Our House

I heard this song again today. I really loved it years ago but haven't thought about it for a very long time. it made me cry. Tears of gratitude. Thanks Dad.

I know it's not the best picture, but I could find it and get it into this blog....
I still miss my rocking chair

Our House - Crosby Stills Nash and Young

I'll light the fire, while you place the flowers
In the vase that you bought today.
Staring at the fire for hours and hours,
While I listen to you play your love songs
All night long for me, only for me
Chorus:
Our house, is a very, very, very fine house.
With two cats in the yard,
Life used to be so hard,
Now every thing is easy 'cause of you.

Come to me now, and rest your head for just five minutes,
Everything is done.
Such a cozy room, the windows are illuminated
By the evening sunshine through them,
Fiery gems for you, only for you.

Chorus:
Our house, is a very, very, very fine house.
With two cats in the yard
Life used to be so hard,
Now every thing is easy 'cause of you.

I'll light the fire, while you place the flowers
In the vase that you bought today.

Home again

Greetings,
I am home again and it has only been a week since I had the surgery. But I am already restless and ready to get on with life. I still want my life back.

The hormones are raging and causing great distress but If I have to go through it to get to where I want to be, so be it.

This picture (thanks Lexy) reminds me of what I am living for; to honor the past, enjoy the present and bless the future.

It's late and even after all the rest I have had--all day long--I need to go to bed. But I wanted to thank everyone who cared and prayed for my health and safety. The Lord and your prayers saw me through this major step in recovery.

I'll love you forever, Mom

PS I had it which the local doctors and took my own stitches out-I was not going to go all the way back to SLC for two little stitches. So I guess you can see I am getting some of my spunk back!

Hi Granny

Sarah took this picture over the Easter weekend. I thought it was just darling! It made me think of the wonderful day when I see them at my door again. That will be after the "big day." Granny and I are headed for SLC today. Tomorrow is the big day, finally. I am so looking forward to getting my life back.

I love you all and truly appreciate all your prayers.

Renee

A New Resident and Easter weekend visitors

A Little Easter Love, Mia and Granny

It seems we have a new resident at 446 N 400 West, a muskrat. I think it is a muskrat. I didn't move my car for a week or so. When I did I found a good size pile of poop and fur under it. I could not imagine where it had come from. This morning, however, on our way to the temple at 7 a.m. out on the lawn was this animal. Way to big to be a squirrel but brownish gray with a tail kinda' like a squirrel. He seemed to be eating our newly raked grass. The minute we opened the front door, he was gone. We have since found a couple of poop and fur piles--Why the fur in the pile? Do you think they clean their coats after winter and eat it. . . .ugh!

What should we do about our new resident? I really have had enough of the poop piles. Since the dearly departed Elvis has gone on to greener pastures it has been nice to be able to take the kiddos out into the yard without worrying all the time about what they might find or step in. Animal control? that doesn't seem to neighborly. Maybe Derek next door could just hunt him down. That seems even less neighborly. Oh the joy of "muskrat love."

He didn't show his face during our Easter egg hunt. It was so cute. Noah was the horder, Lily caught on. Mia got lots of help from Ella and her Mom, Benji crawled around a bit but liked what he already had in his basket more than the ones spread all over. Tessa watched from her Dad's arms. And Ella Had her own scavenger hunt and seemed to really enjoyed it.

The lineup; Tessa, Noah, Ella. Mia. Lily, and Benji.

Granny watches from the ONLY Rocking chair

Ella and Granny





Lily the runaway! Caught by Rachael followed by Seuao and Tessa

Noah the Champion!

Of course there were lots of great pictures followed by a really sweet devotional by Lexy and a family dinner.. What a great Easter fun day!

Papa and Benji

After all the festivities the Marmot was found hiding between the garage and the shed. there are various pictures of the not so little fellow on cell phones and cameras around the house. But sorry, none have made it to my computer yet. Stay tuned!

Christmas Reprise!

As Easter approaches, it's fun to remember Christmas. Welcome little guys! (and parents) to our Easter celebration!

Yet ANOTHER Doctor

I couldn't believe it when the Surgeon's office called wanted to put this surgery off for another week. I just couldn't take it. So, he decided that the best thing is probably that his partner do it if he could. The partner agreed, while I was waiting on the phone ( funny how easily these guys can talk to each other and how hard it is for us to get through hummmm). So, the surgery is still on but with a different doctor. The original, Dr Rich, said he would meet me at the hospital and introduce me to the new doctor, Joel MacDonald. (see this web site for a picture and other info--http://medicine.utah.edu/neurosurgery/faculty/macdonald.htm.
I am so done with this whole thing! this doctor is an assistant professor at the U of U and has a long list of research articles he's published . I also called Dr. Grua's office to see what they thought about the new guy. They will call me tomorrow. I guess I feel ok about it.

Please Lord, get me through this. I really want my life back.

Thanks guys for listening and seeing me through-I couldn't do it without you!

I want to be good

"You are good. But it is not enough just to be good.
You must be good for something.
You must contribute good to the world.
The world must be a better place for your presence.
And the good that is in you must be spread to others."
---President Gordon B. Hinckley

Get out there and do some good today!

