Thankful Thursday

Since today is Thanksgiving and there are SO MANY things to be thankful for so I won't make a big long list but I want to just name a few:

• I am thankful for Scott; for his constant love and support, for his sense of humor, for his help around the house - doing dishes, laundry and helping out with whatever he can. I am thankful he has a job during this time of economic uncertainty.
• I am thankful for my wonderful, beautiful children: For Brooke's unfailing loyalty and help. She works hard everyday, many times without pay. She is a joy to be around, she is my best friend, a good little mother and hard worker. Brent is so awesome! I am so glad to have him home with us so we can love him and help him heal. He is such a gentle soul and so easy to please. I am thankful he is filling our home with his music again. Ashley is a joy and is sweet in every way (most of the time). She has a good heart and lots of love. It makes me sad that they are so grown up. But I am thankful that they have grown up better than I could have ever imagined.
  
• I am thankful for my sweet little grandchildren who love unconditionally. These little sweeties bring love, laughter and true joy into my life. It is so fun to watch them grow up and love everything they do (good or bad) and be able to laugh at their antics and spoil them rotten.
• I am thankful that our family is so close. Moving a lot has made us closer than most families. For many years all we had was each other. And because we are so close I always know who I can count on...who will be there...and who keeps their promises. Where other fail, we are ALWAYS there for each other.
• I am thankful for Craig and Cyndy and our long standing holiday tradition with them. It has been truely relaxing, fun and enjoyable!
• I am thankful for Elliot's Preemie Tees and the opportunity we have to touch and bless so many lives.
  

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for the March of Dimes...

Because this month is Prematurity Awareness Month I have been thinking a lot about the March of Dimes and all the ways they were helpful and instrumental in helping to save Elliot's life. I know that they sometimes get a bad wrap because of their research on birth defects and the results being used by abortion groups to terminate pregnancies. But that was not the intent of the research. Their mission has always been about saving babies. So now I want to tell you that EVERYONE who has EVER had a baby in America should thank the March of Dimes for their work! If you have had a baby then look over the list of what they have done for you too! I highlighted all the ones that affected Elliot...tell me how they have helped you?

March of Dimes Milestones and Timeline

January 1938
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt establishes the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis - a unique partnership of scientists and volunteers - to conquer polio.

Eddie Cantor creates the first grassroots fund-raiser for the National Foundation, asking the public to send dimes to President Roosevelt at the White House. The effort was called the March of Dimes, which later became part of the official name of the foundation.

March of Dimes first research grant goes to Yale University.

1939
March of Dimes first chapter is established in Coshocton, Ohio.

1941
March of Dimes provides first iron lung to assist polio victims.

1949
March of Dimes selects Dr. Jonas Salk to lead research on classifying polio viruses.

1950
First Mothers March launched in Phoenix, Arizona., to raise emergency funding during a serious polio outbreak.

1952
Virginia Apgar, M.D., develops the Apgar Score, a clinical system for evaluating an infant's physical condition at birth. By the end of the decade, it becomes the standard practice in obstetrical care throughout the world, and remains so today. Her scoring system was the crucial first step in the evolution of medical subspecialties focused on newborns. Dr. Apgar worked from 1959 until her death in 1974 for the March of Dimes.

1953
Dr. Salk confirms the feasibility of a killed-virus vaccine for polio.

1954
March of Dimes runs field trials of Salk vaccine with 1,830,000 schoolchildren participating. The test is the largest peacetime mobilization of volunteers in history.

April 12, 1955
Salk vaccine is declared "safe, effective and potent."

1958
March of Dimes initiates the first concerted efforts to save babies from birth defects.

1960
March of Dimes establishes The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif.

1961
Earlier March of Dimes work pays off in the development of the PKU test. This allows some forms of mental retardation to be prevented.

1962
Oral polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Albert Sabin with funding from the March of Dimes is licensed.

1968
March of Dimes funds the first successful bone marrow transplant to correct a birth defect.

1970
First WalkAmerica events take place in San Antonio, Texas, and Columbus, Ohio.

1973
March of Dimes researchers discover that alcohol consumption during pregnancy causes birth defects.

March of Dimes funds first in utero treatment for a birth defect.

