In our haste to finish the work on our house before tomorrow we took a quick trip to Home Depot on Saturday, dragging the kids along with us. We should have called a sitter! Both boys fell asleep on the way so they were cranky and groggy when we got there. James insisted on being carried the entire time - and trust me that is not an easy thing to do. He weighs almost as much as Samuel does!
Anyway, we made it to maybe two aisles of stuff we needed and were standing in the aisle that has door frames and wood trim when I got tired and set James down. As soon as his feet touched the floor he started throwing up! I grabbed him to help him lean over so he wouldn't get his clothes all yucky and then stood there in mortified silence while John took Sam to go find some help.
The Home Depot workers were pleasant enough about it and cordoned off the area so they could clean it up. I went to the bathroom to get James a papertowel and to clean off his binky. Meanwhile, John hightailed it to the checkout so we could buy the stuff we had already found. We were both tempted to finish finding everything on our list so we wouldn't have to take a second trip, but figured we didn't want James to throw up in the store again and get us banned from Home Depot. It is our favorite store, after all. We made the right choice! James threw up again in the car on the way home.
I just love having kids!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
almost there
I have a date with our real estate agent on Thursday to look at our house. She is going to let us know what else we need to do to get the house ready to sell and then we will meet again Monday, March 3rd to list the house. Yay! Or as James would say, yeh-ya.
I am excited that we are finally doing this, but I am getting nostalgic about our home and ward that we will be leaving. The boys are actually really excited. They ask me several times a day when we can move into our new house.
John is not as excited as the rest of us but that is just because he is stressing about the money aspect, as usual.
Wish us luck!
I am excited that we are finally doing this, but I am getting nostalgic about our home and ward that we will be leaving. The boys are actually really excited. They ask me several times a day when we can move into our new house.
John is not as excited as the rest of us but that is just because he is stressing about the money aspect, as usual.
Wish us luck!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
the good samaritan
In institute class today we talked about the parable of the good samaritan. It was a really interesting lesson and a good reminder to show love to everyone who crosses our path. Our teacher asked if we were ever recipients of the actions of a good samaritan. We all shared stories in class but I thought of another experience that I wanted to share.
It was a Sunday evening. We had had an especially difficult day. James was about six months old at the time and I was having difficulties making the adjustment from one kid to two. I am what we call a "church widow." John is in the bishopric so he has to sit on the stand during church while I handle the kids by myself. On top of that, since I am the choir director we get to church an hour early for practice. You can imagine that after four hours of church, a boy fighting tooth and nail not to go to nursery and a baby who like all babies needed constant attention, I was really in need of a break. Well, I don't remember what made this day worse than any other Sunday but I remember being so sick of the kids and literally on the verge of tears all afternoon. I had a rehearsal that night to sing with the stake choir in The Messiah but had decided that enough was enough and there was no way I was going. I was in the middle of washing a kitchen full of dishes when there was a knock on the door. Grumbling, I dried off my hands and went to answer the door. On my doorstep were two sweet women from church who were also singing in The Messiah. They said they were supposed to get a ride from someone else but they couldn't get a hold of them and could I please give them a ride to choir practice? I told them I wasn't planning on going but if they could not get in touch with their ride I would take them. Trust me, I didn't want to but I felt I was obligated after they took the subway and the bus to get to my house. One of the women borrowed my phone to call their original ride while the other one picked up my screaming baby and rocked him gently while I returned to my dishes. A few minutes later the other woman was off the phone and had procured them a ride to rehearsal. After she hung up the phone she started washing my dishes with me! James was still screaming and Samuel needed something so I went to go attend to the kids for a few minutes. When I returned to the kitchen the women had finished my dishes and cleaned up the kitchen for me. A few minutes later their ride arrived and they left for choir rehearsal. Their kind and thoughtful service could not have been bestowed on a more grateful recipient. It felt like Heavenly Father had seen how hard I was struggling and had sent these two sisters to me to show that he loved me and he understood I was doing the best that I could. This was such a blessing for me I hope that I can do it for someone else one day. I just need to remember to try.
