A Fun Survey

Okay...so I was reading LaNelle's blog and she had this cute survey on it so I thought well, since I am at the hospital with Lauren and have some time on my hands I thought I would fill in the survey with my own answers...so here goes....

1. What is your husband's name? Jeffrey Allen Coombs

2. How long have you been together? Almost 17 years now.

3. How long did you date? Well, that is kind of a long story since we really didn't date before we got engaged...I know, I know...we really did do things backwards.

4. Who eats more? Well, right now Jeff does..I am trying to cut back..I told Jeff the other day that if he didn't have a burning inferno of a metabolism then he would probably weigh 500 lbs.

5. Who said I love you first? Jeff did...it still makes me smile when I remember that moment.

6. Who is taller? Jeff is definitely taller...he's 6' 3" and I am 5' 7".

7. Who has more speeding tickets? I am not sure...I have only had one (before I ever met Jeff)and I don't know how many Jeff has ever had...he may not have had any...hmmm...I'll have to ask...we haven't had any since we have been married. Okay...the phone just rang and it's Jeff so I asked him and he said he had never had any so that makes me having the most...oh well!

8. Who is smarter? Jeff is...he thinks things thru and researches every possible solution to things while I just blaze ahead and try to figure things out as I go...gets me in trouble sometimes and you would think that I would learn not to do that but I haven't yet. I am always learning though.

9. Who is more sensitive? That would be me...it doesn't take much (esp. these days) to make me cry but Jeff is very sensitive to my needs and feelings...that is such a wonderful quality.

10. Who does the laundry? MEEEEEEE (if it is going to get done)!

11. Who does the dishes? Me unless I can convince Emily to do them for me which she is always willing to do...I have such a great young lady!

12. Who sleeps on the right? Jeff does...he sleeps by the door and I sleep by the wall.

13. Who pays the bills? I do...Jeff just works and is glad that everything gets paid on time and he doesn't have to worry with it. He just gives me receipts at the end of the week.

14. Who mows the lawn? Jeff does...he let me do it once but he didn't like the way I mowed so that was the end of it for me..I actually don't mind doing it but Jeff thinks I make the rows crooked...he is funny about how the likes the lawn mowed and so he takes care of it. I don't try too hard to change his mind...hahaha!

15. Who cooks dinner? We both do....depends on who is the busiest that night...sometimes I have a meeting or am going to the temple so he steps in and cooks on those nights. Jeff also does all the grilling out.

16. Who drives when you are together? Jeff does...I really don't like to drive and am glad that Jeff prefers it!

17. Who is more stubborn? Me, me and me! Jeff is so laid back and goes with flow unless it is something he feels very strongly about, then he is like an unbendable tree...but that isn't very often!

18. Who asked who out first? Jeff did...like I said, we had a wierd beginning!

19. Who proposed? Jeff did...and he did it on Jewel's birthday!

20. Who has more siblings? Jeff does!

Okay, so there you have it! Enjoy!

Another Hospital Visit!!!!

Well we are up here at Wakemed once again...poor Lauren..she has been having her migraine headaches again and we thought we had them under control but on Wednesday afternoon her blood sugar plummeted and we ended up not being able to maintain her blood sugar at home. She didn't want to come in so Jeff and I had to tell her that Dr. Muenzer was insistent that she come in (which he was...) so we ended up spending 8 hours in the ER last night and finally got up to a room at 8:00 this morning. By that time Jeff had now been up for 27 straight hours and I had been up for 25. Lauren also didn't get much sleep overnight because the pain was severe. They were finally able to help her pain somewhat and we are now up here for a little while. They are going to be doing her DHE Protocol for her migraines and that can take anywhere from 3 days to 10 days to get rid of the headache! We are hopeful that we will only have to be here for 3 days and that we can get the migraines under control quickly. So say a prayer that we won't have to stay very long and we can all be back home together quickly. In the meantime we are grateful for the nurses who we love up here and for our wonderful doctors. They all care so much for Lauren and bend over backwards to make our stays in the hospital as comfortable as possible! We are blessed to have good medical personnel to look after us!

Happy Easter!

