Roller coaster ride

Life is just a roller coaster ride with it ups and downs. I have work at our hospital since 1991 and I call it a roller coaster ride I have worked under eight CEO’s they all have a different agenda. Work is on a ride now not sure how it is going to end. Then there is life with death, sickness; closing of business were all downs but then being blessed that you are able to spend time with family, money to pay your bills are ups.

In Brad Wilcox book “The Continuous Atonement” he said this “I remember as a young school teacher (with a large and active class) asking my wife Debi, “When does life even out? Why does it always feel like a roller coaster with so many highs and lows all in the same day? I wish life would just level out.”

Being a nurse, Debi replied, “Brad, when you get hooked up to the heart monitor, you don’t want to see a straight line. That’s bad news. It’s the up and down lines that let you know you are alive.

The highs and lows let us know we are participating and not just observing, learning and just not existing. President Gordon B Hinckley, said, “I know it isn’t easy, it’s discouraging at times, sure. Aren’t you glad it isn’t just fun all the time? Those valleys of discouragement make more beautiful the peaks of achievement”

So I am going to try and enjoy the ride and make the best of life set goals to be more positive and forgiving. I have been reading the Book of Mormon when I started this time I started looking for the word forgive or forgiveness it isn’t there very often but the word repent is almost on every page. Doing this will make the ride more bearable

Spring Break

We went to CA with Gretchen and family and Erika. We have a time share that we have never used. They (Gretchen & Erika) said they would pay for every thing else if we could use the time share. With every thing going on with our life we took them up on it. We drove to the valley on Tues. and left on wed, Devin had a volley ball thing he had to go to that morning. Thursday went to Disney Land Gretchen & Erika had put together humanity back pack for the Gilbert fire department so we got complimentary tickets. We spent the days there Gary and I were beat by the time we left, but it was a good day.

Gary, Erika got hats and Dylan got his mickey ears.

Fri Erika got tickets for us to go whale watching. Gary and I had done this on our Alaskan cruise. It is quite amazing like Erika said it is like looking for a needle in a hay stack. The ocean is so big but we found three. We stayed with two for quite a while.

Sat we went to the beach. Steve’s sister lives in Ca so she came and spent the day with us.
Came home Sunday back to work Wednesday. We won’t talk about work.

There has been so much death in our valley, it is sad. We loss another one of our class mates George Proctor, he lived with Gary and his family our senior year.
I saw a robin the other day and got excited that we might be having spring soon!!!

Nature

I just finish reading “The Diary of a Young Girl Anne Frank” it is hard to imagine being in hiding for two years. She had written something that really made me think “Nature is the one thing for which there is no substitute. They were not able to go out side and how she longed for fresh air. As cold as it is or with wind or snow we have the freedom to go or stay inside. There are so many things of nature that we get to enjoy every day. So let’s smile and enjoy!!!!

Happenings

Another month has come and gone. Life isn’t easy but I have to remember that we aren’t given more than we can handle. We had a good snow storm. Alpine and Luna was with out electric for 3 to 4 days, it was good run for my sisters to find out what they need.
The kids had a snow day so was out of school. One of my co worker neighbors made this snow dragon she told me about so Gary and I went too see it then it made it into the paper.

Wally’s is closed almost clean out. We have had someone come and break down the sample racks. Now you realized how big it is. We are hoping to sell the building. We went for a two hour interview to sign Gary up for social security / disability.

We have been blessed in many ways. We have a wood burning stove and wood to keep us warm; have food to eat, family that cares, I have a job, and so much more. The one thing I wish we were debit free and things wouldn’t be so hard when you go down to just my income.