It was a Sunday evening. We had had an especially difficult day. James was about six months old at the time and I was having difficulties making the adjustment from one kid to two. I am what we call a "church widow." John is in the bishopric so he has to sit on the stand during church while I handle the kids by myself. On top of that, since I am the choir director we get to church an hour early for practice. You can imagine that after four hours of church, a boy fighting tooth and nail not to go to nursery and a baby who like all babies needed constant attention, I was really in need of a break. Well, I don't remember what made this day worse than any other Sunday but I remember being so sick of the kids and literally on the verge of tears all afternoon. I had a rehearsal that night to sing with the stake choir in The Messiah but had decided that enough was enough and there was no way I was going. I was in the middle of washing a kitchen full of dishes when there was a knock on the door. Grumbling, I dried off my hands and went to answer the door. On my doorstep were two sweet women from church who were also singing in The Messiah. They said they were supposed to get a ride from someone else but they couldn't get a hold of them and could I please give them a ride to choir practice? I told them I wasn't planning on going but if they could not get in touch with their ride I would take them. Trust me, I didn't want to but I felt I was obligated after they took the subway and the bus to get to my house. One of the women borrowed my phone to call their original ride while the other one picked up my screaming baby and rocked him gently while I returned to my dishes. A few minutes later the other woman was off the phone and had procured them a ride to rehearsal. After she hung up the phone she started washing my dishes with me! James was still screaming and Samuel needed something so I went to go attend to the kids for a few minutes. When I returned to the kitchen the women had finished my dishes and cleaned up the kitchen for me. A few minutes later their ride arrived and they left for choir rehearsal. Their kind and thoughtful service could not have been bestowed on a more grateful recipient. It felt like Heavenly Father had seen how hard I was struggling and had sent these two sisters to me to show that he loved me and he understood I was doing the best that I could. This was such a blessing for me I hope that I can do it for someone else one day. I just need to remember to try.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
the joys of air travel
My cousin Amber and I flew out to Utah together for Grandpa's funeral. Because we bought tickets at the last minute and they were one way tickets (we flew into Vegas so we could be in St George for the Funeral and out of Salt Lake so we could be there for the burial), we were apparently a high security risk. In order to pass through security in Philly we had to submit to a pat down and a close inspection of our bags. Other than a little bit of a wait, it wasn't too bad. The flight to Las Vegas was pretty standard and no problem..
However, on our way out of Salt Lake we discovered the true joy of flying. Honestly, I think the airlines get a perverse sense of enjoyment out of making it as complicated as possible for us. I received a call at 5am the morning we were to return to Philly. The message on my phone informed me that our flight had been cancelled and that we would be flying on Delta instead of USAir on a later flight. Ok, no problem. So when we got to the airport and checked in at Delta, after waiting in a really long line, they had no record of us and no tickets. They sent me back to USAir to have them reprint the original tickets so Delta could issue us our new tickets. This was fine except it meant I had to leave the terminal, go outside, and walk to the other terminal to find USAir. Oh Joy! It was only like 15 degrees outside.
Anyway, we finally resolved the ticketing issue (we were now flying through LA instead of Phoenix on the way to Philly) and then came the security check in. At security, after we survived the gargantuan line, we presented tickets to the guy and he let out a little laugh. "Oh, you two are special. Just go over to the guy in the purple sweater and he will show you where to go for the body cavity search." I let out a little laugh, hoping he was joking. The guy in the purple sweater sent us through one of those air puffer systems (the only other one I have ever encountered was at the Statue of Liberty, but whatever) and another guy went through our stuff. He tested my shoes, camera, wallet, purse, and bag for bomb making materials. He flipped through the pages of my books (all 6 of them), pulled everything out of my purse, went through my wallet, and searched through my jewelery bag. Basically anything that could be unzipped or rifled through, this guy did it. And this was AFTER my bags had been x-rayed. It was almost comical how thorough he was. It made me glad that I had checked my bag that held the empty bullet casing from the 21 gun salute at Grandpa's funeral.
