It's been a busy week. It started with a trip to orthodontist for Nate. He has a small mouth so we knew he'd need braces. Turns out he has cross bite, overbite, and crowding. They wanted to start treating him immediately. Fortunately his cub master is an ortho for the military and he assured us there is no rush to get him started. He's only 8. But we will have some baby teeth extracted to make some room for adult teeth to come in properly.
Saturday, we attended the ward Halloween party. It was a lot of fun and they even had a band made up of members of the ward that have been playing together like 20 years. They keep getting stationed together. I was handing out Halloween candy when a box of milk duds tempted me. I haven't had one in years. I don't normally eat sticky candy but they looked good. One bite down and I knew something was wrong. Pulled out the candy and thought saw what looked like a tooth. I freaked out until I realized it was a crown and not a whole tooth. So I had to go all weekend trying to keep the crown in temporarily until the dentist could cement it back in. While cementing that crown, he noticed I had a crack in a really old filling and said that I needed a crown for that tooth also. I feel like I get a crown a year.
Monday, Eric and I started officially volunteering at the hospital. I work 8-noon and Eric works 4-7 pm with the other teens. Probably the youngest volunteer in my shift, besides me, is about 70. Most seem to have lost their spouses and looking for a way to pass the time. I am only in training so I don't know where I will be permanently assigned yet. But I worked the desk out front of surgery. We are the liaison between the nurses and the patients' family. I sat in a chair for 4 hours. I can see why some elderly enjoy sitting for so long, but I need a more active job. The coordinator said she'll probably put me down at the welcome center. Eric liked it but said he will have to interact and visit with patients and that makes him a little uncomfortable. I guess it will prepare him for a mission.
In Erin news, she cracked me up last night. We all went to bed around 9. About 10:30, I heard her go in the bathroom. Then I heard her in the shower. I waited a long time for the shower to stop and then went and knocked on the door to see why she was up and showered. She told me she was getting ready for school. I told her the time and she thought I was losing my mind. But then she realized that it was true, she felt like she had only an hour's worth of sleep. Poor girl. This morning she apologized for waking me last night. She's not sure if she dreamt her alarm went off or she was sleepwalking.
Living in Nebraska has some benefits when you are 15. Eric was able to get a school permit which allows him to drive back and forth to school. Today he found out the permit allows him to drive to seminary too. So my life got a lot easier. Mario was driving the truck everyday to work but now Eric takes it to school. So Mario is on the lookout for another truck.
I'm trying desperately to think of a good Zach story since I mentioned the rest of the kids in this blog. But I'm having a hard time thinking up anything at the moment. All I can think of is how frustrated he gets with Nathan sometimes for worrying about him so much. Zach is a risk taker and Nate is not normally. So Zach petting a dog that he was once told bites, freaks Nate out. Now that I think about it, I guess it should freak me out too. I adore Zach. He has such a kind heart.
Looks like Mario will get a break from our Nebraska winter and head to Florida fora couple days after Christmas. His brother, Alex is getting married in the Orlando Temple. If its below freezing while he's gone, I will never let him live it down that he left us here in Nebraska to freeze. Seriously,that is exciting news for Alex.
Best news of the week, I ran 2.5 miles straight on my treadmill. I'm making progress. I love putting my headphones on and singing my heart out while running. My family only wishes I knew how to sing.
"Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." Gordon B. Hinckley
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Stake Relief Society Conference
Our Stake had a Relief Society Conference yesterday. There were 9 classes to choose from and we could only pick 3 to attend. I wish that I could have attended at least 6 of them, but the 3 I chose were Parenting Teens, The Lord Looks on the Heart, and Building Strong Boys.
I noticed a few sisters in the Parenting Teens class that don't even have teens yet. After that class, they were probably wishing they didn't attend it. I think the teacher and the discussions probably made them have nightmares last night. I think back to my teen years, and I thought they were hard. I can honestly say that I don't think what I faced then was anything compared to what these teens are facing now. I think of myself as a very controlling person but I have come to realize that unfortunately, it is not God's plan for me to control my children. We have each been given our free agency and we must use it. How grateful I am to have taught my teens correct principles. Now it is time for them to govern themselves. Of course, Mario and I are responsible for setting up rules and guidelines, especially when it comes to things they do in our own home. Our home is a haven, we will not allow the filth of the world to enter. If they want to find filth, they will have to go out into the world to find it. I'm grateful for the class on teens. It reminded me that I think I am on the right path. Love my children unconditionally, teach them the gospel, and pray a lot for them.
