Not tonight, I got a headache!

Update to Familial Hemiplegic Migraine (FHM)

2008-01-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I had my blood drawn yesterday to check if I have Familial Hemiplegic Migraines. We had to wait until our basement was completed and Christmas bills were paid to see if we had the money to pay the $600 to pay for this expense. Now, we have to wait 6 more weeks to find out the results. Part of hopes I have this disease, so then I have the answer I have been looking for, for nearly 20 years, but part of hopes not, because this disease scares me to death. I do not want to have the fear of having a stroke at an early age either. Also, I don't want to have passed this onto my children. I guess I will wait and see what the results show in 6 weeks.

In the meantime, I have seen a decrease in the amount of my migraines. From November to December, I only had 8 migraines and December to January, I had 11, which is good for a holiday month. I don't know why I had 8 in November and 11 in December. I contribute it to the magnetic mattress pad I sleep on, drinking Winder milk everyday, and all the medication I take on a daily basis. Anything that helps me from having 12-18 migraines a month, is well worth it. I will let you know more when I know more.

Familial Hemiplegic Migraine (FHM)

2007-11-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

Interesting title. Yes, that's what I thought too, when I went to my Neurologist appointment on Wednesday. I figure it was going to be a normal appointment. I was going to tell him. I am still having 12-18 migraines a month, (13 last month) and that the medicine he has me on is just making me gain weight which I do NOT like at all. Well, that wasn't the case at all. He asked me about the severity of my migraines. Just like in the past, I mentioned when I have a severe migraine, my right arm becomes weak during the migraine and then lasts for days on end. This made him start typing rapidly on his computer. He's not much of a people person, which drives me crazy, but he is a great doctor. Anyway, let me tell you what happened prior to this appointment. Warning, it may be a long post.

Well, I have been warned NOT to fast, due to migraine health issue, but as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have the opportunity to do so on the first Sunday of each month. Well, our family decided to fast for a family in our neighborhood, who is not of our faith and invite them to a fireside on November
18th about a Humanitarian project our ward is doing at our ward Christmas party on December 1st. The fireside will talk about the Humanitarian efforts the church does and what our ward will be doing at the ward Christmas party and how it will help many people. Well, just so you know, we did invite this family on November 11th to the fireside and the ward Christmas party, so I guess we will see if they will attend both events. Anyway, in my personal prayer, I ask my Father-in-Heaven that none of us would suffer any side effects from fasting, ie migraines. Well, I was the only that did. I ended up being in bed for 2 days with a severe migraine and then my right arm was so weak for nearly 4 days following that I could hardly use it. I even tried taking Advil in high amounts and nothing would relieve the pain. My mother suggested trying heat. So, I used a heating pad when I could and that helped eased the pain somewhat. When I went to the doctor almost a week after the migraine had ended my arm was still a little weak and he could tell when he had tested me.

Now, he is having me have a repeated MRI on Tuesday. This one will include my head, neck and spine. I am NOT looking forward this as I am EXTREMELY claustrophobic. It's a good thing he gave me a prescription for Xanax. Also, I had my blood drawn that same day. They only took 23, (yes, 23) viles of blood to do a coagulation profile. Basically to see if my blood clots. Also, he is sending me to a Cardiologist, because he wants to put me on a heart medicine, but he wants to make sure I don't have an AV Block. I don't even know what that means. The last thing he wants me to do is get genetic testing done to see if I have Familial Hemiplegic Migraine. It is only a $3000 test that my insurance will NOT cover, but rest assured I talked to the company and if I paid 20% up front ($600) they would go up to bat for me with my insurance company. So, if any of you have an extra $600 laying around, I could put it to great use. :)

All of you who are reading this are saying, what is the Familial Hemiplegic Migraine. Well, I will try my best to explain it to you, but if I don't do it justice, you are welcome to google it. FHM is a rare form of Migraine disease. People who have FHM usually have an aura prior to their migraine which can last days or weeks and they have paralysis on one side of their body. (Hemplegia) When this onset comes on, it can simulate a stroke. People with this disease also have severe difficulty with sound and light with their migraines. The one thing I absolutely didn't like learning about this disease is that I couldn't take my Maxalt anymore. That was the one medicine I could count on to help me feel better in a few hours after a migraine hit. If I do have this disease, they better find some other migraine drug that is strong enough to knock my headaches away, so that I can live a somewhat normal life, because the current one I am on now will not cut it and I will revert back to Maxalt and I know that could eventually shorten my life. The reason they say that Maxalt isn't allowed with patients who are FHM, is because Maxalt constricts the vessels and in turn could cause a stroke. Also, people with FHM, should wear a medical alert bracelet, which I am not one who likes to wear bracelets.

