My Boy, My Jared

I heard, and then I listened. I looked, and then I saw. I touched, and then I felt. My boy is asleep and I am there next to him just observing him. The miracle that he is. The small person that God entrusted me with. The boy he is and the man he is becoming. He is five. Oh what a five he is. Happiness exuberates from him to all those around him. He knows only love. He loves all he knows. And he want to know all he comes across. A hug, a smile, a hello. His voice is not strong. Although he only has a left side to his heart, it is the heart is that of a lion. He is brave. He is courageous. His mind is innocent, and his soul is wise. He is being carried through life by the Lord Jesus himself. He slaps his knee when he laughs. His personality is giant. Full of expression in manner and facial coordination, he compensates for any whisper sound that his vocal cords limit his speech to. He runs and jumps. He climbs and wrestles. He plays with his sisters and brother. He hugs his mom and dad. He tells us he loves us, and we tell him everyday, often, that we love him forever. We tell him we are glad he is in our family, and we are in his life. He is more than I could ever imagine. He is an example of perseverance, motivation, and dedication. He is in my family. He is a brother. He is my son. He is my baby boy. He is my Jared.

My first adventure in galaxy far away.

I have to be the happiest boy in the world right now. For the first time in all my three long years of having a physical body, I have ventured far into a foreign land of wonder and awe, yup, that being Utah.
Howdy folks, it is I, Prince Jared, once again coming to write of my exploits and wonderful amazing journey on this planet called earth. And I am able to do it today as I play and discover new things over here at my Grandpa George and Grannie Janices place in Provo Utah!
I have actually been allowed to travel more than 30 miles from Mary Bridge Childrens Hospital in Tacoma for the first time ever.
I am so happy that I have my awesome sisters with me, Savannah, Nalana, and Janae, my cool brother Mark, and my most sweet mommy.
I do miss the best dad in the world though. He started summer quarter this past Monday and needs to attend class.

So here I am and boy is it hot outside. Well, at least compared to the extended spring that has been going on up in Seattle. That means I can go swimming down here without freezing my little toushie off.

So far I visited my cousins and my Aunt Stacy in Nowhere Idaho, which is right next to Redneck Idaho. lol. There I was able to create all sorts of mischief with my siblings and cousins. None so much as the incident that occured Wednesday evening though back home on the farm.

Most of you know, in having children yourself, or being around them, that kids at the age I'm at now, three, are potty trained.Well, I just started working on that bit a few weeks ago. So on Wednesday evening I was feeling so inclined to have a seat on my new blue throne and accomplish some business. I gestured to my dad of my desire to do the deed, and he helped me out by setting me all up with a comfortable postion to accomplish this feat. At that time the phone rang and my dad left to go answer it. He passed the phone to mom who was in my bedroom. At that very moment he left the room, I got up and went to go see who was on the phone? Well, I made it to the door of the throne room and low and behold the deed occured. Ooops. Um, dad? Yup you guessed it, my valiance was rewarded by a slight mislocation of the WMD. Well, in not going in the original location, I then attempted to relocate the pile of byproduct where it belonged. Yes, Idug right into it and ever so gingerly proceeded to move it to my learning potty. A bit did end up on the walls, my hair, the extended surface area of the bathroom floor, but I was only trying to fix that which nature deemed best suited applied to the floor in front of the door. Mom came in, quickly looked at me, looked at the area the Weapon of Mass Destruction decimated, and told Dad that he probably didnt want to come in right then.

I was grinning ear to ear. It was funny. I mean really? Try pooping on your floor. There is a sense of liberation associated with just going where one would choose. Mom though wasn't really smilng, more of a "why me" mommy look. I was almost automatically thrown into the tub for a much needed scrubbing, and mom scoured the areas where the radioactive waste lingered.

But thats enough on that. I am sitting here in Podunk Utah, visiting family and eating some rather tasty morsels, mom made dinner, she always makes great stuff. We are playing games, singing, dancing, letting our grandparents love on us. I love getting hugs, and playing. To be three is awesome!

Well, I hope you all enjoy this coming weekend with your loved ones as much as I will. I am so glad for all the prayers that have been offered up for me. God has truly listened and answered them. I am humbled by the miracle of life. That I am able to be hear today. That I am able to grow up with persons that love me, and take care of me.