We had a good week-end....laid back and lazy! Grandma and Gramps came over and we dyed easter eggs. Jeff grilled out hamburgers on Saturday and the easter bunny came to see us on Friday night as always. The kids enjoyed the things they got in their baskets and we hid three big eggs around the house and told them that when they found one to bring it to us and it would be worth a cash prize. They loved that.....now that they are older we are finding creative ways to have fun at Easter. Jeff and Lauren made an easter egg cake and decorated it...they even made it look like it had a yolk inside when you cut into it. They are both very creative so it was a fun project for them. Sunday at church the talks were very moving. Lauren spoke first and we were proud of how well she did...she wrote her own talk and then gave it while battling a migraine. She continues to amaze us. We all had a very restful, peaceful easter and we hope everyone else had the same. Happy Birthday late, Jerry....hope your "49"th (isn't it) was a good one and you enjoyed having your grandchildren there! Below are some pictures of everyone dying easter eggs and of the cake that Jeff and Lauren made!

Everyone having fun dying easter eggs

Emily decorating an egg

Lauren putting her own touch on an egg

The easter cake Jeff and Lauren made

The cake on the inside...see how it looks like a yolk!

RANDOM THOUGHTS........

I guess this is a place that I can share my thoughts and feelings sometimes. These past few weeks I have struggled to find some solace in a world that turned upside down for me on July 6, 2007. I have a wonderful family that I love with all of my heart and am grateful for my wonderful husband who has the strength of a giant, the courage of a lion, the patience of Job and the wisdom of the ages. He is my rock and without him I don't know how I would surive. My children are amazing and their ability to understand things so deeply never ceases to amaze me. For me....I know and understand the plan of salvation and for that I am grateful but to say that that knowledge doesn't keep me from missing my beautiful little boy would be a gross understatement. I am thankful that I know I will see Noah again one day and I will have the opportunity to raise him again but until that day it is hard to be here on earth without him. I miss his beautiful smile and I miss him running around the house, playing on the computer, his endless questions and his kisses and hugs. I want everyone I meet to know that I have four children and that Noah is a beautiful little boy that is missed here on earth. I want everyone to understand that he was this wonderful light to our family and that light has gone out here for a time. I want everyone to understand that it is hard to see others with their children around Noah's age and that the pain is real and deep and I long to hold my baby again. I wonder sometimes if my heart will ever heal. I went to the temple this past week and found solace and peace within its walls. The pain at times overwhelms what I know to be true but I do know where Noah is and what he is doing so that helps me get thru the lonely days. Jeff and I continue to move forward with faith but there are days when I just need to say how I am feeling and I guess this is one of those days. I would give anything to hold my baby again and to pick up after him and to chase him around and to change his accidents and tell him how much he means to me. A night doesn't go by that I don't look up into the Heavens and tell him that I love him before I go to sleep like I do all my children. I am thankful Heavenly Father gave him to me and allowed me to be his mother. What a great privilege for me. I have been so blessed.....thanks for listening to my ramblings.....! Below is the last picture we took of Noah. Emily took it on July 4th....I am so thankful we have it.

THE FLU!!!!!

This past week we have been battling the flu! Jeff brought it home from work with him last Friday with a fever of 102. He stayed in the bed for three straight days and I quarantined him to our room. I washed my hands about 5 million times, lysoled everything I could, waited on him hand and foot and made sure he drank plenty and kept medicine in him. On Sunday afternoon Michael began running a fever and had a cough. By Monday morning his fever was well over 103 and I headed to the doctor. We found out (after almost 2 hours of waiting) that he did indeed have the flu and on the way home he tossed his cookies into a bag. We called the doctor and made a dash for the hospital which thanks to our great doctors over at Chapel Hill we were able to go straight to a room and bypass the ER (we look for blessings everywhere!) On Monday night in the hospital, I came down with the flu and my fever began. Taking care of a sick child in the hospital while battling the flu is not the easiest but we got thru it. Michael finally came home on Friday night after spending five long days at WakeMed. Lauren and Emily have now gotten it this week-end but because Lauren was put on tamiflu right away last week she didn't get it bad at all. Emily is better tonight although still congested and Jeff has finally recovered. We all are still tired and I have cleaned and sanitized our house so hopefully we can all take a deep breath now! So much for getting the flu shots this year......! We hope everyone else has fared better than us! We are ready for spring!!!!!