Hope

January Message from “Time out for women”
We're putting away the notion of New Year's Resolutions this year.Instead, we're bringing out HOPE.Or, rather, New Year's Hopes.Some of us have hope for a mended broken heart.Some of us have hope for more capacity in the one we have.Some of us have hope for the life growing inside us to be born healthy.+Some of us hope for the chance to mother in any way possible.
Some of us hope for the man of our dreams to come along.Some of us hope for the strength to support the man of our dreams.Some of us hope for the will to finally get our bodies in shape.Some of us hope for one more year with our bodies.Whatever we hope FOR, those hopes are only possible because of what we hope IN. As women of God, we hope IN
• the power of the Savior's atonement to change our hearts
• the sanctity of eternal families
• the strength of our covenants
• the reality of eternal life
So, this year, we invite you to write down your HOPES...what you hope FOR.Then write how that hope can be a reality because of what you hope IN.Happy New Year to your HOPES!


I am hoping for a year with more stability in our finances a s I look back on last year there were some good times but it didn’t end well. Gary & I finally made the decision to close Wallys. We are going in debit trying to pay the bills for the store. It is going to be a big change in our lives more so for Gary. I live with hope that that we will be guided in our decisions. I just have to have hope and faith.

Dec came and went we were so busy Chris married Lisa Hathcock Dec 12 in the AZ temple. The following weekend we had an open house for them here in Eagar. Erika come home and help it was a lot of work but turn out beautiful.

We had been making snowflakes since thanksgiving when the lights were turn out it was like a winter wounder land.

The next weekend was Christmas so we had a house full. Devin stayed with us for two weeks I am glad at 16 he still wants to spend time at grandmas.

Trying to save money we have started heating with wood it is a different kind of heat bur nice

Answered prayer

It is a little late but I need to share. On Veterans Day Erika watched Dylan. He came out of her bedroom and said ha ha I locked your door. Sure enough it was locked and needed a key to unlock it. Since prior renters had put the lock on there was no key. The hinges were on the inside. Erika’s car keys, phone purse were all in her room. What do you do she tried credit card, pushing on the door every thing that she could think of. The next step was pray. Soon her room mate walk in and said I don’t know why I am here. I was out running errands and found my car turning home. She was able to call her dad he came over and had to cut the lock out. I told Erika she was lucky her room mate was in tune. On a funny note Erika is always even temper but she must have raised her voice at Dylan, when Gretchen picked up Dylan he said Tata (which he calls her) is scary!

Catch Up

Sat a tree was cut to be taken to the national capital for the Christmas tree. This is the first time a tree has come from AZ. The tree was off the Apache Sitgreaves national forest up by the Big Lake road. I didn't get up and watch but took the picture off of a friend's album.



We already had our first snow Oct 28 here are pictures. The leaves are still green and on the trees.

I talked today in church about preparing for the temple. Since Gary and I teach the temple prep class. I worked on it all week it was quite nerve racking. Here is a quote I would like to share that I used in my talk.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said that “temple work is not an escape from the world but a reinforcing of our need to better the world while preparing ourselves for another and far better world. Thus, being in the Lord’s house can help us to be different from the world in order to make more difference in the world.

Exciting News!!!! Chris my nephew is getting married Dec 12. When he found her it didn’t take long.

Anniversary

Gary and I celebrated our fifteen wedding anniversary the 21. We didn’t do anything special but go out to dinner that night. I jokily said we signed our will which we did the next day. I took thur afternoon off work since I had worked Saturday for a while. We signed our will and went and visited Carla, she is looking good and able to get around her home in her wheel chair quite well. My girls give me a bad time and say Gary had some color in his hair when we got married but things can’t stay the same.

Last night Gary and I had comp tickets to see the “Legends of Country Music”. We only stayed for half of it Gary’s back started hurting so came home. They sang some songs of Marty Robbins I had seened him in Vegas I started thinking of all the stars I was able to see while living there. The first one I saw was Ella Fitzgerald I didn’t want to go but Brenda talked me into it. Elvis twice, Wayne Newton three or four time. Glen Campbell, Bobby Vinton, Andy Williams, Barbara Streisand these are the ones I can remember. I am really dating my self. This back in the day when you dressed up and were dinner shows.

