hail to the Chief

Some job changes for the Brown clan! Josh was offered the chief of social work at the VA! The chief is retiring and they have asked Josh to fill that position. It is only for the next 6 months until they find someone who is willing to take the job permanently. Josh is excited, overwhelmed, shocked, etc..... It will be TONS of work but in the end will be a great experience for him. Josh has worked so hard for the veterans and on every assignment that he has been given that I know he will do a great job. He will be over all the social workers for the VA which is about 75 and all the programs that fall under the "social work" department. It really says a lot about Josh that they passed up individuals that have been working at the VA for 10 plus years and offered it to him. I know this will make our lives extra crazy but we feel blessed to have things working out so well. Thanks Josh for working so hard for our family. We are behind you 100% XoXXooOOxx

Pappy

As many of you know Josh dad (aka Pappy) has been hospitalized for the past 10 days. Pappy went to the hospital last Monday. After numerous test they found out that his has meningitis and staph. The staph went to his heart and caused enough problems that he was in heart failure. They did open heart surgery to replace a valve and repair a hole. For as sick as he has been I am in amazement that he is doing so well. We really appreciate all the well wishes and prayers on his behalf.

At times like these you can't help but be grateful for the blessings that we each have in our own lives. This is the second time that Pappy's life has been spared and that we have seen miracles performed and for that we are incredibly grateful. We love you Pappy and wish you a fast recovery!

cabbage = less pain!

So as before mentioned I am done nursing Ella. I have never had to dry up my milk before it just always went away. Well not this time! So as I was complaining to Josh about my PAIN he said, "why do you just put some cabbage leaves in your bra then bind." What the heck? Cabbage? Since when did Josh become a lactation specialist?
Apparently when Josh was working for social services doing adoptions, all of his birth mom's would bind with cabbage leaves to help with engorgement. Well guess what? It works! I don't know how or why but it works. So there you have it my friends Cabbage = less pain. My only complaint is that I don't really like smelling like cabbage but hey at least if you are starving to death you can have a snack! Thanks lactation specialist your the best:O)

randomness!!

• Why do we eat things that smell bad? Broccoli, tuna, egg salad sandwiches? Love them and they taste good but seriously stinky!
• Feeling sad about not getting to go to Vegas to see Jennifer. I am in serious need for some girl time! When Josh is done with this next semester I am out of here:O)
• Abbie and Mckena share a room and they are really getting on each others nerves. Mckenas messy and has a hard time cleaning up. Abbie is grouchy to Mckena if she wakes up at night. What do you do? What do you do?
• Had the "talk" with Preston. We fasted on Sunday and chatted with him after church. I was dreading it but it went better than I thought. Thanks to Josh who was awesome!
• Done nursing! Ella got thrush in her mouth and fanny, croup (not from eating boogers!) and wheezing. She gave the thrush to me and we were all miserable. So needless to say I am done! Had guilt for about a week but now I am feeling glad to have my body back to myself!
• Have decided I have a serious addiction to donuts. Not good my friends not good!
• Found out that if I burn a fruit candle that I can trick myself into thinking it is summer:O)
• I love the smell of the car wash. I find myself turning on the air vents while I am in the car and thoroughly enjoying my 3 minutes. Worth every quarter!

So there you have it! That's what is on my mind!

how cold is it really?...

just ask my man!!!

For those of you that know Josh he runs no matter what the weather. I usually don't get to see what he looks like when he comes home because at 5 am I am usually in my bed, but today there was fog so he went later. After 5 miles this was the result. It looks like snow on his eyelashes but it wasn't snowing those are iceicles on his eyelashes! Yep it is cold in Utah!!!

I get ice pick head just from looking at him. Way to be dedicated Josh . Way to be dedicated:O)

early morning conversation...

The scene: (4:30 am) Mckena was sick with croup and having a hard time breathing, I am giving her a breathing treatment in the family room. Josh is at the kitchen table eating breakfast.

Mckena: Darn that Cooper! (little boy at school)
Me: what did cooper do?
Mckena : Well the other day at school, there was this booger on the chair next to me and cooper said if I eat it, it will make me feel good inside. Well he trickted me because I don't feel good and I got the crack!

Josh is now choking on Captain Crunch and my germ-a-phobic self is feeling the knobby in the back of my throat start to jiggle. In my mind I am thinking "Oh for the love! She wouldn't really do that would she?"

Me: Nasty Mckena! We don't eat boogers!
Mckena: I know 'cause then you get crack!

I swear that child is putting me in the home!

Concert with....

Hannah Montana!!! (a.k.a. Mckena)

We're not really sure where she came from but she makes us laugh so

we're keeping her!!! :O)