What's happening in our world...

Ellison is the cutest thing ever! I love her so much! She is so funny, has the cutest little smile, and charms most people who see her. When she is in the mood, she can be such a lovey, cuddly baby but...dun, dun, dun, she can also be quite a little monster!
As I said before, Ellison has the cutest smile, and can charm most anyone. We CONSTANTLY have people stop us so they can talk to or smile at Ellison, however, she can has this look she gives that can make you feel like you have done something so bad! This past Sunday, Ellison gave the "stare down" to a grown man during sacrament meeting. He frowned at her, she frowned right back, and held her own!
She has developed quite the attitude and temper. This past Sunday, we were walking by her Memaw's pool and Ellison decided she wanted to get in. When we told her she wasn't allowed to get in, she got mad, threw the toy she was holding in the pool, which was then promptly taken away.
She is also such a little ham. The other night, Kam and I went out to dinner. Ellison immediately seized the salt and pepper shakers, and shook them all over the table. Then she grabbed the ketchup and played with it, where it eventually landed on the floor. The fork we gave her also landed on the floor and when she grew tired of sitting in her high chair, she stood up and then started pointing and hollaring. Good thing everyone thought it was cute!
The last little story I have to share about Ellison. On Friday night, she decided it would be fun to tear off her diaper and then pee on the floor! Oh Ellison, you are a mystical creature. You move so quickly, disappear easily, and have knack of losing things!
I love you so much, and even though sometimes you drive me and dad crazy, we love you more than anything else! I miss you while I'm at work and can't wait to see you at the end of the day! You make us so happy, and make life so much fun and worthwhile! Keep us smiling, and never lose the attitude!

On Wednesday I went in for my two week follow up from surgery. I waited in the waiting room for a good three hours, and was getting more and more anxious as I waited. They finally called me back and did the doppler. I was so anxious, and didn't dare look at the screen until the doppler guy, Chad, told me that everything looked good.
I met with Dr. Neglen next and he said that everything was still going well, and instead of coming in for a 4 week follow up like he was going to have me do, he wanted me to come in at 6 weeks. I am so happy about the results of the surgery. I still have pain at times in my leg, but it is significantly better. Dr. Neglen told me he was also happy about the way the surgery turned out and he was going to use some of the pictures that were taken of the vein in a conference he was going to be speaking at. So, needless to say, I will have famous veins!
On Friday night Kam and I met up with his family and attended the good 'ol Mississippi state fair. We had a good time. We took Ellison on the Merry Go Round and, she HATED it. She cried until I picked her up off the horse and held her. Kam took her on a flying ride, which she liked. We walked around, looking at the animals, which is where Ellison met her fate. We let her feed the Camels, and with the last carrot she gave him, he bit her little hand. Boy did she howl!
We have had a pretty good week. We have been staying busy with work, school and Ellison and are doing our best to keep up with it all! I have included some pics of the fair, and a pic of the what the stents look like that they placed in my leg.

So two weeks ago, Kam and I headed to the hospital at 6 am in prep for surgery. We were feeling pretty lucky as I was the first person on the surgical schedule. I ran through all my pre-surgical screenings quickly and was in the OR by around 8 am. We felt even further lucky after we found out the doctor was able to place 3 stents to open the vein!! Yea!! The next morning, however, all of our luck had run out because the newly opened vein had clotted off with new clot. The doppler tech called the surgeon and let him know what he had seen on the ultrasound and the doctor decided we needed to try surgery again a week later.
This past Tuesday Kam and I were not feeling quite so lucky, we waited and waited and waited in the waiting room until about 10 am when they took us to my room in the ICU. There we waited, and waited and waited until around 3 pm when they came to take me for surgery. The MD (Dr. Neglen) wanted to place a catheter in the vein and drip medicine's to "bust" the clot and then place more stents in a narrowed spot he found in the vein. While I was getting these medicine's I had to be in the ICU just for monitering. So, he was able to successfully place the catheter and we were ecstatic. The next day they took me down to get a venogram done, which shows how the blood is flowing. We weren't able to see any dye in the vein and I was feeling a little hopeless, however, Dr. Neglen in his infinate wisdom decided to have a doppler done to check to see if the dye just wasn't making it past the narrowing in the vein, and sure enough, he was right, we did have blood flow! So, on Thursday we went back in for more surgery, he finished busting the clot and then was actually able to place 2 more stents in the narrowing! I think we were all on pins and needles that night and into the next morning to see if the surgery had clotted off or not.
The next morning the doppler tech came and did the ultrasound and sure enough, we had flow! Dr. Neglen was right there when the doppler tech came and wanted to see all the pics. It was so awesome. I could tell Dr. Neglen was proud of himself, and even asked the tech to take pics so he could show them in some conferences and stuff. The doppler tech said things couldn't look better. So, we are all on cloud 9 at the moment.
There is a 2 week period in which things can clot off, however, I am on some major blood thinners and am up and walking like crazy which helps prevent further clots. I go back on Oct. 1 to see Dr. Neglen where he will do another doppler to make sure things are still flowing. I have to give thanks to all those who have called, emailed, commented, whatever during this extremely stressful time. We have had such great support from friends, family and ward members, which has definately made things easier. I do have to ask that you all continue to pray that we will have flow at the 2 week follow up, and after that I think we are pretty much out of the woods. I also have to thank Dr. Neglen for all his hard work and intelligence, he is so seriously awesome! Mostly, I also have to thank Heavenly Father and Jesus for their blessing us with what we view as a miracle!

We have been out of the Internet at our house for the past little while, which makes posting pics on the blog a little difficult. I will try to get some on my next post.

I am letting you all know that we are going to try for surgery again on Tues. Sept. 9th. The doctor thinks he can get a stent in place this time. He says if he is able to get it in, it will help with the pain, it will allow me to exercise more easily and I will feel a whole lot better. I am really hoping this works, I am in the mood to feel better. The surgery will be just a 24 hour stay in the hospital type of a thing and then I will go home and recoup. I will be down for just about 3 days and then I can be up and moving more, going to work, etc.

In happier news, we are on the countdown to Ellison's birthday. She will be turning one on Monday. I am bittersweet about it. It's fun to see her grow up and learn, but so sad that she isn't my baby anymore! I can't believe how fast this year has gone, it has seemed to fly and crawl by all at the same time. We are going to be having a jungle party for her complete with jungle cupcakes. My friend Elizabeth and I are going to try to make a cute little giraffe cake...it should be fun.

Young Women's is still going well, the girls and I are having a good time, and I am enjoying my time in YW. I have some awesome ideas I am working on for a combined activity as well as a young women's personal progress project. I will post pics and details later.

P.S. To my friend Kristalee, add me to your blog so I can view it and we can catch up!