Happy Anniversary!!!

I can't believe that Todd and I are celebrating our 11 year wedding anniversary today. I t seems like just yesterday that we were sharing our first kiss by the WHS tennis courts during a Halloween stomp as sophomores in high school! What absolute utter joy that you have brought into my life...more that I could have ever dreamed possible! Heavenly Father has truly blessed me with the most amazing and wonderful husband imaginable and I would be utterly lost without you! You sacrifice so much on my behalf...and I know that it is not equally returned! You never fail to provide for my needs whatever they may be. You go out of your way to cook, clean, do errands, grocery shop and ensure that the laundry is always done despite how busy you are. You carry me to bed when I am absolutely too exhausted to walk the short distance from the couch to bedroom, never forgetting to get my alarm set for the next morning. You allow me to stay in bed and answer intern and resident endless pages and phone calls all through the night even though you may be on call the next day. You are loving, kind, thoughtful, supportive, a worthy priesthood holder and exercise that power within our home, and despite how tired or stressed you may be feeling, you never fail to bring a smile to my face when all I want to do is cry...and if I do cry, your supportive shoulder and listening ear are always there! How blessed I am to be your wife. If asked to make a list of the qualities I hoped and looked for in a husband, my best list would have fallen very short of the man that you are. I love and adore you more than I ever imagined possible! You are the love of my life!!!!!

The Other Side of the Knife

I have been struggling for months with my right hand.

Excruciating pain.

Numbness.

Electric shocks shooting up my arm.

Weakness.

Having to use my left hand to assist my dysfunctional

right hand while operating.

Painful steroid injections into my wrist by my sweet husband

at home late at night while I whimper and cry.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

After the injections were no longer helping and operating had become

just too painful to bear, I decided it was time for more definitive action.

That's right...surgery for the surgeon.

Me waiting to be rolled back to the operating room.

And yes, I look drugged because I was drugged...versed to be exact!

The Aftermath...still drugged and showing it!

Post-Operative Day #8.

Swelling improved.

Bruising significantly better.

Signs of "hum...what happened...suicide attempt gone bad" diminishing.

My surgeons post-op instructions to me: use sparingly,

NO OPERATING X2 WEEKS.

My own post-op instructions: use at will,

whimper as needed, operating 6 days later!

Kauai 2010....CONTINUED

Days 7 and 8

Friday morning the Wolthuis klan and Grammy Char went tubing down the old canals that had been used to water the sugar cane fields. We spent 3 hours in "delightfully tepid" water streaming down narrow canals and through caves. We had an absolute fabulous time!!! The brother-in-laws kept everybody entertained tossing each other from their tube, splashing and making a ruckus!

After our tubing adventure, we hiked to these hidden lake where you are able to cliff jump and ride the most incredible tree swing! It took some of us...me...a few moments to convince myself to jump. Others...Brady and Cannon...showed no fear leaping off the cliff without a second thought!

Brady mid-backflip!

On my way down...you bet I have my nose plugged!

Jocey mid-jump with Daddy watching!

Cannon truly loved cliff jumping!!!

Saturday morning we all worked to pack and clean the condos in preparation to leave.

Of course, I had to have a picture of the island's endangered species...roosters!

Mommy and Grammy outside the condo...I love these gals!

The entire group...how blessed I am to be a member of this family!

We then traveled to the southern part of the island through the tunnel of trees and to the spouting horn.

Then it was off to the airport and back to reality.

As we were eating lunch that afternoon, Todd got a call from the airline that the plane we were supposed to connect on in Oahu was having mechanical troubles and would we mind taking a later but direct flight...IN FIRST CLASS...um, let me think about that...YES!!!

Jocey modeling all of our straw hats...

Todd is such a sweetheart and helps haul all of my things....

here he is modeling my straw hats, and the purse and carry-on he always lugs for me!

Brady and Laurel enjoying first class...and the space it provided for Paisley to sleep easily on the floor underneath them!

Jocey and Mommy enjoying our lovely meal!

Daddy Warbucks traveling the way he deserves!!!

Thanks for a fabulous vacation!

Fabulous vacation...sad it had to come to an end!

And last but not least, congrats to Brittney on winning the

"MAY I" PLATE...game well played!!!