Faith...a tribute to Ashley Peterson

"Never forget that these little ones are the sons and daughters of God and that yours is a custodial relationship to them, that He was a parent before you were parents and that He has not relinquished His parental rights or interest in these little ones. Now love them, take care of them...welcome them into your homes and nurture and love them with all your hearts."

-President Gordon B. Hinckley

This quote was on the funeral program for Ashley Peterson. She passed away a little over a week ago on March 20, 2008. She was only 5 years old. Her parents, Paul and Emily Peterson, were in our ward when we lived at my parent’s home about 6 years ago. Emily was pregnant with Ashley while I was pregnant with Talon and we were visiting teaching partners. I have always thought highly of her.

The funeral services had a profound impact on me. The funeral was very painful as you can imagine, but uplifting at the same time. I could hardly keep it together, especially when I saw a small piece of her baby blanket that they had on display. It is one of those things no parent ever wants to have to face. So many things were beyond my understanding of pain, but I found myself uplifted and encouraged because of the tremendous faith shown by Paul and Emily and their family. Their trust in God was unwavering. You could not shake their faith.

They both said that they felt a tremendous peace about her passing knowing that it was time for her to go and that she had a great work to do in Heaven. Instead of having this painful experience tear apart their family it has obviously strengthened them. Paul talked about Emily’s positive attitude amidst the difficulty and that when he came home from work, she was always positive. Emily spoke about how Ashley would want all of us to be kinder, more patient, more loving and better people. Ashley is a beautiful, sweet girl with a pure heart.

He said many people asked them how they were getting through it all. He answered that they always try to have an eternal perspective and they look forward with faith. Even though they don’t understand why Ashley had to go through this painful experience they know that God has a plan for her and for them. They are grateful that they will have the opportunity to raise her and be with her again in the future.

They have a journal posted on a website they made for her and I spent a lot of time reading the entries. I found it inspiring and comforting, so here is the link if you would like to read it too.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ashleypeterson

Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was there and he shared a few words that gave me strength. He said that we can only take 3 things with us when we leave this world…

1. Our Character

2. Our Covenants

3. Our Family

He said, “These two (Paul and Emily) would have to be taken out on a stretcher if it weren't for the atoning sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ and for the knowledge of His gospel. We would all be carrying each other out on stretchers. Nobody could handle this pain if it weren't for Jesus Christ.”

My mom and I attended the funeral together and we both came out of that meeting on a spiritual high. We were strengthened and uplifted by Ashley’s life and by her family’s faith. Our experience was not unique. As I read the guestbook on Ashley's website, it seems that everyone has been affected by her and her family for the better. It's amazing how many people have been so uplifted and strengthened by one little girl. My faith has been reaffirmed and my testimony strengthened. I have taken strength from them and hope to endure my trials with more faith in God.

IPOD Boredom

This happens to me about every other month where I will get bored with whats on my shuffle and need more music to add to keep it interesting. I have a broad range in music I like. It ranges from old school twangy country to some pretty rough rap music. Jay prefers that I download the "clean" version rap but it does not seem right. Anyway, I am bored of the music on my shuffle and I need new stuff. So can anyone introduce me to some good music? Anything at this point. Send me your last five music downloads.

Here are mine:
1. Rage Against the Machine- RENEGADE
2. Gorillaz- CLINT EASTWOOD
3. Lily Allen- SMILE (clean)
4. The Hit Crew- AFTERNOON DELIGHT
5. Gary Alan- WATCHING AIRPLANES

No Way That Just Happened

Tyler has done some growing up this past week. We are very proud of our Half Pint. It all started with going to the hospital to have some dental work done. He was very brave and silly all at the same time. They gave him some medicine to make him slap happy and he put on a show for all of us, he did not disappoint. The second accomplishment was dropping his afternoon nap. It has been crazy with him falling asleep at 6pm and sleeping until 8 the next morning to going to bed at 10 pm and waking up from 2-5 am ready for the day. We never know what were going to get, but its all part of growing up. Lastly, we lost all 100 of his binkys and he finally went a few days without mentioning a word about it. Many people have tried to take it away from him, especially his Grandma Crawford who probably thought he should have dropped it two years ago, but no one could wrestle it away from his Kung Fu grip. Since Tyler has dropped those three things we thought for sure we were losing our little baby.
Tonight the doorbell rang while we were watching a movie and our neighbor Logan came over to say he found a binky at his house. So I thought no big deal no one heard that, but sure enough I look down and he is holding it out for the world to see. It was very subtle, but in my mind it felt like he was jumping up and down screaming, "I FOUND YOUR BINKY TYLER COME AND GET IT!" I tried to swipe it out of his hands but it was too late. Tyler had seen it and ran across the room yelling BINKYYYYY! As soon as he grabbed it he cradled it in his hands and said, "I wub you binky, I wub you." How can I take it away from him when he does something that cute? I have asked him a few times if I can have it and he just puts it in his pocket without a word. I don't know what to do, but I would be the worlds worst father if I took it away from him after the exchange he had with the bink after reuniting .