The second class I attended was taught by one of my best friends here, Lucretia Hall. It was about not judging others. She was the perfect person to teach this class. She didn't tell the story in the class, but she has told me the story about how her husband's first wife and her are very good friends. Joe, her husband, was married to a woman for a few years and they had two young boys. The wife just left him one day with the boys. He then married Lucretia and she has raised the boys ever since. But Lucretia befriended Joe's first wife right away because she knew that would be best for those boys. She has even invited her to stay at their home on Christmas Eve so she would be there for the boys on Christmas morning. I just can't think of a more Christlike person. She told some stories in the class that helped shape how she is today. I have found more than once, that when I have judged someone for something, me or my family member has ended up doing the exact same thing that I once judged them for. So I am more careful about judging others now for that very reason. Heavenly Father has a way of humbling us. Another thing I have noticed is that occasionally I have judged someone poorly and then ended up very good friends with them afterwards.
The third class was on Building Strong Boys. This class was taught by a husband and a wife and was very good. The wife said that several years ago she attended a RS parenting class and the teacher was talking about the joy of motherhood. She was not feeling the joy and she wondered why. Instead of trying to change her kids so she could find joy, she had to change herself. She asked herself, what am I doing wrong that I am not feeling the joy. She talked about how she felt her kids were sometimes interfering with her hobbies, work, etc. She decided right then that she had to put her whole heart and soul into raising her children. It is our season to be a mother and we need to focus on being the best mom we can be. Our time with our young children is short, take advantage and submit ourselves fully to motherhood. She talked about how are children are a reflection of us, if we gossip, etc, don't be surprised when our children do the same. Mario and I have noticed that we have been too critical of some of the leaders and programs, especially in Tucson. Now we here the same criticisms coming out of Eric's mouth occasionally. It is a humbling experience to sit down with a child and explain that what we did was wrong and we had to repent.
This class talked about the war on boys. To often tv shows and movies portray men as weak. Is that the message we want sent to our sons? One person in the class thought that the church has spiritual programs in place for the Young Women, but not enough for the boys. The teachers and I didn't agree with that statement. I think that Scouts helps our young boys turn into men. It makes them self-reliant, strong leaders. I have seen the benefits of Eric doing his Eagle Project. I feel the Lord puts in strong male leaders with strong testimonies for these young men. They have devotionals by the campfires. They have the Duty to God program. How thankful I am for these leaders and these programs in raising my boys (and daughter.)
I am grateful for Relief Society leaders and for all the efforts they make to help us as sisters endure to the end.
I noticed a few sisters in the Parenting Teens class that don't even have teens yet. After that class, they were probably wishing they didn't attend it. I think the teacher and the discussions probably made them have nightmares last night. I think back to my teen years, and I thought they were hard. I can honestly say that I don't think what I faced then was anything compared to what these teens are facing now. I think of myself as a very controlling person but I have come to realize that unfortunately, it is not God's plan for me to control my children. We have each been given our free agency and we must use it. How grateful I am to have taught my teens correct principles. Now it is time for them to govern themselves. Of course, Mario and I are responsible for setting up rules and guidelines, especially when it comes to things they do in our own home. Our home is a haven, we will not allow the filth of the world to enter. If they want to find filth, they will have to go out into the world to find it. I'm grateful for the class on teens. It reminded me that I think I am on the right path. Love my children unconditionally, teach them the gospel, and pray a lot for them.
The second class I attended was taught by one of my best friends here, Lucretia Hall. It was about not judging others. She was the perfect person to teach this class. She didn't tell the story in the class, but she has told me the story about how her husband's first wife and her are very good friends. Joe, her husband, was married to a woman for a few years and they had two young boys. The wife just left him one day with the boys. He then married Lucretia and she has raised the boys ever since. But Lucretia befriended Joe's first wife right away because she knew that would be best for those boys. She has even invited her to stay at their home on Christmas Eve so she would be there for the boys on Christmas morning. I just can't think of a more Christlike person. She told some stories in the class that helped shape how she is today. I have found more than once, that when I have judged someone for something, me or my family member has ended up doing the exact same thing that I once judged them for. So I am more careful about judging others now for that very reason. Heavenly Father has a way of humbling us. Another thing I have noticed is that occasionally I have judged someone poorly and then ended up very good friends with them afterwards.
