I left us at Chris's graduation. It was only a little more than an hour long but the seats were very hard. I had fallen on the steps the day before. I had on my knee high stockings and was not looking at my feet as I went down the stairs and they went out from under me. I just sat down very quickly and very hard. But my sit down surely felt bruised altho' I couldn't see anything in the mirror. My sweet husband took a pillow for me to sit on but it still was difficult to sit there the whole time. I was glad we had to stand up for the processional and recessional. That helped too. The trip home Tuesday was very hard too. I squirmed alot. I'm feeling better today, we went to the temple. I was glad to stand up each time. (Boy! I've changed alot there.) We couldn't figure out what order the students were in. There were names starting with A's on the front row but also O's and S's and W's. Chris was on the third row! So after wards we asked him. They started out aphabetically but then they were able to pick their walking partner. His friend's last name started with a D. So Chris went from the R's to the D's. The last student to get her diploma name started with a T. There were three students who's last name started with a Z. It really had us puzzled. Helen, Al, Karl and I sat on the first row of the balcony. We didn't see Chris march in because Jessica had us all turn toward her so she could take our picture. that's when he came in. We saw him walk out tho'. He even waved to us. I'm glad we were able to be there.
After Chris's graduation we went home to finish fixing dinner. Chris's girlfriend, Dani and her sister Jenifer and mother Julie and her Dad Mark were there. We had met Dani before but it was the first time we had met the rest of her family. They are very nice people. We visited for quite a while after we were thro' with dinner then Bryan brought out his Great Dalmuti game. We taught Julie and Mark how to play it. Chris, Bryce, Jenny and Dani or Sandy didn't play but there were eight of us playing. It was a lot of fun. Julie and Mark seemed to really enjoy playing it too.
We played again Monday night. Bryan, Sandy, Helen, Al, Karl, Sara and me. Bryce had home work, Chris was working at Burger King and Jessica left around noon to fly home. It was sooo nice having her there and having the whole family together. After we got home I got to thinking that Jessica is as much older than Jason as I am older than Bryan. Interesting huh?
Oh, I forgot to tell you what Sandy arranged for me forMother's Day. I had told Téa when we were in Phoenix and I had told Sandy and Bryan after we got there that had started on Epraim's I am a child of God counted cross stitch "thing" just before General Conference and had worked on it while I listened to it. I had completed the hearts and the ring stack and was getting ready to start on the blocks with the initials in. I had left it on the table between the two chiars and hadn't worked on it for a day or two or so. Newspapers had been placed on top of it and my sweet husband gathered up the papers (he usually waits for me to do it) and took them to be recycled. I looked all over for it but I knew I had left it on the table and it was no longer there. He even went back to the recycling place and looked thro' the dumster the best he could without climbing in. He couldn't find it. I was sick. My instructions for making them as well as the embroidery thread and my embroidery scissors were all in the zip lock bag they were in as well as the part I had already done. I could start over all right if I had the instructions. I tho't, "well maybe I could borrow one of Karen's girl's and use it. It wouldn't be as easy but would be possible. I had seen a few different ones with different pictures but the same words. Not as cute but I tho't if I could find one of those but I went to all the craft stores as well as Desert Book and Seagull book and no one had the whole thing. Roberts Craft had the first line and a place for the baby's name and weight and birthdate on it to make into a pillow but it wasn't the same thing. Well the Friday before we left (the same Friday I found out they had found our digital camera) I was on the computer and Bryan came in and said, "You mentioned that you could possiblely borrow one of Karen's girl's I'm a child of God things to look out to help you make one for Jason." I said "yes, I could do that, it wouldn't be as easy as having the directions but it would be possilbe to do that way." Then Bryan said "would this help?" I turned around and he and Sandy were standing there grinning and Bryan held out a kit that was exactly like the first one I had purchased almost 20 years ago for Shani. I think I made hers for her third birthday and have been doing them for the first birthdays for all the others. I was sooo surprised and pleased and thrilled! Now I could make them for our three youngest grandchildren. (I hadn't even told Michael &Tanya yet what had happened.) I could tell that Bryan and Sandy were pleased that I was sooo thrilled. I consider that two miracles happened while we were there. First finding the camera and second getting that I am a child of God kit. I asked them where on earth they found it because I knew they were no longer being made. Bryan said, "Sandy did it. She found it on e-Bay. I said, "I hope you didn't have to pay too much for it." She said, "It was resonable" and left it at that. And then said "Happy Mother's Day!" So I left it at that too. I honestly can't remember what I paid for the first one anyway and I considered this one priceless. There was a woman in Arizona who had bought it years ago and decided that since she had never made it up (I don't think it had even been take out of the bag) she'd sell it on e-Bay. That was the only one available. I'm greatful that Sandy was persistent and got it for me. I really felt bad to think that I may not be able to make one for Ephraim, Abbie and Jason. Now I can.
We left Bryan's house with Sandy and Al at noon on Tuesday. Helen stayed home with Jason, Bryan was at work, Bryce and Sara were at school and Chris was starting his first day on his new job constructing decks. He was thrilled that he could do it this summer. He would have liked to last summer. Our plane left at 2:00pm CDT and was to arrive in SLC by 3:24 MDT. We landed at 3:00 instead. Which was puzzling because it usually takes longer to fly west than east because of the jet stream. I decided that we must have had no head wind at all. We had to just sit there on the runway for 20 minutes because there was a plane still deplaning at the gate we were to use. We had collected our bags by 3:25. We were to meet the shuttle at 4:30pm so we just patiently waited. We had a pleasant ride home. Arrived at the Fairfield Inn right at 8:10pm like we were supposed to. Karl sat up beside Aaron our driver and I found Colleen, Marie and Roger to visit with on the way. I also did some reading too. We arrived home by 8:30. It has been very nice to be home. We did have a very enjoyable stay there with Bryan & Sandy and children. We could see just how involved and busy their lives are. We were thankful that they were able to take the time for us too.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Our Trip to Omaha part 2
I forgot to mention that Bryan was home from work Monday by 2:30pm and after having some lunch took Karl and me to the big gym on base. It is enormous. The track inside is more than a quarter mile around. You have to go only 3 ½ times to make a mile. There is also a full size lap pool and a free weight room plus a basket ball court, tennis court, racket ball rooms and a full sized soccor field too. The machines with weights is in the middle of the track too. (Everything but the pool and weight room are) We worked out about 35-40 minutes then walked around the track once. We went again on Thursday afternoon. Bryan took leave Thursday and Friday. He also had from noon on Wednesday off. Evidently they get the half day off before their leave starts. He had to go back Thursday afternoon to a meeting so Karl and I worked out for close to an hour while he was in his meeting. We took books with us and we read for about a half hour also. With those workouts plus the stairs here at the house, I feel I’m in pretty good shape. The stairs are so much easier than they were especially the first year and even last year too.
Helen and Al Bonneau (Sandy’s parents) arrived Wednesday early afternoon. We hadn’t seen them for two years since Jessica graduated. Sandy went to get them and I babysat Jason while she was gone. I fed him and changed him and when he went to sleep I placed him in his car seat. That’s where he is when he isn’t being held or in bed. (I learned that those carseats are every bit as heavy and awkward as they look.) He had just waked up just before they returned. I was holding him and Helen came over and introduced herself and Grandpa Bonneau to him and Jason made eye contact with each one of them (he doesn’t do that very often) and then me also and gave us each a cute smile as he did so. He even laughed out loud at Helen and me once. Not sure what brought it on but I don’t care. We watched The Chronicles of Narnia (that we brought with us) Saturday afternoon. Sandy had been nursing him and her mother needed help with her washer so I told her I would take him. He nestled down on my chest and went to sleep. Jessica and some friends came back (she came to show Jason off) and they each held him. Even tho’ he had waked up he nestled right back down and slept there the whole movie. Sandy offered to put him in his bed but I told her I really didn’t mind holding him. It was so nice to sit there and feel his little body next to mine. He is such a sweet, special little spirit. I know he will bring such joy to their family. He already has. Sara is just like a little mother to him. (Altho’ she refuses to change a messy diaper. She doesn’t mind just the wet ones.) It’s so good to see her enjoying him instead of being jealous of him. One can tell the babies who are born in this day and age are soooo special and sweet. We know that they are the elite and have been saved especially for this point in time. They must be strong spirits in order to withstand the advisary in this day and age. I’m thankful for the parents these special grandchildren have to lead the way for them and teach them correct principles. I’m thankful that I (and my sweetheart) was taught so I (we) could teach our children so they would be prepared to teach their children. The church and the gospel do certainly play a big role in those teachings.
Wednesday night Bryan, Sandy and Karl went to the awards night for the drama department for Chris and Bryce. Sara, Helen, Al and I stayed home with Jason. We watched Nanny McVee and Bewitched. We really enjoyed them. Thursday night Bryan, Sandy, Al, Karl and I went to Sara’s chorus conert. Chris had to work and Bryce stayed home with Jason. Bryce said he slept the whole time. Sara’s eighth grade chorus was very impressive. They sounded as good as many high school choruses. They started with 79 in seventh grade and had 96 this year. Friday night we watched Nanny McVee again and Les Miserable the musical that Bryce was in the last part of this year. Those high school kids were very talented and did an excellant job. We finished watching it Saturday afternoon. Then we watched Narnia. Karl and I had been the only ones to see it. We all enjoyed it. It also was very well done.
Sunday was Mother’s Day. Karl and I called our mothers Saturday night because we knew yesterday would be very busy. Since Church starts at 9:00 and there are eleven of us here that meant early showers. We got there on time and were all able to go in the van. We just stayed for sacrament meeting. Bryan gave Jason a beautiful blessing. A special men’s chorus sang a beautiful song about the mother making a house a home. They did a good job on it. I wouldn’t have been able to talk afterwards if I’d wanted to. (I can’t be emotional and talk at the same time.) We came home and Sandy put the roasts on to cook and the house was straightened and then we left for Omaha for Chris’s graduation. Chris left earlier. They had to pay $6 to park the van but we parked on the top level and rode the elevator down (it was only about 15 ft from where we parked) then able to walk just a short ways to our seats. When we went to Jessica’s graduation (they were both in the civic auditorium in Omaha, we had to walk up four steep ramps to get to our seats. It was torture for me. I could have done much better this year but Helen would have had much difficulty. Tho’ I wasn’t sorry that we didn’t have to negotiate the ramps either. We had a short wait before the processional started. The band played to entertain us before everything got started.
Helen and Al Bonneau (Sandy’s parents) arrived Wednesday early afternoon. We hadn’t seen them for two years since Jessica graduated. Sandy went to get them and I babysat Jason while she was gone. I fed him and changed him and when he went to sleep I placed him in his car seat. That’s where he is when he isn’t being held or in bed. (I learned that those carseats are every bit as heavy and awkward as they look.) He had just waked up just before they returned. I was holding him and Helen came over and introduced herself and Grandpa Bonneau to him and Jason made eye contact with each one of them (he doesn’t do that very often) and then me also and gave us each a cute smile as he did so. He even laughed out loud at Helen and me once. Not sure what brought it on but I don’t care. We watched The Chronicles of Narnia (that we brought with us) Saturday afternoon. Sandy had been nursing him and her mother needed help with her washer so I told her I would take him. He nestled down on my chest and went to sleep. Jessica and some friends came back (she came to show Jason off) and they each held him. Even tho’ he had waked up he nestled right back down and slept there the whole movie. Sandy offered to put him in his bed but I told her I really didn’t mind holding him. It was so nice to sit there and feel his little body next to mine. He is such a sweet, special little spirit. I know he will bring such joy to their family. He already has. Sara is just like a little mother to him. (Altho’ she refuses to change a messy diaper. She doesn’t mind just the wet ones.) It’s so good to see her enjoying him instead of being jealous of him. One can tell the babies who are born in this day and age are soooo special and sweet. We know that they are the elite and have been saved especially for this point in time. They must be strong spirits in order to withstand the advisary in this day and age. I’m thankful for the parents these special grandchildren have to lead the way for them and teach them correct principles. I’m thankful that I (and my sweetheart) was taught so I (we) could teach our children so they would be prepared to teach their children. The church and the gospel do certainly play a big role in those teachings.
Wednesday night Bryan, Sandy and Karl went to the awards night for the drama department for Chris and Bryce. Sara, Helen, Al and I stayed home with Jason. We watched Nanny McVee and Bewitched. We really enjoyed them. Thursday night Bryan, Sandy, Al, Karl and I went to Sara’s chorus conert. Chris had to work and Bryce stayed home with Jason. Bryce said he slept the whole time. Sara’s eighth grade chorus was very impressive. They sounded as good as many high school choruses. They started with 79 in seventh grade and had 96 this year. Friday night we watched Nanny McVee again and Les Miserable the musical that Bryce was in the last part of this year. Those high school kids were very talented and did an excellant job. We finished watching it Saturday afternoon. Then we watched Narnia. Karl and I had been the only ones to see it. We all enjoyed it. It also was very well done.
Sunday was Mother’s Day. Karl and I called our mothers Saturday night because we knew yesterday would be very busy. Since Church starts at 9:00 and there are eleven of us here that meant early showers. We got there on time and were all able to go in the van. We just stayed for sacrament meeting. Bryan gave Jason a beautiful blessing. A special men’s chorus sang a beautiful song about the mother making a house a home. They did a good job on it. I wouldn’t have been able to talk afterwards if I’d wanted to. (I can’t be emotional and talk at the same time.) We came home and Sandy put the roasts on to cook and the house was straightened and then we left for Omaha for Chris’s graduation. Chris left earlier. They had to pay $6 to park the van but we parked on the top level and rode the elevator down (it was only about 15 ft from where we parked) then able to walk just a short ways to our seats. When we went to Jessica’s graduation (they were both in the civic auditorium in Omaha, we had to walk up four steep ramps to get to our seats. It was torture for me. I could have done much better this year but Helen would have had much difficulty. Tho’ I wasn’t sorry that we didn’t have to negotiate the ramps either. We had a short wait before the processional started. The band played to entertain us before everything got started.
Our Trip to Omaha part 1
I will start this and send it to myself so I can get started on our lovely trip here in Papillion. Today is Saturday, May 13th the day before Mother’s day. We left home a week ago on the 6th at 6:45 am to leave for the Fairfield Inn across town to meet the Shuttle. Our Neighbor, Stan Messick, was kind enough to take us over. There were nine passengers this time all together and they were pulling a trailer behind for the luggage. I met Julia and Jimmy Kennedy from Rexburg and Brooke Rohle from Hillcrest High School area there in IF. We had a delightful chat all the way down. Karl sat up in front beside the driver so he wouldn’t get car sick. Julia and Jimmy were going on their first Carribean Cruise to celebrat their 10th wedding anniversary. Jimmy asked how long I had been married. I told them it will be 44 years in September. He replied, "You’re no spring chicken are you?" It kind of surprised me but didn’t affend me. Around the Bountiful area I asked them if they would like to see my grandchildren. I had our digital camera in my "purse" so I was able to show them the pictures of Kim & Kimberly’s children, Richard & Téa’s children, and Michael & Tanya’s Kendra and Abbie. I stuck it back in my purse but it must have fallen out because after we got to Bryan & Sandy’s and I went to show them to Sandy neither Karl nor I could find the camera. I was just sick and I think Karl was too. They asked if I was sure I had it and I told them yes because I had shown the pictures on it to Julia, Jimmy and Brooke. I hoped immediately that it had fallen out on the Shuttle before I got out of it as opposed to the jet, and the shuttle here in Omaha. Of course the best thing would have been if it had fallen out in the pickup after Chris and Bryan had picked us up at Eppley field there in Omaha. I called the shuttle and they said that Bryan, the driver, wouldn’t be back until 11:00 pm or later their time which would be midnight our time. So I asked them to wait to call in the morning. They hadn’t called by the time we got home from church a little afternoon so I called them again later that afternoon. They said that nothing had been turned in and the information was on the bulletin board if anything should show up. Monday I called Atlanta, the head quarters of Delta, the Park-n-go Shuttle there at Eppley Airport, the Omaha Airport. They all said that nothing had been turned in. So I just kept hoping and praying. I told Bryan that I would probably get another one because I had both the printer that went with it to print off the pictures and another card (a 40 MB card I think) since I had the 1GB card in the camera that I had bought from Kim. Bryan said it sounds like you are playing the "glad game"...finding something positive about this mess. I said that things usually seem better when doing that. Anyway, to jump ahead to Friday, Sandy had gone to take Sara to the doctor and Bryan almost didn’t answer the phone because it looked like a business calling on the ID. But he did. They asked for me. Katie from SaltLake Express (that’s the name of the shuttle company) said that they were going thro’ the lost and found and found what might be my camera. Could I discribe it. I said that it was a small Kodak easy share camera in a small blue denum pocket. She said they had it. She wanted to know where we were. I said we were in the Omaha area but that we would be back Tuesday. She said she would send it with the driver. So altho’ I won’t have any pictures on it of here and everyone here I will have our camera and the other pictures. I feel really blessed. Bryan said that they had enough cameras around here that I could use and then they would e-mail me the pictures I took with them. I said "great!"
