Brian's Birthday

On Sunday, September 25, Brian had a birthday. It was one day shy of 2 weeks post surgery. I still pretty useless, but with lots of help, I think we gave him a decent birthday celebration. During the week, when his packages arrived, my mom was there to pick them up off the porch and stash them where Brian wouldn't look, and at some point,  I got Michael to wrap them presents, with help from my mom. After church (I think I went that Sunday for Sacrament Meeting and then Brian brought me home), Michael brought down Brian's presents. 

  He was pretty excited about them. 

 Lea and Julie brought us dinner, ice cream, and cake. They even cleaned up while I watched from the recliner. Because of them, Brian was able to blow out some birthday candles: 

I'm so grateful for Brian's family, first of all for shaping Brian into the person I love so much and for helping me celebrate him on his special day. 

I'm also so so so grateful for Brian. I loved him when he asked me to marry him 8 years ago, but with each new baby, each new memory, each new inside joke, and each new challenge, I'm amazed that he not only married me but that he's still crazy about me. This last year has been made possible by him; I'm still going because of him. I hope he understands just how much he means to me. I hope that you had a happy birthday, Sweetie!

Mom and Dad in Town

My parents came on Saturday, September 17 and stayed until the next Saturday. They. Were. Lifesavers. We couldn't have done it without them. Brian was able to go to work and our family ship managed to stay floating. They kept Gabe in their room and took care of him during the night. 

 My mom worked from home and picked up Gabe when he needed to be picked up, she brought me him and his bottle when he was hungry, and she laid him down for naps. She helped with laundry and cleaning. 

  

My dad helped get kids to and from school, took Rachel on daily excursions, and even cooked dinner one night. My Dad and Brian took Michael to his football games, and my dad spoiled Michael with a new football. I even got my dad to take Rachel to Farm Country. She loved riding the horse. 

Taryn came down on Thursday to visit as well. She brought a huge bag of Sour Patch Kids, which was so sweet. She knows they're my favorite! Taryn, Aaron, Michael, Rachel, and my dad went to Farm Country again, and Michael got to milk a cow! I've never even milked a cow. 

There was a crazy storm that blew through that night--a tornado even touched down in Ogden! Dad and Brian took Michael to his flag football game, and Taryn made it home safely. 

On Friday, my mom helped me surprise Brian with balloons and candy at his work. She drove me to Smith's and helped me pick out and purchase stuff, and then she drove up to Adobe and delivered them to the service desk. I forgot to buy a card, so there was nothing to identify who sent them. A half hour later, I got a text from Brian that said, "Was this you? How?" I was really worried that he wouldn't feel special for his birthday, so I was really grateful my mom was there to help me.

When Brian got home, with Mom and Dad's help, we were able to go out to eat for Brian's birthday. We went to Chili's. The food was really good, and it was so nice to be able to be out of the house. 

On Saturday, we tried not to cry when they packed up and headed north again. We were a little worried about how we were going to make it without their help. We could not have made it without their help, and I'm so so so grateful that they could come save us. 

Cal and Cassidy Save the Day!

Brian had release night at work the day after I got home from the hospital, which was a little rough because Michael had his first flag football game--ever! Michael was so so so excited about it. Somehow, he ended up on a team with no one else that we knew while the rest of the kids on our neighborhood ended up on a different team. I was pretty upset by this because it this season harder on all of us. Lea had a conflict that night and so did Kirt and Julie. So, I called up Cal to see if he had the night off and if he'd be willing to drive down here from Logan to take Michael to the game. Thankfully, he could! He brought his beautiful girlfriend, Cassidy, and they brought me these beautiful flowers:

I love lilies and my favorite color is purple, so they were perfect and they lifted my spirits. Cassidy even brought her camera so she could take pictures of Michael's game. 

 They even bought him some treats.

 I think he had more fun hanging out with Cal and Cassidy than he did playing in the game.

Thank you so much for saving the day, Cal and Cassidy!

My Gimp Hip: Part 5

On Sunday, September 11, I enjoyed my last day in heels for the unforseeable future

 and hosted a dinner party for  our friends, the Andams, and the missionaries. It was my last, pre-surgery meal.

