Whirl wind trip to Utah...

How do you know what the right thing to do is. Sometimes in life we are presented with two right choices. When do you know as a parent what the best thing for your child really is. How do you know if you say "no" then you are potentially hurting him more and if you say "yes" then you are potentially hurting him more? At this point I would usually say thank heaven for the Temple and the answer to prayers. Which I feel is completely true. It is then facing the answers that you received.

We have some big decisions coming up about Emmett and his reflux, swallowing, chewing and just all around eating habits. I was desperate to get to the Temple to get some answers or just feel comforted before going in front of all the doctors. So on Saturday I was able to attend the Temple and I just had a calming feeling and the answer that Dr. Downey (our surgeon in Utah) would have the answers of what needed to happen to Emmett. Is that calming, I am not sure, but either way I felt at peace.

Well yesterday, Scott, Emmett and I flew to Utah (in and out in one day) to meet with Dr. Downey and discuss our options and make a game plan. The night before we left I was feeling all kinds of anxiety of the unknown. As we are meeting with Dr. Downey, he came into the room with a cool question asking attitude. He sat on the chair next to me, drew pictures for Scott and I to understand, and then he spoke words that made me giddy like a girl. He said, "I don't think it would be in Emmett's best interest to have this surgery right now. He has too many other complications going on with his eating and swallowing that it may undo the surgery I do. I am not saying that we don't need to watch this and maybe address at a later date, but for now we should wait. But I do want to send him to x-ray for an Upper GI." I quickly asked that if the GI showed something, would he change his mind. He reassured me that he probably wouldn't.

Okay so we left the hospital to head to another hospital for the Upper GI, as we walked out I felt my posture a little straighter, my breathing was a little deeper and a sigh of relief filled my body. As we drove, Scott and I talked, I couldn't help but feel so blessed to have gone to the Temple and feel the peace and comfort. To be reassured that there is a Heavenly Father who knows ME and MY FAMILY's situation, and helps me to feel comfort. Scott then asked me, "Hey I never did ask you what your answer was after going to the Temple". This is when you should remember that Pride cometh before the Fall. I got giddy and said, "Dr. Downey would have the answers of what needed to happen to Emmett. How great is that Scott that his answer was the same feelings that you and I also had."

How often does this happen, in my life - NEVER!!! Well and soon it will be that NEVER remains the consistent answer in my life. So we go about the rest of our day, head to the hospital for Emmett's Upper GI. During the test, the radiologist lets me know that he has refluxed 3 times in 1 minute. Abnormal is 5 times in 3 minutes, so Emmett has already beat the abnormal category. The radiologist couldn't confirm if Emmett was aspirating into his lungs during those refluxes or not. The test finished we go visit some friends before our plane ride home.

Just finished a nice visit with one of my best friends, when I received a call from Dr. Downey. All I can recall from the beginning of the conversation is, "Mrs. Morgan, Emmett's Upper GI was incredibly bad. Significantly worse than the one he had a year ago. Emmett is not going to out grow this reflux and I think it would be in his best interest to have the surgery and to place a feeding tube in." I am sorry, WHAT?????????? I lost my breath for a minute. I couldn't speak. I couldn't put the phone on speaker at that moment either for Scott to hear. We had just stopped by a restaurant in Lehi, UT called "Emmett & Ethel's". They were giving away a free meal to those named Emmett or if you knew someone named Emmett. Of course we had to stop. Dr. Downey called while Emmett was having his picture taken for the restaurant's wall.

Back to the phone call. Dr. Downey and the radiologist were flabbergasted to say the least of Emmett's Upper GI. They couldn't believe the volume of reflux that was coming up his throat. Emmett even has reflux coming up while he is trying to swallow food/liquid down. Poor guy. I started to feel complete guilt and then comfort at the same time. Comfort that Heavenly Father answered our prayers while I attended the Temple. Dr. Downey would have the answers of what needed to happen to Emmett. A hard thing to swallow at first, but as time has progressed the overwhelming peace of Emmett needs to have this surgery. Then incredible amounts of guilt. Guilt for the fact that I wasn't on board for Emmett to have this surgery. Guilt for the fact that I was feeling overwhelmed with my life. Guilt for the fact that my sweet little Emmett has been suffering with such severe acid reflux for 23 months now. What kind of mom........

Dr. Downey also wants to put a feeding tube in Emmett when doing his surgery. I am having a hard time with this request. Dr. Downey is worried that during Emmett's recovery he won't get the amount of nutrition he needs with just oral feedings. Especially since his oral feedings are a complete struggle right now, with choking, swallowing, and vomiting. So now Scott and I have a lot of information to process and decisions to make. I know that God hears and answers prayers and he will direct Scott and I to know the right thing to do for Emmett.

This is Emmett crashing in the rental car after his busy morning of airplane ride, doctor visit, and an Upper GI. Sweet Sweet Emmett.






Here is Emmett the day after happy to be back at home and in his own environment!

Garhett's Solo

Today was a significant day for Garhett. Garhett had his first solo in his grade school concerts. Today was the 4th/5th grade concerts. Garhett tried out on his own and had a call back. He was so excited to have a solo. The sad thing is Scott and I weren't able to be at Garhett's solo today. As luck would have it, our trip to Utah to meet with the surgeon was today as well as Garhett's solo. So Grandma and Grandpa to the rescue again. Grandpa recorded Garhett's whole program for us. Thanks Grandpa.

Introducing Garhett Morgan in his first solo!!! Great job Garhett!

