Kami is home!

My little sister just returned home from her mission to the Philippines. It seems like she was gone a VERY long time.

She flew into SLC on Wednesday evening. Because the kids were in the middle of school, we debated whether we should meet her at the airport or just see her that weekend at Mom and Dad's. We finally decided that it was worth the quick drive down and back. I'm glad we decided to go!

Waiting for Kami....



Here she comes!!!!!


Kami and LuLu


Kami and Sissy Sue


Isn't she beautiful!


A little teary....


Sister Kami!


Well done and Welcome Home, my dear little sister!


After waiting for a very long time, it was finally determined that her luggage did not make the last plane and was still in California. By this time, Hank had had enough!


He laid down on the dirty airport floor and that is where he was determined to stay! I'm glad we made the trip! It was fun to see her first moments back in the arms of her loved ones! Sappy? Yes! But I missed her very, VERY much! Now everyone is home again, just the way I like it! (We just need to get Lynnette and her family to move a little closer!)

The next missionary to leave is....

I am not ready for that day...yet!

Easter

TGIF

Friday morning...I hear the door quietly close, I roll over, look at the clock. It's 7:13, dang! I missed them. At least it's the last day of school for the kids this year! Hooray! Another year done!

I have to confess that I was a horrible mother this year. I struggled to just hold it all together let alone pull anything together. I'm not sure what happened but I quit my mom job. I seemed to focus only on completing my school assignments each day, nothing else.

I have amazing children. Let me tell you how amazing they really are:
1. The older 4 woke themselves up each morning.
2. They made their own breakfast.
3. They fixed their own hair.
4. They prepared their own cold lunch each day.
5. They got themselves on the bus...alone.

What was I doing every morning? Sleeping!

I have never been so tired in my entire life!

I feel like I'm sitting on the sidelines watching my life pass me by. I'm my own biggest critic, yet I don't even know where to start to change.

I have been working with my doctor to figure out what my problem is. We've tried many different things, done several tests, and tried to simplify as much as possible.

I am doing a few simple things, since basically there is nothing wrong with me. I don't know if anything is working...I'm still here and still doing nothing.

For now, I put on a smile, feel gratitude for the amazing children and husband that I have been blessed with, and survive another day....

At least I don't have to feel guilty for a few months that I slept in and missed seeing the kids off....again!

Sad Eyes

Still Side-by-Side

Happy Memorial Day!

The other day Sissy Sue came out of my room crying. I asked her what was wrong. She said "Nothing, I was just reading some of your old posts on your blog. Your blog always makes me cry. I love reading the things you write down about our family. It helps me know you better."

So for her, here's a memory from my childhood:

I grew up on a farm 4 miles from my Wilson grandparents and 6 miles from my Lowder grandparents. Living so close to both my grandparents was great! My dad farmed with my Grandpa Wilson so we saw them everyday! Grandpa Lowder visited a couple times a week and we always saw them on church on Sunday. My Grandparents were a huge part of my childhood.

A couple times a day my dad would drive over to Grandpa Wilson's to change the water in the fields. My siblings and I loved to hitch a ride with him in the back of the old blue chevy pickup. We would stand up in the back of that old pickup, right behind the back window, looking over the roof, the wind blowing our hair into knots, and we would sing our hearts out! I'm sure it was a sight to see. Some farmers drive around with their dogs in the truck beds; my dad drove around with kids!

We didn't grow up with television. One day my parents bought a little yellow 12" television. It had a handle on top so my mom could carry it and hide it in her closet. Occasionally she would get it out and let us watch it, usually when we had done enough chores and earned a reward. I remember watching a show about the Osmond family. In that movie the little boys stand on stage and sing "Side by Side" and the crowd throws money at them. For months (maybe it was more like years) afterward that was one my favorite songs to sing.

As we drove down the road to Grandpa's house on hot summer days, standing up in the back of the old rusty farm truck, my sisters and I would sing (it probably sounded more like screaming!) these words:

Oh! we ain't got a barrel of money
Maybe we're ragged and funny
But we'll travel along
Singing a song
Side by side

I don't know whats a-comin tomorrow
Maybe its trouble and sorrow
But we'll travel the road
Sharing our load
Side by side

Thru all kinds of weather
What if the sky should fall
Just as long as were together
It really doesn't matter at all

When they've all had their quarrels and parted
Well be the same as we started
Just traveling along
Singing a song
Side by side

I'm sure we were an amusing sight for sore eyes (and a pathetic sound for sore ears)!

I still love this song and this memory. I don't have a barrel of money! I know I'm ragged and funny! Tomorrow seems to always be full of trouble, but with my loved ones by my side, traveling the road together, sharing one another's burdens, it doesn't seem to matter what comes our way, we continue to make it through....one day at a time....singing a song....side by side!

I know I posted this before but it seems to fit here. I received this quote from a very wise and loving friend and family member.

