Friday, May 23rd, 2025: James works @ Matt Hipps, forgot jump starter, Mom doing better, handouts taking sooo long, 3 really good movies, make two temples dates - Sue & Ruth

 

Caracas Venezuela

96th operating temple

Dedicated: 20 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Book of Mormon

Alma 5:1-25

D&C

50:26-40

Come Follow Me

D&C 50:13-24 Teachers and learners are edified together by the Spirit.

April General Conference

'Divine Help for Mortality'

President Dallin H. Oaks

Atonement

Matt. 27:22-23

'Infinite Atonement'

Tome comes in after being out all night and crashes on our bed, which James had already made. Tom usually eats first but he didn't appear to be interested in food.

James worked a few hours at Matt Hipps' in Pinetop this morning. He forgot his charged jump starter so as a result he couldn't start the Cat and had to come home.

Mom is doing better. Cathi says she is not going anywhere but will be with us for awhile longer. Thank goodness. We are all concerned about Dawn too. She has a form of Dementia causing her not to be able to remember the names of things.

I worked on my handouts again today. They are taking much longer than I imagined.

These handouts took me most of the day, off and on. 

For lunch I tried to eat a hamburger I had cooked but it just didn't taste good to me. Something seems to be wrong with my tastebuds.  Not very many things taste good these days.

While I was working on my handouts I actually watched three really good movies on my phone. "The Ultimate Gift", "The Ultimate Life", and "Sweet Home Carolina." Watching a movie while working makes the work go faster. 

James got lots of time listening to the Jayson Wolfe story on my phone. 

Tom sleeps inside tonight. At 2:00 am he joined me on the recliner, and then a few minutes later he wanted out. Fickle cat.

I made two temple dates today. One on the 10th with Sue Hubble, and one on the 13th with Ruth Gale.

Quote, Verse, Notes

"God knows that the higher you are, the farther you can see. Our Savior invites you to make that climb."

-Sister Tracy Y. Browning

OGC 2024

D&C 50:29

And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done.

Sheri posted this.

My Culver's chicken tender 

has a bite out of it. Should I be concerned?

No, This is James's trademark. 

Kacey sent me this and I love it because

it is so true!

My friend Janna Grombach made

this beautiful patriotic wreath for me.

Alex's trip to Guatemala

Thursday, May 22nd, 2025: Connie's 4:22 am text woke me up, heating pad on upper arms, Inklings, handouts, Matt Hipps', steak from Walmart, Graduations, make chicken enchiladas, James Dr. Smithson appt., Bunco

 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

95th operating temple

Dedicated: 30 July 2000

By: James E. Faust

Book of Mormon

Alma 4:5-20

D&C

49:21-50:25

Come Follow Me

D&C 50 The Lord's teachings can protect me from Satan's deceptions.

D&C 50:22-25, 29-34, 40-46; 1 Cor.14:1-28; 2 Timothy 3:13-17

April General Conference

'Joy Through Covenant Discipleship'

Elder John A. McCune

Connie, James's sister texted at 4:22 this morning to ask about her mom and the text woke me up. She lives in Texas and probably didn't think about the time difference and how early it was in Arizona.

Mom update: 

Cathi @ 5:36 p.m.: "Mom is coming home this evening. She has decided she wants to be home, so her wishes are being granted and she will be home with hospice care. She will be given medication for congestive heart failure and for pulmonary issues. She will also have morphine for pain. I say this with nothing but Mom's best interest as heart, but please ask your children to not come see her for a few days and let her build up some strength. After the weekend, please have them contact Dawn to make a planned visit. The visits should be short - 10 to 15 minutes at the most. There will be times that it will not be possible for a visit due to in-home health care staff being here and blocked off times for Mom's rest. It is very understandable that all her grandchildren would want to see her, but we cannot overwhelm her. I hope you all understand that we are trying to keep her comfortable and stress free for as long as we can! And just in case you wonder, this has been a care plan made with Dawn, Terry, David, Laura and me. We welcome input if you have any comments or suggestions. Thank you for supporting us from afar! Love you all!

I was freezing when I woke up this morning so I turned on the heating pad I have with me on the family room (hereafter known as the FR) recliner. Both of my upper arms hurt so that's where I put the heating pad.

