Halloween -- 3 years ago...

Awww....

The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive.
- Thomas Jefferson

Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead.

-- Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)

"There is nothing that we are enduring that Jesus does not understand, and He waits for us to go to our Heavenly Father in prayer. If we will be obedient and if we are diligent, our prayers will be answered, our problems will diminish, our fears will dissipate, light will come upon us, the darkness of despair will be dispersed, and we will be close to the Lord."

--Robert D. Hales

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.
-Epictetus (55-135 AD) Greek Philosopher

The world is good-natured to people who are good natured.

- William Makepeace Thackeray

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
-Thomas Jefferson

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."

-Thomas Jefferson

You and I will never forget the horrible act of war committed against our country 8 years ago today...the memories are burned on our hearts...

...May we live this day and always so as to honor our Country and stand brave and tall against anyone who tries to tear it down piece by piece. God bless my America and yours!!!

"A home is much more than a house built of lumber, brick, or stone. A home is made of love, sacrifice, and respect. We are responsible for the homes we build. We must build wisely, for eternity is not a short voyage. There will be calm and wind, sunlight and shadows, joy and sorrow. But if we really try, our home can be a bit of heaven here on earth. The thoughts we think, the deeds we do, the lives we live not only influence the success of our earthly journey, they also mark the way to our eternal goals."

--President Thomas S. Monson

Sarah Bear...yearning to run with her brothers!

Her smile beams like sunshine, which fills our hearts with love.
- Birgit B.

Baby Sarah and Mandy the dog are getting on just fine...

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. Idon't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them.

-George Bernard Shaw

"When I think of happiness or joy in this life, I begin with some experiences that are simple and basic. I see the expression on the face of a one-year-old taking those first steps. I think of a child loving a puppy or a kitten. If the more mature have not dulled their physical or spiritual sensitivities by excess or disuse, they can also experience joy in what is simple and basic."

--Dallin H. Oaks

True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but
through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

-- Helen Keller (1880-1968)

To do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate the beautiful thing: that is enough for one man's life.

-- T. S. Eliot (1888-1965) American Poet

(lovely picture, courtesy of my friend Stella-thank you!)

"As children of God we are somebody. He will build us, mold us, and magnify us if we will but hold our heads up, our arms out, and walk with him. What a great blessing to be created in his image and know of our true potential in and through him! What a great blessing to know that in his strength we can do all things!"

--Marvin J. Ashton

A Million Moonlit Nights...

A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

- Charles Gordy
(who needs Botox?! just smile!)

What ought one to say then as each hardship comes? I was practicing for this, I was training for this.

Epictetus (55-135 AD) Greek Philosopher

By the Sea, Circa 1909

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"We are all fairies living underneath a leaf of a lily pad."
- Tori Amos

“The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. To dig for treasures shows not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith. Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach—waiting for a gift from the sea.”

Anne Lindbergh

"I testify to you that God's hand has been in our destiny. I testify that freedom as we know it today is being threatened as never before in our history. I further witness that this land—the Americas—must be protected, its Constitution upheld, for this is a land foreordained to be the Zion of our God. He expects us as members of the Church and bearers of His priesthood to do all we can to preserve our liberty."

--Ezra Taft Benson

"There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the “light that is endless, that can never be darkened.” It is the very Son of God Himself. It is the return of hope, and Jesus is the Sun. To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: Hold on. Keep trying. God loves you. Things will improve. Christ comes to you in His “more excellent ministry” with a future of “better promises.” He is your “high priest of good things to come."

--Jeffrey R. Holland

It's nearly the 4th and I really can't believe it!

Long May She Wave!

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A wonderful article sent to me by my dear soul sister, Nancy...Thank you!

