Broken Leg

Yes, we have our first broken leg injury. Monday night we went to the Isaacs house for dinner and FHE. They are a new family in our ward from Idaho, but moved here from Michigan for an Oncology job thru Methodist hospital. They have 5 kids: 9, 7, 5, 3, 1...so basically like our family. They kids had a blast playing and Josh and Rob enjoyed chatting medicine, but after dinner we heard a thud, thud, THUD! and discovered Mara at the bottom of the basement stairs. Of course the Isaacs were mortified but Josh and I took it all in stride. Besides, after concussions, stitches and puncture wounds, not to mention a bad case of pneumonia, what's a broken bone? Josh called ahead and we walked right into the ED with Mara. Josh got her x-rayed and sure enough she has a tiny spiral fracture in the tibia, often called a Toddler Break. Josh and the tech cast it out in the waiting room since there were no rooms and we did not want to wait (the blessings of having a Daddy who works there) and we were out in under 2 hours! A bit of tyelonal later and she seems to be adjusting. It is a walking cast but she will not walk on it. I have been carrying her and the baby, not to mention the one growing in my belly. Man I won't gain any weight this pregnancy! :o) She pretty much has taken residence in the overstuffed chair in the living room. I got her a lap tray and I really only bring toys to her or carry her to the potty. She has been a good sport, now if I could only find a way to tie down Tristan and especially Melina whose butt never stays put, I would be in bliss! Just kidding.

Office decorations

With boards over we have been finishing some things around house. Despite the couple of days leading up to the test being hard on Josh, he sailed thru them and we are awaiting good results :o) We hung pics in the office, made a reading corner and took (most of) Josh's stuff up to his Broadlawns office. We finally framed his BYU diploma, license, Residency diploma and DMU diploma. They are all hanging neatly in his office at work now. We are pretty pleased at the look of the office. We are constantly amazed how much work a house takes over having an apartment! The lawn and garden care, leaky faucet in the Master bath and painting some trim on the front door are all projects we have tried to tackle this week besides the office. I need a break!

BABY #5 (nope, we don't know what it is!)

u/s puts baby due on dec 22! Dr. Lindell says the 14th and I say the 16th. Despite all these contradictions, I refuse to deliver past the 22, so that I can recover one day in the hospital and come home the morning of the 24th to get ready for Christmas Eve night and the next morning. I do not want to have a Christmas day baby! We found out Josh is on inpatient service for Christmas, as he is the new guy, so that means he will have to round all mornings and be on call the week of Christmas. Bummer for me. My Dad looked into borrowing some days from next year and coming with my mom that same week and he thinks he maybe able to swing it, however flights that week are running $600 round trip a piece and that is to and from Omaha! So, I guess the details of having baby will just fall into place. My biggest concern is just who will watch them the day I deliver and the next day, especially since there are 4 of them! I am sure though between Broadlawns friends and ward friends, we can find people. I always say that after baby comes home everything is cheery for the first 2 weeks and the exhaustion hits the third week. Perhaps by then flights might be cheaper and my parents could come after New Years?

Otherwise, baby is wiggly and flexible! S/he had their feet up next to their head the whole time and kept doing flips (will I ever have a quiet, still child?) and yes, they appear to be a thumb-sucker!

Difficult week ends on good note

new office furniture. still a work in progress, but the walls are painted, we found a desk/cabinet we love. we are utilizing some old furniture too for the time being. We are safe-keeping a friends piano too. I am in the process of trying to decide where to hang pictures and get a plant and finish unpacking loads more boxes. the corner you cannot see is a chair and a fun shelf with some old med books and Josh's white coat.

