Christy's Birth

So once upon a time I had a baby in a hospital elevator and here is how...

Monday Night, December 19th

Jeff was out of town job interviewing in Arizona so I told my friend Mallory I could watch her daughter Marlo while her and her husband went to a Denver Nuggets basketball game. Marlo and Tyler get along great so it was actually going to help me out. Around 8:30 PM, in hopes of helping the two settle down, I put on a movie. They were pretty into it so I decided to use the free time to call my mom. We chatted for a while and around 10:00 PM I started to not feel good. I thought the pain was due to my varicose veins or that the doctor had checked me earlier that day. I went to the bathroom a few times thinking that would help me feel better, but it didn't so eventually I hung up with my mom. A few minutes after I hung up, Mallory and Nephi arrived to pick up Marlo. I wanted to ask them to take my 38 week pregnancy picture but decided not to because I didn't want to look dumb. We chatted for a bit and around 10:30 they left to go home. I still wasn't feeling great; I put Tyler down to bed and followed shortly after myself.  

Throughout the night I had pretty bad cramping and tightening of my abdomen. I woke up about every hour but was able to make myself go back to sleep after waking up each time. I did think the pain was odd but again, attributed it to either the varicose veins or pain from being checked earlier that day by my doctor.  I thought about calling my father in law, but I didn’t want to bother him, so I didn’t. I made it through the night but was very tired and still in moderate pain when Tyler woke up at 7 the next morning.

Side note: When I saw my doctor earlier that day she said I wasn't dilated at all so there was no way the baby was coming that week (when Jeff would be out of town). She said I wouldn't deliver sooner than December 26th and had me schedule my 39 week appointment for that day. I was happy to hear this because I wanted Christy to have a January birthday, January 7th to be exact. I thought a birthday of 1/7/17 would be cool (my doctor wasn’t a fan of that plan). I told Jeff and my family what the doctor said and was prepared to hold out till January.   

Tuesday Morning, December 20th

With the long night I had had, I wasn't ready to start the day when Tyler came in at 7:00 AM. I put on the TV for Tyler to watch a "kids show" and tried to go back to sleep for a little bit. The pain was too much for me to be able to sleep through, so I called Jeff. I told him how the night went and said I might call the doctor. He said I should call. Again, I was tempted to call his dad but felt like I had already bugged him a ton the day before about my varicose vein pain, so I didn't call him. I began to eat a bowl of cereal, but the pain stopped me from doing so. I decided to call the on-call doctor at the hospital.

A few minutes before 8:00 AM I was able to get a hold of the on-call doctor. I told her I wasn't really sure what contractions felt like but that this pain was pretty bad. She said that if the pain got to be 3-5 minutes apart and last for 45 seconds, then I should go in. She said that if I was in labor, the pain would be so bad that I wouldn't be able to talk through it (obviously, she underestimated my ability and love to talk). She told me to go lay down on the bed for an hour and record when and how long my pain was for. She also told me to call my doctor's office at 8:45 AM when it opened. I agreed to follow her instructions and hung up the phone. I went and got a piece of paper, pen, and laid down in order to record my pain pattern.

Pretty quickly after I got off the phone I felt my first pain (aka contraction). It did not last very long, certainly not 45 seconds, but was shortly followed by two other contractions, all three minutes apart. The pain was starting to get bad. I remember writing the first three contractions down and thinking, "Man, I have another 51 more minutes of this to go! That is going to suck!" While I laid in bed recording the contractions, Tyler called for me to come change the TV show he was watching because he wanted a different one. I told him my tummy hurt and that I couldn't come. A few minutes later he came to my bed with a fruit by the foot and asked if he could have it. Normally I would have said no, but I just wanted to be left alone so I gave it to him. He came a few more times, each with a different treat and I willingly obliged. 

After about 10-15 minutes later I decided to see if a shower would help the pain. I turned the water on and waited for it to get hot. While I was waiting, I texted my Aunt Julee and told her that I might need her and my cousins to come to my house. They lived about 45 minutes away from me. It was winter break for them so I thought my cousins could stay at home with Tyler if my aunt needed to take me in. Julee asked if she should just come but I told her I didn't think so and got into the shower.

As I was in the shower, the pain continued to increase and the contractions began to last longer. I tried to keep track of my contractions mentally while in the shower so I could write them down but didn't do so great.  I got out of the shower and texted my aunt and said I had changed my mind and wanted her to come. She said she and my cousins would come immediately. I noticed that by then I was starting to sweat. I also began to scream and go up on my toes with each contraction. Tyler was pretty concerned at my screaming; I told him the baby was hurting my tummy and for him to go and watch TV.

By this time it was 8:45 AM and I was finally able to call my doctor's office. I called her and told her what was going on. As I was telling her, a contraction came on and I began to scream. She said that it sounded like I was in labor and to head to the hospital. While I was on the phone with my doctor, my Aunt Julee called but I did not pick up. After I hung up with my doctor I got in contact with my aunt and she asked if I wanted her to have my Uncle Bryan, who worked about ten minutes away from my house, to come. I told her no, that I could wait for her to get there. It only took a few more minutes for me to change my mind again and asked her to send him. She said she would and I began to pack my hospital bag. Well, I attempted to. The pain was too great and I wasn't able to really get much packed.

My uncle arrived shortly. I had been screaming on and off all while waiting for him. I should clarify, when I say screaming it wasn't like angry maniac screaming (although others may say differently), it was like "Ahhh" and having my voice get higher and lower, louder and softer as each contraction came and went. By the time my uncle got there, I was in pretty bad shape. I told him where Tyler's car seat was and he went and put it in his truck. When he came back in for me I was unsuccessfully still trying to pack my hospital bag. He told me not to worry about the bag that he could come back for anything I needed. He said he just wanted me to get to the hospital. I agreed and we began to walk to his car.  

