frosty hue

when the new moon rises
over the silvery clouded hue,

and the lonely call of the coyote
distantly heard in the blue,

spooks the silent white owl
on his nightly forray calling who?

and the frost tipped whisker
of the bocats meow meew,

quivers and stills when at once
he winks and licks a speck of dew,

and quietly, soflty he drifts
into the deep dark midnight blue

the silent white owl keeps watch
as the coyote slinks off too.

what's up doc?

Robert has been to his kidney doctor. the one here in Idaho falls not slake. he's doing ok. got more pescriptions for him. he has so many different doctors Sometimes I can't keep track of who's who. he's doing ok though. keeping busy. he's been working alot of weekends lately and it is tiring him out and wearing him down.

on the mend

Rebbeca's arm is slowly mending. the doctor told her to come back in 3 weeks this last time. she was so worried that she would be wearing a cst for christmas. she is such a merry hearted person nothing gets her sown for long. she has learned to manage well on her own with one arm. she is also enjoying young womens imensly!!

computer what?

Steven is my computer helper. If I need help in any direction my Stevieis there to save the day. he downloads very nice pictures and uts them on my documents so that I can use them later. He is always so helpful to me. I am proud of the way he and the other teacher in our ward do the duty for 4. I'm so proud of my cheer giver.

David is enjoying school. he is very smart and does very well. he has good freinds and is kept busy @ church. I'm so proud of him when he blesses the sacrament. and he is so tall. 6'1"!
he is very artistic and keeps us on our toes with his creativity.

90"s

when I think of the number 90, I think of the lion king, the little mermaid, beeches, mulan, other tv sitcoms. the weird hair dos we had and the clothes we wore which are coming back into style. tonite I have another reason to think of the number 90. tonite Christapher
came home from taking his practicals and written test. he passed his course with a 90!!!!! on dec 12 he will take his nationals practical test and very soon he will take his nationals written. after passing those. he can practice as an EMT. I'm so proud of my son.

It's super walker!

my usual; weird dreams have taken a turn for the ridiculous. the other night I dreamed I was a racoon hunter and had to rescue people from bad hunters who suffered from garlick aroma. avoiding bullets like wonder woman and rescuing a pathetic looking cat from a black cage meant for coons and then escaping with the cat by mountain climbing on horse back and believe it or not being a "jacki chan" enthusiast; including the weird clothes he wears. I really can't stand Jacki chan and I would never mountain climb. although I hike steep trails ok. I've been on a horse a few times; not so great of an experience , so if the horse behaves, I 'll try that one. anyway I was doing all kinds of stunts. including driving a car on it's side. then my super powers must have been running low because I get attacked from behind and I feel it. and robert is in my dream and not deflecting the super alien ray from the other hunters very well and then I start to wake up and realize that Robert's fist is beneath my neck and upper back. I come more awake and realize that his fist is hurting and is propbably why I awoke in the first place. I told him next time he could not join my dream. If I'm a super dare person or whatever, Why would I need his help? got a few laughs over that one.

broken what?

Rebbeca has a great love for animals. sometimes I wonder if they love her as much back. 2 weeks ago, she tripped over a stray dog while trying to walk/ run around him and landed on the palms of her hands breaking her left arm in both bones.. they put her in a soft cast. then yesterday they put her in a hard cast. we're still awaiting to see if she will need surgery . if her bones don't grow together enough by next week. at the first checkup, he had to straighten her top bone. yesterday he had to straighten it again. hopefully it will stay straight. she manages "just". I have to help her with most things. her cast is so heavy and she has to wear a sling because she can't support the weight of her cast by herself.

maaaaa

Steven is busy with the goats. he is busy with school and just loves to tease and kid around alot. he is pretty good at making others happy by being himself.

A what.

David is busy getting straight A's. he is making chainmale. he uses bits of copper wire he finds around. he also has a metal one as well. very impressive.

scrub this!

