Loose ends

For several months now I've wanted to write the last chapter of my time of illness. For weeks now I've been thinking about writing a closing post. To finish off my story for anyone who might stumble upon this blog, or those who kindly read it. (Thank you)

Then the holidays kept me busy. Then I debated how open I wanted to be with an unknown reader. I don't share so much of my reality with many people anymore. Today there is only a small handful I would share the same kind stuff that used to I shared with just anyone before I got sick. Even less now that it looks like I'm as healed as I'm going to get. This all gave such good reasons to not write an ending.


Writing a closing post was also put off when I realized, "I should do it a year after I made my last post" That day is now, yet I still am not sure what to write. I want write honestly and tie up lose ends. But I don't like feeling venerable anymore, so I want to write protectively. I can't figure out how to do both. But I like endings to my stories. Especially when they are more pleasant than I expected. And I appreciate those who read and commented on my blog during a time that I really really needed the special experience a blog can give.

For now I am...

• Alive.
• A full time mom (for the past 7 months).
• Able to walk long distances (record 3.5 miles) and get pain relief from it.
• A Graduate from PT, but currently I'm back working on my master's degree in as I continue to figure out how to take care of this body.
• Getting great low back/leg pain relief from a "SpinoMed" brace. (but it's only the latest in countless devices that helped...for a time)
• Able to cook a meal and still eat with my family without increasing my general level of pain.
• Doing projects around the house (right now a big one for Grant's birthday)
• Working on my well practiced (but bad) habit of swearing (I lose points everyday, but Grant might have me beat)
• Taking my kids to doc appointments, including therapy.
• Doing homework with the 3 kids who have it.
• Singing songs, giving kisses and talking to each child at night.
• Driving. Especially driving to Seattle without spending all my health reserves.
• Standing in line, sitting in chairs.
• looking a bedroom dresser free of medical forms, notes or info sheets. (shreading/ packing up those last signs of my illness has encouraged me to finish this blog too)
• Go to school functions, even volunteer.
• Go out to eat.
• Camp and other much more fun vacations.
• Go grocery shopping, household shopping, and even shop at two stores in one day.
• And so more that i don't even think about because it's so natural to me now.

All of those things I couldn't do without dramatic increases in my pain. Many of those things I just didn't do. Or if I did them at all, I couldn't do it without stopping to have a break to lay flat. Without headaches. Without feeling overwhelmed(which led to the yelling and before mentioned swearing). Without hurting bad enough that I whimper "I hurt" without even thinking the words. Without "paying for it." With out hating.

I couldn't have done it without:

• My husband, who didn't wavier in kindness, parenting, house duties, support and love. Even when anger and pain had burnt me to a crisp. Without him, there would be little reason for the work it's taken to get as well as I have been able. And because of him I am more able to do all the work it takes to STAY as well as I have reached so far.
• My primary care doc (she is also my OB) who didn't ever give up, cried with me, and celebrated with me.
• A pain management doc (Cassius) who specializes in Marcaine injections in the spine and muscles. He managed to properly get my thyroid disorder recognized and treated. His encouragement pushed me thru the some of worst days of my illness when I gave up all narcotic pain medicine 10 months ago. My pain is not my primary thought and motivator because of his skill.
• A good endocrinologist. Wish I found him after Alex was born, I would have remembered more of my kid's infancies instead of drowning in a dark hole after each birth...if my thyroid had been properly diagnosed and treated.
• Therapists and med doctors who specialized in chronic pain
• My best shrink, a great LDS guy who has known me for 9 years, who I trusted enough to hang on. And he gave me confidence in my skill so far and future ability to hang on.
• 10 months of a general physical therapist (Joan believed in me) and a little less time with a pelvic floor physical therapist (Myndee's work and advice set the rest of my healing in forward motion).
• A family therapist for the kids. She helped us understand how to respond to each child's different symptoms of trauma from this time. I hope none of your kids ever cry at night because they were worried that this time, this surgery their mom might die. Or become so withdrawn that there is no way to comfort them.