As we were walking through our complex courtyard I couldn't help but scream as each contraction came. I knew mentally that screaming was ridiculous, but I couldn't stop. All I can say is that it was an out of body experience and I definitely had no control.  When we were walking out to the car I just stopped in the courtyard and screamed, two construction workers walked by and kindly pretended not to notice me screaming. As I stood there, I could not get myself to go any further to the car. I could see my uncle’s car, but I couldn’t mentally get myself to go in it. I can’t explain it, I just couldn’t. My uncle offered to physically carry me pick and put me in his car, but I didn’t want that. I just couldn’t let him carry me. And then I was worried about if my water would break in his brand new truck. So, even though we were almost to his car, I said, “House!” He said, “You forgot something in the house?” I said, “No. House. I need to go back in.” Again, he offered to carry me to his car, but I said no. And so, even though we were closer to his car than my house, we turned around to walk back to my house. 

While we were walking back to the house, I had to stop a few more times to scream during my contractions.  After a few minutes of me standing in the courtyard screaming, my good friend and neighbor Lou came out of his house. He seemed confused and worried as he looked around to see what all the commotion was about. When he saw me standing there with my uncle, his eyes got big and he ran over to us. He said, “You’re not going to make me delivery another baby are you?” He and his wife had done an at home birth years ago when his daughter was born. I said no and he and my uncle helped walk me back into my house. Even though I did not want an at home birth, I geared myself up for one. I thought, “Ok, this is just how it is going to be” and was mentally preparing myself for it. When we were almost to my front door my uncle asked if I wanted him to call 911. I said yes. I thought, “What a great idea! I didn’t even think of that. How great is it that people can come help in an emergency?” We got into the house and Lou helped me get into my bed. He took my boots off. I took my pants off, laid down on the bed, and had him cover me with my bath robe. I was ready to give birth in the bed (or so I thought). 

During the time Lou was helping me get on the bed, my uncle was taking Tyler in the house and on the phone with 911. He was answering a bunch of questions from the 911 dispatcher and had to check to make sure my water hadn’t broken yet. It hadn’t. I tried to lay on my side with my legs closed, in hopes that that would relieve some of the pain. It didn’t. The agent told my uncle to get four clean towels. My uncle asked where the towels would be and I told him that I didn’t have that many because I had packed them up months prior. I only had one towel per person and all of them had been used. Lou ran over to his house real quick to get towels. While he was away my water broke. It felt like a little water balloon being popped. It was kind of a funny feeling. By the time Lou came back, the paramedics had arrived. There was about five or six of the paramedics, which surprised me; I didn’t think there would be that many.  

The paramedics came and told me that they were going to get me to the hospital to have the baby there. I told them no, that I did not want to leave my bed. I did not want to get up. Again, I knew mentally that didn’t make sense, but the thought of leaving my bed was just unbearable. I asked Lou to call Jeff to let him know what was going on. I gave Lou Jeff’s number in between contractions. Jeff did not answer so Lou left him a message. Later on Jeff told me that he couldn’t understand the message because I was screaming so loud in the background. After what seemed forever, but couldn’t have been more than a few minutes, I finally allowed the paramedics to put me on a gurney to be wheeled out to the ambulance. They had been asking me questions, to make sure I was mentally stable, I am sure, but I wasn’t cooperating. I would barely answer them. The paramedics asked me where I was supposed to deliver and I told them “Aurora South”. I now know that was not the proper name of the hospital, but it was the closest hospital so they probably would have taken me there anyways. When we were just about to get into the back of the ambulance a female paramedic asked the lead paramedic if he wanted a female in the back with them (legal reasons I am sure). He asked if she had ever delivered a baby before and she said no. He said then no, he needed the other paramedics who were more familiar with childbirth to be in the back with me. That made me a bit worried but with that, we were off! 

Immediately after getting into the ambulance the head paramedic put oxygen on my face and continued to ask me a bunch of questions. He asked me how long my first labor was. I told him 26 hours. He said, “Oh good, then we have plenty of time.” He also told me to not to scream, that although that is what felt natural to do, that it was best to pant like a dog. I tried panting but ended up more like spitting so I went back to screaming. He also told me how his wife was due with their first child in a few days so he would be doing the same thing with her. He had also delivered babies before. That made me feel good.  While driving to the hospital, they were timing my contractions and I think they were around two minutes apart. Other than me screaming, nothing eventful occurred while in the ambulance and within a few minutes, we were at the hospital ambulance entrance. The paramedic said we were there and jokingly asked if I still wanted the epidural I had been constantly asking about since they first arrived at my house. I knew it was too late for one, but I kept asking for one anyways. Every time I asked for one, they said not yet, but that I could get one at the hospital. I said I wanted one in my head. He asked, “Why, does your head hurt?” I said, “No, I just don’t want to be present.”    

Never appreciated the ambulance entry till now.

I briefly saw outside and was rushed quickly to the hospital elevator because labor and delivery was on the second floor. When we were in the elevator the paramedic said they were missing some kind of kit that was not on the gurney. That made me worried. I thought, “What kit? We NEED that kit!” We got to the second floor and as we were waiting for the door to open I said, “Baby!” He said, “I know, we’re here.” I said, “No! Baby coming!” I pushed and immediately felt a huge physical relief as part of Christy came out. Then the elevator opened up and they started to roll me but stopped so I could push, and with that, she was all the way out. 

They wheeled me into the delivery room and put Christy under my shirt and on my chest for skin to skin and to keep her warm while we waited for my doctor to come cut the umbilical cord. To be honest, I didn’t really want her on my chest. Having her body weight removed from me for a few seconds was nice. But I wasn’t about to say that. So we waited. Quickly after Christy was placed on my chest my aunt Julee came rushing through the door. She saw Christy on me and said, “You already had her?!” My aunt had gone to the wrong hospital or she would have been there for the delivery. I felt bad for that. The nurses had a bunch of pre delivery paperwork for me to fill out and I willingly obliged. They asked me what time Christy was born at. I looked at the clock and it said 10:17. I figured it took them a minute or two to get me to the bed so I told them 10:15.  

