Rabbi Al at Mass Eye and Ear

 Rabbi Al comes into the Mass Eye and Ear on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  He offers a prayer and will sing you a prayer if you like also.  He is an uplifting and kind soul.

Devree and I liked how before he prayed, he would ask us if we had our "spiritual seat belts" on.  I think that is appropriate when you are facing trials.  Do you have your spiritual seat belt on today?

Third Day in Mass Eye and Ear

Today is supposed to be the worst day for swelling.  Her stitches by her nose are pulling out from where they were and her cheek is larger today.  She has energy and has already walked around "the block" which is the whole 11th floor which is kind of like a funny square.  The doctor is very happy with the results and Devree should be getting her drain out of her neck tomorrow.  She is taking veryl little pain meds and her leg hurts the worst.  There are two incisions on her upper right thigh.  The outer incision is where they harvested the tendon to help her nose to move over.  Her leg has a drain on it too which is like a little plastic bubble that hangs down.  Her inner thigh hurts the most.  This is where the small sliver of muscle and vein was harvested.  It too has a "bauble" as Devree calls it and hangs down to drain the area.  Her facial artery was too small to help the new muscle tissue so a vein had to be transplanted.  The doctor says the small artery is caused by chemo therapy.  Devree is getting shots in her tummy to thin her blood so she doesn't get blood clots and she is taking some Previcid to prevent acid reflux or anything to make her throw up, because her stitches go clear under her chin and half way around her neck.

So the funny thing today.  Devree is given a 4 stopper walker (No wheels) to walk around the halls.  She doesn't like that because basically she picks it up and carries it like a big box.  Anyway she is waddling down the hall and says "I am waddling like a penguin".  I told her 'You are walking like a penguin that is carrying an egg.  No make that 2 EGGS! (because of the 2 blood baubles).  I started laughing at my own joke and Devree said "Come Here so I can beat you with my walker!"

Meeting Julie and Jimmy

We went to church in Cambridge and we found a family that used to work with Kyran, my brother.  This is Julie and Allie.  Julie invited us to Sunday dinner.

Here is their cutie James.  He reminds me so much of Noble.  He is 6 months old and he is a CHUB like Noble was.  So adorable and we played with him for quite a while.  We got smiles and giggles out of him.  Sorry Jimmy we didn't get any pictures of you.  Julie made us a lovely Sunday dinner with homemade rolls and cupcakes and delicious garlic chicken.  It was nice to have a long chat and become friends.  Jimmy is soon graduating with his MBA and part of their schooling was in China which they just came back from.  Jimmy is looking for a job because he graduates at the end of the month and we tried to talk them into moving to Northern Nevada.  Jimmy was so nice that he took us to the hospital at 5 am the next morning so we didn't have to walk so far to the Subway.  We are definitely blessed to get to know this sweet little family!  Anyone know of any jobs that Jimmy can send his resume in for?

St. Judes and New York

We went to St. Judes for a check up and everything went really well.  But our laptop was not working.  So Devree wanted to go to New York for her high school graduation We went to Times Square the very first thing after our scary hired van ride from the airport.  Our van driver got in a shouting, swearing match with another driver when we parked to let someone off at their hotel.  The driver dropped everyone off and wanted to know what religion we were.  We had a very spiritual discussion about him almost dying and realizing God exists. 

We went to the Natural History Museum at the last hour it was open so it would be free.   Devree pointed to the bone on the dinosaur above her head and I told her and this is the expression she gave me.

We met the O'Barrs in NYC and had lunch and went to the 911 memorial, the subway, Central Park and then the Museum.  We are sitting and relaxing in the park.  It was HOT, HUMID and very sweaty.

Here is Aubrey and Tanner sitting on Hallie's "cave".  She wanted to take this lovely rock with her so she could have it at her home.  Her parents were very creative to figure out how to make her understand about her "cave".

Devree and I saw New York on a shoe string and we did everything very economical.  Like visiting the museum in the last hour when it is free and going on the Staten Island Ferry, which is free, to see the Statue of Liberty.  It is under renovation so you cannot go ON the island.  It makes me feel so Patriotic to see her standing there.

A closer picture. 