God be with you till we meet again my friends.

Peace and doughnuts forever,
Jared

It's a new year and I am cruising around my house! I am fairly proficient at walking now. In fact, I am sporting my official, "unofficial", Olympic gold medal around my neck as I trek around the place. Oh yeah baby, I am mobile to the extreme and loving it. This walking stuff is way cool. No more crawling around and getting outpaced by snails or sloths. No more being the only little kid at school that can't dunk the ball in the mini-hoop. No sir, not me. I am a giant among giant, or at least baby midgets. lol.

I feel so happy everyday too. I am able to run up to Mom and Dad and tackle them, or pretend I am a monster and grab their legs, or jump on their backs. I love being vertical!

I also love food! You name it, I love it. This food stuff ROCKS! Such delectable choices and tastes overflow at my place, due to my parents excellent culinary skills and palates. Even my oldest sister Savannah has started to cook for me every Friday evening. Yahoo! I am in Heaven, and my meal plates are the angels that carry the blessed morsels of tasty goodness to the table.

I am so glad to participate in games and fun activities with my brother Mark and my three sisters Savannah, Nalana, and Janae. They are always doing something to keep themselves busy. I just happen to assist them in achieving that task, (snicker). Often times I allow them to have me around, other times, for reasons I cannot fathom, they are closing their doors and telling mom to come and get me? It couldn't be that my diaper is sort of squishy could it? Or I just destroyed the Lego fort that took them the past two hours to construct? Nah, I know if they didn't want it torn down they wouldn't have built it right? (snicker again)

It is so nice to have mobility at my church class on Sunday. I love learning about Jesus, especially when they give me snacks such as grapes, berries of all sorts, crackers, and bananas on occasion. Then I join in on singing songs, the best I can with my trachea tube still sticking out of my throat. So glad when that thing will be gone, hopefully this coming year. I do love singing though. The tunes are in my head always as I am inundated by the children's songs at church and home. They are quite enjoyable to sing, hear, listen to, and even dance to. (big smile)

I am loving life and so look forward to being poked less as I still have many doctors appointments and blood draws. OUCH! That hurts already! Dad and Mom tell me that I still need some surgeries, but not yet. I guess I'll just keep on keeping on. And enjoy everyday as they come. Today is a gift, that is why we call it the present! God bless and be with you until next time. This is Jared signing off, peace and doughnuts!

I came across this again and although I did write this, I feel it so worthy to be added to the story of Baby Jared, and our family. I'm confident you too will find this heart warming and touching.


The Price of Children

This is just too good not to pass on to all. Here is something absolutely positive for a change. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice.

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family.

Talk about price shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.

But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:

* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month,
* $171.08 a week.
* A mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is: don't have children if you
want to be 'rich.' Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140.00?

* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how
your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up. You get to:

* finger-paint,* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,* catch lightning bugs,
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watch Saturday morning cartoons,
* go to Disney movies, and
* wish on stars.

You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets

and collect spray painted noodlewreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck.

You get to be a hero just for:

* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and
* coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat in history to witness the:

* First step,
* First word,
* First bra,
* First date,
* First time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal.

You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great- grandchildren.

You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God.

You have all the power to heal a boo-boo,
scare away the monsters under the bed,
patch a broken heart, police a slumber party,
ground them forever,
and love them without limits,

so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren!!!!!!!

It's the best investment you'll ever make!!!!!!!!!

Let us first start out today by saying that Baby Jared is alive and slowly improving month to month. He is twenty months old now and is doing things that a twenty month old boy does. What are these things you ask, well to start off, he totally loves to attack me with Kung Fu Panda like chopping quickness whenever I am within his ever so extending reach. Sometimes it's just a tap, how ya' doing, sort of hello, to my arm. While other times it's a smack in the head, woah that hurt really bad, can anyone find out where my eyeball is, sort of wake-up call. Jared laughs, giggles, smirks, and holds his right hand up to his mouth to try to emphasis his humor he has inflicted so painfully upon on me. Alas, I cannot be mad at the little guy. Jeepers, he is alive! No anger at all comes from me as I cringe at the pain still encompassing the impact point and surrounding area, should I say areas.