Idaho Native Americans

was the theme for Garhett's 4th grade project. For this project, Garhett had to choose a group of Idaho Native Americans to report on, draw or copy a map, create a diorama of an Indian Village, make a model of an Indian Home, and paint pictographs on rocks.

Garhett chose the Shoshone Indians. He started early on researching, figuring out what was going to be in his diorama, and putting the report together. Garhett did an awesome job. Here is the final product. Garhett earned an A. Good job Garhett!!!!

Happy Halloween

This year was kind of a bah humbug year for me with halloween and dressing up. The kids were pretty much on their own. Garhett decided to be a skeleton, Trent decided to be a ninja, Paige decided to lose the princess act this year and show her true colors as a girl vampire, and sweet Emmett was the cutest penguin.











Before our Halloween festivities, the kids had their school parties. The boys' were first since they didn't have school on the Friday before Halloween. Here is Trent with his teacher and his good friend Aiden.











Here is Garhett with his classmate who dressed up as Beetlejuice. Scott and I were surprised that anyone would know who Beetlejuice was.











Here is Paige and her preschool class getting ready for their parade. Notice that all the girls in her class are princesses of some sort. I got quite a few looks from the other mothers as Paige was putting in her vampire teeth. What can I say? ALL my children have a mind of their own. Let's face it somedays you feel like a princess and somedays you feel like a - - - well a vampire!!!!

Primary Program

This year the theme for the Primary Program was Eternal Family. There was quite a few unusuals this year. Usually I sit in the audience with Scott & my parents and watch the kids say their speaking parts and sing. This year, I was on the stage with the CTR 5's, I am a teacher now. Usually only Garhett has a speaking part during the program due to having over 200 kids in the Primary. This year, Garhett, Trent and Paige all had speaking parts. Garhett, Trent and Paige all stood tall at the mircrophone and said their parts with conviction. No shyness in our household. :O)
Garhett sang in an all boys chorus. He did such a great job. Garhett really enjoys singing.

Great job kids, Dad and I are so proud of you.

Pumpkin Patch

Boise has some really great pumpkin patches for the kids. This year we went back to Linder Farms. The kids love the kids corn maze, the petting zoo, the jump houses, and of course the pumpkin slingshot.

Grandma and Grandpa were able to come with us again this year. They were in town for Trent's soccer game and Garhett's baseball game. We decided to go the pumpkin patch on Friday after Scott got home from work instead of trying to squeeze it all in after the games on Saturday.

We started our evening out with a hayride out to the pumpkin patches to find our pumpkins. Garhett is getting older where it isn't really cool to be in the pumpkin patch with your parents looking for a pumpkin. So the "mean" mom put him in charge of his brother Emmett while I worked with the others to find the "perfect" pumpkin. The rule we have with pumpkins is you have to be able to carry it. It took a little bit longer for Paige to find a pumpkin that she could carry.


After finding our pumpkins we headed back to have some fun! The kids went through the haystack maze. Emmett loved it. He was able to run and not have anyone grab his hand and pull him back or pick him up. Garhett, Trent and Paige ran through the maze several times.

Through the maze and off to the petting zoo. This year they added a camel and a baby camel. Emmett wasn't so sure of the animals and especially them licking his hand for food. There was a pony ride, and so I put Emmett on the pony to see how he would do. He wasn't having it!!!! Even Scott enjoyed feeding the animals along with the kids.















We ran out of food and was all petted out, so the boys went to the pumpkin sling shot while Paige and Emmett went to the jump houses. This was Emmett's first time in a jump house. He wasn't liking it too much. I think he lasted 1 minute, he would much rather just run and run and run. Did I mention RUN!!!!!

The evening was very enjoyable. Everyone had a good time picking pumpkins, slinging pumpkins, jumping in the jump house and just running around. Our kids don't like to dig the guts out of the pumpkins (they come by that honestly cuz their mom thinks it is gross), so instead this year, we bought faces to stick into the pumpkins. They are like potato head faces made for pumpkins. The kids enjoyed making the different faces for their pumpkins.

Sanity Break

Over conference weekend, Scott and I were able to take a weekend getaway to Seattle. Mama needed a break and my parents took the kids for the weekend. I have the best parents and my kids have the best grandparents who are always willing to spend time with them. Thanks mom and dad.

Since this was a short notice trip (less than a 2-week out airfare), we decided to drive to Seattle. It is an 8 hour drive, not too bad. I made a list of things Scott and I needed to talk about. The car without kids is the best time to have our discussions, cause there isn't anywhere anyone can go, we have to talk. :o)

We left Thursday after Scott got off work and drove to Hermiston, Oregon and spent the night. Then drove into Seattle on Friday. The weather was so nice. We actually saw blue sky's and sunshine. The kids had a fluke snow storm while at grandmas.

While in Seattle, we toured around the city, went to Pikes Market, the Boeing Plant, the Seattle Temple, Microsoft, IKEA, and had dinner with some friends who we lived by in Hollister (and I worked with at Novell). It was so nice to get away and just relax. I had forgotten what it felt like to sleep the whole night and not have to get up before 7am. HEAVENLY!!!!!

We met up with the Amber and Kirk Davis for dinner while in town. Our hotel was down the street from the Microsoft campus where Amber works, so we took a quick little tour of the Microsoft store and museum. Here is Scott aspiring to work for Microsoft!

We took a tour of the Boeing Plant, what an amazing site. It was so facinating to see how airplanes are built. We weren't allowed to take in cameras or our cell phones, so I downloaded pics from the Boing site. The pictures show quite a bit, but not the incredible size of the facility. Truly jaw dropping.