Things I love about Sunday

I was laying in bed this morning about 6:30 which is usually about the time I wake up on Sunday mornings, give or take 15 or 20 minutes, thinking, "It's Sunday. I love Sunday". Then, I started thinking why I love Sundays. Here are some of the reasons, though not necessarily in order.

1. Church. I love church. The hymns, USUALLY pretty decent talks and lessons, interacting and mingling with good people. I mingle with good people at work, too, but church is different. I think it's the Spirit.

2. CBS Sunday Morning news show. I love that show. I've watched it for 15 years or so. I love the format.

3. Football during the season. I miss it when it's over.

4. Dinner. I usually can be counted on to make SOMETHING for Sunday dinner/lunch that's a little more involved than what ususally gets taken care of (if it gets taken care of at all) during the week. Although, there's no guarantee or promises about this one.

5. With a good church schedule and a little luck, I sometimes manage a Sunday nap. Glorious.

6. The Amazing Race on Sunday nights. I miss it when it's not on.

7. Not going anywhere or having to be anywhere. The whole day of rest thing. I can put on my jammies if I want at 12:30 and be good. I usually don't do that, in case someone stops by, but I CAN if I want.

8. Baths. Now that our church schedule is changing and we won't have to be at church until 11:00, I can resume my Sunday morning bath routine. I love to take a bath and being in this house we have a nice, big tub. It's a little bit longer, more luxurious proposition to body cleaning than my usual 4 minute shower. So, Sunday morning is the one day of the week I have time to enjoy one.

9. Treats. I don't do it so often anymore, but if I'm going to make treats, it's usually going to be on Sunday. Especially when I think some of my kids and grandkids will come over.

10. It's not Monday.

That's my list. I might think of other reasons, but I think that pretty much covers it.

Christmas Past

OK, I'm working on getting this whole picture posting down. I can't seem to manage to get things in the right order. This first picture should be last and the last should be first...hmm, that sounds rather familiar! Anyway, I hope you can figure this all out.

Nate & Stacy & their gifts.

Christmas is past...'07 is history. It was a good one, I felt. I thought it might be a little sad for me with Michael gone, but it really wasn't. I thought Christmas this year was good. I think it was due to my effort to "scale down" a bit and not be so caught up with all the hoopla. It seemed to work. We missed Nate and Stacy, but know they had a great time in Huntsville. Here are a few pics of the Big Day and the day after.

Brevin & his red light saber.

Austin being neat!

Seth & Brock admiring Seth's Disney Clubhouse.

Erin opening her Bass Pro Shops hoodie from Nate.

Sarah trying to figure out what she's opening.

Caylee with her Cheetah Girls doll. Rawk ON!

Brooklyn..."oooooh".

New clothes for Mackenzie.

Stylin new duds for Sydney.

Dave got the Ipod out when I wasn't looking! Surprise!

Howard reading and me crying trying to read the book Erin & Kevin gave us with our gift from them...a month of service to others. Pictures and stories documented it. GREAT!!!

This should have been at the top. Everyone passing out the goods.

No new news

OK, it's Christmas Eve, 10:23 AM. Turkey is in the oven, jello in the fridge, pumpkin pies I made @ 7:30 this AM cooling, dishes caught up, eggs boiled, veggies cut up. Things are rolling along. And, I checked the UPS site and Mikes Christmas package we sent him via UPS that was attempted to be delivered last Friday was delivered this AM in Roanoke. The website indicates he signed for it, so I'm guessing the boy is having a happy day, today. We still don't know what time he'll call tomorrow, so for Erin, Sarah and Nate...what can I say? We'll know when he calls.

David is out doing his last minute, Christmas Eve-all-in-one-day-shopping ("this is the way I like to do it!"). I think I'm done. I'll have some panic-y moments wondering if I forgot anyone/thing and worry that all things are more or less "equal". I got behind and some gifts that were going to be for Christmas didn't make it, but in the end, 30 years from now, or even next week, it won't matter. What matters is love and being with those we do love and talking to the ones we love and can't be with. Gosh, I love Christmas. I love the Christmas music--- non stop on the radio, cheesy Christmasy-feel good movies on Lifetime Movie Network and Hallmark Channel (Timepiece is on right now!), and all the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Music and the Spoken Word Christmas broadcasts from previous years. I just love it all. And, I love my family, both immediate and extended. I'm privileged to be in it!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Early Christmas Gift from Heaven!

This was the view from my patio this morning. Unfortunately, the picture really doesn't do the scene justice. It was beautiful. As sunrise should be since they're so stinkin' early every day!

It's beginning to look a lot like...Snowmen!!

Several years ago, Howard received a wooden snowman for a Christmas gift. After that, he thought they would make good Christmas gifts. So,the snowman making saga began. He has made them and given them as gifts to family and friends and teachers he knows. Last year, he made one for all the teachers athis school. Well, this year, he's at a new school and decided to make one for the entire staff. 80 of them!!! Yes, you read that right, 80. But, as often happens, things sneak up and it's always a marathon snowman making foot/fluff fest at our house the week before school is out. This year is no exception. Last night, he went to bed around, maybe 11:00 and was up at 3:00. Exhaustion sets in eventually and tonight he hit the wall. So, this post is for you, Howard. I'm sure the recepients will NEVER know what you put into their gift.

This is Howard @ 6:30 this morning...being up since 3:00...working on the snowmen before going to work.Here the snowmen are lined up in the hallway...

And in the kitchen...

And in the family room...

And in the family room, again!

What Day Is It????

Oh, Yeah, Dec. 12. Tomorrow is Dec 13. The first day of doing the 12 days of Christmas. So, why are the 12 gifts I have for Michael still sitting on my kitchen table, waiting for a box that will hold them all??? Most of them aren't big at all, but a couple are and now, I have to go find a box tomorrow to hold it all. Hopefully one that's not too big. He'll have to open a couple a day for a few days to catch up once it gets to him. Oh,well. It's the thought that counts....RIGHT? Whatev.

Today's email from Mike was the first one that hinted at a little bit of discouragement. I feel for him, but don't know what I can do other than pray for him. He lost his trainer at last week's transfers and I think he's a bit frustrated with feeling the responsibility of being the guy who's supposed to know the area and investigators (of which there aren't many) and wonders how Elder Lewis always made it seem so easy. He wants letters from people. I usually get one off to him at least once, sometimes twice a week. I can't wait for him to call on Christmas!!! 13 more days! Yikes. This is what he had to say in today's email:

"being the senior companion--in the sense that i know the area and have to pretty much plan our days out by myself--is hard. it feels like elder lewis always knew who we could go see when we didn't have anything to do. now when all our plans fall through, i'm at a loss for plans. so we tract. a lot. yesterday we tracted all morning, and then most of the afternoon. with little success. it's frustrating, but that's just part of missionary life i guess. it just feels like i'm forgetting so many people that elder lewis didn't. but i've been thinking about it so much, and the only conclusion i can come to is that i'm not forgetting anyone. we try to see a lot of different people, it's just that nothing works, they're either not home or "busy" or whatever. and that leaves our day pretty open. we're still working with a lot of the same people, and they don't seem to be progressing very quickly. no one wants to meet with us more than once a week. the zone leaders are teaching a young couple that they see almost every day. we need to find someone like that to teach! what we really need is some member support. we haven't gotten a single member referral since i've been here. members will go to lessons with us when we need them to, but that's about it. there's no real fellowshipping happening. IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANYONE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THE CHURCH, TELL THE MISSIONARIES. MEMBER REFERRALS ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE. "

Later...

Doncha just love car issues!

So, yesterday AM, on my way out the door JUST in time to make it to church without being late, I hopped in my car and turned it on and got click,click,click,click.... Darn! Dead battery. Came back into the house, got the keys to the other car and drove to church. Being glad all along the way to have an EXTRA car, already thinking ahead to driving to work today. And, I'm SO grateful to be a proud, card carrying member of AAA! Gotta love it. Right now, as I type this, the guy from triple A is in my driveway replacing my battery. Especially so since to change the battery in this car, you have to take the tire off because the battery is hidden way low in the front of the car. By the tire. SO worth the $112.00 it's costing me. Howard will echo the sentiment, I'm sure when he gets home and learns he didn't have to 1) go to the store and buy a new battery and 2) take the tire off and put the new battery in in the coldish weather. So, YAY AAA!

I have SO much to do/wrap/buy/mail/make/take for Christmas. With all I have to do, one would think I'd just be a whirling dirvish getting it all done. But, no. I had a very full weekend, however, watching Howard work like a maniac getting almost all of our "Christmas Crap" put out. The house looks nice. One more reason to not want to cook. I want the kitchen to stay clean! I really do have a decision making problem. When I have too many choices, I get frozen with indecision and don't do any of it, then later, kick myself. Why is that? Any psych majors out there want to give that one a stab?

