The One With Sulfur Burps

Today I have lysoled:

• My entire bathroom
• The kids entire bathroom
• The changing table
• The wipeys
• The Aquaphor lid
• The Aquaphor container
• The diaper genie
• Every door handle
• Every sink handle
• Every and any surface

The Neff House is under attack.  The Sulfur Burp Flu, or, The Aguado Flu, has hit us hard. 

Real hard.

It started with me, maybe.  It's hard to track it back.  The CDC would struggle with this one.

It hit me hard Friday night.  I have never thrown up so much, or done the...other thing so much.  And it was awful.  It was black.

And now my poor Kiki boo has it.  Break my heart.  His little belly is so bloated and hard and in between spouts of happiness is whining because he just doesn't know what is going on.  So sad.  

A picture for the grandparents.  Like kids and books, they only read blog posts with pictures ;)

The One Where Six Hundred Of Us Went To The Zoo

My good friend Clarissa does preschool out of her house, because she's slightly insane, and she got us all into the zoo for $5 a pop.  Sweet!

Clarissa and William

"Grace, scootch over so you're in the picture."

"Grace, scoot over so you're in the picture!"

"A little more..."

"Almost..."

Aaaand she blinks.  Poor kid.

After we took a trip into the desert...in Arizona...we went to pet the sting rays.  Because nothing says, "Come and pet me!" like a STING. RAY.  So soft and cuddly.

Actually, it was sort of the highlight of every ones day.

Kian got in on the fun, too.  So cute.

There were three or four little baby sting rays.  They were so fun to watch.  They would swim in the opposite direction, and swim under/over the older sting rays.  One swam right up to Kembry and ran into the wall trying to crawl up.  It was so funny.

We learned that baby sting rays are called "pops" and when they're born they look like little toquitos and then they open their little fins and are ready for life!

Here's lookin' at you, kid.  Don't mind his face.  We beat him.

I love my Cohen.  He is such an awesome big brother.

Kem and Em.  Cohen snapped this lovely picture.

Everyone, I'd like you to meet Eddie.  My future son in law.

Chloe is Eddie's "favoritest girl ever!"  Don't blame ya, kid.

This pose created by Eddie himself.  "Take our picture!" he hollered.  It's their future engagement picture.

Kembry and a water bottle!  Yay!

Weirdos.

Hangin' out with Philip.  The Orangutan.  "People of the forest."  They're my favorite exhibit.

"I got a boo boo so I'm hiding in my blankey."

"You takin' my picture?  You takin' my picture?"

Blue Steel!

 We had a blast.  Tons of friends, tons of fun.  Followed by tons of naps!

The One Where Brett Wants To Give Me A Lance Armstrong Bracelet

It's fun finally updating the blog.

NOT!

It used to be so easy.  Oh well, here's another day in the life...

Before our fabulous Christmas vacation in sunny Utah *snort* I had an MRI on my back to get an update on my spinal stenosis (it's moving along quick awfully), when they found a cyst on my right ovary.

*Shrug*

I've done cysts before.  Not too concerned.  So we went our way to Utah, froze ourselves nearly to death, or at least we tried, suffered miserably from the swine flu, and then made our way back to Utah.

Que cyst.

It burst.

I went to the E.R. to request euthanasia, they gave me morphine instead, so I settled down.  During the ultrasound to check and make sure the cyst had burst, they found a cystic teratoma on my left ovary.

Bummer.

So a little over a week ago I had to go under the knife yet again to have it removed.  Unfortunately, it had eaten away most of my ovary, so they took it and my tube, the thieves.

And so now Brett wants to give me a Lance Armstrong bracelet.  I feel a little lopsided, but not too upset.  Surgery is never fun, and the recovery wasn't great.  But at least I can still ovulate.

I rhymed!  I still got it!

The One Where Brett Is Right

Oh, that's every time, though.  He's always right.  Cause he's da bomb.

Anyway, last Tuesday Brett got the AWESOME opportunity to serve as a parking attendant at the open house for the new Gilbert Temple.

We went to lunch before I dropped him off, cause, that's how we roll.  And we had a fabulous conversation.

I was telling Brett how I wanted to be better at certain things.  One of my biggest problems is having grand intentions, worthy desires, and then, blip.  No follow through.

