before & after

porter is looking good & mommy is feeling much better. he's gaining weight quickly and not looking quite so yellow anymore. here are some before and after photos

Porter Scott Johnson

I am sure you all know about Porter Scott and Darcee. But, why not post it anyway? We are excited for the Johnsons and hope all is well. Here is the email Mom and Dad sent:

Announcing the birth of Porter Scott Johnson to Darcee and Daryl. He was born 3 June 2006 in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. Baby was not due until early July, but mom was having problems and an ultra sound showed the baby to be around 7 pounds, so doctors did a C-section. Baby was 7lbs 15oz and doctor is trying to figure out why the baby was so big and what is causing Darcee's problems. Baby doing well and is breathing on his own, but not eating on his own yet. Darcee's problems: extreme water retention and then she started throwing up. Doctors were concerned that she may have fluid on the brain. We will probably be heading to Phoenix in a day or two, but will wait until she is out of the hospital.

This really did start out as just an announcement of Porter's birth, but I ended up added a few details. Hope all is well with you.

KC's Birthday

Yesterday was KC's first birthday, and I got to celebrate it with kidney stones! Actually, my kidney stone problems began Sunday afternoon when I was struck by the extreme and debilitating pain that only a misplaced rock can cause. Cherrie drove me to the LDS hospital emergency room, where after a mere half-hour of consent forms, insurance forms, emergency contact forms, next of kin forms, etc, etc, etc, I was FINALLY given some much needed pain medicine! In addition to the wonderful benefits of relieving my pain, the medicine also made me feel joyful, exuberant, and energetic, and sort of made everything feel a bit wavy and two-dimensional. I was very happy; Just ask Cherrie.
After a CT scan and other tests, it was determined that I was indeed suffering from a stone in my kidney. How did it get in there you ask? Well, my personal theory is that someone who obviously dislikes me very much must have hired a witch to cast a spell on me. This spell somehow involved the magical relocation of a very rough and pointy stone out of my garden and into my kidney. That is the only logical explanation I can think of.
I thought I was fine though after the pain medicine wore off, and I had no further problems until Tuesday afternoon, when the pain hit once again. This time however I was prepared. I immediately took TWO Oxy-somthin-or-ruther pills that the doctor had prescribed, and within just a few minutes I once again found myself in the pain-free, floating happy world of La-La Land.
Grandma and Grandpa stopped by later to wish KC a happy birthday, and we all went out to eat at our favorite little Vietnamese restaurant. I think they enjoyed a minty, vegetable-filled treat. Devin too stopped by even later, and we stayed up late watching Twister with him and THEN he slept at our house.
I guess that is the news from the K and C Benge family.

Susan Is Pregnant

I keep thinking that I need to write and update everyone on everything that is going on. Not gonna happen. So, I will just blurt some news in the title.

Oh, I guess I could say a thing or two more. First: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

A bought a little Ranger pickup that is requiring much more work than I thought. I also sold PutterButt (or however Darcee spelled it) to Pick-n-Pull, along with another old truck. I recommend them--they actually give you money for your car. (I got $141 for PutterButt.)

Awhile back we went to Disneyland. It was very busy but we had a very good time. If any of you are going, there is one must see attraction: Turtle Talk with Crush. You need to see this. Don't quibble with me. You need to see it. Go twice. Trust me. It is the best thing there.

Andrew really wanted to go back to Disneyland the other day and insisted that I take him RIGHT NOW. I told him it was really far but that I would be glad to go on a walk with him. He was excited and got his shoes on, and insisted that we were now going to walk to Disneyland RIGHT NOW. I admire his determination. I do not admire his grasp of reality. He also dug a large hole in the back yard and insisted that I help him build a house for Grandma and Grandpa Benge there. I fear that the next few years of my life will be spent destroying this child's dreams.

