Last June Sam and I were delighted to find we would be expecting our first baby in the beginning of February. The months passed quickly. While Sam was working, I finished my Bachelors degree at BYU and graduated in August. Then, after much consideration, we felt it was time for Sam to go back to school in January to finish his degree. We had been saving our money and planning carefully for the future (so we thought).

Then, mid-January, I unexpectedly went into labor. Benjamin Alexander came three weeks early but has been happy, healthy, and strong! Over the next few weeks Sam and I began adjusting to parenthood, and readjusting to our new roles as Mom and Dad.

Now, this last weekend, we've had another major change that will take even more adjusting, and once again, create new roles.

Sam's friends, who would potentially be working with him this summer selling security systems, came to Utah to meet their new managers. We were planning to move to Buffalo, New York where Sam would earn enough in one summer to support us through the next school year. He and his friends decided to go snowboarding on Saturday night.

That night I received the dreaded phone call; Sam was in a serious accident and life flighted to the University of Utah hospital. His friends think he went over a big jump, not realizing that it was a jump instead of a hill, and/or not knowing how big it was. Sam is not a daredevil; he caught too much air and somehow landed on his head. Thankfully, he was wearing a helmet so his head was protected.

An MRI and X-rays confirmed Sam's neck was broken in several areas. We later learned that he also injured the durra (the protective layer around his spinal cord). His spinal cord looks good, however, at this point he is paralyzed. After two surgeries on Sunday, Sam has seen some improvement. He now has feeling just past his elbows and from his sternum upward. It is too soon to tell what his recovery will look like. The doctors and nurses are taking good care of him, but obviously don't want to give us false hope. They say it will take a miracle for him to walk again. Time will tell.

Right now we are hoping and praying and taking things one day at a time. We appreciate your faith and continued prayers. I believe in miracles!