A Few Updates!

First off, I had to change my template again. I just realized the letters were so dark I was straining my eyes to read my blog. Anyway, we have been here in Idaho since last Friday. We have had fun and Emma absolutely LOVES being with her cousins! My dad was in the hospital a few days last week and was released on Friday so we got to pick him up from the hospital on the way home and spend a few hours alone with him before joining the family. He is really weak. He waked up each moring and walks to the couch and lays down where he spends the whole day (except for pottying) until dinner which is the only meal he gets up to eat with the family. Yesterday morning he was in bed and asked me to come lay by him ad talk for a few minutes which turned up being much longer. But it was awesome. He wanted o know how I was doing emotionally and spiritually and went on to tell me very specific things he was proud of me for, which just got me teary. Then for over an hour I just asked questions and heard so many stories that I have never heard before about his childhood and mission and discussed feelings about many spiritual topics. It was such a good experience. He is so dang humble through this whole thing. He seems really at peace with everything that is going on. I don't know if I am giving he impression that my dad is dying. Truth be told. I don't know, but that is not what we or the doctors are expecting at this point. My mom and dad both said that he has improved and been much stronger even just since we have been here. It makes me wonder about the power of family and having the people around that you love. Could that really be playing a role? We sure feel like we must be draining my parents physically cause we have been staying up SO late every stinking night and doing tons of projects and it has been awesome. Ema spent the night at her cousins house last night and the story that I got was that any chance she got (including the prayer she said at their house) she asked if she could stay five more nights. Apparently Jack and I aren't too much fun. Jackson is one dang smart cookie, and I just am realizing it more and more. Nothing gets past that boy. He can hold a conversation now. He speaks some full sentences, although when I say a conversation, I mean that he knows evey single thing that I am saying and give AT LEAST a one word answer. Tonight we were eating dinner, which my dad didn't join because he was too tired, and I had taken him a plate of food to the couch. After about fifteen minutes my mom called out to ask if he was eating to which he replied no but he would get to it. Jackson got up walked straight over to him and said "eat it!" to which my dad said okay and got up and took a first bite and Jackson "okay" and walked away. Oh there are so many more stories I need to begin writing down because I'm so impressed with him. He and Emma love to dance together and both have the sountrack to HAIRSPRAY pretty much memorized. My mom got some videos tonight I'll have to try and post. Tomorrow is my five year anniversary! I'm excited! I got Jack a video ipod classic. I lost his ipod last April back in the day when I was exercising regularly. I left it at the YMCA. I was so bumbed cause it had some dang good songs! So I'm excited to give that to him. We are staying at the theme hotel where we spent our first night. It's got GREAT rooms and it's always been really surprising to me that POCATELLO has something like this! Anyway, if you want to see pictures, it is http://www.blackswaninn.com/ and I promise, it is so uch cooler in person, but you'll get the general idea. It's pretty fun and makes a hotel room a little more exciting! Anyway, hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!