My Leg Isn't Broken...

Supposedly. If the radiologist is right. Yesterday my new wheelchair tipped forward and dumped me, really easily (for it). Fortunately, it was in the carpeted bedroom, but I landed on my right knee and it felt like I'd broken my kneecap or the end of my femur. It felt like a sledgehammer hit the end of my knee! Mark was getting ready to leave work, so he came home and Seth lifted me into the car. We went to the ER, where they gave me morphine, which helped during the x-rays. I must have soft-tissue injuries, though, so I'm calling the dr. today to get a referral to see an orthopedist or an appt. to see him. It feels like my cartilage or something is all torn up. And I'm in my old wheelchair till they come check out my new one today. So that's all good (that my leg isn't broken), and that Mark got me prizes. : ) But my leg hurts. I have to go lie down and take it even easier than I normally do, if you can imagine that! Love You! xoxoxo

Tuesday Morning in April

Have any of you listened to the music that plays here now? I've always wanted to have a playlist on my blog, and now I do! I enjoy the music so much. I'm proud. : ) Keep it on while you go on to other things, so you can hear it all. Then tell me if you liked it! It's an April-y kind of day here. Rainy, and with some Idaho wind, too. How have you all been? I've been pretty good. Like I've said, I wanted a little rest from my adventures, and now I'm having that break. Yay! My visiting teacher is coming over in a little while. I'd better go turn the heat on - wait! It's turned off. Okay, well I guess we'll be cold! Oops! Warm weather, hurry up! xoxoxo Love You!

Post #2 : Pictures!

Jamine and Tut last winter

Our backyard with neighboring goats that visit Christmas visit with grandkids (Hunter above) Christmas excitement!

Campbell kids visiting us last winter

(Alex's bandage is courtesy of Tut)

Alex loved my oxygen mask

Seth's 17th birthday cake and goodies

Emme in the hospital

Josh - "Who is this strange lady?!"

Seventeen; Seven (or eight) Months

Grandpa!

At Pam's house for book club

Easter egg hunt!

Easter hambone for Leto

Conference breakfast!

Tut sacking out

Jasmine's last days

As you can see, she was very pampered

And pretty happy, too

I hope you've enjoyed these long overdue pictures

We love you!

xoxoxo

Thunderation!

It's gray and thundering outside! I hardly ever hear thunder, and I love it. Yippee! I just found out I'll be getting a new wheelchair and cushion soon. I'm so excited! My current wheelchair and cushion are soooo worn out, and my leg is numb all the way down. The back of my chair has always been too small, too, which forces my shoulders forward and hurts my back. They are coming out this afternoon! I can't wait! Last Sunday, we went to Emmersyn Rose Campbell's baby blessing, and we got to see everyone but Megan's family and Phillip (since they're in other parts of the country!). That included Hunter and Josh, and I got to spend way more time with them and get to know them better. Happy, happy! Josh is so intent and focused. He has bright, focused eyes that latch onto your mouth or nose, etc. He inspects you very closely, and he has cute little hands that he uses to push anything resembling a button. Hunter is very observant and contemplative, and he tries not to smile, but you can see a little twinkle there. When he does smile, it's an all out, open-mouthed smile that takes over his whole face. Both boys got concerned at times when I held them, and reached toward their moms, but they did quite well with their fairly strange grandma. Both are chewing like crazy, because they have new lower teeth/tooth. Danny and the boys were dressed in kilts with sporins and knee sox, looking very distinguished. I remember that Emme was blessed to be musical, along with having a healthy body and mind. She looked darling in her long antique-white dress and bonnet. Haley and Dallin looked great! Haley's hair is getting long again, which I love. She always looks good with her hair part-way up. She said they opened drawers and cabinets and closets at their apt. and said, "We have so much stuff!" That's because they've basically been living with what they could take in their car, lol. Hunter loves being in his high chair now. After the blessing and the rest of church, we had dinner with everyone at Danny and Melinda's house. It was yummy! We had great-tasting! spiral-cut ham and Mark's funeral potatoes with mushrooms, and green bean, rolls, and jello salads. Afterwards, they served brownies and ice cream (I forgot about mine :( , but it was better that I did). The weather was perfect, and people spread out on the back deck, downstairs, in the living room, and the dining area. Larry and Coral were there, also. Justin loaned Seth some nice church clothing, as Seth and he had gone shooting Saturday and Seth stayed over at Mel's. Then Justin said Seth could keep the clothes, including the tie! That is great, and Seth looked so tall and handsome on Sunday! Justin looked nice, too, even with baby slobber on him (he's the resident baby holder). Thanks for having us over, Danny and Melinda. It was great seeing everyone! We're excited to have Phillip visit in June, and also Brooks and Megan and kids this summer. Yahoo! xoxoxo ps. Tut has been really affectionate since Jazz has taken off for the Happy Hunting Grounds. It's alot simpler taking care of him and Leto, mostly because Jazzy was way more demanding and complex (as all females have a right to be ;). It's been sunny and very Spring-like since she died. It so reminds me of Easter and all things being resurrected. Sigh...

