The start of May, continues.....

I started this week's blogs backwards, I guess.  I wrote about Saturday, but we did have a few other things along the way before that.

The first big news is that Ben is to be placed on the discharge list for the Utah State Hospital and so should be back at the local inpatient unit within 30 days.  Yay!!  We and DBH have asked for an assessment to be done on his overall functioning, which they agreed to at the meeting, but since then have stepped back from it.  Not sure what exactly is happening with that, but hopefully we will get some answers next week.  We are so happy to be at the end of this part of the journey.  Overall it has been a disappointing and long process, but maybe we will discover some unexpected benefits in the future from his almost 2 year stay there.

Jena and I went to see Camelot at the Center Point Theatre with her ski instructor and her husband.  This has become an annual tradition as Jena and Terrie both love skiing and the theatre. The music, costumes, and staging was very good.

No pictures of us, but we enjoyed the play a lot. 

Of course, a major part of each of my days during the week is spent at The Children's Center.  I love the work that I do there, but it can be hard and gut wrenching as well and this was one of those weeks--for some of my clients, for me, and for my co-workers.  We have as a team been adjusting to the loss of some significant co-workers--one who left in April and another leaving at the end of May, so that is hard.  And then this past week, we have had a number of difficult cases where we have had to make reports of child abuse or other problems to different government agencies--those are always tough for all of us as we try to provide support to each other.  I decided we needed a boost so I found this meme on Pinterest and provided each of my co-workers some chocolate along with the note. 

I can't send you chocolate if you are having that kind of week, but I hope you know that if you were near (in time or space), I would....and no matter where you are, my love is always there.

Only adding to the "fun" at work, the CEO of the Utah Down Syndrome Foundation has decided to retire...not unexpected as his wife retired last year, but still means that I have to take the lead in the hiring process for a new person.  Steve has been great and I don't know if we could find someone else that could do as good of a job for some little pay.  He did get paid more per hour that I do currently, but it was only part time and no benefits.  Keeps me on my toes, for sure.  We held our quarterly Board meeting on last Thursday and formally accepted his retirement and started the process to advertise.

It was fun to  have a quick overnight stay by Jessica, Elessia, Liam and Zander.  They had something up here on Friday afternoon and then on Saturday morning, so they stayed with us.  Liam was disappointed that there was no trampoline but it will be ready for him next time.  Elessia and I stayed up talking about motherhood until 1:00 a.m......I think I am getting too old for that but will probably do it again and again until I end my life on early.  I like sleep, but apparently I like talking more!

The start of May 2018

promises to be a good month with fun happenings and some work along the way.

The logo above is from an ad campaign in Plano, Texas, about some activity going on there.  Robynn Thiot posted it on her blog and I decided to borrow it.  We have been so fortunate to live in some wonderful places, seen wonderful things, and most of all, met wonderful people.  I sometimes feel sad when I think about all of the other "wonderful places" in the world to meet more "wonderful people" (and moving every 3-6 years does help with the dejunking part.)

However I do love Syracuse where we have spent the last almost 20 years of our lives....and I like our home and neighborhood.

Although, in the middle of the first Saturday available for yard work, I was thinking townhome living might be the way to go.  It is a bit overwhelming to keep a house and yard going when working full-time.  I don't know how people do it, especially with younger kids at home.  I just have younger grandkids and can't keep things up.

However, at the end of the day, it did feel like things were on the way to be organized.  And I didn't feel quite as discouraged about it all.

Definitely signs of spring and summer just around the corner--

Gary started putting up the trampoline in preparation for the grandchildren coming for Mother's Day

The picnic table is in place

 and the patio furniture is out and ready.

Some of the last of the tulips still in bloom..  

And the part of the yard that we haven't gotten ready yet, but the lilac tree is so beautiful (and smells so wonderful, my neighbor, Marge said. She took some cuttings into her kitchen.)

This will be part of this week's work.  We are excited to share some new outside things with the grandkids when they come next week....well, 2/3s of them.

My mother.....

helped me yesterday.  I got home around noon and got right to work, cleaning my house.  Although some major cleaning had been done as we moved furniture back onto the wood floors, the rest of the house has been ignored except for the basics of laundry and vacuuming.  Even though no one else sees it, I was a bit embarrassed, finding some dirty walls and dusty cobwebs around.  And then I remembered my mother.  She told me once (when she would have been in her fifties) that she was surprised to find cobwebs behind her countertop microwave. She said, "I never thought of myself as much of a housekeeper, but when you all were little (I am the oldest of eight), I don't think I had cobwebs on my kitchen counter.  I hope I am doing more important things."

My mom was always doing the more important things.  She was amazing.  I could go on and on about her.

But yesterday, I remembered and I wasn't embarrassed about my cobwebs and dirty walls.  It didn't matter, the world had not ended, and even my neighbors didn't know.  I know that I don't always use my time the most wisely and this was a month of sickness for me as well, but I have done some of the important things--been with family, read some good books, prepared some Primary lessons, helped some parents and children enjoy each other just a bit better, and even occasionally cooked dinner for Gary and Jena.  Far from perfect, but more important than cobwebs and some dirty walls.

Once thinking about my mom, I spent my afternoon cleaning my house, listening to Pandora on my TV, and some of my memories of my mom.  It was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon---hopefully it will last until the next time I have a free afternoon.

Thank you, Mom.  I needed that reminder.

My mom and dad at our last family reunion before she passed away in 1995.

Meanwhile on the home front....

Gary and Jena headed up to Logan for the Special Olympics Swim Meet.  It has been about 2 1/2 years since Jena has been involved in swimming.  Gary said that she had excellent form, but not as much speed as in the past.  It will take some practice.  She said she had fun, which is the important part--and the exercise, being with friends, and be a good swimmer.  Gary taped her races, but I don't know how to add good video here, especially as I print the blog each year and videos don't transfer at all.  Trust me, she was the cutest swimmer there.  :)

Gary was racing back to make it to a 4:00 Church meeting with Pres. Oaks, but it didn't work.  By the time he dropped Jena home and got ready, it was after 4:00.  By the time he got near to the stake center where the meeting was being held, there were cars parked everywhere (it was a leadership meeting for all six stakes.)  A 20 minutes hike from a parking spot just wasn't going to work. 

He headed home, grabbed some dinner, and then we both headed to the General Stake Meeting which was held at our Stake Center.  We had a video feed of the meeting from the other stake center.  It was a very sweet meeting about "ministering" and Pres. Oaks was more relaxed and personable that I had ever seen him.  I always enjoy his talks at conference, but this was just a little sweeter and personal.  It was the first time since 1964 or 65 that a member of the First Presidency has held a meeting in Syracuse.  It was a privilege to be there.  Again, what an exciting time to be a member of the Church.

And that was yesterday, so I am caught up on the blog....mostly!