SHATTERED

3 years ago today, I went out to dance with my sweet little niece in the rain. It was a perfect night and who could resist playing outside in the rain. I grabbed that sweet girl and headed down the steps and before I even knew what happened I was laying on the steps in agony holding a screaming 1 year old! When I felt myself falling, I knew I had to throw myself back or I would hurt Reagan, so there I am flat on my back, holding my niece wondering how I was going to get help, and not traumatize the baby. As I laid there, trying not to scream out in pain, I prayed to figure things out, I called for help, but nothing! Finally I pulled myself together and lifted Reagan off me and told her to go to the door and get Ashley or Nathan. As I pounded on the house, she caught their attention by crying at the screen door.
Thankfully Reagan was okay physically, mentally I think she was pretty scared, as soon as I knew she was inside and okay, I let the tears pour, I was sobbing, I knew I had broken something! I knew I heard something crack and I prayed it was the stairs, but as I looked down sure enough my ankle was HUGE and all sorts of colors. I have never hurt so bad in my life!! Nathan was outside at that point, with Jacquee and in all the craziness my thought was, Now how was I going to get inside, out of the rain?? Well I crawled/dragged myself up 3 stairs and onto a "wheelie" computer chair, all while sobbing my eyes out. I immediately had Nate grab some ice and began soaking my foot, I hurt everywhere! When I fell, I had hit my head and my back, it all hurt but the pain in my ankle was overpowering all my thoughts, I, to this day think that if I hadn't prayed, I may have gone into shock and been in a bigger mess!
As I sat with my foot in a bucket of ice water, I began to panic!! If I had to go to the hospital, I Hadn't shaved that day and, What Happens if the Dr is Hot??? Priorities!! So I grabbed my electric razor and began shaving my legs, just in case :) Oh what an idiot!
So this whole time my parents and Jordan and Sara, are out on a date enjoying themselves,Without a cellphone!!! About 45 minutes after I fell, dad comes in and asks what's going on, so I told him what Happened and he talked to me for a minute and then went back outside, I knew he was going to go get my mom, well NO he gets back in the car to go get a movie to finish their date. (REALLY??) so they head off to the movie place and as they are driving he says" I think Stacy broke her leg?" I wish I could have been there! Of course mom had him come straight home! "Sorry to mess up date night" anyways they all got back and I started crying all over again, when little Reagan, told her mom, " Stacy, Owie, fell down, and then she started crying! Poor Girl! So after some talk and some drugs, I had convinced myself that it Simply couldn't be broken because #1- I didn't have insurance and #2  I Hate the thought of Dr's!!
To make this extremely long story, shorter I waited almost a week, and during this time, just played like it was sprained!!(once again, IDIOT) I got around on crutches and that amazing wheelie computer chair!
After listening to a friend say "you just have to bite your tongue and walk, "if it's sprained"I decided to do just that! OH MY GOSH! Worst Idea Ever!(are you convinced that I'm an Idiot??) I walked 8 steps with Ashley on one side and Nathan on the other,basically holding me up, and I cried the Whole time! After this I Knew I had to go into the Dr. So I headed to Urgent care and sure enough, it was Shattered! of course they couldn't fix it, So off to a Bone specialist I went, I have never been very coordinated, so me on crutches Was Not Pretty! As I Hobbled through the door to Dr. West's office, I was Horrified to see my neighbor(the Bishop's wife) with all her kids, she looked sick to see me like this! I was just so embarrassed that anyone had to see me at all!
I was immediately scheduled for surgery and after several hours of prep I headed in to surgery, I was in tears! Surgery and Doctors are Scary too me! It took several hours and then I was done! I ended up having to stay overnight because the surgery took longer and was more extensive than they thought! I am now the proud new owner of a ankle Full of Hardware! They cut my ankle open in three places to repair it, and placed 2 plates, 2 pins and 11 screws to hold it all together. Oh My Painful!!

2 days after

Soaking- 15 min ice-15 min hot

Showering- What a Nightmare :{

Headed to get the Cast on

Time to see the damage

Nasty

28 staples in all

Still so swollen

almost ready

sexy right??

This was so incredibly painful. Pushing down to get the ankle in place so it would heal right

Cast Protector- Ugliest Ever!!!

                  FUN TIMES!! I'LL NEVER FORGET 08-08-08

PATIENCE

Patience-- this word is slightly irritating to me right now. Because it's after 1 am and I'm am Patientely waiting for my mind to relax so I can drift off into a Deep sleep. This sleep thing has gotten really frustrating lately. I feel like my mind just goes 90 miles an hour and I can't seem to shut it down lately. I am exhausted!! In fact twice this week I've taken afternoon naps, because of my lack of sleep. I also fell asleep in the shower the other night and was awakened by Cold water. Brr :(
So tonight I'll share a quote from a very wise man, that has really had me thinking during all my sleepless nights recently..

