What a wonderful week it has been! Started out with a rainy, then snowy trip to Cody

Dearest Family,

     What a wonderful week it has been!  Started out with a rainy, then snowy trip to Cody last Monday, but roads were good, & it was all beginning to melt by the time we came home - spring snows never last long!  We have had many great times this week helping, over the phone, over Skype or in person. As I looked back & counted, it was about 10 people. I guess I was even surprised at that!!!  We have one couple that we have done two Friday night date night over the past several weeks. Dad took the RAV to Powell for 32,000 mile service at Garvin Motors . . . thats alot of miles we have made doing the Lord's Work.   It's been such a blessing for us to enjoy together and with so many wonderful people!

       Attended the funeral for Jerri NeVille in Byron this week she was nearly a 100 yrs old as was her husband Ed who passed 2 years ago. She has lived at home for all but a few months in the Care Center. They had been married 81 years at the time of his passing!!!!!!

      We had a great visit with Kenny, Rosie, Lucy & Lexi on Tuesday evening! Had a call from Ethan one evening - so very special to visit with him!  Also talked with Vicki & Joy this week 

       Dad has trapped three coons this week around our bird cages. On Saturday morning, He went fat tire biking with Rob in the area near the Tillett Fish rearing station on the Sykes Ridge road. the even witnessed an osprey come in & catch a fish!   I had a nice morning here at home, baking bread & Carrot Cake & other home work! 

     It was nice to attend our own ward today - even all three meetings. We miss seeing our own ward family, but do have a much bigger church family.  Had a yummy Easter dinner at Darece & Ken's tonight-took the carrot cake - haven't made one of those cakes from scratch for a long time!  We all enjoyed great food.tonight! Rob & I discussed which was better:    homemade German Chocolate Cake or Carrot Cake?  Any votes from the rest of you?

      So blessed to see and/or visit with so many of our family this week!     And so blessed that all of the new little ones, "the Greats"   are doing well!        

Love to all of you     Mom & Dad 

Happy Birthday to Alexa Rose "Lexi" on Friday, April 7th!

April 9, 2017

Dearest Family,

     Happy Birthday to Alexa Rose "Lexi" on Friday, April 7th! She is the daughter of Kenny & Rosie! We welcome her to our family!!!  Happy Birthday to Kirena today, April 9th, to Rosie on Friday, April 14 & to Chalin on Saturday, April 15.

      Started out the day today with rain & by the time we got to Powell at 8:15 a.m. we were in a first class, slushy snow storm.We were speaking in the Powell 3rd ward, Also worked with the High Priest Group Leader & a TFH Consultant during SSchool time & taught the High Priest during the last hour.  We had 9-10 brethen there & had a great time!  From there we went over to the other chapel & at 2:00 p.m.  met with another TFH Consultant & his wife.  We had spent Friday evening with them & they are very excited!  All are amazed at the things they can do!  Find names for ordinances, add audio stories & speech to text stories, etc. It is so great to see people getting excited - it is really on their minds since several General conference addresses were about it! At 3pm met with another TFH consultant to show her how to do audio stories and photos on her tablet.She is 86, but is doing amazingly well at doing it!

     This past week has been a busy one, had wet snow in Lovell on Monday, but no snow on the way to Cody!  Met again with the Directors of the Cody Murals & the director of the TFHCenter they hope to have there. We will also be working with the missionaries who will be serving there this summer May thru September. In the afternoon we were in the home of the same TFH consultant helping her with the apps, also Skyped with her again later in the week!

     Tues Evening the Basin - Gerybull wards had a TFH Fair!  Nice evening, were able to help several with the Apps! 

           Thursday morning were off to Worland for a MultiZone Missionary Meeting. There were 45 missionaries there from the Wyoming - East/West Zones. (Whoa - that was a close one, my letter disappeared, but a message came up, "message discarded, undo discard?!?!)   It is always great to be with the missionaries because of there great spirit! Also had lunch with them!  We visited with Amber, Camile & Neil for a while on our way home, then stopped in Greybull to see Lavon & Leona!  Nice day!  

     We've been busy doing outside work on days when its not raining or too windy. Everything is growing earlier this year so we want to get this work done before they grow too big. The daffodils are beautiful - what a beautiful brightness they add the the yard!  

     It was Stake Conference this weekend & we enjoyed the Saturday Night session so much! Among the many speakers was Ken, he spoke on the addiction recovery program -  all did a great job!

