Freshened Up!

I think that over the last two days we have set an all time record - at least for us! On Saturday we decided to do a floor in one of the bedrooms that has actually never been finished. I must say that it really needed it but we had never determined just what we wanted on that particular floor. Well, on Saturday we found ourselves in possession of the required materials and they were PERFECT for that room! We let the girls know our plans and projected a couple of weeks to complete the project which would include a fresh coat of paint as well..... however...

Monday morning we woke up with the desire to do that room, it was 7:00 AM. I woke up the girls and communicated our desires to work in their room that day and that in addition to getting ready for school, we needed them to pack up their belongings as quickly as they could so that we could move out the furniture and begin the project. I was amazed! By 8:30 they had moved most everything out that needed to go so we could move furniture. And off they went to school - of course I did have two children stay home (Naomi and Charity) who continued to work on the clean-out process while I went visiting teaching. When I got home an hour later the room was empty except for one credenza. I took the two girls and headed for Lethbridge, for we had an exciting time planned....

Not only was Melodee and Charity's room getting a fresh look, but Naomi was to get her braces off that same day! It was very exciting, and jut let me add, Naomi has an absolutely beautiful and brilliant smile!!!

Before coming home we picked up a few supplies that would be needed to complete the room. Charity helped pick out paint for the walls and then I picked up a few other more hardware type supplies that would also be needed. Back at home, Chad had raised the portion of the floor that was low and was waiting for it to dry so that the flooring could begin to be placed. He also filled mail holes in the walls and worked to prepare the room for refinishing.

When we got home from the city, Chad and I decided that our weekly Family Home Evening would be a work project - we would all work together to bring that room as close to done as possible as fast as we could... for you see, everything had been moved into the TV room (which was already adequately furnished) and we had not much more than a tiny trail through it to get around. In fact, looking at the picture, it's pretty hard to imagine that a person can even get through all that stuff...

We announced our intentions for the evening to the kids and it was received with a chorus of cheers and smiles! What awesome kids. I made assignments to try to organize our forces and keep everyone involved as much as possible and then we went to work! We had the kids sanding walls, priming, sweeping, vacuuming, washing and more. Two hours later we had the walls painted, half the trim taped and the floor completely ready to begin laying flooring. We held our family scripture study time and sent the kids to bed and then Chad and I (with the eager help of Melodee and Charity for a few minutes) began laying the flooring down. We sent the girls to bed and then proceeded to do a little more than half of the floor before we too had to get some sleep.

One of the jobs we did, was to mount a mirror above the stairs where it can reflect the light. This mirror was an old dresser mirror that serves us better on the wall than on a dresser. Beth and Myles helped their dad with this portion of the project.

 Beth also helped with removing outlet covers and even a little of the painting.

 Chad and Myles worked on covering and finishing the trap door that is needed to access the sewer clean-outs should we ever need to get at them.

 Melodee, Charity and Breanna all took a turn at painting the walls. They loved it and all wished the walls were larger so that they could have done more. Myles helped painting the edges of the wall with a brush.

 This photo shows the colors and decor of the room before it was updated to teal. Here Breanna is working on removing the door knob and Charity is watching her dad work on the floor.

 Naomi did the awesome job of taping all around the ceiling in preparation for painting the ceiling trim. I tried to get her to show off her beautiful smile for the picture, but she was being bashful for the camera.

The trap door is finished and the finishing edge is being put on. What an incredible difference!!!

The following morning we finished the floor, painted the trim and then added a bonus feature - a 3" shelf the length of the north wall for holding pictures. We painted a 2x4 teal and then screwed it to the wall just as Melodee and Myles returned home from working at the school. 

By that time we were ready to put everything away back in the room. We brought in the furniture, stacked the bunk beds and mounted shelves and pictures on the walls. The girls worked until bedtime and had everything in order - the room is done!

The shelf turned out perfectly and the girls amazingly had more than enough framed photos to fill the entire shelf and then some!

I am delighted with the finished result, but even more so I am delighted with the excitement of the kids - not just the ones whose room it is. Everyone got into the project and we did it in VERY good time. As I have thought about the amount of joy it brought me as a parent to do this for my girls, bringing everyone together to get the project done, I can't help but think about the multitude of gifts that we receive from our Heavenly Father  each and every day. Just like the refinishing of this bedroom was not conditional, the gifts He gives us are so often just like that. He doesn't just help us when He will get something back in return.... the Lord blesses us because he delights to bless us!!! (Doctrine and Covenants 41:1) Both Chad and I recognized the good feelings that this project brought to our hearts. We got caught up in the excitement and fun of it and you know, it's funny how the cost of he project  is insignificant - for we got so much more out of it than just a pile of expensive materials. Even in the very act of blessing our girls, the Lord blessed us. I am so grateful for the great mercy and grace that the Lord extends to me each and every moment of my life. What a wonderful feeling it brings into my heart!

