And it's time to go home - March 2023

 As the end of March approaches, our time in Yuma, AZ, comes to an end.  We are always sad to leave, but happy to return to St. George and our home!

Collin and Kathy came to visit this month and we had a great time going to Mexico (Collin bought even more drugs), visit the Yuma Prison, and enjoy a reuben sandwich at Lutes.  It's always a great time when friends come to visit.

I taught Sunday School the last week of Church and I really enjoyed this experience.  I've served so many years in Temple and Family History, that I began to think I couldn't do anything else.  I'm grateful that Rich asked me to do this.  As always, it's fun to work at the food bank each week, although this year wasn't as often as usual.  

We decided to sell our RZR and had several people look at it, but no one bought it in Yuma.  So, we drove it home, put it on KSL and within two weeks we sold the RZR, the trailer, the new tires, and gave them the extra windshield.  Now we are waiting for our new RZR to come in and our new aluminum trailer to be built.

Just a couple of days after we got home, Doug and Marie Hadley stopped by and we toured Gunlock Reservoir with them.  Because of all the snow and rain this year, the reservoir is high and the falls were spectacular.  Spring is the best time of year in St. George.

As always, we loved to have the kids come for spring break.  Curt brought the triplets (Mel had to work.), Adrian, Todd, Taylor brought Crocketts and our house overflowed with fun.  Anita heated her pool and hot tub, so the kids went swimming each day.  We also took them on the walk, just down the street from our house in the raven. They loved to walk the slick rocks, jump from rock to rock and just run.  The winter up north has been brutal and they have had to spend lots of time in the house.

February Birthdays and Other Family Tales

Happy Birthday Taylor, February 2:  What a great young man you are!! We are so proud that you are pursuing advanced education (even if you don't like it), that you are growing in your faith and your self-confidence.  We love you.

Happy Birthday Brittney, February 13:  You are such a wonderful daughter-in-law.  You do so much for your family on a daily basis.  We love you.

Happy Birthday Ali, February 18: My how you have grown these last few years.  You are now 12 and we are so proud that you have gone to the Temple, read the Book of Mormon in one month, and are so involved in life.  We love you.

Happy Birthday Tyce, February 18:  Tyce, you  have struggled with some difficult things and we are so proud that you are participating in your therapy, that you are growing stronger and more self assured.  It's great to be 10 and you are so loving.  We love you.

Happy Birthday Birthday Melanee, February 27:  Thank you for being a wonderful daughter-in-law and giving so much to our family.  We wish you well in all the endeavors you are taking right now and in your new calling as Relief Society President.  Take care of yourself.  We love you.

Our Missionary - Cameron

It sounds like Cameron is doing so well and is now a trainer again, speaking fluent Spanish, and loving the experience.  He is growing so much.

Colitis? What the heck is that? (February 2023)

 We went to the Yuma rodeo on February 10; I was feeling great.  The girls got together so I could help them with an instant pot dish.  We finished, I took a small sample, felt like I needed to go to the bathroom and the rest is history.  I started to throw up, have diarrhea, poop blood, pain in the gut, headache, and so forth.

We waited until about 7 p.m. before going to the ER.  At the ER, we waited until 2 a.m. before I was seen by a doctor.  They took a CT scan and admitted me right there to the hospital.  So no sleep that night.  I was hooked up to IVs for saline drip, morphine, and antibiotics.  No going home (actually no improvement) Sunday; a little improvement on Tuesday; and Wednesday improved enough to go home.

My colon was totally infected - with what, I don't know; from where it is a mystery - but it was in bad shape.  I took antibiotics for another 14 days and by the end of February I was starting to feel a little better.  I am still having a difficult time eating some foods.  I am watching how much and what I eat.

This was a real scare for me.  At the time, I was reading the New Testament in Matthew about Christ's miracles.  The one that really touched my heart was the woman sitting at the side of the road, wrapped in dirty clothes and waiting to just touch the hem of the Savior's garment.  That was all I wanted to do, if I could just touch Christ's garment I knew I could be healed.  I have thought much about this analogy and am trying to reach out more and more to Christ so that I may just touch his garment.

I've had continuing colon, ulcer, stomach problems for a long, long time and hope that when I get back to St. George hope the gastroenterologist can find out some root causes.

February 2023 - Yuma, Arizona

 February started out windy, rainy and cold.  I was able to start going on some RZR rides and shopping with the girls.  We did spend a lot of time inside however.

When the weather is good, it is so fun to get out and enjoy the beauty of the desert.