I wish I felt this was a safe enough space to share more without being judged. Having the stitches and wounds heal was horrible on the body. I thought I was done when the skin healed. Then a new tidal wave hit, emotionally healing from this drawn out medical roller coaster. I don't know if healing spiritually was an after shock of that wave, or it's own separate space that needed healing.

Regardless, I thought I was done. No one told me that I'd have to heal a third time, this time healing my family. Each of these steps, I didn't think I could do it. I didn't think I could face the work, do the actions or even ever feel like I accomplished anything. Each was painful in such a different way, that I can't even put them in order of "what sucked the most about this 3.5 year hell". That's 3-4 distinct stages of healing, (which each give you a huge sticker on your head that says, "judge me")(But those who wear non-polarizing glasses can see it really says, "love me")


I'm sure I've forgotten someone on this path. I've left out all non-medical people intentionally as part of my desire to not be venerable. Selfish yes, but I'm not ready. There were those people who have lifted me, answered the door and phone at important times, or had been so inspired in their actions that I felt loved when my emotions were blazing hot...those people were amazing. It was because of those kind of people like that I was able to even desire to find my faith in God and also in my church I hope they know who they are.

I'm not sure where Julie fits in here, so she gets her own place. A nanny who we were so blessed to find, blessed that she put up with us for 18 months or so, and blessed that the situation was such that we were able to ease me back into motherhood slowly. Boy, were those tough weeks as I was given back the job title of "full time mom". I wasn't sure we would make it thru.

Once again, I find that my fingers were able to write a post that I didn't think possible. At this late hour, I think I've included enough to tie up loose ends and keep safe those things tender to me. Thank you for following my blog, however much I knew you. Thank you for prayers and thoughts that were sent my way. Thank you for a mostly great experience I had as I gained the title, "blogger." Thank you.

So with that I finish this blog, a record of my past, of when I was ill for so long. I hope we never come close to experiencing this time again.

And if there is another stage of healing, I quit.

The End

No date? No worry!

This is to Stina, my single sister at BYU.  She and her single friends made it thru get another Valentines Day.   So I'm starting a list, to make them feel  better.

1.  Your toliet cleaning brush is safe.   Unlike ours that Mark has a crush on.

2.  You can sleep in on Saturdays and Sundays. 

3.  You don't have to wet your pants in bed when your child opens your eyelid and asks if you are awake.   This is not a pleasant way to leave REM sleep.  (Grant thanks Emily for this knowledge)

4.  If you see a baby eat a diaper that has poop in it, you can think, "what kind of mother" as you vomit.  Instead of being the mother.  I wonder how many others this has happened to when you have two in diapers.  Baby 2 was interested in toddler 1's messy diaper.  I thought noses and smells would protect them.   But from Mark licking in #1, that smell aversion is broken in him.

5.  You never fight over which parent had the worst day.   The quint-crown being the tie breaker:  Having nose discharge, bladder discharge, colon discharge, vein discharge and stomach discharge put on you within the shorter time span. 

6.  You don't have to constantly thumb wrestle to get anything typed

7.  If you don't want to look at the snow leopards at the zoo, you keep on walking.  

8.  No one tells you to parent your children better in a public place.  (Thanks Alex, for your special behavior at Ross in 2003)

9.  No one talks to you about the state of your uterus.  (So, Jane, thinking about having another one yet?  Sarah, um, don't you think you're done now that you have four?  Who get to go in for the surgery?)

10.   If your cart is full of mostly frozen foods, on a hot day, and you're in a long check out line.....if your bladder lets you know it would like to go potty, you can tell it to wait.  And your car seats will stay dry!

11.  A hot date doesn't mean taking a child to the ER and finally having  a moment alone while tests are ran. 

12.   You don't have to have your heart broken when the toothfairy or Santa forgot your house.  Or worse, your kids see the toothfairy or Santa. 

13.  If your coworker thinks you have a fever, you don't have to pull down your pants to get it measured.

14.  If your a good Mormon and single, you don't have to worry that you're pregnant when your period is late.  Or you get the flu. 

