New Address

Finally......new blog address.......onemothers-story.blogspot.com

Hello, Again

During these months there have been so few words.  I have debated this blog, continue, don't continue, start a new one, keep the old.   You can guess which won.

Life has been an adventure.  Putting it mildly.  We've moved, I've finished school, started working, Anna is working, David has been busy with Walmart and Special Olympics, Nathan continues his battle, Leah is still in KC, has passed Idaho state boards.  In general, we're just chugging on like the rest of you.

I'll try to give an overview, let you in on how we are.  David continues to be sweet David.  He is working like crazy, just finished Special Olympics for fall.  He did bowling, which is something new for him.  He didn't do well during practice.  Surprising since sports is such a natural thing for him.  But at area games he did well, won the first game, then got a second place ribbon.  He was so excited.  There's a bit of a break for now, in January floor hockey begins.    He has talked to his bishop about going to the temple, the bishop is checking into it, so David is just waiting to hear.

Nathan continues his struggle.  Some days I feel like he's actually figuring things out, then there's a point where I'm not certain that he can.  He's working, which is good.  I'm not sure what the future holds.  This is a time I would like to have a magic wand, one that actually works.  No such luck. 

Leah continues to live with Grandpa.  She came home for a week to take her state boards (FINALLY)  She passed and is thrilled.  She will get a Missouri license, as well, and probably a Kansas one.  She isn't sure where she wants to work.  It will take about 4 weeks or so to get all the licensing in place.  She debates coming back to Idaho.  But has decided to stay put.  She and Grandpa have gotten to know each other well.  Leah says it would be hard to leave him.

Anna is working like crazy.  She bought a car in August and is finding out how expensive that whole deal is.  She is trying to decide what she wants to do.  Her choices are paramedic, nursing, or interior design/architecture.  Honestly I see her as an artist much more than anything else, but she keeps going away from that.  Who knows how it will all work out?!

I am working full time.  I work at the mall.  Nothing exciting.  I don't mind my job, I just don't like retail well.  I also work weekday mornings at an elementary school as a 2nd grade aide.  It is something I have never done before.  I am enjoying it.  I work for two different teachers.  I didn't realize how hard a teacher's job is.  Now that I know, I am so grateful for all they do.

This Thanksgiving will be a different one.  David and Anna both have to work all day.  So I'm not sure what we're doing about dinner.  Nathan said he would go to the morning program with me which is our family tradition.

I think that gives a good update on us. 

I also feel like I'm ready to write again.  I'm not certain how often this will be updated.  I work a ton, it is going into a busy time, we don't have a computer at home, so I'll do the best I can. 

Happy Thanksgiving.

Hello Again

Hello.......again.........I am alive.  Life has been a crazy, out of control ride for these weeks.  I'm not certain things have settled down, but we're working on it.

The biggest news. I finished school!!!!  Whew.........I have six theory hours to make up, exit interviews to do, but I have completed my state requirements on haircuts, colors, nails, waxing, etc.  Such a good feeling.  I am not certain when I'm taking my licensing test.  I had planned on October, but we'll see.  Again, all the other "stuff" which is clouding my life.

The second biggest news.  We moved.  Not far.  Just across town.  We're in a larger place.  It isn't too bad.  I have to admit I like having space for all of our junk.  But it is problematic, David has to be driven back and forth from work.  He hates it as much as I do.  But we'll get used to it.

I guess I should really say the biggest news......Anna moved home.  What a sweet moment.  It feels good to have her there.  I'm not sure David is thrilled to have Anna giving him a bad time, they seem to go back and forth a lot, but it feels nice to have another person in my world. 

Leah continues her journey in the Midwest.  It has been an adventure at best. She and Grandpa are doing fine. 

Nathan continues his struggle.  I saw him for a few minutes yesterday.  He looks good.  Better than the last time I saw him.  We chatted for a bit.  I have no idea what the future holds, but I pray he figures it out.  Things continue to be so past the point of my helping. 

David began soccer for Special Olympics two weeks ago.  He is thrilled.  Me, not so thrilled.  He went floating with a friend last week.  I'm not certain where they floated.  David said somewhere in Rigby.  I'm surprised he went.  He does not like water at all.  He keeps bugging me about a road trip.  Hopefully we can figure something out soon.

