Beneath the Wraps

Every time your children do something wonderful, write it down.   Whenever your children do something that makes you upset, refer to the list of actions you've admired. Focus on the good things.  Don't dwell on the anger or sadness.

Jenna met a friend at a second hand store yesterday.  They were searching for costumes to wear today.  There are three of them that will be dressed as the power puff girls.  I took pictures of Jenna in various costume that she thought might work for Buttercup. This morning she left the house dressed in the 2nd outfit of the three.  One strap had broken, but she said it was because she was the tough one.  If it is cold tonight, she will be dressing up as the ghost of Christmas future.  Hot costume to wear.  I don't know what she'll wear if it is nice out.

           In this post I talked about going to the doctor specifically to get a Z-pac.   I had failed to mention that as long as I was there, I mentioned a stomach rash that I hadn't noticed was there until after Labor Day.   The doctor gave me a prescription for some cream which seemed to sting at times, but did/does seem to help.               Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned it as it became a bigger concern for her than what I was actually there for.   She said she wanted to see me within a week.   I had to postpone the appointment and perhaps should have just cancelled altogether.   I really have not been satisfied with the clinic overall.   Or this particular doctor . . . And I'm even less impressed with the pharmacy that said they'd have my order ready in less than an hour and still didn't have it when I returned SIX HOURS later . . .   and the do...

These were taken at Evergreen The beds are no longer dry sad LOVE the fall!

For the last four mods I have had only one assigned class which in a way has been nice. I noticed with this last week, I was never asked to do a survey in order to continue with my class On Monday I start another accounting class This one will focus on Taxes.  Good thing I'm only getting one. Taxes.  I hope that I will understand and stay focused.  Perhaps one day I will actually be able to do my own.

I have recently come across a pile of papers waiting to be sorted.   There were a lot of homework assignments or notes from both Jenna and me.    I copied a few of her stories to read through at a more convenient time and threw the hard copies away.   She doesn't have the best handwriting, and her spelling is atrocious.   Turns out I copied three partial stories.   One was about Emily Rogers, a teacher who wished she had well behaved students and seemed to get her wish - but her "wish come true" turned out to be somewhat eerie.   I love Jenna's imaginative description: it was silent like a cheetah eyeing its prey waiting for the right moment to pounce.   It was sort of creepy.   She had also   written a story about a character named Latisha Cannon who didn't enjoy math and also made a wish not to have it anymore and how the world seemed to change when math was no longer a part of it.   Both Emily and Latisha woke up ...

           Each of us has the opportunity to make choices.   We choose to leave the house, transportation, destination, what we eat and so forth.   Often we are presented with obstacles as a result of our choices.   For example, we may have a variety of ways to get from point A to point B - do we want to take the scenic route or something faster.   If we had stayed in one lane could we have avoided the car crash that happens in the next?   What about those that we encounter.   How do our choices effect them?   And what about those things we can't control like the weather or health?  Often the result of our choices makes no difference.  Other times even the smallest decision may change our entire lives.           I think "The Mountain Between Us" gives us some great illustrations of what our choices may cost.   By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https:...

          Four years ago yesterday, our friends Cheryl and Miguel decided to take their niece Payton to the Cornbelly's activity at Thanksgiving Point.   They asked if they could take Jenna with them.           Jenna and Payton got along well together.   Payton was two years older than Jenna, but shorter.   Many people who saw them together believed they were sisters.   I did not go with them, but had remembered the event as Cheryl had tagged me in several photos on facebook.   I had the opportunity of seeing them again when facebook memory page showed me the photos.     Cheryl had taken quite a few pictures;  I don't have permission to post the ones she took - there were several of Jenna and Payton.           I thought it fitting to see the photos while thinking about Jenna and commenting...

                Before we considered moving to Oregon - or had even drummed up the possibilities, we had purchased a new refrigerator and matching oven/range.   The oven was gas.   We had used the oven a few times.   I think Roland must have done more cooking than I.   We had it for 6 or 7 months before we made the trip to Oregon and started looking for houses.             The oven was a gas hook-up and actually so was our dryer.   But we couldn't even   find a unit in Oregon that offered gas hook-up.   Our last house (the rental) offered a gas fireplace, but everything else was electric.   We don't even have gas in the house we live currently.   Too bad.   It makes for a nice back up when the power fails - which thus far it hasn't.             I think the gas oven. which is cur...