The Latest on the Tumor

Well it is still there and still growing. Today I visited the Ear Nose and Throat specialist (ENT) that will navigate through the nose and sinuses, probably only 4-5 inches.
Dr. Child seems to know what he is doing. He is very smart he graduated Magna cum Laude from theU of U. And he has done this a number of times before.

He did a CT scan and got a good look at the sinus work I had done a few years ago. He thinks the nasal approach will be just fine. He also said it appears that the tumor has broken through the sella, a boney covering that fronts the pituitary gland. They have to break through it anyway to get to the tumor. It's just an indicator of the size. They won't have any trouble finding the thing now.

So, it is all go for the 15th. at the new hospital in SLC. Pat calls it the "behemoth." It is scheduled for 7:30 am, although I have to be there at 5:30--that is early! That means I have to leave home about 4 a.m. UGH!

Although the after care is sounding a little more difficult than I originally imagined. I plan on putting the time in the hospital to good use, recovering. no projects, no journal articles. I will most likely not return to Logan until Monday (sorry guys, I will not be able to help with the Ward outside spring clean-up) after I see the ENT and get the sinus packing removed. Just the thoughts of that gives me the shivers. Face it, this is not a tonsillectomy. and I am not 8 years old.

But the future "looks" bright and clear!

Oh for my Chair!

The weekend was nice. Dave and Lexy stayed and watched conference with us and I got to enjoy seeing Noah's first walk down the runway. Saturday night Granny bought us Kentucky Fried Chicken. It's been a long time since I had KFC and it was so nice not to have to cook!

Beck and girls came over for the morning session. She brought yummy cookies. (thanks!) The kids got to play a little it was fun for them I think. After they left Noah kept walking around calling "Ella, Ella." He missed her. but it was nap time for Mia and Noah.

Dinner on Sunday was kind of a fiasco. the second box of Fettuccine Alfredo was a little old, it had bugs in it. When I added it to the stuff in the pot already, well I ruined both of them. While trying toi fish out the exoskeletons, which I could hardly see, the meat started to burn. I had to dump out the noodles and sauce and ended up washing the frying pan three times before we got to sit down to eat.

But that wasn't why I was ready to cry all the way through dinner--I held it together pretty good hoping it was the hormones. However just before dinner Lexy noticed there was only one rocking chair on my porch. I know there were two there yesterday. I remember looking at them while I was visiting with Shelly from next door. I was anxious for spring and returning to the play and visiting on the front porch. But one of my chairs was gone. We looked around the yard and asked Pat if he'd put one in the garage or something. But NO, the chair is gone.

I wanted those chairs for a very long time. I really enjoyed those rocking chairs. Why would someone steal my rocking chair? It makes me so sad! why pick on me? A rocking chair is not a necessity of life. They just took it because they could. I know they had no idea how hard it would be on me, at least I hope they don't know. I am just so very sad. Stealing is just not nice! I guess I am just going to have to find a way to chain everything down.

But if you happen to see a white rocking chair just sitting around somewhere it doesn't belong, let me know. I would be happy to identify it. I would offer a reward if I weren't trying to figure out how I am going to save enough money up to buy a new one.

Thursday's visit to the neurosurgeon and the view from here

I went to see the surgeon today. Surprise, surprise, we need yet another specialist. I thought neurosurgeons could do anything. Reallyb all they have to do is decide whether they can go in through the nose--the most common approach--or have to go through my "thick" skull. I may have too much scar tissue to go in the easy way he wants the Ears,Nose and Throat surgical guy to help get through the nose and sinuses. The alternative more invasive over the eyes they want to avoid if possible. I just want it done now. All the waiting around makes me nervous. Too much time to think about the possible drawbacks. Besides waiting means I lose more of my vision, which now they tell me they cannot promise I will get back. and more headaches.

I have never been very good at waiting, I just like to get things done and move on. I guess I will just try and stay busy and out of trouble--no more falling down. . .. Either way the surgery is schedulad for the 15th.

The good side is I get to celebrate Easter. I love Easter. We have never had the Easter Bunny in our house, candy and new clothes but no Bunny. I almost always go to John's grave for sunrise and recite my mantra: As surely as the sun arose this Easter morning, the Son of God did rise on that first Easter morning, and my son too will rise and we will be together again.

There is no holiday more important than Easter. To have the knowledge that "Death is conqured, man is free, Christ has won the victory" There is nothing more important or glorious than the hope we gain through Jesus Christ and the atonement.
May we all enjoy general conference and prepare for a glorious Easter.
We have so much to be grateful for!

today the surgeon

So, the day has finally arrived, today we meet with the neurosurgeon. I know it's only been a few days, but it seems like forever. I want to have this over with but I also wonder if I really know what I am getting into. I know a lot of things can go wrong but if I allow myself to think about all that. I could just dissolve into a blubbering mass. That would help no one, especially my family.

I went to Enrichment last night, it was fun and good to see so many sisters attend. We had just under 40 show up. We learned how to make yummy chocolate creme Easter eggs. Which of course, we had to dip into chocolate and decorate! There were two humanitarian service projects to work on as well.

The only bad part was clean-up. Thanks to so many willing helpers it wasn't that bad, I really just watched for the most part. But, I hate that big mop and bucket! I think we may have to invest in a swifer sweeper. I just love having such good people around! Thanks!