Funny Pictures

Deborah, Johnathon and I were getting ready to leave for a birthday party for one of my friends today when Johnathon decided to take a couple of pictures of me.   This one is a little blurry, but it made me smile, because it makes me look like I'm built more like my Mom when she was my age, which I'm SO not.  But, it's kind of cool to look like it in a picture ... even if it takes a blurry to picture to make me look like it.  haha.

And, this one hints at this creepy thing I can do with my neck.  The thinner I get the grosser it is. My neck looks like it's webbed and it's just ... well, it's just gross, creepy, ugh ... but in the picture below, you can kind of start seeing it.  SO ... here's the thing ... if you ever see me standing in any way that my neck starts creeping out ... please, tell me.  Ewww...

An ER Trip

This morning when I went into Ryan's room to get him ready for church, his right ear was full of blood.  There was no fever and he seemed to be in a good mood.  Since Dwight wasn't home and I was teaching Relief Society and helping one of the youth teach a Sunday School lesson, I needed to be at church.  I've seen the blood from the ear before and it's been due to an ear infection.  I thought I'd just keep him on motrin for the day and then take him to the pediatrician in the morning.

So we went to church and Ryan seemed to do alright until the very end of church.  We came home and he slept for most of the afternoon. But, then when he woke up from his nap, he had another large discharge of blood from his ear again.  I thought it was odd for a perforated ear drum to continue to bleed like that and so I called our Pediatrician's office and they told me he needed to be seen right away to get started on the right antibiotics. 

Thus, we made an ER trip .  It was a surprisingly quick trip.  It was a little shocking though to have to sit down in the waiting room.  We usually show up and get moved directly back to a room.  I usually say, "Hi, this is Ryan Mann and he's been having seizures ..." and they look at him and they take us right back and start an assessment.  I've never had to sit in the waiting room.  Not this time.  This time, Ryan was sitting up on my lap, talkative, and alert with good coloring.  Thus, we waited in the waiting room for a little bit. 

The Dr who examined him was so gentle. It was sweet. While he was examining Ryan's ears, I held Ryan's hands so that he wouldn't cause the Dr to push the instruments too far into his ears. Then I just continued to hold his hands for comfort. When the Dr started to examine his abdomen, Ryan insisted on letting go of my hands and took hold of the Dr's hand. The Dr stopped his examination and held Ryan's hand for a moment and just talked to Ryan. It was SO sweet. I appreciated his extra tenderness. Then when the Dr was leaving, Ryan wanted to sit up. So I sat him up and when the Dr said good bye, Ryan waved good bye to him. That always takes a minute, but the Dr waited and saw his little hand wave good bye. It was really precious.

Sunshine

My sister, Cynthia, better known as Sunshine to all her knew her was born on July 5th of 1966. She had Cystic Fibrosis and passed away in 1975.  Yesterday was a special day for our family as we remembered her wonderful influence she was in our family and to so many people. We are especially thankful for the knowledge that we are an eternal family! My sister, Joyce Scott Beaven, wrote a beautiful blog entry about meeting again in Heaven. 

 Yesterday was Cindy (Sunshine) Scott's birthday she is my sister and she was born July 5, 1966. She had Cystic Fibrosis and the life expectancy was 1 year at that time.  In 2012 the life expectancy is 37 years, maybe in my life time we will see the miracle of a cure.  After posting pictures on Facebook, Tina offered to introduce anyone to Cindy in heaven that did not know her.

So my first thought:  Let's make a plan to meet in heaven.     

John 14:1-3 

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will acome again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

My mansion will be the one with all the pink roses and flowers around it. Do you have your mansion picked out?
 

Friends, let's plan to meet in the middle of the beautiful mansions?  Some I will have the chance to see again here, and others I will have to plan to meet in heaven. Just know when I am leaving this earth I will be there waiting for you!! 

God be with you till we meet again.

~Joyce, aka the best (living) sister of Four 11 and Shrinking

 Thanks, sis!  You are the best (living) sister!  You might have some competition on the other side.  haha.

To answer her question: I don't know what my mansion will look like, but I hope to be so busy visiting others that I won't be there often anyway. I look forward to the sweet reunions there and anticipate seeing you all there!

