When you know your little boy isn't so little anymore!!

Last Saturday we got a call from Grandpa Johnson. He was calling to tell Bentley to get ready and he would be up to pick him up. Later he called me back and asked if I could get a lunch ready for Bentley because he was out brushing dragging. He re-assured me that it was a small tractor, he was going slow and he didn't leave Abby to ride with Bentley. I was screaming 'WHAT' inside but I knew it was coming one of these days. He told me, "I didn't want to tell you until he was out there and doing okay." I think if he could have gotten Bentley a lunch, I wouldn't have known until Bentley came home beaming that he had driven a tractor all day. (Which beaming is probably an understatement).

Do you think this may be the culprit for child labor laws???

The bad thing is, now Bentley won't stop asking when he can do it again. He loved it and all went well. My little boy is growing up too fast.

We finally have spring!

~Spring~

I am so excited for spring to be here! Yes, I know we will still have some snow storms until June, but until then we are loving the nice weather.

Bentley and Abby are loving being able to be outside whenever possible. Last Sunday they were ready for church before their Grandma and Grandpa came to get them so they had to go and play outside. I was a little worried but I knew it wasn't worth the fight to get them to just sit still and wait for their ride.

Bentley is sooo into basketball lately, (thanks to his little buddy Andrew), and that is all he wants to do. Thank goodness he can finally go outside and dribble. He has a little indoor nerf hoop and with that he has turned my kitchen into a gym. We had the hoop in the basement so Benltey and Abby could play while Lenn and I worked down there and Andrew told Bentley to get it upstairs and practice dunking. He also told Bentley that he would be really good because he was so tall! Kids crack me up!!

~Much better pictures~

Owen was still sick in this picture but I just love it so I had to post it!

Owen is feeling better!! We got another shot at getting a picture with his special flag. He did get over pneumonia. We were very blessed to have yet one more miracle happen in our home. We were preparing ourselves and getting ready to prepare Bentley and Abby for the worst. Within 24 hours of this conversation between Lenn and I, Owen's lungs were clear. I couldn't believe it, I kept listening over and over to his lungs thinking I was hearing things. I wasn't, I was doing a happy dance at 5 am while getting him ready for a long day of appointments at Primary's! His x-rays at Primary's were clear of pneumonia.

Happy Birthday Abby

Happy Birthday Abby! Her birthday was actually yesterday, and the party was last night. Here is the picture of the cake Gayle made her. She wanted a princess castle cake and that is what she got. We had lots of family here for her birthday and a good dinner.

Owens' Flag

My cousin Ryan Johnson has been serving our Country in Irag for the past eight months (it could be longer but Gayle couldn't remember). Ryan brought a flag to Owen that had been flown over Iraq in an F-16. Ryan told us that his flag is the only one that was involved in combat, and that very mission they dropped a bomb and rid this world of over 30 taliban militants. I was in Texas when Gayle called and let me speak to Ryan. Gayle forgot to get a picture with Ryan and Owen, but we are honored to have this gift. I talked to a desert storm veteran that was in my class and he told me that you have to know someone to get this done for you. So I don't know who Ryan knows but we are very proud of him and Owen.

We tried to get a better picture with Owen but he is having a rough week. I think the whole pneumonia thing is winning this game. We have more medicine coming thanks to Dr Depalma. We will keep you posted!

I'm Back!!

I am back! I flew in last Friday morning and finally getting my 10 week venture on the blog. I am an official "mud engineer" and I have the little piece of paper to prove it. I flew to Houston Texas on January 18. I am employed by Baroid, Halliburton bought them out a few years ago so they sign my check. Baroid is the oldest and best fluid company in the oil and gas industry. I did not say that because I am employed by them, you can ask any one in the industry about Baroid and they will back up everything I say. I successfully passed the hardest and best mud school around! We started with 27 people in my class, but two failed out after week two. All of them but me and another guy was from the Texas region. One was from Angola and then me from WYOMING. I had to defend myself often and fight through the "yankee" comments but I managed. The best one I had on them was that I was from the "True Cowboy State."



Here is my class, as you can tell we are in short sleeve shirts. The coldest it got while I was there was 29 degrees and only lasted four hours. Down there they have the freezing temps timed down to how many hours it will last. Other than that it was usually seventies during the day and fifties at night. As you can tell I am needing to head South for the winters already. I enjoyed my time down there and it was hard to come home. I met a lot of close friends while I was there. The weather must have known what weekends I flew home because it was usually pretty miserable. I left Houston one Friday night at 80 degrees and got home to -3 degrees, some where in 1200 miles the nice weather left.

I truly and sincerely thank all of you that helped with my family while I was gone. Owen only had two episodes while I was down there and Gayle was in good hands. To my family, Dad for bagging Owen early one morning and taking Gayle to Evanston; Mom for helping Gayle and bringing food; Kristi for going and getting the kids and helping out Gayle; Nellie for helping Gayle and all the phone calls; and to the wonderful community of Cokeville for the continued meals, support, and prayers; and most of all the Lord Jesus Christ, I spent a lot of time on my knees for tests and my family. It was ironic that Owen got his sickest the day before two major exams, and I passed. The Lord helped me through a pretty trying time and we made it!

I am truly blessed! I made my instructor aware that I had an infant with days numbered and he was very understanding. He mentioned that if I had to go home, he would take care of everything. During tests we had to have our cell phones off, except mine. All of my class mates offered rides to the airport and even took me out to get my mind off home. I love and appreciate those in my class that went above and beyond for me.