CLAYS ARROW OF LIGHT

<>

<><>

Clay walking over the bridge from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts

   Tonight was Clays last Cub Scout pack meeting. This is 2 fold for me, I'm glad its our last one, but I'm sad its our last one. This means that my little boy is growing up:(  His leader had me list the Scout Oath characteristics and have his family say something that he protrays in that character. They were: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Thrifty, Cheerful, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. With every word he tied a ribbon to his Arrow of Light stand.  It was really nice how it turned out! He has had the best leaders through out his Cub Scout career! Thank you to everyone who has touched his life in one way or the other, we love you dearly!
    The first picture is blurry, but this is his new Boy Scout leader, Bro. Webb. The second one is Clay and his Arrow of Light stand.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!!

As of this writing, there is 6 days and 15 hours left till I meet Shawn and Amber!! I can't tell you how slow this week has gone by. Now just one more week to go, I sure hope it goes by faster. I do have things that will keep me busy, 2  game  nights to do tickets for and Clay gets his Arrow of Light at Pack Meeting on Tuesday. Hunter has a home football game on Thursday and we meet Kandra that night to pick Summer up too. I do think this week is going to fly by now that I've mentioned everything I have to do.
I'm so proud of myself, I actually scrap booked my wedding pictures! I had them in a really nice album but after 22+ years, it fell apart. So I called my awesome, talented, amazing, always there for me, crafty friend, Sandi to help me out. It literally took all day yesterday to complete it, but it looks great! Hugo thanks to you, Sandi :) It will be so neat to show the book to Shawn and Amber.
I'm still having a hard time thinking of something really special to give them, but I know just seeing them and actually touching them, will be a huge gift to both of us:)
In other news, Skyler is finally free of the intense pain he has been suffering with since May 19!!! His eye is not quite so red, he still wears his sunglasses, but we will do that over heavy drugs any day!!  
Until next time bloggers........

MY BOY IS A PRIEST/13 MORE DAYS!!!!!!!!

Skyler--his GQ pose/ Spencer Boerup Photography

I can't believe I forgot to post Skylers happy birthday post!! UGH -- Well he turned 16 on August 18. Its so weird to have a 16 yr old boy now. Even though he is 6'8" he is still my little boy, course he towers over me and loves to show that by putting his arm around me so that I have to look UP to him! He was ordained a priest today by his dad. I was able to slip out of Sunbeams to witness this exciting event! Bishop Lindsey had him come up to the podium to be sustained by the ward. Skyler is so much taller than him and so Bishop commented on that and then there was a friend of Hunters that just turned 14 who is 4'8'  who also went up to the podium.So it went from one extreme to the other, it was quite funny:)  Sky is such an inspiration to me, he has never questioned why he has had to go through this huge trial. He does complain about the pain, which is very severe at times.  Love you big guy!!!!!!

Great-grandma Eve, Shawn's mom,Mardele(They both have passed away) Kevin (Shawns brother), Debbie (Kevins wife)

I only have 13 more days till I meet Shawn and Amber!! I'm so excited, I don't really know why I'm not nervous, but probably because I have waited for this day to come for so long. Shawn started a blog after reading mine. She has shared her experiences from the time she found out she was pregnant with me until she gave birth to me! This has been such an eye opening experience. I have so much love and admiration for all that she went through. I can't put into words how grateful I am to her. I was just able to post pictures of my grandmother and great-grandmother, who Shawn stayed with while she was pregnant with me. I love seeing my relatives, it will be full circle for all of us! I truly believe that angels and our Heavenly Father have been apart of this reunion. I'm so blessed to have found her and my sisters!!
I am bummed that Uncle Kevin and Aunt Debbie won't be able to meet this time. Their daughter Autumn, who lives in Phoenix, will be able to be there though! They will be in Phoenix during the Holidays so we will meet then:)

The photographer told him to do something silly- that's what we got!

PS>>
I also forgot to mention Clays birthday on August 5. He turned 11 and is so excited to be 12 next year!! He is loving his 5th grade teacher! I feel bad because I was at Girl's Camp and Skyler had his surgery the day before so he kind of got left out a little bit. He did go out with his dad for the day and picked out a few gifts. He is growing up and keeps us on our toes! He will be testing for Horizons again this year, he can't wait!  We love you Clay Bubbles!!!