Music with Myrna

Every once in a while, Ryan and I will sit at the piano and play together. Sometimes he sings and sometimes I lift his hands and help him to play while I play.  He usually lasts about 20 minutes at the most.

A while ago, I had a great idea to invite our friend, Myrna to play piano with Ryan.  Ryan and Myrna have been friends for a long time.  When I was going through the whole Cancer thing, Myrna kept Ryan while I received chemotherapy.  Ryan loves Myrna and Myrna loves Ryan.  Myrna plays piano MUCH better than me and thus, it just seemed like it might be a way to motivate Ryan to work harder at reaching.

So, today Myrna came over and for NINETY MINUTES Ryan and Myrna played piano together.

Did you catch that?  He lasts for 20 minutes with me and he lasted for 90 minutes with Myrna!  I knew it was going to be good!

He really seemed to love it!  There were lots of happy sounds today!  And, I LOVED listening to Myrna play the piano.  If I'm ever bedridden, I'd like Myrna to come over and just play piano for me.  (I know I'm no where near as adorable as Ryan, but would you be willing to do that for me, Myrna?)

We Are Now a Complete Family

Deborah is thrilled to finally complete our family. Every member of our family now wears
... or at least should wear glasses or contacts.

And, doesn't she look smart and beautiful in her new glasses!

The Light Will Come

One year ago about right now as I type this the most difficult trial I have as of yet faced began. I was not sure how my life would move forward. I knew it would, but I knew my life was changed forever.  I didn't know if I would ever eat, sleep, or even breathe the same again.  My face drooped with worry.  My eyes lost their smile.  I did not feel hunger or sleepiness.  I felt consumed.   At the same time, Ryan took a steep dive downward in health and I thought I was losing him.  He had multiple severe seizures.  Each morning I went to his bedside nervous that he might not be alive.  I spent my days and evenings trying to comfort children and make sense of something that didn't make sense to me.  My heart ached. 

As this date has started to approach I have had mixed emotions.  At first, it felt like something to be dreaded, like when New Year's rolls around again and one realizes they still didn't reach their goals from last year.  I'm sure none of you have ever felt that way though.  Then I realized that this is not like that.  This is a date to be celebrated.  It is one year later and:   I can breathe.  I can sleep. I feel hunger again.  But, those aren't the important things that I've learned, or really remembered through it all.

We are blessed with an organized church.  We have home teachers and visiting teachers and Bishops and Stake Presidents and teachers.  It is very organized.  People have volunteered positions to play and for the most part, people play their rolls very well.  I'm so thankful for the rolls they played.  Each of them were essential in helping and they did it so gently and kindly.  Some play a small roll in my life.  Some play a large roll in my life.  Some people may not even realize what kind of a roll they play in my life.  (Hmm... maybe I should fix that.)  I'm very thankful.  The Stake President, he's the man who's responsible for multiple congregations, took time out from his family's vacation last year to give our family comfort during a very difficult time.  He didn't hesitate.  He just came.  The Bishop, who leads voluntarily over the local congregation, has helped our family in so many ways!  His wife also.  She put one of our sons to work one day doing just the perfect job for him.

Family is a gift from God.  I am so blessed with a loving and supportive family.  My sweetheart works so hard and is so dedicated to his family.  My children are so kind and loving to Ryan.  My parents are my backbone.  My sister is such a strength and support, and a great example to me.  My nephews are my dear friends and some of my very favorite men in the world.  My in-laws are kind and loving to me.  And, the list goes on.  I have wonderful Aunts and Uncles, Great Aunts and Great Uncles, Cousins, 2nd Cousins.  I am just very blessed in the area of family.  That's the way it should be.  We all need strong families. 

Friends who lift and strengthen you are priceless.  I hope it is never taken lightly when I say how much I appreciate you, my friends.  I really do.  There is a hymn that says, "What greater gift dost thou bestow, What greater goodness can we know, Than Christlike friends, whose gentle ways strengthen our faith, enrich our days." 

When you feel like you can't stand anymore, kneel.  Prayer works. I think we all experience, or will experience times in our lives when we feel that no one will understand all that is in our hearts.  But HE will.  He will listen perfectly.  He already knows your heart.  He just wants you to come talk to Him.  Prayer is healing.  Check in at least daily with your Father in Heaven.  Then when you've developed that habit, start your morning with Him and return and report back to Him at night.  He'll be so glad to hear from you.  He loves you! 