This is actually a fairly calm week, as far as gotta-be-somewhere-after-work-stuff goes. GRATEFUL am I for that. But, we do get to go watch Caylee, Kenzie and Sydney be adorable and cute dancers at their Christmas dance recital tomorrow night. To get them all in one night's performance is nice. It's always lots of fun to watch them. And watch the little babies dance and remember when that was them!

It's Over!

Our last Enrichment Activity for the year is history. We did a Progressive Dinner. We don't progress as much as I've done in past dinners, but it's fun. We meet for appetizers, then split into two groups for dinner, then join up for dessert. Usually, there is a program of some short, simple sort, but this year, our R.S. Pres suggested a service project. So, we asked the sisters to donate supplies for School Kits that the Humanitarian Center for the LDS church assembles and sends to kids around the world that needs them. Paper, scissors, eraser, pencils, colored pencils and a ruler. In a tote bag. Simple. But, effective. We ended up with about 40 bags. Nice. I thought dinner was yummy. Trudy made this salad dressing that was amazing from pomegranete juice and I don't know what all. The company was good and all in all, beat as I am, it was fun. Now, we start planning for next year. Yay! It's 11:11 (Jerolyn!) and I'm beat and am REALLY not going to want to get up in the morning. WHY didn't I plan to take tomorrow off work?!

We got an email from Michael today. He didn't get transferred, but his trainer/companion did. He didn't know anything to tell us about his new companion other than his name. He wasn't too thrilled with the idea of staying in the same area (hence, still on a bike) into the winter and snowy weather. He said it was snowing today in Roanoke. So, 6 more weeks until the next transfer. Maybe then, he'll get in a car area. He's good though. Still no baptisms, but he does have some investigators. We get to talk to him in 20 days!!! Yay, us!

That's it for now.

Politicks!

Yes, I know that's not how you spell politics, but it's more accurate about how it makes me feel. PolitICKS!!

I'm a registered Democrat. Comes from being married to a teacher for 30 years and liking t have food on the table and a roof over our heads. But, I'm not a LIBERAL, I don't think. I feel like I'm a Republicrat. Why can't that be a party??? I like the idea of helping others and unfortunately, that costs money. But, I do get frusrated by the inappropiate spending of the tax dollars. I HATE this Iraq war. I want us out. But, really, will it all go to He--if we get out? Will they come hunt us down and kill us all in our beds? I don't know! I just know that I hate this war. So, I'm leaning toward Democrat candidates. But, then, I read today on MSN an article that tells about some atheist guy who took a case to court, made it to the Supreme Court (lost) and is now appealing to the District Court of Appeals. His beef? Having the words "under God" in the Pledge of Alliegance and "in God we Trust" on our money. The only reason he lost the original case in the Supreme Court is because he didn't have custody and wasn't the primary custodian of the child he was "protecting". So, he's filed another case and is pursuing it.

This makes me nuts. I have always felt more-patriotic-than-average, which might be a bit presumptious, but from small girl age, I've loved America. I used to read lots of stories and novels about the Revolutionary days. And, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints, I have a clear understanding that this land that America is on was consecrated and set aside by God for the freedom of religion that our constitution provides so that the TRUE church could be established and flourish. So, LIBERALS who take things to such extreme, seem to ruin it for others. Of course, "liberal" is a relative term. I mean, it was a pretty liberal idea one time for some people to think that women should be able to vote and blacks should be free.

But I say if you're atheist and believe there is no God, or agnostic and aren't sure or just don't lke the God you think "in God we trust" or "under God" represents, I have a solution for your problem. DON'T SAY THE WORDS AND DON'T SPEND THE MONEY. I'm pretty sure there is some island somewhere you could go live on and you woudn't have to be bothered by living in the OPPRESSIVE US of A. I mean, really, how hard your life must be to be so injured by having to hear some words you don't like and read words you disagree with. I've said those words for years and earned and spent the money all my life and just never realized how hard my life has been all this time. Maybe I should sue someone!

I love Christmas!

Can I just say I love December and all the Christmas music and decorations? Well, I think I just did. Howard has busted out the "Christmas Crap" as we so lovingly call it most of the time. It's a HUGE P-R-O-C-E-S-S at out house, because we have so MUCH stuff. It usually takes him 3-4 days to take down/put up all the stuff. But, in the end, it really looks so nice, all thanks to Howard. He's anal about it, he'd tell you so himself, that's no secret, nor a criticism. Consequently, we have a house that always looks fantastic at Christmas time. He's GREAT for doing it. Tonight, he had taken all my Dollstone figurines out of the curio to put other things in. I was wrapping them and putting them away and he was taking care of the shelf in the entry and the music was going and it was just...nice. I missed my kids, though. I'm going to take pictures of the house and send to Michael. Not that it's different from what he'll remember, but I thought maybe he'd like it.

Today at church was our Fast & Testimony meeting. In our ward, for December, people that bear testimony also tell their favorite hymn. Jana Wyson chose Called to Serve. Thanks,Jana. I lost it. That's just mean and cruel for a mom who has a missionary out. I think it should be banned until Michael comes home! I can just imagine him and his district/zone/mission singing that and that's all takes for me to lose it. But, all in all, it was a nice meeting.

Back to work tomorrow. This weekend went by entirely too fast. I could go for a 3 day work week.

Let the Shopping Begin!

Last night Sarah & Tyler and Erin & Kevin and Stacy and Howard & I went to dinner. It was fun and nice. During dinner, shopping for the grandkids came up and Stacy suggested that she and Erin & Sarah go with me to shop for the kids this year, which I was MORE than happy to hear. So, we planned to go shopping this afternoon. Squeeze it in while Caylee was at a birthday party. Unfortunately, Zoee got sick and Stacy couldn't go. However, I was able, with the parents/aunts input, able to get all the clothes shopping for all the kids done. Now, I just need to wrap them and I'm good. With 9 grandkids, that's quite an accomplishment in one day. Thanks Sarah and Erin. Especially Erin. Sarah and I are more the power shoppers. Search and destroy. There's too many choices most of the time and I don't have the time or the knees to stand around for long periods of time contemplating choices. I see it, I like it, I buy it. Done! Erin, however, LOVES to analyze, consider, ponder, picture, etc. Choosing just THE right outfit for her kids (or anyone) does not come lightly or easily to Erin. But, she went, knowing she would probably hear a little grief from me. Thanks, Erin, for dealing with that. But, the company was fabulous, as was the lunch at Cafe Rio afterward. My virgin Cafe Rio experience. Good stuff. Busy place.

And, as a side note, with this wind we had today, once the sun went down, it's seriously COLD out there!

Good Saturday, though.

Random Thoughts

I've not posted since Thanksgiving. Nothing, day to day, seems big enough to post about. My life is pretty boring these days, it seems to me. But, I'm still addicted to seeing my kids' posts.

Speaking of which, I just read Erin's post about the receptionist at the doctors office who wouldn't even let her make an appointment for poor, sick Austin. I say, why not? If she didn't pay the bill when she got there like she said she would, then don't let her see the dr. But, if she does, then all would be well. It's not nice to say this, but I hope Erin told the dr. and she got in SOME trouble at least. That just seems so extreme. I know it's a business and there are rules, but it is a DOCTOR's office, after all. You know, a place one needs for HEALING! It's not like Erin was shopping for an extra pair of shoes and they wouldn't let her buy more until she paid for the ones she already had. And, insuance is sad. Maybe a new president can do something about the sad state of American healthcare.

I'm sad. My BFF Marsha has breast cancer. She had surgery yesterday and will find out the results of some pathology next week. I want to hug her, kiss her and make it all GO AWAY. But, I can't. But, I believe in prayer and since "the fervent, effectual prayer of a rightous man (or woman) availeth much", I want to be pretty much perfect until she's out of the woods and better. However, I know that's not happening (my being perfect, that is) anytime soon. It's amazing how much your heart can hurt for those you love.

Michael didn't write today and I sure wish he had. Yesterday was his P-day and he didn't write, so I hoped he would today. I'm hoping he's just busy, busy, teaching himself silly. I hope he's not holed up in his apartment with his companion, sick with the flu or something. I hope he knows if he has a fever of 105.2 that it's dangerous. Does he even have a thermometer? I think that was something I got for his first aide kit I sent with him. But does he know a FEVER from a fever? I hope so. Or, I hope his companion does, if he doesn't.

This has been one of those weeks I hate. You know, the ones where EVERY night after work you have somewhere to go and something to do, when all you want to do is go home and put on your pajamas and curl up on the couch, or in bed and just BE? I don't know how General Authorities and Bishops and Relief Society and Stake Presidents do it. I don't know how mothers of young children do it, even though I was one once for quite a while.