OUR BELOVED PROPHET...

We have had to say farewell to our beloved prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley. His death has saddened our family, yet my nephew Jacob spoke it best when he said, "It left a tear that brought a smile." We will all miss him dearly and are grateful for his many years of faithful service. Upon hearing of his death, my other children all said, "Wow, Noah gets to meet the prophet!" In FHE last night we talked about the things the we would remember most about President Hinckley...we were pleased to hear the things the kids said. His presence here will surely be missed but we will go on and do as he did...stand for truth and right. Every time I go to the Raleigh Temple I will think of him and be grateful for his great revelation of bringing the temples to the people. He has touched us all in so many ways. In his words...we must move forward with faith!

Our Christmas Time

Where do we start with our Christmas this year? It began this year on Sunday evening with the Wilford Family coming over for a short visit! We got our best present when President Wilford came into our house...thank you President Wilford...it meant the world to us! On Christmas Eve we had a house full of family and friends! Jean's two sisters and their families joined us this year for our Christmas Eve celebration along with our regular friends and family that come each year! We had a great time and had no leftovers....which was great! The soup and ham biscuits were a big hit this year and we had lots of sweets to fill up on as well! The games were fun and the testimony meeting at the end was as always the highlight of the party! How do we thank everyone for sharing this wonderful evening with us. Jeff and I got to open up all of the ornaments our family had wrapped for Noah's tree and we decorated the tree together. Every ornament was just perfect and they all said so much about the things that Noah loved. Thank you all! You made his tree just perfect and each one has a special place in my heart. To my nieces and nephews who picked out special ornaments for Noah...thank you...he surely was smiling when he saw all the love that went in to each one! It was a special time for us. How do we thank Robin and Bishop Tiek for the beautiful remembrance of Noah they gave us. It is already hanging in its spot on the wall and we will always treasure it. Christmas Day, Daddy Tom, DeeDee, Uncle Floyd and Aunt Laurel came to spend the day with us. We enjoyed the day and had fun with them. Aunt Joan came by as well and we loved her visit! We look forward to our visit with Aunt Joan each Christmas day! The day after Christmas (In Sweden I told the kids it is called AnandagJul), Jeff and I surprised the kids by waking them up and getting them into the truck with the trailer already hooked up. We didn't tell them where we were going until we were on the road....we went to our favorite campground, Lakewood, at Myrtle Beach and we spent four wonderful days just relaxing and having fun by the ocean. It was such a great time for our family and we have come home happy to have spent some quiet days together. Below we have posted some pictures we took during our christmas together. Thanks to everyone who made our Christmas special this year! You all made it more bearable for us without Noah and we love you for it. I'm sure Grandma is cooked out right now but we all loved her yummy food! She made enough for us all and to share! Thanks, Grandma! It was the best! We hope everyone had a very good Christmas and Santa was good to you all!

Teri and Momma
Jean and Callie
Lauren cooking eggs in the camper
Emily checking out what's going on in the camper
Noah's decorated tree!!!!

The Wilford's
Dr. Moore and Jean
Patti, Peter, LaNelle, & Stephen
Libbi, Jean, and Kim
Victoria, Emily, and Lauren

A Special Ornament for a Valiant Son

This year we have done a special tree for Noah so that he will always be a part of our Christmas Celebration. Kim thought that this would be a way to keep Noah with us at Christmas. Everyone then decided that they would buy and or make an ornament that reminded them of Noah so that we could decorate his tree on Christmas Eve and spend some time celebrating his life and the light that he brought to us all. Beth and her family will not be here on Christmas Eve so she gave me the ornament that she made for Noah's tree early. I cannot describe the feelings I had when I opened this gift so I thought I would share it with all of you. It is the perfect ornament and it touched Jeff and I so much! Beth...we love you not only for the way that you view Noah but also for the work and time it took to bring this ornament about! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Noah, we know that you are about your Father's business and that makes the seperation easier to bear! We love you! This will always have a prominent place on his tree! Isn't it perfect?????

