So ya know...

So ya know when you get strep and they tell you if you don't finish your antibiotics or if you don't treat strep it could cause heart problems?  Well, they aren't kidding!  It really can. Of course in my case I didn't know I had strep, but my heart sure did.  Sunday morning I woke up with a pain in my chest.  I ignored it at first, but it steadily increased.  That night it felt as though I had been hit by a sledge hammer right smack dap in the middle of my chest.  I was worried, but it was Valentines day so I thought I would put it off until Tuesday and go see the doctor.  Well, that night it got really bad, so I went to the doctor.  Pericarditis.  That's what the doctor said.  HUH????  Best explained, you have two sacs around your heart.  One fits snug and the other a not so snug.  Well these two sacs can become inflamed and irritated if you don't treat strep (among other things).  Anyway, that's what was going on.  It's not a huge deal (other than the pain) I just take Tylenol and Ibuprofen, and that pretty much keeps it under control.  I feel much better now, and am not taking as much drugs.  Phew...
Anyway, let this be a lesson to you ALL.  If you think you have strep get it checked out.  And ALWAYS finish your antibiotics.  Trust me, you don't want this!

Little Bit

Well, as you know my rooster Cleo is no longer with us.  We put ourselves out of misery.  I loved Cleo and I was sad that we had to kill him, but he was just to aggresive.  In fact the day he died he tried attacking Jayce.  If Grant had not stepped in front of him I am pretty sure Jayce would have had some pretty nasty cuts and scraped on his face.  This event may have lead to his demise.  Up to that point I was fighting for his life (kind of.  I knew he had to go, I just kept putting it off) After he went after Jayce I told Grant let's just get it done.  It was an emotional thing.  Poor Jayce had the privilege of holding his neck as Grant whacked it off.  When it was all done, Jayce looked at Grant and said, "can I have a minute in my bedroom?"  and when Grant said that was fine he looked at Cleo and said, "poor guy, it didn't have to be like this."  It was so cute and tender.  Alek, well, he didn't stay for the event at all.  It was to hard for him so he watched out the window.  Poor boys.  As a mom I knew I had to do something.  Instead of making the boys watch Grant gut and clean him, we hopped in the car and went for a drive.  We just happened to end up at a chicken breeder's farm, and we just happened to find the most beautiful bantam rooster and hen, and we just happened to bring them home.  I'm not so sure Grant was thrilled about it, but I assured him that our new rooster "Little Bit" was not aggressive and would be the perfect addition to our beautiful hens, along with our new bantam hen "Zeb"  So he let us keep them.  Unfortunately our hens HATED, with an extreme passion, Zeb, and tried eating her.  I know that sounds gross right?  But they were attacking her to the point that she bled, then they got the taste of her blood and were literally trying to eat her.  So poor little Zeb found a new home.  No, not in heaven!!!  We took her to my friend who has nice chickens that wouldn't try to eat her.  Last I checked on her shew was as happy as she could be. 
ANYWAY, so now we have a wonderful 3 year old  Wheaten Old English Game Bantam Rooster.  And I LOVE him.  He has a beautiful crow, and has the most gorgeous colors in him.  The picture above is not him, but is very similar, although I think mine has a bit more color and a lot more personality.  This is him below.  You can't see him very well, but you get the point!

I never thought I could or would fall in love with chickens, but I have.  They are like pets with benefits!

Sweet thang

I finally got to meet the newest Cook family member last week.  Olivia Joy Cook.  Born January 18, 2011.  She is so beautiful and I couldn't put her down.  I fell in love with this sweet little girl the second I saw her.  She has the sweetest personality  and very rarely cries.  Seriously, I have never seen a better baby.  My only thought to that is that Olivia was just in heaven and she KNOWS her daddy has a son just like him up there so she better cut them a break.  :)
I forgot to charge my camera before we left, so I stole a picture off James' facebook so you could she how gorgeous she is.  Isn't she cute?
Olivia is a precious little gift and I can't wait to hold her and love her again.
Congratulations James and Jerrica, Olivia is absolutley perfect!!

