A Downtown Disney Proposal....Awesome

I try to be pretty choosy about which videos I repost on my blog, and this is definitely on of the best. This morning when my husband, Eric, called me on the phone (4 more days until we're together again!!) he told me about a video that he had seen that he wanted to share. I loved it. It is a fun and sweet marriage proposal that involves a lot of creativity.

It will put a smile on your face...I promise!

A Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Xander at the Arboretum yesterday...

There have been so many ups and downs these past few weeks with Jonathan's illness, but why is it that when things like this happen we seem to focus on the "downs?'

As someone who is always doing little self-evaluations, I was thinking about that these last couple of days. I was down on the achingly slow progress that Jonathan was making, instead of acknowledging that progress was being made. I was down on my nephew being a little bit challenging instead of realizing that his life has been topsy-turvy not having his dad at home for nearly 3 weeks. And I've been down on other things that I won't mention here.

But the truth is, is that there IS a light at the end of the tunnel. The doctors seem to think that Jonathan will be able to go home in another week or so. He has been moved again (his 4th room in a week!) to the Transitional Care Unit at the hospital, which is for people who are doing better, but still need a place to heal under supervision. He's eating more than I've seen him eat in ages, and he's eating more high-calorie foods, which, at his weight, is a good thing.

I'm also seeing the end of my time here in CA. After 3 1/2 weeks here, I'll be flying back to my home on Monday, easing back into my routine of taking care of my husband, house and pets (I hope they all recognize me!)

Yesterday, after realizing that there was probably a lot going on with my little nephew that he just wasn't able to verbalize, I decided that I wanted to take him on a fun little adventure.

After picking him up from pre-school, we went and ate chicken and rice at Pollo Loco and then spent about 2 hours at the Arboretum, a place that Jonathan and I grew up visiting frequently. We fed the ducks and catfish, explored the trails off the beaten paths that led through shady areas of tropical trees, and drank apple juice and Snapple next to the big fountain. By the time we left, Xander was happy and tired, so tired that he fell asleep in the car before we could even get to the hospital to visit Jonathan. He woke up talking about our adventure and it was clear that we both needed that change of scenery.

Again and again I keep going back to all the things there are to be thankful for, not the least of which is the fact that my circumstances don't require me to work full-time anymore, affording me the flexibility to even come down here to CA for these 3 weeks. A year and a half ago this would've been out of the question. Isn't it amazing how sometimes Life knows things before you do?

I adore my nephew!

Jonathan...a New Phase

As my mom and I continually discuss what Jonathan and his little family are up against over these next few months, one thing we do agree on is that we have definitely entered a new phase when it comes to his recovery.

The worst is over, but there is still a long road ahead, and even Jonathan agrees that the way he processes information is not 100%. But the fact that he is conscious, has no IVs, is out of ICU and doesn't have a medical person standing by all the time shows that real progress has been made.

I kind of feel like 50% is what we have been dealing with these last 2 and a half weeks and the other 50% is what lies ahead. My ticket back home to WA and my husband and our house and pets is for 1 week from tomorrow. I didn't expect to stay this long (nearly 3 weeks,) but it was a good decision. I know my help here has been needed. I've helped babysit, change more diapers than I care to count, done a lot of laundry, walked my mom's dog, given her moral support and run many errands, on top of visiting Jonathan in the hospital almost daily.

There is a weird feeling in me as I think about returning home in a week. I will probably be leaving before Jonathan is released from the hospital. I'm hoping he will at least be transferred to the rehab floor before I go. That will show another step in his recovery.

The current question that has arisen is whether or not to do a spinal tap, or "lumbar test." The doctors want to use the results as a diagnostic tool, but Jonathan has concerns. It is his body, ultimately it is his decision.

We still have our concerns at this phase. We have concerns about what his state will be when he finally is released. There are things looming ahead that worry us that we try not to think about. If I knew 2 weeks ago what I know now about where he is in his recovery, maybe I would've waited to help during this next phase.

Again, we thank those who have visited, who have put his name on the temple prayer roles, who have sent cards and voiced their support. Thank you. Your support and prayers are still needed for a long time!

Update 4 hours later: After thinking about it for several days, Jonathan has agreed to the lumbar test. I'm really glad.

Jonathan, Part II

Time to do an update on my brother, Jonathan's, progress. I'm typing slowly and making a ton of mistakes because I'm on my mom's computer, which is almost harder than driving someone else's car...

Today is 2 weeks since he entered the hospital. This Saturday is the 2 week mark since his craniotomy. Since then we have seen some slow, but steady, progress.

After the surgery, it took another 5 full days before he even opened his eyes, Those first few days were very difficult, because the progress just seemed so incredibly slow. The first time I witnessed his eyes open was when he had a 15 second seizure--not a sight that was easy to see. 15 seconds lasted a long time.

He opened his eyes the Thursday after his surgery. Well, he opened one eye. The eye below the abscess was very swollen. His speech was very slow, and his left side was having difficulty moving. They put in a feeding tube in his nose and there was still an assortment of other tubes sticking out of him from every direction.

Despite the apparent success of the surgery, there were still many concerns...his heart rate was lingering between the high 30's and low 50's, sometimes even taking a quick trip into the 20's and a few times stopping altogether for up to 7 seconds. There was a heated debate over whether a temporary pacemaker was necessary. His blood pressure, which runs low anyway, as does mine, was lower than it should be, and we were always waiting for him to regain use of his left side--fortunately, that has recovered almost completely.

Nerves became frayed during these few days...between my mom, me, Jonathan's wife....each day was a challenge with 2 steps forward and 1 step back. The pluses and minuses could be gauged differently depending on which medical personnel we were talking to, our own moods, and individual filters of life experience.. Let's just say it isn't a time any of us care to revisit.