Christapher is enjoying his EMT classes. he bought some scrubs yesterday and tomorow he is doing people contacts.he needs 14. hopefully he can get them all tomorrow. then he has some class time left and then the test!

wooden what?

Robert has been busy carving a beautiful cane for mom for Christmas. the handle is a bird and the front has a scout emblem and her name in decals? it will be gorgeaous. we showed it to her in rough undecorated stages so we could measure the length itneeded to be. she loves it. he plans to do another cane for a lady in our ward. before mom's, he carved one for his dad that had the head of an eagle.

puzzled

I have been doing puzzles lately. I have my puzzle table up and I have been working on my [I don't want altzeimers later ...mental exercises] I have been teachng Christapher how to get around Idaho falls for his classes. we've been busy with our fall work. I hope to scrap book this weekend.

drama queen

Rebbeca is having a great time in school. she bought a sims game with her babysitting $ and she has the booklet memorized. she has been depressed lately because her babysitting has been slow the last month. she loves and spoils my cat taffy. she loves young womens and her friends. she talkes a lot. I'm throwing her a surprise swim birthday party tomorow. she'll be so happy.

ain't

Steven is looking forward to wrestling this year. he is also taking on a lot of Robert's mannerisms.
you know like wearing his hat in the house and using the word "ain't" I really don't like this. I'm working on getting him to improve this. he also has fun with teasing Rebbeca.

dancing huh?

Christapher let me know friday night @ 5 pm that David had a date to homecoming the following night. so I scurried around to get flowers and other things that David would need. they went to the zoo then out to eat, then to the dance. he got his pictures yesterday and they are so nice looking. David went with Christapher to institute last night. he really enjoyed himself imensly. David has been putting onions out to dry daily. he remembers thing s so well. I'm super impressed.

crazy busy

9-1-1 !!! Christapher is taking EMT classes he is learning some really cool stuff. he is also taking institute classes and working 8 hour days 5 days a week. we figure on February 5 .he can get his papers and submit them on February 19!!!! this is so exciting! he also had his wisdom teeth out!!! he only had two which is $ lucky for us. he is the sunday bulletin person in his singles branch. he is very busy. he spends saturdays with his best friend, mat, if he's up from utah and sunday afternoons hometeaching. he has little rec time. any extra time he spends studying for classes.

busy bees

we have worked, sweated, strained, groaned, grunted, and exhausted ourselves getting 5 cord of wood in the last 4 weeks. we have made our fingers sore picking huckleberries and chokecherries. tomorrow we will strain some more getting potatos. we have sweated while canning many quarts of beans over several weeks and 49 quarts of beets[ in the same 10 hours!] the same day.

sinus blues

Robert still has his infection in his sinuses. the doctor is talking surgery again. this is not fun. this infection is affecting his skin. he bruises more easily and his scratches take longer to heal. he is miserable !/2 the time. he is doing saline rinses in his nasal passage twice daily and he feels it's not helping. he sees the doctor next week for a prognosis.

a stitch in time saves nine.

I bought some embroydery items so the kids can work on "hope chest" projects. I know the term is old fashioned, but it still serves a purpose; preparation. now I need to find time to get them started. we went to utah for Robert's appointment with his transplant doctors. it went well. we went to lagoon and to an aquatic center. we had to leave early because Robert can't take the heat. he got sick both days. so we had to find things to do @ the hotel.overall it was a good trip and we all had fun.

robert's doctor's want him to keep taking this medicine that makes him really ill. it's for his osteoporosis. he really does'nt like taking it and ususally won't. otherwise his Utah checkup was pretty good. he has been busy carving up a storm and he has been using his lathe alot.

!!!meow

Rebbeca is really excited about so many things. our grandma cat has had her kittens. she is so dramatic about things. tuesday night @ 10:15 I found cookies that she had made that morning when i had been craving them. she seems to know what people want and she figures out a way to help them.

trala boom de ay

this week Steven is @ scout camp. he does areally good job with our goats. and his creativity is marvelous.

mmm-mm good

David is becoming quite the connisour of what tastes good in the evening when it is sooo hot outside. he is really becoming agreat cook. he is so creative in all of his endeavors.

