Dear Kids,
Most of you have heard about Reggie’s sad death on Friday. He was fifteen years old, after all, and I had been dreading it for a long time. But I hoped he might live forever! Love birds are related to parrots, and they can live a hundred years! So I had high hopes for Reggie. But about noon on Friday, he started tucking his head down in his nesting cup, so I knew he was dying. I brought his cage upstairs to the kitchen so I could watch over him, and pretty soon he got that filmy look over his eyes. Later, in the evening, I took him out of his cage and held him on my chest, while I talked to him. (Yes, I even said, “Go towards the light, Reggie.”) Dad and I watched a couple of movies, and then we had to go to bed, so I put Reggie back in his cage (which I had thoroughly cleaned–I didn’t want him to die in a dirty cage. ) I put the cage down by the side of our bed, because otherwise I would have been getting up all night long to see how he was doing. He climbed up to the top of the cage and sat on the edge of his nesting cup, with his head against his beloved bell. About eleven, when I was half asleep, I heard him fall, but I didn’t look. At one thirty I woke up and shined my flashlight on the cage, and he was splayed out on the bottom, with his eyes open, not moving. I got up and found him a coffin, and I took the empty cage out to the trash–it was totally beat up, anyway.
Saturday we had a funeral and buried him under the apricot tree. I played “Taps” on the accordion. Since then, we’re getting used to not having a bird. When I walk past the spot where his cage used to be, I reach up to tap on the wires, and there’s nothing there. Dad says we need to get another bird, but I’m not ready for that yet.
Yesterday I went for a long bike ride along the Jordan River. The weather was beautiful, after out snowstorm the day before. I saw a mother duck with nine babies. It reminded me of when you kids were little.
Two very aggressive magpies have taken up residence in our cherry tree. They chase our cats and peck them, and they eat the catfood that I put outside. Tomorrow is Dad’s birthday, and I’m getting him a new pellet gun.
Humm, everything I wrote today is about birds. Looks like I need to move ahead with my life.
Lots of love, Mom
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Dear Kids,
In all the worry we’ve had about Jacob and Missy, I never did mention how delighted we are to have three new grandbabies on the way. If you haven’t heard the details: Vanessa the middle of October, Nora the middle of November, and Donna the day after Thanksgiving. I would be more specific about the dates, but I’m embarrassed to say I can’t remember them exactly. Hey, I already need a chart to remember the 41 birthdays in the family. But it’s great to have new grandchildren on the way. When Dad and I were in a young marrieds’ ward at BYU, they sent around a sign-up sheet in Relief Society for new babies, so the Relief Society could plan to help. When I wrote my name on the list, I used to call out, “I think I’ll sign up to have a baby! Anybody else?” So, even though I’m long past that stage, “Anybody else?”
I spent part of Friday at Al and Missy’s, and Missy seems to be doing a little better. We were happy to see her at Carson’s game Friday evening. She was sitting down the whole time, of course, but she was cheerful. Carson did great, too, by the way. He plays first base, and he made at least two superb catches.
Jacob is doing better, too. He’s going places with the family now, and is getting on a more normal schedule. We keep praying for both Jacob and Missy.
Dad and I spent last Friday night and Saturday at the cabin, and it looks as green as Ireland, as Donna said. May and June are always beautiful there! A couple of sandhill cranes have been hanging around, hopefully looking for a nesting place. If you haven’t seen them, they’re gigantic, with an 8-foot wingspan. Even when they’re way overhead, you can hear their “blurrp blurrp” call. We watched them catch an updraft and circle around, higher and higher, like John in a glider. When they got high enough, they sailed over the mountain towards Heber.
I haven’t called Paul yet this week, but we presume he’s doing OK in Georgia. Paul, how about putting updates on facebook so we’ll all know how you’re doing? Just a line or two would be fine.
What a family! I love you all! Mom
In all the worry we’ve had about Jacob and Missy, I never did mention how delighted we are to have three new grandbabies on the way. If you haven’t heard the details: Vanessa the middle of October, Nora the middle of November, and Donna the day after Thanksgiving. I would be more specific about the dates, but I’m embarrassed to say I can’t remember them exactly. Hey, I already need a chart to remember the 41 birthdays in the family. But it’s great to have new grandchildren on the way. When Dad and I were in a young marrieds’ ward at BYU, they sent around a sign-up sheet in Relief Society for new babies, so the Relief Society could plan to help. When I wrote my name on the list, I used to call out, “I think I’ll sign up to have a baby! Anybody else?” So, even though I’m long past that stage, “Anybody else?”
I spent part of Friday at Al and Missy’s, and Missy seems to be doing a little better. We were happy to see her at Carson’s game Friday evening. She was sitting down the whole time, of course, but she was cheerful. Carson did great, too, by the way. He plays first base, and he made at least two superb catches.
Jacob is doing better, too. He’s going places with the family now, and is getting on a more normal schedule. We keep praying for both Jacob and Missy.