Savannah, Mark Jr., Nalana, and Janae, all his older siblings also find it belly busting funny when Jared practices his ninjitsu on me, and even Amber will start to crack up. To see how Jared's face and whole demeanor just light up the room though is so worth all money one can fathom in my imagination.

Jared also is able to be off his ventilator now for up to nine hours a day. Praise God above! He is able to tolerate the lack of pressure support from the ventilator with no adverse apparent symptoms for this long. This is wonderful. I cannot count the times I have cried out to God through prayers, pleading to Him to grant Jared improvement and allow him to be off his tubing, both digestive and respiratory assisting tubing.

how he loves to ride his Flintstones like feet powered car outdoors in the cul-de-sac upon these mild winter days we've been having. He loves being included in family singing, prayer, book reading, supper, activities of all sorts. And we love to include himtoo. Of course we do, he is our baby boy. He is my son.

So different my priorities in life have become. So more of an eternal outlook has my vision broadened into, since we found out over two years ago that our Jared had a congenital heart defect, and also almost loosing him to deaths' grasp back on Easter weekend and a few other times since then. I have so thankfully come to a new joyous level of gratefulness for my family, for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for His church on this earth today, for a Prophet called of God, even Thomas S. Monson, of whom which is alive even today in this day and age.

I am so grateful for the beautiful and intelligent lady that has choosen to be marriedto me for all time and eternity. She is such a blessing in my life. Amber is a wonderful daughter of God. A women that exemplifies love, and kindness to boundaries undefined by human language. Would she ever admit this? Heavens no. She'll probably get on me for writing such praise of her, she is to humble for acknowledging her divinity and near celestial ways. She is a marvelous mother to our children, whom adore her ever so much.

Jared had to go to the hospital yesterday, the ER at Mary Bridge in Tacoma. We all have colds here, and sadly, colds always affect him more so than the normal heart kid. He was extremely dehydrated, and vomiting.

He also has, as most of you that care know, a bad lung, the cold he has exsaparated the flem and secreations he puts out, which could lead to airway obstruction, bad juju. Gladly he was sent home late last night with another prescription, this makes about 101 prescriptions he is taking, to stave off his upchucking.

His brother and sisters are at various stages of the cold themselves. It would be nice if we had family to help, but alas, we don't. Thank you though to all of you friends of ours in and out of the church that help in so many ways, we couldn't be here without you. Untill later, have a great day, and thank you to all those once again who are so full of a loving heart.

In Christ,

Mark Proudlock

Jared Laughing, child of God.

Have you seen the new pics of Baby Jared? He is such a happy boy!

I love to breathe the smell of his hair into my lungs, and put his face next to mine. To hear the breath escapes his lungs and to feel his hands grab my skin. He is so smooth, and so soft. Such love iminates from his smile and eyes. To have him laugh today to the point the tears came to his eyes was a million dollars. Savannah put her head down in front of him then flung her head and hair back quickly while laughing, made him just burst into laughter, of course we all then did too.

He knows only love, only innocence, only a world of happiness and peace. Though hardship his body has encountered, his spirit is strong. For the Spirit of God is ever so present within him. Its so easy to feel the expression of love around him for he is sent to earth with love. Love that our Father in Heaven has for each of us, a child of God, and is filled with the light of Christ.
As you snuggle with your children tonight, and pray with them, kiss them, stroke their hair and kiss their cheek, concentrate on the fact that they are sent from our Heavenly Father. Sent to earth to learn love from you as their mommy, as their daddy,
So that they might return to him some day and feel the arms of our Saviour wrapped around them them saying "welcome home, job well done".

We truly have no idea how powerful our Father in Heaven is. We as humans, cannot, and will not ever be able to grasp the infinite capabilities that God, our Father in Heaven has, and is blessing our life with. We only need to turn to Him through the Son, Jesus Christ, in faith. The problem isn't that there's no evidence that God loves His children. The problem is we're afraid to believe it!

At the Lake with the family, great nursing!

Hello to you all,

How so we love your friendly calls and little visits. Your time and service to us is immeasurable by anyone's standards. What a rocky road you all have been on with us over this past year. Wow, has it been that long already?