The Los Angeles Airport was its own kind of nightmare. When we arrived we could not find our flight to Philly listed on any of the monitors. Our tickets said Delta on them. Nobody in this entire process thought to tell us that when we got to LA we would be switching back to USAir. Anyway, once a Delta rep explained that to us in condescending tones she explained that we had to leave the terminal and take a shuttle bus to terminal 1 for USAir. That meant another trip through security as well. Oh goody!
Luckily, we survived security with no special treatment, were able to find a sandwich for under $10 (it was $9.95), and get to our gate on time.
I think next time I will fly Southwest.
However, on our way out of Salt Lake we discovered the true joy of flying. Honestly, I think the airlines get a perverse sense of enjoyment out of making it as complicated as possible for us. I received a call at 5am the morning we were to return to Philly. The message on my phone informed me that our flight had been cancelled and that we would be flying on Delta instead of USAir on a later flight. Ok, no problem. So when we got to the airport and checked in at Delta, after waiting in a really long line, they had no record of us and no tickets. They sent me back to USAir to have them reprint the original tickets so Delta could issue us our new tickets. This was fine except it meant I had to leave the terminal, go outside, and walk to the other terminal to find USAir. Oh Joy! It was only like 15 degrees outside.
Anyway, we finally resolved the ticketing issue (we were now flying through LA instead of Phoenix on the way to Philly) and then came the security check in. At security, after we survived the gargantuan line, we presented tickets to the guy and he let out a little laugh. "Oh, you two are special. Just go over to the guy in the purple sweater and he will show you where to go for the body cavity search." I let out a little laugh, hoping he was joking. The guy in the purple sweater sent us through one of those air puffer systems (the only other one I have ever encountered was at the Statue of Liberty, but whatever) and another guy went through our stuff. He tested my shoes, camera, wallet, purse, and bag for bomb making materials. He flipped through the pages of my books (all 6 of them), pulled everything out of my purse, went through my wallet, and searched through my jewelery bag. Basically anything that could be unzipped or rifled through, this guy did it. And this was AFTER my bags had been x-rayed. It was almost comical how thorough he was. It made me glad that I had checked my bag that held the empty bullet casing from the 21 gun salute at Grandpa's funeral.
The Los Angeles Airport was its own kind of nightmare. When we arrived we could not find our flight to Philly listed on any of the monitors. Our tickets said Delta on them. Nobody in this entire process thought to tell us that when we got to LA we would be switching back to USAir. Anyway, once a Delta rep explained that to us in condescending tones she explained that we had to leave the terminal and take a shuttle bus to terminal 1 for USAir. That meant another trip through security as well. Oh goody!
Luckily, we survived security with no special treatment, were able to find a sandwich for under $10 (it was $9.95), and get to our gate on time.
I think next time I will fly Southwest.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
death of a soldier
Colonel W. Kenneth Bach passed away this morning at 2:10am. He was 97 years old and a beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He will be sorely missed.
Grandpa Ken was fiercely independant. He lived on his own, drove his own car - even the long drive between St George and Logan (an eight+ hour drive) by himself, and remained active to the end. He was, however, banned from backing the boat into the lake on fishing trips after he backed the car in so far that water covered the back seat.
Grandpa was a man of many hobbies. He was an avid fisherman. Be it summer or winter, he was out there fishing. He and Dwane spent a lot of time fishing together. One memorable winter, a few years ago, they went ice fishing together. Grandpa slipped and fell on the ice and hit his head. He ended up with a subdural hemetoma (sp?) and although it was a blow that would kill most people Grandpa recovered completely and in record time. He was a tough old guy!
Grandpa Ken was also an incredible wood-worker. He made toy trucks for his grandkids and a Noah's ark with the animals too. He also created stained-glass windows and butterflies and did some metal smithing as well.