We also still have 5 other children, and like them most of the time. I still have a job. Life is pretty good. We love you all and wish we could see you much more often. We think it is cool to have the Adsits closer (even though it seems like we never get to do anything). It was great to see the Schlenske family recently and we think they should drive over more often. We were glad the Johnsons came to Fairview, too. You are good people to be with. Take care of each other!

Benge Family Blog

Benge Family Blog So, Thanks David for reinviting me. I still can't figure out what I possibly used for my password! We enjoyed seeing so many family members on our trip to Utah! We love you all and were so grateful for the time we got to spend. I was going to send some pictures. How do I do that? Okay, so I just got back on and figured it out. Here goes an attempt to send you a couple photos of our trip.

SPRINGTIME PICTURES

Family History

Hi there family. For one of my history classes, I have to do a service project that is history related. For this project, I am planning to do a Benge family history. Anyway, I would like to either call each of you, or perhaps just have you guys email me some memories. I'm not sure yet. For now I was just wondering if somebody could email me a list of everyone's phone numbers and email address. I have some, but I don't know if they are current. Anyway, if somewould could do that, that would be awsome. Also, if any one has an idea of how best to do my project, I would appriciate any input. Thanks.

Judas - The Long-Lost Gospel ?

Judas Is No Traitor in Long-Lost Gospel - Los Angeles Times

This article in the LA times, tells of a manuscript, which scientists date to the year 300. It is an account of conversations between Jesus and Judas in the last week of their lives. It is very interesting to read about. The ideas portrayed in this "unknown" gospel would probably be considered pretty blasphemous by the early catholic church, and even by most christian sects, but I think much of it fits nicely with our faith and with modern revelation. You can read the EXCERPTS FROM THE ORIGINAL TRANALATION HERE. (in pdf format)

Cyclops

Cy, short for Cyclops, a kitten born with only one eye and no nose, is shown in this photo provided by its owner in Redmond, Oregon, on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2005. The kitten, a ragdoll breed, which died after living for one day, was one of two in the litter. Its sibling was born normal and healthy.

Source: Yahoo news

Funeral

As you all probably know, Grandpa Walker's funeral is Friday at 10:00 A.M. in the Emmett Stake Center.

I am determined to attend, but haven't decided if I am going alone or with Susan only or with the family, so if any of you that might come through SLC are planning on attending, call me (801.352.1173) and maybe we can carpool or go as a group. Arizonans are part way on their own if they can arrange coming. North Dakotans are definitely on their own.

You know, I feel like I should be a lot sadder about his passing. But when he couldn't remember me or my family I think I went through much of the mourning then--I felt like I had already lost him. Now, I am just happy he can be with Grandma.

I can't think of a title

Hi ya'll. I just thought that everyone should know that I got a cell phone, and thus my phone number has changed. It is now 801-310-5952. I have Cingular, in case someone else has them. Thats about it. Life in Cedar is good, but it keeps snowing like crazy. Oh well, such is life.

Funny Video

This is what happens when you use too much baby powder!

I think you'll like this one

(click on the picture to download the movie)

source: http://moodhacker.qj.net/

Men's restroom mural

This came to me in an email forward.


Edge Designs is an all women run company that designs interior office space. They had a recent opportunity to do an office project in NYC. The client allowed the women of this company a free hand in all design aspects.
The client was a company that was also run by all women execs.

We all know that men never talk, never look at each other, and never laugh much in the restroom....The men's room is a serious and quiet place. But now with the addition of one mural on the wall......

Beauty isn't even skin deep

Hi all. I thought you might all find it interesting to see how Hollywood creates an unrealistic perception of beauty. It's amazing that not even super models look as good as super models. The before and after pictures are the best, though the picture where they eliminated Tom Cruise' female friend in favor of a glass wall was also impressive. A few of the models are in bikinis, so you may not want to show these to your children until you have reviewed them, but then again, you may want your children to see that you can't necessarily trust something even if you have seen it with your own eyes...