Time flies quickly, as does adversity pass, as we face it head on, with Jesus Christ as our ally, and not shove it aside.

What a lovely Fourth of July we just celebrated that allows us to once again remember all that this country stands for and where exactly it is that we live. We live in a country that has allowed our child Jared to be alive! Savannah, Mark, Nalana, Janae, his siblings, are all so happy to have him in our lives, as are Amber and I.

We are at that point in which Jared is back home with us once again, although this time with a set of complicated medical issues that he didn't have four months ago when he was able to be at home for a full six months! His little heart, after undergoing muliple surgeries ( with more needed in the future), is stable for now, but his lungs need support through an exterior ventilator breathing machine attached to Jared constently through a trachea tube. We have been blessed to have aquired wonderful nursing assistance in our home, that are able to provide Jared with quality medical care outside of the hospitals. Jared is so happy to be home and see all our faces everyday, and hear the voices of his family.

This is the time more than any in which we will be needing your love and support. To be there as you can, to offer those long conversations of love and Christ like caring that so many of you have done so already.

Come look into Jared's loving blue eyes. Come see his eager smile and feel of his breath on your face. Come rub your fingers through his every so soft silken blond hair. Come experience a little miracle baby that Heavenly Father has given us, and of whom we have accepted to take care of.

One cannot order a perfect baby from the catalog of heaven. We have been allowed by our creator to have been given five wonderful children. Children of God that are all different, that are all here. Here to gain a physical body, and to to experience good and the bad of life. Amber and I are doing our best to raise our wonderful angels in a manner pleasing unto the Father. This can only be done through following His Son Jesus Christ.

As we do our best to accomplish this task, we might ask you for some help now and then. If we do, and you are able to, we are so grateful. Let us grow, you and us, closer to one another through this angel, Jared, that our Father has put here for us to help. Let us forgive each other of things that have burdened us in the past. Let us look into the future with a brightness and hope of things yet to come.

Our Father knows us, He loves us, He wants us to be happy and have joy. A new time is now upon the us, the Proudlocks, and with you by our side we will both grow in spirit and love.

In Christ,

The Proudlocks

Could you all pray with me please. Father, please heal my baby who is in Mary Bridge Hospital, heal his heart, lungs, brain, and hand. Fill him with thy comforting spirit and love and healing power. In thy sons holy name Jesus Christ, Amen.

A special thank you to Rebecca, Kelly, and Sharon Yadon, who visited this week at the hospital. Thank you also to Diane Nielson and Ronni Thompson, and Sister and Brother Laird, and Becky Ledesquet, whom all of which helped this week so much.

So many of you have done so much for us, it's hard for me to show my appreciation the correct way, but I do appreciate it, beyond words. I will try to acknowledge to you all more often and directly how so I am touched by your willingness to donate your time, and means to help me and my family. Also, please forgive my spelling errors, I guess I am human after all, lol

From Jared:
I was all smiles today as mom and dad enetered in my room and visited me in the hospital. They said It was wonderful to see me, their miracle baby looking at them and being glad I am in their life.
Sadly, due to what I've been through so far in my young life, having chest compressions done on me multiple times, and being on life support twice, I found out today that I have had numerous small strokes, and I will have to face the world with a deck of cards that are hard to play. Knowing I am a sick little baby boy, this was not surprising, yet disheartening to hear nontheless.

I am so glad to be alive, and feel very happy that Heavenly Father has blessed me with this body to come to earth to receive. Me parents tell me I have a very special mission to accomplish, I am just not privy to this assignment at this point in time. I dont know when I will be home yet. I do know that I will coming home with a ventilator though, amongst various other medical support items. Thank you all for your supporting me, the one and only baby boy, especially to those that take the time to visit me, and offer support to my mom and dad, believe me, they desperatelty need it.

Peace, Love, and Doughnuts!

Jared

So thankful...

What a wonderful blessing to have these children of God in our lives! Jared is slowly improving. Amazing compared to a few weeks ago when he was seemingly teetering on life' edge. God the Father through the Son has blessed Jared with a miraculous recovery. I do not pretend to understand why, or the full reason why. Faith is like that. What Father you have in store for me, I ask. Please allow me to accept thy will. Please also hear the prayers of my heart to thee! That's what it's all about, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in the power of God manifest through the Son.

