Half Our Spuds Were Duds

After weeding for hours last night, we had a fairly nice day with only a few drizzles in the morning, so Del thought it might be best to harvest our potatoes, fearing they may be rotting in the ground from all the rain.
He was half right.
These are the potatoes that were still good - about half of what we planted.  The rest, were indeed, rotted in the ground.
I shouldn't complain though.  We are finding out from other ward members, that our garden is holding up even better than some of our best farmers.  A lot of ward members are losing most of everything they planted due to flooding - so I am grateful for what we have.
The green bean plants have some beans on them, so I will be picking them Monday night after I get home from work.  I really hope they do well, because we planted like double the amount from last year and I was hoping to have enough to can and have stored on my shelves for this coming year.  But the rain really took its toll on them.  We are supposed to have like 8 straight days of great sunshine now, and I'm really hoping it will revive the bean plants and perk them up from just laying in the flood waters.
I can only hope.
But I give thanks for the potatoes!!!

Romance is in...the Garden?

I was being nibbled on.
I had sweat dripping from me...
and I was panting heavily.
Who said 'weeding in the garden for 2 hours couldn't be romantic??'

Memorial Day

Jordan and EM listening to some tunes.

EM helping Jordan shine his shoes.

Climbing in and out of this wagon was fun for about 30 minutes.

EM loves to give his cousin Madi hugs.

Missing a few pairs, but I love when Madi lines them all up.

Preston entertained himself with the iPad for awhile.

EM hugging his cuz Madi again.

Madison couldn't fit into the BYU cheerleading outfit, so EM 'took one for the team'.

Jordan and Emerson came out a day earlier than everyone else, so I ended up getting more pictures of Em than the other grandchildren.  But it was fun having everyone out for the holiday - although, it rained most of the day .  The kids were able to play outside for about an hours time - that was it.  But we had plenty of fun inside too.

Calling on Moses

In the months of April and May, Texas has had record breaking amounts of rainfall - to the point, that we have had flash floods, tornadoes, loss of life and property and hit national news almost daily.
With all this rain, we have had an increased amount of mosquitoes and snakes and as you can see from the pictures, once again, our garden has fallen into perilous times.  Our green beans are flooded, our tomatoes and peppers look like a swamp and we're pretty sure our potatoes and onions are so saturated, they are rotting in the ground.
I'm disappointed - slightly.
I love having this house.  I love our land that we have developed and prepare every year for a garden. We put a LOT of time, money and heart into planting our garden every year.  This is our third year.  First year, our garden was plagued by the grasshoppers and destroyed within a 3 week period of time.  Last year, was great - lots of green beans, potatoes, onion and peppers - but the tomatoes failed, as did the corn and the squash.
And now, this year?  We have a beautiful garden that has had saturating rain for over 50 days straight and very little sunshine.  Unless the next 30-40 days are filled with warm sunshine, we will have another epic fail in the garden department.
We need some divine intervention.
MOSES 911.....
Can we just ease up on the rain for a month or two???
Maybe divert the snakes and mosquitoes to New Mexico this year??
And could you please look into returning Texas Blue Bell ice cream to our local store shelves??
Then all will be well in the world again - or at least, my corner of it.

Graduation Weekend

My nephew Sean graduated from Baylor with his Masters Degree - That, of course, gave his wife, Becky, an excuse to throw yet another wonderful party.
Sean's parents, Paul and Sherrie came to town, and Elaine and I couldn't let the opportunity pass by to get a picture with our brother Paul while he was here in Texas.
We look alike...slightly??  Don't you think?
My sister, that everyone says we look like twins, and my brother Paul, who everyone said we looked like twins growing up.  He is the male version of me.  We three probably look the most  alike.
It was nice to see them, if only for a few short hours.  I was still VERY slow in moving and socializing.  Not quite 100% yet..