Then we began to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Suddenly Jonathan was able to eat real food. And not only was he eating real food, but he was eating food that he would normally never touch, like a bowl of spaghetti! Jonathan... eating spaghetti!

Two days ago they moved him out of the ICU at USC hospital. He spent about 8 hours in another room and was moved to the local community hospital late that night. He spent last night in the ICU there, not because he is in such bad shape, but because the doctors were still a little worried that he was trying to do too much and wanted to give him some extra supervision.

Last night when I went and visited him, his wife and my uncle were there. It makes me giddy to see him eating so well, even if it is hospital food. He has always been a slow eater, but he is eating everything...everything...on that tray they bring. I guess I would too if I had gone 9 days without real food.

This morning his wife took the kids for a visit, their 2nd to see their dad since this all began. Later we learned that he had been moved out of ICU at the local hospital and into another room.

This morning I went to see him on my own and was there from about 11:45 to around 4pm. It was very good and helpful to spend so much time alone with him. The speech therapist had been there earlier and the physical therapist came while I was there and walked him up and down the hall and did a few exercises in the room, like some deep knee bends. It was encouraging, again to see him eat a big meal. The doctor came in and gave us an update, although she is still waiting for the cultures from USC.

They have determined that the brain abscess was fungal, not bacterial. It could have been growing for months, which is kind of scary to think about. And he'll be on anti-fungal and anti-seizure meds for up to a year. That could mean a long, long time of not being allowed to drive, but we'll just handle one thing at a time.

The next step, which could happen as early as tomorrow, is to move him to the rehab floor, which is a place where he can continue to heal for another week or 2 and where physical therapy will be twice a day instead of once. His wife has returned to work for a few hours each day, which is good, because that she feels confident enough to not spend every day at the hospital like she did for 2 weeks.

My ticket back to WA is for October 3rd (leftover from my original plans) and it is very possible that I'll stay that long. I miss my sweet husband something awful, but it is comforting to know that he is managing things up there so well.

What a learning experience this has been. What a time of emotional highs and lows. Instead of seeing 2 steps forward, 1 step back, I see things as 1 slow step forward at a time. We are still just taking things 1 day at a time. And, although everyone is aware that some definite adjustments lie in wait for the future, we cannot bring ourselves to see that far ahead quite yet.

The prayers, emails, cards, flowers, phone calls, messages and good thoughts from friends and family have been abundant, and we are all so grateful. The news of Jonathan's illness has reached across the US to Mexico to Vietnam and we constantly feel the support of so many. Thank you, thank you.

Because the progress is slow and we are in for more transitions at the hospital, I will update again in a few days. I pray and look forward to having more good news to share as time goes on. Thank you again for those who have kept Jonathan and the rest of us in your prayers and we ask that you continue to do so. There is still a long road ahead.

Jonathan

Where to begin?

My family has had the most unexpected of challenges this week. Last Friday morning I got a call from my mom telling me that my brother, Jonathan, was in the hospital. He had been experiencing a bad headache for 3 days and, when he went to his nursing class on Thursday night, his classmates noticed that he was not well. The teacher actually ended class early and his classmates brought him home.

After some convincing, his wife was able to get him to the local hospital. By the time they got him there, he couldn't even hold a pen to write his name.

He stayed in emergency while a bed became available in ICU. After many tests and examinations, they determined that he had an abscess in his brain. My brother is 38 and a health nut, how could this happen?

When my sister in law called Jonathan's work to tell them that he would not be able to work, the head nurse that he works under asked if there was any way to get him transferred to USC medical center, because they have the best neurological department in the country. After a lot of paperwork and waiting, they were able to get him transferred on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, I was still up at our house in WA, talking to my mom on the phone every few hours, and trying to get things in order to come down to CA. Jonathan had had a pretty violent seizure that morning and there was a time when we thought we were going to lose him. The more I heard what was going on , the more I realized that I needed to get down immediately. Not in 3-4 days, but the next day.

Saturday night Jonathan underwent a craniotomy. Meaning a small area of his brain had to be exposed to clean out the abscess, which, by then, had burst. Fortunately it did not leak into the spinal fluid. The surgeon was optimistic and said everything went well, but a long road to recovery lies ahead.

On Sunday morning I got on a plane and flew down to CA. My sweet husband, always supportive, just said to stay as long as I feel it is necessary. My mom and uncle picked me up and we went back to my mom's house where I unpacked and we ate some lunch. No visitors are allowed at the hospital for certain hours, but, as soon as they were, we returned.

Sometimes, even when you know something, it doesn't really sink in until you see it with your own eyes. That is how it was when I saw Jonathan in a hospital bed in ICU, with a bandage across the base of his forehead, a swollen right eye (the abscess was on the right side, so the right side of the face looks a little traumatized,) and different lines and IVs coming out from every direction.

We are trying to be patient as he recovers from his surgery, but it isn't easy. He still has not opened his eyes. His right eye, especially, looks very sealed shut because of the swelling. He had lost some function on his left side (because the abscess was on the right,) so his left hand (his dominant hand) is kind of curled, but the good news is that his color is looking better and last night he crossed his left leg over his right voluntarily...which is great.

He did have 2 little mini seizures yesterday, one of which happened when the physical therapist came and helped him sit up. Because of that, they hooked him up to an EEG machine, which means that now he has a turban of bandages to keep the 16 different sensors in place. There is a computer monitoring his brain activity with a camera on him, which the neurosurgeon can even see from home.

There is no doubt that the care he is getting is excellent. The nurses in ICU have only 2 patients per nurse, and they are right there for everything and great about answering our questions. They are also very diligent about turning him (as last night's night nurse said "The bed is not your friend,) to help avoid sores, phlegm build-up, and pneumonia, which are always concerns when someone is lying down for an extended amount of time.

