Hurricane Sandy

Death, destruction and devastation.
Another natural disaster...this time, in New York and the Jersey Shore.
It has been heartbreaking to hear some of the stories of this tragedy.  This, right in the middle of the Presidential campaign, has truly put things in perspective for me.  These people have lost all that they have, including some, their lives. 
Let's have this presidential election tomorrow and be done with it, so we can get on with the business of helping these REAL people get their lives put back together.
Sending prayers to our Heavenly Father that peace and comfort will come to those who are truly in need.

This Could Be Big

Tuesday is Election Day.  I have already voted...over a week ago.  For Romney...Mitt Romney.
If he wins, it could be big.
In what way???  A Mormon President of the United States?  This could be big.  Not like he's going to implement the Law of Tithing or Law of Chastity, although, wouldn't THAT be cool...?  But, to actually have someone in office who talks to God, knows how to hear and wait for answers to his prayers...and can know and recognize promptings from the Spirit???
Wow....that could be big.
I voted for Mitt Romney, but did enough Americans do the same??
I guess we'll know, come Tuesday night.
God Bless America.

Slightly Worried

I was surprised when Del was sick a few weeks ago...enough to actually keep him home from church.
But now, my surprise has me a little more concerned and worried than I would normally be.
Del is sick again.  The same thing as last time but a little worse and a little more taxing on him this time.  He's actually going to stay home from church again tomorrow AND he didn't even go outside the past two days.
His lungs...and breathing is difficult for him.  He's been sicker the past three weeks more than he has the past ten years.  That causes me some worry.
He turns 55 in a few weeks.  He's still as strong as an ox and as stubborn as a ...you know...but I can see where he is starting to slow up a little with this illness.
I pray for him.
He needs to be well.

Cutest Pinata EVER

It just doesn't get much better than this.

 

'Sleeping Single in a King Sized Bed'

Now before you go getting any ridiculous thoughts, let me explain.
Del has been sick...for about a week now.  Started off as a cold, then to lungs, then to just head to toe not feeling good.  Has the coughing, can't breathe, blowing his nose trumpet style, clearing his throat...you know, the 'everything a wife hates' cold.  He's felt rotten, I know, but he also knows that all the symptoms that come with this terrible stuff is gross...
So, he has set up residence in the guest bedroom, which leaves me in our HUGE master suite sleeping alone in our HUGE California King sized bed....
...and I don't like it.
Our bed is ten years old and it's worn in...meaning...it has divots...meaning, you can see my body imprint on the left side and Del's body imprint on the right side; the middle has a 'speed bump'.  I've been trying to sleep in the middle on the speed bump, but I keep rolling down the slope of one side or the other.  This has not been fun.
Funny what we become accustomed to after 30 years.
Del even stayed home from church Sunday...GEEZ, whens the last time THAT happened?!  Forever ago.  The only thing that has made this past week even half tolerable is the fact that we have just recently moved Kathryn's big t.v. into our bedroom...so I have at least been able to talk to someone during this lonely week.  Okay okay, so the talking I do is yelling at the football referee's, but at least it's something, and they don't talk back.  But I do miss the constant flow of Del's breathing and sometimes snoring, and I miss the feel of knowing his body is over on the other side of the bed.  I hate this vast open space and that if I rolled over, I would roll into nothing but more king sized bed.
At any other time, a king sized bed is just perfect.
But when you're alone...a twin would be all I would want.  Otherwise, the extra space is just a reminder that you're just that....all alone.
I'll sure be glad when my trumpet blowing, throat clearing, lung hacking husband is on the mend and will come back to bed....
....OUR bed.

So Much Energy for Such a Little Guy

Preston's other grandma, Mike's mom Linda, has Preston come spend the night at her place almost every weekend.  I don't know how she does it.  Yes, she is exhausted every Saturday or Sunday morning when Mike and Kylie go to pick him up, but I am starting to understand just how exhausted she is.
There are THREE of us...me, Kathryn and Del to entertain Preston.  And he has us running from the minute he gets here to the hopeful minute he goes to bed.  And he has only one speed - 100 mph.  I know and understand why the Lord wanted us to have our children in our young age...because us old folks run on 'fumes' after 8:00 at night!!! 
I will now say an extra prayer for Kylie every day and every night.

Flatlined - Part 4 Resolution

Today, being my day off, I actually slept in until 6:30 after a very restless night.  Not that I wasn't tired...I was exhausted.  I got home at 9:00 last night and went almost immediately to bed, only to have a very 'tossing and turning' 9 hours.
I had a headache..needed fresh air, so I took Lacey for a walk.  She had already been out for one walk with Del a few hours earlier but she was ready and wanting to go on another so off we went.  I was too slow for her.  The walk wasn't for exercise, it was for air.  It was to fill my lungs with clean, fresh, cool air.  I watched Lacey and noticed for the first time in months, that she was limping again on her back right leg.  It's arthritis.  I've had her off her meds for awhile now as she seemed to be doing really well but I guess her age is showing a little today.  It made me think.
Lacey is 63...compared to my 52.  She's considered a 'senior' when it comes to dog years.  While in that thought, I watched her running through the fields and yards up ahead of me and realized how much she just loves being alive and that even though she is having some discomforts, she is happy.  I could learn a few things from Lacey.
'Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful'.  And I don't have to FEEL or BE young anymore to love my life.  I just need to change my attitude and give myself a swift kick in the butt.  So, I did.
I came home from my walk and decided to take advantage of my day off.
Kathryn has been living here for almost 2 months and she's been living out of every room of the house.  So the minute she was up and out of bed, I enlisted her in the job of setting up 'her space'.  I switched everything from what I had as the guest bedroom, to the other bedroom and we made Kathryn's room, strictly hers.  It looks nice...and her bathroom is now removed of all my purple and green and it's now her black and teal.  it also looks really good.  Now the extra room, formerly known as our 'family room' with all pictures of the family and BYU is now also the guest bedroom.  It's crowded and full but it's still nice enough to serve it's purpose of giving warmth and welcome to any visitor.  Most importantly, everything has a place and is IN it's place.
Cleaned house, did laundry in our new washer and dryer and then took a short nap.  Had a fantastic conversation with Kathryn and Del about some interesting topics and then prepared for the arrival of our sweet Preston.  Yep, he's here for the night.  While I made homemade clam chowder, Kathryn and Del played with Preston outside, running around the yard and then playing out in the backyard forest.  Preston hated coming in but settled down when it was time to help Papa set up the new crib we have here at the house for when Preston stays.  Preston LOVED handing Papa the tools and jumping on the crib mattress.  Kathryn gave Preston a bath afterwards and now they are all in a full mode of throwing cushions and toys all over the front room.
I'm content - I'm never going to be young again.  I'm never going to feel as good as I did a week ago, a month ago, a year ago, or 10 years ago.  But I can enjoy how good I feel today and be grateful for another day.
'Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful'.
I just have a new definition of wonderful now.