Letter from Josh 31 August 2009

Whats up everybody?

so this week was a bit crazy. between going to Nairobi and then running around here trying to catch up it was nuts. and i get to do it all again this week cause we have to go to chyulu to do exchanges. i leave for chyulu as soon as i finish writing you and we don't get back till Wednesday night. so it will be another half week in the area.
Elder Holland was really cool though. He was accompanied y Elder Khoeleker (not sure that is spelt right) of the seventy. they are doing a big tour of Africa and dedicating some new countrys to be opened for missionary work and some stuff like that. they actually weren't even scheduled to visit us. they had a six hour layover in nairobi on their way to uganda, and somehow Pres Taylor found that out and then sweet talked him in to visiting us during the layover. so the meeting was held at a hotel just by the airport. both elder Khoeleker and Elder Holland spoke to us for about a half hour each. Elder Khoeleker spoke about building strong foundations. in our own life and for the branches we are serving in. it was good, but he kept looking at Elder Holland to make sure he wasn't saying anything wrong, which was really funny. Then Elder Holland spoke to us about a few different things. He really just stood up and started talking about whatever came to his head. but that didn't make it any less cool. infact it was probably a lot more powerful that way, totally and completely led by the spirit, and you could feel it.
He started out speaking about Joseph Smith. about how only Christ has done more for this world than he has. i have always excepted this, but hadn't really thought about it much. He spoke about how moses and jeremiah and etc. we so restricted to just one place, one nation, but because of Joseph Smith the gospel is across the world. He talked about how even back in the times of those prophets there was only one temple for the whole world. and while ordinances for the living could be done, ordinances for the dead were not yet possible, because Christ had not yet "rent the vail," which happened as he ascended to heaven and taught in the spirit world. His closing remarks on that topics were "We have the audacity to base our whole church on a fourteen year old boy, that said a prayer, and then took on himself the responsibility of saving every living and dead soul. and beyond that, we have the audacity to send out 19 year old boys to spread that message. The Lord wants you young. he wanted Joseph young, and he wants you young."
The rest of the time he spoke about how preach my gospel was made to save the souls of the missionary. He said that there wasn't really a problem with the memorized discussions from the side of the investigators. the problem was that missionary's could have it all memorized and tell Mr. Brown all about the gospel, without feeling or truly knowing a thing themselves. He then said that anytime he meets a returned missionary that has gone inactive he either wants to punch them in the face, or jump of a bridge himself, and sometimes both. "It has to mean more than that" became his them for the rest of what he spoke about. and here he ended with "Be the kind of missionary your mother thinks you are." And all throughout his speaking he would tell us that he loved us and that he has been sent by the rest of the Apostles and the first prsidency to send their love for us as well. It was a very powerful talk. i wish i could just sit and listen to him speak all day. He was powerful, and pretty funny too, which i wasn't expecting from him.
xxxxH
x H
x x
x x
that was that shape of the seating arrangement. so he was at the head on the far right and i was the first chair right at the front of the column on the right (the H's, for Harris and Holland). but the tables weren't big enough to hold us all so i was only like two inches from him the whole time, and then like two feet away when he was talking to us. He didn't say anything to me personally, and there wasn't any time for questions since he was rushing in between flights and stuff to see us. it was a great night though.
Not so excited for the bus trip to chyulu. but mom i am going to have to ask that you reverse your prayers and ask that i do run into some of the wild animals. cause chyulu is the only true bush area in the mission. and i would love some sweet pictures and cool stories. i promise i wont try to do anything stupid if i do see them, unless i see an angel that tells me it is ok.
anyways, have a great week. i will talk to you next Monday. I love you guys!

Love,
Josh

Sam is SO Fifteen!!!

