Normal Lives

Its been a great week. A week with lots of change in my life and growth.

Walking the dogs tonight, I glanced over to my right and saw a family through their dining room window, eating their dinner. I was reminded at that moment, most of us live very normal lives, in normal homes. Not the homes you see on tv on HGTV, but normal living; with laundry to do, dishes to wash, floors to clean, and toilets to scrub. The lives we see on tv are just lives on a stage, not the reality. We need to be grateful for our simple lives.

This past Monday I got a call from DaVita in Grapevine. They wanted to come over and do an inspection on the house to see if it would be viable for home dialysis. She came over the next afternoon and when she was leaving asked if I was ready to start this coming Monday for training on NxStage. It floored me because I wasn't expecting it until the end of August. What a surprise, a good surprise. I said goodbye to all of my friends at the center in Plano this morning.

I'm not sure why this was advanced up a month, but it will be interesting to see why down the road. Its kind of in wonderment. I'm anxious to see the Lord's purpose in all of this.

On another bright note, Steve got paid today from the contractor he's been doing work for.

Saturday afternoon

This has been a different week for me. I went out Tuesday to the DaVita in Grapevine to meet with the nurses there who are going to train me to do dialysis at home. It looks like it'll start end of August and I'll probably start at home in October. I'm so thrilled. It will give more energy and the ability to have a bit more of a life.

I've spent this week down on my knees. When we had the tile in our kitchen and family room installed, (I'm too embarrassed to say how long ago), anyway, the installer didn't get the grout out of the pits in the tile (its supposed to look like travertine). In spite of mopping and scrubbing, nothing would bring it out. So this week, I've tried using a wire brush and a can opener (the kind you'd use to open pop bottles or canned milk). Anyway, I've made huge progress. I've got about half of it done and hope to have it done by the end of this week. It looks soooo much better.

Gotta go, off to the temple. Funny story. When I worked as the secretary, I'd asked for a color printer. Didn't happen. So when I went in Thursday morning to volunteer, it came out he'd bought one for his office. I gave him a call and teased him. He said everyone had been told not to tell me. So much for secrecy.

A House Full of Blessings

I'm sitting here watching my daughter and one of her friends sound asleep. The house is full of her friends. They got in this morning around 4 from San Antonio. My daughter got here a week ago, some of her friends got here and on Wednesday and the remainder on Thursday. They spent Thursday doing things in our area and left on Friday to San Antonio. They leave today. When I got up to eat breakfast this morning, I found a corner in the back of the house to eat.

Going to Sacrament this morning and then back home to see them off.

Daughter's Home!

My daughter came in from Utah last night. She drove all the way here by herself (and her dog). She got in about 2:00 early this morning. She'll be here for about a week and a half. I love it when she's around.

My son came over for a while this afternoon to visit with her as well. We're having a family dinner tomorrow night with everyone here.

The heat has been oppressive this week. Even the dogs aren't wanting to go outside.

Dialysis went well last week, my access site is progressing well. We are starting next week with the blunt needles and I start poking myself again. Fingers crossed that we can get this going so I can get my training over with and my NXStage set up at home.

Neal Maxwell

I'm sitting here as I type listening to a talk by Neal Maxwell from 1974. I am so greatful for technology. I loved him as an apostle and his messages and instruction have always brought me great comfort. Now listening to his voice, I feel such joy.

Dialysis went well today. I came home, walked the dogs,did some cleaning, and went through papers.

Joe Matheney and Darrell Morie were here today and mowed my front yard. I am so greatful for their service and proud of them as young men. This new generation coming forth gives me such hope.

Gratitude

I wanted to take a moment and express my gratitude to those silent angels who have been such a blessing to me in my life. The quiet acts of kindness shown to me and for the many things that have been done to make my life easier. Thank you.

Hello Again

Wow . . . I know its been a while since I wrote last.

Saw the doctor today and I'm having surgery the end of the month for cataract removal. I feel so very old.

We've been doing a lot of freecycling this month. We had posted old magazines and one of the ladies from church turned out responding to the posting and got them.

I had a lady come by today to pick up one of the plants I posted. I like the site.

Went to Dave Ramsey's financial peace university week 3 last night.

Not much else. More later.

Success!!

I did it! I managed to stick both of my needles in this morning at dialysis. I didn't even get queasy. I came home, ate, walked the dogs, and . .. don't yell at me Jeanette - I mowed the yard. With all the rain it had gotten up just too high.
Fortunately, with all the garden beds its not near as bad as it used to be.

A great Sunday

Today felt like what Sunday is supposed to be. Church this morning was great. I even saw Brother Schroeder shed a few tears. I told him he was getting more weepy as he was getting older.

Karen did a great job in Sunday School and Heather stepped right in for Relief Society since Peggy was sick. I hope nothing serious. Margaret picked the 7th Article of Faith for the practice song and I think it threw a few people off track.

We got home, ate some baked potatoes, took the dogs for a short walk,and took a nap. Woke up at 6:45 and had wanted to go to Nancy's Dad's fireside so we hightailed it up there. It was on the First Vision of Joseph Smith and brought up some interesting things I wasn't aware of. It was really a good fireside and we got home about 8:30. Spent quite a while talking (which is not usual for us), but it was good. Heading for bed.

Oh my grass seed wasn't totally wasted. I see little spots of Bermuda poking their heads up out of the soil. Yeah!

Tomorrow I get to start putting my needles in myself. Keep a prayer for me that it goes well.

Rain rain go away, come again another day

I remember singing this when I was much, much, younger. I thought I was going to mow the lawn this morning, I guess I have other things to focus on today. The Lord has taken care of watering my garden.

The power went off this morning at about 3:30 a.m. I know because Steve had a nightmare and it woke us both up. The lights went off and on and off an on and then just off. What was amazing is that somehow in the middle of the night, I remembered TXU's emergency number. I called them and got a young lady in India wanting to know if my neighbor's lights were off as well. I told her it was 3:30 in the morning and I had no way of knowing. I went back to sleep and sometime later they came back on. Not sure when.

Stephen (my son) called me yesterday afternoon and had met a man (Ralph) who owned an electrical contracting company. He was here in Plano and does solar panels and windmills, etc. He told him about Steve and he said he wanted to meet him. We called and left him a message and he called back. He's suppose to set up an appointment with Steve sometime on Monday. I talked to Stephen this morning and told him we'd spoken with Ralph and he said "God really does answer prayers". His testimony is there, but this really confirmed to him that his prayers were answered. What a blessing.

Anyway, we'll see how it goes. We're excited. He said he has plenty of work.

Wednesday and bathing of two dogs

Wow. I actually stayed out of the yard today. Yesterday I planted herbs and begonias. Well actually I almost forgot I did put a bag of mulch down this morning w
when I got home from dialysis.

With finances tight I've had to stop taking the dogs to the groomer and today tried my hand at grooming them. Not groomer quality, but ok. Lots of water everywhere and one of the dogs kept trying to escape but generally did really well.

Housework today - oh my!

Left dialysis this morning wearing a fashionable white smock top. I had gone in with my green shirt on and about 30 minutes before I was through I woke up to see a big puddle of blood on it. Apparently, I had laid on my connection while sleeping and . . . the rest is history. They wouldn't let me leave without putting on this white thing so as to not freak the rest of the world out.

Got home and took the dogs for a walk and now, housework.

Yesterday, I put out the last of the grass seed over the grass seed I planted on Saturday since I am almost positive its all gone down the alley. I put the sprinklers on this morning to water it and it rained. Oh well.