~General Conference~

Our real purpose in taking this trip was so that Spencer & Kaylea could attend their 1st session of General Conference. This has been Kaylea's dream since she turned 8! We even sacrificed our Summer Vacation to come here instead since we couldn't afford to do both. There were 2 specific miracles that happened to us previously that got us to this destination.  Number One: Tim was allowed after just a few weeks of working his new job to take off for a week & come. This went directly against company policy & we feel it was a miracle. Then the other is what happened on the car ride up. I've come to recognize more often the tender mercies that happen often in all of our lives and realize they are not coincidences but rather little miracles that just show us that God is always with us.

Because we didn't have pre arranged tickets we were going off of faith that we'd get in. So Saturday morning after the first session we walked down a few blocks to Temple Square and started our search. Spence held a sign that said: "Need Tickets-It's My 1st Time.."  

With just minutes before the next session started & with help from other family members we had tickets for us to get in, but they were in different areas. My sis Sara & Tim watched the 3 little ones while Spence, Kaylea & I went into the Saturday Afternoon Session. Spencer's ticket was on the floor & mine and Kaylea's was on one of the higher balconies. 

Spencer insisted to me that he would be fine on his own and that he really wanted to do this. I trusted that he'd be okay alone & off he went. Afterwards he told us that he ended up like 5-8 rows from the front!!... and could see the expressions on the Prophet & Apostles faces. Come to find out, two older ladies had helped him get to the front which truly made this a memory & experience he will NEVER forget. I know this kid has a special work here on the earth to do & I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of these kind of experiences for  him.

I enjoyed the quiet time I got to have with Kaylea up in the balcony. She laid on my lap, held my hand & journaled right along with me. We sang loudly with conviction the hymns that we had such belief in. We got to stand & sing "Praise To The Man". She happened to know it since it was in the Primary Program this year. It was powerful..so much so that the lump in my throat didn't allow me to get very many notes out. Some of the words that spoke to me the most were "Traitors & Tyrants now fight him in vain..." 

~Just minutes before we sang this, there was one of those protestors outside the Conference Center, who just happened to be standing literally 4 feet away from me & my innocent daughter. He had a megaphone yelling things like: "You are being lied to, Joseph Smith was a foolish man who made up stories"....& on & on. He was an inch off the Conference Center's property so he was allowed to stay. Kaylea & I talked back & forth about looking in someone's eyes to know if they are good or evil; and this man had angry, disturbing, evil eyes that she I'm sure will always remember. The hundreds of people in line that could hear/see him were calmly ignoring him. He wanted someone to argue back or be affected but we weren't. 

~Our testimonies go much deeper...So much deeper than {these} people will ever realize. And then just minutes later as the MILLIONS of members around the Globe sang "traitors & tyrants now fight him in vain...", it hit me! These protestors, nay-sayers, politicians, etc.. They might hope to persuade one or many but they are doing it in vain, because the course of the Gospel is in stone & will not be affected. (They are definitely fighting in vain!) My only hope in all of this was that this little girl (pictured below) would have her blossoming testimony strengthened & I believe it truly was. 

I love just being on any Temple grounds, but especially the grounds of the Salt Lake Temple. My heart is tender as I think about our pioneer ancestors who spent over 40 years building this. Heartache after heartache & many of them never even got to see the final outcome. They definitely knew of it's eternal nature and the role it played.

~During the Priesthood Session that evening, some of us girls sat on the beautiful temple grounds & enjoyed the sunset and conversation. Another group of us went shopping with all the other LDS females in the world...no really that's unwritten Mormon tradition. While the men get spiritually fed, we have female bonding time. I love it! Then they come out all spiritually uplifted & happy. I enjoyed watching the sky change over time with the Temple in the foreground.

This is my Aunt Deeanna with two of her girls. I'm her favorite niece...no really I am. She is the Mother of 8 children (5 of whom they fostered and then adopted)...and now they are almost all grown up. I could swear they were just babies. We don't get to see them often being that they live so far away, so it was so nice to see them & spend a little time with them in Provo & Salt Lake. Of the thousands of people there we continued to run into them & we giggled each time we did.

{Joining us in SLC were many Family members including my parents, my sisters Sara, Brittany (& Scott), Tim's parents, his sisters Ashlyn, Lacey (& Jordan) & his brother Brian's family. We got to spend time a little time with all of them.}

For the other sessions of Conference we enjoyed just 

chillin' in our Hotel room all cuddled up....