15.  You don't have to find a sitter in another state when invited to a wedding or party that is "adults only".  

16.  You don't have to do a "body fluids"  load of laundry once a week. 

17.  You have the newest movie script or song lyrics memorized.   Instead of  20 animal names and sounds for "Old MacDonald"

18.  You never have to Google, "7 year old bead in nose what to do"

19.   You never have to share a bathroom stall with another person

20.  You never feel a childs hair on your backside, as they yell, "Push, Mommy, push".    Darn huge bathrooms at the home depot. 

21.  You never have to cry as you debate between filling the dishwasher or taking a nap while your baby is finally asleep. 

This is a work in progress.  Look back for updates.  Or in the comment section.    Help my Junior at BYU sister.  The last decent guy she was with said, "Umm, I'm waiting for a missionary, so I can't get serious with you."

Our night Janitor (he's really cheap!)

T' was the night before school, and all thru the house,

Not a child was stirring, except for the baby.  

He's the janitor.  He works nights.

"Boy, my siblings sure do leave a mess!"

 

"Sweeping over here..."

"Sweeping over there...."

"What Mom?  I missed a spot?"

  

"I'll get it!"

"I don't see why Alex and Emily complain about this chore, it's the most fun I've had all day!" 

Story by Emily Richins

How did THAT happen?

I have 4 kids?  How did THAT happen? Yes, I know how babies are made.   I remember the painful labors that put them in my arms.  Still,  4 little ones that call me mom is odd.  Mark's pregnancy and life has been backstage most times to my health.    He was 10 months old on Christmas Eve. 

 We had lit a fire, and were about to toast marshmallows.   I did photos with each kid in front of the fire.  Then a group shot.  I have photos from every Christmas at home like this. 

10 months after the labor and delivery of Mark, I saw this photo, and realized, with all my heart and mind, FOR THE FIRST TIME, that

I  REALLY  HAVE 4 CHILDREN!!! 

4 children call ME mom!   

(at the same time I was a bit sad.  I only have 4 children.  :(  Mom of more than 4 is not to be my calling.  The more I say it out loud, the more I hope to  come to accept it)

It really did happen!   I'm not just the babysitter! 

I finally remembered to post this photo because last week I had my second, "I really have 4 kids" moment.  It was when I gave all 4 insurance ID cards to the kid's chiropractor.  seeing all 4 lined up on the copier just hit it home. 

When did it hit you that you the parent of your children?  Or has it hit yet?

No, I won't. I won't open my eyes. You can't make me....

Okay.  I haven't really posted in a week.  It just seems like that because of the cool "publish later" function on the blog. That way I don't overwhelm my few readers when I have lots to say. 

And now, I have nothing to say.   Because if I say it, I have to think it.  And if I think it, I will have to realize it.   I don't want to realize that my life sucks right now.  

RULES:  Don't tell me its normal to feel this way.  This doesn't make me feel better.  Don't tell me, "At least you..... "

Yes, lovely that I have kids.  And a husband.  And a job.  And health insurance.  Praise God it's not worse.  

But can't I be like you?  Have a house and a kid and better health?  I can't I have hope of getting better or better diagnosis to manage the stuff I do have?   Can't I even have a diagnosis (or three) so I can know what helps and what hurts?   And find a support group?  (or three).  For me, for Grant.  They say kids are resilient.  But chronic health can kill a marriage.   If it doesn't kill the spouse first. 

Or can't I be like Deb W?   Can't I have the inner strength, the understanding, the peace from God that I'm okay with my life now?   That having the pain but staying alive with my kids is worth it?  And since I don't have that, can't I have Deb here to talk to and remind me and teach me? I miss her.  A lot. 

I need a Deb.   Or a Sarah or two will do.  Or a testimony. 

h

e

l

p

Ode to Stina, the best baby sister in the world

Stina, You rock.

I loved you so much when you were born. You were really MY baby, I just never told anyone. I was only ten, but I felt like your mom.  Until I left for  college.  Though I missed those fun tween and teen years, you have grown up to be a great sister. Even for being a little sister. 

