Spontaneous Utah Fun


We hung out in Utah this weekend – not wanting to leave the security of the hospital too soon after Lily’s excitement. We ended up getting to do some fun things:

It was fun to spend time with my sister on Thursday morning. She has entered a very busy time in life and it is rare to get to see her for very long before she is off to help the next child. She stayed in the hospital and chilled with us until we left. We stopped in at Einstein bagel for lunch. We have invented a new label “the Michelle treatment”. She came bearing many treasures of thoughtfulness.

Obviously staying with Grandpa and Grandma Baldwin was the highlight! It is much fun to get to visit and play there. Grandma loves to go to the movie and Lexi was way excited about seeing High School Musical 3. The match was made, so we went to the matinee showing of Friday. It was a girl party – Lex, Lily, Me, Grandma, and Olivia. It was a cute show and the girls really had a lot of fun.

After that we got to experience Gardener’s Village first hand. We have loved looking at pictures from others, but it is much more exciting to see it in person. Lily’s favorite witch was in the canoe and Mason loved the witch in the out house.

John and Michelle were next on our list to visit – since we were going in that direction. All of our kids had fun – like always – getting to hang out for a couple of hours.

We went to a “Halloweenie” party with my parents that night. Bridget and Abby came over too! We woke up the next morning and had a giant breakfast and rolled down the road to home. We wanted to catch up with Lance and Anne, but they were gone watching Kassie play soccer. We’ll get you next time!

We were able to go visit my Grandma Baldwin in Blackfoot. It was good to see her (even if it cost us $75 – Stephen got a speeding ticket and we weren’t even really speeding. We decided we are even with the law because the night Lily took her ambulance ride, Stephen was for sure taking some liberties!)

It was good to come home. A little angel came into my house and washed my dishes and changed the laundry! It made coming home that much more enjoyable. The thoughtfulness that people have given to us this week will inspire me for years! I hope to lift another persons burdens the way mine have been shared!


Cousins at play
Slumber party with Grandpa and Grandma.

Dad and Daughter, Lily.
Alexis striking a pose – like always!
JT enjoying our picnic at Cabellas.

Took awhile for Livvy to warm up to the “not real” witches.

Comments:

Grandpa Baldwin said…

It was our pleasure to have the family here. We are so happy and blessed that Lily didn’t have to have surgery and that she is doing great. We thank you for taking time, although it was an expensive extra 15-30 miles to visit my mom (grandmother, great grandmother). I know you lifted her day and brought happiness. You might recall (or review) D&C 130:2 and know that you were laying the foundation for a Celestial life.
Sunday, October 26, 2008 11:27:37 PM

Mom_Grandma Baldwin said…

We loved having you here with us! We’ll see you again soon for Thanksgiving.
Monday, October 27, 2008 12:16:26 AM

Grandma and Grandpa Parker said…

Way to make lemonade out of lemons.
Monday, October 27, 2008 1:09:40 PM

Anne said…

So glad everything is well with Lily! Wish we could have seen you guys. Glad you had some fun too. So glad you could go and see the witches. Hugs!
Monday, October 27, 2008 8:46:27 PM

Jana said…

Looks like you wore those kids out!! I love the picture of the girls sleeping in the back seat!! Harry and I had ad good laugh. Glad Lily’s well and that you are all back safe and sound!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 9:39:35 AM

Pam said…

It is nice to have this modern technology to find the good news that all was better with Lilly. Tara ended up coming home to California for her brother’s Homecoming Football game and we had a fun Saturday all together as a family. “All’s well that ends well”.
Thursday, October 30, 2008 1:53:27 PM

I have two Grandma Baldwins

We stopped by to visit my Grandma Baldwin yesterday. My kids call her Grandma Gussy, so when I started calling her Grandma Baldwin Olivia was confused. I explained to her that this was her Great Grandma Baldwin. She had it all figured out and interrupted my explanation with “You mean I have two Grandma Baldwins?” I said, “yes you do”.

