Mission Impossible

I love this saying..... I need to remember that....
Lauren took the next picture last night!w

Wow... it is a great morning. I have gk's here this morning. One is still asleep... Andrew. He went to the midnight showing of Eclipse (from Twilight series). Loved it! Karla called this morning... they both said it was the best one ever! Karla wants to see it again!

Yesterday we went to my mom's. Went over the menu's Andrew printed up for her... made a shopping list and the kids and I went on a mission to Walmart. Dylan called it Mission Impossible. Reading the labels of EVERYTHING!!! It was hard because it was so limited. We went back and put it away for her. Well... mom is doing pretty good. Still worried about her, of course. Taking naps, going to bed early, getting lots of rest. We just keep praying and watching that she stays on the course. Very sad to hear my aunt isn't doing well with mom's decision for her to wait to come out.

Today we are going over and separating and wrapping her meat for meals. It is good for the kids to help grandma. ;D Good for them to learn to love and honor and serve older people while they are young.... then when I am older they will be there for me! lol! Dylan and Maddie get to spend the night again tonight!

We had a great day yesterday. The girls were forever in the clean toy room... and they played but cleaned up when they would finish something. They are in there now having so much fun. There was a slight problem over a boy... the neighbor boy, Gregory. There was a bit of jealousy so I had the girls come in and talk and they worked out ... and Dylan sent Gregory home. Andrew and Dylan went out and played for a long time. They had such a great time... time goes so fast, though! It's great to hear the kids laughter... and singing! Here is one of the video's we took of singing on the way to my mom's!
Lauren made me remove the video. sorry. ;(

Here's some pics from yesterday of kids loving their Sobe's!
My memory picture is great..... Dylan must have been teasing Maddie.... she was so angry!!! She is attacking! Taken 6-30-05... 5 years ago!!!!

mom update... she is home

Not much time to write... kids want computer. I spent the night with my mom. Just to make sure she would be ok. I didn't hover. She didn't really need me. She did really good. Took a long nap and went to bed early. She slept really, really good!!!! Me? Not so much. But that didn't matter. I slept on her love seat. I am a bit big to fit but I just hung my legs over the end. It worked. We went through her medications this morning and talked for awhile. I took some funny movies over. On my way home I stopped at Karla's and Maddie and Dylan wanted to come home with me and then got a call from Lauren to pick them up. So I am blessed with all 4 right now. Mom is doing fine and doesn't need me to hover. She just needs rest now. Time to recoup. I am going to pick up some food for her later.... she is on a Renal Diabetic diet. Check it out online. It is going to be so hard. But it'll work. It has to. Well.... i gotta run and will write more later. Thanks for your prayers! xoxo

Mama may get out of the hospital today! She called last night and the doctors are pleased with her results and how she is doing. The are giving her a dose of iron because her iron levels are low. Maybe that will help with her energy! She still has a ways to go... but she is still moving forward!

Yesterday we stopped by mom's... talked with Sharon about mom.... took her sheets to wash and picked some clean clothes up for her... and stuff. We thought we would stop by Ryan's game on the way to the hospital since we thought it is right around the corner. He wasn't playing there. Come to find out he was at North Kitsap. I was sad. So we visited mom and took her a balloon with a smiley face to keep her smiling and a card! Visited for awhile and ordered her lunch and Libby came. We came home and had a quiet afternoon. Talked with June and Sharon for quite awhile.

Woke up before 5 this morning.... Papa left early to go make mom's bed back up. What a sweetheart! He is such a good guy! Seriously! He has changed so much the last couple years.
I could have gone in this morning but he said no. He also said "go back to sleep" but I didn't. I kept hearing voices in my head... depending which way I turned my head. Come to find out... it was coming from papa's alarm/radio. lol! At least I am not crazy .... yet.

Please keep my aunt Lorraine in your prayers. Apparently she didn't understand that "postponed" trip meant to unpack and wait. June talked to her again to explain about mom and she hung up on June. I wish her mind could understand that she can't help mom right now. I understand the need for them to see each other... mom is feeling it too.... but I also found out yesterday that Aunt Lorraine has only 20% heart function. I think we better get mom healthier and take her to see Lorraine instead. Douglas says 20% is not good at all. Please pray she can understand and not be angry at anyone. It is no ones fault mom is sick. In June's heart she was truly doing something good for her mom.... I feel so bad it couldn't work out. I think we've all shed some tears over all this. But like I said before.... they are still young.... they haven't reached 100 yet and now I think we need to get mom healthy and take her to see Lorraine.