As far as his response, he says a lot of "Mmm, mmm" like "yes" to things you tell him. The other day when the ophthalmologist came in and was trying to examine the eye that doesn't want to open, Jonathan said "I'm trying to cooperate." The night nurse that we have gotten to know sometimes asks him what the procedure is for certain things. On Sunday night, when Jonathan was running a fever of 101, the nurse asked him, "What should I do?" And Jonathan responded, "Blood cultures," which was correct.

At this point, it feels pointless to ask questions like, "How long will he be in ICU?" "How long will his recovery time be?" "Will be recover 100%?" We just have to take things on a day-to-day kind of basis.

The real question is, "How did this happen?" Jonathan is a very avid bike-rider, a vegetarian, and very thin. He bikes anywhere he can, 10 miles to work, 20 miles to school, 30 miles into the mountains. There is a possibility that the abscess originated in his sinuses from breathing in dirt and pollution during those very vigorous bike rides. When an abscess begins, it starts to travel to the heart or brain. His traveled to the brain.

It is ironic that when we think of spending so much time on the bike we worry about traffic and weather. There is no way we ever would've guessed that something like this could happen.

We are praying for a complete recovery. His wife needs him, his two little kids need their dad.

The hospital staff has told us that sometimes in cases like this, things seem to get worse before they get better. So, despite that fact that the swelling, fever, even the seizures seem very alarming, they are still within the normal range of things that can happen when someone has had a surgery for this condition.

The outpouring of support we have received has been amazing. We have gotten calls from friends and family in the US, Mexico and Vietnam. His name is on the temple prayer lists in CA, WA and UT. All of this is greatly appreciated.

Right now the only people allowed to visit are immediate family, but we feel the love and support from so many.

Please keep him in your prayers. I'll update in a few days.

Rolling in the Deep...

Seems like there have been some great musical postings out there lately. This is a group out of St. George, UT called The Piano Guys. Using a piano and cello as their main instruments, they do awesome covers of popular songs.

This is Adele's Rolling in the Deep. Very cool. First you will need to scroll to the bottom of the blog and pause the song on the player.

Can Anybody Find Me....

Somebody to Love...

Everyone is going crazy with the Freddie Mercury tributes all over the net today because, if he was alive, FM would be 65 today. One of our favorite YouTube entertainers, a musician/comic who calls himself Nice Peter, did a great tribute using my favorite song by Queen.

It's pretty impressive and a lot of fun to watch, but you will need to scroll to the very bottom of my blog first and pause the music that plays so that it doesn't play over the video.

Enjoy! We love this guy.

P.S. Love the "fish tank" t-shirt. ;)

Thinking about church today...

As usual, church was pretty great today. I kept on *almost* getting up to bear my testimony, but everyone else beat me who actually did get up. At one point I even found myself getting emotional during one lady's testimony. I never do that.

Several people who got up are converts to the church. And a lady who is a very recent convert talked about how it feels like many people in her family are suddenly in the grips of darkness and challenges.

Her words got me thinking about when my mom, brother and I joined the church back in 1986. It seemed like everyone around us had an opinion about our decision. A neighbor came and tried to persuade my mom not to go through with joining the Mormon church. The mother of one of my classmates did the same thing. And one of my mom's best friends said her piece too. The biggest challenge was the hurt it caused my grandpa, who had raised his 4 kids Catholic. My grandparents lived around the corner from us and suddenly my grandpa barely said 2 words to my mom for 2-3 years. Thank goodness he finally came around.

But I started to think about the bad dude...Satan. For one so powerful, he sure goes into a tailspin when someone is trying to get closer to God. He panics, and starts injecting his dark influence in the most unlikely, but also the most personal of ways. Up until about an hour before we got baptized it seemed like my mom was having to defend her decision to a friend or family member.

But we did it. And I'm glad we did. As I get wiser in my old age, I realize that, although peopleare flawed, there are some things that are not. And every time we humble ourselves and remember where we come from and what lies in store for us after we die, we get a little closer to greatness.

Satan wouldn't react the way he does unless he feels threatened, and, despite all of the craziness that is happening in the world today, there are a lot of good people and great works happening too. The challenge is to stay focused on what is right and remember that there is a larger, eternal plan at work.

What a comfort to know that!

Recent Adventures...

As I wrote to my grandma yesterday, I explained that life is a lot quieter now that I'm living up in WA and not teaching. Southern CA is always full of hustle and bustle and teaching school always has drama and excitement. And, although I love my new life, it doesn't always make for the most blazing hot letters and blog entries.

But, sometimes you have to go and find the excitement.

On Friday, August 26th, Eric and I had tickets to go and see Josh Groban perform at the Rose Garden in Portland. It is the city's big indoor stadium, like the Staples Center in So. CA. We were in the 29th row on the floor. But we had a treat! There was a mini stage just a few feet away from us and he started the show there! I didn't take this video, because this is a New Orleans show, but this is about how close we were:


It was my 4th time seeing him in concert, but I've never been this close before. Security allowed those of us with floor seats to stand right at the edge of the mini stage and for a good 1/3 of the concert I was about 5 feet away from him. That was awesome!

The rest of the concert was a lot of fun. He sounded great, did his drum-playing bit,

answered questions from the audience, and even sang "Happy Birthday" with a girl from the audience (she sounded good!) He also brought an older couple up on stage for about half an hour and just really interacted well with the audience. It has been a few years since I've seen him live and he has really grown as a performer. Eric had a good time too. We drove home, made a midnight burger run, and got to sleep a little after 1am.