Merry Christmas 2007

At this christmas season as we celebrate the birth and life of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we wish to extend to all our love and thankfulness for your friendship. 2007 will always be remembered by our family as a time that we had to say good-bye to our precious little boy, Noah. Our family, although not together on this earth, have the joy of knowing that one day we will all be together again. What a happy reunion that will be! We are thankful for the memories we share as a family as they have sustained us during these last 5 months. At this christmas season, we pray that each of you will find ways to spend time with your families and create happy memories, look up loved ones and tell them of your love for them, find friends and let them know of your gratitude for their friendship, and share the blessings that come into your lives daily. We are most grateful for our family times and we will continue to celebrate being together as a family. Noah will always be a part of our family celebration and we know that he will be near as we celebrate this wonderful, happy time of year together. Thanks to all who have given so much of yourselves to us these past five months. Your notes, phone calls and visits have uplifted and sustained us. We are grateful to live in a country where we can celebrate the birth of our Savior and have the freedom to do so! May we all pray for our servicemen and women and share our gratitude to them as well. We love you all and are grateful for your love and friendship! May you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!

Our 2007 Beach Vacation

We had a good time on our beach trip. We stayed busy most of the time we were there with everyone getting to pick an activity. We went to Family Kingdom, Magiquest, Ripley's Aquarium, Putt-Putt, Nascar Cafe and Ride Builders. We walked and played on the beach, rode in the golfcart and spent some lazy days together as a family. We built a monster truck for Noah and went to the Nascar Cafe as the activity everyone chose to do for Noah. We found solace as we walked on the beach and enjoyed seeing our family while we were there. We have posted some pictures so everyone can get a glimpse of our time there. We surely missed you, Noah, but we know that you were with us as you always are in our hearts. Our memories of our times at the beach with you were brought back as we rode around the campground and played in the ocean. You are never far from us! We are looking forward to returning next year with more memories to make.

Emily & Lauren holding Kaitlyn & Natalie

Our Family on the Golfcart....we rode for Noah!

Aunt Kim with her twin granddaughters....Kaitlyn & Natalie The monster truck we built for Noah! Emily beating Uncle Floyd at Air Hockey! Emily & Lauren on the merry go round
Emily & Lauren on the train! Mom & Michael on the tilt a whirl

Lauren, Michael and Emily on the Hurricane!

Everyone at Family Kingdom (Jeff is taking the picture!)

Our Family on the beach! It was a perfect day!Emily & Michael at Magiquest. Michael is sporting a new look!
Lauren playing at MagiquestEmily playing at Magiquest!

Noah Sweet Noah

FAREWELL SWEET NOAH

As everyone now knows, our beloved Noah passed away on July 6th. We cannot express our grief and the pain that we are feeling but we are most grateful to have had the honor of being his parents. We wanted to share a poem with each of you that Jean's sister, Libbi, wrote. She put it into beautiful words and summed up our little Noah perfectly... It is entitled

NO MORE WORDS

He came to us on a beautiful July morn
The sun was shining bright the day Noah was born
Jean and Jeff's 4th child and second son
His journey on earth at last begun!
He was a special child right from the start
And his infectious smile won all of our hearts
He found joy in dancing with shadows on the wall
His laughter ringing as they'd change from large to small.
His number one snack was table salt all alone
And yellow was the color he chose for his own
With his beloved Monster trucks he'd often go "vroom"
And Noah's favorite spot was Grandma's red room!
At the computer one could find him almost every day
Creating on the M&M website where he liked to play.
On vacation at the beach he'd put on his hat
And race to the front of the golf cart where he sat.
He loved little cars and his Dad's "little hair"
And when bedtime came, Jeff must be there
To be with him and hold him close as he fell asleep
So under Jean and Jeff's covers he would often creep
And only "Emmy" could get him out of the car
For in his little world, she was the brightest star.
A child of few words, his patience would thin
When we would push too hard to talk with him.
"No more words" he'd insist with palm held up high
And we knew it was useless to even try!
But other times his voice would ring out clear
When, "Mommy!" he'd say, "Come look here!"
When Jean needed it most he'd appear at his mother's side
To pat her cheeks, give her a kiss, then away he'd glide
And on those rare days when Jean would break down and weep
He'd touch her lips and "Momma, no cry" he'd repeat
Noah's view on life was very unique
A different path he seemed to seek.
In the world's view he was limited by GSD
But we knew that in his soul he was living free.
Unburdened by convention or the woes of man
'Twould seem he understood the Father's plan
For Noah knew this was why we came to earth
And that death is really just another birth
We mourn the time we wanted to spend with him here
And we'll miss the sound of the voice that was so dear.
But we believe as he slipped through the veil with hands held high
He may have whispered "No more words" as he said goodbye.