Mr. "I Can't stand to spend money", gotta shop at DI, actually asked for an IPOD TOUCH for his birthday...and when this boy asks for ANYTHING I try pretty darn hard to help him get it...and already it has been worth it. Even ME, the mom, thinks this gizmo is FREAKING COOL...no monthly payment and he can facebook and e-mail! It shows music vidoes...YOU probably already know all about it...but I am IMPRESSED. His birthday morning he and Spencer golfed in a tournament at Fox Hollow with the Stake --it was a foursome, Ben Platt and Don Harline. They golfed 10 under...we are still waiting to hear who won. We went to Olive Garden for lunch and even Megan and Michael made it. Last night his friends just kept trickling in and pretty soon it was a full fledged party. I think he had a great day. I am so self centered. I have spent alot of time the last few days thinking how SAD that it has been 15 years since I had my own baby ....15 years!!!!
Michael is officially moved into the GLENWOOD...I'll get pictures for you next week. He is rooming with Matt Matheson, Brad Nichols, Garrett Justice...you can only imagine HOW FUN that is going to be!!! Check out Megan's blog if you can...she is LOVING teaching.
Spencer is tearing it up on the golf course. SO IS SAM...Sam tied for first in qualifying on Thursday. Spencer has such a cushy schedule for his senior year!!! He doesn't have a fourth period AND he has 2 PE classes...he came home the other day after being at the pool for one of the PE classes and laughed and said...I guess I have got some size on me...some of those kids are just BOYS! Made me laugh! One thing is for sure...we build Harris boys THICK.
Hey! Dad went 16 miles on Saturday and ran 14 of them! The farthest he's ever been! I was pretty impressed!
Ted Kennedy died this week and so did Patriarch Matthews (today). I spoke in church today--SO glad that's over. I bet you have to speak ALOT Josh...that would not be my favorite.
I keep thinking about your LONG bus rides and wishing I could get you an IPOD or a shuffle...but that might make you a target for theft huh? I KNOW they are not allowed...just seems CRAZY to have all those hours....just think about me :)
Grand Dad meets with Dr. Donald tomorrow and that will be interesting. Dr. Donald called me this week and told me that GrandDad isn't doing as good as he has been...that he is going to talk to him about his plans for the winter and not traveling on a plane...that his arterial heart disease is bad--he told me he is a walking time bomb. I had e-mailed him that I was thinking about not coming until March when I give him the 90th birthday party, but Dr. Donald said I probably shouldn't wait...to just come sometime soon...then he laughed and said but with your GrandDad he could still be here in 5 years! Anytime ANYONE tries to get GrandDad to make a decision about ANY change he gets all worked up. Lots more little things going on with him as well. I think it is interesting that not long after I go with Preston's philosophy (Taoist) DO NOTHING AND EVERYTHING WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF---or in our scripture...Be still, and know that I am God....Dr. Donald CALLS ME!!!! He even wondered about his Drivers liscene....and I just sat here over 2000 miles away, smiling....
Diana is in Primary with us FINALLY!!! It feels like HOME again. This week Kristina was diagnoised with MS...the same as Ali has. My heart is just broke...but then, if ANYONE were to get it and just deal with it head on and make the best of it...it would be Kristina. I can see her Body Talking herself right OUT of it!!! OR FINDING the CURE!!! I have had the sweetest peace when thinking of it, and surprised at the HOPE I feel connected to it. Keep her in your prayers. No real word on Tiffany Schoell, they removed the cancerous tumor and have started the chemo. Bishop asked us all to specifically send our prayers out in her behalf.
I love you. So do tons of people. Every week people are still asking....and I'm still half smiling and saying "Africa is GREAT!" I pray that the bugs will stay away. I pray that the wierd wildlife will stay away. I pray that you will get yummy food, and have sweet dreams and make amazing friends, and change the world the way you hope to.....I pray for your safety and for your companion to be pleasant and if possible FUNNY....and definetly FLEXIBLE. I pray that you will be able to feel our love all the way to there. I have to admit last Monday was freaky...I imagined ALOT of stuff and spent a fair amount of time on GOOGLE trying to figure out why you might be delayed...SO...did you get counted in the census? SO grateful to hear from you on Wednesday...I KNEW you would KNOW to still get something to me even if it was short. THANK YOU. ANything you need? want? hope for?
Waiting for you in my dreams...lets go somewhere with WATER!
Your momma loves you...and so does your whole dang family!!!
XXXX OOOO MOM OOOOXXXXX

Friday Night High School Football Games

Friday night Pleasant Grove (Spencer and all our older 3 kids alma mater) played Timpanogas (Sam's new High School). PG crushed Timpanogas.[36-6].We were so sad to have to sit on the Timpanogas side...there were NO SEATS on the visitor side and as you can see kids and PG fans were standing lining the entrance and sitting on the hillside. Dad's back can only take so much so we headed to the Timp side so he could sit with a back rest and found we were surrounded by PG fans...amazing the fans PG has in comparison to Timp. Dallas Lloyd, PG's quarter back is magic to watch...this kid is FAST and slippery...he will play for Stanford next year. Pretty impressive. Just the FEELING of being at the Friday night football games is exciting. How I love a game. It was pretty bizarre to have Sam on one side and Spencer on the other.....