Christmas is 26 days away. I don't think I've ever been so NOT ready. I have done pitifully little shopping. I wish I were like Erin, who by now, probably has bought all of her kids Christmas gifts and already knows what she'll bake/make/take to friends/family/foes. I hate shopping more and more and really hate the mall. But, I love to give gifts. Hmm...that does present a challenge.

Nate and Stacy had a 3D ultrasound of Gus this week. Nate stopped by my office to bring me something yesterday and had the DVD they made of it andI got to watch 15 minutes of my next grandbaby. He looks so big and mature already and it's hard to believe he still has 2 months to grow. I feel like I know him already. It is so cool to see those pictures.

There's a lot of sadness around me right now. People I know with problems. Real problems. But, as I read the scriptures and associate with really great people, I'm reminded of how good life really is and how blessed I am and have been my entire life. We've been asked to fast this weekend for moisture for our valley and snow to fall in Eastern Utah/Western Colorado. I feel privileged to do this. It's funny, right before Stake Conference, when Pres. Davie asked the people of our stake to fast for moisture, I was thinking that I was surprised it hadn't come to that already. Like, that very week. I thought, "I wonder how much rain/snow we'd get if all the good people in this valley 1) prayed for water and 2) repented in their personal lives to be worthy of the blessing we desire.

We haven't heard anything about Garrett for the past couple of days and I'm going through update withdrawal. I hope he's ok, and I believe he probably is, just working his little butt off in therapy. I hope Jodie and Jessica and Colby and Devin are all ok,too.

It's 11:05 and I need to go to bed so I can get up at 5:30 in the morning and go to work.
This isn't much of a post, not really entertaining. Just random thoughts.

Today I'm Thankful For... (in no particular order)

1) Garrett's doing as well as he is.
2) Living in America.
3) Being born in 1955, not 1755, and the technology and advancements that make life good.
4) Being blessed to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and all the blessings that go along with that. Knowing the truths that make life easier to deal with.
5) Having a home that has heat, cooling, clean, running & flushing water and electricity.
6) Being able to go to a grocery store and get whatever I want. I've never had to be hungry because there was no food. Ever.
7) Having a good job.
8) Having 5 fantastic kids.
9) Having 9, soon to be 11, fantastic grandkids.
10) Having friends & family that love me.
11) Health insurance.
12) Being married.
13) Having cars to drive.
14) Being ABLE to drive.
15) My heritage.
16) Having a missionary son.

This is by no means an all inclusive list. I could list many more, but will spare you my blubbering. But a lot of things have happened in the past week (and continue to come to my attention) that just makes me SO grateful and thankful for my blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

I don't have much to say today, but I do want to keep a fairly regular posting going. Just so those of you who sit on the edge of your seat waiting to see which words of wisdom I'll spew forth won't be disappointed! NOT!!!

I saw Oprah yesterday (between making soup for dinner). Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks are in a new movie coming out in a little while. I love them both and hope the movie isn't rated R. They are both just so stinkin' cute and funny and NICE, I get the feeling.

Speaking of soup, I made the soup my brother made for me. So, the story of this soup is 1) it's really good and 2) it is made with beer. Yes, beer. I had to go to the store and buy a beer. I haven't done that in 32 years and I felt WEIRD. Not guilt, but WEIRD. It's delicious, I think. The soup, not the beer! Creamy, cheesy, chicken-y, bacon-y and BEER-y. Not that you can taste the beer, and really, having made it once, I could probably leave it out and no one will notice. But, I had to make it according to the recipe the first time. My co-workers were giving me a seriously bad time at work when I told them I had to go buy a can of beer for this soup. I only needed 8 oz. and I only could find a 32 oz can, so I poured out 24 oz. That might be sacrilige to some people, but I felt totally good about that! And, I hope it wasn't wrong in any way, but the reason I was making the big pot of soup was because I had company for dinner...the missionaries! I didn't tell them they were eating soup made with beer. You know the alcohol was all cooked out, but I didn't want to traumatize them. And, I have to say, the dinner rolls I made for dinner turned out as well as any rolls I've ever made. Toot, toot!

Tonight, I'm headed to the store to buy stuff for last minute food baskets for our ward and a R.S. Pres. meeting where we'll be putting on the fnishing touches or our Progressive Dinner were having on Dec. 5.

I would be totally amiss if I didn't say a HUGE THANK YOU to Heavenly Father for blessing Garrett as much as He has so far. I LOVE getting Jessica's myspace updates every day (thanks so much, Jerolyn!) and it's just amazing to me how well he's doing. I hope I could be that positive if anything on that scale ever happened to me.

And, since I'm watching Oprah, I'm going to have to totally buy the Josh Groban Christmas CD. I guess he has one, he's singing Silent Night and It Came Upon a Midnight Clear and is TOTALLY putting me in the Christmas spirit. I LOVE CHRISTMAS music. I'll be seriously bummed if there's not a CD this music would be on. Wait, YES THERE IS. It's called NOEL. Cool! I just hope all the lyrics are sung in English!

Erin is gone. I miss her. I miss her posts and just knowing I CAN'T talk to her if I want to. And, because she's gone, I do. And, Sarah is going to be gone this weekend, too. Bummer for me, Thanksgiving wise, but I know my girls and their familes are going to be having FABULOUS Thanksgivings this year and that's a good thing.

Gotta run. Good Luck to me (nod to Kenzie, there).

Friday night

It's Friday night. Normally by now I would have been home from work for 3 hours and vegging in front of the TV. But...today after work, Howard and I met some old friends from our old ward, the Ledfords for dinner and some coworkers joined us. A co-worker, Jackie, and I were talking one day and turns out that she knows Jan Ledford. So, one thing led to another and we all got together for cheap ribs @ the Ellis Island cafe on Koval. The price was right and the company was good.

Stacy called and is taking Sarah and Tyler to a craft show. Howard has $20 in his pocket. I said, "buy something cute. You can never have enough cute". He said, "uhm, we'll see." I said, "we should have rule...any time we buy a new cute, we have to get rid of an old cute". He said, "I think we've had this conversation before. It didn't work then, either". Kind of funny. I really think I could get rid of some of the older "cute" stuff, but maybe not. We do love some of our old cute stuff, especially Christmas cute stuff. Especially the CUTE snowman stuff. Our kids have called "dibs" on some of our stuff, but I keep telling them by the time we die, our stuff won't be cute to them anymore, they'll just think it's old crap that Mom and Dad had forever.

Tomorrow we're (our Bermuda ward R.S. Presidency) is doing a birthday celebration for sisters in our ward that have birthdays this quarter. I'm making a chocolate bundt cake for it. I think 10-15 sisters will be there and hopefully it will be a fun time.

I am really glad that we got the positive, hopeful email from Jessika today, about Garrett. What a scary thing to have happened to him. I got some other bad news from a good friend last night that pretty much rang my bell and shook my world. I guess we need wake up calls once in a while to help us remember how grateful we are for our GOOD lives. BLESSED lives. Too bad we do. Wouldn't it be nice if we would always be so grateful as we are when something shakes us up. I try to work on that, I really do, but I fail sometimes.

We got a couple of really not-so-cute pieces of furniture for our house. Baby gates. Not for babies. For dogs. To keep them off the living room carpet. So they don't stain it. Because they can't seem to learn that's not what it's for. Got the carpets cleaned and put up the gates. We'll see how that works. It's a bother, but until we get stain resistant flooring, I guess this is our next best option.

I really don't have any fun stories or exciting news. My girls and Jerolyn can post like mad-women and I really don't have that gift. But, this is what I've got tonight.

Love you, FAB.

Garrett

Sarah has already posted about Garrett, and all of you know about it anyway, but I just feel I need to write SOMETHING to reflect a bit of what I'm feeling. It's hard to know where to begin. It's hard to know of something so serious happening to someone you love. I absolutely know that Heavenly Father will comfort Garrett, Jodie, Jessika, Colby, Devin and Mitch. I'm very happy to get to participate in a family fast for Garrett this Sunday. I'm praying for Jodie and her entire family to feel peace and get sme needed rest. I believe in the power of prayer and in miracles.

I love our family and how we all gather round and are supportive of each other at times like this. My co-worker heard me call Sarah and Erin and tell them what Howard had called to tell me and he made some comment and asked me if I was calling the "enforcements" or something like that. I said, "Shut up (with a smile). This is our family. This is what we do". He said, "Oh, I'm not critical. I think it's nice". And, I thought, this IS our family. We might go weeks or even months without speaking to any one person, but when serious things happen, we are supportive and caring. WE LOVE EACH OTHER. That brings me a lot of comfort.