My 5 boys...

...And us girls taking notes! 

{We were lucky enough to have Aunt Sara stay with us & catch up on lost time.}

There is nothing I love more than feeling the Spirit as I watch & hear the music and words spoken and sung at General Conference. The best part is that we are all together, snuggled up as we contemplate the things that matter most in this life and the eternities.

This General Conference was as enriching as all others. Just so happens to be that this time we got to be right there where it all took place...and we felt very blessed for it.

Tim's Knee Surgery...{July 22nd}

BEFORE:

"Hey it's just knee surgery. What's the big deal?"

AFTER:

(doped on morphine)

"Wow...this is Awful!.. Oh and where are my sunglasses?"

It was so horrible to see Tim in so much pain immediately after surgery. He was not conscious but was moaning in pain. I had the nurses give him a few more injections of morphine in his I.V. & he felt MUCH better.  ....BUT then the funnies began!

He insisted on wearing his sunglasses inside the Recovery Room which gave me & the nurse quite the chuckle. He looked like Stevie Wonder as he bobbed his head back and forth and said such funny things.   He told the nurse numerous times how important it was for him to wear his sunglasses since "his eyes were so sensitive from his 3 eye surgeries." 

(..you had to be there.)

Tim also kept saying : "There has to be something the Doctor's not telling me." The nurse finally said "Ok Tim why don't you just relax and stop talking because you keep saying the same thing!" I busted up. Then doped up he started saying in his drunken slurred speech sweet things like: "Wow Audra, you stayed here my whole surgery....You're amazing." 

--Oh good times, good times...--

Wish I had video-taped his silly moments.

Because they didn't last long! Getting him in the car was horrendous & so was the 30 minute drive home from the hospital. He was miserable, pale & on the verge of passing out and vomiting.

Let's just say it's been a long couple of weeks!!

                              **Tim's Surgery was actually really complex. It was 2 hours long & it involved first taking 4 tendons from his hamstring, braiding them together & creating him a new ACL. To get it placed correctly the Dr. had to drill into his tibia & femur bones. Ouch!**

This was taken at his first Physical Therapy appointment @ East Valley Physical Therapy. I HATE when people post gross bodily harmed pictures on their blog like THIS:

(Sorry had to document it for history's sake.)

He did get his leg shaved.. which was a first.

The 1st week was absolutely brutal!... Tears were shed by both of us. We were up all hours of night in pain, giving/taking meds & with the 2 little boys. He was in a lot of pain, needing lots of care & attention. Meanwhile kids start school. Was in survival mode.

The 2nd week he was limited to work about an hour a day, I chauffered him everywhere, His bruising was scary & he was still on percocet, aspirin & crutches.

The 3rd week Tim began driving (which was so helpful!), had a job interview, got the job & celebrated his 37th Birthday. Tim was down to one crutch. Spence began school this week...the same day that Tim spent his full first day back at work. I felt like I was sending another child off.

The 4th week he is now progressing well. He is walking free of crutches& seeing my Dad 3 times a week for Physical Therapy. Other than a funny little limp he has, he is pretty much back to normal. He still tries to walk at his normal fast pace which provides us all a chuckle. 

Tim is now just literally Dreaming about the time when he can run up & down the BASKETBALL court again....but that won't be for AT LEAST another 6 months or so. I really am proud of how hard he has worked to get healed up to this point. He still has a long road ahead but it'll be worth it!

~We are just glad that his Surgery went so great 

as is his Physical Therapy. 

...He has a new knee & All is well. 

~Emmie's 1 year in Heaven mark~

Mama,

I went home to see Jesus, back to that Heavenly place.

He said it was time for me to go, although I knew I'd miss your face.

Don't cry for me now, it's so beautiful here.

I want you to always feel that I am near.

I'm surrounded by angels, family & friends,

God the Father, the Savior, the list never ends.

If you only could see me now. I can run, I can sing,

Oh the sweet joy that only Heaven could bring.

I miss you so much, but I visit you often.

Just close your eyes & I'll whisper, the pain I will soften.

Thank you for giving me my earthly body while there,

& always brushing my long brunette hair.

You were the best Mom I could ever have had

Now take of yourself, Ava, Elsie, Ivan & Dad.

I'll see you sooner than you probably think

The Savior comes quickly, so don't you dare blink.