So, not only did we set a personal record for refinishing a room (1.5 days), Naomi also got her braces off AND we were blessed to feel, the delight of blessing others that the Lord refers to when he tells us, "Hearken and hear, O ye my people, saith the Lord and your God, ye whom I delight to bless with the greatest of all blessings, ye that hear me; ..." What a wonderful project this has been!!!

My Sixth Teenager!

It's funny. When my children were small, and I was often frazzled trying to meet all their needs and demands, people would often say to me, "If you think this is bad, just wait until they are teenagers!" with an ominous tone. Well, I now have more teenagers than anything else and I have no toddlers anymore. I miss the hugs and unconditional hugs of my toddlers, but I have absolutely enjoyed being the mother of teenagers! My teenager amaze me on a regular basis! They are wonderful!!! With that said, let me tell you about the ushering in of my sixth teenager to date...

Melodee turned 13 this fall! I'm really not sure how she got to be so grown up so quickly, but she is a girl who will take the world by the tail and tame it. She has so much energy. She is fiercely loyal and has an ability to let people know when she doesn't agree with what they are saying. Sometimes she pouts, but she smiles more. I LOVE her smiles. She chose her birthday dinner and specifically requested a fruit pizza for her cake. I did it the easy way. I made the crust out of rice krispie squares. Then I whipped dream whip and added sugar and cream cheese. It was very thick and I didn't want any left over so I put it on about an inch thick on the crust and then topped it with fruit. It was a delicious birthday treat!!!

You can just about feel Melodee's excited energy in the picture as she blows out her candles. She was pretty determined NOT to have any boyfriends!  LOL! Next she opened her gifts. Here are a few pictures that show her excitement and joy.

Melodee really wanted a fuzzy blanket for her birthday. I like to keep the best gift for last. First she got a cool tiger pillow case from Naomi. We gave her a few other odds and ends that she could enjoy as she has a crafty/artistic streak as well as a great love for horses. Then she got to open the bulky gift and sure enough she found a delightfully warm and cozy blanket to wrap up in. You can almost see the anticipation in her face as she opened it here in the photo.

 I love to celebrate birthdays with my children. They are so fun to honor and remember. Birthdays are truly the celebration of our beginning of life on earth - the beginning of our test in mortality. Birthdays - especially for kids - are anticipated and looked forward to as a great event. Sometimes as adults we lose the joy of being in mortality. It feels hard and is challenging almost every day, but birthdays remind me that we can still celebrate the JOY of being here! The great opportunity we have to show our Father in Heaven just how much we love Him! It is exciting and challenging all at once to have life! But it is something I am deeply grateful for. God is so very good to me and my family!!!

The First Week of School: FILLED

The summer ended quite eventfully for our family, though not so much in a good way as all of that. The day we finished our school shopping, we got a phone call from Chad's mom telling us that his dad had had a stroke. We had no idea what to expect, and we left the store and went straight to Claresholm. We purchased sleepwear and the necessary supplies needed to stay a couple of nights there. That was a Thursday night. Grandpa had been taken to Calgary but Grandma was still in Claresholm waiting to hear some news.

Early Friday morning we headed to Calgary with Grandma to see Grandpa. We learned that he had had 3 strokes. He was paralyzed on the left side and was having a lot of trouble speaking. We stayed the day in the hospital with him learning more about what he had experienced. We returned to Claresholm that evening and then went back to Calgary Saturday morning after picking up some appropriate Sunday wear for the next day. This time Grandma stayed in Calgary so she could be close to Grandpa. We got back to Claresholm late that evening. Sunday we attended church there and then we were honored with an invitation for dinner at Ron and Lois's place. We enjoy visiting with them but were able to get away in time to be in Taber by 8:00. We popped in on Chad's brother for a quick visit and to give him an update on his dad and then continued on home.

It is amazing how quickly life can change. The stroke was so unexpected and SO life changing. Chad and I were learning lots about what Grandpa had gone through and was still going through as he struggled to relearn some of his motor skills like talking and swallowing. We wanted to help him so badly, yet sadly, there was very little we could do other than just being there to support and encourage him. Despite all the challenges so suddenly before the Rice family, we were extremely grateful to have Grandpa Rice still with us. There is much to learn... at it will take a long time to learn it all.

So that was how we ushered in the back to school week! The kids began school on Wednesday and on Thursday Chad and I went back to Calgary to visit Grandpa and assist Grandma as much as we were able. This time we stayed with Uncle Ray and Aunt Laura who were so gracious and kind to open their home to us. We stopped in Claresholm on the way up and picked up a few things that Grandpa needed and we also grabbed Grandma's temple bag so the three of us could go to the Calgary temple together the next day. While we were away, Naomi took charge of the kids and the responsibility of feeding and transporting them as needed. What a blessing it was for us to know that our children were well cared for and that Naomi was not just competent, but trustworthy as well. We were able to focus on Grandma and Grandpa and their needs without undue worry over our children. I cannot express how big a blessing that was for us!