It was so amazing to go into this special place when all of the world outside is LOUD, and lots of times DIRTY and where our hotel was ICKY!  So to go into the quiet, cleanness with reverence was so amazing in this big city.

You can see the little bit of stained glass before you enter the temple part.

Devree did spend her hard earned money to see "The Lion King".  This is a sculpture of Rafiki..

Devree being "Vanna" to show these really unique lamps at the museum.

This is the top of the lamps with Eagles on them.

Space is at a Premium in New York City so parking lots are elevators!  Devree and I had so much fun and we walked our socks off.  We visited Little Italy and New York Cheesecake there.  The trip was fast but it was very fun.  Happy Graduation Devree!

4th of July

We went to Virginia City and they had a great show of fireworks.

Todd and the boys went swimming in the indoor pool and we were going to watch the fireworks from inside by the pool because it was cold and windy but we went outside because it was such a better view.

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Devree's 18th Birthday

Devree got lots of eyeliners.

Devree had breakfast in bed and received many presents to get her ready for college plus some DVDs and the Music Man soundtrack with Matthew Broderick.  We went to Olive Garden for dinner and then we went and saw "Brave" the new Pixar/Disney cartoon.  We will have Birthday PIE later so she can blow out her candles.

Rice Reunion June, 28-July 1, 2012

 Me with Teril, Dane, Kylee, Craig holding Zachary.  I took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese while the youth and adults went to the Columbia River Temple.  We even had some ancestor names!

 Charity showing us her favorite fingers to suck.  Just like her Great Aunt Shana and her Daddy Sand!

 Kyran telling Megan and she has the look of "I can't believe that!"

 Mayson being a good Mommy to Charity but Charity not wanting to show us her "Cotton Candy" hair.

Jaxson and Danawn checking out breakfast at our hotel in Pasco before the reunion.

Grandpa, Grandma and Tyreed having the buffet breakfast at the hotel.

The Rice/Rangel doing their family cheer that was adorable.  "Ice Ice Baby" became "Rice Rice baby".

 Craig and the rest of the Schumann's doing their talent!  Yea!  We loved their talents.

 Teril doing her cheer with Stan as the Number 1!

 Coy, Troy and Ryland spelled out their cheer.  So adorable!

Bos knows the Prophets but he was too shy.  Emily and Kamon can quote the Prophets backwards!

Bos and Vance ready to do their talent.  Vance loves his thumb.

The Walkers enjoying the talent night.

Having a meal in the beautiful outdoors of Camp Zarahemla.

Todd, Craig, Kylee and Koe enjoying the amphitheater.

The "Cheezy" smiles in the great outdoors.

Shay, Tyreed and Craig shooting the breeze.

The cute Jensen family

Kylee not wanting to smile for us.

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Jensen's again.

Poor Spencer was not feeling so well all week.  Hugging on Dane and Dane hoping he doesn't get sick.

Teara being her beautiful self.

Kamon throwing Vance high in the air with Teara and Devree looking on.

Carson, Jaxson and Dane hanging out.

Troy building little villages on the ground.

Ryland had many tales of wolves howling and eating us and alligators that lived in the green glacier water.

The whole "Got Rice?" 2012 reunion except for Cody who was gone.

The Jensens

The Hamblins

Danawn without Monte and without Sand and Carlina Schumanns

Great Grandma and Grandpa Rice

The Rice/Rangel's except for Kaylun

The Walkers

Coy, Troy, Ryland and Stan and Teril Petersen

Teril and Stan

Coy and the girls.

Coy, Ryland, Kolten and Kalene just hanging out.

The Walkers

The Cody Walkers

Danawn slaved for a most DELICIOUS HUGE Sunday Dinner.

Ky

Vance with something deliciously chocolaty on his face.

Todd talking with Dad

Playing games.  What else?

Emily showed us some new games.

 Kolten and Kalene painting, part of our arts, crafts and writing letters to Noble and Kaylun on Sunday.

Tyreed looking at all of Great Grandpa Rice's fishing equipment.  Uncle Ky making sure he gets EVERYTHING he wants because Tyreed actually knew what the different equipment was used for what kind of fish. 

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