Sunday Morning

I woke up this morning, at a glorious 7:30! That's really sleeping in for me. I had awakened a few times before, but was able to slide back into slumber and LOVED looking at the clock and seeing what time it was. Watched a little Sunday Morning and checked blogs and email.

Now, I've mentioned before my love and affection for the Pioneer Woman Cooks website. Great recipes. But, this morning I noticed a tab that she has that tells "her story". I've been glued to my computer for 2 hours reading her love story with her husband, Marlboro Man. I love the way this woman writes. Her sense of humor, her REALNESS. LOOOVVVEEE it. So, if you need a fun read, you, too can read her story. She has it broken down in installments so you can read one a day (doubtful) if you want. I want to meet this woman!

That's about it. Not exactly a blockbuster week. No big news. I did realize the other day that Michael has been on his mission 10 months. Heck, that's nearly a year. HECK, that's almost half done! He recieved a brand new missionary, straight out of the MTC to train this week. Can't wait to see what he has to say about that next Wednesday, my new favorite day of the week.

OK, gotta run get ready for church. And figure out what we'll be eating today, since instead of going grocery shopping last night as I planned, Howard and I met friends for dinner and didn't get home until 9:30 and by then I SO didn't care about grocery shopping. This morning, I kind of wish I had. Sort of. A little. Not really. If I never had to grocery shop again, I'd be ok with that. Funny thing, grocery shopping. I used to actually enjoy it. It's really not the shopping I hate. It's the bringing it home and putting it away. Yeah, I know. SERIOUS problems in my life, huh!

What have I been up to this week?

Quilting, my friends. I've been bitten by the quilting bug. I've always had it, but it's become more active than dormant lately. Now, for all the really serious quilters in the world, I am SO an amateur at this. But, I've signed up for a class. I've picked up a little along the way for the past 30 years. But, I want to learn the real stuff. So, I made my friend Tammi's daughter a baby blanket for her upcoming baby girl. Nothing fancy, just a tied, pink flannel blanket. I also made a Raider's football quilt for my friend JC a few weeks ago, but didn't get a picture of it. But, about 2 months ago, Seth announced that for his birthday, he wanted an "all yellow blanket with rainbow on the back". Evidently he's decided that yellow is his favorite color. At least fo rnow. Hmm. It got me excited and I was ready to try new stuff. First, I sketched it out on the first piece of paper I could find available. That's how I roll, you know. You might not be able to tell, but I have this bad boy planned out to the INCH.

I got the pattern for the quilt block out of this little lovely publication. It's aptly named.

I bought 10 different fabrics, ALL variations of yellow. In this picture, a couple of them look like they're white. But, no, they're yellow. I made the blocks an "uneven nine patch" from 9 of them and pieced them together with the cat fabric. Can anyone say B-U-S-Y? It's actually kind of hard on the eyes.

Then, I put on the back. It's not "rainbow" per se, but it has all the colors of the rainbow in it. So, I hope it worked for Seth!

It's about 45" x 60".

After coordinating schedules, I took it over to give to Seth this AM. He had had birthday already and was pretty excited. Can't you tell? This is him sitting on the "birthday chair" waiting for his mom & dad to get ready (Erin getting her camera). And, what were they doing?

Playing a HOT game of Halo with Austin! Poor Seth. Acutally, he only had to wait a couple of minutes. He was good. Kevin won by 2 seconds. Whatever that means. I don't do Halo. I do Dr. Mario. Barely.

Finally, after asking ,"what did you make me, Grandma?" he got to open his present. Seeing the front.

Checking out the back.

It got a place on the "chair of honor" and he was generous enough to share with Brooklyn.

And, what good is a quilt/blanket if you can't make a tent out of it and hide under it???

And sometimes, it helps to just lay on something comfy, put your feet up and play with your toys. Whatever they may be. I think it's good to be 4!

Happy Birthday Seth!

Grateful

As part of my job, I sometimes have to go to IEP meetings. Individual Education Plan. For Special Education kids. Transportation likes to have a representative present to help assess with the team of people that makes decisions. Today I had an 8:00 appointment for an IEP for a 15 year old young man that had a TBI (traumatic brain injury). The saddest thing about this kid is that he was perfectly normal kid until about 4 years ago when he was involved in an accidental hanging. I heard later that he was playing around with some friends and things didn't go as they planned and now, he has this horrible injury. He can't walk, talk, or eat at all. He understands quite a bit that is said to him, and has the greatest smile. But, his life and the life of his family has changed in a way that is incomprehensible to me. I left that meeting feeling so humbled and grateful for my health and the healthy kids and grankids I have. Things happen in our lives in an instant that can change just everything.

And, I talked to Marsha today and let me just say this. CANCER SUCKS!!!!!

Happy Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day. I have 5 wonderful kids that I love more than words can tell. They were all here at our house today, with the exception of Michael, of course. But, he called home and got to speak to everyone. He seems to be having a good time on his mission and is doing well. He got a fair share of razzing for not writing more, but I'm not expecting the flood gates to open in the letter writing department!