I asked the paramedics to take a picture and text it to me. This is the picture they took. Not gonna lie, I knew the whole birth thing wore me out but I wasn't expecting to look this bad!

After waiting for a decent while, my doctor showed up. I still don’t’ know what took her so long since her practice was just across the street from the hospital. When she came I said, “And you’re getting paid for this?!” She didn’t really acknowledge that and asked if I wanted to cut the umbilical cord. I told her no. She said that not all women get it and it could be neat. I told her no. It was this thick spaghetti looking thing and I was not wanting to mess with it. I mean, might as well make her get paid for doing something, right? ;) After cutting the cord, she sewed me up and was gone.

After Christy and me were all checked out and cleaned up Tyler, Shelby, Trista, and Uncle Bryan were all able to come up and see us. They lied about Trista’s age because she wasn’t quite 14 yet. When Tyler saw Christy, he did not want anything to do with her. He didn’t want to see her. I think he was probably traumatized from the whole morning. Eventually I was able to bribe him to take a picture by giving him my cinnamon roll the kitchen had brought up as part of my breakfast. After a short visit with them they took Tyler back to their house and my aunt Julee waited with me till Jeff could get there.

This was the best we could do.

Eating his reward.

Jeff’s flight was scheduled to get in at 3:30 that afternoon, which is pretty impressive. When Jeff got the call from Lou earlier that morning that I was in labor, he was actually in between office visits for a job interview. He was supposed to be following a manager from one office to the other but stopped following her and started heading toward the airport. He called his parents and they booked him a flight to Colorado. Eventually Jeff was able to get ahold of the manager and tell her why he didn’t follow her to the second office. They understood, and the rest of the interview was put on hold. I felt bad for him though because he had just drived 12 hours on Sunday to get to Arizona and now, he was having to fly home only to fly back later on and drive his car back 12 hours to get home to Colorado.

Jeff arrived at the hospital and my Aunt Julee went home. Jeff was excited to meet Christy. He was also very disappointed that he missed her birth and I felt bad for that. It didn’t take long for her to wrap him around her fingers though! 

Meeting Daddy

He spent the night at the hospital but went home the next day to shower. That, and pack me a hospital bag. Haha. I asked him to bring a pair of pants and shoes because when I was switching from the delivery room to the recovery room, I realized I didn’t have either. I also told him which outfit to bring for Christy and a specific headband. When he did get home and grabbed Christy’s things it took a few minutes on the phone to teach him the difference between a bow, headband, and flower. 

Right outfit and right headband. Way to go dad.

I love the bowed beanies!

After two days it was time for us to go home. Jeff went and picked up Tyler from the Willis’s and brought him to the hospital to see Christy again. This time Tyler was eager to see her and wanted to feed her a bottle. We made it home safely and were eager to enjoy the rest of Christmas break with a new baby and time off for Jeff. 

Tyler enjoyed his time with the Willises

Second visit went much better. After awhile he started singing "Shake Your Booty" to her so there is hope. 

 

Trying to find a bottle to feed her.

Make yourself at home why don't you?

Side notes: Anytime a nurse came in to help me out she would said, “Oh, so you’re the one who had the baby in the elevator?!” I guess I was famous. Or infamous. You can decide.  

Later on, Lou told me when he first saw me screaming in the courtyard of our complex that he thought I had lost the baby but then he saw my belly and knew she was still in there.

He also said he didn’t want to tell me but when he was helping me in labor, he could see Christy’s head. I told him it was a good thing he didn’t tell me that or I would have freaked out.

 And so folks, that is how I ended up having a baby in the elevator! True story. 

