November 11 2011

Veterans day today.  Reminded me of my father today.  Dad died 9 years ago.  Coming up on ten.  It's hard to believe.  Sound out to all the veterans present and past.  Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

Just got back from spending time with my daughter in Austin.  I love being with her, but am always glad to come home - my sanctuary.

Our little Benson passed away unexpectedly.  He had been my buddy for the past four years.  He and I had been through some tough times together.  He went downhill in a very short time and apparently had Cushings disease.  He will always be missed.







I have a new buddy.  His name is Bailey.  He went with me to my daughter's house.  He is a handful but a delight.  He's a little black ball of fur and is a busy fellow.  I'll post a pic when I have one to share.

Our visiting dog is gone

My daughter took her dog home.  He's sweet and Steve adore's him.  I'm thrilled.  He nailed the rug under the dining room table.  We had the brother from our ward come over and he tried to clean it yesterday but he said Pepe had saturated the rug.  I think it happened when I was in the hospital.  The scent wasn't there before, but was there when I came home.  When we had all the windows replaced and the patio door replaced we didn't put the doggy door back in.  Bad choice.

Our little guy is really good about it;  Pepe .... I'm just glad he's gone home.

Change

My daughter and I have a unique relationship.  Mother, daughter, and friend.  There are times I have been her counselor and greatest supporter; and she mine.   I love her dearly.

She has changes coming in her life sooner than later.  She's leaving Texas and probably heading to California.  She has an interview on Tuesday and it sounds promising for her.  She's so excited so I have to be happy for her, but sad for me since she won't be down the highway.  If it works, she'll be gone to California in a couple of weeks.

Spent the day today working on the yard.  Its been so beautiful here this week.  I love the cooler weather.

The Little Things

I was standing at the sink washing dishes and thought how grateful I am to be alive and able to do the little things - like washing dishes (my least favorite chore, and yet one of the most rewarding).  I was able to mow the front yard this morning - it was not yet 100 degrees and it felt good to be able to look at the yard and know it had been mowed.

I am well aware that it is only by the grace of God I have a life and have been given this time.  I see the things the Lord does for us on a daily basis and have much to be grateful for.

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.