'Tis the Season...

to ignore the blog...

Sorry I've been MIA.

We now know:
My sister is officially single again (annulment granted yesterday).
I am allergy-ridden by some unknown dizziness-inducing allergen.
My Thomas can only see 20/100, EVEN with his glasses.
And he is FULLY color-blind too.
I have a Primary Activity day to pull off on Saturday (time for some finishing touches!).
DirectTV has a screaming deal on Broadband Internet and TV programming (basic package +10 dollars...way better deal than what we pay now just for broadband)...IF you live within a specific area (otherwise it's EXPENSIVE!!).
It costs a lot to fill a full-sized van's gas tank...but MAN, am I grateful to have a vehicle and money for that gas.
I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping...YIPPEE!!

Just thought you would like to know.

See you tomorrow!

Health Update

I went in for an ENG today...essentially it is a test that measures my eye movements in different situations to evaluate how my inner ear is working.

I threw up because it made me so dizzy and nauseous.
I got out of 2 more tests because throw up=end of test.
I was relieved.
And I hadn't eaten anything because I knew they were trying to make me dizzy...

I didn't have to wait for results, which was a relief.
My MRI came back clear (which is a GOOD thing).
No tumor, chance of upcoming stroke, or disease that effects the inner ear.
All good news.

The diagnosis is that I have allergies that have caused swelling in my inner ear, and essentially the dizziness is a type of migraine-like reaction that occurs as a result of the swelling.
I'll go in for extensive allergy tests, and see if we can narrow down what I am allergic to.
At that point, if possible, I will eliminate that allergen from my life and see if I can function without a daily antihistamine.
Otherwise, I'll be taking a Claritin every day of my life just to function.
I am grateful for it, even though I don't like the thought of taking it EVERY day for the rest of my life.
And, I am grateful for the things we now know the dizziness is not caused by.

More fun blogging to come...

The Weekend

The sight that awaited me when I got home. My kids were jumping off the walls...so anxious to tell me about the surprise that they and their Dad had been working on all weekend (while I was out of state)! That is a new bathroom floor (see below for a shot at the dark green carpet that used to cover the entire master bathroom floor)! Whoever thinks that carpet makes a good bathroom floor covering should be SHOT!
The brand new commode. (Woo HOO! No more stuck flapper and drained well from this toilet any more...just two more to fix!!)
That would be the carpet that is now...HISTORY in the bathroom!
And, last, but not least, the reason I was gone this weekend. 5K on Saturday. It felt good...and much easier than last year. Curves must be paying off...
I loved spending the time with Susan and my sister...and got to finish most of my final Christmas shopping. YES!

I am grateful for a husband who not only took on 6 kids for the weekend with no complaint, but chose to surprise my GUTS out when I got home!!

Thanks

Have you taken the time this season to compile your list of things you are grateful for?
I thought I would today.
This is only a partial list...done in 10 minutes....(I set a time limit so that I don't keep going on...)

My husband
My children
My relatively good health
Good friends (online and off)
Intelligence
Functioning vehicles
An adequate (if somewhat messy) home
Clothing
My own washer and dryer to clean those clothes
My testimony
My ability to read
My love of writing
Good examples in my life
A computer
A refrigerator
Books
A television
A Wal-Mart in our town
A hospital near-by
Amazon (thanks to that site, I've just about completed my Christmas shopping)
A testimony of Christ and His Atonement
Knowledge of where I was before I came to Earth
Knowledge of where I am going after I die
Cards
Good Mail
A mother who stood for the right
A sister who is one of my best friends
Extended family whom we love (Hyrum, Lorin, Keith, Diana, Coleen, Dave, Oliver, Perry and families)
Random Acts of Kindness
A kind word
A smile from someone I know
Answers to prayers
Trials that make me stronger
Crocs for my feet
Susan surviving breast cancer
My husband's poems
Hugs
Kisses (especially from my kids)
Foot rubs
Back rubs
Touch
Audio books
A sincere compliment
Days at home, not so busy
The ability to make cards and other things
Remote controls
Vacuum cleaners
New paint
New floor in my bathroom
Secondhand clothing shops
Pearls
Pierced ears
My education
Running water
Heat in winter
Air conditioning in the summer
The ability to travel quickly compared to our ancestors

Compile your own list in 10 minutes, and link me in so I can read it!

MRI Update

Over and done with.
Results on Monday.

I hope they find something that can be linked to the dizziness and FIXED.

It is nice to have a medical center in town that can do most procedures.
And, most importantly, I am glad it is over with.

Grandma

You'd be surprised how many times a day I think of you.
You influence me today, much more than I ever thought you would.

