More Storms

Wow . .  Oklahoma city was hit by tornadoes today and we're under a tornado watch, but other counties in Texas are under a warning.  I hate tornadoes.

Poor Benson is really having a hard time with Kristin's dog, Pepe, being here.  Yesterday for no reason at all Pepe just tore into him.  I took them for a walk this afternoon and one of our neighbors said a pit bull had gotten loose and tore into two little dogs walking with the owners last week.  Scary stuff.  Maybe I should start carrying Mace when I walk.

Clipped the bushes this morning.  My flowers are growing so nice and oh my goodness, my squash plants are huge.

Going to Be a Long Summer

Woke up this morning to the news that 1/3 of Joplin Missouri had been destroyed by a tornado.  It brought unsettling feels inside of me.  So many bad things happening in the world; tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, fires, etc.  I am convinced this is going to be a summer of disasters.

Harold Camping

On a side note, this weekend a "false prophet" said the world was going to end.  If he'd only read his scriptures, he'd know better.  Anyway, there will be a second coming and it is coming.  Personally, I believe sooner than later.  Anyway, watching everyone's reaction to this man, Harold Camping, made me think of Noah and how many people were making fun and laughing at him.  There are so many who don't believe in the second coming and laugh at those who do and they have posted many comments mocking those who do.  Their day will come and they will be surprised.   Phillipians 2:10-11 "That  the ^aname of Jesus every ^bknee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is^aLord, to the glory of God the Father."

D&C 88

This morning there was a special stake conference held.  Elder Rasband was visiting.  They took the entire Plano Stake and split us into different buildings to watch the conference.  We were meeting over at the Legacy chapel and unfortunately, the feed from Roundrock didn't work.  We sang some hymns; watched a replay of Elder Holland's talk from April conference; and then Elder Rasband and President Wilding made it to the Legacy building.

President Wilding spoke of D&C 88 and suggested for the month of May we choose one item from the following scripture:  119^aOrganize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a ^bhouse, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

 Organization and order have always been great challenges for me.  When I worked at my last job I was in my element and had things well organized.  However, home for me for the past 20 plus years has been a place I crashed, hung my hat, slept, ate, spent time with family and not much more.

I have been trying to bring organization into my life and home and order.  My continuing challenge but one I'm praying about and trying to correct.  So my challenge, President Wilding for the month of May is organization and order (both the same in my mind).

President Rasband's talk was inspiring and well worth staying over for.  I love the definition he shared for "failure in the home."  Don't ever give up on your children.  I love my family and am so grateful for Steve and my children.  Also about the safe harbor of home, family, temple, and the church. 

I Love Sundays

Not only is it Sunday - but Easter Sunday.  I owe my Savior so much.  I was talking to my dear husband earlier this morning about the blessings that have been ours through the Savior's grace and I owe him all that I have to give him which really is nothing but my heart.


Church was awesome.  The speakers were wonderful and the choir did a beautiful job.  Sunday school and Relief Society were moving and I felt the Spirit through all three meetings.


I've had some IBS issues over the past week and my home teacher swung by and he and Steve gave me a blessing.


Steve and I had a nice dinner and settled in for the evening.


One of the sister missionaries that used to live with us is going home Tuesday and stopped in for a visit tonight.


It was really a great day.


There is a picture by James C Christensen that I love and have posted it on my desktop.  Everytime I turn on my computer and see the screen I think of faith.  This woman's faith that even fleeting contact with Christ could cure the incurable is matched only by her resolve in making the event occur. So powerful is such faith that the frenzy of a pressing crowd dissolves before the touch of such a devoted human spirit and the virtue of Christ flows to it. (Mark 5:25-34)

Touching the Hem of God - James C Christensen

Finally Gave Up the Ghost

I guess I should clarify - not me - the dishwasher.  It was a great machine when it was new, but here it is ten years later and its been struggling.  Over the past month when I would unload the machine, I would wonder  what percent of the dishes would still be dirty.

When I take a dirty dish or piece of silverware out of the cabinet I remember way back 40 years ago when my mother pulled out something I had hand washed and didn't get it done right and had me wash every dish in the cabinet.  Still scars me 40 years later - ( just kidding mom) so I get a little anxious when I pull things out of the cabinet and they are dirty.  She's on the other side so she can't get to me, but I am covering my bases for when I meet her on the other side.

Anyway - today about 50% were down and dirty and I cringed and looked on line for another dishwasher, since we are on a really tight budget and yet not enough for me to start hand washing everything again.

A good weekend.  I am still sitting here prolonging my time before I start my dialysis treatment.  Benson wanted to go for a walk so I thought that would kill 30 minutes anyway - oh no . . he realized it was a little too warm for his liking and brought me straight back home.  Oh well!  Some times nothing or no one is cooperative.  Today's my day.

Green Expo

My dear husband and I went to our community's Green Expo today.  We had planned to go earlier, but . . . overslept time got away from us . . . again.  We got there about 11:30 and wandered for a little while.  It was easy to get there (only a couple of miles away) and they had enough parking and the local transit system transported everyone from the parking to the fair.  Very well done.

