MEMORIAL DAY-2013

 DON  AND I WENT OUT TO THE SUMMERS TO FIX UP THE AREA THAT MOM, DAD AND TERESA'S ASHES ARE BURIED.  WE HAVE HAD SO MUCH MOISTURE THIS YEAR, THERE WERE LOTS OF WEEDS GROWING AROUND THE SITE.  YOU COULD HARDLY SEE WHERE IT WAS.  DON THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE THE CASE SO HE BROUGHT A HOE FROM HOME TO CLEAN THE AREA UP.

                    IT LOOKED SO MUCH BETTER WHEN HE WAS FINISHED.

 I FIXED UP THE FLOWERS BEFORE PLACING THEM BACK IN THE CONTAINER.  NEXT YEAR I WANT TO BUY SOME NEW FLOWERS.  THESE  SUNFLOWERS HAVE LASTED FOR 2 YEARS BUT THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED  NEXT YEAR.

 WE THEN DROVE OVER TO MEMORIAL GARDENS.  WE HAD BROUGHT SOME CLEANER SINCE THE FAMILY PLAQUE HAD SOME WHITE STUFF AT THE BOTTOM OF IT.   I'M SURE IT WAS FROM THE HARSH WINTER WEATHER THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR.

I PLACE THE FLOWERS AND THE  LAMB AND LION FIGURINE  ABOVE THE PLAQUE.  FOR SOME REASON THIS PLAQUE GIVES ME COMFORT.

 I'M GLAD THAT THE ASHES ARE BURIED OUT IN THE SUMMERS FIELD, BUT I LOVE HAVING SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE FOR OUR   EAMES FAMILY PLAQUE.  IT'S PLACED NEAR  THE  RIGHT HAND OF THE RESURRECTED CHRIST STATUE.

 DON AND I LOVE TO GO OVER TO THE MARINES  RAISING THE AMERICAN FLAG  DON KNOWS EVERYONE'S NAME AND TOUCHES EACH ONE AS HE HONORS THEM.  THEN HE SALUTES.  THIS IS VERY TOUCHING AND I CAPTURED IT IN PICTURES.

 TAMI AND JEFF DID SOME THINGS TOGETHER IN THE MORNING . TAMI CALLED AND WANTED TO GO OVER TO THE MEMORIAL GARDENS TO REMEMBER OUR LOVED ONES AND HONOR OUR VETS.  SHE KNEW WE HAD ALREADY DONE THIS BUT   I WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO WITH HER

 AFTER MEMORIAL GARDENS, WE WENT OUT TO LUNCH AT TACO BELL AND THEN DID SOME SHOPPING.  WE ALWAYS HAVE A GREAT TIME TOGETHER.

WHAT A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR  THE VETERANS THAT DIED FOR OUR FREEDOMS.  WATCHING SOME  PROGRAMS ON T.V. MADE IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL.WE HAVE A PLAQUE IN OUR FRONT ROOM THAT SAYS....."HOME OF THE FREE, BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE."

I LOVE THIS COUNTRY AND FEEL SO BLESSED THAT I LIVE IN THIS PROMISE LAND.  DON AND I HAVE BEEN READING THE BOOK OF MORMON AGAIN AND IT SEEMS LIKE THIS TIME I'M GETTING SO MUCH MORE OUT OF IT.

JANET HAD GIVEN ME HER MOM'S LARGE PRINT BOOK OF MORMON AND IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO READ IT AND MARK SCRIPTURES THAT ARE SO MEANINGFUL TO ME.

ONE THING THAT I KNOW IS THAT THIS LAND WILL STAY FREE AS LONG AS THE PEOPLE ARE RIGHTEOUS AND LIVE THE COMMANDMENTS.  WE ALL NEED TO TURN TO HIM FOR HELP.  IF WE DO THIS, THEN ALL WILL BE WELL.

SHADOW WITH ALMOST NO TEETH LEFT!

I HAD TAKEN SHADOW TO THE VET FOR SOME UPDATED SHOTS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.  HE CHECKED SHADOWS MOUTH AND SAID THAT SHE NEEDED HER TEETH CLEANED AND THEIR WAS SOME INFECTION IN HER GUMS.  THIS WAS SUCH A SURPRISE TO ME BECAUSE SHADOW HAS ALWAYS EATEN CRUNCHY DOG FOOD AND NEVER TABLE FOOD.  WE ALWAYS THOUGHT THIS WOULD HELP KEEP HER TEETH CLEAN.

