Perspective

Wow. What a weekend. We were heading to DC when we got a phone call from Ashkii's mom telling us that our dear sister-in-law, Alisa, got some sad news regarding the lymph nodes she had removed last week. (She has melanoma, had a mole and more of her leg removed, also some lymph nodes, and had been waiting all week for results). She is my sis-in-law that you all know for her amazing photography. Anyway, I could just sense in Ashkii's voice that it wasn't the news we'd all been wanting, and I fell apart. Then we had to explain to the kids and they had all sorts of really-hard-to-answer questions. I was glad that we were 30 minutes from the DC Temple. I cried and prayed for their little family. And my perspective has been a little different . . . a little more grateful, and a little more patient. I am so blessed and take so much for granted. (Josh, Alisa, James, Sam, and Luke - we love you and we know that you can make it through this! People everywhere are praying for you- as evidenced by your blog comments!)

Then yesterday was our Primary Presentation, when our church children's organization sings and presents all we've learned this year. It was stressful, but we were blessed and it ran very smoothly. Sigh of relief. The kids came home from church, and using the leftover program scripts, played "primary program," Savannah wearing my black heels the whole time, and Trevor directing each "child" up to the podium to speak their part.

Savannah is playing "shoe store" right now. She has all of my shoes pulled out of my closet and laid out around me as I am typing. She told me she has 80 dollars and keeps asking me how much each pair costs. She is trying them on, buying them all and taking them into her room. I guess I'll have to go shoe shopping.

More Crazy Eights

I have been "tagged" by at least 4 people on this, so I guess it's my turn.

8 things I'm passionate about
1. My hubby/being a good wife
2. My kids/being a good mom
3. Church
4. America
5. Dance
6. Family
7. Friends
8. Education

8 things I want to do before I die
1. Go on a Mediterranean cruise with Ashkii
2. Take Ashkii to watch the Tour De France “Live” from the Col d’ Aubisque
3. Live close to family
4. Visit the Pacific Islands
5. See my kids happily married
6. Learn to play the piano, and do it well
7. Take west coast swing and Lindy hop lessons with Ashkii
8. Have more children, and be a grandma someday

8 things I say often
1. Please go wash your hands
2. What was your favorite thing about school/preschool today?
3. How was work?
4. I love you
5. You should ask Dad
6. Thanks
7. Hilarious
8. Oh my gosh

8 books I’ve recently read
1. Glimpses into to Life and Heart of Marjorie Pay Hinckley
2. Gone Too Soon
3. The Hiding Place
4. The Kissing Hand
5. Library Lion
6. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
7. Kittens! Kittens! Kittens!
8. Ratatouille (still in progress with Trevor)

8 songs I could listen to over and over
1. How Great Thou Art
2. Brown-eyed Girl
3. Sweet Home Alabama
4. Big Girls Don’t Cry (Four Seasons) - Savvy's favorite
5. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
6. Come Away with Me (Norah Jones)
7. Forest Gump Theme song
8. A Child's Prayer

8 things that attract me to my best friends
1. They love me anyway
2. They listen
3. They laugh with me
4. They are smart
5. They are open-minded
6. They are compassionate
7. They believe in me
8. They are real

8 things I’ve learned this past year
1. Life is precious
2. About 15-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage
3. I love Broadway musicals
4. I actually enjoy gardening
5. I prefer NOT to be in charge
6. There is a national preschool accreditation system- NAEYC
7. Family reunions can be really fun and informative
8. Blogging is a great way to reconnect

8 people I think should do '8'
1. Andrea
2. Katie
3. Jana
4. Melody
5. Julia
6. Aunt Robyn
7. Jonathon
8. Drew

Blue Heron -- Crazy Eights

I read Josh and Alisa's Blog this morning and working for the Government I realize how horrible it can be to pass time just waiting on someone or something else. So I decided to provide my Crazy Eights so Alisa has something else to read. Hopefully this will provide distraction at least for a moment.

