Hello Family~

We took some video of Alina today singing "This is My Beloved Son" We thought that it would bring a smile to your faces. We are also including some video of Alina giving Kaia a horsie ride, Kaia twirling, and my two Cinderella girls cleaning my floor.

Here's an update:

April has dived right into being the Primary chorister in our ward and has been coming up with (or finding on the internet) fun things to do with the kids to get them to sing and learn their new songs.

Alina is just as talkative as ever and will often break into song. She will probably have the entire children's songbook memorized by the time April is released from her new calling. Her favorite is 'I am Like a Star' and will go get the little version of the songbook and find the words to show us just in case we have forgotten them (not that she will let us). If Kaia is having a hard time falling asleep at night, which lately has been every night, she will sing her songs in hopes that she will stop screaming. Alina is always reassuring us that she will watch over Kaia. They also love to laugh and giggle with each other. We were reading a story the other day and a little frog says, "Oh Golly" and Alina has picked this up. She says it to Kaia and they both break into laughter. Oh, the sweet sounds of parenthood!

Kaia, other than the separation anxiety attacks of falling asleep, is as happy as can be running through our house all day long. If you ever wanted to know what the sound 'trip trap, trip trap' looked like you can just watch her run her laps around our kitchen. She has also become the family shoe retriever. She will every so often go and get your shoes for you and insist on helping you put them on. I'm excited for my Psychopathology class in the fall so that I can learn all about shoe fettishes to see if we can cure it. She loves to brush her teeth and insists every time anybody enters the bathroom. Kaia went to nursery for the first time today. The leader said she was really good she just wanted to be held the whole time. She went in a little bit early to nursery because Matt and I have callings that are not Kaia friendly for the 3 rd hour.

And Matt is enjoying not being in classes and being able to enjoy the evenings without homework for now. He is hard at work getting his presentations ready for the APA Convention in San Fancisco in a couple of weeks. He just got the final dataset last week and has been analyzing everything that he needs so that he can put it all together in time. It should work out just right.

Amidst all that we read Harry Potter and enjoyed it very much, enjoying having the missionaries over for dinner about once a week, and laughing at the funny things that our two little girls do. While we were reading Harry Potter April was able to do lots of projects. I finished our Family Home Evening board, and board for the girls room that says, "Twinkle, twinkle little start do you know how loved you are?" Both of these turned out really cute. Also, she colored lots of Sunday projects for the girls to do during sacrament meeting, and put together some things for singing time. It was nice to read together and get so many much needed projects done. I also just finished a picture board covered in pink fabric to put in our girls room.

So we have had lots of fun lately! We can't wait for April's mom to come visit us on Wednesday this week. Matt also is going to the APA conference on Thursday.

We hope everyone is doing well,

love,
matt, april, alina and kaia

Kevin's Accident

Thankfully, I am writing this from home on Thursday, August 9th and Kevin is doing GREAT!

This is Kevin the day after he got backed over by a Ruibcon jeep. His buddy was backing out of the driveway looking over his right shoulder and Kevin was walking up to the drivers door to get his CD out of the car. His friend turned the wheel to head down the street and it caught Kevin on the back of his left foot and it slammed him to the ground (that caused tears in his right knee and a bone chip - The Dr. says they will heal themselves because they are not complete tears).

His injuries on the front of his body are from the pavement as the car drove up his leg, thigh, back and over is shoulder and because God loves us and listens to the prayers of parents, the 37" tire missed his head as it broke his scapula.

Bailie and I were shopping together when Mick called me to tell me about the accident. It was just on the other end of Grandview Hill from where we live. I thought he was joking with me but then I heard the sirens and my heart dropped. It took us 6 long minutes to get there, just in time to see the paramedics hooking him up to IV's. Needless to say we stoked out. Even writing this brings tears to my eyes and I thank Heavenly Father again for saving my sons life. I gave my keys to Graham, Kevin's friend and asked him to go pick up Rod because as Bailie and I had been driving to the accident she had been calling all our neighbors to get Rod (but none of the 6 were home). When I had left him 30 minute earlier he had a mask on and was using the compresser to paint the inside of the car so I knew he wouldn't hear our phone calls.

It took 5 hours in the ER to finally determine his preliminary injuries. It wasn't until Monday night when his right knee would not quit hurting that they decided to do an X-ray and MRI on his knee. (initially on Sunday night they hadn't even looked at it except to bandage the wound on it.) That meant we had to stay another night so the Radiologists could read the MRI.



The worst wound is the one I didn't even take a picture of and that was his left ankle bone. It has a chunk out of it like someone used a water melon scoop on it.

All the wounds are healing nicely. He looked like a mummy in the hospital because they covered every thing with gauze and ointment. It is amazing for me to look at these pictures because they look sooooooo good compared to what they looked like on Saturday night.

Yesterday after Mike and Drew helped Kevin with his shower we decided to let some of the sores dry out. The road rash on his back is healing great, his legs will take some time and will have huge scabs.

I'm surprised the hospital didn't put up a no visitors sign on his door. He had so much company. Sunday afternoon all his buddies that had been with him that afternoon came in and they had a therapy session. They were quite serious at first and then they lightened up and joked and laughed and it was really good for all of them.
After they left, there was a constant line of friends and family that came to show him how much they cared. His brothers and sisters were so thoughtful in the things they brought and did for him.

I appreciated everyone that came by, it made such a difference in how I viewed the situation and helped Kevin know that he had a huge support group (even though a bunch of you didn't even know it happend until this very minute as you are reading this. I apologize for that . . . it was so tramatic and there were so many things going on, making phone calls just didn't enter my mind, and generally speaking, it is just plan hard to share bad news. I know that all of you care and that we say prayers for each others families all the time. It might even be better to find out after the fact because the worry part is eliminated and the relief knowing that he is OK is the only thing that matters now. If the prognosis had been more serious, I definately would have let you know.

School starts on the 20th, and their first football game is on the 17th. Coach said he could dress and hang out with the guys on the sidelines. That won't eliminate the disappoinment he feels in not being able to play but he will be involved until the Drs. say he can play . . . which hopefully will be in October. They also said it looks really good for wrestling.

Other than this . . LIFE IS GOOD . . . and we are grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves us and answers our prayers. Things could have been so much worse, in fact heart breaking and life changing, but I know Kevin is going to be able to accomplish everything that he was sent here to do.
We love you all so much. Even when you aren't here we feel your love and support because that is a legacy Mom and Dad gave to us . . . and we are passing on to our own children.