Mothers Day in the Bottom of the Big White Tupperware Bowl

Our white Tupperware bowl is used for two things - mostly.  And if you were to ask my children, they would be able to tell you the two reasons.  One, for making stuffing.  And two, for throwing up in.  And some of my kids would even say, it is one and the same thing.
The first weeks of May are rough ones now.  My daddy's birthday is the 5th, he died on the 8th, Mother's Day comes next, and then my mothers birthday is the 16th.  All, very significant days now. I checked 'out' around the 6th.
I went home early that day from work, feeling very light headed and dizzy.  Didn't quite know what what happening, just that I needed to NOT be at work.  I got home around 1:00 and fell asleep for a good four hours, when I then woke up and made dinner for Del before he had to go to a meeting.  Wednesday morning, I was up and gone to work early, but in the late afternoon, I started feeling very dizzy again - Although I didn't leave early, I came home and went to  a Relief Society meeting, where as the discussion went along, I started feeling more and more light headed.  Home, and to bed by 9:00.
Thursday morning, I was up and on my way to work when the dizziness started again.  I had to stop at Walmart, to get some roses to give to some of our patients for Mothers Day, but as I got out of the car, I stood up and threw up all in the parking lot.  I glanced around quickly to make sure I wasn't be watched, and went in to make my purchase.  At the check out stand, I could feel it coming, so ran out to the parking lot, where I once again, threw up.  Work was literally 3 minutes away, but I barely made it inside my office, when once again, I made a mad dash for the bathroom. After two consultations and three more visits to the bathroom, I was so dizzy and disoriented, that I knew I needed to cancel my afternoon patients and head on home.  A 45 minute drive and I couldn't tell you if you asked me, how I got home.  But I did.  And went straight to bed, with the Tupperware bowl by my bedside.
Del was on the phone, as he is every day, doing work - by about 5:30. I knew I was pretty sick and was trying to get Del's attention to come ask me what was wrong.  Instead, I drove two miles to where Jordan was working at the wedding venue, to ask if he and Matt McNaughton would give me a blessing.  Matt wasn't there though - and I was sobbing.  Jordan followed me home, where he brought it to Del's attention that I was really sick.  They gave me a blessing and then Del went to the store to buy me some medicine and things - By the time he got back, I was panicked and in tears, telling Del that I needed help - a doctor - .  He took me to the hospital.
I threw up on the way and apparently passed out...according to Del.  I don't remember.  I just remember Del dragging me in to the hospital because he couldn't carry me and they got me a wheel chair.
Questions were asked that I couldn't answer.  I couldn't even think, it hurt.  I threw up - I had blood drawn in three different places, because I was dehydrated and my veins would collapse.  One try was in my left hand, which the nurse missed completely and it blew up huge, turning my hand black and blue. The blood showed that my white blood count was double what it should have been, meaning I had a bad infection somewhere.  A urine sample showed it was a urinary tract infection.  And, I had vertigo - so every time I moved, I threw up.  That didn't make for very much fun when I had to go have a CT scan and a chest xray taken - All in all, I was in the ER for 5 hours - and wanted to die.
They gave me Zofran for the vomiting, some IV antibiotic for the infection, and then some IV medicine for the vertigo.  And they sent me home right after midnight.  We stopped at a 24 hour pharmacy to get all the meds and then Del got me home as quickly as he could.  I threw up the minute we pulled in the driveway.
I stayed in the guest bedroom that night.  I didn't want to have Del see me throw up - but he wouldn't have any of that.  He helped me all 5 times I was up in the night vomiting...he brought me my meds like clockwork.  He brought me ice water to try and keep me hydrated - he tried to get me to eat - I couldn't.  He helped me when I cried because I was soooo exhausted from throwing up.  He stayed by my side 24/7 for three days - caring for me and loving me - so tender and thoughtful.  I made him go to a high priest social he was supposed to attend, but he went for only an hour, turned around, and came home to me.  He arranged with his counselors to take over some other responsibilities while he stayed home and kept watch over me.  He did go to church on Mother's Day, but only for the three hours, and then came right home to me.  The next few days, I was still too weak to go to work and he cared for me all the way to Wednesday when I finally had enough strength to drive to work and make it through the day.  But even then, he checked on me several times during the day to make sure I was surviving the day.
Needless to say, Del was my tender and loving guardian angel.
My sister Elaine, made the comment in a text, that 'it wasn't one of my better Mother's Day celebrations.'  I had strength enough to only share with her, that contrary to what she and others might think, it truly was probably the best Mother's Day I can remember.
Between my kids calling me several times a day to check on me and see how I was doing...and having my sweet and devoted husband by my side almost 24/7 for 6 days, I truly knew I was loved and cared for by those that I love the most.  I was doted on, pampered and lovingly cared for by a man that loves me unconditionally and without any desire for anything more than my health and welfare.  It was a very sweet and tender 10 days for me, as I have continued to struggle a few more days in getting back to 100%.  I have never had anything set me so far back on my backside than this illness has.  And yet, I have also not had anything like this bring Del and I more loving and close together in our friendship, relationship and marriage.
I love him and am grateful for his desire for me to be well.  I turned to him when I knew there was no other I could turn to.  His compassion and tenderness made me well.
I'm glad, to once again, put away the big white tupperware bowl...and hope to not bring it back out for a very long time.

Things Are Cracking Up Around Here

We've only been in our house three years this summer.
So it's a little frustrating and disappointing to see we have tile in both our laundry room and in our dining area, that have warped and weren't placed right so that we have had to take them up, relieve the floor of some pressure, and now figure out a way to re-lay the tile.  And when I say 'we', I mean Del.  I have not a clue - Me personally?  I would like to pull the whole thing u and re- lay with hard wood floors.
But who can afford THAT when there is a tummy tuck and lipo suction to be done?  Right?
Stay focused Marlys.