So, after all this is said and done for this week, I had a wise friend say to me. That I needed to suffer that 2 day migraine and then weak arm for 6 days, so that my doctor could finally figure out what was wrong with me. She also said that it took my faith in fasting for others needs that the Lord was willing to answer one of my prayers. I have been praying for 19 years to be relieved or to find some type of an answer to my migraines. I have only been seeing this Neurologist since May and I have been telling him every month about my arm, so I don't know why it was THIS month he finally listened, but he did. I guess we will see what all the test results will say and if I do have FHM.

I guess if I don't have FHM it is only one more area that I have explored with my life journey of migraines. Anyway, I will continue to endure till the end.

10 Things I liked about my vacation!

2007-09-25T15:48:00.000-06:00

1. Spending time with my family!
2. Relaxation!
3. Disneyland w/ no wait lines. The longest line, Jordyn and I waited in, was for Aurora and that was an hour long, but it was worth the smile on Jordyn's face. We got some beautiful photos of her and Aurora. As for rides, the longest one was for Raiders and that was 20 minutes, but the rest of the rides were minutes. Disneyland was lots of fun. I am glad that we did 3 days and broke up the days with other activities in between. It was well worth it. California Adventure was fun too. The two most exciting rides were Soarin over California and Hollywood Tower Hotel.
4.Huntington Beach! We only went to the beach two days, because our 3rd day planned, it decided to turn cold and rainy that day. Oh, well! We still had lots of fun soaking up the California sun, looking for sea shells, making sand castles, reading and playing in the ocean.
5.Seeing Aunt Lois and doing Genealogy work. She even let me bring home two of her binders, so I can copy/scan the information and then send them back to her ASAP.
7.Soaking in the hot tub at the hotel, while kids swam in the pool.
8. No housework/cooking to do for a week! I did have to make my own breakfast each day and prepare sandwiches for lunch each day, which was okay. Also, I spent a few hours doing laundry one day. Nothing compared to ordinary life back at home.
9. David all to myself and not competing with his work. Also, not having his Blackberry waking me up in the middle of the night!
10.Smiles on everyones faces! There were many times we got each other's nerves, but when we all got along and had a great time and were laughing and smiling that's when it was all worth it!

Goliath

2007-08-15T22:08:00.000-06:00

One year ago today, I lost a dear friend. It was my dog Goliath. We had to put him down due to cancer. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do and I pray that I won't have to do that again for a long time. We were very fortunate to have Goliath a part of our lives for 11 years. Dave and I got him 5 months after we were married, so we had him our entire married life and our entire children's lives. I know all of us had a difficult time with losing Goliath, but I know it hit me the hardest. He was my dog. From the very first day we brought him home on July 3, 1995, he marked his territory on me. That's right! On the way home, he was sitting on my lap, and with him being a little nervous, he decided to pee on my white pants. From that moment on, he was my dog. He also, helped me through a miscarriage. No one else could help me through it. Goliath came into my life at the perfect time, when I needed someone to love, cuddle, take care of, feed and potty train. He was my comforter during such a difficult time in my life. Yes, I had my incredible husband there to help me, but he didn't understand and I also had others who had empathy for me, but they couldn't make me feel better for some reason. It was Goliath who made me feel better. They say "Dogs are man's best friend." Well, Goliath was truly a one of a kind friend, but more than that, he was family. After he was gone, that first night was very difficult for me, because Goliath was always with me whenenver I had a migraine or wasn't feeling well and I would hear his little snorts, just to let me know he was there, but I didn't hear them. Well, I got down on my knees for my nightly prayers and asked my loving Heavenly Father to let me know if Goliath was alright and if was in his care, because I missed him so much and my heart was breaking tonight for him. After I got into bed that night, I was lying very quietly and I could hear Goliath's little snorts coming from underneath my bed. They were very faint, but they were real. I laid there and listened and then got up and looked under my bed, but didn't see anything. I then said another prayer and asked my Father in Heaven if what I just heard was Goliath's snorts and the Holy Ghost bore truth to me that it was and that Goliath was alright and he was been taken care of until we could be together again. My husband shared with me from Gospel Doctrine that animals can not sin, so therefore they would already go to the Celestrial kingdom. When he shared this with me, I knew it to be true as I already had the truth borne to me the night I heard Goliath's snorts and the Holy Ghost bore truth to me that he was alright. I miss Goliath each and everyday and there isn't a day I don't think about him. We now have 2 puppies named Rhythm and Blues and each of them have similiarities of Goliath, but they will never replace him. They help fill the void of losing Goliath, but they also bring so much joy in our home too!

Hello Again!

2007-08-09T22:18:00.000-06:00

Hello World!

