the afternoon is even better

I called my sister in law kellie at 3pm after i slept for an update...she said he's doing great..and that the PT people came in and worked with him.. he even sat up off the edge of the bed again (of course with their help) for 17 MINUTES!!!!!!!!! can you EVEN believe that!?!??!?!?! they were totallly amazed!!!!! jon is SUCH a fighter!!!!! he's one of those types that thru this process..they will say "okay lets do this 5 times"..and he'll do it 7 times-he doesnt settle for the "basic"..he pushes himself..he ALWAYS has and ALWAYS will..he doesnt do anything mediocore in life...
they also had him lying on his left side and he slept like that for 30 minutes..it was great!
he ate more of his lunch today..and he's just been enjoying spending time with kellie and helping her to prepare for her politicial science midterm exam tomorrow..thank you for everyone to allow him time to rest today..
i hope i dont hurt anyones feelings here about what i am going to say next..but here it goes -- please know i appreciate all the encouraging things and uplifting calls and emails...there are a lot of people who know people that have been in the same injury types as jon..and they'd all like to come see jon and tell their stories to encourage him...we feel that at this time..jon REALLY wants to go thru this with a fresh mind..and not to be comparing his trial with anyone elses..its like having a baby..each time you deliver your baby..its COMPLETLEY different from the one before..atleast in my case..all 4 of my deliveries were totally different..and totally different from the next woman..i LOVED that i got to experience it myself..and didnt try to compare it to anyone elses...jons the same way about his injury, recovery, rehabilitation, everything..he is SOOOOOOOO positive..its his nature...he's even MORE faithful..its his nature...he tells me over and over..im so excited to see what lessons and the growth he'll make thru this trial..big and small miracles are happenning to him..there are guys in there STILL struggling..the fact that jon is doing so much already in LESS then ONE WEEK of his injury??? that is TRULY a miracle!!!!! and ALL OF YOU made that possible..together our prayers, fasting, strength and MORE IMPORTANTLY our faith - our faith that any of this would even matter..that any of this would even work...well my family and friends..simply put...it has...we are all so blessed to be able to witness this and be a part of it and to see it happen like this in this time in our lives..dont forget about this experience..its as much YOUR experience as it is ours...remember the feelings we are all having..they are VERY real and very tender...HF does love us, he does hear us, and he is real..
anyway - i say this so that anyone that goes into see him at the hospital..doesnt say "well i know someone and now he's walking and doing great..or he's in a wheelchair and has a happy life"..jon is SERIOUSLY focused with HF's help to experience his own trial..he's so encouraged by his faith, the Gospel, the priesthood, his wife, his family and his friends...
anyway - i hope that made sense as to what i was trying to convey..our biggest fear would be that he gets so sad and frustrated because he cant do this or that..but someone else could..he's ready to just take it one day at a time and experience his own recovery..
if sis. dalton is reading this from my ward...please contact us so that we can utitilize you to talk to our older 2 maybe 3 girls..we have been careful NOT to say "daddy might not walk again"..were not sure if they can wrap their minds around that quite yet..but we dont want to lead them thru this blindly..im just doing my best to follow the spirit as to what to say to my children..so far they are doing great..as we speak they are at erins house who lives on an acre and they are out there finding lizards for jacob pendeltons birthday on saturday! too cute!! that has always been our dream to live on an acre so that rachel can go be her "tomboy" little self!! she's just in HEAVEN over there im sure!!! thank you erin and bonnie for letting her play there..its right up her alley!!!
so the plan for tonite is sandra jons mother will stay thru the nite..using my technique to help him to stay asleep..then i will come during the day (tracy im good now we've got it worked out-maybe we can do half and half type thing)..then robert will come stay thru the nite tomorrow..then the rest of jons family is ANXIOUS to "hang with their bro" as they say!! the family will be able to do it clear thru tuesday of next week..im SOOOOO incredibly BLESSED to be apart of the hales family..as tears are streaming down my face right now..where would we be without them...the love in that family is SO geniune and SO very real..they were taught the correct principle of love..as our friends get to know his parents and siblings..thats one of the first things they say...what an amazing family he has..the love is so real!
last night i felt inspired to bring jons patriartichal blessing and read it to him..he was so overjoyed..as he said "honey, thats why i love you and married you! you follow the spirit and do exactly what your prompted to do...i really wanted to read that too!" where would we be right now without the Gospel..true knowledge of our life before, now and after..its SO comforting and puts jon and i at such ease and contentment..may we honor our pioneers who struggled for us to enjoy the feelings of peace and contentment by following the commandments..and doing what we know to be true and correct...