Roller Coasters and the power of fasting and prayer

This week has been a doozy.
Monday, my husband spoke with his HR dept & was told him that after his medical leave expires (in a few weeks), company policy is to terminate the job if the individual isn't ready to return. (They had previously told him something different.)
In a panic to return to work or bust, I took him to work at 6:30am Tuesday morning to see if he could make it work in the office environment, as long as he had some quiet hours without everyone around.

(He has been working part time from home since the beginning of January.)

He called me at 10:30 and asked me to pick him up.
Apparently, he had popped his head into HR to say hello and was told that the info he had received wasn't accurate - which was a relief.  But, they also freaked out that he was there.  He had been in some meetings, and he had just told everyone that "I have the shakes/seizures" and kind of explained what happens and that he isn't in pain or hurt, but what to expect.  As he chatted with the HR lady, he shook (the new normal around here), and she told him he had to leave the premises as his DR orders didn't say that he could come into the work place.

So, he came home and worked from home. He worked a strong day on Wed. until he received an email from HR asking him to cease working immediately.  Due to the 'incident' (? whah??) they wanted him to stop and would have a phone conference with him on Thursday.  So.... on Thursday, he had a conversation with them.  Because of "what transpired" on Tuesday (seizing/shaking?? we don't know what else transpired) they are very concerned and want him to stop working so he can get better.  In three weeks, if he isn't all better, they will terminate his job, but offered him an extended leave.  If he isn't better by then, he could then be placed on a long term disability leave.
We are grateful for his company's generosity and willingness to work with him.  But as it stands. Get better, or you can apply for a new job here or elsewhere if you ever get better.
He's been in a turmoil, trying to figure out if he can 'push through' everything to be better completely in 3 weeks.  Including the 25% of traveling that he must do to fit his job description.  It seems a very tall order.

So, we've had a very emotional week. UPs and Downs, and all around. What to think, what to do?

On the flip side of all of this, I want to share something very personal.
Do you believe in spiritual power?
I do. Do you believe in family spiritual power? I do.

I learned as a child.  When a certain uncle was out of a job, or when a cousin was having a health problem, we all set aside a specific day to pray and fast together for that individual as a family.  Grandmas and grandpas, uncles, aunts, cousins...all of us.
I saw it work.
I felt it work.
It works.

This weekend, desperately in need of family spiritual help, I messaged all of our aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, nieces and nephews and the likes, (thank you for keeping us in touch face book), and asked them to all join with us in a family fast for my husband's health.  (This means 24 hours of no food OR water - yep - 24 hours.  We do it once a month.  We try to focus on our relationship with Heavenly Father and bring our will more into line with His.  We also donate the $ we would have used for food for the use of helping those in our area in need - it is beautiful.)

As I write this, it is 8:45 pm.
Is it too soon to say that it worked? That I know and have felt an incredible power from this prayer and fasting? I know it works.

I sent out the message on Friday night and awoke on Sat. morning with a feeling of strength. Strength that wasn't my own. It is hard to put a name on it, but I felt a steadiness and strength. I could feel the power of prayers being offered for us.

Today, I have not seen my husband have a seizure or shake even once. He said he had a super mini shiver of something earlier today while at church, but that's it.
Compare to two weeks ago - after an hour and a half of meetings, I had to take him home.  Compare to yesterday, and every day before, since mid Nov. (except for Thanksgiving after my brother in law had done some brainwave balancing on him) and the daily multiple seizures and shaking - such as the 5 in one hour on Thursday at a dr. appt..

For now, for today - he isn't shaking. I'm not sure why. Do I believe that it was because of the faith, prayers, and fasting of others on his behalf? Absolutely.
Do I believe in miracles? Absolutely.

Am I afraid to wake up tomorrow? Perhaps a little, but I know that this is in God's hands. I have felt a calm reassurance that this is in His hands.
I have felt his love for me through the kind actions of others (like someone who just happened to bring dinner to our family out of the blue last week, or someone who called this morning to offer him a ride to an early meeting).  I see God's love manifest in our lives. I know that He hears and answers our prayers. I don't know what direction our lives will take from here, but I know that I can trust God, because He is in charge, and all week a phrase has been rattling around in my brain.  
That phrase is: "Be still, and know that I am God"

For today, I am incredibly grateful, still and in awe.
#prayersandfasting
#Godshealingpower

For the record

Another week has rolled through.  I made it through the last one.
Today's best news is that when I called the power company this morning, and asked them to look at the past 2.6 years of our history with them, they saw that we (indeed) have paid our account on time, and so they were willing to waive the notice they'd sent us stating that they were requiring a $600+ deposit for the next three years until we'd proved our credit worthiness with them after they moved our payment date, and then shut off the power last week. What a monopoly! Grrrr.  Thank you to the nice lady who helped me.  

This week, started out with Dentist appointments, but due to the President of the USA and his lovely medical plan, all of our medical plans changed this year. The insurance office wasn't open on Monday due to the holiday, and therefore some transfer that had to happen with our dentist (who has always been our dentist) so that we could have our teeth checked wasn't able to happen. So, my kids didn't get to go to the dentist - even though we made them get up and ready by 8:15 on their day off of school.  Yes, they were loving me!

Tuesday, we had another Dr. appt for my husband. The one with the 1.5 hr. commute.  That Dr. told us that he's not quite sure that my husband's seizures aren't medically related.  All of the neurologists told him that they can't find anything so it must be mental/emotional.  Pot/Kettle/Black??  Then the Dr. told him that it is just recently that non-epileptic seizures are being recognized in the medical field, however, there is little or no research to rely on.  He recommended sending us to a neurologist for more testing....Feels like back where we started. Again.

Wednesday, I got to go to the dentist.  Not my favorite, but at least no cavities.  Thanks to my cousin, my previous dentist, I'm on a rolling streak! Speaking of rolling...we went roller skating last weekend.  Ummm hoping to never have to do that again?!  I was almost to the point of feeling comfortable on wheels again (guess my point of gravity has changed) when we (mercifully) decided to leave.  Our kids, though - LOVED IT!!

Yesterday afternoon, we met with some friends who are in town - we knew them in Colorado - and bought their piano from them. Then they moved, but it was fun to spend time together and catch up.  We went to Blue Springs State Park, and saw TONS of manatee (cause it is so cold here right now - sheesh!).  They had counted 238 at the park that morning... I'm not sure if we saw half, but we saw several close up, and it was fun - as always.

Today, another Dr. appointment, then a phone call visit with a financial adviser - that was useless.  He told us to find a local financial adviser.  I tell you - the fun never stops at our house.

I stayed up late working on tax returns (why won't that one mutual fund company send out year end documents sooner? I'm always stuck waiting on them!).  After I finish chronicling my exciting life, I look forward to a shower (hot, because it is so cold), and laundry folding, perhaps snuggling with the kitty, and a few music lessons before running around to drop people off at rehearsals.

Guess what?  Tomorrow.... another doctor!  Our daughter has an eye appointment.  One has an all day rehearsal for an all county band event, and the other an eye appointment.
A week of appointments.  I think the calendar is empty next week.  Thank goodness!

