Last post for 2015! Let's look back!

I am turning over a new leaf for next year. My life, wow! I am finally accepting it. It's amazing right now. Heavenly Father has showed me that he always offers peace after the storm and the last year has been our blizzard storm. Parker and I have talked about how hard this year has been, not only individually, but for the entire family. Ryker has been a trooper, we have trudged through full force and it has been hard. To be honest, this last year has been the hardest trial and storm I have personally experienced. With my parents getting divorced, my grandparents dying, teachings, and all the crazy things we have gone through being married, this has trumped all of them. But thinking back, those trails made it easier for me to push through this last year. I wouldn't want to go through it again, but if it came to it I know I could make it again. Idaho was our trial to grow as a couple and to improve our marriage. We grew together and without that experience we probably wouldn't have been strong enough to make it. We got thrown into the games with a strong front because of the experiences in Idaho. We worked together to become stronger. It was not easy and we almost gave up, but we made it. Our life is better for it. Heavenly Father sure does know what we can and can't take. He was preparing us for Ryker. Together and Individually. Our family needed to be strong and our marriage needed to be strong to take on all Ryker's challenges. The money challenges in Rexburg made us realized we needed to be prepared better for the future, which it paid off in the end. When we needed family in Idaho, we realized we had it with our ward family. That ward really showed us how a ward is suppose to be, They were amazing at helping others carry their burdens and love each other not matter what. Here we needed our actually family for this last year trails. It was always nice to have someone to talk to and cry to when times were tough. Our family relationships has become stronger and hearts have changed making our family stronger. I have also realized over that past couple of months is that Parker is the perfect dad for Ryker. He is not judgemental and he just is so patient toward him. He doesn't see all his problems, he just loves him for who he is. I love Parker for that. So fathers could take it hard and that would have made it harder on me. I took longer to accept the fact that Ryker will always be special needs, Parker on the other hand accepted it quickly and moved on fast. It was inspiring and impressing. I need to be more accepting of hard things. He is a great example of that. Ryker has made a huge difference in our family and our extended families. He has been an answer to a lot of our family dramas. Hearts have really become softer and love has been show more this last year.

The last couple of weeks of this year have been memorable. We have had many Christmas parties with families. See everyone and realizing how much change that has happened the last 12 months has been incredible. We partied at the Meyers' house right before Christmas. Unfortunately Ryker and Parker were both sick so I attended with Tanner and his kids. This last sickness for Ryker has been an eye opener. I am realizing he is just a kid now, not a medically depend special needs child. I don't worry about him being sick anymore. I know he will be okay and it doesn't stress me out like it use to. We went to the new Star Wars movie with Colby and Susan. It was nice to see friends this past couple of weeks. I really feel like our lives are starting to become normal again. Thanks goodness, it has been a long time coming. We also have many sleepovers at Clyde and Sheila's house. It's been great to have Ryker bond with his grandparents. He is recognizing faces and people so he will have a lasting relationship with them. Christmas was memorable. We partied at our house this year. We started a new tradition of playing games and winning prizes. It was fun to have everyone together. Also, Jeromy has been hanging out at our house this past week. I love it when he stays here. I have found a deep appreciation for him. He is a great big brother and I look up to him so much. He is just trying to be a great future dad. I have seen so much change in him this past year and our relationship has improved to much in the last couple of months. He is truly one of my best friends and I hope it continues. We also have some fun coming up in the next couple of day. Parting again with the Allen family for new years and we also have Great Grandma's party on the 2nd of January. But I guess you will have to wait for that update in 2016.

Thinking about all that has happened this year, we have come so far, Last year at this time, Ryker was strictly fed through a tube. He struggled hard to breath. Ryker was so fragile and small. We worried and stressed about his often, not just only 12 months later he has his gtube gone, he is breathing on his own without oxygen, and he is growing to the point that the doctors said he is too fat and needs to go on a diet. lol. Ryker's life is great which makes all our lives less stressful and more full of appreciation. We are hoping life will be not so stressful and full of life. We will be taking our first family vacation out of Utah next year so hopefully that will be successful. The PJs adventure is pushing forward and we look forward to what it will be next year. Thanks for following this year!

Winter is Finally Here!

Well this has been a very exciting weekend for us Allen's. We got to have our traditional Allen Family Christmas Party at Grandma Sheila's house. It was so much fun gathering together to make Gingerbread houses, eat yummy food, and watching Christmas shows together. I was feeling very blessed, loved and appreciated for all that has done for our beautiful family. Christmas Season always makes you realize how blessed and lucky you are. It makes you appreciate all you have and the family around you. It is nice to be here, even though I have no been so appreciative of it pretty much all year. But during Christmas time and the holidays it makes you love and appreciate your family. I love this time of year! I am realizing that living here we can spend sometime with family and have Ryker get to know his Aunts, Uncles, and grandparents. He needs it. Sheila does such a great job making Christmas time special. She always makes Christmas so special and very memorable. I feel like she out does herself every year I truly appreciate all her sentimental amazingness and willingness to love everyone. It inspires me to be better. She makes the holidays special and I look forward to it each year. We have great traditions coming together in our family. We are going to starting living up all the winter fun activities that are around. Christmas lights, parties, Christmas movies, hot coco, etc. We are going to start our traditions this year now that Ryker is starting to become aware of everything. Well the traditions Sheila has started for our grandma fun are pretty exciting and I know Ryker will love them once he understands all of the magic of Christmas. Ryker got this Minon that sings baby lullabies and he loves it. We use it every night now. ha. Great gift.  Sheila really made it a special Christmas this year.