On Sunday afternoon we gathered all of our extended family together and shared our testimonies with each other about the Savior before we went to Noah's viewing. Below we have posted our testimonies and hope they will bring a measure of comfort to those who are mourning with us. We cannot express our gratitude strongly enough for all the love and sharing that we have experienced this week-end. We love you all and thank you for your loving kindess and goodness. It has overwhelmed us.

Jeff's testimony…

I want to thank each of you for loving Noah. We have felt your prayers on our behalf and have come to know that prayers can reach to us and put arms around us to comfort us. I want my family to know that I know that God lives. Heavenly Father has a plan and I know that this is his will and part of his plan for us. It is up to us to submit to that plan and try to understand. Our Father allowed Jesus Christ to die, that too was part of his plan to allow us to return home. I know that Noah has returned home. Today he is in Paradise, his mission here completed, he has done all he needed to do and he was called home. Knowing that gives us peace and hope. It's pretty simple. I told Jean Friday as we drove home to tell the children about Noah. It is either true or not true. It's as simple as that. I believe, I KNOW the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and we just have to have enough faith to endure to the end. This moment is not something we wanted to have happen. What our family has is special. Many people in the world do not know what it is like to have this kind of love, this bond, this faith. God's plan is right. It is a plan of love. What we have in our extended family is the pure love of Christ and all I can say is that the world needs what we have. It needs more civility, more love, more faith. We have to share what we have, we have to reach out to others and invite everyone to know what we know…that God lives, that his son, Jesus Christ is our Savior and there is peace only because of him. We suffer great pain today. We have a tiny glimpse of Christ's suffering in Gethsemane. But he not only suffered there but he also had to walk through Gidron Valley and hang on a cross at Golgotha for us. The world believes this but they need to know the happiness that is there for them. They need to know the comfort we find as we read the Bible. The knowledge we have of God's plan keeps us going. And there is a plan, there was no big bang…this earth was planned down to the smallest grain of sand. It is a beautiful plan and we must share it with everyone we meet. Smile, shake hands, share your spirit and let those you come in contact with leave your presence better for the experience. This testimony I leave in the name of my Savior and yours, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Jean's Testimony…

On Friday when I found my precious little boy, I realized when I saw him that he was gone. The paramedics worked valiantly in our home and en route to the hospital. I prayed and prayed but I knew that the Lord had taken my baby home. I yearned for peace, I wanted the comfort of peace and I prayed for it but it did not come. Jeff was calm, he felt sorrow but he was at peace. I wanted to be but I wasn't. I know the plan, I understand the plan but my life felt empty. The past few days I have experienced an outpouring of love from my family and friends. On Saturday, I didn't want strangers dressing my baby. I asked my sisters and my Mom to go and perform this act for me. They did what I asked and returned and told me of the peace they had experienced during that service. I was jealous. I wanted to find that peace but although I tried, I could only feel sorrow. Then, on Sunday morning, Jeff and I prayed together for a very long time. Jeff told me that it was time, he said it was time to let go and give our son to the Lord. Finally, I said, "Father, thy will be done. Take care of my son." For the first time in two days, I felt at peace. One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible reads, "Be Still and know I am God" I couldn't be still before but now I was and I was able to listen to the Spirit and feel that sweet peace. I know where Noah is and that his journey has not ended but has just begun. I am honored to have been the mother of a perfect child. My arms are aching to hold my baby one more time but with every fiber of my being, I know…I KNOW Jesus is the Christ, I KNOW he loves us and would NEVER give us more than we can bear. Yesterday I could not find peace but today my Savior has come down and wrapped his arms around me and I feel his love and concern. I know he has not done this to punish us or because he doesn't love us but because Noah is a valiant son of his and was ready to go home. I am so thankful for an eternal family. This knowledge gives me strength and power. Our family is worth more than any silver or gold, greater than any riches. My family has buoyed me up and I am so grateful. I know my redeemer lives and that knowledge gives me peace. When I was a child my Dad made us recite scriptures at the dinner table. I was only five and so he allowed me to repeat the same scripture everyday for years. It was two words, "Jesus Wept." I never knew that it would come to have such significance for me. I know that Jesus is weeping with me now but I also know that Noah is happy. That knowledge brings me peace. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen
http://baileyrt.googlepages.com/noahcoombs

It's Summer and that means....