Snowed In!

Holy SNOW! I have not seen this much nonstop snow since I was in college at BYU in 96. I remember one week where it snowed for a week straight and school was still not canceled!


So, I was surprised this morning when we got a strange phone call from someone in our ward. He told me that church was canceled because of the Superbowl, well I knew that wasn't true, but then he said church was canceled because of the snow...excuse me? Are you sure? You know that we are in Utah right? And church is across the street from most of us?

Yep, I wasn't hearing things...church was canceled. I guess there are firsts for everything. It was my day to teach in Young Womens and it was fast Sunday. Someone heard my prayer.

Eric and his manly friends have been shoveling all morning for the entire neighborhood. Tyler wanted to be with dad, no matter the cost. I showed him the outfit and he fought it at first, but he'd do anything to be outside with dad.



While we've been snowed in, we have been playing Super Mario Bros. on the Wii. Nothing like that game to bring back memories of 1-ups, fireballs, 100 extra guys, fireworks when you jump on 3 and 6 and warp zones. I played that game with my brothers, John and Daniel, nonstop. We loved it and it's still just as fun. Eric and I were laughing as we realized that Eric's ability is not quite at the same level as it used to be when he was 10. But he still has some mad skills. Check him out...


Look at him getting 100 extra lives! I could never do that, he is my idol.

Family

One of the few bright spots of 2007 is the new addition to the Gaoiran family. Justin and Valerie welcomed into the world their son Cooper James Gaoiran. It was so special for us to have them here so we could meet him. He is an angel. I know Justin and Valerie could share some horrible stories and long nights with the newborn, but during the trip he slept, cuddled and still found more time to sleep. He is a beautiful baby and we are very proud of Justin and Valerie; they are awesome parents.

Cooper James Gaoiran

November 10, 2007

This year Christmas started early and it does not look like it is going to slow down. Some of my family decided to come visit for Christmas. We really appreciate them coming out because we know how difficult it is to travel. Justin and Val drove from Kansas and grandma, grandpa and Destiny came from California. We celebrated a small family Christmas in Park City where my brother and mom were staying. It was nice to be up there because my mom loves the idea of being surrounded by snow at this time of year.
My kids loved having them in town. Talon absolutely adores Justin and has missed him so much since he left a few years ago. Talon wanted him to bring his dog Boston, but she had to stay home for this trip. We had so much fun that it was hard to see them go. We did not have much of a plan but, we managed to walk the shops on Main Street in Park City, play some games, and of course we watched and laughed at each other playing the Wii. Grandpa Dave was such a trooper, he played with Talon on the Wii for so many hours and I think they became pretty good gaming buddies over the weekend. Tyler had a lot of fun too. Grandpa Dave and Justin were so good to my boys. I know its hard because they just want to play, wrestle, or follow them around every minute of the day. Tyler and Talon both could be heard asking for Grandpa or Justin. We also visited Temple Square the last night that Justin and Valerie were in town. It was cold, but the lights and Christmas theme made for an enjoyable evening.
We had so much fun and we look forward to seeing them again soon. I have learned over the years that you really never know how special your family is until they are gone. It is never fun to part ways not knowing when you will see them again, but memories always last. Talon was especially upset when Justin and Valerie left. As we were walking around Talon kept telling me that he already misses them and wished that they could stay. Tyler still walks around the house asking where Grandpa and Justin are. Thanks for being so good to my kids, they absolutely love you.

7 things I am grateful for

I got tagged by Anika

So, here it goes...

1. Eric

If there is one thing I knew about Eric when I married him it's that he is a good man. He has a pure heart and he cares about people. I'm grateful that I have a wonderful husband to share my life with. I don't think he knows how much he does for me. I have been blessed to have someone take care of me and hold my hand through hard times and good times. He is my strength when I have none and my support when I am weak. Learning the process of "being there for me emotionally" hasn't been easy or fun, but he has stepped up to the task and done a remarkable job.

