Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Monday, December 22, 2008

Missy Moo's Marriage

Dec 20th 2008 was my nieces wedding day in the Mt. Timpanogas Temple in American Fork Utah. Snow was covering the ground and more was coming down, but it was a great day. Melissa was so happy and excited afterwords that I had to tell her to save some energy for that night (honeymoon activities). Melissa looked beautiful in her dress and had 6 pink bridesmiads. She married John Bell, the 8th of 10 children. John's mission president from Brazil is a sealer and was able to perform the sealing. That was really special. My oldest sister Beth made the dress and mom and I did the bussle. I have helped all my nieces who have gotten married bussle their dress. First Heidi's and now Melissa's. I think I need to make it a tradition. Mom was able to get a 4 generation picture with Cindy, Brian and Elliana (just 1 month old) Mom was able to see 3 of her 4 brothers and a cousin. We had lots of time to talk and as I got in bed that night I said to Mom : "Today was a fun day." It really was.

Throwing the bouquet. At the last few weddings I’ve been avoiding that ritual like the plague, but this time, this wedding, I decided to turn over a new leaf: no inappropriate comments about sex, or attention drawn to myself. I joined the crowd of would be flower catchers which consisted of little girls under the age of 10 and teenage girls, most of whom were the pink bridesmaids. I told the pink girls that I was 36 and single and asked them who should be the one to catch it. They all agreed it should be ME. But Melissa did it differently and I like the change! Instead of throwing one bunch of flowers, Miss undid the ribbon and when she threw it, the flowers went every where; so many girls caught a flower. I and my niece Jessica caught one each, as shown in the picture, and some of the little girls too. One 3 year old didn’t and she threw herself, full body, face first on the carpeted floor almost instantly. It was straight from a sitcom. She didn’t cry, but was obviously disappointed. It wasn’t until much latter that I realized that none of the bridesmaids got one. I’m unsure if it was because of proximity of flowers or because I intimated them out of even trying. But rest assured girls- you’ll get married- you won’t be like me. There are many bouquet catching opportunities ahead in your futures.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

All mine

There are a few quotes in this world that are ALL MINE! No body came up with them but me. Here they are. The first one came to me just today. (I'm so proud!)

1. It's all fun and games until somebody has to go to therapy!
2. Life sucks and then you die and that's coming from someone who believes in the resurrection.
3. There's 3 ways into the single adult program and 2 ways out. The 3 ways in? Never marry, get divorced, or loose a spouse. The 2 ways out? Death or matrimony. I suppose the type of marriage you have depends on what the best way out is!

Yes, I know that the first 2 I've just added to, but you got to admit, there good! The last one is all mine and I can't believe no one else has thought of it.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Sam

I've written on my blog a few times about my Basset Hound Sam. Well, 2 days after thanksgiving I had him put down. He was miserable and could barely get himself up, with his one leg, stomach, penis, testicles all swollen. He was also skin and bones. You could see his ribs. He only weighed 44 LBS and when I got him it was more like
65 LBS.

Oh, it was hard. I agonized for weeks about it, often sobbing. I'd make up my mind to do it, and then come home to him and just couldn't. He kept going down hill and his personality kept waining with each day. He still wanted to be a dog, to go on walks, to visit his dog friend Jackie, down the street, but he just couldn't. So, twice I took him to the Humane Society of Seattle, that is just a mile from us, to be put to sleep. Well, the first day they weren't doing it. I cried picking him up, placing him in the car and then when I brought him home I cried again. I had spent the whole morning with him.



The next day it really happened. One minute your looking into those big brown eyes that just love you, wishing you could make it better for him, and keep him and then they bring him out in a towel still warm, but not breathing.

My home teacher had dug the grave the week before, so I drove the car down to the grave, placed him in there and mom and I covered him up.

I did some nice things for Sam before he had to go, like taking him around in a wheel barrow around the neighborhood, for one of his last walks and driving him to see Jackie, a bigger dog. The 2 of them love each other. Jackie never comes out when It's raining, but when she saw Sam she did and when Sam saw her, his tail just went in circles. That's the happiest wag for him.

I took lots of pictures that last week and when I got them back I could see how sick he really was. Perhaps I should of put him out of his misery earlier, but my heart just couldn't do it. Here are some sick pictures and some healthy ones. I love that dog. We had a special relationship, we really did. I will miss so many things about him.