Since Eric took a couple of days off so we could go to the concert, we had some extra time for other adventures. On Wednesday we drove the 70-odd miles to Seaside, Oregon, which is the end of the Lewis & Clark trail. The drive was lovely and scenic through windy roads surrounded by huge fir trees. We also drove through Astoria, a cute coastal town with houses up on steep hills.

Seaside is your basic coastal tourist town...gift shops, restaurants, everything from seedy motels to upscale hotels, a little indoor mall with bumper cars and an arcade. One of the big attractions is the aquarium, which is really just the outer room with the sea lions and in the inner room with the tanks. You can see the whole thing in less than half an hour, but it is still fun. My brother and I went there back in 2004 when he lived in Oregon for a year. For $1 you can buy a little handful of fish to feed the sea lions. And there is always the smart one who learns that if he slaps the water and gets your attention, he'll get more fish:

(I didn't take this video either....YouTube is a wonderful thing! LOL)

And the last big news is that I'll be heading back to California at the end of the month to visit my family. Although it is kind of my mom's turn to travel up here, she wanted me to come down there. The upside of that is that I can check on my house and I get to see my cute nephew and niece. This time, though, we're doing something different. My mom hasn't had a vacation in a while (except to come and visit me,) so we're going to drive up to Carmel for 5 days. We are taking her dog, in the past we've always taken my dog, and we are driving in her car instead of mine. Hopefully everything goes smoothly. We were lucky to get one of the only remaining rooms available for those 4 nights at our favorite hotel, the Cypress Inn:


Last year Eric and I spent the day in Carmel while on our honeymoon. We stayed in Monterey, but I got to show him all of my favorite places to shop and eat and visit in Carmel.

Carmel is my favorite vacation place, so I'm really thrilled to be able to go there again. It is upscale, but everyone is so nice and most people bring their dogs. The shops and restaurants accommodate the dogs. There are mountains and trees and the ocean all in one place. You feel safe and you pretty much walk everywhere.

Recent adventures and upcoming adventures!

The Inner Light

Despite the fun things I like to post on my blog, it has been difficult not to be affected by some of the events happening in the world lately...the recent riots in England, the tragic deaths of the soldiers in that military helicopter, the famine in Africa, and, of course, our American economic troubles.

I'm one of those people who, if I allow it, can focus on the sadness of these things too much. It is a very helpless feeling to see people suffering and know that the problems are so widespread. It is also maddening to see the greed and decadence in other parts of society. Will there ever be a happy medium? Probably not. I remember feeling that way too as a teacher and having to remind myself that any dent of progress I make is a step, however small, in the right direction.

Now that I'm not teaching I need to find other ways to relieve those feelings. It is hard to find that balance of not being too affected, yet still wanting to be informed about what is happening.

I find myself having a lot of internal dialogue. One good thing about not having to work full time anymore is that I'm more available to help others. I helped a family from church clean their floors before moving a few weeks ago and I was so glad I could. And I get to be a more diligent Visiting Teacher.

Meanwhile, I also try and focus on what I like to call that "inner light" that we all possess. That part of us that contributes, either positively or negatively, to the rest of the world. What am I supporting (or not?) What am I condoning (or not?) What is my tolerance level for certain worldly things?

No matter how small, we all contribute a certain attitude and energy to the world we live in. I'm trying to make more of an effort to contribute in a positive way.

Leave Me...a short, very poignant film

This is a complete 180 degree turn from my last post, but I had to share it. This morning I was browsing videos on wimp.com, one of the most interesting sites out there. I came across this short film called Leave Me.

It is about 5 minutes, and well worth the time. Before watching, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the blog page and pause the music.

After watching, ask yourself...how many of us would do the same thing as this man, if we could, under the same circumstance?

LEAVE ME...

We've been Mr. and Mrs. for 1 year!

Yesterday Eric and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary. One year! In some ways it feels like the time has flown, and in other ways I cannot believe all that has happened in this year we've been married.

Most importantly, I cannot believe how my love for this wonderful man continues to grow and grow. It is amazing to have found someone who knows me so well, accepts and still loves me for my flaws, is so fun to be with, and who makes my happiness a priority every day. I am truly blessed, and he was definitely worth waiting for!

We wanted to do something special, different, but simple to celebrate this wonderful occasion. We heard a commercial for a supper club/lounge in Portland, OR called Tony Starlight's and did some research on it. It is, literally, a little hole-in-the-wall place that serves dinner and has a show. We decided to go and listen to a swing band called the Shanghai Woolies. The dinner was yummy and the musicians very, very good. Admittedly, I found the lead singer girl very irritating, but fortunately she only performed with them about 50% of the time and the others more than made up for it. The music was fun and nostalgic and we were seated right up front!

We had researched hotels in the area and decided to add to the anniversary adventure by staying in a 105 year-old B&B called The Lion and the Rose:
It was built by a German brewer at the turn of the century and has been operating as a B&B for about 20 years. Stepping inside was truly like stepping out of a time machine and into another era:
And, although Eric educated me on the fact that the house was not in the best part of town, it wasn't that bad. It felt a lot like the older parts of Pasadena...older, slightly run-down buildings that attract a certain bohemian element.

Our room, one of 8 bedrooms, was called the Escapade Room, which was roomy and comfortable with a tiny bathroom and tinier shower:
And we ate a nice breakfast of fruit, pastries, eggs, sausage, and blueberry pancakes in this beautiful dining room the next morning:
It was nice to not have a very long drive back home. We were back in town by 10:30 that morning, where we did some quick shopping and picked up the pooch at the kennel.

