Mini Jensen Family Reunion

Last weekend we went to Island Park for a Fred and Margie Jensen Family Reunion. It was so much fun!! Well, at least I thought it was fun. I spent some time doing some of my favorite things....playing games with the family, scrapbooking, and sleeping.

Sunday before we left we took lots of pictures of our family. It was wonderful.

During this entire experience I was amazed at the talent in our family. I have a sister-in-law (Heidi) who is a FANTASTIC photographer. At the end of our reunion we all got together again and shared our photos. Thanks to Kendon for burning a CD for each of us of all of the photos taken. It was wonderful. Some of the photos I am going to have developed and have framed and hang in my home. They are beautiful.

My sister-in-law Kaya has such a love for our children and it is apparent in the photos taken. The children also love her.

I loved spending time scrapbooking and talking with my sister-in-law Lisa-Marie and my brother-in-law Buck. Occassionally my mother-in-law Margie and my sister-in-law Kaya would stop in my room and visit while I was scrapbooking. There was a constant flow of children in and out of the room checking in and stopping by for some love. No one had to worry about their children as there was always someone taking them for rides on 4 wheelers or playing games with them or holding them. It was a great experience.

I was especially glad that my brother-in-law Delbert and his family came up on Saturday to spend the remainder of the reunion with us.

Best of all, the cooking was wonderful and I got to sleep in a bed and not on the dirt floor anymore. Clean cabin, beds for the adults, food galore, treats that couldn't be beat and much laughter and joking. Yep, this was a wonderful mini Jensen Reunion.

Vacation 2008

We have been gone for a week on vacation. We went to Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Cody, Wyoming; and Mammoth Falls in Yellowstone Park. The vacation was....well.....not much of a vacation. There was naughty children and an unhappy mom which equals a dad who wanted to pack the whole lot of us up and send us home.

We got home yesterday and were just in time to see Kelly (my brother-in-law who has been serving in the military in Korea) and his very beautiful wife, Kaya. Kaya is so personable. She speaks English well enough that I can understand her but still there is some difficulty in her understanding all the conversation all of the time. She is doing remarkably well. She played with all of the neices and nephews. They were not sure what to make of her but she kept on teasing and playing and soon she even had Meg coming to her for love. It was wonderful.

The best news of all, Lisa-Marie and Sirri should be on their way home TODAY!!! Hurray! Kendon left this morning at about 4:30 a.m. to help them head home. We hope they will be here before bedtime tonight. Sirri has another CT scan before they can leave but it should be done this morning and then they can head home. What happy kiddos, a happy husband and a happy mother!!!

My brother-in-law Buck from back East will be flying into Jackson Hole today around 11 a.m. and then all of my husband's family will be here. We are having a mini reunion in Island Park this weekend since all of the family will be here. Hopefully this will be better than the first part of our vacation. I will post photos later.

Update on Sirri from Lisa

Thank you to everyone for your kind comments, words of comfort, and prayers. We can truly feel your love and your faith is being felt through a calm peaceful feeling that has continued to be with our family.

We visited with the Oncologist in Rexburg Monday morning. He reviewed her CT scan with us and basically told us, "we need you at Primary Children's Hospital to remove the tumor. Oh, and we need you to leave TODAY." So, I zipped home, packed my bags (and I use the term, pack, lightly. It was more like threw together my bags) and headed out the door for Utah. Kendon had to stay in town for a few more hours to tie up some loose ends with work and then he came Monday night. He borrowed his brother's motorcycle to come and that was a bright moment for him! As soon as my mom heard the news she left work, bought a plane ticket (packed for four trips that she will head out for from here) and met us in Utah. Sirri has LOVED having her grandma here and Kendon and I have been thankful to have here as well! Thx mom!

Sirri was admitted into Primary Children's Hospital Monday night. She has seen many, many, many doctors and nurses and techs and social workers and children's specialists, and they have all treated Sirri nothing less than a princess. For a mom, that makes all the difference in the world. For the first while she would not give anyone the time of day. She would sit there and stare at them with her silly nervous tongue sticking out of her mouth and her evil eye penetrating anyone who dared approach. Now, Sirri is starting to warm up to all the staff and she is turning out to be quite the star around here. Everyone who comes in says, "I've heard about how cute this little girl is...."