She asked Grandma what her favorite color was – Grandma said, “purple”. We then asked if Olivia could sing her a song. When we started singing Grandma joined in…it was a special moment. I love my Grandma – it is hard for her to get older. She takes it in stride, but a few of her comments suggest that she is more than inconvenienced with this part of life. She has been loosing her memory somewhat. She asked me how many kids I had three times. The last time she asked, when I told her 5 – she said “Oh, you lucky girl!” I thought to myself – You’re right!


Comments:

Anne said…

How fun to visit with a great grandma! What a special moment for Olivia!
Monday, October 27, 2008 8:58:37 PM

Jana said…

What a tender moment… thanks for sharing.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 9:43:25 AM

Grandma Baldwin said…

Sooooo sweet! Olivia, I sure do love you!
Friday, November 07, 2008 1:29:22 PM

Guess what happened today?


Today little JT Parker turned 8 months old! Can you believe that the days are spinning that quickly? He is all but ready to take off in the crawling department. He scoots around a lot and is beginning to get into crawling position from sitting. I have definitely NOT given him a ton of opportunities to get moving. Poor kid – I am trying to slow his progress down as opposed to child #1 Alexis whom we couldn’t wait to get to the next milestone.

JT was suppose to be in Portugal today. We got him a passport and everything. When it arrived in the mail it made me smile – he was grinning away and looking official in his 6 month old body. We had him packed and ready to go, but then Lily had her mishap. He got to go visit Grandpa and Grandma Baldwin this time instead. All of the kids got to spend the night there. Grandma Baldwin told me that when Lexi went to the store with Grandpa the next morning that JT started to cry. I thought that was cute. He sure loves his family.

He seems to be growing well. When it is time to eat he will let out a little yell of excitement before taking the first bite. As if to say, “Finally – now that’s what I’m talking about!” He still an easy going well tempered child – he makes us all happy.


Loves to splash and kick. When we change his diapers he is kicking and running in place – ALWAYS!
Going with the flow.
Grandma and JT

Caught red-handed steeling a doll’s pacifier!
Great Grandma Baldwin with JT

Comments:

Grandpa and Grandma Parker said…

We had a cute little 6 month old Portuguese girl for him to play with . He is sure a cute little guy. We love him from afar.
Monday, October 27, 2008 1:33:50 AM

Anne said…

What a cutie! He is growing up so fast. Wow…8 months old!
Monday, October 27, 2008 9:01:23 PM

jana said…

He is for sure a cute little guy… Glad he is a part of our family!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 9:44:08 AM

Amy Baldwin said…

So cute. Although I could swear that he should be older. Time hasn’t flown by as fast with him.
Friday, October 31, 2008 6:32:24 PM

Move over McCain


We were on our way to church today when from the back seat Lex started freaking out. She said, “Mom have you seen Mason’s eye brows?!” I looked back at Mason and couldn’t help but laugh – really hard! Alexis asked, “Why did you do that? Are you trying to be like John McCain?”

Rewind a few weeks…when we were at the cabin we were having a dialogue with our friends about a Time magazine cover of John McCain. He had obviously had his eyebrows shaved from the previous cover. Anyhow – Mason must have overheard?

What happened is Alexis and Lily were getting shower caps out of our storage room this morning. In the same box (our soap storage, etc. box) he found a disposable razor. He definitely got curious – I wondered what was taking him so long in the bathroom? Really he can’t give us a straight answer on why he did it – we are just glad it is Halloween this week and maybe we can incorporate this into his costume.

FYI – he also gave his left arm a shave. I really needed a good laugh – thanks Mason for making me laugh harder than I have in a very long time! I am also very proud of Mason for being such a good sport!

Comments:

Scott Baldwin said…

Oh my goodness that is hilarious. Jeana and I are busting up over here and I have tears. Thanks for helping us laugh hard again too.

