Sometimes, the most mundane things seem so important, so life altering. And then, sometimes, you spend a day, being humbled. I was blessed to help an old friend today. Without a doubt, I am absolutely sure the Lord guided her in calling us last November to play a wedding reception. We were busy, but renewed a friendship that had been dormant for over 25 years. Here is a single mother, two teenagers, one especially fragile but strong, thanks to her mom, who has battled breast cancer. She is younger than I. She needed help driving the hour drive, since she had learned last week that bloodwork had indicated another problem. She came and I drove, sat with her as they intravenously injected radioactive dye, and did one procedure. I then waited while she went through the long process of being fitted with prostheses...and I used to complain about bra shopping! We then went for a PET scan, which should have taken two hours, with scan and then directed radiation treatment, but the nurse administered the incorrect radioactive chemical to my friend, a nurse -who, by the way, was RIF'd from her job two months ago - the nurse who happened to just be chatting about the chemical they were supposed to inject, when the nurse discovered she had made a mistake. I guess it was a blessing that only part of the incorrect radioactive compound had been put into her body. Her procedure ended then, no scan, no radiation, and I took a very ill mother, now with an excruciating headache from the radioactive mistake, home to that daughter. I spent the waiting time reading my scriptures, my Ensign, working on my homework, and embroidering...such mundane tasks. She spent her time fighting for moments, for days, to be a mother. Oh, how silly and foolish ANYTHING I think to complain about is, as I witnessed an angel mother, just wanting to live, to go to Disneyland at Christmas, to sit on a beach. She has endured this before, and I hope to be blessed to again help her, soon, to get done what didn't get done today. And I hope she will be blessed, that this will be the victory she so passionately has been fighting for.

LDS Prom

 Each year, there has been set aside, a special dance, held for the youth over age 16, called an LDS Prom. The responsibility for planning, decorating, food, etc. rotates from stake to stake each year. The cost is significantly less, both for attending ($15.00 per person vs. $60.00 per person at Nate's school) and no tuxes necessary(suits and ties) and modest prom dresses are the norm. Music and dancing are clean. They offer refreshments (what Mormon event doesn't) (this year, tamales, chips and salsa, and cupcakes that even Nathan said were amazing!) 

 Modeling my sewing skills!

 

I took off after he left to pick up her corsage and waited at her house for more pictures. The boy's mom rarely gets any photos unless she goes to great efforts. I didn't figure this out until boy number 4!

 

Jessica wanted Nate's cummerbund and tie to match her dress, so I set out and did it! (I am really not a sewing fan!) There was a problem with Jess's original dress, but her mom made her dress from last year work, and match (she and Nate went to the LDS prom last year as well.)

They used my certificate for dinner at Red Devil Italian Restaurant ($20 meal ended up costing $2.00...Nate's limited budget could handle it) and they had great food, and leftovers that Dad sure enjoyed! It was a great night, and, thus, prom is DONE! I received a card in the mail yesterday advertising tuxedos...and I tossed it! Hooray!

For The Record...

Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. I had decorated my house with shamrocks and all that is green (not a real effort: I LOVE green anything!) right after Valentine's Day. I had planned a lovely dinner: corned beef (not mushy and wet, as per Nate's instructions), cabbage salad (nothing boiled and, again, mushy, as per both Dee and Nate's instructions), Irish Soda Bread (always wanted to make this, so I did, knowing that Kayty wouldn't touch it...I cut up Craisins in it, and she is not a fan of anything raisin). Do you sense a theme here?

Anyway, the soda bread came out fantastic. I baked the corned beef in a baking dish, on the bottom of a saucer, since I didn't have a rack that would fit, with water and seasonings...Dee said it was awesome. Cabbage Salad was superb. Nate and Jessica baked pizzas in the late afternoon, so they were not hungry. Leprechaun couldn't come cuz I was busy making a cummerbund and bow tie to match Jessica's dress for prom on Saturday, and writing two papers for my college class...So, No green leprechaun prints, no leprechaun loot of Rolo's or gold kisses or anything. Basically, I did all that, and took no pics...so there is no record. But, let the record show that I did try!

Pi Day

I had big plans, but I also had to bake green whole wheat bread, get Grammy bags prepped, etc. So, I made Chicken Pot Pi, and we had salad. Nate ended up going to do some work for someone remodeling an office, and so he got his around midnight. Still fun!

