Here he is signing his life away, but thankfully he was able to keep it instead!
And here he is after surgery. He has struggled for oh maybe 8 years with back pain. He would go through periods of time where he hurt a lot, he would to go the chiropactor for a few months, get some pain meds and get on top of it all. Then he wouldn't feel much pain for awhile, but these last few months he has dealt with a lot of pain and as he put it, "couldn't get it to reset". He tried steroid injections a couple of months ago, but it didn't help him out any, and the doc said there really isn't anything inbetween that and surgery. Chris was pretty much excited he got offered surgery! He said he got all emotional like a girl. He hasn't been able to do hardly anything without pain, and so therefore has avoided a lot of activities like playing ball or anything physical with the kids. He was so happy to know he would feel well again! So we agreed to surgery, but thought it would be down the road a month or two and got a phone call saying someone else that was scheduled cancelled for holiday plans, and they wanted to know if Chris wanted surgery that next week! We agreed, he was so excited to feeling better, plus we just paid for a baby, so the surgery should be 100% covered, plus it was on the same day the boys were getting out of school for Christmas break and they could help out at home. We spent a couple of days doing a few things for the holidays that he wouldn't be able to do after surgery. Then, I don't recall what day, I think it was the 15th of December, we went in for surgery. The doctors went in from the front, and worked their way back to his spine where they fused it. His lowest disc was compressed so much that it was almost non-existing, and bulging out pressing on nerves that caused a lot of numbness in his leg, foot and toes. They jacked his spine up a little to give some space where the disc should be, and injected a substance that is supposed to promote bone growth, and they inserted some sort of a cage around his spine, and then stitched and glued him back up. His leg issued have instanlty been resolved and he is doing well with recovery. He has spent a lot of time in his new recliner! He spent a couple of days in the hospital before he was able to come home. He has definately needed a lot of help - getting out of the recliner, out of bed, off the couch and toilet. But it was great having the boys home to help out with all they did - getting items for their dad, and helping him do things like getting his socks on and off. Chris still has a long recovery ahead, but is doing really well considering what his body went through. The kids loved visiting their dad in the hospital, they all got to pick out a balloon to take to him. Kyrie chose a pink heart balloon, but couldn't stand to leave it there with her dad, it had to come back home with us. It had to sleep in her room with her, and the morning we went to pick Chris up and bring him home, the balloon had to go back in the car, back into the hospital, and she proudly carried it around until she was able to bring it back home again. The kids also loved that there was a nutrition room that they had full access to - all the crackers, jell-o, juice milk and soda that they wanted - for free! And believe me, they took advantage of that!
Here is Kyrie all ready for her very first dance recital. The poor girl - I really felt so bad for her! We had a long day at the hospital with her dad - we went straight from the hospital to the recital and she fell asleep in the car. We got there just as we were supposed to be there, and had to hurry and get her ready and into her little Christmas tree and she was so tired and not ready for this at all. I didn't have any time to prepare her for what was going to happen....
... and she stood there just like this through the whole thing! She looked so sad and tired and scared! I don't know if preparation would've made much of a difference though! She was always so shy in dance class. When her dance was over, she sulked and said, "I didn't dance" and all I could tell her was that she stood there so pretty!