Mason, maybe you and Eric should get together, he may have some tips for you. 🙂
Sunday, October 26, 2008 9:35:07 PM

Grandpa Baldwin said…

Mason, I thought you were supposed to wait until there was more than peach fuzz on the chin! Maybe it’s not John McCain you are trying to emulate but Michael Phelps! He looks for all kinds of ways to make his body smooth so he can increase his speed in the water! Can’t wait until Thanksgiving to check out those eyes! Maybe some Reed’s Dairy Chocolate milk will help out the situation.
Sunday, October 26, 2008 11:35:59 PM

Grandma Baldwin said…

Oh Mason, Where did those eyebrows go, you handsome little dude??? I sure hope they grow back quick for you. What have your friends said??? Nice time of the year for the change in looks. Mason, you are a fun boy. I sure love you.
Sunday, October 26, 2008 11:48:58 PM

Grandpa and Grandma Parker said…

Mason, you must be crazy guy. It’s a good thing they grow back. We remember one of your aunts who shaved there arms. That grew back too. Happy Halloween.
Monday, October 27, 2008 1:27:44 AM

Anne said…

That is pretty funny! Thanks for the laugh!
Monday, October 27, 2008 8:54:27 PM

Uncle John said…

Enjoy shaving while it is fun. I could probably stand to take a shaver to my eyebrows. They are longer than the hair on my head these days. Your dad would have shaved the word Jodi in his chest hair a long time ago if he had a little bit more. Great Blog. Lots of laughs.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008 3:49:58 PM

Jana said…

What a silly dude!! That is a good laugh for sure, thanks for making me laugh out loud today!!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 9:42:13 AM

Finding what we’re made of

My daughter Lily suffered a head injury Wednesday evening at home while I walked around Walmart in Rexburg making last minute preparations for my trip to Portugal the next morning. I neglected to take my cell phone – it was being charged for the upcoming journey, so of course I didn’t receive the call trying to inform me of what happened. When I arrived home I found a note in Alexis’ handwriting "Mom, We are at the Puzeys. Dad took Lily to the ER (hole in skull). Love, Lex" I immediately called Stephen’s cell phone to find out what happened. He told me they were taking her to get a CT scan and to come up to the hospital ASAP – he had to go. That’s all I found out. I literally dropped my bags and ran. I drove to the hospital with my mind racing a million miles in different directions. Praying and hoping and trying to have faith. (It didn’t help that we had just met with our life insurance agent on Monday – he called out of the blue to go over our policies!) I had come up with several devastating ideas of what could have happened – I had no point of reference to know what to expect when I walked in the door. So I was pleasantly surprised to find her on a lying on a hospital bed with NO blood and fully coherent. She was just a smart as I knew her to be with a giant (I am not exaggerating!) indentation pressed in her skull. She was scared with giant tears in her eyeballs but in complete control. What a tough little cookie she is – I learned a lot about Lily in that moment. She really can do hard things (literally and figuratively)! We prayed and Uncle Paul and Stephen gave her a priesthood blessing. The doctors were very concerned, she had three skull fractures and her brain had shifted a little. One of the fractures consisted of a bone sticking out toward her brain. They haven’t dealt a lot with head trauma in a six year old girl very often, so they consulted Idaho Falls. Idaho Falls didn’t want to touch her because of her age as well. They decided she should go to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. All doctors were surprised that she didn’t loose conscientiousness, have a seizure, suffer memory loss, etc. I thought of the dejavu I had just a few hours earlier when I was explaining "Jodi’s commandments" to Mason, Lily, and Lex for when I would be gone for the upcoming week. During the middle of my explanations, I had a flash in my mind of me talking on the phone and laughing with my friend about how "I guess I didn’t need to spend all of that time worrying after all!" It felt so real that I paused to figure out what that meant? I figured I was just being paranoid again and continued forward until I found myself returning home from my trip to Walmart… I called the Puzey’s to thank them for everything and let them know we were on our way to Utah. Alexis and Dianna packed up a few clothes. (What would we have done without good friends? I am soo grateful my other kids were taken care of and comforted and not left home alone at such a scary time) As for Stephen and I, JT, and Olivia – we were packed and ready to go because of the Portugal trip. We had no idea how long we were going to be there for, but we were good to go for at least a week! I rode in the ambulance to Utah with Lily. That is an experience I hope never to have to do again. It can freak a person like me out when you hear of the worst case scenarios. Like – if Lily’s blood pressure gets too high, etc. we will call in a helicopter and pull off the road and transfer her to life flight. Of course they weren’t expecting that to happen, but just the fact that it could was a more than a little troubling! Lily remained trusting and calm the entire ride. I started reading Heleman chapter 12 on my iphone. I started out reading the first verse "And thus we can behold how false, and also the unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yea we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him." I continued reading. Verse three said, "And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him." The rest of the chapter is similar in content…basically reminding all that the Lord’s ways bring us eternal happiness and safety. After reading this, my mind flashed through a paragraph of my patriarchal blessing. One that says, "You will exercise your faith with that of the priesthood in seeing people raised from their beds of afflictions, even when doctors cannot provide the necessary help." I was immediately calmed…I knew I could do that when the time came and I didn’t need to worry. What a beautiful promise. When we arrived at Primary Children’s Hospital, we found Lily’s name in the system from 6 years ago. When she was 15 days old she was admitted for a mild case of RSV – she also took a ride in an ambulance, but that is another story. My parents were waiting there to take the rest of the kids to their house. What a blessing to have them close and know they would drop anything to come and help. (We also had calls from Brad and Amy, Brian and Michelle, John and Michelle, Lance and Anne to offer to help with anything) By the time we arrived there, Lily’s indentation was amazingly less extreme. Seems like time was our friend and the doctors felt like with time it would most likely heal on its own. They wouldn’t need to operate and there was little internal bleeding. They put her in an observation room for 24 hours. She continued to hold constant with her vital signs and they felt comfortable releasing her the next day! What a miracle! I am so grateful. I know that through the power of the priesthood and countless prayers offered by family and friends that we experienced the best possible scenario for this head injury! I am a witness to the goodness and caring nature of people. I am blessed to have such awesome family and friends who genuinely care. Countless people who called to lend support and love. It was also good to see that I can remain collected and in control (with the Lord’s help) in a life threatening situation for one of my children. It was nice to witness that Lily has perfect faith and courage. Stephen has lived worthy to give his daughter a priesthood blessing in a random time of extreme need. My other children rallied around to look out for each other and be helpful – they also demonstrated their love and caring toward their sister Lily. With a loving Heavenly Father we cannot fail no matter what the outcome. Today Lily will help the Primary of our ward teach, "I am a Child of God" in presenting our Primary Program. He is mindful of each of us and truly does love us.

