Bone Marrow came back Clean

Harlen's bone marrow came back clean of all cancer in his last biopsy. We are still in the hospital and will be until his good cells start doing their job. Then we are off to Utah for the stem cell transplant that should have been done back in November. But the great news is we have more hope with each passing day. He is still having hard days with fevers, aches and chills, but they are lessening which is a good sign.

28th Anniversary

Tonight I am tired and sad. The end

My day with a Seventy

Readers of this blog know the pain and bitterness I have had since Loughlin died, hell since Rhiannon died, since I was raped, since I was molested. I felt I was unworthy to be in the presence of others. I felt unloved. I felt like I was being punished for my horrible sins. Then when Harlen was diagnosed I wondered why it wasn't me or was that just another trial for this family.

But on Sunday a member of the Seventy came to visit our family. Everyone came to church. Cyrus, McKayla, True, Katlyn, Maya, Juve, Giles and Lea. Elder McCune came to talk to our family. He asked first if anyone had any questions. Harlen about bruised my ribs trying to get me to talk. I asked my prodding question that lingers in my mind for years. If there was a loving Heavenly Father that actually cared about us here on Earth, whether I was being punished for my bad choices, I was really asking if God knew me. He spent 35 minutes of his hour with us addressing my question. the spirit was divine in that room and I felt like the Savior was there. He told me God loves me, that I have a huge heart and that it is Satan putting the doubts in my mind and my heart, blaming me for my children's death, beating myself up, making me feel unworthy of being loved. Satan is still working on me as I write down my experience. I have been so low that I thought I would never feel the warmth of the Son again. I hated myself for so many years. He told me none of this was true and Christ's atonement made it possible for me to feel his love again. I felt a peace that was lacking for most of my life.

He then gave Harlen a blessing promising that he would see his grandbabies, plural. We have a different spirit in our home now. It is peaceful. It is hopeful. There is unconditional love for we all know #FamilyIsEverything .

That's not me anymore

That’s not me anymore

I used to wake each day looking forward to a new endeavor.

I used to crack a joke. I was quick. I was clever.

That’s not me anymore.

I used to enjoy a huge crowd, eyes on me as I took the stage.

I read every book I could find and hung on every page.

That’s not me anymore.

I loved to cook all kinds of cuisine.

My house was never perfect, but it was clean.

But that’s not me anymore.

I loved the farm, the bulls, the cows and the lil calves.

Always content, never worried about the didn’t haves.

I’ll never be like that anymore.

I loved to watch my kids in everything they did.

Every song, every hit, every set, even when they slid.

It’s just not me anymore.

I loved my husband with every ounce of my soul.

We went everywhere together. Eternity was my goal.

That’s just not me anymore.

I can’t say I was always smiling, but the joy shined through.

Days I was down there was only just a few.

But I’m not like that anymore.

Back then I believed there was a God that cared about my life.

I believed in forever families and wanted to be a forever wife.

But I don’t believe like that anymore.

I spend days now wondering why I am even here.

All my mistakes and flaws are showing crystal clear.

Cuz that’s not my life anymore.

Getting out of bed each day shouldn’t be a struggle.

And at night I want to be alone. Never want to cuddle.

Happiness eludes me. I don’t feel it anymore.

I worry every moment, every day, every minute.

If this is it. I quit. I don’t want to be in it.

I don’t want to live anymore.

Dark Days

Dark Days

It's your fault.
Wounds with salt.
A fucking whore.
Can take no more.
What can I do?
Nothing new.
My sins show through.
His are few,
Really what's a sin?
Just a story of where I've been.
But you see only what I want.
This past will only haunt,
If you knew would it change your mind.
Better if you stay completely blind.

Kendalee 2017

Thanksgiving and things I am thankful for......

We went to the Oregon Coast for our Thanksgiving this year. There are so many memories I love from the coast when our family was almost whole. We love it there.

The ocean is hypnotic.













The waves in the winter are so incredible, so beautiful, so mesmerizing. It really is my favorite place on Earth. I feel so close to Loughlin there.




We had a few extras, True's friend, Kevin, Cyrus' girlfriend McKayla and Cyrus' friend Nate. It was so much fun.

The sound of the waves crashing on the shore is so relaxing for me.

The new rental house is fun and we even had friends of Harlen and I show up for dinner Friday night where I cooked my famous clam chowder and tried my first Ciopinno. We played board games and belly laughed for hours.