SUNBEAMS:)

Okay everyone, I am loving the Sunbeam class! They are so dang cute and innocent!!!!!!!!! I still am having a hard time being in sharing time/ singing time. There are so many unruly kids in there, I want to pop some of them. I don't mind you, but it is an act of great self-control not to. Autumn and I make a great team, and I even got one of the little girls to smile at me during class:)  I think that the Lord needs me to learn patience and this is the best way to get it!!!! So I am hear to admit that I have been to several AA meetings (Attitude Adjustment) and it is helping a lot!! Thanks for all of the encouraging words, you're the best:)

Emotional Week

Sky had his latest surgery last Wednesday. Didn't go as well as we had hoped for. They went in and removed both bubbles and the buckle around his eye. Then worked around the retina, but there is so much scar tissue around it that Dr. Sipperley said that there was no hope of Sky seeing out of it again. I wasn't able to be there because I was at Stake Young Women's camp. Dave said the Dr. came in told him he wouldn't be able to help him and pretty much left the room. I am so ticked, this is a 15 year old boy your telling he won't see out of his eye again and you walk out of the room? What kind of dr. are you? I don't care if your nation renowned. You take the time to have compassion and help Sky out with this devastating news. Barnet/ Delany will get an earful from me on Thursday!!!! He is handling it really well though. We are sending his file to St. George and seeing if there is anything the Dr's. can do up there. Lance knows some of the Opthamologists there. I'll keep you posted on this.
I was able to go to girl's camp this year, it was the most awesome experience I've had in a long time!! Before I left, my bishop called me into his office and told me I was being released from the YW. I was so upset, I love my Beehives. They are so amazing and great girls. I cried, threw tantrums,  and screamed but to no avail. The Lord needs me to be a Sunbeam teacher! I'm still not sure this is where I truly am needed but I'm not going to argue with Him:) I will miss my girls soooooooo much, they have taught me so much these last 2 1/2 years. Change is something that is really hard for me, especially since I'm a nervous wreck when I even walk by the Primary room!!! I may never know the reason why this is happening right now, but I just have to trust in the Lord.
Bishop gave me 3 weeks to mourn this change, so I actually have 2 weeks left. This will be a great challenge but I will learn to love those special 3/4 year olds.  Plus I will be in the class with Autumn!!!
Well until next time-----

JUST SOME FRIENDLY ADVISE

When your in church bearing your testimony, NEVER say that you are glad you have friends who will go with you to get a coke when you need to talk! Especially when the 2nd councilor in the Stake Presidency is visiting your ward!! Totally blonde! Just a little FYI for you all :)

RANDOMS

Just a couple of things going on here at the Skousen household! We went down to the Valley this past Tuesday for Skylers surgery to remove the bubbles. The surgery was actually Thursday but I wanted to go down and have a little fun with the kids before the surgery. We went to the mall, drove around a lot, went to David's cousins house for dinner. It was so fun to be with Brian, Gina and the kids. We had a wonderful dinner with an awesome dessert:) Hunter and Clay went swimming, and we watched Avatar. It was such a nice relaxing evening. Thanks Gina--- LOVE you!
Thursday we went in at 7:30 am, got Sky checked in and they took him into the surgery room. I waited while Dave took the kids to breakfast. While I was waiting Dr. Sipperley came out and told me that he couldn't do the surgery because they couldn't get Sky sedated enough. He had given him 3 huge doses of Morphine and he wouldn't go under. He thinks that since Sky has been taking so many Rx drugs since May 19 that he has become immune to anything. He was afraid that if he put any more drugs in he could stop breathing. So we decided that we will do the surgery next Wednesday here at the  Show Low hospital so that they can put him completely out!!! I will be at girl's camp starting Tuesday, good thing there is phone service. I know Dave can handle everything, but Sky is still my little boy:)
Dave got our hotel rooms for Labor Day!! WOOHOO!!!! I can't wait to meet Shawn and Bill. It will be so awesome to finally meet my birth mom and give her a hug! To finally be able to thank her in person for giving me life and a wonderful family that raised me has been such a dream of mine. Pictures and posts next month on this:)
The Summer has been fun and as usual not long enough for the kids. Hope yours has been fun and has drawn your families closer together.