Friday morning we took Grandma and went to the temple. We had an absolutely beautiful day with her. Truly the temple is a place to go for strength and solace when challenges and trials are placed before us. It was a beautiful and spiritual day, and it was so nice to sit next to my mother-in-law and feel such an overwhelming love for her there in the temple. I love the temple. It bolsters my strength when I am lacking and fills me with hope and light and courage to move forward EVEN when hard things happen. What a blessing.

After visiting with Grandpa Rice again on Saturday, Chad and I returned home. What a joy it was to find all in order there, with peace and love reigning. I am so very, very grateful for my children. They and their father are my greatest blessings.

Having now experienced a parent suffering a potentially life threatening illness, our eyes have been opened more than ever to the need for families to be strong. We did everything within our power to make this challenge easier for them to bear. We made ourselves available to Chad's parents completely and fully so that they could simply focus on getting well and learning the new skills that they would need to be able to begin the long road to recovery. We took care of as much stuff in Claresholm as we could while they were away. We had the opportunity to serve them in a variety of ways and we were able to involve our children in doing so. In September we took Beth and Charity to Claresholm where they and their dad dug the potatoes and carrots and then put them into the root cellar for winter storage. We had no idea if Grandma and Grandpa would be home to eat them or not, but we took care of the garden so that they did not have to have little things that were undone at home taking up precious energy that was needed to realize recovery. 

Any sacrifices we made during those months were far made up for in the blessings we received! We built a stronger relationship with Uncle Ray and Aunt Laura, getting to know them better. We even had scripture time together with them on the evenings we stayed in their home. That was a great blessing. Another was that while we were in and out of their home, they pulled out the old Neitz family photos and we were able to get copies made of all those photos! A genealogical bonus - something we had never dreamed of having in our possession! Our relationship with Chad's parents strengthened and became closer than it ever has been. One of the greatest blessings though, was the way this challenge pulled Chad and his brothers closer. Chad has been in contact with all of his siblings, and we have renewed our relationships with several of his siblings. Another great blessing.

Grandpa Rice didn't come back home until the middle of December. He relies very heavily on the help and assistance of his dear wife who quit work so that she could completely care for his needs and help him as he needed it. They are on a long road together of learning and challenge, but I know that the Lord will bless and strengthen them in their love for one another as well as in their relationships with their children. I love how Grandpa laughs so much more. I don't think I've ever heard so much belly laughing! It is a genuine delight to hear him find humor in life still even in the face of life's change and challenges.

Through all this I am reminded that we must never forget how important our families are. We NEED each member so very, very much. We don't always see eye to eye, but when it comes down to the crunch, there isn't anything I wouldn't do to help and assist any of my family members in times of need to the extent that I am able to do so. I am so very grateful for the good parents that Chad has been blessed with. I too have been blessed with good and honorable parents, a blessing I am grateful for each and every time I consider my gospel heritage - which is pretty much daily. May we be a blessing to our parents as they have been to us. What a joy family is.

Daring to Speak

This is probably the most thrilling event of our 2013 year! Breanna has always suffered from a great deal of anxiety about speaking to certain people. As she has grown older that group of people has diminished in size quite significantly, but it is something that hasn't gone away completely for her. As of this past summer, she still had two groups of people that she found it difficult to talk among. One was in Primary and the other at school. Over the summer, with our different travels and with visiting different wards, we noticed that Breanna didn't suffer from anxiety so much in Primary. She would sing and participate when called upon to do so. It was WONDERFUL seeing the growth in her and the confidence she was gaining in herself.

In September our ward began practicing for the Sacrament Meeting Presentation. Naomi promised Breanna ice cream if she would speak her part instead of us having to play a recording for her. Breanna's confidence was already significantly increased, and within her heart, she decided that she could do this. As her primary teacher, I was there to assist if needed. When it was her turn to practice her part, I went up with her, but she spoke loud and clear into the microphone. I remember looking at the primary presidency and smiling to myself at the stunned expressions on their faces. Of course I could do nothing more than that, because my heart was so full it was brimming out my eyes. Breanna had just made a significant step in overcoming her biggest challenge at this point in her life!

The following week, Breanna spoke her part in Sacrament Meeting and earned her ice cream, but better than her ice cream was the reward of overcoming a challenge and I could feel the support and love of the whole ward as they witnessed our special girl doing something that was really hard for her. The spirit was so strong, and once again my heart was filled to overflowing and leaking out my eyes.

