Adventure is out there!

Yep, we've been watching 'UP' a lot lately but it's so true!  Over the last month we have made some pretty drastic changes in our lives.  We moved to SouthEastern Utah and are living with Clint's mom!  It's amazing how it all happened.  One thing just lead to another and we felt that this was the best thing for our family.  We are enjoying our time here and have been kept busy by unpacking, organizing, completing several projects for his mom around the house, potty training Gweny, taking her to Pre-School at the Elementary school, and substitute teaching for the school district. 

Small town life is quite a bit different than living in the Orem-Provo area.  There's no traffic or pollution.  It takes five minutes or less to get anywhere in town.  We have family almost right next door (just around the corner) right next to the cutest library ever.  You can see the sunrise when it's supposed to and not later - no mountains to block it.  There is one mountain and tons of canyons.  Gweny gets to go to the playground several times a week, she goes to preschool twice a week, and she is now officially potty trained (at least during the day). 

Overall life is really good.  I don't miss Wal-Mart or Target or all the other distractions.  It's nice to be able to read and write almost whenever I want.  I love having Clint around and will miss him when his interpreting gigs start to pick up.  To be honest I do miss my friends a lot.  That has been the hardest thing for me but I know that this will get better as I put myself out there.  I've met a lot of people through subbing and church so it's only a matter of time right?  Due to other circumstances I'm no longer a demonstrator for Stampin Up! but will occasionally post to that blog.  Instead I've decided to have a blog about something that I'm passionate about:  books.  Be on the lookout for that. :)

Surgeons and Doctors and Nurses...Oh My!

It's been a bit longer than what I was hoping for but I have good reasons! I promise! Over the last few weeks I have been (seemingly) inundated with doctors. The first I told you about: the vet. The next one was for me, about a week and a half ago I came down with SEVERE allergies. They were so intense and so fast that I didn't plan well enough and ended up with double ear infections and a ruptured ear drum. If you have never had an ear infection let me just say it feels like someone is stabbing you in the ear with a long thin sharp object "OUCH!". If you have never had a ruptured ear drum this is how I described it to Clint "It sounded and felt like someone set off a bomb in my ear." It was loud and extremely painful. Currently I'm 10 days from the initial infection and am finishing up my antibiotics but still can't really hear out of my right ear. I ended up at Urgent Care on Saturday around noon when the pain hadn't subsided, I didn't know (for sure) that I'd ruptured an eardrum but when you are draining blood out of your ear it's a pretty good indication. Anyway, he gave me the antibiotics and it took six days for the draining to stop, the blood stopped after about three days.

Then on Monday I went to the surgeon's appointment with Clint's mom, Kathleen, about her gastric bypass surgery that was to take place on Wednesday. All of her tests were okay except her EKG which he didn't like so he has postponed her surgery. She goes to a cardiologist tomorrow (Tuesday) so we will see what happens. That appointment was from 8:00am - 1:00pm...really, really long!

On the following Wednesday Gweny looked at me and whether it was on purpose or accident she swallowed a coin she'd put in her mouth and showed me. Needless to say we went to her pediatrician. It made it past her esophagus and into her stomach and they told me to watch for it in her poo. Gross. I haven't seen it yet but she's had a bit of diarrhea so I wasn't going to go looking for buried treasure in that mess.

So there it is. Surgeons, vets, pediatricians, nurses, waiting rooms, blah! I'm excited to go through a non-doctor stretch for a while, my next follow-up is on May 16, 2010, so we will see how I'm progressing. Hopefully that's the last one for awhile, unless Kathleen gets to have surgery soon. :)

Being a parent doesn't extend to just human kids...

For anyone that knows us even a little bit you realize that Daisy (our dog) is a huge part of our life. I'm pretty sure that some people think we are crazy but that's their problem right? LOL Anyway, we have had Daisy for seven years and figure she is about eight. Anyway, we started feeling lumps on various parts of her body (under her armpits, on her chest (near the 'magic swirl'), her low back, and on her head. They didn't seem to bother her but they seemed to multiply since we didn't notice any about a month-and-a-half to two months ago. We were so worried that she had cancer or something horrible (she's our 'first born' so we were pretty freaked). Well, we took her to the vet and one lump was a bug bite (which we figured), two (under her armpits) are fatty deposits (she's 5 lbs overweight), and the others are because...my puppy is getting old. ::sniff:: I guess it happens to the best of us. The vet said the others are benign so no cancer but that some dogs as they age get these lumps and we are supposed to make sure they don't change in size or color.

