Teaching my first Laurel Lesson

Yesterday was the first time I have ever taught in Young Women's. I was called as Laurel Advisor a few weeks ago. I have never served in Young Women other than hanging out at girls camp.The last two topics of the month that the YW president and I had to choose from was one about Adversity and the other about our bodies being temples. I got to choose so I went with the body is a temple because I thought I would have great insight to share. You know basically putting all my hangups out there for the Laurels, so they wouldn't follow in my footsteps. As Linda Tilton would say, I had "diarrhea of the mouth". I think I talked about everything in some way that I had thought about over the last three weeks. The girls pretty much just sit there looking back at you with no expression. You have no idea what they are thinking. I had an outline, but I just could not keep it going. At least now I have a first experience to build on. My being so open and willing to talk about anything, may be more than they are ready for. I honestly feel like I have experienced so many things now personally or through the trials of my kids, that I want to save these girls from at least one heartache which awaits them. It is really a challenge to have absolutely no history or relationship with the people in my ward. Starting from ground zero...

Now I will have to memorize and learn to recite the YW theme at lightening speed.

“We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will ‘stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places’ (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith

Divine Nature

Individual Worth

Knowledge

Choice and Accountability

Good Works

Integrity and

Virtue.

“We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.”

Snow Canyon and Henry

Last weekend Fred and I drove out to Snow Canyon. There are lots of hiking trails there of varying difficulty. Well we weren't prepared for all the red sand trails. So we found the one and only paved trail. 

We will go better prepared next time.

 And then there are these wonderful pictures that Corinne posted on her blog.

I had to swipe them for myself. 

 Little Henry is a cuddly bear.

My family

I'll start with my son Scott.

He is just about finished up with his Bachelors in Computer Engineering from BYU. 

He already has a job lined up in San Antonio TX.

 

He is a super student and also loves his job at the MTC working on Language programs

 (if I have that right)

 I could look at his face all day.

We love him and are so grateful we are blessed to be his Mom & Dad. 

Now for our daughter Shannon's family.

Here is her family on the day of Mima's blessing. It was super cold outside in Las Vegas that day. So family pictures were pretty rushed and very cold. But I do think this special day with family warmed us all.

Little baby Mima with her Mommy. Her blessing gown was made by my good friend Wendy Allred. Shannon sent Wendy my Mother's temple envelope and asked if she could incorporate it in the gown. Wendy made the bodice from the eyelet fabric.



Here is Daddy Brian with his little girl.

Here is Grandpa with a wagon full of little boy toys. 

 Remote control cars 

A big styrofoam glider

Here are our oldest grandsons at McDonalds on the way back from Las Vegas after the blessing day festivities. I rode with Corinne and the four boys and poor Little Henry was so unhappy on the ride home. We finally pulled off in Mesquite to give Henry some attention and Mommy time. I took the big boys in for something to eat. They were all so handsome in their Sunday Best.

This is the wall quilt I made for Mima's bedroom. Shannon has her room decorated with Butterflies. My neighbor did the quilting on her machine. It turned out real sweet!

Las Vegas Grandbabies update

Fred and I went to Las Vegas this last weekend to hang out with Shannon and Brian. We offered to watch the babies so they could go out for a few hours and not be in a rush to get back. It was a pretty easy job. Both babies took good naps and we enjoyed our time with everyone. 

We went to Sacrament meeting and then came home for a quick lunch and a little football on TV and then came home. 

Here is Mima in her new toy. She is so very strong. She is not a cuddly baby. She keeps her back rigid and straight when you hold her. I guess she is more interested in what's around her than relaxing against someone.

 Grandpa reading Buddy from his favorite Truck Book. 

 Here is Mima ready for church. I bought her this little headband and Shannon 

found the perfect little outfit to match it.

We took our Duplos for Buddy to play with. Grandpa was showing him some engineering moves.

Christmas 2013 and Spencer's early 5th family birthday party.

We enjoyed having all of our children and grandchildren to our new home for Christmas this year. We did celebrate the weekend following Christmas Day which simply extended our holiday. 

Corinne and Ben's family came first. 

Here is Spencer sleeping next to new baby Henry. Henry looks most like this brother. 

Everyone except me went to the St George Children's Museum. The boys really loved all the activities there.

 Scott arrived next. Most all of our family enjoy playing games.

Here's a game of apples to apples. 

 Next Shannon & Brian and their babies came. Here are cousins Henry and Mima meeting for the first time. They were born two days apart. Mima is two days older than Henry.

 Here is cousin Buddy too.

 Cousins bonding on the playmate.

 We had a kids table + Daddy

 Daddy Brian and Mima chillin

 Close up of Mima

 Spencer got to go first opening a Christmas present

 Buddy climbing on his present

 Garrett and Richard examining gifts

 Scott got cash and a puzzle to put together so he knew what we intended for him to buy with the money.

 Shannon 

 Fred and me with our newest grandbabies

 Birthday time for Spencer. He turns Five on the 1st of January.

 Missing Mima and Buddy because they were napping. Shannon is going to photo shop them in later.

 Buddy has been sick with a high fever for a few days. Today when he woke up from his nap his parents were out on a walk so Grandpa got Blake duty. Blake just snuggled on Grandpa's lap for about 15 minutes. HE NEVER SITS STILL. We think it was his "I'm still not feeling totally like myself" causing this wonderful moment.

Will it ever end?