Julie came to spend the night so she could be with our kids when they woke up. We were due at TOSH in Murray by 6 a.m. Just before our early bedtime, we asked our good friend, Brian Watson, to come and help Brian give me a blessing. By this point, I was starting to wonder what I was doing. So many people had questioned this decision, mostly because of my age. I even had a friend post on Facebook, "I hope you tried physical therapy first." I second-guessed myself a lot. Maybe the pain wasn't that bad. Maybe I was just a wimp. Maybe we could put this off for a few more years. I don't remember everything that Brian said in the blessing, but I remember him saying that I had made the right decision. Even after the other Brian left, my Brian told me, "I really felt strongly the Lord telling me that this is the right decision." I also remember him blessing me with patience in my recovery. That filled me with a little bit of dread, not going to lie. 

Early next morning, we headed to Murray. We checked in and waited. They called us back to a room. I changed into a gown and put all my belongings in a bag with my future room number. I got an IV.  I got some new bracelets. The nurse drew on my hip with one colored marker, to make sure that was the right one. Then the doctor came in and drew on it with a different color to double verify it was the right hip (or in this case, the left one). A nurse came in and gave me a new hat. Or was he an anesthesiologist?

 We walked out of our room and headed toward the surgery room. Brian had to go to the lobby, and I went on alone, strapped to an IV pole. I climbed on a table, laid on my side...and the next thing I remember I was on my back watching nurses I'd never seen before hovering above me. They started moving my bed down a hall, into an elevator, down a hall. I wanted to go back to sleep. Suddenly, Brian was there. It was the strangest thing to have 4.5 hours of your life unaccounted for, especially when something major took place during those hours. I'm so glad though. I was painfully conscious when I had my wisdom teeth taken out, and that was terrible. I can only imagine. Here's what Zombie Devri looks like:

 Also, they died my leg orange for surgery. I can't remember why.

 Here's what I learned later. The surgery was supposed to take three and a half hours. Brian waited in the lobby and worked while he waited. He said after four hours, he still hadn't heard anything, and he started to get really nervous. After four and a half hours, Dr. Ferney finally came out and told him that everything had gone well, but they ended up having to use a smaller ball than the one they had planned on due to my bone make-up. (Dr. Ferney is a slow, very precise surgeon. He takes his time and makes sure he does everything right. That's how I am so that's another reason I wanted him to be my surgeon.However, this took longer than he had expected.)

Dr. Ferney specializes in a posterior approach, which means the incision is on the side of my hip (meaning through my gluteous maximus muscles). He had told me that the important thing is not the approach but the skill of the surgeon.

Brian stayed with me most of the day. They had me getting up to the use the restroom as soon as I was back in the room, and for the first few trips, I ended up throwing up. The ended up giving me an anti-nausea medicine via IV. I had so many medicines coming in via IV, as well as lots of oral medicines. I was pretty drugged most of the time. Brian went home that night to be with the kids. It was my first night away from Gabe.

  The next day, the physical therapist came by and told me that I would never be able to bend over and touch my toes. That made me pretty upset. I did a short lap up and down the halls in a walker. An occupational therapist brought me a reacher and a tool to help me put on socks. I was pretty drugged and sleepy, and I tried to pay attention, but I just wanted to go to sleep!

Brian brought the kids to see me. That made me happy. I got to feed Gabe. 

Michael and Rachel had fun with my new tools and funky pillows: 

  

 Sleeping at the hospital was rough because they kept leaving my door open. I kept telling everyone who came in the room to shut it, but half the time they didn't. And then I'd be asleep until someone went by my room having a super loud conversation. When Brian was gone, it was really frustrating because I couldn't just get out of bed to shut it. My legs were strapped to a pillow and a special anti-clotting machine. It was maddening! I felt like a broken record, "Please shut my door when you leave." "Please shut my door when you leave." 

Eat. Sleep. Physical therapy. Sleep, Eat. Sleep. I tried reading a book. I fell asleep instantly. I tried reading my scriptures. I'd wake up 20 minutes later holding my phone in front of me. 