911

Christapher is signed up to take the EMT course starting in August. since he wants to minor in medicine we thought this would give him a good taste of what it would be like. he also thinks this would be a good thing to do as well. the experience would be good for him. he spends all of his spare time @ his friend; matt's house.

mississippi

so I started a story last week and asked Robert his opinion of having a main character named Mississippi. she's a grandmotherly type in a gruff crusty odd way. he did'nt think it would be a great idea. Note to self: Don't ask Robert. this story is screaming for an old odd lady named Mississippi who takes in an orphan boy. when I came up with her name, the story just seemed to flow form my fingertips. funny thing is, I have'nt quite found a name for the boy yet. in my mind and story he is just the orphan boy. wish me luck.

hey hey hey it's Robert!

just could'nt resist. Robert is so funny sometimes. he makes funny jokes all the time and somertinmes the kids don't get them. his ears are doing ok. he has'nt had the tubes come out yet however. he has been enjoying his wood lathe and the bird watching out the front window. he has also been doing wood carvings.

legs

Rebbeca started life @ 7lbs & 2oz. she was 19 inches tall. she is all legs now. and they are getting longer and longer. at least her hips have quit blossoming. she actually has a pretty good figure.

look what I can do!

Steven who started life timidly @ 6 lbs & 5 oz. & 22 inches tall, now explores and finds the darndest things all over the place. I constatnly have to remind him that nothing gets to come back home.

yummy

So David is the chef @ our house. he found a really yummy way to make spaghetti. David started life weighing 6lbs 13oz. & 21&1/2 inches tall . blonde. he makes wonderful rolls and is doing well learning how to cook good.

elder

well now Christapher is an elder! next step, mission. exciting!!! he is busy working 4-10's this summer earning money for school and mission. he is growing taller and looking more like a man than a kid. he grew so fast he started this life @ 7 lbs. 21 inches tall. with reddish brown hair. now he is 5'9 &1/2" and weighs 189.

robert

robert did well after his surgery. his ear drained for a while and he still has to do nose irrigation. he came awfully close to a very serious illness. preisthoood power is a wonderful thing.

kitty

we have a new kitty that runs sideways and never purrs. it holds it's back paws over it's nose with it's front paws while lying on it's back to sleep. it loves to play. it is part siamese and very pretty. we call it licorice taffy. but sometimes just kitty.

graduation

well, He did it!! he graduated from highschool and seminary. it has been one of the busiest times in our lives. Christapher will go to college for a year while working, go on his mission, and then major in seminary teaching and minor as a registered nurse. cool huh? he is also being made an elder june 7!

cough

we have all had the flu crud this month. we have been miserable, hot cold, and everything that comes with the flu. Robert caught an ear infection as well. we have lingering coughs and head aches. fun huh?

for the birds!

Robert set up some bird feeders; 6 or 7, in our front yard and we have been enjoying the show. we have seen; chickadees, mourning doves, red wing black birds, house finches, gold finches, and some we can't identify. we even have a resident pheasant rooster who comes out and eats. this morning after my 2 mile walk a deer was leaving my front yard where I assume he was enjoying our bird seed that has been spilled on the ground!

jump

rebbeca is entering a talent contest next week. she was goping to sing but her cd has words and they were afraid tht she'd get nervous and lip sink. so she is jumping rope with her friend to the tune of the YMCA.

laugh a lot

Christapher was in MR. RHS! he did a wonderful rendition of the spider and the fly as his talent. and got many compliments on it. all the guys participating got a trophy. the winner's trophy was 3-4 inches taller. Christapher also got the spirit award. it was a fun evening.