??????

What to blog about? Do you every wonder what would be interesting enough to write about. There is one good thing Gary and I have been married almost fifteen years, and this is the first time we have had both of our vehicles paid for. It is a good feeling! I always thought when we got close to retirement we would buy a vehicle and get it paid for; not knowing the economy would force us into this. Just wish we were close to getting our home paid for.

Fun stuff:

When you get a letter from your granddaughter.

Watching your grandson play in the water.

The Smell of Manure

One Sunday morning I was listening to BYU and a story was given in talk that I liked so much I found it and would like to share it. This is by Harold W Wood.

On my way to visit the Jameses the other evening, I saw a wheat field that appeared to be greener and talker than the others. Thinking about it for a while, I concluded that occasionally some loving farmer drives over the field with his tractor and pumps manure all over it. I thought, ‘My, it’s just like life. Here we are minding our business, growing our little hearts out. We’re really quite green, somewhat productive, and very sincere. When out of the blue, life deals us a dirty one, and we’re up to our eyebrows in manure.’

We, of course, conclude that life as we know it has just ended and will never be the same again. But one day, when the smell and the shock are gone, we find ourselves greener and more productive than we have ever been. Unfortunately, we are never able to appreciate the sound of the tractor or the smell of the manure.


This week Cory wrecked his truck. He said he blacked out and hit a tree. I can look at that he wasn’t hurt serious, that he didn’t hit anyone. But the truck was total.

Thursday I came home from work and Gary had let the Kirby salesman in the house he came at three and was still here at five when I got home. He told Gary they would clean one room what he did clean was a small area in the living room so I had to finish cleaning the carpets Saturday which wiped me out.

Kaleen had worked with us in the rehab department for five years got a chance to try something new so Friday was her last day; we had a little lunch for her on Friday.

This is just a little of last week.

Rain

We have had some good rain the pass week. I love the smell of rain more so out in the forest. The crisp fresh smell. It washes every thing and gives it a new feeling. I worked with a guy that was in an accident and lost his sense of smell, it is a sense that we take for granted. Sat was a dark and dreary day I told Gary it was a day to make bread and eat beans. I only made bread.

Friday night we went to the RV and St Johns game we held our own most of the game and even got one point ahead, then with 2 minutes left St Johns got the ball and was doing good with driving the ball so Gary and I left then we heard with 60 sec left we made a touch down and won the game. Yea Round Valley!!! Then Sat Gary was watching the BYU and Oklahoma game and BYU won it so it was a good weekend for football.

The leaves are turning on the mountains so that means cold weather is coming, not looking forward to winter.

Random stuff

Here are a few pictures of what we have been doing the last few weeks.
Gretchen had a surprise birthday party for her mother-in-law Pat on Aug 15. She has cancer and going through chemo right now.

The next weekend we stayed home and cleaned. I had bought this saying and put it on our mirror.

Last weekend Aug 23 we went to a pre session Cardinals game. It was fun being in the new stadium.

The Struggle

The Struggle

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly and he kept it. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So to help the poor little butterfly, the man took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man, however, continued to watch the butterfly. He was certain that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to support the body and thus allow it to contract.

Unfortunately, that never happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never became able to to fly.

The man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand one important point. The restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening are all part of a higher plan. As the butterfly struggles through the tiny opening, fluid is forced from its body into its wings. Once the fluid is in the wings, the butterfly is ready for fight. It is the struggle that enables the butterfly to not only gain its freedom……but also to take flight.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If we were to go through our lives without any difficulties, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been We would never be able to fly!!

Take this story and apply it where you thing it might help. I have seen the results of not letting your children struggle and growing up still asking your 89 year old mother for financial help. There is nothing wrong with your children working, even if it isn’t the glamour job he wants.

New Sign

During one of our spring winds our sign at the store got beaten up. So now we have a new sign as of this week. Smaller but nice and insurance covered it!

