August Activities, Continued

We are grateful that Sam has returned to good health after having surgery last week to remove a large stone, even though he had his gallbladder removed more than a year and a half ago.  On Monday evening, August 7th, he was hurting and nauseated, but felt enough better the next day to serve his shift in the temple.  However, by Wednesday evening he was in such pain that he was ready to see a doctor, so about 11:30 that night we went to the emergency department in "Mountain View Hospital" in Payson.  After preliminary examinations, he was admitted in the hospital about 4:00 a.m.  The ultrasound revealed he had a stone, and it was blocking the passage for other "debris" behind it which caused infection to be backing up to the liver.  

Sam had surgery on Thursday afternoon about 5:00 p.m., a procedure where they went down through his throat, cutting a hole in the stomach to get to the stone.  His bilirubin count was high, so he remained hooked up intravenously to receive a high dosage of antibiotics until he was released Saturday morning on the 12th when he came home with a prescription to continue with pills for the infection.  He had an appointment yesterday (Friday), and the bilirubin count was down almost to normal.

As my family know, I always prefer someone else doing the driving; but I did get along okay driving back and forth to Payson to be with Sam in the hospital each day.  He received good care while in the hospital, but I am very happy to have him home and feeling well.  He will have to go back next month to have the stent removed by having the same type of surgery going down through the throat again, only they say it might be a same-day surgery.

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This evening, we joined Beth and Todd's children at the Monster Truck Show, which was part of the Utah Country Fair.  Hal and Christy Smith went with us.  The kids enjoyed it more than we did, but it was an experience we had never had before and glad we shared it with them.  In the arena they were selling earplugs for the noise, but we stuffed our ears with tissue.  Our clothes got covered with dust.   

Here are some photos I took:

Joshua, Ethan, Rebecca, Megan, Amanda, and Jared

 

Hal and Christy Smith and Sam

 

Mari's Visit from Japan

We loved having a visit from Mari, our former exchange student from Japan, along with her mother (Yachiyo) and daughter (Haruwa).  Mari lived with us during the school year of 1988-1989.  

Sightseeing with Mari on a drive through Payson Canyon

to show her the mountain scenery near where we live.

(Mari and me)

 Fiesta Days in Spanish Fork

Mari flew into Salt Lake City on  August 13th

with her mother, Yachiyo, and daughter, Haruwa.

They were good sports and were willing to go to the

Spanish Fork rodeo that evening for a new experience.

(front:  Yachiyo, Haruwa, and Mari;

back:  Beth, Rebecca, Amanda, Joshua, Megan, and Ethan)

 Saddle Bronc Riding

Bull Riding

 The next day, we went back to the fairgrounds

to see more of the exhibits and attractions

at Fiesta Days.

(Rebecca, Beth, Yachiyo, Haruwa, Mari, 

Amanda, Megan, and Ethan)

Yachiyo likes horses.

(Yachiyo, Haruwa, and Mari)

4-H sheep ready to show at the fair.

(Yachiyo, Mari, and Haruwa)

  

The albino python didn't seem to mind being the 

center of attention following the nature show.

It was lethargic, very long, and not scary; 

and all of the kids wanted to touch it.

I didn't care to, however.

(Amanda and Megan)

Enjoying Our Time Together

 Lucky Rebecca!  Mari gave her the first kimono

Mari had when she was a little girl.

 

Ready for the photo.

 Ethan modeling the Happi Coat

Mari gave the boys.

Yachiyo and Haruwa folding origami creations.

                                  Yachiyo is teaching Ethan how to make an origami figure.

   

 Mari getting ready to do Kanji writing.

She created a poster for us with characters meaning Love.

Mari had other gifts for us and Beth's family.

Ethan and Mari are trying out one of the gifts.

 Yachiyo entertained us with songs played on her flute.

(Haruwa, Mari, Rebecca, Beth, and Yachiyo)

 We also shared some of our culture,

as we watched a preseason BYU scrimmage game.

However, it was a hot afternoon,

so we left early and appreciated getting

ice cream cones at the BYU Creamery.

 Mari and her mother made a Japanese meal.  

We appreciated eating once again 

Mari's Korakke, a favorite from the time she lived with us.

"Sisters" enjoying a reunion.

Photo taken in Todd and Beth's backyard

by one of their fruit trees.

(Beth and Mari) 

 Mari by the Payson Temple

where Sam and I serve each Tuesday.

Flowers by the temple.

(Mari)

We also went to Salt Lake City and toured Temple Square.

This is a view of the Salt Lake Temple taken

from the Conference Center.

Sam and I were married in this temple.

  A fun photo taken in the LDS Family History Center

(Narene, Megan, Ethan, Amanda, Haruwa, Joshua,

Mari, Beth, Sam, Yachiyo, and Rebecca)

From Salt Lake City, we went to Doug and Shannon's home in Layton.  

 Shannon prepared a nice spaghetti and meatball meal 

ending with a yummy peach cobbler dessert.

(Brynlee, Haruwa, Beth, Rebecca Ethan, Doug, Shannon, and Mason)

  That evening (August 17), accompanied with some tears, 

we said our goodbyes to Mari, Yachiyo, and Haruwa; 

and they stayed overnight at Doug and Shannon's.  

Shannon took them to the airport the next morning for their return flight to Japan 

via a stopover visit with another friend in Vancouver, Canada.

We appreciate Mari's visit and have enjoyed keeping in touch with her through the years since her senior year at Bennett County High School.  

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We also have happy memories of the other exchange students we hosted:

Jordi de las Moras Maso (1987-88) - Spain

Mari Shimizu [Hanatsumi] (1988-89) - Japan

Nicole Sepp (1989-90) - Germany

Nigel Parkin (1990-91) - England

Vuk Andrejevic (1991-92) - Yugoslavia, now Serbia

Jairo Fraile Lopez (1992-93) - Spain

Masanobu Yamada (1994-95) - Japan

Rene Roth (1997-98) - Germany

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Can You Tell I Like Sunsets!

Another one as seen from our front door.