Random ramblings

Just some thoughts...
     I have been eating junk food like crazy for the past few weeks, which is disappointing because I feel like I have worked hard this pregnancy to have more self control over what I eat.  Last time I  had no self control and the pounds just kept piling on. I gained 55-60 pounds!  Not that I have 100% control over my weight gain, but it is nice to feel some what in control. This time around I have been more mindful of what I have been eating, drinking more water, and exercising. I think that has helped me stay on the smaller side this time. I also think starting out a pregnancy during the summer was easier on me because I was active from the get go. And of course, Tyler keeps me actively chasing him around as well.
     I am only 15 days till my due date, which makes me nervous. I am scared to move because I am afraid it is going to put me into labor! The thought of another child is overwhelming to me. Last time I was ten days over due with Tyler and I was happy to be so, labor is scary!  My doctor will let me go over this time and I am grateful for that. I am hoping for a January birth and Jeff wants a December one. Ultimately neither of us can control the date, but it is fun to think about who will get what they want. Still no spelling on the name yet. I suggested if she comes in December Jeff gets his spelling and if she comes in January then I get my way. We'll see :)
     Tyler is loving the snow. It hasn't snowed very much so far (thank goodness) but the few times it has, Tyler has thought it was magical. Actually, I should clarify, he likes snow that has already fallen, he does not like when it is snowing and snow actually falls on him. He keeps talking about wanting to build a snowman "with arms and a hat." There hasn't been enough snow yet, but eventually we will build him one. He loves wearing his"winter hat and gloves" which is nice because they keep him warm when he is outside. But, they also take forever, more specifically the gloves, for him to put on so I have to add a few extra minutes to get out the door. 
      Tyler is also very excited for Christmas. It has been fun to see! I do not know how, but right away after we started talking about Christmas he started talking about Santa bringing him presents. He is very excited to leave cookies, milk, and carrots out for Santa and his reindeer. I told him that he would see Santa on Saturday (the ward party) and he said that we needed to bring the cookies, milk, and carrots. I told him Santa comes twice, once at the party and once when Tyler is sleeping. For the first three days we had our tree out he kept asking multiple times a day if Santa was coming that night. I was about ready to put the tree away till the 24th! He still LOVES Christmas lights. Last year he would say, "Christmas light, awesome!" I guess I have been a little overboard though with pointing out lights while we drive because tonight after I said, "Look, do you see the lights", he said, "Stop saying that to me."
     It is hard to balance out the "fun" of Santa and the spiritual aspect of Christ's birth. I have been trying to figure that out. It is hard to find the balance for myself and now when teaching Tyler. I think the Nativity scene has been helping. At first he called it "Old McDonald's Farm" but now calls it the manger and talks about Jesus and other parts of the scene. We went to Temple Square and he enjoyed the different nativities. That was a few weeks ago and he still talks about them actually. I am not opposed to some of the commercialism of Christmas, because in fact, tangible things like decorations and gifts help me get into the Christmas spirit. And, I guess Tyler likes the commercialism too because he keeps asking to "put up more decorations."  But each year I always make a goal to make "this Christmas more Christ centered" yet somehow it passes by just the same. Maybe it isn't too late for me yet this year.
     Jeff has been job hunting like crazy lately. The ups and downs of it all has been hard for me. Just when I wrap my mind around one job and area, other opportunities pop up as well and we are back at the drawing board, trying to figure out the best thing for our family. I am grateful to know that wherever we go we will have a decent paying job, have the church, hopefully be closer to family, and I will be able to make friends. I am grateful of my natural ability to connect with people and my genuinely happy nature. I think that goes a long way. I am sad to be leaving my dear friends here. We have moved every two years since we got married 6.5 years ago. It is hard to make good friends and then leave them. It does help knowing in the beginning that my friendships will be short lived, but this time I think it will be even harder due to the fact that I am a stay at home mom, my friendships have come to a deeper level.  I am grateful for technology that helps me stay connected to my friends all over.
     I had a super up and down day last week when my grandma came to my rescue, it was wonderful. I am so grateful to and for her. The last "down" of my day was when I learned my external hard-drive would cost hundreds to thousands of dollars to fix.  My hard-drive has been the sole storage of my pictures the last five years.  I was distraught at the idea of losing them but did not have the money to fix the hard drive. My mom told my grandma of my problem and my grandma texted me she would pay to get the hard drive fixed, no matter the price. I cried when I read her text and again later when I told Jeff about her offer. I am grateful to her and my mom for actively seeking to help me (my mom and grandma had talked prior about ways my grandma could help me if there was ever a time).
     While Tyler is such a fun and silly boy, he has also been hard for me. After talking to some people and going to a parenting conference, I have realized that my expectations are a little too high and that I am hard on him and myself. I am hoping to try to work on this. I will say, however, we did get a lock for his door and it has been GLORIOUS! I felt like I was parenting out of anger all the time and hated it. The lock has changed that. I wish I had done it sooner!
     With that being said, of course, I have to share some "Tyler-isms"! I hope to be able to do this for all of my children but know it will get harder to find the time to do so. I guess for now, Tyler should just be happy he is the first child and his childhood is documented so well (a little too well I know).

Slippies = slippers

Old McDonald = McDonald's

Mushroom = mustache

Starburts = Star Wars

Stockington = Christmas stocking

*Poor kid wants to be potty trained so bad! He asks to go potty and asks to wear underwear. He will often take his diaper off and go to the bathroom. I had every intention of doing it post Summer trips but never did. I am a bad parent, I know.
* He did not want to listen to my music anymore so he told me I needed to turn it off because it "had bad words in it." First of all, no it did not. Second, how does he even know what "bad words" are?
* He hates having his hair washed. Prior to the lock on his door, in an attempt to be less angry, I got a spray bottle to spray his face with as punishment. Turns out he LOVED it and thought it was hilarious. Now it is his toy and he sprays himself all the time.
*He came up to me with a glass of water and said, "It's not coffee anymore, it's just water." I think this was due to our discussion about how we don't drink coffee.
*He keeps talking about his "presentations". Any clue what Jeff has been doing at school lately?
*Ally told Tyler that she loved him and he replied, "No don't say 'I love you' because I a boy.'"
* Poor Tyler, the temperature has been in the single digits the last two days, including tonight when I noticed his whole right pant leg and shoe was wet. I asked him if he spilled water and he said no. Then I realized it was pee. I put his diaper on wrong and he peed all over himself! That is the third time it has happened! Poor baby. When will I ever learn?! Maybe that is why he has been wanting to be potty trained so badly!
*I asked him if he went potty and he replied, "Stop asking me! I running away!" Thanks Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer movie. After watching that movie he also decided he was the "bad frosty the snowman" aka the Abominable Snowman.
*We watched "Beauty and the Beast" for family movie night. He said he is the beast because the beast is mean. Why my kid can't desire to be the good guy I will never know. At least when he said he prayers later that night he said, "Thank you the man isn't the beast anymore." Actually, he calls the beast the "beat."  
* I told Tyler that at the end of his TV show we would be turning the TV off. I was in my room sorting laundry when I heard the closing credits to the show he was watching. All of a sudden he came and quickly shut my door, thinking if I didn't hear the closing credits then I wouldn't turn off the TV. I came out and asked him why he shut my door and he said, "Because I watching a kid show."
*Tyler hurt his lip and insisted on a band-aid. He put it across his lips, covering his whole mouth. He took off because I could get a picture of how ridiculous it looked. After a few minutes he realized wearing a band-aid across his mouth was not very comfortable so he pulled it off. He was very offended when he discovered how much pulling the band-aid off hurt his mouth.