The third class was on Building Strong Boys. This class was taught by a husband and a wife and was very good. The wife said that several years ago she attended a RS parenting class and the teacher was talking about the joy of motherhood. She was not feeling the joy and she wondered why. Instead of trying to change her kids so she could find joy, she had to change herself. She asked herself, what am I doing wrong that I am not feeling the joy. She talked about how she felt her kids were sometimes interfering with her hobbies, work, etc. She decided right then that she had to put her whole heart and soul into raising her children. It is our season to be a mother and we need to focus on being the best mom we can be. Our time with our young children is short, take advantage and submit ourselves fully to motherhood. She talked about how are children are a reflection of us, if we gossip, etc, don't be surprised when our children do the same. Mario and I have noticed that we have been too critical of some of the leaders and programs, especially in Tucson. Now we here the same criticisms coming out of Eric's mouth occasionally. It is a humbling experience to sit down with a child and explain that what we did was wrong and we had to repent.
This class talked about the war on boys. To often tv shows and movies portray men as weak. Is that the message we want sent to our sons? One person in the class thought that the church has spiritual programs in place for the Young Women, but not enough for the boys. The teachers and I didn't agree with that statement. I think that Scouts helps our young boys turn into men. It makes them self-reliant, strong leaders. I have seen the benefits of Eric doing his Eagle Project. I feel the Lord puts in strong male leaders with strong testimonies for these young men. They have devotionals by the campfires. They have the Duty to God program. How thankful I am for these leaders and these programs in raising my boys (and daughter.)
I am grateful for Relief Society leaders and for all the efforts they make to help us as sisters endure to the end.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Treadmill
Mario bought me a treadmill just after the twins were born. So it's almost 9 years old. Over the last year, it would start shutting off in the middle of our runs. I wanted to trash it before moving this summer but Mario insisted we keep it. I finally got around to researching what I needed to do to fix it. Turns out, we were supposed to lubricate the belt every 6 months. I found nothing about this in the instruction manual. I bought some lubricant and applied it last night.
My friends all wimped out on our morning walk around the lake this morning. So I decided it was a good time to see if the lubrication would really solve my problem with the motor shutting off. I ran two miles straight. To most people, that is nothing. But I haven't run two miles straight in at least 2.5 years due to my knee and hip injuries. So I'm pretty excited to get back to running and I pretty excited that Mario didn't let me throw the treadmill away. I'm going to need it through this Nebraska winter! For $15, I think I fixed our treadmill. Hurray!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
My friends all wimped out on our morning walk around the lake this morning. So I decided it was a good time to see if the lubrication would really solve my problem with the motor shutting off. I ran two miles straight. To most people, that is nothing. But I haven't run two miles straight in at least 2.5 years due to my knee and hip injuries. So I'm pretty excited to get back to running and I pretty excited that Mario didn't let me throw the treadmill away. I'm going to need it through this Nebraska winter! For $15, I think I fixed our treadmill. Hurray!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Zachary's Breakfast in Bed
Every once in awhile, Zach will surprise be with breakfast in bed. Now that he can cook scrambled eggs on his own, it is usually eggs with toast and some fruit. He even remembers to bring me a drink. Today he let Nate help so Nate buttered the toast. Zach shows his love for me by doing service. He is not an overly affectionate child. In fact, the only time he gives hugs willingly is at bedtime. Nate is the opposite, he loves giving hugs but usually doesn't go out of his way to do extra chores for me.
After breakfast in bed, Zach joined me for my run/walk around the lake. It is just over 3 miles and with the help of more physical therapy, I've started running some of it. The most I have run so far is 1.5 miles in a row so I have a long way to go until I can run like I did before all my injuries. But I'm getting there, slowly. I enjoyed my time with Zach. He enjoyed climbing the wall that Lucretia and I enjoy climbing occasionally during our weekday morning walks around the lake.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
After breakfast in bed, Zach joined me for my run/walk around the lake. It is just over 3 miles and with the help of more physical therapy, I've started running some of it. The most I have run so far is 1.5 miles in a row so I have a long way to go until I can run like I did before all my injuries. But I'm getting there, slowly. I enjoyed my time with Zach. He enjoyed climbing the wall that Lucretia and I enjoy climbing occasionally during our weekday morning walks around the lake.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Gladys Knight
Our stake was fortunate enough to be invited to see Gladys Knight and her choir-Saints Unified Voices. The concert was held at the West Omaha Stake. It was a packed house and you had to get (free) tickets in advance if you wanted to attend.