Jason is sooo adorable. He looks like his daddy and brothers did when they were as young. Of course he’s already getting his own look. He’s smiling already. He sees angels or someone we can’t see and smiles at them aften. He’s a good baby and a very pleasant baby. He doesn’t have much chance to cry or exercise his lungs with so many people around. Grandma & Grandpa Bonneau are also here and Jessica got here yesterday too. So we are eleven souls in this house right now. It is a few. But great.
Sunday church started at 9:00am so we got up and going early. We finally met Brian & Wendy Hadderlie, Bryan & Sandy’s good friends with whom they’ve been stationed off and on since the Vandenberg days. Sandy is now Relief Society President and Bryan is now the Scout Master. Everyone has been coming and going the whole time we have been here. Their life is very busy and far from dull. Bryan took Karl and me to a session of the Winter Quarters Temple Tuesday night. It is such a beautiful temple! It is one of the small temples but still a good size. I can now stand up throughout the ceremony and the three of us even went up into the prayer circle. The first room we met in was beautiful. It was done in dark wood with gold trim. We then went into another room representing the Terretrial Kingdom. It was all white and gold and very bright. My reaction as I went from the one room to the other was pleasant, thrilling surprise. It is sooo beautiful! I met Sister Millis, the assistant to the matron. Sandy had gotten quite close to her when she and Bryan were in charge of the Baptistry. She asked us if we were here for Jason’s blessing. I told her, "Yes and Chris graduation from high school." She said, "Oh, that’s quite an age span from graduating from high school and a new born." I said, "And that’s not all of it either. Their oldest is a sophomore (I should have said will be a junior this fall) at BYU in Provo." Jason is a surprise but a real blessing in their lives. I know they all will thoroughly enjoy him. I’ll add more later.
Jason is sooo adorable. He looks like his daddy and brothers did when they were as young. Of course he’s already getting his own look. He’s smiling already. He sees angels or someone we can’t see and smiles at them aften. He’s a good baby and a very pleasant baby. He doesn’t have much chance to cry or exercise his lungs with so many people around. Grandma & Grandpa Bonneau are also here and Jessica got here yesterday too. So we are eleven souls in this house right now. It is a few. But great.
Sunday church started at 9:00am so we got up and going early. We finally met Brian & Wendy Hadderlie, Bryan & Sandy’s good friends with whom they’ve been stationed off and on since the Vandenberg days. Sandy is now Relief Society President and Bryan is now the Scout Master. Everyone has been coming and going the whole time we have been here. Their life is very busy and far from dull. Bryan took Karl and me to a session of the Winter Quarters Temple Tuesday night. It is such a beautiful temple! It is one of the small temples but still a good size. I can now stand up throughout the ceremony and the three of us even went up into the prayer circle. The first room we met in was beautiful. It was done in dark wood with gold trim. We then went into another room representing the Terretrial Kingdom. It was all white and gold and very bright. My reaction as I went from the one room to the other was pleasant, thrilling surprise. It is sooo beautiful! I met Sister Millis, the assistant to the matron. Sandy had gotten quite close to her when she and Bryan were in charge of the Baptistry. She asked us if we were here for Jason’s blessing. I told her, "Yes and Chris graduation from high school." She said, "Oh, that’s quite an age span from graduating from high school and a new born." I said, "And that’s not all of it either. Their oldest is a sophomore (I should have said will be a junior this fall) at BYU in Provo." Jason is a surprise but a real blessing in their lives. I know they all will thoroughly enjoy him. I’ll add more later.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
I've been tagged by my sweet 16 granddaughter
My 6 weird things or Six weird things about me:
1. I don't have double jointed thumbs but I can lock the first digit of all my fingers, the whole finger is straight except for the end one that is bent.
2. I like my cupboard doors shut. If I'm anywhere and there is an open door or drawer I have to shut it. (OC Behavior?)
3. I like to count things. Telephone poles, panes in windows etc. especially while riding in a car and I'm not driving.
4. I like to read before I go to sleep no matter how late it is.
5. On my caller ID "machine" I have to push the little green button that means someone has called. I don't like to see the constant blinking.
6. I love to make babies smile and laugh. (I guess I'm not so different than most in this last way. It is interesting to see what "adults" go thro' to accomplish this sometimes.)
There I've completed the list. However I'm stopping the tag here. Hope no one minds.
1. I don't have double jointed thumbs but I can lock the first digit of all my fingers, the whole finger is straight except for the end one that is bent.
2. I like my cupboard doors shut. If I'm anywhere and there is an open door or drawer I have to shut it. (OC Behavior?)
3. I like to count things. Telephone poles, panes in windows etc. especially while riding in a car and I'm not driving.
4. I like to read before I go to sleep no matter how late it is.
5. On my caller ID "machine" I have to push the little green button that means someone has called. I don't like to see the constant blinking.
6. I love to make babies smile and laugh. (I guess I'm not so different than most in this last way. It is interesting to see what "adults" go thro' to accomplish this sometimes.)
There I've completed the list. However I'm stopping the tag here. Hope no one minds.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Our Trip Back
We really had fun playing that that night. Duncan finally got up to the third place so he didn't have to give one or two of his best cards away. Since we were to be ready to leave the house by 7:00am the next morning we told the children and Téa goodbye before going to bed. Richard did get up and see us off for which I'm glad because he went down with Ephraim the night before and we didn't get to tell him goodbye then.
It is soooo rewarding as a parent to visit our children and their children in their homes and see how they are teaching their children the gospel and how to walk uprightly before the Lord. I am so thankful we can have that experience. We have experienced it in each of our children's homes. They and their sweethearts are all doing such a good job doing that.
On Monday afternoon Sam & Marta Moore from Scotsdale came to visit us. Sam is my cousin once removed (or in other words my mother's cousin). It had been years and years since I had seen him. I had never met his wife. He is eight or nine months younger than I am. Right in between my sister Bonnie who is sixteen months younger than I am. It was sooo good to see them. I hadn't known that he had been in the Airforce or served in Vietnam. I told him that I always pictured him as I knew him as a young child or teenager. I wouldn't have known him if I'd passed him on the street. Probably he not me either. They were there for two hours and 15 mintues. He brought me some pictures of my family and his family in some of our get togethers. As I was walking out with them to the car, I told them of Elena's reaction to the crucifixion of Jesus. Marta told me that she teaches the Nursery in Primary in their ward and the last week when she was giving the Easter lesson, she mentioned that Jesus was dead. And one three year old boy piped up and said, "Jesus died?" When I told my husband that he said, "They must not have been taught very well." I said, "On the contrary, it is because they have been taught that he and Elena reacted that way. We are always refering to Jesus Christ as the living Christ and to his being alive. In their young minds they aren't able to figure out that He had to die before He could be resurrectied. " I just found that very interesting.
We were picked up by the Super Shuttle there at Richard & Téa's by 7:05am and got to the airport in time to stand in line for an hour to check our luggage before going to the gate,. Because Marta had told me that we could go online and get our boarding pass withing 24 hours of boarding, I was in the aisle A. Karl couldn't get his because he was listed as a senior and they wouldn't give him his without checking to make sure he was over 65. I've decided that since we paid the exact same price for our seats, I wouldn't put him in as a senior next time and we can get both of our boarding passes online. Anyway because I was in aisle A he was able to board with me and we were able to sit together on the back back to SLC.
I forgot to mention that because I was sooo tired the first night we were at Richard's that I didn't unpack my large suitcase until the next morning. Téa had arranged for space and hangers so we could hang up our extra clothes. I had everything I needed for the night in my small carry-on so I didn't even open up my big one until morning. I was glad. I found a piece of paper stating that they had searched my luggage right on top. They had opened my tumbler that had my whey protein drink in it and not put the lid back on securely if at all, and there was 3/4 of it scattered all over my clothes! We had to take everything out and brush it off then shake it off outside. At first I wondered if I would have to wash all of them before I could wear them. But they brushed off nicely. I was really discusted with them tho' I can understand that they randomly check luggage and I can understand why they looked to see what kind of powder that was in there. But I don't understand why they didn't make sure that the lid was back on securely. After we got back to the SLC Airport at 11:50am, I walked up to a security guard and asked him how I could register a complaint. He asked what it was in reference to so I told him what happened. He graciously got me a card with their pubic relations officer's e-mail address on it and told me to e-mail him and explain what happened. I still need to do that.
The shuttle for IF arrived at 1:30 to bring us back here. We arrived at the Fairfield Inn at 5:00 sharp. It is a pleasant way to travel and we couldn't have bought gas and parked the car at the airport for what we paid for for the shuttle for both of us. We will use that again.
Bob Hart met us at the Inn and brought us back home. I had told a woman on the shuttle in Phoenix that we would probably be going back to winter. I didn't realize how right I was until we got home. They had gotten seven inches of snow the day before (Bob measured it on top of his car in the driveway.) and there was still snow from that storm that morning. Altho' most of it had melted by the time we got home, there was still snow over 3/4 of our back yard when we got home.
Karl could tell by Tuesday night that he was coming down with a bad cold. I couldn't tell until Thurday morning. Even then, I wouldn't have traded our experiences of the last week for not getting sick. (We could both understand better why Ephraim and Elena seemed so miserable.) I am so glad that we went.
It is soooo rewarding as a parent to visit our children and their children in their homes and see how they are teaching their children the gospel and how to walk uprightly before the Lord. I am so thankful we can have that experience. We have experienced it in each of our children's homes. They and their sweethearts are all doing such a good job doing that.
On Monday afternoon Sam & Marta Moore from Scotsdale came to visit us. Sam is my cousin once removed (or in other words my mother's cousin). It had been years and years since I had seen him. I had never met his wife. He is eight or nine months younger than I am. Right in between my sister Bonnie who is sixteen months younger than I am. It was sooo good to see them. I hadn't known that he had been in the Airforce or served in Vietnam. I told him that I always pictured him as I knew him as a young child or teenager. I wouldn't have known him if I'd passed him on the street. Probably he not me either. They were there for two hours and 15 mintues. He brought me some pictures of my family and his family in some of our get togethers. As I was walking out with them to the car, I told them of Elena's reaction to the crucifixion of Jesus. Marta told me that she teaches the Nursery in Primary in their ward and the last week when she was giving the Easter lesson, she mentioned that Jesus was dead. And one three year old boy piped up and said, "Jesus died?" When I told my husband that he said, "They must not have been taught very well." I said, "On the contrary, it is because they have been taught that he and Elena reacted that way. We are always refering to Jesus Christ as the living Christ and to his being alive. In their young minds they aren't able to figure out that He had to die before He could be resurrectied. " I just found that very interesting.
We were picked up by the Super Shuttle there at Richard & Téa's by 7:05am and got to the airport in time to stand in line for an hour to check our luggage before going to the gate,. Because Marta had told me that we could go online and get our boarding pass withing 24 hours of boarding, I was in the aisle A. Karl couldn't get his because he was listed as a senior and they wouldn't give him his without checking to make sure he was over 65. I've decided that since we paid the exact same price for our seats, I wouldn't put him in as a senior next time and we can get both of our boarding passes online. Anyway because I was in aisle A he was able to board with me and we were able to sit together on the back back to SLC.
I forgot to mention that because I was sooo tired the first night we were at Richard's that I didn't unpack my large suitcase until the next morning. Téa had arranged for space and hangers so we could hang up our extra clothes. I had everything I needed for the night in my small carry-on so I didn't even open up my big one until morning. I was glad. I found a piece of paper stating that they had searched my luggage right on top. They had opened my tumbler that had my whey protein drink in it and not put the lid back on securely if at all, and there was 3/4 of it scattered all over my clothes! We had to take everything out and brush it off then shake it off outside. At first I wondered if I would have to wash all of them before I could wear them. But they brushed off nicely. I was really discusted with them tho' I can understand that they randomly check luggage and I can understand why they looked to see what kind of powder that was in there. But I don't understand why they didn't make sure that the lid was back on securely. After we got back to the SLC Airport at 11:50am, I walked up to a security guard and asked him how I could register a complaint. He asked what it was in reference to so I told him what happened. He graciously got me a card with their pubic relations officer's e-mail address on it and told me to e-mail him and explain what happened. I still need to do that.
The shuttle for IF arrived at 1:30 to bring us back here. We arrived at the Fairfield Inn at 5:00 sharp. It is a pleasant way to travel and we couldn't have bought gas and parked the car at the airport for what we paid for for the shuttle for both of us. We will use that again.
Bob Hart met us at the Inn and brought us back home. I had told a woman on the shuttle in Phoenix that we would probably be going back to winter. I didn't realize how right I was until we got home. They had gotten seven inches of snow the day before (Bob measured it on top of his car in the driveway.) and there was still snow from that storm that morning. Altho' most of it had melted by the time we got home, there was still snow over 3/4 of our back yard when we got home.
Karl could tell by Tuesday night that he was coming down with a bad cold. I couldn't tell until Thurday morning. Even then, I wouldn't have traded our experiences of the last week for not getting sick. (We could both understand better why Ephraim and Elena seemed so miserable.) I am so glad that we went.
More about the Pagent
At about 6:00pm or so some protestors showed up carring signs about "baby-killing women" (because the church does allow a baby to be aborted with rape or incest if it would be too tramatic for the woman to carry it full term and place it for adoption.) And one man had a sign on the front of his T-shirt that Mormons weren't Christians and something about hell on the back. (Téa later observed on the way home that if they could stand their and watch that whole pagent and still think we weren't Christians, then they were not very bright. I agreed.) The pagent people started playing music, songs by the tabernacle choir, etc around 7:00. We were very glad about that because the music was loud enough that it drowned out the protestors. They had a megaphone but a police went over and talked to them and I guess told them they couldn't use it because they didn't. The pagent started at 8:00 just at sundown. It did get cool after sundown so I was glad that I wore knee-high stockings and had a sweater with me. Téa had brought extra clothing for the children too. So we were all toasty warm. The first scene was angels up on the roof blowing long trumpets, it was dark everywhere else. It was very impressive. Then it was a street scene in Jerusalem with a lot o people and noise. A Roman sholdier came out and told the people that it was curfew and they had to go home. So everyone had left except for a man and two or three women. The sholdier walked up to them and said, "You are followers of the Nazarene that was crucified?" And they proudly responded that they were altho' you could tell that they didn't really know what to expect from this soldier. He told them that he had been there when he was crucified and could tell that he was a just man and didn't deserve to die and that he was interested in learning more about him and his teachings. One of the women then said, "Come over here with me and we'll tell you of Jesus. We'll start at the beginning." I pictured their going back to his birth. But like Ammon when he started teaching King Lamonhi in the Book of Mormon, they started with Adam and Eve. They told of Enoch and Isaih who had prophesied ofHis coming. Then they told of His birth and why Mary and Joseph were in Bethleham when they were actually residents of Nazareth. The stage was down in front of the Visitors Center there by the temple. The angels were up on the roof again singing their glad tidings. The shephereds were off to the side herding their sheep. Then the wise men came from the East. The next scene was the boy Jesus teaching in the temple there at Jurusalem during the Feast of the Passover. It depicted John the Baptist teaching the people about the Messiah and how Jesus came to him and was bapitzed. Then it told how he called the twelve apostles who would be with him continuously from that time forth. It had a dance of the ten virgins and how the five foolish had to leave to get more oil and how the bridegroom came while they were gone and only the five wise virgins were able to enter in with him. It depicted how the Sunday before the Feast of the Passover was to start He told one of His deciples to go to a man and find a yound white ass that had never been riden and bring it to him and how he made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem with all of the people cheering him and putting down palm fronds for the donkey to walk on as He entered the city. As this was happening the tho't occured to me that the Saducees and Pharacees really did stir up the people against Him just a few days later. If they would have let things be, He would never have been crucified. I also remembered how Nephi learned in one of his visions that the people over there were the only people on the face of the earth to be wicked enough to kill their own God.