One of THOSE days

You know those days? The dreaded ones? The type that you just can't believe is actually happening?
I'm having one.
Right now.
Really.

I was supposed to go walking this morning. It didn't happen. My husband had a bad night, and so, mine wasn't too great either.

I woke up, got the kids up, made healthy waffles, made a great healthy kale/cranberry/red pepper smoothie to give me a little pep and energy for my exciting day of new biking trails with a new biking friend, with a promise of a dedicated mountain bike trail - complete with jumps and dips etc.

Got the kids off to school, and took my daughter to Target before school because she needed 'close toed shoes' for her science project today (??).  She wore me down and she got Uggs.  As if furry boots were EVER needed in Florida.  Whatever.  At least they were on their way out, and only cost $10.56, and she pledged to pay for half.

Then, the fun began. I dropped her off at school and got home, texted my friend that I needed 10 minutes to get ready.  As I was rummaging around for my biking shorts, I heard a truck, then a cling/clang outside my bedroom wall, and the electricity shut off.  I quickly assessed my options. "Should I go to the kitchen for a knife? Where's the bat? Where did my husband say his gun was?"
I opened the garage door, and saw that the big door was open which was strange.  And then.
I saw him.
Evil man.

Sitting in the utilities company truck.  DUKE ENERGY.  Avoid them like the plague - I very very strongly dislike them, and have ever since we moved to FLORIDA.  Can you say monopoly?

I yelled "HEY" just as he started up the truck to drive away.  "I don't have any power", he replied "I know, that's my job".  WHAT??
"You have to call them to get it back on",  "Um...my phone isn't working and I don't have internet to get the number, what number do I call?"  He handed me a business card and said, "don't call the 1800 number, who knows where they are.  I'll be around as to turn it back on as soon as you work it out."

I headed inside.  Dialed the number.  After unsuccessfully trying to find a human, I was disconnected since I didn't have my account number memorized and handy, and couldn't find it without the power.  (So much for paperless filing).
I rummaged around the house and found a letter that I'd received 3 days ago, dated Dec. 30, 2013.  It said if I didn't pay my by the 8th, my electricity would be shut off.

By then, my husband had turned on his hotspot for his laptop and I was able to verify that I indeed had paid all of my bills to the utility company for the entire past year, 9 out of ten times even a week before the due date.  Come on - we are pretty responsible people.  Most of the time.

I called again and must have pushed the right button because I finally got someone on the line.  Ricardo. Poor Ricardo. I wouldn't like his job.  Not one bit, because I was angry at this ridiculousness.  He and I chatted about my payment.  Yes, he could see my payments had been received. Yes, but there must be a 'missing payment'.

APPARENTLY, sometime in September, I was notified that the payment due date was changing from the 10th of the month, to the 30th of the month (as in, 10 days earlier).

Unfortunately, in September, my husband had an appendectomy, then a prostate infection, many tests and Xrays, and then ended up in the hospital for several days, and is still not better.  Add two weeks of house guests, and the holiday season, and that pretty much sums up how I somehow missed the alert that the monthly payment date was being changed and accelerated.

It isn't their fault, it was mine.  Ignorance isn't an excuse.  I know.  But REALLY?  How about a phone call, a second notice? Something?  No sir - this monopoly doesn't mess around. They just turn off your power. I guess they got the results they wanted.

So, Ricardo explained that my meter is now read on the 6th of each month and payment is due by the 30th.  Pretty short billing cycle I'd say.  At least I guess I know now.

So I paid the bill.  That was apparently 2 weeks late, unbeknownst to me.  I'd figured when I saw the previous notice that the bill and payment had crossed in the mail since we've never ever been delinquent on a payment.

Moving along.
I found my clothes, then headed out to prep my bike.  I decided to use my daughter's since my wrists have had a lot of pain with my bike.  Her tire was flat.

I had a spare tube, and changed the tire.
We started along our way.
We got 6.14 miles when I went around a curve in the path and felt a 'swoosh' and felt like my back tire was sliding out from under me.  My friend looked at my back tire and told me it was flat.
What are the odds? Sheesh. 
We walked back to a nearby park, sat down and waited, and called my husband to put the bike rack onto the car, and come and pick me up.

I'm thinking about spending the rest of the day in bed!

I saw a post on FB that said, THINK POSITIVE, like if you are falling down the stairs, think about how quickly you got to the bottom.  :) I think that post was meant for me.

Holy Smokes - it has been a while!

We were so flipping excited to roll in a new year.
My husband's dr. told him he could come back in 6 months (YAY!!), but he's still seeing 2 other drs. in the meantime.
Our holidays were oh so very quiet this year.  Which is okay, but it didn't feel like Christmas to anyone for the most part. Anyways, the kids are back in school, and all of the Christmas clutter is put away (thank Heavens!).  The missionaries (the Elders and Sisters) came over for dinner on Christmas night along with some other friends, and we have flan and carne asada.
After many years of marriage, we finally realized that we have virtually no traditions for Christmas day evening.  We decided that since we don't like turkey or ham (once a year is plenty thanks), we should figure out a meal we really like.
So - if you wonder what we eat for Christmas dinner - Carne asada, black beans, rice, & flan.  If you were wondering about Easter - Taquitos and Trifle.  (Yes, I'm aware of the mixed nationalities on that one, thank you very much).

Not sure how I got onto that food tandem.
Moving along.

My husband worked 27.5 hours last week.  I think he felt really good about it.  The kids went to school, we moved a bunch of shelving out of our bedroom and some storage things around in our spare room and turned it into a home office.  This weekend, he graduated from a tv tray table to a table - and we picked up a 6' table for some other projects - like sorting 16 years worth of photos and putting them into albums.  Can I cry yet?
It also comes in handy for entertaining - we actually used it tonight - before I had a chance to spread out all of the projects on it.  Nifty nifty.

So.  Kids in school, husband working, me in a quiet house (except for when he takes piano breaks).  I've read a few good books, and have enjoyed re-locating my kitchen counters and floors (work in progress).  I also got 40.5 miles logged on my bike last week.  A family ride including dinner, a 20 miler for me just cause (and I explored some new trails!), and then a tenner with my daughter on Sat. with lots of water breaks as we combat her asthma.

I still have a feeling of being underwater - like there's so much to do, and I just can't find the motivation to get it done - things seem like they are going in slow-mo.  But, I'm slowly getting closer to the surface again (I hope).

I had a thought this morning which brought me comfort.  I was thinking about a friend who's son has been really sick.  Her husband has been out of town, and so yesterday, she called the Elders (that's their title even though they are only around 20), and asked them to give her son a priesthood blessing.  Last update from her this evening was that he is doing much better since the blessing.  Her son, he isn't 18 yet, he is still young.  I thought about - why was he sick?  As in, what would the purpose be?  He's very recently had a LOT of stress and very heavy challenges, and this seemed to be the straw that would break the camel's back.  So, what is the purpose of everything he may be going through?