Good News First. Shannon and Mima came and stayed Saturday evening through Sunday evening. I did hold Mima a couple times, but she is already kind of wiggly at 2 months so I didn't dare do much more. Shannon made us some yummy enchiladas. It was just so nice to sit and watch tv and talk. I love seeing Shannon so in love with her new baby. 

Now for the crummy news. Yesterday I did wake up feeling not so great. Lots of discomfort related to the catheter.....slowly cleared up and I felt better the rest of the day. Woke up this morning feeling the same way, but it didn't go away. By noon I called the doctor to report what was going on. They gave me a 3:30 appt this afternoon to have an ultrasound to see if my catheter was still doing it's job and to take a urine sample and a culture. 

I tidied myself up somewhat....pretty hideous to be truthful, but anymore I just don't care how I look. Got to the doctor's office and they are in the middle of remodeling. The waiting room was like a sweat box. I got in to see the doctor at almost 5 PM. There were times that I really thought I couldn't wait any longer. It was really miserable. 

The ultrasound showed that my catheter is just right and my bladder is emptying "beautifully". I do have a bladder infection so as we left the nurse had my chart in hand and was going to call my prescription in to Walmart. Got to Walmart and they had no record of the prescription. Fred comes out empty handed with a phone number for the Walmart across the valley. We call them on Fred's cell phone and they have no record. We didn't see my doctor, but one of his associates (a woman Doctor, who by the way I will be switching to) and weren't 100% sure what her name was. Miraculously I remembered the doctor's clinic main number. They gave the after hour number so I called it while Fred went back in again to see if they had found anything. The doctor called right back and said "just give the phone to the pharmacy and I place the order". I answered with "well my husband is in the store and I'm in the car with the only cell phone". She said she would call the pharmacy. Fred comes out and says they found it and it will take a half hour. We drive over to Pollo Loco to get food in the drive thru so we can eat while waiting for the prescription. Well the drive through was so slow. We decided to take the food home figuring the prescription would be ready by now. NO - it wasn't. We got home at 7:30 PM. 

Fred and I are dumbfounded right now with how complicated and hard everything seems to be for us lately. I can't wait to go to bed tonight and sleep. 

Tomorrow Tomorrow is only a day away.

Surgery mishap

So I went into the hospital last Wednesday the 4th to have a lapascopic hysterectomy requiring a one night stay. I anticipated two weeks off before returning to work. After I was returned to my recovery room looking for my cute Lindsey Nurse, I was hauled back in for another procedure to repair my bladder that was nicked in the process of the other surgery. I had a couple blood transfusions, 7 units of fluid and also received some plasma. After both surgeries  were complete, I was transferred by ambulance from the Dixie Regional Health & Performance Center next door to the Dixie Regional Medical Center. Let me tell you that was about the worst thing I've experienced to date. Ambulance travel is not for the faint of heart. 


The first night was pretty horrible. My ribcage and shoulders would shoot with pain if I moved too abruptly. The poor respiratory technician and the night nurse didn't know what they had done to make me heave with pain. Luckily I got a heavy duty pain drip and a clicker to get a burst of added pain killer if I needed it. Needless to say, I slept a lot the 2nd day. I did get up twice to walk the halls. Isn't that a fun time? Takes two people to help you do that. One to push your IV & Catheter bag and one to steady you. 
It was nearly impossible to eat because you just can't get in the right angle for the tray to rest in front of you. Fred had to feed me soup the first meal. I'm always afraid to eat after surgery....pain meds can plug you up you know. Anyway, with the assistance of Muralax, that has not been a problem. The catheter is an experience. I have the big overflow bag. It's is great to never worry about drinking too much and having to get up to go to the bathroom. I get to sleep right through it. :)   But on the other hand I do not like walking around carrying a bag of pee which at times the tube gets air trapped in it so it causes a feeling of discomfort in a place that I do not enjoy. Fred is my pee bag manager. He is being really great about it. 
I'm not totally disabled, but in my mind it's like "I feel like crap, my stomach muscles scream when i move, I don't want to do anything for myself". I always ask nice and wait until Fred can wait on me. I'm not ridiculous about it, but why should I have to heave myself out of the chair and experience pain, when he can bring me the telephone or a drink of water. Really?
I called my neighbor who got the ball rolling to get meals brought in. It really does help. We have a ton of food already in our freezer to thaw and eat, but it's just not the same as a meal delivered to our doorstep. Shannon might be coming this weekend with one baby and I may ask her to do a little housework for me. Our Christmas tree stands bare in the corner of the living room. Scott set it up over Thanksgiving and then this happened. 
St George is experiencing freezing temperatures following a few days of snowfall so we too have shut down much like Bremerton does when it snows. The hassle with that is this home is new to us so Fred isn't sure how well it was built to endure these cold temps when this area is not used to it. He has been outside most days taking care of preventative measures to keep our house fully functioning without injury. I wish one of my girls could be here to help me, but they have babies and children and jobs to go to. I had planned on going to Shannon's while convalescing when i was expecting this not to be a big deal. Oh well, this experience is for my own good and opening my mind to the trials of others when they are having health challenges. It is so hard to function when you don't feel good. It is so important to check on others when they are under the weather. I'm not really into visiting with anyone. I have a cold on top of this and you know me the "cougher" so talking is a challenge. BUT I want to be more compassionate and thoughtful of others than I have in the past. I am actually quite selfish and self centered. Guess I'm getting my reality check here.