Happy Sabbath

 Sunday was a peaceful quiet day. Porter didn't have any therapy or obligations. We let him sleep in and wake up when he wanted. We had to still take turns being in the room with him, which got quite annoying. I never wanted to miss out on conversations and I wanted the boys and Paul to spend as much time with him as possible. So we were playing musical rooms throughout the day. We got on to watch church via zoom and realized it was stake conference and we had missed the first 90 min. So that was too bad and a little frustrating. But we got to listen to Elder Michael Packer so that was nice. We had some great conversations throughout the day that were more about Porter and what he's thinking and feeling. He has been more vocal about what goes on in his head. He is brave. There is a lot to think about. His reality is a tough one to swallow at the moment. But, he is handling it amazingly. I told him that I need to start having him dictate to me what to write on the blog from now on. It's his story, and it might as well be from his voice instead of me trying to put words in his mouth or tell of the events through my eyes. I know his paradigm is very different than mine. But, we decided this is the story of Porter's journey through his mothers eyes. Maybe here and there he can enlighten us as to what he's going through, but for now, you get it from me. 

We decided to watch The Chosen Season 2 Episode 4 because it had just come out and we hadn't seen it yet. (By the way - If you have never heard of The Chosen or have heard but haven't watched it yet - Now is a good time to do that. I promise you will love it. It's absolutely brilliant and beyond powerful. It's a tv series about Jesus through the eyes of those who knew Him.) So we turned it on and in the first few minutes, a boy is climbing in a tree and falls out of the tree and is paralyzed. BYE BYE! Like really?...nothing like something hitting so close to home. It is a beautiful episode about Jesus seeking out the one and how his miracle of healing a lame man causes a rippling effect on so many lives for good. The spirit was tangible in the room. Porter was very emotional - along with the rest of us, maybe Paul the most. After the show Paul told Porter he wished he could tell him to "pick up thy bed and walk." Faith to heal, faith to be healed, God's will, miracles - such beautiful truths. Understanding how they all work together is something I am trying to learn. 

My sister, Sara, and her husband, Johnny, and their daughter, Tess, came to bring us Sunday dinner and we were going to sit outside and have a little picnic but it was raining on and off, which is fantastic seeing as Utah needs rain so badly, so we decided to clump under one of the roof of the parking crosswalk. We were full on tailgating. I'm sure it looked white trashish - but that's our style so it's all good. We had Porter out there with us in his wheelchair and it was fun to be together. He had fun visiting with his cousin, Tess. It's the first person outside of our family that he has been with that's his age. I need to make more of those moments happen. It's good for him to be with his peers and talk.  I think it's good for them as well, to see Porter and remember that it's still Porter.

We brought Porter back to his room because he was getting cold and then Paul thought they should probably head back home. Sawyer and Hyrum performed a whistling duet they had been practicing before they left. I asked Paul to give Porter a blessing. We are feeling so good about the way Porter is progressing, but his constant gunky throat has been very limiting and his stoma doesn't seem to want to decrease. So, he gave him a blessing of healing and comfort. I'm so grateful for the power of the priesthood. I have loved having my boys and Paul with us. I'm going to miss them.

Loved this quote: 

"You will come to know that what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment that you will ever make." - Gordon B. Hinckley