Dad and I spent last Friday night and Saturday at the cabin, and it looks as green as Ireland, as Donna said. May and June are always beautiful there! A couple of sandhill cranes have been hanging around, hopefully looking for a nesting place. If you haven’t seen them, they’re gigantic, with an 8-foot wingspan. Even when they’re way overhead, you can hear their “blurrp blurrp” call. We watched them catch an updraft and circle around, higher and higher, like John in a glider. When they got high enough, they sailed over the mountain towards Heber.
I haven’t called Paul yet this week, but we presume he’s doing OK in Georgia. Paul, how about putting updates on facebook so we’ll all know how you’re doing? Just a line or two would be fine.
What a family! I love you all! Mom
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Dear Kids,
I’ve kept putting off writing my weekly letter, hoping for good news about either Missy or Jacob. And now things are looking better for Jacob! As of Thursday, his MRI had come back “clean,” meaning no brain tumor, but what was causing his “episodes?” To keep him conscious, John had bought him a mini-nintendo, and he played it for 12 hours straight on Thursday, while I sat beside him, making sure he didn’t drift off. It worked fine. Friday he had more new games, but it was getting harder for him to stay conscious. A sleep study was scheduled, but it was 2 weeks away, and meanwhile John and Heather were going crazy. If the sleep study didn’t isolate the problem, the next step was trying different drugs, so John persuaded their pediatrician to start directly on the drugs. Adderol was the first try, (related to ritlyn,) and it seems to be doing something, at least. Jacob is still having “episodes,” but he has also had some good times in between. It might just be a matter of finding the right dosage of the right medication. We’re so hoping that it might be resolved soon!
And Missy? I just checked her blog, and it sounds like she’s still having plenty of trouble with her infection, or whatever it is. I think the hardest thing of all is not knowing exactly what’s wrong. We’ll keep praying for both Jacob and Missy. If anybody else has anything weird going on, let us know, so we can pray for you, too!
So much else has happened, but it all seems like a long time ago. Like Addie’s baptism a week ago today–it was so wonderful! Addie looked just like Nora did, when she was baptized. It was great seeing so many of you there. Especially Sharon. Oh, yeah, Sharon was here for four days, with Lucy. That was a treat! Tuesday Sharon and I went to Matt Allen’s marriage in the Salt Lake Temple, and it was beautiful, like they always are. We were surprised that Elder Holland performed the marriage, but he gave a fantastic talk. Of course.
What else? Oh, yeah, Paul left for Georgia (or is it Alabama) on Thursday, after a send-off party at Tom and Kim’s Wednesday night. The drive only took him two days. We’ll probably hear from him tonight or tomorrow.
Sunday dinner last week was fun, too. Charles and Julie came, with their kids, Sammy and Lillian. We had a great time visiting with them, and the rest of you who were here. The kids even picked up the toys before they went home! (Or was it their parents?)
What a fine family we have! Lots of love, Mom
I’ve kept putting off writing my weekly letter, hoping for good news about either Missy or Jacob. And now things are looking better for Jacob! As of Thursday, his MRI had come back “clean,” meaning no brain tumor, but what was causing his “episodes?” To keep him conscious, John had bought him a mini-nintendo, and he played it for 12 hours straight on Thursday, while I sat beside him, making sure he didn’t drift off. It worked fine. Friday he had more new games, but it was getting harder for him to stay conscious. A sleep study was scheduled, but it was 2 weeks away, and meanwhile John and Heather were going crazy. If the sleep study didn’t isolate the problem, the next step was trying different drugs, so John persuaded their pediatrician to start directly on the drugs. Adderol was the first try, (related to ritlyn,) and it seems to be doing something, at least. Jacob is still having “episodes,” but he has also had some good times in between. It might just be a matter of finding the right dosage of the right medication. We’re so hoping that it might be resolved soon!
And Missy? I just checked her blog, and it sounds like she’s still having plenty of trouble with her infection, or whatever it is. I think the hardest thing of all is not knowing exactly what’s wrong. We’ll keep praying for both Jacob and Missy. If anybody else has anything weird going on, let us know, so we can pray for you, too!
So much else has happened, but it all seems like a long time ago. Like Addie’s baptism a week ago today–it was so wonderful! Addie looked just like Nora did, when she was baptized. It was great seeing so many of you there. Especially Sharon. Oh, yeah, Sharon was here for four days, with Lucy. That was a treat! Tuesday Sharon and I went to Matt Allen’s marriage in the Salt Lake Temple, and it was beautiful, like they always are. We were surprised that Elder Holland performed the marriage, but he gave a fantastic talk. Of course.
What else? Oh, yeah, Paul left for Georgia (or is it Alabama) on Thursday, after a send-off party at Tom and Kim’s Wednesday night. The drive only took him two days. We’ll probably hear from him tonight or tomorrow.
Sunday dinner last week was fun, too. Charles and Julie came, with their kids, Sammy and Lillian. We had a great time visiting with them, and the rest of you who were here. The kids even picked up the toys before they went home! (Or was it their parents?)
What a fine family we have! Lots of love, Mom
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