"I hope ya know, we had a hard time"

A favorite general conference address by Quentin L. Cook Oct, 2008  click here for the article

The title is adequate  for this blog post as it is going to be a quick run down of the past few months.

March:
We filed our taxes, professionally prepared and we found out that we owed. Joseph's "cancelled debt" {i.e. student loans that were forgiven due to disability} became taxable income this year. so suddenly we had to pay 10% of that. Our best option was to pay it all at once. The IRS charges you to set up a payment plan and all payment plans come with interest.... anyway really crappy situation.

**Blessing*** We had the money to pay the IRS, all of it, all at once, and it took every penny we had. We're still ridiculously broke because of it, but so glad that we were able to pay off the IRS.

April 11th- Wrote the dreaded IRS check.

April 13th- Jessica takes 3rd in her pageant! So proud of you Jessica! She did an amazing job and we were so sad that we had to miss it.

April 29th- Shaylee had a large cyst rupture, on her left ovary.

**Blessing*** No hospital this time

April 30th- Doctor appointment with ultrasound. My doctor and another performed the ultrasound, my first ultrasound in this office. The main objective was to evaluate my ovaries, and see if I required surgery to drain or remove the cyst or cysts. Luckily, I did not need surgery as the cyst on my left ovary had already ruptured, there was however, free fluid behind my ovary as a result of the rupture. I was allowed to keep working  as long as I spent as much time as possible resting, bed rest at home. I brought a heating pad to work- and I refused to take my "good pain killers" while working, because they make me high. I prefer to be mentally present while teaching.

**Blessings*** Amazing doctors and modern technology.

May 4th- Flood! Yup, our neighbors' sprinklers flooded our yard, then water went under the garage and into the house. Our living room, closet and bedroom were affected.

**Blessing*** We were home when it happened, so we were able to stop the water and clean up before the damage was extensive.

May 5th- Our 7th wedding anniversary! We spent it in bed together as the night before we hurriedly moved furniture and removed water from the house. So naturally we were both exhausted & as I had violated my bed rest I was is lots of pain.

May 10th- Joseph's neurology appointment in Spokane. Great appointment, very uneventful, still seeing small improvements each visit. We decided to elimnate one of Joseph's MS medications.
While in Spokane we were able to see Kaelee and Calvin! Calvin was teething and grumpy but still enjoyed flirting with his favorite Aunt Shaylee :) We stayed in Spokane that night, so the trip served as our anniversary celebration.

May 11th- We watched Iron Man 3 in IMAX 3D. It was my (Shaylee's) first IMAX and it was a great movie, so glad that we stayed and did that soo worth it.

May 19th- We were preparing to get the carpets cleaned so we texted Dustin to come and help. His friend saw the word "flood", and half of the Pasco singles branch Elder's Quoram showed up at our house and emptied it. Before we knew it our possessions went flying out the door, we weren't quite prepared for that.

**Blessing*** The men were a HUGE help, even though it was shear craziness, oh yea and we still held choir practice that afternoon.

May 20th- "Dan the Carpet Man" came, said that we needed to call our insurance due to the type of water that came in the house (irrigation). So he cleaned the carpets in the rooms upstairs, and gave us numbers and recommendations for restoration companies. A restoration company came a little later and gave and estimate of $3,000-4,000 in damages. Including: mold treatment, wall removal & repair, and new carpet.

May 21st- Dad, Mom and I ripped out the sections of the walls that got wet, in preparation to have the restoration company come and treat it for mold. During that we did find mold in our closet.

May 22nd- Mold treatment

June 10th- We gave up waiting on the insurance companies, had Dan come and clean the downstairs carpets.

Music Recital!! I am once again a proud teacher, I had about 25 people perform in recital. It was a beautifully diverse show, as far as age, ability and styles of music.

We moved our bed in this night as well, let me tell you it was a beast!! It's a crazy king size bed that's floppy and has cooling gel-like topper built in, it took Mom & I 30 minutes to get it in the house, it went faster when Joseph was able to lend a hand.

June 11th- Mom and I went paint shopping, and bought new vent covers.
I had a practice for a special musical number I was a part of on Father's Day. Once that was over we painted my entire bedroom, and Joseph's office corner, we moved in most of the furniture: bookshelves, his desk, love seat and piano.

June 12th- Dad & I put up sheet rock in my bedroom and living room, including mudding and taping.

June 13th- Bought and installed more vent covers, Dad textured all the new sheet rock. I painted the walls.

June 18th- Summer Lessons started (I have 20 students, which is good, but not great)

June 19th- Dad and Joseph put up new wood paneling, Dad was able to make it match, texturally but we can't stain it to match exactly.

June 20th- painted wood paneling in the living room.

**Blessings*** As a family we are incredibly handy, we we able to do all the work ourselves and it looks great. Dustin works at Lowes, we got to use his employee discount for all our supplies.

June 21st & 28th- called in for jury duty didn't have to report.

**Blessing** no missed work!! I am quite curious about juries, but not about the violent crimes that are coming up for trial.

Somewhere in there: Alisha and kids came to visit, Mechams came through town,  Mother's Day & Father's day & lots of softball games... Posts to come: Flood Fiasco with pictures!!, the never ending wheelchair battle, and our new puppy Rylee