Home is Where Your Heart Is

What. a. crazy. month. I can't believe how time flies. Moving here and being in Michigan is the first time we have ever moved and not know a single person before arriving. Very hard. Today I talked to a friend who said she may be moving soon to re-locate for her husbands work. She's still unsure. She told me the news of the possibility of it, came on the wrong day. Time was just spent with family and moving would take that away. I get that. I hate that. Moving back to Utah may never be possible for us and over the years it's become easier to accept. I find family everywhere I go. Generally it comes very naturally and quick for me, literally days. But not this time. It's taken over a month. And I am still searching for that fulfillment. TORTURE. However, I am starting to feel a little bit more at ease with my surroundings. Tomorrow we have another play date to the museum. Our third! Yea! With the challenges that come with time taking its course, I am realizing that while I love my family dearly, and miss them,(wherever they are) I have learned to really enjoy MY little family more than ever. Although day to day it presents it's challenges (as usual) I really look forward to Bryan coming home, eating dinner together and all the little things that we have always done, that I too often took for granted. I wouldn't change my experiences for the world.

PLEASE READ AND PASS ALONG!!!!!

I am not a public advocate of causes nor do I ever raise awareness about anything.......this changes tonight. In December, Bryan was away on a clerkship in Tuscon. While there he had the privilege of working with Ryan Hess who is one year his senior in a podiatry residency program at the V.A. We just saw this information below on a mutual friend of Bryan and Ryan's facebook page. Just trying to raise awareness. Please read below and then ask yourself how you can help. We are not federal employees, so this is how I can help. But I know a handful of people who are. WHAT IS ONE DAY PEOPLE? Ladies,are you a federal employee? Are your husbands federal employees? Encouraging them to do this might be a good idea! And to many of my other friends and family, several of you have, will, or are currently going through a residency program. This is tragic. What if this was you? Giving a day wouldn't be so bad! Also, here is their blog address www.teamryanhess.blogspot.com

Here is an email that Margie (Ryan's wife) sent out. Please read it and pass it on or post it to your blog.

***FEDERAL EMPLOYEES- PLEASE DONATE LEAVE TO RYAN HESS***

My name is Margie Hess, my husband Ryan was diagnosed on June 12, 2009 with a rare and aggressive form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Since this is an aggressive form of T-Cell Lymphoma, his doctor has put him on an aggressive chemo regimen that will result in him being unable to work for the next 4-6 months and possibly longer. At the time of diagnosis he was finishing up his 1st year as a Podiatry Resident at the V.A. in Tucson, AZ. Ryan is a devoted husband and father of two children, Hallie (5) and Max (2). By the end of this month (June 2009), Ryan will use up the last of his vacation and sick leave and will have to go on unpaid leave. Ryan is the sole provider for our family; I stay at home with both the kids. Without him working we have no income. I need to stay home to help care for him, so I cannot get a job right now, either. As difficult as it is for our family to have to ask for help, we have realized that we must do so at this time. We were told that any federal employee (ie: military, Border Patrol, DEA, FB I, Dept of Justice, EPA etc. EXCEPT Post Office employees) can donate vacation time to be used as sick leave for another Federal employee. We would be so thankful for any number of extra paid days we can accumulate. Thank you so much.
How can you help if you ARE a Federal Employee?
Go to your HR department and request to donate leave to Ryan Hess who works for the VA. (Your HR person will know the form that needs to be filled out- each Federal agency has their own form to donate leave) Once filled out and signed, the HR person will then need to fax or e-mail the form to:

OLIVIA McCLURE - Benefits Specialist (TUCSON V.A.)
Phone #: (520) 792-1450 x 6076Fax # : (520) 629-1849
E-Mail : olivia.mcclure@va.gov

ALSO, for those who are federal employees, please print out this message and post it in break/lunch rooms to help get the word out as well as emailing it to co-workers!How to help if you are NOT a Federal Employee:PASS this along to ANYONE and EVERYONE that you know and then ask them to pass the message along. Post it on blogs, Facebook...whatever you can think of.Thanks again everyone- this will help SO much!
GO TEAM RYAN HESS!