Patience means accepting that which cannot be changed and facing it with courage, grace, and faith. It means being “willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us], even as a child doth submit to his father.” Ultimately, patience means being “firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord” every hour of every day, even when it is hard to do so.

This statement is really Hard for me to comprehend and at the same time so simple. If we are willing to become humble and realize that without Christ's help, life is IMPOSSIBLE,and if we
patiently wait for answers to prayers,and the divine help that we need to make it through
life, our lives will be so blessed. Sometimes such a hard thing to even imagine!
I know that learning to be Patienct wih ourselves is probably one of the hardest things, because we are sometimes, our own worst enemies and we fail at seeing what others see. But more importantly we fail to see what the Lord see's and I'm sure it would hurt him to know that we don't see the potential and arn't willing to give our best efforts in being steadfast and immovable.

This whole article is amazing and I encourage you to read it. It really has made me think!!
Lds.Org -Continue in patience -by Elder UcHtdorf.

MUSIC

I Love Music!
Music is something that is calming and blocks out many thoughts!
I enjoy Variety, I even like listening to rap( a little Eminem is good for everyone), and I like it LOUD. My mom hates it, but that's why I have headphones :)
I have some favorites that I could listen to All day!
Right now I'm hooked on these songs

AUGUST ALREADY???

Can You Believe It?? Because I CAN NOT!!
Where has the Summer Gone? I wish I had a list to prove that my summer has been filled with exciting things and Vacations, sorry there is No such list.
Don't get me wrong, it's been a nice vacation to accomplish things that needed done, but I wish I had the means to just take off on a plane ride to, Well Any ware!!!
I'm excited to get back to a consistent schedule, and try to figure things out once and for all, and by that I mean, maybe for one week :)
I went to a play awhile back to support a friend, this Play was none other than the popular Willy Wonka, this is one very annoying movie, that I Absolutely Love, so I enjoyed the play, but there was a song that has Haunted me since then, called "THINK POSITIVE!!"  Dumbest song ever, okay maybe not the dumbest, but it has stuck with me, and often times, reminds me of just that! The fact that I need a more positive outlook on life!  Sometimes life just seems, Blah, and I get down and think that my life should be better, I deserve Better?? Right??  Well recently, I've done some thinking, and I have finally realized that, this is Totally up to me and No One Else, the happiness part. I can only be as happy as I make up my mind to be.  I can't be discouraged that I'm not married, if I sit around waiting and hoping that Prince Charming will come searching for me, and toss some rocks at my window, because let's face it, that would just be terrifying, and creepy and that kind of stuff only happens in fairy tales, which I have come to realize, that as Magical as they may seem, they are Just So Far From Real Life :), so if I want true Love, I guess I'm going to have to make some effort, and if I want a College Degree, I can't sit at the Computer hoping that someone will fill in the appropriate applications and then show up to class for me. unless there are any takers???  Because that would just be so great :)

So I guess what I'm trying to say is E-Harmony.com here I come :)
I'll keep ya posted on how that goes!! ha ha

I guess I should get off here and fill August full of fun adventures, before it's back to school and SNOW!!

ABC's

This week as I was out and about, What did I see at the stores?    SCHOOL SUPPLIES, Yes, that's right Pencils and Crayons and Rulers, OH MY!-(Yep I'm A dork) I started thinking about School and Learning and all that good stuff, well that got me thinking about the things I've Learned this week, and I was surprised at all the things that came to my mind.

 I will share my insights on what I've Learned or Re learned.

I am grateful for Family time
There is Nothing wrong with asking for help
I hate wearing a Swimsuit
I Absolutely Love everything Fireworks
Watermelon is Delicious
I can't draw Ladybugs the right way. Sorry Avery
That when I yell or get angry with people in public, I'm embarrassed and dwell on it for days
Life isn't easy, and that's okay
Crying is for Babies.When your big, it just gives you a headache and makes your face a Mess
Friends are Essential
Chocolate is a Necessary part of life
Babies are Precious
Exercise does not make me Smile
Talking in Public, will Never be a strong point for me
Clorox will ruin your favorite shirt, if given the chance
Trust takes time
Fresh Peaches are my favorite.. Again.  How did I possibly forget that one?
I'm Selfish and need to work on this area of life
Health Challenges are hard, when you NEED Chocolate
I could easily be pressured into Almost Anything. Kinda Scary
I can't wait for Harry Potter, and am pretty SAD that This is it
Chilling in a Hammock could be my new Favorite thing.
The Ensign has articles that could save lives
Swimming with 8 people in a small pool is less fun than swimming by myself
Gardening is fun, but pulling weeds, Stinks. I should train the rabbits 2 eat weeds, not my Veggies
Sometimes Prayer is the ONLY way to get through
I wish I could go to Girls Camp. I Love that place