With His help I can do ALL things.  Each of us will experience our own difficulties and trials.  In talking with friends, I have not met anyone who does not have something that is difficult for them.  Some try to compare mine to theirs and say, "Well, I shouldn't complain."  I don't think we can compare.  I sometimes hear some of your trials and think, "I don't think I could do that."  I think Heavenly Father prepares us for what we are given.  Sometimes it's hard to see how we've been prepared until after we've passed through the trials and are on the other side of it and can look back.  Although this past year has been very hard, I'm thankful for what I have learned.  My relationship with Savior has deepened.  I have learned to rely on Him.  I have learned that He truly is there for me in all things.  That when my legs feel to weak to stand any longer, He will hold me up.  I have learned that He will give me the words to say when I have no idea what I will say.  I have grown to love Him, even though I thought I already loved Him.

I know now more than I knew before that I love Him and He loves me.  Both my Savior and my Heavenly Father.

It has been a hard year.  But I am thankful that I know these things.

Called to Serve

Last May my nephew, Kevin gave me the most beautiful gift.  His friend, the talented artist, Julia Fish Thompson, created two beautiful calligraphy prints of the song, "Called to Serve."   He had one print done for me and one for me to give to a very special friend of mine who had shared a special story with me about this song. These were done to honor her beautiful daughter Emily and my son Ryan.

The words of this beautiful hymn are:
 
Called to serve Him, heav'n-ly King of glory,
Chosen e'er to witness for his name,
Far and wide we tell the Father's story,
Far and wide his love proclaim.

Called to know the richness of his blessing --
Sons and daughters, children of a King --
Glad of a heart, his holy name confessing,
Praises unto him we bring.

Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;
Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;
Forward, pressing forward, as a  triumph song we sing.
God our strength will be; press forward ever,

Called to serve our King.


I have been so anxious to share these beautiful prints with you, but due to some delays in the framing process, it's taken a while.   But, they are FINALLY ready for your viewing!

Thank you, Camille, for sharing so much with me.  I aspire to be an inspired Mother like you.  Thank you, Kevin, for your thoughtfulness!   You are an amazing man.  And, Julia, thank you SO much for sharing your talent, twice. 

Call Kevin

Last summer Deborah was going under water at the pool, but this summer she has regressed.  Do your children ever do that? So I decided to put Johnathon and Deborah in swimming lessons. They were both doing well ... until the swim instructor who decided to HOLD Deborah under water past the point of comfort.

I don't know what he thought he was doing. He was a new instructor. New to her and new to instructing.
 
Long story short.  Deborah is no longer willing to go under water at our pool.  But, she is willing to play in the water without her floaties.  Just enough to make me nervous. 

So, today we were just about to leave the pool and she was playing in a large blue ring when she slipped and I saw her go in under the water.  I was standing right on the edge of the pool.  My first instinct as a mother was of course to pool her out, but then I realized if I acted in panic, she'd be scared about going under.  She was only in water that's about 2 feet deep.  All she needed to do was stand up. 

And, she did.  She stood up with a look of shock on her face and I smiled at her and said, "Wow! You did such a good job!  I'm so proud of you!"  I could see the confusion on her face at first.  She was actually not intending to do that and she was really not happy about it.  She was really wanting to cry.  But, then there was a hesitation. 

I helped her get out of the water and said, "Hey, who do you want to call to them about that?  You did such a great job remember to blow your bubbles." 

Then she shocked me.  I was expecting Dad or Nana or Papa or Jessica or Aunt Joyce.

"Kevin."

I must have had a look of confusion or shock on my face.  She said, "What?  I haven't talked to him in a while."

So, we called her cousin Kevin.  Thank heavens Kevin is a great guy!  After a couple of rounds of phone tag, she was able to be congratulated by Kevin and her sense of accomplishment was complete.

Thanks, Kevin!  We love you!

Sizes of People

Small people talk about people.
Medium sized people talk about events.
Great people learn to talk about ideas.

~Susan Easton Black's Father

Celebrations with Deborah

Today has been a sweet day with Deborah.   She painted this beautiful rock. 

We have celebrated her successes today and it's just been a good day!