When Grammy passed away in 2003, Grandpa Ken seemed lost and incomplete, much like how we all felt. However, he recovered himself and after mourning for a few years he even began dating again. Can you imagine, dating at 97?! I think he was even doing some online dating. Yes, he was computer savvy as well.
Grandpa Ken loved life and took interest in a great many things. He was kind and gentle and loved his family very much. He is a World War II veteran and spent many years after the war traveling the world with Grammy. Their home is full of the most incredible treasures from Communist Russia, Hong Kong, Okinawa, Africa and many other places. Grandpa Ken didn't talk about his past much, I wish I knew him better. My biggest regret is that after Grammy died I had a hard time being around Grandpa. I missed her so much that spending time with him and being in his house just made me hurt more. I was selfish and stupid and should have spent more time with him because chances are, he was hurting worse than I was. That is something I will have to take care of when I see him again. Right now, I bet he and Grammy are having a wonderful reunion and he is rejoicing that he is no longer held back by his aging body. He never said anything but I bet he was frustrated by his decreasing eyesight and hearing and the body that moved increasingly more slow as the years passed.
Today we are all mourning his passing, but we are also very peaceful knowing that he did not suffer long and that he did not have to live through a prolonged illness as his wife did. He was active and happy to the end.
Monday, February 4, 2008
help!!
Help! When I changed my template I lost my links. If you don't see your name on my blog list please post a comment so I can link back to your blog!
homesick
I am feeling a little homesick today so I thought it was time to change my blog to something that feels like home.
I got a call last night from my sister letting me know that my Grandpa Ken, 97, fell and hit his head and is in the hospital due to all sorts of complications. As much as I miss the wide open desert sky, I miss my family more!
I got a call last night from my sister letting me know that my Grandpa Ken, 97, fell and hit his head and is in the hospital due to all sorts of complications. As much as I miss the wide open desert sky, I miss my family more!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
the passing of a spiritual giant
Today was President Hinckley's funeral. He passed away last Sunday. He was an incredible man and a spiritual giant who had a huge impact in my life as well of the lives of anyone else with whom he came in contact. During the funeral there were several comments about the joyful reunion President Hinckley must be having with his wife right now. I kept thinking that our family friend, Lora, who passed away last month now has someone else to put their arms around her. He was our Prophet, the Prophet of our generation.
My Grammy passed away in 2003 when I was pregnant with Samuel. Her death left a gaping hole in my heart that has never really gone away. It feels like every tragedy I experience just rips out whatever patch I have used to fill the hole. Does that ever go away? I don't think it will, but I don't want to lose the mark she made in my life either. The sorrow I feel for president Hinckley's passing is also deep but in a different way.
The death of the Prophet is traumatic for the entire church no matter how old he may have been. However, with his passing comes a sense of peace. This church is God's church and he will not let it fall with the death of one man, no matter how great he is. And we know his legacy in the church will live on.
The following clip is one I received from a friend via email. It is a sweet tribute to President Hinckley by Glenn Beck, a fairly recent convert to the church. He puts into words what many of us feel at this time.
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/200/5127/
My Grammy passed away in 2003 when I was pregnant with Samuel. Her death left a gaping hole in my heart that has never really gone away. It feels like every tragedy I experience just rips out whatever patch I have used to fill the hole. Does that ever go away? I don't think it will, but I don't want to lose the mark she made in my life either. The sorrow I feel for president Hinckley's passing is also deep but in a different way.
The death of the Prophet is traumatic for the entire church no matter how old he may have been. However, with his passing comes a sense of peace. This church is God's church and he will not let it fall with the death of one man, no matter how great he is. And we know his legacy in the church will live on.
The following clip is one I received from a friend via email. It is a sweet tribute to President Hinckley by Glenn Beck, a fairly recent convert to the church. He puts into words what many of us feel at this time.
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/200/5127/
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