Normal

That's what I crave.

This past week has been insane... surreal.

Who gets so sick that they end up in ICU... for five days?!? My husband... Man... he is in some trouble with me. I have never been so worried, or ever felt so lonely. Just the mere thought, and slightest taste of actually having to live my life without him has been wretched. I love this man so much.. he is so much. Our family doesn't function without him, and I thank every last one of you for your thoughts and prayers these past few days.

I know that's why he is getting better.

Thank you,

thank you,

THANK YOU.

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Dustin was finally released from the hospital this afternoon.

He spent Sunday-Thursday up at LDS in their Intesive Care. Monday was the roughest day as it was probably his sickest. First thing Monday morning the pulmonologist did a bronchoscopy to try and detect exactly what was happening in Dustin's lungs. He was on heavy o2, and wasn't too coherent for the better part of the day due to the heavy sedative they gave him combined with the energy he was exerting to breath. His chest x-ray still looked terrible, and after 24 hours of waiting for the culture from his lungs to grow something, nothing ever did. Over the course of 5 days he was pumped with three different types of antibiotics, and was given alburteral breathing treatments every 4 hours on top of all the oxygen he was recieving. No answers were really ever answered, but slowly Dustin started to improve. His doctor believed that because Dustin had already been diagnosed and treated with antibitocs a week before his ICU stay, they were already doing there job of killing any bacteria or virus that might had shown up on a culture. When he did the scope, instead of seeing a lot of fluid, he saw terrible inflamation which was causing the upper lobes of his lungs to collapse. Although we haven't gotten a specific daignosis, after doing some reading and internet surfing I strongly believe he had this. I think Dr. Gregory House would agree :)... But for real, I really do think this is what he may have had.

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This whole experience has just been so wild. Not that a crisis ever is normal, but this literally came out of left field. I am frightened to think of what could have been...last Friday when this all started getting hairy, his doctor was just going to send him home with some phenegren and codeine and have him "sleep off" his illness. Thank goodness he decided to dig just a tad deeper. If Dustin would have just gone home ans drugged himself up, he probably would have conked out and stopped breathing in his drug induced slumber.

*shiver*

All I know is that I got just enough dose of reality to count myself EXTREMLY blessed. All I want is my normal back. I want a husband around, I want to go bed with him beside me, I want to know he'll be walking through the door at 5:30.. to know that he will come home. I am so grateful he is home again.

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Everyone has been so supportive and kind during this whole ordeal. My Mom and sisters took the girls when necessary, and my Mom, being the saint she is made it possible for me to spend every day at the hospital with Dust. She does my job better than me, and Mins is still asking for her Nannie.

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I'm just so glad and so grateful this is behind us...

I hope to never see the inside of an ICU again.

Not so great update

I just wanted to post a quick update on my poor Dustin.
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Last night he took a turn for the worse, and he had to make yet another trip to the ER this morning. Alice took him because I had to stay with the babies, and I hated every second of that. He was in a bad way he finally made it back up to LDS hospital, and once they took his vitals his oxygen saturation level was only at 50. Alice said everyone on staff were all really concerned, rushing to get him stable, and after having a CT of his lungs, he was placed in ICU.

They don't know for sure what is wrong. He is still in the ICU and probably will be for the next day or so. They are not sure that it is actually pneumonia, but couldn't do further testing today because he is just too sick, and is requiring too much oxygen.

I am scared beyond reason, and have a constant knot in my stomach. Seeing my husband.. the father of my babies hooked up to so many machines, and feeling so weak, is a terribly frightening thing.

So far we don't know much... The doctors just keep saying that he is really, really sick. They are going to attempt more tests tomorrow when he is hopefully doing better.

My poor husband... he needs our prayers. I will keep giving updates as I know more.

Man Cold vs. Pneumonia

**WARNING**...

great wife alert

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So.... Dustin has been home sick all week, and after I was positive he just had a bad case of this, he was admitted to the hospital Friday. eek. I know!