A practicing physician for more than 40 years, Elder Malcolm S. Jeppsen, then of the Seventy, said at the April 1994 general conference that he'd had many occasions to see patients who were sick or who had sustained injuries to their bodies.
"I hereby make an admission: physicians do not cure patients," he said. "This marvelous and complicated machine we call the human body has built into it its own wonderful healing mechanism. All a physician can do is provide a good healing environment."I soon learned in my medical practice that the ultimate healing process for an injured or sick body was already provided by our Heavenly Father. I also learned that a patient's attitude has much to do with healing. Those who would rely on Heavenly Father and exercise faith in the power of the priesthood often enjoyed faster recoveries.
"I have witnessed miracles! Many times when my medical training suggested a dismal prognosis, I have seen individuals fully recover. I have also witnessed others who relied with faith on the Lord and sought blessings with their prayers, which were not answered in a way the person or loved one desired.
"The Lord has given a condition for healing blessings: `He that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed.' (D&C 42:48.) Even when a person relies on faith in the Lord for blessings, if it is his or her appointed time to die, there will not be restoration of health. Indeed, `death [must come] upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator.' (2 Ne. 9:6.)
President Spencer W. Kimball has written:
"If all the sick for whom we pray were healed, if all the righteous were protected and the wicked destroyed, the whole program of the Father would be annulled. . . . No man would have to live by faith. . . . There would be little or no suffering, sorrow, disappointment, or even death, and if these were not, there would also be no joy, success, resurrection, nor eternal life.' " (Faith Precedes the Miracle [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1972], p. 97.)

Trying to get moving...

I can't tell you how much I feel like a big blob of nothing these past few weeks. I've laid in bed and watched alot of movies. Pride and Prejudice, TWICE. (the long version)
I've learned something really cool about my body though....it WANTS TO HEAL. It's working hard to heal the damaged nerves that were so recently messed up with this last attack on my spinal cord. My feet are stiff and feel like burning ice. I decided yesterday to just get over the anger I've felt at times toward my feet and legs or my body. Even in this situation - it's all miraculous....working overtime to find ways for me to be able to function normally again. I've even noticed that i get hungry more often - like it's needing more food for energy. Which of course, I'm happy to oblige it. The body is truly an amazing gift. A work of art - even in it's imperfection.

Okay...so, enough about that.....
I started my Fourth of July charms yesterday. I love the old vintage flag postcards. They are cute....and it feels good to do some "normal" things again...

thank you to all my friends- for your prayers and thoughts and support.
I miss you all. I miss cleaning house. I miss walking around Target.

Yay! I can walk again!!! Haven't been able to since the day after Memorial Day. So, this is good!

it was scary and humbling...but that's life sometimes.

Things are better. Still doing my daily injections which the UCSF doctor says will take about 3 months to become totally effective in blocking relapses like the one I just had.

Thank you for all your love and outpouring of friendship during this time. whew! another hurdle!

Tomorrow, June 12th is the last day of school for my kids...and it is also Sean's 9th birthday! Can't believe it. I know, we all say that. Amazing that time marches on so relentlessly. We don't ALL say that...just those of us that are OLD. (I always thought that was such an OldLady thing to say...now I say it almost every day!)

The Medicine I love the most....

Unfortunately I've had a flare up of the MS this week leaving my entire left leg numb and making it difficult to walk. The first few days I handled it okay...but then I began to panic...what if the feeling doesn't come back...blah blah blah........all I can say is that I'm so glad I started the Copaxone. It will hopefully keep this kind of thing from happening again, or at least decrease the frequency of attacks. The doctor thinks I was overheated and that started the flare..............um, living where I do.....it's going to make me think twice before going outside this summer. In fact I'm going to order a cooling vest...not my idea of fashionable accessory, but it just may become my favorite thing to wear soon.

I'm not writing this to complain..........as has been the case in the past...this experience has forced me to re-evaluate what is important in my life. So, it's like a blessing in a dark cloak.

Thank you to family and friends who love me, support me and pray for me. I could NOT do this without all of you and your encouraging words. God is good. He's blessed me tremendously with exactly what I need.

I'm not a spider fan, but I am amazed by their web-making skills...

This is a photo I caught while outside this morning eating my breakfast...

My shot today...

Hi...I took my 2nd shot. As the day has progressed I feel so much better. I CAN do this. Thanks for the encouragement! i love you all. I'm blessed to have you all in my life. Thank you Thank you!!