Pumpkin for Soledad

Geez I LOVE MY YARD!!! I LOVE to plant and weed and SIT and SWING...the sunflowers are so majestic now.
Josh...Carlos and Soledad's daughter--SOLEDAD, (Josepha's little sister) gets to come and live with us from October thru February!!! I am SO THRILLED!!! Another girl in the house! And she'll just turn 11 before she comes! She is beautiful and has been IM'ing me and between my horrific Spanish and her shy English it is hysterical! I'm excited to have my Spanish skills brushed up. I hope she can endure all the BOY stuff that goes on here. Megan Hulsey is her age and so is Hannah Sanders and Lauren Allphin...it will be so great to have them all in our home so much (I HOPE!!!) She'll go to Lindon Elementary in the day and take piano lessons as well. But that bigmax pumpkin hanging off the vine by the dog run is for her...it's HUGE...and by October it should be a beauty!! I love that I can see it from the kitchen window. And if anything happens to that one the next picture is of the back up pumpkin...they don't do the whole Halloween thing there so this should be fun for her! We'll have plenty of regular sized jack o lanterns from the garden as well. We have zuchinni, yellow squash, tomatoes, green peppers...all coming out our ears :)

Sam making his Birthday the BOMB!

Okay...no cousins, nieces or nephews or ANYONE for that matter is allowed to try this at home or alone...even though they taught this to Sam in his Honors Chemistry class!!! He was so excited about it he asked me if he could do it here at home so I could see. I was NOT prepared for the kaboom! This Bomb is called "the works"(because you use the toilet cleaner The Works in it)...I am sorry for the 20 or so second wait...I didn't know how long it was going to take to detonate. ENJOY!!!!

Abbey is gone

Our Neighbor's the Bean's have had Abbey for 13 years...she died yesterday... this is not an actual picture of her but its close. Even though she wasn't OUR pet, she has been so much integrated into our lives. We took Norene and family flowers from the yard. That dog was Norene's filler for no babies no more...THAT is HARD to lose my friends.

Make way for PAVERS

I am amazed at how much DIRT and topsoil comes from a 8 1/2 by 27 ft space! I am jumping up and down as we make PROGRESS on the Paver Project. This angel man in our neighborhood (Guy Hansen) is digging this out for us ...I think the pavers look wonderful just sitting on the pallets!!! Just the hope of them. I drew this picture 10 years ago when I was sketching our dream yard--I wasn't brave enough then to hope for pavers...but NOW...YEEE HAAAWWW!!! Gazebo with benches NEXT (but hopefully not in 10 more years....) I'm fine with the wait, the back was always more important to me , and OINK is out front holding down the fort anyway!

END of CAR WARS...

Happy HAPPY Michael with his new- to- him Pasatt...since the whole Germany thing he has LOVED Volkswagons...and now he finally has one!!! And there really weren't WARS over the lack of one necessary car...but that is because Michael is SO EASY going...thank you Bud...so glad so many of your dreams are coming true...he moved in yesterday to the Glenwood on campus with 5 of his FAVORITE friends...that place is going to rock...the girls have NO IDEA how lucky they are to have that whole apartment coming to THEIR building!! I must admit...I'm a bit sad his 52 inch flat screen will be leaving with him...I have had a beautiful summer with it in MY bedroom.

Josh's letter 26 August 2009

Hey family,

i am going to have to be kinda fast since it is wednesday. i couldnt email monday cause we spent the whole day on the bus. we had a zone leader conference yesterday which was way cool, long, but cool. there were three sessions. it went from 9 am to 8 pm. the morning and afternoon sessions got boring and repetitive. but the night session rocked my socks off. Elder Holland came for the night session and spoke to us for about an hour. i sat right next to him through out the whole meeting which was...intimidating, but awesome at the same time. when i email you on monday i will tell you more about it. we are in nairobi today aswell cause i had to get my fingerprints so that i could become a legal citicen. so thats just one more day out of the area. and yes, when they split the area they will split the companionship so that each of us can suposidly show the new ones the area. anyways, i will write you next week. i love you guys!

Elder Harris

This week...