I will miss: him barking and barking when I come home. When I come home and he's out side and I go on the deck and call for him. He looks up and barks and just runs to come inside to see me. I will miss watching him run. His mouth, ears, and neck flopps and it can be really beautiful, like a ballet. He bounces and can be quite agile chasing after squarals and then when he realises he's not going to get him swirve still in a run. You'd think a dog built like that couldn't go it. I will miss watching him get up on the couch. I will miss him spreading his whole body out width wise on the bed, so I have no room to sleep. I will miss him moving to my pillow and space, so he can be closer to my smell, when I get up in the morning. I will miss the spirts he went through preteneding he can't climb the stairs to get to my bed. I'd have to get him started by placing his front feet and the first step and then coaxing him up. He's so silly! I will miss him barking at me when I was on the compture, because he wanted my attention. He finally just came and laid in the room with me. I will miss him laying on his back, belly up, with his tail thumping asking for a rub, which he wanted constantly. I will miss him snuggling up to pillows and to people. I will miss the ways he laid down; like a jelly bean, like a rug with legs stuck out both ways. I will miss him dripping water from his ears after he drank, because his ears always got in the bowl too. I will miss him putting his mouth completely to the floor and barking to let us know he wanted outside. I will miss him demanding people food every night and then realizing when he wasn't going to get it, go eat his dog food. I will miss taking his ears and rolling them up, or makeing them like a burrito, or scrunching them up, or grabbing them with his skin under his neck and talking to him. I will miss doing that and him pulling away because he wants to go outside, not attention. I will miss that he wants to be friends with everyone. I will miss that he let me pick him up and hug him how ever I wanted. I will miss that I could roll him over on his other side with his legs. I will miss him letting me clean out his ears. I will miss watching him lift his leg to pee, even though his penis was the closest thing to the ground besides his feet. I will miss him them taking his usual step and his foot landing right in his pee puddle. I will miss him coming to see where I am when I'm in the shower or the bathroom and him laying down waiting for me outside the door, or in the room. I will miss when I get out and he knows I'm going to the next bathroom so he heads there before I make it.I will miss him laying on his back, with his legs in the air and his body all twisted like an S on the couch. I will not miss him getting into the garbage, opening up cubbords with his nose, or getting stuff off the cubbards to find food to eat. I will miss all the noises he makes- he talks. I will just miss hugging him. That's a lot of missing. I miss you Sammy!

The Black Nativity

These are pictures of pictures of one of the coolest Christmas celebrations I've been to. It's called the Black Nativity and is in the Intamen theater at Seattle Center. The McOmbers took me and it was GREAT music and dancing. We got up and danced, wiggled and laughed. It's the story of Christ's birth from the black people's perspective. I highly recommend this. I wish I could of taped the whole thing. What's so funny is they served fried chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and roles after the show! Fit's, doesn't it!

McOmber Family

This cute little blond with her mom is Heather. (almost 8)
She loves to dress up, put makeup on her brothers, play tea party, travel, and laugh.

This is Gregory. (15)
He's autistic and doesn't speak. He uses sign and body language to communicate. He likes hanging out in his room naked, cars, smelling hair and skin, watching the same movie over and over again, eating potato chips, toast, fruit loop cereal, and McDonald french fries.
He's the reason I even have this job and get to hang with the whole family.
This is Justin. (12)
We call him Bust, because well, he's always busting something-
like that wound on his left eye brow.
He's into playing video games with Christian, his trumpet, FOOTBALL, getting out of work, and giving me a hard time.
Christian as a New Zealand Warrior! (16)Pretty Studley!
He plays football, likes girls, is going to BCC, and works out with his dad.
Sorry. No Dad picture yet.

S.O.D.A.

SODA stands for Save Our Dave Areas. I belong to this group and today 12/13/08 spent 90 minutes picking up poop at Marrymore Park in Redmond. Those in the Dog Walkers Association come the 2nd Sat of every month at the "poop scoop". There's a lot of poop to pick up and it can get pretty gross. I don't have any pictures of that. I know your thankful. As a member of the Association I pay 30 dollars a month to run my business there. Most venders pay $5000 a month to work there, but they give all of us a deal and we donate our money to SODA and help clean up.

With the money collected SODA buys "hog fuel" to re-path the paths in the fall so it's ready for winter. It takes 3 saturdays to finish the piles which cost $800 each. We buy 24! It's really fun. Lots of people are there, with their dogs. I took pictures the last saturday.