I have Makoa today! My only day this week. That makes me sad. But Grandma priority rules. I haven't seen hardly anything of my grand kids.... even with school out. I am missing them. Of course, two are across the country on vacation! Sounds like they are busy and having a blast! ;D

Searched the whole living room... camera is not there. Checked deep into every cushion and under everything with a flashlight. :(( I am praying to God to help me .... because I know He knows where it is at. He'll bring me to it. I know it.

Did you notice the date on the top of the Saturday Post and Norman Rockwell picture? Today... only 91 years ago. Cool, huh? Here are some memory pictures from the last couple days....

6-27-08.... two years ago of Lauren in our pool. I love this picture!6-26-03 Riley kissing mama!
6-25-09 The girls on vacation!6-24-05 Andrew enjoying some ice cream!6-23-88 Ryan and his broken finger. Makes it tough to play baseball.

I have been a slacker on my memory pictures! But I am up early and have time today.

ANDREW'S DEVOTION: READ PROVERBS 3:1-10

(The Lord gives you all things: wisdom, strength, love for others, etc. You owe the Lord so much for everything He gives you and a lot of the time He doesn't get anything in return. Every time you remember this.... thank God for what He gives you! - Andrew)

Have a great day today! Keep praying! xoxo

Weather to Expect This Week:
A few light passing showers, mostly north will start our work week. Look for some afternoon sun breaks and cooler highs, around 67 with light wind.
Low pressure moving slowly into B.C. will keep partly cloudy and cool conditions Tuesday and Wednesday. Highs sit in the mid 60s, making this one of the cooler Junes on record.
Thursday and Friday bring morning clouds and afternoon sunshine. High temperatures will rebound back into the upper 60s
The July 4th weekend looks partly cloudy and 65-70.

mom update, lorraine postponed, david arrived

Good Sunday morning.
Just got off the phone with mom. She didn't sleep well last night. So she layed awake thinking about her past. Good and bad. Jennifer, her neighbor, was in a lot of pain with the blood clots in her legs all night. Bless her heart. I pray they get these dissolved so she can go home with her family. She is so kind and giving. No further update on mom.... it is a waiting game. Like the saying goes.... no new is good news. I need to stop and pick up some things today and change her sheets. Mama's orders. My little brother, David, stopped by to see mama last night! Thank you Holly and Jennifer for locating him! They had quite a talk!!!! (If you know what I mean) She didn't hold nothing back. She's been like that lately. lol!

My Aunt Lorraine is no longer coming out. June and I discussed it and we prayed on it and it would just be next to impossible.... not with mom being so bad off. We have decided to "postpone" the trip. They are still young... they have around 20 years before they are 100. They will get together. We'll do our best and ask God for help! Mom accepted it like a trouper, and from what I heard from June... so did Lorraine. Thank God!

I don't have nothing more to talk about. We are going to see her in a little bit and then I won't be seeing her until Tuesday. I have Makoa tomorrow... my only day this week. :( I hope you all have a great day! I am so happy for my blogger friends! One marine came home to mama and the other one called and he is coming home!!!! Thank you God! I know how it feels to have them safely on American ground again. It is nice Justin is home. Something you can't take for granted. ;D

Don't forget to check my new blog for health tips I have been gathering and implementing into my life!
http://joyceshealthtips.blogspot.com/

That's all folks!

2nd post of the day...

Just got home from the hospital. Second post in one day but wanted to keep you up to date.

Mom said "God is answering prayers!" He truly is!

They've had her on the oral medication and her pulse rate is staying down!
Which in turn is making her kidneys start to wake up to join the party and function properly! She is off coumadin.
She will be hospitalized for several days as this isn't over yet but she is improving!!!! She still has a long way to go but we are happy about the direction she is heading.

I tend to panic a bit... but I've seen loved ones at deaths door and some even pass through. You just never know when that moment will be. I did ok when papa was in the hospital 3 years ago because of prayer! I knew it was serious.... but God kept me at peace and calm most of the time. It felt like I was just on auto pilot. And I never realized how serious it really was. I still don't.

