Merry Christmas 2014

Merry Christmas from the Johnson's

A FEW Of My Favorite Things.....

I LOVE Christmas time! I saw these cute ornaments last year and loved them but as with most of my ideas it stayed in my head. This year I showed the idea to a friend then told her I found where you could get the wood blocks. Again, just thinking "oh that's a good idea", but instead she said she was ordering them. We ordered them and actually got them done! I am so grateful because I love them! I did more than this but my babies are some of the favorites. 

 I took this picture so he could be part of the school Christmas play. I love it!
He loved having the Santa hat on.

 I love our nativity! It was always a favorite decoration when my Mom put it up each year
and it continues to be a favorite.

 I love this boys smile...enough said :)

 Owen's Christmas tree.

 I love the Christmas tree lights when everything else is dark. There is such a special feeling of peace.

 I love our Christmas Eve acting out of the nativity.

 I love that this girl loves Owen!
She stopped to visit with him before she left for Jerusalam for a semester of school.

I love our Christmas lights that Lenn puts up, only with a little help from the rest of us!
This year he bought this angel, not a good picture, but I love it! It is even blue!

And of course the memories!! Aww the memories....I am not sure where Rhet was, 

maybe hiding from all the dolls;)

Feeling blessed and surrounded by miracles

The last little while has been a little tricky with Owen. He has been really good and then all the sudden he's not. I am pretty sure he likes to make sure we are paying attention!

About 3 weeks ago I noticed a pressure sore on his tailbone area. My heart sank because those are not good anywhere, but right there I knew would be tricky. I did want I had been told to do previously and then made a little donut for his bottom.

His doctor told me to keep a close eye on it and send pictures to keep them posted. I use duoderm, and since he isn't immersed in water for a bath it stays on for awhile. I thought I would take pictures each time the duoderm came off to compare any progress or worsening of the sore.

The second time it came off I was getting ready to send more pictures when I realized something about the sore wasn't right. I felt it and it felt like a scab. I softly scraped at it and it came off!!
The sore was gone and completely healed!  I could not believe it! I still have a hard time believing it went away only after about a week and a half. I knew right then that I had just witnessed a miracle!

I was giddy the entire day! I couldn't help but feel my Heavenly Fathers' love for Owen and our whole family. I know that Owen is watched over day and night very closely by loving angel hands sent from above.

He shaved!!

The last few weeks have been very humbling to me! Lenn's idea to see if we could raise money for SMA research, started an outpouring of support from many of you. Not only did we meet our goal but went above and beyond. Our grand total is $1325!! That is amazing! I really wondered if we would even reach $500.

Thank you to all who donated to support our fundraiser to not only shave Lenn's beard, but to aid in finding a cure for SMA. We got all the money in the mail this week and I am really excited and hopeful for what it might do.

Again THANK YOU, to all of you who donated!! We would like to give you a little something as a thank you, so if you donated without letting us know please message one of us, text or get a hold of us somehow.

Shave the BEARD.....Lenn's Facebook Challenge

Bentley was challenged to do the ALS ice bucket challenge. As he was getting ready to do it we talked about how ALS is like SMA but in adults. "I want to come up with something for SMA", he said. As we were talking Lenn was over playing with Owen and said "I'll shave my beard if we can raise $1000 for SMA". I don't think he thought I would act on this but as soon as I got the chance I posted it on Facebook. I knew after I posted it he couldn't take it back.

As of right now we have $405, almost half way there! I have been so humbled by the donations that have come in and we appreciate them so much! Thank you!

We will give every penny collected to the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation and they will send it on to do more research hoping for a treatment or cure for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

Our SMA journey began about 6 1/2 years ago with the birth of our third child, Owen. We had no idea what SMA was, no idea that this could happen to us!! We hoped to go to Primary Children's where they could 'fix' our baby so we could take him home and get back to our normal lives. We soon found out that our 'normal' lives would now have to find a new 'normal'.

Trying to enjoy the moment of a new bundle of joy was dashed by the NICU team waiting to rush him away.
I would love for a cure to be found so that no other family ever has to deal with this!

Almost two and half years later, our son, Landry was born with the same low muscle tone. Twenty three days later he returned to his Heavenly Father because his little weak body could no longer keep him here.

There is no treatment or cure for SMA and it is the #1 genetic killer in children under two years of age. 1 in 40 people are carriers of this gene. How could we not have known about this disease? 

August is SMA awareness month and yes, I know I am a little late on this post, but I still want to get word out for anyone who does not know about SMA and the devastating effects of it. 

We feel very blessed to still have Owen with us, he is a fighter! I would give anything to be able to see him walk, run and play with his older siblings or even get on the bus in the morning to go to school. Instead we go to him, in his bed to play, sing, smile and visit with him.

To visit little Landry we have to go to the cemetery or sit quietly to feel his spirit around us. 

With that being said; let's help find a cure....and just for fun let's SHAVE LENN'S BEARD!

This handsome man needs a razor! Thanks for the picture Jan!

You can donate by giving us the money and we will send it to the GSF or donate by clicking here: 

http://thegsf.org/donate. If you choose to send a check directly to the GSF or do it online please let us know your total donation or write on your check or online donation, Lenn's Facebook challenge. Thank you to everyone who has donated and to anyone else who wishes to donate. Remember any amount is amazing!!

Sunsets....

I know you all know how much I love sunsets but here is another reason why. Lenn and Bentley were playing softball one night and I turned Owen so he was facing me, as the sun started to set he started smiling.  He kept smiling until the sunset was completely gone. I didn't take a picture I just enjoyed watching him enjoy the sunset. 

