Strange Happenings...

These last few months are challenging in the least. I've had some great blessings and also some great challenges. Life is up and down. I sometimes feel as if I just don't understand how or why these strange happenings are here, but I do know.

We choose our lives, whether it be marriage, school, religion, politics or what ever. We also choose our friends. Family follows along as do acquaintances. We pick our preferences in color, taste, locations, pets and so forth. I do know that everything we do is a choice.

Because we do make choices all the time, we have to deal with the results. Marriage, for instance could end badly or be the best thing that ever happened in your life. Friends usually stick around if they are true. Family has no choice but to deal with each other and most of the time, we do choose to be happy and loving to each other. As a member of the LDS Church, we believe that we chose our parents before we come down to earth. My nieces have a cute saying that I posted on a previous post...It is applicable to showing how our relationships happen and how we relate to each other. My family is close for the most part. We keep in touch for the good things and the bad things that we deal with from day to day..

Now we are dealing with the undeniable fact that our brother-in-law Richard is dying from cancer. It has ravaged his whole body and we know he has anywhere from four to six weeks left. I can't imagine how he must feel at this point. probably, he is relieved that he will no longer feel the pain and watch as his family and friends deal with the issue. I know he is sad that his loving wife, Suzie is having to deal with this without showing signs of resignation, but to show the determination that she has to keep his spirits up. We believe that he is going to a better space and will no longer endure the hardships of this life and will be in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father. We, as human beings, will continue here on earth, with mixed emotions of guilt, anger, frustration, happiness and sadness...I only hope we see it the best way we can..

After all, strange happenings go to all of us...

That's the way it goes...

When this last few weeks came along, I found myself questioning why things happen, whether it was something good or bad. Last week, after talking with Gary, I decided that I needed to go to Utah. I called Kathy and she decided she wanted to come with me. Thanks to her and Keith's compassion, we found ourselves on Amtrak heading towards SLC Utah. It was a long and arduous ride as we started out over an hour late, thanks to a tow bridge not aligning with the tracks. Once we got into the train in Sacramento, we spent the next two hours traveling quite slowly. We were caught behind a slow moving freight train. It was late into the evening that we finally settled down and started to enjoy the ride. We came through the town of Truckee and took many a picture and also pictures of Donner Lake and the Truckee river. Richard got his nickname from the river... He is the object of the rest of this post.

Richard is Suzie's (my other sister) husband and he is suffering with cancer. He is dealing with facial, mouth and throat cancer that is also spreading to his spine and lungs.

Sunday, all of his family and me and Kate went to the rehabilitation hospital to see him. Suzie had been going almost daily to see him and was still quite shocked at the situation. When we arrived, he was having trouble breathing. His canula was filling up with liquid and making it very difficult for him to breathe. After what seemed like an eternity, he was finally fitted with a new canula and spent the rest of the visit picking on everyone and having a good time. He showed new signs of problems with parkinson type symptoms and also seemed to be excessively cold. Suzie and Dodi tended to his needs while the rest of us continued to keep him involved in light conversation.

After we left the center and went back to Suzie's house, we got together and had dinner and visited. As was the occasion, the conversation got around to Rick and it was decided that we would make a recording of the group visit with pictures and memories of how we all were involved with his life. We told funny stories, sad memories and happy thoughts of how Rick was involved in the lives of so many people and how often he cheated death. Somehow, this time I don't think he will cheat death again.

I titled this post the way I did not to show flippant attitude but to give all an understanding of how we do not have the control of everything that involves our lives and the lives of others. Heavenly Father controls what and who he wants, when and how he needs to obtain what he requires. The way it goes only manifests how he feels and how me must accept his decisions. I love you brother Rick...

Unintentions

Sometimes you need to take a bit of bruising in order to work things out. I guess these last two day proved that to me. I got caught up in a trap of my own making. I thought (horribly so) that I was being attacked for something I didn't do. I bit my lip and tried to make since of the conflict. After much (not so much after thinking about it) soul searching and prayer (who waited for an answer??), I wrote a letter to communicate my feelings, thinking that it was the right thing to do. There was some more conflict but after some crying and reasoning things out in my mind, I appologized and explained what I thought happened. At that point, I found out I was right after all. Appologies were made all around and the issue was resolved. I know that if I had been more patient and given my anger up to the Lord, I would have been more attentive to the warnings that I was given. I felt the need for revenge and found out that I will suffer consiquences if I do what I did.