Meanwhile, Brian, Lea, and Julie kept the home fires burning and the kids happy. On Wednesday, September 14, Brian came to the hospital, helped me get checked out, and drove me home. It. was. horrible. You never realize how much you use those sitting muscles until they've been cut clean through. When I got home, I tried to talk to Lea and Julie, but I was so miserable that I just went to bed. 

I woke up feeling really discouraged and found this waiting for me:

 It was filled with notes and funny things from the ladies in my book club. I really needed that pick-me-up that night, and I was so touched by their thoughtfulness.

We made a chart with all the pills I was supposed to take and the times I needed to take them. I couldn't keep it all straight, and I had volunteer "nurses" that helped me get my medicine. 

A physical therapist started coming to the house to help me get back in shape. His name was Steve. He came every other day for the first two weeks I was home. 

Brian worked from home the rest of that first week, and Lea and Julie helped alot. I got stronger everyday, but it was hard because I was on two crutches and I needed lots of help. I couldn't pick up Gabe. This was hard that first week, but I tried to keep spirits high. Steve told me that I'd be able to bend my hip more that 90 degrees by 3 months and that the physical therapist in the hospital was just trying to scare me into being really cautious post surgery. And so began life post-total-hip-replacement surgery. 

My Gimp Hip Part 4

September 5: Shared on Facebook Via Instagram:

I'm getting my hip replaced in a week. That calls for a Dr Pepper while Dad pretends to pour water on my head. #hipbucketlist

Robin Adams What???

Lacey Glancy Your hair looks awesome! Also, why the heck are you getting a hip replacement?

Michelle Wallace Are you ok?!

LaRee Jones You are way too young for that?? Why?

Julie Anglesey Whatt???

Tiffany Bennion Goodwin What the heck? Okay Grandma what's going on?!

Shantel Skene Harmon What?? Why??

Jenna Karren Love your hair!

Devri Saville Thanks!

Leslie Peterson Is that your real hair ? I've never seen it down lol, gorgeous woman!!

Devri Yes, my real hair. With 8:30 church, it rarely gets done the way I would like to, especially with a new baby, and with the heat, it's much easier to braid it than have it down. Thank you for the compliment!

Leslie Peterson I totally get that, gotta be quick & easy! Your welcome!

Lanae Miller Hair is so cute and is this a joke about getting a hip replacement?

Devri I was born with my left hip out of place. When double diapering didn't work, I had hip surgery as a toddler. It started getting achy after long days on my feet or on really cold nights when I was 19. 2 years ago, it started catching and clicking and really hurting to the point that I decided to see a hip specialist again (I hadn't seen one since 8th or 9th grade). I got x-rays and they showed that while the right ball (of the ball and socket joint) was shaped like it should be (a soccer ball), my left ball was shaped like a football, but he said that I didn't need a hip replacement--just take anti-inflammatories and avoid high impact activities like running. So, I did that for a little while, and my activity levels started dropping because it started getting worse and worse. While we were trekking through Europe last summer, I decided that there had to be something that could be done about this hip. So, I saw another doctor. He said I didn't need a hip replacement, but referred me to another doctor in the "hip preservation clinic" at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital. The plan was to do a scope surgery to fix the misshapen part of the joint. But, by then, I was barely pregnant, so I did physical therapy throughout the pregnancy and into this summer to get in shape for surgery. Finally it was time, but when I got my MRI and CT in prep for the scope surgery, my doctor and the radiologist discovered that my hip was in REALLY bad shape because it hadn't been getting enough blood. The bone started to decay and deform. My cartilage is also in really bad shape, which didn't show up in the x-rays. He conferred with two other doctors and "the best radiologist" around and all agreed that a total hip replacement was the way to go. The news, while very disappointing, was not unexpected. I've known my whole life that my left hip wasn't perfect and that I would probably have problems down the road. I had hoped that this step was much further down the road, but it's here upon me. I'm only 31, and while that is really young to have a total hip replacement, is also too young to not be able to take my kids to the park, go for a walk around the neighborhood, or even just spend the day cleaning my house. I've carefully weighed the options, and the way things are going is just not working for me. It's not a good lifestyle for someone my age. They walked me through the surgery, I held parts similar to what they are going to put in me, and it bummed me out a little and had me second guessing this whole thing. I would think, "Really, this pain isn't THAT bad." But then, I'd find myself limping around and hurting before the clock even said noon. So, even though it's hard to think about parting with a big piece of my bone, I'm laughing it off this week with a ridiculous, made up on the spot, hip bucket list. Because what else can you do besides laugh it off? Others have it much, much worse.

