Another fun adventure!

Yes, "da Mudder" was in the hospital overnight.

Her "access" was clogged so they couldn't do dialysis on Thursday.

Friday we were at the hospital at 7a.m. for "de-clogging."

Radiology couldn't do it, so they did surgery.

They wanted to keep her over-night for observation.

She was released around 1pm and went straight to dialysis.

She has lost more weight. She's at about 150 now!

The fun continues!

Ponderings on Death

I always thought that watching a loved one die would be a peaceful, happy experience. Especially with the knowledge we have of life after death and eternity and families are forever!

I've never actually experienced the dieing process unless you count the last few weeks with grandma and that wasn't a daily thing. I did get to find her dead body. That wasn't fun, but I was kinda relieved she was dead because she would not have been happy that I had taken Yvonne with me to find her!

My mother's life is slowly winding down and she's getting closer everyday to the other side of the veil. She could leave us tomorrow, next week, next month, even next year. She's not the same person she was even 3 weeks ago and I would love to help her make the transition a happy, peaceful one, but she's goofy and sometimes cranky! There are times when the things she says are truly hilarious! We all laugh. She laughs too! Sometimes she's cranky and accuses us of things that aren't true. That's when she reminds me of grandma and I don't like those times.
I understand that if it's frustrating for me, it's probably more frustrating for her. I try to be patient and I try to be kind and try to overlook the crankiness and remember the sweet mom who taught me to be a responsible human being. (Whether I always was or not is irrelevant!) I try to remember the golden rule and "to do to her as I'd have done to me."

Breaking news: She just asked me "Where does Betty live? No, Where does your aunt live? I went through a list of aunt's I knew...
"Auntie Dot lives in Idaho."
"No, that's not the one."
"auntie Marge?"
"no"
Those are my only aunts!
She started again asking where Betty lived and then shook her head no and asked,
"Where does your aunt Rosemary live?"
I told her I didn't know, that the last she knew she lived in Alaska. Aunt Rosemary is one of my mom's best friends through-out jr. high and high school. Probably hasn't seen or heard from her since the 70s.

That's just a snapshot of how my day goes.

She then told me she wants to go to Bluff Road tomorrow with a camera. She wants to take a picture of our "other house." Probably wants some Chocolate from Willy Wonka too!

Calgon take me away!

Even though I know what I know about death, I still wonder about the actualities of it! Rick Springfield wrote a song titled, "April 24, 1988." That's the date his Father passed away. I've always loved the lyrics because I have the same thoughts!
April 24, 1988
"I know all your life you wondered
About that step we all take alone
How far does the spirit travel on the journey
You must surely be near heaven
And it thrills me to the bone
To know
Daddy knows the great unknown."

My mother says.....

Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory is across the river from our house!

She saw the Oompa Loompas there and they were singing!

"Oompa Loompa Doobadee do...."

Happy Sunday to you too!

Cuckoo!

Eddie's Leaving Me!!!!

I'm devastated!

I can't believe this is happening.

Someone tell me it can't be true!

Psych!

He is leaving me, but only for a few days. He's going to go up to Heber and check on the cabin and what not. With the water pipe in the orchard being broken for so long, he's going to go up and clean up the cellar and the ...um...whatever they call that other building!

The riding lawn mower and a four wheeler are in here!

He's not leaving for a week or two, but it will be the longest we've ever been apart!

We were apart for two days last year when he was working in Hanford, CA.

We have cell phones so we'll survive!

Before we got together he managed to find

change and a payphone to call me from Heber,

so all is well I suppose!

Boo Hoo!

Memorial Day

All that we’ve been given by those who came before,

The dream of a nation where freedom would endure.

The work and prayers of centuries have brought us to this day.

What shall be our legacy, what will our children say?

Let them say of me, I was one who believed

In sharing the blessings I received.

Let me know in my heart when my days are through,

America, America, I gave my best to you.

Each generation from the plains to distant shores,

With the gifts they were given were determined to leave more.

Battles fought together, acts of conscience fought alone,

These are the seeds from which America has grown.

Let them say of me I was one who believed

In sharing the blessings I received.

Let me know in my heart when my days are through,

America, America, I gave my best to you.

For those who say they have nothing to share,

Who feel in their hearts there is no hero there,

Though each quiet act of dignity is that which fortifies,

The soul of a nation, that will never die.

Let them say of me that I was one who believed

In sharing the blessings I received.