I do know that my mom is terribly worried about my health. She said it in black and white. Very blunt and it hurt me very much. But I don't want her to worry! It is sooo not good for her! And I will do this for her. I have lost 14 pounds now. My first goal is complete. My next goal is 10 more pounds. Lanny and I talked about it all afternoon. It is not too late to reverse many things right now. It is not too late to get off our cholesterol and blood pressure medication. It is not too late to stop the diabetes we are both heading for. But the time is now.... and it is with us individually. We can encourage one another and help one another... but I am responsible for myself. I know I've said it all before and no one has to believe me. I have to believe in myself. That's it! She is worried about you too, sister! I know you read this.... so let's do this. I am cutting out portions and choices. I also know exercise is good.... especially walking. I am starting a new health page with a new article every day. Hope you all get motivated and learn something with me! ;D

Well.... gonna start on that page. Have a great day!

update on my mom

I appreciate all the prayers, love and concern regarding mom. Theresa... she got your beautiful card and it touched her heart. She said thank you so much!
I spent time with her yesterday. They ran more tests on her kidneys and heart because that is what hospitals do. So during that time Tara and I had lunch in the cafeteria and a nice visit. I miss just chatting with her. We went upstairs and Libby was there. Mom's lunch came and she was less than thrilled. Tara commented on it being the first time she saw grandma pout. lol! Then dummy me said I would eat a piece of brocolli if mom did.... and she did and I did. That bite doubled in size in my mouth. The taste wasn't bad... it was the texture. Nasty little beads rolling around in my mouth and getting stuck in my teeth. But it was worth watching mom laugh!!! When I was the only one left there... she decided she wanted to try to sleep so I shut off the light and closed the door. Her room mate is awesome. Nice lady with blood clots in her legs they cannot get rid of or control. She has been there almost 3 weeks and has 4 or 5 kids at home ages 4-15. Please keep her in your prayers too.
They really don't know much more about mom. We seem to be guessing alot with my brother, Doug's, help. Between guesses and what the doctors have said is:
heart..... her pulse rate is staying down with the drip, so they are removing it and trying oral meds to see if they can keep it down that way. That would be a good thing. But they put her on coumadin.
kidneys.... That brings up the kidneys... since they put her back on her blood thinner.... we are guessing they aren't going to put her on dialysis since they can't do surgery while her blood is that thin. The doctor told mom that they are hoping her kidneys will be waking up and functioning without the dialysis. We are praying they are right!!!

That is all I know. That is all that is on my mind is my mom right now so I am going to get ready to go in to the hospital. Thanks so much and keep on praying! xoxo

my mama

Wow.... yesterday was a very long day. I had Makoa... the highlight of the day. He sure makes me smile. I don't have him today.... grandma. I went grocery shopping after he left and got done when papa got off. Checking out when Libby called and said they were putting mom in the hospital. She is terribly sick. Her kidney doctor put her in.... he needs to confer with a cardiologist to see if she can come off some of her meds to see if her kidneys will start functioning. It is like her kidneys is in a coma and he thinks they are drug induced. If they can tiptoe through that and get her kidneys working properly she will be ok. But we seriously think they will end up putting her on Kidney Dialysis. I have to hurry with this and get in there this morning. Then I will know more. Just please pray for her and the doctors. xoxo

Up for some Mexican???

PARTY TIME!!!
Papa had a great birthday! Well, except for the fact that he had to work all day! But after work we all met at Azteca's! He had his son across from him and his best buddy, Bob, next to him. He enjoyed himself. I sat at the other end of the table because we talk all the time. I sat next to Nancy (my Ernestine) and across from Lauren and Andrew! We had a good time down at our end too. Amanda was kind of in the middle and got all conversations. lol! He got SO many facebook birthday greetings! We looked at them when he got home. I think he was a bit surprised and appreciated them. He also got quite a few phone calls! This is the shirt I got him for his birthday! He is ALWAYS telling me to settle down..... which really means shut up I think. His t-shirt is white though. Ryan got his dad an awesome gift.... but I don't know if they want me to mention it here.... let's just say Papa loved it!!!! He had a great bday.

Azteca's has always been kind of a birthday place... especially with my mom and dad. Here are some pictures I dug up of past Azteca trips!


and me at my 50th birthday!
Happy birthday to Marie! I love her so much! She is Justin and Brittni's mom.... was married to my nephew Ronnie. She will always be my niece to me. I'm can't wait to call her today! If you want her number or email call me!
Mom is going to the kidney specialist tonight. We are all a bit anxious about the outcome. Especially mom. She is a worrier anyway... although she will deny it. I guess most mom's are worriers. I'm glad we have a huge God!

Some of my favorite pictures.... I love pictures where my grandkids are laughing. This is Lauren and Maddie on June 24, 2005 singing with me. They are laughing with me not at me. It was so fun that day!!!!Well.... that was fun. Still can't find my camera. Had some great Makoa moments too! I took one with my cell phone.... his outfit was so cute!Love that baby!

Andrew's Devotional: Matthew 11:25-30
"Rest easy for the Lord will never give you anything that is too hard for you to handle. Go to Him with a pure heart and ask for assistance... the Lord will not deny you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAPA!!!!!