Thanks for spending half of your college break with us.  You just proved even more how you, Stina, ROCK.

Not just cause you changed Mark’s soupy pants for a week. (hey, it got better a few hours before you left). Not just cause you watched the kids so we could sleep in. Not just cause you made dinner and fed the kids…then later listened to the tears and frustration from another of my doctor appointments.

Thanks for laughing with me.  Thanks for making me laugh.  And laugh and laugh.  And laugh again when I realized that I gave the neighbors (I blogged about) a Christmas card with our blog address on it.  Oops.  Hehe!

Glad you actually enjoyed the 5:30 am Christmas morning gift opening. Sorry Emily's tap dancing in the kitchen woke you up.  Sorry I kept calling you Emily.  Or Katelyn.  Or Julie/Liza/Annie. Sorry!

Thanks for being the photographer for Christmas, so I got to enjoy every moment of the kids opening and playing with their new toys.

Thanks for giving me a reason to watch Twilight movie again. And I’m really happy that you became a convert, once you gave me no option but to make you see the movie. I choose now to forget that you did want to see it, it makes me feel more powerful.   Thanks for getting it when I was so happy with my twilight keychain and hung it from my car mirror.

Thanks for saying, “it has to be done, it’s Christmas day and it’s snowing” when I wasn’t so sure I had the humph to get the kids nor myself layered up to go out. It was so beautiful out there, with those fat, fat flakes of snow (looked like the fake movie stuff) covering the last foot we had. Thanks for the snow fort that will remind me of you for weeks until it melts.

 

The hot chocolate was perfect. I forgot what to do next, while I sat in my wet pants snow covered boots . I was so cold and tired I didn’t think I could have a reason to get up again.   Then you said, "Now it's hot chocolate time."  That was some of the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had.

Thanks for saying “whatever” to meals, to activity, to lack of activity, to Grant and my argumentative style of conversation. “Whatever” CAN be a good word, really. Except when I really want your opinion on bread. What kind of break we buy for Christmas brunch really does matter.

Thanks for liking all your silly gifts. It was fun to shop for a college student. A flat of “cup-of-noodle”, some restaurant signs that would go great in any cool college student's apartment...or to use as a dating website photo.

Thanks for playing “Power Grid” with us….staying up late. I know it was long, but that second night when I won was so, so sweet. Now I’ve told you my secret stratagem, so I hope you win at Julie’s house.

Thanks for being bossed around by me, with no please and thank you’s as I asked for water or kid care. Thanks for watching Mark after he took his first steps. Thanks for not being the one he walked to first. I’m glad you’re forever in that memory of Mark’s first steps, on Christmas Eve, after Santa came…walking back and forth between us.

I know I’ll get post-happy-visit-disorder now that you are gone. But I hope by writing this, I’ll remember the good times.

And I will watch my back, since you haven’t gotten me back for throwing that snowball in your face. Sorry I laughed so hysterically that I might have wet myself, but it didn’t matter because my legs got weak.  And then I fell into the snow and laughed.  That was a great, great laugh. You were so sweet not to take revenge while I laid on the snow, face up, still laughing. It was a perfect shot for you, and you didn’t take it. Thanks.

Stina, you rock.   I'm so proud of you. Thanks for still being the kid I wished I had. 

Love, Rachel

So sad New Years

So I get back on the computer for the first time since Christmas.

Sleep, doctors, parenting, sleep, eating, sleep has kept me busy.

What do I find?
Babies born to early and struggling to survive. See Kings 25 week quads and Crisantis 32 week quads.

A father dead, leaving his son and family in turmoil.

The stress of holidays and the single getting to be to much.

The stress of new years resolutions
'
or worse,
a 2008 year in review. (thanks for making me cry, Sarah

I DON'T WANT TO REVIEW MY YEAR!
I didn't want to live it in the first place.
Revisiting it would be to hard.
But if I don't write it down, it could all be forgotten.