There's no place like home

Not that I'm not having a great time in Louisville. I am. I have enjoyed the days of just being. Not having to be anywhere or doing anything. It's a relaxing thing. But, home is home for a reason and I'll be glad when I'm back tomorrow night.

I've been here since late Wed. night. My brother Gary worked on Thursday but didn't work Friday and doesn't have to go to work tomorrow, because he's going to Chicago for business. So, it's been great to spend time with him. The man is a cooking fool. It's a great joy (!) in his life, so he's always trying new recipes and has a pretty good collection of them. He'll spend 3 hours in the kitchen working on a dish. All day working on a meal. Seriously! I'm on warp speed in the kitchen and am all over the dishes I can make in 20 minutes or less. BIG difference in us. But, I'm bringing home a recipe for a soup that is amazing in how good it was. I'll be making it soon. It's thick and creamy and chicken-y. Most of you will get a chance to try it out.

And my sister-in-law Pam is MUCH better than the last time I saw her. She has many hours of lucidity and we've had some nice conversations. It's so good. She still spends lots of time sleeping, though, thanks to meds.

My nephew came to Louisville night before last. Life in Atlanta finally got to the point that he's not able to continue living there, so he's relocating here. He has to make a quick trip back on Tuesday, but is supposed to be back on Thursday.

I went to the temple on Saturday. It's BEATUIFUL. So strange. It's right next to the church. It's the small style and that was interesting, but it has all the "amenities" of any temple, so it's all good. Church today was a nice change of clean-air pace. Living with a chain smoker has not been without it challenge for me this week. It will be good to get into my clean air environment.

I've enjoyed myself. I'll be home tomorrow night and will be back to my normal life then. Later....

Fun Names

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet's name, car name)Patti Concorde.
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (favorite ice cream/cookie)Chocolate Oreo
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME (first initial, first 3 letters of your last name) B-GAR
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color/animal) Purple Dog
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city you were born in)Ann Shreveport.
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME:(the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) GAR-EL
7. SUPERHERO NAME:(”The” + your 2nd favorite color, your favorite drink)The Red Lime-Aide
8. NASCAR NAME:(the first names of your grandfathers) T (no name, just T)-Simeon
9. STRIPPER NAME:(the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent,favorite candy) Miracle Milky Way.
10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME:(mother’s & father’s middle names ) Joyce Ramie.
11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) Seattle Smith.
12. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) Christmas Daffodil.
13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)Pineapple Shirt-y.
14. HIPPIE NAME: Smoothie Mimosa.
15. YOUR ROCK STAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) The Quilting Snow Tour.

Two weeks since

I blogged. I know. Can't say why, except I just didn't feel like I had much to say that was worth writing about or that anyone would care to read about. Not like "ideal pooping condiditons" or stuff like that.

I'm on my way this AM to SLC for my BFF Marsha's daughter, Megan's wedding. I'm happy to be going. I KNOW by tonight I'm going to be missing going on up to Idaho for he reception tomorrow night. But, I'll be home tonight, in my own bed. Kinda weird. I've never flown anywhere and back in one day before. But, next Wed. I fly to Louisville, KY to see my brother.

And, not that I'd do it, but I checked and Louisville, KY is only about 425 miles from Roanoke, VA. A good day's drive of about 7 hours. Freeway pretty much the entire way. Too bad. I wouldn't ever do that to Mike, though.

And, those of you who know how I love to take "notes". Yeah, took a big one last night in Sarah's driveway. I took a suitcase over to her. Can't explain how it happened. Had the suitcase in my hand and was walking up her driveway and all of a sudden I was stumbling....stumbling...catch yourself...nooooo.....I'm going down...AGAIN!...THUD...And I'm down. Hit both palms and the left knee pretty good and chipped the freshly done nail job, jolted neck pretty good, but drew no blood and I hopped up and just couldn't believe what had just happened. Really, when I die and I get to see my life, I think I'll have to re-wind a few of these just to see HOW IN THE WORLD that happens. I mean, really, I have been walking for 51 years. Whatever. It sucks. But, I was SO grateful to not have hurt myself so I had to miss the trip today.

Well, I've got to get to the airport. Today is going to be a long day. I get in SLC @ 11:00 or so, the wedding isn't until 2:20. Dinner at the Lion House @ 5:00 and then, I don't fly out until 9:00. Lots of sitting around, I think.

Lest you think you have any problems...

Watch the news. How awful is it that the fires in California are as bad as they are??? I can't even imagine how awful it would be to lose EVERYTHING you own in a house fire. You can replace the actual house with insurance, but the photos and sentimental things? Genealogy? Terrible. The fires and forced evacuations will certainly give the people in Southern California an opportunity to give and serve their fellow Californians who lost so much.

And, my friend's son was nearly killed this week, but with some divine intervention was saved and is walking around after breaking a vertebrae in his neck & having surgery on Friday morning. Truly amazing. But, please, everyone, WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS. EVERY TIME you get in a car.

Things like this have a way of helping put our problems into perspective, I think. Helps us focus a bit better about what is REALLY important.

8 Weird Things About Me

Stacy tagged me. Not sure I can come up with 8, but we'll see. Some of them aren't really weird.

1). I was in R.O.T.C. in high school for 1 year and was on the rifle team.

2). I've seen a calf be born.

3). I nearly got bitten by a rattlesnake when I was 13.

4). I nearly drowned that same summer.

5). I count, mentally, from 1-7. A lot.

6). I sometimes (not as often as I used to) "type" the keyboard alphabet with my toes.

7). I used to live in a grocery store (above it, actually). It sucked.

8). I ate an entire jar of Spanish olives once on a dare.

Got No Gripes

It's easier to blog when you have a gripe, I've learned. But I got no gripes today. Today I'm good. Good day at work, went to the Temple with a friend tonight, now it's 9:40 and it's been a good day. I did accidentally erase the message Mike left on our phone when he called home from the airport on his way to W. Va. that we've kept just so we can hear his voice every once in a while, but that's not a disaster. But, really, why is it that day to day your mood can change so much. Nothing else changes significantly (you don't fall in a soda puddle or anything) but your mood does. Some days it's like "I love the world and my place in it and almost everyone I know" and other days it's like "can this day (hour/week/month/year/life) just get OVER please???"

I do have FANTASTIC kids. That's pretty much a constant. Great spouses to spouses. Great parents to kids. Great kids to parents. Great people to the world. Great friends to friends. Just...great. Now, I realize I'm not the MOST objective person and probably am a little biased in this and some of you probably think I'm wrong, because YOU have the best kids. That's ok, you can think that. I hope you do.

Change of Plans

It's a long story that I don't have time to go into now, but Sarah's not going with me to Idaho for the reception and I'm returning on Friday, just like the original plan. I COMPLETELY forgot that I have to teach the Relief Society lesson that Sunday and I can't switch because I already did in September on the outside chance that I'd get to go to Swiss Days. Sarah has made other plans that are good ones. So, disappointed I have to miss the reception, but ok with it because there's no other option.

Yeah, I know!

it's been 5 days and no post. Since I was blasted 2 times in one day, I guess I'd better put something on here. I just don't have anything exciting. Exciting to YOU that is.

By now, you know Sarah is going with me to Idaho for my BFF Marsha's daughter, Megan's wedding and now, RECEPTION! Iwas just going to go fly to SLC and back in one day since Megan is being married in the SLC temple. I didn't want to run the risk of bad roads alone and the idea of travelling alone just doesn't thrill me anymore. I do too much in my life in a solitary way, as it is. So, now that Sarah is available, I'm so super excited to get to be at the reception on Saturday night. We'll get to see Randy and Dan---Bonus!---eat at Taco Bandito---DOUBLE BONUS!!!---AND go to church in the old 9th ward. That's Sarah's request. I called Marsha and told her the good news and she's excited, too. So, I'm going to make a slight adjustment on the travel plans and start packin!

And, Bonus # 4...Marsha told me this afternoon that she's going to come down for Scrapfest in January! I'm bookin' the room, baby! She's going to be post hand surgery, so I don't know how much scrapping she'll be able to do, but we'll be able to do what we do best, TALK! She really is da bomb!

I had a slight burst of energy today and stopped at Wally World (Walmart) and took care of my grocery shopping for the week today, so I don't have to do it tomorrow. I used to LOVE to grocery shop. Now, I pretty much hate it. But, thankfully, Howard got home right after I did and unloaded them into the house for me. I think that's the part I hate the most. So, tomorrow is looking good!

I hope to go see "Elizabeth, the Golden Age" tis weekend. That's a movie right up my alley. History and English! And who can go wrong with Cate Blanchette?!