Can you believe that I decided to blog again? A lot has happened in my world since I last blogged. In fact, I don't even know why I decided to post. It took me a few minutes to remember how to do it, but it came back to me.

Tonight Dave and I went to the temple to do sealings with 5 other couples from our ward. We have been doing that almost every month now for this year. It has been a great date night for us, but also one way to help my ancestors. The sealer asked me if I felt anything for my 2nd great grandma's sister when I was acting as her proxy. I was sad, when I replied no, but Brother Hyde (a fellow ward member) said that he did. I hope that Mary Dunn (my 2nd great grandma's sister) accepted the sealing that I just did for her. It really thrills me when I hear fellow ward members come up to me and say, "hey I just some of your ancestors work the other day." I am so grateful for my wonderful ward who is committed to doing temple work and also doing my names at the same time. It brings me so much joy that my family names are being done, because I know I couldn't possibly do them all by myself.

Well, I guess another reason, I decided to blog again was to just express what's going on every now and again. I don't know if I will keep it up and I don't know if anyone will read it, but that it is okay, because it could just be just for me.

Update

2006-01-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I am still here. Sometimes I don't feel like I am here, because I have suffered 11 migraines this month already and have injured my back so bad, that I can barely move. In fact, I finally had to receive medical attention yesterday for it, because I could hardly move and I felt the pain in my back was causing the migraines. I feel somewhat better today. Still in pain, but able to somewhat function today.

I am going to copy Beck's idea of just giving an update of what has been happening in mine and my family's life this past month, since it has been over month since I last blog. I apologize ahead of time if this may be a long blog.

1. On December 14th, our family finished reading The Book of Mormon. We started reading it on December 27, 2004, so it took us almost an entire year to read it through. For Christmas 2004, our gift to the Savior was to read the Book of Mormon everyday. Well, we only missed one day and we still finished it within one year. Now our family is reading from the Doctrine and Covenants and hope to have that completed by the middle of the summer. Also, I am very excited to scrapbook this experience of reading the Book of Mormon. I have all the supplies to do the pages. I just need to feel well enough to do them.

2. On December 19th, my youngest turned 8 years old. I can't believe my baby is that old! We went out to dinner with the grandparents to Applebee's and then they came over for cake and icecream and then Jordyn opened her presents. Jordyn was quite suprised by this because she thought her grandparents were coming over for dinner, but instead we went out to dinner. She was excited and embarrassed when they sung Happy Birthday to her at the restaurant. This was first time she had been sung to at a restaurant. It made her day! For her birthday, it seemed that her parents and grandparents were on the same wavelength, because she ended up getting purple clothing and Polly Pockets. She didn't mind. She loved all of her gifts!

3. On December 22nd, my kids had a Christmas piano recital, which Jeremy played "The Little Drummer Boy" and Jordyn played "Up on the Housetop." They had been working on their pieces for 2 months and had them memorized after 2 weeks, so it wasn't surprising that they did a wonderful job when it came time to perform at their recital.

4. Christmas was great! One of these years, I will get the Christmas gift I have always wanted. To stay home and not have to go anywhere! It seems we have to drag our children out to their grandparents house when all they want to do is stay home and play with their new toys. When I was growing up, my grandparents came to my house to see what I got for Christmas, so I could stay home in my new pajamas and play with my new toys. I just wish that one year my kids could experience that!

5. On December 31st, my beautiful daughter Jordyn was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She had been waiting for this day all year long and couldn't believe it finally arrived. She looked absolutely beautiful in the dress that my mother-in-law made for her and once she received the Holy Ghost, you could tell that the spirt of Christ radiated throughout her entire countenance. After the baptism, we had a luncheon at our house, which I hope everyone enjoyed. It was nice to see everyone to come out and support Jordyn on her special day.

6. On January 6th, my intelligent son, Jeremy was in the school Geography Bee. To be in the Geography Bee, you had to be in 4th to 6th grade and had to take a test. The top two students from each class were chosen. In Jeremy's class, he tied with another student, so he had to take another test and he ended scoring higher on the test. So, during Christmas break, we had the opportunity to review Geography facts with him. I believe I learned more that week than I did in all my years of schooling. Anyway on the day of the Bee, there were a total of 32 students. They did 7 rounds of questions and anyone who answered more than 4 questions correctly went to the final round. Well, Jeremy answered 5 correctly, so he went to the final round. In the final round there were 9 students and then eventually there were 4 which Jeremy was one of them. Jeremy ended up coming in 4th place. I thought was pretty amazing, because when he got to the final round, he was the only 4th grader left and to be up against 5th and 6th graders, he did pretty awesome. The 1st and 2nd place winners were 6th graders and the 3rd place winner was a 5th grader. It broke my heart to see him so sad and disappointed, but made me so proud to be his mom because he is such a fine student and great example to all. I know that if he makes it to the Bee next year, he will only get further. Way to go Jeremy!