The next scene was the feast of the Passover and how Jesus knew that Judas Ischariot would betray him. How he washed their feet and told Judas to leave and go do what he had to do. And how then he institued the sacrament to the other Apostles. He took Peter, James and John with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane and how He suffered as He prayed that the Father would remove the cup from Him. Then came Judas and the Roman sholdiers and He was betrayed with a kiss. As they were taking Him to Ciaphus and then Pontius Pilate, the people on stage where shouting and making a lot of noise. Three-year-old Elena turned to me and said, "What are they doing, Grandma." I said "They are trying to kill Jesus." She said, "They are trying to kill Jesus." After I said, "Yes they are" she said, "Oh, no, Oh no!" I told her to watch closely and he would come alive again. She was very attentive after that. It depicted the women coming to anoint His body with oil, explaining that they didn't have time to do it the day he was crucified because of the beginning of the Sabbath; of how they found the stone rolled away and no one in the tomb; of Peter and John running to the tomb and also finding it empty; of Jesus apearring to Mary. The last scene was up on the roof again with all of the angels and Jesus as He ascended into Heaven. Everything else was dark and he literally rose up above the angels by quite a ways. It was very impressive. When we went to the Black Hills with my in-laws when Richard was seven or eight and he and Kim stayed with Karen & Kent while we were gone, we saw a pagent that depicted the life of Christ. It had real horses, camels and donkeys with beautiful costumes. But there seemed to be something missing. For me anyway. A while later I realized that I couldn't feel the Spirit and that was what was missing. Well, I definitely felt the Spirit that night at the Mesa Temple Easter Pagent. And I was glad that I couldn.
The pagent ended at 9:15pm. We took our time getting back to the car because we knew we would be blocked by all of the other cars leaving since we were parked up by the temple. But that was OK. As the other cars were leaving, Emma, who is five, exclaimed, "Oh, look, Grandma at all the cars leaving and no one is driving them." I chuckled and explained that there was someone driving them for sure but we couldn't see them because it was dark and that kept us from seeing inside the cars. Even after waiting, we were home about an hour after the pagent ended. Téa and I had a very nice gospel discussion of the way home. All of the children, especially Ephraim were so good while we were waiting for the pagent to start and during the pagent. There were thousands of people there.
The next morning, Easter Sunday, we awoke to find that Ephraim and Elena both had fevers and were quite miserable. Téa and Ephraim stayed home from church but the rest of us went. Their meetings don't start until 1:00pm so Elena was feeling better and was able to go. Their ward is sooo large that you have to get there early or not find a seat. We were on the very last row of metal chairs in the overflow. Richard was substituting in Elena's primary class so Karl and I attended Sunday School just the two of us. The teacher reminded me of Brittany. Both the way she looks and her mannerisms. She had asked a young man to read a scripture and told him which one to read. He started reading and she stopped him and repeated the scriture she wanted him to read. He replied, "That's where I'm reading." She got a little flusterd and said, "Oh, it's me that's on the wrong page." That just sounded so Brittany! The teacher was a cute young woman who had been home from her mission only a month or two.
After church I helped Richard fix dinner; Elena and I sliced the strawberries (a new way with the egg slicer that worked great) and Richard and I had a very nice visit just the two of us. The others were either resting or outside jumping on the trampoline. We had ham, scalloed potatoes, veggies (carrots, cucumbers and olives) and then strawberry shortcake. It was all deliscious. When we first got home the TV was on and there was a show on the History Channel that depicted the life of Christ and His crucifixion and resurrection. It had big name stars in it. We saw the last hour of it. We watched other Easter videos too. It added to the day.
Monday was just a relaxing day. We were going to go to the Science Museum but with Epraim and Elena still sick we just stayed home. That night we, Richard, Téa, Karl and Duncan and I all playled the Great Dalmuti with Téa starting in the middle. The girls watched the Ugly Duckling and the Princess and the Pea DVD's while we played.
The next scene was the feast of the Passover and how Jesus knew that Judas Ischariot would betray him. How he washed their feet and told Judas to leave and go do what he had to do. And how then he institued the sacrament to the other Apostles. He took Peter, James and John with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane and how He suffered as He prayed that the Father would remove the cup from Him. Then came Judas and the Roman sholdiers and He was betrayed with a kiss. As they were taking Him to Ciaphus and then Pontius Pilate, the people on stage where shouting and making a lot of noise. Three-year-old Elena turned to me and said, "What are they doing, Grandma." I said "They are trying to kill Jesus." She said, "They are trying to kill Jesus." After I said, "Yes they are" she said, "Oh, no, Oh no!" I told her to watch closely and he would come alive again. She was very attentive after that. It depicted the women coming to anoint His body with oil, explaining that they didn't have time to do it the day he was crucified because of the beginning of the Sabbath; of how they found the stone rolled away and no one in the tomb; of Peter and John running to the tomb and also finding it empty; of Jesus apearring to Mary. The last scene was up on the roof again with all of the angels and Jesus as He ascended into Heaven. Everything else was dark and he literally rose up above the angels by quite a ways. It was very impressive. When we went to the Black Hills with my in-laws when Richard was seven or eight and he and Kim stayed with Karen & Kent while we were gone, we saw a pagent that depicted the life of Christ. It had real horses, camels and donkeys with beautiful costumes. But there seemed to be something missing. For me anyway. A while later I realized that I couldn't feel the Spirit and that was what was missing. Well, I definitely felt the Spirit that night at the Mesa Temple Easter Pagent. And I was glad that I couldn.
The pagent ended at 9:15pm. We took our time getting back to the car because we knew we would be blocked by all of the other cars leaving since we were parked up by the temple. But that was OK. As the other cars were leaving, Emma, who is five, exclaimed, "Oh, look, Grandma at all the cars leaving and no one is driving them." I chuckled and explained that there was someone driving them for sure but we couldn't see them because it was dark and that kept us from seeing inside the cars. Even after waiting, we were home about an hour after the pagent ended. Téa and I had a very nice gospel discussion of the way home. All of the children, especially Ephraim were so good while we were waiting for the pagent to start and during the pagent. There were thousands of people there.
The next morning, Easter Sunday, we awoke to find that Ephraim and Elena both had fevers and were quite miserable. Téa and Ephraim stayed home from church but the rest of us went. Their meetings don't start until 1:00pm so Elena was feeling better and was able to go. Their ward is sooo large that you have to get there early or not find a seat. We were on the very last row of metal chairs in the overflow. Richard was substituting in Elena's primary class so Karl and I attended Sunday School just the two of us. The teacher reminded me of Brittany. Both the way she looks and her mannerisms. She had asked a young man to read a scripture and told him which one to read. He started reading and she stopped him and repeated the scriture she wanted him to read. He replied, "That's where I'm reading." She got a little flusterd and said, "Oh, it's me that's on the wrong page." That just sounded so Brittany! The teacher was a cute young woman who had been home from her mission only a month or two.
After church I helped Richard fix dinner; Elena and I sliced the strawberries (a new way with the egg slicer that worked great) and Richard and I had a very nice visit just the two of us. The others were either resting or outside jumping on the trampoline. We had ham, scalloed potatoes, veggies (carrots, cucumbers and olives) and then strawberry shortcake. It was all deliscious. When we first got home the TV was on and there was a show on the History Channel that depicted the life of Christ and His crucifixion and resurrection. It had big name stars in it. We saw the last hour of it. We watched other Easter videos too. It added to the day.
Monday was just a relaxing day. We were going to go to the Science Museum but with Epraim and Elena still sick we just stayed home. That night we, Richard, Téa, Karl and Duncan and I all playled the Great Dalmuti with Téa starting in the middle. The girls watched the Ugly Duckling and the Princess and the Pea DVD's while we played.
Our Easter/Phoenix Trip
I really did mean to post our trip two days ago, but I caught the bug that Elena and Ephraim had and so have been taking it easy to quickly get rid of it. I hope I'm over it before too long. I can tell it went up into my left sinus today, but I wouldn't have traded the experience of last week to keep from getting it. I just hope to be completely over it before we fly out to Omaha in two weeks.
Here goes: We left the house at apporximately 11:00am on April 12. Bob Hart our neighbor took us and our luggage over to Fairfield Inn on Broadway to catch the shuttle to the SLC airport. We were to arrive by 3:30 and our plane to take off by 5:10 for Sky Harbor Airport at Phoenix. We arrived there at SLC airport about 10 minutes early or so. We got in line to check our luggage. I put the info in the computer and got my boarding pass. Karl had to show his ID to let them know he was truely a senior. By the time we got our boarding passes and went thro' security and to the gate we had a 20-30 minute wait till they started boarding. We were flying Southwest. So no assigned seating. We were both in Aisle C so by the time we got on the plane there were no seats together anywhere. So Karl sat in the seat ahead of me. Both on the isle. By the time we boarded, there was only a ten minute wait till the plane took off. The security line there at SLC was two (that's no exageration) long and seemed to take forever to get thro'. Karl had worn a turquiose necklass and it and his belt buckle set off the alarm at the gate. My total knee didn't even set it off. It does at both IF and Sky Harbor. We arrived at Sky Harbor at 5:40pm. We collected our luggage (really made me appreicate the fact we hadn't taken extra luggage, just our carry-on luggage when we flew down last October. As Karl pulled out the strap to piggy back the smaller pieces to the lager ones, we noticed it was covered with a brown powdery substance. I said, "that hold must be filthy." Karl saidm "It looks like whey protein powder to me." I tho't, "Oh no!" We had to wait for the Super Shuttle about 15-20 minutes to take us to Richard & Téa's. Our driver was originally from Honduras. He said he was there when that category 5 Hurricane it in '98. I remember that one. We got to Richard & Téa's by 7:00. I was glad someone else who knew the way was driving. The children must have been watching because All four of the oldest ones were lined up on the driveway to welcome us before we got parked. Richard was there too. He'd been home from work about 3/4 of an hour or so. It was sooo good to be there and see them. When I got in the house I greeted Téa after gettting a hug form each of the children and Richard and went to find Ephraim. He is such a happy baby. He smiled and smiled at me as soon as I was in the room and started talking to him. Cheanna was kind enough to let us use her room. I was very thankful for that. She has a very nice bed. I went in and got down on the floor with Ephraim and started playing with him. I did "mousey, mousey" with him and he smiled wide. I did this "little piggy went to market" and he laughed out loud. I do the all the way home part up the leg and all the way up the toursle to the chin. Emma was there watching and she'd say, "Do that trick again, Grandma." So I did. He laughed out loud for more than five full minutes. He did alittle the next day too but that was the only times I really heard him laugh out loud. AT first I figured since he did it so readily that he must laugh out loud very easily. I found out differentlly. Richard later said he's very stingy with his giggles and laughs. He really did enjoy my playing with him. (And I thoroughly enjoyed playing with him._After he got sick on Sunday, I was able to make him smile occasionally even tho' he was miserable---if his fever was down. Later on on Monday, I think it was, Ducnan was watching me play with him and asked if I tho't he would remember how I played with him like that. I asked him, "Do you remember my playing with you when you were this age? For I used to play with you just like I'm playing with him." He smiled and said, "No, but I can imagine how it was when you were playing with me by watching you play with Ephraim." I also did "How big is Epraim." He got so he expected that when he grasped both of my thumbs at once. I don't think it would have been many more days and he would lift his arms up himself while grasping my thumbs. My children would do that, almost always having to have hold of my thumbs to do it. Until they got to be 18 months old or so.
The first morning we were there I went with Téa and the children to Buckeye (a small city, "about the size of IF) to her home schooling support group. I'm glad I went. It really opened my eyes as to what they do and what their goals are etc. Afterwards we headed for the Art museum with the other home-schooling support group she belongs to. We got off on the wrong freeway and since the children were hot, (the thermometer in the car reached 101 degrees while we were down town.) thirsty and tired, I told her that if it was all right with her we could just head home. On Friday, Karl and I helped with the home schooling. Karl with the math and I listened to the reading. Altho' Emma is just barely five and two months she is site reading the, no, and, on and maybe other words if I'd found them. Cheanna is a good little reader with much expression. She has the habit of reading words in her mind and skipping them out loud. So I'd make her go back and read the whole thing again. She wasn't very happy with me at times but I told myself that she was there to learn and I wouldn't know what she knew and couldn't help teach her unless I did that. Duncan is an excellant reader too. Reads with much expression as well. I don't know at what level they are reading but I do know that they are reading far above their grade levels of 1st and 3rd grades, respectively. I enjoyed doing that. We had originally planned on going to the temple pagent Friday night but it was cloudy with chance of rain all day and the wind was blowing and getting worse as the day went on. So we decided to go on Saturday. Friday night we played the Great Dalmuti, Karl, Richard, Duncan and I. I played a practice game with Duncan and Cheanna as the others were getting around. Karl helped Cheanna but she decided that that was enough and she would rather watch the Ugly Duckling and Princess and the Pea, that we had taken for them to watch, instead. It was fun. Duncan caught on really fast and seemed to enjoy playing except he was either the lesser or greater peon the whole time. I also spent quite a bit of time there too.
On Saturday, we went to the First Christian Church's New Life Festival over in Glendale. We left about 11:00am. For four red heads and me who also burns very easily we weren't very wise about taking sunscreen. Téa and I didn't think about it until we were there for awhile. The children had fun hunting plastic Easter Eggs and going to booths that colored Easter Eggs, had a Resurection Egg (this is where they collected the different scriptures that depict the crucifixion and resurrection in the Bible), tie dying and they also had a mechanical swing, large puffed up slides, and a climbing wall. The children really seemed to enjoy it all. We had Ephraim's stoller which after while carted the buckets with the children's treasures in and Eprhaim sat on the ground and played while I sat on a chair and watched the children do many of the different things. I tho't I did quite well tho' because I stood up for more than a hour while the children did their different things. At about 2:30 we left and went to a park where we let the children play and ate some of the sandwich Richard had made and chips and water. We left at about 3:30 to head for Mesa and the pagent. We got there before many others did and had the pick of the parking lot and the seats etc. Richard & Téa spread out two quilts on the hillside and that was our viewing area. We played games with the children and they rolled down the hill. After awhile some friends of theirs from the Madison Ward they used to live in came by and ended up sitting by them. Eprhaim was soooo good that afternoon and evening. I enjoyed playing with him. I was at first kind of concerned about how my back would feel because it had no support but I was able to squirm and lie down and sit up and walk around at will so I did just fine.
Here goes: We left the house at apporximately 11:00am on April 12. Bob Hart our neighbor took us and our luggage over to Fairfield Inn on Broadway to catch the shuttle to the SLC airport. We were to arrive by 3:30 and our plane to take off by 5:10 for Sky Harbor Airport at Phoenix. We arrived there at SLC airport about 10 minutes early or so. We got in line to check our luggage. I put the info in the computer and got my boarding pass. Karl had to show his ID to let them know he was truely a senior. By the time we got our boarding passes and went thro' security and to the gate we had a 20-30 minute wait till they started boarding. We were flying Southwest. So no assigned seating. We were both in Aisle C so by the time we got on the plane there were no seats together anywhere. So Karl sat in the seat ahead of me. Both on the isle. By the time we boarded, there was only a ten minute wait till the plane took off. The security line there at SLC was two (that's no exageration) long and seemed to take forever to get thro'. Karl had worn a turquiose necklass and it and his belt buckle set off the alarm at the gate. My total knee didn't even set it off. It does at both IF and Sky Harbor. We arrived at Sky Harbor at 5:40pm. We collected our luggage (really made me appreicate the fact we hadn't taken extra luggage, just our carry-on luggage when we flew down last October. As Karl pulled out the strap to piggy back the smaller pieces to the lager ones, we noticed it was covered with a brown powdery substance. I said, "that hold must be filthy." Karl saidm "It looks like whey protein powder to me." I tho't, "Oh no!" We had to wait for the Super Shuttle about 15-20 minutes to take us to Richard & Téa's. Our driver was originally from Honduras. He said he was there when that category 5 Hurricane it in '98. I remember that one. We got to Richard & Téa's by 7:00. I was glad someone else who knew the way was driving. The children must have been watching because All four of the oldest ones were lined up on the driveway to welcome us before we got parked. Richard was there too. He'd been home from work about 3/4 of an hour or so. It was sooo good to be there and see them. When I got in the house I greeted Téa after gettting a hug form each of the children and Richard and went to find Ephraim. He is such a happy baby. He smiled and smiled at me as soon as I was in the room and started talking to him. Cheanna was kind enough to let us use her room. I was very thankful for that. She has a very nice bed. I went in and got down on the floor with Ephraim and started playing with him. I did "mousey, mousey" with him and he smiled wide. I did this "little piggy went to market" and he laughed out loud. I do the all the way home part up the leg and all the way up the toursle to the chin. Emma was there watching and she'd say, "Do that trick again, Grandma." So I did. He laughed out loud for more than five full minutes. He did alittle the next day too but that was the only times I really heard him laugh out loud. AT first I figured since he did it so readily that he must laugh out loud very easily. I found out differentlly. Richard later said he's very stingy with his giggles and laughs. He really did enjoy my playing with him. (And I thoroughly enjoyed playing with him._After he got sick on Sunday, I was able to make him smile occasionally even tho' he was miserable---if his fever was down. Later on on Monday, I think it was, Ducnan was watching me play with him and asked if I tho't he would remember how I played with him like that. I asked him, "Do you remember my playing with you when you were this age? For I used to play with you just like I'm playing with him." He smiled and said, "No, but I can imagine how it was when you were playing with me by watching you play with Ephraim." I also did "How big is Epraim." He got so he expected that when he grasped both of my thumbs at once. I don't think it would have been many more days and he would lift his arms up himself while grasping my thumbs. My children would do that, almost always having to have hold of my thumbs to do it. Until they got to be 18 months old or so.