Steven Guerrero Yikes!!

Amanda Parsons You are amazing! So brave!

Caitlin Soma Good luck!! I bet you'll feel like a new woman once you heal! Will be praying for a smooth surgery!!!

Scott Rose What materials are they using?

Devri  A titanium spike with a ceramic head and the sticker will be titanium with a plastic lining. It's quite intimidating!

Scott Rose Just think of it like a super hero with aerospace tech on the inside.

Devan Moyes That's one Dr. I enjoy visiting regularly

Lanae Miller Good for you! Hip surgeries have a very high success rate and at your age and good health you are going to do great!

Devri  That's what I hear and what I'm hoping for :)

Emily Maynes Wow I had no idea; you are so nice and involved in things. Please let me know if we can be of any help. God bless your surgery 😇.

Jennette Washburn You are going to do great. I will be praying for you! :-)

Ashley Dansie Your hair does look amazing!! How do you do that?! Just love ya girl- you got this!!!

Debbie Crandall Good luck with the surgery and recovery, Devri. And like others, I'm kind of obsessed with your hair! Did you just wrap it around a curling iron? It looks so good!

Devri  The under layer is my own curl, and then I do the other sections by wrapping around the barrel of the curling iron. This is one blessing of my wavy hair--this look is crazy easy for me. Any other look however....

Emily Flynn Devri I think it is really cute. You were totally rocking it with the hat!

Sue Alexander Wishing you a successful surgery and speedy recovery. Hugs and prayers!

Jenny Saville I hope everything goes well and you start feeling better soon!

Lori Carter I didn't realize the extent of your hip problem! Good luck girl. Here's to hoping your recovery goes well and for an overall better quality of life! Your enthusiasm and sense of humor is great :)

Kimberly Hall Hoffman Good luck with your hip replacement! Nathan Hoffman is a PT and always talks about how great hip replacements are these days. I'm sure it will be worth it ten times over 😊 you're amazing and we will be thinking of you!

Devri Thanks, Kim! I'm glad to keep hearing that hip replacements are great. I've only heard of one instance where recovery was really bad, and the woman was much, much older than myself.

Katelyn Fagan Good luck with the bucket list... And the surgery.

Elizabeth Pratt Wow! Sorry you have to get your hip replaced, but glad you'll be able to be more active and pain free with your family! Can't wait to see what else is on your bucket list!


Jennifer Lerud Sorry to hear this! I hope everything goes smooth as silk for you!

Sheldon Nelson Much faith and prayers for a successful outcome.

Shaughan Cummings I really admire your perspective! Wishing you a great recovery and better quality of life!

My Gimp Hip: Part 3

After I had Gabe, I was so motivated to get myself in good enough shape that I could have surgery and get on with life. I was so excited for the relief that I was sure it would bring. I finally met with Dr. West again in July of 2016. He said we were ready for the MRI and the CT, and we scheduled them for the end of July.  

I met with Dr. West to review my scans on August 15. I felt like I had put a lot of things on hold waiting for when this surgery was going to be scheduled. Surgery and my hip were constantly on my mind, and, as a result, August is a little bit of a blur. I felt I spent it in anticipation. On the 15th, Dr. West came in and said, "I have some bad news."

Uh oh.

He explained that the MRI and CT showed that at some point, my femoral head stopped getting blood, and it started to die. This condition is called AVN (avascular necrosis). This also affected my cartilage, so even though it looked great on an x-ray, the more in-depth scans showed that my cartilage was in terrible shape. He told me that the surgery we'd been planning would probably not be the best option for me. He told me that he was going to consult with a few more experts and talk to the "best radiologist" and then decided what needs to happen next, most likely, I would need a hip replacement. He wouldn't be able to meet with them for another week and a half, and so I held my breath until then. 

