Intermountain Healing Hearts Fun/Run Walk

Mercydez Haws

This past weekend, Lily and I headed on down to Sandy to stay with my mother and to attend a Heart walk in behalf of a sweet little baby and her family that has had an impact on my life. She is the cutest little 8 month old on the planet and her special spirit you can feel eminating from her! Her name is Mercydez and her parents are Nic & Ashley. They belong to a support group for families that have children or adults dealing with congenital heart defects. Anyway, Natalie decided to come with me and on Saturday we got up got ready and headed to Orem to participate. Natalie wanted to show her support for Mercydez (she has become drawn to her also) and also to share her little journey dealing with VSD. We got there at 8:30 to register. We got our T-shirts and Natalie even got a special little heart sticker that made her feel REALLY special :) Anyhow, the run started and off we went! I have to say, I was a little disappointed with my finishing time. It took me TWICE as long to finish a mile as it did when I was a senior in high school! Granted that was...oh 8 years ago - But still! 12:01!!! What the World!! I have a few excuses though...
1)Natalie tired out (which is to be expected..she is out of shape. HAHA just kidding, it's because of her heart.) And I would stop with her.
2) I was pushing a HEAVY load. ;) Lily and the jogger. (Ok, lily is only 14 lbs, and the jogger is extremely light.)
3) The last excuse is ALL THE PEOPLE. (I couldn't get around them.) It was so amazing to see these families with special heart kiddos join together for support. I'm sure it's nice to have someone to talk to that REALLY understands what you are actually going through.
I really didn't lose the run, I just ran out of time.
Anyway after the race, I saw the sweet baby I was there for. I was so nervous to approach them it was killing me! I didn't really know what to say but to introduce myself. Did I mention how CUTE the both of them are! Ashley gave me a hug right off and introduced me to Mercy. JUST ADORABLE! You can seriously feel this childs sweet spirit and it draws you in and in....and you just feel all warm and tingly (cheesy I know) her spirit is just so clean and pure and she just makes you want to be like that....Heavens I don't know how to explain it...I probably sound all crazy, but I guess you'll know how I feel once you experience it. Nic and Ashley are amazing parents and have such an incredible amount of Faith and Trust in God in directing them in making the best decisions for there sweet little girl. They are truly AMAZING. After everyone finished the run, they did a special little ceremony for the sweet heart angel babies and can I just say how sad...I have no idea who these mothers that have lost there little babies are, but it just brought tears to my eyes...I can't even imagine the pain of losing a precious little baby...nor would I ever want to try to imagine...it was a very special ceremony they held and a tear jerker at that. I so glad that I got to go....thanks hon for hanging with the other kiddos so I could. xoxo
Here are a few pictures from our fun run/walk.
After the Run all nasty and sweaty - Lily was getting hungry I think.
Natalie and her special sticker.
Lily REALLY wanted my sunglasses
Me, Ashley, Mercy and Nic.
Lily and Nat after the run.

Okay, speaking of HEARTS... LAter that night, my mother was getting a play pen set up for Lily to sleep in because I was not having it again tonight. (Lily in my bed) She opened up the closet in the room I was staying in and got some blankets out for Lily and made her up a cute little bed. After she did that, she went to her room to get pj's and I was going down stairs to make Lily a bottle. I had turned to go back to the room I was sleeping in cuz I forgot the bottle. I flipped on the light and Mysti (the cat that has been missing for 10 days) came running out of the room!! I screamed and yelled for my mom and she yelled back and I said it's mysti!! She thought I was kidding because this cat has seriously been MIA for 10 days. They thought that the cleaning ladies left a door open while they were there cleaning and mysti got out....or...she is a really old cat and they heard that when they are ready to die, they go hide and find there "resting place". So they had searched the house in and out for a dead cat!!! (yuck I know) No Mysti anywhere so they had figured the first conclusin had happended. So heck yes it scared me, I bout had a heart attack!! Not to mention right before we had gone up stairs to make the bed...I was reading my cousin LACHELLE's BLOG and she had posted a freaky thing (http://marklachelle.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-see-dead-peopleok-not-really-but-sort.html)so I guess you could say it caught me off guard and my heart was literaly pounding out of my chest...(ya know how sometimes after you get startled your heart hurts?) Well that's how mine felt.

Here, Lily is laughing at a baby laughing on the internet

She loves bath time...especially from Grandma.

WE'RE BACK!!!!