So, there you have it! No tit or tat, but tha,tha,tha,that's all, folks!

Mean People Suck

Mean People suck!!! I don't get the need for some people to say whatever they want to hurt other people's feelings. Does it REALLY make them feel smart? Witty? BETTER than someone? Don't they know that none of us are inherently better than anyone else? And, when a person says mean things, it actually diminishes themselves, not so much the person the mean comment was aimed at. So to all the people who have a "gift" of zinging others and think that is cool...PFFFTTT to you!

I'm here

I give Erin a bad time about not posting and I realize it's been 5 days since I did. As Jerolyn said, I've got 'nuffin! Hence the no posting.

It's General Conference weekend. I know there are some of you just a celebratin' away that you get a little Mormon holiday from the regular Sunday routine. With small children, that's certainly understandable. I'm just really glad to have the BYU channel and get to sit, in my comfy clothes, and watch and listen to the entire thing. And not have to go to some church to hear 1 session, if you're lucky, like some do. I had forgotten about the vacancy in the 1st Presidency and am pleased (not that it matters if I am or not) with Elder Eyring being the replacement to Pres. Faust.

Conference makes me remember my conversion and the 32 years since. NEVER in my life could I imagine where my life would take me. Idaho???? Las Vegas?!?! For a little backward, country girl from Louisiana, that was pretty unimaginable. And NEVER could I have imagined being in such a great family, loving all these great people I do. SOOOOO glad to be here! So glad to know what I know. SO want to be for others what some were for me.

I had a stupid, scary, crazy, unsettling dream about Michael Saturday morning. I can't believe how much I miss that kid.

To The Mothers of Young Children I Know

I was listening to my favorite Gospel singer today, Hilary Weeks. She sings a song called Who You Are. I love it. It makes me think of Sarah, Erin & Stacy. And Jerolyn. And Kristie. & Leah. And Kourtney. And so many others I know and love. It's tough being a mother of young children. People glibly say "it's the hardest job in the world". But, it REALLY is. And, thanks to my kids & their spouses, I have some of the GREATEST grandkids in the entire world. I know great things are in store for them. Here's what is hoped to be an encouraging word to all of you, compliments of Hilary Weeks. :)

I know you wonder if you'll ever have a day when the kids stay calm, the laundry's done and the dishes are put away, and sometimes you feel like your days are spent and gone and the question running through your mind is,"what have I gotten done"? And when you finally have a moment to slow down, at the end of your day, I know Father would say:

Believe in what you're doing. Believe in who you are. Hold tight to the truth that you're a
daughter of God. Believe in who you're becoming. Believe in who you are.

It may seem simple, all the little things you do. But the lives you touch matter so much and there's no one else like you. And Father needs you to stand tall and faithful; to be all you can be. Oh, if you could see what He sees, you'd

Believe in what you're doing. Believe in who you are. Hold tight to the truth that you're a
daughter of God. Belive in who you're becoming. Believe in who you are.

When it's hard to belive in yourself and you feel like you're beginning to doubt, remember:

He believes in what you're doing. He believes in who you are. Don't lose sight of the truth that you're a daughter of God, that He belives in who you're becoming, He believes in who you are!

As hard as some days are, that's how great other days with small children can be. And, like Kenny Chesney sings, "Don't Blink". Time flies too quickly, it seems especially the older I get it seems so.

Go Moms!

One & a Half Days to Wednesday (P-Day!)

Stacy catching up on some Quality reading!

Friends, cousins, cousins, friends

This is the World Famous Caramel Apple Pie, pre cooked. Amazing!

How can you not love this face?????

Mutt & Jeff????

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful girrrrrl (Think Mr. Holland's Opus)

I can't wait for Wednesdays! It's Mike's Pday and we look forward to his emails on that day and just hope something doesn't get in the way of him being able to send one.

I know I've already told you this, but I've been watching "THE WAR" on PBS. I think I can say it's the best thing I've ever watched on TV. It's a 7 part series on WWII. Ken Burns must go down in the history hall of fame! What an amazing job he did. I'd love the DVD collection, but won't cough up the $128 that PBS wants to charge for it. I'll wait a while and see if I can score it on EBay. It's just amazing. I'm saddened at all the civilians that were killed, sometimes tens of thousands at a time. And the soldiers on all sides. And for what??? To defend freedom and liberty from a madman who thought he had all power. It makes me think of my Uncle Dick who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. And Bro. Whittaker, a man in our ward who was taken prisoner of war by the Germans. I can't thank them enough for what they and millions others like them did.

Someone asked me if I even KNEW how to download photos since I hardly ever do. So, I'm going to attempt to download yet a few more photos of the camp out. And, Stacy, I don't care that I came home early. I WAS the first one to post!!! I didn't HAVE to you know! BTW, did you guys get a new tent??? Here goes with the photos:

OK, I'm obviously stupid. I can't get the photos to go below the script. So, go back to the photos at the top!

61 minutes & 40 degrees

That's the difference between the McWilliams campground on Mt. Charleston and our house on a Saturday night in late Sept.

I just returned from the first "Big Ol Family Camp out" planned and put together by the Darrington clan of Las Vegas. It was great! Cold & windy, but great! By my count there were about 42 people who were there for the weekend, off and on.

Most got there Friday afternoon, but I got there around 7:15 on Friday night. Dinner was on.

"Big Ol" THANKS to Nathan who had set up my tent complete with air mattress before I arrived. And, for unloading my car for me. And, for driving down and calling David and waiting up for him to arrive. And, finally, driving me back to my car in the parking lot. A cold front had blown through (blown being the operative word, here) and it was cold and windy. But, in my tent, as long as I kept my head covered, I survived. Not the greatest night sleep I've ever had, but good. Not everyone else fared as well. Some ended up in their cars sleeping through the night. I don't know how cold it was Friday night, but it was cold.

I was awake this AM @ 6:10, thanks to some chatty girls in the neighboring campsite and my forgetting my ear plugs. The day warmed up some and by the end of the day the wind had died down. When I got in my car to leave tonight it was 34. When I pulled into my driveway, it was 74!

HUGE KUDOS to Tyler B who cooked all the meals. Extraordinary meals. Not hamburgers/hot dogs stuff. Meatball sandwiches, enchiladas, stuffed burritos, dutch oven chicken, peach cobbler and caramel/apple pie a la dutch oven. He is amazing. And Sarah for all the food buying, packing, preparing too. Thanks, thanks, thanks to you both.

David was able to come up and spend last night, and today and tonight there. He'll return with everyone else tomorrow. He is a phenom to behold with little children. He took so many kids on walks, played with them, occupied them, laughed with them, you name it He is pretty much the favorite uncle/cousin to the little kids! And the big kids!

Others will be posting of their experiences there, so I'll stop for now. But, it's amazing how much fun and good times we have as a family when we get together. We are all pretty much our favorite people, I think. I know the people I spent the weekend are MY favorites! I think Grandma Garrard had to be smiling to see so many of her grand kids and great grand kids enjoying themselves so much. Looking forward to next year. Maybe in August!

Woo-Hoo

I'm excited about the family camp out. HUGE Thanks for Nate & Stacy for setting up my tent/air mattress for me before I get there!!! For the first time in a long time, after work, I felt like I had some energy. Enough to stop at the store and get a few things. Maybe its the excitement of tomorrow night/Saturday. Maybe it's the "Simply Sleep" I took last night that ensured a good night's sleep. Whatever the reason, it feels good to not feel exhausted @ 5:00 PM and ready to collapse into bed, given the chance. I'm actually going to make dinner!

Most of you know we got an email from Michael this week. He's in Roanoke, Va. and as he put it, "they don't believe in flat ground here". Funny. Well, not funny if you're the one on the bike. He sounds good and like he's staying busy. Seems to like his trainer and the elders in his Zone which is good. I have no idea how far reaching his Zone is, though.

I see on the news that a crazy man, fighting with his wife, punched the principal at the school where the fight was happening. School dance for an ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Maybe I'm just a little old (I know!), but seriously, school dances for elementary students??? Can't they just be kids and look forward to school dances when they're old enough to date??? Not that the dance has anything to do with the punching of the principal. He reportedly just got in his car and drove away. They are looking for him. And, the police are saying that the principal shouldn't have gotten involved. Kind of sounds like blame-the-victim to me. There aren't enough people willing to step up and call people on their behavior if you ask me. But, it's totally sad that the FEMALE principal got punched in the FACE by the IDIOT husband.

