Summer Vacation - 2010 (if you could call it that)

Summer vacations are never long enough and this year was no exception. In fact, the vacation was extended by two days but now I need a vacation to recover from my vacation. We left the day after graduation to head to Utah for about 10 days. We had lots of plans and so excited to see our family. We were able to go the first day there to the temple with our niece to see her sealed to her husband. I love sealings and love the temple. It is so beautiful to realize that we really can be together forever. We spent a wonderful night with Bob and Leann. How we wish all of our family was closer so we could see them more.

The next few days were spent eating, golfing, shopping, eating, visiting, playing games, eating, and just having fun. It was so great to be there. Cortnie and Boyd headed to EFY on Monday morning to spend the week in a spiritual world. I am jealous of my children everytime they go cause they come back so uplifted. Boyd was a little hesitate about going being this was his first year. He hit it off so well with his roommates though and within an hour had forgot about home. He was asking the next day if he gets to go back again next year. They both agree that testimony day is their favorite day. Boyd said he has not felt the spirit ever so strong. They had great time and I am glad we can send them every year. It is so worth the money.

Rob and Brittnie left to come home on Wednesday to get ready for his summer job - Cinderella. They made a pit stop in Panaca to see his mom who had to have her gall bladder out (she was not able to come to graduation). The rest of us stayed there to play and have fun. We were suppose to go to Seven Peaks - a water park - but it got rained out so we had to wait a few days. On Thursday, Tina and I were going to have a ladies day out. I was so excited to hang out with my sister. About twenty minutes into our trip, my mother called to inform us that dad had just fallen off the roof and could not move his legs. We got home as fast as we could to see him laying on the grass. What a horrible feeling!! He was moving his back but could not put any pressure on his feet at all. Stubborn old man would not let us call an ambulance so we got some help, loaded him onto an army cot, and put him in the back of my van with the seats all down. We headed to the hospital for a very long night. Dad had to have x-rays and cat scans to find out that both of his heels were broken. It was not good. I could not believe the attitude of my father though. He was just so grateful that it was not worse. We laughed and joked all night while waiting in the emergency room. Mom told us she though dad looked like one of those dead bodies you see on TV when she saw him on the grass. Dad teased the intern who tried without success to get his IV in. Finally about 9:00 they were ready to move him to another hospital. Tina and I went with him to get his settled. They gave him lots of pain meds and told him to try to sleep. He did not get much of that at all.

I spent the next week in and out of the hospital. Mom was scheduled to have her shoulder replaced on Monday and it was in the same hospital as dad. We asked for a double room, but they had none. They were two doors apart though so we just spent the time walking back and forth between them. Dad ended up having surgery on his right foot on Wednesday. The left one was healing okay in a boot. His right heel was broken in five places so it required 9 screws and a plate to make it better. He did not have a good experience in the hospital with slips, nurses not knowing what they were doing, and so much pain. Mom had better luck with the nurses but she swears she will not have her other shoulder done. They both are doing better now and in a rehab center for a week. I was able to get a few extra days off of work and spent that time getting wheelchairs, commodes, and so forth for them to come home. I rearranged furniture at their house and the ward built a ramp for dad to get up the stairs. He can not put any pressure on his feet for 6 weeks - no walking at all. It wa so hard to leave them there on Thursday to come home but I knew I needed to get back. They were and are in good hands with my brothers and sister. I did as much as I could to help out while I was there. I even left Cortnie there to help out for a month. She was going to stay for two weeks anyway to help Grandma, but now will stay until they don't need her anymore. I am hopeful that will be the first part of July. I would like to enjoy some of my daughter's last summer at home before she leaves for college. We make that trip the end of August.

Needless to say, our vacation was not what we planned. I am so grateful things did not turn out worse though and that I was there to be able to help. I love seeing my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews and parents. How I long to be close to them. Maybe someday my dream will come true. Until then, I pray every day for them - especially now. They mean the world to me.