Two Busy Weeks!!!

It seems as though I have finally reached the top of the proverbial mountain and can now take a break, rest, and reflect on the trip up to the summit.

Those people who keep making retirement look like a life of leisure and luxury have been leading us all astray. Some of us are old enough now to be able to tell everyone how insane that old idea is. No, you don't get to relax and leisurely lay around and play when your are old--unless you are in a nursing home. And if you are in a nursing home, you may not be in any condition to play.

An older person let me in on this a couple of decades ago. I don't even remember who it was. I do remember the person told me that when you get older you get busier!! I was shocked to hear that!! Busier?! How could I get busier than I was?! But it has turned out to be true!!

It was true even before we got Gabe in our family. Now it is even more true!

This past two weeks were no exception to that norm. The week before this past week Gabe and I had two medical appointments and my car broke down and had to have a major repair. This past week there were no medical appointments but somehow I managed to keep busy every single evening with something. I had two lessons and a vocal solo to prepare for church as well as my usual Monday through Friday client and my Tuesday evening client for my second job--Intensive Behavioral Intervention therapist for a private non-profit agency.

Beside this, there were the usual house cleaning and other odd jobs around the home, a little 4-year-old to look after whenever Claudia was working or busy, and, since the 20th and 25th were both pay days for me, we had some shopping to do. With Claudia back to work 6 hours per day, things got real messy and frustrating. On top of all this there was the prescription med I ran out of and had to do without this week--too busy during my work day at the school to remember to take care of this problem, obviously. (Maybe some day I will learn!!)

We have added some additional therapies for Gabe this past week and he has been to the dentist and had his mouth pronounced "healthy" with no cavities. Our insurance also refused to pay for that visit (they are correcting this they said), just adding to our stress level.

I want to say something funny, but recounting all of this has only generated some low level humor:

I want to think I am helping and blessing the lives of as many people as I can. After all, I was blessed with a beautiful tenor voice and so many people really enjoyed my solo today--lots of compliments!!! People also complimented me on my lessons or, at least, thanked the Lord for them in a closing prayer. (What does one expect when teaching 12 and 13 year olds?) The truth is I have not been sufficiently sensitive in ministering to the needs of those around me.

I have heard the saying: "No rest for the wicked."  Many years ago someone in my life added to that, "And the righteous don't need any."

Let's see: "No rest for the wicked and the righteous don't need any." Hmmm. So am I wicked or righteous? Using these two statements as a test I have to say I cannot determine the answer to that question. "No rest" pretty much sums up my present situation. That is as far as it goes.

For certain I am not accomplishing some important tasks that are long overdue. These are the "shoulds" in my life. Like the understanding cognitive behavioralist I am I tell myself to quit shoulding on myself. But I know I must keep doing my best for all of us.

The song I performed today in church--"You're Not Alone" by Michael MacLean did bring comfort to those who heard it. This time of the year it is a very important message for people to hear.

Always remember you are not alone--He is there. He is either walking beside you or carrying you, for he loves us all more than we know!

A Day to Relax?

I am home today because we had parent-teacher conferences in Rigby for the past two nights. 


I had to drive Gabe to school because there was a miscommunication and the bus didn't come to get him. He and I played around in the living room this morning and had lots of fun but we waited 45 minutes for the bus to come. Stephen chatted with me from Japan so he was up after 4 am. He told me he should get to bed a little earlier. Hmmmm--Ya think?
Claudia went to work this morning before Gabe had to go to school. She is trying The Learning Center again.


I scraped some of the snow off the ice on the sidewalk and driveway today.


I ate my lunch a few minutes ago.


The house is so peaceful right now. I wish I could rest. Instead I have to go to The Learning Center to do IBI with a new client who is arriving at 2:15. So now I have to reread the client's plan before I go.


I have been told for many years that there is no rest for the wicked and that the righteous don't need any. Therefore, I draw no spiritual comfort from being busy instead of taking a break


I will work with that client until 6 pm.