Comments:

Dad Parker said…

Amen, You are a good person.
Sunday, October 26, 2008 2:40:56 PM

Mom Parker said…

Thanks for your great example of motherhood. We sure do appreciate your faith and love also. Its good to share your thoughts, thanks. We’re so happy for the outcome of the whole ordeal.
Sunday, October 26, 2008 3:18:48 PM

Stephen said…

I was touched when I called Jodi and she said, “what happened to my little girl”. She is made of greatness, leaving a rich heritage for those who follow.
Sunday, October 26, 2008 9:39:22 PM

Amy Baldwin said…

The Lord will always take good care of your little family because you’re all faithful and striving to live his commandments. You’re great parents raising great children.
Friday, October 31, 2008 6:29:38 PM

Update on Lily


She came by and gave her a doll to make her stay more enjoyable.She is doing great. The Neurosurgeon came in this morning and said that she would be just fine, the fracture is self healing and looks much better today. He also informed us that we could go home from the hospital. We are to come back in a month for another CT scan, but for now she is looking and doing great. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support. We have witnessed another modern day miracle.

Comments:

Grandpa and Grandma Parker said…

We are so grateful for the wise Dr.’s that sent you to Salt Lake. She could have been recovering from surgery, instead of just recovering with time. We are thankful for everyone’s faith and prayers. Lily it’s good to see you smiling. You are a precious princess, don’t do that again, be more careful. Love you so much.
Friday, October 24, 2008 12:44:59 AM

Aunt Susan said…

Amen to the power of the priesthood! and gratitude for Primary Children’s. i wish i had known I would have been there in a flash. Looks like Lilly has a hard head like other family members I know!
Friday, October 24, 2008 8:22:57 AM

New Pictures and a fun ride


Lily and Mason were helping “clean” out our van last night. They decided to play like they were in bunk beds. Mason told Lily to get on the bottom bunk (in the trunk of our van). The seat of our van actually folds down inside of our trunk and she pushed a lever which caused the entire seat to fall on the left side of her head. She was left with an impressive indention (it looked like she had been punched in the head and it didn’t pop back out)…so impressive that we needed to consult the Emergency Room.

