They're Almost Here! (The Jolley Family) and "To All the Aides..."

Can you tell we're excited? 

Travel safely, Jolleys - we're praying for a safe and uneventful trip for you!

We probably won't see them until Monday, because Mark is laid up with his knee; he strained it more than a week ago, and really can't drive yet.   He's been flat in bed for the most part, and it's slowly improving. 
It's been strange that he's been more disabled than I am, although I did sleep sooo much during this past week.  I guess that was my body's way of recovering for the previous week, when I barely slept at all.  I have no idea why.  Just one of those fun things that happen to me!  I feel rested right now, which is amazing.  I can actually think and see and direct my actions, which I couldn't before.  It was so strange!
I thought I was going senile!  (Or maybe I am, and this is just a period of lucidity...uh oh.  Well, I always say, have a lot of fun at my expense, if that happens. ; )

So Haley will be in town for groceries on Monday.  Yay!  It's hard to believe they won't be leaving again.  Tlhey're renting a small place temporarily, and it's right by the river, but with a fenced yard.  They won't let Hunter outside without supervision, anyway, and he'll love the big yard and fishing with Dad!

I'm playing ketchup again, and I apologize.  I really couldn't post, for really, truly!

Besides sleeping and watching TCM, we have a new aide.  Hope she's half as good as Melissa was.  She was awesome!  It's always a big adjustment, but the good ones don't usually stay because they move on with their lives, to better jobs or schooling.  Misty did the latter.  So did Beizy.
Or they have changes in their children's health.  That's very sad.  That happened to Amanda.  

I feel like singing, "To all the aides I've loved before..."  lol   They really do have a great impact on the way things go for us.  A good aide brings so much peace to our home, and her duties are taken care of
in a routine manner, consistently.  That's the intent, and people who visit can tell the difference.  They'll ask if I have a new aide, as soon as they come in.

Other details of my life:  the weather has been great, and I've been able to sit outside with Leto and Tut, doing crosswords or reading.  We are doing a trial of Audible, and I found that I love it!  Who would've thunk?  I'd never listened to an iPod or MP3 player before, and I'm shocked at how great the sound is, and how your hands are free to do whatever.

I listened to Dr. Phil  read his Life Code book, for book club at Mary H's home.  We had yummy angel food cake with a sauce on, plus fresh watermelon and pineapple on the side.  This was an interesting book that is worth borrowing and reading (or listening to).  I'm sure it's at most libraries.
He really lets you know about different types of "Baiters" in the world:  people who are destructive and manipulative.  After describing them and using personal anecdotes to illustrate,  he challenges the reader to examine their life choices and what they really want, and to go for it.  Lots of food for thought, and possibly life changing!  (You really should try the audio version - he gets quite worked up about it, which, with Dr. Phil, is saying something.)

Mark is listening to a Glenn Beck book about the real facts regarding guns and gun control.  I'm interested to hear about it.  Did you know that they include suicides in the gun violence statistics?  That gives a false impression, in my book. 

Let's see...what else?  I know I'm forgetting big things.  Oh, the grandkids are doing great in school.  They had to make a special award for Aiden's reading program because he had more than tripled the reading amount of the next kid.  And Audrey got the highest amount in her grade.
Tristan got an award for being the highest in his grade (but on what, I can't recall). :/

The kids have been doing violin and piano and gymnastics performances.  I can hardly keep up with their learning activities!

And Megan finished her first semester of RN school with a 4.0, and so did Melinda, who got accepted in regular study at BYU-I (she hasn't chosen a major yet, and she's taking a couple of classes a semester right now, but the classes have been quite intense, and she's had interesting classmates!) 
RN school has been crazy-intense, naturally, and I just want to acknowledge Heavenly Father's hand in helping these young mothers with their scholastic endeavors. 

Maybe I can still accomplish something more; I'll have to consider everything.  My health is so erratic!  And I've struggled to be realistic about that.  Only in the past year have I come to terms with it.  That's more of an accomplishment for me, through the years, because I'm a pusher, inside.  It's easy for me to do dramatic, all-out things. 
Mark's the same way.  It's hard for us to be patient and allow things to be guided slowly - we feel like we're sitting on our hands then, just bustin' our britches to have at big challenges.  We've definitely had to learn to wait upon the Lord...but we've seen the good that comes from following His counsel.  So often, we haven't seen the way ahead and things have been illogical, but we've gone step-by-step, and we've grown in our understanding.

I think we're each used in ways that help us to stretch, while accomplishing things that Heavenly Father has planned all along, in His own way.  We must never doubt Him, because His ways are above our ways.
And that's all I have to say about that - except "It ain't over till the fat lady sings," and I'm not ready to yet.  haha

I'm going to close for now, and I'll write about some other things in another post!
We love you!  Take care, okay? 
xoxoxo