I MADE AN APPOINTMENT LAST WEEK AND TOOK HER BACK FOR THE CLEANING.  IT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE SCARY TO HAVE YOUR SPECIAL PET PUT OUT BUT OF COURSE IT'S NECESSARY FOR THE CLEANING.  I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE VET WHILE SHADOW WAS OUT AND SHE SAID THAT HER MOUTH WAS REALLY IN BAD SHAPE.  FOURTEEN TEETH HAD FALLEN OUT AND SHE NEEDED TO PULL 16 MORE SINCE THEY WERE SO BAD AND INFECTED.  I COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS.  SHADOW NEVER SHOWED ANY SYMPTOMS ABOUT BEING UNCOMFORTABLE OR IN PAIN.  SHE ALSO DIDN'T HAVE BAD BREATH TO GIVE US A CLUE THAT SHE WASN'T FEELING GOOD  OR HAD AN INFECTED MOUTH.

I TOLD HER TO DO WHAT SHE HAD TO DO TO HELP HER STAY HEALTHY.  IT ENDED UP COSTING US $715.00 AND THAT WAS WITH A SENIOR DISCOUNT.  SHADOW NOW HAS 12 TEETH TO CHEW HER FOOD.  WE ARE  GOING TO FEED HER A LITTLE SOFTER FOOD AS WELL AS PUT WATER IN HER CRUNCHY FOOD SO THAT SHE CAN EAT THIS.

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND ON A DOG BUT SHE IS WORTH EVERY CENT. SHE IS OUR MIRACLE DOG THAT CAME INTO OUR LIVES 6 YEARS AGO.  THIS LITTLE DOG HAS GIVEN US SO MUCH JOY AND LOVE.  HOW CAN YOU PUT A PRICE TAG ON THIS?   HOWEVER,  I'M SURE GLAD THAT DON IS STILL WORKING!!

I DID ASK THE VET WHY HER TEETH WERE SO BAD.  SHE TOLD ME THAT  HER BREED  HAS A TENDENCY TO HAVE BAD TEETH.  DIDN'T KNOW THIS.  I LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY.

GOOD NEWS!

I DON'T KNOW WHY I GET A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT MY DOCTOR VISITS TO MY ONCOLOGIST.  I'VE BEEN FEELING GOOD AND HAVE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT MY HEALTH.  I GUESS IT'S BECAUSE CANCER IS SUCH A SILENT KILLER AND BY THE TIME YOU FIND OUT THAT YOU HAVE IT, IT'S USUALLY BAD.

ANYWAY,  WHEN I GOT HOME DON WAS ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR ME AFTER WORK.  WITH A SMILE ON MY FACE,  AND MY THUMBS UP, HE KNEW THAT ALL WAS GOOD.  HE WORRIES EVEN MORE ABOUT MY VISITS TO THE DOCTOR.  I CALLED TAMI AT WORK AND TOLD HER THE GOOD NEWS.  SHE WORRIES EVEN MORE, THAN HER DAD AND I ,  ABOUT WHAT THE DOCTORS GOING TO TELL ME!

I DO FEEL SO BLESSED.  MAYBE PART OF THIS IS BECAUSE I JUST LOST ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS TO THE SAME CANCER  THAT I HAD.  JANET WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE 3 COLON CANCER 4 MONTHS AFTER I HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED.  SHE LOST HER BATTLE THE END OF JANUARY THIS YEAR.  WE WERE GOING TO BEAT THIS DISEASE TOGETHER BUT IT WASN'T MEANT TO BE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY SHE DIED AND I LIVED.  I DID PUT MY LIFE IN THE LORDS HANDS AND I KNEW THAT IF I WASN'T ASSIGNED TO DEATH, I WOULD LIVE.

 I'VE BEEN READING A LOT OF BOOKS ON AFTER DEATH EXPERIENCES LATELY AND I KNOW THAT THE SPIRIT GOES ON TO A WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL AND DELIGHTFUL WORLD.  I KNOW THAT JANETS  MISSION WAS OVER ON THIS EARTH AND THAT IS WHY SHE LEFT.  I CAN PICTURE HER SO HAPPY AND OUT OF PAIN.  BEING WITH HER LOVED ONES AGAIN THAT HAD PASSED ON, MUST HAVE BEEN A WONDERFUL REUNION.

I DON'T FEAR DEATH BUT I'M NOT READY TO LEAVE YET.  I STILL HAVE LOTS TO DO.  I ALSO DON'T WANT TO LEAVE MY FAMILY HERE ON EARTH.  I LOVE BEING WITH THEM SO MUCH.  I ALSO WANT TO WATCH ALL MY GRANDCHILDREN GROW UP AND BEGIN TO HAVE CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN.