Then I saw it.  The answer - just simple and there.  How could this young man ever expect to gain a testimony of priesthood blessings, if he never got ill enough to need to be healed through one?

Take it a little further.  Our experiences in life teach us, and give us opportunities to grow.
So - where am I/he/our kids growing right now?  Sometimes it is hard to see the forest through the trees.  I've learned that there are so many kind people, and I will be forever grateful to them for their kindness and compassion.  I've learned that things just don't turn out as planned.  I've learned that there are many worse things that a husband who experiences what is "formerly known as seizures".

My husband has been working with a counselor, and has asked me to join him.  I'm learning more about who he really is, and what he thinks.  Our relationship seems to change every day.  I'm learning that I'm maybe not very patient.  We have found opportunities to discuss many things, as we try to figure this out day by day.  During my husband's last session, I actually found myself remembering some incidents from MY childhood that I had buried deep down in the recesses of my mind.

I've also realized, that if you break an arm, it needs time to heal.  Whatever my husband is dealing with may (hopefully) heal very slowly.  It may also never heal.

But, one thing that I have learned is that I'm not in charge, and neither is he.  I have to let go, and let the Lord steer and guide us, and the closer I am to listening to the Spirit, the closer I'll come to understanding the meaning of this experience we are having.  Then again, perhaps not.  Perhaps, there is a much more subtle meaning from all of this, and I may never know.

The one thing I do know is that GOD Loves Me!  No matter what.  He is aware and mindful of my prayers and my needs, as well as those of the family.  But, as long as I faithfully believe on the healing merits and power of Christ and His love, I know that we can make it through this, and it will be all right.

Yesterday, on our way home from another Dr. appt. my husband and I realized that Christmas is a week away. 

Now, if you live in any other state than Florida, please try to take this with a grain of salt.  But, as a non-Florida native, Christmas time is a very difficult time of year for me to be motivated. 

Like, how am I supposed to realize it is Christmas when it is 85* outside, and I'm thinking about going to the beach as I plan my day?  What I'm saying people is that (poor me), the natural triggers just aren't there. No snow, no cold, no icicles, no hot chocolate and caroling...zilch, nada. Nothing to help me realize that I had really better get it together! 

Yes, I've been working on Christmas projects for siblings, and just got them into the mail.  Checking them off of my to finish asap list.  But I must be in denial because beyond that and caramels for teachers/friends at the girl's school, that's it.  Zilch.  We've got nothing baby beyond making and decorating 4 dozen sugar cookies for my daughter's class party.  

Today, my husband is spending a few hours with a friend, and so I, in all of my alone and spare time (horray, I'm alone for a few hours!) woke up with a mission to take chicken noodle soup to a sick friend for lunch.  Which I did.  Then I watched an episode of Lark Rise to Candleford.  And ate lunch. And just realized that I have music students who will be showing up very soon. No Christmas shopping here!  

As I think about tomorrow and what to do now that the kids are out of school - we'll most likely go to the beach!

And for the record, do I miss the cold, snow, icicles, etc.etc....not one bit baby!

  

  

Just when I thought...

You know, sometimes life rolls along smoothly. And then sometimes you just can't catch your breath to get back on your feet.
Yep.
Our daughter decided last night that we are calling this year, year of the plagues!
It has been like that.
Yesterday, as I was biking our youngest to school, I could hear a weird cough and wheezing going on. I turned her around and we went back home since she said she had had a hard time breathing and her chest was tight when she was running.
To the Dr we go. Yep, exercise induce asthma.
We spent the morning at the Dr office then picking up scripts and stuff to get her healthy again.

Then, last evening, we found a little worm on our cat. After some research, it looks like we get to take the cats to the vet today too.
I so didn't need this.
Our other daughter is congested, but seriously, no one is allowed to get sick.
I can't take it. Really I can't!

I swear, we are having the biggest New Year's Eve party ever this year. So tired of the year of the plagues. That is... If we are even still around by that point.

The 8 Day MRI saga

 A week to remember, that I hope we forget. We went to the hospital on Wednesday for the MRI under sedation, and when we got there, we were told that they couldn't do it if my husband was having seizures.  (But they said they weren't seizures since he wasn't blacking out). After much frustration, they told us that they were speaking directly to the doctor and that he directed us to the Emergency Room since he was on call there, and could see us there, and that they could do the MRI there.

Unfortunately, they were very busy. My husband was put on a stretcher, had a bunch of calming drugs pumped into him and left in the hallway for 10 hours. Finally, after 11 hours, he was admitted into the hospital for "involuntary contractions" which weren't technically seizures, but pretty darn well looked just like them.  I timed them.  He had 19 in 1 hr. 10 minutes.  It was horrible to see.  Fortunately, I'd made arrangements for our kids after school with a friend and she just took care of everything they needed.  What a blessing!

Jeff got situated in his room for the evening and I headed home for a few hours of sleep.  Picked the girls up and got them off to school, headed back to the hospital.
I spent the day there as my husband met with many different Dr. aides, a few doctors, and had lots of tests done. After the EEG, they moved him from the 4th floor to the 9th floor, to a much nicer, spacious room.  A friend picked up my girls, and another friend picked them up and brought them AND dinner to us in the hospital.
I took the girls home when a friend came to visit my husband, and went for a quick bike ride in the morning - except that it was a really slow ride - one of my slowest ever!  The girls went to school, and I packed a bag to stay the night when my husband called and said that he'd had a horrible night, an invasion of his privacy by a nurse that was very traumatic, and that he had wished I'd stayed.

We had a great nurse, and several friends stopped in to say hello, one even brought me lunch (she's a keeper).  The Dr. group was pretty cruddy.  In the ER, we'd asked that they contact our Dr.  They never did.  They asked if we minded if they 'consulted' along with our Dr.  We thought they would put their heads together and confer.  Nothing even close to it.  They completely erased him from everything and decided to take their own direction without consulting us or him.  At one point, the neurologist was ready to send my husband home - without the MRI that he'd been waiting for!  We threw a bit of a stink, and finally the Dr. came it to speak with us (we'd never even met her - she didn't seem to have time to meet the patients, just to send them home after reading someone else's opinion and impressions of them...grrrr)

My husband went for 24 without sleep due to some medication, and started to seize everytime his body tried to sleep.  Finally, late Friday night, they came and got him and he had enough drugs in him and was tired enough that he was able to make it through the MRI without seizing.

On Saturday, after waiting for an eon. The neurologist's assistant told us that they hadn't seen anything in the MRI. As far as they could tell, everything looked great.  So, we waited for another 5 hours for the discharge Dr. to get there to sign discharge papers.  

What we know: nada

We have a couple of referrals for some doctors - including a neurologist who focuses on movement and seizures.  Guess I'll start calling tomorrow and working with our insurance to make sure everything is covered.  

We are so grateful to all of our Florida family, church, and neighbors for their support and love.  We've had dinners brought in, cookies brought in, visits, phone calls, messages and so much love.  There aren't words to describe.  

Where this will take us, we don't know, but we know all things are in the Lord's hands, and we trust that things will turn out according to His will and time frame and pray for the faith to make it through.  

