All ready for surgery!

*Update* We arrived home from the hospital around 6:30 this evening. Mom ate some chicken noodle soup and saltine crackers. We had to keep reminding her that she couldn't lift anything and that she needed to rest. Eventually, I threatened to place her in time-out if she continued, so she decided to put on her jammies and relax in bed. Sheesh, I do this every night at my own home! Nana drove home after dinner and she'll be back to replace me tomorrow afternoon. Somebody has to keep an eye on my busy mother! Anyway, it wasn't long before she fell asleep after taking some pain medication. Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts...please keep them coming. Mom goes in to have her CI activated on February 16th. We pray that it works well for her!!

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We are at the hospital waiting for my mom to be taken back for her second Cochlear Implant surgery. Her first was in 1999, so after more than 10 years she should be pretty high tech now. I wonder if she'll be able to receive signals from outer space? Cool! She just mentioned to me that her new CI will be bluetooth capable. See..I told you she would be techy.


The surgery should be pretty soon and we're all anxious.



My awesome mom is excited, hungry and (at the moment) reading a book to pass the time. Please keep her in your prayers today and for the next month or so as the CI will not be activated until February 16, 2010.

Her vitals were taken and we're ready to go.

They had to mark which ear needed the cochlear implant and also make sure they didn't shave the wrong side of her head.

Nana has a cold, but is willing to wear this mask so she doesn't miss being there for her daughter. Us mothers, we sacrifice so much! ;) I'm glad Nana is here. We can keep each other company while mom is in surgery.

I will update on Twitter as the day progresses. You can follow me on Twitter..I'm @SemiOrgMom. Just click on the link above and select "Follow". My Facebook will be updated through Twitter as well.

Sundance Sunday

We had a great Sunday and it didn't involve organizing, cleaning or cooking.  All fun things, except this was much more exciting. 

Bridal Veil Falls

Provo Canyon is beautiful this time of year.  I love all the different shades of green, the smells and the sounds.  Rushing water is my favorite (unless I need to "go") and this year there has been an abundance of strong, rushing water.  The rivers are very high and the current is strong. With strict instructions from me, Rob was able to contain his over-protectiveness and let the kids have a good time.  We didn't get to spend more than ten mintues at Bridal Veil Falls because it started pouring.  I didn't realize that Nana could run so fast.  Go Nana!!  

So, we headed up to Sundance where, you guessed it, it started raining.  After ten minutes it started to let up and then we just had to deal with a few sprinkles here and there.  All in all, it was a beautiful day!

We spent the afternoon exploring Sundance with my (L-R) Aunt Margie, Nana, and my mom. Aunt Margie is visiting from Kansas City and we are so happy to have her here.  They are headed down to St. George this week for some fun in the sun.  I hope it is much warmer and dryer than it has been up here.  

Brenden - 15

Braden - 15

I just love these steps at Sundance. 

This beach cruiser is exactly the kind of bike I want.  The seat is big, which should make things a bit more comfy when riding and I love the beach look. Someday I will get one of these.  How fun would it be to ride around and get exercise on something this fun!  

Caleb was "fishing" with just a stick.  Luckily there weren't any fish (that we could see) as I'm sure they would have been quickly speared for sport.

I love this  part of the falls.

The following photographs are my attempts to catch the sheer beauty of this flower....

One...

Uggh...the background is in focus, but the flower isn't.

Two...

Yet again, semi-focused foilage.

Voila!

My Dad

Today marks the 10th Anniversary of my fathers passing. He was 72 when he died. Much too young....because I was only 22 years old. I miss him. I don't talk about him very much because it's still hard for me.

Due to my lack of savvy computer equipment over the past few years, I have not scanned a photo of my father. How embarassing!! So today I did a search of him, hoping I would find at least a picture of him in all the Hall of Fame's he was in, but I couldn't. I did however find a blank page dedicated to him, but they had not put anything on it. I contacted them and this is what I received today.

USA Deaf Sports Federation- Hall of Fame (formerly known as AAAD)

1990
LYLE G. “MORTY” MORTENSEN
Utah

Lyle, known to many of the deaf as “Morty,” was born in Emery, UT. He lost his hearing when he was 9 years old. He was ice-skating with a group of friends - they were holding onto a rope attached to saddle on horse and the line “whiplashed” and he slipped, got thrown, hit his head on ground and this resulted in a 106-degree fever. Its medical term was called “cerebral meningitis’.

He attended the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind in Ogden, UT. He was an outstanding athlete and lettered in basketball and wrestling. He captained the basketball team and led them winning several games.

He attended Gallaudet College and graduated from Kansas University. While at Gallaudet, he was involved in basketball, track and tennis. He was an excellent student, majoring in Math. He was frequently asked to tutor students in Math at Utah School for the Deaf and Gallaudet College.

He provided much leadership expertise thru achievement at the regional and club level. He worked his way up from Midwest Athletic Association of the Deaf (MAAD) and American Athletic Association of the Deaf (AAAD). He held many different capacities of both organizations - 7 years as vice president, 5 years as president of MAAD and 2 years as vice president; 4 years as secretary-treasurer and 3 years as president of AAAD.

He accomplished much for the AAAD in establishing national sports of softball, volleyball and basketball for women. His effort to have AAAD accept women’s tournaments on an equal footing with men’s tournaments had made it possible for women to participate in regional and national tournaments.

(15 Feb 1924 – 6 Nov 1996)

I was disappointed that they did not mention anything about his children, but I realize it's not a eulogy, it's what he accomplished whlie being a part of that organization. I'm very proud of him. I didn't realize the steps he took to make women's sports equal to mens. Way to Go DAD!!!