Fat At Ten Different Angles

A few weeks ago, I posted a very uncomfortable picture of myself in just a sports bra and some spandex shorts. It was mortifying - so much so, that even those who usually comment on my blog posts, could not come up with words sufficient, to express their disbelief of seeing me like that.  It had a purpose - kind of a 'before and after' attempt of losing weight, with that photo being my 'before' proof of what I have looked like for most of my life.
I have always had weight issues.  Yes, even at birth - for Pete's sake, I weighed 11 pounds at birth!! That wasn't even fair to start that heavy!  I didn't even have a fighting chance.  But it has continued throughout my life.  I have always over eaten, not exercised as I should, thus always had extra pounds to carry around.  I have only once, or twice, in my 55 years, been thin and looked really good.  Well, now that I think of it, maybe 3-4 times.  But it has always been after DRASTIC dieting, exercising like a crazy wild woman and only lasted for a short time.  I have started diets and healthy eating probably a hundred times...I have such good intentions but terrible follow through and will power. And guess what?  I'm tired of it.  I'm tired of being fat... At this point in my life, I no longer over eat and indulge in fatty foods, BUT, I also have all this extra weight that I can no longer lose by fasting, starving, exercising and or 'doing without'.
It has to be....cut off.  Yep.  You read that right.  CUT OFF!  For 22 years, I have dreamed about having liposuction and a tummy tuck.  Never thought it would happen because Del is just not one that would ever consider spending that kind of money on something not covered by insurance.  Yes, my breast reduction 20 years ago was covered by insurance and was, to this date, the best thing I have EVER done for myself.  It was life changing for me.  Well, time for my second and last life changing moment.  Del has agreed to let me have liposuction and a tummy tuck.
Do you even understand what that means for me???  I have NEVER had a flat tummy.  Never.  I will have a flat tummy - and a lot of fat cells melted and removed from my back, hips and stomach area - along with a football sized piece of my stomach removed and stitched back together....
Details.
Three weeks ago, I was laying in bed and Del and I were talking about dreams and wishes.  I shared with him about what I had always hoped for.  Instead of shutting me down, as I completely expected him to do, he actually asked questioned and entertained the thought.  In fact, the more we discussed things, the more he realized how long I had hoped for something like this and the amount of research I had been doing for years about it.  After a little more discussion, he actually said 'yes', and we would work towards saving the money for it.
 I set up some consult appointments with some plastic surgeons that I had been referred to by some co-workers I had been in conversation with and attended my first consult last Friday.  Please realize, this is a combination of exciting and humiliating for me, knowing that, once again, I am going to have to strip down to my birthday suit and show someone else my total lack of will power, self control and obsession for food.  But I was also able to think about the end result and realized it would be totally worth it.
I went to the appointment Friday - to Dr John Burns.  I was asked to put on a bathrobe with his name embroidered on it.  I felt like I was cheating on Del by wearing another mans bathrobe and told the doctor so when he came in the room.  Introductions were awkward, but I figured I better get relaxed knowing what was going to be coming during the next hour.  He asked if I had any questions and his eyes widened as I opened my binder and pulled out a full page of questions I had been researching over the past few weeks.  One by one, he answered each question with the answers I was wanting to hear.  And I was pretty precise and matter of fact about my questions.  He was thorough and precise with his answers and kept complimenting me on the depth of my questions, mentioning several times that he was impressed with my research and understanding of the procedures.  I told him that the money we planned on spending on this life changing experience, was hard earned money; that we didn't take lightly the spending of our hard earned money on just anything. I shared with him my hopes of the surgical results and what I hoped this change would provide for me and the rest of my life.  He was glad I had come to him.
After all my questions had been answered and I was satisfied with his explanations of procedures, he was then going to have to examine me.  The dreaded un-robing.
I stood and un-tied the sash of the robe to expose the front of my body.  I expected a reaction - a gasp - a giggle - a stifled cough of disgust - something.  But nothing.  I wondered how hard that had been for him to keep from reacting.  I guess he's seen worse???  I told myself to not ramble with words as he inspected his canvas....he asked me to look at what he was seeing here and there...I told him 'I've seen it before' and jokingly asked him 'if he could please remove it'.  He found my nervous humor funny.  He asked me to look at an area a little below my right hip.  I said 'I can't see it - that's why I'm here.  I can't see anywhere past this huge belly'. He laughed outloud.
He explained that because of childbirth, my stomach muscle had been ripped apart and he was going to need to repair it first.  He said that no matter how much exercising and dieting I did, I would never have a flat stomach with a ripped muscle.  I guess that was supposed to make me feel better that it wasn't the daily Big Macs I had been having back in 2009 for a three month spurt.  I was encouraged more and more as he explained exactly what would happen with each procedure.  He lifted my HUGE stomach roll to show where the incisions would be - hip to hip and then from my belly button to my pubic bone, he would take out a football sized piece of stomach for the tummy tuck - along with all the fat cells underneath it.  Above the belly button and to the bottom of my rib cage, he would do laser lipo suction - along with my 'flanks' - sides, top of the back of my butt and up along my back.  'Contouring' and 'sculpting' were the words he used most often - I felt like an art project.  And in the end, he promised me I would feel beautiful.
I want to believe him.  I really do.  But this all seems so surreal to me.  I will have a different body - I will have a flat stomach.  I will have a waistline and I will have a shape...aside from round.  He promised me.
I had to go have pictures taken.  Really??  I remembered when I had had my breast reduction and I had needed to have pictures taken for insurance purposes - The expected gasp was loud and clear from the photographer on that occasion.  I expected the same again...but once again, nothing.  No sound - not a peep.  No robe this time either - just in my birthday suit on this pedestal.  I faced the female photographer as she snapped me straight on -I was facing the number 1.  She then asked me to rotate to the number 2, which was on the wall a little to the right.  'Yes lady photographer, there is fat at that angle too'.  Another rotation to the right to #3 - 'fat there too'...angle #4 was my best side, but the fat was there too...I quickly looked to see exactly how many angels were going to show my FULL body of fat.  It would take 10.  All them showed exactly why I was there.  I had a body's worth of fat to remove - .  I put my robe back on, apologized for my contribution to her day and left the room to go back to where my comforting clothes were waiting on the chair for me to cover my years of indulgences.  I was back in my scrubs.
The surgery wont be until December - Christmas break.  It will be the only time Dr Henao will be gone long enough for me to have the surgery and have two weeks to recover.  Yes, Dr Henao would let me do it anytime I wanted, but I need to save the money for it too.  Del and I have discussed the full financial plan and we are excited that we won't be needing to go into debt for any of this procedure.  I was hoping for it not to be any kind of burden on Del.  I was already feeling very selfish for wanting something so costly for just me.  But Del is being a sweetheart about this, and very supportive.
I'm not announcing this - have only told my kids and a few of my sisters and Dr Henao.  Otherwise, only those who read my blog will know.  When discussing it with Kathryn, she makes me laugh at her openness about my weight and body.  She cracks me up - literally makes me laugh out loud.  When I told her of having to be photographed at 10 different angels, she said 'Did they not think you were fat at EVERY angel'.  She and I have always been very blunt and open about ourselves. I laughed.  When I first texted her that her daddy had said 'yes' to the surgery, her text back read ' I hate you'.  She's jealous - I know this is hard for her too.  She wants to be thin too.  But she's happy for me, I know. I texted her back with 'I love you too'.
I'm excited...really excited.  Life changing for me...can't wait until December.
Merry Christmas to me.