Heavenly Father is here for a reason, to keep us upright and doing the things we promised we would do. As a weak human being, we are here to pay respect to him and to those around us. Once again, I learned that issue. Here's hoping that I remember more of what I learned and continue to do the things I must.

To write or not to write??

That is the question... I used to write a bit of poetry and some short stories. I thought I was getting good at it too. Unfortunately, I had a computer that crashed and I being a novice to the technology, didn't think to backup my information. It was a sad occurance and I hope won't happen again.
It has been many a year since I last wrote anything so I thought I would put some poetry and short stories on this blog.
Don't be afraid to critique my writing. Let me know if you think I have a chance. I would simply love to publish my 'stuff' in books and maybe entertain people or even 'earn?' something from my work...

Well, to get started I have a bit of a challenge for you.. Provide me with a topic of interest either real, fantasy, fiction or whatever and let me see if I can do something with it...

it's in the interpretation...

ƃuıɥɔʇɐʍǝq ןןıʍ ı ˙snʇɐʇs ɹnoʎ uı sıɥʇ ǝʇsɐd puɐ ʎdoɔ ˙uoıʇuǝʇʇɐ sʎɐd ʎןןɐnʇɔɐʇsıן spuǝıɹɟ ʎɯ uı oɥʍ ǝǝs s,ʇǝl

This statement above is for those who have an excellent recall of the english language... It is awesome to see what type of things people write and how it is interpreted.

Recently, I had a discussion with some friends and family about the bible and our thoughts on different basic concepts of it. As usual, the trinity is one of the challenges that most religions cannot grasp. Then also, there is the idea of who wrote what and how it has been 'changed' so much that it's like a story book.

I understand where they come from. Before I joined the church, I felt that way about the Book of Mormon. Now, when I read it, I am filled with the spirit and I know without a doubt that it's true... Maybe when eyes are opened, and hearts want to receive, the scriptures will find their place in every home and on every tongue...

Where do you come from...?

Originally, I am from Fairchild AFB, Spokane, WA...the state of course. I remember having linked back yards and a small rectangular pool (about 12 inches deep) in our back yard. I remember that we could run all over the neighborhood and not fear people going after us, or was that child innocence? I remember peddling cars (red) and 2 cent milk in school. That's about it...

What do you remember about your childhood...'back in the day' ?

Tell me a little about yourself on this blog (if you don't feel intruded upon.) Privacy is more important than telling all... To that, just give information as I have done, no dates, direct locations or personal information please...

The 4th....a day of recollection and visitation

Hi, I really had a great day today (make it yesterday). I started it with my new committment of reading the scriptures and having a quick breakfast. We kicked around the house abit and then headed to Caruthers CA... I was so excited.. I was going to see a friend of mine that I hadn't seen in about 16 years.
Elva was there with her husband Joe and son, Joseph. We hugged for a couple minutes talking excitedly and went into the house and on through to the back yard. I hugged a few family members and met a crew of people I didn't know. We sat around a shady area of the yard. Arnold's house has huge trees in the yard and a lot of room for people to play and just visit. They had 5 little chihuahuas running around the place. It looked like a lot of quivering barking little snacks for Punkyn. They had three that were the typical chihuahuas and one with fur around the body and a fifth that had curley hair...It was the tiniest... They spent the day walking around the yard, doing vacuuming duties from all the people as we ate good mexican food and drank plenty of soda and water.
We caught up on life as if it had been friday that we saw each other last. There was a tether ball tournament that Joseph won,beating out everyone else who challenged him. Then it got serious, a bad mitton challenge... Janie and her son held the lead for about four sets of players... Her daughter Amanda and her husband finally came in and put them down in two sets. After this, we continued to consume beverages and food stuffs...As the day wound down, we watched some simple family fireworks and around 10:30, we left for home. I had a very good time and was greatful that I could visit my friends and just enjoy a free day celebrating freedom...
I continue to be amazed that so many people offered thanks for the 4th of July. I appreciate what the people who fought the many different wars and challenges that we faced as a nation brought us to this conclusion. We started this nation on the premise of gaining independence and freedom of religion. We also did the trials and tribulations of growing and maintaining the qualities of life we have now attained. God bless you all and may God bless America...

