Two new additions

Ry Tyler Worsley and William Brayden Hunt

Braydon is waiting just around the corner...

Here he is!!!!

7 lbs. exactly

20.5 inches

10:40 am

OK, I just posted but they just checked her and she is at an 8!  A little of the cervic is hanging on but the nurse can feel his head and said it won't be long before she starts pushing.  Chelsee is really feeling this so they upped the dose.  Not helping much.  I change my time to 10:45!

The nurse just suggested with all this Brayden following that we start a college fund.  You can deposit your donations into Kristen Sanders bank account.  She promises not to spend it on a Christmas gift for Christi...or Ben (he made me say that).

 Chelsees Halloween Costume...Darth Vadors Good Twin Sister.  Actually, the baby has not responded to the stress very well and so the nurses here have tried to help him out with some oxygen. It has worked perfectly.  His heart beat is going strong.   She was really having issues with shaking and wanting to throw up so they gave her some kind of drug and sat her up and she feels all better!  His head is a stage 0 which means it is resting on the cervix.  She can feel each contraction enough to know it is there and they are very close together.  Her greatest discomfort is just the intense pressure which is just going to get worse!

Dad and Mom awaiting Brayden's birth.  

So Chelsee was suppose to go in to be induced 24 hours ago but the hospital was slammed with other deliveries so we were put in a holding pattern ALL DAY!  By evening we just decided to go to bed and hope we could get some sleep.  That seemed to do the trick because at 11:30pm Ben came to our room and said the hospital called and they finally had a room.  We should have gone to bed at noon.  So we got here around 12:30 and she  was put on the drip around 2:00.  Ben, Kristen and I took turns fight over who got the couch/bed or the up-right chair.   Much to our surprise at around 5:00 am Dr. Huish showed up!  He came in and found that she was at a 4 and 80% effaced and then broke her water!  He does not mess around.  That went quickly and I told Chelsee she needed to order that epidural STAT!  And I was correct!  She started feeling the real contractions right away.  The epidural didn't seem to go as smoothly as I have seen before.  She seemed to be in a lot of pain but she was strong and calm through the whole thing!  It is now almost 6:30 and the sun is just at the horizon.  Kristen has been great about texting everyone.  So now that you are all awake we will keep you posted through text and my blog.  Here are some pictures as we began this process of bringing baby Brayden into the world.  He's going to have red hair.  Just wait and see.  

Our best guess on when he will arrive:

Kristen - 11:00

Ben - 12:00

Christi - I think they are pretty close so I'll go with 11:30.  

Anyone can join the contest by just commenting.

Hospital

Bens brought his pillow and looks like Chelsee did too...

Just settled in for the long haul

It was soooo cold in the room.Thankfully everyone agreed with me.  We are now defrosted and listening so some of Chelsees concerns.  They are many. Here is the latest:

   "What if the drug from the epidural goes to my heart and stops it?"  

She is just like her Dad wanting to watch the monitor the whole time.  She is finally settled down and going to sleep.  She will need it for what's coming up.

We just skyped with Meagan Nielson and now Kristen is doing her hair. 

More a little later.  

This is the first picture of Chelsee pregnant I could get!  She is due in two days.  I will be posting "appropriate" pictures in the hospital to keep everyone informed.  Now I am going to wake Chelsee up and find a trampoline...get this show on the road!

Magnolia...

To Kristen Sanders:

My daughters BFF

My adopted daughter

My Hair Stylist

My Inspiration!

  Opening your own salon took some real courage and I just want you to know I am so proud of you!

Thanks for making me feel beautiful and covering the gray!

Loves Forever...

Kristen Sanders

480.299.2409

Salon Magnolia 

Located in Vintage Studios

1511 S. Higley Rd. Suite 101

Gilbert, AZ 85296

Enter...Ry Tyler Worsley

 

Favorite Picture of Mom and Son

Weight

Can you say..."I hope they call me on a mission?"

Dad and Son

Grandma

Grandpa

One month old...

Today my YWs lesson was more for me...

I was giving a lesson today in which we discussed Helen Keller. She asked a young girl what her observations were after a walk in the woods. The girl replied, "Nothing in particular." Her response was:

"At times my heart cries out with longing to see all these things with physical eyes but if I can get so much pleasure from mere touch, how much more beauty must be revealed in sight. And I have imagined what I should most like to see if I were granted the use of my eyes - even for three days!"

The question was then posed, what would you like to see?