On Thursday, August 25, I got the call from Dr. West's office. I would need a total hip replacement. They referred me back to Dr. Ferney. I called his office, but the scheduler said that his first available surgery was in December. I got another referral to a Dr. Johnson, and he had availability in October, so I set up an appointment with him for the next morning (August 26). I spent the rest afternoon with Lea, Rachel, and Skyler at Provo Beach Resort. In the middle of that, Dr. Ferney's surgery scheduler called and said they had a surgery opening on September 21, and possibly even as early as September 12. I set up an appointment to meet with him the next day in the afternoon (August 26). 

I called Brian and told him the update and the dates. He had been trying to buy plane tickets several times that morning for a work conference in California on September 12. He figured that the 12th was going to work out for surgery since he had tried 3 different times to buy the tickets and each time something weird went wrong. 

Meanwhile, I had two appointments with two different surgeons. I asked Lea what I should do. Together, we decided that it made sense to meet with both of them and decided who I felt better about performing the surgery. After all, this was a VERY big thing that they would be doing. 

The next morning, I met with Dr. Johnson. He hadn't looked at my chart until he came in and started talking to me. All he saw was a 31 year-old that wanted a hip replacement, and that didn't make sense to him. I felt like I spent half the time convincing him to take me seriously. Finally, he said, "Okay, I'll have you meet with my scheduler." She came in with her book and sure enough, her first availability was in October. I told her that I had another appointment with another surgeon that afternoon, and I would call and schedule if I decided to go with Dr. Johnson. She sent me home with a packet and said, "Just make sure he does an anterior approach." That's it. I didn't even know what that meant, but I left the office feeling rather frustrated. I was tired of trying to get doctors to help me. 

Later that afternoon, I met with Dr. Ferney's P.A. Brad, who I had talked with the year before. The first thing he said to me was, "Oh man! The other thing didn't work and you're back, huh?" It was like meeting an old friend. He then sat down an explained what would happen. He even brought out some sample parts: 

I'll confess, I about changed my mind after he walked me through the surgery. showing me where he was going to cut off the head of my femur and then showed where the spike would go. It was kind of sickening to picture, and I started second guessing everything. Dr. Ferney came in and let me ask all my questions. What does the anterior approach? What approach do you use? Why does it matter? How long is surgery? How long will I be in the hospital? And on and on. He wasn't in any kind of rush. He made sure I understood everything and didn't leave until I was satisfied. I really think he would have stayed there for two or even three more hours talking to me. And since my love language is time, I really appreciated that. 

I met with his scheduling nurse, Mel, who wasn't sure if the 12th was going to be open, but she would know by Monday morning. It was a long weekend--a long month, really--waiting to see when this surgery would take place. Since my mindset had been surgery by the end of the summer, any delay past that was really hard. After all, I'd been working on this for almost two years by that point. On Monday, we scheduled the surgery for September 12, which was two weeks away.  She gave me the option for being first or last. After talking with Lea, I opted for first. Brian agreed. I figured I wasn't going to sleep well the night before anyway. Lea pointed out that I would be really hungry if I went last, and Brian pointed out that if I was last, I might get bumped off that day if they ran out of time. He didn't want to go down that road with me again after what happened when my induction date with Gabe got bumped a day. 

Brian didn't go to his conference. 

Suddenly, two weeks didn't seem like enough time. I had lab work to do, lots of projects to finish, and a lot of preparations to make. And as the surgery approached, I started getting more nervous about it. I tried to distract myself by posting pictures of ridiculous "bucket list" things on Instagram (#hipbucketlist). I tried to stay positive and laugh it all off, but I couldn't help but think that I had just made huge decision and was incredibly naive about how it was all going to turn out. 