I love you so much & I want you to know

That I still see Strawberry Shortcake up here too...on the front row. ;)

~Emmie

*Blessed*

 Ryler was given a name & a blessing on July 3, 2011. 

~RYLER THOMAS CAMPBELL~

Some of the wonderful things he was blessed with were:

* Having the desire to serve others & to be an Example

*Have a shield of protection from wickedness

*The blessing of holding the Priesthood
*Have the ability & desire to say "Yes" to church callings

* Be able to live in the World but avoid things harmful to the Spirit

* Find a choice spirit to marry in God's house & raise a righteous family

In the circle to bless him stood Tim, Grandpa Tom, Uncles Danny & Phylip, Grandpa Lonnie, Uncles Mason, Jason, Scott & Great Uncle Terry. {Unable to attend were Uncles Tommy, Brian, Marcus} In the congregation were about 40 more family members & loved ones. 

I got up and bore my testimony to the ward after the blessing. My heart was so full after going through such the emotional roller coaster that we have in the last few months & year. This has been a record year for me getting up to do that...I think 4 times. 

I determined why: Trials bring blessings.
Blessings bring us closer to God...thus the humility and testimony bearing..

I mentioned the fact that everyone had witnessed a miracle that morning whether they recognized it or not. That miracle being that lil' Ryler had not been colicky that entire morning. We have experienced extreme colic at our house & we were literally blessed that morning to be free of it. I said that I figured Ryler must've known it was his blessing day.

The true miracle is that his colic has decreased so substantially since that day, that I would not even call it colic anymore...just gas bubbles here and there.


*After Sacrament Meeting we had family over for a little Lunch at our rental house. {We realized once again how much family we really do have between us & hoped for the miracle of the bread and fishes.} :)...And to think that a good number of family were not even there!} I didn't think to get pictures of any of the family because Ryler slept peacefully for hours after his blessing!! 

{If you look closely you'll notice Ry in two different blessing outfits. The actual day of he wore Spencer's lil' tux onesie because his hadn't yet arrived in the mail. That's just how my life usually goes...There was a big mix up in the mail-so almost 2 weeks later when it arrived we did another little photoshoot. You can see a difference in the amount of chub on his cheeks too.}

~Now more than ever, I am so grateful for this sweet little boy that Father in Heaven has sent to us. He always knows the bigger picture and knows the end from the beginning. I can't imagine my life before or without our precious Ryler. 
Funny how that happens...

The Birth Story...

The Prep Room:

The place where I get to have my bloodwork done & a lovely I.V. put in 

(that they can never do easily cuz my very small veins!)

{This is about the time that Tim starts getting REALLY nervous.}

Then it was really time....

I walked into the Operating Room, climbed up onto the bed. I hunched over a pillow & took deep breaths as the "Rookie" Anesthesiologist gave me my spinal. (Not comforting to hear the experienced guy walking him through it...lovely.)

I laid down, watched the magic blue curtain go up & waited for my hubby to come in. I prepped him on what to do with the cameras. I was trying to keep both our minds off the fact that I was being sliced open for the 5th time in the same spot.

Here I am thinking:  "Am I really doing this again!?"

 I looked up into these lights & could see a clear reflection of my surgery. I got super nauseous. They would continue to raise my blood pressure to keep me from vomiting. As it started to get closer I snuck a few peeks & my adrenaline started pumping and compensated for my nausea.

Then we heard the doctors and nurses say phrases that hinted he was almost here. Suddenly I heard my Doctor say something to the affect that the Cord was wrapped around his neck...then he said "wrapped twice..." & "also around one arm.".....Seriously!.. I thought. Is this really happening! I panicked for a moment as I saw the reflection of what was happening above me. 

The nurses quickly took him and worked on him. Still no crying! A mother's worst nightmare. He still hadn't cried yet but suddenly an overwhelming feeling of peace came over me and I knew he was going to be okay. A tender mercy I'll never forget.~

He still hadn't cried yet and needed Oxygen!
(look how purplish he looks)

And then FINALLY we heard a little gurgley cry....

And then a louder, clearer one.

The best sound I ever heard...

When all was well, Tim cut the cord & then brought little Ryler over to me so I could kiss him. It literally felt like I was kissing Heaven. 

Tim took Ryler out of the room with him & the nurses as I was left in operating room getting sewn back up. The nausea came back & I threw up that nasty barium sulfate drink a number of times.

