Under the Thoughtful Tree...

Sometimes I feel like the child in this swing. In my mind I can 'escape' and just let my mind unwind and empty out the thoughts in my head. I decided I would do this. Sometimes we like to 'share' seeds of wisdom or stories that may be helpful to our self or to others. I decided I need to have my own 'sharing corner' to look back on and see what was in my head to help myself (or others). I'm infamous for talking to myself. No, I'm not crazy, I just think 'out loud'!

1-What's been on my mind lately?
That would have to be Kirsten's health. That is like a yo-yo; it's up and down and up and down. She had a wonderful '21st' birthday! What a blessing and joy that was to celebrate! Kirsten was so happy on her birthday! ♫ ♫

Well it's a few weeks past her birthday and she just went through another 'hit' on her health. One of those yo-yo 'downs'. She was much better yesterday and even much better today! Hooray! Even at this moment she is 'singing'. It's one note and one pitch, ♫, but I love it! ♥

She got 'whacked' with a bug that flattened her like a pancake! She even had some strange side effects. At the same time she has started a new medicine for her seizures. That's another whole story in itself. The increase in seizures. Between her being sick and the new medication things are still trying to settle down to some even keel. In a few more days that story will be more revealing... I hope for the better. She has spent the past 2 nights practically sleepless but singing the whole while through! I have to say I 'enjoy sleep' as well as the next person! Hmm... going to have to see what can help her sleep. It's either she sleeps all the time... or now...not sleep! Life with Kirsten is an adventure! It's always something new!

Bath time! I have a bath bench she sits on when she gets a bath. Well with this last illness she was left 'unbalanced', yep...'0' balance! That made things interesting at bath time. I could not use the bench this time! We got through the bath. I hopped online and ordered a special reclining bath chair. Hopefully that will be here in a week or two. It will be nicer for her and 'save my back'!

2-Reading... I made myself a goal that this year I would try and prepare myself to become more 'spiritually minded' than the routine world day to day thoughts. I've really been 'deeply immersing' myself into the scriptures and church magazines. I am so impressed with the wonderful articles that I've been reading in the Ensign this year. It's a magazine we get that sits on the shelf month after month. Not this year! It will be read cover to cover! Where have I been? 'Out to lunch' mentally when I should be reading! I loved the articles in April's issue and I'm only half way through!

I loved reading the Four Gospels and more dearly the atonement of Jesus Christ and His resurrection. I cannot even fathom the suffering Jesus Christ went though for all mankind. I certainly look at the sacrament differently when I partake of it. Back to Kirsten and her health issues, she rarely, and I do mean 'rarely' complains when she is sick. Even with this last bout, nope, not a word of complaint! It rips my heart out to see her go through what she goes through. No, I don't complain to God that she goes through what she does. I think of His atonement and I know He suffered even for her. I know He sends messengers from the other side to comfort her from time to time or else how would she endure it all. She's still here and she's still hanging in there. My trial...learning patience and taking more time to become spiritually stronger and try to understand more each time.

Good bye tree, good bye swing...I'll be back sometime soon! :o)

Fingerprints on my heart! Grandchildren...

They come, little and big, with their giggles and wiggles.

They fill the house with laughter, requests, and sometimes...

there may be a few tears along with little tempers.

They are so sweet! Their eyes wide with enthusiasm,

inquisitiveness and even a little 'mischief' here and there.

I love the 'positive and enthusiasm' these little ones have!

'Can't do' or 'No' isn't acceptable to them. 'Yes, I can!'

'I will!' 'I have to!' Their little bodies come with Tigger springs!

They have GIANT spirits cramped in those little wriggly bodies

just waiting to come out!

Then our home is quiet.

What evidence is left when those little ones disappear?

Little hand prints and little fingerprints

and little kiss impressions left on windows and furniture.

Little sayings, crayon drawing and colorings on the

door of the refrigerator.

How soon will those get washed away

and fine art put away?

Oh, in a month or two!

I'm a long distance Grandma and

seeing those little 'reminders'

warms my heart! ♥

Family Time!

Julie and Zachary (age 6) and Braxton (age 3) came to visit us this past weekend. Bob was at a national volleyball tournament and didn't come and Quintin and Brynnly were still in school. So Julie came with her two little boys as it was her school spring break. It was fun having them here and we did miss having Bob, Quintin and Brynnly here too. :o(

While they were here I took them to our wonderful little bakery in our little town. It has the yummiest goodies in there!