If you don't mind a few more prayers...

I woke up this morning feeling rotten!!! Every joint, muscle and bone is aching. Now I can see why they keep saying, "NO matter what, you need to keep taking this Copaxone" cuz if I didn't know why I was doing this, I'd never take another shot again! So.......please friends. You have given me the help and support to get this far........I can do this......right?

I did it!!!!

I am blessed to have such loving friends and family! Thank you to everyone for thinking of me and praying for the day to go okay! It was easy as pie! I've never been afraid of the actual needle...just the reaction of the drug. So...I did it and it was easy. 2 hours after the injection I did begin to feel strange. Tingling up my spine and in my head and nausea...then majorly anxious....BUT...it passed within an hour. I can do this. The medicine is doing it's job in my nervous system and I just need to relax and let it work for me! Thanks so much everyone. i love you all to bits!!!

My medicine arrived today. I start my injections on Sunday...just asking for prayers from all my family and friends!!!!

" 'Abide in me' is an understandable and beautiful enough concept in the elegant English of the King James Bible, but 'abide' is not a word we use much anymore. So I gained even more appreciation for this admonition from the Lord when I was introduced to the translation of this passage in another language. In Spanish that familiar phrase is rendered ‘permaneced en mi.’ Like the English verb 'abide,' permanecer means 'to remain, to stay,' but even gringos like me can hear the root cognate there of 'permanence.' The sense of this then is 'stay—but stay forever.' That is the call of the gospel message to...everyone...in the world. Come, but come to remain. Come with conviction and endurance. Come permanently, for your sake and the sake of all the generations who must follow you, and we will help each other be strong to the very end."

- Jeffrey R. Holland

This is what I did today, although I didn't look nearly as cute doing it....

:)

I've been Tagged by Robin - I'm supposed to show pictures of 6 un-important things that make me happy...!

M&Ms mostly make me happy because of the colors...and the way they crunch between my teeth....

Christmas lights are important, but they aren't essential to our lives. I can't tell you happy they make me...well, they probably make YOU just as happy!

Butterflies make me happy just because they are BUTTERFLIES!!!!

Royce can't understand why purses make me so happy. I can't really understand it either. They just do!

Kaleidoscopes make me tremendously happy. Since childhood, they are still one of my favorite toys! I have a few vintage ones....as old as me.......and that's antique!

Paper lanterns have always fascinated me. I just feel cheerful when I see them!

I tag Britten, Breena, Melissa, Stella, Lori Pope, and...Lady Linda!

"My dear sisters, do not pray for tasks equal to your abilities, but pray for abilities equal to your tasks. Then the performance of your tasks will be no miracle, but you will be the miracle."

-President Monson

One of my recent favorite photos....Sarah with her Aunt Leslie...

When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.

-Helen Keller (1880-1968)

We need a renaissance of wonder. We need to renew, in our hearts and in our souls, the deathless dream, the eternal poetry, the perennial sense that life is miracle and magic.

-- E. Merrill Root (1895-1973) American Writer

"The kind of life you live, your disposition, your very nature, will be determined by your thoughts, of which your acts are but the outward expression. Thought is the seed of action."

--David O. McKay

English Country Cottage

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again."
(from "Rebecca")
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Spring Song Necklace

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"My favorite weather is bird-chirping weather."
~Loire Hartwould

Bunny Necklace

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The Garden Beckons...

The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.
~Dorothy Frances Gurney, "Garden Thoughts"
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Wildflower Bouquet

"Men do change, and change comes like a little wind that ruffles the curtains at dawn, and it comes like the stealthy perfume of wildflowers hidden in the grass."
-John Steinbeck
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Thanks Robin for my new "symbol" picture....

You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however.

-Richard Bach

A Little Day Trip...

I got the call yesterday about my appointment with the top Multiple Sclerosis Doctor at UCSF - it's going to be earlier than they thought - April 13th!! So...Royce and I are off to meet some smart docs and then on to eat some sour dough bread and clam chowder by the bay! Wish me luck :)