The rest of the weekend has been relaxing, watching movies, going on walks, and enjoying each other's company before Eric had to return to work today. It was a quick, but fun adventure to celebrate the wonderful day one year ago when our lives came together in this great thing we call being married. Everyone should be this happy.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig...

This past week I went back to good ol' Southern California to spend some time with my mom, grandma, and nephew. I also checked on my house there to see how it is doing and we renewed the lease with the tenants for another year. That is a load off my mind.

I must say, that this was probably the best trip back to CA of the 3 I've taken since getting married. Every day had something fun, I wasn't overbooked, and I got to see my cute nephew 5 out of the 7 days. He even accompanied my mom to pick me up and drop me off at the airport.

On one of the days I got to spend several hours with my cousin, Laura, who was my maid of honor and who recently moved back from San Diego. We enjoyed a pedicure, along with her daughter, C., who was my flower girl. Then we went to In n Out burger and loaded up on food to take back to my mom's house. The 3 of us, my mom, and X. sat around the dining room table and talked and ate and ate and talked. OK, X. played with his remote control forklift and trucks, but the girls talked! My brother joined us a little while later with my little niece, and we talked for about 2 more hours while the kids played in the family room. It was a lot of fun.

X. and I also drove out to visit and have lunch with my grandma, who is doing great a month after my uncle was killed in that horrible car accident. We exchanged pictures to look at and enjoyed some yummy turkey and avocado sandwiches at a nearby restaurant.

My Uncle Howard at age 20, and my dad at age 16 getting ready for Howard's wedding.

X. behaved great, despite being a little contrary when it came to taking pictures with his great-grandma. He is, after all, only 3 years old. But by the time we got ready to go he was very accommodating and we got some great pictures of them together. He fell asleep on the drive back to my mom's house, but not before commenting that he thought great grandma "was a very nice lady."

My favorite nephew and his great-grandma. These are priceless!

Thursday was Disneyland with my friend, Tracey. We chose a hot, crowded day, but it was the only one she could spare from work that week. Being former annual passholders, the crowds didn't hinder us too much and we got a lot accomplished, including going on the new Star Tours after a 50 minute wait. I've never been a big fan of Star Tours because it makes me nice and motion sick (not as bad as the Teacups--or, as I call them...the Vomit Cups--but close!) I'm glad that I went on it though, because they really have spiffed up the graphics you see during the ride.

We chose a beautiful, sunny day to go to Disneyland!

I took a video of some great musicians in one of the alleyways of New Orleans Square, my favorite section of the Magic Kingdom. I also bought Eric a new sweatshirt to replace the one I accidentally shrank. Watch as the people dance through the middle of their performance. It's pretty funny...



Disneyland and the resulting tiredness was a culmination of a great week full of fun and family. I feel very blessed that Eric has assured me that I can go back and visit my family anytime I want. And, although I do not want to exhaust his generosity (or our finances,) it is nice to know the offer is there!

I have the best Home Teachers...

Last night, while Eric was on his last night of graveyard shift, I was invited to Family Home Evening at my Home Teachers' house. Steve and Diane Pond are the best Home Teachers I could ask for, and I know that it was an inspired decision to match us up.

Bro Pond did a great lesson on being cheerful, even in the midst of the depressing things around us in the world, from an article in a recent Ensign.

I just feel very blessed to have these two wonderful people in my life, and they have added to easing the transition of moving to Washington. And the icing on the cake is that they live just 1 block away.

Even with their own 7 seven children, many grandchildren, and other responsibilities, they are diligent Home Teachers who make me feel loved and looked after. They're awesome.

Sight or Sound...

I had an interesting experience this morning. After having a lingering ear infection for about 3 months, my doctor wanted me to go for a hearing test.

I sat in a little sound-proof room (supposedly sound-proof, although I could hear the distant chatter in another office) and, wearing headphones, said "OK" every time I heard a series of low-volume beeps at different frequencies. First in the right ear, then in the left--the infection has been on the left side.

After the beeps, the audiologist had me repeat back a list of words that would come through first on the right side, then the left. The volume decreased as she spoke until I could barely guess what she was saying.

The results were that my hearing is fine, better on the right than the left, but that may have nothing to do with the ear infection, which was in the Eustachian tube and was causing pressure and that feeling like you just got off an airplane.

My relief was more than I expected and it made me really grateful. Sound is so important, and, if I had to give up either sight or sound, which would I give up? I think I'd rather give up sight. Those days when my left ear was all plugged up, I felt partially cut off from the world.

Hopefully I will never have to completely give up either sense, but it did get me thinking. What would you give up?

3 MONTHS Since My Last Post? Shame on Me...

I cannot believe how much time has passed since my last blog! My only excuse is...nope, I've got nothin'. There is no excuse.

Still, a lot has happened in these last 3 months.

In April, shortly after my last post, Eric and I took a little vacation down to Salem, Oregon. We visited Willamette University, his alma mater and football stomping grounds. What a beautiful campus! The same care that I remember going into the campus at BYU, just a lot smaller. We also saw a wonderful production of WICKED. My 4th time to see it, Eric's 1st, and he loved it. The theater was beautiful, with an incredible green and white basket weave design inside. They also added to the fun by having green apple flavored drinks in the lobby during intermission. Eric got a green apple smoothie that was to die for!
In May I took a trip to California. No Disneyland adventure this time, but I did have a lot of quality time with my nephew and the trip, as a whole, was a lot less stressful. My first return to CA back in January was spent wrestling with the unemployment office (that has all been sorted out, thank goodness,) and tenants at my CA house over 2 bounced checks (also straightened out.) We also had a little family get together, which was great, because I hadn't seen my aunts and uncles and my cousin, Laura, who was my maid of honor, since my wedding last August.