Zachary loved his chocolate doughnut bar! I love his expression!

Braxton is down to serious business with his chocolate doughnut!

Julie is taking a bite out of her carmel frosted apple fritter! Oh, those are so yummy!

Yesterday I took Julie and the boys and Kirsten to the 'Fishin' Hole! Julie and I helped Zachary and Braxton catch two fish! I don't have any pictures because they are on Julie's cell phone camera memory card. I thought I brought my camera along and when we got there I dug in my purse to no avail. However, when we got back home and I took Kirsten's coat off, there was the camera in her coat hood! Bahhh! I forgot I put it there so it would be handy to grab to take pictures. The boys had a great time and caught two fish! We also fed fish food pellets to the fish. We saw peacocks, ducks, chickens, a goat and lots of fish!

Two years ago Kirsten's class went to this same fishery and had a ball.

Zachary riding down the hall on the push motorcycle. That toy was quite a hit!

Braxton loved playing with Kirsten's therapy ball!

Just sitting and watching some t.v.! :o)

Zachary and Braxton loved to play 'accident' and call for am ambulance. Here is Braxton as an accident victim! I'd check his body over for injuries, each time he was 'A-okay!'

Zachary liked the motorcycle and it got to be competitive at times to take turns!

We went to David and Angela's on Monday and took dinner over. This was taken after dinner. Time to settle back and let dinner settle in our tummies!

David painted their nursery lavender with a white ceiling and it's so pretty! They have everything all set up. Angela's mom, Barbara, cross-stitched this picture for her daughters, she has 3, and had it in their bedroom. Now Angela has it in their nursery! It's such a cute picture!

Angela has a zoo theme going on. This is a cute plate cover for the light switch.

Here is an elephant night light.

A glimpse of the top curtain panel with white blinds.

A cute lamp. Goofy the dog needs his nose glued back on. It had a little accident when it fell and the nose came off. Angela said it's been glued on several times from when she grew up with it at her house.

They have the rocker all set up. She has a cute diaper bag.

This dresser is full already!

The crib all set up! David grew up with the poster picture. He's going to frame it.

Nala all cozy on her mom's shoulder.

It was great visiting with David and Angela and Nala. Angela only has 2-1/2 weeks to go before baby Avery is due!

It was fun having Julie, Zachary and Braxton visit. I hope they have fun at Grandma's and Lisa's! Have a safe trip back to Utah Julie! :o)

♫ 'Happy 21st Birthday Kirsten!' ♫

A page from Grandma for Kirsten's notebook.

Kirsten celebrated her '21st' birthday on April 2, 2011, this past Saturday. We celebrated her birthday at her Grandma Valdine Guptill's home in Oregon City, Oregon. Kirsten has a very special close bond with her grandma. She loves her grandma sooo much. I did not want a big hoopla party, just her family. Her sister Lisa and her husband and children and her grandma and mom and dad celebrated her birthday. Her other siblings all live far away. I decided that I would put together a special memory birthday notebook for Kirsten's 21st birthday. Below are some of the pictures included in this binder.

I made a flyer for each of her brothers and sisters and her grandma. They were to write about a special memory about Kirsten. This memory would go into her notebook and would be their personal birthday gift to Kirsten.

A page from Lisa.

Page from Bob and Julie.

One of the pages from Michelle's family.

One of the pages from Douglas and Ashley.

A page from David and Angela.

One of Kirsten's class photos from Elementary school in Hawaii.

LaRue and Matilda getting ready to help Kirsten blow out her candles.

You can see her memory notebook standing next to a gift bag. The notebook is 1-1/2 inches thick. On the cover of her notebook is Kirsten's new photo we had taken the day before.

Birthday celebration!

We got an 'Elefun' for her birthday. Here she is laughing watching LaRue and Matilda playing.

Even Adelaide got in on the action!

Lisa gave her balloons and Kirsten had a great time with them!

We also got her some outfits.

Kirsten sharing a special moment with her grandma! ♥

Kirsten with her favorite Grandma! ♥

Kirsten had a great birthday and loved all the fun and especially being with her family!

We stayed at grandma's and Kirsten smiled the whole time we were there! When we left this morning she was sitting on her daddy's lap and grandma was on the other side. She was hugging her grandma and did not want to let go!