Wow!!! Can you believe it!! I finally have all my pictures organized and things have settled down a bit. After this update, I have updated from my last post up until now!!! Hooray! There is quite a bit of writing but I have to do this. I promised myself that I will have this blog printed as to act like my journal, so I am trying not to miss anything.
July 12th
We had the Peterson Family Reunion and went to Lake Walcott and had a picnic and just hung out. We took the boat out and for the first time, I decided nothing is keeping me from trying to wake board now, so it's now or never....dang I'm good!!! My first try to get up and I did it....Now I know I look goofy and awkward, but I was just excited I was up and had not been drug in the nasty water..see my hair is still dry!!!Bill caught some good air a few times and had a good crash :)

See, Dry Hair!
Oh, Still Dry Hair!
Okay, the Dry hair ends here!
Our day in the sun wiped out the kids and it was a nice quiet drive home. Okay so Lily napped most of the day, so she was wide awake.




July 18-20
We had the Phillips Family Reunion at Aberdeen Reservoir. I have no pictures from this reunion, but it was very fun. We had boat rides, talent shows, a real "dead pig" and lamb ??? roasted for us, well for them, I chose not to participate in that. :) It is one of my fav reunions to attend and am so lucky to have these people as my extended family. I remember when Bill brought me for the first time and everyone just welcomed me right in and was so kind and loving. I love you guys!!! I suppose next time I better take pictures.


July 28- August 8th.
We had Andrea down from Oregon come visit for a few days then off to Utah she went. While she was here we had a great time. Riley was so excited to see the boys. They played and played and surprisingly, there were maybe a couple squabbles between the boys. Redden has one little girl that is very fond of him. Her name happens to be Madisen. She followed him everywhere, did what he did, studied what he did and followed him some more. Her new name is "shadow". Here are some pics of when they were here.
Playing the Wii - (Note - what is Madi watching...yes it's Redden)


Lily and Andrea


After they left....I headed up to Grace to hang out and to go to the good ol' Caribou County Fair. Thanks Grandma for letting us stay. We had a grand time during the yard sale, the parade, the rodeo, the easy way trips for the mugs, and last but not least the scooter rides. Thanks McKelle!! After our hang out in Grace, we went to Logan (for Andrea's surprise baby shower) and stayed at Grandma Andreasen's house (If you ever read this G-ma thanks again)We hung out with Andrea again at the pool and at the baby shower. Thanks mom for all the cute cute clothes. No it wasn't a shower for me, but I still got some clothes for the kids....Sweet!!!

*I have updates that keep continuing clear down to the fourth of July if you dare to keep reading. However you do have to go to the one dated August 24th to learn of my neat experience.

AUGUST 17TH

August 2002 - Wedding Day

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BILL!!! 6 years ago today, you were standing in the bathroom doorway telling me to "hurry we're gonna be late". I still remember the day clearly. The night before we stayed up into the wee hours of the morning planning our future. That morning your parents were coming into town to set up the luncheon we were having....I was trying to get my hair all ready and it wasn't quite done by the time we needed to get to the luncheon. Many family and friends were there to celebrate with us. It's such a special day in itself not only for our eternal marraige in front of our dear family here on this earth to witness, but that some saw Grandpa Phillips and another relative there witnessing it also. It was truly a special day.
We celebrated by going to Utah and just hanging out. Thanks Mom and Mary for watching the kids... We shopped, played minature golf, drove some really fast go karts, went to park city - shopped and rode the new alpine coaster....that was great! and just relaxed and watched a few flicks.

Here are a few pictures of our last six years.

June 2002 - Vegas
Bill's Apartment 2002

On top of the World - 2002



Shoshone Falls - April 2006

Thousand Springs - May 2006

Oregon Coast - September 2007

Multnoma Falls 2007

Lily's Blessing Day Nov 2007

Pomerelle Ski 2008

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22ND

After work today, Bill decided to take the kids and I to the drive in movie theatre. Get ready for this story... We grabbed blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, the kids little couches, and of course bug spray. The movie at 9:00pm was Space Chimps and the 10:15 movie was Kung Fu Panda. We arrived with about 20 min left in the first movie and got all settled and snuggled in for the second. Right at the beginning of the second movie... low and behold, Bill's truck died!! So the movie we wanted to see we couldn't even hear. What happened to the good ol' drive in movie theatres with the speakers on the post next to the cars!!!! We obviously needed a jump in order to get home...so we just sat and stared at the screen hearing a few words hear and there. Oh about 20 minutes into the movie, Madisen had already fell asleep taking up a whole sleeping bag, pillow and blanket. Bill was sitting with Riley on his little couch with another sleeping bag and TWO blankets....and shortly after Madi fell asleep, Riley went right along with her. I was sitting on Madi's couch with Lily wrapped in another blanket sound asleep next to me. I was freezing cold not enjoying the movie at all cuz I couldn't hear A THING! I asked Bill if we could leave but that was an obvious no.....BECAUSE HE WAS SLEEPING RIGHT ALONG WITH ALL THE KIDS. We might as well stayed home and slept out on the tramp $12 dollars richer. HEHE it was kinda funny after the fact....we eventually asked our movie neighbors if they could jump us....and after we got jumped a gentleman came over and asked if he could have a jump also...and that he thought there was another lady that needed a jump...We drove around and gave them jumps and realized they were all GM's!!!!What's up with that?

