The Drama of Life Goes On!

This past week has been quite dramatic. Monday was my Mom's birthday, and I really missed her. Of course, I missed her while she was still alive because she wasn't herself the last few years she was living. But nevertheless, I do miss her at times. I miss Katie and Ryan, and Julie and their kids so much after my visit to Utah after Christmas. My arms just ache to hold them all. I miss Eric and Em, too, and wish I could have seen more of them. Rachel started a new job this year, and we are so glad she is out of her old office. We are also very proud of her and that she would not participate in the dishonest practices going on there and that she was strong enough to do what was right. Allen is having some very hard times and we have been on an emotional roller coaster over his current trials in life. Things just sometimes don't work out the way we want them to, and we have to cut our losses and move on. This is a difficult class in the school of life, and right now Allen is at the top of his class. I hope he finishes this one by learning the necessary lessons and gaining personal strength from surviving the hard times. We are looking forward to having Allen come home to live for a while. We hope that he can heal his broken heart and concentrate on getting his education. We love him so much and are glad he wanted to come home. The job of parenting never ends: the older your kids get, the bigger and more difficult their problems are. As a parent, I never quit caring or worrying about my children. And then you can add worrying and caring about grandchildren, too. The love just keeps growing and I am so thankful for all of our children and grandchildren. I have been waiting for a month to go to a specialist because of the results of my yearly mammogram and ultrasound. There were some new developments that raised suspicion of malignancy. I have been very worried about this because of my sister, Janet, and my mom both having breast cancer. I really liked the Dr. I saw today. She gave me some great options. I am scheduled for an MRI next week and will then have a small outpatient surgery to remove the suspicious lumps. Once we get the results from the upcoming biopsy I will know what I need to deal with (or not). Until that time, I am trying not to worry and be too consumed by this unpleasant development in my life. I have always taken my good health for granted and when it is threatened the fear of the unknown is very great. Even though there are hard times, worries, decisions, kids with problems, etc., life is still really grand. I love it - and I am so grateful for the life I have. I certainly would not want to trade places with anyone!!!

2006 at a Glance!

I copied these questions from Katie's blog. I thought it was a great way to summarize the year.

2006 At A Glance!

• What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before? I rode Soaring Over California at the California Adventure park across from Disneyland. It was definitely my favorite ride. Went to girl’s camp at Lake Powell with Becca. It was fabulous! Saw the Grand Canyon with Rod – incredible and unforgettable!
• Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don’t remember if I resolved to do anything last year and I do NOT want to think of any resolutions for this year. Could this possibly be because I am so very content with my present life? I think that daily scripture reading is probably the biggest goal for me, and I have done pretty darned good. I want to keep that a part of my life. I do, however, know there is always room for improvement and I hope I can recognize what I need to do to improve no matter what time of year it is.
• Did anyone close to you give birth? No – all my closest friends and I are past the child bearing age (thank heaven). We just have grandkids – I do have two nieces that had darling baby girls this year, and two that had boys.
• Did anyone close to you die? My dear friend Rondaleen’s mother-in-law passed away. I also lost my Uncle Harold and Uncle Don, leaving my dad with only one brother, one half brother and one half sister left. My cousin, Diane Harris Payne also died – she was only in her 50s. This makes me realize that life is short and we never know when our number will be called.
• What countries did you visit? Does Narnia count?
• What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? Just more of the same – it was a great year!
• What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? September 25^th – Katie turned 30 and was highly traumatized because she could remember how I cried and carried on when I turned 30. I am so sorry, Katie! It really isn’t that bad.
• What was your biggest achievement of the year? Going to work each day and keeping my family going.
• What was your biggest failure? Visiting teaching like I should. I always try to leave a gift or a note, but I do not get in the personal visit like I shuld and would like to.
• Did you suffer illness or injury? Once in a while my lower back would kick in – especially if I had been lifting boxes at work. I also had the flu once bad enough I had to leave work.
• What was the best thing you bought? Our Disneyland trip.
• Whose behavior merited celebration? Julie and Allen.
• Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Some of the crazy parents that come in to my office to register their kids for school. No wonder the kids are screwed up.
• Where did most of your money go? House, living expenses, and entertainment. We are so blessed to not have any debt but the house and one car.
• What did you get really, really, really excited about? Our family trip to Disneyland with Katie and Julie and their families. It was such a blast!!!
• What song will always remind you of 2006? Praise to the Man – I played a really neat arrangement of it as a piano solo in church. And the camp song Becca and I wrote together. We had so much fun that night!
• Compared to this time last year, you are: More laid back, hopefully, and more appreciative of my blessings.
• What do you wish you'd done more of? Spend more family time and get to know more new people in our ward.
• What do you wish you'd done less of? Lose my cool with Becca.
• How did you spend Christmas? With Rod hiking in the White Tanks.
• Did you fall in love in 2006? With Rod more than ever :o)
• How many one-night stands? Ummmmm – what’s that?
• What was your favorite TV program? I really hate TV.
• Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No – just trying to look at others the way Christ would and wonder how he ever did it – meaning his complete love and acceptance of others. I just have not arrived there yet. There are really some jerks out there. Thankfully I don’t have too many in my circle. I just try to remember they are all God’s children.
• What was the best book you read this year? Mary, Martha and Me
• What was your greatest musical discovery? Becca’s talent on the guitar.
• What did you want and get? Everything I wanted, I got. (I don’t have big demands)
• What was your favorite film of this year? There were a lot of good films and I love going to the movies: The Pursuit of Happyness, Cars.-
• What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 51 and Rod took me out to dinner.
• What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Some weight loss.
• How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? Becca thinks I have no concept of fashion, but I think I do pretty good at dressing my middle-aged self in colors and styles that make me comfortable. I happen to like floral prints and bright colors. So there!
• What kept you sane? Rod’s steady and unconditional love and acceptance. He has such a calming influence over me.
• Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? None – I get sick of the stupid tabloids at the grocery check out with their sensational headlines and shocking photos. What a waste of paper and ink! And I don’t care about their screwed up personal lives. And I don’t fancy any politicians – they are also all screwed up.
• What political issue stirred you the most? The marriage initiative and that it did not pass in AZ! Come on people! Let’s show some values here.
• Who did you miss? My dad, my kids and grandkids. It is hard to live away from all of them.
• Who was the best new person (people) you met? Peggy Painter, Martine Sullivan, Lucia Rivas, and Katie Reynolds – these are the people I visit teach in my new ward and they are amazing women. Also the women in the book club I was invited to join. They, too, are amazing women and I love our discussions.
• Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006. Prayer works, and patience for the answers to come is vital. I also learned to trust in the Lord more than ever before. This has been a challenge in some ways because sometimes I think I know what’s best.
• Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. “All is calm, all is bright”