8 things I'm passionate about
1. Learning
2. Racquetball
3. Dance
4. My Kids
5. My Wife
6. Church
7. The Navy
8. Life

8 things I want to do before I die
1. Visit my mission (South Texas) with my wife and kids
2. Watch the Tour De France “Live” from the Col d’ Aubisque
3. Visit Australia, Japan, China, Korea, Middle East (pyramids, Jerusalem), Blackpool England, Niagara Falls, South Africa, South America (Machu picchu and Patagonia) and Italy
4. Visit the Pacific Islands again with Brooke
5. See my kids get married and have kids
6. See the leaves change in the North East, Boston, Newport RI etc.. and visit the Ben and Jerry’s factory in Vermont
7. Land and Launch off an Aircraft carrier during flight operations
8. Finish School

8 things I say often
1. Good morning Lieutenant/Chief
2. Hi Babe
3. Did you listen to your Mom? What did she say?
4. Why are you crying?
5. Savannah I don’t understand whining
6. Trevor will you please sit up and stop squirming around at the table
7. Hi Bishop
8. Have you seen my orders yet?

8 books I’ve recently read
1. Generation X
2. Generation Y
3. When Generations Collide
4. Managing Projects
5. Polar Bear Polar Bear What do you see?
6. Book of Mormon
7. Fire in the Bones
8. All by myself (Mercer Mayer)

8 songs I could listen to over and over
1. Dream Big
2. Banjo Boy
3. Un Poco Loco (Fey)
4. Big Girls Don’t Cry (Four Seasons)
5. Baila Me (Gipsy Kings)
6. Peter Brienholt
7. I hope you dance
8. I can only imagine

8 things that attract me to my best friends
1. They are smart
2. They are kind
3. They are respectful
4. They are hardworking
5. They love to have a good time
6. They laugh often
7. They are considerate
8. They love me despite myself

8 things I’ve learned this past year
1. Virginia has huge bugs
2. Frog Gigging in KY is a lot of fun especially for the boys
3. New York is fun on Thanksgiving Day even if its raining
4. You should plant tomato plants in two’s
5. In Virginia if you don’t pick Zucchini on the first day it’s enormous
6. I have a very supportive family
7. In NC they park empty police cars in the median just to trick you.
8. Have GPS will travel. Thank you GARMIN

8 people I think should do '8'
1. Mike
2. Brooke
3. Don
4. Robyn
5. Lindsi
6. Camille
7. Brandon
8. Paige

I Love You, Kim!

Many of you know that after I graduated from high school, I went to Ricks College (now BYU Idaho) for 2 years. (This is not the best picture from that time, but it IS the only digital one I have, thanks to Jana's blog. Note to self - need scanner!!!) It was the best. Not only did I meet my future husband, I had incredible roommates, who I still keep in touch with and who are some of my most faithful blog commenters;). We had the funnest times living together . . . some of my best memories!! Each one of them influenced my life for good. One of those roomies was Kim. Kim is from TX and has all the spunk of TX wrapped up inside of her (and exploding from her!). She was a blast to live with and always kept us laughing.

A few years after we were roomies, Kim was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease). At the end of October, I am meeting two other former roomies in San Antonio to visit Kim! I am so excited to see all of them. We are going to participate in the Walk to D'Feet ALS. For years, we have discussed the idea of meeting for the walk, and I am so happy we are finally making it happen. I am fundraising money to help Kim's cause as part of the walk. Every little bit helps. There is a link here on my blog to my "personal walk page" if you would like to donate. This second picture is of Kim in 2001 at another "roomie reunion" in Idaho.

Here is Kim's story...

"I was diagnosed with ALS in 2002 but I had symptoms since 1997. I went to college in Idaho right after high school and waited tables for the bills. A year later, I took notice that I was tripping and losing my balance every so often, which I shrugged off as clumsiness. Then my right leg started dragging and I walked with a slight limp. In ’99, I decided to go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka The Mormons). SO, I went for a physical as required, and that was the first time it ever occurred to me that there might be something wrong. The doc… thought I had Multiple Sclerosis, so he referred me to a specialist that did a million tests but couldn’t find anything and said I was fine.