April Murphy is first baby to be successfully treated in the womb for birth defects

1976
March of Dimes calls for creation of a regional system of newborn intensive care units to save sick babies.

1978
March of Dimes funds first prenatal diagnosis of sickle cell anemia.

1981
March of Dimes funds first successful surgery to correct a urinary blockage in an unborn baby.

1982
March of Dimes launches "Babies & You" program to bring prenatal education to the workplace.

1984
March of Dimes funds development of a newborn screening test for biotinidase deficiency, which can cause mental retardation and death unless treated promptly.

1985
March of Dimes funds research leading to the use of surfactant to treat respiratory distress syndrome(RDS). Danielle Cofey is one of first infants to be treated with life-saving surfactant therapy.

1989
March of Dimes grantee performs the first in utero surgery to repair a diaphragmatic hernia in an unborn baby.

Blake Schultz is first baby to undergo lifesaving fetal surgery to correct a diaphragmatic hernia.

1991
March of Dimes funds research showing that delivering babies with spina bifida by cesarean section may save them from paralysis.

March of Dimes grantees identify genes responsible for Marfan syndrome -- an inherited disorder of connective tissue, and fragile X syndrome -- the most common known familial cause of mental retardation.

1992
March of Dimes grantee locates a gene connected with 70 to 80 percent of cases of acute leukemia in infants.

1993
March of Dimes grantees clone gene responsible for X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy — a rare and often fatal hereditary disease characterized by adrenal failure and paralysis.

Ashanthi DeSilva and Cynthia Cutshall become first Americans to undergo gene therapy.

1994
March of Dimes launches nationwide campaign urging women to take the B vitamin folic acid to help prevent neural tube birth defects.

1995
March of Dimes grantees share Nobel Prize for research on fruit flies that identified master genes that control the early structural development of the body.

March of Dimes funds research showing that treating certain infections with antibiotics reduces the risk of preterm delivery.

1996
March of Dimes-supported research on nitric oxide leads to a new treatment to save premature babies from persistent pulmonary hypertension, a deadly lung disorder.

March of Dimes volunteers help secure passage of the Mothers' and Newborns' Health Protection Act, guaranteeing a minimum hospital stay of 48 hours following delivery.

With March of Dimes support, the FDA approves fortification of grain products with folic acid.

1997
March of Dimes grantee successfully uses deactivated HIV viruses as delivery systems for healthy genes in gene therapy.

March of Dimes grantee finds that gene abnormalities in the development of certain enzymes involved in folic acid metabolism may contribute to susceptibility to neural tube defects.

March of Dimes grantee identifies a gene for Alagille syndrome, a rare inherited disorder that causes abnormalities in different parts of the body.

March of Dimes volunteers help secure passage of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP), to provide health care coverage for up to 5 million children.

1998
March of Dimes volunteers help secure passage of the Birth Defects Prevention Act, establishing a nationwide network of birth defects monitoring and research programs.

March of Dimes research leads to one of the first successful surgeries to treat spina bifida before birth. Noah Kipfmiller is one of the first babies to undergo this pioneering open-womb surgical procedure.

1999
March of Dimes grantees successfully use gene therapy to treat hemophilia and retinitis pigmentosa in the lab.

2000
March of Dimes volunteers developed key provisions and worked to enact The Children's Health Act of 2000. The law creates a National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and helps states to expand newborn screening.

2001
March of Dimes launches a partnership with the Dutch-based de Waal Foundation to provide prenatal care and birth defects prevention information to women in Ecuador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

2002
March of Dimes grantees win the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for their discoveries on genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death (apoptosis).

The March of Dimes promotion of folic acid fortification and awareness contributed to a 21 percent decline in the occurrence of neural tube birth defects between 1995 - 2000.

2003
March of Dimes launches a multimillion dollar, multiyear campaign to prevent premature birth and raise awareness of its serious consequences.

2005
The North Building at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is dedicated to March of Dimes volunteers, as part of the 50th anniversary of the polio vaccine.

2006
Nobel Prizes are awarded to March of Dimes grantees Drs. Roger D. Kornberg and Craig Mello for groundbreaking discoveries on RNA and its role in human development.