I love all the jagged mountain ranges, the various cactus varieties and even all the rocks and dust.  Each day something blooms or changes.  Up north, they are getting hammered with snow this year.  It is marvelous for the water supply, but everyone has had to shovel and shovel and make paths for the dogs outdoors.

The middle of February, Carol, John, Joe, Anita, Brent and Clare came to visit.  They wanted to buy yard art and pots for their yards.  I wasn't able to go to Mexico at this time, but they enjoyed themselves.  We also had a great time taking advantage of Curt's Christmas present.  As you can see, Brett Simonsen is a little confused on how to use it; and Brent Padilla drove off with it and was stopped by a lady that pointed out the toilet seat on his hitch.  Brent looking as he does fit right in with a character that would drive around with their own toilet seat.

February 10, we attended the Yuma Rodeo.  It was our first time and a long time since we had been to a rodeo.  We bought arena side seats and were up and personal with the riders and especially the clown. 

The Beginning of 2023 - January 2023

 After Christmas, we traveled back to St. George, finished packing the trailer, loaded ourselves in the car and truck and began our yearly journey to Yuma, Arizona.  This year, I was still in a boot and so driving was difficult (besides, I wasn't myself yet) so Adrian drove me and the car down.  She was able to stay a few days and see how we live, go on a RZR ride, and meet all the neat people we associate with.

Theron drove Adrian to Phoenix where she caught a flight home and now we are on our own.  

I wore my boot faithfully the month of January.  Most of the skin graft was healed and only a small area between the toes was taking a long time to heal.  It was frustrating sleeping in a boot, so I complained about it to Theron and he invented a small support for bedtime.  What better use of duct tape and cardboard.  It worked, sleep finally.

The middle of January, around my mom's 90th birthday, January 18, Theron and I drove back up north to see the doctor for my foot and tend grandchildren.  Ali was turning 12 in February so Marc and Brittney wanted to take her on a 12th birthday trip.  They went to Disneyland and Theron and I stayed with Tyce, Mason and Kacy.

While there, we celebrated my mom's 90th birthday by taking cake and ice cream to the assisted living center and sharing with all the patients and staff.  Mom was just getting over having some squamous cell carcinoma removed from in front of her ear.  She is doing well and seems to have adapted to all things that have changed.

We were fortunate that it did not snow while we were there, so my foot stayed dry.  The doctor did tell me that I could start wearing a shoe on my foot again.  This was now very helpful and I could walk without bending my toes that helped continue the healing.

We then returned to Yuma where we were asked to be TFH Consultants - image that.  Each Monday, we met with individual members of the Branch to help them with their family history questions.  It has been a good experience getting to know some people on a very personal level.  There are so many different family stories and situations.  It's amazing that any of us grow up and are normal - whatever normal is.

Christmas 2022

 We traveled north and stayed with Adrian to be close to the kids.  We entertained the kids the day before Christmas by making cookies; Aunt Adrian is so patient.

Because I was unable to walk about much and wasn't feeling all that good, we just went to Curt's house for Christmas.  I was able to attend sacrament meeting on Christmas Day and then sit with my foot propped up the rest of the time.

Wrapping paper was flying and the kids really enjoyed all their presents.  Theron traveled to Morgan and brought mom down and she was able to spend the day with us.  

In my younger years, I always enjoyed getting lots of presents and was very particular about what I wanted and what I didn't want.  It worked out most of the time.  As I have gotten older, especially this year, I wanted to see others enjoy presents.  Theron and I didn't buy each other things; except he did get me some saran wrap and a new hair dryer (Our old one died just before Christmas.).  We have certainly been blessed with much prosperity and too many things.  The most precious gifts are our family and friends.

Jesse's new slippers.

A little love time.

Curt is always looking for the perfect gift.  This year it is a toilet seat on a hitch to put on behind the razor for comfort in the woods.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a wonderful new year!!!!!!

And The Cancer Trend Continues

 The first part of December, I went to the dermatologist for a check on a couple of spots on my face.  I had watched a dark spot appear by my left big toe and didn't think much about it, but had him check that spot also.  The spot on my toe came back as melanoma.  It was .6 mm deep (.8 is the worry depth).  The dermatologist immediately set up an appointment with a surgeon, who just happened to have a cancellation so I was able to meet with him.  This would also involve a plastic surgeon and he just happened to have a cancellation, so I consulted with him.  These two offices worked together and I was in surgery on December 21 (about 2 weeks after the diagnosis). 

All went well, I was in a boot for Christmas, but was able to travel north and sit in a chair for the better part of the time.  They were able to get all the margins clear and I am no cancer free - at least in that spot.

We have so much to be thankful for in our day - modern medicine, great diagnostic tests, men and women who study this and perform these delicate operations, and so forth.