These past four days or so the nurses have been weaning Jared from sleepy night night medicines and he has become more of the Jared we know and love. He is able to focus on us and react to our bedside presence more and more every day. His right hand is free from IVs and he has become a baby choir director! Moving about and pulling, tugging on anything he can reach and getting his hand on. He is even smiling a bit at Amber and I! Praise God! Our baby is here and being himself. The little person that we grew to know and love the six months he was home with us in between his hospitalizations.

My perspective on humanities existence has changed so much through the witnessing of my sons eventful and challenging, and blessed life. How so i appreciate my beautiful children. I would miss every aspect of them if they weren't here tomorrow. How cherished are the moments we spend with those we love and care about.

I am motivated to be a better man, husband, father, and christian as to allow my family to receive the result of acton taking that would lead to a better quality of life, now and in the eternities that await. From one parent to another, you might have similar feelings towards the people that have been placed in your stewardship. It is our responsibility to raise our posterity with the Savior being the foremost thing in our lives. No doubt exists now in my mind that this is true. To act now while they are young will strengthen them for when they move into their own.

I look forward to hearing from you soon my friend, peace be with you.

In Christ,
mark proudlock

Howdy folks, its me again, Jared. I've been letting my dad write for me while I have been somewhat busy. A couple of weeks ago I was visiting with angels! I saw them in my room while the doctors fixed me up. Yeah, it just wasn't my time to go. Ya'll know that we all have a time dont ya? Big people, little people, none of us knows for sure, but one thing is sure, it's a coming. Are you guys ready?! Not that it'll be here tonight, but then again, one never knows.

My parents and a whole lot of family and friends have been praying for me. Shoot, I'd pray for myself even if I thought it would do any good. But I don't really prayer yet. I'm a baby, we communicate with our Father in Heaven differently then you might expect. Yeah, the vail of forgetfulness is their, but we are still so new to the world that the desires of our hearts, no pun intended, are felt by God, badabing! Sounds cool huh?

Today the ventilator tube is still in my nose, but the pacemaker is on backup mode! YEE HAW! I am working! That makes me so happy to be able to work/ exsist still on this earth. I am going to try to accomplish the measure of my creation while I have this mortal experience!

The docs think I am amazing, well duh! Just check out mom and dad, nuff said.

I was breathing on my own today for about fifteen minutes or so, then back on ventilator. At least they aren't taking the whole thing out, and having to put it back down in my throat, that totally is not comfortable. I do not prefer that! They are going to give me a chance a couple times a day to have the vent off as to bulid up my lungs. Hopefully my left lung stays inflated and continues to work, and makes my blood happy with lots of O2. O2 is very refreshing. Please don't take it for granted! Our bodies sort of need it for continual survival. Well, ya'll have a pleasent evening, and get a hold of my parents to arrange a time that you might come pay homage to me. lol Peace, love, and doughnuts!
Jared Joseph

Woah

THis past saturday was scary. We almost lost our baby boy Jared, but by the grace of God, through the son Jesus Christ, Jared is still with us today. He is still in a stable state of critical care. He requires a pacemaker, and a ventilator. But just yesterday he was opening his eyes looking at us, and squeezing our finger with his hand. We dont know how long he will be in the hospital, but he is getting the support that he needs now there. You all have a pleasent day, pancakes, and pleasentness to you all.
IN Christ,
Mark

So today I went to a brand new place, although I never actually left the house. Hmmmm.......what could that be you ask, as you sit in anticipation of the announcement? I went to the land of happy! Yup thats right, I was so happy when my daddy came home I just couldn't help myself. I was all smiles, and I got so excited I puked! Yup, I puked. It was exhilirating! Right when dad was going to pick my up and hold me in his lap for dinner I let it loose baby! And the weird thing is, I was still happy after doing that! I love my dad, my mom, sisters, and brother! Well, I gotta go for now, trying to get a job I am, this economy is a bugger isn't it? lol

