It's Twins

On Thursday October 13th I had twins. Twin Gall stones that is. I also had my gall bladder removed. I am not really sure what to name them but stones this size desire some kind of name. Tyler has been learning about the gall bladder and said that a large stone is considered to be the size of a pea!! I am not sure what these would be considered then. Thank heavens for modern medicine that only required 5 small incisions to remove the gall bladder and the stones. I should begin feeling a ton better with these babies on the outside. I have some swelling and some soreness but overall I am feeling pretty good.
I was having problems loading this but my sweet family made cards for me so I would get well. It did make me feel better. Thanks guys for your sweet words.



Jennifer brought her kids and Lane and Geraldine to be with me during the surgery and then take care of me for a few days afterward. I really appreciated all they did while they were here. Just having the kids around to watch and the adults to talk to really helped me. Kelsey came Friday night to assist also. She painted my toes and pampered me very well!! Thanks so much everyone. I truly felt well taken care of!
Carson is clowning around while wearing a hat that Grandpa found for him. He is such a show off!! Love you kiddo. Grandma couldn't play with him or take him for our usual scooter rides so he went to school with Aunt Carleen. She gave him a 5th grade math test and he got a 100 on it! WOW! Then he helped her pass out papers and told the kids to call him "Mr. Carson" and they did. He was the teaching assistant for two days. Weird that a child would want to miss school and then go to school but he really seemed to enjoy it. Then Aunt Carleen took him rock hunting and of course to the rock shop and the dollar store. He was spoiled rotten.
This little sweetheart is attached to Mom big time. We got to hold her for about 15 seconds before she would realize that mom didn't have her and she would start to cry "moma". She says it very clearly. She is so cute. We could put her on the floor and play with her forever as long as we didn't pick her up. Her smile melts us all and we give her anything she wants, including her mom.

Thanks so much for the cards, well wishes and good care. I will be back on my feet in no time and hopefully no more problems. I love and miss you all so very much. :)

Official Release

Today Gary and I met with our Stake President to discuss our release from our mission to Concho. Gary has had the feeling that it was time to return to our home ward. The Stake President asked Gary about why we were wanting to come home and Gary expressed his feelings of the past few months. He then turned to me and asked a question that left me in stupor for a moment. He asked "How do you feel about this and don't tell me that you will support the priesthood. Tell me how YOU honestly feel. You have the right to disagree with this." I was amazed. I told him that for a year when I ran into home ward members they would ask me how we liked going to Concho. For the last few months when I saw them they would tell me that we needed to come home, that they missed and needed us at home. Those expressions surprised me and left me in awe. I felt that it was a message and a confirmation to me of the feeling that Gary was having. Sitting in my home ward today, I felt both sad and happy but grateful for the opportunity we had of getting to know the members of the Concho Branch. And so after some further discussion we were given an honorable release. I have no idea why we have been led home but I have learned that if we leave it in the Lord's hands it will be a truly interesting journey. And as my sister reminded me tonight "Just make a plan and see how God laughs". He guides us and will lead us down the path that will do the most good. So for this one all I can say is STAY TUNED!!

Tears

This photo makes me want to cry my eyes out. If that were my child and I could do nothing to help I don't think I could stand it. Holding a child and watching them starve to death is beyond anything I could imagine. Can we ever say we have it tough again? I don't think so.

Thoughts

This is kind of funny but it makes one think. I did thank God yesterday for my husband, my wonderful children and their spouses, my 7 adorable grandchildren, my job, the moisture that we have had and the prophet of our church. I would be without my home, my car, my bed and any clothing other than PJ's. If I ended up with nothing other than my family, I would still feel like I had plenty to be grateful for!!

New Look!

This summer has been a busy one for NCHC clinic. It has been getting a new look. It started with new flooring, then the chairs were recovered with a leather look fabric. The goal was to soften the look and make it look less "clinical" and more welcoming to patients. The walls were too white and needed to be toned down for a more welcoming look.

Once the flooring and chairs were done we had to wait for a few months before the painting could begin. We could hardly wait!

Finally the first walls began to take on a new and updated look. This is an accent wall located on the main wall in the waiting area. It was amazing how it changed the look and the feel of the clinic.

Once this wall was finished I could hardly wait for the clock to go up. It was ordered from a woman in St. Johns who makes them. She did an amazing job.

The business side of the clinic was finished first so the decorating began there. A pay phone was removed from this area. The shelf made a nice area for decorating.

Jennifer cut the "Moments" wording out for me. It really makes the wall stand out and draws in the deep red from the accent wall. Patients began commenting that the clinic felt like home.

With the waiting area completed it was time to hang the clock and the curtains. It was an amazing makeover. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of the room before the chairs were recovered and the flooring put down. There are a few areas left that need a final touch but the clinic has made an amazing transformation. Patients walk in now and spin in circles saying they can't believe the difference. One woman said that she didn't feel like she was at a medical facility but felt more like she was setting in someone's living room. Goal met!

Where has summer gone?

What a crazy summer this has been. We started with a ton of wind. We were late planting a garden because it was cold and the wind would not stop. We usually have a lot of wind but nothing like we saw this year. Then we had the Wallow Fire which seemed like it would never end. Gary spent two weeks helping to fight that fire. It was July before we really began to enjoy the summer. We worked on our garden but had a weird year of bugs. The squash bugs got the squash and red bugs got our tomato plants. The only thing that grew was broccoli. I have missed all the canning that I usually get to do. By this time of year my kitchen usually filled with the smell of salsa, applesauce, jams, spaghetti sauce and more. I miss my shelves filling with the beautiful colors of the food. Just empty jars sit on my shelf, not looking pretty.
These flowers are the only thing in the yard that grew this summer (besides the weeds). It added beauty to our otherwise drab yard. I love fall and the beautiful colors that come with it but I am sad to see warm summer days and nights fading away. But come it will and soon we will see the snow begin to fall.

Thoughts on Aging

I used to think that aging couldn't be that bad. One of our airport bums used to tell me that there was nothing good about growing old to which I would reply "You get to retire and do the things you want to do, you answer to no one and you get to sleep in everyday" He would repeat "There is nothing good about growing old". As I grow older it seems that he was right. The worse part of aging is that the mind doesn't age like the body. My mind thinks I can weed the garden, mow the lawn, clean the whole house, do laundry and have a nice meal on the table. When I do it my body soon rebels and then I am down for the next day. So I guess my mind has to turn to the accomplishments of my 52 years. I don't have anything fancy that I can talk about but I can say that there are some things I am pretty proud of.

1. I married a wonderful man. We have spent 31 wonderful years together. We have been through some pretty hard things and have done it together. Our greatest strength is that we love doing things together.
2. I have 4 wonderful daughters. They are all beautiful, healthy and doing well. What more could I ask for.
3. I have 3 sons pretty amazing son-in-laws. They are good to my daughters and that is all I can ask. I love them tons.
4. I have 6 of the most amazing grandchildren. I love spending time with each of them. My only wish is that I could be with them each and every day. I learn so much from them.
5. I have a job that I love. It is challenging and insists that I keep growing and learning. It has taught me a lot about myself and a ton about leadership.
6. I have worked with the youth for a good part of my life and I am proud of the work I have done. I have a good relationship with them. It is a memory I will forever cherish.
I may not have a fancy house, cars or vacations but I have what is important, a great family! President Hinkley said that when we are old and sitting on our front porches it won't matter the house we lived in or the cars we drove, it will only matter how our families are doing and if they are on the road back to our Heavenly Father. He was so right.