Crazy August

It's funny (and some days not so amusing) how time flies by. I used to think that my aunts and uncles were so old, "I'll never be their age!" My 40's and 50's were so far down the road, you know? Now that I am near the end of that age range I wonder how it sneaked up on me! I also recall my aunts, their laughter and fun, and know that I have turned out a lot like them in that I think I am young for my age. I have been exercising and doing yoga every day because I don't want to be bent over and creaky. I want to have energy and feel good in my body when I get to be my Mom's age. I do think I'll live into my 90's as most of the women in her family have so I'd better take care! I am trying to look on the more positive side of life.

So, why am I thinking about age so much these days? Well, in the past months both my own mother and my mother-in-law have come face-to-face with some serious health situations and Dee and I have found ourselves realizing that we could lose them so quickly. It's a smack of mortality right in the face!

Back at the end of July, when our little mother and siblings reunion was ending, I watched my brother Richard hug my 91 year-old mother goodbye before he and Sherri headed back to Gilbert. The strongest feeling washed over me that these moments are precious and not to be taken lightly. It could well be the last time they hug, or the last time I see her in this life. (I don't mean to sound morbid, it's just a fact at her age!) We all went our separate ways with the hope of being together again next year. The next day, after Mom and Gena were back in Arvada, Mom woke up unable to get out of bed. Her speech was slurred. She couldn't see well and was very dizzy. Gena came in to check on her and noticed a "wandering eye". Off to the ER they went! Tests showed that our mother had been having a series of mini-strokes. Thinking back on it, she had showed signs of this for months but always brushed them off as age-related or being tired. While her situation had not been life-threatening, it made me more aware of how fragile life is and how easily it could have been worse. I call her more often now. I took it for granted for too many years that she would always be there! She's doing well, just has to rest a lot more than she likes. She has also been so sad that her favorite activities of quilting and crocheting, are not really possible anymore. That's OK Mom. We have so many treasures that you've made. We treasure them!

We returned home from Allie's wedding on August 17th, planning the next day, Monday, to do laundry and whatever else we needed to do, to be ready to drive to Washington state on Tuesday. (I know, crazy miles on our new car.) Dee's Dad called us Monday morning so upset and I could tell by my husband's face it was not good. My mother-in-law had come downstairs and collapsed in the family room. She's been sick for awhile with bronchitis and it would come and go. She was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with a strange virus that had taken such strong hold on her body that she was delirious, feverish, and had an irregular heart beat. We got our laundry done as quickly as possible and less than 24 hours from the time we had gotten home we were on the road again. Our pre-planned week of togetherness and fun turned into a week of hospital time and worry as we saw her so weak and not improving. After we left from a morning visit on the second day she went into congestive heart failure! A team worked on her for a long while before the got her stabilized. Then they called Dad to let him know what had happened. It was so scary, and we were unsure what would happen to her in the following days. She was in constant A-fib and they talked about sending her to a re-hab facility to gain strength. We had to leave on Sunday and they doubted she would be released anytime before Tuesday. It was hard to leave her and especially Dad who appreciated our being there so much. My father-in-law is a spiritual man. He had followed a prompting to go back to the hospital the night before the heart failure to give her a blessing. We had been there pretty much all day and into the evening. It is about a 25 minute drive down Meridian Ave. in Puyallup to get from the hospital to their home. Dee and Dad had given Mom a priesthood blessing without any consecrated oil and planned to go back the next morning for a blessing with anointing. Dad felt strongly that they should go back "right now" and get it done. He is sure, and I agree, that it saved her life. I am so thankful for the healing power of the priesthood! She was checked out of the hospital days earlier than expected and sent straight home, not to a facility and is doing remarkably well. Blessings!!

Whew! That was almost as long as a Time Travel Tuesday post! I'll share a few photos from August with you now. Hang in there!

We took two trips into Tacoma after a morning visit at the hospital. We wanted to go by our old house and show Richard some sights. He was five when we lift and we hadn't been back fro awhile as a family. This is the back of our home. It's the one directly behind where the girl in red is walking. You can see our back patio with the pergola over it and our family room chimney, if you know what you are looking for! Oh, those trees! I do miss them. I didn't take a picture of the front of the house because it just doesn't look the same. I want to remember it like it was. It still looks like it's being taken care of, it's just not home anymore.