6. On January 14th, we FINALLY bought a new computer. We have been wanting to do this for sooooooo long, but haven't had the opportunity to do so, until now. I just love it and I know I will love it more when all my files from my old computer will be transfered to the new one, so I can do my Family History work and Scrapbooking. Also, I will love it more when my computer desk isn't so cluttered with two computers on it. I hate clutter!

7. On January 18th, I was asked to be the Activity Day Leader for the 9 & 10 year olds in our ward. This now makes 3 callings I have in the ward. How many do they think a person who suffers from migraines can hold? They did warn me that weren't going to release me from the other callings. What was I thinking when I accepted another calling? I know what I was thinking. My patriarchial blessing states to accept all callings that are asked of you and also I thought this would be a great opportunity to learn about the program that my daughter is now involved in. I also was thinking that when Jeremy was going in Cub Scouts and they put me in as a Den Leader, I learned all about the program and this helped me to help him to achieve and continue to achieve the necessary steps in Cub Scouting. So, now I get to learn what it is like to be an Activity Day Leader, so I can help my daughter to grow and achieve the necessary steps to earn her Faith in God award. Maybe Heavenly Father wants me to learn to like Primary to. We'll see about that!

Well, that's what is going on with me and my family. I hope all is well with everyone. I will try and do better at blogging, now that I have a computer that will allow me do so in a timely manner. Also, I am trying to have faith that through the priesthood blessing I received last night that I will start to feel better so I can start to function as normal as I possibly can.

Family Home Evening Service Project

2005-12-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

Last night for Family Home Evening, our family did a service project. On Sunday, we told the kids that we were doing a service project for Family Home Evening on Monday and on Sunday and up to last night, all we heard about is that they didn't want to do it. Just so you understand their hesitation to do a service project, the last one we did as a family was picking up garbage at the Stake Center. Of course, we didn't let them know that it was going to be a fun night and that they would feel good inside afterwards.

So, when 6:00 PM arrived last night, we informed them that we were going to Shopko to purchase gifts and then take them over to Deseret Industries to put in the Bishop's room. The last 2 Christmases, the West Jordan, DI has been accepting new unwrapped items that is put in a Bishop room. They ask people who wish to donate to buy something of their own age. We told the kids that they could spend up to $15 a piece, which they thought was so much. So, Jordyn chose a Doodle Bear that she really wants for either her birthday or Christmas. Jeremy picked out a large Batman figurine that he thought was cool. Dave and I didn't choose something that we would like, but instead chose something that a teenager might like, so we purchased 2 portable CD Players. They had mentioned in church that they were lacking teenage gifts, so we decided to go that route. The kids loved shopping for others and were very excited to go to the DI and put the items in the Bishop's room. Well, the DI closes early on Mondays, so we will be delivering our gifts today after school. Even though they were disappointed they couldn't finish the service project in one evening, they are looking forward to completing it today.

Just so you understand how one benefits from the Bishop's room, is that one goes to their Bishop and let's him know they can't afford Christmas for their children, so he feels out a voucher for them and they take it to the DI's Bishop room and pick out gifts for their children that people in the area have donated. It's another great program that the church and DI has set up to take care of those in need.

Well, I believe our chilren came out of this experience much better people, because they thought of others and witnessed the true meaning of Christmas. I pray that my children will always be thoughtful and remember others in their time of need.

I am a Proud Mom!

2005-12-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Dave and I had the opportunity to cheer on our children as they were awarded "Principal Pride" awards. Jeremy was awarded for his outstanding "Turkey Art". Jeremy had made a Turkey using different colors, shapes and designs to make his Turkey, which he took quite some time on it and it looked great! He has always had artistic ability and in this art project it truly showed. Way to go Jeremy! Jordyn was awarded for "Things that she was thankful for." Jordyn wrote down some of the things she was thankful for which included her family, her parents helping her with her math and spelling each night and teaching her about her mistakes so that she could learn from them. Also, she was thankful that she was learning new things every day. Most kids in her class said they were thankful for their family, homes, animals and toys. The obvious things, but Jordyn really took her time and thought about what she was truly grateful for. I would recognize her too for her what she was thankful for. Way to go Jordyn!