Our Place in the Universe

This is a really cool video, if you can follow the link. After viewing, keep it playing, 'cause the music is great! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17jymDn0W6U&feature=player_embedded

Goodbye...

Jasmine passed away peacefully at around 6:30 p.m. this evening. Mark and Seth buried her in an old velour cloth that had seen better days, and we said a prayer of thanks that she didn't suffer much. Now she's cavorting around in kitty paradise and attacking everything in sight, I'm sure. You know what really blew my mind? About an hour after Jasmine died, I looked up to see a maybe 6 months old, part-Siamese kitten trying to get in our French doors! Is that crazy or what? (It looked alot like the kitty in Megan's photo above.) The kitten was a sealpoint with mittens, very cute, with a blue collar. I cracked the door, but it sensed Leto there and ran off. Mark had seen it earlier and he went out and tried to entice it over, but the kitty wasn't doing that, so I hope it has a home nearby. Can you imagine how startling that was? It was like Jasmine coming back as a kitten. I thought I was hallucinating for a second there! Maybe it was a little vision of Jasmine as she is now, a little gift from Jasmine to let us know she's happy. And the thought of that makes me very happy. xoxoxo

Still Here With Us

Just to let you know, Jasmine is still around. Just when I think she's gone to her final rest, she gets up and walks around or goes outside or uses the litter box. It's amazing how she continues with her preferences, even here at the end. She went outside today and enjoyed the air and the sun. She 'talks' to us in the a.m., and you can tell she's reaching out to say goodbye to us, individually. She still seems in little distress, but she seems very weak. She's going out on her own terms, that's very clear. Tonight Mark gave her a blessing. It was soooo sweet. I can't write about it. Jasmine loved it, and she looked right at Mark afterwards. I could feel her purring. This reminds me so much of when Pork Chop was saying goodbye to us. I'll never forget it. He said goodbye to each of us individually. We took him to the vet when it was time, and as he lay on the table, he purred and curled his paw around my finger. Then he just went to sleep. Leto stays near Jasmine, rather than close to us. Tut totally ignores her. I can see how it will be when those two are left without Jazzy. They are buddies, with their own little routines, and that becomes stronger as the time goes by. Even Jasmine has become buddies with Leto. Our warm and loving and cranky and lazy animals. Bless them. They really are, and have been, right at the heart and center of our family.

P.S. on Jasmine Update

Thanks for all your comments. Jasmine was really not moving much this a.m., but later on I put her up on my shoulder and then Seth held water up there and she finally drank quite a bit. Now she's out on the patio, where I think she'd be freezing, but she seems happy, so, who knows? Maybe it's her last hurrah before dying. Maybe she'll improve. I'll keep you posted. xoxoxo P.S. See comments for more...

Jasmine's Gentle Path

To all friends and family of Jasmine, We just want to let you know that we don't think she's going to live long. She's gotten very quiet last night and today, and just stays under my toy pony, where the coverlet hangs down. She seems happy and purrs, but won't eat or drink anything. This is what cats often do, when they get ready to die. She's almost 17 years old, so it's no wonder. It came on suddenly, but she doesn't display any symptoms of pain or distress or illness, other than what I've told you.Since everyone always ask about her, I thought you'd want to know what's going on at this time.Good ole Jasmine. She looks like she's going to leave us gently.We'll love and miss her, but she's earned a warm, sunny spot in kitty heaven. Love,Diane, Mark, and Seth