Hi Lovey!
This was the best I could do for a first day of school picture...NO ONE was going for it. It really does seem like we didn't have much of a summer...but Sam says it was the BEST SUMMER OF HIS LIFE (mostly) because he lived with London, Brady and Tanner at our house our theirs! He made and has already played Varsity for the Timpanogas Golf Team. He is thrilled. Spencer is already in the thick of it as well.
Dave Bean bought this vintage bike and he and Michael and Richard were doing these hysterical things on it--check out Michael's German army helmet. The poor bike could barely move up the street with all 3 on there. Michael still wants a cycle and I keep saying NO. KSL had a news blip the top of the hour last Friday that said 22 motorcyclists had lost their lives in Utah since MAY 22nd of this year!!! I am still holding FIRM with my NO WAY! It's not because of Michael's driving--its because others just don't SEE bikes and when they do get in accidents YOU DIE or are MAIMED--and as a mom I have NO DESIRE To spend my old age hood tending to a impaired child. There. I'm done.
A chicken has finally started laying...wish the other 4 would kick in. I took a picture of my Saturday morning harvest. I loved all the colors together...and thought you might be missing the "chicken bowl" :)
Michael's book group read CS Lewis' the GREAT DIVORCE and had to go to Los Hermanos to "discuss"...thought you might like seeing some of these guys.
Great news for Dave Chester!!! THey moved his MTC date UP a month and he will now go in Sept.16 and his farewell is the 13th. I am so happy for him, it was too long to wait. GO to his facebook if you get a chance it reads something like"Yea, I know there are other farewells that day, but come on, you've heard the rest, now come hear the BEST!"Gotta love that boy.
Instead of regular church meetings today they had the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Dedication. Has made for a nice lay around the house day. Michelle and boys are coming for dinner.
I went to traffic school this week for a speeding ticket. I never WANT to go...but then I'm always glad I did. Such a great reminder. All those local accident pictures really get to me.
It has been rainy and windy and my allergies are tearing me up--my eyes can barely stand my contacts, I may have to rip them out after this post and wear my glasses for a few days. Do you allergies bug you there? You haven't said anything to me about them.
Kaylie Bell's wedding was gorgeous. Her reception was at the Bungalow--George Durrant did the sealing and I think it was one of the MOST BEAUTIFUL sealings I've ever heard. On a sad note, Ben and Kimberly Cooper are getting a divorce. You can imagine how hard that is on everyone involved.
Went to see this movie 500 Days of Summer where the writer reversed the male/female roles and it was SO INTERESTING!! It was an independent film that I think will do WELL. Dad also took me to Red Lobster for dinner and the biscuits there are DELICIOUSSSSS as Elle would say.
I had coconut shrimp and thought I'd gone to heaven!
Can't wait for morning! I love to wake early and have your mail here when I get back from my run! Any bus rides this week? Did you get our package yet? Is it the rainy season? What tradition do they have there for when you have been out a year?
LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU.....miss you. MISS YOU BIG!
xxxoooxxx MOMxxxoooxxxoooxxxoooxxxooo

Letter FROM Josh 17 August 2009 41 weeks...

Hey guys,

so i wrote earlier but then the power died at the place we were at and now i have to be super quick cause its like eight thirty now. this week was good though. we went to nairobi for mission tour, which was good. many god trainings and things. elder renlund spoke about the importance of a good attitude and good effort put into the work. and his wife spoke about how the importance of using the right kinds of questions at the right time and how if the person feels that they have made "the discovery" for themselves then the impression will last a lot longer. im still not sure if it was worth the bus ride though, cause the buses here are awful, unless you want to pay aton for them, but the mission would never aprove that and refund you for it, so we are stuck with the crappy ones. It is the beggining of my third week here now and i have only worked in my area for 4 days. between exchanges and mission tour and the time it took to get here in the first place we just havent really been around. and they are planning on spliting the area into two at the end of this transfer, which isnt good cause i dont think i will know the place well enough to lead somebody around.
meg, sorry about the accident. how is floral design going? and mom sorry about your fall while you were running. i dont think you need to go see a shrink about it though.
mom, i have also seen "into the pride" or whatever it was called where the guy trys to get close to the lions. he is crazy forsure, but i wish i could have his job, even if it would worry you o death, but he has done a lot of cool stuff. he also has shows about how he trained two zoo tigers to hunt in the wild so that they could open a tiger sanctuary. he has others where he is working with wild grizzly bears. another where he trys to find out if there are "rogue" hippos (ones that kill for pleasure, which is abnormal since they are vegetarians), and a few other as well. ask spencer about the tiger one though, he watched it with me.
i cant believe school is starting for you guys. i swear you should still be in the year of school that i left you in. congrats to sam for making varsity golf, just dont let your golf swing screw up your baseball swing. unless you have come to see baseball the way i do, and then it doesnt matter.
my comp is not related to the hansens that Ramona asked about. tell her hello for me though. i miss the good old home teaching days.
anyways, i got to be going. i hope you guys have a great week and that all goes smoothly back in Utah.
love you guys lots!!!!!!!!!!
Josh

Letter to Josh

I think I've got you mostly caught up with all the blog entries Lovey. We are so thrilled Graham is released and no heart problems that we know of...such a FREAK thing! Poor Jeremy and Kori really need a week in Cancun. Kori's dad still doesn't have a prognosis with his cancer yet.

