Merry Christmas Everyone

Well finally I am getting a chance to update you all on the latest Arnold news. I hate it when I take so long to update because then their is a lot to read, Oh well. First of all we would like to thank all of you for making our Christmas the best with all the fun goodies and treats that you all brought, and also for all the fun things that were left at our door. Thank you to the families that got together and gave generous donations, I pray you will be very blessed for your kindness, and also to the the Dagley and Hallows street for your kindness to us, your gift is greatly appreciated. Their was one gift left on our porch that has left us in awe!!
thank you to whoever you are. We had a wonderful Christmas just basking in the love and kindness of so many, we pray daily you will feel our love for you and that you will all be so blessed for your kindness. We thank you for truly making our burdens feel lighter. We have felt so blessed that we sat our children down and said that Santa would not be coming this year just mom and dad would bring a few things, and that we were going to do Christmas for someone else, so that is what we did with the aid of the Epperson family we helped do Christmas for a family and we loved it, and it was fun to be hiding and see how happy this family was. Well due to an unexpected Christmas party we attended, and to the delight of our children Santa did come to our house and brought a couple of things for each one. Thank you Santa at the Cancer Foundation.

Well back to the news on the home front we are all doing fine at the moment. a couple of weeks ago we had an unexpected experience with Andrew that surprised me because he had been doing so well. 2 weeks before Christmas on a Tuesday evening Andrew said he was really hurting so we just kept an eye on him Wednesday morning he was really in pain so he stayed home from school and laid around. Well on Thursday morning he was really in a lot of pain, I called but was having a hard time getting hold of our Oncologist so I called Dr. Larson and he called us in some pain medicine, but before I could go pick it up do to the fact I had many things going at one time and needed a shower, about 12:30 Andrew screams out in pain it shocked me and I started crying (I thought his vain may have burst) and just then Dan called from work to see how he was doing and through my blubbering I told him about needing to pick up medicine, but their was bread in the oven my Aunt and Uncle were on their way up to visit I had just gotten out of the shower and Andrew was screaming in pain, and that I had called Dr. Larson back and he said to take him the the E.R. and PCMC called right after that and said to take him to the E.R. which accelerated my concern, so bless my husbands beautiful hyde he came home picked up the medicine and took Andrew to the E.R. so I could finish getting ready and finish the final touches on the house and get the bread out of the oven. Dan came home to report that it was not a vain that burst, if this happened Dr. Haderlie said he would be dead in about 5 minutes. Well the medicine worked wonders and Andrew calmed down and my visit was wonderful and the bread came out fine. I got back to normal (whatever that is) and Dan said lets go to my work Christmas dinner party (I did not feel quite up to it earlier), and when he mentioned food and I had not eaten all day I said lets go, besides all the other children were home to watch Andrew. Dan and I went it was held up at Zermott and was wonderful of course and the food was delicious and it was good to see everyone. Well I was feeling great by now no worries for the moment but when I saw Dave and Mike I broke down and really started to cry, I was so overwhelmed with gratitude for them for the trip we went on I could not help myself. I'm sure everyone thought it was Andrew I was sobbing about, but no it was Dave and Mike's fault. I soon calmed down ate like a starving person and felt much better. Friday Andrew slept the whole day and about Saturday afternoon felt better but still laid around and did the same on Sunday. Monday he had a terrible stomach ache so I took him in to see Dr. Larson whom stated he was plugged up and needed an enema to clean him out among doing other things, (no wonder we moms are sometimes never favored among our children) we also found out that he would go through these peaks as whatever is happening inside makes changes it appears in a lot of pain on the outside, how often he will experience this no one knows. Well Make-a-Wish called to tell us that Andrew's wish was ready and we set up a time for Thursday the 20Th of December 2007 at 6:00 p.m. to go down to the Make-A-Wish place and have a party. What an amazing evening we had, all of our family were their to join in with us which made it even more fun and amazing. We went on a tour of the building and were told how Make-a-Wish was started and about some of the other children who received their wishes and their amazing stories, then Andrew got to unlock the door to the wishing room with a darling old fashioned key which he had received in the mail prior to this evening. When he got the door opened we were all able to go in their with him. It was a small round room with a waterfall in the middle with a glass wall in front of it, and a large wizard hat in front of the wall to the waterfall that has a hole in the top and that is where the children make their wish and write it on a piece of paper and put it in this hole on top of the wizard hat and then the room changes colors from very soft hues of yellow to orange, to pink, to purple to blue etc.. and soft music plays it was so relaxing.... when we arrived to Make-a-wish we were given these little square pieces of paper to write a wish we had for Andrew on it and then at this time some of us were asked to share our wishes with Andrew in which we did through tears and hugs, the feeling in this little room was amazing and then we each put our wishing pieces of paper in this beautiful square wooden box for him to take home to keep all of our wishes for him in it. Usually this is experienced by just the child when they go to make-a-wish to wish for their wish but since they came up to Heber to talk with Andrew they walked us all through the experience which I just shared prior, so now when a child's wish is ready you come and you all go into the room and it lighted up in the same colors but bolder and more exiting music played to let you know your wish has been granted. After we all went down to this big room and had cake and ice cream to celebrate, and everyone signed a big book and Andrew got to engrave his name into a glass star. He engraved his name on one point of the star and BYU onto another point of the star. Then we were called to attention to announce that Andrew's wish had shown up and we followed two guys outside to the parking lot next door to find a beautiful brand new camping trailer for Andrew. We could not believe it so through screams and laughter and tears we all got a tour of this trailer. Thank you Motor Sportsland for donating this for our Andrew. Anyone who knows Andrew knows he has wanted one since he was 3 years old, and has been praying for one as long as I can remember, and he draws amazing detailed pictures of camping trailers and motor homes and has since I can remember. After we all ran back into the building and joined in a star raising ceremony where some nice things were said and then Andrew raised his star by pulling on a rope as we watched it go up to a very high ceiling to join all of the other children's stars and this is where it will remain forever in this very spot. We were encouraged to come back as often as we wanted to see his star and Andrew can go into the wishing room as often as he wants and he got to keep the key to the room. (personally I want that key so I can go in and soak in the peace of that room whenever I want). After Dan and I had to sign some papers to take the trailer but it was really bad weather this day very cold and snowy so we left it at my sister Julie's house until the weather clears to bring it home. We are so grateful we did not pull the trailer home, the canyon was terrible cars off the roads everywhere diesels were jack knifed all over, we were grateful to make it home by 11:50 p.m. only for Dan and I to find out that Sarah and Spencer unbeknownst to us had had their friends buy tickets to the midnight showing of National Treasure II, only now Shayla and Andrew wanted to go and so did Alyssa and so if Andrew was going to go I had to go so we had Spencer's friend, Jordan, get 4 more tickets so as soon as we got home we went to the show except Andrew had fallen asleep and did not want to go so we ate one ticket and to not eat another one I still went. We went to bed at 2:45 in the morning. The next day was sunny so we bargained with Andrew who was begging us to pick up the trailer that if he would let me give him an enema we would go get the trailer. he bent right over and wala an hour later we were on our way to bring it home. Please come by and see it and share in our joy and gratitude for this amazing gift. Thank you Make-a-Wish and Motor Sportsland. I feel like we are always in awe these days. Our blessing our amazing. Thank you Heavenly Father!!!