Family Treasures

About a week ago I got a special package in the mail from my aunt Jeanette my mom's sister. After my grandpa died in Feb my aunts and mom had the the difficult task of going through my grandparents house and all their belongings and trying to divide what they had between siblings and grandchildren, great-grandchildren etc. The sisters divided the family items between them and then they gave us the opportunity to have some priceless possessions as well. There came a point where there were items that they wanted the grandchildren to have so they put all of our names in a hat, then they would pick up an item and someone would pull out the name and that person got that item.
I was blessed to get some very old and precious books. Some of the books are signed by the author. I also got an old pitcher of my grandmothers, a framed poem that my grandfather sent to his mother (my great-grandmother) for mother's day while he was on his mission in 1933.

One of the greatest treasures is a stone necklace, my aunts had one made for all the grandaughters. With the necklace came a letter telling us where the stone came from. In the early 1950's my grandparents and 3 of the daughters traveled back east to pick up a new car. On their way home they stopped to see the remains of the old Navuoo Temple. They collected a few of the stones from the Temple to remind them of the sacrifice of the saints (some of our ancestors were in that group of saints). Those stones were in my grandparents house and the aunts decided to have the stones made into necklaces for the grandaughters. This truly is a treasure for me. Some women wear a rock (diamond) around their neck that might be worth more in money but this rock has more value to me than any other stone that I could purchase or own.
Included in my treasure box are some letters that my grandma sent to my grandpa, letters that my great-aunts sent to my grandpa while he was serving his mission in 1932. My aunts are in their 90's now and one is deceased.

Opening that box last week was like opening 97 years of history. Looking at their handwriting, reading their letters and the love they had for each other. Realizing the trials they endured made me appreicate my heritage and the legacy that they left.

I will cherish these things for the rest of my life!

Doug update

My how prayers are answered! Thank you for all your prayers and concern for our family. It makes a huge difference that we have people who love and support us and are concerned. The burden is easier to bare.
Doug was released from the hospital late last night. All the tests they did for a stroke came back negative. Whew!!! It is determined that he had Transient Global Amnesia. It is a condition where you can forget 6 - 24 hours of your life and you never recall it. It is a rare condition, his specialist only sees about 1 or 2 a year. He told us about another case where a lady drove from California to Washington and when she came to she didn't know where she was or how she got there. You function as normal but don't remember anything for a certain time period, ever!
He does remember early that morning getting dressed but his next memory was talking to me. He doesn't remember the conversation but does remember the policeman at his car door and the paramedic making him get in the ambulance and taking his blood.
This condition can be brought about by several different things. Physical activity is one of them, stress, trauma, bad news etc. We don't know what brought his on but it is something that only happens once in a life time. (Thank goodness) It is so weird to know that for 6 hours he didn't know what he was doing. I think he was walking around the whole time and then just got in his truck and then somehow knew to call me. We are thankful that it is nothing serious and now we sit back and appreciate each other, laugh about it some and remember that life is too short to take for granted.

I just can't tell you all that things that went through my mind as I watched him on the bed trying to figure out simple things. I count on him for everything. He is my rock. We will need to do things a little differently now. I will know all the numbers of his phones, not just his personal cell phone and his bosses phone number. I will have a file of people to call if anything happens with numbers. Insurance companies, bills all those things that he does will be done together and the file will be labeled Emergency File with people and places to call if something happens. When things like this happen, the last thing you want to think about is who do I call for this or that and if I only knew ... If it is all there then it makes things much easier.
Thanks again everyone for your support

My dear sweet man

My husband was on assignment with his job in Russellville for 8 days and was supposed to come home yesterday. I was excited to have him return home and have things back to normal. I tried all morning to call him on his cell phone but there was not answer. He always returns my calls and I thought it was strange that hours went by and nothing. About 1:00 yesterday he called me from his company cell phone (which I don't have the phone # for). I asked him why he hadn't called me and asked him where he was. He was very confused and didn't know where he was or how he got there and he just kept asking me the same questions over and over again. He was laughing and being silly but just kept asking me questions like, did I leave the house this morning, when did I talk to you last, telling me he didn't know where he was. He did not know what day it was, who the president of the US was, who the prophet was, didn't know the names of family members. He did remember my phone number though (thankfully). I kept him on the phone and called 9-1-1 and got the police and ambulance dispatched to the area that he described for me. He as at a walking trail there in Russellville. They got to him as I was talking to him on the phone. He was not happy that I called them and didn't want to leave his vehicle. I had to talk him out of the car for them to be put in the ambulance, (as I was flying in my car with Celeste to Russellville) to meet him at the hospital. When I got there he was in his running clothes with scratches on his legs and he was still really confused and not acting himself. They ran a few tests and determined that he might have had a stroke. They wanted to admit him in the hospital but it was decided to transport him by ambulance to the our town hospital instead, which is where he is now.
Here is what we know, he knew he was done on his assignment and was going to check out of the motel but he decided to go walking that morning (he works out every morning so normal routine). Last night he finally remembered getting his running clothes on and going to the sight but he does not have ANY memory of between 6am to 1pm and what he did during that time. He apparently walked somewhere cause we could tell by his shoes and the marks on his legs. But it is a mystery of what happened to him during 6-7 hours. He does not remember our conversation, he remembers talking to me but not what was said. He kept asking last night what time it was cause he was so shocked that the day was gone and he couldn't remember any of it. Poor thing. Anyway he is at the hospital and many tests are going to be done today to determine the problem.
I love my man more than anything and pray that he will be fine! I don't know how to live without him. This was a huge wake up call of how we take day to day life for granted.
Please remember him in your prayers if you would.
Love ya'll

American Idol Junkie

I am an American Idol Junkie! I love me some American Idol! It comes on while I have been studying for Institute or teaching on Wed nights. Doug got tired of recording it and so he surprised me with a DVR. AWESOME!!! I flip thru those commercial and the garbage I don't want to watch and get to see the good stuff. A whole new way to watch Idol. I do admit I usually fast forwarding thru Paula's looooonnnnngggg opinions!

This year is extra special cause our very own Conway Arkansas boy Kris Allen is in the top 8! Last year I was for David Archeletta, not only cause he had a beautiful voice but he was from our old home town Murray Utah. I lived just a couple of blocks from his high school and all. It was exciting to watch him get to the end and being the 2nd best. (I still consider him the best but I will say that David Cook sure has done an awesome job with the title).

I am cheering Kris Allen on and voting as many times as I can during the 2 hours that the lines are open. He is our boy this year! Are you with me on this one?

PS. We found out what Celeste and Joe are having but I want her to blog it first, stay tuned.