Also, on Friday was Parent Teacher Conferences and we were informed that both of our kids made HONOR ROLL! Jeremy has made honor roll every quarter since 2nd grade and this is Jordyn's first time making it, since they start doing honor roll in 2nd grade. Also, Jordyn was the only kid in her class to make honor roll. Man, I have smart children. They must take after their intelligent father. Of course, you have to have fantastic grades to make honor roll and my kids did just that. Jeremy received the equivalent of all "A's" and 1 "B". He received the equivalent of all "Honors". They do the grading a lot different from when we were kids so that is why I said equivalent to.... Jordyn received the equivalent of all "A's" and the equivalent to all "Honors", and 1 "Satisfactory". She knew immediately what the satisfactory was for: her talking to peers while doing her work, even though she always gets her work done.

Also, both of their teachers said to me on Friday, that my kids were brilliant and there really wasn't much more to say about them. I just love to hear people tell me great things about my kids, because it makes me feel that I may be doing something right with them.

Bear Award

2005-11-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Last night at Pack Meeting, Jeremy was awarded the Bear Award and a Gold arrow point and silver arrow point. He also received the Heritage belt loop, making this his 14th belt loop. For all of you who do not know what it took to earn his Bear Award, he had to complete 12 sections, comprising of 4 to 5 things in each section to get this award. To get an arrow point, he had to do 10 electives for each one, so he actually did 20 to get both of them. What is so amazing about all of this, is that he did in 4 months! He still has another 8 months to go before he is a Webelo, so he has the opportunity to earn a lot more arrow points before his next birthday. Also, an other amazing thing about Jeremy receiving his Bear Award, is that he is the 2nd to youngest Bear in his den of 7 boys, so he a lot further than the other boys. We are so proud of him and all of his accomplishments! Last night, he asked when we were going to his Grandma's house again, because he was so excited for earning these awards that he wanted them sewn on his shirt. (Yes, his mother doesn't know how to sew and when you have a talented mother-in-law, who enjoys doing these things for her grandson, you let her do it. )

On Monday, we went to the doctor's office and Jeremy is back to wearing normal shoes again. For those of you who didn't know, Jeremy broke 3 toes and one bone in his left foot, near his 4th toe. For the last 3 weeks, we have been wrapping his foot in a special bandage on a daily basis and then he has been wearing a post-op shoe. The doctor said it looked good but he needed to still take it easy and that he could go back to wearing normal shoes. He was happy about that because he said his foot was cold from wearing the post-op shoe. We are happy that his foot and toes have healed nicely and we feel blessed that it wasn't anything more serious.

Question for all of you

2005-10-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

I have always wondered what makes people laugh. What is it in the brain that causes one to laugh when they see or hear something funny? I remember even when my children were small they would laugh at something funny that they would see on a tv program. So, whatever it is in the brain, it appears when you are a small child. Are you born with this ability to grasp things that are funny? I wonder if Heavenly Father has a sense of humor, so he wanted all of his children to have one too, so he gave it to us with our earthly body. I don't know. Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas about this and if you do, please let me know?

Jeremy's feelings

2005-10-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

This Monday, we will be celebrating Emily's birthday at mom's house and I am assuming that all of the family will be giving her gifts for her birthday. As you will recall that mom did a birthday dinner for Jeremy too and she was the only one who gave him a gift that evening. Jeremy is a very observant and sensitive child and I know he will notice that he wasn't treated fairly by his aunts and uncles. Dave and I have not mentioned this to him but we are upset that our child has or will be left out. We have always treated each our nieces and nephews fairly and just because we do not do birthday parties at our house anymore and mom does for our kids, we didn't think our kids would be left out on the gifts. Now you might say that we make more money than Scott and Sara which is true, but that is not the point. We only give our children toys at Christmas time and birthdays. We do not reward them with toys throughout the year and if they get a toy throughout the year, it is because they used their own money to buy it. Now I don't expect all of you to go out and buy a gift for Jeremy, but just think of his feelings. I don't want this post to cause any problems in the family, but I felt it was my responsiblity as a mother to voice how my son's feelings may be hurt by your intent actions.

Yes Folks, I Am Still Alive!!!

2005-10-19T15:30:00.000-06:00

I am sure that all of you are wondering where I have been lately. Well, I have been hibernating in my house. Occasionally I do sneak out to take kids to scouts, gymnastics, and piano or even pick them up from school, but for the most part, I have been at home. I have not felt well for some time now. In fact, it all started on August 30th with a head cold that turned into a sinus infection that will NOT leave me alone! On top of this, I have had all the side effects from the medicine to get rid of the sinus infection. Of course, my migraines decided to come in full force as well as the ovarian pain, so basically I have been down right ill. This has not been a good year for me in regards to my health.

Now, on the days that I have actually felt well, (not many of those days) I have been able to scrapbook, make Christmas presents, do a little grocery shopping and even do a service project with my family. Last night we had the opportunity to clean our church building. I didn't think the kids would go for it, but they did and had a good time doing it. Hopefully we are teaching them the importance of service and will always have a love for doing it.