Let me know in my heart when my days are through,

America, America, I gave my best to you.

America, America, I gave my best to you.

I love this song. I've only ever heard Denyce Grave's version. I just found out that Norah Jones has also recorded this. Now I'll have to hear her version. This is probably one of my most favorite patriotic songs of recent years. I first heard it at the National Day of Prayer service after 9-11. I've loved it ever since. I just thought today was a good day to hear it, sing it or at least read the lyrics.

Freedom isn't free! I'm so thankful for those who gave their lives for my freedom!

Pedicures!!!

Today is the magic day of the month when I get to pamper myself with a pedicure!!!

For the last several months I've been going to the nail place inside WalMart! Their prices are reasonable and they haven't hurt me yet, nor do they try to get me to do more than a pedicure!They know me as "the easy girl" because I don't complain! I guess everyone else complains!

Because our weather has been so weird, today cold, rainy and windy, there weren't a lot of people at the nail place so they took their time and did a great job. I always get my toes painted with Purple Passion. I should take a picture of them. Maybe next month. The only other color I've painted my toes was green. Elphaba green when we went to see Wicked! It felt weird in the temple with green toes, so I try and keep them with my normal purple, which is a deep pinkish, red, purple. The only other nail color I like is Purple ice! I used to get that color in Utah when I used to get fake nails. I think it's a similar color. My favorite part of the pedicure.....the massage chair!!!! The last 3 months I've had the same chair and it's divine!!!! The rolling, the pounding, the digging! It's heaven. The seat vibrates too and that is just the icing on the cake. I enjoy waiting for my nails to dry just cuz I get to stay in the massage chair!!! Least favorite part of the pedicure....removing the calouses from my feet! Why? Because they always tickle me and I can't stand the tickling and the dieing of laughter that comes with it! Other than that, I love the whole process!

2 years ago today....

Eddie was endowed with power from on high at the San Diego Temple.

Yes! He finally made it!

In the last two years he has done 88 endowment sessions, 26 sealing sessions, 70 initiatories and helped in the baptistry once and he may be helping there today too! So that would be twice!

I think that's pretty good for 2 years!

We've been blessed to help a sweet lady in our ward do her family names. She had about 700 names to do I think. A lot of people in the ward and stake have helped her.

Last Saturday we finished off the last of the stack of names she had. She's looking to see if she can find some more for us to do.

We feel like we've gained another family that will be waiting for us on the other side, because of the work we've done from them. There's another cool connection, the majority of these people were from Butler, PA. I served in Butler, PA twice on my mission. A coincidence? I don't think so! Just more of the Lord's tender mercies!

NKOTB

The Boys from Bean Town are back!!!

Alright Joey Joe, Jordan, Jonathan, danny and donnie are doing a concert on the Today show tomorrow! Check it out! So far there tour isn't coming anywhere near this side of the country, but I'm sure they'll make it this way eventually!

They're still hangin' tough! Oh I could go on and on with titles from their songs, but I won't!

Good, hilarious memories because of NKOTB! Lots of missionary humor!

I knew they'd do a reunion tour!

Another 10 - 15 years and all the boy bands will be touring together!

Just wait and see!

Dee

White Hair!

These are pictures of me last week. Do you like my white hair?
Yes, I stopped coloring it almost 2 years ago and this is the color it grows now! Yes, it probably makes me look old, but it's so much easier and my hair is happier! I've had lots of problems through the years coloring my hair, but vanity usually kept me doing it. I guess I'm not so vain now! HA! I think the last time I colored it was for our wedding. I might have done it once after that before our big honeymoon, but I haven't done it since. The girl who cuts my hair actually told me I should let it grow out and be natural. I guess she didn't want to make any more money! So...it's been hard at times with the roots at first and then it seemed like forever to get the last bit of color out. I still think I should probably have my hair trimmed so it would all be my normal color, but I haven't had my hair trimmed since sometime last year. I finally can get it all in a pony tail! That's probably not a good thing, cuz I tend to wear it like that most of the time around the house! I don't really mind the white! I guess my maternal great-grandma when completely white at a young age, (46 is young!) so maybe I got her genes! I really like it when I'm in the temple. Then I'm head to toe in white!!!! I only wish it didn't grow like the bride of Frankenstein stripes!!! I guess in time it will be white all over. Hopefully, I'll be like my Grandma Wanlass and still have dark hair at the nape of my neck. She still had a little bit when she was 90! The rest was snow white! I can only hope!