Rest in Peace

My dear sweet husband,
My heart still aches.  I still miss you.  I still love you.  I still cry for you.  May you watch over us and be proud of the legacy you left behind.

Look Who Joined Our Family

Message to Mommies

I learned so much working at the big box store.  If I could say one thing to the mommies out there I would say---put down the phone and pay attention!  Your child and I have a whole conversation as people relating to each other in the real world while you are busy with that phone in your hand.  Your children are embarrassed by your awkward social behavior,  because you are too busy with that darn phone.

The second thing I would say to the mommies out there---your children are children and teach them how to be children!  Without proper teaching they end up being inappropriate, annoying and in danger--but you don't know it because you are distracted by your phone!

It is easy to tell which parents take the time to teach and the time love their children.  Put down the phone....being in the presence of your children and being "with" your children are two different behaviors and you will get two different outcomes.  That is my unsolicited advice to the mommies out there!

Here's What. . .

In January I began working at a big box store...and I loved it.  I signed up to work 20-25 hours a week, which is what I worked the first month.  I enjoyed NOT spending my evenings home alone.  I enjoyed feeling well enough to have a little side job.  I continued to serve at the Library two days a week, and although I was busy I was determined to serve at the Library until May, which would give me a full five years of service.

The store where I was working increased my hours, because they were short-handed.  Suddenly I was working between 30 and 35 hours a week and volunteering at the Library 12 hours.  I was Thursday's where I would volunteer at the Library, and on Saturdays I worked my shift at the Library and a shift at the store.  Sundays, my only day off, I was exhausted but oh, it felt good!

I was driving home one a Saturday night after working my usual shift at the Library and working my shift at the store.  It was about 11:30 and I was tired, it was a good tired, the result of working 35 hours and volunteering 12 hours for the week.  Suddenly I was reminded of the Priesthood blessings Joe used to give me.  Two things were always consistent with those blessings, fist I would feel buoyed up enough to endure the pain and illness and secondly I was always promised I would be healed.   I never thought much about the promise to be healed after the blessings themselves, but that Saturday evening I knew because of my faith I had finally been healed. . .over 15 years later...and I suddenly felt the love of my husband who had given me those blessings from my Heavenly Father who had healed me.   I finished driving home with tears of joy running down my cheeks.

On Friday, the day before my last day at the Library, I was offered a full-time job with complete benefits.  I accepted the offer and have been working full-time, just over a month.

Physically I am doing so well.  I am gaining strength everyday and my endurance is improving.  Yes, I still have some problems and pain, but I can feel the healing within me and I am feeling better than I have for the last 15 years!

My last day at the Library was May 2, where I was asked to bear my testimony at my final prayer meeting.  Tomorrow I report to the High Council and speak in church, thus closing that sweet treasured chapter of my life.

Everyday when my alarm goes off I remind myself how blessed I am to wake up and go to work.  When I want to stay in bed I am reminded of being confined to bed day after day.  When out-of-town family came to stay and I still had to work everyday, I was glad that for 10 years I didn't have to work.

As I drive to work everyday I look at the others drivers on their way to work and I wonder, "do they know how blessed they are to be able to go to work everyday?"

My first complete week of work, I got home Friday evening and was so excited it was Friday...because I was blessed enough to work the full week and have a weekend!

Yesterday was payday, I am blessed!

Today, I washed my car and went grocery shopping, typical Saturday activities for full-time employees, I am blessed!

busy.  I was healthy enough to physically keep up with this schedule, and this brought me great happiness.   I worked everyday, but

Movie Quote Monday

"What a gentleman says and 

what they thinks is two different things."

--Mammy, Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell, 1939

Changes

There are some changes happening in my life.  

It is time.  

Going forward. 

Forging ahead and evolving!

Look Who's 1 & 2

I am amazed how much little children grow in the first two years of their lives.  Time is so precious and before you know it time is gone and everyone is grown.  I love chubby little hands, grins with new teeth and giggles from their little tummy's. I love my grandchildren and their parents!