Well, that is what is up with me. I hope you are all doing well. Take care and know that I am thinking about you.

The Size of One's Brain.

2005-09-27T19:00:00.000-06:00

The other day Jeremy and Jordyn were discussing the size of their brain. Jordyn commented that her brain was the size of her two fists put together. Jeremy then put his fists together to see how big his brain was in comparison. He immediately said that "His brain wasn't that small because he had a lot of information stored in his brain." That brought a chuckle and a smile to my face because he knows that he is smart and that he has learned a lot of things in his short 9 years on this earth. I just thought I would share this story with all of you.

Blah

2005-09-19T17:00:00.000-06:00

Do you ever feel blah and you don't know why? Well, that is how I have felt for almost a week now. I can't pinpoint it, because I know I am not blue and not tired or even worn out. In fact, I have had a lot of energy. I am almost completely caught up in both of my kid's scrapbooks and I have been doing family history research, so this blah thing hasn't put me down. It has actually given me a boost to get things accomplish. Part of me feels that maybe because I was down and not feeling well for a good part of the year, that I need to get something accomplished this year. I don't know. Does anyone have any insight to feeling blah and not knowing why? I would love to hear from you if you do.

By the way, when I get a chance I will be posting school photos for all of you to see. Well, I need to make some dinner. I hope everyone had a great Monday. Only 4 more days til Friday. Yeah!

10 Things That Make Me Happy!

2005-09-10T10:30:00.000-06:00

First of all, I want everyone to know that I haven't ignored my blog. I have had a nasty head cold since August 30th and whenever I am ill, I suffer severe migraines on top of it. It's mainly because I can't sleep at night and that is my biggest trigger for migraines. So needless to say, I have had a migraine every day since the 30th. Hopefully I will get over it soon or that Dave will take it away from me completely. Yes, he is starting to get it. Sorry dear!

Now on to this blog that Jana tagged me with. This was quite difficult to narrow down 10 things that make me happy. I have a lot of things that make me happy, so here it goes in no particular order.

1. Knowing that Dave loves me completely.
2. Having a testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
3. It doesn't matter what me, Dave and the kids are doing as long as we are together and are enjoying each others company.
4. Surprising Dave and the kids.
5. Feeding my family nutritious home cooked meals and having them come home to a clean house.
6. Being a wife and a mother.
7. My children's laughter.
8. Finding an Ancestor or some of their information that you didn't have before.
9. Helping out in my kid's classroom at school.
10. Snuggling and sleeping in with Dave or snuggling while we have long conversations.

Okay, now that I have finished my list, I could have continued with my list as a lot of things make me happy. For instance, silly things like Caffeine Diet Coke to serious profound things like knowing that I am a child of God. I would like to mention that today I am particular happy, because it was 11 years ago today that Dave proposed to me. I can't believe that we have been together the first 11 years of eternity.

Okay, now that I have been a little sappy, it is time to get tagging people. I think I will tag Dave and Bryan . Dave because it will take him a week to post and Bryan because he hasn't posted in awhile. So, boys, get posting.

My 5 about 5 that my 5 Senses Do NOT Like

2005-08-26T21:00:00.000-06:00

Well, after I posted my last post, I thought I would do a post on my 5 senses of things I do NOT like, so here it goes. I believe that some of you will agree with this post than with my last post. Of course, some may laugh or some might get grossed out by it too!

SIGHT: Plumber's crack; Overweight women wearing thongs; tatoos all over ones body; dead rodents; and people digging for boogers.

SOUND: When a police officer tells you to pull over; those annoying fireworks that scream forever; whining children; the F word; and the drill at the dentist office.

SMELL: Pickles; Molasses; Throw-up; Goliath's breath; and Raw meat.

TASTE: Pickles; Liver; Rare Meat; Fish (except fried shrimp); and Lima Beans

TOUCH: Raw chicken; Prickly weeds; dead rodents; sand paper; and shaking hands with people whose hands are sweaty.

Well, I hope you enjoyed reading my post and now I am going to tag Beck.

My 5 about 5 using my 5 senses

2005-08-22T17:30:00.000-06:00

SIGHT: Seeing my husband all dressed up in his church clothes; my children's smiles when I come and help out in their classrooms; Sunsets; a clean house; and fresh cut flowers on my kitchen table.

SOUND: My children's laughter; Piano and guitar practicing in the home; Hearing "I love You!" from Dave and the kids; a favorite song on the radio that you haven't heard in a very long time; and a honest compliment.

SMELL: Gardenia flowers; Chocolate chip cookies being baked; Smell of rain; Clean Children; and Clean clothes.