All week long I have been border-line irriatated with him mopping around, and thought he was being slightly dramatic when he drove himself to the ER Monday night. IN MY DEFENSE, they just sent him home with a diagnosis of a cold, and gave him what I considered pity antibiotic. I mean, since when did they start treating a simple cold with a z-pack?? Anyway...a second trip to the ER on Tuesday produced a diagnosis of Atypical Pneumonia and I started sympathizing for him a tad bit more.. just a tad though. I pretty much left him alone to sleep all week, but Friday morning when he was still feeling terrible with some seriously labored breathing, I made him go see my doctor. The doc re-confirmed the pneumonia diagnosis, and was about to send him packin', when he decided to check his blood oxygen level just in case. TURNS OUT, Dust was barley oygenating.. his level was at 82, and boy, how Doctor Pneumonia's demeanor changed (and mine mind you). Within 30 minutes Dustin was arranged for admittion, and by the time we got to the hospital his oxygen was down to 75.

Yuck... the whole experience has been terrible. They admitted him to the most inconvienently located hospital ever, making my juggle between staying with him while also caring for our children nearly impossible. There was NO WAY I was going to bring my 2 month old to a hospital floor housing all manner of illness.. and the fact that I am her sole source nourishment left me leaving Dust alone the majority of his stay :(.

Luckily he only spent about 24 hours there, and after some IV antibiotics and 12 hours on oxygen he is now home feeling much better.

So that's that.

FUN.

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and now here I am, justifiably so, stroking his forehead and telling him,

"Poor little bunny..."

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Thank goodness it's the end of this week

Little Miss Eliza

this tiny thing gave us a run for our money...

but, oh so worth it in the end :)

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tiffany, eli is beautiful.

thank you for letting me capture her.

chuck-e

cheese.

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today kenna and i took the chillans to the highly acclaimed Chuck-E-Cheese. jude is scheduled to go in for another lazer treatment tomorrow morning, and his Mama wanted to make sure he got exactly what he wanted today.

so off to the ChuckE it was :)

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my mom, and vanessa and her girls joined us for our afternoon of fun as well. nannie ever so kindly offered to pick up the lunch tab, which was very unessecary, but very nice...

so yeah, 70 whoppin dollars later, we had our self some NASTY funk, rubber-esqe pizza that i am convinced must have also had truffle oil infused somewhere in it's crust to justify that price.

YEESH!

i'm sorry Mom.. we should have just eaten some where else :(

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jude.. sweet boy
today was his day


and crazy horse will always be there to tag along because...


they are best friends.

hey, HEY, hey!!!

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wonder why ?

:)

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it was a really fun afternoon and the moodles enjoyed herself to the moon.

good luck tomorrow judamakins! we love you to peices!

a LittLe bit Minie...

at 18 months miss mins...

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.loves the word "No!"

.loves elmo...

.loves ming ming

.follows mama's every foot step

.pokes sissy's eyes

.makes incredible messes

.eats mini pancakes every day

.still loves hot dogs

.has a major opinion about what she wears

.loves her "B" (binks)

.has teeny tiny feet

.laughs adorably for no reason

.loves to "make" food in her kitchen

.dances at any given excuse

.loves her daddy

.doesn't look at the camera anymore :(

.is an excellent sleeper

.removes her socks and shoes as soon as she is in the car

.crys at the doctor

.yells at duke

. hides in corners, closets, and beneath tables to poop :)

.charms everyone she meets

.melts her mama's heart with her cross bite smile

.lights up to see her sister come in the room

.lights up any room

...

and...

.is SO loved by me

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my first baby.

my best girl.

my own little shadow...
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how did i ever live life without you?

you have given me the best 18 months of my life.

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i love you smooshie...

xoxo,

mama

fyi

i am up and running with oliverminie j. again, so for all of you people inquiring, please check out the updated blog at http://oliverminiej.blogspot.com/ .

that's all.

my blessing

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We blessed our beutiful girl the past Sunday. Thank you to all that came and showed their support. It meant a lot to our little family :)

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Dustin gave sweet Poppy an incredible blessing. He is a fantastic Father, and as I watched him bless her with so many heartfelt promises, then watch him ever so delicately cradle her in his arms walking back to our seats, my heart was just over flowing with the love I have for him. My husband is so strong, and I feel so loved, and so safe in knowing that he is the Patriarch of our home;

I love you so much honey.. you did a wonderful job on Sunday.

