Friday, December 7th, 2018

Seattle, Washington

19th operating temple

Dedicated: 17-21 Nov 1980

By: Spencer W. Kimball

Jesus Christ, Death of

Romans 6:8
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Book of Mormon #1
Ether 5:1-6:ll
*The Lord Jesus Christ is the source of light for our world and for our lives. The Lord touched the stones the brother of Jared presented to Him "to give light unto men, women, and children" (6:3) as they crossed the ocean. The Lord also provides light to guide us through the darkness of mortality and toward the brightness of the celestial kingdom - our promised land. Our way is lit by the light of apostles and prophets, the standard works, and inspired leaders and teachers. We too can be a light - we can light the way for others when we hearken to the Lord's counsel and keep ourselves worthy of His Spirit. Sister Ardeth G. Kapp, former Young Women General President counseled: "You have the light within. You can shine in darkness. You can light up the world. You can help dispel darkness. You can make a difference." I was privileged to travel with Sister Kapp when I went to England. She invited my friend and I to have dinner with her and her sisters. She went out of her way to be kind to us, virtual strangers. She seemed genuinely interested in us and asked us questions about our lives. I have never met a kinder or sweeter person. She truly radiates the light of Christ!
Book of Mormon #2
Helaman 13-14
Old Testament
Nahum 1-2
General Conference

Truth and the Plan

President Dallin H. Oaks

"In the course of mortal life, we would all be soiled by sin as we yielded to the evil temptations of the adversary, and we would eventually die. We accepted those challenges in reliance upon the plan's assurance that God our Father would provide a Savior, His Only Begotten Son, who would rescue us by a universal resurrection to an embodied life after death. The Savior would also provide an atonement to pay the price for all to be cleansed from sin on the conditions He prescribed. Those conditions included faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and other ordinances performed by priesthood authority."

Happy Birthday Paul!

I left the hospital at 8 a.m., went to Kim's showered, and washed my hair. Tiger loves Joe's room where I am staying and comes in to visit me and tries to get in my suitcase before I shoo him out. 

Kim and I left about the same time, around 10 a.m. I have an appointment at AARA for my infusion at 10:45. I wasn't in the waiting room too long when Frances came to get me. There was a different girl doing the infusions but it's always great to see Frances. They got me all hooked up and someone came to take me to a room for an appointment with Rana, Dr. Caldron's assistant. My appointment didn't take too long and I was back in the infusion room watching a show on the Discovery channel about repossessing small airplanes. I was done by noon and on my way.  I stopped for lunch at Culver's where I got a roast beef sandwich. I listened to "The Clockmaker's Daughter" on the way back to the airport.

James calls the respiratory therapist working with him a Nazi. She got very upset with him because he took his mask off without calling someone. She says he must be on oxygen at all times!  He can't do anything, including getting up to go to the bathroom, without calling someone. The only problem is that half the time when you call it takes forever for someone to answer and respond. 

James is now on an antibiotic to fight the pneumonia, plus he is on oxygen. 

I walked to Marshall's, Fry's, and Whataburger this evening after dark. I got the cutest mugs at Marshall's for Addy and Rowan. I also got one for me and one for James to use in the hospital.

 Addy gets Mama Bear because she's purple.

 Of course Rowan gets the dog.

 This one is for me to use at the hospital.

This one is for James because he is a silver fox.

I forgot how much I love Marshall's. I found the coolest pink and gray Paris blanket and couldn't resist buying it. 

I took James a Whataburger and he had to wait to eat it after getting back from a test. He didn't even finish eating it. He has really lost his appetite. His favorite thing to eat/drink is a Slimfast shake.

After eating the Whataburger the room smelled like onions and one of the nurses made a comment. 

I like the night nurse Haley. She reminds me of my friend Ashley Umphress. 

I spent the night at the hospital. James asked for drugs at 1 a.m. and then fell back asleep. At 2:30 he still hadn't got them. I complained and they were right on it.

 There is nothing more precious than a

sleeping baby.

This baby could be a model.

December 7, 2013

My Young Women:

LeeAnn, Trenda, Kilee, Maddie, Heaven, Jordyn,

Hope, Alice, Shelly.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Mario and Carol Ray and their

5 boys, Brennan, Peter, Andy, Tim, and Matt.

It was 25 years ago today that Mario was killed in a

small plane crash leaving behind Carol with 5 boys to

raise on her own.  She has done an amazing job!

 

I had an appointment today at the Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatologist Associates in Mesa today for my second Actemra infusion and to see Tiffany, the PA that works with Dr. Caldron.