            I have mentioned the thick fog and now a constant rain.   It looks awesome and will green up the valley again.               This morning I noticed golden flecks donning the hills.   It was so spectacular!     Of course none of my pictures capture what I see.   The fog covered appearance of the towers as I was coming home.   After I got inside, it started pouring again.             At 11:00 I could see the sun.   I felt excited as Jenna has a field trip planned for today.   She's been looking forward to it for over a week now.   I don't want her to be disappointed.             Hopefully they were on the bus already and are at the corn maze now and enjoying themselves.   Perhaps it isn't ra...

                This wasn't even one of the posts I had considered writing yesterday - and so I still have those thoughts to put together.             When we first moved to Myrtle Creek, we had looked into a health clinic.   Certainly we wouldn't have to go all the way to Roseburg if a check-up was needed.   In order to establish credibility, the staff expected a full physical in several visits.   Okay, my co-pay is not that outrageous, but when I am going to the doctor four to six times in one month to create a doctor/patient relationship, that is ridiculous.   I can't afford that!   I've been blessed with pretty good health.   I go to the doctors perhaps once a year.   I don't need to go every blessed week.    Needless to say, I did not ever complete what had been expected.            Because I had gon...

           Funny how sometimes I can look at a word or a phrase and turn into sentences and paragraphs.   Other times I haven't a clue what possessed me to even write it down.   I have at least seven blog ideas and unfortunately sore arms and an assignment due.               This week's assignment deals with a mortgage calculator and answering four questions.   Still APA and 750 words.   Thus far I am short 300 words.     How terribly boring for my instructor to have to read 15 - 30 assignments.   The more suggestions I'm given in order to "stretch" out the words - the more boring it becomes.   Right now I'm taking a break.           I mentioned how the school would be sending Roland a new computer as he was having problems with the last.   I had experienced problems with internet connection before - but ...

       I am still considered to be a board member of the library and evidently have my own out box at the library.   Our board president LOVES to read and has committed to keeping the library open - even if she has to use her own personal books.   We've received a great deal of donations, and she has gone through various books to see which ones will be sold and which could be shelved.   Whenever she finds the word "Mormon" she automatically sets it aside and asks me if it is something I might be interested in.             I finished a book just over two weeks ago.   She had left it in my box.   It took just two weeks for me to read "Rumors of War" from the Children of Promise series by Dean Hughes.   Though the initial publication of the books are over 20 years, I had never read any of them before, and after reading the first in the five book collection, I had to have more. ...

He graduated with a BA in graphic arts the October before we moved to Oregon. He had planned on walking in the graduation ceremony the very day that he and Jenna came to Oregon to start unloading furniture. I went to my uncle's funeral. For over a year he's been online, creating plans for a business.   He took his assignments seriously and did the research as though he were really going to start a business here.   Except for just one week, his business plan focus was always on starting an adult day care which this area is in great need of.   It hasn't been done before.   It sounds like a good idea, but he doesn't have the funding.   He has done the research and had even sent out surveys.   We call it "sunk" investment. He graduated with his masters last month.   He would like to walk across the stage in June. It would be so nice to see the family again, but I fear it will be a repeat of our visit to Utah this...

                My sister had posted this to her facebook page.   We laugh because it is true.   Surely most mothers will have several stories to go with each picture.   Here are mine: 1.         Although this first example does not involve pillows, it does involve a child's ability to sleep   anywhere that an adult couldn't possibly.   Before Kayla was born there was a time when my brother Corey had gone missing.   My dad and I had searched the house high and low for him.   We had gone outside.   We had called neighbors.   We were frantic.   We both said prayers.   We called his name over and over again . . . he wouldn't respond.             During the course of searching, I had dropped something and had crawled under the table to get it.   There, on t...