Thank you Uncle Dave and Aunt Wendy

It was finally warm enough for Lucy to wear this cute dress Dave and Wendy gave her for her birthday. I'll have to post some more of her wearing the cute dress Katie gave her also. Thank you all for supplying Lucy with such a cute wardrobe.

Greetings all,

Katie and Natalie came to visit us while Steve was home on leave--we were all awesome. Mom, Steve and I had a great General Conference weekend--started out spending Friday night and Saturday with Dave and Wendy in Iowa City, then came home to listen to Sunday sessions with Joe and Bethany and Lucy (she wasn't quite as into it as some) and Bethany's mom, sister and niece who also visited us. It was a good time, with one caveat.

Steve got ahold of some virus that wholloped him with killer headaches, 103-degree fevers, bad sore throat, and now has settled in his esophagus and stomach to the point he can't drink or eat anything. He was given morphine and other pain drugs intravenously, as well as fluids (the only way he can get any fliuds in him), and has been in the hospital here (St John's) since last Thursday. They scoped his gullet last night and found esophagitis and stomach inflamation, all apparently caused by this virus; but at least the fevers, headache and throat problems are gone. We got his name on the temple roll here, but please remember him in your prayers--his unit deploys to Afghanistan in 2 weeks and it looks like he may have to join later in country.

We love you all. Mom has had a great week with Caroline, Emily, Marinda and Ben; but the diet around here will significantly pick up when she comes home--due back tomorrow night and we'll all catch up on the Conference Call (1900). Love, Dad

I love dogs with epilepsy

So this was the song I was referring to in our conference call. I'm sure it kept you guys up all night wondering about it! Brett and Jemaine both like the same girl who is looking for her epileptic dog who got lost in the park. They organize a fundraiser to raise awareness and write a song. It's awesome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1crW3MOIl0E

Still the Coolest

Em sets her book down to hold Caroline

Emily and Caroline first day home from hospital

Up close and personal

We can't decide what/who she looks like...

Em finally gets to check out her sister

Estrogen Overload

Introducing... Caroline Bonnie Shaha!

Caroline Bonnie Shaha, 7 lbs, 14 oz. born at 11:52 p.m. We only have a few pics of her and they are right after the birth. Hopefully we can get some good ones today. All in all I've only spent about 30 minutes with her (two quick visits to the ICU). Hopefully she will get out today. The red marks around her eyes and mouth are from the oxygen mask they put on her. I'm assuming you all heard that we had to have an emergency c-section because the chord was coming out first and the pressure on it from her head was cutting off her oxygen supply. It was the scariest few moments of my life. It was amazing though, from the time the doctor said, "Shoot, there's a problem" to "Congratulations!" was about five minutes. Roadkill...yes, that is the perfect description of me in this picture. I wouldn't normally post such a horrifying picture of myself, but this one is pretty funny. This was taken about five or ten minutes after her birth. I was so strung out on all the meds I literally could not talk. I was trying to shout at the doctor, "Don't you dare take my picture!" but I seriously couldn't get any words out. Ben looks fantastic though, you can tell what a proud papa he is.