30 August 2011

Dadness

Looking back, my Dad has always had a really funny personality.  Michelle and I were talking about a time when my Dad and my brother John were helping me move out of my college apartment two hours away from home.  After we had loaded up the truck that John was driving back home full of my stuff, my Dad pulls out a bundle of ropes and says "Hold on.  My son is not going to look like one of those idiots with their tarps flapping all around the freeway" and proceeded to tie down every square inch of the back of that truck!  In the end, I think his son did look like a different kind of idiot on the freeway.  The kind that looks like is hauling Shelob's lair around. 

My Dad is also looking for either a husband for Michelle or a wife for my brothers.  He apparently thinks any unmarried person of the opposite gender would be a good match for any of them.

One last random thing to throw in---speaking of dating people---John is dating a gymnast and we were all together not long ago.  While Lia (super sweet girl) was talking about gymnastics, my Dad says "You know, I'd really like to get one of those gymnastic outfits."  It was meant to be funny and it was.  We never did get out of him if he wants one with leggings, or without?

26 August 2011

BIAU

I have written a little about attending the Brain Injury Association of Utah conference last year with my mom and Dad.  It was pretty funny to say the least.  My Dad cracked me up again and again.  The last lecture was by a psychologist who spoke about dealing with depression and anxiety in people with Traumatic Brain Injuries.  At one point, the doctor said something like "success it isn't the absence of tragedy, it's moving on despite tragedy." So my Dad turns to me and says "Well that's better than pot."  It was pretty funny.  I don't know where that came but the craziest things come out of his mouth, and usually they make me laugh.  He is so funny!

Someone we heard from there was a young guy whose wife had fallen down the stairs and sustained a brain injury.  He talked about how their one year old-ish son was so sad without his mom and all the devastation their family was experiencing while they waited for answers.  I felt so sad.  It is amazing how horrible TBI's are and how fully they affect the people and families.  I have often wondered about that situation and prayed for that family.  It is so hard.  I hope wherever they are that they have found a way to "move on despite the tragedy."  That was something our family constantly felt and I think is very common---looking for answers that only time will tell.  It is a dumpy situation to be in and have to wait through.  I'm real sorry for people suffering these things.  I hope people find that there is a lot of comfort in the Atonement of Jesus Christ

I love this hymn!  It makes me feel lifted up and happy when I'm needing a boost! 

Jesus Lover of My Soul
Jesus Lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly
While the nearer waters roll, While the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O, my Savior hide, Til the storm of life is past.
Safe unto the haven guide, Oh receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none; Hangs my helpless soul on thee.
Leave, oh, leave me not alone; Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed; All my help from thee I bring.
Cover my defenseless head, With the shadow of thy wing.

I do love to think of Jesus as the "Lover of my soul" and the souls of everyone else.  I know He really did suffer for our sins, our pains, our disappointments and grief.  I also love the awareness this hymn brings to my total dependance on the Savior Jesus Christ.  I don't know how, but I feel sure that one day all these things will be made up to us. I pray for people out there affected by so many of life's tragedies and hope each individual seeking will find Jesus Christ and the comfort of the Atonement.


 

Family

We have had an unusually high (and FUN) number of family get togethers this year.  My Dad's side of the family got together this month at a great park and we all had a lot of fun!  I don't ever feel nervous about it, but I always know it will be different for people and interacting with my Daddy-o.  I do feel sorry sometimes, because I know my Dad and I know he would hate really understanding how injured his brain is. 


It is actually a lot of fun to see him talking to people and trying to come up with what it is he remembers with a particular person or event.  Most times, he will get it right in the course of his repeating it six times.  He's pretty impressive. 

Doughnuts!

I know I shouldn't laugh all the time, but I would rather do that than get real down and depressed about things!  Like the other day when we went out to do some stuff together.  We always go out for doughnuts.  I know, I know I should take him out for wheat grass juice or something but my Dad used to take us to Arctic Circle for as many twist cones as we asked for.  So my thing is doughnuts.  Anyway, he is supposed to be dieting-----sort of-----he takes a medication that puts weight on him.  I always tell him "If mom finds out she might tell us to stop and then we can't get doughnuts anymore."  It cracked me up the other day when, after our trip to the doughnut shop, he walks in and brings the doughnuts up (wink winking) in front of my mom.  Haha, I think he is enjoying doing something sneaky.  Well, I was wrong, my mom didn't tell us we had to stop at all.  I'm glad because I love an excuse to eat junk too.

12 August 2011

Happy Summer!!!

Happier for me that the end of it is getting closer!  I don't like to be a spoil sport, but, if I'm being honest---IT'S JUST TOO HOT!  Too hot for my dear old Dad and too hot for me too!  We really have had a fun summer though.  We all have done a lot of sitting around in the backyard here at "Mathilda's" and lots of water gaming.

Speaking of that, the 4th of July was TONS of fun.  My family and I came over for a little BBQ that weekend.  After dinner we were all sitting in the shade of the tree out back.  Completely unprovoked, my Dad apparently got this great idea.  He went inside and got a big bucket of water and came out.  When I knew it was meant for me, I got up to walk off and he totally drenched me.  He got me from behind!  Which I promptly informed him was against the rules of engagement!  He ran inside to get away from me, so I snuck around front.  When I opened the door to sneak inside, he was there waiting for me with another bucket of water and got me in front.  So I was soaked!  The only retaliation I managed was getting Matt to convince my Dad to look around a certain corner, which I was waiting behind with a turned on hose.  I don't need to say it, but it was FUN!  My Dad sure is fun.  I was surprised at how long he kept running around and how he out smarted me more than once.  :)

Not a great picture, but this is the result of the water fighting.



"Happy birth new baby!"


"Happy birth new baby" comes from a foreign friend.  It was such a cute little thing she said at the birth of my first baby, that I have just kept it alive!   

We have had so much this summer!  Just like every other family in the world, I daresay.  One of the best events at any time of year is a new baby!  My bestest friend and cousin Marissa had her first baby a week and a half ago.  She is SOOO cute!  My Dad and I went together to meet baby Elyse in the hospital.  He really thought it was cool to be a GREAT uncle once again.  Seeing Marissa and her new baby was a real tender thing for him, and it was real sweet to hear all the thoughts he had about it.  :O)




I've had two of my own babies, and one more on the way, so excepting my own children, I do believe baby Elyse is very likely the CUTEST baby ever born!  She looks just like her mommy.  Elyse has great, great, excellent parents and by all accounts is doing well.