Seasons

It is actually finally starting to appear and feel like fall around here. Some of the leaves are changing (last fall was absolutely beautiful - rivaled New England) and the temperatures are cooler (although we are still hitting the 80s in the late afternoon). I LOVE fall. I actually really enjoy each of the seasons but there is something magical for me about both fall and spring.

This is a picture of our backyard a couple of weeks ago. Many of the leaves have since dropped. This makes our deck a big heap'o leaves, twigs, acorns, and pecan shells. Of course the squirrels love it.

This morning I watched as a squirrel tried to wrestle a twig - about 2 feet long - up the tree to add to her nest. She did quite the dance with the twig and for a moment I thought she had won but alas, the twig remains on the deck. The squirrels are fat from all the nuts they've eaten (as evidenced by the shells carelessly tossed onto our deck). They are such funny little critters.

In the spring (which came at the end of January last year), the daffodils will greet me. The former owners of our house must have loved bulbs because we have daffodils and irises and day lilies galore! Summer is a little less wonderful to me but I still love the magic of summer with the kids that suddenly appear as if from nowhere. I love the sounds of children playing in the streets (I wish more kids did that these days - I wish it was more safe for them to do that).

Of course winter is wonderful and I'm so grateful that we get to experience a few weeks of winter in Utah each year. I love the feeling of sitting by a fire, sipping hot chocolate, and reading or snuggling as the snow falls outside. Cozy is just the right word for it! (this is actually a picture of the snowstorm we got stuck in on our way home to 'bama last December - I think this is Albuquerque)

I've been thinking about other seasons lately too. The seasons of my life. Sometimes when I read about the lives of some of my single friends like this one or my friends who don't have kids yet, like this one, I think, "what am I doing with my life?" I wonder if I am developing my skills and talents. Then I recall that I am changing diapers, singing songs, loving and (I hope) encouraging my husband, making meals, buying groceries, cleaning the house (although not often enough), and so forth. I am also learning some new things along the way. Most significantly, I'm learning about faith, service (on the receiving end as well as the giving), and friendship. I enjoy this season of my life. I hope that I utilized my time in prior seasons in a good way. I hope I served and developed talents and enjoyed unique experiences. I don't think I wasted too much time pining away for another season. I hope not. Now another season is upon me and I hope I don't long for those days of "self development" too much and instead enjoy this season.

Of course, the real miracle of the seasons is that without the buds you would never have the blooms and if the leaves didn't fall new buds couldn't develop. Each season depends on the ones before. They also prepare the way for the ones to come. Enjoy the seasons - Eccl. 3: 1 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."

And the Winner is...

Your (not my) favorite Halloween Candy:

check out the newest poll in the upper left corner.

The Other Female

Phil has a new girlfriend. The thing is, I'm ok with it. She is very cute and I enjoy her company. It is actually quite fun to watch the way she looks at him and to hear her talk about him incessantly. So what's a wife to do?

This is a picture of her, Erin, at her 3rd Birthday party (Eden's first friend b'day party).

Erin is adorable, bright, articulate and self-admittedly in-love with my husband.
Monday she woke up and asked, "mommy, what is Phil's car named?" She spent a few hours with me that day and although Phil was at work, she talked about "Phillip" quite often. Last Thursday she was over in the evening and she and Phil watched Sponge Bob together. I was in the other room folding clothes. I heard her ask Phil where I was and then she entered the room and said, "I'm going to miss my mom soon." I asked her if that meant she wanted to go home and she said, "not yet, but soon." You know I loved that! What is not to love about a three year old who PLANS to get lonesome. Anyway, she is quite the cutie and she and her mom, Corrie, have been such great friends to Eden and I. So, I guess I can forgive her for being in love with my husband!

And the Winner is...

Congratulations Andy!
You are the funniest.

Chemo, Strawberry Jam, and Eden

Phil's chemo started last Thursday. He is scheduled to have it every-other week for six months. He got pretty darn sick over the weekend but has bounced back well this week. I am grateful for that. I am just amazed at his strength - physical, emotional, and spiritual.