Manipulation and Therapy

On Tuesday I quietly entered the therapy room to take a few pictures of Ryan working with his Occupational Therapist, Manuel.   I didn't say a word, but just snapped a couple of pictures.

As you can see from the picture above and below, he was working so hard and sitting so well with just a little help.  Ryan looked so strong.  He even seemed to be enjoying himself.

Then, I said, "Hi, Ryan!"  And, the manipulation began ... notice the eye rub that says, "Oh, I'm so tired!"

We're all on to him about that.  So, I don't rescue him.  So, once he remembers that, then he kind of smiles and continues to work.  (Well, sometimes.)  But, he never fails to give it a try.  

It was fun to catch it on camera.  It really made me smile that in the first 3 clicks, I caught it on camera.

Below are a couple of other shots that I thought you might enjoy. 

A few interesting things you might notice in the pictures: 

The white the brace on Ryan's chest helps to stabilize his midsection so that he can work a little harder and a little longer.  We've really seen a lot of improvement since we started using it.  It's called a TLSO brace, which actually stands for Thoraco-Lumbo-Sacral Orthosis. It wraps around Ryan's body and then velcros closed in the back.  You may also notice that there's a little round cut out just off center by his belly button.  That is actually cut out so that his mic-KEY button doesn't get messed up by the brace.

The green disc that Manuel is holding in his right hand is what Ryan was sitting on.  (Manuel was removing it as I was taking this picture.)  I'm not sure if he was using it just to position Ryan or if he was using it get Ryan to balance himself more.  It can be used for both purposes.

One of the skills that we are working on with Ryan is reaching.  He has just recently started using his hands more.  He can now wave hello and goodbye.  He will occasionally even lift his arm a little when he waves.  So now we are trying to get him to extend his arms for things.  You can see in this next picture that Manuel has moved the toy away from him and is getting him to push the horn.

You might also notice that Ryan's face is pointing away from the toy, but if you look closely, you'll notice that his eyes are looking in the direction of the toy.  Ryan seems to do that a lot.  From what I have read, it is common with children with cortical vision impairment.

I hope you've enjoyed a quick peek into therapy with Ryan.  It was a good day!  I'm so thankful Ryan is getting stronger.  He sure has worked hard and he's come a long way in the past year!

Old

Sunday Deborah was fascinated by the "lines" on my forehead.  She wanted to know why I had lines and she didn't.  I explained to her that when she's a Mom she'll be lucky enough to get lines too.  She liked that idea.  {Oh, how I smiled inside!  Brilliantly marketed.  Who needs Botox?}  She then wanted to know why I had so many lines?  So I explained that I have a line for each child.  And, it's true.  I really do.  I have one line per child.  To this, my confident Deborah replied that the shortest line must be hers!

The conversation didn't bother me much.  I've accepted the "lines" on my forehead as the inevitable result of raising my eyebrows in warning to my children too often.  My Aunt Elsie warned me it would happen, but it was better than yelling at them.  And, besides, it hasn't really hit me that it's a warning that old age is approaching.

But, yesterday I went to visit the Rheumatologist.  I can never decide whether those visits make me feel super young, since I'm typically one of the younger looking in the waiting room, or super old since I'm in the waiting room.  Then I was diagnosed with Bursitis.  Bursitis.  It just sounds like something caused by old age, doesn't it?

But nothing tops tonight's dinner conversation.  I was sharing with the kids a little story from the book I'm currently reading.  In order to set the scene, I was explaining a little about the traditions of 1840's.  Johnathon looked at me and said, "Mom, were you alive then?" Oh, yes, he was sincere. No joking. No kidding.

Now, I feel old.  :)

Great Books

My children love to read, and before they can read they love to have me read books to them.  Often they want the same book read over and over to them.  I love to read to them.  Over the years, we have read some great books together:  The Chronicles of Narnia, The Tale of Despereaux, James and the Giant Peach, Harold and the Purple Crayon, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, ... and the list goes on.

I don't remember always loving to read.  I know I read books, but somehow as I got older I thought became too busy to immerse myself in anything other than scriptures or an occasional self-help book.  Then I rediscovered the love of reading.

