Celeste

My brother-in-law's oldest sister has been battling MS for years. Unfortunately no treatments have been able to help her beat this disease, but she never gives up! Her positive attitude is so inspiring! They've recently heard of a new treatment that is having very promising results, however it is incredibly expensive. After years of treatment, they are asking for help financially. Please take a second to read the attached paragraph. You can also see a video of Celeste on facebook.com/celesteoldhamfund. If you can donate in any form, even just a few dollars, it would be greatly appreciated!!!

Celeste Paxman Oldham was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at age 19. A few months later her disease went into remission, as is common with most M.S. victims, but relapsed at age 24 shortly after her marriage to Matt Oldham. This time the M.S. attack was severe and unrelenting. Despite following the treatment plans prescribed by her doctors and neurologists, it quickly left her in a wheelchair and disabled to the point of being unable to care for herself. With the help of family and friends Celeste has continued to battle her disease. She has participated in numerous traditional and alternative treatment programs over the years but her recovery has been limited. Celeste is now 34 years old, and though her condition is slowly worsening her positive attitude is unwavering. Armed with a smile she continues to hope for the best. A new promising treatment has been found that just might be what she’s been searching for. She just needs your help. No donation is too small or insignificant. A little help from a lot of people like you is all it will take for Celeste to receive this new treatment. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.

Moving Day!

The last few months have been incredibly stressful for my mom- since it was tax season my dad was understandingly overwhelmed trying to finish out his last tax season and getting all of his clients taken care of as well as everything finished around the office. So my mom pretty much single-handedly got them packed and ready for the movers to come. She had to think of little things like taking a three years supply of Blistex for my dad- he won't use any other chapstick. And a three year supply of razors.


(I love this picture! It's such a typical look on both of my parents faces!)

Well, this last Thursday the movers came and got everything shipped off to Korea! They had a total of 61 boxes (including my dad's HUGE massage chair which will definitely be a necessity with all the stress he'll be under dealing with those crazy missionaries). Porter and I were there all day to help them out with the moving process- it was crazy to see all of the boxes with their stuff being carried away- but in a way it was very healing for me!

It's gonna be an intense/stressful/fun/spiritual/eventful three years for these two- I will miss them so much but I can't even describe how incredibly excited I am for both of them. Dad gets to go back to the mission and people he loves so much, and Mom finally gets to serve her mission in a place she loves and with people she loves so much. I sure am grateful that Dad made sure we were raised around the Korean Culture and Korean People, because we all love it so much!

I can't wait to see how much good they do!!

Bop's Boy

With my dad leaving so soon, he's taking every opportunity to cuddle with the grandkids as much as possible.
Porter's shirt says "Grandpa's little slugger"- Dustin and I bought this shirt 3 or 4 days after my parents got their call and I specifically got a 0-3 so that Porter could wear it while my dad was still here... When I saw the shirt in Carter's I instantly broke down in tears- the joy of being a hormonal pregnant woman finding out your parents are going to be on the other side of the world for three years... it was great!


I took the next two pictures on Mother's Day- we went to church with Mom and Dad, and I loved seeing Porter in his shirt and tie cuddling with Bop in his suit...
They're my two missionaries! Given, Dad is literally going to be a full time missionary for the next three years, but Porter is my little member missionary.

I love these two! I'm such a Daddy's girl- it's hard to imagine not having my dad around for three years- but I sure am grateful Heavenly Father blessed me with my sweet baby boy to keep me busy!

I Can Do Hard Things...

So my parents "theme" for their mission is "I can do hard things..." so my mom has asked each of us to make sure we document things that are originally really hard for our kids (i.e. swim lessons, riding a bike, etc.) and send them pictures/videos of them when they first start, and when they've mastered it.

Well I had the idea when we got home from the hospital of making my mom an "I can do hard things" frame with a picture of Porter in the NICU and a picture of him once he was home. Then I decided to throw in one of his hospital bracelets (the NICU one) as well as his blood pressure cuff from the NICU.


Anyway, this is how it turned out:

(ignore the funky reflection- this was as the movers were finishing packing up all of mom and dad's stuff so we had to hurry and get it bubble wrapped to ship- so I just took a real quick snapshop of it)

Smile Big

Since Mom & Dad are ditching out on us for the next three years, we decided we needed an updated family picture.

(The last ones we took we didn't have Dustin, Porter, Austin, Mya, or Baby Gilbert in....)

We decided it was pretty brutal to have family pictures with two women who JUST had babies, and one who is due in a few weeks.... but it was definitely time for an update!

Bop & Gramma with all the Grandbabies

Erika, Austin, Landon, Mya, Porter, & Camila

The kids

Eduardo, Michael, me, Jen

The whole family

Back row: Eduardo, Michael, Erika, Bop, Gramma, Aaron, Dustin

Front Row: Debbie, Camila, Chelsy, Mya, Austin, Jen, Landon, Porter, Me

The "Original" Gilbert Family

My little family...

Eduardo, Debbie, & Camila

Chelsy, Michael, Mya, & Baby Gilbert

Aaron, Jen, Austin, Erika, & Landon