What do I want in Life?

Gosh, I guess this one is of great interest, at least to me.



I want to be able to provide help and assistance to all those that I can. I want to know that I can do useful things and make accomplishments. I want to volunteer my time and energy to the church and to be able to know that what I do is for a great need. I want to help all those who are sick and afflicted with trial and tribulations so that life is wonderful...






Oh, wait...this is serious isn't it?? Well I still want to do all the above, but within the reasonings of my health, and especially the faith I would need to do such a thing. I want to know that I did the best I could and also that I am able to hold my head up and smile at the files that are created in Heaven. I want to be able to live a full eternal life with my husband and family members.



I want to have chocolate when I can afford it and also to be able to enjoy my food stuffs until I take real responsibility for my weight.



I want to hug and kiss my grandsons when ever I feel like it. I want to spoil all of them to the degree that I can keep them from expecting it all the time (with in reason of course). I want EVERYONE to know of how much I am proud of my children, grandchildren, and other relatives for their accomplishments and not to be afraid to show these to all who care to look upon them.



And lastly, I want to be able to provide for all the travels and the blessed trip to Thialand that my husband has been dreaming of for 19 looooong years.

Grocery Store Wars

Progress of the best kind

Today or should I say, later today after a mere 5 hour nap, I started a new day. I began with a good feeling of positive motion, knowing I would be able to start my accomplishments that I had mentioned in the early hours of this same day.

I found out a bit more of techie traits. I even bragged to my neice that I had discovered that I could download all the LDS Scriptures on my Itouch. Pride beaming in my eyes until her response came back on my phone..."I did that a looooooooooooooooong time ago..." Immediately, my ego was deflated and I responded with the usual dither that Means..."I ah, erm...forget it..."

I also read a couple of chapters of 1st Nephi... Everytime I begin to read the Book of Mormon, more insight comes to my 'eyes' and my heart feels full. The spirit is always there. It's the beginning of my positive future... That and getting rid of the negative elements that have plagued my life these past few years...

It's a start!!!

Who would you whip with a wet noodle??

That is a question of frustration and anger sometimes met with real anguish...Who WOULD you whip with a wet noodle. At this time, I would whip myself, not as a Sado-macishistic means but as in whipping myself into doing the things I promised loooong ago I would do. Reading my scriptures, going to church, losing weight to name a few.

I would also whip my husband, to get him to listen to me when I am drawn out into an explaination of something he has absolutely no interest in. I would then hug him to show I appreciate the care and love he shows and his extreme patience with my crazy personality.

I would also whip my cat for using the household furniture as her respite of daily toiletries, which has gotten her banned to the outside world, only to be loved and adored at a safe location on the front porch. I would whip my poor dog until the excess hair was off her tail feathers and the dirt and grime fell from her coat.

Since I am using a wet noodle, none of this abuse will be considered real or of vicious nature. It would only serve to remind me of the wonderful things I have and my considerate use of noodles and other abusive products.

The Real Me? a good start

I just started this on a whim, of hoping to gain more perspective of who I am and how I tend to cope with life. It has been a few rocky years with trials and blessings. They both tend to bring out the lack of patience in me. I've always been one to want things quickly and without a lot of Faux Paz and fanfare. My basic need is to always please everyone and I am condemned to failure until I realize that this can't happen.
My family is the jewel of my life. My husband Gary is the eternal companion of my choosing and my bestest friend. My daughters Melanie and Kimberly and Son in Law David are raising the most amazing grandsons I could ever imagine. My religious preference is Latter day Saint, also known as LDS or Mormon in some circles. I know the church of which I should be practicing is true beyond a shadow of doubt. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God just as Thomas S. Monson is today.
I love and enjoy my favorite pass times of networking, reading and just plain people gazing. I love to watch people in their mannerisms and the way they interact with others. I enjoy going places with my husband of 19 years...whether it be out for a soda or going across the Southwestern United States.
I consider myself as a pessimist and rather shaky in personality traits of positive value. I tend to judge myself to harshly and think that people are out to harrass me...Maybe, I'm crazy or just maybe it's normal...I've got to make up my mind as to which it is...