Fun Sights and Eye Sight (Doc Apt Update)

This week has been extremely busy, so forgive me for not posting. My kids start back to school on Monday, so I have been swamped with back-to-school activities, end-of-summer fun, church activities and a doctor's appointment in Salt Lake.

We had sooo much fun earlier this week, on Tuesday, when my dear friends Belinda and Kathryn, took us on a trip to the Clark Planetarium and the Gateway in Salt Lake. Somehow, between their two cars, we managed to transport 11 kids, a dozen diapers, juice boxes, snacks, towels, extra clothes and lots of smiling faces for the adventurous day. We got to see BUGS! in 3D at the Planetarium, then enjoyed all of the fun, interactive exhibits, including walking on the moon, being a weather forecaster, and watching the focault pendulum swing! It was grand! Then we went to the Olympic Plaza and played in the water for nearly 2 hours!! The kids ran in and out of the shooting water and had a blast! It was one of my favorite days of the whole summer! Thanks and love to Belinda for arranging it, and for Kathryn for stuffing my entire crew into her car and being our chaperone for the day. My friends continue to amaze me!!

My little meteorologists, Lindi, Casen and Trenden.

Lindi and Trenden hanging out on the moon at the Clark Planetarium.
Daven and Casen playing in the fountains at the Gateway! They LOVED it!

The whole crew, the Brown kids, Jackson kids and Mandy Bloxham.

Lindi started soccer on Tuesday, the first of our three soccer players to start practicing for the season. She also started piano lessons, so like it or not, ready or not, life is about to get crazy again. :) Trenden starts soccer soon, and all the games start on the 29th. Whew.

Yesterday I went with the young men and young women from church on a boating activity. Sooo much fun. I couldn't boat, or wakeboard or waterski, of course, but I really enjoyed visiting with "my" girls and the other leaders. The terrain was not good for me, though...uneven sand with hundreds of tree roots coming out of the ground. I had my girls take turns escorting me everywhere, so I didn't fall down and become part of the landscape. :) Even though I had on my eye patch, the wind did a number on my eye and it was bad all last night and this morning.

Beach and boat fun at Pineview Resevoir!

This was as close as I got to the water (because of my eye), but I had fun on the beach and with the youth and leaders!

Lexie, Hayden and Jalena sunbathing beauties!

All the youth playing on the boats getting ready to go wakeboarding and tubing.

My girls, Jessica, Brittnie and Olivia hanging out at Pineview beach!

Today I had another eye appointment. I had hoped there was a "quick and easy" solution to fixing my eye issues. After examining it, the doctor told me that the problems with my blurry vision, depth perception, etc. are because the collagen implant on the lower eyelid has not totally dropped into place. So, instead of having tears and lubricant "goop" drain where it is supposed to, it is pooling in the "lip" of my eyelid, right on my eye.

So, here is the choice:
1. Wait 4-8 more weeks to see if it drops into place and my vision improves. (With little to no driving, continue depth perception issues, gooping and tearing)
2. Do a minor surgical procedure to remove the excess part of my lower lid. (With no guarantee it will solve the problem, extra cost, and more recovery time and side effects.)

Somehow, I have known it would come to these 2 options. Though I would really love to do #2 and have it fixed immediately, I know that realistically, it isn't that simple. The doctor recommends #1 because it is safer, and because surgery won't necessarily fix or speed up the process (though it "could"). So, after a good cry in the doctor's office because of my continued loss of independence and good sight, I know that this is the best option. So, the wait begins again.
I've had many wonderful visits, emails and conversations this week that have lifted my spirits, and friends who have rescued me when sitters cancelled and errands needed to be run. Thanks to all of you!! (Gonzalo, mi querido amigo ;), Becky, Carol L., Noellee, Cami H., Wendy T. Brenda, Jen, Brian, Janene, Randy...you are all tops in my book!)

Much love and continued GRATITUDE to all!