inspiring others

I loved this blog post from my company's blog yesterday. It talks about inspiring others, particularly children, and cites the example of Gregg Breinberg's PS22 Choir. I remember sitting at a Cleveland Orchestra Christmas concert in 2008, listening to a piece by Beethoven. As the beautiful music touched and inspired me, I thought of how one person can make a difference in the lives of countless others, even without fully realizing it. Enjoy the post.

this is probably TMI and WARNING! there is a photo attached that may make some queasy

Minus the chronic headaches I've had since the beginning of time, and minus my one incident with scarlet fever, I have never had any sort of health problems. Occasional cold? Sure. Last time I was nauseous enough to throw up? Four years ago due to a shot that made me sick. Broken bones? Radius and ulna in fifth grade and ankle two years ago (which I am proud to say I didn't realize I had broken until months after the fact, so, last time I wore a cast? Fifth grade.). But lately? Lately my body is freaking.out.


*Allergies that have swollen the folds inside my nostrils to gargantuan proportions, so much that it's difficult to breathe. Oh, I've been prescribed four different medications to get those things to de-swell and they haven't deflated at all? Oh, cool. Good thing I have a mouth.


*Three planters warts on one of my heels. Noticed them after my vacation to Chile last September. Note to everyone, no amount of love you have for a country will magically erase the viruses it houses: wear shoes at all times when in South America.


*Tiredness. I would say four out of the seven days of the week, I'm ready to fall asleep by 9:00 p.m. If Brad and I are watching TV together once it's dark outside, it is guaranteed that I will fall asleep. He's starting to get annoyed. (Sometimes the tiredness is exchanged with insomnia. Sometimes I sleep for 11 hours in one night. It always equates to not being able to wake up early in the morning.)


*Sore throat. Oh hey, Mr. Sore Throat, time to go away. Remember how much I have to use my mouth to breathe? I can't shut you off too and not swallow.


*TMJ. Ibuprofen is my new best friend. I love when a doctor tells me to take 800 mg three times a day. I'm sure a stomach ulcer is bound to come up next.


*Rash or eczema or hives? For some reason, this is the one that disturbs me the most. I first noticed a dry spot on my chest a few weeks ago. Then it started to grow. Then I got a few other spots on my neck. Then they started to grow. Then to top it off, this morning I noticed small red dry spots all over my torso. Can't wait for them to grow.


All of that being said, I also want to say that I really am grateful for my body.  I'm grateful for the knowledge I have that everyone was created in the image of God and that our bodies are temples. I'm especially grateful that I don't have large health concerns (nor have I ever for that matter). I'm grateful that I can walk, smell, touch, feel, see, hear, run, listen, laugh, and enjoy life. I'm grateful for modern medicine and for doctors who can help me. And I'm grateful for health insurance.


I'm also grateful that one of my favorite people in the world didn't die from a staph infection in his knee two and a half years ago. I am eternally grateful for family members and friends all around the world (literally) who fasted and prayed for the sweetest boy in the entire world to get better. It still makes me emotional when I think about it. Read my uncle Winslow's email below to learn more about what my brother Aaron went through in October 2008. He's perfect now :)

Just bein' a little trooper in the hospital, takin' it easy, sippin' some juice, missin' something like 8 weeks of school that year. (Most of those weeks were spent at home, thankfully, and not at Akron Children's Hospital.)

Just giving Share his three-times-a-day meds thru his PICC line the day I got home from my mission.

Yep. That's a hole in his leg. Aaron had a vacuum pump in there and the nurse had to come over to our house every other day to clean it out.

Aaron Johnson, Keith and Carlie's son who is a Junior in High School, had ACL knee surgery last week.  When the Doctor opened the knee, the joint presented more problems than expected.  The surgery seemed to go well, however, Aaron developed an infection in the joint itself that required 2 additional surgery's last weekend to clean the joint and infected tissue.  The goal was for Aaron to be released from the hospital last Sunday, but I found out tonight that he is still in the hospital where he has remained the last 8 days.  He has missed 3 weeks of school so far and is scheduled for another surgery tomorrow morning at 7am.

According to the infectious disease specialist, the infection score needs to be around a 3 for Aaron to be released.  The last 2 days, he has scored a 10.5 and that is while on one of the strongest anti-infection medications Aaron can use.  The doctor's are hopeful this additional surgery will work, however, if this doesn't work the ACL graft will be removed on Monday with a 5th surgery in a week and a half.

Dealing with infections is no fun matter and they can be very unpredictable.  Knee infections are very rare and this is why I am writing to each of you tonight.  I asked Keith if I could send this note and he told me the more who can help the better.  When I asked Keith what we could do to help, he stated he needed a miracle.

Keith's, Stuart's and my family are starting a special fast tonight for Aaron and I am asking on behalf of Keith, Carlie and Aaron that you join us in this effort.  We are fasting for his speedy recovery; that the doctor's will be guided by the Spirit; that Aaron will have the gift to be healed and that this surgery will remove the disease and for Aaron to return to school, healthy.

I hope we all have had an experience where fasting provides miracles.  If you haven't had this experience yet, what an opportunity to see the miracle of God's power. I know from personal experience that this gift we have on this earth works and with the proper amount of faith, anything is possible with God.

Thank you everyone and God bless.

my favorite candids

Get to know us better through some phtos, all of which were taken by my extremely talented uncle, Stuart Johnson.

Does he make me laugh? Every day. Actually, when Brad asked my dad if he could marry me, my dad said to him, "Make Amanda laugh. She needs that."

And he thinks he's pretty funny himself. No doubt laughing at his own joke, not mine.

BYU's Maesar Building seemed a fitting venue for our engagement photos. I have already graduated from BYU, and Brad will be graduating this June, struttin' his stuff in a cap and gown at the Marriott Center this week! Also note that Brad's eyes are closed in two-thirds of these pics.

We like to kiss. Wait for it.

There it is. Can't wait to wake up to one of those every morning.

I can't get enough of this boy :) For those of you who haven't met him yet, I promise you will LOVE him. (My friends like him more than they like me.)

DREAMboat.

oh, you've never made a german chocolate cake before?

Last Sunday was Brad's birthday. When he told me what type of cake he wanted me to make, I was a little nervous. German Chocolate. Has anyone ever made that from scratch? I didn't even know what it was. But thanks to some recipe help from Brad's mom and sister, we had a cake. Happy birthday, sweetie.

 [Yes, the frosting somewhat resembles boogers in appearance. I promise it was delicious.]

d.c.

I love Mormon Messages. These people make me want to be a better person by being more like them. They seem so cool. My friend Jenny introduced me to Sheryl. You will love her video. I plan to be friends with her when we move to D.C.





Yes. We are moving. In August. [Me, that is. Brad moves first in July.] I'm so proud of Brad. He'll be graduating from BYU with not only an outstanding GPA but a fantastic job. In August he starts working as a naval reactors engineer at the Navy Yard in D.C. I'm really excited for the move. I've always loved and wanted to live on the east coast. Lots to do, though, before then.