Her medical prognosis is looking very promising so far. We have been asked a million questions, a million times and everyone is amazed around here that we continue to answer, "nope, no bruising, no night sweats, no change in activity or appetite, no breathing problems, no headaches, etc. etc. etc." These personnel are so used to seeing and treating kids that are sick, that Sirri has them baffled. I also think she is a bright ray of sunshine and change of pace from sick kiddos for them. So, because she really has no symptoms of being unhealthy in any way, they all feel that once we remove the tumor she will be in the clear.

Her surgery is today (Wednesday) at 12:30. Though it is almost 1:00 now and we have had no word yet. We're just waiting and Sirri is playing. She thinks she is on some vacation where her every beck and call is fulfilled! Lucky little girl. Unfortunately the fun will end soon.

The surgeon is optimistic that they will be able to remove the whole tumor during surgery. She is also optimistic that they will be able to do it using a scope and not have to make a large incision. This would be great. It would be less invasive and her recovery would be much quicker, meaning we go home sooner!!! Hurray! (I miss Connor and Meg so much!) There is the chance that they will not be able to remove the whole tumor and they will have to do chemotherapy to shrink it. They really don't feel that this will be the case though. During the surgery they will also do a bone marrow biopsy, just in case.

After the tumor is out they will do a biopsy to ensure that their suspicions are correct and that the tumor is benign.While we are here, the doctors have checked out her crazy fingers and have come to the conclusion that they are just that...crazy! They are for sure a blessing though, since they have been the catalyst in finding this tumor! Between her crazy fingers and a very intuitive, Dr. Gary Sena, we have been blessed!

They are also working on her diarrhea issues. They have run some tests that we are waiting for the results. I'm really hoping she doesn't have a tolerance to gluten. Could I figure a diet like that out?!?!?!?!

They have also ran a Cystic Fibrosis test and we are awaiting those results as well.I want you all to know that we are still feeling a great amount of peace and comfort. I am so thankful for that. PCHMC is a very hard and sad place to be. There are so many very sick children here and we feel so thankful for our healthy little Miss Sirri who is buzzing up and down the halls on a trike making everyone laugh and smile! We are very blessed.

I am also so very thankful for all our family and friends at home that have taken care of Connor and Meg and loved on them so they don't feel afraid or sad while we are away. They have been spending the days with their second Mommy, Jaci and I'm so thankful for that. It gives me one less thing to worry about. At night Stacey (our SIL) has been coming to stay at our house so the kids can sleep in their own beds. I know being able to be home at night has been helpful for them.

Connor is confused about what is happening but is adjusting well. He asks lots of questions. Some that can be answered and some that just confuse him more. Bless his heart. He did talk to me this morning which made me so happy. The first night we were here he tried to talk to me and just cried and cried. That has been one of the hardest moments for me.

I will try and post another update as soon after her surgery as possible. I hope that this is all clear and that I have included the whole story (I probably included too much, but want to remember all of this one day). I've also been working on this here and there, through sleepy eyes, and I can't remember who knows what. If I've left anything out, or you have any questions, please ask in your comments and I'll answer!

Thank you again for all your love and prayers. We can feel it!

P.S. No pics yet. We forgot our cable to hook up our camera. Bummer.

Update from Stacey: Sirri did very well during surgery. They were able to remove the tumor which they discovered was fully encased. This is wonderful news as it means that it did not spead. They did remove the entire thing via scope so it was a much less evasive surgery. The tumor did contain cancer cells. The results of the bone marrow test should come back in two or three days. The tumor was attached to her esophagus and her aorta.

Sirri has a chest tube in and it may have to remain in for a few days up to a couple of weeks.

Connor and Meg have been so wonderful. They both slept through the night the past two nights. Jaci has really kept them busy and worn them out so they are good and tired when they come home to be put to bed. Meg even woke up dry yesterday morning. Good job little sister.