Cherry Tree

We planted this cherry tree about 10 years ago. We have only had cherries on it one other time. This year there were enough to make a pie and freeze some. From tree to CHERRY pie!!!

Erika made the pie when she was home for the 4th

Before the pie was baked

Gary after he had enjoyed pie and ice cream!

Visit

Keanu our grandson was here visiting family. We hadn’t seen him for 2 years, since Gary’s 60th birthday. He has grown up a lot and is being a typical eleven year old. We took him with Donella’s family to Buzz’s for dinner and had a good visit. Here are pictures with Gary and him.

He called this one his cheesy smile

Sad/New

Sat 7-11-09 I attended two funerals. One, for a young mother with five children. Tracy Pulsipher she was 40 years old. Not sick but collapsed at work and died a few days later. The next funeral was Darwin Slade he was 85 it was a large service with Elder W Douglas Shumway giving the spiritual thought. They had served together in the bishopric

Around 3:00pm Gary and I went to Show Low. It was time that we could up grade our phones. I told Gary I wanted texting added so now to learn this new function. We started with a small amount to see how it goes. It was funny I texted Cory this evening and he texted back and said he had a new phone and wanted to know who this was when I finally told him he said “you know how to text?” I told him to text his dad which he did and was surprised to hear back from him. Now we are part of the 21 century! From this phone

to this!!

While in show Low we stopped and saw Carla. Her coloring looked a lot better. It is hard visiting her in a care center. I hope she gets to go home soon!

4th

What a busy 4th of July. Gretchen, Erika, Steve, Devin, Dylan and Pat came up Fri. afternoon. We were going camping but changed our plans. Fri evening we went to Idonna’s at Luna NM rode 4 wheelers, visited, barbecue, set off fire works. T.J. and family was there, Joy husband John and Shawn were home from Virginia. We had a great time.

Sat morning watched the parade had a lot of family come to Wally’s and watch the parade. Afterwards we went to the house and barbecued again just hung out then watched the fireworks from our deck. Sunday visited, and then family had to go home. Weekends go by way to fast! We did not get rained on the whole weekend. Monsoons are suppose to start on the 4th.

Roby

I have been thinking a lot about my brother Roby this week. He passed away June 29, 2004 and was burried July 5. I was eleven years old when he was born. I wanted to do every thing for him. I talked mom into letting me tend him one night and get up with him for his feeding, I had to be twelve then I am sure mom checked on me. I did his landry, washed bottles anything mom would let me. I was seventeen when I graduated high school and left home. So wasn’t home during his gowning up years. He was only eleven when our mom has a mass stroke and then three years later she passed away. My dad and he were best friends. They worked together cleaning the school, getting wood, looking after Lamar’s cows, any thing that had to be done. He was also helping us girls after we moved home with our kids. He was the one that baptized our children, and was like a father figure. I remember I had run out of wood one winter so he and I were out in the snow getting me some wood. I could go on and on. He was a wonderful brother.

I found this quote that I put on his funeral program. “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know; the only ones among you will be happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”Albert Schweitzer. Every one in Alpine was always telling us how he had help them out. What a way to be remembered!!

He loved to take pictures this is one of his many.

Visit

We had a GREAT visit with Robin, Ralph, Rosey and Ryan. They got here Friday afternoon. We visited and ate pizza that night. Saturday enjoyed each other. That evening Robin and Ralph took Gary out to eat for his birthday. We went to the Chuck Wagon in Show Low. Sunday morning Rosey, Ryan and I had a snowball (huge marshmallows) fight. It was a lot of fun when I was cleaning the house I found one that was hiding. After church we came home and had a turkey dinner for father’s day. They left Monday morning when I went to work. Weekends like this go by way to fast. The kids had grown up so much since the last time we saw them. I got to spend time some good quality time with them! What fun!

Rosey setting on grandpa’s lap.

What at a happy kid Ryan is