We woke up to 9 inches of snow this morning. It really is a winter wonderland outside. It makes Christmas more magical. I think Snow is magic because you look outside and everything is colorful yet all the leaves are starting to die. But snow makes it sparkle. It's like it takes all the crazy colors and makes them a clean slate and it's like starting a new painting. Reminds me of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It's like making a clean canvas and making the painting all over again.  It was pretty amazing to see everything so clean and white. Another reminder of why we celebrate this Christmas season. The Savior is our world, our life, and our meaning. Every time I see the purity of fresh white snow it reminds me of all the blessing and miracles the Savior has done for me. It's perfect to think of how Heavenly Father created something so pure for us to remember our Savior.  I hope we all can remember his amazing miracle and gift he gave us all year around and not just for Christmas. Check out this video it really puts this gift into perspective.

Our Year Summed up in a little book

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Christmas is Just Around the Corner

It's been almost a month since my last post. I have been pretty busy the last couple of weeks with school and yard work. This semester for school has been a challenge. I have loved my class this time around, but it really has stretched my thinking. I have had to do some much thinking and reflecting on my life. This course has changed my future plans for my career, if I ever get to take my career to the next level. Ryker is my major priority right now.  But I can finally say all my weeds are pulled and my leaves are raked. It was a very hard back breaking process, but I give it permission to snow now. It would be nice to get snow for Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, this year I have been so excited about the holidays. I had fun making wreaths and garlands for my house decor and it's been two years since I put up a Christmas tree. To be honest with all the crazy trails that have been thrown at us this year, I have finally can breath again. The happiness Parker and I found in Idaho, we finally have it hear. Ryker is doing well, we finally can breath with medical bills paid for, and I hate to admit it, but we are getting closer to family. I haven't been this happy for such a long time. I am a different person these days.

Ryker has improved so much the last couple of months. He did just get foot braces. They will help his little chubby ankles stabilize his knees so he can stand properly. So far he doesn't mind them. He also got big boy toddler glasses. Oh my little Ryks looks so cute in his glasses. We had an appointment with the eye doc. We were told that Ryker's vision has improved so much. He is loving the fact that he can see things and pay attention to your face. He suggested one more eye muscle surgery. The date is set for February 12th. Hopefully it goes well. Surgery is always a stressful thing, but honestly I am not worried about it. Ryker proved to me that he can handle it. He is a fighter and he fights everyday and makes his mama proud!  The doc said that if everything goes well, Ryker may not need glasses or if he does he will have a different prescription. Thankful hearts are in the Allen home these days.

Thanksgiving was a great day. We spend the week at the parents house so Ryker could spend sometime with his grandparents. It's been really fun having Ryker get to know them and share time with them. It also has been nice to have a baby that is not medically dependent. We can actually do things as a family and enjoy doing things together. We will be spending Christmas with them here at our house. I admit it is nice to have family around so Ryker can get to know them. We went to a Christmas Party for kids with special needs. We brought the parents with us. It was nice because I actually felt like we fit there. That is where we are suppose to be. It was an eye opener. I do think we will be doing more activities like that more often. It will not only help me develop lasting friendships, but when Ryker is older he can get friends that are like him. Special!

I got to do service at the bishops store house a couple of weeks ago. It was an interesting experience. It actually took me back to when my family got food from the church. Many years we had to do service at the store house. I never had the chance and I am not sure why. I guess my parents must have done it or maybe it just didn't get done. But I am grateful for the storehouse. Heavenly Father really blessed my family when I was younger. I didn't realize how poor we were until later in life. My parents were really good at hiding it. I hope my kids don't have to experience what I had to experience, but if they do I know we will all love each other and be blessed for it.

Once again I am humbled with my life situations and the trails I have gone through. As much as I believe what I have been through I remember things could always be worse and I will always get through the trials. This week in Relief Society we talked about trials and relying on God. It's been one of those years where I have needed him the most. I just remember we all need him. We all go through things that makes us stronger and have more faith. You know I feel like Heavenly Father is allowing more and more trials in our lives because life is getting harder. He needs us to have more faith and be more diligent I can't wait for another year of greatness. Heaven is not far. The last couple of weeks I have been pondering on all the families we knew that have lost a baby. I have often think that could have been us last year. We could have been without Ryker for this Christmas, but Heaven Father had a different plan. I am truly blessed and grateful he had a different plan for us.

These Pictures are Family Photo for 2015! My little guy has changed so much! What a happy little man he is!

We have come a long ways in a year! This is our family Pictures from Last December! Ryker's First Christmas!