Some 'One on One' Time With Emerson

We love when all the grandkids are here together - but sometimes, like yesterday, it was soooo fun to just have our little Emerson here to visit.  Jordan and Lexi decided to have a 'date day' for movie and dinner, so we were able to have Em for about 6 hours of pure fun and joy.  He played in the sprinklers, played in the dirt while he helped Papa plant the zucchini and then played in the swimming pool when we finally got it filled up.  He ran from one corner of the backyard to the other - back and forth and back and forth.  He is such a cute little man now - enjoying being out here with Papa on the farm.  He loves chasing the chickens and he loved playing in the dirt with Papa .  He was so adventurous!!  And he ate everything - grapes, strawberries - banana, cheese and everything I could give him.  He loved it all.  I clearly understand why the grandkids fall in love with being out with their Papa in the backyard.  We had almost as much fun as Em did...

"The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up"

And it all happened in one week's time.  The first picture is from our neighbors backyard - They have a pond above them that with all the rain, overflowed into their little stream they have.  Then it flowed over to OUR backyard, where at one point, Del measured it was over 7 feet deep in our backyard creek!!!  It was unbelievable.  Del went out to try and shovel a dam here and there to allow the flooding of the garden to go down into our creek.  Our poor garden was saturated.  And all the rain caused quite a bit of erosion and so we have some concerns for our back lot past the creek.
But the amount of rain made the National news - Del took videos on his phone, but I wasn't able to take many pics cuz it would have ruined my camera...It was truly amazing to watch the water rise higher and higher.  Our poor chickens thought they would be changing to ducks any minute.
Quack Quack.