I digress for a moment to point out that in less than a month, Eric and I will be celebrating our 1 year wedding anniversary. Isn't that amazing? And, if possible, I love him more now than I did then...*sigh* (happy sigh)

In June we had another CA trip planned with the 2 of us. The purpose was to attend the church wedding of my cousin, Robby, who is in the Air Force and was married 3 years ago in a small civil ceremony. The plan was to make it a big vacation...hotel, rental car, Disneyland, and any other fun that we could pack into 5 days. Unfortunately, life had other plans...

Our white kitty, Ramius, who is only 2 years old, had a dramatic reaction to a vaccine and we ended up taking him to the emergency vet the week before our CA trip. It was a 4 hour, 80-mile round trip odyssey that started at 10pm and ended up costing $300...all for a quick consultation and some under the skin fluids.
The very next day, as we were recovering from a horrible night's sleep, the washing machine died. More $$$.

The following Monday, Eric sprained a ligament in his leg and was in a lot of pain. By Wednesday (we were supposed to leave Thursday, June 9) we still planned to go, but it was not to be. Thursday morning we got up and Eric was in such pain that he just didn't think he could go. I called the airline and cancelled his reservation, and cancelled with the car rental and hotel. I thought, OK, I'll go alone and just stay at my mom's house like in the past.

The kicker came when I called my grandma to change our plans for a visit while I was down there. My dad's wife answered and alerted me of the tragic news...my dad's older brother had been killed in a horrible head-on collision the day before.

At that point I just felt all the wind go out of me. I didn't want to get on a plane. I didn't want to leave my husband. I didn't want to go through all of that. My sweet grandma had lost her remaining child. I felt so bad, but I also knew that she would need her time to grieve before wanting any company. Which led me to plan my upcoming trip next week.

Eric had taken vacation time for our CA trip and still wanted to use it, so we had to think of other things to do locally that were fun and interesting during those 12 days he had free. One of the things we did was go and visit Mount St. Helens. There are several visitor centers along the highway, but the closest one has a fantastic view only 5 miles from the mountain. You feel like you're looking right into it!
My mom came and visited last week and was here for the 4th of July, the biggest event in town. She and I went to the local outlet mall and raided the Coach store, Eddie Bauer, and the Ralph Lauren outlet where she found some beautiful bedding for when she has her bedroom redone. We also took her to Mount St. Helens, which she loved, and enjoyed the 3 days of holiday festivities, all of which take place right down the street at Lake Sacajewa, culminating in a 20 minute firework show the night of the 4th. Although, backyard fireworks are legal here, so the rockets red blare went on until nearly midnight!

See? Busy?

Other than that, life is nice and quiet. I was called to be a teacher in Relief Society at church. My first lesson is on Sunday...Lesson 35 on Obedience. I'm an over-planner, so I'm sure I have more material than I need--I finished prepping yesterday morning--but better to have too much than not enough. I'm just amazed at the church website...so much information! The last time I was a Relief Society teacher, the website didn't even exist (the internet barely existed!)

This Saturday I'm also hosting my 2nd "Ladies Movie/Karaoke Night." The first one, 2 months ago, was a rollicking success, with 12 ladies total from church enjoying a viewing of Tangled on blu-ray and a couple of hours of karaoke using our little homemade setup, plus lots of yummy munchies and a chance to relax and laugh together. We had a great time. This Saturday we're watching Emma, and it looks to be another fun night.

I'm also trying to finish the book for my book club (of which I'm now the leader!) The Forgotten Garden, by Kate Morton. A complicated story, but worth the time and effort.

Happy Summer to all! I'll try and do better about staying updated!

I'm Kristie, and I'm a Gadget-holic...

...and also an iPhone convert. I'll back up...

Since Eric and I got married, there have been many decisions to make about merging our possessions, health insurance, dentist,taxes (that was fun!) etc. Two things have been looming over us: car insurance and cell phone servers.

I'm happy to say that one of those is now done, and it isn't car insurance! (I have insurance, but we haven't joined our plans yet.)

Having different cell phone servers is almost like being of different religions or political parties...each provider thinks is they are the best. Each one can tell you what is wrong with the others. Each one will tell you what will happen if you don't use theirs. Each one makes it hard to leave.

What to do? Eric was with AT&T, I was with Verizon. I have been with Verizon since 1996 when I got my first little StarTac cell phone. (Remember those?)Eventually having a couple of LG "candy bar" shaped phones (couldn't find pictures.) Then there seemed to be a period of time when the thing was to find the smallest phone possible:

(Actually it has been kind of fun to look up images of past phones.)

Then the "smart phones" stated to make their way onto the scene. For a while it was a battle of the Palm and the Blackberries. The Palm attracted me because of the touch screen and the QUERTY keyboard. I LOVED my Palm, and still remember it with affection, even though it basically died at the end of 2 years, which was convenient because that is when we're all eligible for a new phone anyway. But it had its little stylus and internet and email and was just cool. You couldn't add apps or anything, but I didn't care. It still felt like a little computer in my hand. Of course, the price you paid for all the bells and whistles was that the phone was bulky.

I mainly jumped on the smartphone bandwagon because the internet filter at my district was really strong and I couldn't even get my email. I felt really cut off not being able to check my email for hours. Enter smartphone.

Quick story: one time when I was having a REALLY stressful day at school I had my Palm next to my Trader Joe's salad container and accidentally threw my phone into the trash. School ended a couple of hours later and...where was my phone? I had no idea what I'd done. I looked everywhere, and eventually went into the office and had one of the office workers continuously call the number so I could try and track it down by sound. A nerve-wracking half an hour later I heard my ringtone coming from one of the trashcans in the staff lunch room. Suddenly I realized what must have happened. I had to fish it out of the trash, BIG yuck, and clean it off. I got really lucky, it was a lot cleaner than it could've been! (Someone had dumped some unwanted beans right next to it.)