Megan got hit in the Provo Cinema parking last night by a motorcyclist--not her fault...she is fine, but ripped that her car has to be in the shop this week and this is her first week of teaching classes at Lone Peak. Travis and Brennan were with her so we are grateful she wasn't alone.

Spencer played in a tournament this week and Sam MADE Varsity Golf team for Timpanogas and is thrilled. Tiger lost some tournament by one stroke today and all are somber here. Michael is just MR. DATE but not usually the same girl twice. I totally plan to beat them ALL to the hot tub tonight. Real Estate is busy for which I am grateful.

Let us know when you get your package. I'm excited for you to get it! Tell us about your companion. Sister Hansen (Ramona) e-mailed me this to ask you:

Dear Natalie, Would you ask Josh to ask his companion, Elder Hansen, if he is related to the Hansens in St. Anthony, ID.? There was a Will Hansen who had a mortuary in

St. Anthony and he was the brother of Christian V. Hansen, who was Landon's great great grandfather. Thank you for the wonderful e-mails that Josh writes.

Love, Sister hansen

She is still an angel woman.

I love you Buddy. Hope you have a great day. I think you should take some money out of your account and go EAT something GOOD with your companion...cuz it will make your momma feel better. I'm so sorry about the humidity. I KNOW humidity first hand. We were watching this animal planet show in Africa called INTO THE PRIDE where this idiot tries to incorporate himself into a lion's pride...yea, it's about as crazy as it sounds...in between wondering WHERE IN THE HECK this kids mother is and WHY she isn't stopping him...I of course was thinking of you. And yes...he sucked me in, I watched two hours worth. It was interesting to see more of Africa.

Does your tummy still give you troubles? Do you think the parasites are gone gone? Will you see the mission pres more now? Carla Harris' nephew just got called to your mission and will head out Nov. 16th I think is the date...be looking for him...he is one of 14 children...or was is 19? You'll hear I'm sure.

Again, waiting for morning till I get word...Loving you. Meet me in our dreams at GrandDad's --we'll cut his wood and get it stacked for the winter together...we LOVE a project Huh? Bring Greg and Jake and Mike with you too!!! (I think I'm not going to go to GrandDad's until after my marathon Sept. 19--IF I run it---but hey--Dad and Megan ran 10 miles on Saturday--pretty impressive!)

PS...so last Monday I am just totally in the zone about 7.2 miles into my run---almost home, near the Little Lindon Playhouse Theatre, and WHAM...I am on the ground sucking air...I got pretty scrapped up and my left thumb is still hurting in the palm area. So, all week people see my scrapped up self and say"WHAT HAPPEND? Your bike again?" And I just smile and stand there stupidly and say, "Nope, I couldn't tell ya,...I was just running and then...I was on the ground hurting alot." It's pretty embarrassing. But the WEIRD thing was, when I realized I was on the ground my head was screaming "QUIT RUNNING!!!" So...I need a shrink to tell me what it all means. Pray for the running Josh...cause I'm still cooking and eating....

Sunday afternnoon

This view of our garden is my view when I'm laying on the swing. i got home from Logan and headed out---the weather has been in the high 60's so it feels more like falls--but it was a GORGEOUS day. Pretty soon Dad and Michael followed. Sam was already sleeping in the house and Spencer had to work. I just layed there feeling the light cool breeze kiss my skin and no noises except humming birds and crickets and the chickens and the wind in the trees...I just wanted everyone I love to be with us all right then and there. SO THINKING of you Josh!!!!

Hangin' with the Girlies in Logan

My books sat on one of these chaise lounges most of the day Saturday...but we were so BUSY playing I never actually got to just lay there and read...and I AM NOT complaining...the girls were a BLAST!
The second picture down in the park across the street from their front yard...we went back and forth and back and forth. Buut the fourth picture down is there secret hide out even if you can't see it...if you enter the BIG BUSHES just down from the apple tree at the top of the hill but not quite to the river you can crawl into this super fun kid space were they have cleared it all out and it is now their FORT...now complete with homemade plum juice that you must stick your finger in and then put in your mouth before you can officially be in the "CLUB". Josh the NEW girl on the left is a neighbor girl who spent every daylight hour with us. She was adorable and kept running home for her candy stash and shared with all. I went to Macey's and got all the fixings for a tri tip bbq and Preston came over and did the honors. It was pretty relaxing to be somewhere when you had NOTHING to do but play with the kids!!! Love love love love LOVED it!!! I drove home this afternoon and Kori and Graham were coming home from the hospital today.And the last picture is of ELLE...look up on the big white hanging globe lamp--she accidentally hucked her bear up there and thank heavens Jeremy came home and could reach it with the broom. Emergencies all around. :)

