On a lighter note......

This is picture does in no way do justice to the mess that our littlest "Angel" Sammy had waiting for me when I got back from work tonight !

It is an entire box of Nestle's quik dumped on our couch by the "destroying angel---sam" !

We just barely got that Nesquik chocolate decadence last week when i got a decent paycheck ! We hadnt had any forever !!! Its not a necessity...just a treat...

Now our dog Rocky is trying to lick it up off the couch !

Sam is a gift !

Sunday the 29th of August --

Today ive been invited to tell the "Story of Marky" to a group of Primary children in Sandy.

Marky and I will go and do our best.....how could words possibly do justice to such an extraordinary journey, let alone cram it into 10 minutes!

I will tell the children of one of the pivotal experiences in the journey of Marky...

One Sunday, our bishop Jeff Rupp, invited all the dear Primary children in our ward to kneel down together in the primary room. He then offered a humble prayer pleading with the Lord to heal sweet Marky.

He also visited EVERY class and meeting during those couple of hours in our church building and invited each of them to kneel in prayer as well.

A whole community of people binding their faith and love together for the sake of this child.

I was not there, as I was with Marky at the hospital that day. But as the story was told to me by so many... I have no doubt that God heard these humble people, especially those little primary children.

Soon after this event, one of President Monson's associates, Elder Kenneth Johnson, came and administered a beautiful blessing upon our Marky. He blessed him that he would someday return to his daily life. And be riding his bike with his friends.

I remember sobbing, and doubting. Wondering how any of this could ever be, as I watched my boy laying listless in that hospital bed, barely hanging on to life.

That very night, late, around midnight, a Doctor i hadnt seen before stuck his head in Marky's room. He introduced himself and said he'd heard about Marky and had to come see for himself!

He said he had seen something similar to what Marky had. And started talking about the treatment that Markys other Doctors should think about trying.

I begged him to please....."Go write the Orders in his chart, right now" !

I knew the Lord had sent him to us that night.

Marky had been laying in that hospital for weeks and weeks with everyone scratching their heads not knowing what to do.

I told this Doctor that the Lord had sent him to us, I told him that he was an answer to our prayers. I hugged him and thanked him profusely as I cried with gratitude.

It was within 2 days that Marky started getting better. He was responding to the treatments.

A true Miracle that I cant deny. Even with the prominence of my cynical streak, (which i think is just a defense mechanism for disappointment), I witnessed a great event.

It is evidence that we are not alone in this world. That God does hear our prayers.

You are ALL answers to our prayers. With the many kind deeds and words offered by so many of you throughout this "trek" of ours.

We are so grateful to each of you for helping us get our little Marky back to " riding his bike with his friends" !

Love, lynette

Wednesday the 25th of August:


Today, maybe, I can get enough composure to log in to Blog !

Monday was, for most of us w/ kids, the first day of school !

I had the day off, thankfully. It was Scott's first day of High School at Alta High ! And Markys first day of 3rd grade !

I dont know which one of them i cried most about !.....Scotty, my first born, off to scarey High School, or Marky.........ACTUALLY ALIVE AND GOING BACK TO SCHOOL !

Fortunately, my husband James understood , or at least sensed, that he should just leave me be !

After getting them all out the door and delivered to their schools, I sequestered myself in my room and cried. I qued up my best "chick flick"....Pride and Prejudice...of course, and burrowed in for a few hours.

I believe that the therapeutic value of even a couple of hours of this curled up, fetal position, chick flick, crying nonsense is beneficial , even though it accomplishes little in the way of productivity and rarely changes the outcome of anything you were "curled up" about !

I did however dump out the "unmatched sock vortex" drawer on the bed as I sat there and tried to make it look like i was doing something important, should James peak in on my ritual !

Before the "curl up", I had driven Scotty to The front door of Alta High. Of course, I had my camera to record the monumental event of the FIRST DAY OF HIGH SCHOOL !

I insisted that he pose in several places showing the "Alta" logo in the background. He was rolling his eyes in every picture !

Finally, He said....."Mom, ENOUGH ALREADY", and I reluctanly watched him toddle off to the den of lions !

i MAY have driven around the school a couple of times, just incase he came running back out !

Then I had a great idea !...I called him on his cell phone to see if he had enough money for lunch and snacks !!!!