Two months later, Breanna had decided that she was going to bear her testimony in Sacrament meeting. Chad wasn't there with us that Sunday as he was away helping his father, but the rest of us were privileged and delighted to see Breanna confidently stand up, take the microphone and bear a strong testimony of the gospel. Again, I could feel the love and support of the ward as they sat in amazement at the courage of this strong daughter of God. Breanna chose to again bear her testimony the following month and this time her dad was able to witness for himself the strength and courage of our youngest daughter.

As I have watched Breanna overcome this challenge to such an extent (she is still working on the school part), I have been very impressed with the impact of goal setting. Each time Breanna makes a big step she almost always tells me or another family member that she is about to speak here or there or to a person of her choice. Once she does it the first time, and jumps over that hurdle, it is completely behind her. She never looks back. She has never once faltered at primary since the day she began speaking in Sacrament Meeting. She has an amazing ability to overcome a bit and move forward. She doesn't worry about if what she said was perfect or if everybody could hear her or not, she just moves forward. 

From Breanna there is a valuable lesson taught. It is SO important to overcome our weaknesses - whether they be a tendency to be judgmental, overeat, skip prayers or study time, or any other imperfection - once we decide we are going to overcome a weakness, we CAN put forth the effort, set our minds and hearts to the task and DO IT! Sometimes we are less than perfect, and sometimes we falter, but having made the decision to DO we should never look back wondering if maybe the weakness benefited us in some way. Weakness will never benefit us UNTIL it is made into a strength. This can only happen by moving forward and overcoming those challenges that threaten to swallow us at times. Thank you Breanna for setting such a good example and for showing your courage and determination to do hard things! I can easily see a time that standing in front of a group of people and giving a speech or talk will be something that will be easily within your grasp! You are awesome!!!

No Pain! MUCH Gain!

February is often celebrated as the month of love. For me, it was a month filled with the outpouring of the love of my family, my husband and my dear friends and ward members. You see, in February, I once again had to undergo surgery. I had prepared myself extensively, and was richly blessed in that other than the physical symptom for which I needed correction, I suffered no adverse effects of my condition. In fact I felt good. I felt healthy, energized and full of life! It was a blessing for which I thank my Father in Heaven daily. 

My battle wound with the nurse - trying to
find a vein. Looks like Zoro got to me!
LOL

Since I felt so good, it was difficult to resign myself to recovering from surgery once again. I went in to the hospital with mixed feelings, yet I recognized the need for repair and I trusted my surgeon and his ability to do what was needed. Now I have only undergone anesthetic a couple of times in my life, but both times, I have come out feeling groggy and sluggish. This is what I anticipated along with pain and difficulty moving about for at least a few days.

With that expectation, you can imagine my complete surprise and delight to discover within the first hour of recovery that I was wide awake and alert! I was coherent and felt very close to normal. I was surprised and delighted to discover that I was in NO pain!!! NONE!!! What an unexpected blessing! I was able to get up and move about, and within a few short hours was permitted to eat nourishing foods. I cannot express the depth of the gratitude I felt to receive such an unexpected blessing. I still cannot imagine how it is possible for one to undergo any type of corrective surgery without pain. Perhaps it is possible, but, knowing what I needed, I could not begin to expect such a bonus. I KNOW that the Lord blessed me so astonishingly much that day. It was an unforeseen blessing that I will forever feel grateful to have received.

But the blessings didn’t stop there. The following day I was able to come home. I was able to move around - to get up and down at leisure. I was under restrictions as to how much I could lift – nothing over 5 pounds. Meals were brought in for a few days following and then we were quite easily able to take over as we had prepared a month’s worth of freezer meals before the surgery date. My family has been wonderful! You would not believe how little five pounds is! I can’t lift hardly anything – even though I feel great! So every time I am doing something that requires ANY type of lifting, I have to call for help and the kids come so willingly! This is such a wonderful blessing. My father came and spent a whole morning visiting with me. What a delightful morning that was. There caring friends who called to check on my well-being. There were others who faithfully took over my responsibilities at church for a few weeks. Above all, I am so deep down grateful for my husband, who watched over me so tenderly. He has constantly filled any need, any desire for even minor things such as a drink or a book that is across the room. He has carried loads of laundry, helped and assisted in the kitchen taking things out of the oven or freezer as needed, draining pots and so much more. 

Who am I that I am so blessed to have such wonderful and caring people in my life. I bless the day that the Lord brought Chad into my life for it has opened me up to a host of blessings that I could never have  realized alone. I am so thankful for this experience. I have learned SO much! I truly know that there is GOOD in ALL things and this knowledge fills my heart to overflowing with JOY!

It has been a full month and a half since that surgery and I feel as good as ever and it seems to improve EVERY day! The Lord has truly blessed me bounteously! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!