TASTE: Regular popcorn; Diet Coke; Ice Cream; Cheesecake; and Tangy candies.

TOUCH: Crisp clean sheets; My husband's green dress shirt; Baby's soft skin; Satin; and My husband (I can't seem to keep my hands off of him!)

I miss him and I didn't even know him.

2005-08-20T10:00:00.000-06:00

I read in an email once that "No matter what your relationship is with your parents, you will still miss them when they are gone. " I have agreed with this statement ever since I have read it, but even more so, now that my father has been gone for two years today. I miss him and I didn't even know him. At times, it doesn't feel like he is gone, because he always lived so far away and was always a phone call away, but all I have to do is remember the two emotional, draining, and spiritual days I spent by his side before he left this earth, then I know he is gone. I am grateful for the last five weeks of his life that I got to spend with him and help take care of him. I feel I got to know him just a little bit in this life, even though I feel like I was robbed because he was taken at such a young age. I am also grateful that he took the iniative to come back into my life 9 1/2 years ago when I was pregnant with Jeremy. My parents got divorced when I was six, and when I was 7 1/2, he moved to Hawaii and basically stopped being my father. I think he tried for the first few years, but eventally gave up on his children. How sad for us because we never had a father, but how lucky for his grandchildren that they had a far away grandpa who spoiled them rotten. I know he was a better grandfather than he was a father. Even though he wasn't a good father, I forgave him and told him so on his birthday earlier that year. He didn't even know that he had lung cancer at that time. I am so grateful for the power of forgiveness, because when it came time to call people to tell them that he was dying, he called me first. He trusted me enough to be the bearer of bad news for everyone. That was some difficult calls to make. I was also the only child who was by his side the last two days of his life. My siblings seemed to be afraid to go near him. I personally think they were or are afraid of death. I am so grateful for the gospel and the plan of salvation. It allowed me to have the strength for me and my siblings. Well, I appreciate all that has read this post. It's just a way for me to get my feelings out about this day as it was a difficult one 2 years ago, but only a sad and insightful one today. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Driver's License

2005-08-16T09:00:00.000-06:00

As most of you know, I remember dates that happened in my life, so I am going to touch on one today. It was 16 years ago today that I got my driver's license. I have been officially driving half of my life as of today. I wonder, do I get a discount now that I will be driving more than half my age? Probably not, since Dave and I already have the highest discount that is offered through State Farm. Oh well, just a thought.

Another important thing happened on this day 16 years ago. I had Shopko training up at Westminister College and I got to drive my new 1983 Red Mustang. My friend Tyla and I went up there together. It was so nice to not have our parents have to take us up there. Freedom at last!

Also, who would have thought that by working there and becoming great friends with Dave that we would eventually start dating and then married. Yes, Dave and I have known each other for more than half of our lives. Those were great times, but personally I love this time of my life even better!

Back to School

2005-08-15T08:30:00.000-06:00

Today I am having mixed feelings. I have sent my kids back to school. After a long summer, I am ready for them to be in school, but then again, I miss having them with me. When they are at home with me, I know they are safe and sound and being subjected to my values and teachings, but when I send them off to school, I have to trust that they are safe and that no one is warping their minds with different values and teachings. I guess that is where faith comes into our lives and a lot of prayers. One piece of mind that I have every year is that my wonderful husband gives the kids "father blessings" at the beginning of each school year. This helps them, but it also helps my anxiety about letting them go into this big world without me and Dave.

I would not be human if I didn't say that I enjoy them at school too. A quiet house. Time for myself again. Time to do things without having kids with me. When my kids are in shcool that is my time, but as soon as 3:30 comes around, I devote all my time and attention to their needs and wants. It's their time for mom. Of course from 3:30 to bedtime, our lives are hectic with tons of different things going on, but at least my kids know that it is their time with their mom. I love my kids so very much and grateful that Heavenly Father sent them to me. They are my whole world and I honestly do not know what I would do without them or Dave.

Camping at Mt. Pleasant

2005-08-09T10:26:00.000-06:00

Last Friday, Dave and I took the kids to Mt. Pleasant for a camping trip before they head back to school next week. You couldn't ask for a better weekend. We had fun playing games, reading Harry Potter and scriptures, swimming and relaxing. The kids even had the opportunity to decorate a sun visor in the game room. Jordyn had a "bug" theme on her visor and Jeremy had a "sport"theme. They seemed to enjoy this craft. We also introduced the kids to BLT (bacon, lettuce, & tomato) sandwiches. They loved them! I believe we had them for two lunch meals. We also had fun creating a delicious new dessert that might become one of our favorites when we go camping. It had a homemade graham cracker crust and then bananas on top of it. (we cut them into smaller pieces) We then place melted marshmellows over the bananas and finished it off with melted chocolate. It was heavenly! Well, this is just a glimpse of our camping weekend. Oh, I almost forgot, when we were packing up to leave, it was threatening to rain, which seems to always happen to us whenever we go camping, but we got done just in time because the rain came when we got into our Jimmy. Well, while we were packing up to leave, this older "retired" guy came over to introduce himself, but also to congratulate Dave and I on our parenting. He said he didn't even know we had kids or a dog because they were so well behaved. Wow! What a compliment! At times, you wonder if you are doing any good with your children, but when a complete stranger compliments you and your husband on your parenting skills, it makes you stop and think that you might just be doing something right.

