Ashlyn's Blessing

Ashlyn was blessed on June 5, 2011 but her Dad. The circle consisted of both her Grandpas, her Uncles Richard, Tim and Ethan. I actually didn't hear most of her blessing as Parker spent the whole blessing chanting "Grandpa, Grandpa". but it was still a good day. She was blessed in the same dress that I was blessed in and the pink blanket is the blanket we received from the ward when she was born.

June 12 on 12

click picture to enlarge

1. All the boy snuggling on the couch first thing in the morning
2. Ashlyn getting her morning medicine
3. Cleaning up the egg I dropped on the floor while making breakfast
4. Our Sunday breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes, bacon and juice
5.Ashlyn ready for church, her Daddy didn't get how the lace socks worked
6. Parker covered himself in cornstarch as we were getting ready to walk out the door
7. In the car ready to go to my parents
8. Our road most traveled - the road between Edmonton and Sherwood Park
9. We ate Sunday Dinner outside for the first time in my parents screened in porch
10. Looking for pictures to scan in for Rebecca
11.Ashlyn crashed - notice her headband eye patch. I made them a little big so they always are falling down over her eyes
12. playing skipbo which Jarrett won

I told you what happened now I'll tell you have I felt

This last week I've been thinking a lot about the emotions I felt while Ashlyn was in the hospital. Shell-shocked and floored do not even begin to describe how I felt in the ER. While we sat in the ER watching our sick daughter with Doctor's coming up to us and saying she was really sick but they didn't know why, two things went through my mind. If she died would someone go to my house and put the baby stuff away and would Karalee come to her funeral (she's my sibling that lives the farthest away). I felt that if she died I would need all my siblings there to support me. I was never mad or angry at Heavenly Father, I am surprised that these thoughts never crossed my mind but now realize it is because I always knew in some way no matter what the outcome was I needed the strength only he could provide to get through this. If anyone was to ask me what the hardest part of this was - it was when Jarrett cried. This happened after they told us that he heart wasn't functioning and they didn't know why ( can you see why the diagnosis was so welcome, we got a lot of we don't know followed by a lot of scaring sounding things it might be). Jarrett is not a very emotional guy, so when he broke down and cried I was scared. If we are going to say who was the emotionally strongest through this I would say it was my Dad. It was also hard for me when they first gave us the diagnosis as it meant there was something "wrong" with her but now I am thankful it is something so manageable. This experience has reaffirmed my knowledge of relying on the Lord and has even brought our family closer together. We even joke now that the Lord was aware that with three kids giving medicine three times a day might be difficult and that is why he made the medication that is only administered twice a day be the one that works best for her.

Tuesday Ten

1. Parker found himself a hat. He wanted me to take his picture and let me know this was a hat.

2. Thanks to a girl in my ward Ashlyn looks like a girl. I went to her house and she helped me make Ashlyn headbands.
3. Michelle note above that Ashlyn is rocking the jeggings and shirt you gave her

4. I had a few people tell me with Landon that I was a laid back first time mom. Now on my third child I'm in the anal category. Yesterday we took Ashlyn to the doctor because she had a cold. My sister pointed out at least I live in Canada where taking her to the doctor is free.

5. Marie had some questions on my last post about Ashlyn's heart condition. From what we've been told a third of the kids outgrow this by their first birthday. She'll be on medication for at least 6 months. There is a surgery that can be done to correct this but doctors don't like to do it until a child is 4 or 5 (before then there are too many risks). We haven't really talked about it to much with the doctor except that she doesn't need to stay away from any activities.

6. my children are interesting picture takers. We are working on not squeezing our eyes tight during a pictures. darn those Nelson genes
7. We have a Sandra Boynton book called "Blue Hat, Green Hat" where the turkey always wears a type of clothing item in a "oops" This is Ashlyn's oops
8. we got sod and a tree. I hate watering sod but luckily I'm too cheap to let it die. On the bright side Jarrett usually waters it. I'm not looking forward to our water bill this month.

9. We still need a deck and fence. Anyone who has met Parker would know there is a great need for a fence to contain that child. he's already left our house once we forgot to lock the door. Luckily he just came and knocked on the other door (Don't worry 99% of the time our doors are locked so he can't get out)

10. How Landon felt about taking pictures on Ashlyn's blessing day (the guy in the pic is Jarrett's brother who leaves on his mission this week)