This morning I finished a book by a lady that I love to read her words, Mary Ellen Edmunds.  She seems to be the kind of lady that it'd be fun to spend the day with her.  I think we would laugh a lot and I think I'd feel uplifted.  Do you have a friend like that?  One that even though you laugh and play all day, you still feel uplifted and like you're a better person for having spent the day with that friend?

I've read a few of her books.  This one is "Love is a Verb."  There is so many great little tidbits in this book.  I just want to share with you a few of my favorite things.

A great quote from President Ezra Taft Benson:  "Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can.  He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends and pour out peace.  Whoever will lose his life to God will find he has eternal life." 

"Prayer is the preparation for miracles."

~Elder H. Burke Peterson

There is a list of suggestions of big and little things that we can do that might be helpful in increasing our love, compassion and responsiveness to the Spirit.  Some of the suggestions are:

• Visit someone who can't come to see you.
• Once a week, speak to someone whom you don't know (yet).
• Work to develop a countenance of love; strive to look at others in such a way that they know they are loved even if they have no idea who you are.

The list goes on, but it made me think -- Wouldn't it be fun to make a Bucket List of these types of things?  

 And, while I could go on and on, about my favorite things about this book, I'd just recommend that you read the book.   I think you will be captivated by the way this author so joyfully invites the reader to make love a verb.

Last Day of School

Today was Ryan's last day of school for this year.  I took him and Nelda to school since he went early for their water games.  The kids were each asked to bring their favorite water toy to play with outside.  Everyone was prepared to get wet.  They were all covered in sunscreen and dressed in their swimsuits, Ryan included.  His kind, thoughtful teachers had prepared a "hot tub" for Ryan.  Several of his friends spent a lot of their time circled about Ryan making sure that he stayed wet, carefully pouring the "hot" water over Ryan's legs and arms in his "hot tub."

After they finished playing in the water, they had Popsicles. You know the kind that come in the bag?  Ryan's was a strawberry-kiwi, and he LOVED it!  So, as it melted, Nelda just pulled a little into a syringe at a time and gave him some.  You probably remember that we don't feed him by mouth due to the risk of aspiration (choking), but we do let him taste foods.  Well, he was doing so well with it, that we chose to let him do the whole Popsicle this way.   He really enjoyed it and he did a great job with it!

I wasn't actually planning to stay, but it was so fun to watch them all interact that the time passed quickly.  Before I knew it, there was only 15 more minutes before it was time to pick him up.  So, I stayed.

When Ryan was saying good bye to his friends, one of my favorite little boys in the class, Sutton said, "Ryan doesn't want to leave yet."

I think he might have been right.  I know Ryan will miss his friends and his teachers.  It has been such a good experience this year.

Ryan enjoyed the Bouncy House during Field Day at school on 5.18.2012.

Sarah

(The view from my bedroom at the hotel.)

I’m currently sitting in a hotel room in Provo, Utah typing this.

Typically when flying on an airplane, my routine is to board as late as possible, shuffle to my assigned seat, stuff everything under the seats,  (I can’t reach anything in the overhead bins) and then read a book or magazine.  Once we’re up in the air, I will often pull out noise cancelling head phones and watch a movie.   

Often this ritual takes place without much more than a cursory greeting, or just the polite words necessary to find our assigned places.  It’s not that I mind talking to people.  It just seems that in our society most people today would prefer to keep to themselves and so I have learned to be prepared.

Thursday’s plane ride was different.

I boarded the plane just as normal waiting to the final boarding call, 2^nd to last to board.  I approached my seat, and the lady next to my assigned window seat stepped out of her seat to allow me into mine.  But somewhere between the requisite polite talk and me stuffing my overfilled backpack under the seat in front of mine, I was captivated by a woman who loved her children, was anxious to see her father and sisters, had a loving, incredibly supportive husband, and was extremely nervous about the flight.

Although I had my own anxieties about my trip, they were swept away by the joy she brought to the flight.  Within the 2 hours and 55 minutes we were on the flight, we talked and laughed together like we had been friends for the eternities. 

I watched her from a distance at the airport as she had the long-awaited reunion with her family, and the next day I found myself thinking about her.  And, the next day, when I knew that she’d be facing some challenges, I could not stop thinking about her.  I prayed for her non-stop in my heart.   

I tell you that not because I am a hero for praying for her, but because she was an angel to me.  It kept my mind from focusing on things that were hard for me, and that were creating anxieties for me. 