Well, now that the camping trip is over and all the unpacking is done, the laundry needs to be done. Of course, I woke up with one of my migraines again this morning, so now my laundry is behind schedule. I hate when that happens! Of all days, I didn't want to be behind with the laundry because I have a Stampin' Up party to go to tonight. I have been wanting to see their new products for some time and if the laundry isn't done, I will feel obligated to stay home and get it done. I hate to leave laundry undone and I even hate it more to ask my hubby to do it after a long day at work. So, I guess we will see what happens. I hope all of you have a great day!

Tagged

2005-08-03T10:00:00.000-06:00

Dave tagged me. I’ve never done one of these on a blog so here it goes:

10 years ago: I lived in Murray on the crane yard and had been married for 6 months to my best friend. I worked at Discover Card as a Senior Account Manager and hated every minute I was there! I was also attending SLCC and working toward my Associates in Accounting. I had just suffered a miscarriage and we bought a cute little Poodle Terrier that we named Goliath that helped me get through the miscarriage. If it hadn't been for my puppy, I think it would have taken longer for me to overcome the loss.

5 years ago: We had been living in our Sandy home for a year and I had finally graduated from SLCC with an Associates in Accounting in 1999. I have been a stay at home mom since 1996 when I gave birth to Jeremy, which was a good thing, since Jordyn came 17 months later. I remember taking Jeremy to preschool and hanging out with Jordyn. I also remember helping Jordyn with the "big girl" underwear thing. She never was potty trained because on August 22, 2000, she decided she wanteed to wear "big girl" underwear. Also, during that time, I had just started on the committee to help out for my 10 year class reunion.

1 year ago: Busy taking and picking kids up from school. Helping out in their classrooms and being the home room mom for Jordyn. Taking piano lessons. Working on my Genealogy, scrapbooking, reading for book club, taking kids to their different activities, and fighting my health problems. Also, I was the Assistant Bear Den Leader and the assistant librarian in my ward.

Yesterday: Woke up with another nasty migraine! Going on the 11th day in a row! Scrapbook Jeremy's Christmas pages for 2004, took Jeremy to Scouts and Jordyn to a birthday party. Went grocery shopping, gas station (hubby always leaves an empty tank for me) and to Robert's. Made dinner. Babysat Quinton, read scriptures with the family, and went to bed.

Tomorrow: Probably will do laundry and pack for camping. Read scriptures with the family, and maybe read Harry Potter.

5 snacks I enjoy: Popcorn, icecream, diet coke, licorice, Tangy candies

5 bands/artists that I know the lyrics to most of their songs: That is a good question. I just know a lot of different songs by different artists.

5 things I'd do with $100,000,000: Have Dave quit his job. Pay tithing! Build my dream home and hire a maid, a gardener and a chauffer. Buy mine and Dave's dream cars. Of course, mine is a Volvo. Travel and do my genealogy work and hire Genealogists to help me out too. Invest and save some for college funds for the kids and mission fund.

5 Locations I's like to run away to: Italy, Ireland, Hawaii, Virgin Islands, and Disney World.

5 bad habits I have: Biting my fingernails,

5 things I like doing: Scrapbooking, Genealogy, Reading, Camping, Bowling,

5 thing I will never wear: Thong underwear, Bikini, any body piercing (except the ear), anything with polka dots,

5 TV shows I like: I am a TV junkie, just like my hubby. Having TIVO does it to you. Some of the ones I like are: All the CSI's, Cold Case, Still Standing, Smallville, The 4400

5 movies I like: The Wedding Singer, Charly, The Wizard of Oz, National Treasure, While You Were Sleeping

5 people I'd like to meet: James & Matilda Short ( My 3rd Great grandparents) , George Washington, Joseph & Emma Smith, Gordon B. Hinckley

5 biggest joys at the moment: Spending time with my family, sleep, being migraine free, Caffeine Diet Coke, cuddling with my husband

5 favorite toys: Barbies, Board games

0 tagged: Everyone I know with a blog has been tagged, so I just finished my tag for all to read.