TGIF

Thank goodness it's Friday! The weather has been very nice the past two days. There are people everywhere out jogging, and I saw three women (on my walk to the condo) pushing babies in their strollers. If you are in a sunny area it is quite nice to feel the sun on you, but the shade is still cool. I still wear my wonderful gloves that Cherie sent me for Christmas. There is still quite a bit of snow piled in places, especially where Marissa and Mason live, they got part of that heavy snow. The one where the elementary students were stranded at the school all night and had a great time. There has been a bit of flooding in Herriman and another place I forgot the name of, in a new housing area. Right now it is 49 degrees out side. You can also see all the bulbs planted in the fall all around the church office building (COB) peeking out of the soil. It is great.
Yesterday after work I went to see Sam, He was asleep, they wore him out in therapy. His Mom and Dad were there. He has a brand new fancy wheelchair. He can call someone or email someone from the wheelchair. I think they said he was able to sit up for about 40 minutes before he got too tired. They are planning on blessing baby Benjamin at the hospital branch at 9:00AM this Sunday. Chuck is coming from NM later on this afternoon and bringing Sterling and Emily, and Heather arrived last night with baby Sarah, I think Dave is bringing Joseph on a different flight. Someone gave him a ticket. (The world is full of good people.) Carol said she moved Ashley back to her house from Grandma LouAnn's yesterday afternoon. It was nice for her to be there, but there is "no place like home"!!! We will all miss Whitney who is unable to come. She did come the weekend of the accident.
Update on the condo redo, they installed the new window yesterday, and finished the tape and texture, redid some sagging shelves in closet and bathrooms. I went this morning and purchased primer to go paint this afternoon. I also purchased two new pottys. My those things are expensive. Lets see, I'm 63, they have to last at least 20 some years so they had better be good.
Tile man has been sick for two days, this makes Marissa pretty frustrated, it interfers with her schedule. Helen called today she went to the Dr. she has the flu and hasn't worked for two days, the Dr. told her not to work for two more days. She should be ready for the Sunday Pm shift.
I didn't sleep well last night, I woke up and couldn't sleep wondering how Sam and Ashley are going to the logistics of a Spinal Cord Injury. Silly of me, I am sure they will train them and inform they of what needs to be done. More later. Love to All!!!

Wed. 2-27-08

SUNSHINE!!!
Yesterday, we had sunshine but is was still quite cold, today, a truly spring feeling.
Good news!
Sam was moved yesterday to the new IHC hospital. He is located on the 12th floor in room 15. He was so happy, they have all sorts of gadgets there to help him maneuver himself. He has a flat screen TV and a great view of the city. Even a shower , a real plus. I think he gets a wheel chair today. He was up (emotionally), happy and looking forward to moving along. The nurse said in that wing, the patients work. So from 8 to 3 it is therapy, 3 to 4 rest, and after 4 visitors. Also, he was able to move his wrist side to side, this shows progress toward getting his hands going. They said it could be up to 6 months until they are able to see how much recovery there is for him. We are all encouraged. Tomorrow, I will bring you his address at the hospital so you can write him.
The house is coming along, the tile man finished the laundry room, my bathroom, and office, today he was going to work on the other bathroom and then the dining room. He is waiting until the tape and texture men were finished in the kitchen before he started in there. It is coming together. The window for the spare room should be here on Thursday and they will install it on Friday. I think he will do some grouting on the finished floor on Friday.
On Monday's we have a mission devotional at 7:30am. It is always very interesting, once a month we usually have a general authority come and talk to us. This Monday it will be Elder Gary Coleman. He was my director in Farmington, NM, when I taught seminary in Grants, many mellennia ago. Right before Easter, Elder Quinten L Cook (Q12) will talk to us at the Tabernacle. What I really wanted to relate was, most every Monday, the missionaries (8- 10) serving here (500plus) give a short 3 minute talk (you never graduate from primary) about their lives. Some of them have amazing things happen in their lives that bring them to the gospel of Christ and then on a mission. Many of them have had many difficulties in life and here they are serving the Lord. Anyway, in the closing prayer, the Elder said "Thank you, Father for the touch you have in each and every life. It has struck me much and stayed with me to contemplate all week. Sometimes we don't take time to see the Lord's hand in our lives and the chain of events to bring us to the gospel and into the fold. If we don't harden our hearts, if we are trusting, amazing things can come into our lives that make our life wonderful. As I look back on my life, I can see the Lord's hand in many things that have happened to me. I have been truly blessed, I hope I can be obedient to the commandments and the honor the covenants I have made. I am truly blessed to have wonderful children, and brothers and sisters. How I love them and their families.