My gospel study today included Inklings. After my gospel study time I worked on my handouts until 1p.m., and then I took a nap. James went to work at Matt Hipps' and on the way home he stopped at Walmart. He got me some green onions to use as a garnish on my enchiladas for tonight and he also brought home some small steaks. 

I started making my enchiladas around 2:30 this afternoon. I shredded the breasts of a rotisserie chicken using my handmixer. I grated Monterrey Jack cheese and Cheddar. I softened 18 corn tortillas in oil, and for the sauce I combined two cans of Cream of Chicken soup, one cup of sour cream, and 1-2 cups of cream and about half a cup or so of chicken broth. I added two cans of mild green chilies and put all of that in a pot on the stove to simmer. I put sauce over the bottom of a 9x12 dish and then layered the other ingredients, corn tortillas, chicken, sauce and cheese until there were three layers. I bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees and then cover them to take to Bunco at Donna Beckham's. Michelle Beckham carried the enchiladas in when I got to her Mom's. Six people brought food. Mine was the only savory dish, everyone else brought sweets. 

The enchiladas were a big hit. I got several compliments but the biggest ones came from Oksana who said they were the best chicken enchiladas she had ever had, Lynda Finnell and Tina Allen. They all three went back for seconds, even after Bunco was over. My favorite food was Donna's frosted banana bars. I took some home for James and I to share and he ended up eating all of them.

The Beckham home is nice, especially the kitchen. Donna has lots of collections, Kachina dolls, kitchen accessories, and antiques. Her husband is a hunter and one of the things they have one their wall is the biggest elk I have ever seen. I am not sure why I didn't take a picture. I am kicking myself right now because James kept asking me questions about it. 

There are 12 Bunco players and now only six of them get prizes and I was one of them. I actually got 11 mini Buncos! Everyone was here tonight except Janna. As much as I love Janna I have to say that this was one of the most fun times I have had since I started playing Bunco. I have been trying to think of a way to quit but after tonight I decided I needed the association with these sweet women, all who are in my ward, except Oksana who is the sweetest non-member I've ever met. She is interesting because she is a guard at the prison in St. Johns. I love her as much as I do anyone else in the group.

Stefani Hunsaker's daughter, Kilee, is one of my former young women. Stefani shared with me that she and her husband and little girl just moved to Rigby, Idaho. Stefani was a little sad. She said, it wouldn't be so bad if she would have moved to Texas because she has two other daughters living in Texas. 

When I got home this evening I gave Cathi a call. We are so concerned about Mom and we need to make a decision as to whether we are going to go down in the next day or so. Cathi calmed my fears. She said Mom is doing much better now that she is at home. She said hospice is coming in and helping and that Mom wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, meaning she would be with us for awhile longer. She eased our concerns and told us not to rush down but just come when we could. I felt so much better after talking to her. Now I can teach my lesson Sunday without feeling guilty.

Quote & Verse

"Whom seek ye?" With All Our Hearts we answer, "Jesus of Nazareth."

-President Jeffrey R. Holland, OGC 2024

D&C 50:23

And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness.

Graduates

Rowan

I don't care

Joshua

Evan

Beckham

Kacey Westbrook from

the Vernon ward

Sheri's post

More photos from Bishop Hall's

birthday

What a scam

I joined Daughters of the Utah Pioneers

because of Florence Cluff

Wednesday, May 21st, 2025: Tom wants outside when we start scriptures, Mom report, torn as to what to do regarding Mom, Susan & Jeff Crane meet with James, J/K stole packages, handouts, Matt Hipps job, "Follow Him", Tom outside

 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

94th operating temple

Dedicated: 16 July 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Book of Mormon

Alma 3:20-4:4

Come Follow Me

D&C 49:15-17 Marriage between man and woman is essential to God's plan. "The Family: A Proclamation to the World."

Ulisses Soares, "In Partnership with the Lord" OGC 2022

David A. Bednar, "Marriage is Essential to His Eternal Plan", Ensign, June 2006, 83-84

Video: "Renaissance of Marriage"

April General Conference

'Eternity's Great Gifts: Jesus Christ's Atonement, Resurrection, Restoration'

Gerrit W. Gong

Tom lays by me on the family room recliner. I get up to go have "Come Follow Me" with James. He follows me in the bedroom and lays on the floor between James and I. He is asleep until we play the Book of Mormon using a speaker. He wakes up and wants outside. He doesn't really like listening to scriptures or conference talks. He's a rebel.

