An Arrow

Since I've never been a Cub Scout, Connor's participation and involvement with this program has been a little foreign and new to me. I've enjoyed watching him go to the different activities over the past three years, and his competitive nature and strong willpower to succeed has brought him much success in the scouting program. Tonight, since we are fast approaching his 11th birthday, Connor received his "Arrow of Light" award at our ward's monthy pack meeting.

The Arrow of Light is the highest award you can receive in the Cub Scout Program. Earning this rank prepares a Webelos Scout to become a Boy Scout. Webelos Scouts who have earned the Arrow of Light Award have also completed all requirements for the Boy Scout badge.
This award is the only Cub Scout badge that can be worn on the Boy Scout uniform when a boy graduates from Cubs.I was extremely proud of Connor, as the different leaders recalled his many accomplishments and awards that he has achieved over the past few years in the Cub Scout Organization. Each Den leader had fond memories of activities where Connor was an enthusiastic and motiviated participant. They also commended him on his leadership skills and his eagerness to learn new things.

The ceremony that they use to present this award is also a kind of graduation from the Cub Scout Program. I tried to get some good pictures of the really touching ceremony that the cubmaster does with indian paint and the different symbols of the bobcat, wolf, bear and webelos dens, but we were at a park under a pavillion with pretty poor lighting.

He was presented with his badge, presented me with a Mother's pin and then I got to present him with "the arrow". The arrow is also a reminder to always fly straight and on course throughout life. These are all wonderful characteristics and traits that I hope my boys will internalize as they grow into young men.

They then had the part of the ceremony where Connor passed through the bridge of Cub Scouting and was greeted by the Boy Scout Master who congratulated Connor and welcomed him to the 11 year old Boy Scout Troop.

I have to admit I had a little lump in my throat and a pang in my heart as I watched yet another rite of passage and advancement occur for one of my children. Time just doesn't seem to want to slow down for anything and although I love to see my children accomplish goals and advance to new stages in their lives, something inside me is crying out just a little for a few more days or months to cherish the moments that they're in right now.

P.S.
Just had to include this kooky picture of Kyle as he sat and observed all the goings on tonight. Behind those big brown eyes and impish smile is an incredibly deep thinker. One of these days I'll figure out just what he's really up to!

My Third Grade Survivor and Kindergarten Cutie

Here we go with another 1st day of school. At Valley View, Kindergarten starts one week later than all the other grades. They really make those 5 year olds suffer in anticipation and believe me, Megan was more than ready to go this morning! Max went to school Friday and yesterday for a half day and is going to try to go all day today. He seems to be doing just fabulous and isn't taking any pain meds anymore. The only trick is keeping him with "two feet on the ground" for a month. That is what the doctors restricted him to as far as his activity and outdoor playing is concerned. Kyle is sleeping in this morning and it is unusually quiet at my house! Here are the pictures from our 2nd first day of school!

First day of school

Jordan started 8th grade today! Yes, eighth. I remember the eighth grade. First year that I started having crushes on boys. I'm sure that my daughter won't be as silly and flighty as I was to think that boys are actually worth the time of day at her age! I can only hope. She's so pretty, just look at her! (and her new shoes)

Connor is off to 5th grade with Mrs. Scoville. Jordan loved Mrs. Scoville and Mrs. Scoville loved Jordan. I can only hope she feels the same about Super Jock himself. He left this morning with his football under one arm, blueberry muffin in mouth, yelling to his friends to "wait up"! Boys are a different species, that's for sure.

My Max-ident prone child

Max did it again. This time he did it really good.

Or bad-- depending on how you look at it.

He got hurt. And although he's the one with the head injury...

I'm the one who feels like I haven't been able to breathe for a week.

The scariest feeling in the world has to be the "not knowing" when someone you love so much is hurt and you can't do anything about it.

Except pray. and pray. and pray some more.

So many of you have called and offered your own prayers this past week and for this I can never thank you enough.

We came home this afternoon. And although he's not "all better", he's on the road to recovery and I know that he will be better sometime soon.

For all of you who don't know what happened, I'm sorry. I will fill you in:

Last Monday evening, Dave picked up Max and two of his friends from the P.G. pool and then proceeded on to the Junior High with the three boys to pick up Connor from his football practice. When they arrived at the junior high, the boys got out of the truck and started walking to the field when they realized that Connor was scrimmaging up on a different field on the far end of the campus. Dave walked back to the truck and instructed the boys to go over and wait with Connor and he'd drive around and pick them up over there. Apparently, when Dave started to drive away, Max, for some unknown reason, started to run after the truck and jumped onto the rear bumper and grabbed on to the tail gate of the shell which was locked, and then fell off of the moving vehicle, hitting his head on the road. Dave didn't know Max had jumped on to the car, or that he had fallen, and kept driving over to the other side of the school. When the boys never came, he drove back to the parking lot and saw a crowd of people gathered around something and he got out to find his son, on the ground, screaming in pain and holding his head, his eyes rolling back and not able to respond or speak.

