Doings and Plans

Hello! Long time no post...Sorry. However, I'm posting now, and I hope you are cheered by that, lol. Here is a video that Nie posted on her site - extremely touching. I wish we could all reach out like that and say those things to ourselves, but the Holy Spirit can and does give utterance to the truth. I know that for myself, and those promises have proven true time and time again. I know that will continue. Here's the link: http://youtu.be/8nczw6xHJ0I Copy and paste the link in the address bar. Hope it works! If not, let me know and I'll try and fix it. :) Okay...doings...let's see. Well, Mark's been looking for work, applying online (more about that in a few paragraphs). I was sick with something mysterious, but it didn't last long. Mark said it was just meant to keep him home from something he wasn't supposed to do (for his past job). That feels true, actually. Mark downloaded (legally) Masterpiece Theater's version of Jane Eyre, the best I've seen. We both loved it! It's on Netflix, also, but in two parts. And for Mother's Day, Seth downloaded Myasaki's Ponyo, another cute, cute movie that M. wrote and directed. I love his work! So that was happy. Seth just remembered about it yesterday, hahah. Isn't that just like me? Mark and I went to see a matinee of Toy Story 3. We hadn't been to a movie in quite a long while. We thought the movie was the equal of the other two and we highly recommend it! Also, Kattie is following Megan and Brooks back to Idaho - Yippee!!! That's so cool! And Phillip is returning to MO Saturday evening, so we are having a bbq on Saturday, to celebrate his visit and a couple of missed other occasions. Then Mark and I will bring him back here to catch his bus. No one has seen much of Phillip, because he visits his theatre friends in Shelley. I'm sure he's loving that, and we're happy that he gets to see his old friends. He is anxious to get out of the army - is it next spring? - and he is talking about his mission and college. Bravo! Now if we can get Seth in school (have to register still - but it's not too late), we'll be relieved. All you kids are sooo smart, and we're happy for each one of you, when you make and attain your own goals. I could start a list of everything, but I'll just mention a few from the past year or so: Three lucky, cute babies born (Hunter, Josh, and Emme), at home with their mommies now, Brooks getting his Master's Degree and a good job in WVA, them buying a house out there (after a long wait while living in a motel!), Haley getting her Assoc. Degree from BYUI and Dallin continuing with his schooling, Melinda dancing 'toe' in her ballet recital and for a church program, Justin making the move up to Idaho and working at Quest, Linda starting a small preschool and teaching piano, Ben selling Melaleuca and making plans for work, etc., Megan starting her own photography business, Danny having a great month at Quest in June, Phillip having his army leave and planning for deployment, then discharge from the army, Seth not working at Burger King (yay! 'cause they wouldn't let him have any Sats. or Suns. off) and Justin's giving him church clothes (thanks!) and him going to church and making plans to be an EMT, and Leto has made friends and Tut has rolled around on our bed all day (he loves our vintage chenille bedspreads) and Jasmine made her exit from this life, after 17 triumphantly spoiled years! Remind me of what I've missed (probably tons of things), but I just want to say that we are making progress, non? Mais Oui! I have even learned to live my life in a more orderly, serene fashion - however, that doesn't rule out the fun side of things. If anything, I enjoy things more. Oh, I went to the orthopedist here, and he gave me a cortisone shot for my knee (yay!) and basically said he can't do anything more for me, because I couldn't tolerate surgeries, etc. So I'll just get palliative care while my knee continues to heal whatever it will heal. My arm just needs rest, and my hip is pretty much the same story. Isn't that fascinating? The shots have really helped me, and it's been great. : ) Mark and I have a plan A and a plan B, as far as job-hunting goes. Either way, it ends with him getting his RN, to make him supremely, super-employable. That could happen via tuition reimbursement while he's employed at an Assted. Living facility (the large ones do that), or just going straight into the first program he can, living the poor student life. We'll both research these paths, while he makes applications and also fixes things up around here, in case we have to sell. Isn't that a good plan(s)? I think so. There's a clear objective that's worth obtaining, and Mark is so good at that type of work. With his Ph.D. and an R.N., plus his years of experience with all aspects of care and management, he would be such a valuable employee, able to get work anywhere in the country. And if times get harder, a nurse would be most likely to still have a job. It follows the counsel to improve your employ-ability. I like it, and it feels good that Mark should do so. Sorry that he didn't years ago! Anyway, that's the direction we're heading. Everyone should get nurse's training. How's that for a statement? No, but it's a great skill to have - anything medical. It's just so useful, and it gets you into so many other opportunities. Okay, enough about that. The weather has been great lately. Mark fixed our air conditioner and installed it, but we haven't need it yet. We're really looking forward to the bbq Saturday, having Megan and family and Kattie out here, having a girl's party for Eclipse, having all the July baby and adult birthdays, maybe going to Bear Lake at some point this summer, and also celebrating the Fourth of July! Too bad Phillip can't stay, but he's being even more patriotic, whether he acknowledges that or not (he doesn't like to be glorified like that), by serving in the armed forces that defend our country. That's a totally honorable cause, even if the army environment isn't like Sunday School, by any means. I hope the link to the video works. I'd better post this now. I love you all! xoxoxo