Some updated pictures

Brooke and Brynn ready for trick or treating.

Miss Brooke at 4 Months!

Step-by-Step!

Hey!
So I have had a few 'Firsts' this past week...
I found flesh colored eye patches so I don't have
to play pirate all the time anymore.
Yes I still have the double vision and paralysis
on the right side of my face, but I can tell it is
getting better, millimeter by millimeter!
Also, my work "RAMPTON Orthodontics"
convinced me to attend a 24 hour retreat they
were having in Park City...so I went and everyone
took great care of me! By the time I got home I
was extremely exhausted but in a good way.
It was great to be back with the work family.
Then I actually made it to Church this past
Sunday for about 1 & 1/2 hours (Sacrament
Meeting). It was so wonderful to see so many
friendly faces and to feel of the amazing spirit
there. So then I came home and had a 2 hour
nap and then the kids and baby Brooke came
over for dinner...it is always so wonderful to
have everyone together (except for Rob of course).
I can hardly believe he will be home in October
of this year!!
Kelli's pregnancy is progressing beautifully and
she is half way and finally starting to look pregnant
and feel NOT queasy anymore!
Brandon and Lindsey got home from Hawaii
yesterday afternoon. Their flight was due to get
in at 9am and instead after a LONG day...they
got home at 4pm! But we didn't feel too sorry for
them after the wonderful week they had!
Barb and Lane even came for dinner from Logan,
we always appreciate their 'driving' efforts!
Lane had to speak in their Ward Sacrament
meeting as he is the new Elders Quorum President.
So they know how much Grandpa & Noni Jo
love to see their darling daughter...them too!
Miss Brooke is 4 months old and getting cuter
every day! The entertainment when we were
all together yesterday was watching Barb feed
Brooke rice cereal, which she is still getting used too.
We laughed so hard at her facial expressions...
Who needs t.v. when you have a baby to watch?!
I am finally getting my strength back...not 100%
yet, but getting there!
Thank you so much for all your good wishes and
love you send our way.
I have truly been overwhelmed with love. I can't
think of a better way to be!
I will do my best to post thoughts more often.
It just seems like not much happens from day to
day for me?? I have often felt like I have been
living my own version of "Ground Hog Day" like
the movie!

She is so smart...Reading at 3 months!

Hello Again!

Hey Everyone!
It's me...Joni...I am still alive!
It's been 8 weeks today since the surgery and I finally feel like I can begin to communicate again!
I am doing okay...getting stronger everyday.
Clay took me to my first doctor's appointment last Thursday, the 26th. We waited for 2 hours and 15 minutes and saw Dr. Shelton for about 8 minutes. He said I was on track with my recovery. No big announcements. But I wanted him to say, "It looks like you have 2 more weeks and then you will be back to normal"...but no such luck. He couldn't give us a real time-frame because everyone is different. Again he said it could take weeks or months which is what he was telling us at the hospital! Ughh!! But I will try to continue learning patience...even if it kills me! haha.
I also had a hearing test that day and it was determined that I had lost the remainder of the hearing in my right ear.
The doctor had hoped that with the method of surgery he performed that he could save the remainder of the hearing. It was about 30% remaining, he said I could get a hearing aid and have use of the hearing on my right side. For whatever reason the doctor was surprised that it hadn't worked out as he thought.
So I was frustrated over that for a few hours. But then I recalled my pre-surgery statement that if when after this was all over, I had only lost my hearing in that ear, I would be okay with that.
And that is true. Daily I remind myself how much worse this could be. How grateful that the doctor tells me the paralysis to the right side of my face and not being able to see normally out of
my right eye is only temporary...it will improve...eventually! ;!
Last Saturday Clay drove me to Logan to visit Barb, Lane & Brooke...I know I am not objective, but she is the cutest baby!! She makes me smile...at least on the left side of my face.
It is frustrating to not be able to smile fully. And don't take blinking your eyes for granted...when I shower I get water and soap in my eye because I forget to hold my eyelid shut! I also have to keep ointment in my eye because it dries out constantly if I don't. Just some of the little challenges I face...nothing major, just little things that remind me to be grateful for good health.
Also, thank you to all that have sent your love, support and happy thoughts to us...you will never know how much it has meant to me! I believe it will take the rest of my life to return the love!
Thank you for everything...it is so appreciated.
Clay wants me to take over this blog, so I will try to learn how to navigate through it all.
Take Luck!

As Always,
Joni ;!

Getting out a little

I am shying away from taking pictures of Joni and putting them on the blog only because I know the of the personal consequences that could follow. It is safer for me to post and focus on pictures of Brooke. She continues to warm our hearts with every visit or picture that we see. Being a grandparent is really cool.

Progress continues to be slow and steady. This weekend Joni and I went for a ride to run some errands and stop in and see Kelli and Jordan's newly decorated nursery. Kelli and Jordan are having a baby boy in July and have begun the room and wardrobe preparations. (It's all a blur to me) Joni said as long as she did not need to get out of the truck, except for Kelli's she was willing. We were out for a few hours and she felt fine. We have noticed additional improvement in the facial paralysis, as additional movement comes back ever so slowly. The double vision from her right eye continues to be our biggest issue these days. We go back to see the doctor for the first time since the operation on February 26th. We joke that if you have an ingrown toenail surgery they want to see you for a followup in a week, you have brain surgery and they tell you to come back in two months.

All in all, we are still on track. Strength continues to improve and we feel encouraged with the progress we see. Obviously there are the times when the feeling is; enough of this, its time for it to be over!! But again and again we are reminded that we are not the ones setting the time frame here.

Thanks for the love and support of all.

Clay