Two Peas In A Pod~. . .

Yep, that is Ron and me. Two peas in a pod!


Have you ever heard of couples that can "hear" each other's thoughts?

Ron and I seem to have that quality when we read each others' mind. For example, Ron will ask me a question. Then, before I answer it a thought will come to me with the answer and it is what he was thinking.

Today for instance he was getting hungry and we hadn't really thought of what to fix for dinner. I was writing on my blog so let him go get dinner going. The thought came to my mind when he walked into the kitchen from the family room. It thought to myself, we don't often have tuna so maybe that would be good to fix.

A few minutes later he was bustling around the kitchen cutting up fresh veggies for spinach salad. I walked over to where he was and saw a can of tuna on the counter. He then said, "how about tuna tonight?" I laughed and realized that is what I was thinking out of the blue and there he took it out from the pantry about the same time I had that impression and didn't say anything until then.

We both laughed and saw one of those moments where an old married couple like us, could hear each other thinking the same thing at the same time. Now, that is remarkably amazing! It happens that way with us often too.

That is not too bad since today is our five month anniversary. Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart. I love you.

Family Home Evening With Grandchildren, Mom

Here is a picture of us with our guest for dinner. It is Monday and we had Shannon and her children over for dinner and had Family Night with them. Tom, Shannon's husband is out of town working on a job in New York.

We fixed a delicious roast for dinner and invited them to have family night with us. Grandma prepared a lesson and Grandpa added to it. They all seemed to enjoy the lesson. We had ice cream for dessert. We all had a good time visiting and talking about when Jesus comes again and being prepared for his return.

The kids discovered the chi machine and all had a turn jiggling on it. It was energizing and liked the rush they got when it stopped. It helps balance the brain and helps them have a clear mind too. They had a good time and are glad to spend time with them for family night.

Driving Mr. Daisy

My children (some of them anyway) would tease me about liking to have someone else drive me to appointments or family things. They would call me "Miss Daisy," after the movie about Morgan Freeman who was the driver in that movie, with Jessica Tandy as Miss Daisy.

Today, Ron insisted I drive home after grocery shopping at the local market. It is about a mile from the house. So he handed me the keys and opened the driver's side of the truck and walked around to the passenger side and got in.

It was kind of exciting to be in the driver's seat in the truck. It was like driving Aaron's truck again where I can see over the other cars sitting up high. I teased Ron as being "Mr. Daisy." He just smiled and said he enjoyed having me drive him around. He commented on how I had experience driving a truck. It was my first time to drive our 2010, F-150 4x4, Ford.

Special Feelings

Today, Saturday we attempted to go to a basketball game for Dallas' team at the Jr. High school. We were just about ready to leave when we received a call from Shelly to let us know the game had been rescheduled and we missed it like they did. No one informed them soon enough.

There were a few errands to run so we did those instead. We went to visit Shannon and Shelly for a few minutes. It was good to have the time and talk to them as well.
After lunch we caught up on reading our scriptures then read Hank's post for the day before BYU's last home game televised on the byutv channel.

Hank talked about visiting an orphanage and his experience with the children. I could hardly read it for the tears welled up in my eyes. I was reading to Ron and he had to prompt me through my tears. I was so touched by the way Hank spoke about these children and the infirmities that some came with to this life. Those children have a special place in my heart from the experience I had as an adoption social workers. God blesses those little ones, I know and he is aware of each and every one. I know that without a doubt. I know they have a special place in the heart of the Savior, the Shepherd too.


Back to reality . . .we watched the ball game.

A short Trip to Seattle to See Family

That title has such a nice ring to it. : )

This last week we took a short trip to Seattle Tuesday, Valentine's Day. We had a chance to visit with and stay with Matt and Beth's and the kids. It is so neat to live only three hours away from them. We also had a chance to go to Trader Joe's ( our favorite place) to get our stash of food supplements.

Ron had some business to take care of with renewing his Mexican passport at the Consulate there in Seattle on Wednesday. The process was a bit of a long wait but he came back from his appointment with the new one in hand. He has dual citizenship so he is able to travel in and out of Mexico with out a visa for any extended visits.

We had Tai dinner with Matt and Beth's family. It was a new experience for us to taste the Tai food and curry. We had a great time and loved being with the kids. Baby Tess had grown so much and was as cute and happy as ever.

Valentine from My Sweetheart

We headed back the next day, on Wednesday. The weather was good, and not much rain to deal with like the day before.

We hardly had time to think about Valentine's being out of town, but Ron got me a surprise Azalea plant and a sweet Valentine card. I was thrilled. We have it in the living room on the table and it brightens up the room. He is so thoughtful and takes charge of watering it for me, so it is sure to survive until we can plant it outside. He also got one of those Mylar balloons, that says, "I Love You."