Weeks 34 and 37

Week 34

Weeks 35 and 36

I didn't feel like taking pictures. 

Week 37

The Passing of a Wonderful Woman

Today has been a difficult day, a day of relief and a day of sorrow. Today my dear Aunt Rebecca passed away. She fought a two year battle with ALS. ALS is a terrible disease to witness take over your loved one. Yet through it all, my aunt bore it with dignity and happiness. I am grateful for her example of not only how to handle a trial, but also for the influence she had throughout my life. She was one of the kindest and friendliest people you could ever meet. She could strike up a conversation with a can of green beans! She will truly be missed. I bet she is up in Heaven chatting and laughing like crazy after being silenced for so long! I love and will miss you Aunt Rebecca.

Here is her obituary: 

April 18, 1957 ~ Dec. 11, 2016
Rebecca Niederhauser, 59, of Kaysville, Utah passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 11, 2016 after faithfully enduring her journey with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Rebecca was born on April 18, 1957 in Reno, NV to Merritt Meredith Willis and Maud LaRayne Johnson. She was born and raised in Reno and graduated from Wooster High School in 1975.
She attended BYU and got her degree in Elementary Education. Rebecca was sealed to Alan Niederhauser on August 17, 1984 in the Logan Temple. She taught school in Duchesne County and then in the Logan School District until her oldest daughter was born and then stayed home to raise her family. She had 5 children. She returned to teaching after her kids were in school and taught in the Davis School District until June of 2015. She loved teaching and loved 'her kids'. She has made a big impact on the lives of many children.
Rebecca was an active member of the LDS church for her entire life. She served in many Relief Society, Primary, and Sunday School callings. She enjoyed getting to know people and could make friends with anyone she came in contact with. Her family was the most important thing to her. She enjoyed family vacations especially to Lake Tahoe and Disneyland.
Rebecca is survived by her husband, her children Nicole (Jeff) Binder, Mandy (Andy) Rhodes, Scott (Hailey) Niederhauser, Trevor (Misty) Niederhauser, and Emily Niederhauser; her grandchildren Shaylee, Eli, Jax, Jeffery, Olivia, Jason, Jacob, Peyton, and Joshua; her siblings Shirley Anne Ring, Mary Rivard, Tyra Willis, Janice White, Roberta Black, Steven Willis, and Bryan Willis. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Willie Willis, Patsy Egner, Larry Willis, and Kathryn Willis.
The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Bromberg and the staff at the University of Utah ALS Clinic, Jenny Urry and the staff at Summit Hospice, and the many family members and friends who supported Rebecca.

 I am sad not to be able to attend her funeral but grateful I was able to see her so close to her death. She really was very tired and weak when I saw her a few weeks ago. I hope she is at peace now. 

Facebook post by Ana

 

April 18, 1957 ~ Dec. 11, 2016
Rebecca Niederhauser, 59, of Kaysville, Utah passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 11, 2016 after faithfully enduring her journey with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Rebecca was born on April 18, 1957 in Reno, NV to Merritt Meredith Willis and Maud LaRayne Johnson. She was born and raised in Reno and graduated from Wooster High School in 1975.
She attended BYU and got her degree in Elementary Education. Rebecca was sealed to Alan Niederhauser on August 17, 1984 in the Logan Temple. She taught school in Duchesne County and then in the Logan School District until her oldest daughter was born and then stayed home to raise her family. She had 5 children. She returned to teaching after her kids were in school and taught in the Davis School District until June of 2015. She loved teaching and loved 'her kids'. She has made a big impact on the lives of many children.
Rebecca was an active member of the LDS church for her entire life. She served in many Relief Society, Primary, and Sunday School callings. She enjoyed getting to know people and could make friends with anyone she came in contact with. Her family was the most important thing to her. She enjoyed family vacations especially to Lake Tahoe and Disneyland.
Rebecca is survived by her husband, her children Nicole (Jeff) Binder, Mandy (Andy) Rhodes, Scott (Hailey) Niederhauser, Trevor (Misty) Niederhauser, and Emily Niederhauser; her grandchildren Shaylee, Eli, Jax, Jeffery, Olivia, Jason, Jacob, Peyton, and Joshua; her siblings Shirley Anne Ring, Mary Rivard, Tyra Willis, Janice White, Roberta Black, Steven Willis, and Bryan Willis. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Willie Willis, Patsy Egner, Larry Willis, and Kathryn Willis.
The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Bromberg and the staff at the University of Utah ALS Clinic, Jenny Urry and the staff at Summit Hospice, and the many family members and friends who supported Rebecca.
Funeral services will be held Sat., December 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Crestwood LDS Chapel, 1039 Crestwood Rd, Kaysville, UT. Friends and family may visit Fri., December 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary 1941 N. Main St. Farmington, UT, or Sat., December 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church. Interment - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?pid=183076619#sthash.81RLyTXE.dpuf

