Tags

Here are some answers to some tagging that has been done. ABC's "getting to know you" TAG. Complete the ABC's of you. Then, each player tags 3 people and posts their names, goes to their blogs and leaves a comment letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Thanks Leesa, here we go: A- Attached or single: Happily attached. B- Best Friend: Ben, Cambree, I actually feel like I have a lot of best friends if that is possible .C-Cake or Pie: Devils food cake D-Day:Saturday, I love just hanging out as a family on Saturday E- Essential Item: Nebulizer, I have to be able to do my treatments wherever I am F- Favorite Color: It has been purple for forever but I am really digging Orange these days G-Gummy Bears or Worms: Gummy bears H-Home town: Fairview, oh how I havent gone very far I- Indulgences: eating out J- January or July?: July - I hate being cold!!!! K-Kids:One little girl and a little boy at heart. L-Life is incomplete without: My family M- Marriage Date: June 07, 2002. N-Number of Siblings: oh boy, 6 sisters 4 brothers, yours, mine and ours O- Oranges or Apples: Both! But they have to be granny smith apples. P- Phobias or Fears: I have a severe fear of snakes I guess then it would be a phobia. Also very claustrophobic Q- Quote: Miracles Happen, the most astonishing thing about miracles is that they happen R- Reason To Smile: I am happy and healthy and have a beautiful family S- Season: Fall, I love the feel in the air T- Tag Three: Erin, Jennie, Michelle U- Unknown fact about me: V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: 100% Oppressor of Animals W- Worst Habit: picking scabs, it just sounds so gross when you read it. X-Rays or Ultrasounds: I love ultrasounds if it means there is a baby to be seen, but it seems I am more of an X-ray girl since I get them so often Y-Your favorite food: this is tough, I love food in general. I love olive garden toasted ravioli Z- Zodiac Sign: Capricorn, The Capricorn person is: prudent, responsible, very wise, formal, patient, methodical, disciplined, traditional, cautious, conventional, hard-working, polite, persevering, ambitious, dedicated, focused, honest, dependable, serious, self-reliant, businesslike, career-oriented, authoritative, conscientious, and competent. comforting • strong • steady • steadfast [5] • organized • cautious • trustworthy [5] • calm • tenacious [6] • stable • patient • faithful [5] I think a few of these are very much like me. On to the next tag, 6 random things about me. If you look further back in my post you will find 28 random things about me. 1. I hate exercise but I do exercise 4-5 times a week. 2. If I don't know you I most likely wont go out of my way to get to know you, depends on my mood. 3. I think that I am much funnier than other people think that I am. Well, at least than Ben thinks I am 4. I once drove in a convertible with the top down in the middle of January with a bunch of blankets and the heat cranked. I later got sick. 5. I often lie to people when asked how I am doing. It is just easier that way and I also want to be known as the "strong" person 6. Young womens president is one of the hardest most rewarding callings I have ever had. I am way too hard on myself and never feel like I am doing a good job.

Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy Anniversary

So if any of you know the tune to that little jingle you probably won't get it out of your head for a bit. Anyway, it is our 6 year anniversary on Saturday. It is crazy to think of all that has gone on these past 6 years. Our lives have been crazy, but blessed beyond belief. If anyone would have told me we would be living in Fairview and Ben would be working at the telephone company I would have laughed in their face. Little did we know what the Lord had in store and oh how I am grateful that He knows so much more than we do.

A little sappy message to Ben, thank you for being my best friend and for giving up your dreams to make our dreams a reality. You are amazing and I could have never asked for a better husband, father to Cambree, or son in law to my parents. You are the best and I love you more now than I could have ever dreamed. I am so grateful that we are an eternal family and that through it all we can always hold close to that knowledge. We are truly so blessed! Heres to many more.


Our engagement picture

My bridal

The big day

Our amazing honeymoon in Disneyland!

