Lessons from Colorado

You know how you have some experiences over and over until you learn what you are supposed to learn from them? As we prepare to travel at the end of the month I wonder if I have learned all I needed to learn here in Colorado. I am starting into week seven and I find myself looking over the last six weeks and on to the next two wondering if I have taken advantage of all that was available during this time. The solitude of the first week while she was in the hospital and sleeping most of the day. The escape from the alarm clock that rules my daily life. The lack of a schedule or any structure to the day. Losing track of what day it was. These are not the normal descriptions of my life. The first month was a quiet one as Amanda worked on regaining strength and balance. We read scriptures together, watched way too much TV together, ate together, walked together, went to appointments together, worked on crafts together, and did lots of talking and sharing together. I am grateful for the closeness of our relationship. We have been together almost 24 hours a day since August 29th and have gotten along amazingly well. What will it feel like to let other people into our space? Life here has been very insulated with few visitors and few intrusions from the outside world. A sanctuary from the stresses of my usual routine. What will it feel like to leave this sanctuary and be back around lots of people? What will it feel like to send her back here without me a few weeks later? Perhaps Kevin being here is a prepatory step back into the real world that awaits me in California. Can I hang onto the internal peace that has been with me in the quiet of Colorado?

Garden of the Gods

We had a visit from Teresa and Mike this week which was wonderful. Teresa & I don't get to see each other near enough so to have them here for three days was great. On Thursday Amanda was doing well so we decided to take a trip down to Garden of the Gods which is a State Historic Site in Colorado Springs. It consists of natural rock formations that are absolutely stunning as well as plants and animals. It was donated to the City of Colorado Springs with the stipulation that it remain free and open to the public forever. We called ahead to make sure they had a wheelchair for Amanda and off we went. Even though they only have one handicap accessible trail it was enough. What a beautiful place!

Lfie in Denver

I have been in Denver with Amanda for just over a week now. She is one week post surgery and doing well. She is making good progress and keeping a positive attitude. Greg asked me what we do here all day since she is unable to move around much or travel even a short distance. I have become a handywoman hanging pictures and changing shower heads. A physical therapist helping her get up, down and walk the hall several times a day. An arts and crafts helper as she finds projects to work on that will keep her busy but don't wear her out. A personal assistant running errands, fixing meals, doing laundry and all the other things that it takes to run her home while she is down. Yesterday she was able to dress herself including putting on her own socks and shoes. This may seem like a small thing to the rest of us but one week post back surgery it was huge! I am enjoying spending this time with her. She has a great outlook about all of this and finds something to laugh about everyday. I am thankful for all of those back at home who are taking care of home, family, and seminary while I am gone. My life is truly blessed!

Logan Nicholas Balmforth

Born August 15, 2010 6lbs 13oz 19-3/4 in. Logan was about a week and a half old when these pictures were taken.

Snuggling with Papa

Proud daddy

I love the contrast between Nick's hand and Logan's.

It shows just how tiny he is. How much safer could he feel

than all wrapped up in daddy's arms?

Mom, Dad & Logan on blessing day

We had to find an extra small blessing outfit and it

was still huge. Kaitlin, Riley and Kevin made this blanket for him.

We are grateful to have another grandson arrive safely and ever so grateful that we could be there for his blessing.

Soccer Ty

Tyler starts soccer this month so mom & dad got him all outfitted and we headed off to the park for some pre-season practice.

I have not been very consistent with this blog and I didn't think anyone really read it anyway but talking to my mom the other day she said she checks it all the time to see what's up so I promised her that I would do better at updating it. So here you go mom:

Logan Nicholas Balmforth made his debut on Sunday at 1:44am weighing 6lbs 13oz & 20" long. Alex is doing well. Logan has had a few struggles as he arrived 3 weeks early but he was able to go home on Friday and so far all is well. We are heading up to meet him next week.

Week two of seminary just ended and I almost have all of the kids names down. I still mix up a couple of the guys who look alike to me and there are a few kids who I just cannot remember yet but considering we have 120 students I think I'm doing pretty well. However I will be gone for the next few weeks visiting Alex, Nick & Logan in Idaho for a few days and then it's off to Denver to stay with Amanda while she recovers from back surgery so I will probably have to start over when I get back.

Joe tore his left miniscus a few months ago and thought it had healed. He went on a 50 mile backpacking trip with Kevin's scout troop and while trying to be careful of his left knee he managed to tear both the medial and the lateral miniscus in his right knee. He is probably going to need have surgery to repair both knees. He meets with the orthopedic dr on the 30th and we will see if he can wait until I return from Colorado to have it fixed or if Brian & Katie are going to get to play nursemaid for him.

I am still having problems with my right arm. It turns out that constant stress is not good for you! I carry stress in my neck so my muscles are tight which is now affecting the tendons and nerves in my right shoulder, elbow and fingers. Wednesday at physical therapy they were working on my shoulder. He told me to relax my arm and I replied "It is relaxed." He assured me that it was not relaxed and that I needed to do "spaghetti arms" like they do on the Wiggles show. I have never seen the Wiggles but it appears that I have forgotten what it feels like to be relaxed.

Tyler asked me the other day if he could have a cow. A few years ago that would have meant he was asking if he could have a temper tantrum but he was really asking if he could have a live cow to keep in the backyard. He also said that he would build a small pen for it to potty in so that it wouldn't get all over the yard. Isn't he thoughtful?

So long to summer and sleeping in

What ever happened to summer including June, July AND August? School starts on Monday for the kids in our school district, which means seminary starts as well. While I'm excited to see the kids and be back in the swing of things I am not looking forward to the alarm going off at 4:30 - yes 4:30am. We have five seminary classess at our building. Two of them meet at 6am and three meet at 7am. Being the seminary principle means that I can choose when I am there and what time I arrive. In the past I have gotten to the building about 6:40, in time to say good-bye to the early kids and hello to the later ones, but for the last several days I have felt impressed that I need to start being there in time for the 6am classes. This was not good news as I am NOT a morning person, however I have found that if I am faithful and follow the promptings I receive, good things happen. So every monring I'll be heading to the building about 5:40am which seems so insane to me. I don't think anyone should be up and out that early in the morning - it's not normal!