Hello?

It's been so long, I think maybe my blog's forgotten about me! :) Oh well. I am happy to be starting my letters up again, being as it has been so long since I last wrote! Being without reliable email and moving took its toll! How are all of you? Here are a few of the things we've been up to lately:

First of all, a few "Xavier moments". I was cleaning out the jockey box in the car the other day while waiting for TJ so we could go grocery shopping. Xavier was sitting in his car seat. I found a primary song cd in the mess I was sorting and put it in the cd player, knowing he would like it. Once he heard the other kids singing those sweet songs, he started smiling and cooing with it. It was so cute.

He had surgery on his right eye 2 weeks ago Thursday. It was for cloudy membrane removal - something minor they sometimes have to do after cataract surgery. (Cloudy membranes occasionally regrow in eyes with an aggressive healing response, his surgeon said. They aren't as dense as cataracts but will still blur vision. The surgeon says we shouldn't have to worry about them regrowing a 2nd time. He'll have the left eye done on Nov 13, and then hopefully no more surgeries for a while.) The surgery went well. He stayed overnight but was ok - it was just because he sleeps a lot after surgery. They usually like them to get up and around and eat something, but that isn't usually our guy's style. He was fine the next day and was his usual little happy self.

Just a few days after that, I was expressing my gratitude during family prayer that he didn't seem to be hurting. Right after I said "thanks that he doesn't seem like he's in pain" he started just squealing! When I asked him about it, he smiled and laughed for a solid 4-5 seconds!

Finally, I was blessed with a big smile from him when I asked him if the warm water felt good in his tub. Our little sunshine! He is such a miracle baby and a blessing!

We moved into new place 9/11, Xavier's first birthday. YAYYYYYY for both things, especially the birthday!!!! We had a birthday party for him the Saturday before with all his cousins on TJ's side. Lots of toys and cute clothes were showered. As for his actual big day (which was on a Thursday), Deanne gave him a little food grinder, so he had chicken nuggets and apples, and bananas and cheesecake. He liked both really well. I'm so glad he's one! I just can't tell you. We never thought we'd even get one day, and now he's over a year old! As for our move, it went well with Mike, Jon and Jake's help (father- & brother-in-law and nephew). Now just to get everything in its place...

TJ and I have been married for 4 years now, on September 17th. Wow, to me that's such a long time. It's way longer than any other relationship I ever had. I am so grateful for him. He puts up with a ton from me, and with such patience and love. He is such a blessing in my life. What a great guy.

I finally found our new ward, several tries later. Yahoo!! I went to 3 different buildings and was told about 6 or so different wards (even the internet was off) before I finally found the right one, 1st ward. What can you expect from a town that just got a whole new stake, though. It's bound to be crazy. I'm just glad to know where we fit! They seem really nice, too! Members of the bishopric and Relief Society have already been over to visit with us! Talk about making us feel welcome!

In my travels around ward buildings and times, I learned there is an elder in one of the wards in our building who is in my brother Kyle's mission right now! How cool is that? His name is Elder Miles Naylor. He's been out about 2-1/2 months, as he left July 30. I think he might be in the other ward in the building, Twin Falls 7th ward, but I'm not sure.

Well, I've really enjoyed conference, what I've watched so far. I didn't watch it on TV last weekend, but I've been watching it after then on the internet. I feel the Spirit so much as I listen to our leaders speak. I look forward to catching up on the rest of it.

In closing, here is a copy of Xavier's birthday announcement. What a little cutie! Love you all! P.S. I knowww I still haven't got pictures of him & his glasses on here yet! He just got his 2nd pair, the silicone-frame kind, which should be more comfy that the stiff-frame ones he had before. I'll have to post pictures with both sets!! Check out Deanne's blog for some glasses pics she took!