Yahoo....the tree is down

I totally love Christmas, but I totally love cleaning it up and getting back to normal. Normal? What is that?

I am so happy these days. Life is great. I got the best Christmas present ever. My family is good and the little Baby Beans are growing every day. We found out that Cam and Ellie are going to have a boy. His name will be Dash. That's all we know. Brandee doesn't find out for another month or so. But if it's a boy, that's ok too. I love boys! I think I could do a TV show and call it "My Three Grandsons!"

Last night Grandpa Ron and Grandma "Juie" babysat the Gabester. We had a great time and I love love love that little munchkin. It was Kung Fu Panda night, playing hide and seek under a blanket and ending the night with Transformers. Gabe pooped out and fell asleep at the good part of Transformers, so I turned off the TV and fell asleep as well.

I also got some new scriptures from Ron. I didn't realize how much I miss having my scriptures, but these ones are big type and I can read them good!! I have enjoyed marking them, reading them and gaining wisdom. I marked a scripture in Isaiah that really hit me. Chap 53 Verse 5...He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities..........and with his stripes we are healed. Stripes-meaning the scars on his back from being whipped. Wow! I love my Savior. I try to be like him and wish more people would follow his example. Do they realize that is what he wants us to do? He doesn't want you to do things and then ask forgiveness later. He wants us to try every day to be good and follow him and be like him.

I am so not there yet, and I have a long road ahead of me, but I will try to do the right things. I will ask for forgiveness and humble myself when I fall.

I had a great day today for a change....

Well, today I woke up and got to babysit the Gabester! Gosh, he is so fun. We walked over to the city to pay our water bill. I taught him how to throw helicopters up in the sky...you know those things from the trees that when you throw them up and they twirl down to the ground, just like a helicopter? We drove over to see Grandpa Jim and chat, then we stopped at Nebco, bought a chocolate milk and a diet pepsi and went home and watched Nick Jr.

We also had outdoor time and played and wrestled on the grass because it was so warm. Then we fixed a sandwich and watched some more Nick Jr. I was wiped out and I think I am ready for bed. I tried to sneak a nappy in today but Katie came home for a few hours and we had to talk and eat some ice cream. She is working at Old Navy and drives there then goes back to school. This will only be for a few more weeks.

Dad is doing pretty good too. He is on oxygen all the time, which is helping his confusion. They are working with him on physical therapy a lot and he might be coming home for Thanksgiving. Cross your fingers everyone! That's the goal.

Andy flew into town last week and we got some decisions made about Dad and what is going to happen. Not a happy time that was. But needed to be done.

But life goes on and the sun comes out every day and I love a lot of people out there!

I'm so sad :(

Today has been a hard day. This week has been a week from hell, but today was the frosting on the cake.

Dad was released from the hospital on Thursday and went to a rehab center to get some therapy for his shoulder. He will be there for a bit, which is good and bad. Good that he is being taken care of and kept safe. Bad, because he hates it there and cries to go home. I can't handle that. My heart broke today when I hugged him and he sobbed on my shoulder, "I want to go home." I have to wonder if it will get easier.

The blessing is that I am available to be at his side every day if needed. I couldn't do that before, but now I can, and there hasn't been one second that I have regretted my decision to not work. I am where I am supposed to be right now and I know that someone is watching over me and making things work out just right. I only have one dad and one family. I need to be there for them.

Charity--the pure love of Christ

For the longest time, I never really knew what "charity" meant. I thought one day, I'm going to look it up and do some research. The pure love of Christ. How I wish I had that in my heart. I don't and I feel it will be a long time before I will have it.

Last weekend, Kate and I were driving doing errands. We were talking and I was expressing how much hatred I feel in my heart for certain people. I don't use the word hate very often because I feel it is a strong word, but I have actually felt it lately and it bothers me. I said something to the effect of "I wish I didn't hate so much." In her 18 year old wisdom, she looked at me and said, "it will come Mom. Give it time." Thank you sweetheart. I needed to hear your wisdom right then.

Every day we come in contact with people. It is our choice whether to bring them into our circle or to exclude them. I am grateful for my circle. I am grateful for those friends of mine who I choose to keep in my circle. Be wise who you let in. There are those who will deceive you and will betray you like Judas.

I have all that I need in my life and I am grateful for every one in it. You all need to know how very much I love each of you and appreciate your support.

My Cup Runneth Over....

Just when I think how great life is, it gets better. Really! I am so amazed at the goodness in my life lately.

Robbie and Brandee are going to have another baby. That means that in June I will be a grandma again, and then in July, I am going to be a grandma again too! Is life the best?

Things are in perspective right now in my life. Family....that's all that matters. Family is everything. Friday night, my dad came up missing again. This time he was on foot and was missing for 4 hours. The police found him in West Bountiful, after he knocked on someone's door and told them he was confused and lost. That is sad.

They brought him home, but he was injured. He had fallen and was bruised up a bit. After a long night in the emergency room, he was admitted with a broken shoulder, pneumonia and a urine infection. He is in the hospital, on IV's and learning how to do things with his right arm. He's a leftie you know.

Wow, it is hard to describe how hard it is to see your dad, lay there helpless in the hospital, asking you over and over again, "how did I get here?"

A little piece of your heart breaks each time he asks that. For somewhere down deep, you just wish he would be the same "dad" you grew up with. The big, tough guy who could do anything and would do anything for anybody. I love that man so much. He is probably my first hero.