The first morning we were there I went with Téa and the children to Buckeye (a small city, "about the size of IF) to her home schooling support group. I'm glad I went. It really opened my eyes as to what they do and what their goals are etc. Afterwards we headed for the Art museum with the other home-schooling support group she belongs to. We got off on the wrong freeway and since the children were hot, (the thermometer in the car reached 101 degrees while we were down town.) thirsty and tired, I told her that if it was all right with her we could just head home. On Friday, Karl and I helped with the home schooling. Karl with the math and I listened to the reading. Altho' Emma is just barely five and two months she is site reading the, no, and, on and maybe other words if I'd found them. Cheanna is a good little reader with much expression. She has the habit of reading words in her mind and skipping them out loud. So I'd make her go back and read the whole thing again. She wasn't very happy with me at times but I told myself that she was there to learn and I wouldn't know what she knew and couldn't help teach her unless I did that. Duncan is an excellant reader too. Reads with much expression as well. I don't know at what level they are reading but I do know that they are reading far above their grade levels of 1st and 3rd grades, respectively. I enjoyed doing that. We had originally planned on going to the temple pagent Friday night but it was cloudy with chance of rain all day and the wind was blowing and getting worse as the day went on. So we decided to go on Saturday. Friday night we played the Great Dalmuti, Karl, Richard, Duncan and I. I played a practice game with Duncan and Cheanna as the others were getting around. Karl helped Cheanna but she decided that that was enough and she would rather watch the Ugly Duckling and Princess and the Pea, that we had taken for them to watch, instead. It was fun. Duncan caught on really fast and seemed to enjoy playing except he was either the lesser or greater peon the whole time. I also spent quite a bit of time there too.
On Saturday, we went to the First Christian Church's New Life Festival over in Glendale. We left about 11:00am. For four red heads and me who also burns very easily we weren't very wise about taking sunscreen. Téa and I didn't think about it until we were there for awhile. The children had fun hunting plastic Easter Eggs and going to booths that colored Easter Eggs, had a Resurection Egg (this is where they collected the different scriptures that depict the crucifixion and resurrection in the Bible), tie dying and they also had a mechanical swing, large puffed up slides, and a climbing wall. The children really seemed to enjoy it all. We had Ephraim's stoller which after while carted the buckets with the children's treasures in and Eprhaim sat on the ground and played while I sat on a chair and watched the children do many of the different things. I tho't I did quite well tho' because I stood up for more than a hour while the children did their different things. At about 2:30 we left and went to a park where we let the children play and ate some of the sandwich Richard had made and chips and water. We left at about 3:30 to head for Mesa and the pagent. We got there before many others did and had the pick of the parking lot and the seats etc. Richard & Téa spread out two quilts on the hillside and that was our viewing area. We played games with the children and they rolled down the hill. After awhile some friends of theirs from the Madison Ward they used to live in came by and ended up sitting by them. Eprhaim was soooo good that afternoon and evening. I enjoyed playing with him. I was at first kind of concerned about how my back would feel because it had no support but I was able to squirm and lie down and sit up and walk around at will so I did just fine.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Coming Trip
April 11, 2006
Tomorrow we will fly to Phoenix to visit our youngest son, Richard and his wife, Tea and their children, Duncan, 8, Cheanna, 6 ½, Emma, 5, Elena, 3 and Ephraim, 7 ½ months. We haven’t seen them since last October when we were there for Duncan’s baptism and Ephraim’s blessing. We will also attend the Mesa Temple Easter Pagent while we are there and spend Easter with them. We will be there for six days. We are really looking forward to it.
In 18 days after we get back from Phoenix we fly to Omaha to visit our oldest son, Bryan and his wife Sandy and their children, Chris who will be graduating from high school while we are there, Bryce who is just completing his Sophomore year in high school, Sara who is completing the 8th grade, and Jason their new baby. Jason will be blessed while we are there. Jessica, their oldest daughter will fly in for a few days for Chris’ graduation and Jason’s blessing. She is in at BYU in Provo completing her Sophomore year in college. We haven’t been there since last June. It will be good to be there again. It will be good to see Sandy’s parents also whom we haven’t seen for two years since Jess graduated from high school.
I am so thankful that we have the means to be able to do this. I can’t think of anything else I would rather use our "means" for. I will upddate my blog and tell about each trip when we get back from them.
Tomorrow we will fly to Phoenix to visit our youngest son, Richard and his wife, Tea and their children, Duncan, 8, Cheanna, 6 ½, Emma, 5, Elena, 3 and Ephraim, 7 ½ months. We haven’t seen them since last October when we were there for Duncan’s baptism and Ephraim’s blessing. We will also attend the Mesa Temple Easter Pagent while we are there and spend Easter with them. We will be there for six days. We are really looking forward to it.
In 18 days after we get back from Phoenix we fly to Omaha to visit our oldest son, Bryan and his wife Sandy and their children, Chris who will be graduating from high school while we are there, Bryce who is just completing his Sophomore year in high school, Sara who is completing the 8th grade, and Jason their new baby. Jason will be blessed while we are there. Jessica, their oldest daughter will fly in for a few days for Chris’ graduation and Jason’s blessing. She is in at BYU in Provo completing her Sophomore year in college. We haven’t been there since last June. It will be good to be there again. It will be good to see Sandy’s parents also whom we haven’t seen for two years since Jess graduated from high school.
I am so thankful that we have the means to be able to do this. I can’t think of anything else I would rather use our "means" for. I will upddate my blog and tell about each trip when we get back from them.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Computers!!
This week I've had a "love/hate relationship" with my computer. It is seven years old and antiquainted and since I'm only semi computer literate it has been harrasing me this week. It has Windows 98 which no longer receives support. It is getting more and more glitches in it all the time. I have already decided to get a new very up-to-date/state-of- the-art computer this summer. But it may not come fast enough to maintain my sanity. When our Kims were here last weekend Kim put on a program so he can get into my computer from his house in Utah and "fix" mine when something goes wrong. At least try to fix it. It is pretty neat. It is weird watching the arrow move around and me not do it. Two weeks ago or so my Outlook from which I get my e-mail started to malfunction. It downloaded the same four e-mails about 20 times or more then a little gray box would pop up and say, "This program has performed an illegal procedure and will be shut down." It got very frustrating. I couldn’t send out e-mails or receive any other than those four. I called Teton Wireless yesterday and spent 45 minutes on the phone with one of their techs and in the end she said, "I’m sorry that I
couldn’t help you because Windows 98 doesn’t have support anymore.." Anyway, it started working last night again only with a litlle envelope that has a letter put in and after the flap closes it, disappears. It’s cute and fun to watch. It wasn’t on there before. I was able to go to my website e-mail with my server and read my e-mail there but things were so different there that it was hard to understand what to do for certain things. Everything was so different. From how to reply to how to send a message to how you delete stuff. It took me hours to finally figure out what I did. And I tho’t I was a fast learner! Anyway, I’m looking forward to this June when I get my new computer. I’ve been saving for it since November since I paid off my new car.
couldn’t help you because Windows 98 doesn’t have support anymore.." Anyway, it started working last night again only with a litlle envelope that has a letter put in and after the flap closes it, disappears. It’s cute and fun to watch. It wasn’t on there before. I was able to go to my website e-mail with my server and read my e-mail there but things were so different there that it was hard to understand what to do for certain things. Everything was so different. From how to reply to how to send a message to how you delete stuff. It took me hours to finally figure out what I did. And I tho’t I was a fast learner! Anyway, I’m looking forward to this June when I get my new computer. I’ve been saving for it since November since I paid off my new car.
Monday, April 03, 2006
I Love General Conference
I do look forward to general conference each six months. I also enjoy the Stake conferences that we have. I learn so much and really feel the Spirit. We didn't get to concentrate a lot on the Saturday sessions because our Kims and their children were up for a sister's wedding. But after we finished with the 10:00 session I'd turn the TV over to KBYU-PBS and watch it again...the same with the 2:00 session. I figure that I got most of it doing it that way. There were some excellant talks on both days. I could feel the Spirit and really enjoyed watching it. I'm so thankful for modern technology that allows for us to sit in our own homes and watch and listen to the message of our prophets. I'm so thankful that President Hinckley has recovered enough that he can go on with what he has to do. He is really a remarkable man. I enjoyed reading his biography by Sheri Dew last year. I could see how the Lord prepared him for his role today at each step of his life. I'm sure he sees it too altho' he probably didn't at the time he was doing some things. I felt relieved yesterday afternoon when he said he hoped we wouldn't take his talk as an obituary. Because I had had that tho't. I'm planning on seeing him again in October.
We found out that our 20th grandchild, and 8th grandson was born last Friday. His name is Jason Karl Robinson. When I looked at the pictures his daddy sent us on the computer, my first tho't was he looks like (his oldest brother) Chris did. Then I tho't Chris was 8 months old before I saw him. And then I realized that he looked alot like his daddy did when he was first born. But then Chris looks like his daddy too. We don't know if this is the last of the grandchildren or not. We have one great granddaughter who is older than the last three grandchildren. They will grow up being close to the same age but be of a different generation. We have 26 progenitors already!
We found out that our 20th grandchild, and 8th grandson was born last Friday. His name is Jason Karl Robinson. When I looked at the pictures his daddy sent us on the computer, my first tho't was he looks like (his oldest brother) Chris did. Then I tho't Chris was 8 months old before I saw him. And then I realized that he looked alot like his daddy did when he was first born. But then Chris looks like his daddy too. We don't know if this is the last of the grandchildren or not. We have one great granddaughter who is older than the last three grandchildren. They will grow up being close to the same age but be of a different generation. We have 26 progenitors already!
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Our Heavenly Father Does Work in Mysterious Ways
Last night I finished reading Anita Stansfield's A Time to Dance. I really enjoyed reading it and its prequel, Timeless Waltz. (Thanks Tanya for lending them to me.) The part that really jumped out at me was on page 195. The father of the main character, Alex, had had an affair 23 or so years before and caused his wife to divorce him and Alex to hate him for 20 or so odd years. That was the subject of the first book. Anyway, Neil (the one who had had the affair) had recently found out that he had fathered a son whom he had no clue of until Wade revealed himself as his son. Wade had been raised in a loving family and just recently found out that the man he had known as his father his whole life was not his biological father. It really threw him and his life into a tailspin. The scene is Neil and his second wife Roxanne and Neil's two daughters and two sons, Alex and Wade at the dinner table. Neil said, "....it wasn't until recently that I finally grasped the reasons why this sin is often compared to murder in its grievosuness. When murder is committed, a life is taken, and it can never be given back. In this case, a life was created and it can never be undone....." That was an epiphany for me too. I had always equated unchastity or the losing of virtue as "once lost it could never be reclaimed" and not in the light of creating a life that couldn't be undone. I found it very interesting. Then as the story developed there was a real reason for Wade to have entered Alex's and his dad's life and also gave more meaning to Wade's existance too. There was a reason for it all and our Heavenly Father knew of all the developements and planned accordingly. But then this was only fiction.
Then there is our own story in our family. Our only daughter became rebelious and married at age 16 to have her first daughter and our first grandchild only seven months later at age 17. I would hate to think of someone else reapping the blessings of our dear sweet Shandel. She has been such a blessing to both her parents lives and our lives. And I think everyone with whom she has associated. She is a beautiful young woman who is a mother now in her own right. But as far as the "plan" and Heavenly Father's involvement you ask? Well, the man that our daughter married was even more rebellious than she was. In fact, as he was growing up he was the neighborhood hellion, to put it mildly. There were quite a few children in our ward of their age (our #2 son being one of them) and so they had two primary classes their age. The leaders always made sure that my future son-in-law (I can't help but think that it really is a blessing not being able to see the future) and his best friend were in two different classes or there would have been double trouble. I only mention this so one can imagine what kind of a very young man that our daughter married. (He was only 18 at the time and became a father when 19.) Well, they had been married about three years or so and I was driving home from somewhere, I can't remember where, and wasn't thinking about anything in particular when the tho't popped into my head, "If this were the only way Kent could make it to the celestial kingdom were to have married Karen and be exopsed to the gospel this way, would you be willing to have gone thro' what you have been thro' with them....the out of wedlock pregnancy, quick marriage, reception and birth of the baby etc.? I tho't really hard about that question. It wasn't too long, (I was driving up Melrose, my short street where I live when the tho't came and I had the answer before I reached home) before I was able to answer honestly and whole heartly, "Yes, it would be worth it!" By that time my opinion of my son-in-law had changed quite a bit. I could see that he was a dedicated, hard working young man who did love his wife and daughter. They had been married 12 1/2 years before Kent got his revelation and became active and they were sealed in the temple with their three daughters. I had learned about unconditional love and accepting people for who they were and not expecting them to be someone else. I had many people tell me that their parents would have disowned them in similar circumstances or that they would have difficulty having a reception for their children if they had gotten married under similar circumstances. We had a very wise bishop at that time who said that altho' Karen & Kent at first didn't want a reception or to have to face the people in our mutual ward, that they really needed the reception. I tho't at first it was to help them get started with the household items that they would need to set up house keeping. But I learned that because of the love and support that we and they received from everyone in our ward and families that it made it possible for them and us to hold our heads up and meet the world and the situation head on and without shame. We had more people come to their reception than the receptions or openhouses for any of our other children. We really felt the love and support of the ward at that time. The bishop had told my husband that we needed to announce their engagement and coming marriage as soon as possible in the paper. We started receiving that love and support almost immediately. The hardest part was telling our families. I was mean and made Karen tell my mother and my sister Bonnie. I knew it would be hard for her but I felt it was part of the "natural consequences". Altho' it was rather traumatic at the time we have been greatly blessed by their marriage and having them just down I-15 from us. At first it was even long distance from here to there when they first married. It no longer is. That way they had to work out their own problems instead of calling either parent to cry or complain. When they had been married ten years lacking a couple of days, I said, "In a couple of days it will be your wedding annversary." And Karen said, "Yes, we've had five wonderful years of marriage." I said, "But you have been married ten years!" And Karen said, "The first five weren't worth counting." I chuckled but I tho't then it was just as well that they didn't live so close that I was aware of that or their marriage wouldn't have lasted. I am thankful that things have worked out the way they have. As I read that book I was able to identify with that passage that I quoted above and knew that the Lord knew what would happen if our lives even tho' we didn't. I am thankful that Kent is part of our family and consider him our fifth son. I know that each one of our children and their sweethearts as well as their children were meant to be part of our forever family. I'm thankful for each one of them and love them with all my heart.