I started and ended 2008 with doctor appointments.
Celebrated New Years Eve in pain and on meds again. (stupid tooth crown)

I've got many more positive emails, just needing editing to be posted.
But so far 2009 isn't looking so good.

Bar of soap: I hate thee

Oh bar of soap,
I hate thee so!

When thee were new, thou was a gift.
I turned thirty and relished in your magnolia scent.

When our Thanksgiving guests came, I offered them
The fresh, unopened bar that was you.

Then you sat in the shower head basket.
An entire fortnight.

Were you lonely?
Didn't you enjoy watching the kids play in the bath?
Wasn't it fun when the girls drank hot chocolate in there?

But tonight, oh bar of soap, I hate thee.

I found three of my four children covered in thee.
The oldest two had washed off the slickness off their hands
Yet the smell remained. Not-so-sweet-now Magnolia.

Katie's arm was covered to her armpit with you.
I thought I was done after rinsing the sink handles
Seven times seven.
I thought that wiping the mounds of soap with a dry cloth would be enough

But naughty soap, you have deceived me.
I came back a fort-hour later and found you
Covering the outside handle of the bathroom door

But lo, that was not enough for thee.
Also on the bathroom door and and inside handle
I wiped the scum of you, off my dwelling.

Now, you reside in my bathroom.
But be warned bar of soap
If thee causes me a rash
Or if thee spreads soap again
Hence the trashcan will be thy home.

Bar of soap.
I hate thee.

TTT, tail of the toliet paper and the tooth

Dear Children,

Two of you are potty trained. And you have been for many years. You are 9 and 7 years old.
After you use the bathroom, toilet paper is commonly used.
Imagine my surprise when I used your bathroom (also the only guest bathroom) and I found this....


Sorry it's on it's side, the computer won't take my fix. Just tilt your head, children. Do you see it? Do you? Nope, it's not the open toilet lid (Mark can crawl now, shut it!) And it's not the fact that neither of you have flushed. Look at the handy, built in toilet paper roll holder. Yes, toilet paper is so commonly used that EVERY modern bathroom has one. Look closely at ours. Do you notice that it is brown children? That is the sign that their is no more toilet paper. It's very clever that the paper manufacturers make the roll a different color. It's easy to tell when one takes the last of the toilet paper.
BROWN ROLL=PUT ON NEW ROLL.

Neither of you will fess up to being the last one. But I heard you both use the bathroom before you went to bed tonight. After I got you to bed, I had to use your bathroom. UGGG, was I frustrated to find an open, used toilet. AND NO TOILET PAPER. So I open the bathroom cabinet. Did you know we have one? It's right under the sink. And it had about 10 rolls of toilet paper. And something else, a surprise that popped out at me....

DEAR, Dear, dear children....this is NOT the way to clean up one of the babies toilet paper messes. This is not a way to hide your playtime with a roll. Your mother is very tired lately. I did not clean it up. I felt bad for any guests who might use our bathroom, so I did put on a new roll of toilet paper....


Look how nice and neat that looks! All ready to use! But children, am I done yet? Nope! I still need to do something, can you guess what? Think hard.....

YES! Throw away the old, empty roll. This is trash, or even can be recycled. It's not a trumpet. It's not a toy. It is not a soccer ball. It is not even a carpet, which I must remind you since I usually find it on the floor.

I thought the story would end there. But as I wrote this post, Emily yelled out. "My tooth! It's really wiggly. Really,really wiggly." You Dad, Grant, was with me. I was resting my tired back at the end of a long day. "It's your turn, you help her. She's had that wiggly tooth for months. She's too freaked out to actually let it go." It's true, if you look closely at the family photos, the tooth on the right of her front teeth actually sticks straight out. This is due to being wiggled lose, then not finished off. As Grant goes to help Emily, these dreaded words are heard, "Hurry, I taste blood!". Your dad comes back to me. He doesn't do blood. He doesn't even talk about blood. He can't look at my arm for days after a blood draw. He can't do teeth, because of the blood. I've always helped with each tooth, even the last bloody pull if I needed it. And we couldn't show Daddy the tooth, because he would feel faint.