Kawanda set my infusion and drew blood.  She was very good!

 

Afterwards I had lunch at Whataburger.  When I returned home I was still hurting.  I took two Tramadol and an aspirin.  Tiffany insists I stay on Methotrexate and limit my aspirin intake to 2 or 3 a day.  I told her than Tylenol does nothing for me. 

 

Today was the grand opening of Xavier's Casa Reynoso's new location in Mesa.  Mary Johnson recommended it and said they were giving away free cheese crisps so James and I went there for dinner.  I had a mixed green chili burro and was disappointed that it was not as good as Burger House's or Irene's.  I am not sure we will be going back because it is located on Southern and Higley which isn't that close. 

 

When we arrived home Adam and Kyle were waiting for a ride to Adam's new "digs."  We took them to Guadalupe and Dobson and dropped them off at the new house only to leave and 5 minutes later receive a call from Adam saying he forgot a piece of his desk and could we bring it.  We ended up making two trips. 

 

For FHE we listened to Elder Whitney L. Clayton's General Conference address: "Choose to Believe."



Monday, February 2, 2015

 

Matthew 5:14-16

"Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let you light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

 

I love this quote by President Eyring in this month's First Presidency message I the Ensign:

"As we read, ponder, and pray over the word of God, we will come to love it.  The Lord puts it in our hearts.  As we feel that love, we will begin to love the Lord more and more.  With that will come the love for others that we need in order to strengthen those whom God puts in our path."

 

James worked on the ceiling in Joshua's room while I did laundry and worked on my blog.

 

James got cleaned up enough so we could run through Whataburger at lunch time.  He got a gift card for Christmas and one for his birthday to his favorite burger joint. 

 

After lunch I had a nap and then went shopping at Kohl's and Walmart.  This is what I got at Kohl's:



 

I love this purse!

 





Since my ears are no longer pierced

a necklace is about the only jewelry I wear.

 

Have I ever mentioned how talented James's family is.  His sister Connie made me these socks and sent them to me as a late Christmas gift.  They are made from Peruvian wool

 

I got a call from a friend from high school this evening, Paul Reynolds.  He was calling for Digger O'Dell, another high school friend to tell me that Digger's wife Jean, one of my best friends from high school had just passed away.  She found out a couple of weeks ago that she had cancer all throughout her body and now she is gone.  Her funeral will be on Friday in Pima and both James and I want to go.  Jean was James's vice president when he was student body president at Snowflake. Thinking of Jean brought back a whole flood of memories.  She was quite the character.  She used to do pantomime's to Ray Stevens songs: "Please Mr. Custer", "Harry the Harry Ape", and "Ahab the Arab."  It seems impossible that she is actually gone.

 

For FHE James and I watched Bible videos online.  Stacy, Paul, and Joshua went to Olive Garden with Tara and Gilbert's sister Carmen.

 





 



Wednesday, July 10, 2013

I got a call from Presidential Realty today about getting our house ready to put on the market.  I told them this wasn't a good time and to call me back next week.

On the way to the hospital I stopped by Lois's to get an apricot pineapple pie for James.  I arrived at the hospital around 9:30, my usual time.  James had a Slimfast shake and apricot pineapple pie for breakfast.

For lunch I got turkey enchiladas and green beans for lunch but they were both disgusting.  Luckily Sheri and Kim were on their way over and they stopped at Whataburger and got us each a Whataburger Jr.  Yummy!  After we ate lunch Sheri, Kim and I left to go to Sweet Tooth Fairy to get cake bites and cupcakes.  On the way we stopped at See's and got dark chocolate almonds and dark chocolate truffles for James.  When we got back from the trip, Sheri and Kim visited awhile and took some pictures.

We have such sweet caring daughters!

After Kim and Sheri left James and I played a couple of rounds of Five Crowns.  I won both so I am afraid it didn't do much to cheer James up.  

James has his second surgery tomorrow.  He sent me the sweetest text this evening:

"Goodnight sweetheart.  Be sure to ask in your personal prayers tonight for the Lord's tender mercies to bless us with more of the love and passion that keeps us close and in each others hearts and minds, and which helps us remain hopelessly in love with each other.  The love I feel and experience with you so often for me, is a sacred feeling which can't be described in words.  It leaves me with a feeling of gratitude never to be forgotten; a feeling which I can only attempt to describe as euphoria because of the lack of adequate vocabulary in the English language to express it. The bottom line is you are loved beyond my ability to express with words alone.  

Good night sweetheart!"

This almost made me cry.