Then there is our own story in our family. Our only daughter became rebelious and married at age 16 to have her first daughter and our first grandchild only seven months later at age 17. I would hate to think of someone else reapping the blessings of our dear sweet Shandel. She has been such a blessing to both her parents lives and our lives. And I think everyone with whom she has associated. She is a beautiful young woman who is a mother now in her own right. But as far as the "plan" and Heavenly Father's involvement you ask? Well, the man that our daughter married was even more rebellious than she was. In fact, as he was growing up he was the neighborhood hellion, to put it mildly. There were quite a few children in our ward of their age (our #2 son being one of them) and so they had two primary classes their age. The leaders always made sure that my future son-in-law (I can't help but think that it really is a blessing not being able to see the future) and his best friend were in two different classes or there would have been double trouble. I only mention this so one can imagine what kind of a very young man that our daughter married. (He was only 18 at the time and became a father when 19.) Well, they had been married about three years or so and I was driving home from somewhere, I can't remember where, and wasn't thinking about anything in particular when the tho't popped into my head, "If this were the only way Kent could make it to the celestial kingdom were to have married Karen and be exopsed to the gospel this way, would you be willing to have gone thro' what you have been thro' with them....the out of wedlock pregnancy, quick marriage, reception and birth of the baby etc.? I tho't really hard about that question. It wasn't too long, (I was driving up Melrose, my short street where I live when the tho't came and I had the answer before I reached home) before I was able to answer honestly and whole heartly, "Yes, it would be worth it!" By that time my opinion of my son-in-law had changed quite a bit. I could see that he was a dedicated, hard working young man who did love his wife and daughter. They had been married 12 1/2 years before Kent got his revelation and became active and they were sealed in the temple with their three daughters. I had learned about unconditional love and accepting people for who they were and not expecting them to be someone else. I had many people tell me that their parents would have disowned them in similar circumstances or that they would have difficulty having a reception for their children if they had gotten married under similar circumstances. We had a very wise bishop at that time who said that altho' Karen & Kent at first didn't want a reception or to have to face the people in our mutual ward, that they really needed the reception. I tho't at first it was to help them get started with the household items that they would need to set up house keeping. But I learned that because of the love and support that we and they received from everyone in our ward and families that it made it possible for them and us to hold our heads up and meet the world and the situation head on and without shame. We had more people come to their reception than the receptions or openhouses for any of our other children. We really felt the love and support of the ward at that time. The bishop had told my husband that we needed to announce their engagement and coming marriage as soon as possible in the paper. We started receiving that love and support almost immediately. The hardest part was telling our families. I was mean and made Karen tell my mother and my sister Bonnie. I knew it would be hard for her but I felt it was part of the "natural consequences". Altho' it was rather traumatic at the time we have been greatly blessed by their marriage and having them just down I-15 from us. At first it was even long distance from here to there when they first married. It no longer is. That way they had to work out their own problems instead of calling either parent to cry or complain. When they had been married ten years lacking a couple of days, I said, "In a couple of days it will be your wedding annversary." And Karen said, "Yes, we've had five wonderful years of marriage." I said, "But you have been married ten years!" And Karen said, "The first five weren't worth counting." I chuckled but I tho't then it was just as well that they didn't live so close that I was aware of that or their marriage wouldn't have lasted. I am thankful that things have worked out the way they have. As I read that book I was able to identify with that passage that I quoted above and knew that the Lord knew what would happen if our lives even tho' we didn't. I am thankful that Kent is part of our family and consider him our fifth son. I know that each one of our children and their sweethearts as well as their children were meant to be part of our forever family. I'm thankful for each one of them and love them with all my heart.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Another Week Has Passed
It was good to be able to go to my Pilates class Monday and to the spa (Apple Athletic Club) on Wednesday and Friday. Wednesday we helped Norma Kirby celebrate her 93rd birthday. She has been going to the spa since before I have(I started in 1988). She is quite stooped and walks with a cane and lives in Lincoln Court (an assisted living center) but comes quite regularly despite her age. She is a very sweet lady. I told her that reaching her age was quite an accomplishment and something to brag about. She replied, "You think so?"
It was good to work out up stairs and in the pool Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week. I did miss it last week. Yesterday, on the chest press and the forward rowing machine I have been doing 30 pounds with a five lb. weight lying on top. I couldn't find the small free weight so I tried a "little" bit larger one. It was really hard to do. My muscles were really burning. When I checked out how many lbs. the free weight was I discovered that it was a 15 pounder! My tho't was, "I might just as well have moved down the pin to the next weight!!" Since the next weight with the pin was 45 lbs. I walked around until I found a five lb. free weight. It made my muscles burn enough after doing three sets of ten reps each. I could really feel my muscles today tho'. :)
Tuesday I called Smith's Food Store and asked if they had chicken legs on for 39 cents per lb. or 10 lbs. for $3.90. Since it hadn't been in the flyer (we looked when we got back from Utah) but it was in the Utah Smith's store, I called. They said they did have them. So we went and got 20 lbs. or two packages. I put them in my large magnelite roaster along with an onion, two anihim (sp?) peppers, garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaves, sweet basil liberly sprinkled around the legs, and sprinkled generously with savory salt. I baked it on 400 degrees for one hour then turned it down to 375 for one hour then 350 for one hour. And it was done. We set it out in the car until Thursday morning when we deboned it. I got eight freezer bags. It made good broth too that my husband strained. He took the skin off of most of them because my mother told me that the flavor was better with the skin left on. We definitely noticed that the skin was much easier to get off before it was cooked than after. I also got three freezer bags of broth that I can use later for soup plus the broth that I used to make a bath of soup in my crock pot Thrusday. The recipe for the soup is:
Chicken Soup
4 potatoes scrubbed and diced
20 mini carrots
1/2 onion
2 stocks celery
2 cups chicken
1 bay leaf
2 tsp Mrs. Dash
1 tsp basil
and enough broth to cover everything.
5 chicken bullion cubes
The last 20 mintues of cooking I put in a couple of handfuls of noodles.
It was soooo good.
This much made three meals for my husband and me. So it should easily make six servings at least. The amounts can be adjusted for larger crockpots and families.
We've waked up to snow three or four mornings this week. It has been above freezing so most of it has melted. We have had some good snow pack in the mountains this winter which we have really needed. But I am ready for spring! The trouble is here in Idaho we don't get spring until at least well into April and sometimes May.
It was good to work out up stairs and in the pool Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week. I did miss it last week. Yesterday, on the chest press and the forward rowing machine I have been doing 30 pounds with a five lb. weight lying on top. I couldn't find the small free weight so I tried a "little" bit larger one. It was really hard to do. My muscles were really burning. When I checked out how many lbs. the free weight was I discovered that it was a 15 pounder! My tho't was, "I might just as well have moved down the pin to the next weight!!" Since the next weight with the pin was 45 lbs. I walked around until I found a five lb. free weight. It made my muscles burn enough after doing three sets of ten reps each. I could really feel my muscles today tho'. :)
Tuesday I called Smith's Food Store and asked if they had chicken legs on for 39 cents per lb. or 10 lbs. for $3.90. Since it hadn't been in the flyer (we looked when we got back from Utah) but it was in the Utah Smith's store, I called. They said they did have them. So we went and got 20 lbs. or two packages. I put them in my large magnelite roaster along with an onion, two anihim (sp?) peppers, garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaves, sweet basil liberly sprinkled around the legs, and sprinkled generously with savory salt. I baked it on 400 degrees for one hour then turned it down to 375 for one hour then 350 for one hour. And it was done. We set it out in the car until Thursday morning when we deboned it. I got eight freezer bags. It made good broth too that my husband strained. He took the skin off of most of them because my mother told me that the flavor was better with the skin left on. We definitely noticed that the skin was much easier to get off before it was cooked than after. I also got three freezer bags of broth that I can use later for soup plus the broth that I used to make a bath of soup in my crock pot Thrusday. The recipe for the soup is:
Chicken Soup
4 potatoes scrubbed and diced
20 mini carrots
1/2 onion
2 stocks celery
2 cups chicken
1 bay leaf
2 tsp Mrs. Dash
1 tsp basil
and enough broth to cover everything.
5 chicken bullion cubes
The last 20 mintues of cooking I put in a couple of handfuls of noodles.
It was soooo good.
This much made three meals for my husband and me. So it should easily make six servings at least. The amounts can be adjusted for larger crockpots and families.
We've waked up to snow three or four mornings this week. It has been above freezing so most of it has melted. We have had some good snow pack in the mountains this winter which we have really needed. But I am ready for spring! The trouble is here in Idaho we don't get spring until at least well into April and sometimes May.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
An Eventful Week
This week has been a very eventful week. I went to my Pilates class and my water exercise class Monday. Karl didn't go with me because I had to be there a little before noon and he'd been working outside and wasn't ready. Bryan had called while I was there. Karl went later in the day and I called Bryan after he was home from work. He lives in Nebraska so is an hour ahead of us. He used his conference call feature and we talked to Kim and Kimberly. Kimberly has been having a bout of depression that just wouldn't leave. It was brought on by PPD or post partum depression after surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. They have a five almost six year old who is very challenging and Kimberly was feeling overwemed. She is the visiting teaching coordinator in her ward and they just moved Kim from being the Bear Den leader into the eleven year old scouts and asked Kimberly to take over the Bear Den. The bishopric had only been in three weeks and the bishop has only lived in the ward for only a week longer than they have so they didn't know their situation. Karl and I decided that we could go down and stay as long as we were needed. Kimberly has been on an anti depressant but it wasn't holding and we felt that she needed to be elvaluated and possiblely admitted to the hospital. So after supper Tuesday night Kim and I took her over to the hospital. They talked to her and because she hadn't tried suicide or felt like going home and killing herself or someone else they wouldn't admit her. We were finally able to get into a clinic Thursday morning and she was able to talk to someone there. She was encouraged to attend the support groups. She was able to get an appointment with a doctor to evaluated her medications, etc for next Tuesday. However, Wednesday night she and Kim went for her to be set apart as the Bear Den leader. Karl and I were with the children and put them to bed. They were gone much longer than we had anticipated. It turned out that they had a planning meeting (in two different rooms for the different scouts) after the setting apart. Kimberly found out just what was expected of her and how many meetings she and Kim would supposed to attend. They can't be both of them be away from home for more than a few minutes and the planning meetings and round table meetings were on the same night at the same time. They could go any where from 1 1/2 to 2 hours each time. When they got home Kimberly was in a full blown panic attack just thinking about everything that was expected of her. I was sooo thankful for my training as an RN and my experiences or working at BHC (Behavioral Health Center). I know it was the Holy Ghost that brought things to mind to get her to slow her breathing down and get her to talking about it and realize what had brought all of this on. I told them that we need to call the bishop and/or the second counselor in the Primary and let them know what was going on. The bishop's wife was the second counselor in the Primary so that worked out very well. After we got thro' (the phone was on speaker), she immediately felt better and felt that a great weight had been relieved. She did feel alittle guilty about having to say no, but I reminded her that the Lord does not expect us to run any faster than we are able and right now she just isn't able to run very fast and must take care of herself first. Because a person can't fill up someone else's bucket when their own bucket is empty. Intellectually she was able to accept this right away. But emotionally it was harder. I think all of us are that way at one time or another. Friday, she was feeling and doing sooo much better. She and I planned a two week menu for meals with things she had on hand so that she wouldn't have to stress over what to fix. She found a crock pot cook book that she had forgotten about. On days that she has appointments I told her that she could put everything in the crock pot right after the children left for school and supper would be ready in the evening without having to do any more. The children can even set the table before school and that would save time too.
We had fun with the children also. Nathaniel has some very interesting original stories that he told me. He is so animated as he tells them. It was so interesting to watch him and listen to him as he told his stories. Grace should me some of her gymnastics and how limber she is. She can do splits three ways and get all the way down to the floor two of them and almost all the way down the third. She also showed me how her teacher showed her how to stretch her muscles so she can eventially get all the way down the third way too. Kimberly, Alex and I made cookies one afternoon. And we watched a couple of DVD's that they wanted to share with us. "Just Like Heaven" and "Sky High" I'm glad I saw them. Friday night Karl and I taught Kim and Kimberly how to play Pinochle. We played the gals agains the guys. The guys won but it was really fun for us. We had many laughs while we were playing. We really enjoyed our stay with them and got very close to all of them. Now they have a larger home we will be staying with them more often.
We read in the Old Testament every school morning while we were there. It is so rewarding to see one's children teaching their children to live the Gospel and love the Lord. They are doing a better job than we did and that is as it should be. It is important that each generation improve on the past one. It is soooo rewarding seeing all five of our children and their sweethearts active in the church and have strong testimonies of the Gospel and our Savior and teaching their children to live up rightly before the Lord. There is nothing more joyful.
We got back last night at about 7:15. We stopped and saw my mother then Michael & Tanya and children on our way back. Abbie has grown so much and is getting so cute. Kendra is too. It's too bad that we can't see them more often so they can know us. It will come tho'. It was sooo nice to see them even for a couple of hours. I am so thankful for my children and grandchildren. They are really what life is all about!
We had fun with the children also. Nathaniel has some very interesting original stories that he told me. He is so animated as he tells them. It was so interesting to watch him and listen to him as he told his stories. Grace should me some of her gymnastics and how limber she is. She can do splits three ways and get all the way down to the floor two of them and almost all the way down the third. She also showed me how her teacher showed her how to stretch her muscles so she can eventially get all the way down the third way too. Kimberly, Alex and I made cookies one afternoon. And we watched a couple of DVD's that they wanted to share with us. "Just Like Heaven" and "Sky High" I'm glad I saw them. Friday night Karl and I taught Kim and Kimberly how to play Pinochle. We played the gals agains the guys. The guys won but it was really fun for us. We had many laughs while we were playing. We really enjoyed our stay with them and got very close to all of them. Now they have a larger home we will be staying with them more often.
We read in the Old Testament every school morning while we were there. It is so rewarding to see one's children teaching their children to live the Gospel and love the Lord. They are doing a better job than we did and that is as it should be. It is important that each generation improve on the past one. It is soooo rewarding seeing all five of our children and their sweethearts active in the church and have strong testimonies of the Gospel and our Savior and teaching their children to live up rightly before the Lord. There is nothing more joyful.
We got back last night at about 7:15. We stopped and saw my mother then Michael & Tanya and children on our way back. Abbie has grown so much and is getting so cute. Kendra is too. It's too bad that we can't see them more often so they can know us. It will come tho'. It was sooo nice to see them even for a couple of hours. I am so thankful for my children and grandchildren. They are really what life is all about!
Sunday, March 05, 2006
"Men and women are of equal value before God and must be equally valuable in the eyes of each other."—Marion D. Hanks
I like this quote. We know as Latter-day Saints that one gender can't make it to the Celestial Kingdom without the other. Every day I'm awed by our Heavenly Father's plan. That He had everything planned even before He created everything. That He planned how we could and would get back to Him if we but follow Him and keep His commandments. I can see the influence of Satan everywhere trying to thwart that plan and keep as many of us from returning as possible. Every good thing that comes along he finds a bad evil way to use it. That's why we need to stay close to the Spirit and be able to discern the evil from the good and stay as far away from it as possible.
I was reading in II Nephi yesterday and was awed again that Jacob, brother of Nephi knew some 560 years before our Savior was born that not only He would be born in Palestine but the reason He was born there because of all of the people on the earth, they were the only ones wicked enough to crucify or kill their God. That is quite a thing to be said about a people! Later on in the Book of Mormon we are told that not only would He be crucified but would rise on the third day. I'm so thankful for the B of M and the truths we gain from it. The prophets who told of is crucifixion and rising on the third day were prophets who were recorded on the Brass Plates so the people of Palestine had access to those scriptures at one time then because of their wickedness they were lost. They didn't have them but the righteous people on this continent did. The Lord does work in mysterious ways especially when we can't see the "big picture".
I am so thankful to live in this day and age and have these truths to help me in teaching my children and grandchildren.
I like this quote. We know as Latter-day Saints that one gender can't make it to the Celestial Kingdom without the other. Every day I'm awed by our Heavenly Father's plan. That He had everything planned even before He created everything. That He planned how we could and would get back to Him if we but follow Him and keep His commandments. I can see the influence of Satan everywhere trying to thwart that plan and keep as many of us from returning as possible. Every good thing that comes along he finds a bad evil way to use it. That's why we need to stay close to the Spirit and be able to discern the evil from the good and stay as far away from it as possible.
I was reading in II Nephi yesterday and was awed again that Jacob, brother of Nephi knew some 560 years before our Savior was born that not only He would be born in Palestine but the reason He was born there because of all of the people on the earth, they were the only ones wicked enough to crucify or kill their God. That is quite a thing to be said about a people! Later on in the Book of Mormon we are told that not only would He be crucified but would rise on the third day. I'm so thankful for the B of M and the truths we gain from it. The prophets who told of is crucifixion and rising on the third day were prophets who were recorded on the Brass Plates so the people of Palestine had access to those scriptures at one time then because of their wickedness they were lost. They didn't have them but the righteous people on this continent did. The Lord does work in mysterious ways especially when we can't see the "big picture".