Growing up near you as a child was full of warm and loving memories and you were a much needed stabilizer in my life.

Do you remember:
*Sleeping outside on warm summer nights, on the outside bedsprings, watching the stars until we fell asleep?
*Teaching me to cook, first cookies, then cakes, and later, your delicious bread? I lost the recipe and kick myself every time I make bread that I didn't plan better and hang on to your recipe.
*Cooking so many meals for our family? I know you were a godsend to my mother...who struggled to have the sanity and the energy to do much after working all day to provide for her kids. Every meal was delicious...(you always said you had put "love" into it...and I believe it still!)
*Telling us stories at "naptime"? I was far too old for naps, but I would come and lay down just to hear your stories. I think I even fell asleep sometimes too.
*Picking up our mail every day? It was so fun to come check the piano top for our mail...it saved Mom an errand, and you and Grandpa were always so excited when I got letters from my penpals.
*Hanging clothes on the clothesline?
*Your swing?
*Your home? It became my second home too. It always was full of love and laughter. You welcomed everyone...and sent them away a little better.

It was hard to watch you as your memory faded...but you didn't forget Mom until shortly before you passed away.
I knew that you would know that we loved you and cared for you, even if you couldn't remember my name.
I wish my children could have had the chance to know you as I did.
It is one of the things I am anxious to see in the eternities...my children, with you...learning so many of the Christlike skills you possess.

I named my daughter after you, Grandma.
Her middle name is Olivia.
I hope she chooses the paths you did, leading her to righteousness.

I want to know that I know you are watching me and my family.
I think of you often.
As I do dishes, fold laundry, and the other chores that seem mudane.
When I remember you...your smile still warms my heart, and I resolve again to be with you someday.

Thank you, for all you are to me.
Your granddaughter,
Kristine

Laundry

There it is...a picture of what my house looks like on most Mondays.
That is the day I have set aside to get as much laundry done as humanly possible.
I average about 12 loads a week...in a HUGE washing machine.
If I keep going from 7 am, until 11pm, I can get it all done in one day.
I have to admit though, most weeks I just do laundry both Monday and Tuesday, and breathe something besides dryer lint between loads.
This week, I'm still doing laundry today...but enjoying other things as well.
And, for the first time in 6 weeks (which have been truly wracked with insanity), I WANT to clean my house and get things in order.
Things have finally settled...whew!

The Miracle

It really was supposed to publish the other day...
I hit publish, and when the "story" came up on my blog, the only thing left was the title.
I didn't mean to leave you all dangling...
but I did.

So here is the rest of the story.

The past 9 months, our finances have been incredibly tight.
Thanks to Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, we have learned to work within our budget and (although there was considerable complaining on my part) even save a tiny bit on Pat's salary.
It was to the point that I was babysitting and doing other things I didn't necessarily WANT to do, simply because that extra $10, was necessary for groceries or gas or the like.
We had prayed about me substituting, or even (gasp), going back to teaching full-time.
I had been submitting writing pieces to contests and publishers in hopes of "making money", but ultimately, we were just barely making it every month.

We have felt compelled by the spirit that I am to be in our home, and not to seek more profitable employment elsewhere, but it is hard to do that (happily) when you see no real way to move forward out of debt, and the options are much more lucrative elsewhere.

So our prayers of late have been specific in asking the Lord to help us accept His will as our own... and we have been diligent in our budgeting and very careful in what we choose to spend.

Wednesday, Pat got a call from his boss, asking to meet with him.
Since Pat's job is in environmental compliance, and a mistake can mean fines or jail time, he was a little nervous to be called into his bosses' office out of the blue.
Then came the "official looking document" out onto the desk, and his boss cleared his throat.
Pat was seriously concerned at this point, and racking his brain for any issues or concerns could have warranted a personal reprimand.

His boss began...
"In order to maintain a competitive salary in today's market, and based on your education, experience and performance, we are happy to inform you that you are receiving a raise..."
He went on to explain that this will not affect the yearly raises given out in March, so we'll get another increase in just a few months.

Pat was speechless...and knew immediately that this was a miracle.
Completely, and totally unexpected... but a honest to goodness miracle that makes our path to debt freedom shorter and more realistic.
A miracle that allows me to spend time with my children, and in my home, instead of worrying about where our grocery "extras" are going to come from .
A miracle that we did not ask for, but in being obedient to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, my husband was granted after 3 long, hard years at a job that has had its share of difficulties.

Some might say that it was coming, that my husband deserved it, and that God had no hand in this.

He and I both know better.
It is a day still of miracles.
We know, because one happened to us.

Miracles

They still happen.
To people just like you and me.

Just thought you'd like to know.