When my Palm began to die, there was really only one choice for a smartphone through Verizon, and that was the Blackberry, because Palm was retooling their smartphones and the one I'd had was now obsolete. There was an LG phone that was all touchscreen, but I preferred giving up the touchscreen feature in order to have a keyboard.

I settled on the Blackberry Curve shortly before the touchscreen Storm came out (the Storm never really did much for me) and as my cousins who use AT&T were raving about their new iPhones. Not an issue. Verizon didn't have iPhones, and I had no plans to leave Verizon, so the iPhone mystery would have to remain that, a mystery.

My Blackberry served me well these last 2 years. I got pretty quick with thumb texting, there were a few apps available for download and I even had a GPS feature on there for a while that worked pretty well (although I love my Garmin nuvi 1300 GPS much better.)

Once in a while I would tinker with the new phones that had touchscreens at the Verizon kiosks, never really seeing one that appealed to me, but always on the lookout for a new phone so I could make an informed decision when my 2 years ended.

All of that changed when Eric and I had to merge our plans. First we had to choose a provider. Would I leave Verizon or would he leave AT&T? I have had only good customer service with Verizon and would be sorry to leave, but up here in the small city of Longview, WA, it really became a reception issue. I have not been getting good reception up here with Verizon when I would call CA. It has happened several times.

LONG story short (can you say "ode to my cell phone history?") we decided on AT&T. Now to pick a phone. A new Blackberry curve like the one I had? An iPhone 3G or the new 4? Or one of the iPhone copycats, many of which are very good?

Oh, the pangs of curiosity! There are certainly benefits to going with the original that everyone is raving about. I learned that with my Microsoft Zune mP3 player. Great, great player, but everything out there is made for the iPod. Even the beautiful Bose speaker my mom bought has an iPod dock.

It is the same with the iPhone. All of the fun apps, cases, etc., are geared toward the iPhone.

The older 3G was only $50, the newer iPhone 4 was something like $199. The only difference is the shape and supposed speed. Eric said to get whatever I wanted, but I actually liked the feel of the 3G more than the 4. I could try it for a month with only a $5 restocking fee if I changed my mind. The Blackberry Curve--also $50, had a $35 restocking fee. (Coincidence? No, they push those iPhones.)

So, I walked out of there with an iPhone 3Gs.

24 hours later, never having looked at any directions, I was completely comfortable with it and the touchscreen keyboard, which requires me to type with fingertip and not fingernail. The apps are awesome and super easy, most are free. Organizing the screen to my desire is easy, and the phone is lightning fast. The video camera works awesome (the videos I would take on the Blackberry were terrible, always with inaudible, garbled sound.)

One day later I returned to the AT&T store and bought a case and screen protector.

One week later I'm still loving it.

Favorite apps?

• the Kindle app, which is free, and lets me download the books I already have on my Kindle account for no extra charge.
• the Scriptures, which was $15...so easy to navigate, and also have the hymns and many other accessories. I have the Scriptures on my Kindle too, but I think the iPhone version is actually easier to use. Faster, too.
  
• Words with Friends, a word game favorite that is basically Scrabble with other owners of iPhones, either people you know or people you don't.
• Facebook...good ol' Facebook, can't survive without it!
• Twitter...I've had a Twitter account for ages, but the iPhone's simplicity makes it a lot easier to navigate throughout the site, so I've rediscovered Twitter and am using it a lot more.
  
• weather...I found one I like much better than the one that came with the phone. It has been very accurate and had awesome graphics

And, of course, there are the fun ones like People magazine updates, a little piano app, Solitaire, Uno, Othello (a personal favorite game,) and many others.

At this point I'm just getting past that "I'm obsessed with my new gadget" phase that we all go through. I've had the phone for a week now and it feels like longer simply because I'm so very comfortable with it. I'm hoping that my mom gets one through Verizon when she's eligible for a new phone because it is so user-friendly.

Bottom line, gadgets are fun! They are a part of our lives now and they aren't going away, so it is good to know what is out there and to try what you can. My main gadgets: my Kindle, Zune, Garmin GPS, and iPhone are mainstays that each serve their own purposes and make my life easier and create a lot less clutter because of their storage capacities (the Kindle and Zune, mainly.)

Yes, I'm Kristie, and I'm a Gadget-holic. And happy to be.

Being Grateful...

In church on Sunday we had a lesson on pride. Being proud vs. being prideful. One of the ways to combat pride is to be grateful.

I was thinking about the many uses of being grateful. I've never really struggled with pride that much, but I have struggled in other ways. For me, I often don't appreciate the moment I'm in and am always looking forward to the next moment. Sometimes that leads me to getting into little funks of depression. Not DEPRESSION, but not being as happy as I know I could be.

During a little self-analysis Sunday afternoon I realized that those little bouts can also be fought with being grateful. Usually they circle around missing California and my family. Sometimes it is just a matter of being a little bit lonely when Eric is working that long 12-hour day and I'm home with just me and the pets. Aside from Fred Meyer and walking the dog by the lake, there isn't a whole lot to do in this town. BUT...

If I work on being more grateful during those moments, I am reminded of how lucky I really am.

The most basic things to be grateful for lift me out of those cloudy moments. Some standards:

1. My wonderful husband. He's the most wonderful man I've ever known. He loves me 100% unconditionally, faults and all. He's smart, fun, sweet, Supportive, chivalrous, generous, musical, sensitive, spiritual, and extremely funny. He is truly my best friend.