Just a quick shout out to you all! Come see me on facebook.com too! My dad put alot of pictures about me there, and he has alot of friends, lds buddies, family, and boogerheads that ya'll can get a hold of! I love fried chicken and Spinach, or at least they smell good.Jared

November Rain

LOL, some of you might recognize the title of this blog. But yup I got some weird stuff falling on my face the other day! WAHHH! Wait, it wasn't that bad. But it was wet. Weird, now I know what it is like to be wet on both ends of me. lol

So here it is. On Dec 27, at 5pm at a location near you, to be released upon finialization, big word. My folks are hosting a Potluck celebration to honor ME! Yup, little ole me. They tell me I am a miracle baby and stuff, but I am just trying to get by like the rest of you. But hey, I consider any reason to have a party is a good reason, right? And besides it follows one of the laws of BROP ism. Party On! This will be a family oriented affair so bring all you little ones, kids, so I might become better aquainted with them. Most of them have been on this earth longer then me and I sort of miss their sweet spirits! Remember this is family friendly, so please bring only kid friendly drinks and food to share and Please RSVP upon you checking your calendars to see if that date is open for ya'.

I hope many of you will make it to see me. I am so cute, thats what I am told at least. I look just like my dad, so how can I be anything but cute......right? The word RETORICAL, comes into play their, just to let you know.

I am glad to be alive. I am glad to see my family everyday, and breath a full breathe of fresh air into my lungs. Some of my arteries may be made of gortex, and I might only have a two chamber heart and one valve, but air is nice none the less! Sort of essential, big word, I am told to my well being, and happiness! (inject smiley face)

Well, please give my mom and or dad a jingle via. facebook, or email, or something and pick up those pennies you see laying around on the ground, stuff them into an envelope and help me with my surgeries and stuff that are a big certain for my future.

And if you have the time beside the 27, come and visit me at home! Just don't forget to wash up and take off your shoes upon entering my castle! lol

Peace, Love, Doughnuts

Jared Joseph Proudlock

Halloween!

I have been home now for a month or so. My mom and dad have been so busy with me and my brother and sisters that they havnt had time to write in here for a while. I am so glad to be home. I am almost 13 lbs. and am so happy to sneak all Marks ( brother) candy for the season. mark is almost seven years old! He is so cool, as is my sisters! I love life, and love dads big tv to watch the football games on!

See you soon!

Jared Joseph

Wanting to go to Hawaii!

Wow! I am a crazy boy! why do I say that? Because I must be crazy to want to hang out in this hospital for soooooooooooooo longgggggggggggggg. I have been here since June 5th, and I am really getting ready to go home. My bags are packed I'm ready to go. I wish I was leaving on a jetplane. To a place far away. Perhaps Hawaii, yeah, that would be great! I need a vacation from this place ya'll call earth! I need a paradise place like hawaii! To bad though that Dole has closed the pineapple production orchards their, or so I hear.

I am breathing on my own now, and even my little heart is beating on my own too! Pretty cool huh?! I still have a tube up my nose, down my throat, and into my gut, but hey I'm alive baby! I'm alive! Remember that Living life lively is to be Alive! How many of you can say that you are doing that? The lively living part? Are all of you living life to its fullest? Enjoying every breath God has giving you? Doing things today you have been putting off for ever? Feeling perhaps a breath of fresh air that you have been craving forever and a day?

Man oh man, I am so thankful to God, our Father in Heaven for every breath I am able to take. For every minute spent with my family. For every drop of the concotion that the nurses call food that is pumped into my tummy through the "tube".

My hand is sort of hurting a bit. MORPHINE! Ahh, the answer to my prayers. This stuff is cool! It says, pain, pain, go away, I am going to sleepy night, night land today! Ah yeah! But remember, to get this you'd have to be a sick person like me, so I don't recommend that. Thank goodness for modern medicine! Wonderful compared to just a few decades ago, yet archaic compared to Dr. McCoys' practice! lol ( remeber, lol means a joke!) Are you listening uncles?! Stay away from the morphine! lol

So, they tell my mom and dad that I am slowly getting better, which stinks, the slowly part. I wish Drs' Woods, Boville, McClosky, Pascal, Asplen, McCready, Kim, Stefanelli, and the rest could figure out a get better quick pill. I would be so grateful to them. I hate IVs in the tummy! Give me drugs you evil pokers of flesh! Or be gone you vile creatures!