April 18, 1957 ~ Dec. 11, 2016
Rebecca Niederhauser, 59, of Kaysville, Utah passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 11, 2016 after faithfully enduring her journey with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Rebecca was born on April 18, 1957 in Reno, NV to Merritt Meredith Willis and Maud LaRayne Johnson. She was born and raised in Reno and graduated from Wooster High School in 1975.
She attended BYU and got her degree in Elementary Education. Rebecca was sealed to Alan Niederhauser on August 17, 1984 in the Logan Temple. She taught school in Duchesne County and then in the Logan School District until her oldest daughter was born and then stayed home to raise her family. She had 5 children. She returned to teaching after her kids were in school and taught in the Davis School District until June of 2015. She loved teaching and loved 'her kids'. She has made a big impact on the lives of many children.
Rebecca was an active member of the LDS church for her entire life. She served in many Relief Society, Primary, and Sunday School callings. She enjoyed getting to know people and could make friends with anyone she came in contact with. Her family was the most important thing to her. She enjoyed family vacations especially to Lake Tahoe and Disneyland.
Rebecca is survived by her husband, her children Nicole (Jeff) Binder, Mandy (Andy) Rhodes, Scott (Hailey) Niederhauser, Trevor (Misty) Niederhauser, and Emily Niederhauser; her grandchildren Shaylee, Eli, Jax, Jeffery, Olivia, Jason, Jacob, Peyton, and Joshua; her siblings Shirley Anne Ring, Mary Rivard, Tyra Willis, Janice White, Roberta Black, Steven Willis, and Bryan Willis. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Willie Willis, Patsy Egner, Larry Willis, and Kathryn Willis.
The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Bromberg and the staff at the University of Utah ALS Clinic, Jenny Urry and the staff at Summit Hospice, and the many family members and friends who supported Rebecca.
Funeral services will be held Sat., December 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Crestwood LDS Chapel, 1039 Crestwood Rd, Kaysville, UT. Friends and family may visit Fri., December 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary 1941 N. Main St. Farmington, UT, or Sat., December 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church. Interment - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?pid=183076619#sthash.81RLyTXE.dpuf

April 18, 1957 ~ Dec. 11, 2016
Rebecca Niederhauser, 59, of Kaysville, Utah passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 11, 2016 after faithfully enduring her journey with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Rebecca was born on April 18, 1957 in Reno, NV to Merritt Meredith Willis and Maud LaRayne Johnson. She was born and raised in Reno and graduated from Wooster High School in 1975.
She attended BYU and got her degree in Elementary Education. Rebecca was sealed to Alan Niederhauser on August 17, 1984 in the Logan Temple. She taught school in Duchesne County and then in the Logan School District until her oldest daughter was born and then stayed home to raise her family. She had 5 children. She returned to teaching after her kids were in school and taught in the Davis School District until June of 2015. She loved teaching and loved 'her kids'. She has made a big impact on the lives of many children.
Rebecca was an active member of the LDS church for her entire life. She served in many Relief Society, Primary, and Sunday School callings. She enjoyed getting to know people and could make friends with anyone she came in contact with. Her family was the most important thing to her. She enjoyed family vacations especially to Lake Tahoe and Disneyland.
Rebecca is survived by her husband, her children Nicole (Jeff) Binder, Mandy (Andy) Rhodes, Scott (Hailey) Niederhauser, Trevor (Misty) Niederhauser, and Emily Niederhauser; her grandchildren Shaylee, Eli, Jax, Jeffery, Olivia, Jason, Jacob, Peyton, and Joshua; her siblings Shirley Anne Ring, Mary Rivard, Tyra Willis, Janice White, Roberta Black, Steven Willis, and Bryan Willis. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Willie Willis, Patsy Egner, Larry Willis, and Kathryn Willis.
The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Bromberg and the staff at the University of Utah ALS Clinic, Jenny Urry and the staff at Summit Hospice, and the many family members and friends who supported Rebecca.
Funeral services will be held Sat., December 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Crestwood LDS Chapel, 1039 Crestwood Rd, Kaysville, UT. Friends and family may visit Fri., December 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary 1941 N. Main St. Farmington, UT, or Sat., December 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church. Interment - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?pid=183076619#sthash.81RLyTXE.dpuf

April 18, 1957 ~ Dec. 11, 2016
Rebecca Niederhauser, 59, of Kaysville, Utah passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 11, 2016 after faithfully enduring her journey with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Rebecca was born on April 18, 1957 in Reno, NV to Merritt Meredith Willis and Maud LaRayne Johnson. She was born and raised in Reno and graduated from Wooster High School in 1975.
She attended BYU and got her degree in Elementary Education. Rebecca was sealed to Alan Niederhauser on August 17, 1984 in the Logan Temple. She taught school in Duchesne County and then in the Logan School District until her oldest daughter was born and then stayed home to raise her family. She had 5 children. She returned to teaching after her kids were in school and taught in the Davis School District until June of 2015. She loved teaching and loved 'her kids'. She has made a big impact on the lives of many children.
Rebecca was an active member of the LDS church for her entire life. She served in many Relief Society, Primary, and Sunday School callings. She enjoyed getting to know people and could make friends with anyone she came in contact with. Her family was the most important thing to her. She enjoyed family vacations especially to Lake Tahoe and Disneyland.
Rebecca is survived by her husband, her children Nicole (Jeff) Binder, Mandy (Andy) Rhodes, Scott (Hailey) Niederhauser, Trevor (Misty) Niederhauser, and Emily Niederhauser; her grandchildren Shaylee, Eli, Jax, Jeffery, Olivia, Jason, Jacob, Peyton, and Joshua; her siblings Shirley Anne Ring, Mary Rivard, Tyra Willis, Janice White, Roberta Black, Steven Willis, and Bryan Willis. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Willie Willis, Patsy Egner, Larry Willis, and Kathryn Willis.
The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Bromberg and the staff at the University of Utah ALS Clinic, Jenny Urry and the staff at Summit Hospice, and the many family members and friends who supported Rebecca.
Funeral services will be held Sat., December 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Crestwood LDS Chapel, 1039 Crestwood Rd, Kaysville, UT. Friends and family may visit Fri., December 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary 1941 N. Main St. Farmington, UT, or Sat., December 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church. Interment - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?pid=183076619#sthash.81RLyTXE.dpuf