 After I took that photo I turned and took this one. Imagine having that in your backyard! It was so nice when the children were all younger! I had lots of fun times with Rachel and Richard at this park which we got to see being built from our backyard!

Richard climbed to the top of the giant rock in the park. It was there before the park was and the kids loved to climb it. He used to get up there and yell in his little four-year-old voice, "I'm King of the world!"

Then we drove down the hill to see the apartments we first lived in. This is our building, 'M'. Count four windows over and that was my kitchen window. Diana and Brittany can especially tell stories of playing at Westridge and driving the maintenance guy crazy walking through the beauty bark! I can still in my mind, see little Diana riding "Triksey", her red tricycle down the sidewalk.

 This was our view after backing out of our parking spot each day. Nice, huh? I suppose if we had seen it from the apartment they would have charged us more!

Then we went on Five mile Drive through the old growth of Point Defiance Park. 

That's Gig Harbor across the water.

Most of the drive looks like this, thick growth of trees and ferns. SO pretty!

Dee used to run through here in the dark every Saturday morning before swim practice

 with Coach Dick Hannula.

Gee! They could have been eaten by a vampire or something!

On Friday we came back to Tacoma and ate lunch at our favorite little spot, Steamers Seafood. 

The weather was so glorious that we ate outside and enjoyed the smell of the salt water

 and the beautiful view.

Steamers is on Titlow Beach just down the hill from our apartment and our house. The kids loved to come here and walk the rocky beach and play at the park.

  

Dee is telling Richard about the new Narrows Bridge that they built next to the old one. Each is one-way. The new one was barely being started when we moved away. 

We really have been gone from there for 14 years?!

The bridges are on the left, the park on the right behind the trees. Whenever a train would come through blaring it's horns the kids would all scream and cover their ears, but they loved every second of it. 

Uncle Robby once left a penny on the track for the train the smash and stretch out. It worked!

This is the view behind Steamer's. I went on a few field trips with the girls back there

 on Day Island to visit the tide pools.

This is the view of Mt. Rainier from my in-law's window upstairs. Gorgeous!

Love the signs around Puyallup that ask..."Do You Know Your Volcano Escape Route?"

Hope they never have to find out!

Our travels are over for now. Our mothers are recovering and doing well. The air is cooler here in Utah Valley and I am already mourning the passing of summer soon. I'm trying to get into a routine and get some organizing done around here and get back into my sewing. We are also looking very much forward to visit soon from this little guy!!

 

 I'll tell you more about THAT next time!

Celebration!

Our trip to sunny California was wonderful! I'll tell you all about it, but first I must share some wonderful news!
As many of you know, our son Richard has faced some tremendous challenges in his young life. He was diagnosed in 7th grade with anxiety disorder and O.C.D. Real, full blown OCD, not the kind everyone jokes about like, "Oh, that must be my OCD making me do that...". O.C.D. is no laughing matter. We sunk in to the depths of it all through Jr. High and into High School. He was teased and bullied unmercifully by kids who were from good families and knew better. Why do children do that to each other? Why do they pick on the perceived "weak one" like chicken pecking the sick hen to death. My sweet boy got to a point where he wondered why any of it was worth it. It frightened me terribly. After much prayer and some good therapy, as well as his maturing and understanding better what was happening inside of himself, he has done very well at mastering the awful impulses that haunt him.

School was a nightmare. He had such a hard time focusing and learned to avoid assignments and studying to avoid the stress. (We are still working on that one!) He is a very intelligent guy, brilliant in sciences and things like that. He can tell you pretty much all about the solar system and how things happen out there. He knows a lot! Making it come out in written word and on tests is another matter. We were getting nowhere at American Fork High School with the counseling department there. He was being lost in the system. We took him out and enrolled him at Lone Peak High where my husband's friends and colleagues promised to, "not let him fail." Through much patience and diligence on their parts, and through some credit recovery on Electronic High School he has completed the requirements for his high school diploma! I wondered for awhile if it would happen. The same issues with getting assignments done in school were also issues online. It didn't help that the E-high school teachers were on strike for 6 months either.

The day after we returned from vacation Richard got a call early in the morning from Debbie Wahlin, his resource counselor, telling him to come on over and pick up his diploma! When Richard told me I threw an armful of laundry into the air and threw my arms around him! We hugged and hugged and I cried a bit. It has been a long, hard journey. I am proud of my son. He is a good man and has a lifetime ahead of him to bless
others with his wonderful kindness and love!

