs half way through, then went to old navy, and the music was so loud it made me want to get sick, then we went to best buy and I had to sit in the home theater area because i was so tired. I came home and relaxed then felt good around 2pm so i helped Brad pull weeds in the yard then took a walk to the park and brad and i played soccer. We then went to Unlce Kevins for Brads birthday dinner, it was awesome, he makes the best pulled pork! He made all kinds of yummy mexican food, and red velvet cupcakes for dessert! So good! I felt pretty bad after dinner, brad played some guitar hero, and we came home, i went to sleep right away. i woke up at 3am sick, had a hard time going back to sleep.

Today...I woke up and stayed in bed until 11am...what am I going to do when Brad goes back to work tomorrow? we went to church, and i felt so sick durring sacrament they did sing my favorite song, I Stand All Amazed:


I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died

Chorus:
Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me
Oh, it is wonderful
Wonderful to me

I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine
That he should extend his great love unto such as I
Sufficient to own, to redeem and to justify

(Repeat chorus)

I think of his hands, pierced and bleeding to pay my debt
Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?
No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat
Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet


I can suffer through this pregnancy especially if Christ could die on the cross for me to take my sins. All he is doing is asking me to bring another spirit to this world, I should be more thankful and not so upset about feeling so yucky. JESUS loves me and knows me personally!

Lizzies sunday school teacher asked her how her mom was doing and she replied: She is puking everywhere!

We came home from church and i sat down and have not moved. thanks to kevin we have dinner for tonight and tomorrow night. i didn't even make brad a birthday cake :( thanks a ton kevin for everything!