What's Wrong With Me????

I have sooo much to tell you and not a whole lot of time to share all of my experiences these past few days. But I'll get to one of the funniest stories. At least I can laugh at myself ... and you will too, I promise!

So ... my neighborhood grocery store put in the cutest kitchen area with all kinds of gadgets and gizmos, which I am a sucker for. I needed new salt and pepper shakers and I saw the cutest ones that I just had to buy. Hmmm ... should I get red ones or gold ones to match my kitchen? Then I thought to myself. "How am I going to tell the salt and pepper apart if I buy the same color lids? I know ... I'll buy one lid Red and put the pepper in it so everyone knows that Red means hot and that has the pepper in it. And the Gold will mean salt because the color is more soothing. So I purchased the salt and pepper shakers ... one Red lid and one Gold lid ... problem solved.

Got home ... filled my cute salt and pepper shakers and set them on the table. Later that night we were eating dinner and I looked at the shakers and then it hit me .... DUH ... the shakers have a clear bottle and you can see which one is salt and which one is pepper! I even admitted my dumbness to my husband who just sat there and laughed! Now every time I use those salt shakers I think of my creative reasoning and laugh!
On to more news. Reese graduated from the Army's Advanced Training as a Crew Chief for the Apache Helicopter. We're so proud of him. It wasn't an easy feat, but he made it. He was even given a special certificate for leadership. And he earned his wings. They call them the 'bloody wings' because when the officers pin them on their chest they don't put the little stopper on the back of the pin. Later they slap the soldiers on the chest where the wings are and the pins push into their chest. Hence .... bloody wings! Someone did it to him, but it didn't puncture his chest. Strong muscles, I guess! He looks great and it's great having him home.

This is where he worked in the hangar on his 'bird'.


He loved his trainer!


Now for some sad news. A very good friend and cousin of mine was just diagnosed with stomach cancer which has spread to his liver. We had an apostle who came to our Stake Conference yesterday to speak. He had met with our friend prior to the meeting at which time he gave him a priesthood blessing. How very special to have an apostle of the Lord lay his hands on his head and give him the strength to endure what he has to go through in this life! As Elder Hales, the apostle, got up to speak, he asked our friend to come up to the pulpit and share his experience. He gave the most beautiful testimony and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. I felt the spirt so strong and knew that he will have the strength to endure the trials which has been placed upon him and his family. Our prayers are with you, Jim and Sandra! We love you!!!

Mom has slipped rapidly in her health. I'm hoping that those on the other side of the veil are getting her mansion prepared fast so she can slip peacefully away. It's so difficult watching her struggling for air. She can't talk much anymore and doesn't eat. I've kept her in a pretty medicated state to ease her suffering. It's just hard to watch your loved ones struggle. I wanted her to wait until after Christmas to die, but now I'm praying that she can go quickly. Thank you for all of your prayers in our behalf. I know that's what's kept me going and being able to endure this. My health has been wonderful and I've had strength beyond measure. The Lord has really blessed me abundantly and I'm so grateful to Him.

Let me share some words that gave me much comfort the other day. I was cleaning out 'stuff' and ran across something that Laurel had given me.

"What a wonderful thing is death, really, when all is said and done. It is the great reliever. It is a majestic, quiet passing on from this life to another life, a better life. We go to a place where we will not suffer as we have suffered here, but where we will continue to grow, accumulating knowledge and developing and being useful under the plan of the Almightly made possible through the atonement of the Son of God."

And one last thing ... TAH DAH ... I weighed in at 166 this morning. I'm down 91 pounds in 5 1/2 months! It's amazing!!! Only about 21 more pounds to go before I hit goal. My original goal was 160, but the Dr. said I'll probably get to 140 or 145. That will be a great weight for me. Don't think I've weighed that little since I was 15 years old.

Be good and don't drink out of any strange toilet bowles! :)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh man - I just had an essay written for my comment, and it didn't let me post because I wasn't logged into WordPress when I tried to hit post. Oh well - it was a "sign" :)

I loved your post Linda - every part of it. Even the part about your mom was just so inspiring. Your story about the shakers made me smile, and your weight loss update really made me smile too. I'm so happy for you!!!

hugs,
Marie

Terry Molineux said...

Linda...please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during your mother's illness. I hope for everyone's sake that she goes in her sleep and she doesn't suffer.

Your salt and pepper story had me rolling! Thanks for that. I had a very bad day today and I finally had something to laugh at.

Congratulations on Reese's graduation and his homecoming enjoy it!

OMGosh 91 lbs in 5 months. I wish I had insurance to get this surgery done. Maybe if I could lose weight it would lift my spirits.

Stampingly yours,
Terry~~

Unknown said...

You are amazing! Thanks for sharing with us. I too love the changes at the local store. :) The last weeks are always hard. I hope you all find peace. Let's get together soon and chat and stamp!

Diana Gibbs said...

Hi Linda,
My analness would have a problem with the salt and pepper shaker not matching. Tupperware drives me nuts cause of that, a blue cup, a pink cup...eek...I want them to match!
I don't like the thought of the "bloody wings" ...crazy men!
I am sorry to hear about your Mum. When my Poppa was dieing a dear friend came to visit him, and as she was leaving she told my Granny, that she had been praying the wrong way. She had been praying for him to get better, and hold on, after she saw him she realized she should be praying for God to take him soon. I hope that you enjoy the rest of the time with your Mum, and that she goes peacefully, and knowing how much you all love her.
Love you and Merry Christmas,
Di, Jeff, Eric and Toby (he sends a lick for Dieter)

Maxine Conrad said...

THANK YOU for sharing this thought my friend (about death) just what I need to read :)

Anonymous said...

I'm praying for you and your family.....Awesome on your weight loss and like the others, enjoyed your salt and pepper story.

Love you you, Deb

Debbie Seyer said...

Linda, I just happen to have some time tonight and was checkin' in on you. I am saddened to hear about your mom. Looking over this last year, it looks to me as if God has been preparing you to be in the position you needed to be so you can help her. What a wonderful daughter you are. I know how hard it is to care for a parent in their final days as I just lost my dad this past May. I will pray for continued strength for you and for your Mother's suffering to end. Much Love, Debbie Seyer

AdriansCrazyLife said...

That reminds me of a funny thing I did years ago. I worked with a young black man and one day a nice-looking older couple (white) came and picked him up from work. I thought to myself, oh how nice, James's parents have come to take him to lunch.

It was about two hours later when I finally had a thought - you know, I'll bet that wasn't his parents. Ha ha! Just didn't occur to me that everyone's parents might not look like mine.

So sorry to hear about your mother. I hope things go as gently as they can go. My Mom passed a few days before Thanksgiving 5 years ago and it just makes it a little bit harder.