Happy birthday to my sweet, wonderful, and loving husband!
What a cute baby... from this to this in 61 years! I love you, baby, and I pray that you have a wonderful birthday today with lots of love and laughter! See you tonight at Azteca's!!!! xoxo
Yesterday: Great day! Sunny and warm! The only day I don't have Makoa this week so I took mom's clean clothes to her and put away. Andrew bought her a vanilla milkshake on the way. Then we went to Tara's to say good bye to Riley and Jo! The kids were so happy to be together.... you could hear Riley and Lauren downstairs laughing almost the whole time... while Andrew and Jordy played on the couch. Well, wrestled, tickled, teased, she stole his wallet and cell phone a few times.... that kind of stuff. It was funny. Stayed for awhile and then returned to my house. Lauren had a Juice Stand and made over $3!!! Andrew played with Toby out in the yard and he loved that!!!! Took Lauren home and Andrew to youth group and baked chicken for dinner.
Today: Makoa day and then out to Mexican dinner after papa gets off work! num!
Memory picture: 6-23-04 Some of the grand kids with papa on his birthday!

Facebook friend of the day: Connie Lindahl!

It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day!

Thank you God.... it is such a beautiful morning! I am so happy my friend Lynda has her Marine son waking up in their home after being deployed for 18 months! That is a long time! Welcome home, Billy! I am so happy that according to the doctors testing ... mom's pulse is down to 98! Her home machine may be off so she is going to take it to the doctors office and test it next week. I am so happy I get to go see my beautiful grand daughters today! And I am so happy I am wearing my new bright yellow shirt! I love it! Mom always said I looked good in yellow. If I had my camera I would take a picture!!!!! I need to find that thing. I had cocoa yesterday and he is sooo funny! I love that boy! He makes me laugh! I don't have him today... but I will have him the rest of the week.
Tomorrow is Lanny's birthday! After he gets off work we are going Mexican to Azteca's for dinner! We haven't been there in ages. Join us if you want! It has to wait til 8:00 after he gets off.
My photo of the day taken 6-22-88 is of me on the floor with Karla and Kevon!!!!

My facebook friend for today is Cindy Thompson! We've known Cindy a long time! In fact, I think we had a hand in setting her and her husband, Craig, up! We love Craig and she was so sweet= perfect match!!! She's one of the kindest people you could ever meet!!! Love you Cindy!


That's about all for today! Hope your day is blessed with wonderful things! xoxo

Andrew Devotional:
Proverbs 16:3 Anything is possible through the Lord!
wow... thank you Andrew.... I really needed to see this today! xoxo

Time for summer to start!!!

or is it???? The weather around here is saying a different thing.... and the calendar says it's the first day of summer. I am confused! The weatherman is saying "Summer will begin under cloudy skies with local drizzle. Low temperatures will be in the upper 40s to low 50s. Skies will remain mostly cloudy with partial clearing late in the afternoon. High temperatures will remain below normal in the upper 50s to low 60s. Tuesday and Wednesday will bring more sunshine, dry weather and temperatures will approach 70 which is the normal high for this time of year."

Today is my brothers birthday! He is 10 years older than I am! I have gotten closer to him over the past several years than ever before. I love Rick!

I guess I have a few days to catch up on but I will try to keep them brief....

SATURDAY.... I took milk and bananas to my mom and a milkshake and burger! It was nice just sitting around talking. Mom sure loved the vanilla milkshake... so if you get by to see her and feel the need to bring her something .... that is what she likes! Then I needed to run to Alberstons for her. I had no makeup and grub clothes. I should know better than look like that going to town! lol!
Went and visited with Ryan and the kids in the evening! That was nice!

SUNDAY... I slept in until 9:30! I couldn't believe it! If you know me that is so insane! Called mama and her pulse is still 125. Not good. I don't think her meds are working. We spent the day the way papa wanted. Curtains closed all day and watching Pickers... I think... 2 guys that go around junking and finding old antique stuff to buy. It was actually good! We watched some Ice Road Truckers too. Guy shows. lol! Had steak and baked potatoes for dinner. It was a good day.

This little guy had a good day too! This picture is my memory picture of our cowboy Joshua a year ago today! It is a memory I will never forget. He is riding again this year and got third place today and actually won some money!!!! Isn't that awesome??? Now Jared is doing it too!