So I made a video for my class so they could see what I would want to see first. It helped me remember what matters most.

It's a jungle but someone has to go there...

It's a jungle out there...in Hawaii

Hawaii Summer 2010. It was beautiful, both the weather and the islands. Bob had a Board of Directors meeting and so we stayed a few extra days and enjoyed our time together. I love traveling with my husband. He is full of adventure. As for me, we would have laid around a pool and drank virgin pina coladas and read a good book. Which is exactly what I did the day after this little sight seeing trip.

Out of all the pictures this is my favorite. Why? Because it reminds of the moment I stuck my foot into that cold stream. The water was cold and the day was warm. So refreshing.

Beautiful flora and fauna. I still love roses more...

These black swans were at our resort on Kauai. I thought they were ugly compare to the white ones by the restaurant where we had our breakfast. Little did I know that these black swans are quite rare and are symbolic. I have copied an explanation below. Seems that a black swan represents a circumstance when events are rare, have extreme impact, and in retrospect they are predictable...sounds like our failing economy.

"What we call here a Black Swan is an event with the following three attributes. First, it is an outlier, as it lies outside the realm of regular expectations, because nothing in the past can convincingly point to its possibility. Second, it carries an extreme impact. Third, in spite of its outlier status, human nature makes us concoct explanations for its occurrence after the fact, making it explainable and predictable. I stop and summarize the triplet: rarity, extreme impact, and retrospective (though not prospective) predictability. A small number of Black Swans explains almost everything in our world, from the success of ideas and religions, to the dynamics of historical events, to elements of our own personal lives."

I wanted to make note of my experience yesterday. All the youth in our branch and ward went to Randolf for church. It's a facility for the severely to moderately handicapped. The youth of 48 stakes participate by assignment making it once every four years that a ward is able to attend. Having been in the youth program for so long I have had the opportunity four times. The amazing thing is that I have been assigned to the same cottage and the same woman every time I have gone. Her name is Judy and we must be kindred spirits. I was shocked when they walked me to her cottage ... again. As I opened the door there she sat ready for me to take her to "church" in the gymnasium. There are 100 patients that attend the meeting making it 1/100 chances I would get her...now times that by four. She is tiny and only whispers. I could not take my arm off from around her before she would put it right back again. Beneath her limitations was a brilliant spirit and someday I hope to be able to visit with her when she can tell me why I was always chosen to be her "friend" on those sacred sweet sabbath days.

Lael, our daughter-in-law is in the hospital at 33 weeks trying to keep her little boy inside just a bit longer. We have the kids for the next several weeks. I am so excited to see this sweet new boy coming into our lives and then another in October. With five daughters I thought Heaven only rained little girls but these two little guys added to our other grandsons makes 9...and of course our three beautiful grandaughters.

I will post pictures of Ry Tyler when he comes...hopefully not too soon.

A sweet farewell Dad...

My Dad passed away two weeks ago tomorrow. It has been a long difficult journey watching him suffer with Alzheimers and even harder to watch his last remaining days here on earth. He is finally free from his prison and though I am so relieved for him, the reality of him being

gone is still hard.

I have thought a lot about Heaven these past few weeks. Who came for him? What is he experiencing? Who is he talking to? What is he wearing? Has he had all his questions answered? He had a lot of them. Can he see me? Does he know how many people love and miss him? This magnified reality of a heaven makes this existence feel like I am in a bit of a holding

pattern.

Cathy and Jenny

Luke and Annaliese with Grandma

The Steve Armstrong clan minus Lance who is in the service back east and could not make it.

Chelse, Mom, Kendra, me and Annie

We had the service yesterday. It was delayed for almost two weeks because we had family coming from Indonesia and it was the soonest they could get here. What a sweet relief to have my brothers and their families here. Being together gave me strength. I have such an amazing family...all of them! How many people can say that? We are growing with such wonderful additions both in marriage and births.

It was really important to Mom that we have the Air Force Honor Guard come and salute Dad. They folded the flag on Dads coffin and gave the flag to Mom.

The "presenter" knelt next to Mom and presented her the flag and spoke softly, only to her...

"This flag is presented on behalf of the President of the United States of America and a grateful nation as a token of appreciation for your loved ones honorable and faithful service."

It was very touching, knowing how proud Dad was of his service on the Berlin Airlift an 75 combat missions in Korea.

Dads grandsons and two sons that could be there were the Pallbearers.