Life moves on.  I'm not sure how much I'll keep this up to date.  I've considered giving up or starting a new one.  I'm not sure which I will decide to do, so be patient. 


Happy Tuesday. 

love

The most spectacular,indescribable, deep euphoric feeling for someone. Love is an incredibly powerful word. When you're in love, you always want to be together, and when you're not, you're thinking about being together because you need that person and without them your life is incomplete. This love is unconditional affection with no limits or conditions: completely loving someone. It's when you trust the other with your life and when you would do anything for each other. When you love someone you want nothing more than for them to be truly happy no matter what it takes because that's how much you care about them and because their needs come before your own. You hide nothing of yourself and can tell the other anything because you know they accept you just the way you are and vice versa. It's when they're the last thing you think about before you go to sleep and when they're the first thing you think of when you wake up, the feeling that warms your heart and leaves you overcome by a feeling of serenity. Love involves wanting to show your affection and/or devotion to each other. It's the smile on your face you get when you're thinking about them and miss them. Love can make you do anything and sacrifice for what will be better in the end. Love is intense,and passionate. Everything seems brighter, happier and more wonderful when you're in love. If you find it, don't let it go. One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love. -Sophocles

Wednesday

I haven't forgotten about this place.  As you can tell I've changed things around a bit.  I've come here from time to time.  Looked things over.  Left without saying a word.  I haven't had any.

Today is one of those days.  The kind where if the pressure doesn't kill me I might make it to the next thing.  While I'm not going to do this.....I read a news article this morning about a mother who killed herself and her three children.  I repeat.....I AM NOT GOING TO DO THIS.........

But there is part of me which understands.  I can see why.....the pressure, the uncertainty, the feeling of there being no other way.  I can't remember how old the children were.  Just that they were young.  I feel terrible that a mother felt there was no other way.  But I can see why she felt that way.

I am nearly done with school.  I have 9-11 days left.  It depends on who you talk to about how much time I have left.  Or how off the counting of my hours are.  Or perhaps, how many hours I make up.  Mostly just how soon "they" decide to release me from hell.

When the voice came to me to go to beauty school I fought against as hard as I could.  It didn't work.  You can plainly tell who won.  When I first started school I was excited.  As time has moved forward the excitement left.  In its place  the questions began as to why I was there.  It is clearly outside my comfort zone.   I am not thrilled being in school with young women.  Honestly, I don't like them.  Or at least very many of them.  It has been harder than I expected to be taught by young women my kids ages.  While a few are quite good at what they do.......there are some who are just trying to move up the ladder.  I'm not a ladder mover, so I don't really get that......

All I can really say, I am sooooo looking forward for it being over.  I'm not sure when I'm taking my licensing exam.  Maybe September, but maybe not til October.  Who knows?  I really don't care.

Life is hard right now.  While I have been through some really hard things, this seems to take the cake.  I'm ready for some breathing room.  I wonder if there is such a thing.   Life moves on.  David has state games for Special Olympics this weekend.  Today he came to get his hair cut.  A friend helped me use a tool called "tattoo".  We put the Special Olympics symbol in David's hair.  It looks cool and he is thrilled.  Nathan continues on.  Leah is finding her place in the Midwest.  She loves her singles branch, is figuring out where she's going a bit more.  Anna, well, she continues on. 

Sometime in these next few days it will be four years since Steffen was first diagnosised with Congestive Heart Failure.  Hard to believe.  Many things forgotten.  Many things which will never be.  Tonight, I miss him.  I could use a good dose of stupid jokes, a little gossip, or perhaps, just a long chat.

The Star-Spangled Banner

Francis Scott Key, a young poet-lawyer, witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry while under British guard on an American truce ship in the Patapsco River. Seeing his country's flag still flying over the Fort the next morning, he was moved to pen these immortal lines:



O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming!
And the rockets's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the mornings' first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation
Then conquer we must when our cause it is just
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Mercy

mer·cy

 

1.

compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence:

2.

the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing:

3.

the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, especially to send to prison rather than invoke thedeath penalty