(This is the end of Part 3. Please continue reading on Part 4)

My Gimp Hip: Part 2

Two years ago, I started looking into what I can do to help my hip, because it started catching and clicking and constantly aching. (If you need a refresher about my hip's complete backstory, here's my post from two years ago). After seeing the doctor in 2014, I opted to just take an anti-inflammatory for pain. But as the months went by, I started to think about it more and more. Brian and I started thinking about having another baby, and guess what one of the big no-nos for a pregnant lady is? Yeah, my anti-inflammatory wasn't going to be an option for 9 months when I would really, really need it.

I talked out my frustrations to Brian and my chiropractor, Dr. Hayes, who almost feels like a close friend of the family. Dr. Hayes said, "There has got to be someone out there who can do something for your hip besides just waiting for it to deteriorate to the point of needing a hip replacement. Even if you have to travel back east to do it, I think it would be worth it." I agreed with him. Touring Europe in 2015 was the final straw, and as soon as we got home, I began searching for a hip specialist in the area.

Long story shorter, I ended up discovering TOSH:The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital and set up an appointment to meet with Dr. Ferney in August of 2015. I thought there might be a chance that I was pregnant, so instead of doing an x-ray they sent me to the lab to get blood work done. As I headed over to the lab, I called Brian and started crying. I struggle a little with getting blood drawn to check HCG levels after the miscarriages. "What if I'm pregnant and they can't do anything with my hip?" I sobbed. "Then, YAY! We're pregnant!" he responded. "What if I'm not pregnant? (I really wanted to be pregnant.) "Then, yay, you can fix your hip." he answered. "So you're saying it's a win/win?" "Yes." I went to the lab.

We got a phone call from Dr. Ferney's office. The pregnancy test was negative. It was a little sad, but I was excited about my hip. I went back to meet with Dr. Ferney, got x-rays, and he gave me the same response as the last hip guy I had met with the year before. My cartilage looked great and I didn't need a replacement.

"Yes," I said, "but there has got to be something that someone can do for me. I'm not going on walks anymore because it hurts. It's affecting my lifestyle. Yes, I'm only 30, and that is really young to have a hip replacement, but waiting for my cartilage to wear down is not acceptable to me. Someone should be able to do something."

He agreed and referred me to Dr. West in TOSH's hip preservation clinic. The day before my appointment, which was 1 week later, I realized I was late. I told Brian. "But I can't be pregnant. They did blood work. I'm not pregnant." "Do you have a test?" "Yeah." "Go take it."

Guess what?

So the next day (or was it a week later?), I went in to meet with Dr. West and his P.A. Jenny. They looked at my x-ray and told me how they could help. They said that they were going to get a team of experts working on my case. They would go in with a scope and shave off the misshapen part of my bone and possibly fix the slight dysplasia that I still had in that hit. I was so excited that there was something that could be done. Jenny said, "We just want to get a few more x-rays and then probably set up an MRI and a CT scan. That's when I told her I was pregnant. They pushed pause on those scans until after I had my baby and set me up with their best physical therapist, named Susan Gates, who helped me make it through my pregnancy with Gabe.

Susan was amazing, and I will always be grateful for her. She has struggled with infertility, and it must have been hard hearing me complain about the pain, but she was always positive and always cheering me on. She kept me laughing; she hugged me on the really hard days. She was an essential part of the team that got Gabe to this world.

(This is the end of Part 2. Please continue reading on Part 3)

Fall Soccer

Michael participated in soccer again this fall. He played throughout August and September, finishing on September 10. He's improved so much this last year, and he's figured out how to be faster. 

He's had the same coach for the last 3 seasons, and we love her. Unfortunately, one of the moms on the team gave her a bunch of grief over a very public email discussion, so she's not going to coach anymore. Her son is going to join a club team, and we're thinking about having Michael join it too. I guess we'll see. 

Michael is a good defender and he's really good at clearing the ball out of the herd, but he needs to work on being more aggressive at getting the ball to the goal. He's content mostly to let others try to score--unless Papa is watching and offering $1 for every goal Michael scores. 

Thanks, Coach Joy! We've loved having you these last few years! 

Rachel's First Day of School--Ever!