My facebook friend of the day is so special to me!!! Cindy Simmons from Georgia! I've never met her in person and don't know if I ever will... but I love her and she is one of my sweet Georgia blogger friends!!! Isn't she beautiful?
Todays devotional from Andrew:
A lot of people are impatient. And when I say a lot, I mean a lot!!! But read Romans 2:7 if you struggle with lack of patience .... and read it regardless of being impatient to.
To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

HONORING DADS!!!!! XOXO

My dad has been up with the Lord for over 5 years now. Losing him was the hardest thing I've ever been through.... and a day doesn't go by when I don't think of this wonderful man I am proud to have had for my daddy!

Normally every Father's Day I do tons of pictures of my daddy.... however there are some other dad's I would love to acknowledge this year too! First....

Lanny helped raised 5 kids.... all within 5 years in age! It wasn't always easy.... he has many regrets.... but overall I am proud of the job he did! Lanny was kind of a couch potato... but the 5 kids were usually off playing with each other... they were very close. But looking back thru the pictures.... I see some great times and sacrifice he did! Our kids (like most) love to wrestle!
Lanny always took time out to wrestle with the kids. Here he is being ganged up on by Kevon, Tara, Ryan and Heather! Sometimes we'd even grab a mattress for the floor and see who could get who off the mattress first!
When the family wasn't wrestling.... we would spend alot of time watching wrestling! We loved it! Some of the kids still do!

He also coached football for Kevon and Ryan for 8 years and practiced with the boys alot in our front yard!One of our family favorites was playing Wiffle Ball! In the yard and road with papa was Brad, Jack (nephew), Tara and Kevon! We loved playing! Lanny always pitched!
We played hours and hours and hours of card games with the kids... if fact it was at one of these games that Brad snuck out the ring and popped the big question... and she said yes! It wasn't the picture above though. lol!

I couldn't even count the number of burgers papa cooked for this family!!!!Lanny was very protective of his kids. This was a funny picture... Brad and Tara weren't aware of the look dad gave to Brad! After all.... Tara was his princess! lol!
He spent many hours at the pool watching over the kids!
Lanny worked hard for years to supply the needs and wants for our family!!!! I don't think they ever realized how hard he worked.
He always tried to provide what he could. When we moved into the first house we bought... it was only 3 bedroom ... so Lanny gave up 3/4 of his garage to build a room for the boys!
When Tara joined gymnastics.... he put a balanced beam up for her in the yard to practice on!
He also put tether ball poles in 2 places that we lived at!
It was very important to him that the kids had a good Christmas. He worked to provide it and even shopped with me every year!And of course.... then had to put everything together!
He loves Christmas and everything that goes on with it! He always kept baby Jesus out of the manger until Christmas Day. He started the tradition of making Jesus a double layered chocolate birthday cake. He said it was Jesus' favorite! lol!
I also can't begin to imagine how many miles he put on our old van... the Aquarium!
Here is one of our many, many camping trips! We went to Flagler, Lake Sylvia, and our favorite place... the Elkhorn!
When Lanny wasn't setting up tents and tarps or cooking... he was helping the kids with something. ;D
You can hardly see him on the right but he even got into the cheeto-smile!
We took lots of day trips too! Over Mount Rainier and to Seattle stands out the most!
Here was a trip to Seattle and having lunch at West Lake Mall. Lanny wasn't big on Seattle and even puked in the alley like the bums! lol! Great day!

To the Ocean..... on picnics.... we would sing and sing and play Bingo and Lanny drove on....
Until they finally were wiped out!



My prayer is that our kids remember all the good and wonderful things Lanny did for them and with them. He tried hard without much of an example to teach him... I think he did good.


I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME WONDERFUL FATHERS IN OUR LIFE:
Our son, Ryan..... he is a dad that wrestles and plays with his kids and they adore him! He loves his Andrew and Lauren so much and is a super proud dad of the kids he has!!!

Son-in-law Don is another great dad! He's got these boys riding bikes and sheep and things most kids don't have the opportunity to do! He adopted Parker and Patrick 6 years ago and they could never find a better dad then him! Don, Parker, Patrick, Joshua and Jared are a great group of guys!
Son-in-law, Joel, is such a family guy! He loves being with Dylan and Maddie and going off as a family and doing fun and different things! He is a proud and a loving dad who's face lights up around his kids!
Brad is the dad of two beautiful girls! He is super protective and is such a great day! He adores his girls and there is nothing he wouldn't do for them!
This next man isn't in our family.... but I feel like he is! It is Kapono! He is my little Makoa's daddy! He is also Kai's dad! I get to see his face light up and the love exchanged between Kapono and Makoa every time he picks him up after work! That is why he is on my list. He is a great daddy!

I have to mention.... Toby is Papa's baby.... and Papa is his daddy... so I have to put a picture of them!

Finally......

GOD BLESS DADS!!!!