It was an amazing concert. I had never heard anything like it in a Mormon church before. When I was a teenager, I attended a Pentecostal church on a weeknight with a friend once. The music portion reminded me of that church meeting. There was a keyboard and a bass guitar accompanying the singers. Most of the singers were white, but if you closed your eyes, it almost sounded like an African American choir (I wasn't the only one that thought that, even her husband thinks so.) I had never heard "I am Child of God" sang so interestingly. I didn't know what to expect but I guess I had it in my mind that it would be Mormon Tabernacle Choir"ish". It was nothing like the Tab. Eric is thinking he may want to convert to Baptist or Pentecostal because he thought the music made the meeting much more entertaining. Not really, but he does wish our ward choir sang a little more like Sister Knight's Choir.
Gladys Knight's husband shared his testimony and then she got up to share hers as well. She spent over 30 minutes bearing her testimony of the Restored Gospel. It was amazing! She touched so many people. The missionaries were handed a lot of referral cards from the investigators attending the concert. loved it and I admire Gladys Knight for all her missionary work she is doing.
It was an amazing concert. I had never heard anything like it in a Mormon church before. When I was a teenager, I attended a Pentecostal church on a weeknight with a friend once. The music portion reminded me of that church meeting. There was a keyboard and a bass guitar accompanying the singers. Most of the singers were white, but if you closed your eyes, it almost sounded like an African American choir (I wasn't the only one that thought that, even her husband thinks so.) I had never heard "I am Child of God" sang so interestingly. I didn't know what to expect but I guess I had it in my mind that it would be Mormon Tabernacle Choir"ish". It was nothing like the Tab. Eric is thinking he may want to convert to Baptist or Pentecostal because he thought the music made the meeting much more entertaining. Not really, but he does wish our ward choir sang a little more like Sister Knight's Choir.
Gladys Knight's husband shared his testimony and then she got up to share hers as well. She spent over 30 minutes bearing her testimony of the Restored Gospel. It was amazing! She touched so many people. The missionaries were handed a lot of referral cards from the investigators attending the concert. loved it and I admire Gladys Knight for all her missionary work she is doing.
Grandma and Papa's Visit
Fortunately we live directly on the route from Utah to Florida. So my parents were able to stop through Omaha on their way home. It was nice to see my mom walk unassisted and eating better. They got here last Saturday after the first session of General Conference. We enjoyed a full weekend of General Conference, then on Monday, Mario and I took them to see the church sites in the area. We have the Winter Quarter's Temple, the cemetery, and a visitor's center. While looking for a place to eat lunch in Council Bluffs, we accidentally ran right into the Kanesville Tabernacle. I hadn't really heard much about it. But it is a meetinghouse built by 200 pioneers in 2 weeks. It was built so they would have a place to sustain Brigham Young as the second prophet. After touring that, we decided to go to lunch at Spaghetti Works which is at Old Market in Omaha. My mom loved her spaghetti dish and she ate the whole thing minus a few pieces of Italian Sausage that she shared with me.
We wish they could have stayed with us longer. But they were in a hurry to get back home to Florida. They have been gone for 6 months and there's no place like home, especially if you are recovering from an injury like my mom's. I am amazed that she was able to ride all the way from Utah to Florida in the front seat of a van in just a week and she had spent a few of those days at my house. I am sure she'll continue to amaze us with her recovery.