I was looking forward to doing another co-op preschool for Rachel's first year. Last school year, we started to put one together with 4 of the moms from last time, and we were working on finding a few more moms to join. Then, on a day in January, I realized that Sam would be moving, and in a panic, I talked to one of the other moms who actually has an early education degree and who designed our curriculum last time. I wanted to check to see if Sam moving would change things. She told me that she had just decided to put her little boy in an actual preschool--the one her other boys and Michael had attended. Our group was falling apart! I called Brian to talk it over with him and decide if we should send Rachel as well. Within an hour, I had turned in Rachel's registration, taking the last spot in Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom's 3-year-old class. 

For months leading up to the new school year, I felt a strange mix of guilt, disappointment,  and relief--guilt that I wasn't going to be more involved that first year like I had been with Michael and that we were going to be paying for 2 years of preschool. I was disappointed that I would get to watch her grow and interact with other kids. Mostly, I felt relief that I didn't have to do any work. Today, as I was reflecting on it, I must say that I'm so grateful that I'm not doing a co-op; I really just wouldn't have been able to do it this fall. That day back in January must surely have been prompted by the Spirit. He knew that the spots were almost gone, and if I had thought about it even the next day, I would have had a hard time finding a different preschool. 

After going to Michael's back to school night and first day of school, Rachel was really excited to have her turn. On the preschool open house, Rachel got to meet her teacher, see her classroom, and go fishing. Michael had gone fishing on his preschool open house, and that is how we ended up with a fish. Knowing I couldn't handle another dead goldfish on my hands, I convinced her to do a few catch-and-releases before she got bored and we headed out. 

 A week later, on September 6, she finally got her first day of school.

  

I walked her to the door, made sure she got her bag hung up, 

 and her coconut up on the tree

 and got settled

 and then I left. It was really strange. Two hours later, I came back to pick her up and take her to her first day of dance. She is so so so excited about dance. The building where she goes to dance is on the way to where we used to go to church, and every Sunday, she would say excitedly, "There's my dance class!" I wished I got a picture of her in the studio, but I didn't. Here she is later that day, still in her leotard, tights, and skirt.

I love my tiny, dancing preschooler. I can't believe that she is old enough to go, and I'm so glad she finally has something that is all just for her.

Labor Day at Camp Floyd

My parents and Taryn and David came to spend the night with us on Sunday, September 4. Rachel thinks that Grandma and Grandpa come just to read her books. 

 Mom, Gabe, and Elijah:

 Aaron, Elijah, Gabe, Mom, Rachel, & Michael:

 On Monday, we went to Camp Floyd. They were doing Camp Floyd Days, which involved some re-enactments and fun activities. It's been on my Summer Bucket-list and my "Let's Go See Utah" list. Camp Floyd was a military fort in Utah back in the mid 1800s.  It was started when Johnston's Army came to Utah to deal with the so-called "Mormon Problem". At it's greatest, it held one of the largest concentration of Army troops in the U.S. It was basically abandoned when all the troops were called back east to help fight the Civil War, so everything is from that time period.

The first thing we did was learn how to make bullet cartridges, but instead of using a ball and gunpowder, they used a gumball and pixie stick dust. Rachel couldn't figure out why we were putting candy in the paper. She just wanted to eat it.

 Next, Michael and Rachel joined the U.S. Army.

 Gabe did too:

 Rachel, however, deserted before she could begin training. Michael learned how to form ranks and shoot in a battle.

 Rachel and Aaron had fun playing in the tents they had set up.

 And I got to load and shoot a real musket. Here I am biting off the top of the cartridge:

 Loading it:

 Ready, Aim, Fire!!

 We also got to go on a Stagecoach ride. We had to take turns. First, Michael, Rachel, and I got to go with my parents:

 The Brian, Gabe, Taryn, David, Aaron, Elijah got to go. There was enough room that Rachel got to go twice:

We also baked biscuits in an adobe oven, toured the museum and Stagecoach Inn, played pioneer era games, and watched a fashion show. We had a lot of fun. It wasn't crowded, which was really, really nice. Thanks, Mom & Dad and Taryn & David for coming with us!