Major Mile Stone!

Abby this morning woke up and realized that she had a tooth missing! Now it happened sometime during the night and we don't know what happened to the tooth. She was so excited to find out that she had lost a tooth. This is how our conversation went this morning,
Abby, "Mommy look I lost a tooth."
Me, "Wow, where is the tooth?"
Abby, "I don't know maybe the tooth fairy came and got it last night."
Me, " Well I don't think so I think maybe you swallowed it".
Abby, "No I don't eat teeth, I think the tooth fairy came already and got it but there is no money for it"
Me, "Maybe we can write her a letter tonight and she will leave you something"
Abby, "Ok, I'm so excited I'm a big girl now I didn't think I would be a big girl until I was 6."
I love that kid!!! Now I just hope that I don't forget to put the money under the pillow tonight!

Best Friends EVER!

I have the best friends and family a girl could ever ask for. Now I know that everyone says that and I'm sure you're saying to your self, "Ya, right I'm sure they are very nice, but can you REALLY say that they are the BEST?" Yes I can and Yes I just did! Let me expand a little...
(disclaimer: Now I've had brain surgery and have recently had back surgery I'm on heavy drugs and my memory has never been...well...I'll just say it GREAT, so if I forget about anything somebody has done for me it's not that I don't remember your efforts and service to me it's just...well I don't remember your effort and service to me and I'm sorry!)
...For a few weeks I've been getting ready to go to Colorado. I've been a bit stressed with trying to have the house clean and the girls packed so I didn't have to come home to a messy house and the girls had all their things for school while staying with my wonderful mother who took them for me. And of course I left everything to do until the last min. because well..I didn't say I was perfect! Who should knock at my door but Lynae. In 3 or so hours she cleaned more of my house then I could do in 3 weeks! She ran up and down stairs and helped me get ready to leave! And when I called her to ask her for help this is what she said, (Now just imagine this in a Disney princess voice) "Oh, I'm so glad you called I am just so happy to come over and help you thank you so much for calling me!" The girl is thanking me for asking her to come clean my house...for free!
On the Wednesday before we left Amy A. texts me and tells me that she is watching my kids for me so that Josh and I can go out to dinner before we leave! It really was so thoughtful of her to let Josh and I spend time together.
Then on the day Josh and I were going to leave Heather comes and gives me a gift bag full of things that I will need for my trip, including: One trashy magazine (because you always feel better about your life when you read about how celebrities have screwed up theirs), and a variety of fat-free candies so that I can snack on them!! Then Amy comes over and gives me another going away gift, she made me rice crispy treats and her and her kids made me a get well soon card!
While we were gone I had no worries about my kids being safe or getting to school or where they were because as previously mentioned my WONDERFUL mother watched my kids for me during the week and then my AMAZING sister-in-law Lisa came all the way out here and picked the girls up and watched them over the weekend, then drove them all the way back down here on Monday.
When we returned we found that our generous home teacher mowed our whole lawn for us and that some unnamed friends broke into our house and cleaned the whole thing, vacuumed and all! I can only assume that it was Lynae and Amy G. Amy a while ago learned how to break into our house, they are the best house robbers ever they clean everything!
We were home only a little while before Amy A. and Amy G. came over with a sign for me and my favorite things: cubed ice and frozen yogurt! My amazing sister-in-law Lisa not only brought me my kids back but brought homemade chocolate peanut butter cupcakes and get well cards made by my kids and hers! This is the my sign Amy and Amy made for me!I am overwhelmed by the many prayers and offers of food that have been sent our way. I am blessed to have all of these extraordinary people in my life and only hope that I can rise to meet their standards!

Aurora, Colorado

The city of Aurora Colorado has become Josh and my top destinations to travel to lately. We seem to take all of our vacations there. Back in August we went back there to visit Dr. Oro again to see if he could do anything about my leg problems. I was really nervous, I wanted him to just say yes Carrie I know exactly what your problem is and I can fix it! And of course I would like it be done all magically too! It has NEVER been that easy for me in the past, however I found that this time was different. Dr. Oro basically said just that. He told us that he was completely sure that I did have tethered cord syndrome and that he could fix it, not magically which I would have gone for but that I would just need a surgery on my lower back and I would have a 2 out of 3 chance that my legs would be perfectly fine, along with a number of other symptoms that I have been living with would also be taken care of. As soon as he told us this there was just a huge weight taken off my shoulders. I felt completely at peace about going through another surgery. Of course I wasn't too excited about the idea of going through another recovery, but he told me it would be easier than brain surgery, so I didn't have to give it another thought, I was in! We got scheduled for September 1, 2011 for the surgery date. As the date came closer I did get a little nervous. I don't know how Josh lives with me and my back and forth of yes I want to do this to no I don't want to do this. Josh patiently just smiles at me and lets me go through this battle with myself. We left for Aurora on Tuesday August 30,2011. We waited until Abby got home from her first day of school because I couldn't leave my baby without seeing how she did at school as a big girl. We didn't drive to whole 9 hour drive all at once we stopped in Vale, Co. for the night. My nervousness was still causing me to go back and forth on whether or not I wanted to do this still, yes I know I have issues but whats one to do about it. We got to Aurora on the afternoon of August 31,2011 I had an appointment at Dr. Oro's office and we went over to the hospital to do labs and check in...4 hours later I was ready for the next day. Now on Tuesday I had broken my glasses and couldn't see anything real clear, and on the morning to the surgery as we are going to the hospital we got a flat tire. Which Josh had to change while I tried to help but just got in the way. By this point I was starting to think that these were some sort of signs that maybe nothing was going to work out. Josh once again just smiled at me and drove me to the hospital. It has been 4 days now since my surgery and I am out of the hospital and sitting in the hotel room feeling pretty good. Now I don't think I will be running around and my walking is more like a slow waddle, but I feel good. Dr. Oro said that while he was in there he found the tether and cut it away from the vertebra, and he tested all the nerves for my legs and they ALL responded! He was VERY positive about my recovery. I have learned the the medicines prescribed to me are not just a suggestion you need to take them or you begin to hurt really bad. I am figuring out my meds. and think that my recovery will go good. I'm VERY positive about the outcome....Of course I just took two pain pills a few minutes ago and find that I'm positive about everything after taking them...
One thing that was really neat before I went into surgery was that Josh and I were waiting in the pre-op area to go back and the nurse came up to us and asked if we were LDS. She had seen that we were from Utah. We said yes, and she continued to tell us how much she loves Glen Beck and then she asked us if it was ok if she prayed for me. I said yes and she took my hand and said a prayer for me and for Josh. It was so touching that she would want to help comfort me and offer a prayer for Josh and I. I have been so blessed in my life. I am so grateful for all the people in my life and for the prayers and support that Josh and I have gotten.