As I watched Owen grin I was reminded of the quote "Sunset....a time in the early evening each day where HEAVEN reaches down to EARTH and we are all reunited again". Carly Marie

I couldn't help but think he might have been having some tender moments with his little brother and his buddies who are in heaven. For that reason I left the camera down and tried to soak it all in without interrupting such a special moment! 

Last words

Yesterday morning the phone rang early, so I knew either school was canceled or something was wrong.  It was my dad and he told me that my Aunt Betty had passed away in the night. What? So unexpected!  I asked if she had been sick or something? No, just didn't wake up.  My heart skipped a beat or two and I am not sure it has really sunk in yet.

I was fortunate to live pretty close to all sides of my family while growing up but since I have been married I haven't seen any of them a whole lot.  I keep up with most of them on facebook and I am grateful for that. Yesterday, I got on facebook and went to her page, she was always posting or commenting about her children and how much she loved them. This picture/quote was the last thing she posted! I am sure Heavenly Father knew her children needed this reminder as she was called back home.

It has been on my mind ever since. These were some of her last thoughts...last words. It took me back to a blog I read awhile ago talking about last words. The lady remembers her husbands last words and they are not kind or loving words. It has made me think, do I live in a way that I could be taken suddenly and have some of my last words be words of love? I definitely have work to do!
My Aunt Betty's quote has made me want to try harder, do better and make sure my last words are of love and kindness.  Not one of us is guaranteed tomorrow and I need to do better to live that way.

My heart breaks for my uncle, their children, grand children and all their family and loved ones. They do have the gospel in their lives and the faith to know that it is true but I cannot imagine the heartache they are going through at this time. I pray for them. I pray they will feel their Saviors love and comforting arms around them now and for as long as they need it. I do KNOW that He is there for us and all we have to do is ask. I wish it could take the pain away but that is not the purpose of this life. We are to be tried and tested here on earth so that we can return home to our Heavenly Father.

"How fragile life, how certain death. We do not know when we will be required to leave this mortal existence. And so I ask, “What are we doing with today?” If we live only for tomorrow, we’ll have a lot of empty yesterdays today. Have we been guilty of declaring, “I’ve been thinking about making some course corrections in my life. I plan to take the first step—tomorrow”? With such thinking, tomorrow is forever. Such tomorrows rarely come unless we do something about them today." President Thomas S. Monson

What will your last words be?  Not just as your leave this world, but as your leave your house, a family get together, when your children leave in the morning, when your spouse walks out the door? Let's make them words of kindness and love as though they are the last words to be heard. I hope to do better so that one day the words my loved ones remember are words that say 'I love you'.

To my Uncle Glen, Glenna, Travis, Jeanette, Kristen, Brandon and their families; May the Lord bless you at this time of loss and trial. May your testimonies be strengthened of eternal families and life. I pray you always know and remember your wife, mother and grandmother will be waiting for you to complete this earthly journey. Remember the quote she left days before returning to heaven 'I will be there for them anyway I can'. I am sure she is now a very busy lady but I know she will always take time to watch over those she loves so dearly. Sending much love to you all!

Happy 6th Birthday!

Owen's birthday landed on a busy day for everyone so we put of the celebration for a few days. I told him I had been working on his cake and on his birthday I brought this cupcake over so he had something to celebrate.  He looked at it and then at me and gave me a look of 'really mom, this has taken you that long'! It was so funny. He did end up giving lots of smiles when I told him his cake would be finished in a few days.

He loved his Jake cake.  He is the one who chose it, so he should have.  I gave him the choice of a minion, Turbo or Jake. Abby suggested Jake so she was pretty happy when he chose it.

He loved looking at his cake, that is until we lit the candle.  Then he wanted nothing to do with it.  He cried until we convinced him we had taken the candle off and to open his eyes.

Happy birthday my miracle boy!  It's been an adventure for sure but I wouldn't trade it if I could!  Many told us you wouldn't live this long, but you have proven them wrong and we will take each and every day we are given.

We used to send balloons to his special angel birthday buddy, but since we don't always get somewhere to buy balloons I started added something girly to his cake. This year Jake was heading out to save Wendy.
Happy birthday angel Mercydez!

So much to catch up on!

I am not sure where to start since I am so far behind!  My computer has had issues with uploading pictures, and without pictures I cannot blog.  My love for pictures makes me put words with them.
I know this is a lot of pictures, that's why I put them all in collages. If you click on the picture it should enlarge it.
Hopefully now that I have the issue with my computer figured out and I will get back to keeping you all up on our adventures.

Lamb shows and fair time!

Summer and football.  Lenn wanted a picture with the big baler and little baler so I took some pictures and had to add the old bale wagon or stacker. The childhood memories that come back each and every time I see one of these are priceless.  

Homecoming 2013

Future home of the Lucky U show sheep barn.  Abby has asked if it is the same kind of project as the basement.  Oh, my Abby.  She isn't about to get too excited about it quite yet.

Decorating the Christmas trees, my birthday and basketball.
(I just realized this has two of the same picture of Owen, sorry.)

Abby's school play, clogging and Christmas eve.

Making a little history

Today there was a few fun moments I want to remember, no pictures though, sorry.  First of all Bentley got his first real hair cut and style last night.  Second, he really liked it and actually did it today WITH some gel! Big deal here :) With his new do, he wore a shirt that was not a sports t-shirt. We may be turning a corner here!  I cannot believe I didn't get a picture.

Today Owen's therapist came and I was telling her how he had been acting lately, it is almost like he is trying to answer my questions.  I have noticed that when I ask him a question it seems like he wants to answer me with a blink or his mouth.  Since she knows what she is doing she started working with him asking simple questions. Sure enough, he would blink for yes.  It was so fun and exciting to see. Mainly because it wasn't just in my head but he actually has been answering  questions.  I hope to get some videos, but it may be hard because he knows when the camera is out.