My kids were generous to me. Nate & Stacy gave me a gift of a massage from a therapist they know. Erin is taking me to lunch and a movie in a couple of weeks when we both have time. Sarah and family gave me a book and a gift certificate to Deseret Book. Howard gave me some flowers, made dinner for the kids (Stouffer's Lasagne, a tradition) and a promised gift certificate to Quiltique, a quilt shop I like. I've signed up for a beginners quilting class and I have no doubt that I'll be able to spend it with no problem!

I just want to give a shout out to all the mamas, I know and have known. There is no job or calling in this world that is harder to do well, and most of us, a lot of the time, feel that we're coming up short in the mothering department. Which, ironically, I think, is a good sign. If you CARE that you're not doing well, and worry about that, then you probably are. Its the people who don't care about how they do that we need to worry about! I watch my kids parent and see the tenderness and love they show their kids and are very happy for my grandkids to know that they are coming into families that love them. As a girl, I had only one big desire. To be a wife and mother. I was always afraid that I'd not be able to have children, because my aunt on my dad's side and my mother had difficulties. But, I was blessed. It's easy to complain about our kids, no matter what age they are, and heaven knows I've done and do my share of that. But, the truth is, I would be shattered if I lost one of them and would prefer to have them than to not have them. And, if I do it right, in the time I have left, I know I will have them FOREVER. Can it get better than that? I don't think so!

Sore toe

Warning!!! If you have an aversion to feet, you might not want to read this!

About a week ago, my left big toe started hurting. For the past few years I've been plagued with an ingrown tonail that rears it's ugly head every two-three months. Today, I ALMOST mustered the courage to call my podiatrist and schedule the dreaded ingrown tonail surgery procedure that I've witnessed 3 of my kids have. I don't worry about the procedure. It's the deadening I dread. (Say that 5 times really fast...Deadening I dread, deadening I dread). That minute or two of sheer, living hell, while the doctor numbs up your toe with shot after shot AFTER SHOT of novacaine into the already sore toe. Sometimes a little knowledge is NOT a good thing. But, I chickened out and decided instead to go see Mai, my pedicure girl who helps me out. Sometimes she's able to "operate" with little pain. Oh, not today. I had a major hotflash in the chair and wondered what in the world was I doing, avoiding the one person who could permanantly help me. But, I endured it and I'm hoping for big things tomorrow. Well, not big. Little. As in not swollen and gross. I'm not going into details. But, here is what my toe looks like now, post pedicurist working on it. Thank goodness it's summer and I can wear open toed sandals. Owwwww. I'm such a wuss when it comes to pain stuff. No pioneer stock in my blood!

Feelings...

There's something I've learned in my life. I learned it about 7 years ago, I'd say. What is this, you ask? To listen to my body. OK, no jokes about how LOUD that conversation must be! But, seriously, I've learned to listen. I used to hear about people with a "gut feeling". I know what that is, now. I usually get a really bad feeling, and yes, I feel it in my gut, when things aren't just right. Sometimes I don't know what it is about, sometimes I do. But, I take it as a warning of some sort. Sometimes I find out what it was, sometimes I never really know. But, it makes me very contemplative and aware as I try to figure out what's going on.

So, I have been seeing a cardiologist for about a year. I don't have any big deal going on, other than a fast heart rate (always have had one) and high blood pressure, which is being managed with medication. I've had several tests and bottom line, I'm pretty ok. But, about 2 months ago when I saw him, we discussed me having an angiogram, just to rule out any blockage I might have, because he saw a shadow in some image from another test and he kind of wanted me to have one to rule out anything serious. He said it was probably just my breast, but he couldn't be absolutely positive, without an angiogram. And, our wonderful health insurance won't approve the CT angiogram they can do, which is totally non invasive. ANYway...I had it scheduled for the 23 of this month. Today I had an echocardiogram and a follow up appointment with him. But, all day, starting early this AM, everytime I thought about it, I just got this gut feeling that I've come to recognize. I could tell my BP was up, because I was just totally stressed by even the thought. I considered cancelling the appointment alltogether, but didn't. I found myself even feeling very much teary-eyed about the whole thing.

I don't know why. I trust this doctor and recognize the value of having the test. I just don't think NOW is the right time. So, during the echo, I told the tech about my feelings and she encouraged me to talk to the dr. about it and told me if I didn't feel good about having the test, then I probably shouldn't have it. When I got in to the dr. he told me the same thing! He doesn't even like having to do them, because what he makes in $$ on them really isn't worth his time, he says, but it's kind of part of the job. Bottom line, I cancelled the thing and am considering having it later, in the fall.

Wasn't that a long story? Sorry. You know me and details. And details. And MORE details. I get it from Erin! But, I am really grateful for the "feeling" I get from time to time. Now that I've made the decision, the bad feeling is gone. And, I'm glad for that!

But, the good news of the week is that Marsha had her VERY last chemo treatment last week!!! Yay, Marsha. I just hope you get your strength back really soon! I love you with all my heart.