Meg loves talking on the phone to her mom and dad each evening and morning. Connor is still getting use to the idea but is coming around. He did so much better the last few nights. He is such a wonderful helper and takes such good care of Meg. Jaci reports that he is always watching out for her and even made the comment the other day when they went to the sandbar that Sirri would really want to come do it to. What a wonderful kiddo. Kendon and Lisa are obviously doing something right to have such a caring little man.

Kendon is hoping to head home in the next day or so. He will likely be able to give you all a better update that I can.

Thank you to all of our family and friends who have been so caring and helped with phone calls, emails, visits and meals. You are amazing.

Lisa-Marie's Blog on Sirri's Condition

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."


This scripture has been rolling around in my head all day. And for that I am grateful. There are a lot of other things that could be going on up there in that crazy brain of mine, so to be feeling comfort and peace is truly a blessing.


On Thursday I took Sirri to our doctor for a routine well check. I had a few minor issues that I wanted to discuss with him before sending her to school. You know things like she walks a little pigeon toed and she has funky fingers.


I figured when we got to the funky fingers part, Dr. Sena would look at me like the crazy mother that I am, and say, "Well, ya, she does have some interesting fingers. Lucky girl is double jointed. What's next on your list?"


Instead, he proceeds to tell me that spoon shaped fingers like hers can be a sign of Cystic Fibrosis. He then listened to her chest and ordered x-rays of both her feet and her chest.


Typically the night before a scheduled doctor's appointment for my children I pray to Heavenly Father that our doctor will have the gift of discernment and that he will be able to listen to the Spirit in regards to my children's health. So, when Sirri's x-ray pictures came back and Dr. Sena told me, "you know, I just have a gut feeling that something isn't right here." I listened.


He explained that something did not look right with Sirri's heart. It seemed to be enlarged. He told me that she would need to have a Eco-cardiogram in I.F. and then go to Primary Children's Hospital in Utah for further testing.


The office in I.F. would not do the eco on Sirri because they are not a pediatric cardiologist office. They recommended she have a CT scan at our hospital and then go directly to Primary Children's. Within the hour Dr. Sena had scheduled an appointment for a CT scan Friday morning and an appointment with Primary Children's Hospital on Monday morning.


After a traumatic CT scan (we were not warned that Sirri would have to have an IV. She was actually quite brave and I was proud of her.) the results showed that the problem is not in her heart or her lungs but is some sort of mass in her chest.


So instead of seeing the cardiologist in Utah on Monday, we need to see an oncologist. Dr. Sena tried to reach the oncologist all day Friday and will call first thing Monday morning to get Sirri an appointment.


Dr. Sena has been fabulous through all of this. He has personally called me 5 or 6 times throughout this process, even when Friday was his day off. He has given us much hope through each step and turn of the way and has had the best bedside manner of any doctor I have dealt with. Instead of dwelling on all the scary possibilities that we could be dealing with, he has shared optimism and words of comfort. (For example, the mass he says, could very likely be an enlarged thymus gland. Not a problem he says. Easily fixed. I appreciate his, glass is half full outlook!)


So, until Monday, at the earliest, we aren't sure what we are dealing with. We are playing the waiting game. And that is where my crazy brain could start making me, well, even crazier. But instead, through much prayer and through fasting today, I have felt peace. Yes, I am anxious and worried, as any mother would be, but I am functioning and calm. I have felt my Heavenly Father's love and I know that He knows our family. I know that He has a plan and that through trust and faith and more prayer, we can be willing to follow that plan.


I am hoping that I am feeling peace, because Sirri is going to be well. I am praying that the doctors will discover that this is "nothing" and we can move on with our lives. But, if not. If this is the calm before the storm, I want to be able to look back and read this, and remember the way I felt today. I want to be able to remember that fasting and prayer work. I want to remember that I know that Heavenly Father is aware of me and my family. I want to remember that I do not have to feel alone and frightened. I want to remember that I can and that I HAVE felt peace through my Savior. That through Jesus' love, I can let not my heart be troubled or afraid.


"Peace...my peace I give unto you."

Sirri during the CT scan.

How we felt when we found out she had to have an IV.

