Home Again

Jer is doing OK. His doctor said his tests will be back Wednesday, September 3.

Ernie came over Sunday night and we all watched the slide show of old pictures on Neenaw's computer. Yeah - exciting - but fun.

Neenaw signed away her house yesterday. We went to see BC and Tawnee and Kiley and Zane and the mutts and the chickens and turkeys. Tawnee cut Neenaw's hair.

Dad and I had a really good time - lots of joking around. I went to his ward in Kennewick and saw old 5th Ward residents, Pauline Hatch and the Pattillos. Pauline was so sweet - she told me Sheree lives in Beaverton and teaches school. I hope I get to see her sometime.

Neenaw's house should be empty as of today. Mission accomplished... now back to real life. Six days till school starts!!

Old pictures I scanned at Neenaw's this time:
BC and me, 1971

Our family, 1972-ish, in our apartment in Eugene, Oregon

Our family outside the Oakland Temple, February 1974, when we were sealed

Dad and me in May 1978 at the Azalea Festival in Brookings, Oregon. I was a junior princess.

Jeremy and me, 1981

BC in 5th grade at Azalea Middle School - 1981

Melanie, age two

Jeremy, I'm guessing around age 3

Wish It Was Better News

Jeremy and me, Christmas 1990

Mom called me today shortly after 1:00 to tell me that she was on her way to see Jeremy in Tri-Cities. He's been waiting to have his last surgery on his foot, which he injured a few years ago in a car accident. It hasn't healed well and this next surgery was supposed to finally fix it.

While at the doctor's office today, he found out he "probably" has leukemia. Apparently his white blood cell count points that way. I could kill his doctor for being so vague - you either have it, or you don't - it seems cruel to say "maybe" and make the patient and his family suffer. Melanie (the new nurse) says if it wasn't probably true, the doctor wouldn't have mentioned it. Bri thinks that with malpractice lawsuits happening as often as they do, doctors can't be too careful when they're giving out information like this, which is why he couldn't give Jeremy a very straight answer. More tests are necessary to determine the kind of leukemia he might have and how to treat it.

I'm leaving Thursday night on the train to spend a week in Tri-Cities and do whatever with my family. Neenaw sold her condominium and must be out by the 29th, and John and Karen and Jen are already there trying to get things ready for her move. I thought I could help with that and then, I don't know, just be moral support or something for Jeremy. We always have a good time together - maybe we can play some Mad Libs and forget about it for a while.

I love him so much and hate to think of anything bad happening to him. Your prayers and good thoughts are more than welcome.

Ti-yid Bi-yits

("tidbits" in my worst Southern accent)

~ The car has been fixed! The planets aligned so that we would actually have money when it broke down - a family first! The repair shop noted several things wrong with the car, including the brakes (metal on metal) and the air conditioner. We had them fix the main problem, the head gasket. Our sweet friends in MV ward offered to fix the brakes free if we buy the parts, and the air conditioner... it took me ten years to be able to say this, but yes, we'll only need that a few times the rest of the summer. I think we'll be OK without it till October. Just don't get too close to us.

~ We have Cousin Matt on the lookout for another smaller car for us. Dad is really hoping for a Subaru Outback. I'm like, whatever, just leave my minivan here so I can drive it... geez, like you really need it to go to work. What a lame excuse.

~ Unpacking continues. High Adventure, Girls' Camp, our trip to Grandma and Pa's to help them pack for moving to Utah, and now my bloggy weekend have thrown our teeny place into chaos... my main goals for the rest of the month are to majorly dejunk and get the kids ready for school (September 2nd). After spending two weekends in beautifully decorated and uncluttered surroundings, I look around here and think, GAH. This place is too full! Moving would have solved that, but fixing the car took financial priority this time.

~ Things are going well. I came home to a new Guitar Hero game, and the boys and Bella have been wearing that thing out. It's weird hearing them play along with MY old songs - "Message in a Bottle" and "Sweet Child O' Mine" - but cool. If only there were a "Clean Your Room Hero" or "Earn a Medical Degree Hero" game...

~ I'm looking forward to a very full, busy, fun Autumn. Soccer practice starts this week. We have trips and fun things planned. I'm amazed at how quickly the time goes by now...

Hey Again

Haven't been here much... I started blogging at my original blog again last week. Over the last two years, I've met quite a few friends through blogging, some of whom I've met "in real life." The girls and I had our second annual "blog party" and spent a great time together at the beach this weekend. Most of the ladies took pictures and will be posting them on another blog, so if I see some good ones, I'll post them here.

Cousin Janet (daughter of Mom's cousin, Chickie Isaac Bucholz) found a post I wrote about Grandma Keen on my genealogy blog and emailed me about it. It was really fun to hear from her. Hey Janet! :)

Bri's parents have officially moved from Tri-Cities to Utah. Today is Carol's birthday - one she'll probably always remember with the Big Move. Happy Birthday Mom H!

Not much else is going on... I just came home today at noon after a few fun sleepless nights, so I'm about ready to pass out. Have a great week!

And... We're Done

Hurry, Saturday! I finished Eclipse yesterday afternoon after borrowing it from Michelle. All I keep hearing about these books is how obsessive people become after reading them, about Bella, Edward, Jacob, etc. My bloggy friends have been going on and on about Twilight for at least a year now, and I was so "What's the big deal? Can't you guys talk about anything else?" that now I feel dumb. Everyone I talk to who has read these books absolutely ADORES them - and now I'm one of these people.

We're thinking of heading to the Breaking Dawn party at Barnes & Noble at the Columbia Center mall tonight, since we're leaving for Tri-Cities after Bri gets home from work - we rented a car since ours is currently dead. Brennan and I (Bella is still at Girls Camp) are trying to decide if we should go and be there when they crack open the books just after midnight. I am DYING to get my hands on one.

See? This is why I hate stuff like this. I sit and watch my friends go nuts about imaginary characters and think, man, what a bunch of sheep (I think it a lot more nicely than that, but that's basically what I'm thinking), and then when I finally get into it - after years of resisting and not jumping on the bandwagon - I am totally reeled in like a bass. A delicious bass. And I turn into the biggest freak OF ALL!! It's embarrassing.

Here's a good example: 80's aficionados may recognize this lady as Jane Wiedlin, guitarist for the band The Go-Gos (one of my favorites). When I read the Twilight books, this is how I picture the character Alice. Jane is such a perfect Alice that the casting people should have asked her to play the Alice character in the movie - the other chick doesn't do her justice. The fact that I have this strong an opinion about who plays Alice in the movie is just sad. You may now mock me.

In Other News: We dropped off our car at the mechanic's last night and they called us this morning to give us the damage. The good news is, we'll have the money to fix it (thank you, Mr. President) and buy another small car, if we can find a good inexpensive one.

The bad news is, we're probably not moving now, unless the IRS decides to drop more money on us in the near future. We were planning on moving with the $$. But at least now, I'll have a car to drive the kids around and Bri can get to work... and if I can keep our kids busy and out of target practice range, no bulletproof vests will have to be purchased.