Paul's Wedding

Josh...i am so sorry I STILL haven't gotten the whole scanner thing figured out...but this is better than nothing...Paul & MaKayla were married Friday. I was SO SAD to miss the reception. Dad and crew went and said it was BEAUTIFUL and they were both beaming. This is the same girl he dated in High School that waited for him while he was on his mission. Paul walked on BYU's football team so he's pretty stoked. They will both be attending BYU starting next week. We are going to have to have them all over so I can meet her and everybody get caught up with each other. I already told you that Nathaniel has his mission call to Sweden---the exact same as Dave Chester. You should see Silas...all those boys are built. Seems like just yesterday everyone of you were babies and we were hanging out at Salem Pond for Wacky Wednesday. Kristine's little Emma was baptized on saturday and Sam had spent the night out there so Dad went for the baptism and picked Sam up and Joseph conquered the MAN SWING again...good times to be had by all when you are with those guys.

Grahambert has Kawasaki disease

Go Red For Women ranks heart friendly cities

This pooooooor little guy...his previous heart surgeries have NOTHING to do with his getting this...but obviously it makes the whole deal much more serious. He is in Primary Children's in Salt Lake with mom and dad at least until Sunday and I am the lucky Aunt here in Logan getting to take care of the girlies. Kori and Jeremy deserve a stress and parenting award. 19 out of 100,000 kids in the US get this and it is most common among Japanese and Korean descent. Oh Grahammer....

What is Kawasaki disease?

Kawasaki (KAH'wah-SAH'ke) disease is a children's illness. It's also known as Kawasaki syndrome or mucocutaneous (mu"ko-ku-TA'ne-us) lymph node syndrome. It and acute rheumatic (roo-MAT'ik) fever are the two leading causes of acquired heart disease in children in the United States.

Who gets Kawasaki disease?

About 80 percent of the people with Kawasaki disease are under age five. Children over age eight are rarely affected. The disease occurs more often among boys (over 60 percent) and among those of Asian ancestry. But it can occur in every racial and ethnic group. Over 4,000 cases of Kawasaki disease are being diagnosed annually in the United States. Less than 1 percent of those who get it die.

What happens to those with Kawasaki disease?

The symptoms of Kawasaki disease include...

• fever
• rash
• swollen hands and feet
• irritation and redness of the whites of the eyes
• swollen lymph glands in the neck
• irritation and inflammation of the mouth, lips and throat

Doctors don't know what causes Kawasaki disease, but it doesn't seem to be hereditary or contagious. Scientists who've studied it think the evidence strongly suggests it's caused by an infectious agent such as a virus. It's very rare for more than one child in a family to develop Kawasaki disease. Less than 2 percent of children have another attack of Kawasaki disease.

In as many as 15 to 25 percent of the children with Kawasaki disease, the heart is affected. The coronary arteries or the heart muscle itself can be damaged.

How does Kawasaki disease affect the heart?

The coronary arteries are most often affected. Part of a coronary wall can be weakened and balloon (bulge out) in an aneurysm. A blood clot can form in this weakened area and block the artery, sometimes leading to a heart attack. The aneurysm can also burst, but this rarely happens.

Other changes include inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) or the sac surrounding the heart (pericarditis). Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) or abnormal functioning of some heart valves also can occur.

Usually all the heart problems go away in five or six weeks, and there's no lasting damage. Sometimes coronary artery damage persists, however.

An arrhythmia or damaged heart muscle can be detected using an electrocardiogram (EKG). An echocardiogram (or "echo") is used to look for possible damage to the heart or coronary arteries.

How is Kawasaki disease treated?

Even though the cause of Kawasaki disease is unknown, certain medicines are known to help. Aspirin is often used to reduce fever, rash, joint inflammation and pain, and to help prevent blood clots from forming. Another medicine, intravenous gamma globulin, can decrease the risk of developing coronary artery abnormalities when given early in the illness.

Laying on the golf green

The meteor showers the last 2 nights have held all the boys captive. They have been on tramps, golf greens, in hot tubs....just chillin' and enjoying the cosmic show. Last night I went out to join them...I was in the hot tub and I could hear Sam and London and Tanner up in the back on the golf green singing Rap songs together...I was surprised at how good they sounded... I loved the site of all three of them on their backs looking up when I couldn't stand it any more and had to go BE WITH THEM for a minute....and how safe and happy and GOOD it felt to think of how many of us were stopping our crazy lives for a bit to take note of God's miracles together. And as always...I like to think of those so far away from me that I love so much...and that they can see it too...even in Africa!!!!

I LOVE my neighbors!!