I got a text from Rowan this morning. It said: "Hey I just opened my graduation card. I really appreciate it (referring to the money I am sure), and I loved reading it. I love you guys!" I texted back:

We love you too Rowan and we are so proud of you!

Here is the report on Mom this morning:

Cathi: Mom has had a rough night. She just couldn't get comfortable. I finally convinced the nurses to let her sit in the recliner. I put my Minky Couture blanket on her and now she is sleeping like a baby. They took her for a CT Scan of her chest at 2:00. Results aren't back yet. I have dozed off and on. Got some good sleep when they took her for the CT.

Cathi @ 8:04 a.m.: Nurse just came by to let us know that 2 more CT scans have been ordered...one for heart and one for lower abdomen. They have also ordered an echocardiogram of the heart. I asked when the doctors did their rounds and was told between 9 and 10 a.m.

Cathi @ 12:47 p.m.: We spoke with the hospital doctor this morning and were told that Mom is going to be admitted an an inpatient. Dr. Kahn said that besides congestive heart failure, the CT scan showed pneumonia. Mom is very uncomfortable. Please pray for her as I know you have been all along. I am going to try to get some much needed sleep so I can go back to the hospital to stay with Mom tonight. 

Cathi @ 9:26 p.m.: Mom is officially admitted to the hospital. She is in room B414. She is about the same as she was last night. Restless because it is so hard for her to breathe. Her mental faculties are amazing. She is definitely able to understand what they are doing to treat her and care for her. For that I am extremely grateful. I am staying at the hospital with her again tonight. Those were all of the updates for today. If Mom gets worse James and I will be going to the valley and I may have to get someone else to teach my lesson on Sunday.

James had a meeting with Jeff and Susan Crane today about the home they are building. They want him to do some of the work. This is the first time they have been in our home. James said they really liked it. 

I finished cutting out all 57 of my handouts, 11 for Primary, 6 for YW and the rest for Relief Society. Now I'm working on the quote that goes with the handout.

Jared and Kacey ordered two items from Apple, an Air Mac and an Apple watch. On the day they were delivered their security camera caught an Uber driver picking those items up off the porch and taking them with him in his car. This is a scam. Here is how it goes:

Kacey: It's a scam where the thieves use unsuspecting Uber drivers to go and pick up packages as soon as they are delivered. They then take them to UPS where a label is printed and they are mailed to a designated address given by the thief. We had no idea Uber picked up packages. The things dishonest people think of is mind blowing.

We posted it on social media and the first Uber driver in the video saw himself and immediately came to our house to clear his name.

Me: Why would Uber pick up a package off your porch when the package is addressed to you?

Kacey: Sometimes people may be out of town and unable to pick it up so they will have Uber pick it up and mail it to wherever they are. That's our understanding anyway.

The curious thing is that they know when it is delivered so it seems they have access to the delivery trucks info about what is being delivered and when.

FedEx is the one who dropped it off but then the thief used UPS to send a QR code to the Uber driver to print a label and have the package sent somewhere else. We don't have all the details but the investigator said this is something that has been happening.

I cannot believe the lengths that dishonest people will go to! 

James started a job at Matt Hipps's home in Pinetop. Matt is the son of Robert Hipps who is in our ward. James did some work for Robert and he recommended James to his son. 

Matthew is a member of our stake and is on the stake high council. James says he works out of town, in Chicago of all places, but he doesn't know what he does. Anyway, James was loading the Cat onto the trailer to take to Pinetop. Later, when he goes to leave, he realizes the Cat is not securely strapped down when it hits the newly fixed tailgate on his truck and leaves a dent.

I listened to part of "Follow Him" today. I love John Bytheway and Hank Smith and I usually love their guest too.

Quotes, Verses, and Notes

"As we walk in the meekness of the Lord's Spirit, we will avoid and overcome pride and have peace in Him."

-Elder David A. Bednar, OGC 2024

D&C 50:5

But blessed are they who are faithful and endure, whether in life or in death, for they shall inherit eternal life.

My friend and mentor

Penny the Talking Cat, Grace and Lily

My handout prototype,

the final product is a little different