Milestones

We reached a new milestone this week! Matthew was able to get is Patriarticle blessing on Sunday! It was very special, the Patriarch actually came to our house to do it. He said Matt could have who ever he wanted in the room and Matt only wanted Kirk and I. It was a very long blessing. About halfway through it I realized in a new way that I was hearing it in regards to my 17 year old son, but that he was going to be reading it for guidance still when he is 40 and up. It was a strange moment, it made me cry! He was very happy with it, like all of us and wished it could be specific, but I think it will help him for his life to come.
It was a wonderful moment as a mom.

My adventure

hello family :) I figured I might get the chance to talk with most of you but just in case... So yesterday I was looking in the mirror at a bite on my neck and I had my head turned to the right side. I was holding a pencil with my right hand and scratching at my neck when I guess I lost control of my right hand and neck sort of froze, and my hand shook up and down and I couldn't hold the pencil, it lasted a short time but I still couldn't pick the pencil back up. My heart rate went out of control and I was instantly dripping sweat (so gross). So i panicked and couldn't figure out what to do for a bit, then called Kirk who was driving to Alabama. Then called the ENT Dr whose been helping me with the dizziness to see if this was a symptom. They told me to hang up the phone and go straight to the ER it could be a mini stroke. I talked to Kirk some more, he talked to his dad, figured out which Er to go to. Luckily Becky had just come over to do a run with me, and the poor girl got to drive me to the ER in her sports clothes! Kirk turned around and drove back, Bill and Susan came to the hospital. But my vitals were good so I was in a hallway bed for a bit. Once we got a room Kirk and Bill gave me a wonderful blessing, said the drs would figure it out, I would be ok with lots of rest and following the Drs orders. His meetings couldn't be cancelled because several experts were flown into Alabama and he was in charge of it all, so Bill and I pushed him out the door. I wanted him with me, but we are so close to the partnership finish line, and I was scared but it seemed like I wasn't in a life threatening emergency. Anyway so I did a MRI, CT scan and a chest Xray. And everything looks fine. Which is so wonderful and yet frustrating because they don't know whats wrong! It felt like I wasted everyones time and stress, and probably money. The ER referred me to a neurologist to test what ever he does. Bill and Susan both thought it could end up being a pinched nerve and running is to blame, so I asked the Er Dr and she said no and cleared me for working out. But for now no lifting my hand above my head or turning my head sharply to the right. Strange I know. Meanwhile I still have the slightly dizzy sensation, with ringing ears and a strange numb feeling that alternates with squeezing in the top of my head. But hey now I know it's not the veins or a tumor!!
I'm too young for this right?

Reunion photos

These are some of the pictures from the Johnston family reunion this year. Bill and Susan are putting in their mission papers this fall so it will be a few years perhaps before we get to do this again. Once they get home it will be time for Matt and Sam to leave on their missions. Little Eleanor decided she didn't want to be in the cousin picture and wasn't letting anyone but her dad hold her, so at my suggestion :) they photo bombed her in the back! She thought that was so funny so we got some great smiles out of her and all the other kids! Unless you are looking you won't notice her dads hands holding her up or the fact that Kyle forgot to take his shoes off!! The dock we were on was in shadow while the lake was lit up so the pictures are a little white washed, but I like the look. Its like the old fashioned soft lenses, used to make my eternal family look heavenly!!
You will notice Elle doesn't have her glasses on? Yah, I dropped them in the lake!! She broke the cardnial rule of glasses! Always put them in the case, never put them down, even on your moms lap!! The dock was in a lagoon we guess that was about 24 feet deep and no one could get down there without their ears hurting. So she's going to go to school tomorrow half blind and then we will run to lens crafters and hope they can really get them done in a hour!!