Sunday someone in the neighborhood dropped off a flyer letting us know that Florence and her daughter had been having health issues and could use some help with their yardwork if we wanted to come by Monday night for Family Night. This is just a fraction of the people who showed up...I bet there were 40 of us...we all brought treats for afterwards.
(of course that's the important part for me :) )And now I can do a commercial for the Benydryl stick ---i got stung on the neck by a hornet and that pen just sucked it out and made it quit stinging SO FAST!!! It is so comforting to live amongst people who really care about you, and you know you don't even need to ask for help...they are just going to show up when they see a need.--Still have no idea whose riding lawn mower Dad is driving....

Letter from Josh 10 AUGUST 2009

Familia Yangu,

so family is the same in swahili and spanish, and yangu means mine/my. It was good to hear that things are starting to go fast for you mom, but i believe those trial periods in the scriptures were 40 days, not 40 weeks. i never would ave known it was 40 weeks though. that makes it sound like a lot longer than its been though. Anyways, i got transfered to Mombasa. its a huge city on the east coast of Kenya. This place is awesome. the only bad part is the bus ride, and i have to make that bus ride 3 or four times this transfer. The first time was to get here (6 hours from Arusha to Nairobi on the worst dirt road in the world, then 8 hours from nairobi to here, but the road here is good, and we got to see some elephants out the window which was pretty cool) and then tomorow we will be traveling back to Nairobi for mission tour, and then later i will have to go to Chyulu for exchanges, and then there is also a zone leaders meeting at the end of the month. So i think i will only actually be in my area for like 4 of the 6 weeks in the transfer.
You were right about saturday though mom. thursday and friday i was traveling here so saturday was my first day in the area. We had to leave the flat without having a comp study to make it to our apointments on time, and we quite literally had a different apointment every hour up till nine, then had our comp study when we got back that night. I have never had a day that full before. i did two baptismal interviews,,normally i wouldnt be able to since they were for my area, but because it was my first day and i hadnt met them before it was aproved. i love doing baptismal interviews, its always so cool to see jut how excited they are to be baptized and to make those covenants and to become members of the church. They were both baptized yesterday. Then sunday morning made me even more happy because i was thinking that My new comp Elder Hansen had just stacked all the investigators on saturday since he was working in the other elders area while he was waiting for me to come, but then we went to go teach the new investigators and recent converts class during sunday school time and the class had over 20 people in it, and only 3 were recent converts. the rest were investigators. so we had 18 investigators at church. So we are going to be super busy here. I also really enjoy the ood here in Mombasa. From what i have heard they almost always make chapattis for dinner, which is one of my favorite things here. So yea, i am pretty stoked for my time here in Mombasa.
Elder Hansen is from Idaho, from Rexburg actually. He is a super humble guy. i have never heard anybody say anything bad about him, which is a bit wierd cause everybody in this mission gets bad mouthed. Either they tell you about all the bad things they do or they make fun of the guy for being obedient. But everybody likes him too much to make fun of him for being obedient. I was very suprised to get a mzungu(white) companion, but i am super happy to be with him! When i first came out President Taylor told us not to expect to serve with other americans. but he doesnt care about that anymore i guess because between these last two transfers there have been tons of white companionships. Both of the AP's are white now and it created an uproar. i know it might sound wierd but many of the blacks are racist and dont like whites becuase "they (the whites) think that they are better than us just because of our skin color" its quite rediculous actually, especially since we are in Africa and the dominant color here is black, and all the government leaders are black and all the companies are owned by blacks (or indians). but they will realize their rediculousness someday.
So i lied earlier, the bus ride isnt the only bad part. the other bad part is the humidty and heat. i dont like either of those, and it is super hot and humid here. when we were coming in tothe city the gage on the bus said it was 30 degrees celcius and 85% humidity, and this is the cold season, it starts ot warm up next month and the hot time is decemberish, which i will most likely be here for. not excited. but everything else here is great, i really couldnt have goten a better transfer.
anyways, i got to go. i love you guys! have a great week!
Love,
Josh