Drama Drama Drama (pronounced with a Irish accent)

Really.  It never ends.
We've had some really rough days lately.  6 to be exact.
My husband had an EEG last week for his tremors and saw a neurologist.  The neurologist said he thinks my husband has temporal lobe epilepsy.  WHAT?
They used strobe lights as part of the EEG, and somehow triggered something nasty inside of my husband.  Now we are fiendishly trying to find the off switch to put the beast back to sleep.
Since Thursday pm, he's been in a state of frequent seizures.  As in, hours at a time of waves of seizing - not blacking out, but convulsing out of control.  Can't walk, can't talk.  At least it isn't very painful yet.  Ugly.
Not what I voted for.

On Thursday the Dr. office was supposed to set up an MRI.  Monday rolled around and we still hadn't heard back from them, so I called to see if it had been set up (nope) and I set it up.  The Dr. office said they'd tried for 3 days but hadn't been able to due to insurance issues.  Whatever.  I distinctly told them South, the 3T machine, with epilepsy panel.  Ok they said and set it up.

I called the Dr. office yesterday am first thing to tell them that my husband's previous tremor a couple of times a week had morphed into an angry blood sucking monster.  They basically gave me the equivalent of 'that's nice dear, and patted my hand' and told me after the MRI, they could see when the Dr. could see him.

I called this morning to ask about sedation for my husband since he is seizing so badly (went through it again with them) during the MRI.  They couldn't recommend that I gave him an anti anxiety medication he had on hand from his first hospital experience when this all started 6 months ago.  And they didn't really want to mess with trying to set up a sedation team for the MRI.

We showed up 30 min early as they had asked.  My husband started convulsing, so they led him to someplace to lie down and were going to get ready to do it.  Then somehow, they looked at the script and came and told me that the procedure had to be done at South, because they didn't have the 3T or epilepsy protocol (yeah - the one I'd requested).  Yeah, what a pain.  They tried to fix it but after two hours, couldn't.  My husband did score some Xanax though.  At least that was something since he was freaking out.  They also informed us there was no way that he could have an MRI in his current shaking condition.
They called the Dr. office, and they recommended that we go to the ER.  What a mess.

Eventually we left, and tomorrow we will try over WITH a sedation team (he's going under), and at the correct facility, with the correct diagnostic panel.

What a ride.  Hoping against all hope that we can find some answers very soon.
  

Good news

Lots and lots going on these days.  Trying to keep up.
On Tuesday, I missed going to my book club even though I had fiendishly read to finish the book in time. However, as part of book club, we usually share our good news.  I'd been thinking through the day (Tuesday) about what I could possibly share.  We are very blessed, but I couldn't think of any good news that seemed share worthy.

I finally found my good news and inspiration today:
While at the Dr. this week, in an answer to our prayers, the Dr. actually saw first hand some of the health issues my husband has been having, and was inspired to go in a different direction than he'd been headed.  With his help, we were able to get in to see another Dr. and will hopefully have some definitive answers soon.  If you didn't know - 2013 has been the year of bad luck health problems in our home. I won't spell it out, but it hasn't been pretty.

Our daughter just texted me to let us know that her audition last night (that she thought she had tanked), wasn't so bad, and she will be able to participate in the all county band.  Not 100% sure what it is, but she's excited about it.  I'm sure it means more schedule jiggling and running around for me, but I think that comes in my job title - or something like that.  

Finally, our washing machine broke.  My in-laws have been in town, and so my father in law was able to unhook the old one, and (I only assisted a little - he's pretty handy) install the one we've been storing in the garage for the past year, for such a day as this.
Hooray - soon my children may have clean clothing to wear!  And the mountain of laundry in my bathroom will be conquered. No. I won't post pictures.

We did celebrate the day of the dead also.  That's an accomplishment - I've been trying to find the energy after Halloween for that one.  I found some fun pumpkin recipes and we had a pumpkin palooza dia de los muertos.

 

A really long post about a trip to Colorado, priesthood blessings, a temple sealing, an appendix, and swimming with alligators

Where to begin?
We've been hanging on to life's roller coaster with white knuckles these past several weeks.
In September, we traveled to Colorado to meet our new tenant and situate everything with our previous tenant.  Several days prior to our travels, my husband began to feel abdominal pain.  We weren't sure what it was, we'd tried some new black rice and chalked it up to the new food experience.

On Wednesday, just prior to leaving, he was really in pain and wasn't walking very well.  I called the missionaries from our church, and asked them to give my husband a priesthood blessing of healing.  They came, and gave him a blessing, and we headed for the airport.

At the airport, he was in a lot of pain, and I payed $9 for a tiny bottle of Aleeve.  He took two, and boarded the plane. During the flight, he squeezed my hand and I tried to distract him with a book on tape.  We discussed calling an ambulance from the airport, or driving straight to a hospital in Denver.  When we touched down however, he stepped into the Denver airport and said he was feeling better.  So well in fact, that after picking up our bags, he drove or 3 hours through rain over two mountain passes to our destination in Beaver Creek (one of our most favorite places in the world!).  It was past 1:00 am for our eastern time zone orientation.  We were exhausted.

The next morning, my husband went for a 4 mile run - up the ski mountain 2 miles, then back down 2 miles, and then went for a swim.  We had a fantastic breakfast together at one of my old favorite lunch haunts - the Columbine Bakery (best rolls ever!), and then headed down valley to see our cute yellow house.

We were amazed when we arrived.  The apple trees which had never produced more than 4 apples were full of beautiful crisp apples.  Our pear tree's branch was to the point of breaking due to the excessive amounts of fruit, and the other pear tree that had never given fruit was also laden with tons of pears.  Our raspberries were perfectly ripe (just waiting to be made into jam), and the carrots in the garden were sweet and crunchy.  Our girls didn't miss a moment, and were instantly outside foraging.  It seemed like time had just stood still.   Did I mention how much we loved our yard in Colorado, and gardening?  :)

We walked through our old home, and saw where our previous tenant had stolen our vanity from the wall (it was super cute), and cut holes in the doors for their dogs?, where our last tenants had put up shelving, and we really missed our super cute yellow house.

Because we were so close to the girl's previous school, we dropped by and got to see all of the girl's old teachers.  

Because it was lunch time, our youngest daughter saw two old friends in the hall on their way to lunch.  She ran up with hugs, and joined them in the lunch room at their table, and got to catch up with all of her old friends.  She was in heaven. 

Our eldest daughter was able to see her old teachers, as well as noting much of the artwork still around the school that she had done.

We stopped by our old favorite mexican restaurant (yes, they had horchata bless them!), and saw the same menu, ordered the same items, and then went to meet our eldest daughter's previous teacher who was at a different school.
 
My husband was having a hard time walking and was clutching his side.  So, I called his previous Dr. office and they said they could see him.  I dropped our daughters off at the school, dropped him off a mile away at the Dr. and came back to visit with the teacher.  As we left, my husband called and said that the Dr. office was sending him up to the hospital for a CT scan and blood work.