April 18, 1957 ~ Dec. 11, 2016
Rebecca Niederhauser, 59, of Kaysville, Utah passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 11, 2016 after faithfully enduring her journey with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Rebecca was born on April 18, 1957 in Reno, NV to Merritt Meredith Willis and Maud LaRayne Johnson. She was born and raised in Reno and graduated from Wooster High School in 1975.
She attended BYU and got her degree in Elementary Education. Rebecca was sealed to Alan Niederhauser on August 17, 1984 in the Logan Temple. She taught school in Duchesne County and then in the Logan School District until her oldest daughter was born and then stayed home to raise her family. She had 5 children. She returned to teaching after her kids were in school and taught in the Davis School District until June of 2015. She loved teaching and loved 'her kids'. She has made a big impact on the lives of many children.
Rebecca was an active member of the LDS church for her entire life. She served in many Relief Society, Primary, and Sunday School callings. She enjoyed getting to know people and could make friends with anyone she came in contact with. Her family was the most important thing to her. She enjoyed family vacations especially to Lake Tahoe and Disneyland.
Rebecca is survived by her husband, her children Nicole (Jeff) Binder, Mandy (Andy) Rhodes, Scott (Hailey) Niederhauser, Trevor (Misty) Niederhauser, and Emily Niederhauser; her grandchildren Shaylee, Eli, Jax, Jeffery, Olivia, Jason, Jacob, Peyton, and Joshua; her siblings Shirley Anne Ring, Mary Rivard, Tyra Willis, Janice White, Roberta Black, Steven Willis, and Bryan Willis. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Willie Willis, Patsy Egner, Larry Willis, and Kathryn Willis.
The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Bromberg and the staff at the University of Utah ALS Clinic, Jenny Urry and the staff at Summit Hospice, and the many family members and friends who supported Rebecca.
Funeral services will be held Sat., December 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Crestwood LDS Chapel, 1039 Crestwood Rd, Kaysville, UT. Friends and family may visit Fri., December 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary 1941 N. Main St. Farmington, UT, or Sat., December 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church. Interment - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?pid=183076619#sthash.81RLyTXE.dpuf

April 18, 1957 ~ Dec. 11, 2016
Rebecca Niederhauser, 59, of Kaysville, Utah passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 11, 2016 after faithfully enduring her journey with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Rebecca was born on April 18, 1957 in Reno, NV to Merritt Meredith Willis and Maud LaRayne Johnson. She was born and raised in Reno and graduated from Wooster High School in 1975.
She attended BYU and got her degree in Elementary Education. Rebecca was sealed to Alan Niederhauser on August 17, 1984 in the Logan Temple. She taught school in Duchesne County and then in the Logan School District until her oldest daughter was born and then stayed home to raise her family. She had 5 children. She returned to teaching after her kids were in school and taught in the Davis School District until June of 2015. She loved teaching and loved 'her kids'. She has made a big impact on the lives of many children.
Rebecca was an active member of the LDS church for her entire life. She served in many Relief Society, Primary, and Sunday School callings. She enjoyed getting to know people and could make friends with anyone she came in contact with. Her family was the most important thing to her. She enjoyed family vacations especially to Lake Tahoe and Disneyland.
Rebecca is survived by her husband, her children Nicole (Jeff) Binder, Mandy (Andy) Rhodes, Scott (Hailey) Niederhauser, Trevor (Misty) Niederhauser, and Emily Niederhauser; her grandchildren Shaylee, Eli, Jax, Jeffery, Olivia, Jason, Jacob, Peyton, and Joshua; her siblings Shirley Anne Ring, Mary Rivard, Tyra Willis, Janice White, Roberta Black, Steven Willis, and Bryan Willis. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Willie Willis, Patsy Egner, Larry Willis, and Kathryn Willis.
The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Bromberg and the staff at the University of Utah ALS Clinic, Jenny Urry and the staff at Summit Hospice, and the many family members and friends who supported Rebecca.
Funeral services will be held Sat., December 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Crestwood LDS Chapel, 1039 Crestwood Rd, Kaysville, UT. Friends and family may visit Fri., December 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary 1941 N. Main St. Farmington, UT, or Sat., December 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church. Interment - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?pid=183076619#sthash.81RLyTXE.dpuf

April 18, 1957 ~ Dec. 11, 2016
Rebecca Niederhauser, 59, of Kaysville, Utah passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 11, 2016 after faithfully enduring her journey with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Rebecca was born on April 18, 1957 in Reno, NV to Merritt Meredith Willis and Maud LaRayne Johnson. She was born and raised in Reno and graduated from Wooster High School in 1975.
She attended BYU and got her degree in Elementary Education. Rebecca was sealed to Alan Niederhauser on August 17, 1984 in the Logan Temple. She taught school in Duchesne County and then in the Logan School District until her oldest daughter was born and then stayed home to raise her family. She had 5 children. She returned to teaching after her kids were in school and taught in the Davis School District until June of 2015. She loved teaching and loved 'her kids'. She has made a big impact on the lives of many children.
Rebecca was an active member of the LDS church for her entire life. She served in many Relief Society, Primary, and Sunday School callings. She enjoyed getting to know people and could make friends with anyone she came in contact with. Her family was the most important thing to her. She enjoyed family vacations especially to Lake Tahoe and Disneyland.
Rebecca is survived by her husband, her children Nicole (Jeff) Binder, Mandy (Andy) Rhodes, Scott (Hailey) Niederhauser, Trevor (Misty) Niederhauser, and Emily Niederhauser; her grandchildren Shaylee, Eli, Jax, Jeffery, Olivia, Jason, Jacob, Peyton, and Joshua; her siblings Shirley Anne Ring, Mary Rivard, Tyra Willis, Janice White, Roberta Black, Steven Willis, and Bryan Willis. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Willie Willis, Patsy Egner, Larry Willis, and Kathryn Willis.
The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Bromberg and the staff at the University of Utah ALS Clinic, Jenny Urry and the staff at Summit Hospice, and the many family members and friends who supported Rebecca.
Funeral services will be held Sat., December 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Crestwood LDS Chapel, 1039 Crestwood Rd, Kaysville, UT. Friends and family may visit Fri., December 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary 1941 N. Main St. Farmington, UT, or Sat., December 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church. Interment - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?pid=183076619#sthash.81RLyTXE.dpuf