6

Christapher wentto districts again andplaced 6th place at 189 weight. this si a good score. he did'nt make it to state but 9 of our guys did!!!

hey blonde'

Rebbeca is enjoying the flute. she wants to learn to play the hymns on it. she has learned a song that she wants to perform in a talent show that is coming up. her hair is growing so long. she has about 2 inches before she can donate it to locks of love again. yes she is still a blonde. when she was little she was a white blonde. she loves blonde jokes! as long as she gets to tell athem. she has informed me that if her hair ever gets brown she will dye it to keep it blonde.

like father like son

My first Valentines day with my sweetheart was really special. we were in love and just enjoying being in love. we had a really good romantic courtship. love letters, flowers, cards, gifts[ by both parties] and plenty of time together between school schedules and our work. I was carrying an 18 credit semester and working part time. he was working full time and taking a 4 credit semester. some of my night classes would end @ 10 and he would drive into Rexburg to make sure I made it from the Clark building to where I parked in the Smith parking lot in safety. Robert would drive to Rexburg @ 10:30 @ night to follow me home when I got off work @11:00. I had a 12 mile drive in bad winter conditions. he did it because he wanted to be sure that I was safe. I so loved it then and as I look back, I still love it. he really showed his love in many ways. about a week before we were married in the temple, we went to my cousin's wedding[he was a good friend of mine] not in the temple. it was sad. later he was sealed in the temple. anyway my dad got off work late that day and so Robert voluntered to take my father to the wedding. Robert has done so many nice things for my family members. I remeber once that my father gave him high praise when he told me that I had a good man. I loved my father so much and always valued his opinion. whenever I thought about whether to do something or not I always thought " how would daddy feel? what would he think?" when Robert and I decided to get married, my father was so happy that he cried. Yes my father cried. often. he was such a spiritual giant. and I have very fond memories of watching a good movie and crying and feeling slightly embarassed until I turned and saw daddy crying too. I miss that sometimes so much. I lost my father on dec 6 2000. sometimes I remember things like they happened yesterday and sometimes like a distant memory. When I was courting with Robert, I saw so many of the qualities in him that I knew my father had. and I had many discussions with my father about Robert and what I liked in him. I knew daddy really appreciated Robert long before we were married. Robert even asked my father permission to marry me. how great is that? Robert proposed on my 20 birthday we had been dating for 7 months and married 2 months later. we are a happily ever after [181/2 years] forever kind.

tall order.

Christapher was taller than me by the time he was 16. taller than Robert by the time he was 16 1/2. David was taller than me by the time he was 14. taller than Robert by the time he was 15. taller than Christapher by the time he was 151/2. Steven is 13 and is now 1/2 an inch taller than me. I am 5'7". Robert is 5'9". Rebbeca is still shorter than me by 5-6 inches. I think my boys are going to be tall like trees.

triumphant win

last night Christapher wrestled West Jefferson and Rigby. his team came in first. they earned the trophy for all of Jefferson county!! It was a really fabulous night for him. the team have new sweat shirts! last year they were royal blue. this year they are a bright golden yellow! This is not a good color on christapher. but he stilll looks good in it. Christapher has come so far since he first started wrestling. he runs every morning and practicles every night then he goes to work. in between he goes to school and still keeps up an active social life. Ah would'nt it be great to be a teenager again and have all that energy again.

sled

the kids went sledding up on the church farm last night for their mutual activity. they came home tired and happy. I'm glad they have the weekly activity night. I really enjoy my alone time. Robert usually has meetings and so it's nice. last night however Christapher was tired from work and wrestling practice so he stayed home. I don't know how fun it was sledding because it was done in the dark. one kid did twist his leg a little though.

sweet

Rebbeca has decided to learn the hymns on her flute.

3's

Christapher went wrestling in montana last weekend. his team got 3rd place and he placed 3rd!