Blast from the past!  We had a white knuckle drive through Wolcott, in a yucky rain storm (the Bermuda triangle of the Vail Valley) while my husband insisted that he was just fine.  I took him to the hospital.  Yep, where he worked for 13 years.  Where both of our children were born.  One of our old friends was working in the lab and did a double take when we walked in.  The blood work was fine. 
 He had a CT, and while he was waiting for the radiologist to read it, his gums started to tingle, then he broke out with itching and hives all over his body.  They rushed him to the ER due to an allergic reaction to the contrast.


While in the ER, the radiologist spoke with the Dr. and we were informed that his appendix had to come out immediately.  So much for the party with old friends that had been planned for the evening.  We got to have a different party.

Dinner at the hospital

Our friend Joe came to the hospital and gave my husband a priesthood blessing, promising him that the surgery would go well, and that the surgeon would be guided.  They said it would take no longer than 1.5 hours.  We waited, and waited. Finally at 1.75 hrs. the surgeon came out and told me that his appendix had been "reaaallly" large, and had been wedged down into his pelvis.  It had been difficult to remove, and was a miracle that it hadn't burst.  (I believe it should have burst while we were flying, but didn't due to the blessing he'd received just before we left)

We saw him in recovery (even though he didn't remember later), and he sent us back to the hotel (another 1 am night for our kids).  The next morning, we picked up some stretchy old man pants from the store, and he was discharged, so we headed to Denver.

In Denver, our dear friends were being sealed together for eternity in the LDS temple.  10+ years ago, we'd witnessed our friend's civil marriage and were so excited to see them be sealed for eternity.  My friend had asked me to be her guide/escort as she visited the temple for the first time that day.  Unfortunately, the elements, (and appendixes) conspired against us.  Traffic and construction and potty/walking stops slowed us down and I wasn't able to get there in time.  I got my husband situated in a hotel bed, got some pain medication into him, fed the kids lunch, and got them settled down, working on their homework and had a quiet moment to think.  I had a sudden thought, and called the temple and received permission to meet our friends when they came out.  It was truly an amazing experience to be waiting and see them walk through the door, and to hug each other again.

The next morning, we checked out of our hotel, trying to figure out what our next step would be.  We'd originally planned to drive straight to Ut. to see our family and my ailing grandfather.  That didn't seem likely in light of the appendectomy.  We headed to the temple and were able to see our friends be sealed for eternity.  

 It was awesome.  My husband was barely walking, and so we sat on a bench to wait for our friends and figure out our next plans.  An old friend said hello and asked where we were staying.  We told her we weren't sure if we were going to stay in Denver or head back to the mountains.  She immediately offered her home.  After some discussion, we gratefully accepted her offer.  We headed back to the mountains that evening, and barely succeeded in getting my husband up the stairs. 
 He had an awful night due to the pain (his pain meds were causing indigestion problems, so he stopped them).  The next morning we sent our girls to church with our hosts, even though we'd hoped to stop at our old ward a little further down the valley.  I got to play nurse. As the kids got back from church, my dear cousin and his sweet family arrived - we'd hoped to see them, but couldn't make the drive.  They did a 6 hour trip to see us.  It was so nice to see them!  Finished up with a quiet evening, while I silently panicked, waiting for our bank to open the next morning, since someone had stolen our credit card and gone on a shopping spree at Armani in Orlando earlier that day.

On Monday, we had breakfast at Minturn's Turntable (our old post snowshoe gathering point).  While we'd expected to drop my husband back for a nap, he insisted he was fine, so we went up to Beaver Creek where the girls tromped around in the creek, looking for pyrite and faux gold nuggets.   

It was a beautiful day, with gorgeous weather, and we laughed A LOT.  It was so refreshing - we all needed that morning after the previous several days.  We'd been in limbo with where/what to do, trying to gauge my husband's health.  He insisted he felt fine, so we packed up, and headed to Denver.  Checked into our hotel, quick nap/homework, then caught a cab to the Denver Rockies stadium where we watched our favorite team beat the St. Cardinals.  We even got the last two free shirts they were handing out to guests.  Great seats. Great game. Finally found a cab, and made it back to our hotel.  We did laundry, and checked out the next day, and headed back to Florida.  Phew.  It was really nice to get home.

Two days later, my husband went to the Dr.  I pulled out the radiology report and read through it before our appointment.  At that point, I realized just how lucky he was.  His appendix had been 14mm.  According to google, 14 is the highest point on the scale and anything over 6mm is acute appendicitis.  My husband the "Overachiever".  Glad he's still with me.  :)

He ended up spending the next week in Chicago, and our ward had it's fabulous annual primary program, along with an open house afterwards for guests the next week.  The kids were really great - and I loved that we asked questions, and their answers were their parts.  One child knew that Heavenly Father loves him, because He gave him, "dragons, and my brother".  Another explained that the Fall (of Adam), was when Eve ate the poisoned apple (yes, we live close to Disney).

This week, I went for my Monday bike ride, and realized that I was feeling good.  So I turned around and did it again - my first 20 miler ever!  On Wed. I did it again.  On Friday, I noticed that both of our bikes had flat tires (I'd been using the spare after my tire burst).  So, Saturday, I got some new tires, and tubes, and repaired the bikes.  Yippee!!

During the past two weeks I've also been training for a 1000 meter swim across a lake and back - a lake with possible large reptiles (this is Florida).  I invited a friend to do it with me.  She was excited, and mentioned it to her husband (Rowdy Gaines, an Olympic Gold Medalist).  She wasn't super excited about the super early morning swim, but Rowdy invited us to a swim that was scheduled later in the day after his master series swim meet.
So this weekend, I and two friends, along with Rowdy and his wife swam across Lake Cane together.

 Was I the last one to cross?  Yep.  


Was it really hard?  Yep.  Did I see some dark shadows in the water? Possibly.  Did I make it? Barely. 
 But - I DID IT!  Not bad for a girl who could barely swim 50 laps in her pool in February, and who couldn't swim at all when she moved to Florida 2 years ago.
I'm so grateful to my friend David.
He swam the entire way there and back with me.  He encouraged me the entire time, and was really great.  I was a little embarrassed when I looked up and saw the silhouettes of all of the onlookers, and those who'd already finished standing on the dock waiting for me to finish.  Then I heard cheering, and my kid's voices,  
shouting "Go, mom!" "You can do it, mom!" Some of the sweetest sounds I've ever heard.

My next feat - the ward Fall Festival, followed by a month of company, Thanksgiving, and the Christmas holiday season. Cheers
    

Sunday Sept 9, 2013

Today was a good day.
Just before 8:00 am I found out my chorister for primary wasn't able to be there. I realized that the prompting and thought that I'd had Thursday night, as well as Friday morning, had been promptings from the Holy Ghost, and that I'd ignored them.  I'm going to do a better job of listening and doing this week.  Today we'd planned for a full hour of song practice.  I scrambled, and got to be the chorister.
I said a prayer.
Things worked out great. At least I heard one kid say it was fun, and the kids seemed to sing well for me!

