James is home

Yesterday, the 29th, James and I entered the hospital at 2:00pm for all necessary paperwork, even though his surgery wasn't til 4:pm. I left him at 3:45 and didnt hear from the doctor til after 7. I had been quite ancy for the past hour. Surgery was fine, and the doctor said he used the absolutely largest bone graph he could get. We are really grateful for the person who donated this. If you've received a 'donor part' before, you'll know that you also receive a reminder note to send to the donor's family. We've never seen James drunk before, but it is no stretch of the imagination to imagine him totally snoggered. He thought he was the life of the party in the OR. As he was wheeled to Recovery, he regretted that his 'quick wit' had failed him. Those escorting him just rolled thier eyes! The young, cute nurse from OR heaved a heavy sigh as she said to the Recovery floor nurses, "Who gets him now?" James received a blessing before all this that all would be well if he would adhere to the doctor's advice. Uh-hem..... Obviously someone knows James better than the rest of us! He couldn't wait to leave the recovery room. He's hooked up to no less than 3 machines, and he thinks he can just skip on out when he wants. I knew I had the reins on this Buggy Ride. I had to constantly remind him of the "doctor's orders clause" of his blessing. That would be good for, what?, maybe 5 min?...

We left the hospital around midnight. This morning James had a machine delivered to the house. Its a CPM. Basically, it flexes his leg for him. He'll be hooked up to that for about 4-6 hours a day. James is managing his pain nicely with good drugs.

Those of you that are not easily grossed out--you can google OATS. That is the procedure he had. For real fun, also google the images.

Thanks for all your calls and concerns. He's doing great! I'm just really going to miss my dishwasher, lawn mower, garbage can hauler, morning school-bus driver....... you get the idea.

"Why my lips stayed chapped on Mother's Day"

This was the winning entry for the MSN writing contest for stories about Motherhood.

So, we had this great cat named Jack and the kids would carry him around and nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on this mat in our bathroom. Well we have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old.

The middle one is Eli. Eli really loves Chapstick. LOVES it. He kept asking to use my chap stick and then losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep my Chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to put it right back in the drawer when he was done.

Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around and try to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying on. My two boys are fighting over the toy in the cereal box. I am trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is motherhood.

We finally have the older one and the baby loaded in the car and I am looking for Eli. I have searched everywhere and I finally round the corner to go into the bathroom. And there was Eli. He was applying my Chapstick very carefully to Jack's . . . rear end.

Eli looked right into my eyes and said "chapped." Now if you have a cat, you know that he is right—their little butts do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to mind.

And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the first time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the hundredth.

And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they've been using your chap stick on the cat's butt.


This story -though gross- is just perfect for my tribute to 'real moms'. Although I don't have this chapstick story, I am one of those moms who has taken pictures of other gross stuff that my kids have done. If you have an image in your mind of something...then enough said. Someday I'll publish those embarrassing photos.

After our '05 Christmas photo. You like the fake beach behind us?

Yesterday, Amanda had her first Orthodontist visit. First, you have to understand that James doesn't understand all the hub-bub about braces. "The girls' teeth are fine!", he says. Well, the rest of the dental professionals must really have it in for us Greens, cuz the doctors are all in cahoots that we take care of Monica, Amanda, and Brielle's crooked teeth. Monica could possibly get away with what she has...but I'm taking no chances. A friend of mine with 3 daughters of her own told me once, "What if the girl meets the perfect guy? He has the choice to be with a pretty girl with straight teeth or one with crooked teeth. He will take the girl with straight teeth." Shallow? Perhaps. But back to Amanda. X-rays were taken. The orthodontist then does a visual check. "Whoa!", is his first word. I hear a 'cha-ching' in the back of my mind. He peers a bit more then says, "Mom, see this!" Another 'cha-ching'...he has to convince me now so he can get that down payment on his next Porsche. He is right. James' crooked face is actually a degenerative problem. He has passed it down to his sweet 12 year old. Who else has this hideous disfiguration?? Among the jumble of misalligned teeth, the doctor showed me the way the bottom teeth/jaw on the left side were 'caving in'. This is also making her chin a little assymetrical. Thankfully, James is a giver. Amanda will get braces.

Halloween '96

Speaking of James. He's getting ready to spend even more money that we don't have for his knee surgery, which is scheduled for Tuesday. We've been waiting several months for the generous 'donor' to give up a knee. I'll post more on that later. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers...this is going to keep him off his knee for 6-8 weeks.

What poison oak does for you

The Photo That Needed To Be Exposed! I was thinking of how I could add this picture to the blog nicely. I guess there is no way. James was at an overnight scout trip a few years back. That first night was dark when they arrived and the young scouts grabbed anything to start a fire. To their credit, it was springtime, and the 'leaves of three...let it be' hadn't really emerged from the branches. The poison oak was burned -- the campground was infected -- but none were aware of the eminent chaos. James had been wearing a fleece jacket, and later used it for a pillow that night. Obviously he sleeps on his right side!! *I'm still doubling over with giggles*

Pictures of us in Utah last summer

Monica, Amanda, Brielle, and Jenna at a park in Utah. Photo taken July '06.

Monica is now 15 and a freshman in High School. Amanda is nearing 13 and is in 7th grade. Brielle is 9 and in 3rd grade; Jenna is 5 and in Kindergarten. All were born here, but are like their momma and would love to spend their lives in Utah Valley. We just can't get enough of those cousins, Fourth of July celebrations, summer rains (with lots of lightning), Granny's Milkshakes on the way to Park City, anything to do with Hobble Creek, and family reunions. We are also careful to load up on Grandma Sycamore's bread and Stephen's Gourmet Hot Chocolate when we head back home.

Michelle, Amanda, Kirsten, Monica