7 years ago

Seven years ago was a really hard time in my life. My 16 year old niece died and it was a really, really sad time for our whole family.

I was in the 4th grade when Ash was born to my middle brother and his sweet wife. I was SOOOO excited to be an aunt.  

I pretended she was MY little dolly and when she got older, she didn't like it very much. She was an awesome girl with beautiful smile!

I still miss her so much and I know I will get to be with her again.

I was also pregnant with my first child during this time. We had gone through infertility treatments and testing and it finally worked! We were thrilled to be getting a baby!

We went in for my 20 week ultra-sound 7 years ago today.

Right after the ultra-sound we were going to leave to Montana for Ashlee's funeral.

 I remember the tech looking at her face for a long time.....then he went on to her bottom and told us we were having a little girl. We were so excited. Then he kept going back to study her little face. He finally told us that he was a little concerned about the large dark area at her mouth and told us that he thought she had a cleft lip.

It really hit me hard because Ashlee was also born with a facial birth defect and I had seen how much she had had to go through. He tried to comfort me by telling me that there was a really good plastic surgeon at Primary Children's hospital named Dr. Morales. He was also Ashlee's doctor and had done several surgeries on her when she was little. 

I was crying really hard and felt so very scared for my precious little girl and all that she would have to endure. The poor ultra-sound tech asked me how my niece was doing now and I told him we were just leaving for her funeral. After carefully looking at all of her other organs to make sure there were no other obvious problems, He went and got my family doctor and Dr. Smith took us into a room and hugged me while I cried and tried his best to offer comforting words to us.

We went through many other ultra-sounds and tests and our little Shaylee (spelled with the "lee"

on the end after Ashlee) was born in September.

She was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. She is also missing her corpus callousum and her septum pellucidum is malformed. (They are the parts of the brain) Shaylee is such a special little girl and I wouldn't change her for the world! She is now 6 years old and brings such joy into our home. Every year on this anniversary, all of those memories from 7 years ago come back to me so strong. It was such a hard time then, but now it is easier to think of all of the things we went through to have this little girl in our lives. I believe that she has her big cousin watching over her all of the time.



Our kindergarten graduate

Shaylee had a special day last Thursday.....She graduated from kindergarten and will be moving on to 1st grade at a new school. She was so excited to wear her pretty dress, sandals, and to have her toe-nails painted. We curled her hair all pretty (which she was NOT so excited about), but she sure looked beautiful!

Leaving home to get on the bus!

Shaylee is a little nervous to get up in front of people (My kids got the Lovell gene a little too strong in them!)  So she didn't want to go up with her class. She was sitting on the floor watching everyone else but then her aide took her up to the front and she did ok. Her teachers said she did great during practice and would even do some of the actions to the songs.....but not in front of an audience!

Getting her diploma

With her teacher, Mrs. Willoughby

With her sweet aide, Mrs. Gasser....Shaylee was not being very cooperative for pictures (another Lovell trait, haha)

I did cry seeing her make this step in life! Tears of joy and a little sadness too watching my baby girl grow up so fast.

I got some cute pics of Lynnie at the graduation!

Brendyn watching big sis graduate

Daycen's last day of pre-school

Daycen finished up pre-school. He has had a good year and learned so many new things. He has made many new friends and has started to come out of his shell a little. He is quite shy, but his teachers said he is a good boy in class.

Ready for his last day

Daycen and friends sitting in the kiva

Ash and Shay playing with the toys in the classroom. For the last day they had a party for the families to come to and they had hot dogs and cookies and chips.

Being silly

Dayce and the assistant teacher, Mrs. Losee

Shay, Dad, Mom, and Dayce with his teacher, Mrs. Nielson

We sure do love this boy and are glad he had a good year in school! I think he will do great in kindergarten. He is such a good big brother and I was happy to get the report that he is so good to Shaylee at school. He helps her off the bus and carries her backpack for her. It makes me nervous for her to have to go on to a new school without him. He is an awesome part of our family!

Love you buddy!

She likes it!!! Mother's Day 2011

My mom opening her gifts

Her face is PRICELESS!!

(and, yes, she did cry)

Brendyn

Daycen

Mom's dog and faithful side-kick, Rosy

Lydell grilled steaks for us, YUMMY!!

Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of his mom opening her gifts. I don't know why it is so hard to remember to take the camera across the street to her house, but I always forget.

Me and my four precious blessings!

I'm grateful to be a mother, and even though it is the hardest job, it is the best!!!!

Five years of infertility, I never would have imagined having four little ones to surround me on Mother's Day! I am truly thankful to my Heavenly Father for all of the blessings that He gives me daily!

My heart goes out to all of those on mother's day who haven't been able to have children or those who have lost children or those who have mothers in heaven.

I hope you can all find love and peace on this special day!

Love to all!!!!!!

Finished product

I got my mother's day presents finished for the Grandmas, I thought they turned out pretty cute!

I love Daycen's old, worn out boots and didn't want to throw them away, so I thought this would be cute to give to our moms!

Happy Mother's Day!!!!!!

L-O-V-E

This is what I'm working on for Mother's Day presents for our Grandmas. I need to find a frame with four openings, print the pics off in black and white, and there you have it!
I might just do one for myself too!!!

(I didn't think this up on my own, I saw it somewhere, but I don't remember where!)

The three younger kids were quite cooperative, but Shaylee didn't really want anything to do with it! They turned out pretty cute though.