Everyday there is a lesson to be learned, Even if it's something we have learned several times in our lives, we are given, people, examples, lessons, trials, joy, experiences, fear, peace and comfort, to make us better, stronger, and more trusting individuals. I know that sometimes, I forget this important lesson, and get caught up in the worldly things of life, but I know that everyday is a new day, and it should be filled with all kinds of learning experiences to makes us who we are.

TESTIMONY

What is a Testimony?
Well this has been the question on my mind lately.  This Sunday, I get the Opportunity to teach a Lesson on Testimonies in Relief Society.
I have never been comfortable getting up and speaking in public, In fact it Terrifies me. I Literally make myself sick worrying about it.
Well this week has been No different, reading articles and preparing, except the fact that I have been questioning where my Testimony is at.
I know that I have a Testimony, but sometimes I wonder, how I can be better, so that my testimony will be stronger and I will "feel" it more.
I'm not sure that I have ever been able to stand and bear my Testimony in public without getting emotional, because the things that my Testimony are based on, are some of the most important things in my life, and I know my life would be so different without them.
So What is a Testimony?

A testimony is a spiritual witness given by the Holy Ghost. The foundation of a testimony is the knowledge that Heavenly Father lives and loves His children; that Jesus Christ lives, that He is the Son of God, and that He carried out the infinite Atonement; that Joseph Smith is the prophet of God who was called to restore the gospel; that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Savior's true Church on the earth; and that the Church is led by a living prophet today. With this foundation, a testimony grows to include all principles of the gospel.

I'm so thankful for parents who raised me in the Gospel, and who taught me the importance of staying close to the Savior. I have a Testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith, he is an Amazing man, who at such a young age, did things that I'm not sure I would have the courage to do at any point in my life. I'm so thankful for the Scriptures, and as I take the time to study, my understanding grows, and I feel Safe.
My life would be so different without the Understanding of the Atonement, and the opportunity that it provides me to repent and come closer to Christ. The Sacrifices that have been made so I can return to Him, help me want to be a Better person.
I have a Testimony of the Priesthood and the Blessings that come as we follow the counsel of Priesthood leaders, who love us and are concerned for our well being.
I know that as I continue to do good, and try harder daily to be better, that my Understanding of "my" Testimony will increase. I'm so thankful to be a member of the church and to know these things for myself. I know that God Lives and he Love me, and I know that as I continue to learn and grow in the Gospel, my Testimony will be strengthened.

Here is a great article to read from a President. Henry B Eyring- A Living Testimony(lds.org) Sorry, if I was smarter, I'd post the link, but I couldn't figure it out :)

Dear Intex

To Whom it May concern,
I am Extremely Dissatisfied with my recent experience with your products. On Saturday(6/18) I bought an Intex 15x48" metal frame above ground pool.
Shortly after getting it home and after taking all measures to make it a successful experience. we set the pool up,  After filling the almost 5,000 gallon pool, we noticed a defect in the side wall of this pool and it was leaking. Imagine my Frustration!! I called Walmart and spoke to a manager and was told we could exchange it for the same pool, having purchased other products from Intex, I felt good about this exchange. I have never been so messed around and frustrated by a store, which I know is not your fault, but I was still angry inside about all the time and work it took to set up and fill the pool just to have to take it all apart.I didn't expect them to bend over backward to make things right, but it sure would have been nice if they had tried to do something to make me feel better about the situation. After 45 minutes of waiting we did the exchange and headed home. That night we set up our new pool and checked it for holes, and defects. After we had filled over 3/4 of the new pool we noticed it was leaking from a seam in the bottom. Could this seriously be possible??  Well it definitely was. Once again I called Wal mart and made a complaint about the situation!!
Like I mentioned before I have purchased products from Intex in the past and have been fairly happy, so this is a Huge Disappointment that not only did we have major problems with one pool, we had problems with 2. Another frustrating thing that happened, was we put the cover on to keep debris from falling in, and noticed a tear near one of the pre-cut holes in the pool cover, it was not a big tear, but none the less it was torn. All in all this has been a terrible experience with the Intex product. I have no plans of Ever purchasing anything again from your company.
Stacy Chandler