Here is Richard and his Dad with Debbie Wahlin.

She was so instrumental in this day and we owe her so much! She is what the education process is all about, patient as the day is long, and so encouraging and positive with our son.

 This is Jolynn Wright, one of Richard's teachers. She is an amazing teacher who took time with him and helped him make friends at a new school. When we entered her room last Monday to thank her, it was the end of a long day. She was very emotional already and started to cry as Richard showed her his diploma. She said she had just had an experience with a girl that had reminded her why she had become a teacher in the first place. I hope she knows how much we owe her for her hard work and dedication to her students!

Ta Da!!!

 Richard, we are so proud of you!

Let's Wrap Up December!

We were blessed to have Diana & Lucas stay on an extra week or so after Nick went back to San Diego. 

The week dawned with fresh snow on the mountains. (Actually, this is a sunset!)

 There was plenty of napping too. It would appear that Roxie fell asleep mid-text!

 Gram pulled out all of her old tricks such as Rachel and Richard's ton of Duplos...

 

...building blanket forts...

 ...bath time and jumping/lotion afterward...

...and pulling out the mini flashlight when the boy got fussy.

 

Roxie took care of the tickling department!

 One evening we all piled into the van and drove south to Provo for the annual BYU Athletic Dept. Christmas party. It is held in the Cougar Club room under Edwards Stadium. Diana wanted a shot of Lucas in front of Heisman Trophy winner, Ty Detmer's wall. Very cool! We sent this one to his Daddy who was Cougar Blue with envy!

The party is always fun with plenty of good food.
As usual, my girlies did not appreciate my photo taking...

 ...until I cried! (No, I just looked really sad!)

 There was plenty of passing the boy around...

 ... and coloring in the kid's area where Lucas charmed rather large athletes.

 Coach & I complied with the request for a photo the FIRST time!

Then Louie finished up the bread sticks!

 We had SO much fun during those days but all good things must come to an end, so they say.

I took this photo a few days later at the airport with a lump in my throat
and tears all of the way home.

Once at home I found evidence in one of my fake apples that Lucas had been there . 

A little love note!

A few days later we were excited to get this photo of our California gang!

Nick loves Santa! Lucas is not so sure!

I caught this wintry shot one morning of the Little House on the Corner.

 Too bad it was garbage day!

 

Dr. Sarah arrived mid-month and we settled into a cozy, fire-building, movie-watching norm.

Oh, and the "Mom! Stop taking pictures policy was still in force! 

Roxie took every opportunity to find warmth. Notice her fleece vest matches Rachel's shirt? 

How clever of her!

We went out to Thanksgiving Point and attended Holiday Lights with Britt. It was one of her last events at this job. She was moving on the BIGGER things!

One night we went to Salt Lake City and enjoyed the lights on Temple Square. 

SO beautiful and peaceful there!

Say "cheese"!

"One was enough Mom. Knock it off!"

 I always love the floating tea lights in front of the temple.
Can you call them TEA lights if they are on Temple Square?

 Such a beautiful backdrop for the Holy Family!

And there were Shepherds abiding in a field of snow, wondering what they were doing there.

Santa came and filled the stockings!

We love him forever because he left us Nutella and Chocolate-dipped Peeps!!

 Oh, and a game to dance away those calories!

There were lots of long winter's naps still to be had...

 ...yeah, I got the message.

 This is me taking a nap. well actually it is my feet under a quilt and pillow, taking a nap!

 This is my most awesome and biggest word score ever
 in "Words With Friends" before I fell asleep!
YES!!

I baked gingerbread men after Christmas because I just couldn't get around to it before!~ I love my Mom's old gingerbread man cutter! Takes me right back to my little girl days, standing on a chair, helping my Mom with her apron tied up around my chest.

 

 There were more naps and mucho book reading! This man can fall asleep anywhere!

 We got a fun new game called "Pictionary Man".

 You have to draw the word right on the little guy. It was funny, loud,

 and sometimes a bit irreverent...ahem!

 Diana sent us this darling photo of herself and Lucas in South Carolina at Nick's parents' home. 

Makes my heart want to burst with love! After all, isn't that what Christmas is all about?
Let's not mention that he is munching on the baby Jesus in his manger!

 Sending love to all of you who make me smile and hope you have a wonderful New Year!