It's just weird to think that she is old enough to have this happen to her. Clint is going to start taking her on his runs several times a week so that should help with some of the lumps, although, the vet said that they won't go away completely. I'm just glad she's okay. I love that dog and I'm glad she's okay. Here's to another 7 years! Love that dog.

And the Prodigal Daughter Returns...

Yep, I'm back! A lot has happened and I've decided to renew my efforts at a blog. I've updated the title because the last one didn't really fit. I've decided to celebrate all of the little things that happen in life...and some of the big ones too. Some people don't believe in random happenings and some do. Some call it fate others providence...I think it's just circumstances that happen in our lives. Sometimes it's based on our choices (good and bad) and other times it's Heavenly Father answering our prayers.

A month ago I underwent a huge life change. I had gastric bypass on March 19, 2010 and am almost one month out. My reasons for making this rather drastic change are so multi-faceted but ultimately it was a selfish decision. I could see my life and health spiraling downward and felt that the best solution was to make a HUGE change...so I did. I want to be here a LONG time, to watch Gweny grow up, to have grand kids and to sit on a porch in a rocking chair with my amazing husband. It took awhile to get the insurance stuff together and the support of some pretty amazing people (without whom I wouldn't have been able to have the surgery) but I did it and I have NO regrets. As of today I've lost 34lbs and am feeling great. I ran after Gweny today and wasn't as winded as I normally would have been. It's difficult getting used to little food but I'm feeling better so I'm happy to make that change. I'm looking forward to being more active and I know that Clint will support it.

I attempted to get into Grad school but it didn't happen. It was probably for the best though so that I can concentrate on myself and my current plans. I have officially given up on hearing back from the author of the book I wrote an adaptation (screenplay) for. He has had it since late Sept/ early Oct and I've never heard anything. One thing I did find out was that they are making a movie of the book and he has gone through someone elese...I imaging that this is my feedback from him. I decided that instead of wasting valuable energy on something that didn't work out I would work on my novel. It's going well, I've written almost fifty pages so far and am LOVING where the story is going. Right now it is in the development stage and eventually I'll go back through and add more details etc. I also recently signed up to be a demonstrator with Stampin' Up! and I'm super excited. It is just a fun way to let out another part of my creativity and I am looking forward to really getting that going. Finally, I am still teaching. I am teaching one class this summer and two in the Fall. It is a joy to go and teach and watch the light bulbs go off above their heads. The Spring semester is almost done which means the crunch is here. I also have an editing job I'm finishing up and will probably send it out tomorrow.

Clint is an amazing husband who works three jobs so that I don't have to go full-time. He seems to enjoy them but I know he would like to be home more. Perhaps one of the endeavors I've undertaken will eventually allow that. He is gearing up for the racing season but it's been a bit slow with the sicknesses and surgeries that have been happening. In December he had his shoulder worked on and so far it has healed wonderfully. Hopefully this means that he will be able to do a triathlon and not be worried about the swimming aspect.

Gweny continues to grow and is 27.8lbs (as of two days ago). She has NO fear which keeps me on my toes and is the smartest little 2.5 year-old I've ever met. She speaks in complete sentences, is very courteous (most of the time), dances, sings, does somersaults, draws, and enjoys giving hugs and kisses. She and Daisy are still best friends and are wonderful together. She is content to stay in diapers and hasn't been interested in her big girl panties for several months. Hopefully she will gain an interest soon.

So there it is. My life in a nutshell. I can't complain, life really is great. I feel like I'm finally coming into my own as a mom, wife, and woman. It's about freakin' time!