I used to think that when I got to be a senior I could retire, travel, rest, and play a lot. However, someone several years ago informed me that you get busier and busier the older you get. I find this statement has been prophetic for me.


All the same, I love my life and family. What more could I ask of a merciful God?

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A Wedding to Remember

Three years ago today our daughter, Carolyn, married Samuel Shaffer in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. Carolyn had some last minute "cold feet" and we were delayed some but everything turned out and she is now happily married to the love of her life.

But that wedding day--Ahhhhh! It was cooooold!! We took photos out in the very cold Idaho Falls January Weather. Poor Carolyn, she was freezing the whole time!!!

Photos?? There on a website belonging to the photographer. Some time I will add some.

Have a great day!!!

Hmmmm--I thought I was enough!!

Well, well, well, well--I thought I was tech-minded enough to do this blog, and I am!! I just have to slow down and pay attention to what I need to do. It will definitely be a learning experience.

I keep wanting to put my blog out there for everyone to access, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet--at least I don't think I have. Maybe this site doesn't allow people to see my blog unless they are invited? Hmmm.

Tonight I made some toast and the toaster had a strange smell of burning rubber. I looked and looked. Finally, after I had finished getting the toast out of the toaster, I found the rubber band--just hanging there from one of the rib-like objects that hold the toast up.

Now how was I supposed to get that out?

This is a lesson in simplicity--it was so easy to do. Somehow I got the impression that if I grabbed a butter knife from the drawer and stuck it down there something good might happen. (Now don't try this at home!!)

In went the knife (Who did that?!) and up came a dangling piece of half-melted rubber. Into the trash went the offending object!!! And into the air had diffused the toxic odor!!

Opening doors and windows and ordering the bathroom fan turned on--that would be me!!

The house still smells so bad I will be glad to get my C-Pap mask on tonight when I crash--phew!!

Meanwhile everyone else has gone to bed.

Exercises?? Still didn't get them done tonight--when will I get some sense into my tired little head?!

Goodnight everyone!!

Clyde

Well--Finally Another Post

It is high time I began posting on this blog. Much has happened since my first post in August and now it is January 10, 2010!!

Our new family addition, Gabe, has been in pre-school since some time in October and has really grown!!! We went to Sacramento to pick Gabe up at the end of last May and the beginning of June. In September we obtained court-ordered guardianship and have since been working very hard to make him a real part of our family. Our oldest, Stephen, who turned 30 July 21st (the same day Gabe turned 4) left for a semester abroad in Kyoto, Japan at Kansai Gaidai University. He has done so well that his Japanese government scholarship will continue for another semester. We are planning on his return in April or May, but who knows? Maybe he will stay there and work or find some nice Japanese young lady to marry.

Our second oldest, Carolyn, (28 May 21st) and her husband, Sam, are presently living in Cedar City, Utah. Because of the economy and some failed jobs they are having more of a struggle than they planned for, but they are so far sticking it out and enjoying marriage. Carolyn could not be happier!

Gabe is learning to speak so we can understand him and we are learning to listen better. Today in church Gabe did better than ever. He really loves his Primary class. Claudia's parents always told us what a peaceful refuge our home was whenever they visited us. I think this is all having a positive effect on Gabe and he is feeling more like he is home and we are feeling more like parents. After the storm of Gabe's newness to our home and family, we are beginning to see the calm of his settling in and our settling for him.

After all these years, and thinking all of our (2) children were grown, it is certainly very different to have a 4-year-old in our home again. How much we have forgotten from those early years of our marriage. Last September we celebrated our 31st anniversary in a very low-key way. Somehow we grow in love for each other and in happiness each year.

I keep my hair short now--mainly because of the hazards of one of my jobs. If there is no hair to pull, that is one less problem! Sooooo--uglier I look now. Oh well--for 62 I still don't look that bad.

As my dad always said, "You are only as old as you think you are." That being said, I am convinced I am still 23 years of age!!! I just can't see myself older than that--yet.