Loving Spring

Okay, so I still have not figured out a way to download Kenzie's sweet recording, but i did take some photo's of the yard. It still needs a ton of work as last year I didn't do much of anything. I will take some more pictures in a month or so so you can see the improvement!!! Let's hope there is some!

Gamma

Today was a beautiful day for church. I did just realize though, that most of the Laurels that I have taught the past two years will be graduating and moving on with their lives. I truly love those girls. They are so spiritual and beautiful...it will really be hard to part with them. I am so thankful that I got the chance to be in their presence each week. What a blessing they have been. We had a lesson from a conference talk about faith and it left me wondering what Heavenly Father has planned for me now. I want so much to do what He wants me to do. Not knowing if the cancer will be back in a month, a year or 10 years...I just want to learn to listen to the spirit better than I ever have so that I can do God's will each and every day.

I had someone come over from "All About Ponds" and fix my pond. i could never get it to look right, and it always leaked. It now runs and looks nice, plus it has places for me to put some plants, etc. I have worked outside almost every day this week. Sherry came over Friday afternoon with her granddaughter and we went to CDA to pick up two of my granddaughters and go shopping for awhile. The next morning they helped me, along with Linda, to get more of my planting done. It has been a cool spring, but I have enjoyed it so far, as I cannot stand the heat and working outside. My yard is really looking up this year, and it makes me happy.
When I get the front done, I will post some pictures.

I talked to April and Kenzie for a little while last night. Oh, how I miss them. Kenzie called me one day last week. She must have pushed redial on her mom's phone or something. I was not home, so she left a message on my answering machine. She gibber-jabbered for a minute or two, and I could only understand a word here and there, and then, just as plain as day she said, "Gamma, where are you?" Then there was a pause. "Where are you Gamma?" After which she let out a very heavy sigh and with tears in her voice she hung up with a sorrowful "Bye, Gamma." I can not bare to erase her message from my phone, and I listen to it several times a day. Does anyone know how I can record it and put it on my computer? It is priceless to me.

Have a great week.

Good News

HURRAY!!!!!!

I am in remission!!!
Thank you for all of your prayers. Thank you Heavenly Father.

Ripples

Some of you saw the pictures I sent out of Mckenzie by the reflection pond at the SLC Temple. Today, I used those pictures in my lesson as I talked to the girls about preparing to go to the temple. I answered many of their questions and then we talked about the eternal nature of the temple and I showed the pictures. The first one didn't have anyone in it, just ripples, that had traveled across the entire pond. The next one was of Kenzie, touching the water,ever so lightly, and yet, she was making ripples. The next one was her watching the ripples she had made as they traveled across the pond. The last one was of her reaching far into the pool to make even a bigger splash. I told the girls that their life was like those ripples, and that the choice they make to go to the temple is eternal and will go on forever and ever and that every choice they make will have a consequence. Then I told them of my sealing to Gary in the temple and had them listen to a beautiful recording of my granddaughter, Ashlee, singing "I love to see the temple".

Since then, I have thought so much about the ripple effect of each of our lives. I went to the Stake Young Women in Excellence tonight where Joette was the keynote speaker, and felt the ripple effect of her talk...so spiritual, so tender. Then I thought of April and Chay and their being parents of two darling girls, and the ripple effect of their training on their children and teaching them to love God. And my other children, Bryon and Keith and their spouses and children, all of us, sealed in God's holy temple, reaching out to touch the world, to make it a better place....and it will go on forever and ever and my heart rejoiced. Sometimes I wish I could have done more, or said more or shared more. And failed less...but those ripples of eternity remind me that I have made my mark on the world, and I believe Heavenly Father looks down upon me and is pleased...maybe not so much with my efforts, but of those that are following His course because I was here.

Mother's day

It was wonderful. The day was not my usual Mother's day, though. I was invited to Keith and Calie's for dinner, but the night before Calie got really sick. Keith took me out Saturday night for breakfast. Ashlee was speaking in Sacrament meeting the next day (Mother's Day), so I went to hear her. I loved how she talked about her mom's laugh and how she never looses her mom in a crowd because she can hear her laugh!!! Calie does have the most infectious laugh of anyone I know! She also said some sweet things about her grandma. I was touched to tears.

When we got home from Church, I decided to treat my favorite mother's to dinner, so I made dinner for both of my son's wives and there families. I even made homemade bread...not very good, I am out of practice. Bryon sent over a lovely geranium and Joette gave me some mascara
And April gave me a wonderful letter. It was a sweet day. And Heather, anytime you want to come I will put you to work. And Jaynee...would love to see you ...just call to make sure we are home...and bring those cute babies out to see me!!!! I am working in my yard as much as I possibly can this year. Saturday I went to a plant exchange for the ward. It was really fun and I gopt some things I have never seen before. I have a ground cover I planted a couple of years ago and it is taking over the yard..like some kind of creeping monster. Time for the round-up, baby!!!

If I still have Health Insurance...and could we all bow our heads and say a prayer that I do... will have a Pet scan this Wednesday, and I will learn from that if I have any active cancer growing in my body anywhere. Thank you all for your faith and prayers I cannot wait to go camping this summer. Can anyone tell me why my computer keeps going to italics without me asking it to????Do you ever wonder if they have a mind of their own and they are plotting to take over the world??? Anyone out there want to go camping with us? Have a great week!!!!

Cancer Overload

I had a Dr.s appointment on Monday with the neurosurgeon and he pointed out another spot on my brain that they had seen on the MRI I took last week. Then on Tuesday I saw Joni and she wants to do another Pet Scan "just to see how things are looking in side" She is still excited about my low numbers, but a little worried about the pain I have been having in my neck, shoulders and down my arms. I fell about a month ago, slipped getting out of the tub, and the pain has increased since then. Then today I got a call from the scheduler for the Pet Scan and they said I didn't have health insurance anymore and it was about then that I freaked out....Cancer overload!!! I did get the insurance thing straightened out....I think. And just this minute ago, I hit a key on my computer that turned all my typing into italics (Not Intended)!!!! Wow...I don't know what I did, but now I am typing in regular script again.

I wanted to go to a mother/daughter thing tonight at the church, but I didn't have a daughter available, plus I missed taking my pain medicine and I probably would have torn someones eyes out if they looked at me wrong....just kidding, I would have stepped on their toes!!! My Master Bath is still torn apart. We can't seem to find the towel bars that Gary took off while I was gone and he started the painting...I bought a beautiful rug for the bathroom at Costco's and realized I needed two rugs, then drove all over trying to find another rug, which never materialized. And tonight I lost a letter that I was supposed to mail for Gary and failed to do it....I think I wrote the number I was to call about my insurance for the Pet Scan I am supposed to take on the back of it...who knows?..Okay, enough is enough...I am stressed, can you tell???

I can't end this without saying something positive...Oh, my cancer Dr, asked me if I wanted to be on Q6 news and answer 6 questions about my illness and how I have dealt with it. Now, keep in mind, she asked me this yesterday and I enthusiastically said, "I would love to." Was I nuts??? No. Most days are really wonderful, and I thank God I am alive to enjoy a new moment...but every once in awhile there is a day like today, and I just want to scream!!!!!!!!!!