He also makes me laugh every day and I love spending time with him. He also gets the job done when it needs to get done. He is just like his mom. They are quick and efficient. He can get the kids out the door, in their car seats, with all their stuff quicker than me...and he's on time. He is the best when it comes to projects because they are done in no time. And he is a pretty awesome dad. All you have to do is spend a little time with our kids and you will see how much they love their daddy. Love you honey!



2. Children

How do I express this? I love these kiddos so much. They make me laugh. They make me cry. They make my heart swell.

Watching them together is one of the best things in the world. Tyler wants to be just like his big brother which means he follows him around and does everything that Talon does. Talon's friends know that Tyler gets to play with them too.

Talon has learned from his daddy that little brothers are always welcome. Eric always included his younger brother Justin and made sure that he was ok. When Justin was in Kindergarten, he cried for the first 3 days. At recess, Eric would go sit on the bench and cry with him. At the time he didn't know why Justin was crying, but he just cried with him. I told him that that was good practice for his future wife (too bad he didn't totally know what he was getting into).

I love to see this with my boys. They laugh and play and they love each other. I love when my boys will let me snuggle with them. I love to tell them that I love them and that I am proud of them. I love when Talon wants me to snuggle in his bed because I am "so cozy". I love hearing Tyler say "mommy, tute!"(mommy, cute) when he thinks I look nice and "wub oo"(love you). I love my boys.

If your boys aren't happy all you have to say is "poop" and then the laughter won't quit.

3. Parents and siblings

Hard to say what I would do without my family. They have always been everything to me. I always knew that I was loved. I loved playing games with my brothers growing up and talking to my sisters. I feel blessed that we all enjoy each other and want to be together. One thing I learned growing up is that family is the most important thing you have in life. I cherish the times that we had together as a family.




4. Grandparents

Aren't they cute?! Gramps carving the turkey and Grandma making gravy. They are great examples to me and I feel blessed to have them in my life. They have been married for 63 years! One of the nicest things my grandpa does for me is that he still calls me "angel". He used to feel my shoulder blades and say, "I think I feel your wings". Thanks gramps!




4. Young Women Calling

I love being with the Young Women. My testimony has grown by watching theirs and teaching them the basics that I often forget. They ask the best questions and help me to think about why I feel like I do. Their spirits are strong and they are so fun. It's fun to be light-hearted and silly with them. Since I was called this past summer I've had to give two talks in church about 6 weeks apart from each other. I had slid under the radar for several years only speaking 2 times in 8 different wards and the 9 years that we have been married. It turned out to be a blessing for me and strengthened my testimony.


5. The "Treehouse Athletic Club"

A little embarrassing to list my gym, I know, but I love the awesome euphoria that comes from exercise. The classes, the safe and fun place for my kids, being able to shower and get ready for the day make it all worth it. I love being able to go to the gym everyday and know that I can exercise my heart out while my kids are safe and having fun. I love to see my sisters and mom there each day as well as my friends. It is a part of my day that gets me going and gives me energy. I don't know what I would do without it. I tell Eric that we can never move because I would die without the Treehouse. Yikes! :)


6. My home

I love my home. It is a townhouse that isn't all that big or decorated, but I love it! I feel so grateful to have a clean, warm, cozy place to call home. I love my friends and neighbors that surround me and make me feel safe. I love having friends so close. There are a lot of us in a small vicinity and I love the comfort that brings me.



7. Baking in my kitchen

I love cooking and baking! I love my kitchen. I love being able to try new recipes and learn new things. I made my first real pie for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! I also made a pumpkin cheesecake that was delish.

Ta-da!

Here is the recipe in case you would like to try it...

APPLE PIE-This is an altered recipe from my friend Katherine.

She is an awesome cook and I am always perusing her blog for yummy recipes. This was a huge hit...thanks Kathryn! I made a few changes to my recipe because I like the crumble topping and the pastry crust, so I combined the two. I also added an egg wash and decorative cutouts. She chunked her apples which looked delicious, but I have an apple/peeler/corer/slicer that was just too easy, so I opted for thin slices.

Crust (from the Barefoot Contessa)

1 1/2 sticks very cold unsalted butter
3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 T sugar
1/3 c very cold shortening
6-8 T ice water

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix (You can use a hand mixer if you don’t have a food processor). Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8-12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine or mixer running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out onto a floured surface and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured surface into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan. Repeat with the top crust or make decorative cut-outs using cookie cutters for the top of the pie. You can also freeze the leftover pie crust for later use.

(Recipe Tips: ingredients must be very cold and use a nice pie plate. I used my stoneware pie plate from Pampered Chef and it did a beautiful job. I have read that tin plates and glass plates can cause crust issues.)