     We send our love to all, Mom & Dad 

April 2, 2017
Dearest Family,

     Happy 13th Anniversary!!! belated to Allen & Amber.  It was March 30th, last Thursday!   

Happy 11th Birthday, Ira.  His birthday is next Saturday on April 8th!!!!

     Well, it has been 2 weeks!   Last Sunday after a great day, at 11:00 p.m.  I was headed to bed & realized I had not written our Family Letter - just decided it would have to wait until nest week!

      The past weeks have been filled - with many things! Home visits- skype - yard work!  Dad is outside doing some every day!  He has shoveled ditches, trapped muskrats in the pond, dug out the huge tree root by the garden. We have raked & put out hoses &  transplanted water lilies in the pond by the house & given extras away! 

      It was great to have Bill & Kathy here March 23-25.  Had a wonderful day in the temple on Friday then in the evening Trista came over & enjoyed Nachos with us. 

     A highlight of the week was a FHE with a new High Priest Group Leader & his young family, 1 1/2 to 14.   Dad, Mom & the three oldest children were having a wonderful time add hints, finding & printing names, adding selfies, & planning how they were going to teach Grandma & Grandpa when they visited at Easter.

       We have been going to Cody on Mondays to work with the direstors of the Cody Murals Visitors Center.  They will be having 7 couples there serving as Missionaries this summer. One of the big attractions there is a Family History Kyosk. They also have a Family History Center where visitors can be helped with more things.  We will help with their training. 

      Dad & I enjoyed the General Women's Broadcast & Gen Priesthood meetings the past two Saturday evenings.  And General conference was wonderful.  How blessed we are to enjoy it in our own homes Remember when we felt blessed to be able to listen to it on the radio!!!!

       And remember when we were so anxious to get the Ensign 6 weeks after so we could read all the talks!!!!   Now we can replay them within hours or when they are broadcast!  

      Today was great with Allen & Amber here with their family!  So special to be with all of them.   Had the traditional Waffles & Ham for Lunch!

    Much has happened with Cozy the past 2 weeks, here is Vicki's latest report: 

"Cozy update-Positive baby steps for Cozy this week:) Kirena can hold her, She is off the ventilator, drains are out. She has oxygen, but no other hook ups. We are waiting for her to get her feeding tube back. An interesting and wonderful thing for now, her excess spinal fluid is following the path that was created by the shunt and tubing past her ear and down her side.  Good week:)  We will take another:)"

We send our love to all of you!   Mom & Dad

PS:  Was going to send a picture of our beautiful daffodils - but alas they are covered with snow, several inches of wet heavy stuff, this morning.   they just do not look to bright & cheery!!!!

Don't we all just love Daylight Saving Time!

Dearest Family,

     Happy Birthday on Monday, the 20th to Dak & Tchae!  Happy 7th Birthday on Thursday, the 23rd to Leanne!  Then on Friday, the 24th to Aunt Kathy!  Hope each of you have a special day!

      Don't we all just love Daylight Saving Time!   This week has been a week of adjusting!   It has also been an enjoyable week!  We have had some special times with family!  The Fikes arrived Thursday Evening!  We enjoyed having them here so very much.  Friday we spent the day here at home - worked in the yard, hauling branched & finished the quilt in the house! Darece & Whitney were also here. Friday night we gathered with everyone at the Grant home for dinner!   It was so great to be together! Saturday, Dad & I went to Billings to the temple.  Cheyenne received her endowment & it was wonderful to be there with them. Had a great day!!!  

      Had a nice visit with Jane, our cousin in Denmark.   She had been trying to find a Jens Pedersen, who is a younger brother to Grandpa Frank Petersen. She had found him on a Danish Census in 1930 & 1940 & he was widowed, which means he had a wife!.   But then she was just stuck!  She posted on a Danish Family Tree & received a response!  The name of his wife, Rasmine, she died 10 days after giving birth to their son.  We have found the son still alive when he was about 9 so far!   She has found another family for our family Tree!

       Today was so nice in the Powell 2nd ward, spoke in Sacrament meeting then helped in a Elders/High Priest group also!  Great Day

        Little Cozy had surgery to put in a permanent Shunt & is recovering from that - our prayers are with her!

       We love you all - have a great week - & CTR

Dearest Family,

     Well, it has been a wonderful week!  We have enjoyed doing phone visits, Skyping, & visiting with people in their homes. It is great to be feeling better & enjoying being out & about!  