After church, while my husband and daughter were at a meeting, my youngest and I had a heart to heart. She's been struggling for a while with friends, and not very open to hearing ideas or suggestions. Things have been tough. But something that she heard in church today, opened her heart a little, and as she told me about her heart ache, we opened the scriptures and read about the betrayal and heartache that Jesus Christ must have gone through when he was betrayed, and then even denied by his most stalwart companions.
She remembered that I had taught the primary children a month or so ago, that there is no problem in life that cannot be found in the scriptures.  You name it - everything is in there.  And because Heavenly Father loves us, we have scriptures - and can find help and direction through them.
So, as we read together, and discussed what we read, she said a prayer, and found her purpose.

She made some cupcakes (all by herself), and then I went with her to deliver them to friends.  She spoke with several different friends and apologized for wrongs, and asked for forgiveness.  It was seemingly such a simple thing to do. Two words, - I'm sorry.  Followed by, "Will you forgive me?", but oh so difficult to do.

She learned (happily) that when she used those words, and meant them, that friendships could be patched.  That laying out feelings and vulnerabilities on the table, in order to communicate is scary, but that better things can come.  It turned out so much better than she had expected.

I'm grateful to the mom that approached me and told me something was going on, and we probably needed to figure out how to sort it out.

I realized how much I love teaching my children "life skills".  How to get through problems that seem insurmountable.  I know that with God, nothing is impossible.  It felt like "this is what being a parent is about", and I LOVE it!

And now it is super late, and I need to get my game so I'm not cranky tomorrow and ruin this really satisfying day.

I finally remembered

I've been racking my brain all evening. Trying to remember (after my pathetic, I've been too busy to blog, but can't remember why post) why I was too busy to blog the past few weeks.

I've redeemed myself.
I painted two bedrooms.
One each week.
My brother also came into town.
AND I was sick for a whole week.
And I'm in the middle of the primary program throes.

Suffice it to say.
I'm feeling justified. Both for my forgetfulness, and um...for whatever else I was trying to justify, but just yawned, and forgot.

I will post photos. Soon. But we are in the 'decorating' it stage of things with the blood red, vampire wall room.
Yes. You heard me right.  And it was a COMPROMISE.

Blogging blues

I'm trying.
To do better.
To remember to blog.
Sometimes I fail. Or there aren't enough hours.
Or I'm really consumed by my latest Korean comedy.

I've been busy with 'stuff'.  Preparing for upcoming travels and adventures.  Working on getting our Colorado house rented, and everything squared away with that.

Did I mention that school started? Nope. Not even a blog about it. Bad mom. Bad mom. If I did, I just can't remember back that far.
My brain is trying to squeeze too much into it.

Like this morning - last night, traveling back from a stake training (with primary general board persons), we planned an impromptu presidency meeting. Which was good, since our last one was a while ago, since someone went out of town, and school started.  My meeting met.  Then I picked up staple fruits and groceries to hold us over for a while, came home to find a big bag of frozen blueberries thawn (is that a word) on the counter.  Oh yeah, from smoothies I made for breakfast.  After I got kids to school, and then sat down to plan my meeting and work on my agenda.  After the store, I ate several cookies for lunch.  They were really tasty. With pink frosting and sprinkles.  I saved a few for the kids at least.  That's something.

The blueberries are now in the oven. With a dry cake mix and butter on top - a nice cobbler.  To go with the roasting chicken next to it.  I bought some quinoa, black rice, and couscous on Saturday. Going to experiment with those too.

I'm back. Cub scouts was calling my name again. Loudly. As are my children now, and the shower. Yes, now that I'm in a new decade, I don't wake up with immediately oily hair, and can pretend that I've showered, until later in the day when I really do. Really.  I'm feeling like perhaps, I've shared too much. gasp.
And my husband is home.

Suffice it so say. I'm still alive. And will really blog - some day in the near future. Just not the rest of today.
:)

You don't have to be friends to ask...

I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Sometimes we are called, "Mormons".
I had the blessing to be a missionary in Guatemala for 18 months as a full time missionary.  I fell in love with the people, and language, and culture, and everything Spanish.  A couple of days ago, one of my piano students asked me, "are you part Hispanic?".  My response, "no, but I'd like to be!"

A missionary's life isn't easy.  Imagine, no TV, radio, internet, newspapers or magazines, personal time etc. for 24 months for the men, and 18 months for the women.  Living in strange areas (or countries) for 4-6 months, then moving on to a new area.  Living 24/7 with a companion who you may love, or who you may have to learn how to love.  Doors slammed, rejection, long hours, I could go on and on, but it's a hard life.

And a beautiful life.  Spending every single day for 24 or 18 months talking about, and teaching people about Jesus Christ.  Seeing lives change as the people you teach feel the Holy Ghost, and recognize the truths that you've been teaching them.  It truly is an awesome experience.
 

And then, you go home, where your family (and life) await you.  Suddenly you have to focus on your own problems, not everyone else's.

I know, I know, - you may be asking, "what's the point? where is this going?"

Here's where.  I just had an awesome missionary experience this morning.  AWESOME.

I went to a meeting this last week with all of the missionaries and leaders in our area.  Someone who spoke, said, "you don't have to be friends with people to ask if they'd like to hear what you believe".  That is the only thing that I really remember from that meeting, because I sort of stopped in my tracks and really ruminated on it.  Wait, what?  How do I ask complete strangers?  It was easy as a missionary, people were intrigued by my nametag and Americanness.  Middle aged housewife - maybe not so much now... Huh?

We found some bug remains (carpenter ants it turns out) in a wall when we removed an outlet plate for painting.  I called the bug people, and this morning, had an appointment with the bug lady. .

When I woke up today, I had the thought, "I need to ask her if she would like to learn what I believe".  Then I thought, huh?  How is this going to work?

She came.  She did her job, then was inclined to chat.  She started talking about her granddaughter, and taking her to church.  I am not friends with her, but I stated, "I'm a Mormon, would you like to hear what I believe?"  She said yes, and asked some very specific questions, and we had a fantastic conversation.  She asked where the closest church to her is, and I gave her a map and directions.  I truly felt like I needed to share with her, and she was so very grateful that I'd asked.  She's trying out different churches right now, trying to figure out what she believes, and as we spoke, she felt something, she felt the Holy Ghost confirming that the things we were talking about were true. It was really cool.  Not an everyday experience, but one I hope I'll remember.

I forget to share what I believe sometimes, and worry sometimes that someone will be offended if I do share my beliefs with them.  Today I learned two things.
1. I don't have to be friends with someone to invite them to hear what I believe.  Shocking, but true.
2. It's quite possible that the person I speak with, may be looking and praying, and it may be an answer to someone else's prayers.  God will use use us, if we will let Him.  I know that.

So, if you know me, (or don't) and want to know about the things I believe to be true, message me, or go to lds.org or mormon.org   - consider it an invitation!

  

Health issues

I just want to say that this hasn't been our most favorite year in regards to health issues.

Regarding my husband, we still don't quite know what is going on.  We've been hanging out at the Dr. office a lot lately, and he's donated a ton of blood to the hospital lab, in hopes of figuring something out, and fortunately, my husband is pretty darn healthy.
Unfortunately, he doesn't feel very healthy, and they can't figure out what it may be or why.

