Friday, April 4, 2008

Happy Hump Day!

Today is my boy's one-year mark. A year ago right now we were at the airport.....sending him off to serve the Lord for two years. I did really good...I wasn't going to cry and embarrass him.

But then as he was walking down to security, I couldn't help it. It was like involuntary tears just started pouring out of my eyes, just flooding my face. It was a very weird experience.My face is totally wet......

Two years seemed like such a long time....But guess what....that year went by so fast, I can't believe it! Although honestly, right now, another year seems like a long time to me. It has been so fun so see him grow and progress....and we get to talk to him on the phone in about a month!

And I've got one more year to get another one ready to leave-right after his brother comes home......

Somehow one year doesn't seem so long after all.........





Thursday, April 3, 2008

It's a Fake

Uh, yea, April Fool's. Check out ksl.com

Have You Seen This??


Snoop Dogg converts to Mormonism.....what?????
Gladys Knight invites him to FHE........
Ummm....well....the date on the CNN report was April 1st......
If it's true, I am very happy for him.
Good job bein' a member missionary Gladys.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Anxiety

I'm feeling a tad anxious today.

You see...as mentioned previously...I have my own bizness. In fact for 15 years. What is it, you ask? It's this:


No, I'm not a doctor. I just transcribe the stuff that the doctors say in those funny machines. Done this for 15 years. It's been very good to me. I have done well. I've been able to stay home with my thundering herd and at least be here physically, although maybe not mentally here all the time.

It's nice to know the doctor lingo-it's amazing how much respect you generate when you are at the doctor 's office and you can toss in an "itis" or an "ectomy" now and then. It has been very useful in the past while dealing with some serious and not-so-serious medical issues.

One of my best moments was when the doctor, dressed in his white coat, was begging me, yes, pleading for me to do his dictation. I consider that one of the highlights of my ego-building experiences.

I have done work for doctors from India, Scotland, and various types of accents from the good ol' USA.

I've done dictation on almost every body part, both male & female, except maybe the colon......

I have heard many interesting things in the background during dictation-music, telephones ringing, other people talking, kids playing, dogs barking. I have heard doctors yelling, whispering, laughing, belching, talking about other random subjects and so on. But the kicker was when I heard this:

(No-he's really not doing that in this picture-wait maybe he is!)

Now, I've lived with a man for over 30 years, I have three boys. I know what this sounds like-but believe me, I couldn't believe it when I heard that telltale sound in the background during the discussion of someone's knee exam....

I had to ask a couple of other people to listen to see if they agreed with me.

They agreed.....

I couldn't believe he was actually going to the bathroom during the recording! Maybe he forgot that I can hear everything that is going on in the background...

So... back to the anxiety. I'm going to start a new doctor today. He convinced me to do his work-although I am mostly retired these days. He starts dictating today. So I always have that little bit of anxiety--wondering if he talks fast, will I understand him, will he like my work, how long will it take to do his work...yada yada yada.

In fact, I am so anxious, I really feel the need to eat some chocolate. And pray that all I hear in the background is some nice soft music or telephones ringing.......

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Savoring this Moment

As co-CEO of the family and CEO of my own biz....
And it being the first and all....

Bills to pay...

Billings to send out....

Projects with work, kids, church, hobbies, family history.....

The ol' desk really suffers.....

But after some intensive therapy......


{Ahhhhhh}........clean desk

Probably won't look this way by the end of the day...but I can savor this moment!

Monday, March 31, 2008

Just Pretend this Post is Dated March 30th Because I didn't Blog Yesterday

Happy Birthday Elder Steve!

This is the one where the epidural didn't work. Or at least the nurses didn't listen to me about how fast I progress in labor when I finally get going.......and the epidural was working after I had him......he wanted to come and the doctor wasn't there yet. See here. (then scroll down a bunch because I can't figure out how to link this properly-it's the birth experiences one) This is the one whose chest was 1/2 inch larger than his head.....ouch..... 9 lb 3 oz.....this was my first baby with serious colic......This was baby #5. Five children is HARD!

But he always had an underlying sweet nature....until he turned 15 and I wondered where my sweet little boy went.....but then he sorta came back.....but with a little attitude....

Here are some more mission photos which crack me up and illustrate his sense of humor:

Let's try a new door approach....but look-what is at that door??


Wait-I think it's lions guarding the door! Maybe we better skip this one! (Hey-I just noticed the army fatigue backpack---umm... that's not the one we sent him off with.....)

Shhhh-go quietly so they don't wake up!

Tennessee-take good care of my boy.......

Saturday, March 29, 2008

warning: this post may contain images interesting only to my mother

This week:


the Eagle application: turned in!


those twirling gold tassels: magna cum laude!

Chapter 8 oral Spanish quiz: 98
cuteNess: baby feeties

elder steve: training a greenie and district leader...
my fav easter picture: this