Families are Forever

Since we moved to Arizona, it is becoming harder to keep everyone updated on what is going on in our lives. I have never been good at journaling or scrapbooking, but I am hoping to be able to keep up with this blog to let everyone know what is going on in our world.

We moved to Chandler, Arizona in October of 2009. It is the first time that Jed or I have ever lived away from our families. It has been quite an adventure. We have really had to learn how to rely on ourselves and it has brought our family closer together. We do miss family and friends, but we are also enjoying meeting new friends.

It is hard to know where to start, so I will start with the current events, and fill in anywhere that people want to know more about. School is just about to start, and the kids are getting excited. We have 2 cats, Smokey Blue and Cooper. We also have a dog, Rupert. They bring such joy and sometimes frustration into our lives, and we love them dearly.

Alyson is our oldest. She will be 16 on August 1, and she will be a junior this year. She is doing great with school, and we are so proud of her dedication and determination. She is still playing the cello, and will be in Chamber Orchestra this year. She enjoys seminary, and has a very strong testimony. She received her Partriarchal blessing this year, and it has helped her in so many ways. It is bittersweet as her mom to watch her leaving childhood, and entering adulthood. I am so grateful for her everyday.

Tyson is now 14. He will be a freshman in High school. He is really looking forward to it. He will start seminary this year, and I am looking forward to seeing if he will enjoy it as much as his sister. Tyson plays the drums. He wants to eventually play in the marching band, but is content at this point in honing his skills on the drums. Tyson loves to cook, and he is doing more of it each day. I am so proud of his willingness to help in the kitchen.

Alexys will be 12 in November. She is getting excited to be in Young Women's this year. She will be in the 6th grade, and it will be her last year in elementary school. She loves to go swimming and play with her best friend Joie. She does not play any instruments right now, but has talked about the flute. We will see if she still wants it, or if she changes her mind.

Hannah turned 9 in February, and she is a handful. We love her dearly, but she keeps us all on our toes. She is going to be in 4th grade. She enjoys activity days, playing with friends, and swimming. I think she was a fish in her previous life, or a mermaid! She is our accident prone child, but since we've been here, it's been pretty mild. She has had a sprained knee and a sprained thumb. We have been pretty lucky so far.

Jed is working for Technology Associates doing telecommunications contracting. His job keeps him busy and away from home a lot. We hoped that this move would have him home more, but we are still waiting for that. Last month, he hurt his shoulder. The doctors think that he has multiple tears in the rotator cuff muscles and cartlidge. They want to operate on it. At this point, we don't know when, but he meets with his Orthopedist on Wednesday the 20th. I will try to keep all medical updates current on this blog, so you can just check it if you want info.

As for me, I am enjoying being able to be a stay at home mom. There is always stuff to do, but now that the kids are getting older, I have more help. I am really enjoying this stage of life. I am hoping to start doing some crafting again soon and also some sewing.

Now comes the primary reason for starting this blog. I have medical news to share about myself. A couple of months ago, I was not feeling well. I went to the doctor to have my cholesterol, thyroid, vitamin D, etc. tested. My cholesterol is high, and my vitamin D is low. My thyroid hormones are fine, but the doctor found a lump on my thyroid. My mom had a non-cancerous goiter on her thyroid, and my dad had thyroid cancer. So, the doctor wanted to do more testing. I had an ultrasound on my thyroid that confirmed the presence of a lump. Then I had to have an uptake ultrasound, where they use radioactive iodine to test the function of the thyroid. I have at least 2 lumps that are disfunctional. The doctor has now ordered a biopsy. No one can tell me exactly what it is. I have now been referred to an endocrinologist to take over treatment. At this point, this is all I know. Many of you have been asking, so rather than keep repeating myself, I decided to blog about it. On top of all this, I have an ear infection, and swollen tonsils. There is no way to tell if this is connected to the lumps in my throat or not. So, for now, I am on antibiotics that make me feel yucky.

I am so grateful for good doctors and good technology. With both Jed and I having medical issues, it is going to make for an interesting next several months. I am glad that we have a good ward, and I know we will be well taken care of. You are welcome to call and talk to us, or just stay updated by way of the blog. Thoughts and prayers are always welcome!