Dreams

This morning I woke from the following dream:

I was being held against my will by a tall man who smelled of feces, at one point he was 'mucking' out the area where we went to the bathroom. There was another person there, a boy. I remember him sitting next to me and talking to me and me trying to move away from him but couldn't. Everything was filthy, the sheet I was wrapped in, the couch, the room, him, everything. He had a scraggly beard and looked to be about 40 years old. Later in the dream he realized that someone was coming and I was warned not to tell him (the guest) what had happened. The guest arrived and it was Clint, he sat with me not realizing that I was being held against my will. He didn't seem to care or know about the filth nor was he curious about the filthy sheet I was wrapped in. Because the authorities had discovered the 40-year-old man we set me and the boy free but only after hubby received a FedEx from the authorities (I kept imagining pictures of Hitler). Finally we walk out and I keep commenting to Clint about how nice it is outside and how happy I am to be there....trying to hint to him that I haven't been out in a long time. He doesn't notice. We get to an apartment building and there are a few men there with one woman. She is talking to each, there are about five men, saying she knows how to make each happy then she turns to one and she is unsure how to make him happy. He smiles and the feeling is that he loves her unconditionally. The men and woman start to talk to Clint, the woman starts flirting with him. He alternately appears heavy and thin and shows her how much weight he has lost. I walk away from the group, sad.

This is when I wake up. It's probably *just a dream* but it has stuck with me. I can't shake it...

Musically Inclined

So I'm starting to think that Gweny is musically inclined. She is so cute! She dances and sings all the time. She was just dancing with Clint in the kitchen. A few days ago I was listening to music and she started to sing a song by Paramore...I think I must listen to them too much. :) In the mornings I will find her sitting in the rocking chair in her room singing songs. Some of the songs that she sings are 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star', I Am A Child Of God', 'Who's That Baby', and 'You Are My Sunshine'. She sings all the time and I can tell it brings her so much joy, not to mention me. She also loves anything that plays music. She has several music toys but her favorite is a little keyboard my mom gave her for her first birthday. She plays with it during our 3-mile walk every day. She's a smart and sweet girl and I hope that this continues. I hope she loves music as much as I do...but that she has more talent for it than I do. :)

My Talk - In Case You're Interested

So Sunday I had to give a talk in church. I've included it here in case anyone was interested. :) I think it went pretty well, I mean no one gave me dirty looks or disgustedly got up and left...so I'd say that was pretty successful. :)

Making Your Home A Sanctuary

In a world of chaos and turbulence we are given few choices where we can find refuge; the two most important options are the Holy Temple and the Home. Fortunately we live very close to several temples but at some point in your life you may find that you cannot make it to the temple because of distance, family circumstances or illness. We cannot live in the temple and many are unable to attend the temple daily so it is vital to create a sanctuary in own our home. The home is second in sacredness only to the temple as defined in the Bible Dictionary (‘Temple’, 781): The temple is “A place where the Lord may come, it is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth. Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.” Creating this sanctuary involves three very important areas: Spiritual, Physical and Emotional. If one of these areas is ignored the walls of your sanctuary has holes which can be infiltrated by the world. By addressing each area you can create a safe haven where you, your family and friends will enjoy and feel the Lord’s presence within those walls.

Many people address the area of Spirituality quite well because for many it is one of the first things that come to mind. It is vital to create a Spiritual stronghold where we are reminded daily of Christ. There are several ways to strengthen the Spiritual hardiness of your home although I’ve only concentrated on three: prayers, pictures of Christ and the Temple, and entertainment that invite the spirit. Having family and personal prayer each day creates a conduit between each individual with our Father in Heaven. Praying together creates family unity where the gratitude and needs of the entire family can be vocalized with one heart to Him. Individual prayer allows each of us our one-on-one time with Heavenly Father where we are able to talk to him plainly about our concerns and joys. Pray daily as both a family and an individual to help strengthen not only your own spirituality but the spirituality of your home. Pictures of Christ and the Temple remind us each day of covenants we have made or intend to make with our Heavenly Father. These can also remind us of the Atonement and all that Jesus Christ has done for us. Keeping these pictures in various rooms in our home allows us a gentle nudge during struggles and adversity as well as the reminder of how much He loves us and wants us to succeed. The activities we engage in for entertainment can add or detract to the spirituality of the home. Because of the wide variety of options it becomes imperative to choose activities wisely. Some widely accepted entertainment options available include movies, television, books, games and the internet. These choices surround us everyday both within the home and without, choosing activities that uplift and create positive feelings in you and your family is imperative to keeping your sanctuary strong. While television and movies have a rating system that we can use to make wide choices books, music and the internet do not. It is important not only to be choosey when selecting these activities but to be aware of the media and games your children are being exposed to outside the home at school and with friends. Making good choices in the home make it much easier to make good decisions outside the home. All it takes is one song, book, website, movie or television show to chase the Spirit from our homes. An interesting experience that my husband and I had a few years ago was when my little brother, Brian, and his girlfriend came to Utah for a visit and so we asked them to stay with us. During the first evening, Clint was upstairs working on something and so my two brothers and Brian’s girlfriend were chatting downstairs. Brian asked to play us some music that he said my mother and sister enjoyed and so I agreed, knowing that the music he listened to was generally not uplifting. While the music was playing something in our home changed, I couldn’t figure out what had happened but soon thereafter the three of them left to do something and Clint came downstairs and asked me “What happened?” I told him Brian had played us some music and then house felt weird, he told me that as soon as the music came on he felt the Spirit of the Lord exit our home. It still surprises me how different my home felt, it is a feeling I never want to experience again. Spirituality is an extremely important aspect of creating a sanctuary but it is not the only one to remember when setting out on this course.