Brett Hulet

Steve Armstrong

Nick Armstrong

Brad Worsley

Luke Armstrong

Ben Hulet

Nico Armstrong

Here we are waiting for the placement of the casket and dedication of the grave. I think Cathy was taking care of one of her grandchildren during this picture and Tony was in Germany and not able to make the flight back.

These women were truly our angels who took care of Dad during his final years. We knew him at his best and they knew him only at his worst. There dedication to Dad was the truest of unconditional love. Our love and gratitude knows no bounds.

Simply Providential...

Bob and I are in NYC for business (Bob) and adventure (me). Several interesting things have happened to me that seem simply providential. We missed our morning flight out and were able to get on standby at noon. I sat next to a red headed woman that was very sweet. She was from Prescott and going to NY to help her daughter make dresses for her upcoming wedding in June. I told her about Kendras dress that I had made...

and Chelsees reception in my backyard (sorry, she has all the pictures). That got us on to gardening and soon discovered that we were both "Master Gardners"! The similarities in our lives were astounding! Truly a kindred spirit.

We then checked into the Meridian here in Manhattan. It was lovely enough but not very warm and inviting for me. The hallways were dark grey and blue lights and...well I felt like I was in a 1960's bar. Weird imagination. Luckily for us they only had a room for that night and so the next morning I packed up and booked a room and the Omni Berkshire. We have never stayed at this hotel in Manhattan but I love the Omni hotels so off I went with luggage in taxi. As I was walking back to the Omni later that afternoon I noticed a restaurant just two doors down from the Omni. I always look for the narrow frontage but deep restaurants. It usually means amazing food. I suggested as we headed out for dinner that night that we take a look. As we entered we were overwhelmed by the fresh florals that were everywhere! Each table had a small vase with a dozen flowers...roses, ranunculus, berries.

But the most stunning were the large cherrie branchs with full blooms reaching to the top of the ceilings with some white lilies at the base.

It was like stepping into a secret garden. It just took my breath away. The fragrance was amazing. I just kept closing my eyes and taking deep breaths to try and take it all in. We were some of the first people there and so the food aroma had not taken over yet. I would have never found this place if we had not had to move! Providential enough. The owner came to our table and talked all about his flowers. Every season the restaurant is transformed by whatever is in season. This is a must see if you are ever in NYC. The name oddly enough was simply "La Grenioulle" meaning The Frog.

Strange name for such an enchanting restaurant.

One more interesting point of interest. Across the street from the Omni was a

giant blown up rat and cockroach and men drumming on 5 gallon paint buckets.

I thought they were advertising a new Broadway show and ignored it. The problem is that it was all day and getting a bit annoying. Bob came home and said that it was the painters union harassing the hotel for hiring non-union painters. The union paid these guys for the week to stand outside and agitate guests with the noise. It was so disturbing to me to think that a hotel cannot hire who they want. The union will make you suffer if you don't use them. Pro union or not...that is just simply wrong. Is this the land of the free or not.

So today we are going to walk all round the park and see what we can see. I am very excited. Bob doesn't have any appointments today. This would be a first for us when we visit Manhattan. I'll post pictures of our day...

Easter and Lilies

I've always wondered what the connection was between Easter and Lilies and so I googled it. Here is the condensed version:

The Easter Lily originates from the souther part of Japan and was brought here to America in the late 1800's. It's scepter or trumpet shape makes it a symbol of royalty. Its white color indicates purity, innocence, hope, and virtue.

Christ makes reference to the flower in the New Testament when he says..."Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin and yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." I love Christ's description.

Lilies are often called the "White-Robed Apostles of Hope". Lilies were discovered in the Garden of Gethsemane after Christ died on the cross. During the Easter season, churches line their altars and envelop their crosses with a multitude of Easter Lilies, to signify the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope of eternal life.

And now you know...

Happy Easter

An Afternoon with Dad

I realized the other day that perhaps it might be nice to update you on Dad with a video. Mom and I went on Friday to give Dad a hair cut and snapped a few pictures. He was not very responsive through most of the taping but I was able to capture some sweet moments. He is very weak and it seems a miracle that he keeps hanging on. I pray everyday he can be released from this life but while his sojourn continues here on earth he will be loved and taken care of. For those of you who have not been able to see Dad/Grandpa for some time this may be a little difficult to watch. Just know that every once and awhile we see a glimpse of him and it would make you smile.

Mom giving Dad a good luck kiss before I start cutting!

A video of Dad...