March of Dimes advocacy leads to passage of the PREEMIE Act to bring together experts from the private and public sectors to speed development of prevention strategies for preterm labor and delivery.

2007
March of Dimes volunteer efforts lead to increase in newborn screening. Nearly 90 percent of all babies born in the U.S. – more than double the percentage in 2005 – live in states that require screening for at least 21 of 29 life-threatening but treatable disorders.

During November, Prematurity Awareness Month, the Every Baby Has a Story campaign and bus tour enable families everywhere to tell their baby's special story and become part of the March of Dimes online story community.

Three recipients of the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology are awarded Nobel Prizes: Mario R. Capecchi, PhD; Sir Martin I. Evans, PhD, DSc, FRS; and Oliver Smithies, D.Phil. FRS

Thankful Thursday

I am Thankful for Eternal Marriage

Scott and I were married on January 23, 1979. I know, we are really old! Our next Anniversary will be our 3oth. I am so thankful to have him in my life. Like most husbands, he drives me crazy some of the time, but I love him anyway!

We were married in the Arizona Temple. Back then the Arizona Temple was in our temple district even though we lived over 1,000 miles away in Dallas, Texas. We had to make great sacrifices to marry in the temple. I remember packing up our whole wedding and transporting it to Arizona. We had to give up some things to get married in the temple. Most of our friends couldn't be there because it would cost too much for them to come. And for that reason our reception was held a week later in Dallas. But we were surrounded by our family and it was a wonderful day...everything I'd hoped it would be. I think many of us now don't realize what a blessing it is to have so many temples all over. President Hinckley was amazing, wasn't he?

When we drove to Arizona, I got to ride with Scott in his little red VW Bug. We enjoyed spending that time together. Our parents followed us in a caravan. My dad had a CB radio at the time and he told every trucker on the road that we were going to Arizona to get married. Every 18 wheeler that passed us honked and we didn't understand until later why they were honking!

A lot has happened in the past 30 years... three beautiful children, two amazing grand children, lots of moving, lots of love and lots of life! I think the thing that keeps us going through the good and the bad is knowing we have an eternal marriage...one that will last forever! Knowing the eternal truth behind eternal marriage is more important now than ever...

In April General Conference 2006, Elder David A. Bednar gave a wonderful talk called "Marriage is Essential to His Plan" in that talk he says:

"Two compelling doctrinal reasons help us to understand why eternal marriage is essential to the Father’s plan.

Reason 1: The natures of male and female spirits complete and perfect each other, and therefore men and women are intended to progress together toward exaltation.

The eternal nature and importance of marriage can be fully understood only within the overarching context of the Father’s plan for His children. “All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and … has a divine nature and destiny.” 3 The great plan of happiness enables the spirit sons and daughters of Heavenly Father to obtain physical bodies, to gain earthly experience, and to progress toward perfection.

“Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose” 4 and in large measure defines who we are, why we are here upon the earth, and what we are to do and become. For divine purposes, male and female spirits are different, distinctive, and complementary.

After the earth was created, Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden. Importantly, however, God said it was “not good that the man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18; Moses 3:18), and Eve became Adam’s companion and helpmeet. The unique combination of spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional capacities of both males and females were needed to implement the plan of happiness. Alone, neither the man nor the woman could fulfill the purposes of his or her creation.

By divine design, men and women are intended to progress together toward perfection and a fulness of glory. Because of their distinctive temperaments and capacities, males and females each bring to a marriage relationship unique perspectives and experiences. The man and the woman contribute differently but equally to a oneness and a unity that can be achieved in no other way. The man completes and perfects the woman and the woman completes and perfects the man as they learn from and mutually strengthen and bless each other. “Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:11; italics added).

Reason 2: By divine design, both a man and a woman are needed to bring children into mortality and to provide the best setting for the rearing and nurturing of children.

The commandment given anciently to Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force today. “God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. … The means by which mortal life is created [are] divinely appointed.” 5 Thus, marriage between a man and a woman is the authorized channel through which premortal spirits enter mortality. Complete sexual abstinence before marriage and total fidelity within marriage protect the sanctity of this sacred channel.