     We were in one home this week when a lady stopped by doing a Drug survey for some company!  She apologized for interrupting but we mentioned what we were doing & she was super interested, not a member, but fascinated that there was a place that it could be done with out paying!  She was a person that believed that God's hand was in all we did - shared with us a time when she had $80 dollars - pay a bill - & that was it for some time.  She was to meet someone whom she supervised do a Census enumeration project,at a McDonalds.  When she grabbed the door handle to go in, this powerful impression came over her that she was to give the $80 to someone inside.  When she got inside, there was only one person there, she put the money on the table by her, the lady bust into tears of gratitude, & wanted info so she could sometime pay her back, which she refused to give her.   Later that week she received in the mail a refund from a company of $80 dollars, so then she could pay her bill!   She felt she had been guided in the same way to us, to learn about Family History!    We will see what happens!  but, it does remind me that all people are guided to do good things & be of service to others!

     Today we started our day in Byron in their Sacrament meeting, then on to Powell & attended two wards there, speaking in their Sacrament Meetings.  The second one in Powell was Aunt Gaye & Uncle Frank's ward.   it was nice to attend the rest of the meetings there.  We so enjoy sharing our testimonies & the blessing of others of our Apostles with the Saints.  We are so gratelul for the guidance & protection we receive!

       It has also been a nice week here at home, some outside work, some quilting, Dad & Rob went biking for a while on Saturday!  

      A report on the newest Greats,   the Hellberg twins are both over 8 lbs.  & Cozy weighs almost 6 lbs.   We are looking forwards to the arrival of Kenny & Rosie's little gal in about three weeks!  And to those who haven't heard, Bo & McKenzea are expecting a little boy in July!   Our Family contunies to Grow-w-w-!

     We love you all & are excited to have the Fike's here this coming weekend.

Love  Mom & Dad

I have add the latest updates on our little ones - I think most of you probably see it on Facebook, but excuse the duplication.

Paisley & Brindle weighed in at 8 lbs 3oz & 8 lbs 11oz as of last week.

Below is Cozy's report;

12 weeks old.
Nearly 38 gestational weeks.

As we get closer and closer to her due date, Cozy has three, basic hurdles that she needs to tackle before she will be allowed to come home:

1) Eyes need to be "cleared".
We are seemingly at the home stretch for this one. Eyes are unchanged and look to be improving slightly with each passing week. Perfect! ✔️

2) The reservoir...
We are at the point where doctors need to decide-
Will Cozy be able to drain her CSF on her own?
OR
Will she need a second surgery to insert a permanent shunt?
Chances are extremely (and by "extremely", I mean EXTREMELY) high that a shunt will be necessary. We hope to hear more about a plan of action sometime this next week.
(Honestly, I just wish they would schedule the dang thing so we could move on!)

3) Feedings 
This area has been incredibly slow-going. Cozy will take a pacifier at times, but she is mostly uninterested and uncomfortable with things in her mouth. We still have yet to try a bottle, but are taking very small, positive, baby steps to prepare her for mouth feeds. At this point, we still don't know if she has the skills to swallow. Time will tell (<--- my whole life lately!).

If Cozy continues to show an aversion to mouth feedings, the hospital would be willing to forego that milestone and send her home with the feeding tube. However, her eyes and head "situation" will need to be resolved before her homecoming. It could be before her due date... it could be weeks after... Could be a month after... We really have no idea yet :/

Other than that, our girl is stable, almost six pounds, and just as sweet as can be

 

Well - this week we have stayed pretty close to home!

Dearest Family,

     Well - this week we have stayed pretty close to home!  Dad's making progress with his coughing bug & I am a couple of days behind him.  This too shall pass!

      On Tuesday we were to train Missionaries in Billings - but did it over Skype!  We didn't need to breathe on all of them. It went great until they tried to use their mobile devices and FS in SLC was down. There have been two major updates in FS recently and we suspect they ran into some un-forseen glitches. The missionaries will have to practice on their own later.  On WednesdayEvening we were help a Ward Youth Group - Dad stayed home, I went & we had other helpers - so appreciate them.  Also did a Skype training with a High councilor over FH in Arizona. FS in SLC had referred him to us so we could help him learn the mobile apps. He and his wife were so excited on what could be done on mobile! We did most of our training activities over the phone this week!  And sometimes that works but on-site is better whenever possible!!