Monday 2-25-08

It was a busy weekend. I received a call Friday PM from the HOA as one of the contractors left a mess in the elevator and entryroom down stairs and had to go clean it up on Saturday. It was unsightly, but unworthy of all of the drama. A simple clean it up would have done the trick. I hope it isn't a picture of dealing with them in the future. If so, I won't stick around there for long. I'm really not the type of person that likes everything locked up to the hilt...I remember when we rented a place in Terravita in North Scottsdale while I was looking for a new place. I resented all one has to go through to get home. I realize it makes some people feel more secure, but to me it is just an annoyance. The good thing that happened while we lived there for the 3 short months is Max and Annette were married there.
Good news on Sam, they took him off of oxygen as he is breathing better on his own. When Marissa and Mason went to visit him on Saturday, he asked them to bring him some fresh fruit. They took it over yesterday. He is on insurance now and they will move him either today or tomorrow to the new IHS off of 53rd South where the insurance is covered. This is good as it will be shorter for Ashley to drive back and forth. She is still at her Grandmothers, and Chuck went back home on Saturday. Marissa is excited as she will get a chance to watch baby Benjamin this evening as Ashley goes to the hospital.
I bought me a cool pair of shoes when I arrived here in October and they have been wonderful shoes, I really like them, but all of a sudden the started wearing a blister on my little toe on the left foot. So, on Friday, I borrowed a pair of Risa's shoes, which quickly rubbed blisters on both heals and flopped all day. I went to the health center and got soft sticky stuff to put on the blisters to save the heal, it worked good the rest of the day. I walked to the truck at the end of the day in stocking feet as the shoes were hurting. So on Saturday, I went and purchased a new pair of shoes, only problem, I can't wear them until the blisters heal. Are you shaking your head or swinging your arms yet?? ( old joke from "Goods and News") I'm still puzzled as to why the favorite shoes are rubbing blisters.
The condo is coming along fine, they are working on the tile again today. I am going there after work to check the cleanliness my self. Even went on Saturday and purchased my own vac. We have a shop vac in the condo but it's too big for me to lug around the hall etc.. Here I am about to moan and groan about the weather, we had rain, lots of it, Houston type rain, on Saturday, it melted too much and there was flooding in some places. There will probably be more flooding with all of the snow we had all winter. It is dark and gloomy out there today if you look north, if you look you see the sun trying to peek thru the clouds. We have a good out look for this week, We are supposed to have SUN on Wednesday and a big whopping 50 degrees. WOW will report the truth of it on Thursday.

TGIF

Yea!! its Friday. My what a loooong week! I talked to Chuck a little while earlier and he was trying to feed Sam some green beans. He said Sam didn't want anything to do with the Mac and Cheese. So he is eating. If you would like to send him a card, he is at the
University Of Utah Hospitals Clinics And Neuropsychiatric Institute
501 Chipeta Way
Salt Lake City, UT 84108-1222
(866) 850-8863 He is in room # 308.
He (SAM) had been running a slight fever, they thought he was trying to get pneumonia. Chuck told me that his fever had broken earlier today and he was feeling much better. This week, Chuck and Ashley have been working to get him on some insurance, Cobra, he had 60 days from the time he quit his other job to sign up with Cobra so they hustled up and got all of the papers in and the back monthly payments. Everyone is doing as well as can be expected. The baby is a very good baby and this is very helpful to Ashley. Any Questions, give me a call.

Yesterday, they delivered all of the tile for the condo, and started putting it in today. I stayed up late making "Friendship Bread". Now I have 3 starters to give out and can't think of any victims. The back seat of my truck looked like I was a vagrant living out of the truck, I have it nearly cleaned out now. Just some dry cleaning and of course my water. It looks better now. It has been snow/raining today. My friend from the Texas Houston Mission had a lumpectomy (SP) on Tuesday, they are going to have to go back in this afternoon and take more tissue and she will start on Chomo soon. I plan on going to Provo to see her on Saturday.
I have felt very sad about this enormous burden that Ashley and Sam have been dealt. With all of our support, perhaps they will weather the storm.

Prov. 15: 13

13 A amerry bheart maketh a ccheerful countenance: but by dsorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Weary Wednesday

I am weary of the winter weather, more than anxious for spring. This morning my hair dryer died, well, not exactly died it just doesn't heat any longer, it still gives good air. I have had that dryer for over 10 years, it's like an old buddy. Target here I come. An update on Sam, as far as I know it. He is recovering surgery well, and will be moved to spinal cord injury physical therapy today. I took a picture of him but haven't figured out how to attach it yet. I will get Mason to help me tonight. Ashley is still at her grandmothers, and Chuck and Carol are still here too. Yesterday, Sam's parents arrived, they were in Chicago and the weather wasn't good for flying in.

Monday Presidents Day

Today I took the day off from missionary work to do things I don't take time to do otherwise. I spent time with my daugter today, she is helping me fix up my place and she has a better sense of style and fashion than I do. We went to the hospital to see Sam. Chuck has been there with him all day and Ashley is there with him as much as possible considering she has a new baby that eats often and sleeps as much. She also needs to take care of herself. I am very proud of her, she is holding up well. Sam had the second surgery last night. We thought it would be this afternoon. The surgery went well. Today they removed the treach as he is breathing on his own. He is in and out of conscienceness and does pretty well. He has feeling in this arms and it is moving down toward the fingers and the feeling hopefully will improve as the swelling goes down. At least that is what we are hoping and praying for. By the way, we are all planning on a fast tomorrow then go to the temple. If you are able and want to participate, I am sure they will appreciate it. We will keep you informed as we are able. We love you, Zgranee