I appreciate so much his kindness and loving attention to be sure I am loved and well taken care of. I love being a wife and just doing things together, even the simplest of things like both making lunch or dinner. He spoils me and makes breakfast for us a lot of the time. What a man.

I constantly express my gratitude and give him lots of hugs and kisses with those thanks you's.

Footnote:

Some of you may be wondering about the shifted interest in serving our mission in the U.S., when we had talked about going to Mexico to use our Spanish and perhaps work on the Perpetual Education Fund.

Well, since we had the shocker about my health and the diabetes, Ron approached the thoughts to see if I was open to serve with him in the states rather than go foreign with my health issues. (Wow that was a long sentence!)

I realized what a sacrifice that must be for him to do that so I could get the medical care for the time being. We also needed to consider to have medical coverage too. The insurance would double if we had to keep the medicare insurance and one while on a foreign mission wherever that might be.

He searched on the mission opportunities online on the Church site and found a fit with the one in Arizona. We think that perhaps later on, as time goes on and my health issues are under control the opportunity to go to Mexico may be a good possibility for another mission call.

Planning to serve a Mission together

Feed My Sheep

It has been my lifelong dream to go on a mission. A real mission with my husband. Ron was doing a search to the Church’s website for mission opportunities for Senior Couples. We want to find the right place where we can serve and use his expertise in horticulture and help others use his knowledge.

We came upon one on the Navajo reservation. As Ron read it I kept thinking that it would be one where he would be in the “field” and I would be in an office. I so much hoped to work side by side with my husband. I told him about my concerns and left it at that. I need to support my husband on this so I prayed and asked that I could have a change of heart and be able to support him if it meant he would need to work alone some of the time. He made the comment that we would only go where we both felt right about it. A day passed.

Then, Ron and I received a phone call from the Stake President over the project in Arizona. He answered a lot of our questions. Ron got very animated and liked what he learned from President Justice. We had a chance to listen to the details of the program and the successes they have had. It shows how committed this stake president is and very interested in helping his stake members received the assistance to become self-sufficient through the gardening project. He was also very helpful. I caught the vision and felt my heart move toward accepting that this option could be right for both of us and to not be concerned about it. We could at times both work in the Family History Center and I could go out with him to visit the families’ gardens on the reservation to give them support and advise them.

After we talked to President Justice, we sat down to read our scriptures. I felt a strong impression to tell Ron how much I loved him and tell him that I supported him and would be willing to go to the Navaho reservation for a mission. He said he appreciated that and I know he did.

Blessings and Promises to Serve A Mission

Ron and I are looking into mission possibilities and found this about a Church Service Mission. It is work with the Native Americans on the Navajo and Hopi reservation in Arizona. It has a good fit and feel for both our talents.

At this time we are looking to see what we can afford and be able to serve those who most could use our talents. We have talked to President Justice, the church leader over this project there on the reservation. He has been over this for about 2-3 years and has increased the success of it greatly since its beginning. The idea is to help the people become provident and self-sustaining through gardening instruction and completion for harvest, along with Family history.

It has a two fold purpose. One, to become self-sufficient through gardens. The family history part of it also brings them to the temple and helps in bringing their ancestors on the other side closer and blessings of the temple as well.

We are considering to start in October and go for a year. We will be able to have flexibility to travel to attend family events as we see fit. We would only be about 8 hours from family in Utah. But can also go home to Washington as well.

Interesting opportunity for us. This is one to consider at least and will keep open minds about it. Tell us what you think.

Glowing with Happiness . . .

We went to the Columbia River Temple to do sealings for more family names. We were able to do one for a couple for my great grandmother, Nestora Garcia to her second husband, Jose Angel Lopez. There was a sweet spirit felt which radiated throughout the ordinance performed for them. Ron mentioned he felt it too.

There were a few other couples there as well. We had a chance to exchange greetings. The two men were brothers and assisted in the other ordinances besides us. We found out that one of the couples was going to be married tomorrow.They told us they were both widowed last year and met each other. I told them that Ron and I were married in September.

Later as I walked to the dressing room the two sisters stopped me. They gave me a compliment saying, "You are glowing with happiness, and radiant." During the session they said they mentioned to each other how happy I looked and could tell that my husband was so in love with me. I agreed with them.

It is wonderful for the love I have for my husband and his love for me shows in our countenance.

Having Joy in Our Posterity. . .

A few weeks ago, Brook and Dave announced their baby is a girl. They asked their Facebook followers to guess what they were having. I told them, "I would put my money on a girl, a girly one." That adds number 59 grandchild to our full brood.