      Had wonderful visits this week by phone with of the Ky & Joy, also Isaac & Vicki! Had a wonderful short visit also with Tchae.  He came to Lovell to go to a wedding reception on Saturday evening & spent the afternoon with us. I fitted his new suit & will alter it a little.  He even quilted on their wedding quilt for a while! He drove back to Casper after the reception. Dad attended the funeral for Melba Tippetts (90+) today to support this family that we have know so many years.

     Today was a busy day for Dad, he went to the Greybull Ward to train the new Bishop and WC in FH matters. It was a wonderful day for him since the ward is ready to get going in FH at all levels. He also spoke to the HP grp, YM and YW groups sharing the blessing that the Lord promises to those who do FH in any of its forms! I stayed home & had a very quiet day! Dad reviewed his day with me this evening, sharing all the spiritual events he witnessed today.

We love you all - Have a great week!!!!    Love Mom & Dad

It has been a busy & exciting week, with a few firsts for us!

Dearest Family!

      Happy Birthday, Connor, on Wednesday, March 1st!

      It has been a busy & exciting week, with a few firsts for us!  On Tuesday, we did our first training with full time missionaries.  President Wadsworth, the mission President & his wife, were meeting in Bozeman with three zones. We did training with them over Skype & felt it went well!  We understand there were about 40 missionaries there!

     Again, this week, we were able to Skype with Aubrei!   She is a Ward T& FH Consultant, abt age 19, & is amazing!  She shared an experience that she had had with the Young Women in her ward training them.  

       Our supervisor in SLC was so excited to call us on Tuesday & share his experience with the Apps.   He is also a consultant in his ward.  He'd had the inspiration to cast the image on his phone to a TV beside the room where they usually help people with FH, after Sac Meeting & during SS time.  People would stop by & ask him what he was doing.   He had the opportunity to help several find names in just a few minutes!  

       Several nights this week we visited with Will Croft, helping him with the Apps!  He is very excited, & wants to get the members of his Hardin branch involved.   We also spent an afternoon in Cody, visiting with the Hopkins,  directors of the Cody Murals visitor's Center.  One of the highlights of the Center is the Keyosk about Family History.  They were wanting ideas & exposure to the Apps,  to see how this might be used there next summer.  They have Senior Couples called to serve there for the summer & want them to help people in the Family History center that is also located there.  

     Four afternoons this week ladies have come & helped with the quilt!   It has been fun to visit!  So appreciate their willingness to share their talents! Today was a quieter day, spoke in the Lovell 3rd ward, then spent the afternoon & evening at home.  Dad has been fighting a cough, so even took a nap!

      Enjoyed listening to a few BB games over the internet, it was regional BB Tournament.   Also are trying to review the Roots Tech broadcasts which we missed the weekend we were in Bozeman.  There are some really special ones.  President Russell M Nelson & wife Wendy do one that is great!  Here's the link if you want to turn it on while you'r driving or working around the house.     https://www.lds.org/topics/family-history/familydiscoveryday/nelson?lang=eng&old=true 

     I have also included Kirena's 10 week old report of Cozy & a photo!

Love to all of you!    

Ten weeks old. 35 gestational weeks.

In some ways I can hardly believe it's been so long. In others, it feels like an eternity of hospital visits.

My sweet Cosette changes almost daily. This stage of life is full of growth, and it's so fun to see her transform from a preemie into a newborn. She is nearly five pounds now (about 17 inches long), but still wearing preemie clothing (small ones at that!).

We had some small breakthroughs with her reservoir. Typically they remove 10g per kilo (15-18 cc's of fluid), but three times in a row, they hit 5cc's, and her fontanel started to sink. This means we finally have caught up with her excess! They have tapped much less over the past week in hopes she will need it less frequently. The issue is not resolved, but we may finally have a handle on things. This also means her head is looking more rounded and "normal". It's a happy thing to see!

We also began to introduce the beginning steps to bottle feeding. This is a massive step for Cozy, and we are anxious to see if she will have the capability to bottle feed. It may be weeks or even months until we know more, but we will continue to help her stretch that comfort zone.

Those are about the only things to report. There's really no end in sight as to when she can come home. Our biggest hope is that maybe she will be transferred to a closer hospital so our family can be a little less strained. We dream of the day you can meet your big brother!