What I Should Have Done Differently

Yesterday our stake had an "Education Day" for all the sisters.  I didn't go.  In fact, I've not been to one since we moved here.  There are several reasons I didn't or haven't been...

• Joe and I have been off on a daycation sometimes in the past so we haven't been in town or
• I may have forgotten or not been aware of it.

But, the primary reason(s) I didn't go yesterday...

• No one invited me to go with them.  No one even called to tell me or remind me about it.  This was important to me, particularly in this period of my life.  It's a hard thing to explain, especially to someone who has known me in the past.  I'm hesitant to go by myself.  I've been so used to doing everything with and for Joe for such a long time I've forgotten what it's like to me an independent, free-wheeling, go by myself person.  The only time I seem to be "not a couple" is running to the grocery store on occasion or taking care of the monthly household responsibilities. 
• I don't really know a lot of women here in the church.  I know some of the women in my ward and wonderful women they are.  However, once again I've not been the Relief Society on a regular basis so that has prohibited me getting to know the others I don't know.  And, how would I know if the women I do know were going yesterday?  I am so far out of my comfort zone these days.  It doesn't bother me to go to church on Sundays by myself.  In fact, I rather like being able to just absorb the quiet and enjoy the Spirit without having to tend to someone else's needs. 

It's no one's fault except myself that I didn't go yesterday.  I'm a big girl.  I could have hoisted up my big girl panties and gone.  Yes, I would have been late because I would have had to wait to get Joe into dialysis first.  And, I wouldn't have been able to stay for lunch because I would need to be ready to get him picked up after his session, but I could have gone - all by myself. 

More importantly, I have now realized these simple facts - I could have called someone.  I could have taken someone with me.  I, too, did not fulfill my calling as a Visiting Teacher.  I didn't call anyone to see if they knew about it.  I didn't offer to come and pick them up.  I didn't and now I wish I had.  Remember - don't point fingers at others when you haven't done what you should and could.  Hopefully, it'll be different next year.  (What was that?  That was the sound of me slapping my hand for being a bad girl).

Now I'm off to get ready for church and enjoy this absolutely wonderful, sun shining gorgeous day with my husband.

Post Secrets

One of the interesting websites I visit from time to time is postsecrets.com. It is not for the faint of heart and may be offensive to some, but it gives a great insight to how some people think in the world. It's a sad thing to me that the only way some people can share their secrets is through an anonymous postcard that will be read by a countless amount of people.

These are two that showed up on the website tonight and I thought it was quite interesting especially since it's Sunday...

Sunday morning reflections

As you may know, every Sunday morning I have to drop Joe off at the chapel by 7:00 a.m. for his bishopric meeting. I then go on to Mom and Dad's house and spend time with them until it's time to go to church. I have become their Sunday morning chauffeur to church. It's a very wonderful and restful time for me. Usually I show up at their house dressed like some reject bag lady wearing some old dress, old thrown on shoes, hair in rollers, etc. I always offer a silent prayer that we're not in some type of accident on the way to the chapel and always make sure there is plenty of gas in the car so that running out of gas is not an option.

Most mornings, I may stretch out on their couch for some more sleep. However, this morning I had the opportunity to spend some time with Dad showing him how to set up his new blog and then we spent some time "spying" on other bloggers and their bloggings. We've come to the conclusion there are some really strange people on the internet. But, every once in awhile we'd run across some very poignant blog written by someone talking about someone special in their life or memories that they remember. Isn't that why we write them...so someone we love can smile or shed a few tears or nod their head when they read something we write? They can say "Wow, I'd forgotten all about that" or "wow, I never knew that before"?

Anyway, after looking at the blogs this morning, it definitely gave me a chance to pause and reflect on my life in the last couple of weeks. There have been so many highs and lows with a very minimal amount of "normalcy". To illustrate this here goes...

The anticipation and excitement of our trip to Utah. The arduous travel getting there...changed flights...stopover in Nashville...l-o-n-g layover in Chicago...late arrival in Salt Lake and finally making it to our motel room at 1:30 a.m. after having to swap rental cars and then driving almost an hour south of Salt Lake...Corey popping into our hotel room that morning and seeing him for the first time since November...later on that morning getting to see my favorite daughter-in-law. Nikki, (remember, my only one) and most exciting and wonderful of all - meeting my new grandson, Derek! What an experience that was. More on that later as that warrants a whole blog by itself. Continuing on...seeing and playing in falling snow...Mongolian Barbecue...taking Mom to Salt Lake City...seeing the Joseph Smith movie again...touring Temple Square...eating at Pei Wei...being sealed in the Mt. Timpanogas temple...Nikki being my escort, Corey being Joe's...quiet time together for Joe and me...seeing old friends - Stan Clark, Melissa Nickle, Doug Carlson (and Erin), Sam Robinson (and Kris)...lunch together at Wings...Derek's blessing on Sunday...luncheon afterwards...excursion in the snowy mountains with Ally, Joe and Corey...Nikki's enchiladas!!!...reading emails and discovering Missy was being brought home from Emory...Cabela's...looking for gifts for people back home...babysitting for Derek for a few hours...dinner with Nikki, Corey and Derek and Mom and Joe...back to the motel to pack every one's suitcases...driving to Corey and Nikki's home for one last kiss for Derek, one last hug from Nikki and one last hug and kiss from Corey...drive to the airport....boarding on time...de-icing the plane because of falling snow...stopover in Denver - 80 degree weather...15 minute changeover in Nashville...running, running, running to catch flight...made it! Crew had saved three seats in front that was perfect! Uneventful flight to Jacksonville...last flight in...barely got to pick up luggage...lucky to have reserved room at hotel or we would have had none...breakfast at Denny's at 1:00 in the morning...slept in until last possible moment and finally arrived back home Wednesday evening. Back to work...saw Missy for the last time...Don put in hospital to have open heart surgery...Johnny put in the hospital with mild stroke...Missy died ...her visitation with Amy, Jerry and Shirley...Missy's funeral...news about Michael Kemp. I've tried to think of how to end this blog, but can't come up with anything witty or earth-shattering so I'll leave that up to you.

Some accompanying pictures are below. Just click on the link and if you place your cursor at the top left hand side on "original size", the slide show will start. Isn't that wonderful?!

http://www.slide.com/r/Ooo1WG395D9_Hau3763QLZBCRYKp2HkD?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original