They took some fancy pictures via CT scan and saw that she had fractured her skull in three places. One of the fractures was a little worse and caused the brain to shift a bit. She was really scared but didn’t cry after the iv was inserted. (I am pretty sure she cried harder earlier in the day when I fixed her hair) Uncle Paul and Stephen gave her a blessing of healing and comfort. She was instantly more peaceful. We are truly grateful for the power of the priesthood. The doctors at Madison felt like they needed to send us to Idaho Falls for Brain Surgery. After talking to the doctors at EIRMC they felt it a better idea to head directly to Primary Children’s Hospital in SLC, UT where they special in pediatric care. Life flighting her was talked about, but after visiting with the doctors at Primary Children they felt like a fast ambulance ride would suffice. When the EMTs showed up they asked Lily if she wanted all of the bells and whistles…she said “yes”. I (Jodi) got to ride with Lily and we ran the red lights down main street in Rexburg with the sirens blaring.

Her vital signs stayed great and she was mentally sound the whole entire ride. She even decided to sleep. The experience in Primary Children’s has been quite a bit different – I think because they see trauma victims continually. Looks like Lily had the best case scenario for her accident. The large vein that runs along the side of the head was missed which means no internal bleeding, that also means NO Surgery. The brain shifted a bit as well but that and the fractures should heal on their own over the next few weeks, months, and years. Her head looks a lot less extreme � as far as indention. It is already popping back into its true form. No brain damage either! The neurosurgeons will be observing her today (24 hours) and then she should be released.

Thanks for your prayers �we know they�ve been answered! There isn’t a better support team out there than a bunch of Baldwins and Parkers and Friends too!


We Love Aunt Michelle

Following tha Ambulance

sleep where you can

The Big Donut machine

Comments:

Lexi said…

Tough chick!
Thursday, October 23, 2008 11:24:39 AM

Aunt Jana said…

Holy cow Lily.. we are so glad to hear and see that you are okay and that you were taken care of well. Get feeling better, we sure love you.
Thursday, October 23, 2008 11:41:31 AM

Aunt Anne said…

Lily, We are SO glad you are okay!!!!!! You are in our prayers, keep getting better and hope to see you soon! Hugs!
Thursday, October 23, 2008 12:31:19 PM

michelle said…

Wow-what a crazy experience! I am so glad that you are doing good! We have been quite worried about you. It was the first thing Zach asked me about when he woke up! You are a tough little thing. Hopefully we can see you on your unplanned vacation.
Thursday, October 23, 2008 3:09:32 PM

Uncle John said…

You are so cool! I can believe how tough you are. We are so glad you are OK. You look cute even when your are in pain. We are excited to see you. You sure have a ton of people who care about you and love you.

Thursday, October 23, 2008 3:13:24 PM

Grandma and Grandpa Parker said…

You sure are a brave little princess. It sounds like you had a real exciting experience to remember. We are so thankful for the protection you had. You might have to wear protective helmets when you play.
We are praying for you here in Portugal. Even the members of the church are praying for you. We sure love you princess Lily.
Thursday, October 23, 2008 3:18:57 PM

Stacie said…

Wow! I am so glad to see you are ok and everything will be fine! What a scary thing to have happen! You are a tough little cookie! Take care of yourself little one!
Thursday, October 23, 2008 4:11:00 PM

Magan said…

Lily you should have just come to work with me if you wanted to meet the Neurosurgeons. You are in our prayers sweet girl.
Thursday, October 23, 2008 8:42:40 PM

uncle Lance said…

Glad to hear you’re ok Lily, this will be a day to remember and look back on and learn. were praying for you.
Thursday, October 23, 2008 8:50:21 PM

Aunt Michelle said…

Lily, you are such a great young lady. I am so happy you are feeling better. You have shown us how courageous you are. Thanks for keeping smiling through something so tuff!
Thursday, October 23, 2008 10:09:31 PM

Amy Baldwin said…

Those x-rays are pretty crazy Lily. This will be a great story that you can share for the rest of your life. Did your Mom drive 90 mph all the way to SLC?
Friday, October 24, 2008 12:13:51 AM

Grandpa Baldwin said…

Lily you are awesome. We are so happy to have ben able to watch you return to your normal happy self. You are a very blesed little girl with wonderful parents and family who love you. Thanks for your courage and example of bravery. We are happy to know that you are going to be alright.
Sunday, October 26, 2008 10:02:54 AM

Please Don’t Stop the Music


Lately I have been really into music, here are some of my favorite songs ….