I just called to say...

 Last night I got two phone calls!  My phone ringing is not a weird thing, sometimes it never stops.  But these two phone calls were special to me.  The first one was my sister in law Darleen.  I had a fun time talking with her and realized how much I miss seeing her.  The second phone call was my other sister in law Aleen.  I again realized how much I miss her too andI enjoyed our chat, even though my phone was being stupid and kept cutting out.  (sorry Aleen, you probably thought I wasn't listening. It was just my phone going in and out of service) Though the circumstances of the phone call were saddening and hard to hear, I still enjoyed catching up and hearing your voices. 
Then to top it all, I got a message on facebook from my OTHER sister in law Suzanne, and for the third time that evening realized how much I miss seeing my sister in laws. 
These three ladies are the bomb.  I miss them daily and often loose myself in memories of when we all lived close together and got to play whenever we wanted.  I am so very lucky to be able to call you guys sister!  Thank you for the chats the other night. I can't wait to talk to you all again!

Warning, Long post and lots of rambling.

I have said it before and I will say it again.  I love my family.  With out them I would not be who I am. 
I have been contemplating family a lot the last little bit.  Maybe I have been putting to much emphasis on spending time as family, maybe I rely on my family to much, maybe I require to much out of them, both my little family, and my parents, brothers and sisters.  Maybe family isn't what I think it is, so I looked up the definition of family and this is what I found "a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not: the traditional family."  I didn't like this definition.  It's very vague and It doesn't seem to describe a family unit, or the reason we have families.  I couldn't find what I was looking for, so I knelt down in prayer and asked my Heavenly Father to help me.  I felt the spirit with me and it testified to me that family is all of the things that I mentioned and more.  I also felt directed to read The Family  A Proclamation to the World. I believe that the proclamation was given to us to preserve our families and I am grateful that was I was directed to read it again.  It renewed my faith that families are forever and that we have a purpose within our familiy.  In the procalamtion it says "Family is central to the creator's plan" 
“The disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”
And the last words of the proclamation express the simple truth that the family is “the fundamental unit of society.”
The proclamation’s clear and simple language stands in contrast to the confused and convoluted notions of a society that cannot even agree on a definition of family, let alone supply the help and support parents and families need.
I found on lds.org this statement.
"...Public opinion surveys indicate that people everywhere in the world generally consider the family as the highest priority..."
"Joseph F. Smith said: “There can be no genuine happiness separate and apart from the home, and every effort made to sanctify and preserve its influence is uplifting to those who toil and sacrifice for its establishment. Men and women often seek to substitute some other life for that of the home; they would make themselves believe that the home means restraint; that the highest liberty is the fullest opportunity to move about at will. There is no happiness without service, and there is no service greater than that which converts the home into a divine institution, and which promotes and preserves family life”
President Harold B. Lee said "The Church is the kingdom of God on earth, but in the kingdom of heaven, families will be both the source of our eternal progress and joy and the order of our Heavenly Father. As we are often reminded, we will be released one day from our Church callings; but if we are worthy, we will never be released from our family relationships."
I am in love with my family.  I don't want to EVER not be with them.  It breaks my heart, and brings me to tears to think of losing a family member.  I am grateful for each member in my family.  Each one brings a different dynamic to our family.  We aren't perfect, but we are strong.  We make mistakes, but we love each other.  We may not live near one another, but we are always there for each other. 
My definition of family is a unit made up of different personalities, traits, and talents, created by a mother and father who love each other, and each child, who also love one another.  A unit that spends time together and apart yet still has a bond stronger than any element found on earth a family is made up of both Unconditional love, and devotion. 
Family is important to me and needs to remain a focal point in my life.  My life revolves around family.  I hope my boys, my husband, my parents, and my siblings all know this.  You are my life, and I will always be here for you.  I can't think of anything in this world more important to me than you!
P.S.
I want to clarify that when I say family, siblings, parents, sisters, brothers, etc. I mean EVERYONE, in-laws and all!