If anyone knows of good recipes for foods during chemo-nausea, please email them or post them in the comments. Thanks, Michelle, for the ones you sent. We are anxious to try it next week.

This morning I made strawberry jam. I LOVE strawberry freezer jam! I haven't made it for a few years so it is good to have it again. I know it isn't the most healthy form of berries but it sure is yummy!

Eden has been just great! She seems much more able and willing to be content these days. Today I had a bunch of errands to run and she just entertained herself in the car seat and was a happy little companion for me. She finally rolled over this week but having done it (twice) she seems content to remain on her back now. She hates tummy time so why would she do that to herself? Funny kid.

Here are some more pictures of Eden. Grandma Beck gave her these cute tights.







She won't roll but she will stand (just needs some help with the balancing stuff).




















Laundry day

Poetry

Two weeks ago I wrote two poems. I'm not really much of a poet (as you'll see) but I thought each of these had a particular charm. The first was written to amuse myself and Eden (as you'll see). It was a bonus that it also got stuck in Phil's head for a couple of days. The second was written for my YW lesson on integrity.

Eden

There's a Girl, her name is Eden
She is sweet, but not from Sweden
She's from 'bama
Where she'll learn gramma'
And her writin' and her readin'




Sometimes Sue

There once was a girl, perhaps like you.
Everyone called her Sometimes Sue.

Sometimes she was good and sometimes she was bad.
Sometimes she was happy and sometimes mad.

On Sundays she knew right from wrong
And loved the Spirit when it was strong.

But when Sometimes Sue was out with a friend,
Her “churchy behavior” would come to an end.

When she pondered this regretful fact,
She realized her integrity had slacked.

Sometimes Sue knew that she had a choice.
She could follow the world or the Still Small Voice.

Then Sometimes Sue made a decision.
She’d had a great thought, a spark, a vision!

Her habits would need some rearranging
And her attitude would need some changing.

After lots of prayer and also some fasting,
She noticed the good was finally lasting.

The times she felt peaceful were really the best,
She’d chosen the good and bagged the rest!

So if you’ve found you’re at all like Sue,
This story tells you just what to do.

Search, ponder, and pray; then do some fasting,
And soon you’ll find that your joy's everlasting.

I'm sure Voice Male is going to want me to be their new lyricist after reading these! :)

Girlfriends and Sugar Gliders

While growing up, and even into my adulthood, I preferred my male friends' company to my female friends. These weren't "boyfriends" just fun guys. I thought that girls were often too emotional and competitive. It was fun to just hang with the guys.

I seemed to always have one or two female friends and that was it. Then I had some really great roommates in college - particularly in the 94-95 year. These girls were easy and fun and supportive. It was great! (This is a picture of the four of us at my wedding shower)

Then Charlotte and I became roommates and it was fabulous because we were both done with school and working in our professions and enjoying life. We endured the good and bad of "advanced single-ness" together. Still, I didn't really have a group of women with whom I could really enjoy the good times and mourn the bad. When Charlotte had other plans, I was pretty much alone. It was unwise of me to not branch out more.

Then one day I was talking with a work associate, "S", and she was sharing similar feelings. We decided to form a lunch group of like-women: not married, working professionals, no children. So we invited K and JK to join us and the Sugar-Gliders were born. (We called ourselves the sugar-gliders because JK told us a really funny story about an English grad student who brought a sugar glider to a staff meeting.) Eventually I decided to invite Charlotte and a couple of her Opera work associates to join our monthly luncheons. (Ironically, S never came after the first luncheon.)

These women became the cheerleaders, the shoulders to cry on, and the people with whom I could just hang. Eventually, JL and B were added too. Then Charlotte started going to T's house every week to watch American Idol. I thought that show sounded mean and like a waste of time but I was going through a rough time at work and needed something to tear me away from the 17 hour days I was working so I started to go to T's every Wednesday. B and D were there too! We all brought our own dinner and most of us brought our crocheting and it was much less about the Idol and much more about the fun, the laughs (BIG time about the laughs) and the support.