I'm Proud To Be An American

I watched a show tonight on PBS, called "The War". It is an EXCELLENT account of WWII. Ken Burns puts it on, and if you know about Ken Burns, he's a great historian of our times. It's narrated by Mike Wallace and is on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, still. Record it if you can't watch it. Tonight's show was 21/2 hours, but I don't know how long the other shows will be. It highlights 4 American towns and some of the soldiers that served in the Armed Forces from those town. Just excellent! I know WWII was 66 years ago, but the events of that war and the aftermath of it, shaped the world we live in today. I learned things I didn't know, like the German submarines sank lots of American oil tankers and other merchant ships off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. One submarine sunk 7 in one night, able to do so because large cities like New York, Boston and Miami didn't want to have blackouts, which they eventually succumbed to. I learned more about the American's trapped in the Phillipines and the Bataan Death March. And, after watching just one night, I have such a renewed sense of appreciation for the soldiers, sailors & marines that fought, were wounded and died in that and other wars.

I wonder how the soldiers that endured such hardships, nearly dying from starvation and disease, feel about God. Do they feel he doesn't care, or did they come out with a stronger belief in Him? Did they become bitter? How did they adjust? Surely all didn't. All the services that exist now for PTSD didn't exist then. They just came home, got a job, went to work and lived their lives. Raised their families. Built America.

And, it makes me a little ashamed that my dad didn't enlist. He was certainly the right age. I asked him once why it was that he didn't serve or get drafted. I don't remember now what he said, but it was a pretty vague answer. My aunt indicated one time that he was pretty chicken about enlisting and somehow managed to keep from going in. That's something I'd like to know when I see him again. I hope he had a good reason. Of course, if he had fought, and died, where would that leave me???

Anyway, I love America and am so grateful that I live where I live. And when I live here. I'm glad I wasn't born in 1782 or 1829 or 1906. Odd number that it is, 1955 was a good year. After all, Disneyland and I were born in the same year!

THIF

I have had SOMEwhere to go EVERY day this week after work. Couple that with waking up at outrageous times of day (3:50 this morning) and I'm tired. Beyond tired. Wiped. But, I couldn't go to bed without reading the obligatory list of posts from 1) Sarah, 2) Jerolyn, 3) Julina, 4) Erin, 5) Tyler, 6)Kourtney, & 7) Rick. And, of course, all the comments. I was supposed to have a dentist appointment tomorrow AM @ 7:00 but found out last night @ 7:45 that they can't take me. They could have taken me this morning @ 7:00, but it was too late for me to get the time switch cleared for work. So, I need to rescheule the cleaning. And, speaking of dentists, good luck tomorrow, Erin, with the braces. Let me know if you need more soft pudding or anything else soft.

Mike wrote really short emails today, but it was really great to hear from him. I hope things settle down a bit and next week we can get a nice, newsy email and he can respond to some of the mail he's gotten. Really, I can't believe how much I think of him all the time.

Let's try this again

Here's a pic of Mike & his companion, Elder Lewis.

Pic of Mike

Here a picture of Mike.

I have a problem with the other picture of him & his companion.

Mike's adress

We got the 5 day awaited letter from Mike.
His address is: Elder Michael Garrard
2212 Montauk Rd. #3,
Roanoke, VA 24017

He didn't say much, other than he got there ok. And he's "still pretty pumped abou Sarah being pregnant. Now Gus will have someone his age to play with :)". Got a photo of him and the mission pres & wife and another one of him and his trainer, Elder Lewis. Howard got home before I did and was already on the computer looking up all there is about Roanoke. It's a town of about 90,000 and has been voted as on of America's Most Liveable Cities. Whatever that means, it sounds nice. It's in a nice big valley. The weather is in the 70s in the days right now and lows are in the 50s. It gets 20+ inches of snow a year, although I would imagine he'll only be there a few months before transfers.

And, on an unrelated note...There is a new coffee outlet called Saxby's at the corner of Wigwam & Paradise. They have THE BEST Peach Smoothies EVER!!! I recommend them. Just ask for a frequent buyer card. When you buy 10, you get the 11th one free. They have Strawberry and another flavor, but all I've ever had is the peach. Good stuff!

Journal

I just posted and then decided I should check my Joural jar and see if I could find something I felt like writing about. So, here's another journal post:

What are your favorite things about your brother, Gary?

Well, I don't remember life without him because he's older than me. He's always been there. As a kid, I thought he was IT. He was good looking and smart. He had good friends; I really didn't until I was 12. He just KNEW stuff. Because he was older. Then, we grew up. He looked out for me. Our parent's marriage was crap. After he joined the military, he came home one time on emergency leave, in part because I needed him. Later, when I ran away my one and only time of doing that, I went to Gary's. Unfortunately, he was not able to allow me to stay with him, but again, he took leave and took me home and helped figure out what would happen with me. He's the first person I remember that talked to me and listened to me and treated me like an adult. Even when I wasn't yet. (One time, when I was 14 and he was 19, he took me with his girlfriend to a club. I looked older than I was). He shouldn't have done that, I suppose, but it shows that he treated me like an adult. I think he's a really smart man. He is a good husband and dad. His wife has lots of health issues, (many are serious ones) and he has stepped up and really done what a good husband does. He has a son that has taken him down a path no parent ever wants to go. And he still loves him and tries to be a good dad. He is talkative. I like that. He can converse with pretty much anyone. He got that from our dad. He has a sense of humor. We share a history. He likes to cook. As a matter of fact, he does most of the cooking. And ENJOYS it. He's always looking for new things to make or make old things in a new way. I'm getting to that place where if I don't cook anymore I can't be sad about it. He's happy to see me. He loves me. And, I am CONVINCED that we were meant to be together as siblings from the pre-earth existence. I can't explain how much I love him. I always want to help him. These are some of the things I like about my brother.

In case you were wondering...

I got exactly 7 & 2 halfs items of my list done yesterday. #1,2,4, half of 6, 7,9,half of 12 & 19. That equals 8 doesn't it? I didn't even count and stop when I got to 8, it just worked out that way. I was just guessing the odds!

When Mike spoke in church before he left, Sydney, Mackenzie and Erin performed a musical number. The little girls felt that with a little more practice they might could do it again, only this time in Sydney & Erin's ward. So, this morning, I excused myself from our ward and went to church in Erin's ward. The girls all did a great job. They got lots of compliments. I had a tender moment, because Dodie Barlow was there (Kenzie's other grandma) and she is the one that taught Erin piano for many years, years ago. It was kind of a full circle moment. Sydney is now taking lessons, though not from Dodie or Erin, but still, it was sweet to see the two of them at the piano. And, Mackenzie is so great on the violin, after only 1 year of lessons, I think.

Going to church in another ward is interesting. I enjoyed it. It was high council week and I really enjoyed the speakers. Both of them. Especially Bro. Wharter. Sunday school by Bro. Lyman was interesting. It's plain that he is a really intelligent man. Like he could tell you which book of the new testament certain topics are discussed. I can't do that. I can remember the words to a scripture, but not which book or chapter it is. I think I know the Stripling Warrior account is in Helaman, and I know the appearance of Jesus is in 3 Nephi, but not which book circumcision is discussed or things like that. I need to read more, I suppose. Relief Society was a treat. The teacher was really good. And, Erin conducted. That was nice for me to see. She did a good job, by the way.

That's it for today.

Motivation

Or the lack of...I woke up this Saturday morning at 6:40 or so. It was so great to "sleep in". I didn't get to bed until almost midnight, so I guess it's about the same amount of sleep I usually get. Anyway, most Saturdays begin like this one did. I, before I even open my eyes, try to determine what time it is by sensing how much light is in the room. I pretty much called it today. Then, I calculate what time it is in West Virginia, figure out what Mike will be doing about now and pray for him. Then, I decide if it's worth even trying to go back to sleep or will it just be a 20 minute waste of time while my head spins with things to do. So, giving up on that idea, but with the head still spinning, I decide to make a list (Sarah, aren't you proud of me?) of all the things I want/could/need to do today. These aren't prioritized at all. That gives me leverage to not do some of them!
1. Buy groceries (My FAVORITE thing to do---NOT)
2. Write A. Shirley a letter since today is her birthday and she won't speak to me anymore.
3. Mail A. Shirley & U. Dick's 4 boxes of crystal and cut glass heirlooms back to them. I had said I wouldn't until they sent me the $$, but I've decided it's worth the $$ to get it out of the garage.
4. Buy birthday gifts for Brevin, Brock and Brooklyn (don't you love the alliteration in that?)
5. Cut out dresses for Caylee & Zoee
6. Put photos in my photo album & Scrapbook.
7. Frame a cross stitch project.
8. Buy me some perfume I have been out of.
9. Go check out the enclosed toe Birkenstocks I had sent to the store near me and see if I would want them.
10. Write a tribute to our former Bishop.
11. Go to Catherines and see if I can find something new to wear to work, now that it's "long pant season".
12. Lube & wash my car--not me personally, but take it to have it done.
13. Hang a kitchen window valance I've had for 2 months.
14. Return some things to a store.
15. Finish tying some quilts to send to Elaine to take to Mexico.
16. Make some chili from my dad's recipe.
17. Make some zucinni bread.
18. Find the grater attachment to my new Cuisinart food processor so when I grate the zuccini thats OBSCENELY big, it won't be an all day project. WHERE did I put that sucker????
19. Go to the bank and deposit some checks.
20. Read my scriptures.
21. Work on a Christmas cross stitch I started in February.
22. Work on a quilt.
23. Figure out how I'm going to get my new sewing machine cabinet put together.