This always works with kids ! Offer money and they always come running ! And he did ! I got one more look at my little Scotty before his innocense was shattered ! reluctantly, i drove on home to face the next torturous chapter of the day. Taking Marky to 3rd grade !
Sam will start KINDERGARTEN next week!

Another day of miracles ! Who wouldve thought my littlest angel that began this earth life with so many trials would ever be riding the bus to kindergarten !

My neighbor, Dave Dansie, stood on our driveway one day about 5 years ago and said...."You just wait, little missy (anyone is "little" next to Dave), pretty soon, that little guy is gonna grow up and be going off to school before you know it !"

I thought, yeah right Dave ! Sam was so sick and laden with complications of many kinds in those early years.

I hate it when guys are right ! But, glad Dave was right about just this ONE thing !

Sitting here staring into Sam's beautiful eyes reminds me of a quote by another "lucky" family member of a child with Down's Syndrome....

He's not here to LEARN....he's here to TEACH

One of our little Sammy's latest M.O.'s (mode of operations--for you non-military's) is to grab the 2 people he's in between and pull them together and make them either hug or kiss each other, then they have to kiss him, or he kisses them !

He does this at church, and other places, when i'm holding him while talking to ANYONE !

So great, and such a lesson to learn, on so many levels !

This is a picture i thought was amazing:

Sammy's chest opened up at age 6 mo. to save his life !
Marky's belly opened up at age 7 yr. to save his life !

I FIGURED OUT HOW TO POST PICTURES GALORE !!!

No need to label each one! Just look at his face !

Hey you guys !

MARKYS IN THE DESERET NEWS TODAY !! Check it out in section B-4 ! Click on the photos if you look it up "on-line" !

THE WISH HAS COME TRUE ! ! !

We're still speechless from the outpouring of love and generosity for our
dear Marky on Friday the 30th of July.....and all the countless hours leading up to the BIG DAY !

How to describe such an event:...... cant be done --

However, Friday morning, the whole family took Marky out for an early birthday (sat the 31st was his BD). While we were out playing, the Wish
Granters transformed our backyard into a "command post" !

THE JEEP IS SOOOO AWESOME !

On the west end of the yard is a "bunker" with piled up sand-bags to "take cover" behind ! There is a medic tent with a real army cot and a medic's bag with bandages and cool stuff in it for the "wounded".

The middle of the yard is our old play set that was transformed into another bunker with camouflage netting and ammo crates full of "faux" army grenades ready for launching !

THE JEEP is strategically placed in the North-East corner of the yard to hold off any insurgents that may dare enter the premises !

It has been improvised with a solar powered battery that enables the headlights to work and a bunch of other cool stuff. The steering wheel turns/ as do the tires. The Jeep is lifted slightly on permanent jacks to allow the wheels to turn !

Its all "kid-friendly" modified and weather proofed for war conditions of any kind !

Crates of cool army stuff were brought in complete with uniforms, hats, grenades, weapons of war, army packs, "brain buckets" (metal helmets), even military issue decks of cards to play with while they await "orders" from the "Chief" !

As we entered the backyard and saw at least a hundred people there waiting in the sweltering heat, Marky's jaw dropped ! We were ushered to the center of the yard.

Capt Adamson called the group to attention and signaled the color guard to "present the colors" . The solemn crowd reverently watched as the Hill AFB soldiers respectfully payed tribute to our flag and the freedoms that it represents. The national anthem was played as well. What a thrill !

Capt. Adamson then turned to Marky and read the "Oath of Enlistment" to him as Marky repeated all the covenants back ! The Capt then had Marky sign the document and present him with a Captains Beret to don !

There was hardly a dry eye.

There were tons of soldiers dressed in full uniform . Three Colonels, Captains, Seargents, a whole platoon of guys were there to pay homage to our "Little Warrior" !

Channel 4 and 5 were there to cover the story (which was aired). The Salt Lake Tribune put him on the FRONT PAGE ! Reporter Robert Kirby, whom i am a big fan of, covered the event and wrote a huge spread that was printed on Saturday ! ( you can check it out on-line) ! What an honor !

The Make-a-Wish foundation spared no detail for this little warrior!

We are SO grateful for all the time and love that went into creating this dream for Marky ! Thank you Thank you Thank you !

Love, Lynette