A Letter To My Son

My Darling Son,

Soon you will be 27!! As I look at those years, I realize they have gone by so very quickly. As your birthday approaches there are things I wish I could say to you. Because of the challenges that afflict your body, and bind your mind, you would not understand. As I morn the loss of the verbal communication that we can never have here on earth, the feelings within my heart spill out of me with no place to go.

As other young men your age move on from their missions, graduate college, have jobs, get married and start having families, do you ever wonder what your future has in store? No, I suppose not, as the future is not anything you can comprehend. Because of your mind, what others consider "normal" everyday hopes and dreams, have been taken from you. But dear Jeff, after this long earthy journey ends, you will be given all that you have missed out on in this life.

If you were capable of ever asking, Why am I here? - This is the answer that I would give you. YOU ARE HERE TO BE MY TEACHER, and a teacher to those around you. One day, in the next life, you will be able to open this gift with joy and understanding.

First, you taught me what it means to experience the kind of love that exists only between a mother and her child. Sometimes I thought I would expire from sheer elation. Sometimes I thought I would expire from sheer exhaustion. Both could claim Mother love to be their sire.

From the very beginning of your life, you suffered with many life-threatening health conditions, surgeries, and physical challenges; you taught me patience, tolerance and long-suffering. You also taught me about sacrifice, charity, service, and what it means to forget one's self. I yearned with every fiber of my being-would have given every fiber of my being, to have you whole. But that was not to be. You then taught me to accept and cherish you for who you were, not for what might have been. You have taught me to study, learn, fight and to never give up.

Throughout the years you have taught me what is truly important in this world and quite frankly, what is not. Most of all, you have taught me what it means to align my will with that of God. To know that, in every case, His ways, His means, His timetable, His truth, are all that is worth having. You have taught me how much He loves me, and how much trust He has placed in me, by allowing me to have you in my life. I know that if I am ever to return and live with Him, I needed all the things that only you, would and could teach me.

You, my son, ARE A TEACHER, and the gift of knowledge has no price!

Thank you for all that you have taught me. I love you beyond measure, forever, and always.
Your loving Mother

Posted by My Mom

There's Going To Be a Lot of Catching Up To Do Someday!

In February Mom's back started getting bad. She has had a lot of pain ever since! Something about a bulging disc pressing on a bunch of nerves. Nothing seems to be working and the doctor is talking surgery. To be quite honest, she's been no fun at all. Plus, she hasn't posted anything at all for me. I've been having lots of fun this summer with my support worker Daniel. He's a cool guy, and I like doing things with him.

My great Dad has been doing almost everything for me and for Mom. He has learned how to help me with all my personal cares, fix my food, clean up after me, and well, basically everything that Mom always did. I wanted Mom to post this for me, just so you guys know I'm still around, happy and enjoying life.

Posted by My Mom

2011 Has Begun!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Wow, it's a new year with lots of great and enjoyable things to look forward to. Well, that's what my Mom says anyway.

This is how I spent New Years Eve.....


Yep, that's me under all those covers & pillows. I'm sound asleep and so was everyone else here at home. I don't really understand all the fuss about New Years Eve. When I'm tired, I want to go to bed. Mom and Dad must feel the same way, because they do the same thing. Mom said there was a time when they used to stay up and ring in the New Year, but they are old now and need their rest.

Now that the holidays are past, I'm looking forward to doing some snow shoeing, and X-country skiing with Common Ground when they start. Mom is encouraging me to get more exercise so I'll be stronger when I go and do the fun winter things Common Ground has planned. She thought it would be good for me to start walking. So she and I are walking on the treadmill everyday. We make a great team! She motivates me and I motivate her.

Here's a picture of me walking on one of the treadmills at home. Mom usually walks on the big one next to me, but she got off to take the picture of me.


I think it is so cool to walk on the treadmill and I really enjoy it. I like it better than walking outside because it's nice and FLAT! Remember, I don't like walking on uneven ground. Plus it's only 15 degrees out...to cold for me!

Posted by My Mom

Christmas Was So Fun!

WOW, what a fun Christmas I had! It was just Mom, Dad and me, but it was just great! Dad came into my room to wake me up at 7 A.M. He had been awake since 5 A.M. and wanted to wake me up then, but Mom wouldn't let him. She wanted to sleep a bit longer but Dad kept asking her every 30 minutes if he could go wake me up. Finally at 7, she gave up trying to sleep, and when he asked her again if he could wake me up, she said yes. Dad came into my room and woke me up and signed that Santa Clause came and brought presents. As most of you know, I move pretty slow, but when he told me Santa came, I flew out of my bed. When I went into the living room and saw the balloons and presents, I was so excited, and I just kept smiling and laughing. I popped a couple of balloons first then Dad started handing me the presents. I loved opening them and had to examine each one thoroughly before I could move on to the next one.