Lovey...the weeks are going faster for me now...I am smiling as I think that it is the 40th week that it actually occurs---and how God often uses 40 in the scriptures for testing--Noah and the rain, the Savior and fasting...
I have to admit that your last letter relaxed my heart. I FELT your love for the work, the people and the plan. How I wish I could have seen you bless that baby! Even if you can't spell it right, please try to spell the baby's name for me phonetically. ONE DAY...ONE DAY...you will get to bless a grandbaby for ME!!!!
Everyday I've wondered if THIS is the day you are traveling and wondering WHERE you are being sent...and in the morning I will know. I think most mom's probably have a "thing" about knowing WHERE their children are. Even if it is just a name of a place on a map.
Ok....SWEETEST news of the week...Debbie Hulsey is pregnant!!!! It made me dance in the kitchen when I found out! She will share with me...and her babies are always SO BEAUTIFUL and snuggy!!! Sister Southard is pregnant as well...and Tricia is really starting to pop out there. The next few months will be so fun to anticipate. Everytime I am with those Hulsey girls I just want to make them a few years older so ONE of them could marry one of you boys...
GrandDad Steadwell got an offer on the farm, I doubt he will take it, and he doesn't have to financially so whatever he ends up doing will be fine. My only hope is that I can get him to go live somewhere during the winter. Preston and I will be going to visit him to get in more wood and clean the house and do whatever other fix it jobs we find. We are still figuring out the dates of when to go. He sounds more frail and tired on the phone. It is hard on me to have him so far away. But we have all seen how hard it is on him to be here, so, happiness rules....
I've been busy with Real Estate this week. But my favorite day was Friday when Jamie and I celebrated her birthday--we hit a few quilt shops and then FEASTED at Red Lobster--Josh, you would have laughed and LOVED to have joined in with us. We totally glutted ourselves. I LOVE that about being with Jamie!!! We had onion ring appetizers, double pina coladas, coconut shrimp, french fries, salad...and these biscuits that were heaven in your mouth!!! When you come home, we are SO GOING!!! I could hardly believe that it's been there for all that time and I'd never been! Know what I love about Jamie? I can tell her the meaniest naughtiest things I've ever done and she just LOVES me and laughs and still makes me feel like I am one of the best people ever to hit the planet...she likes me. Then tonight I went for a long walk with Karie Cooper and its just the same. She loves me no matter what. I am such a blest woman to have such amazing friends. It was a week for friends...JaLee had her birthday so we went to dinner at Carrabas...I wish for all my children a life filled with friendships that last for 26 plus years....

Our weather has been freakishly COOL...like the high yesterday was 70 and today 72!!! The smell of autumn is in the air and it is just NOT TIME...I NEED some more summer and sunshine.
Paul Olsen gets married this Firday and so does Esther Udall.
To top off a friend filled week...yesterday was a dream day. I started with a 12 mile run down the canyon with Marci Palmer (you will meet her when you get home--HAPPY, ANGEL Woman!!) showered, went to Lindon Days parade with Megan and Lydia (florida friend's daughter who stayed the night. Then Megan Powell--Braiden's sister who works at Lehi block called to tell me about a killer deal on the pavers I wanted for the front walk that I had given up on...we went, we got!!!!! Then dad took us all to lunch and then we decided SPONTANEOUSLY to just go to a movie RIGHT THEN (ok---so you kNOW how much I LOVE to just be spontaneous and how it RARELY happens around here) and we did!!! ALL OF US!!! yea...so pretty much just a dream day...excepting that you weren't there. But when I started to feel alittle funky about you not being there...I had the sweetest feeing come over me that even if you had had your choice, you would have picked doing exactly what you were doing. SO...not sure what happend for you Saturday...but thinking all must be well in your world.
I hope so.
I LOVE YOU!!!
WE love you.
Tell me everything!!! Meet me in my dreams...I'll be floating on a lounger in the middle of Lake Sante Fe in Melrose....
XXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOOOOO MOM OOOOOOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXX

SOME of my favorite things.

I LOVE it when my house/yard/hot tub is filled with such GOOD kids having so much FUN!


I also LOVE this "SHARE" stand they built across the street from our last home in Lindon. It is right on one of our major traffic roads...and when you have more in your garden than what you want, you drop it off there for anyone to come and pick up....OR if you need something...it's there for the taking. The sign is so darling. It just warms my heart to see people using it...and for me to have a place to take those extra zuchinni and green peppers!!!

Lori Cooper Potter

Catching up on Gainesville Church people with Lori and getting to meet her DARLING family was the hilight of my week. My insides ache to "go home". She'll be here another 2 weeks, but her sister lives in Park City and she'll stay there. She was just staying the night here a night in between flying in and having to pick up Morgan the beautiful from EFY at the BYU campus.

Lindon Days......

Dad marched in the parade with all the scouts and threw out candy...he loved it :) It was a little sad that none of my boys were in the unicycle group this year! Josh...this smile and wave from Whitney is SPECIFICALLY for YOU! She said to tell you hi. Hi.
Dad dropped me off at the top of the Canyon at Vivian Park and I ran home, and on my last mile I past the Lindon Day Race Runners...kind of funny to feel like a fish running upstream and oh so the wrong way. Sam went to the carnival and did the band stuff last night, but other than that, we really didn't participate much this year.