As I listened to Sarah talk on the plane, she spoke of choices she had made over the years, things she does with her family, things she does for her husband, what she does at work, and in life.  And, in those messages, I heard a woman of great strength and character, a woman who has great courage and is valiant.  I hope Sarah knows who she is ... who she really is.  I hope she knows how great she really is!

I remember when...

I remember when I was the nerd who had a computer sitting on my table and every body looked at me strange.  I was the only person in a restaurant, or the only person in an entire college classroom with a laptop.  Now, I'm sitting at a restaurant at the airport as I type this and almost every 2nd table has someone at the table with a laptop.  It's even more amazing to thing we're all connected.  Back then, it was just an expensive word processor.

I also remember when I was the only nerd who carried a mobile phone, and it was almost as big as the back pack I'm carrying today.  It wasn't really that big, but it was a big brick, bigger than the bricks you build a house with.  The battery pack, however, was a heavy bulky thing that required a bag and weighed probably 5 pounds. 

I was single then and I worked on a team where we took turns being on call for 24 hours.  I wasn't real fond of that phone.  However, it did come in handy one evening when a call saved me from a very boring date.  It was the one time I was thankful to be stuck handling a technical call outside of normal business hours.  Poor guy showed up for a date with me with a great big cowboy hat on and a big old buckle.  Remember I'm not from Texas, and didn't appreciate the Texas style back then.  And, to top it off, he was rather quiet.  Imagine me with someone quiet ... Can you imagine it?? 

See, the call was a good thing.

Mother's Day Flowers

In addition to the homemade soap he gave me, 

Jacob had flowers delivered to me for Mother's Day with a sweet note.  

Very thoughtful!  Very appreciated!

Happy Mother's Day!

I am one amazingly lucky lady! I have children who spoil me ... Thank you, all! And, a sweetheart who sets a good example for them.  I have a Mother who worked hard to be a good Mom. She sacrificed much for my comforts and to spoil me, even before I was ready to appreciate her sacrifices. I learned to serve others and to work hard because of her example. I have a sister who is strong and awesome. She has been my personal cheerleader throughout my entire life, believing in me when I didn't believe in me. I'm also blessed to have SOOO many aunts and cousins who were and are examples in life. I have always felt loved because of them. And, of course, I have more women in my life than I can count that are amazing examples of strength and courage. I am thankful to each of them for their friendships and the examples they are to me! Happy Mother's Day to each and every woman!

Happy Birthday Jacob

Fifteen years ago yesterday, I woke up early in the morning to a pop sensation and what I now know was my water breaking.  I also now know that I started having back labor, but I have a high pain threshold and since there wasn't a definite start or end to the contractions, I didn't know they were contractions.  It just hurt. 

So, I got up and took a shower and sat at the computer for a while.  I tried to "time the contractions", but again, there was no start or end, just non-stop hardening of the tummy and serious back pain.  So, I never mentioned any of it to Dwight and we went to the office for the day.  Around noon, I realized I should probably at least have the doctor check things out.  So I told Dwight we just needed to stop by the doctor's office.  He had no idea of what he was in for.

When I was on the exam table, the nurse said, "So when did your water break?"  I replied, "Probably about 4 am."  Dwight was not happy that I hadn't even mentioned it.  But, I had heard stories of women not being able to hold their urine and I just knew that it might be me, since after all, I was HUGE with Jacob.  And, since I didn't seem to have any other for sure signs of labor, I didn't think it was my water.  Well, I was wrong.

Unfortunately, by then it had already been more than 8 hours since my water broke and doctors apparently think you should be at the hospital by then.  So, they wouldn't let me go eat lunch or anything.  They had us go directly to the hospital.   At 1 am, on May 13th, 1997, Jacob was born in American Fork, Utah.  

Today he turns 15 years old.  I look forward to seeing Jacob's successes in the future!  I hope that this will be his best year ever!  Happy Birthday, Jacob!!

Mother's Day Gift from Ryan

 

Ryan made these gifts for me at school.  Aren't his hand prints adorable!  

He loves to finger paint and his favorite color is green, 

but someone went to a lot of work to get prints of his open hand!  

I'm so thankful for these!  What a neat treasure!!