How we felt when the nurse gave us both ice cream coupons for being so brave!


Update: The nurse just called. Wednesday at 11:00 is the earliest they could get us in. So glad I wrote this last night cause Wednesday seems like a long way away. I might have to read my own words a time or two (or 100) in the next few days for a good reminder.


Update Update: They got us in today at 10:30. Gotta run.


Stacey's update on the situation. Lisa-Marie and Sirri headed to Salt Lake City yesterday afternoon to Primary Children's Hospital. Sirri's Grandma Bigelow (Lisa's Mom) met them there. Kendon followed a couple of hours later. This morning the doctors and surgeons are meeting to figure out if they are going to go in and remove the mass from Sirri's chest from the front or back and whether they can do orthoscopic surgery or if they will need to open her up to remove it. The mass is 2 cm by 3 cm.

Please pray for our Sirri Marie. Also pray for her parents who are dealing with this burden of having their little girl facing surgery. Finally, pray for the two little kiddos still at home who do not understand what is happening.

I am so grateful for the help of our ward members who have stepped up and watch the other kiddos during the day so I can work and then I stay with them at night. You never know how much these people mean until you are in situations like this and they step up and really support you in your time of need. You really are extensions of our family.

The Rest of the Story

I teach the 10 and 11 year old girls in Primary. Today was my day to teach. The lesson was on Helaman and the 2,000 Stripling Warriors. The girls were very excited about the story. At the end of the hour I told the girls that the army of Antipus and army of Stripling Warriors overtook the Lamanites and forced them to either put down their weapons and become prisoners or be killed. I asked them if they knew what had happened to the prisoners. They were on the edge of their seats. I told them that the prisoners were sent to the land of Zarahemla. Then the girls asked....then what happened? I told them they would just have to come back next week to find out. They were really disappointed that I didn't tell them the entire story. In fact, Kelsi Sanderson said, "this is like a really dumb movie where it has a sequel."

During sharing time the Meyers girls asked me to tell them what happened next because they are going to a family reunion next week and just had to find out. I told them I couldn't tell them.

Tonight I got a phone call from Nichelle Meyers asking me to tell her where we were in the Book of Mormon so she could read what happens next because she thought it was awful that I wouldn't tell them what happened. I was really touched that maybe just maybe what I am trying to teach is making a difference.

So my sweet girls....you will have to come next week to find out "The Rest of the Story."

You Don't Know Me.....

Emily tagged me again. This time I have to tell you six things you probably don't know about me. Here goes....

1. I have always wanted to be a motivational speaker...I just don't know what to talk about that anyone else would want to listen to.

2. Sometimes I really do talk just to hear myself speak (sorry Zack and Syd). Ok, not really but I know that I say A LOT of the same things I swore I would never say to my kids when I was a parent.

3. My husband is funny. Ok, sometimes.....just sometimes ... he really is funnier than me. Please don't tell him.

4. I have never broken a bone, but have had eight different surgeries. I have never had braces, never had my tonsils out and don't wear glasses or contacts.

5. I was awful at being single. Now that I am married I finally have the confidence I needed to be good at being single. Go figure. Must have something to do with my amazing guy.

6. Relationships are invaluable to me. I don't know what I would do without my husband, family, and closest friends. Without relationships I think I would not survive. I value being with people. I love being part of something bigger than myself.

Now it is your turn. You are all tagged. I want to see six things that you think I don't know about you.

The Last Lecture.....It Was His Greatest

On September 18, 2007, Computer Science Professor Randy Pausch stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told his audience about the cancer that is devouring his pancreas and that will claim his life in a matter of months. On the stage that day, Randy was youthful, energetic, handsome, often cheerfully, darkly funny. He seemed invincible. But this was a brief moment, as he himself acknowledged.

Randy’s lecture has become a phenomenon, as has the book he wrote based on the same principles, celebrating the dreams we all strive to make realities. Sadly, Randy lost his battle to pancreatic cancer on July 25th, 2008, but his legacy will continue to inspire us all, for generations to come.

I am really inspired by this man and his life. He knew he was dying and yet he did one last thing that will mean so much to so many but especially to his wife and children.