Today I found out what the next grandchild (number, 60)born is to be a little girl! Aaron and Candice announced at Christmas they are expecting number five child. I was thrilled to know that. They called me today after they found out what they are having.

Their hopes were for a girl, so the mystery is solved and I am pleased to say, my dreams of this little one are (finally) coming true.

Interesting thing about grandmothers. They have an extra sense once in a while and sometimes it cannot be denied. More than a few times, I would feel a little person underfoot (and even bump into)that I could not see walking around the house with my mortal vision. Aaron said he had similar feelings too.

I would have dreams about a little girl sitting on the back porch swinging her little feet up and back rocking herself on the lower stair steps of the deck behind the kitchen at Aaron and Candice's house. She looked like Joel, in a dress! Cute Dutch bobbed hair cut, kind of blondish and the cutest round face and rosy cheeks.

She had a cute pink and white dress than came to her knees and was barefoot showing the cutest little piggies. That was about two years ago. Now she will come for real sometime in June. How fitting, since that is about the time of year I saw her, in the summer with the green grass and flowers all in bloom.

Congratulations, Brook and Dave, and Aaron and Candice!!!

A Whirlwind of a Week

Nor sugar, Hershey bars for me!
Last week, for those of you who are unaware, was told I have diabetes. It is something I never thought of having and learning how to manage the blood sugar levels that are so high, it makes my head spin, actually.

This week has been spent trying to monitor myself, with Ron's help and eat right, take the prescription for the diabetes. The medicine alone has not been very effective so far. It has been about ten days since I first knew about all this.

This last week also included going to the doctor for more blood work, and more appointments. I cannot help but to wonder if all of these appointments are somehow related to the diabetes. The sleep doctor told me that my high blood pressure may have contributed to the sleep apnea. Then, the diabetes be related to the high blood pressure.

My blood pressure came down after taking the Metformin, the lowest it has ever been (116/78); but didn't bring down the sugar levels. It must be good for that. The Diabetic nurse at the clinic told me to give it time to work on the sugar levels. So this has totally confused me too.

This is all I can report for now. More to come as I progress and get the hang of all this attention to my health right now.

Ron has been wonderful to help me by taking my blood samples so many times a day. Sheesh, in my opinion I have all of a sudden become so high maintenance. He would beg to differ since he says he loves me, and it is his way to show me he is there for me. I love that man. He is all my dreams come true.

I wake up and he is running his fingers through my hair and giving caresses I never knew before by gently loving me as he touches my back or shoulders and gives me a gentle squeeze before I even open my eyes! I know he genuinely loves me.

I Hope They Call Me On A Mission

These are Aaron and Candice's two young sons ready for church. He sent these to me via text. I saw those two and tears came to my eyes to see them in their Sunday suits. It melted my heart.

I have a similar picture of Michael with Aaron in their Sunday ties and white dress shirts at about the same age. Priceless photo.

Thanks, Aaron. It made my day.

More Work in Oregon Today

The mint field is in the background. Ron is out there (somewhere) pulling Soil samples in the dirt.

We drove out to a mint farm to get more soil samples for Ron's work. We drove three hours to get there. The roads were so winding that I tried to sleep through it rather than get car sick on the going.

It worked and I was able to get back through it okay. I read to Ron about some history about the Colonies in Mexico on the way home to pass the time. We both enjoyed the history and I grow more and more to appreciate his ancestors. They made so many sacrifices and were survivors. It is a stirring history and one that tells me how and why they went there. It is mostly about family and how they all worked together as families and as members of the church.

We also visited with the grower and found out his family has owned that farm for 125 years. That was about as long ago as Ron's family migrated to Mexico in the mid 1880s.

I took a short walk and took a few pictures of the area around us. Ron said the seed eating birds stay for the winter. I saw a lot of places where seeds were in the fields. I was impressed that God takes care of the sparrows (all birds) and provides for all creatures he created to survive. I saw the hand of God in that dead looking field. I saw foot prints of deer in the dirt. They come down from the hills to look for food.

In The Trenches [of the Mint Fields] to Test Soil

Early spring is (almost) here in the South East corner of Washington state. The ground is prime to allow soil samples to be taken so far. We went out one day last week, but the ground was frozen!

Ron, getting the equipment out to take the first sample.

Taking the soil sample. Get a load of that Aussie Stetson.

Me, taking a shot at the soil sampling.

The weather has been cooperative for the first soil samples for the season. Lots more to do in the next six weeks to come. It will take us to Oregon too, later in the month or early March.

We look forward to traveling there for a day a few times. Oregon is very wet right now and maybe even frozen ground. That Ground Hog, Punxsatawney Phil's P.R. person said there is six more weeks of Winter. What is new, anyway?