It was a great weekend, but of course the emptiness returns. I miss my son so much. Coming home is just a huge reminder of how it should be, how it could be if I would have just seen that truck.

So my Thanksgiving doesn't last long because the blues and the sadness always seem to creep in and ruin all of the fun.

I miss you Loughlin, You loved the ocean and fishing and kite flying and the fun houses and the Oregon Aquarium and pretty much everything that has to do with the Coast. I miss you Rhiannon because you never even got the chance to love this place, to share it with us.

My Response is Anger

There was yet another accident in our little neck of the woods last week. 5 kids were in a pick-up truck driving under the influence and it rolled. Some of the kids walked away from the accident and some are hurt. Everyone is asking for prayers for them, others held a vigil for them. Me, I just sat and stewed, finding myself get angrier and angrier. How many years do you think I will be like this, the feeling of being cheated? Loughlin did nothing wrong. He hardly did anything wrong ever. He was such an amazing young men. Am I saying these kids drank, got in their pick-up drove so they deserve it? Hell no, if so there are a million crazy teenagers that deserve to be dead, including me. I am saying, in a just world Loughlin would still be here. He didn't deserve this.

The Cemetery

I really have memory problems, but I can't remember the last time I have been to Loughlin's grave. I used to visit it often. I felt closer to him there. I believe that is because of the quietness that surrounds you there. It is surreal, well until some car or farm truck drives by and ruins the entire moment. They look at you like you are a freak. If you show your emotions, cry the looks make you feel like you are unstable, that you should have been over this. Almost 8 years and you are still crying for a son you killed, yes, yes, yes, I cry almost daily. I cry at my failures. I cry at what my life has become. I look for something to drowned out my agony. Alcohol, drugs, but I have other kids. I have to be strong, so I will just use my prescribed meds to relieve my hurt and anger and frustration at the process. Why the hell do I have do go through this twice?

Are you a mom? Can you feel my pain? Can you feel the loneliness even in a crowded room? Do you feel this anger? Scream with me. Let the world know how fucked up this is.

Loughlin and Rhiannon, I will never look upon your beautiful faces again. I am so tired..........

And then there were 3.........

School started this morning for Nyssa. Maya is a Junior. Giles is a Freshman, and Lea is in 7th grade,
I couldn't even get myself to get a picture. Giles is a Freshman. I hate this year in school. I will be glad when November rolls around. He would make it past the dreadful October 27th. All I remember is this video. August 2008, the last real 1st day of school.

Never a Dull Moment

I have had a very eventful week. Fair began last Tuesday. We took 7 steers this year in our group. I thought they were the best set of steers we have had in a while, but the judge thought otherwise. We were placed in the middle throughout the fair. That's ok. You can't win them all and certainly not when their are 70 steers.

On the 2nd day of the fair. Harlen and I wandered down to the food court to get a bite to eat. As I was relaxing I heard a women start moaning and another lady start to scream. I turned just in time to catch an older lady as she was having a seizure. She was stiff and her eyes were set. I just kept thinking please don't die on me. 20 minutes later the EMT's came to get her off of me. She made a recovery and left the fair later that night. C-R-A-Z-Y I know.

The fair ended on Saturday night and I knew I just had one day to get some clothes washed and things cleaned up a bit before Maya's hip surgery at 7:30 am on Monday morning. I went out to feed the dogs first off and on my way back in the house a wasp stung me. I am allergic. I rushed in the house and found my Epi-Pen. I hate having to give myself a shot. I am miserable from the medicine seeping through my veins. My leg feels like it is on fire for hours after, but the other choice isn't a choice. So my Sunday was spent just living, not doing.

5:30 am we left for St. Lukes Boise. The surgery finally began about 9:30. It was supposed to take 90 minutes but the old screw did it's best to stay in her femur bone. They ended up using vice grips to pull it out piece by piece. The femur bone was then sawed off and the end was then screwed back in. The top part of the of femur bone was shaved down to re-form the hip. The surgery took 2 12 hours and this mom was frantic. She finally was in recovery but in a lot of pain. I felt so bad for her. 2 nights in the children's ward at the hospital and we are home. She still has a lot of pain and my back is aching from lifting her up and down. It is going to be a long recovery, 6 weeks. Hopefully each day get better. I love her so much. She is so strong and brave.