I am so thankful to live in this day and age and have these truths to help me in teaching my children and grandchildren.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
I'm caught--My 7 songs
Tanya tagged me so here are my seven songs. I had to think about them to get seven then when I started I could have gone on to 15 or more. I love the Hymns of the church and most of extra ones would have been from there. Here goes:
Let Me Call You Sweetheart---this was the first song my sweetheart-to-be sang to me only on the ninth day of our knowing each other. It left me speechless so I asked him if he meant it after he got thro' singing it and he said, "Yes I do."
2. ALWAYS by Irving Berlin---This was "our" song and as I review the words I think it still is. They are:
Everything went wrong, and the whole day long I'd feel so blue
For the longest while, Id forget to smile then I met you.
Now that my blue days have passed,
Now that I've found you at last.
Dreams will all come true, growing old with you and time will fly
Caring ech day more, than the day before till Spring rolls by
Then when the Springtime has gone,
Then will my love linger on.
Refrain:
I'll be loving you ALWAYS
With a love that's true ALWAYS
When the things you've planned need a helping hand,
I will understand ALWAYS, ALWAYS.
Days may not be fair ALWAYS
That's when I'll be there, ALWAYS
Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,
Not for just a year,
But ALWAYS.
Yes, I think they still apply and have much meaning.
3. Rigoletto--the sound track--a Feature Family Films movie
4. Phantom of the Opera Sound track. I always really liked it but when I first saw the movie in the theater and heard that full organ, it gave me chills. I still get much of the same feeling whenever I listen to it.
5. He Sent His Son--from the Children's Song Book
6. Let There Be Peace on Earth
7. How will They Know----the choir version, not the version in the Children's Song Book. The words are the same but the music to the choir version is sooo much prettier.
And I'm going to add #8--Lord, I Would Follow Thee. I've loved this hymn especially since the "new" Hymnal was first published. I've tried to make it my creed.
There you have it, Tanya. Let me know what you think. I'm going to follow Téa's example and not tag anyone else. Does that make me a rebel too?
Let Me Call You Sweetheart---this was the first song my sweetheart-to-be sang to me only on the ninth day of our knowing each other. It left me speechless so I asked him if he meant it after he got thro' singing it and he said, "Yes I do."
2. ALWAYS by Irving Berlin---This was "our" song and as I review the words I think it still is. They are:
Everything went wrong, and the whole day long I'd feel so blue
For the longest while, Id forget to smile then I met you.
Now that my blue days have passed,
Now that I've found you at last.
Dreams will all come true, growing old with you and time will fly
Caring ech day more, than the day before till Spring rolls by
Then when the Springtime has gone,
Then will my love linger on.
Refrain:
I'll be loving you ALWAYS
With a love that's true ALWAYS
When the things you've planned need a helping hand,
I will understand ALWAYS, ALWAYS.
Days may not be fair ALWAYS
That's when I'll be there, ALWAYS
Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,
Not for just a year,
But ALWAYS.
Yes, I think they still apply and have much meaning.
3. Rigoletto--the sound track--a Feature Family Films movie
4. Phantom of the Opera Sound track. I always really liked it but when I first saw the movie in the theater and heard that full organ, it gave me chills. I still get much of the same feeling whenever I listen to it.
5. He Sent His Son--from the Children's Song Book
6. Let There Be Peace on Earth
7. How will They Know----the choir version, not the version in the Children's Song Book. The words are the same but the music to the choir version is sooo much prettier.
And I'm going to add #8--Lord, I Would Follow Thee. I've loved this hymn especially since the "new" Hymnal was first published. I've tried to make it my creed.
There you have it, Tanya. Let me know what you think. I'm going to follow Téa's example and not tag anyone else. Does that make me a rebel too?
Monday, February 27, 2006
7 Songs
Okay Mom,
I'm tagging you! Here are the rules, I really want to see your answers!
List 7 songs you're into right now. No matter the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're any good, they must be songs you're really enjoying right now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs.
I'm tagging you! Here are the rules, I really want to see your answers!
List 7 songs you're into right now. No matter the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're any good, they must be songs you're really enjoying right now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
"You don't have the power to make rainbows or waterfalls, sunsets or roses, but you do have the power to bless people by your words and smiles... You carry within you the power to make the world better..."—Sharon G. Larsen
I really like this quote. It was on the LDS living site for Wednesday. I think it is really true. Another saying is, "A smile is something you receive when you give it away. I know that many people's smiles have made me feel better and I hope that mine have helped others.
This morning we watched Polar Express. We borrowed it from Karen & Kent. I really enjoyed it. My husband didn't so much. He said it was too fantastic and someone's imagination really ran away with them. I liked the way the hero boy was able to forget his own fear in trying to help the hero girl and lonely boy have a good experience. I think that life is like that too. When you are thinking of others and helping others and forget yourself, then you really gain yourself. A sign on my World History teacher when I was a sophomore in high school said, When you help someone else up the hill, you get a little closer to the top yourself." And another, "Aim high. You have little chance of missing your goal when the range is the length of a lifetime." I remember those signs. I don't remember much about what he taught. He talked more about football and his life experiences than he did world history. He was the football coach. He used to boast that he had played all of the characters in the temple except the devil. Of course none of knew to what he was refering. After I had been to the temple a few times I had the tho't, "The roll of Satan probably took more talent to do than any of the other rolls." I had to smile about that. Because the next tho't was: that was probably why he didn't play it.
Karl still isn't over his cold. He didn't even go to the spa yesterday nor today. He says he feels better lying down. I may have to start talking about his going to the doctor before too long if he doesn't get better soon. If he had a cold or if it were down in his chest, then I would have done long ago. It is mostly in his head and his throat. He can hardly talk sometimes and is very hard to hear at times. Three weeks is just too long for a cold to last.
I went to the temple Thursday with my friend from my exercise class. She had gastric by pass surgery two weeks to the day after I did. We have been each others support group and become good friends. She has been a widow as long as she was married....24 years. She lives in Rigby. When I was talking to her Thursday morning, she mentioned that she had been planning on going but wasn't sure now. I told her if she decided to to come and pick me up and I'd go with her. It had been three weeks since I'd been. I was planning on going last week but Karl wasn't feeling good enough. We did two of the Singh Gill names. Now five are done out of fifteen. Last December, Karl and I did initiatory work. Our high priest group leader came the night before and brought us each fifteen names to do. He said that a Brother Gill from one of the Coltman wards was originally from India and had researched 10,000 names and would like help doing them. I don't know if the woman are further along than the men or what but Karl was told he could do only five of the fifteen names and would have to do ten temple names. I was able to do all fifteen. One of the women who helped me during the intiatory work last name was Gill. I asked if she were related to brother Gill. She said he was her husband. The next time around I told her that I'd be glad to help with the endowments for those women. She said to just take the cards home instead of leaving them their at the temple as we had been instructed. I'm glad to do this. It seems more like a "real" person than when I do a name from the temple.
It's hard to believe that the second month of the year 2006 is just about over. It was warmer today and much nicer. It was supposed to be in the high 30's. Just a week ago we had subzero temperatures. That is so unpleasant. I'm ready for spring! and it always come slower here in Idaho.
I really like this quote. It was on the LDS living site for Wednesday. I think it is really true. Another saying is, "A smile is something you receive when you give it away. I know that many people's smiles have made me feel better and I hope that mine have helped others.
This morning we watched Polar Express. We borrowed it from Karen & Kent. I really enjoyed it. My husband didn't so much. He said it was too fantastic and someone's imagination really ran away with them. I liked the way the hero boy was able to forget his own fear in trying to help the hero girl and lonely boy have a good experience. I think that life is like that too. When you are thinking of others and helping others and forget yourself, then you really gain yourself. A sign on my World History teacher when I was a sophomore in high school said, When you help someone else up the hill, you get a little closer to the top yourself." And another, "Aim high. You have little chance of missing your goal when the range is the length of a lifetime." I remember those signs. I don't remember much about what he taught. He talked more about football and his life experiences than he did world history. He was the football coach. He used to boast that he had played all of the characters in the temple except the devil. Of course none of knew to what he was refering. After I had been to the temple a few times I had the tho't, "The roll of Satan probably took more talent to do than any of the other rolls." I had to smile about that. Because the next tho't was: that was probably why he didn't play it.
Karl still isn't over his cold. He didn't even go to the spa yesterday nor today. He says he feels better lying down. I may have to start talking about his going to the doctor before too long if he doesn't get better soon. If he had a cold or if it were down in his chest, then I would have done long ago. It is mostly in his head and his throat. He can hardly talk sometimes and is very hard to hear at times. Three weeks is just too long for a cold to last.
I went to the temple Thursday with my friend from my exercise class. She had gastric by pass surgery two weeks to the day after I did. We have been each others support group and become good friends. She has been a widow as long as she was married....24 years. She lives in Rigby. When I was talking to her Thursday morning, she mentioned that she had been planning on going but wasn't sure now. I told her if she decided to to come and pick me up and I'd go with her. It had been three weeks since I'd been. I was planning on going last week but Karl wasn't feeling good enough. We did two of the Singh Gill names. Now five are done out of fifteen. Last December, Karl and I did initiatory work. Our high priest group leader came the night before and brought us each fifteen names to do. He said that a Brother Gill from one of the Coltman wards was originally from India and had researched 10,000 names and would like help doing them. I don't know if the woman are further along than the men or what but Karl was told he could do only five of the fifteen names and would have to do ten temple names. I was able to do all fifteen. One of the women who helped me during the intiatory work last name was Gill. I asked if she were related to brother Gill. She said he was her husband. The next time around I told her that I'd be glad to help with the endowments for those women. She said to just take the cards home instead of leaving them their at the temple as we had been instructed. I'm glad to do this. It seems more like a "real" person than when I do a name from the temple.
It's hard to believe that the second month of the year 2006 is just about over. It was warmer today and much nicer. It was supposed to be in the high 30's. Just a week ago we had subzero temperatures. That is so unpleasant. I'm ready for spring! and it always come slower here in Idaho.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Daddy's Birthday
Today would have been my father's 92nd birthday. He died when he was only 55....almost seven years younger than I am now. My mother has been a widow for 36 years....longer than she was married. They had only been married 27+ years when he died. He had Hodgekin's disease. our children were only 6, 5, 3 and 1 when he died. I always figured that he knew Richard before he was born seven years later. Sunday would have been my father-in-law's 96th birthday. He was born the February before the June that President Hinckley was born. It is always easy to remember the age because he was born in 1910. Just subtract ten years from the year. Mom & Dad had been married 58 years when Dad died. He died nine years ago. So our children still have both of their grandmothers but neither grandfather. All of our children were married by then.
It has been very cold up here in Idaho Falls. Friday it was more than -20 with windchill. It was too cold to go anywhere! It was colder with the windchill than if it were just -20. It is supposed to be warming up to 33 or so tomorrow and maybe even in the 40's by the weekend. I hope it starts warming up soon. I'm ready for spring. It was starting by this time of year the year we lived in Eugene, Oregon. I really liked that.
In Sacrament Meeting Sunday we had a professional scouter who lives in our ward talk and the scoutmaster. They gave very good talks. The first one told of a man who was born in Greece and was a youth there during WWII. Every year he would at his own expense would buy the fixings and prepare them for scout leaders who were on a retreat for a week. He was a chef by perfession. When asked why he did this every year he told this story. He said that when the Germans took over that many of them joined the resistance. One night they were all very proud of themselves for blowing up a power plant. Shortly afterwards, the Germans rounded up all of the men and youth in the town and lined them up. They were told that every 5th man or youth would be shot. He said as they commenced doing this and went from the first row to the second row where he was, it didn't take him long to cermise that he was a 5th person. As the German who was counting came in front of him, he noticed his scout buckle on his belt. He made the scout sign with his right hand and said, "Run, boy, run!" The chef reached in his pocket and pulled out the belt buckle. He said since scouting was responsible for his being there and alive and well, that that is how he honors scouting and those who work in it is to every year to fix that feast for the leaders. It was a very inspiring story. It was first told by Thomas S. Monson. The professional scouter also told of a troop in the Lincoln Stake in our area who had a physically challenged young man in their troop decided that they wanted to take this young man with them when they climbed Table Rock there by the Tetons. So they worked and got materials donated and then built a cart that they could push and pull him up so he could be there with them too. He said it really inspired him to see how they all worked together so that young man could be there with them. Then Blaine Ward, the scoutmaster got up and said that that was his old troop who did that. He was living in our ward at the time they did that but since he had worked with those scouts, they called and invited him to go with them. So he was there when it happened. It was such a neat meeting and left such a good feeling afterwards. I was very glad that I was there.
It has been very cold up here in Idaho Falls. Friday it was more than -20 with windchill. It was too cold to go anywhere! It was colder with the windchill than if it were just -20. It is supposed to be warming up to 33 or so tomorrow and maybe even in the 40's by the weekend. I hope it starts warming up soon. I'm ready for spring. It was starting by this time of year the year we lived in Eugene, Oregon. I really liked that.
In Sacrament Meeting Sunday we had a professional scouter who lives in our ward talk and the scoutmaster. They gave very good talks. The first one told of a man who was born in Greece and was a youth there during WWII. Every year he would at his own expense would buy the fixings and prepare them for scout leaders who were on a retreat for a week. He was a chef by perfession. When asked why he did this every year he told this story. He said that when the Germans took over that many of them joined the resistance. One night they were all very proud of themselves for blowing up a power plant. Shortly afterwards, the Germans rounded up all of the men and youth in the town and lined them up. They were told that every 5th man or youth would be shot. He said as they commenced doing this and went from the first row to the second row where he was, it didn't take him long to cermise that he was a 5th person. As the German who was counting came in front of him, he noticed his scout buckle on his belt. He made the scout sign with his right hand and said, "Run, boy, run!" The chef reached in his pocket and pulled out the belt buckle. He said since scouting was responsible for his being there and alive and well, that that is how he honors scouting and those who work in it is to every year to fix that feast for the leaders. It was a very inspiring story. It was first told by Thomas S. Monson. The professional scouter also told of a troop in the Lincoln Stake in our area who had a physically challenged young man in their troop decided that they wanted to take this young man with them when they climbed Table Rock there by the Tetons. So they worked and got materials donated and then built a cart that they could push and pull him up so he could be there with them too. He said it really inspired him to see how they all worked together so that young man could be there with them. Then Blaine Ward, the scoutmaster got up and said that that was his old troop who did that. He was living in our ward at the time they did that but since he had worked with those scouts, they called and invited him to go with them. So he was there when it happened. It was such a neat meeting and left such a good feeling afterwards. I was very glad that I was there.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
This was on the LDS Living News & Event Ad today that I get six days a week. I'm not sure if I remember this happening or not. I think I do but was not aware that she made a full recovery. It really is miraculous! She is truely blessed.