This last week he cut out all sugars, white/refined/processed products and seemed like he was starting to pop out of it.  But not quite.  The doctor thinks maybe he's dealing with something similar to hypoglycemia, but we aren't quite sure if that is it. Sometimes he is fine, seemingly normal, but then he'll crash.

If anyone has experience with this, I'd love any thoughts or comments.  Prayers welcomed. 

Things are not always as they appear

Yesterday, we headed over to Home Depot, and attended a interior painting class.
The whole family.
It wasn't very organized and was a little slow, but we learned a few nifty tips and I think the kids learned some creative painting options.
We picked up our paint, and headed home to begin our big painting project.  We've been putting in ceiling fans and overhead lights, and doing electrical stuff, and patching walls, and now we are finally ready to get rid of "electric green" and "robin's egg blue" in the girl's rooms.  That slow to - do list when you buy a new place....
We taped everything up, moved the bed and bookshelves and while my husband looked for the rollers that we haven't used for two years, I started priming the windowsill.
He came in with a nifty gadget and started priming up a storm (what I did in 20 minutes took him two).  We were almost ready to start rock and rolling (get it?)
Just then I got a phone call.
Our church was having a Young Single Adults Conference for everyone (single) between 18-31 for the state of Florida, and part of Georgia.  For whatever reason, some of the anticipated help hadn't worked out, and help was needed immediately.
We appreciated that they felt like they could call on our family to help out in a time of need, and quickly showered, and got on the road.
We got different assignments.  Our oldest daughter helped slice hoagie buns for cold cut lunches today. My husband transferred food between the refrigerated truck, to the rooms where foods were processed (sliced, cut, or whatever) back and forth.  At least I think that's what he did.
The young'un and I got to hang out outside.  We helped get the tables set up, moved a tent to over the water coolers and made tasty beverages....enough to quench the thirst of 800+ people in Florida on a hot summers day.  Not an easy feat I assure you.
It was really hot.  We sweated a lot.  We really appreciated the freezer trailer.  The little one would climb into it for a quick cool down as we needed bags and bags of ice.  Sometimes we hugged the ice as we transported it - momentary bliss.
As everyone began to eat, we manned the beverages, keeping them full and it kept us running back and forth.
While our day didn't quite turn out as we had expected, we were blessed to be able to help and serve so many people.  Our youngest got to help out with "bowling" using pineapples as pins, and coconuts as the balls.  We observed "spearing watermelons", and watched hula dancers and fire dancers as well. Our youngest even got to go up and participate, and she was pretty jealous when she saw the karaoke and dance going on inside towards the end of the evening.

What was interesting to me though, was that it was a blessing to us to be able to be there.  When we first arrived, were in line waiting for the restroom and I asked some of the people where they were from.  One of the girls was from nearby and I asked if she knew some of our friends who live in their area.  She answered yes, and told me that one of the young men in that family will be heading to California (Long Beach) for the next two years to be a missionary for our church.  I hadn't heard, and was elated to receive this news.  Several of his siblings were at the conference, and we were able to see them and momentarily catch up.  We will visit with them this evening, before he leaves tomorrow for his mission.

We got to serve others, and to see friends, and to find out about this special news and have the opportunity to see our friend before he leaves.

School starts tomorrow and we today we were able to move back into our chapel that was under reconstruction for the past 8 months.  Hooray! And the AC in the primary room works - double HOORAY!  Life is good - even when it doesn't quite turn out as we anticipated.

Oh, and church time moved back to the early time.  That means Sunday naps! 

Light - let there be light!

This past week I've been perfecting my crock pot cooking skills.
Like, almost every night I crock potted.  Scary since we're still only in June.
We had a few crazy storms last week - one waking us all at 1:30 am.  Truly window rattling thunder and lightening.  Our pool was so full, we had to pump it twice.

Due to my husband's slightly tempermental  - "who knows what is going on?" I've been working hard to have dinner on the table when he gets home, and to keep things a little more orderly - just trying to keep down the stress.
He did tell me I needed to pace myself though as we had guests for dinner twice last week.  He's probably right.

The girls are signed up for free bowling at two alleys.  As such - they are bowling a lot - up to 4 games a day!  (What?  C'mon..our pool is malfunctioning and waiting for parts, and it is HOT and humid outside with afternoon showers!)
We watched a bunch of youtube videos on bowling techniques on Saturday.  Can't wait to see how the girls improve.

We got caught in a monsoon downpour on Friday coming out of the bowling alley.  Just running to the car drenched us COMPLETELY.  Came home and snuggled into jammies and blankets and had a family Harry Potter movie fest.

Backtracking to April, my parents were in town and wondered what I wanted for my upcoming birthday.  I asked if my dad could help install some overhead lights/ceiling fans.  He said sure and went to work.  I'd watched some youtube videos and read some books - it didn't seem too complicated.  Except that there was no existing wiring, and he had to wire most of the attic for it.  (Who knew?)  He wasn't able to finish before they headed back home.

Fast forward to now - my husband has been working on the attic wiring/lights campaign now since April.  Everytime he's gone into the attic, he's gotten sick.  Last time sending him to the ER.  So...it has been a little bit of a sore subject.  I wanted to just hire someone.  He wanted to finish the project.   (Need I say more?) So, during the HP fest, my hubby got a little bored and decided to putter around some more.  He went into the attic with a promise that he'd only be there for 5 minutes.  When he came down, he was sick again.  There must be something in that attic!  He would take a few minutes, then putter, then rest a few more, then putter.
However.....Wala!  After 2 months, one ambulance ride, ER visit, Dr. visit, and CT scan we now have working overhead lights in three rooms!  Here they are:

I couldn't take pics of the whole rooms - they weren't finished being cleaned yet.  

 Yay!  Now we can start re-thinking the electric green that came with this bedroom.  

This one is in my music room where I teach.  It SORELY needed something overhead.  I specifically got this one since it has 4 bulbs.  No more students squinting to see the music!

The moral of the story is...contracting with Eddy who would have done it for $200 a pop back when we were moving in, may have been cheaper than just the ER and CT scan themselves.

And the question that begs for an answer is: Who will be installing and wiring our light/ceiling fan for our master bedroom?  LoL  

I think I'm okay taking a sabbatical on the lighting for a bit.  

Our daughter is headed off to girls camp this week, and apparently the cinnamon rolls I handed out last year at the meeting point were requested again. So, I'm off to bake cinnamon rolls and crack the whip for two girls who SHOULD be cleaning their rooms.  

  

A week

It is absolutely amazing how much can happen in a week. 7 days.