I wasn't sure where it was coming from, or what exactly it was.  For example, I have general desires to raise my children to be righteous, beautiful children who have perfect testimonies of the Gospel.  Simple, right?

But it seems like life just keeps getting in the way.

So this is where Brett's advice came in.

D&C 82:10
"I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."

Brett told me to hold the Lord to his promise.  Pray to him with my desires, which were good and worthy desires, and He could help me figure out what it was I needed.

Once I had that feedback, he then instructed me to go back to the Lord, and request help overcoming those obstacles.

So I did just that.  Dropped him off at the Temple, headed home, and prayed for guidance.  My answer was immediate.  I knew exactly what I needed to do to become overcoming my blip attitude.

I realized I needed more courage to say no to the good in order to accomplish the best.

The Lord never fails to follow up promptings and revelations with real-life, hands on experience.  So just shortly after this happened, I got a text from Brett:

"Guess what!  They said I can take you guys through the Temple and we don't have to wait in line.  Get the kids ready, be here at 6."

Sounds simple, right?

Enter obstacles.  I had a girls night planned that night.  My monthly girls night.  My beacon of all things laughy, girly, and full of delicious food.  It was my good friends last GN before her belly burst and she gave birth, and my others friends birthday bash celebration.  I had been waiting and waiting for over a month for this night.

*Lightbulb*

Aw, now I see.  Time to hold the Lord accountable.  If I do what He's told me to, I know He will help me.  So, post-surgery, highly uncomfortable, I got myself and four children ready to go to the Temple.

And was it hard to choose the best choice?

Surprisingly (or not, I guess, depending on where your faith stands) it was not!

Cohen bathed, without argument!

Kembry, too!

Chloe let me choose her dress!

Kian didn't have a blow out diaper!

All sorts of miracles started taking place.  A lot of you may giggle at what I constitute as a miracle, but these were tiny sweet blessings all for me following revelation.

We showed up at the Temple at exactly 6 o'clock.  It was peaceful, beautiful, and amazing.  I cried.  My kids were so excited to see the Eternity mirrors in the sealing rooms.  It was the most wonderful feeling to show them the alter where mommy and daddy knelt (upon a similar one in the Salt Lake Temple) and were sealed together for time and all eternity.  I touched it's soft velvety surface and let the tears fall.  I was so grateful to be in that room with my family, I can't even describe the joy I felt.  I honestly don't think I've ever felt anything like it.  And I know they felt it, too.

My heart nearly burst when I saw Kembry reach out and gently brush the velvet of the alter.  Her tiny hand on such an important and simple piece of forever.  It was incredible.

And then we went to dinner.  The Spirit followed us, our dinner was so peaceful (even though poor Cohen puked right before we went in.)  And even though I had planned on meeting up with some awesome women later, I just didn't want to be away from my family.  I wanted to kiss my kids goodnight and snuggle with Brett.  And so I did.

Heavenly Father had given me direction on how I should act, and followed up with amazing blessings.

D&C 82:9
"...I give unto you directions on how you may act before me, that it may turn to you for your salvation."

This experience was almost immediately followed up by another where I had already RSVP'd to a rockin' birthday party for a good friend.  But then Brett signed us up for the marriage class the Stake offers, which we've been wanting to take.  I could have easily missed it.  In fact, there were women who did miss it in order to go to our friends bash.

But I knew Heavenly Father had made me a promise, and I knew what I would get in return when I held up my end of the bargain.

Brett and I don't really need a marriage class (cause we're rockstars.  Ok.  He's a rockstar, but I get some glitter now and then.)  We just love learning about the Gospel and ways to improve ourselves.  And I did learn just that.  Like a waterfall, more of my prayers and concerns were answered.

I got an answer to how I can better study my scriptures with Brett.

I realized we were lacking in saying prayers together.

And I learned again how very, very much our Heavenly Father loves us.

I'm so grateful I listened to Brett's advice, and so grateful that Heavenly Father blessed me with guidance and promises to help me succeed.  I have a loooong way to go, but I also have that same feeling I get when I'm in the Temple.

Everything is possible.  It's almost...easy.  With His help, I can do anything.  Even say no to a party or two.