Feb 10, 2006 12:23 am US/Mountain
The Miraculous Survival Story Of Michelle Funk
Do you believe in miracles? You might after this story. Shauna Lake introduces us to a young woman who beat all the odds, and then some.In 1986 a little girl named Michelle Funk was on the hearts and minds of thousands of Utahns. Many of you were praying for her survival after she was submerged in water for more than an hour. She shocked everyone and beat the odds.We found Michelle Funk, 20 years later, embracing the life that she almost lost.“Its just amazing that I’m here today,” says Michelle. Amazing, because when Michelle was 2-years-old something devastating – and miraculous – happened."We were out having a picnic and me and my older brother, who was 4 at the time – I was 2 ½ – we went across the street to throw rocks into the steam. I was a clumsy two-year-old. I fell into the stream,” Michelle recounts. She was carried downstream, swept through a culvert and trapped under the frigid water for a terrifying one hour and six minutes. “I was clinically dead. They didn't think I would ever survive when they pulled me out. I was an ice cube. I was blue," says Michelle. As rescuers and television viewers looked at that little limp body, it seemed almost impossible that someone so small could survive that kind of trauma."Everyone just said ‘She won't survive, she won't survive,’ and my mother knew differently being as faithful as she is,” a tearful Michelle told Shauna Lake. Right after the accident, Michelle’s mother, Pam Funk didn't just believe Michelle would survive; she had faith she would thrive."The Lord wouldn't have brought her this far to be whole again and complete and I think she will. I think she will,” Pam told 2News in1986. An hour after being rescued Michelle was breathing again – her blood warmed by a machine used during heart surgeries."The only thing I remember is waking up and my father sticking his tongue out at me and it took me a while, but I was able to stick my tongue back out at him. I guess at that point they knew I was going to be ok," says Michelle. It was a 6-month recovery process. During that time the Funk family, strong in their LDS faith, spread the word that little Michelle needed prayers.“People prayed for me, and they used their faith in my behalf,” says Michelle. “News coverage had gone and word of mouth had gone forward and people prayed on my behalf that I would be ok,” says Michelle. "She’s a real fighter. She has a lot of spunk," Pam said early into Michelle’s recovery. That “spunk,” and according to Michelle, those prayers have served her well as she now serves others. Michelle, better known now as Sister Funk, is serving an LDS mission in Franklin, Massachusetts – a suburb of Boston. She feels she has a lot of work to do. “I think there is a certain obligation that I hold in my heart, that I know that I shouldn't be here and that it's a gift,” says Michelle. Michelle says that gift still touches to her very core.“When I opened up this interview and asked you the very first question, you got emotional. It seems your emotions are pretty close to the surface on this,” Shauna asked Michelle. "Its definitely not far beneath the surface. Its right there on the top of my heart – its just amazing,” Michelle replied. To this day people remember the little girl that captured their hearts and their prayers.“This woman from Utah came up to me, and she said, ‘Are you Michelle Funk?’ and she said, ‘You were that little girl we were praying for.’"A prayer that Michelle says was definitely answered.“I'm grateful that I have that opportunity and to be able to tell people and teach people that life is a huge gift,” says Michelle. “I can't believe the little lifeless girl is me. I have another chance – I have another shot."Michelle made the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest underwater submergence for surviving being under water for 66 minutes.Michelle has few months left of her LDS mission in Massachusetts until she comes home. She says she has loved living in the Northeastern U.S. so much she wants to return and live after her mission.
Yesterday at my exercise class there was a new young woman (younger than I am but she was probably in her 40's) who visited with us after class while we sat in the hot tub for a few minutes. She mentioned that she had been in an automobile accident a few years ago. A drunk driver, going 60 mph hit her was she was walking across the street and threw her 80 feet away from the impact. She needed a trache to help her breath right there at the scene. She was expected to live. She had epilepsy, memory loss and paralysis of her legs after she "recovered". She said that of those three things she no longer has the paralysis nor the epilepsy but she probably will never remember "my first life." I said, "You are lucky to even be here. She said I'm not lucky, I'm blessed." I later told her that it so refreshing to have her say she was blessed. And she replied that she owed it all to God and she would profess God every chance she got and whenever she could. At first I wondered if she were LDS but I felt like she wasn't when I was later talking to her. She witnessed unto Christ characteristic of Born again Christians do. I think the Spirit guided me there too. Anyway, I was very glad to make her acquaintance and hear her witness that she was very blessed of God. Too many people don't or won't acknowledge that. I know I am. I'm not sure what or who or where I would be if I didn't have my faith in my Heavenly Father and know of His love for me and mine. I know my children wouldn't be the upstanding great people they are without the help and influence of the gospel in my and their lives. I am so thankful to be alive at this time in the history of mankind.
Feb 10, 2006 12:23 am US/Mountain
The Miraculous Survival Story Of Michelle Funk
Do you believe in miracles? You might after this story. Shauna Lake introduces us to a young woman who beat all the odds, and then some.In 1986 a little girl named Michelle Funk was on the hearts and minds of thousands of Utahns. Many of you were praying for her survival after she was submerged in water for more than an hour. She shocked everyone and beat the odds.We found Michelle Funk, 20 years later, embracing the life that she almost lost.“Its just amazing that I’m here today,” says Michelle. Amazing, because when Michelle was 2-years-old something devastating – and miraculous – happened."We were out having a picnic and me and my older brother, who was 4 at the time – I was 2 ½ – we went across the street to throw rocks into the steam. I was a clumsy two-year-old. I fell into the stream,” Michelle recounts. She was carried downstream, swept through a culvert and trapped under the frigid water for a terrifying one hour and six minutes. “I was clinically dead. They didn't think I would ever survive when they pulled me out. I was an ice cube. I was blue," says Michelle. As rescuers and television viewers looked at that little limp body, it seemed almost impossible that someone so small could survive that kind of trauma."Everyone just said ‘She won't survive, she won't survive,’ and my mother knew differently being as faithful as she is,” a tearful Michelle told Shauna Lake. Right after the accident, Michelle’s mother, Pam Funk didn't just believe Michelle would survive; she had faith she would thrive."The Lord wouldn't have brought her this far to be whole again and complete and I think she will. I think she will,” Pam told 2News in1986. An hour after being rescued Michelle was breathing again – her blood warmed by a machine used during heart surgeries."The only thing I remember is waking up and my father sticking his tongue out at me and it took me a while, but I was able to stick my tongue back out at him. I guess at that point they knew I was going to be ok," says Michelle. It was a 6-month recovery process. During that time the Funk family, strong in their LDS faith, spread the word that little Michelle needed prayers.“People prayed for me, and they used their faith in my behalf,” says Michelle. “News coverage had gone and word of mouth had gone forward and people prayed on my behalf that I would be ok,” says Michelle. "She’s a real fighter. She has a lot of spunk," Pam said early into Michelle’s recovery. That “spunk,” and according to Michelle, those prayers have served her well as she now serves others. Michelle, better known now as Sister Funk, is serving an LDS mission in Franklin, Massachusetts – a suburb of Boston. She feels she has a lot of work to do. “I think there is a certain obligation that I hold in my heart, that I know that I shouldn't be here and that it's a gift,” says Michelle. Michelle says that gift still touches to her very core.“When I opened up this interview and asked you the very first question, you got emotional. It seems your emotions are pretty close to the surface on this,” Shauna asked Michelle. "Its definitely not far beneath the surface. Its right there on the top of my heart – its just amazing,” Michelle replied. To this day people remember the little girl that captured their hearts and their prayers.“This woman from Utah came up to me, and she said, ‘Are you Michelle Funk?’ and she said, ‘You were that little girl we were praying for.’"A prayer that Michelle says was definitely answered.“I'm grateful that I have that opportunity and to be able to tell people and teach people that life is a huge gift,” says Michelle. “I can't believe the little lifeless girl is me. I have another chance – I have another shot."Michelle made the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest underwater submergence for surviving being under water for 66 minutes.Michelle has few months left of her LDS mission in Massachusetts until she comes home. She says she has loved living in the Northeastern U.S. so much she wants to return and live after her mission.
Yesterday at my exercise class there was a new young woman (younger than I am but she was probably in her 40's) who visited with us after class while we sat in the hot tub for a few minutes. She mentioned that she had been in an automobile accident a few years ago. A drunk driver, going 60 mph hit her was she was walking across the street and threw her 80 feet away from the impact. She needed a trache to help her breath right there at the scene. She was expected to live. She had epilepsy, memory loss and paralysis of her legs after she "recovered". She said that of those three things she no longer has the paralysis nor the epilepsy but she probably will never remember "my first life." I said, "You are lucky to even be here. She said I'm not lucky, I'm blessed." I later told her that it so refreshing to have her say she was blessed. And she replied that she owed it all to God and she would profess God every chance she got and whenever she could. At first I wondered if she were LDS but I felt like she wasn't when I was later talking to her. She witnessed unto Christ characteristic of Born again Christians do. I think the Spirit guided me there too. Anyway, I was very glad to make her acquaintance and hear her witness that she was very blessed of God. Too many people don't or won't acknowledge that. I know I am. I'm not sure what or who or where I would be if I didn't have my faith in my Heavenly Father and know of His love for me and mine. I know my children wouldn't be the upstanding great people they are without the help and influence of the gospel in my and their lives. I am so thankful to be alive at this time in the history of mankind.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
I forgot to mention that my sweetheart took me out to Johnny Carino's Italian Restaurant for lunch. It was nice but not as nice as an Olive Garden Restaurant. We had chicken fettachini with a side salad with basalmic vingrette dressing. That is the first time we have gone to that restaurant. I am looking forward to when the Olive Garden Restaurant gets here. They are building it where the old JB's restaurant used to be on West Broadway. They haven't officially announced it yet but it has been published in the paper that they don't do that until everything is signed and sealed. Since they have started on the construciton the reporter says he feels sure that that's what it will be there. I hope so.
Thoughts on Valentine's Day
Today has been a very nice day. I slept in some. Got my shower, worked on the baby afghan and watched Diagnosis Murder. I made my sweetheart's Valentine. I was quite pleased with it. I put the writing on the front in Red background with white writing. I tho't it looked very nice. The inside writing, I put in red. Red is his favorite color. He bought mine at the Dollar Store. It was a very nice card with a lovely verse. The verse on the card was: For My Wife a Special Valentine. Sweetheart, whenyou smile because I've made you happy, when your eyes show love meant only for me, when I feel your touch--I know what love is. And if I've learned to share my innermost thoughts, and if I've learned to give, it's because you've shown me what a special gift it is to be held above all others in someone else's heart. Then he wrote me a letter in which he mentioned my eyes and smile again. (He does mention he likes to look into them often.) He goes on to say: I've learned so much and could not hope for a ncer, loving, and helpful friend. you are a wise and humble and charitable person. I appreciate your testimony and desire and ability to serve and exemplify what you understand your mission is in mortality--and for the Eternal goals you are striving for--throughout all eternity. Always know/feel and realize that even with our waknesses and mistakes in judgement, that our life together is and always will be full of joy and our choices to be happy come from within our own spirit/heart and mind. I hope our Father in Heven and the Holy Ghost will help you know how much I love you. Yours always, Karl F. Robinson. (Always was our song while we were courting.) He wrote a letter stating that I had placed my priorities in the right place with our children and grandchildren and in-laws. I do know that my family is everything to me. I hate to think what my life would be had I not met my sweetheart and married and had the children that I had. And the grandchildren. I feel very blessed.
I remember back on the first Valentine's Day that we knew each other. We had been going together since November. He started toward the end of January to do his student teaching at Spanish Fork High School. We tho't that very interesting. We had spent most of our free time together, just the two of us. at the beginning of the week, I suggested that we not see each other until the weekend. If I remember right Valentine's Day was on Thursday that year. I had bought a Valentine for him but decided to wait until the weekend to give it to him. He left mine at the door in the old fashioned way. In it he told me that he missed me and loved me. I felt so bad that I had said I didn't want to see him until the weekend. That was the last time I suggested such a thing. I just needed some space. Things were moving toooo fast. After all, I was only 18 years old....not even 18 1/2 yet. We were officially engaged within three weeks. I didn't have an engagement ring but he had asked me to marry him. I am so glad and blessed that he did. We have had a good life together and such good children.
I remember back on the first Valentine's Day that we knew each other. We had been going together since November. He started toward the end of January to do his student teaching at Spanish Fork High School. We tho't that very interesting. We had spent most of our free time together, just the two of us. at the beginning of the week, I suggested that we not see each other until the weekend. If I remember right Valentine's Day was on Thursday that year. I had bought a Valentine for him but decided to wait until the weekend to give it to him. He left mine at the door in the old fashioned way. In it he told me that he missed me and loved me. I felt so bad that I had said I didn't want to see him until the weekend. That was the last time I suggested such a thing. I just needed some space. Things were moving toooo fast. After all, I was only 18 years old....not even 18 1/2 yet. We were officially engaged within three weeks. I didn't have an engagement ring but he had asked me to marry him. I am so glad and blessed that he did. We have had a good life together and such good children.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Saturday Is a Special Day
It has been awhile since I have blogged anything. It has been a quiet week but a nice week. cold but nice. We went to Blackfoot Thursday to visit with Karen and Macie. We hadn't seen Karen since they got back from their cruise. We hadn't seen Macie since the Christmas holidays. Karen brought me back four magnets to hang on my French doors. One was from Aruba with chimes hanging on the bottom, one from New York with the Statue of Liberty on it, one from Barbados, and the last one from Dominica. We say Do-min-i-ca. They say Do-mi-nee-ca. When she told me that I tho't well, it is Spanish. Macie is getting so cute. She can sit alone now. We watched Bambi 2 while we were there. In it Thumper and Flower try to teach Bambi how to growl and act brave. I don't know if that's where she got it or if she just started it but she started growling at me. I just started laughing at her. The more I laughed the more she growled. She would throw out and stiffen her arms, throw our her chest and growl. She looked "fierce" and sounded more fierce than Bambi did. It was so funny. Karen told us that she hadn't seen her do that before. Shani called when she was doing it and Karen discribed it to her. Shani said that she had never seen her do it before either. It was fun. After Kylie got home, we told her about it and so Kylie started growling at her and Macie growled back. Of course we all think she's adorable.
I finished The Sunflower by Richard Paul Evans last night. I really enjoyed it. He is a good author. Good clean books with good themes and happy endings.
Today we went to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. They did a good job of it. It did get quite tense in spots even tho' I knew the story. I couldn't remember all of the details tho' becasue it's been a couple of years since I read the book. We need to get that volume so I can read it again. We've got the first four in paper back and Vol. VI in hard back. We both enjoyed the show very much.
We enjoyed watching the XX Olymic opening ceremonies last night. It was interesting to see that the only athlete from Venezuela is the progessor from Boise State University who is competing in the Logue (sp?). The Post-Register had an article on him a month or two ago. He's in his late 40's or early 50's. He's close to one of the oldest athletes there. But what an opportunity! They pointed out that Mexica didn't have any athletes and I noticed that Jamaca didn't either. :)
I finished The Sunflower by Richard Paul Evans last night. I really enjoyed it. He is a good author. Good clean books with good themes and happy endings.
Today we went to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. They did a good job of it. It did get quite tense in spots even tho' I knew the story. I couldn't remember all of the details tho' becasue it's been a couple of years since I read the book. We need to get that volume so I can read it again. We've got the first four in paper back and Vol. VI in hard back. We both enjoyed the show very much.
We enjoyed watching the XX Olymic opening ceremonies last night. It was interesting to see that the only athlete from Venezuela is the progessor from Boise State University who is competing in the Logue (sp?). The Post-Register had an article on him a month or two ago. He's in his late 40's or early 50's. He's close to one of the oldest athletes there. But what an opportunity! They pointed out that Mexica didn't have any athletes and I noticed that Jamaca didn't either. :)
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Geneology
I ran across a cardboard envelope that Karen gave to me a year or so ago. She got it from Bryan and Sandy. In a letter to Karen and Kent Bryan explained about some disks he'd enclosed about some of Kent's ancestors. They weren't in there. But there were some pink and blue papers used for family names when doing endowments--five pink and seven blue--that were some of my ancestors. I looked on the Church's website Family Search to see if their work had been done. The reason I did this is because my sister Mildred had sent me some before and I did the initiatory and endowment for each of them. I didn't feel anything when I did it and tho't it quite strange. When I went to the family history center here in IF and checked them out, I found out that their work had already been done for them years ago. Well these names that had Bryan & Sandy's name on them as the submitters--this was when they lived in Albuquerque, I checked on the family search Sunday night after our "family" chat closed. I found that the work had already been done for all of them but three and the two men whose didn't have dates were cleared in 1991 to be done. So I guess I need to go back to the FHC and check and see if they were done. The only woman I couldn't find anything on was Magdlena Durler who married Jacob Rufener, one of my grandma Wendel's ancestors. When I started looking for the link on my PAF file on this computer, I found out that hers had been done in the IF temple in 1999. I think I remember doing hers. That would be the only reason that I had the information on my PAF. I guess I'm going to have to take these names to the FHC and see if they can help me hook them up to my family line. I have their names and the dates for the work being done but don't really know for sure where they come into my line. Some are for my Grandma Wendel, I know because of the Rufener name, which was my grandma's maiden name and they originated in Swizterland. And some are probably for my Grandpa Wendel because the people orginated in Germany. I hope to go to the FHC this week or next week and see if I can figure some of this out. I found it very interesting.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
They won’t be your little babies forever. Your children are slowly becoming men and women before your eyes. You see their potential, but sometimes they don’t. Don’t worry. Here are several ways you can help build your children’s self esteem:
Be a good role model. If you want your children to have confidence, have confidence in yourself. The positive attitudes you have about yourself can create a home environment of confidence, where creativity and curiosity are encouraged.
Be realistic in your expectations. You might have dreams for your children that are completely different from their own. Let them develop their own unique talents and set their own goals. Have reasonable expectations.