We went to learn about composting.  We took a class on composting and they gave us a compost bin.  Now let me see if I can remember how to do it . . . oxygen, nitrogen, carbon  and . . .  oh yes . . . water.

Lots of people there and lots of exhibits and kids activities.  It was well done.

We had a good time together and got home just in time to rush him off to work.

Family Connections

Last Sunday I went to visit my aunt Mary Frances.  She lives in a "rehabilitation center" just east of here.  She's in her late 80's and in very poor health.  Its very painful for her to be mobile.  She always has such a great attitude in spite of it all.

One of the things that keeps me busy is genealogy.  I've been working on Mary Frances's family history and have had some degree of success.  I wanted to share it with her but short of printing a ream of paper (which would have been way too much for her and whole lot more money than I had to spend), I didn't know how to bring it to her.  Last week I asked if someone from my church group could lend me their laptop so I could show her roots to her.  I had a phone call and an email offering me to use a laptop from a couple of different people from church and then on Sunday I was sitting in a class when a wonderful couple brought theirs in for me to use.  I really have a great church family.  Anyway, I borrowed a laptop and took it to see Mary Frances.

My great grandfather left Arkansas and moved to Texas and never looked back.  No one knew anything about his family.  A few years back I met a man who was also working on Stewart genealogy and found the connection to Arkansas.  Willis was excited to find me because the Arkansas family were wondering what had become of my grandfather and his descendants.  Willis had published a book on the Stewart family history and I bought a copy.

I took the laptop and the book for Mary Frances to see.  She was overwhelmed to see her family.  The book had pictures of family she had never met. I use RootsMagic as a genealogy software and I was able to show her family connections over many generations.  It was an amazing experience to share this with her.

Unbelievable

Two days until closing and I called the loan closer at Bank of America and was told they had declined the loan.  I asked how that could be and she asked me to call our loan processor.  Apparently, back when the whole process started for the refinance, someone in Underwriting failed to catch our loan type and due to some small wacky law in Texas they can't run our loan through as an FHA loan.  Talk about feeling stunned and I am just tired.  We're supposed to hear back tomorrow to see what we can do.

There's Got To Be A Better Way

The doctor has asked me to take one of my med's in the morning and not to eat for an hour after taking it; instead of thinking about how hungry I am, I look for things I can do to kill the hour.  This morning its 70 degrees out, not raining, and quite comfortable; so I decided to go out and prune my roses.  35 minutes later I'm done - only two really big bushes - and my arms are covered with scratches and my hands are sore from the thorns.  I thought I was being really smart and put on gloves - the thorns went straight through.  Now I know why there are so many different kinds of gloves - must be the thick leather ones are for pruning.  Next time. Any other ideas?

Yesterday I called my internist because I'd been having symptons of low blood sugar in the middle of the night; anxious, sweaty.  It didn't make any sense because I'm not even taking blood sugar medication.  She asked me to come right in.  When I got there they hooked me up to an EKG because they were thinking I might be having heart issues in the middle of the night.  The results were just fine, but it got me thinking how it might be a good idea to find out what the symptoms of a heart attack for a woman are.  After seeing them, I understood why they thought I might be having heart issues in the middle of the night.  I thought I'd share them, they are:

·      Chest pain-may also include back pain and/or deep aching and throbbing in one or both arms. 

·         Breathlessness and/or inability to catch your breath when waking up.

·         Clammy sweating.

·         Dizziness--unexplained lightheadedness, possible blackouts.

·         Anxiety--unusual nervousness, feelings of impending doom.

·         Edema--fluid retention and swelling usually of the ankles or lower legs.

·         Fluttering--rapid heartbeats, palpitations.

·         Nausea--gastric upset.

·         Feeling of heaviness, such as pressure-like chest pain between the breasts that may radiate to the left arm or shoulder.

Refinance Approved Finally!

After 1 1/2 years of trying to get a loan modification (being declined because we stayed current) and then trying to do a refinance for the past three months - we finally have been approved!  We close on Wednesday.  I am so grateful.

Took Benson for a long walk tonight and then visited our neighbors to see their new grandson.

Its hard to believe this is all resolving.  Oh yes - with my Irish and Scottish background . .  gotta say - Happy Pat's Day!

Thanks Rebecca

One of the ladies I follow is oh so creative.  I turn green sometimes with envy over her talent.  I am not good at putting things together and making them look just right.  I went to a Home Interiors Party must have been 20 plus years ago and bought this little basket and a bunch of flowers that the hostess said you just "plop the flowers in and they would be perfect."  Well . . . I plopped and plopped and plopped.  They just never looked the way they did at the party.  Anyway.  Rebecca is so talented.  I was on her site yesterday and just clicked on one of buttons on people she followed . . and then I clicked on a button on their site . . . and then I clicked on another button and so on . . . they're on my site now.  I'm fascinated at how they make things so darn cute on so very little.  Maybe I can do this.  Hey if I can do dialysis from home and stick myself, surely I can plop and make it right.  Don't you think?

Its Spring!

Took the pups for a walk this morning.  The trees are all budding.  I saw a neighbors flowers budding.  It felt so good to be out in the air and walking.

Today I made a new bean chili for Steve to eat when he gets home.  Its in the crockpot and simmering.

The house is so quiet this afternoon.