So, I went on my mission to Cherryhill, New Jersey where I taught Spanish speaking people about Jesus Christ. All the while my symptoms worsened. I began getting cramps and small twitches in my hands, arms, legs, and feet. Basically, anywhere I had a muscle it would cramp or twitch at some point. I fell down stairs. My hands got weaker. I limped and tripped enough to become very self conscious. It got too hard. I felt like I was hindering our work instead of helping it. Only making it halfway through my mission, I threw in the towel and went home. The doctors had no idea what it could be. One doctor told me I was just depressed, another told me it was probably all in my head…. It was a hard 4 years of testing and waiting and guessing and second guessing. I even began to think “maybe it is just in my head”.

I moved back to Idaho in 2001 and stayed with family (unofficial adopted family) Randy and Sherie Schwendiman, while I saw a Doc in Salt Lake City, Utah…. He gave me a pre-diagnosis of ALS and assured me that it was NOT all in my head. He said that no one thought of ALS because of my age. It’s not too often that a 23 year old girl gets a diagnosis of Lou Gehrig disease. I then decided to travel while I still could, because road trippin is my MOST favorite thing to do. So, thanks to the Schwendimans, and my credit card, I traveled all over the U.S., and more. I always had family and/or friends to share the adventures and make fun memories….

During all of this excitement, in 2002, I moved back home to Texas, sold my car, and waited for a miracle. I found a great doctor that diagnosed me quickly using all the previous tests results and adding a few more. In’03, I started losing my independence, I needed help cooking n’ cleaning my apartment. In ’04 I started using a wheelchair and had to be fed by someone else. By the end of ’04 I was bed/recliner ridden with the exception of being able to walk (shuffle) 10 steps with someone holding me up. Nowadays I can’t still walk those same 10 steps, just s.l.o.w.e.r. and wobblier. I have been spending my time (and I have a lot of time!) on the internet trying to find ways to promote the Walk To D’Feet ALS awareness, and collect donations….
Well, my sister Kathleen and her family live with me and she takes care of me. Her and my mom are stuck with me 24/7! My poor, poor family! I’m totally dependent on other people now, which is completely opposite of what I was 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago. But you gotta take what God gives you. I know He is aware of my situation and I’m ready for what lies ahead. The doctors said there is no hope, but I truly don’t feel that way. I am full of hope (among other things…). I trust God more than I trust my doctors, and I have really good doctors! I’m just waiting for a miracle. I know I will be ok. It’s only a matter of time a patience."

Kim, you are the best and I love you!!!!!!

Preschool Girl

Savannah met her teacher on Tuesday, and then started preschool today (hence the pics from the two different days). She was so excited on the way to school that she was squealing from the back seat. She kept saying, "I've waited so long for this day, and it's finally here!" She walked in and started playing in the kitchen area, and just looked at me with a look that said, "I'm great mom, you can go now." Later today, she told me it was "awesome" and that she was "only a little teeny bit sad for one minute", and then she was fine. She said one little girl started crying and that she (Savannah) told her, "It's okay, darling, you're mom will be back so soon." She also told me she used the bathroom there three times and the little sink all by herself. I am not sure if she really said or did these things, but her teacher said she did fantastic so I will count it as a successful transition. Today I kept really busy during the three hours she was in school, but it will be strange to be without her as my little echo for those six hours/week. Why must they grow up so fast?

Handsome Husbands

The other day I was talking to the kids and the conversation somehow turned to the fact that they would each probably get married someday. Trevor started talking about all his prospects . . . and how his Pensacola friend Nyah always tells him they are going to get married and have kids. Meanwhile, Savannah started mumbling in a very distressed tone. I looked over at her, and she said, "Well, I need a husband who looks very handsome at church, and . . . " She trailed off, as if to say there really aren't any good options. I told her she had awhile to decide. The next day, she built these potato heads - husband and wife:)