But today, mommy was finally resting. So I told Dad to be a Dad (or Man) and do something quick before you got blood on your sheets and blanket. BLANKET! She's got the $300 PTA class auction blanket on her bed. GO, GRANT, GO! So he grabbed a chunk of the fluffy toilet paper under the sink. He handed it to Emily and left the room. Look, he didn't faint!

During all this discussion from our bedroom, Emily's tooth finally came out. She successfully collected all the blood on the toilet paper ball. No children, I didn't take a photo of that. I didn't' want your Dad to refuse to read the blog because of the possibility of blood. So here is thrilled Emily with her lost tooth #8

Exciting, exciting! Of course, this means getting the tooth fairy kit out and texting the tooth fairy to bring 50 cents.....

Next morning, the tooth fairy "dropped" the tooth bag while Emily was woken up for school. Emily couldn't find the bag in bed. Mommy ran away while the kids ate breakfast. Then she helped Emily look. Emily found that the bag had dropped into the clothes hamper next to the bed. Wow, the tooth fairy must have visited us last. She left a quarter, a dime, five pennies and one dime looking thing. Oops, it was a Korean coin. (Have I mentioned yet that Dad served his mission in Korea?) . Emily was thrilled to think that some Korean kid got her American dime while she had his Korean one.

And that my children, is why we replace the toilet paper roll all the time. And don't play with you never know when you might need some toilet paper!

Love,

Your mom

Reality of F.H.E, but a once a quarter happy ending!

To: Amy Richins @ I'm a mormon missionary.com
Subject: From your slacker sister in law

Dear Sister Richins,

Okay, blame Olesia. Or my broken body...but I've not written a real letter in a few weeks. I'm addicted to Facebook. It's a gateway drug to blogging. Now I have my own blog. RealityFromRachel.BlogSpot.com So I write there. And I forget about you.

Until Mondays, when I get an email from you. And I think, ARG! Why didn't I write Amy earlier so she would have a new message from me? Since I'm slacking enough on the postal, I could at least get you an email.

So here it is, you're own personal Email, no one CC or BC or DC'd at all!

We just finished a great F.H.E. We had a lesson and practice session on being kind and polite.
This was the lesson. I think I remember the right words.

I didn't bother to write the saga of gathering the family, being reverent to start FHE, welcoming, song, fight over the song, prayer, fight over who is not being reverent before the prayers is said....and tonight no one said how they hated the treat or begged for another kind of treat already open in the freezer.....on to the lesson. Given by Rachel:

"Hey kids, Emily, sit down, Katelyn, Shhh! Alex, stop making those noises. Okay kids, today we have a special - Alex, stop it, you know she hates that - we have a special  - Grant, will you get the baby, he's crying - we have a special treat. We are going to make a gingerbread house for Family Home Evening. (Insert kids happy sounds). Yes, yes - yes, settle down. SHHHHH - I can't talk when you're - what? Yes, you can eat some of the candy tonight. A piece each. What? Okay two pieces. Fine, three pieces. THAT'S ENOUGH OR THEIR WILL BE NO PIECES! (Deep breath from mom.) ALEX, SHHH! (Another deep breath by mom) Okay. We are going to be kind an polite while we do this. Oh, that should be our lesson tonight! Our lesson is on being kind and polite. We need more practice with this. Katelyn, sit down. So be kind and polite as you ask for different candies or decorate the house. If you can't be - Grant, make Katie sit down - if you can't be kind or poli - ALEX, QUIT MAKING THAT NOISE! IF I HAVE TO TELL YOU AGAIN - (insert Hallelujah chorus as inspiration hits) Who's read about Fancy Nancy? (all are quiet. Older kids have read her in school. Katelyn just likes the word fancy). We are going to use our best, Fancy Nancy manners to make this, understand? Okay, lets get started!"

Okay this sounds bad and could totally give someone an excuse to not try and hold family home evening. But after the lesson, it went great. Mark at cheerios out of a festive snowman glass.

