A visit from Kendra

     This week has been so fun and so stressful all at the same time!  Right before Nolen and I flew to Dallas, my mom went to the hospital because she had been coughing up blood.  Well, she has been in the hospital ever since that day.  She found out on Monday that it is Leukemia.  Ugh.  So far, her doctors have said she has two and half years to live.  I don't like that at all.  My heart is broken.  I need to have my mom by my side for at least the next 10 years.  I don't like to think about my life with out her.  

Because this news came so quickly, Kendra, Mike, and their kids all jumped in the car and drove to Albuquerque to spend the weekend with us.  We went to a BYU football game with them and my Dad.  Nolen started to feel sick on Thursday and tested positive for Covid, so he had to stay home.  Not long after, I felt sick and tested positive, too.  

 

I didn't go see my mom in the hospital because I had covid and she doesn't have any immune system.  It was tough to stay away and celebrate the holiday season with out her.  We went to the River of Lights for the first time since living in Albuquerque.  The parking scene was nuts! Once we parked, we were able to walk through the park with hot chocolate and fun!  It was not cold!  That was a true blessing.  After walking the park, we called my mom on facetime and opened Christmas presents.

This holiday season has been so stressful and sad with out my mom around.  I have pondered a lot on how much I love and need her in my life.  I do not want to know what my life looks like with out my parents.  I love them. 

XC Nationals

 It's that special time of year, again, when we do all we can to make it to the USATF national cross country meet.  This is considered the junior Olympics for youth cross country.  These kids are fast! 

 

It is always a fun trip but this week we had a few bumps in our road.  We were planning to drive with our friends but then they got covid.  In an attempt to not get covid, we booked flights the night before we left.  It was about $1000 dollars to get both of us to Dallas and rent a car.  No big deal, except the day we left, Stephen came down with covid so the rest of us were bound to get it.  

That same day, my Mom went to the hospital because she was coughing up blood.  Not great.  When she arrived they did tests and came up empty but the doctors knew something bigger was going on inside her.  She had a bone marrow biopsy and found out she has Myelodysplastic which is a form of Leukemia.  Not great news right before Christmas.

Stephen spent the weekend at home trying to get over covid with Edward.  Edward had an archery tournament so my dad ended up taking him.  Nolen and I flew home Saturday evening from Dallas so that I could sing in the stake music Christmas concert.  

 

Really a crazy few days but I am so glad my mom has answers, Nolen ran fast, Edward had a fun tournament, and Stephen is over covid.  Now the rest of us just need to get over covid.

It's December!

 And, just like that, it is December. 2022 is coming to an end ever so quickly.  Forget about marking time in my brain, I just let it flow through me now.  We had a few fun things we did the last couple of days.  

We celebrated Pearl's first birthday on December 1st.  She sure looks cute in her crown.  

 

Nolen had his pump up party for Cougar Cross County to get ready for nationals.  He had a blast. Then the boys helped me decorate the Christmas tree.  It is so nice to have the tree up and to be ready for the Holiday season celebrating Christ's birth.