Emotions

This last week has been filled with emotions! First of all my best friend Karole moved to Arizona. I knew it would be hard but I really didnt know it would be this hard. I miss her and her family so much. They moved next door to us nearly 2 years ago and our friendship has gone beyond that. They are family. We are all going to miss them so much. Cambree was pretending today that Braxton and Issac were here playing with her. It nearly broke my heart. She is going to miss her two buddies/brothers. I can't tell you how many times I have just broke down crying because of it. I couldnt even talk about it after I told them goodbye. It is really going to be difficult for us. Now on to the good times, well we went and spent Saturday night with our good friends Jake and Erin. Jake is seriously the funniest kid you will ever meet. We always have a stomachache after hanging out with both Ben and Jake together. Rolling on the floor laughing is usually what happens. Then on Sunday we went and had dinner with Bens uncle Mark that we just met at his dad's funeral. That was really interesting. I am so glad that we got to go. They seriously are some of the nicest people I know and it was all so comfortable which really amazed me. Its funny that every time we have ever been with anyone from that side of the family it has never been awkward. I think that Ben enjoyed it. I am always the one to ask the most questions but wasnt sure if it was my place here or not so next time I am totally going to get the scoop on everything. There is still so much in the air that I think we should find out. I am way too curious. Then we got home and just hung out on Monday and then on Tuesday I got a call from my mom that my uncle was dying. It is my dad (Jims) sister's husband and we found out in December that he had cancer in his stomach. He did chemo for a bit but it didnt seem to be helping so he decided to stop. They were able to take a wonderful trip to Hawaii with all of his kids and had the best time of their lives. After they got home is when he really started to go down hill. We went and saw him about a month ago and I was shocked at how much weight he had lost. I was pretty sure it wouldnt be too much longer. I feel so sad for my aunt and her loss. They have only been married for 7 years and I know it is truly the happiest she has ever been. He was an amazing man and he will be missed. It all just gives me a greater perspective of how fragile life is. We have had a death every 2 years since Ben and I have been married and all around this time of year. It is a little eerie. I have so many emotions right now. Feeling a complete hole knowing I can't just run over to Karoles or have her boys come and play with Cambree, sheer excitement for getting to know Bens Kizerian family better, and pure sadness for my aunt and the loss we have had in our family. Life is really a roller coaster sometimes.

Oh so many things!

Wow! I know it has been a while and so many things have been going on. Mothers Day, Cambree's dance recital, and her graduation from preschool. So first off, Mothers day was amazing. It is really the first mothers day that I have actually been home. The first two were spent in the hospital and the third we were driving home from California. So first off I woke up to Ben making me Crepes for breakfast, he is seriously the best crepe maker I know. Then Cambree gave me a beautiful picture of her and I, yes the one where she wanted to sit with Karole and not her mom. I will scan it when I get my scanner set up. Then Ben and Cambree gave me some awesome Nike Shocks, for exercise and a new journal. I was very excited. It is so amazing to me still that I am a mother and in charge of this little being that Heavenly Father sent us. It can sometimes be a daunting task, but I pray that we can do a good job. Thank you Ben and Cambree for a wonderful mothers day!

We also had Cambrees dance recital and it was so cute! she looked adorable, I can't believe how big she is gettting. Then after her dance her daddy got to go give her a flower and take her off the stage. It was adorable. I was so mad becuase Ben handed the camera over to me and I totally didnt know how to zoom out so I didnt get it on there. But here are some really cute pics.





Then it was on to Preschool graduation. She still has one year left, but it was fun to go and hear all that they have learned. She has grown so much this year, I am sad that preschool is over, it was so fun for her to get together with her friends. She is quite the social butterfly, I don't think she had a chance considering who her parents are.

Cambree and Adam, they have so much fun together

The proud parents

Grandma Kathy

Grandma and Grandpa Cox

Cambree with her two buds, we are going to miss them so much!

Happy Birthday Baby!

Yes I know that Cambree is no longer a baby. But I think I will forever call her my baby! We had a wonderful birthday for her on Saturday. We started off celebrating Friday night with just her mom and dad. Ben and I have always loved to take her out for her birthday to dinner and to do something fun. Since her party was the day of her birthday we did it the day before. We let her choose where she wants to go and for anybody that knows us too well you can only guess that Cambree picked Olive Garden. We had a really good time. We then went to Toys R Us to let her pick out something. My professor from Weber State has sent her money every year for her birthday so we always take her to pick something out. She loves it. We were then on our way home when I saw a carnival in the parking lot at the Provo Mall. I have seen this carnival every year but never stopped. I told Ben we had to go. He did reluctantly and we had the best time. Cambree loved every minute of it.


Cambree loves her calamari, I know weird


When we got our new car Cambree asked for a pink one. This is the best we could do.


Then it was on to the big bash. It was a great party and we had so many loved ones there. We are so grateful for all of the love and support that we receive. We are all so blessed. Cambree was spoiled and loved every minute of it. Ben tells me this is the last year of doing this. I say that too until the party comes and I see the joy in her face. Next year I think we will venture on to a friend party. I can't believe that my baby girl is so big. It is all so surreal. I just hope I can enjoy every moment of it.