I'M SO LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR 3 WEEK CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM OUR DAUGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.  THE END OF JUNE AND FIRST TWO WEEKS OF JULY,  WE ARE GOING TO BE IN VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA,  NEW YORK AND MARYLAND.  A WEEK AT THE OUTER BANDS IS A FAMILY REUNION.  CAN'T WAIT!!!  SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

WEDNESDAY GIRL'S NIGHT OUT

DURING THE REST OF SPRING AND SUMMER, TAMI AND I WILL BE GETTING TOGETHER ON WED. NIGHTS INSTEAD OF THURSDAY.  JEFF HAS GOLF ON WED. WITH HIS FRIENDS AND SO THIS MAKES A GOOD EVENING FOR TAMI AND I TO GET TOGETHER.

I'M SO GLAD THAT WE HAVE THIS TRADITION TO EAT OUT AND DO SOME SHOPPING.  IT'S FUN TO HAVE THIS GIRLS NIGHT.  WE GET CAUGHT UP ON ALL THE NEWS AS WELL AS HAVE SUCH FUN TOGETHER.

THANK GOODNESS ONE OF OUR DAUGHTERS LIVE SO CLOSE SO THAT WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE THIS!!

2013- MOTHERS DAY

 WE ALWAYS LOVE HAVING TAMI ATTEND SACRAMENT MEETING WITH US.  AFTER THE MEETING FLOWERS WERE PASSED OUT.  I ALWAYS GIVE MINE TO TAMI SO THAT SHE CAN PLANT THEM IN HER FLOWER BOX.

 I LOVE WEARING THE NECKLACE THAT DADRA  GAVE ME A FEW YEARS AGO.  IT'S A MOM AND DAD WITH 4 CHILDREN DANCING IN A CIRCLE.  IT REMINDS ME THAT WE ARE AN ETERNAL FAMILY!

 LAST NIGHT, DON BOUGHT A KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN DINNER.  HE DIDN'T WANT ME  WORKING ON MY SPECIAL DAY.

 IT WAS SO FUN TO BE PAMPERED ALL WEEK-END.  I JUST SAT BACK AND ENJOYED IT.

THERE WAS SO MUCH FOOD  WE HAD LEFT OVERS FOR ANOTHER NIGHT THIS WEEK.   DON AND I ENJOYED EVERYTHING AFTER IT WAS HEATED UP.

 ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IS TO GET LOVELY CARDS FROM ALL MY DAUGHTERS. IT'S SO FUN TO GET MAIL THAT'S NOT JUNK OR BILLS.  I ALSO GET PHONE CALLS FROM  OUR DAUGHTERS.  I LOVE TALKING  TO ALL OF THEM IN ONE DAY.

AS YOU CAN SEE, DON IS EXHAUSTED AFTER OUR FULL WEEK-END.  HE DID WORK ON SATURDAY AND THEN WORKED OUT FOR 2 1/2 HOURS AT THE GYM
HE DESERVED THE SUNDAY NAP.

WHAT A GREAT WEEK-END.  I FELT VERY HONORED AND LOVED!

CELEBRATING MOTHER'S DAY ON SATURDAY

 TAMI AND JEFF WANTED TO TAKE US OUT TO DINNER FOR MOTHERS DAY.  I PICKED PIZZA HUT FOR OUR MEAL.  I PULLED OUT A GIFT FOR TAMI AND SHE WONDERED WHY I WAS GIVING HER A GIFT.  WHEN SHE WAS VISITING THIS WEEK-END,  TAMI SAW THE PICTURE OF ME WHEN I WAS 22 YEARS OLD.  SHE SAID,  "MOM, I WOULD LOVE ONE OF THESE PICTURES OF YOU.

DON AND I SEARCHED  FOR AN OVAL FRAME FOR THE PICTURE.  WE FINALLY FOUND ONE AT HOBBY LOBBY.  IN MY NOTE TO TAMI I TOLD HER THAT SHE IS LIKE A MOM TO ME......ALWAYS CONCERNED,  CALLS ME ALMOST EVERY DAY TO FIND OUT HOW I'M DOING, OFTEN GOES TO MY  DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS WITH ME AND ENJOYS BEING TOGETHER AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK FOR A  "GIRL'S NIGHT OUT"

IT'S NICE TO KNOW  THAT SHE ENJOYS BEING WITH ME AS MUCH AS I ENJOY BEING WITH HER.   THIS GIFT LET'S HER KNOW THAT I NEVER TAKE  THIS  BLESSING  FOR GRANTED.