Well, I gotta go crash after I toot!
Go and enjoy yourselves for goodness sakes, God made us to have joy!

Jared Joseph Proudlock

Ole McDonal had a farm!

I am so jealous right now! I know that I am not supposed to be, but I am. Yesterday my siblings went to a farm! Yup, I real life, chickens, sheep, and things farm, and right outside of Kent towards Covington. Yes, there is still the rural part of King County left, even after all the building up the past decades, or so I am told.

Well, Savannah, Mark, Nalana, and Janae had a blast. They chased the animal through the grass, of which was tall as savannah, and way taller then the rest of them. They even brought home some yummy farm raised eggs! I am so jealous, did I mention that? I have to sit here in this hospital bed all day and night. At least I seem to be getting better.

The Dr. says my heart is doing well, and my lungs too. I am having a little trouble with my tummy though. It doesnt hurt much, but I am retaing a bit of water, and can't really digest food like the nurses and doc thought I could yet. So I am back to IVing it with a vitamin supplement and sucrose based yum yums.

They are going to have to call in a doc that figures out what is wrong with my tummy and fix it up all nice and swell.

Mommy has been coming every day to visit me as dad went back to work this week. Mom tells me that dad wishes he could come up every day too, and misses me something terrible! Alas, he doesn't play the lottery, so we are going to be rich, so he has to work, lol.

Mom even brought her "sister" Rebecca with her yesterday to visit with me. I sure like Mom and Becca, they are so nice, and read books, plays music, and talk to me alot. Moms cousins Phil and Josie have come up alot to see me too! I sure love visitors, especially family, coming up to see me and talk with me.

Well, I need to rest for now, Hope to see some of you soon! Oh no! I just fluffed!

Jared

Food, FOod, FOOd, FOOD!

Ya'll don't even know what hunger is! Today is the first day since Sunday night that I had anything tangible to eat! Well sure, they gave me some sort of liquid imitation nourishment through my IV, but get real, it was not food! There is nothing more tastier then fresh milk, right from the best source in the world, Mom! Yummy stuff it is. So I am now allowed to start eating 2 cubic centimeters of food, distributed over a whole hour! No, that isn't alot. It will definitly keep me slim and healthy. Hey, this sounds like a great eating plan for some of you too!

So the fact that I am able to actually consume some tasty, nutritious, milk means I am getting better. Yeah slowly but surely for now I seem to be getting better. I was only able to take the milk through a tube that goes all the way past and in my nose to my tummy. So the tastiness of todays milk is still up in the air, but if it anything like last Sundays........ OH YEAH!

I hear its better then a T-Bone steak right off of daddys grill. Whats that you say you havn't had a steak off my dads grill, you are missing a part of the meaning of your exsistence! When I was up in heaven its all I could do to not take a big whiff of those tasty morsels! Definitly something I am looking forward to. Hey, I got an idea. You, reading this blog, should invite yourselves over to pops place and chow down on some yummies! Just tell dad that I sent you, you see, I got an "in", with him. lol

So, I am being weened off of the ventilator, today I had regular mix of air going into my lungs, as opposed to yesterday wherein the mix had a forty percent concentration of O2. Today it is 21% of O2. I did develop a mild splotchy rash from some anti-biotic, of which the doc stopped that one and started me on a new one. That is one thing too that I am still on is a lot of meds right now. A whole med tree sits by my bed with seven or so branches of meds on them, although not everyone is being used at all times.

I can't wait to go camping with my family, and also meet some girls at church my age. These nurses are sweet and nice and stuff, but for reals they will be grandmas by the time I can even date at 16!

Thank you for all your prayers for me. The fact that I can sit here and eat, and have my heart do its pumping thing with out the ecmo machine is evidence to me that God lives! Jesus is the Christ! He has His true and living church on this earth today! That blessings received by the laying on of hands by my daddy, and Brother Palmer, do work, and Heavenly Father hears the prayers of all off us, His children.

Well, I got to go and fill up another diaper, have a great night!

Jared