Apple Pie Filling

8-9 large McIntosh apples, peeled and sliced thin
1 1/2 cups sugar
lots of cinnamon
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup flour (you may need to add a little more flour to soak up the juice from the apples)

Mix together just until apples are coated with dry mixture.
Pour mixture into pie crust.

Topping

½ c brown sugar
½ c. flour
¼ c. butter, softened

Mix together with hands and sprinkle on top of apples.
Place decorative cut-outs around edges of pie or anywhere you like.

Egg Wash (Martha Stewart’s favorite)

1 egg yolk
1 T. heavy whipping cream

Mix together and brush on top of decorative cut-outs or remaining crust
Sprinkle with sugar

Bake at 400 degrees for about an hour. (Put a sheet of foil over the top for the first 40-45 minutes and take off for the remainder, making sure the top is not burning)

Let cool for at least a couple of hours.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Yum!

8. One more thing I am grateful for...my toothbrush!

What would I do without my toothbrush? I always imagine how frustrated I would be if I couldn't clean my teeth very well. Brushing teeth is just so refreshing!

Now it's your turn. I get to hear about the many things that you are grateful for!

You're it...

Rachel

Carrie

Renee

mom

Amber

Kristy

RULES:
1. List the link to your tagger and also post these following rules.
2. Share 7 things you are grateful for
3. Tag people at the the end of your blog also leaving the links to their blogs

ER Visit

So, I got an alarming phone call from Eric today at about 12:45 PM. I had just talked to him, literally about 2 minutes before and wondered what he needed so soon after our recent conversation. All I heard was crying and a stressed voice from Eric telling me that we had to go to the hospital and that there was a lot of blood. I had no idea what happened and of course my heart was racing. He hung up, I started for home, called him back and found out that Talon had tripped on his pants and "super-manned" face first into the steps from the garage leading into the house. Eric couldn't tell how bad it was because of all the blood and the tissue under the skin was bulging out.

So, I drove to meet them, left the truck on the side of the road and got in the car with them. Talon was crying and so was Tyler. Eric had calmed down and felt like everything was going to be ok. I was still pretty stressed not being at the scene and wondering how bad it was. It looked quite deep and the swollen tissue worried me. We raced to the ER and got admitted right away.

Eric is a fantastic husband and father! He was alone when all this happened and was able to get Talon and Tyler into the car, with both kids crying and still stay calm himself. As we were getting admitted to the ER, I was holding Talon but I started turning all shades of green and yellow at the sight of Talon in pain and the bloody wound. I told the nurse I felt light-headed but that I wasn't going to pass out. She didn't believe me and told me to lay down. Eric stayed calm the whole time and never once got woozy. He made Talon feel like they were just sitting on the couch at home talking about superheros.




"Talon, in a battle of superheros who do you think would win?"
"Uh, Ben 10 because he has the Omnitrix"



What a great daddy. I think Talon forgot that he was in any pain.

Then it was off to radiology to check for broken bones. He sat so still for the x-ray and did everything that the hospital staff asked of him.


We took this picture especially to show Grandpa Crawford because he works as an x-ray technologist in a hospital. And the good news is...no broken bones!


Talon is one tough kid. The nurse said that we were going to have to brace him when they numbed him but he didn't flinch. Luckily they put some numbing cream on him earlier to make it less painful, but I could hardly watch. Remember my queasy stomach? I'm not tough when it comes to blood, but he did awesome! It looked awful, but he sat really still and the doctor stitched him up quickly and then he was done.



I am amazed at how neatly the skin closed together. It was a gaping wound and it just came together so well. I seriously want to be a nurse, but I am pretty sure I would be a liability with the fainting and all...


When he was done, he was ready to go! He was absolutely ready to go get out of the hospital and get the Bionicle daddy promised him for being so brave. Yea, a smile!


So, Talon is going to be alright. We will take him in for a follow-up visit on Monday and he should get the stitches out in 5 days. He will have a scar that we have to protect for the next 9 months but it should fade with time. Because it was a head wound, we have to keep a close eye on him and wake him tonight to make sure he will rouse easily. He has been feeling good and is now asleep. He is such a champ!

Poor Tyler was so worried about Talon. He was crying and exhausted as well. Luckily my mom was available to take him for us, but he didn't want to go anywhere without mom, dad or Talon. She took him kicking and screaming...thanks mom!!!!

Things like this always make me more grateful for my blessings. Most parents have been in the ER and it's generally a terribly anxious experience. It reminds me of the most important things in life. I love my family and I feel so grateful for my blessings.