Many people forget the second area in creating a sanctuary in their home. The physical state of our homes can create an atmosphere of peace or pandemonium. This is sometimes the most difficult area to address because those we live with affect the physical space within our walls. Our homes should be a reflection of the Temple and there are three main things which can achieve this goal including getting rid of clutter, keeping the home clean and free from dirt and grime, and realizing the importance of these simple tasks. When the home is in disarray it affects all aspects of our lives including our spiritual well-being. Having a home free from clutter, both visible and hidden, is essential. Elder Daryl H. Garn, of the Seventy, states that while building temples “contractors are told that all rooms in the temple will be finished and painted. That day in the temple, every room was painted white. Even the storage rooms and mechanical rooms were white. There were no dark places in the temple. (Ensign, October 2007, 23-25). This same philosophy should be incorporated into how we take care of our homes. Creating a clutter-free home requires time and dedication from each member of the family. It is important to start with one area, or if needed, one pile. Make final decisions about each item before moving on to the next. This task can be overwhelming if you have a lot of areas with clutter but you must finish this project or the clutter can multiply and take over. Keeping your home clean is another important aspect of creating a sanctuary. Creating a daily task list can keep this important part of keeping your home clean under control. This seems simple but sometimes the simple solutions can be the hardest to keep up with. In the July 2007 issue of the Ensign, Shirley Kline says “Everyday events in our home can seem so simple that we overlook their importance—like the children of Israel who were smitten by a plague of snakes. To be healed they had to just look at the brass serpent on a pole (see Numbers 21:8–9), but because it was so simple, many did not do it. “Because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished” (1 Nephi 17:41). Everyday activities in our homes may be simple, but because they are simple, frequent, and repeated, they offer important opportunities to build individuals and families.” (Three Tools to Build a Sacred Home, 44–47)

The final area is the Emotional well-being of your home. In 1984 President Spencer W. Kimball stated “The responsibility for each person’s social, emotional, spiritual, physical, or economic well-being rests first upon himself, second upon his family, and third upon the Church if he is a faithful member thereof.” (Liahona, First Pres. Message, And The Lord Called His People Zion). Although each individual is responsible for his or her own well-being it is our responsibility to teach them while young how to accomplish that. As children grow it is essential to help them feel like productive and important members of the family. This can be accomplished through involving them in simple tasks such as folding laundry, sorting clothes, easy cooking tasks, picking up their toys, sweeping, as well as a variety of other responsibilities. In our home Gweny, our 2-year-old, is in charge of giving the dog treats as well as helping me sort laundry and stir food. She feels accomplished as she completes each job and looks forward to performing it later. When I try to do one of these tasks she runs up to me or the pantry demanding to do it herself. Not only is she learning responsible behavior but she is also learning the value of work and the important role she plays in our family. It is also imperative to encourage children as they try new things and gain experience. As new experiences unfold expressing your feelings to your children helps them know that you are interested in their lives and value them. One way to accomplish this is sitting down to a family dinner and making this time together an event. Making sure that each member of your family is emotionally fed is vital to the strength of your sanctuary. When even one person doesn’t feel supported the sanctuary suffers and other aspects may soon begin to fail.

Strengthening the sanctuary of the home is accomplished through small steps in each of these areas. Perfection is not demanded but it is expected that we all give our best effort as we strive for this goal. Our homes should offer refuge from the world, create peace and harmony within our families and ourselves, and allow us to feel the guidance and love of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. I know that if we address these areas our homes will become a sanctuary, our families will be strengthened and we will become closer to our Heavenly Father than we ever thought possible.