After I opened all my gifts, we ate a yummy breakfast. I surprised Mom by communicating to her that it was time and I wanted to see what was in our stockings. That's the very first time I have ever done that. But I knew that after breakfast we always get our stockings. Since she didn't say anything, I did! She and Dad were proud of me for doing that. I got more neat toys and candies in my stocking.

I loved all the toys I got and true to form, I had most of them broken by that evening. I LOVED playing with and taking apart my toys. And when I had nothing but pieces left, I LOVED playing with the pieces. I didn't even stop to take a nap during the day like I usually do. I was totally engrossed with playing and taking everything apart. Mom put some of the things away....things that she needs to help me play with, but that was okay with me. It was really a GREAT Christmas!!! Here's some pictures Mom took.....

Posted by My Mom

All Ready for Christmas

It's been so much fun getting ready for Christmas this year. Last year I didn't think we were even going to have a Christmas because Mom took so long getting things up. But WOW she surprised us all by having everything done super early this year!! The halls are decked, and the tree trimmed...

The family Christmas letter has been written and mailed, gifts bought & wrapped, and presents mailed. Mom has never been this organized, this early, before.

We had our family Christmas get-together this past weekend. It was so fun to see my sister, Kelly, and her family and my brother, Steve, and his family. We had a great time together and I loved playing with my crazy nephews. Kade really makes me laugh.

We also went to the ward Christmas party where I got to see Santa Clause! I like that guy...a lot!

My nephew Phoenix likes Santa too, but my niece Reagan didn't like him.

Mom says we can now just bask in the spirit of Christmas and enjoy every moment of it. I love to sit in my chair and look at the lights on the tree.

I also like counting down the days to Christmas on my calendar.
Even though Mom & I have been busy doing all our Christmas stuff, she still took me to the movies to see the movie "Tangled". Cool movie, I loved it! It's antimated (of course) and it was in 3D!!

Oh, and get this...Usually just Mom & I go shopping in Logan, but one day Dad decided that he would go with us. Mom went off and did her shopping and Dad let me go up and down the isles looking at whatever I wanted to look at. I got to look at toys, tools, light fixtures & light bulbs, and electronics - all my favorite things. Man, I was in heaven! I hope he comes shopping with us more often because I have a lot more fun when he comes. Mom liked it too.

I really love this time of year and life is GOOD.

Posted by My Mom

FREE At Last!!

I'd been couped up in the house for over two weeks and I was going CRAZY! They FINALLY let me out of the house!!! Friday, Mom and I went to the movies in Logan. We saw the movie "Megamind". It was in 3D and I LOVED it! It had everything a guy like me likes - it was antimated and had lots of action in it! It pretty much held my interest and I only broke 3 pair of 3D glasses during the movie.

On Saturday, we were on a roll, and Mom took me into town for some fun. In Preston, they had all kinds of fun activites planned for the day. Bed races at 2:00, a gift fair, free christmas movie at 3:00, visiting with Santa, lots of Christmas music, fireworks, and the Lighted Christmas Parade. Santa wasn't there when we got there, so I didn't get to see him. Mom said I can see him later and I was okay with that. I REALLY like that guy! We went into some stores and it was just great being out and about again.

Today we went to Church. I hadn't been in about 3-4 weeks (because I've been sick) and I had a hard time remembering to be good. We got a new Bishop today. Bishop Rassmussen is our new Bishop and Dad is still the ward financial clerk. He likes the calling and must do a good job, because this is the 4th bishop in a row to call him to that position. I'm going to like my new Bishop, he's a cool guy. Anyway, I made it through Sacrament meeting, and almost through Sunday School. I just couldn't control mayself any longer and started being kinda wild. It worked, Mom took me home. Do I know how to get my way or what?! Just the thought of sitting through another hour of meetings was more than I could handle. Two hours was plently for me today.
Posted by My Mom

Being Sick Stinks!!!

Being sick really does stink. I've been sick with an upper respiratory infection for two weeks now! I've spent my days sleeping, eating, resting, watching TV, taking my medications, and coughing my head off. Let me tell you, it has not been fun. Mom & Dad have said I've been really good during this sickness, but the reality is that I just haven't felt like doing very much of anything. BUT I am getting better, and I plan to be back to my old self very soon now. I'm napping a lot less, cough is almost gone, and I'm starting to get bit bored, which means I'm not being quite a good as before. Hopefully they'll let me out this house soon!!!! I've sure missed a lot during this two week period. When I first got sick, this is what it looked like outside at my house:

Now THIS is what it looks like outside my house:

I've missed so much!!! It's gone from Fall to Winter, since I've been sick! The snow pictures are just from this morning. It has been snowing all day and we have about 4 inches out there right now and more keeps coming. Boy, with all this snow, even though it's not even Thanksgiving yet, I'm starting to think CHRISTMAS!


Posted by My Mom