There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer,
no disease that enough love will not heal;
no door that enough love will not open;
no gulf that enough love will not bridge;
no wall that enough love will not throw down;
no sin that enough love will not redeem. . . .
It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble;
how hopeless the outlook;
how muddled the tangle;
how great the mistake.
A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all.
If only you could love enough you would be the happiest and most powerful being in the world.

-- Emmet Fox

Tonsil-FREE

Kitty Kat and Lu-Lu had their tonsils removed yesterday. Hubby had to work so I was on my own for the day. My mom came to watch "H" and my sister went with me to the hospital.

Kat was very scared. She was first. She would not talk to anyone at the hospital. They did not put her out before they took her away from me so she was pretty scared when she left. The last I saw of her was her big sad eyes peering over the shoulder of the nurse as he carried her into surgery.

As they were prepping Lu for surgery, I could hear Kat in the post op room screaming. They finally asked me to go to her. I left my sister with Lu and went to try to comfort Kat. I did not see Lu go into surgery but my sister said she was very brave. She's such a big girl!

After morphine and some other drug, Kat finally settled down and slept. They quickly moved us into recovery since Lu's surgery was finished and she needed the post op room. As I held Kat, I could hear Lu coughing and whimpering just down the hall. It killed me to not be with Lu at all during this time.

The doctor came in to talk to me about the surgeries. He said both girls had huge tonsils and both had adenoids that were very infected. I was thankful that he had been willing to do the surgery for us!

Finally, they rolled Lu into the recovery room with us. She had big tears rolling down her cheeks and she was white as a ghost. Kat was very out, so I handed her over to my sister and scooped Lu up into my arms and held her. She let out a big sob and I felt her body completely relax. She was had been brave for long enough. I held her tight.

About the time the nurse began to discharge us, Kat threw up! The nurse took out both girls I.V.'s, Kat climbed up into my arms, and I snuggled both my sick girls while the nurse went to get the wheelchair. We were ready to go home!

We were home after only 3 1/2 hours! I love day surgeries!

Mom and my sister stayed the rest of the day and helped out until Hubby got home from work. Then they took the older three kids home with them for the weekend. Kat threw up several more times throughout the day and Lu cried most of the day. By night time, I was exhausted!

Today has been very quiet. Kat refuses to take any pain medicine and has slept most of the day. Lu doesn't like to hurt so she stays on top of her medication. She is doing very well and has laid on the couch and colored most of the day.

I love their little squeaky voices. They will have to re-learn how to say some of their words. It was great to walk through the house last night and not hear a sound...no snoring, no coughing, no crying...only silence! I think we are finally on the right track with these two.

Do you know how hard it is to get a doctor to remove tonsils now days? Just mention sleep apnea, snoring, and mouth breathing and you'll get quick results!

All six of my kids have now had their tonsils and adenoids removed! Check that surgery off my list of things to do!

Have you seen this child?

He reads saw for was.
He says a b is a d, and a d is a p.
He skips, omits, or adds words when he reads aloud.
She reads well but can hardly spell a word.

She writes 41 for 14.
He can do any mental arithmetic problem but can't write it down.
She doesn't know today the multiplication tables she knew yesterday.
He can talk about life on Mars but can't add 2+2.

He puts down the same answer to four different math problems.
He draws the same thing over and over again.
She asks endless questions but doesn't seem interested in the answers.
He is an expert strategist in checkers but doesn't understand simple riddles.

He has an adult vocabulary but avoids using the past tense.
She starts talking in the middle of an idea.
He call breakfast lunch and confuses yesterday with tomorrow.
He can't tell you what has just been said.

She can talk about Homer but can't tell you the days of the week.
He discusses monsoons but does not know the order of the seasons.
He can remember the television ads but not his own telephone number.
She can remember what you say to her but now what she sees.
She can't see the difference between Africa and South America on the map.
He doesn't see the difference between pin, pan, and pun.

She is a good child, quiet, and polite, but she doesn't learn.
He prefers to play with children much younger than himself.
She says whatever pops into her head.
He rushes headlong into his work, is the first one finished, and does every problem wrong.
She has trouble lining up and can't keep her hands off the child in front of her.
He doesn't stop talking, giggles too much, laughs the loudest and the longest.

He doesn't look where he's going, bumps into the door, swings his lunch box into the nearest leg, trips on his own feet, and doesn't look at the person who is talking to him.

He loses his homework, misplaces his book, forgets where he is to be.
She leaves a trail of her belongings behind her wherever she goes.
He acts like an absent-minded professor (and has untied shoelaces as well).

She likes routines, is upset by changes, and is reluctant to try anything new.
He wants everything done the same way.
He doesn't follow directions.
She is distracted by the least little thing.
He doesn't pay attention.

He doesn't look.
She doesn't listen.
He doesn't remember.
She doesn't do what she is supposed to do.
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS CHILD?

~S. Smith, 1979