3

robert is three years post transplant!!!!!!!!! we are so lucky for this miracle in our lives. to think how down trodden we felt three years ago and how we were worn down with his dializing 3 times a week. to see your husband with no energy to participate in his own life. to be alive but dying a little bit each day. to see him watch others on dialysis; whocome walking then with a walker then in a wheelchair, then not come anymore because they've died, to see his fears. of this possibly being his near future, of never getting a second chance on a life he could live and enjoy, to see him unable to work 5 days a week but only able to work 3, to see him @ church once a month on a good month because he was so ill that he could'nt attend, and to see him give up on caring if his blood sugars were too high or too low. it was a dark place in our family's life I don't ever want to visit. we were brought closer together but we lived a life on edge with fear in our hearts without really admitting we were afraid. so I'm so glad that for three years we have lived. now he can work 5 days aweek, he can play with and enjoy his kids, he has an interest in living his life again. this is one of the greatest blessings we are enjoying.

book worm

I have been busy too. Just recently I have felt compelled to start Robert's life history. and while I'm at it, Ive started the rest of ours. I am good at remembering events in our lives and can recall events in my own when I was quite small. maybe this is as close as I'll ever get to writing the book I've always wanted to write. I've started three of them but I get so far and then life interfers and I have to put it on hold for awhile. the poetry that I've written comes quite naturally to me as well. One of my favorites apeared on my father's funeral program, so in that way I guess I have had one published. maybe one day I'll get the book finished that I started 3 years ago.

missionary now

on tuesday nights, the kids pick up a non active boy and take him to mutual. this is so cool. he is David's age and although he goes to a different school, they are freinds.

doctor, doctor

last week we went to utah for Robert's checkup with his transplant doctors. he is doing ok. he is not supposed to take asprin because of his retinopathy, however salt lake wants him to take baby asprin daily. so we had to get the ok from his eye surgeaon. it's ok. he is in the phase where all food make him sick. in a few months he'll probably be in the phase where food does'nt bother him as much as it does now. He is really enjoying his job as second assistant in the high preist group leadership. and he keeps busy with garden planning for spring.

bus soap opera 101

Rebbeca is busy. she babysits, she enjoys mutual, she stays @ freinds on fridays, and she still manages to talk nonstop and keep me occupied with all of her 'drama' @ school.
for instance; yesterday there was a hassle on the schoolbus about which girl liked a certain boy and who was going to tell and who would'nt. well so it's not confusing, let's use names!
kolten asked haley which boy casey liked. of course haley did'nt fess up and then tried to change the conversation . then kolten applied to brooke for the required information. brooke remained cool as a cucmber as she exited the bus with a smirk. so kolten bugged haley again about this matter and as it was haley's stop, kolten felt desperate and cried to the bus driver "don't let haley off until she confesses!" the bus driver imediately responded by keeping the door closed. Haley afraid that she would be forced to fess up, banged on the doors for escape and then reached for the emergency unlock lever. the bus driver indicated to haley that she wanted in on the secret, so haley whispered to the bus driver [who knows what] then the bus driver let her off the bus. kolten now frantic because his stop was emminant in about 1 minute, desperately pleaded with the bus driver for an answer and was told a list of every girl that casey liked but no boys were mentioned. then the bus driver fessed up to having no knowledge of which boy casey liked. crest fallen, kolten slowly got of the bus and walked down his long driveway none the wiser for his earnest enquiries.

butt what?

steven is looking forward to klondike next weekend. Ialways wonder about the overnighter in the snow how much fun they really have. he is also taking care of the goats for us. he does a good job. our billy tried to butt him the other day and we had to let him know not to let the billy to do that.

dramatic wrestle job

Christapher is still wrestling. this weekend he went to Dillon Montana to wrestle. he is so grown up. he graduates this spring. I'm so proud of him. he pinned his apponent last week in 22 seconds! his drama class is putting on another play. His teacher wants to cast him as the bishop but he wants to be the vicar. iIguess the vicar has a more entertaing part Christapher is busy @ work as well and trying to keep up with it all. once wrestling is over, his schedule should calm down.