It's now 8:20. I haven't done any of them. Can't tell you how many I will do. Maybe 8. That sounds good. I'll let you know later. Because here's what happens. I know I need to do these things (need being a relative term, of course). Certainly CAN do them. WANT to have them done. Know I'd feel great at the end of the day to know they were done. But I can't get excited about doing any of them. I think it's because these will be solitary tasks for me. What do I really want to do? Do something WITH someone. . .Take a trip. Go to lunch with friends. Whatever.

On a lighter note...pretty sure today is the day we might get a letter from Mike telling us WHERE IN THE WORLD HE IS!!! How can he have sent an email and not told us the town he's in?????? It's pretty weird to spend the past 3 days not knowing where he's living. West Virginia? Virginia? And, I hope it's a nice, long, newsy letter.

And, I found a GREAT price on a ticket to Louisville, KY. I'm going to see my brother in November. $150.00. Round trip. Pretty good. Non stop, both ways. I'm excited about that. It's been over 2 years since I saw him.

Well, it's now 8:37 and I need to get going on that list!

Got a short call

Mike called today from the airport in SLC, but had only put in enough $$ for a 3 minute call. When, 2 minutes into it he got the announcement that he only had 1 minute left, I told told him to call back in 45 minutes. Try to call collect to my cel phone. Turns out my cel phone didn't accept collect calls. So, he called again when he was in Cincinatti. This time he had 5 minutes. But, he only got to talk about 3 minutes because the entire zone was motioning to him that it was time to go and get on the plane. So, not long convos. But, he sounded good and was glad to be on his way. I'm assuming he's sleeping in the Mission Home tonight and will be assigned to his trainer and get to his new area tomorrow. Can't wait to hear from him. He had to spend $150 in the MTC for immunization boosters. Can you believe that? If I had known he needed shots, he could have gotten them here before he left, but no one or anything ever indicated he neeeded that. So, I have a missionary. Not a missionary-in-training, a real, bonifide missionary. It's great!

9/11

9/11. Isn't that date just frozen in our memories? Today, 9/11/07 is significant for me for another reason than commemorating the terrorist attacks of 2001. Today, Michael leaves the MTC and heads off to Charleston. I'll be thinking of him all day, wondering where he is along the way. Someone asked me at church on Sunday if he'll be able to call from the airport. Gosh, I hope so! That would be awesome. But, if not, I know that sometime around 3:00 this afternoon, Las Vegas time, he should be arriving at the Charleston airport and will be on his way to the rest of his mission.

It still makes me so sad to review the events of 9/11/01. I was teaching Seminary and a boy came in just as class started and gave the opening prayer and asked that the Lord would bless the people in the plane that crashed. I asked him what he was talking about. He said he had heard on the radio that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Well, I immediately thought a small, private plane. Probably 1 or two people. How could I have imagined what really had happened. Then, I got home and turned on the news. Nathan was home and he came downstairs and we watched for a bit before I had to go to work. All morning we just watched the TV. Not a lot of Routing or Scheduling was happening that day. I guess it's just a sign of the times we live in that this and other atrocities occur. I am reading a book by John Bytheway and in it he quotes someone as saying the best way to prepare for death is to live life each day with purpose. How often do we just float through our day? How often do we wonder, "if this was my last day on earth, would I do different things? Say different things? Think different things?" But, really, who wants to go around acting and feeling like there's no tomorrow? So, we go on with our "normal" day-to-day lives. Wasting a lot of time, sometimes. Making some serious difference other times. In the end, we just hope that what ever we did mattered.

Happy Tuesday!!!

Wow!!!

Most of you probably already know this, but Sarah and Tyler surprised us last night by announcing they are pregnant again! I am really surprised because I wasn't privvy to all the Swiss Days conversation about the whole thing, but am very happy. I do relate to the shock it is to Sarah, having gone through a shock of my own about 20 years ago. Anyway, the nice, round number 10 grandbaby in January will be changed to a very un-round 11! Yay for all of us. I'm kind of sad for Michael that he'll be missing the birth of TWO of his niece?/nephew?s. At least one nephew we know of, anyway. But, it's all good. Sarah and Tyler are great parents and pretty much have it all together so it's no mistake this is happening, I'm convinced.

My BFF sent me this and I thought I'd pass it along.

Two names you go by:

1.Beth Ann
2.Grandma

Two things you are wearing right now:
1. Blue shorts
2. White (even after Labor Day) Birkestocks

Two of your favorite things to do
1. Watch a movie
2. Visit with my kids

Two things you want very badly at the moment
1. To have my sewing machine cabinet and it put together
2. Another Saturday before work

Two favorite pets you have had/have
1. My dog, Patty
2. My cat, Princess Dustianna

Two people who will fill this out
1. Erin
2. Sarah

Two things you did last night
1. Watched a TV movie on Lifetime
2. Cross stitched

Two things you ate today
1. Cheerios & a banana for breakfast
2. Lasagna Hamburger Helper for lunch

Two people you've talked to today
1. Sarah
2. Erin

Two things you're doing tomorrow
1. Working
2. Calling and making an appointment for a massage

Two longest Car Rides you've been on
1. To Louisiana from Idaho with Howard for my mothers funeral
2. Moving to Idaho from Louisiana in 1975

Your favorite holidays
1. Chistmas
2. Christmas

Two favorite beverages:
1. Caffeine Free Diet Coke or Dr. Pepper
2. Chocolate milk

Two of your most recent purchases
1. New skirt
2. Picture frames


Now, I tag you all to do this!

Sometimes it takes some time

I'm not usually too "churchy" on the blog, at least not so blatantly, but I felt like I should post this.

Over the years, I've served in the Young Women's program of our church a number of times (5, I think) serving as advisor, counsellor and President. Anyone who knows about that program, especially the program 15 years ago is familiar with "The Values" focused on in the program. Janice Kapp Perry and Joy Lundberg wrote a set of songs to focus on the values and I loved the music. Still do. There is a song called "I Am of Infinite Worth" that corresponds to the value of Individual Worth. I had listened to that song at least probably 50 times when one day, I was listening to it in my family room. I was sitting in our old Bentwood rocker and folding laundry. Suddenly, the lyrics hit home to me in a way they never had before.

"All I need do is remember if ever I wonder if I am of worth, remember my Savior; what he did for me when he walked among men on this earth. Pain and unspeakable sorrow he bore for my sins there, in Gethsemane, then he gave up his life as he hung on the cross AND HE DID IT ALL FOR ME! Yes, I am of worth, of infinite worth, my Savior, Redeemer loves me. Yes, I am of worth, of infinite worth, I'll be all he wants me to be... Lovingly, Jesus is watching. He knows I am worth all he suffered for me. Now I must fulfill my own mission in life, ever following him faithfully...".

I was raised in a church that taught me that Jesus died for me, but I never understood that He didn't HAVE to die, he could have gone on living forever on (or off) the cross if He chose to. He WAS half God, after all. I interpreted the teaching that "he died for me" more as "he was killed for me". Not the same thing. And, thank goodness he did, because if he never died, he wouldn't have been resurrected. And, if he was never resurrected, we wouldn't be able to be resurrected. And, if there is no resurrection, then what is the reason for life here? So, what I'm trying to get to is that we really are worth a whole lot to him---- individually---not just as a part of the mass of humanity for him to have done what he did. For me. For you. For all of us.

And, while I have my days that I have a hard time seeing what difference I'm making here thankfully, those days are few and far between. And, I know like I never knew before that I'm worth a lot!!!!! And I try to remember that about everyone I meet. Sometimes I forget that. But, I really do know it. Knowing and forgetting is different than not knowing.

Thank you JoyLundberg.

Journal

Tell how, when, where you learned to drive and any memorable experiences.