Finally I was all done. The doctor told me that again I had quite a lot of scar tissue (as always) but that everything looked good. What a relief. No abnormal bleeding, tearing, hemoraging or need for hysterectomy...Fears I have.

Then I was wheeled into the Recovery Room & I got to hold my baby.

And the World stood still....

♥Meet our sweet Ryler!

*RYLER means "Adventurer" & that he has been from the beginning. For starters, this little guy thought it would be cool to be born on Friday the 13th.  I'm certain he had something to do with that. It was actually supposed to be Thursday the 12th but long story short it was set back a day & Luckily that it was, because I had a terrible flu bug that day! {Unanswered Prayers work out best sometimes.}

When Ryler made his Earthly appearance, I guess he thought he'd come repelling out of my body. He came complete with the umbilical cord wrapped twice around his neck & once around his arm. I saw the reflection in the light above me as the doctor quickly unwrapped it & passed him off so the nurses could get him crying & breathing. It seemed like it took forever and although I lay there helpless and scared, I knew deep down he would be okay.

HE must have known too....

~Ryler Thomas Campbell~

6 lbs. 1 oz. & 19¼ inches

Friday, May 13th 1:00pm

Story of the Year....

*There is the cutest little African man in our ward. He is a husband & daddy of 4 children that had not seen his family in 6 years. Every Fast/Testimony meeting he would get up bearing his testimony (in the greatest accent ever) of the Gospel giving me goosebumps every time. He'd usually sing a Hymn which brought in such an instant, sweet spirit. One time he sang "Count Your Many Blessings" & I had to leave the chapel because I was crying so much. Click on the link to read his amazing story & see him reunited with his family at the Airport. 

{Photo by: trevordayleyphotography}

The youngest daughter on the left is in Kaylea's school & church class. 

*Grab a box of tissue....no really -a whole box. 

Read:  Roy's Story

January=Medical Emergency Month

*{Post for Journaling Purposes}

this picture makes me wanna cry:

The unwelcome hospital tradition began Christmas week of 2002. Kaylea was hospitalized with RSV at only 3 months old & came home just in time for Christmas Eve. The best Christmas present ever was to just be out of the Hospital & together with my family. I didn't care about anything else but the safety and well being of them. Christmas morning she still struggled to breathe but she was healing and would be okay.

It seems like every year since then, our family gets sick the week of Christmas & instead of last minute getting ready lists, I am just praying that all will be better Christmas day.

Last year just days before Christmas again, I had the phone in my hand about to call 911 about 2am as Kaylea's lips turned more and more blue. She has the tendency to get croup in a matter of seconds-usually in the middle of the night & it becomes scary really fast. Tim took her straight to the Hospital & she was immediately taken back & given a steroid shot in her bum. Like magic she was okay & breathing close to normal again. Again we were all well and together Christmas day. Christmas miracles are real.

This year just like clockwork, after a long night of croup on December 22nd I took Kaylea into the doctor on the 23rd. She was given an oral steroid allowing her to be okay once again for Christmas Eve & Day.

Then begins January....

Ever since last year I have begun to hate this month & now call it 

Medical Emergency Month. 

Last year just 4 days into the new year was the Check's car accident-all were okay yet there was lots of bruising, whiplash & Ava needing stitches. Brother in law Scott was hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning...And of course Ron's ladder accident-causing broken foot/infection almost needing leg amputation. This resulted in weeks of hospital stay & numerous surgeries. This consumed our lives almost every day for the rest of the month...  + some.

January this year just days into the 2011 new year, cousin Miley who's just older than Jax, had 2 frightening febrial seizures.-one of the scariest things you can see happen to your child! She was later sent to Cardon's Childrens Hospital so she could get higher care. After 105 fevers that wouldn't go down she was given a spinal tap to check for menegitis. She was cleared of that but was diagnosed with pneumonia/RSV requiring a couple day hospital stay. My Dad was hospitalized twice. After days of immense back pain, he got to the point where he couldn't move at all. My mom called 911 & the paramedics needed to give him an I.V. of morphine before they could even transport him to the hospital. It took over half an hour just to get a vein to cooperate. (must be where I get it from) Finally after that was in place, it took 5 paramedics to get him out of bed, down the stairs & into the ambulance. Weeks later he is still recovering and hoping to get some answers to this long term issue. He is dealing with other health issues as well & will have surgery in the coming weeks.
Then of course Daylan's hot dog choking incident at Emmie's party...scary, & drama that I wish we didn't have to throw into the Check's day.  Then next was Jax when he got a terrible fever bug. He had 4 long days and 4 long nights of high fevers & a gunky cough we tried to keep clear so it wouldn't turn into pneumonia....which it actually did! Kaylea got it too but not as bad. I get paranoid especially when she gets fevers since she is my febrial seizure child. Tim's Mom has had more heart-angina attacks these past few weeks which are semi routine now but still scary.