Family Movie Night

After the meet, we were able to go to Ethan and Cameo's for Family Movie Night, and with their projection tv...it's like being at a theater, without the sticky floors!

Jessica is not bored...just baked!

Danyel and Cameo finish up the snacks. We brought fat free brownies...(yes, Ethan and Doran, they were made with pureed pinto beans instead of butter...and they were awesome!), Cam made popcorn, and Danyel made "stovetop cookies".

The goodies await...The blanket, well, Ethan is arranging, not hiding.

Again, Nathan: a pest, Jessica: sun baked and tired! but looks as cute as ever!!!

Ain't this great!

Bourgade Invitational State Qualifier Track Meet

Jessica and I trekked to Bourgade to watch Nate throw discus and shotput in a track meet with 23 schools from all over Arizona participating. Here he is throwing discus...

He walked near us, but no conversation or contact was permitted...he was in "the zone". Jessica and I were in "the oven" baking. I tell you, we had sunscreen, so we weren't too burned, but we were totally cooked!

The school photographer, Eve, with her awesome lens and her ability to be permitted to walk up close makes her pics far superior to mine, but I did manage to catch the red discus in the air...not too bad, huh!

And why, do you ask, are there no shot put pics? We sat and waited by the discus area, not knowing that the shotput was going on elsewhere!

Oh, if women ran track meets....

Because He Loves Me.

Before we were married, my sweetheart would go next door to his Grampa Ethan's house, they would cut a bouquet of Sweet Peas, and he would bring them to me. They made my bedroom smell like heaven. Dee would work, year after year, to re-created the garden of flowers that Grampa had. Often, the little ground squirrels would win, and we weren't sure this year, due to a couple of frozen nights. Today, he brought me in my first bouquet in years...and it sits in my kitchen window, where I wash dishes, and look at the mountains...and smell the heavenly smell that filled my room 31 years ago!

He also planted daffodil bulbs for me....I LOVE daffodils...and they are coming up! (Arizona is not the easiest place to grow things!) 

Quick Trip

We Scratched Kayty's back, and she scratched ours...She needed to go to Southern Utah University, in Cedar City, for an audition. Papa and Grammy wanted to go to Las Vegas to see the Wilkins Family. So, we paid for gas, and she drove. Trip there: uneventful, aside from the dirty old men in the red Z4 trying to pick up on my daughter while her father was in the front seat!. Time there: absolute heaven! Trip home: a word to the wise...don't sit behind your 20 year old daughter while she drives and watch the GPS she has named "Tamantha"...tells you waaaaaay too much you would rather not know! (I don't think I have EVER driven 90+mph!) Anyway, here's some of the fun...

Adam was at school when we arrived, so we played with the younger ones. The ice cream man came, Papa stopped him, and got Grace a treat! She thought she was going to need to pay and got her Dora purse.

Josh loved the bicycles by the door...soooo interesting!

Adam and Grammy play catch with the basketball. We played basketball the next morning...just Adam and me!

Aunt Kayty gave us a game: Scatterball. It was lots of fun...but Joshy wanted the cool square ball with the bright colors and numbers on it, and got sad when we were throwing it at each other. We decided it might be a naptime game, and let Joshy play with the ball.

The NICEST way to wake up!

Joshy had a very bad ear infection and had to go to the doctor, so Papa and Grammy got to "babysit". Adam and I did his Saturday chores, and then we got to play "39 Clues" on the computer. (I think that's what it's called...)

Papa and Grace dig for dinosaur bones and eat pumpkin seeds.

We played a Fancy Nancy Game.

We created with Playdough. We had a whole space scene, complete with Earth, a satellite, stars, moon, but a terrible solar storm happened, and all was made into one huge mass...except for the earth.

Papa heard the ice cream man again...and Adam got a treat too.

Papa mixed up a chocolatey treat from cocoa and powdered sugar.

Josh and Mommy came home, he got some medicine, and felt good as new in no time. Grace decided to share his medicine syringe and shoot us with water...fun!

Playing Scatterball...too much fun!

Uh oh...Josh wanted the scatterball...but it was okay, we were kinda tired!

Papa started fixing the bikes, and had lots of great help. Josh is very serious about helping out!

Adam and Grace help Papa.

We would feed the pigeons old bagels, and Adam would try to shoot 'em with water.

All too soon, Kayty drove up, we loaded up, and were off for home...But oh, the fun we had!