ATV Accident
Back in the middle of September, my parents were still on their mission but on p-day. So they went for an ATV ride with two other couples. My mom lost control of her ATV due to a brace and glove she had on her right hand. She was accidentally accelerating with the hand controls. She went off the path and down a hill until she hit a tree. She became pinned under the ATV. By the time my dad got back to her, others had started lifting the ATV off her. When my dad first saw her, he wasn't sure if she was alive or not. She was curled up on the ground, knocked unconscious for a minute I think. They were able to pull my mom out by her shoulders and sat her up on a log. She was able to stand also but her back was in a lot of pain. They gave her a blessing and after the blessing, they felt that she would be ok and it would be ok to get her off the mountain. My dad said that they were so remote, that not even a helicopter would have gotten to her. It took a long time, but they were able to get her off the mountain and into a car. She thought that she just needed a chiropractor to adjust her back. But after taking x-rays, the chiropractor told her to go to the ER. He had no idea how serious her injuries were, but he knew she had broken her back. My dad called me after they got to the ER which was several hours after the accident happened. My crazy mother walked into the ER on her own. But the Dr came in with scissors and tried to cut her clothes off of her in fear that if she moved, she could be paralyzed. Turns out, she had 3 broken vertebrae and one was broken in 3 spots. I think the Drs were shocked that she wasn't paralyzed already because her spinal cord was not being protected and after all that she had been through that day (being dragged out from under the ATV, walking, riding an ATV off the mountain, and then riding in a car) it was a miracle she was doing as well as she was.
The drs scheduled surgery for Thursday morning. I had some frequent flyer miles, so I flew into SLC the day of surgery. She was in a hospital in Provo, so I rented a car and drove down. My dad didn't really think I should come, but I felt like they could both use some support. My dad was able to get a room really cheap across the street with two full size beds. I had planned to stay at the hospital all night with my mom, but the hospital room really didn't have anything better than a folding chair for me to sleep on. I felt guilty not staying at the hospital though especially when my mom slept so poorly and the nurses weren't as attentive in the evening.
My mom did amazing. She had the surgery and within a few hours, she got her back brace and she was up walking by her bed. Each day after that, she walked more and more. I got to stay until Sunday night, then I drove up to West Jordan to stay the night with my cousin Tim and his family since my flight out of SLC was at 7 am Monday morning.
It was tough seeing my mom have to lay in a hospital bed most of the day and have a hard time eating. My mom is just like her mother, very active. So I know this was a very hard time for her. But it is good to see my dad be so loving and take care of her every need. I don't know why this happened to her, but I do know that it was a miracle she survived. If she hadn't hit that tree (which is bad enough) she would have hit a large log laying across the path. She would have surely been thrown and killed if she had hit that. So her work on this earth is obviously not done. Heavenly Father has certainly blessed her and even though her recovery will be long, I know that she will be back to her active self as soon as possible.
My parents left their mission about a week early, but they will return next summer. And my mom is looking forward to climbing those poles again. She is amazing. I'm not sure she'll be as anxious to get back on her ATV though. They are considering selling them but they are a requirement of the mission. But I think their leaders will understand if they choose not to ride them anymore.
The drs scheduled surgery for Thursday morning. I had some frequent flyer miles, so I flew into SLC the day of surgery. She was in a hospital in Provo, so I rented a car and drove down. My dad didn't really think I should come, but I felt like they could both use some support. My dad was able to get a room really cheap across the street with two full size beds. I had planned to stay at the hospital all night with my mom, but the hospital room really didn't have anything better than a folding chair for me to sleep on. I felt guilty not staying at the hospital though especially when my mom slept so poorly and the nurses weren't as attentive in the evening.
My mom did amazing. She had the surgery and within a few hours, she got her back brace and she was up walking by her bed. Each day after that, she walked more and more. I got to stay until Sunday night, then I drove up to West Jordan to stay the night with my cousin Tim and his family since my flight out of SLC was at 7 am Monday morning.
It was tough seeing my mom have to lay in a hospital bed most of the day and have a hard time eating. My mom is just like her mother, very active. So I know this was a very hard time for her. But it is good to see my dad be so loving and take care of her every need. I don't know why this happened to her, but I do know that it was a miracle she survived. If she hadn't hit that tree (which is bad enough) she would have hit a large log laying across the path. She would have surely been thrown and killed if she had hit that. So her work on this earth is obviously not done. Heavenly Father has certainly blessed her and even though her recovery will be long, I know that she will be back to her active self as soon as possible.
My parents left their mission about a week early, but they will return next summer. And my mom is looking forward to climbing those poles again. She is amazing. I'm not sure she'll be as anxious to get back on her ATV though. They are considering selling them but they are a requirement of the mission. But I think their leaders will understand if they choose not to ride them anymore.
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