Time for mowing the grass every other day it seems like and working in the garden to keep all the weeds at bay! Noah loves to ride on the lawnmower with his dad and Jeff never can cut the grass without taking his sidekick along for the ride! Noah loves grass cutting time but I'm not sure I can say the same about Jeff....! The garden is coming along and we are getting fresh veggies out of it daily...now if we can only keep it weeded without having to do it ourselves...that would be perfect...! Happy Summer everyone!

School's Out....finally!

Well, it has been a while since I posted anything so I thought I would update a little on what our family has been doing! We have been busy with end of year things and getting ready for our new venture next year which will be homeschooling! We have been thinking about doing this for several years and after much research, prayer, fasting and pondering we made a decision to homeschool all of our children. We are excited about our new adventure as are the kids and we have already picked out curriculum, electives and are in the process of planning different field trips. We are joining a homeschool association and are looking forward to being able to take things at our own pace. It will be a learning experience for us all! Emily is getting excited about taking Drivers ED starting next week! She is ready to get her permit already...we keep reminding her that she has to finish her class, her driving instruction and then wait for her birthday in November. She is already driving her dad crazy about what kind of car she wants one day...he has informed her of course that our lawn mower costs more than her first car will...hehehe! She doesn't see any humor in that...oh well! Life with a teenager is proving to be a maze of emotions! Lauren is following right in her footsteps! Michael is always just happy and takes life as it comes. Noah is going to occupational therapy twice a week and he is making slow and steady progress. We are glad that we found Development Therapy Associates and love Noah's therapist. She works very well with him and we are learning a lot about how to deal with his delays and how best to help him. He always give us hugs and kisses and never wants to be more than two feet from his dad when he is home. Between work and Jeff's church calling, he treasures the time that his dad is home. Well, that about catches us up for now...will post pictures when I have some time to take them...we will be doing spring cleaning (and I remind the kids that this means clearing out, not just putting up...hehehe) after school is out. They are not thrilled with that (esp. Lauren because she is a packrat...hmmm wonder where she gets that trait from..hehehe)but they know that it has to be done. I like organization and they like it when Mom is happy! We are all doing well at the present and for that we are always grateful!

SPRING BREAK!!!!!!!!!

We had the best time coming to Wilmington during the kids spring break! We decided to take a few days and go down to Wilmington with Jeff as he had some work he had to do while we were there. We took the kids to see the USS North Carolina Battleship and we went to the Aquarium and to Fort Fisher. We also stopped by the pier at Kure Beach while we were out that way. We have had a fun and relaxing few days and can't wait to come back to this campground. It is a KOA campground in Wilmington. Even though it was small, it was very nice and we enjoyed our relaxing stay. This has been such a great break for all of us! Below are some of the pictures we took while we were down here!

The kids on the rocks on the beach at Fort Fisher.
The kids all stood on pillars from youngest to oldest!
Mom and Dad on the beach at Fort Fisher!
Emily, Lauren, and Michael on the pier at Kure Beach!
Noah playing on the pier at Kure Beach! He had the best time!

Lauren standing in front of the bunks in the bunkhouse! I would not have wanted to be on the top or bottom!
Emily posing at one of the machine guns on the battleship.
Jeff had as much fun as the kids; especially when it came to playing with the guns!
Jeff and the kids in one of the engine rooms two or three levels below the deck!
Lauren looking out of the main gun turret. All the kids took turns in there and had a blast!

Jeff and the kids on the big anchor on the battleship
Jeff and the kids at the stern of the battleship
Michael having fun on the top deck!
Emily, Lauren and Michael on the upper deck.
Jeff and Noah on lower deck!