 THE FOOD WAS DELICIOUS AND WE  ENJOYED VISITING TOGETHER.   THEY GAVE ME A GIFT FOR MOTHER'S DAY.  LOOKING FORWARD TO BUYING SOMETHING I LIKE WITH THIS VISA CARD.

WE EVEN HAD SOME PIZZA TO TAKE HOME FOR LUNCH TOMORROW.

APPRECIATION DINNER

 WE ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING JEFF AND TAMI OUT TO DINNER IN APRIL.  WE ENDED CHILDREN'S DAY IN 2008 WITH AN ELEPHANTS THEME.  THAT'S BECAUSE ELEPHANTS NEVER FORGET.

DON AND I LIKE TO LET TAMI AND JEFF KNOW WE DON'T FORGET HOW THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE FOR US.

SINCE THEY LIVE SO CLOSE, THEY HAVE THE WORRY AND CONCERN EVERY DAY FOR OUR WELL BEING.    THIS IS JUST A SMALL WAY WE SHOW OUR APPRECIATION.

MEMORIES OF 1965-1966

I FOUND A FRAME AT A YARD SALE THAT I LIKED.  I'VE HAD IT FOR A FEW YEARS AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO PUT IN IT.  I FOUND IT IN A BOX AND DECIDED TO FIND A PHOTO FOR IT.  AS I WAS GOING THROUGH SOME PICTURES I FOUND THIS PICTURE OF ME THAT WAS TAKEN AT A PHOTO BOOTH FOR A DOLLAR.  FOR SOME REASON I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED THIS PICTURE AND HAD IT BLOWN UP.  SINCE IT WAS IN BLACK AND WHITE I TOOK MY COLORED PENCILS AND COLORED IT.  I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS PICTURE UNTIL NOW.  IT WAS A PERFECT FIT FOR THE FRAME.

I HAD THIS PICTURE TAKEN  IN  1965 JUST BEFORE DON GOT HOME FROM HIS MISSION TO JAPAN.  WE STARTED DATING AGAIN AND  SOON PLANNED A JUNE WEDDING THE FOLLOWING YEAR.  BECAUSE OF HIS HOME LIFE, DON CAME OVER TO MY HOUSE ONE DAY AND SAID THAT WE EITHER GET MARRIED NOW OR HE WAS GOING BACK IN TO THE MARINES.   HE COULDN'T LIVE AT HOME ANY MORE.   WE GOT OUT  THE CALENDAR AND DECIDED TO GET MARRIED IN EXACTLY 2 WEEKS.  EVERYTHING WAS PLANNED ON JAN. 1, OF 1966.

EVERYTHING FELL INTO PLACE.  WE PLANNED TO GET MARRIED IN THE OAKLAND TEMPLE SO WE MADE THE APPOINTMENT FOR JAN.15, 1966.  I TOOK OUT MY ENDOWMENTS THE THURSDAY NIGHT BEFORE WE GOT MARRIED.  A GOOD FRIEND OF MY MOM'S WANTED TO GIVE ME A SHOWER.  SOMEONE ELSE HAD OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE WITH THE OAKLAND TEMPLE ENGRAVED ON THE FRONT.  WE FOUND AN APARTMENT, HAD OUR PHYSICALS, AND I EVEN MADE MY WEDDING DRESS.  WHAT A WHIRLWIND 2 WEEKS BUT EVERYTHING WENT SO GOOD.  WHEN I LOOK BACK ON IT I'M REALLY AMAZED.  SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR WARD AT CHURCH WANTED TO HELP.  OUR FLOWERS, WEDDING CAKE, RECEPTION WERE ALL GIVEN TO US AS GIFTS.  I EVEN HAD A WOMAN COME AND PICK ME UP SO THAT I COULD PICK OUT THE TOP OF OUR WEDDING CAKE.  I STILL HAVE THAT TOP AND HAVE USED IT FOR ALL OF OUR DAUGHTER'S WEDDINGS.

SUCH MEMORIES!!  WHEN I PLACED THIS PHOTO OF ME IN THE FRAME AND HAD IT  SITTING  BY MY COMPUTER, DON SAW IT AND LOVED IT.  IT BROUGHT BACK LOTS OF MEMORIES FOR HIM TOO.

IT'S FUN TO SEE  FAMILY PICTURES BEHIND  MY PHOTO.   IT REMINDS US OF ALL OUR BLESSINGS SINCE WE WERE MARRIED!  THE PATRIOTIC GIRL HELPS US REMEMBER HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE TO LIVE IN THIS PROMISED LAND.  I'M FEELING VERY BLESSED AND GRATEFUL TODAY!!!!