2. My family. They may be far, they may be scattered, but they are still my foundation of life.

3. Our home. It is a quirky-looking house, but it suits us perfectly, and the location cannot be beat.

4. Church. The spiritual uplift, extended family, and understanding of my life's purpose, where I came from and where I'm going. To know that we are all part of something greater and that we're loved by Heavenly Father is a wonderful thing.

See? I feel better already.

Slook Karen Takes the Floor...

Karen, your comment was so good, I'm going to publish it as a blog entry. (For the confused ones, we called each other "Slook", rhymes with "spook", in college, I forget why, but it has lasted.)

In response to the challenge of parents in teaching their children the importance of modesty, Karen wrote:


As far as girls' clothing goes, it's definitely scary what people think is okay for little girls to wear, and there seems to be less and less difference between the styles in the juniors section and the girls section. Oy! All I can say is teach, teach, teach, and start talking when they are still very young. I remember doing an FHE lesson using Barbies years ago. We dressed them up in all kinds of outfits then talked about what was modest and why and what things we didn't want to wear. A few weeks later, we were at Olive Garden for dinner, and it was obviously prom nite somewhere. A bunch of girls in beautiful dresses strolled by with their dates, and Courtney leaned over and said, "Mom, that girl's dress isn't modest." =) They can recognize it just like we can. One other thought: I was at a stake YW activity last nite - in conjuction with the broadcast from Salt Lake - and the evening was all about being modest. Part of the program included a video with clips from different young men around the stake talking about how they view girls who dress immodestly. It was interesting to hear the two same points over and over again: 1) it actually makes them extremely uncomfortable and 2) their assumption is that the girl must not really care about herself very much. It's almost a feeling of urgency for me. Looking at the state of the world and its values and wanting to do everything I can for my daughters. I keep coming back to making sure I teach them well - not only about what's right and wrong but also about who they truly are and building their confidence so they can more easily rise above the filth all around them. Sometimes, those long-ago days of toddler tantrums look pretty good. =)

Great, response. I love the idea of using Barbies (or any doll--I wasn't allowed to have a Barbie when I was young) to illustrate modest vs. immodest dress. And, even though I don't have a daughter, I did teach school for 13 years and I still remember the feelings of protectiveness I had towards my little girls of all ages. Teaching in inner city neighborhoods, the girls seemed to grow up even faster, if you can imagine, and when I would sometimes see them at school events not wearing their uniforms I was just saddened and appalled at the things their parents would buy. Not all, but some. I think about those girls now and wonder where life has taken them. Part of me wants to know, and...part of me doesn't.

(By the way...the image above is something I found when Googling the search "modest vs. immodest." It took me to another blog by a mother facing the same challenges. The doll is one her daughter got as a gift. Mom felt the outfit was too suggestive and she modified it. Bravo! Her entry can be found HERE.)

40 'n Fabulous and Other News...

I'm tired! Must be because I'm 40 now. I'm slowing down.

My mom was with us for 8 days up here in the Evergreen State. Days were spent preparing for her arrival. She and I had a nice time, trying to get her to slow down from her usual busy pace in California with grandkids, church activities, and Tuesday night Weight Watcher meetings.

We walked the dog, went shopping, had a mani/pedi lunch date with my mother-in-law, and had company over the evening before she left. I love having company, bringing out the good plates and setting the table all pretty, but it is a lot of work. The dinner consisted of my mom, this lovely couple from church that lives a block away, Eric and me. My mom helped a lot, but I still cleaned and cooked and set the table and had the responsibility of being the hostess. We had a nice time and it was all worth it.

On Wednesday, Eric shaved off his goatee. I'm still getting used to seeing him all clean-shaven!

Yesterday I burned out the vacuum and we had to get a new one. We braved the local Walmart and came home with this Bissell heavy-duty monster that is picking up so much stuff I almost miss vacuuming in blissful ignorance. Ick!

This morning we had a repairman (who was a woman) come to the house and do the yearly inspection of the heating/cooling unit. That took over 2 hours. It was a beautiful day and I could not stay inside so I went out and got some groceries, went to the bank and the post office, and...(she said sheepishly...) went and picked up the ring I had on hold that went on sale today. A little birthday $$, a little extra to supplement, and you have what I call my "40 'n Fabulous ring."

I wish I didn't have such a weakness for bling, but I do. I'm the 3rd generation on my mother's side with such a condition, I'm afraid. Anyway, I know it is completely frivolous, but I love it and plan to make it my new right hand ring. The original plan was to get a ring with my birthstone (aquamarine) but I'm just not a fan of that stone. When I saw this one with its Ceylon Sapphire and the rim of cognac diamonds I fell in love with it. Getting husband's and mother's approval sealed the deal.

Isn't being a girl fun? Even a girl at 40, which, I'm told, is the decade where you really relax and become truly comfortable in your skin. I can see that.

Speaking of girls, I'm going to segue into something more serious. Lately I have run across a few different blogs, postings, and articles about the way the media and advertisers are targeting girls at younger and younger ages to act and dress older. Today Abercrombie & Fitch were highlighted on Facebook for coming out with a padded bikini top for 8-14 year olds. Are you freakin' kidding me? As fun as I think it would be to have a daughter, I would be worried about raising one in today's world. Gail, Karen, Andrea, Trish, Sal, and other friends with preteen and teen girls...I can only imagine the challenge to keep them from growing up too fast. Even without a daughter of my own, I shudder when I see some of the clothes in the girls' and juniors departments at stores.

The other day I was on Gail's site and she linked to a recent blog entry by a mother who had had enough and just had to vent on the way products and clothing are becoming more and more suggestive and the daily challenge for responsible parents to preserve their kids', especially daughters', innocence. It is a fantastic read. Bye for now! Click the title:

"What About Our Girls? Childhood Cut Short."