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23RD

Bill decided that he needed to purchase something that I'm not to thrilled about.....only because I am a paranoid wife,mother,sister and whatever else I may be..... I'm sure his Grandma Phillips is pointing down her finger from Heaven saying..."those darn murdercycles". I think she came up with the perfect name for them....I made him promise me he wouldn't ride it, not even up and down the street, without a helmet. He is a hard worker, and I couldn't say no if it was something that he'd enjoy doing. We went to Twin and checked it out and of course he had to have Chad check it out as well. So we wrote out the dreaded check and made a trip out to Murtaugh so Bill and Chad could ride and check it out. Chad says we got a good deal, so there ya go! :)
Sorry we crashed your movie night Terri.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24TH

What a beautiful, historic, probably once in a lifetime experience....One Bill and I have never experienced. The Twin Falls Temple was dedicated this day. Only people with special tickets are invited to attend in the Temple itself. The tickets are for some of the members that have stake callings and some of the speakers families and such. Well we weren't planning on attending the Temple, but to just watch it broadcast in the church.....A few Sunday's before, Merri Ann(my mother-in-law) told me she had a present for me and that Bill had it....Yay...I had no idea what was about to be handed to me from Bill....it was two special blue tickets to attend the dedication at the Temple.....Anyway, what a special experience it was to be inside this now Holy Place with a Prophet of God in my presence. The speakers were wonderful and it was amazing to hear hundreds of people all unison sing the Spirit of God inside his Holy House. It reminded me of a part of my Patriarchal Blessing "I am a daughter of God that sang....." (it goes on but is very personal to publish) I can't remember what speaker it was that said, " if we promise to make a goal to come to the Temple on a regular basis, our reservoirs will be full both spiritual and temporal. What an awesome promise that is and how blessed we are to have the Temple now only 20 minutes away. Another thing that stuck out to me through the entire ceremony was that every single speaker talked about death and by being sealed as a family we will be a "forever family" and we will see our loved ones in due time...I am just so overwhelmed with gratitude and can't really grasp and explain the feelings there in that Ceremony....but it was wonderful and thank you very much Merri Ann for the tickets. (She's in the Stake Primary Presidency)

My Lily Bug got her first owie today...she was crawling in the kitchen and her hands slipped out from underneath of her and she bonked her face on the wood floor. I just heard it happened and turned around to pick her up and she had blood all over her face....she split the piece of skin inside the mouth that connects the lips to the gums right in half.....poor baby had a fat poofy lip.... :(

Fourth of July Fun

We went to Idaho Falls to the Melelueca Firework Show that is "the best firework display west of the Mississippi" (I think that's the correct quote, if not, don't correct me :) ) It was quite fun. Riley thought the show was cool, Madisen wanted to go back to dad's truck, and Lily LOVED it. It was sooooo funny to watch her. She was laying on my tummy facing the fireworks and would clench her fists and hollar after each firework, wanting more....too cute. (I have some fun pictures to post of the firework show, but they are on the internal memory of my camera and I have no idea where my cord is to connect to my computer...) Well, Saturday we just planned on heading home but decided we were close to Rexburg and decided to go visit the college Bill attended. First we drove around the Temple and it is Beautiful and White...and it looks really small. The grounds are gorgeous and I love how it's up on the mountain over looking the valley. He showed us where he used to live and where Aunt Keri lived and where he worked, and his old girlfriends house...ok I just made that up...then we stopped and ate at the infamous Big Judd's.....A funny story behind this.....Bill couldn't remember where the resaurant was and so he made me run into Walgreens and ask the cashier. So, I go up to the register and ask the lady, "We are from out of town and have heard about a fun great restaraunt called " Big Juggs" and I'm wondering if it's still around?" She said, um....haven't heard of that one, but there is one called Bigg Judd's. I was a little embarrassed....ok ALOT embarrased but oh well, we got there. They have a HUGE hamburger and if you eat it all, they take a picture of you and put it on the wall...We weren't feeling that ambitious so just ate a normal burger. On the way back into Idaho Falls we remembered a place called Bear World that we saw on our way into Rexburg... We stopped there and had an INCREDIBLE time. You have to stay in your car and drive around the park an see all sorts of wild life....then you get to the bear section and they tell you to KEEP YOUR WINDOWS UP AND DO NOT STOP. We saw grizzly bears, black bears and brown bears.....of course we had to stop to get a good look....so did the people in front of us! *****WARNING***** You can tell I thought this video was great.....


Some weird albino elk sort of a thing???
Riley loved the huge elk.
Grizzly Bear - He looked mean! (Go Grizzly's)