Mel sliding down the bounce slide
Tristan diving backwards

Daddy with Mara and Asher

Well, I have had a difficult week since Ali's passing. Every time I think about it, I am brought to tears. I just am saddened by this loss, as she and I were friends, both have little children and husbands in the same situation. My heart just breaks for Jeremy and the tough decisions he faces in the coming days, months and years. But I was comforted at the arrival of the August Ensign and Pres. Monson's message, which, was about death and living. Words I needed to hear. I am grateful that the Lord blesses our lives in these ways. I pondered President Monson's message about how death is unavoidable and will happen to all, sometimes even in the prime of our lives. But death brings peace to those who have passed thru its doors, and to those who are left, we must live with no regrets. We must treat others with kindness, love those with whom we associate, and always be vigilant that we do not waste our precious time here. I am sure Ali feels great peace and knows that her family will be ok.

Friday my spirits were lifted when our office furniture arrived. I still have to unpack boxes and hang pictures and decorate, but we finally have a desk and not a folding table!

Friday night and Saturday lunch were the annual pig roast at Broadlawns. We had pizza, slip n slide fun, and dug a big hole for the pig Friday. It was great to see old friends (Ha!) and catch up in the last month since graduation. Saturday the kids bounced until they could bounce no more, although Asher was very fearful so he just wandered around the park. We ate the pig (hmmm delicious!) and did some more socializing. A good time had by all......

Josh is busy studying and praying to pass his Family Practice Specialty Boards which take place tomorrow. Keep him in your prayers. He is very anxious (although I am sure he will do fine). We love you Josh and we are proud of your accomplishments!

Sad

Today I received an email from a friend of ours informing us that his wife and my friend passed away yesterday in a tragic car accident in Idaho. We have known the Van Giesons for a number of years. Ali and I watched each other kids, played at the park together, attended student wives functions together. Her husband is a 2nd year surgery resident in Michigan and like I have for many summers, she was visiting her family in Washington state for the summer while work was intense. Along with her father, who was driving, Ali died at the scene of the accident as they travelled to Utah for a family reunion. Her mother and 3 kids: ages 5, 3, and 1, were in the back and all received minor injuries. It is a miracle anyone survived after I saw the car on the news. I am so sad for Ali and for Jeremy. I wonder what her last moments were as I am sure they turned to her husband and children. I think about her kids crying for her when it happened and her not being able to help them. I ache for Jeremy and think how will he manage with 3 babies and surgery residency ahead of him. I am sad Ali will miss her daughter's first day of Kindergarten this year. She will miss her baby's first words; everything will have to be watched from afar. I ache to think it was just yesterday we laughed together about Jacob being a boy after 4 ultrasounds concluded he was for sure a girl! I think about how I just saw her last year at graduation, she was so excited to have bought their first house and expecting baby #3 any day. She was a well seasoned traveler as most of us students are, and had traveled those roads before. They were just tired the news reported and drifted off the road. Ali did not have her belt on as I am sure she was probably trying to calm the baby or turned around getting something for the children, as I have done many times myself. I think about how this could happen to anyone in a split second. Jeremy sent a heart-warming email that despite his grief, he knows he will be with her again someday and that families are forever. I am grateful for this knowledge too, however hard it is to face the difficult time now, we have the comfort of eternity. I am still saddened and wish somehow it could have been different. I cannot believe that someone just like me could be gone from her husband and children so suddenly. I am just sad and maybe even scared for them...and the uncertainty they face in the coming days and months. My heart goes out to Jeremy and Ali and their babies.

Real People

Well, we are officially real people. Today Josh was out mowing the lawn, we were both weeding and pruning, the kids were coloring on the sidewalk, and the dog was chasing everyone. We finally have a real life, whatever that is. I had to chuckle to myself because we have been married 8 years and this is a first for us: a house, a yard, 4 kids and a dog, and finally a real paying job which Josh started on Monday. This week has been hectic as he falls into a routine at work. I think we have seen him less this week than we did some weeks of residency. But, as things calm down a bit and Interns get a handle on patients we should see him more. He is enjoying his responsibilities as faculty and looking forward to his relationship/teaching with the medical school. The kids and I have been swimming all week and preparing for school to start (which I am more than ready for :o) in just a month! Mel wants to go so bad she asks me every day if it starts tomorrow!