Dave rushed Max to the American Fork Hospital,where a CAT scan showed that he had suffered a subdural hematoma (a blood clot that forms underneath the dura matter of the brain), a right parietal skull fracture and a right sphenoid fracture across the optic canal into the sphenoid sinus. The decision was made to life flight Max to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake. (Dave took this picture on his cell phone camera thinking that one day Max might want to see his trip on the helicopter that he would never remember)

Dave and I drove up in the middle of the night, arriving at about 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, and found Max heavily sedated in the I.C.U. At this point they didn't know if they would need to perform brain surgery to stop the bleeding, if he would wake up, if he would ever talk again, we really didn't know anything except that he had a severe head injury and only time would tell.

The next days were extremely tiring and scary. At first Max wouldn't respond or even seem to recognize us when he did open his eyes. He was seen by many doctors and was cleared by the opthomalogist (they don't think his eyesight was damaged) and the cardiologist (his hospital stay and monitoring revealed a low heart rate and eurythmia that they don't think was related to this accident.) Slowly, he came out of it and is now able to express himself, answer questions, and doesn't seem to have any memory loss (other than the accident itself, which is completely normal and a blessing). He is still in quite a bit of pain, and is very tired. He throws up quite frequently, some days less than others. He won't start school with the rest of the kids tomorrow, but maybe in a week or so he'll start going partial days.

We are so happy that he is going to be ok. Our bodies and brains are truly amazing and miraculous. The fact that less than a week ago his brain was bleeding and he couldn't even talk, and today he's playing skip-bo with his sister is pretty incredible to me. I'll keep you posted about his progress. Thanks to everyone for all your concern and prayers in his behalf. As a Mom, this past week was like my worst nightmare and I know it is because of your faith and prayers that my Max is sleeping in his own bed tonight!

I'm "IT"

I've been "tagged". My sister-in-law started it, so don't blame me. Well, I guess to be fair, she didn't "start" it, but she passed it on. So, here goes, see if any of you happen to learn anything new about me.....

4 Jobs I've had:
1. File Clerk for the Exxon Valdez oil spill claims office in Anchorage.
2. Data Entry Clerk and Dept. lead for Medicaid office in Cheyenne.
3. Scrapbook Designer and Page Creator for "Memories in a Minute" in P.G.
4. MOM
(not listed in order of importance, length of service, or Pay!!)

4 Movies I can watch over and over again:
1. The Wedding Singer (something about the 80's songs and clothes that just make it good)
2. Blast from the Past (a must see silly movie that just makes me laugh)
3. Foul Play (Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase, corny but always funny)
4. Shining Through (Melanie Griffith and Michael Douglas in a romantic but dramatic story about WW2-- if you haven't seen it, rent it!)

4 Favorite TV shows:
1. Brothers and Sisters
2. Deal or No Deal (still a sucker for a good game show)
3. Grey's Anatomy
4. C.M.T. (maybe this doesn't count as a "show" but it's probably what I watch most frequently.)

4 Favorite Hobbies:
1. Reading a good book
2. scrap-booking (and blogging counts too)
3. cooking (not just dinner, but something new or fun!)
4. napping (a rare luxury)

Places I have lived
1. Olympia, Sunnyside, Federal Way, Bellingham, and Everett, Washington
2. Anchorage, Alaska
3. Cheyenne, Wyoming
4. Greeley, Colorado

4 Favorite Foods
1. Pasta
2. Seafood -- crab, shrimp, lobster, clams, salmon, just anything but oysters.
3. Bread (I'm just not meant to be a skinny person!)
4. Cheesecake (ditto!)

4 places I'd rather be right now:
1. on vacation in a tropical place
2. Laying by a lake in the mountains
3. Out to lunch with my Mom and Sisters
4. Seeing the sites in New York City

4 websites I check daily:
1. Blogs of family and friends
2. http://www.comcast.net/
3. http://www.yahoo.com/
4. http://parentingteens.about.com/

4 people I tag:
1. Marilyn
2. Jordan
3. Chikako
4. Kellie

The Goalie Box is a Lonely Place

Max started his soccer season a couple of weeks ago (Valley View third grade boys) and we've gone to both games, ready to take some pictures of him in action. He played goalie the first week for the second half and then played goalie the whole game last week. His team is dominating so far, so the goalie box hasn't seen too much action. Hence, the pictures of the lone goalie, waiting for someone to come anywhere near him and give him a chance to show his stuff! We'll keep waiting for some good action shots--in the meantime, here's my cute goalie!

Tough Guy

Connor started football practice this past Monday. He goes every night from 6 to 8 p.m. and also on Saturday mornings.

It's still been so hot, even in the evenings, I've really felt sorry for him some nights.

When I was helping him get into his pads tonight, I had to laugh when I read what his t shirt said on the front. He's definitely built TOUGH, no matter how you slice it!

At the parents meeting when we talked with the coach, he looked at Connor and smiled, then turned to us and said "I'm sure glad he's on MY team!"

Isn't he cute?? Although he's tough, he's sure hot, sweaty and tired on the way home!

The Baddest Bug bit me

Stomach Flu has had me in bed with the lights out for several days. I'll be back soon, just as soon as I vanquish this nasty bug and destroy it's every mean and nasty germ. I hope no one ever has to feel this awful in their entire lifetime.

Seriously! Yucky. I'll update posts soon, I promise.