I love these women! T has moved back to TX, I'm in AL, Charlotte got married, JK moved to WA and D moved to Provo. I think the others are still getting together for lunch. We still get together when I'm in UT and there are still phone calls (thanks for the call the other night B) and emails. Although the dynamic has certainly changed, the bond is there and I so appreciate the friendship of these women. I'm glad I decided to do something about my loneliness. I'm glad I found the Sugar Glider women!

Some of our lunches -
JL, me, Char, T, K:

Me, T, JK:

B:

K, D, and Char:


Thanks Sugar Gliders!

Power Port Phil

Phil had his Power Port put in yesterday - it went really well. Now he has two more scars to add to his collection. He also gets to wear a cool bracelet (like the Lance Armstrong- LiveStrong ones) indicating that he has a Power Port. He's cool! He will receive his first chemo infusion tomorrow. We are pretty hopeful that it will be effective without causing too many of the side effects, the most likely being neuropathy.

Eden did really well with the ladies from our branch which makes it much easier to leave her again tomorrow.

Our friends in the Adam's Park Ward - in Logan, UT - fasted for Phil on Sunday, for which we are really grateful. It is just so wonderful to have family and friends all over the nation praying and adding their faith for Phil's successful treatment. Thanks everyone!

More Eden Pics

Eden standing in her crib:
Eden eating rice cereal (we aren't sure how much ends up in her tummy):
Eden drinking from a cup - she absolutely LOVES water:
Eden all ready for church:

Playing:
Bathing:

Living the Dream

I had a dream...

When I was young there was one dream that I esteemed above all others. No, it wasn't the dream of a decent hairstyle (hey, parts down the middle were "in") or the dream of a turtleneck that was actually fastened in the back...

My dream was to be an entertainer. I didn't want to just be a movie star, I wanted to sing and dance and truly entertain. I wanted to be adored and thought of as adorable. I was sure that some time while walking down the street or vacuuming or waiting for the school bus, I'd be "discovered" by some talent scout (because of course the talent scouts would always be looking for fresh talent in Gresham, OR). Seriously, it didn't matter what I was doing, I was REALLY singing and dancing and waiting to be discovered.

In truth, I wanted to be Shirley Temple! I was
so jealous of her (little did I know that she
was already a grown up when I launched
my fierce campaign to dethrone her as
"the greatest child entertainer").


Sadly, my dreams of being the next Shirley Temple were never realized. I grew up, completely undiscovered (except for a few stake events and that incredibly awesome dance routine I choreographed to the music "Everybody Ought to Have a Body" for the West Gresham Grade School talent show).

Years of disappointment were followed by nearly forgetting my earliest goals in life. And then, it happened ...

Yesterday as I was singing "One" from A Chorus Line in order to entertain my "One" (of course I changed the lyrics so it was all about her), I realized that I have indeed come full circle. Once again, I am singing and dancing and entertaining my way through life. I have a captive audience who giggles and smiles at me (and I'm sure she'd clap if only she could). What could be better? I'm living my dreams!

My audience of "One":

Your turn...

It is your turn to contribute to this blog. Leave a comment (you can do it anonymously if you want) and tell the world how long I've known you. For extra credit* you can also tell of the circumstances of our meeting.

*admittedly, extra credit is pretty meaningless because extra of nothing is still nothing - but it will be FUN!

Pregnant Again?