I learned to drive when I was about 13 years old. We lived in the country and we had a pick up truck. It was standard shift, with the shifter on the column, not on the floor. My mom would sometimes let me drive when we got close to our house. When I was 13 I met Jimmy Ray Brown. Jimmy Ray was a nephew of a neighbor dairy farmer. He was 15 and lived 15 miles away in Pleasant Hill. We went to different schools. Dating was not even in my vocabulary and wouldn't be for 3 more years, thanks to my dad, but we were "going together" on the sly from my daddy. Mama new about him and me and really liked him. Because my daddy was gone a lot until late evenings, often Jimmy Ray would come over and visit and we'd play Wahoo. Basically, Parchisi on a board with little divits drilled out and played with marbles. Well, Jimmy Ray had a Ford Fairlaine, 1964 model, I believe. It had a standard shift too. One summer evening, we talked my mom into letting me go with him to Pleasant Hill (15 minute drive) because Pleasant Hill had a Dairy Dream drive in. It was scary because if my daddy came home while we were gone me, my mom and Jimmy would have been in SERIOUS trouble. So,we hurried back. On the way back, he let me practice driving his car. I had gotten a strawberry milk shake at he Dairy Dream. I didn't have any place to put it, and I set it on the dash. When I let out the clutch, I let it out too quickly and the car lurched and strawberry milkshake spilled all over me, Jimmy Ray and the inside of his car. Eventually, the following year, I took Driver's Ed. in school and learned how to drive properly. Mr. Latham was the Driver's Ed teacher and had been forever. I didn't get my license until I was 17. I took my drivers test driving my cousin's VW Thing. That was a cool car! Kind of a lightweight cross between a jeep and a hummer. Sort of. Do a search for "VW Thing".

YAY!!!

Is this how it's going to be for the next 103 weeks? Waiting every day for a letter? Well, today I wasn't disappointed. We got our letter I've been waiting for all week. He wrote it on Wednesday morning (P-day). He had been to the Temple and after he wrote the letter, he got the package I mailed him earlier in the week and then wrote another letter to answer some of the questions I had asked him. I'm putting another package together for him which includes some treats. But, because of Labor Day, he won't get it before Tues. or Wed. Ok, enough of the missionary stuff!

I cleaned this AM. I cleaned off the bookshelf we have by our back door that is our mail/phone center (read junk collector). It looks so much nicer. Now, I just need to put in the right place all the stuff that was stacked on it because we needed to keep it, but just didn't take the time to put it away at the moment. I've decided that I just need a file cabinet to carry around with me everywhere I go so I can file away the various receipts and other things I always save because I think I might need them some time. By the way, how many years of pay stubs and tax records do you really need to hang onto? I think I have way more than I need.

This afternoon, Nathan came over and took Michael's bed and we brought Davids bed in from the garage and set it up in Mike's room. David promptly announced that he was going to start sleeping on it because it's more comfortable. Fine, but I told him this room is going to become the room I have my sewing machine up in. I'm not worried because he's seldom home going to bed early enough that it would interfer with any sewing I want to do.

This afternoon, after Nate left, I turned on the TV and Beaches was on. I sat down to watch it and it had been a really long time since I had watched it and I just bawled. Who couldn't bawl watching that?

Now, My Best Friend's Wedding is on and I'm about to watch Jerry Maguire (while I do other things, of course). I just had a gourmet baloney sandwich for dinner about to be followed up with a desert of cantaloupe. Ah, life is grand!!!

Tagged By Molly

I was tagged by Molly. Here are the rules. I did not write the rules. Someone else wrote them.
1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts.
4. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.Ok, here it goes.

A---Animated. I get excited when I tell stories. I get excited when I interact with some people. It's not intentional, it's just the way I'm wired. I wish I could see me as little girl, because I don't remember if I was that way then or not.

N---Nice. Sometimes. I try for most of the times. I was picked on when I was little at school and never felt like I fit in with others. I am painfully aware of what it feels like to be hurt by others. I never want to be responsible for hurting others' feelings. But I probably am, sometimes.

N---Naughty. Sometimes. In spite of the trying-to-be-nice me, there is naughty me. I'm not proud of her. But, she is fun sometimes.

I tag Erin, Sarah & Stacy

Waiting....

I came home from work today just SURE I'd have a letter in the mailbox from Michael. Alas...no letter. That's a real bummer. I mean, come on! He's been in the MTC 10 days now. I am sure he probably has a letter in the mail. Mailman, come on. Julina said she got a letter today and I'm glad for her.

I have no real news to write other than to say I'm home alone. Sort of. I am having a sleepover with Austin & Caylee and they are watching (sort of) Willy Wonka and the Choclolate Factory. It's 10:15 and they've both been yawning andI'm pretty sure they're crashing soon. I sure feel like it.

My husband and both daughters are in Utah with my daughter-in-law and friend Terry. I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself for having to miss the good times. Work won't let me off! It sucks.

I put the kids in Mike's room on the pull out couch/bed earlier and put in an old VHS video in the TV/VHS combo we have there. The tape is stuck and won't eject, and so now, we can't watch TV there either. That stinks.

Work has been intense this week and I'm really ready for a 3 day weekend. Tomorrow I'm making some cookies and putting together a goodie package to send to the boy. I also signed up with dearelder.com and wrote Mike a quick letter. You email the letter to him, they print it and mail it from Provo, so they get the letter's faster.

That's it for now. I need a more full life so I'd have something to blog about!

Missionary Mom

I finally have a minute to post a bit about the happenings of the week. This week has absolutely FLOWN by and I can't believe it's already been 5 days since Monday when I was so stressed and posted last.

Mike got set apart and that was sweet and nice, as those things always are. Seriously, I've been an emotional wreck since Sunday. Just when I least expect it, the tears come. Not sad tears, just love tears.

We left on Tuesday and drove to Elk Ridge and stayed with our friends Morris & Elaine Smith. They are our Mexico "connection". She has a library that she runs that has turned into a part time school, actually. Anway, they treated us royally and love us and our entire family. Without going into too much detail, there was a bit of confusion about the plan for breakfast on Wed. AM, and I have to apologize to Sarah, right here and right now. For someone who was wanting the day to be so perfect, I behaved in a most un-perfect way and I'm truly sorry. One of these days, I'll be able to rise above my most base emotional levels. At least I hope so. Wednesday wasn't that day. Anyway...Howard gave Mike a beautiful father's blessing. And then we left and drove to Provo.

Let me just say here that I am sure I have some of the most wonderful kids on the planet. Erin had been left behind, feeling so bad about not being able to go because she had family commitments she didn't see anyway out of. Nate had work and didn't think he would be able to come. David had planned to come, but at the last minute, they were down like 4 people and he had to stay. It was hard on David, too, when Mike left. In his words, as they hugged goodbye, "This sucks". Well, I'm not sure when it all got planned, but Nathan and Erin were able to work it out and drive up through the night and surprize us. Nate had to let me know once he got in Provo, but when we met up with him and Stacy (who had driven down from Huntsville, where she's visiting her family), who should come out from behind the corner, but Erin, Sydney and Mackenzie. Of course, when I saw them, I was a bawling mess and Mackenzie and Sydney just laughed and laughed. It was great! I just so wished David could have been there, too, but being responsible and mature, he stayed and did what he had to do. Supporting a missionary calls for all kinds of sacrifices :) MY KIDS LOVE EACH OTHER!!! Does it get better than that????

So, we then went to the MTC. You know, it's great, but at the same time, it's so hard to say goodbye to your kid knowing you won't see him for two years. You cry and hope that image of him leaving and turning and waving will never leave you for two years. And, you are so incredibily proud of him. (She says with a lump in her throat).

Then we went to lunch with our friends Dave & Hilma who I need to call and apologize for being so much less than I should have been. My heart just wasn't in being personable that day and I hope they don't think I was a spoiled brat. I was just spent, emotionally, and didn't have it in me to chit chat too much. I'm so grateful, however, that they came and showed their support. We love them.

It's been super busy for me at work Thursday and Friday, which helped me keep my mind occupied and not be obsessed with how much I miss Michael. (Crying now). I went into his room to start cleaning out a few things today and didn't get too far and decided I'm not really ready to do too much in that direction. I don't want to get rid of his stuff, just pack it up and put it somewhere...else. Don't know where, exactly. I found his little stuffed bear a missionary that used to serve in our area gave him when he was two. He called it his Kevin Bear (Kevin is the missionary's name). I just hugged it and bawled. How can my two year old be on a mission?!

So, today we got our first letter from him. He wrote it Wed. night. He's got Elder Mackay (pronounced Mackie) from Oregon as a companion. He shares a room with 3 other Elders all whom are going to W. VA. Another room of 4 Elders are going, too. Says he's pretty overwelmed. He is the District Leader while he's in the MTC. He said he's pretty overwhelmed and doesn't remember a lot of what he had been told.

Well, that's the update for now. I'll be putting a package in the mail to him, probably Monday or Tuesday.