All the candy was shared, and no one spoke a word as Katelyn adorably put each sack of candy in a partitioned bowl. The kids held still as Grant told stories of gingerbread houses and later donut making from his childhood. This was needed while the house parts "glued" together.

Grant held Katelyn on his lap and both enjoyed it. Kate's just a cute kid who can now happily follow directions. But Grant...Yes, for the first time since we had kids, Grant enjoyed making the gingerbread house. Grant says it was because the big kids were older. I think it was the spirit...the calmer spirit of Grant that went with the flow of chaos and the spirit of the Lord for trying our best to always have FHE. The house turned out beautiful. No fights broke out until the last piece of Candy was needed for Emily's tree and in Alex's mouth. It now resides on the tree.

Merry Christmas to you! We sure felt merry tonight. Oh, and I lied. I didn't mean too. But Amy, I mean Sister Richins, this turned out pretty funny. So I'm going to post it on my blog. You can see it next year when you get home and thawed from Massachusetts!

Love,Rachel

New photos of Mark, with new Aunt Ely

Mark got his own blog post from his new Aunt Ely.
If you'd like to see the super cute photos of our baby,
Click here to Ely's blog on Little Mark

And the previous post is a fun one, too.
Grant and I went on a double date with newlyweds Joe and Ely
We left the kids home, on the day before Thanksgiving,
It was a sunny, clear day (first sun I'd seen in a while).

We rode a ferry to the peninsula and back.
We left the car to walk on, as we knew there were fun shops and restaurants right next to the ferry. My sister Julie would have loved the art galleries. The glass was so cheap!!! And Liza, the jewelry galleries were so tempting even for me!

Ely wanted to see if the seaweeds tasted like those from her home in Chile. So she confidently strolled to the beach and tried each kind (there were several different colors and textures from the lowering tide)
The last photo was the best, only half capturing the reaction Grant gave over and over.

Yes, this is a almost link to another post. But since Ely already did the hard work of posting the photos, and a video.....

BEST THANKGIVING DINNER EVER

Yes, this is what you think. 2:30 pm Thankgiving Day.

Old Country Buffet

Our family with my little brother Joe and his new bride, Ely.

A brief list of why is was so awesome:

No inner anger at those who didn't help cook or clean up

No left overs to eat for days and days

Everyone left the table happy and full

No exhaustion from two days shopping, two days cooking, one day cleaning up and two more days eatting the same food for every meal.

No one complained about the food

All the food was hot and done and the same time

No discusion over what recipe of Sweet Potatoes to make

The kids ate Tacos, and Grant and I had the best, most moist Turkey.

And the desserts....oh, I wish I could eat a slice of that perfect coconut cream pie right now.

Oh...you want a laugh? Ten years ago Grant and I had our wedding luncheon at Old Country Buffet. I wasn't allowed to wear my dress (mom's rule) and it was cheap (dad's rule) and it sure made me an official Red Neck.

Aunt Ely's doing great, no one want's me to be mom again

My kids are sick of hearing my voice.....
I did homeworkd with them for the first time since school started. IT was just as bad as normal. Being ignored. Being told I don't know what I'm talking about.
FHE would have been a problem, since I normally give the lesson. Grant just doesn't do lessons. The kids sometimes try. But it's hard to feel the spirit when they are trying to explain some complex gospel principle with a barbie car, a stuffed animal and some other plastic toy.

Tonight our guest, my sister in Law, Ely, gave the lesson. It was the packet we got a few years ago from church, the symbles of christmas. SHE ROCKED giving the lesson. THe kids did great. And they were really listening. I wonder if it was her accent. She just came from Chili this summer to marry my little brother.

Now Ely is watching spanish TV on the internet. Everytime she laughs, Mark laughs. It's so funny to hear.

But I"m in pain today. All over. Everything but my hair hurts. And I can't stay awake. Even giving the kids spelling words, I fell asleep after Alex's second word. Is this just my low iron? Am I catching up? Why do I hurt? Will I alway hurt?

Oh a very bright side, I ate red meat (hamburger) TWICE and didn't get sick! Yes!!!!!