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Your girls are over the moon lucky to have a Daddy like you :)

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First "real" family photo.

Aren't my girlies darling?

(Even with a flash picture I might add!!)

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Brothers of the preisthood.

All the men that stood in on the cirlce...

(take or add a few i think ..... ;) )
...

..

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And now...

be prepared!

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The following are Poppy's official blessing gown photos...

and there are a lot!

I just simply could not chose one, so now you get to see them all!!!
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After I have a baby I always feel like you can finally breath easy once they are blessed. It's there connection to me here on earth. Their blessing is our bind..a ceremony linking this new precious angel to me....her Mama who finally gets her turn with her!

My sweet, sweet Poppy Louise...

I will never, ever grow out of love for you.

Thank you for chosing us.

-mama

Minie Moo...Scary Moo

Last night, us girls were all down stairs enjoying a little lounge time while Dust was upstairs cleaning up the dinner dishes.
Poptart was kicking ever so innocently on a blanket, Minie was piladging through any fateless item that chose to cross her path, and I was just *relaxing (relaxing?? really, who relaxes with an 18 month old in the room?)on the floor next to Popps...(possibly being distracted for the eensiest bit of time by the new season of The Bachelor ;) ) , when out of no where flys a small, yet very powerfull fist of metal snowflake. The dang thing came crashing down on to sweet Poppie's face... a little love smack (if you will) from big sis . Anyway, She OF COURSE started screaming immediately. And I am not talking your run of the mill cry, these were the 40 second wind up doozies, the breath holders, the cries that give us all fare warning, that baby is about to explode.
And explode she did. She turned three shades of purple, and cried SO hard, for SO long that she puked. Meanwhile, Miss Mins thinks this is absolutely hilarious, and just continues to repeat "Baby! Baby! Baby!". Dustin rushed down stairs to save his girls, and found little miss destrution red handed. She was awarded a spanken, and her first trip to time out... "and he meant it!"
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Of course Crazyhorse was forgiven, as truly she didn't have a clue she was hurting Poppy. But honestly!!! The girl is crazy busy, and we are all a little frightened. Poppy is now sporting a pretty good lookin' bruise, and some impressive swelling to boot!
And that ladies and Gentlmen is what we call a 16 month age gap...
we pray that Poppy will make it out of her first year alive :)
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And believe you me... I'v got many more stories where that came from..

Crazy girl...

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I Love you...

And little Miss Popps....

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I love you so much my girl.

You are my main squeeze, and I will always be there to protect you smoosh.

xoxo,

Mama

For Allison....FINALLY!

Robyn and I took this sweet family's photos right after Thanksgiving, and they are just NOW finished...

Allison.. thank you so much for your patience. I know I told you it would be longer than normal, and I so appreciate you understanding!

I wanted to post some type of preview, because I have never shot a family this big, and well yes, I feel like some feat was achieved between this and Poppy's arrival.

I hope you love them Allison. The discs will be to you by the end of the week!

morning happenings...

This is what you would find on any typical morning at my house:

The entire family congregated to our bed (much to Dustin's chagrin) and we all mosey around the mess of slept in comforters, and little girl morning breath to the hohum of some crazy wierd playhouse Disney show plaing in the background.

I love my smooshies...
and I especially love them in the morning
:)



They can be so sweet...
cuddling, sucking binks, and watching some toons.....

................

and then the inevitable happens....

and sweet time abruptly stops

:)

but then we just get right back up on the saddle again, and resume watching Mickey Mouse Club House.

Oh, my sweetsies girls...

I
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L.

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O.
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V.
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E.

YOU

To whom it might concern...

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We will be blessing our sweet Poppsies this coming Sunday , January 4th.

Our church starts at 9:00 AM, and is located at

464 W Germania

MURRAY , UT 84123

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We would love any and ALL friends to attend this special day with us!!!!

yes... even you, blurkers...

:)

Hope to see you there!!

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(And yes... how cute is she in that photo?? She can't really help it...)