We started out last week with some company for dinner and family home evening.
We had our musical Tuesday  - where we are in lessons all day long, my kids either in them, or me teaching them.  The girls and I had some pita chips and hummus and were just hanging out - trying to reload after lessons (aka. 4:45 lunch) when my husband came home from work.
He went up into the attic to do some work on some fans we've been installing.
Came down, asked who wanted to go to home depot.  No one.  So he headed off on his own.
Came back, sat on the couch, and sent the girls to their bedrooms.
Then he collapsed onto the floor and started shaking, and asked me to call 911 because something was wrong, but he didn't know what.  He hadn't been feeling well since Saturday, but had made lots of improvement by Tuesday.
I called some neighbors -   couldn't get hold of anyone until my 5th try.  Really - where were all of my friends at 9:30 at night not answering their phones?  Our neighbor across the street came over, and so did the ambulance and fire truck.
They loaded him up and took him to the hospital.
The kids spent the night across the street with our neighbors.
I headed to the hospital where we hung out for several hours, and did tests.  And then sent us home with no idea of what happened.  We went to the Dr. the next day.  He sent us for a ct scan the next day.
Still no idea.
But, life goes on.  We are chalking it up to perhaps an anxiety attack?

The girls are enrolled in a free bowling program this summer, so we bowled on Friday night, stopped by the pool shop - (where we found we can get a salt cell for our pool for $200 more than we can find it on Amazon), and then we went to a wedding reception for our friend's daughter.  They had a cookie bar - I sent my sour cream sugar cookies with roses on top.  It was fun to walk into the reception and find some of our friends (one who we'd met as a missionary in Colorado) there.  We didn't know we had the mutual friends.

At the reception, we ran into a friend who has offered to teach us surfing - once the waves are right.  We headed out early Sat. am to meet him - and while the waves were rough - our youngest was able to get up in the white water a couple of times.  Spent most of the day at the beach, and then my husband and I had a father's day shopping date.  Bath and Body works semi annual sale - where I had a coupon and gift card so it cost us $0.00.  Then we found some dress pants for my husband for work.  Amazingly, we found a pair of pants on clearance $19.99 stuck in with the $149.99 pants.   While we were sure it was wrong, we jumped at it!  We asked if they had any more, and they weren't sure, so we went back in and found a couple more pairs, but only one that he wanted.  It was a score though!

And then we fed my husband's addiction.  Wings.  Yep - he loves them.  L O V E S.  The kids don't though, so it's a great date.  My favorite part is watching him try to towel off all of his sweat that breaks out while he's eating wings.  He literally DRIPS.  It's pretty gross, but so funny - cause, who does that?

This week we've got bowling, hopefully no hospital trips, maybe some beach, some families from our ward for dinner a couple of evenings, and a much put off visit to the post office.  

Pictures and walls

When my husband and I were first married, I came across this print, and my father in law built a frame for it from an old playhouse that my husband and his brothers had helped build as children, as a surprise for my husband's birthday.

During our last move (and probably all of the others in between) - (yes in October), the frame was damaged.  We propped it against the wall in our formal dining room, (where it reminded us on a daily basis), and it has waited very patiently to be addressed.

Today was a lucky day.
I pulled out my Kreg Jig.  It's a tool thing.  It's really cool.  If you don't have one, you should get one.  I've used it to fix lots of things.  Including this picture frame.  It is made specifically for joining pieces of wood together - things like picture frames.  

So I pulled out my drill.  I pulled out my kreg jig. I pulled out my staple gun, paper towels, and glass cleaner.   I found all of the pieces, and went online and watched a tutorial since it had been a while since I used it.  Then....drumroll.....I fixed it!

Yep, good as new.  Er - as new as a frame made from an old weathered childhood playhouse could be.  Sturdy.

Granted, while this in itself really isn't very exciting (I can acknowledge this), what is exciting, is that after finding a home for this picture, I was able to find homes for a bunch of photos I had enlarged and framed last week, as well as a painting from Guatemala that waited 9 years to get framed and on a wall.  Yep - almost a decade.  

We've been looking for a specific painting - zealously - since December.  We know we will find it someday. In the meantime, our walls have started to look like we've finally sort of moved in.

Update from my sabbatical

Today after church a new friend told me she'd found my blogs and had been reading up on our lives.  I chuckled as we drove home because I realized she may know me/us better than most of the people from church just from reading my blog!  Hah. 

Then I wondered, 'just what in the heck have I blogged about recently?', and then I got home and checked (just before falling into a sleep coma) and realized that I've blogged about nothing for almost three months.  How is that possible? 

Then the thunder woke me up.   Awesome, house shaking thunder.  Which I'm very disappointed, that it hasn't accompanied any rain yet.  But since it is Fast Sunday, and since dinner isn't for another 30 minutes here's my 3 month catch up. 

• Spring break (while daddy worked) in Tarpon Springs, Florida.  Such a unique place - a complete Greek fishing village.  We enjoyed sight-seeing, taking a boat tour to Anchiote Island, our first Deep Sea Fishing (it was amazing) excursion where our youngest cleaned up on the fishing, and a little Easter dress shopping. 

• Easter - with our traditional taquitos and trifle.  And yes, Easter was back to back with a birthday - totally not fair on the parents!  
• 3 birthdays (happy birthday us). 
• Oh, I hit the big 40.  Now I can complain when my body starts falling apart - there's a reason to pin it to.  :)
• That living healthy challenge - I lost 20# between January and April.  Go me.  
• 2 straight weeks of house guests/company.  4 different families came to visit us.  We loved spending time with them - but would thank the airlines to kindly space out their amazing pricing better through out the year so we can enjoy everyone one at a time.  
• 3 Disney trips - one for my birthday with my parents, one as a chaperone to my daughter's school's chorus group (chaperoning 12 kids and dealing with a bus that forgot to pick us up made for a long day!), once with two women who I work with at church just for fun - and it WAS fun...
• 2 weeks where I sort of started to grieve and really struggled with a deep depression.  Very unlike me, but whoa was I in a funk.  I think it was the first time I really had to maybe begin my post miscarriage grieving process, when I finally had a window when I wasn't running crazy everywhere.  Regardless, I'm glad to be re-surfacing after that.  It was pretty miserable.  
• 1 crazy week of organizing a string group to play for my daughter's school, the last cub scout pack meeting of the year pot-luck, organizing a community & ward bike ride/run/walk, taking care of sharing time at the last minute, family and their in laws for dinner, planning Memorial Day activities for the ward breakfast, my daughter's birthday, party, and last day of school all on the same day.   

And NOW.... it is summer.  We went to the beach yesterday - a friend said he'd teach us how to surf.  But the water was all wrong, so we enjoyed the sand and the sun and watching colonies of tiny mussels or clams or something burrow into the water and re-surface over and over again.  We helped a friend move, and then took our kids to a Chinese buffet (because we love our kids, and they love Chinese buffets), and because today was Fast Sunday.  We enjoyed church, and naps after church, and I have enjoyed my absolution of having caught up on my blog in a mere 20 minutes, and thus highlighting our most recent, and previously undisclosed adventures.

Our summer plans you may ask?  Well.... they mostly involve bike rides, children bowling for free, swimming in our pool, and as much stress as we can avoid, oh, and don't call on Tuesdays.  They are our lesson days - mine and the girls'.  I'll be teaching alot that day with 6 new students, and fitting in lots of playing during the rest of the week.