Yesterday I felt nauseated a couple of times. It was distinct enough that I thought "could it be?" I am taking a supplement that would not be good if I was pregnant so I thought I better make sure. Phil, Eden, and I headed over to Target. Now you have to know that the Target pharmacy is able to stay in business because of our family's pharmaceutical needs alone. We know these guys and they know us. It really shouldn't matter but I felt really silly carrying in my 4 1/2 month old baby to buy a pregnancy test. Of course those items are shelved right in front of the pharmacy. In we go, heads held high (but relieved that we were undetected nonetheless). Then there are the questions. Do we get the double pack, triple pack, or single pack? Is the generic as accurate as the name brand? After a decision is made we go about our other bit of shopping (needed to get the dark chocolate Raisinets just in case I AM pregnant and I need something to console me... I mean with which to celebrate). As we approach the check out my anxiety of "how does this look to be buying a prego test while I have this infant in my arms" returns. Just then, Eden comes through and spits up all over. Darn, I left the burp rag in the car! "Phil, why don't you just check out and I'll take Eden out to the car and get her cleaned up." :) YES, it worked! I was spared the embarrassment of checking out. What a good man I married!

Oh, and the Raisinets remain unopened.

Grateful

I'm a big believer in the power of gratitude. When I focus on those things for which I am grateful it is so much easier to be happy and positive than when I forget those things. At various times in my life, I have made lists or kept records (journals) of things for which I am grateful. Right now, Phil and I have a family gratitude book. It is fun to write in it and it is fun to read through it.

Here are some of the things for which I am grateful:

1. My patient, kind husband who has great faith.
2. Rain!
   
3. The power of the priesthood in my home and the peace and hope that come from receiving priesthood blessings.
4. My Toyota Matrix (I'll be even more grateful in December when we are done making payments).
5. My darling daughter who smiles - even when she's crying - and who gives the best hugs.

Help!!!

Until now, I've been able to time my haircuts until I was in Utah and therefore have my hair cut by my hair dresser of 8 years (Debra). Until now... On Monday I got my haircut (several inches) and it is TERRIBLE! It is totally uneven and choppy. So here is the question: should I go back and have the woman who slaughtered it try to fix it (for free) or should I go back to the same salon but ask someone else to fix it (for free) or should I wait until next month (when I have $ again) and get it cut somewhere else? Naturally, my fear is that if I go back to the same lady, I'll end up with an even shorter bad haircut.

Your advice is greatly appreciated. And those of you reading this from Calhoun county, any suggestions about a good place to get my hair cut?

thanks!

No Tents Allowed

This past week was Phil's surgery. Things went really well and we are home now. He had the left, upper lobe of his lung removed because of cancer. Chemo will follow soon. He is an exceptional patient and is anxious to do all the things he is supposed to do and willing to not do the things he is not supposed to do (although that is harder).

The morning of the surgery we had to be at the hospital to check in at 5:45 a.m.! My mom and sister, Heather, stayed in the hotel with Eden while Phil and I went to check in. Then we waited and waited and waited some more. He didn't actually get in the OR until 3:00 p.m.! A little ridiculous. Apparently the hospital has had some problems with waiting room etiquette because we were presented with a pamphlet which included the following instructions:

• Please do not move the furniture.
• Please place your used food trays, cups, newspapers, etc., in the waste cans.
• No coolers.
• No Air mattresses or Tents
• No Electrical Appliances
• Eating is not allowed in the waiting rooms. (So from where are the before-mentioned food trays coming?)
• No one under twelve (12) years of age may visit.
  

You know that they wouldn't randomly put these things in print unless they'd actually had problems (probably more than once). A tent???

For a time the volunteers weren't sure where Phil was (somehow he was misplaced between the prep room and the OR). After the surgery I asked Phil if he knew that they had "lost" him for a while. The poor guy thought I meant he had died on the table and was disappointed that he didn't get to have a near-death experience. Oops. I guess I need to choose my words more carefully.

The cutest thing was after the surgery when Phil said to the nurse, "we have a baby, a four-month old girl. Well, she's my daughter, and I'd like to see her!" Anyone who knows Phil, knows that this demanding attitude is extremely rare. An exception to the 12 year old rule (see rules above) was granted. I went immediately over to the hotel (which is conveniently connected to the hospital) and got Eden. It was absolutely adorable to see both of them grinning wildly when I brought her in. She was able to visit each day and the nurses and others on the floor quite enjoyed having her around.

All in all it was a successful week. Eden did just great with my mom and sister and Phil seems to be recovering well. I'm grateful for such blessings!