Our "RARE" life in a nutshell...

For the past few months, we feel like we have had one one health issue after the other with our sweet little boyz.


Parker has been sick for a long time, and we didn't know what was going on. In April, he spent 3 days in the hospital trying to determine why he had such high fevers. With no solid answers, we put him on an antibiotic and brought him home.

Then, 2 weeks ago, the same high fevers returned, and Parker was very sick again. After many trips and tests at the Doctors again, he ended up in the hospital for a CT scan, because he couldn't move his neck. We found out that he had an abcess in his thyroid gland, bigger than a silver dollar. After emergency surgery to clean out the infection and put a drain in his neck, Parker spent another 5 days in the hospital on high powered antibiotics through his IV every 6 hours. (Parker loved when Jax came to visit and they went on wagon rides in the hospital!)

And now???? We are home, the drain came out on Thursday, and the stitches come out tomorrow. Then... another waiting game... we will have an ultrasound in a few weeks to see if the cyst is still there, or if the infection is gone. If there is a cyst still in his thyroid gland, we will have to go down to Primary Children's and have part of his thyroid gland removed, along with this cyst. Hopefully this was just a swollen lymphnode in his thyroid, and it will continue to go away with the antibiotics he is on. We will not really know what this is and what is going to happen next until the ultrasound.

And Jaxon?? Well, he had two moles appear on his foot a few months ago, and one of them turned totally black and tripled in size within a few weeks. We went to the dermatologist and had those removed immediately. My mom and I had to hold Jax down while they numbed his foot and removed the moles. It was AWFUL! Jaxon had four stitches in his foot for two weeks...but he did really well. The results... one mole came back normal, but the other mole had abnormal cells in it that would have turned into cancer if left in his foot. He is only 1!!! We will go back in August to check and make sure everything still looks okay.

And how is mom handling all this? Not too well. I know as mothers we feel so much for our children... and I don't know how mother's who are going through harder things than me actually do it. I have been battling depression for over 6 months now. Just when I start feeling better on my medication, something new comes up with my boyz, and the stress takes me back to square one. I know many women struggle with depression, and I understand that I am not in this alone. So... is it hard to talk about? No, because the more love, support and prayers out there for me, the better... and maybe I can help someone else who also battles depression. I have had wonderful support and love from my dear husband, my family, Paul's family, our ward and visiting teachers, piano students and parents, and friends. It means so much to have so many people out there loving me, when I know everyone has their own trials to go through... Thank You. Hopefully with some counseling I will be starting next week, I will be able to continue to work through some issues in my life that will make me a better mother, wife, daughter, and friend, and will help me overcome some of my many struggles and trials. I know I am truly blessed...

Such rare health things with our little boyz. We sure love them and feel such pain for them in seeing their pain. We know the Lord loves them dearly... it is just hard to keep up the faith when they continue to suffer with these many difficult challenges they have had to face in the past year. But... we will hold strong and continue to be One with the Lord.

On a lighter note.... what are my boyz up too when they are feeling well????

Parker is loving being outside... rain or sunshine! He is ALL boy, finding all the dirt and puddles he can find. He loves camping in our new trailer. He looks for bugs everywhere, and for a while there, we were bringing home a new creature every weekend. We had a beetle, frogs, and a snake! (Yes, I am trying to be a good mother of boyz! :)) Parker loves being just like his daddy. He follows Paul around doing "guy stuff!" He is quite the little helper, and loves to be a big brother to Jax. It is so nice to have him feeling better and almost back to our happy, energetic, smiling Parker. I just love him so much.

Jaxon is EVERYWHERE... and I LOVE it! He learned how to walk on Mother's Day, and hasn't stopped since. He loves to hold toys and walk around the house. He is content just walking all day! He finally has four teeth! His two top ones are making their way down! He has learned to say.... "mama, dada, dog, ki-ki---kitty, doda---Doja is our dog!, pease---please, eat, gama---Grandma, gampa---Grandpa, wow, yeah, no, nigh-nigh---night-night (and he tells you this whenever it is bedtime or naptime!, see, and he trys to mimic everything we say. He is growing up so fast, but I am truly in love with him!!!

Such sweet boyz, such trials, but such rewards and blessings we all be receiving as we continue to hold fast to the Lord and endure to the end. I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who knows of our trials and is there when I call upon Him for His Love and Peace.