Cambree blew out one candle at a time. I don't even know how that is possible

Her Pablo cake

She didnt quite know what to think of her new bike

Poor Uniqua getting beat to death

The happy family

Nostalgia

So around this time of year I always get a bit nostalgic. Well the definition of nostalgia is according to Webster: sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past. So I guess I am not sure that Nostalgia would be the best word for the feelings I get around this time of year.

I know I have shared bits here and there about having Cambree and the feelings and complications that went on. I hope I am not tiring in this subject. It is one that I hold very dear to me and is a time that I will forever hold in my memory as if it were yesterday. Ben and I grew so close during these trials and I never knew that I could love someone so much as I did him at that point, amazing that in those 4 years that love has only continued to swell. I also never knew that it would be so instantaneous to love such a little creature that just entered this world. One week from this Saturday will be our little girls birthday. I can hardly believe that she is already 4 years old. It is amazing to me how the time has flown but yet at times seemed like they took forever to get here. The first two years were very difficult and I still struggle, but it has been so amazing to see the transformation not only in Cambree, but in myself as a person, mind, body, and spirit. My testimony never could have strengthened the way it did by going through the trials I had with her.

At this time 4 years ago I had been in the hospital for 1 week and had some serious complications with my health. Cambree remained well through it all. Then about 1 week before she was born, Ben went home on a Sunday night only to receive a frantic phone call from his wife. I had started coughing up blood. I was horrified. I had coughed up blood before but I had never had another being in me as I did now and I had no idea how this would complicate things. Ben got right back in the car and drove the 1 1/2 hours to be by my side. He never left my side again until we returned home with our little one.

The doctors evaluated me for a while. I then coughed up blood again so they took me to ICU to be watched. I couldnt eat anything and was not happy about it. Nearing the end of the 24 hr period in ICU they were talking of putting me back down on the regular floor. My mom was getting ready to go home and as she was packing up said a prayer that if something was going to happen to let it happen now so she would know to stay. Low and behold within about a minute of the doctor leaving my bedside saying things looked good, it started up again. They ran and grabbed the doctor and within minutes I was out only to awake to my Dad, stepmom, brother and his wife. I was thinking it was 5 in the morning and couldnt believe that it was 5 in the afternoon. I had missed a whole day. They put me on the vent during that time and had to keep me sedated while they waited for another doc to come and work his magic. During this time I am told that a nurse was very negligent. Ben I don't think has ever wanted to take a life until this moment. Needless to say she gave me far too much sedation medicine at once rather than spreading it out over a period of time and I started to crash. She called for the crash cart and Ben nearly lost it. My heart rate was in the 30's. Cambree was stable amazingly. They got me back to where I should be and all was well. I of course don't remember any of this. I was in a very peaceful sleep.

So fast forward a few days...on saturday the 24th we were told that due to my leaking of amniotic fluid it was time to take the baby. They would start me Sunday evening and I would probably have her sometime Monday evening. Ben said he needed 6 more weeks to prepare to be a father. It was all happening so fast. I hadnt even had a baby shower yet and had nothing ready for the baby to come. I got a little panicky. Sunday night they started me and by Monday morning I had slept very little. I had a lot of discomfort in my back. They told me I had been having contractions all night. I still wasnt dialated only to a 1, but there was some progress. They decided to give me an epidural about 10:00 and by 10:30 they started me on the pit. At 10:45 (I believe, the times could be off a bit.) I started to cough up blood. Talk about nurses that freak out. She unhooked the pitossin, but didnt clamp my IV off so blood was going all down my arm. All I could think was what a moron. They need to teach some nurses how to act in time of crisis. I was then wheeled up to ICU in my bed. About 7 doctors stood around scratching their heads wondering what to do. They told us we had 3 options. There 4th option was squashed since they couldnt stop labor. This little girl was on her way and the contractions were getting much much bigger. They told me we could go ahead as normal but that there main concern would be me and not the baby. 2 have a C-section with me awake but agian I would be priority or 3- have an emergency C-section but Ben couldnt be in the room. We knew what our option really was but it was tough to know that Ben wouldnt be there. During all of this I knew that all would be well. That Cambree and I would be fine. I had been told in a blessing in the very beginning that Cambree and I would both be okay and I clung to that throughout my whole pregnancy.

I have no idea what time they wheeled me down to have the baby, but that was a very difficult moment leaving Ben there in the hallway. They prepped me before they began to put me out which I really hated. I am claustrophobic and this was not a fun experience. Then I remember being in my room and asking what time she was born and how much she weighed, was she pretty? I kept asking over and over agian not remembering that I had already asked that question. She was born at 2:08 p.m. and weighed 4 lbs. I had never seen anything so small.