Comments:

Grandpa and Grandma Parker said…

Hey thanks for the music. It sounded real fun and wholesome,and a little country. We liked it, it had a good beat,and made us happy too. Grandpa thinks you might be a little romantic.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 12:53:18 AM

HayHay said…

Awesome music Lex! Have you heard Breakout? It’s Miley’s new single! You would love it!(if you haven’t heard it already)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 7:32:17 PM

Aunt Jana said…

Music is a fun thing to like…cool songs we listened to them all day and have been jamming out here while we work. I am going to start calling you Lady Lexi the DJ!
Thursday, October 23, 2008 3:50:21 PM

Aunt Susan said…

Not only are you smart aand talented. You are computer savy like your Dad. i just read about your duet. My heart swelled with happiness so big I THOUGHT IT WOULD BURST. Performing music with family is the greatest-up, up with good music!
Friday, October 24, 2008 8:12:21 AM

Moments


I had to snap this shot this morning. While I watched Mason and Alexis sharing The Book of Mormon as we read as a family. Then to see Lily and Jodi sharing as well was a great feeling. Definitely a defining moment in my life. To see my children work together for a good cause.

Comments:

Mom and Dad Parker said…

As missionaries, we are taught that “no effort is wasted”. It’s the same in parenting. The little things that seems so often frustrating to accomplish end up becoming the defining factors of our families. And we only get one family.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 10:50:17 AM

Anne said…

Ah…a sweet moment, way to stop and enjoy life now!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 4:06:10 PM

Jana said…

Neat to see you all working together and enjoying it. I don’t think our early morning scripture study was that good as a kid…we just slept until the person next to us nudged us for our turn to read.(not always and I guess I should speak for myself!) Thanks for your wonderful families example.
Thursday, October 23, 2008 3:39:36 PM

Stephen Baldwin said…

Awesome picture of wonderful grandchildren! Thanks, Stephen, for teaching the family correct principles and carrying on family traditions from the Parkers and Baldwins.
Thursday, October 30, 2008 9:31:29 AM

Happiness is your Heritage


Here is my mini report from October General Conference 2008:

All of the conference talks were wonderful, but one that stuck out for me was given in the Relief Society Broadcast by President Uchtdof, entitled “Happiness is your Heritage”. It was so great that I had to re-listen to it – twice. It would be worth anyone’s time to read and be motivated by:
Click Here to Read the Talk

Isn’t happiness really what we all long for? He narrows it (finding happiness) down to two things: creating beauty and being compassionate. I like that – a lot, it doesn’t sound hard or intimidating!

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from his talk:
“What you create doesn’t have to be perfect. Don’t let failure discourage you.”

“In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness. But the prayers we answer may be of even greater importance.”

“As spirit daughters of our Heavenly Father, Happiness is your heritage!”

Hope you have a happy day!

Comments:

Mom and Dad Parker said…

Wonderful comments. There is no doubt that true and lasting happiness comes in serving and living in a way that leaves a happy memory for you and those you love most. Conference was wonderful!
Sunday, October 19, 2008 12:22:43 AM

Jana said…

That was one of my favorite talks too, what simple things that can and I believe will bring true and lasting happiness. I love your thoughts, thanks.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 8:18:42 AM

Diana said…

I love the “what we create doesn’t have to be perfect!” I think of that with every aspect of my life. As long as it is my best “my very best” (Pres. Hinckley), that is perfect for me!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 2:14:18 PM

anne said…

I too loved this talk and have enjoyed rereading it! So good, thanks for the reminder.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 4:07:56 PM