April 18, 1957 ~ Dec. 11, 2016
Rebecca Niederhauser, 59, of Kaysville, Utah passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 11, 2016 after faithfully enduring her journey with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Rebecca was born on April 18, 1957 in Reno, NV to Merritt Meredith Willis and Maud LaRayne Johnson. She was born and raised in Reno and graduated from Wooster High School in 1975.
She attended BYU and got her degree in Elementary Education. Rebecca was sealed to Alan Niederhauser on August 17, 1984 in the Logan Temple. She taught school in Duchesne County and then in the Logan School District until her oldest daughter was born and then stayed home to raise her family. She had 5 children. She returned to teaching after her kids were in school and taught in the Davis School District until June of 2015. She loved teaching and loved 'her kids'. She has made a big impact on the lives of many children.
Rebecca was an active member of the LDS church for her entire life. She served in many Relief Society, Primary, and Sunday School callings. She enjoyed getting to know people and could make friends with anyone she came in contact with. Her family was the most important thing to her. She enjoyed family vacations especially to Lake Tahoe and Disneyland.
Rebecca is survived by her husband, her children Nicole (Jeff) Binder, Mandy (Andy) Rhodes, Scott (Hailey) Niederhauser, Trevor (Misty) Niederhauser, and Emily Niederhauser; her grandchildren Shaylee, Eli, Jax, Jeffery, Olivia, Jason, Jacob, Peyton, and Joshua; her siblings Shirley Anne Ring, Mary Rivard, Tyra Willis, Janice White, Roberta Black, Steven Willis, and Bryan Willis. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Willie Willis, Patsy Egner, Larry Willis, and Kathryn Willis.
The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Bromberg and the staff at the University of Utah ALS Clinic, Jenny Urry and the staff at Summit Hospice, and the many family members and friends who supported Rebecca.
Funeral services will be held Sat., December 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Crestwood LDS Chapel, 1039 Crestwood Rd, Kaysville, UT. Friends and family may visit Fri., December 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary 1941 N. Main St. Farmington, UT, or Sat., December 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church. Interment - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?pid=183076619#sthash.81RLyTXE.dpuf

April 18, 1957 ~ Dec. 11, 2016
Rebecca Niederhauser, 59, of Kaysville, Utah passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 11, 2016 after faithfully enduring her journey with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Rebecca was born on April 18, 1957 in Reno, NV to Merritt Meredith Willis and Maud LaRayne Johnson. She was born and raised in Reno and graduated from Wooster High School in 1975.
She attended BYU and got her degree in Elementary Education. Rebecca was sealed to Alan Niederhauser on August 17, 1984 in the Logan Temple. She taught school in Duchesne County and then in the Logan School District until her oldest daughter was born and then stayed home to raise her family. She had 5 children. She returned to teaching after her kids were in school and taught in the Davis School District until June of 2015. She loved teaching and loved 'her kids'. She has made a big impact on the lives of many children.
Rebecca was an active member of the LDS church for her entire life. She served in many Relief Society, Primary, and Sunday School callings. She enjoyed getting to know people and could make friends with anyone she came in contact with. Her family was the most important thing to her. She enjoyed family vacations especially to Lake Tahoe and Disneyland.
Rebecca is survived by her husband, her children Nicole (Jeff) Binder, Mandy (Andy) Rhodes, Scott (Hailey) Niederhauser, Trevor (Misty) Niederhauser, and Emily Niederhauser; her grandchildren Shaylee, Eli, Jax, Jeffery, Olivia, Jason, Jacob, Peyton, and Joshua; her siblings Shirley Anne Ring, Mary Rivard, Tyra Willis, Janice White, Roberta Black, Steven Willis, and Bryan Willis. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Willie Willis, Patsy Egner, Larry Willis, and Kathryn Willis.
The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Bromberg and the staff at the University of Utah ALS Clinic, Jenny Urry and the staff at Summit Hospice, and the many family members and friends who supported Rebecca.
Funeral services will be held Sat., December 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Crestwood LDS Chapel, 1039 Crestwood Rd, Kaysville, UT. Friends and family may visit Fri., December 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary 1941 N. Main St. Farmington, UT, or Sat., December 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church. Interment - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?pid=183076619#sthash.81RLyTXE.dpuf

December Utah Visit

We were able to take a quick trip to Utah. It was fun to see family and friends.

We arrived to Provo Thursday evening and went straight to David and Kristina's apartment. Kristina made a super delicious chicken crock pot meal.  Jeff and Tyler hung out with David, Kristina, Ally, and Lindsay while I went to Tarah's. The goal was for me to have an early night but that didn't definitely did not happen! Tarah and I chatted for hours and then by the time I was ready to go to bed at 1:00 AM, her neighbor started playing the cello and base guitar! After awhile I went out to her couch and was able to fall asleep.

Friday

We went to the Bean Museum.

 

We ate dinner at Carolyn and Nelson's.

Then we did Temple Square. So pretty. Tyler loved it.

 

After Temple Square everyone went back to Carolyn's and I drove to Kaysville to spend the night with Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Alan.  

 Saturday

Tyler spent the night at Carolyn's. I am not sure who loved it more, him or Carolyn. He did come back saying Carolyn taught him angry eyes. 

The Purple Crew!

We joked that Uncle Alan could not be in the picture because he was not wearing purple like us. It was a difficult but good visit. Aunt Rebecca has done SO much since she was diagnosed with ALS.

Tyler just saw this picture and said, "Oh, a picture of momma with her brothers and sisters" :)

 

I ended the night visiting Emily and Baylee.