A home with a loving and loyal husband and wife is the supreme setting in which children can be reared in love and righteousness and in which the spiritual and physical needs of children can be met. Just as the unique characteristics of both males and females contribute to the completeness of a marriage relationship, so those same characteristics are vital to the rearing, nurturing, and teaching of children. “Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.”

I am grateful for the great Plan of Happiness, for Eternal Marriages and for my wonderful husband and his commitment to me and these principles! I am grateful my children are committed to gaining these blessings in their lives too!

Thankful Thursday

I am Thankful for Peter Pan

I can't let the day go by without telling you how grateful I am for Peter Pan! I know, I know...Peter Pan??? Let me explain...

When Brent was just a little guy he was Peter Pan for Halloween. He LOVED being Peter Pan. He wore the costume everywhere long after Halloween had come and gone - to the grocery store, playing outside, and even to piano lessons. He tried to wear it to church, but I put my foot down and said no! His days and nights were filled with flying and fighting Captain Hook. It was a very magical time in his life... for him and for me. It was too cute for words. Recently, I ran across that costume in a box, it was stretched way out of shape and it is quite holey. Considering how much it was worn I am surprised it was still in one piece. At one time the costume was just above his knees - by the time it was lovingly placed in the box it was up to his waste... well worn from use and imagination. Brent was so absorbed in his Peter Pan persona that when you asked him;

"Brent what are you going to be when you grow up?"
His answer was usually, "I'm going to be Peter Pan!"

Peter Pan, the quintessential little boy who didn't want to grow up. But now that Brent has grown up - this year there is another Peter Pan to take his place. This time it is "Beary Pan," Elliot's version of the famous boy who can fly. With Evie at his side as the pixie "Tinka-bo-bo" (Tinkerbell) they are ready to take flight...the second star to the right and straight on til morning!



Thank you Elliot for reminding me of another little boy who use to wear that coveted costume. Sometimes, in my minds eye, when I look at Elliot I can see Brent in that confident stance - with hands on hips. All it takes is a little faith...trust...and pixie dust!

Thankful Thursday

Ever since Brooke started doing Thankful Thursdays I thought it was a great idea and I wanted to do it too. So now I am a big copy-catter and she will just have to deal with it! I think she won't mind though because it is such a great thing to do.

I have so many blessing to be thankful for that many things have been on my mind with week:

I am thankful for my doctor, Cheryl Johnson. I think I am FINALLY closer to a diagnosis for my constant-all-over-my-body-for-no-good-reason pain. Most of you don't know about this because I haven't been very verbal about it. I am of the mind that if you don't talk about it - then it will go away. That doesn't always work but it is a nice idea! I have been dealing with this widespread pain for over a year now and for the most part ignoring it has been helpful in making it feel better. I have gotten back some of the things I just couldn't do. But yesterday, after going to multiple specialists with no helpful results - I now know all the things I DON'T have, she came closer to a diagnosis. AND she finally gave me some pain medication that REALLY works! I could actually sleep last night without my pillow fortress in the bed. Scott will be so happy! (We can talk more about the diagnosis later.)

Scott - He works so hard to take care of our family and our ward family. Most people have no idea of how much he does... but I do. And he works tirelessly. Thanks Honey!

Brooke - Can I just tell you how totally awesome she is? She works with me every single day and most of the time it is without pay. She has been by my side since the start of Elliot's Preemie Tees! We have such a good time working together. We laugh and have a great time, she really is my best friend. I can't even tell you all the things she does for me. Brooke, you are amazing - I am so lucky to be your mom!

Brent - it is so nice to have Brent back in our home. He is so awesome too! I get to hear the wonderful, beautiful melodies that pour out of his fingers onto the 88 keys of our piano once again. Thanks, Brent, for filling our home with music! Music is an extension of Brent's soul - to listen to him is to know him. He is an amazing, sensitive, thoughtful young man. Did you know he made my bed for me? He tried to do it without me knowing it was him - but I knew...

Ashley - Reminds me what it was like to be a teenage girl. We share so many similar likes through the ages that had we been born at the same time I think we would have been best friends. Go Jonas Brothers and Donny Osmond!