This was the first time I held her a few days after she was born

I remember the first time I saw her. She was already 12 hours old. It was 2:00 a.m. and I couldn't wait to get my hands on her any longer. The doctor finally came in and said if you want to go now you can. I had been awake all night waiting to hear those beautiful words. It was time to meet my baby. Ben was asleep in the chair that he so faithfully slept in for the entire month. I had to muster all of my strength and energy to throw pillows to wake him up. He had had a rough day not knowing if I or Cambree or both would be okay. Emotionally draining as I am sure you all understand. Ben acted annoyed, but I knew he was as excited as I was. He of course had already seen her everyone had but me. Oh the unfairness of it all.

Ben wheels me down and takes me in to the NICU. He says to me, "this one is ours" I just looked at her as if I had never seen anything so beautiuful and in all honesty, I hadn't. She was perfect. The tears welled up and I couldn't speak. WE have it all on tape and there is so much I don't remember from being on the drugs. When I watch the tape I think, "wow I dont' remember saying that at all." I remember thinking that I wasn't just meeting her, that we had known each other for much longer. I couldn't believe how small she was and that she had actually been in my stomach not even 24 hours ago. It was all a little overwhelming. I didn't know how I was going to take care of such a fragile little thing. We couldn't hold her yet. Only touch her. We had to hold her head and her legs in our hands. She didn't like stroking. It was agitating to her. She was so small but yet so strong.

I remember in the days to come they would tell me that she was a bit fiesty. I laughed. She must be Ben and I's. They said that it was only when I was there that she was so calm and at peace and I knew that she knew I was her mother and could feel my presence. It is an amazing connection. She used to perk right up when I would walk into a room and she could hear my oxygen puffing. She always heard me coming.

As I had to leave that first night I remember Ben wheeling me out and hearing her cry. I just wanted to hold her and comfort her and I knew that was all that she wanted as well and it broke my heart. I just began to cry. It still amazes me all that we have been through together in so little of time. I look so forward to the many birthdays that I pray we are able to share.

The Lord has blessed our lives so incredibly. It is hard to describe the love that we feel from Him. We are so grateful for all that we have been given!

My Benny

Since Ben is gone all week on training in North Carolina, and I am missing him terribly, I decided I would post about him. 1. What is your husbands name? Benjamin Alma Pehrson 2. How long did you date? this is a tricky one. We started dating on Sept. 13, 1997 thanks to me. Broke up in April of 1999, again thanks to me, got back together in June of 1999 yes, once again thanks to me. Then dated including his two year mission until June 7 2002. So all in all about 5 years. 3. How old is he? 27, I'm older, how sad 4. Who eats more? Most of the time I do. He was amazed when we first started dating how much I could eat 5. Who said I love you first? He did and it scared the crap out of me. I told him thanks and gave him a hug. Poor boy. 6. Who is taller? He is, but we are both short 7. Who sings better? Well according to singstar he does, but he won't sing in front of anyone unless it is singstar. 8. Who is smarter? I like to say me, but it just probably isnt true 9. Who does the laundry? I do, but he will do a load here and there and will do it when I am in the hospital. Great guy! 10. Who pays the bills? I am our accountant. That is my official title. 11. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does and always has. 12. Who mows the lawn? If we had a lawn it would definitley be him 13. Who cooks? I do, Ben cooks breakfast sometimes and it is always fantastic 14. Who drives? He does, he really doesnt like anyone else to drive. 15. Who is more stubborn? Definately him, I have become much less stubborn over our nearly 6 years of marriage 16. Who kissed who first? He kissed me on our second date, it was so quick like banging two heads together 17. Who asked who out? I asked him to the Preference dance, but he wanted to ask me out he was just chicken 18. Who proposed? Well technically he did, but I had the dress and centerpieces all ready and told him I wanted a ring before graduation day at Weber. I really considered proposing to him and totally surprising him. I decided not to 19. Who has more friends? I think Ben probably has more friends, but we have become close with each others friends 20. Who is more sensitive? Definately me. Ben doesnt show a lot of emotion. I got much worse after I had Cambree 21. Who has more siblings? Yes, that would be me. 6 sisters and 4 brothers. Yours mine and ours 22. Who wears the pants? I hate to wear dresses, we share this role:) Ben is amazing and helps me so much. He is a great dad and a wonderful husband and Cambree and I are really missing him and his crazy ways!