Light Up the Sky

Traditionally Bryan and I either host or go to someone's house to join in the fun of celebrating the 4th of July. This may include river floating, shooting guns, parades, a bbq or picnic, a festival, and always family or friends. This year it was just our little family. It was low key and quiet. Our little group of 4 and 1/2. Surprisingly, we had a really nice time. Friday night we went to a fun show for fireworks and on Saturday we took a drive down the eastern shoreline from our neck of the woods into Detroit, about 40 minutes. It was so beautiful, until we reached Detroit. Then it was as if a veil was lifted, literally. It was as dramatic as day and night. Abaondoned buildings all battered and broken. But before we reached that point we traveled through a really swanky town/city called Grosse Point. It was awesome! We took the same drive home and went to dinner and then sponataneously decided to go watch another fireworks show. It was a fun day and we had a great time together. Here's to another 4th!!

Happy Birthday Brooklyn!

With all this posting, I saw the date and realized......it's Brooklyn's birthday today. She is 13 years old! I can't believe how time flies. I feel like we've missed so much of her growing up, being away from Utah. And now she is officially a teenager! I don't even have a recent picture of her, but rest assured, she is a looker!! We love you Brooklyn and hope you had a great day!

Here are some more recent pictures of Vivienne and the "Stooges." But first, with recent events, I thought this would be appropriate.

This picture was taken before Michael Jackson passed away, but with all the hype.....we felt this was fitting!

Gramma Dot sent this cute hair bow

Mason smothers her constantly. "oh beefy so tyoot. sees sooo tweet mom. sooo tiny." Just a few ways she's adored by her brother. There isn't a jealous bone in his body. Nothing but admiration for her and a million times a day. Mason cannot say Vivienne and he calls her Beefum. It used to be Beef-ree-um. Therefore, she has been nicknamed Beef.

I think she resembles her cousin Mikelle Molen in this picture. But I have only seen pictures of Mikelle so I am not sure! They are five months apart!

Partners in CRIME

Tummy time can be rough

Sisters!

What? How did this get in here? It's The Naked Cowboy prodigy

She held her hands in the air like this for a good hour

Blessing Day

Finally...we made it to Michigan. Computer is up and running again so I can get back to blogging and try to stay on track. I am way behind. What's new? I had intended to put up pictures of Vivienne's blessing before we left Philadelphia but my computer wasn't reading my camera and then we had to pack it up with out time to keep trying. Now that we are set up here...it worked!

So, we blessed Vivienne on June 14th. She was 3 weeks old. I didn't want to wait til she was 2 months old and we lived in Detroit where we know no one. I figured if it couldn't be in Utah then I really wanted it in Philly before we moved. It was our last Sunday. Bryan gave a beautiful blessing but at one point I couldn't keep from laughing....he blessed her to be determined! And then he blessed her to be a peacemaker. A good combination. But again, another beautiful blessing by him.

Because she was premature, I knew finding a dress would be a challenge. So, with the inspiration from Susan's friend in Mississippi, I decided to make it. Her friend makes them for her granddaughters using a onesie as the top then sews on a skirt. I used a preemie onesie to fit Viv and then made some adjustments. Emily showed me how to seersucker the top of the skirt and she also let me use her machine. Huge lifesaver! I also added beads at the neckline and replaced the sleeves with trim. Then when I was in Lancaster just days before Viv's unexpected arrival, I bought ribbon crocheted booties I fell in love with. They are so pretty. But of course, they are too big to this day. So she was going to go barefoot until......Allison made her the most darling little booties. She made them with left over material from her temple dress. Custom made shoes! So cute. And Gramma Dot bought her a pretty hair bow (she went through hoops to get that hair bow to us!) and Natalie H. made her a sparkly little bracelet, it measured 2 1/2 inches . All voluntary! We sure are loved!!! And she looked like a little Angel. Everything was perfect!!

Vivienne and her Happy Mom and Dad!

Deanna and Andy Hilton, our other set of parents! He was released as our Bishop this day. They moved to Indiana. We miss them so much!

The Three Stooges. Or at least Two Stooges. The verdict is still out on a third stooge...we will see.

Sweet little Angel!

Bracelet made with love, by Natalie Hamilton

Shoes made with love, by Allison Taylor

Hair bow sent with love, by Gramma Dot. If you look closely you can see the neckline is embellished with some beading. Just an extra touch...with love, Mom!