Praise every accomplishment and applaud every effort. No matter how big or small, sincerely praise your children for their every accomplishment. But just as important is to praise your children for their sincere efforts. Children can—and do—often learn the most from their failures.
Avoid rescuing. Your children are going to have problems just like everybody else. Give them a chance to work them out on their own. They will gain confidence as they realize they are mature and responsible enough to solve their own problems.
Show respect and love. It is important that your children feel like they are irreplaceable in your family and that they have your respect. Be careful what you say. When there’s a need to correct your children, make sure your comments are focused on behavior. If you just accuse your children of something, they will become defensive and critical.
For more great helpful hints, check out the Jan/Feb issue of LDS Living Magazine
The above I received in my e-mail today from Deseret Book. They have been sending me e-mail since I ordered the DVD The Work & the Glory from them last year. I tho't it very good advice and found myself wishing I had such a reminder sometimes while my children were still at home.
Be a good role model. If you want your children to have confidence, have confidence in yourself. The positive attitudes you have about yourself can create a home environment of confidence, where creativity and curiosity are encouraged.
Be realistic in your expectations. You might have dreams for your children that are completely different from their own. Let them develop their own unique talents and set their own goals. Have reasonable expectations.
Praise every accomplishment and applaud every effort. No matter how big or small, sincerely praise your children for their every accomplishment. But just as important is to praise your children for their sincere efforts. Children can—and do—often learn the most from their failures.
Avoid rescuing. Your children are going to have problems just like everybody else. Give them a chance to work them out on their own. They will gain confidence as they realize they are mature and responsible enough to solve their own problems.
Show respect and love. It is important that your children feel like they are irreplaceable in your family and that they have your respect. Be careful what you say. When there’s a need to correct your children, make sure your comments are focused on behavior. If you just accuse your children of something, they will become defensive and critical.
For more great helpful hints, check out the Jan/Feb issue of LDS Living Magazine
The above I received in my e-mail today from Deseret Book. They have been sending me e-mail since I ordered the DVD The Work & the Glory from them last year. I tho't it very good advice and found myself wishing I had such a reminder sometimes while my children were still at home.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Just Another Day
Today hasn't been that eventful. I have felt like I am coming down with a bad cold. My nose is constantly running and getting more and more sore. I felt like it was starting while we were at the temple yesterday. I didn't feel it at all when we left to go to the temple so it came on really fast. (We were planning on going to Blackfoot yesterday to visit with Karen and Macie but since they were both sick we decided to stay home. We did have a good session at the temple tho' and I got some more incite on some things I've been wondering about. It's too bad I can't really discuss it here. We ate lunch there then came home. We stopped at Deseret Book on the way to use the gift card my sister-in-law, Julie gave us for Christmas. We got five books. I think we will really enjoy them. I chose the Mormon Cook Book. I made a dip out of salsa, cream cheese and chilli without beans since I had all of the ingredients. I remember Richard making it whenever he had friends over when he was in high school. I need to get some green chillies so I can use some more of the recipes. I saw three or four that I'd really like to make and they all call for green chillies.
I've been working on the baby afghan today. I'm just about half done with it. It is looking beautiful even if I do say so myself. I have been trying to get on the familysearch.org site to check out some names and see if their temple work has been done. They are some names that Bryan sent to Karen in 1999 and she gave them to me a year or so ago, maybe two, because she said she would never do anything with them or she didn't know when she would do them. There are five pink slips in there and seven blue slips. I need to find out if the work has been done. I did some that my sister, Mildred sent to me about eight or so years ago. I didn't feel anything at all as I went thro' the temple and it kind of puzzled me. I went to the family history center to check things out on the IGI and found out that their work had already been done. I tho't "No wonder!" I have commited to do 15 names for a man in our stake from India. I did the initiatory work for those 15 women in December. I felt them close by. I told the wife of the man who helped with some of the initiatory work that I would be glad to do the endowments too if he wanted me to. She said to just take the names home then. I have done three and have 12 more to go. If the temple hadn't been closed the last two weeks I may have done at least one more maybe two. Then I can start on my own ancestors if I find these people's work hasn't been done.
I tried to get on the familysearch.org on the internet and it keeps telling me that my user name or password isn't right. So I asked them to send it to me via e-mail. And when they finally did, it was the ones I'd been using! So I tried to reregister and used Karl's name and memebership number and it keeps saying his membership information is incorrect. We looked it up so unless the bishop wrote down the memebership number wrong on his recommend, I don't know what's going on. I hope to be able to check these things out without having to go to the family history center. It would be great to do it here at home online.
They have make some changes in the IF temple in the last two weeks. They have taken out the carpet in the front and the wooden recommend desk and put in marble in both places. It really looks beautiful. Shonda said tho' it is very slick in wet weather and they had a few people fall the first day back (last Tuesday) because the weather was wet. Marble can be treacherously slick when it is wet. They also have put in new doors in the sealing rooms off of the celestial room all the way to the ceiling. And doors also leading from the veil to the curtains. They look beautiful. It is my goal to go to the temple at least twice a month this year. More if it works out. I have benn averaging about once a month. I used to have to use the elevator and stand up at all during the ceremony nor participate in the prayer circle. I now take the 23 steps and stand up all the way thro' and even have participated in the prayer circle twice. It feels so good to be able to do all of that.
I've been working on the baby afghan today. I'm just about half done with it. It is looking beautiful even if I do say so myself. I have been trying to get on the familysearch.org site to check out some names and see if their temple work has been done. They are some names that Bryan sent to Karen in 1999 and she gave them to me a year or so ago, maybe two, because she said she would never do anything with them or she didn't know when she would do them. There are five pink slips in there and seven blue slips. I need to find out if the work has been done. I did some that my sister, Mildred sent to me about eight or so years ago. I didn't feel anything at all as I went thro' the temple and it kind of puzzled me. I went to the family history center to check things out on the IGI and found out that their work had already been done. I tho't "No wonder!" I have commited to do 15 names for a man in our stake from India. I did the initiatory work for those 15 women in December. I felt them close by. I told the wife of the man who helped with some of the initiatory work that I would be glad to do the endowments too if he wanted me to. She said to just take the names home then. I have done three and have 12 more to go. If the temple hadn't been closed the last two weeks I may have done at least one more maybe two. Then I can start on my own ancestors if I find these people's work hasn't been done.
I tried to get on the familysearch.org on the internet and it keeps telling me that my user name or password isn't right. So I asked them to send it to me via e-mail. And when they finally did, it was the ones I'd been using! So I tried to reregister and used Karl's name and memebership number and it keeps saying his membership information is incorrect. We looked it up so unless the bishop wrote down the memebership number wrong on his recommend, I don't know what's going on. I hope to be able to check these things out without having to go to the family history center. It would be great to do it here at home online.
They have make some changes in the IF temple in the last two weeks. They have taken out the carpet in the front and the wooden recommend desk and put in marble in both places. It really looks beautiful. Shonda said tho' it is very slick in wet weather and they had a few people fall the first day back (last Tuesday) because the weather was wet. Marble can be treacherously slick when it is wet. They also have put in new doors in the sealing rooms off of the celestial room all the way to the ceiling. And doors also leading from the veil to the curtains. They look beautiful. It is my goal to go to the temple at least twice a month this year. More if it works out. I have benn averaging about once a month. I used to have to use the elevator and stand up at all during the ceremony nor participate in the prayer circle. I now take the 23 steps and stand up all the way thro' and even have participated in the prayer circle twice. It feels so good to be able to do all of that.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Another Day again
I found out last evening that my neice Stephanie had a new baby girl. Her name is Charley Dru Manning. She weighed 7# 3 oz. and is 19 inches tall. Another neice, Emily just found out that she is having a boy. Both of these babies are my sister, Joy's, grandchildren.
I booked out tickets on SWA for April 12 to go to Phoenix. We want to be there at Easter time so we can attend the Easter pagent their at the Mesa temple. Since my health is so much improved, I decided this would be a good year to do it. We will fly out of SLC for $437.20 for the round trip for both of us. We will take the shuttle from Blue Sky Airport to Richard & Téa's after riding the shuttle (Trailwayexpress) from IF to the airport. It will be $55 round trip a piece for us. That way we won't have to worry someone else about taking us to the airport nor parking our car there at the airport either. It would have been $200 to $250 a piece to fly from IF. By booking it now it can be paid for before we go. That will be good.
I mentioned in one of my other blogs that I went to talk to Eric Jackson and he suggested that I hire a personal trainer to help me build more muscle mass. Well, I met with Elena Pack the first part of November. She started me right out on the treadmill at 2 mph. She told me to tell her if it got to be too much. I told her than on a scale of 1-10 10 feeling like I was dying that I already felt like I was between a 7 and an 8. I told my carotid pulse and it was only in the 60's which really puzzled me because I could feel a heaviness in my chest and was breathing hard and could tell my heart was working. She slowed me down and eventually showed me some exercises with some weights. I then went down to my water exercise class. Afterwards, I was sitting in the hot tub for 5 minutes. It dawned on me that the last time I was on a treadmill was at Dr. Lijenquist's office and at that time without increasing the speed or the incline or even going anywhere near three minutes, I went into bigeminal PVC's (premature ventricular contractions) which don't profuse or cause a pulse. I wondered if that was what happened. I called and talked to the nurse at the Dr.'s office and she suggested I go in and see him. So on Wednesday morning, I went into talk to the Dr. He ordered an EKG. I told him it wouldn't show anything but a right bundle branch block. And I was right. He also did a bone scan at that time. Since the EKG was negative he ordered a Thalium Stress test. That 's where they insert an IV lock and inject Thalium, which is a radioactive isotope, and have you hooked up to an EKG to monitor your heart beat also. They also have a cardiologist handy to observe as well. That was scheduled for Thursday morning. I wasn't looking forward to it at all and decided I might as well get it over with. Well, I did go into bigeminal PVC's again. (The bigeminal means every other beat.) But Dr. Maley said to keep going so I did and after about a minute I went into a regular pulse. I was comferted to see that. My pulse went up to 138 and the results of the test was Normal heart. Dr. Liljenquist sent me the results. the IMPRESSION was:
1.Good function
2. Frequent PVCs
3. Nondiagnostic electrocardiographic response (I'm not sure exactly what that means)
4. No scintiographic findings of sichemia (lack of oxygen) (which was very comforting because my last resting stress test about six years ago said there was.)
5. Normal left ventricular function. (That was comforting too.)
When I saw that I worked thro' the PVCs, I told the tech my theroy was that my arteries were still slow to dialate (the explaination given six years ago for the ishchemia) but since they eventually did dialate, there was no ischemia.) She said she didn't knpw anything about it but since the results were normal with no ischemia I think that that is as good an explain as any.
A week after having the bone scan I got a letter in the mail stating that it showed significant loss of bone calcium content. When I went to the doctor, I asked about it and I was told that my hip bone had 20% less bone content than two years previously. My wirst and ulna bone were normal, so......He took a Vitamin D test and instead of being 60 which is the low normal, it was 36. So I now take 50,000 units of Vitamin D a month. Since Calcium can't be metalobolized without the Vitmain D that could explain the bone loss. He said they would do another bone scan in two years. I hope that takes care of it. My next doctor's appointment will be March 31. I go in every three months. Karl has been going in every three months also, but at this last visit the Dr. told him that he was doing so well that he could wait to come in for six months. That was good news.
Today we left for the spa shortly after noon so I could workout up stairs on the machines before going down to my water exercise class. My biceps are stiff and sore from doing pushups at my pilates class Monday. I wondered how much I should do today if they were still and sore but I didn't want to go thro' that again so I did everything as I had been doing. I use the chest press with 30#, the rowing machine with 30#, and the leg press with 75#. I tried just 15# the next lowest weight and it was like nothing so I just did what I had been doing. I am still challenged at that weight. I also did the curl ups and step ups and two more exercises that work the triceps and the upper shoulders with an elastic rope. I will do these two times a week on Wednesdays and Fridays and that should build up muscle mass. I weigh in at the New U clinic again on February 15 and will be able to tell for sure. If it doesn't have the desired affect, I'm afraid much of my motivation will go. Time will tell.
I booked out tickets on SWA for April 12 to go to Phoenix. We want to be there at Easter time so we can attend the Easter pagent their at the Mesa temple. Since my health is so much improved, I decided this would be a good year to do it. We will fly out of SLC for $437.20 for the round trip for both of us. We will take the shuttle from Blue Sky Airport to Richard & Téa's after riding the shuttle (Trailwayexpress) from IF to the airport. It will be $55 round trip a piece for us. That way we won't have to worry someone else about taking us to the airport nor parking our car there at the airport either. It would have been $200 to $250 a piece to fly from IF. By booking it now it can be paid for before we go. That will be good.
I mentioned in one of my other blogs that I went to talk to Eric Jackson and he suggested that I hire a personal trainer to help me build more muscle mass. Well, I met with Elena Pack the first part of November. She started me right out on the treadmill at 2 mph. She told me to tell her if it got to be too much. I told her than on a scale of 1-10 10 feeling like I was dying that I already felt like I was between a 7 and an 8. I told my carotid pulse and it was only in the 60's which really puzzled me because I could feel a heaviness in my chest and was breathing hard and could tell my heart was working. She slowed me down and eventually showed me some exercises with some weights. I then went down to my water exercise class. Afterwards, I was sitting in the hot tub for 5 minutes. It dawned on me that the last time I was on a treadmill was at Dr. Lijenquist's office and at that time without increasing the speed or the incline or even going anywhere near three minutes, I went into bigeminal PVC's (premature ventricular contractions) which don't profuse or cause a pulse. I wondered if that was what happened. I called and talked to the nurse at the Dr.'s office and she suggested I go in and see him. So on Wednesday morning, I went into talk to the Dr. He ordered an EKG. I told him it wouldn't show anything but a right bundle branch block. And I was right. He also did a bone scan at that time. Since the EKG was negative he ordered a Thalium Stress test. That 's where they insert an IV lock and inject Thalium, which is a radioactive isotope, and have you hooked up to an EKG to monitor your heart beat also. They also have a cardiologist handy to observe as well. That was scheduled for Thursday morning. I wasn't looking forward to it at all and decided I might as well get it over with. Well, I did go into bigeminal PVC's again. (The bigeminal means every other beat.) But Dr. Maley said to keep going so I did and after about a minute I went into a regular pulse. I was comferted to see that. My pulse went up to 138 and the results of the test was Normal heart. Dr. Liljenquist sent me the results. the IMPRESSION was:
1.Good function
2. Frequent PVCs
3. Nondiagnostic electrocardiographic response (I'm not sure exactly what that means)
4. No scintiographic findings of sichemia (lack of oxygen) (which was very comforting because my last resting stress test about six years ago said there was.)
5. Normal left ventricular function. (That was comforting too.)
When I saw that I worked thro' the PVCs, I told the tech my theroy was that my arteries were still slow to dialate (the explaination given six years ago for the ishchemia) but since they eventually did dialate, there was no ischemia.) She said she didn't knpw anything about it but since the results were normal with no ischemia I think that that is as good an explain as any.
A week after having the bone scan I got a letter in the mail stating that it showed significant loss of bone calcium content. When I went to the doctor, I asked about it and I was told that my hip bone had 20% less bone content than two years previously. My wirst and ulna bone were normal, so......He took a Vitamin D test and instead of being 60 which is the low normal, it was 36. So I now take 50,000 units of Vitamin D a month. Since Calcium can't be metalobolized without the Vitmain D that could explain the bone loss. He said they would do another bone scan in two years. I hope that takes care of it. My next doctor's appointment will be March 31. I go in every three months. Karl has been going in every three months also, but at this last visit the Dr. told him that he was doing so well that he could wait to come in for six months. That was good news.
Today we left for the spa shortly after noon so I could workout up stairs on the machines before going down to my water exercise class. My biceps are stiff and sore from doing pushups at my pilates class Monday. I wondered how much I should do today if they were still and sore but I didn't want to go thro' that again so I did everything as I had been doing. I use the chest press with 30#, the rowing machine with 30#, and the leg press with 75#. I tried just 15# the next lowest weight and it was like nothing so I just did what I had been doing. I am still challenged at that weight. I also did the curl ups and step ups and two more exercises that work the triceps and the upper shoulders with an elastic rope. I will do these two times a week on Wednesdays and Fridays and that should build up muscle mass. I weigh in at the New U clinic again on February 15 and will be able to tell for sure. If it doesn't have the desired affect, I'm afraid much of my motivation will go. Time will tell.
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