All I can say is HELLO FEBRUARY....We Welcome You!

...Please be a bit nicer than January has been.

Warning: Hot Dogs=Danger!

Did you know that 100 kids die in the U.S every year from choking?

*I thought that my Daylan was about to be one of those statistics last night. We were celebrating the Birthday of our sweet Emmie who passed away this last year. The kids were anxious to hurry & eat so they could run back out & play with cousins. As we began eating dinner I hear this choking noise. I run over to a panicking Daylan. He throws up a couple times & yet still is struggling to breathe. He was getting some oxygen but not much. I tried doing the Heimlich Maneuver a few times with no luck. Daylan was jumping up & down and trying to do whatever he could.


*Everything moved in slow motion and after a minute or two or three, (felt like an hour) I began to panic. Uncle Jason stepped in & had no luck with the Heimlich Maneuver either. I thought: "This can not be happening!" Daylan turned more pale by the second and his lips more blue. I yelled out "Someone just Call 911-this isn't working!"


*Right then Jason stuck his finger down Day's throat and out popped this ridiculous sized piece of hot dog-the exact circumference of his esophagus. (They just happened to be extra large hot dogs!) I think maybe the Heimlich really had helped get it up high enough to grab out. I hugged Daylan tight and had to go sit down since I was shaking with fright. {I woke up in the night thinking of the look on Daylan's face when it was happening and couldn't get back to sleep...so scary!}

**I will never look at a hot dog the same again.**

*Here CBS' Early Show tells of how a 4 yr old boy who choked to death on a hot dog!

When I saw this design of a hot dog I thought it was a great idea!

You know that's why Life Savers were created right?...
So kids could have hard candies & if they choked they would still have air with the hole in the middle.

*Here is a Conversation among Moms about the hot dog safety dilemma where people argue whether or not hot dog makers should be forced to reconfigure their hot dogs. I believe it's America and they shouldn't be that regulated, BUT all I know is that if there were hot dogs cut more safely like this, there would be a bazillion moms that would buy them.

Including=

Provo Tabernacle Burns

An aerial before picture:

*photo courtesy planeinsanerc.com

Story from back in mid December:

*photo courtesy John Curtis

{The 100 year old historic Provo Tabernacle was on fire. It burned and burned without much success in saving it. I remember going there a few times growing up with my Grandparents for Stake Conference & other concerts and things. I have cousins, friends & family have very memorable & tender memories of events that took place there like this one from my cousin Kristin. You can see towards the bottom of her post the beautiful sketch she drew as she watched the firemen still trying to put it out. It is a remarkable, historic, nostalgic & special building to a lot of people. It is a building our pioneer ancestors sacrificed so much for. Arson was ruled out, although the center of the building was completely gutted. As far as I know the church does not know if it will be restored or not.} There was nothing that could be salvaged from the fire EXCEPT THIS was found. Take a look at the amazing photo below of a recovered painting: ~A bitter sweet Christmas Miracle~ FIREMEN LOOKING AT THE SAVIOR PAINTING ---SAVIOR PORTION SAVED IN PAINTING OF WHEN "HE COMES AGAIN".... "For most viewing the interior it was a total loss…and then yesterday a fireman removed one of the many pieces of art work in the building…it is the building’s only survivor…a picture of Jesus Christ. The fire had seared the picture all around the frame and most of the picture…except the figure of our Lord and Redeemer….He somehow survived." *Video footage from News Station*

Baby Ivan

 Ivan Jason Check

was born to his anxious family 

on November 20, 2010

 @ 5:12 am

He weighed 8 lbs. 12 oz.  

& was 20½ inches long.

~After a long, frightening & hard labor

Ivan was finally delivered via C-section.

He was welcomed with open arms by all.

I think Jax is ready for his own baby...

Jax was so enamored by precious little Ivan