Just Felt Like I Needed To Say...

It's late on Saturday night. My sweet hubby was supposed to be home in about an hour, but the party he is disc jockeying for loves him, and so he will be gone four more hours. I am pouting, a bit, but then, again, I really feel like I need to say this...

I talked to a friend tonight, after a wonderful super marvelous heaven-sent day with my Phoenix kids. It was one of those "make sure you remember every detail of today, put it in a box, and then pull it out when you have a really crummy one". I love watching my boys be brothers. I love spending time with Kayty...just her and I...Again...heaven sent. When the big kids left, I returned a call. She is facing a brave fight against cancer...again. She is amazing. She is an amazing mother. She is smart and strong. She is one of those people I would like to be like, and I am so glad she called looking for a disc jockey in December, because reuniting after so many years has blessed my life so very much.

After we finished talking, I took a quick run. Now, I know I run because I sometimes eat too much layered bean dip and a few jelly beans, and I need to wear it off, but always, when I run, I get to think, and those thoughts often turn to prayers, and it is then I gain such inspiration. Running is more than just exercise for me. While I was out, I was thinking about her and she shared a special experience she had prior to surgery last week that gave her peace. I was overcome with the feeling that I needed to share with her that she was loved by a Father in heaven who cared about her...no matter what she did or didn't do, no matter what she believed or didn't believe, and that He is ALWAYS there for her! I thought about my children, and how much I love each and every one of them, including the ones I did not bear and deliver, but keep in my heart...my children in law. It doesn't matter if they are a Primary President or if they partied too much last night and are sick from a hang over. I absolutely and totally love each and every one...absolutely and totally no matter what they do or don't do, no matter what they believe or don't believe. I pray for each of them, that they do well in a new job, or a new advancement at work. I pray that a delivery they have to make is safe. I pray that their dance recital goes well and that they have fun in the bumblebee tutu. I pray that they throw the discus further than ever before. I pray that their biology class goes well. I pray that they can get on their feet and find a new job. I pray that they can have a good time with their friends and do well on their class presentation speech. I pray that they do well in their new college adventure soon. I pray that their cut on their forhead heals and that the stitches don't hurt too much.

I have been blessed to taste just a hint of how much our Heavenly Father loves each one of us...no matter what. He loves us, and wants to hear from us. He doesn't care if we are smoking or drinking, whether we speed on the freeway, or get in a disagreement with our spouse. He doesn't care if we are perfect. He just wants to hear from us. He will answer our prayers. He does each and every day...whether we think he should or not. He is our Father. I am the mother of my children, the mother in law of my children, the grammy of my grandchildren...and I totally without any doubt love them all...no matter what.

Spring Fling: Rock Lobster Week at The Prep

The days are ticking by. Spring Spirit Week for Nate...his last one. The Prep really does it up in style! Every year, they bring sand in, cover the basketball courts, make a sand volleyball arena, complete with pools. All week, there are contests and class competitions. So far, the Seniors are winning, but it is in no way a blow out...scores are close. The final championship volleyball game is tomorrow: Seniors vs. Freshman. The final costume contest day is tomorrow, the theme: Sea Monster (Nate helped his awesomely creative friend Gard finish this one last week. Gard has had the most amazing costumes all week!)

                                          Senior Flag                                      Rock Lobster!

Isn't this awesome! And a teacher painted the entire backdrop!

Nate is, well, lets say, not the most spirited kinda guy...No costumes for him. But, he wants to miss school and go fishing with Jessica on Friday. I said he could if he was in two pictures, so he conned Eve, the sensational school photographer, to put him in two...I found two more. So, I guess he has only one more day of fun...and you can bet he's not dressing up! (Spoiled Sport!) Here are some pics...

 Nate's track coach, former Olympic Decathalete Kane Wilson

 Nate's fried, Gard, is a fun and spirited guy. He would come to the football games in bright yellow pants with a bright orange hunting cap. He is the nicest, politest kid too! He made this whole outfit out of Hawaiian shirts: pants, vest, shirt and tie!

 Another Gard DeMothe Creation...watch for him someday. I bet he'll be famous! He's the one UNDER the surfer!

 Not Gard, but another senior...I think he was the homecoming king.

 Wet T-shirt Contest

 The Falcon Band

 Nate's Friend, Cory...a senior...taking a big fashion risk. He played awesome football and was one of the best on the basketball team.

 Here he is, in two pictures...and posing, no less!!



To the far left, we see Nate's back, with repaired Senior back pack (thanks mom!) and track bag.



To your right, in the far back, we see Nate paying absolutely no attention to the goings on, right by the lockers.

Now, again, Nate's only in two head on, two in the background, but so much has been done by the school to make this event awesome, I just had to share!

Springtime In The Desert

I was taking pictures of our roof progress when I noticed our front yard in a blaze of color. Yes, Arizona has cactus, but have you ever seen cactus look like this?

New Roof

In October, the greater Phoenix area experienced a hailstorm. Thus, thanks to homeowners insurance, we were blessed to have half our roof replaced yesterday. We used the same company that had worked on Ethan's roof. They did an awesome job, and we have a wonderful new roof!

He Lives!

April Fools

I always WANT to be cute and creative, but, alas, sometimes, time does not allow. For our April Fools Day, I put marbles in his dress shoes...and we went with my sister's backwards meal day, but only for dinner, so we had scrambled eggs and bacon. I did, however, do the legwork for Nathan...I found the recipe, and helped a bit, at least with getting the instructions on how to operate the yard sale pasta machine, and then cleaning up the darned thing afterward...(now I KNOW why I see soooo many pasta machines at yard sales!). But, here it is... Chocolate Pasta! 

(too many carbs for dad, so it was an afternoon treat for Nate and Jessica...

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.