BIG DAR

so, i emailed this to most of you...but i thought i'd put it on the blog too. i don't have time to get to it often, but i got an extra hour on my computer at the library tonight (but i do need to get out of here and get home for some FOOD! i'm starving....so no haiku tonight....that would take me---like----24 hours or something.)
anyway, pregnancy is not my favorite thing. maybe i'm just too old....or maybe no one ever talks about it...but i have swollen feet, ankles, legs and hands...i have no bladder control, my throat hurts all the time from the acid reflux, i've started snoring terribly and it wakes me up (in addition to the many times i wake up to urinate), i get migraines often, and of course, my back problems are gradually worsening----and all this when i'm only 4 1/2 months along. i thought i'd at least make it BEYOND the 1/2-way mark before all this set it. i'd say i hate it, but i can't. i know that when little boy johnson arrives, i won't care at all what i went through. so here is my 4 month size. i'll update it when my waist is even larger than it's current 44 inches.
daryl is well. he is SUCH a HARD WORKER! he has put in a sprinkler system and now planted grass....which we are hoping the birds won't eat all of (the stinky manure isn't covering the seed as well as we had hoped) he's chopped down several trees....unwanted or dead, he's done lots and lots of other yard work....cleaning up the mess that we moved in to (for those of you who remember our yard when we moved to new plymouth....ours here was much like it....all weeds, lots of toys and treasures all over in the dirt.....no plants that had been watered or taken care of all....and a whole lot of cigarrette butts everywhere), he works full-time and goes to school on tuesday evenings, plus he does laundry, dishes and other household chores on a regular basis due to my prenatal ailments. what a guy. and i think that's the update from our home. i gotta go. i'm gonna have to log off this computer and go use the library restroom!!!!!!! surprise surprise

GAS PRICES!

Did you all know that you can visit http://www.saltlakegasprices.com/ and see the LOWEST prices in salt lake city listed in order and updated every 48 hrs? (just a note, the 10 CHEAPEST stations are ALWAYS in my neighborhood :)

You can also see prices for the whole state at http://www.utahgasprices.com/

It's Tax Time again... Taxation without representation?

Here are some great little quotes I pulled from this site

It's worth a quick read.


"The safety of the poor man in this government is the justice of the principle embodied in all measures of legislation. If you may discriminate for him, you may discriminate against him; and perhaps it will not be long, if we go on at this rate, basing our legislation upon the ground that we intend to impose the burdens of the Government upon the rich and exempt the poor from them, until some man may be bold enough to claim that that doctrine shall be carried to its logical consequences, and that if the rich pay all the taxes, taxation and representation shall go together."
-Senator John Scott (R-PA)1866

"There has never been such a universal demand for the repeal of a tax as there has been for a repeal of this .... The people regard [the income tax] as more odious than any other description of taxation whatever; and not the least objectionable feature of it is its inequality."
-Senator Cornelius Cole (R-CA)

OCTOPUS VS SHARK

This is amazing!

More useless things from Devin

I just wanted to post something, let everyone know I'm alive and what not. There really isn't much going here right now. David and Susan and family are passing through Cedar this weekend and I am exceted to see them. I saw that everyone seems to be giving a family update as of late, so I will do the same. I'm still not married and I still don't have kids. I will work on that. Hopefully in that order. School is ok, but I'm a little behind in my classes. Work is good. Kind of boring and I get really tired some nights. Thats it. Love you all.

Ammendment

I realized that my Haiku poem (or attempt at a Haiku poem) may have come out wrong. It sounded like I was saying I don't give a crap about Dave, which is quite the opposite!! My intention was to say that Dave puts a lot into this page and we should be more supportive. I myself am very grateful for him and his setting this up so we could all be in contact. Marc and I have lived away from family our entire marriage, and I think this website is an awesome tool to keep in touch. I wish that poeple would utilize it, reply to others contributions, and be grateful for it :) I love hearing from family, knowing what's going on, feeling like I'm included, and knowing I'm supported way out here.