So here is some more explanation of our crazy busy life. We had just a few days to do all that we needed to do to prepare for Chris's surgery, than surgery and recovery itself, and Chris has not been able to do as much around the house, although he has helped tremendous in other aspects of our family. Something happened in our house that made it necessary to clean the carpets and sanitize the whole house, which took a day and a half. And of course Christmas time is always busy, and we can't have Christmas without a birthday too! We celebrated Kyrie's birthday and had a little party with just a couple of friends. And then we have a little one which requires a lot of time and creates a lot of tiredness. And then there is Dusty - he has had quite a bit of control of our lives since the end on November. He is dealing with some health episodes again, which brings on a lot of doctor appointments and tests and a lot more sleepless nights and tiredness. His symptoms make him feel really weird, and that has caused a lot af anxiety - he is so afraid he will turn blue and pass out again. He has a really difficult time going to bed because he wants to be right by mom and dad where he feels comforted. He has also had a hard time going to school and has missed a lot of class time. He wants us to go to school and stay with him. The school nurse has become more of a full time Dusty helper. She has him in her office a lot and spends a lot of time with him in the classroom. It really has been a big ordeal! Some days I would get 6 phone calls from the school, and I have spent a lot of time going in to talk with Dusty and the nurse. We are trying our hardest to keep him at school, but when the nurse says he was delirious, or when he looks pale and unhealthy, I just want to bring him home and rock him like he's my little baby! This tough love stuff is really hard! As he walks to school each morning he goes crying, and he constantly is looking back waving to me and giving me the i luv u signal. I wave back and signal back until him and Hayden are out of my sight. It is so hard to know if I am doing the right thing. It is so hard to know what symptoms are just anxious ones and which ones are real. The anxious ones have by far become worse than the real ones. I do believe that there is something causing him to feel weird and sick and we are doing whatever we can to find an answer. At times he really doesn't look well, and then later during the day he looks fine. It is hard to see him be so scared and sad and I see his classmates happy and having fun. I talked to his teacher about his school work today and she said he is so bright that he hasn't had an issue at all catching up with the class when he returns from being absent, so at least we don't have to worry about that! We have spent a lot of time reassuring him, talking with him, convincing him that he will be okay. We have spent hours each night, some nights even 4 hours a night trying to get him to feel safe to sleep in his room. This last week Chris has slept in the boys room, it has given Dusty a lot of comfort and Chris has found that their beds are much easier to get in and out of. I have laughed at Dusty and Hayden sharing a twin sized bed, but it is much funnier when it is Chris and Dusty sharing a twin sized bed!
I have learned recently that I need to be a little more careful in what I am doing, especially when it seems that there is so much going on, I really have just felt like I go non-stop, and have been so tired. I am breastfeeding Camden and some shirts I have to pull up and some shirts are able to go down. At home, I sometimes just take off what I can so that clothing isn't in the way. Well, the other day I took off my cardigan, took off the straps to my tank top and lowered my tank top. I fed the baby, pulled up my tank top, and put the cardigan back on. Awhile later, I left the house to return some church books to a neighbor and came home with the books because they didn't answer the door. A few minutes after I got home I looked down and noticed my tank top was down, pretty much exposing my whole bra! I was mortified! I asked Chris if I had really just gone to Sandy's house like that, and he hadn't paid attention to know. He said, "no wonder they didn't answer their door"! Hopefully they really weren't home! I couldn't believe it! I realized that I forgot to pull the straps back on to my shoulders! I later went back to Sandy's house with a coat on zipped up to my neck and Kyrie in my arms. She answered her door and told me they had been home all day and must have been in the basement and didn't dear the doorbell. I sure hope so! I told her the story of what happened just in case, thankfully she is one that I felt comfortable enough to tell! I love Sandy and was glad we could just laugh it off! I guess things like that happen when you are in too much of a hurry! 2011 has been a busy year and has been a hard one on us in many ways, but we have also grown so much because of it. We are a better and stronger family and are somewhat greatful for the challenges we have faced. We ended 2011 with some awesome friends at one of the funnest parties ever!
Dusty with his latest creation, his fireman buddy.
It quickly turned into this, and our 8 hour drive turned into 13 hours of driving time. We somehow managed to have a great time together.
Chris decided to let me have a turn driving, and this is how he didn't fit in the passenger seat because of Camden's carseat behind him. I thought it was hilarious - he didn't!
We were able to go sledding down one of the best hills with the cousins and grandparents. Taylor and Kyrie with their friend, "Snow White".
The boys had a sleep-over at Sherin's house, so Taylor came to spend the night at Grandma's house with Kyrie. Ky had lots of fun at her first sleep-over.
Camden with Great Grandma and Grandpa Anderson.
On Black Friday we decided to brave the cold and the crowd and head to Temple Square. We haven't been in 8 years! I really wanted to take the kids and let them see a little bit. My parents came with us, and my dad had the idea to take the Front Runner. It was our first time riding on a train!
We had a great time. It really was a lot of fun. I am thankful my parents were able to go with us! We had fun spending time with just them. And thanks to Dusty and Grandpa for the yawning entertainment! 
Camden got his middle name- well really initial from his Grandpa Bruce J Anderson.
Grandma tried her best to land some smootches on Hayden.
Camden and his Great Grandma Lula.
Somehow Chris and my dad got all of our stuff in the truck to go home! 