Idaho Falls Visit

Hello! It's Saturday morning! How are you all? I'm doing great. Aren't Saturdays fun? Last night Mark and Seth went to the movies together while I watched tv at home; High School Musical 3 and Shrek 2 (which I'd never seen before) were on, and I really enjoyed them. Mark and I plan on going out today. : ) I had a wonderful time in I.F. Wednesday night and Thursday. We had our book club meeting at Mel's house and it was my pick: Dune. Mary Robinson, Angie, Pam Hart, and Mary Harshbarger came, and all had read it except Mary H. Over the course of our mtg., I think we managed to pique Mary's interest, and she said it was back on her reading list, lol. I love having others read my book pick! I went ahead and stayed over, and the next day Alaina and Tristan cuddled up with me on their big chair and we watched Clifford and Dinosaur Train and Word World, besides seeing Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. I also got to hold Emme some and Linda brought Josh over for me to see. Emme is still a little muffin, and she smiled at me in the charming, Far Side way young babies do. Josh stared at my mouth with his bright little eyes and looked very concerned about being held by a weird lady. The Campbell kids are getting so grown up! Lainey has the darkest eyelashes for a blonde, and she would ask to wear my glasses and then say, "I'm Grandma and you're Alaina." She also 'shopped for groceries' and cooked for us. It was so cute. Mark and Keith were coming thru about 3 p.m., so I hitched a ride with them. That was fun, and I got to kid them a little, my seat in the back I hadn't slept at Melinda's, 'cause my pills were on the fridge, so it was great to be back and catch up on my sleep. It was really good to see the grandkids (and kids); the grandkids add so much life to life. I love them all! xoxoxo

Out of Order...(posted in wrong place earlier - also, another post below)

Hi! Mark is in SLC for Giselle's wedding and I'm here at home with Seth (he works tomorrow). Mark really wanted to go, to see his dad and the family. I hope they're having a good visit.It's 2:30 a.m. Sat. morning and I have the tv on - yipee! Leto is asleep on the floor, and I have watched tons of House Hunters and Tru TV crime shows, besides America's Next Top Model and part of a Steve Martin movie, "Bringing Down the House," edited for tv.Mark will be home tonight, so I don't feel left alone, really. I'm glad Mark got to go. He borrowed a car from Keith to drive down.It's been sunny some of the time lately and the grass is starting to green up. I've been rereading Dune, as it's my selection for the book club next week. It's so absorbing. I need to figure out a cinnamon-filled dish or dessert to serve. Maybe cinnamon rolls. (In Dune, the spice on Arrakis is described as cinnamon-colored and flavored.)Let's see...what else? I'm feeling better than I have been. That's good! It feels like I was under the weather all last month, but never super-sick.Most everything is the same as it was the last time I posted, which is good.Hope things are good with you all, too!xoxoxo

Easter Sunday 2010

Hello! I just commented on blog posts while listening to the morning talks. Such good talks this conference! I especially enjoyed Bro. Holland's talk on Sat. and Pres. Ucktdorf''s talk this a.m.And hearing Pres. Monson chuckle as he told about his wife's recovery from a fall. Mark fixed conference breakfast this a.m. His blueberry muffins are to die for!!! We also had hot chocolate and link sausage. : )Nice Mark!Mark told me the other day about stopping to help a lady with a sign asking for Tylenol the other day. She'd been to the dentist and was in pain, so he gave her the Tylenol he'd bought for her after seeing her sign. Apparently that's all she wanted, 'cause then she was gone. He always helps people quietly, as he's prompted to. Just little things that he's able to do on his own.That's one of the things I really love about Mark.We had our 16th anniversary! I love that we're getting up in the years we've been married. It's so fun to get older with someone you love, and it's a great blessing that I'm always mindful of. I remember what it was like to yearn for that.Mark had me come out into the living room this morning and the Easter Bunny had scattered eggs and candy all over, and there was a basket that I soon filled with what I found. (Seth gets a share of the pickings, as will Mark.) Wasn't that nice of the Easter Bunny to visit our home?We're going to have ham, and that means the Leto got a ham bone to chew on out back. He was very happy about that, and Tut was happy to roll around in the sun.Happy Easter, everyboddee!!! Posted by Noodle at 11:03 AM