Price Grandkids July 2008

Avery, Tristan, Melina, Hunter, Ciomara, Owen, Asher and Peyton
The girls
The boys (Asher is younger than Owie by about 10 weeks, but by far bigger so he is out of place)
The Stubz half. It is neat that my sister and I each have 2 boys and 2 girls and the exact opposite of each other. She has girl, boy, boy, girl and I have boy, girl, girl, boy. Wonder what we'll get next :o)

Melina's 5th Birthday

Costco makes yummy cakes! Although I do wish they would get their whipped topping back.
Melina opening High School Musical.
Mel on the diving board
Getting ready to blow out candles
New books and Asher wants to have them too!

Melina is a lucky girl. She always seems to have her grandparents or cousins around for her birthday since it is in the summer time. This year we stayed an extra day in California so we could have a swim party with family. Many cousins were able to be there too. Melina has become quite the pro at swimming. She is not afraid to jump off the diving board or swim in the deep end. This ability seems to have developed over night because a week ago at the Y swim lessons she showed none of these strengths (or maybe just cousin pressure :o) She got a jewelry box, gift card to Libby Lu, new clothes, barbies and new clothes, coloring books and stickers, a microphone, Hannah Montana cd, and a new movie. We served pizza and ice cream and kept it pretty low-key. Melina really enjoyed herself.

Family Reunion

Tyghe, Asher and Ben. They would not look at me at all for their picture-op!
Rocket launching. I am sure the neighbors thought we were crazy (or launching bottle rockets at first :o) but it was all safe and in good fun. The boys (meaning all the boys) had a grand time!
4th of July Parade in Truckee
Kezia, Tristan and Zephram, after the Treasure Hunt
Watching firworks atop the mountain (I am deathly afraid of heights so not too fun at first for me until I realized we were further from the edge than first anticpated and I calmed down a bit).

Well, we ventured to California on the 1st of July for a week of fun with all the cuzzies and fam both in the mountains and home. Josh's family had their family reunion up near Truckee/Soda Springs for 5 days, 4 nights. The Tripps came from New Mexico, the Jared Stubblefield family from South Carolina and Micah's family from Arizona. The Runyans and Lyons already live in California. We rented 2 cabins and half stayed in each. The kids really enjoyed themselves and loved playing with their cousins. Tristan and Zephram chatted it up over the Wii. Melina of course played with Gabby and Kelman. Mara had fun with Ada and Hannah (all the same age), and Asher met his buddies for the first time: Ben (June 5) and Tyghe (June 14). The weather was beautiful despite the fires all over the state. We canoed and barbequed, played frisbee golf, launched rockets from Grandpa's home-made launcher, decorated hats, jumped on the trampoline, treasure-hunted, played games, went to a parade, and saw fireworks from above the lake, and lounged around. It would be nice for us to live closer but I think the kids and Josh and I do appreciate more the time we have to spend with everyone, since we don't get together that often. We had a very nice time and the kids were sad to leave. Our flight home was quite the adventure though too with barfing babies and poop everyone (from big kids too). Oh the joys of parenthood! :o)

Yes, We are Pregnant. Yes, We know where they come from....

No, we don't think we have too many! Although, we are probably totally insane! Baby #5 ( a surprise and so we will not find out what we are having) is due December 16, 2008. Merry Christmas to us! Tristan will have just turned 7, but hey, we wanted a big family and we are well on our way. I have been the sickest with this pregnancy and now in the second trimester, I am having terrible headaches in the evening (its called 4 kids under 6 at home all day-- no school :o) Oh, well, and no, it is not twins...I may be big but not that big! We waited to tell everyone until the family reunion this past week, even though I was 17 weeks at that point. Emily was the only one brave enough to ask when she saw me and she did that quietly :o) Josh and I got a good chuckle out of no one mentioning I looked large, especially since that graduation photo where my belly sticks out! Well, here's too more than enough diapers, nursing, sleepless nights and screaming for years to come (oh and my mother-in-law says cooking and laundry too which somehow compounds at #5-- I can only imagine!) Check out our polls in the side column...