One Hot Mama

There is a little problem I've been dealing with lately--for the past 6 months to be exact--that I'm getting a little fed up with and that is HOT FLASHES!!!

Unless someone has experienced one, I'm not sure it is understood just how annoyingly, irritatingly and deeply uncomfortable they really are. It only intensifies with each additional one throughout the day, evening and all through the night. And then each morning it starts all over again. It's enough to cause a woman to come close to losing her mind!!!


A recent Dear Abby in the Deseret News caught my eye with the bold headline "Men Gain Empathy in a Flash for Menopause". The article was referring to a previous writer "Hot Flash Hilda" whose husband says she's "mean" and "freaky" because she doesn't want to snuggle when she's having a hot flash.

Linda in Mesa, Arizona didn't give me much hope for improvement any time soon when she wrote to say she's been having 18 years of menopause. She had told her son that menopause constitutes justifiable homicide and he'd better tread carefully. She suggested Hilda tell her husband that hot flashes are like claustrophobia. You're heating up from the inside out and have no way to escape and there are times when the skin actually hurts.

Diane in Susanville, California wrote that her husband didn't understand her need for distance during a hot flash. She took him to a spa and when he was good and hot inside the sauna, she joined him and suggested that they snuggle. He told her he was all hot and sweaty! She told him he was having a hot flash and that's when he finally got it.

My favorite comment was from Michelle in Wurtsboro, New York who described what a woman feels like during a hot flash. She wrote, "A 450-degree oven about sums it up."

So just a word of warning to all who come in contact with me--
I'm HOT!!

Motherhood Through the Years

It was nice to talk to my beloved mother on Mother's Day. I am thankful that she has always been my best friend and such a great example of a great mother. Thanks, Mom, for being the best mother in the world to me.


I am thankful that I am a mother. I love my family so much. The next thing better than having the children all surrounding me is to have them on cell phones cradled in my hands as they participated in the missionary Mother's Day phone call. Glen and I were excited to receive the call. It started with just one kid trying to listen and participate in Elder Benjamin Thomas's conversation.


And we kept adding phones as more kids kept calling.



Fun time and a great way to end Mother's Day.

Sarah, the SUU Graduate

For all of you who were disappointed in my last post, I've decided to give you what you want--TONS of photos and documentation of our visit to Cedar City for Sarah's graduation. But, as you'll soon notice, my pictures are not that great after viewing the sharp, clear and beautiful ones that Jeff took. But here goes...

It started with a session at the Jordan River Temple and a lunch stop at Chick-Fil-A in Provo where Brooke, Caroline and Rebecca joined us.



Here is the graduate following Friday's commencement exercises.



We had to celebrate by eating dinner at the Ninja and then topped it off with dessert at the Golden Spoon. Glen so often claims how much he hates sweets and yet it was his idea to get yogurt and then he ordered a gigantic cup of the stuff.



We discovered a fun surprise on the marquee of the Abbey Inn. Sorry that I didn't remember that I should never take a video with my camera turned sideways. Because of that, you will just have to turn your head sideways to the left to view the clip--but, trust me, it will be well worth the trouble.



We had to get some fun activities in before Saturday afternoon's college convocation began. It was fun in the sun on the golf course for Glen and Jeff.


And it was a walk around Cedar City for Sarah and me. She kept requesting I slow down claiming her big belly was holding her back because her baby was sucking out all her energy. Who believes that story? I think it's because I've been trying to do my meager daily exercising lately and can now show her up. Half marathon with me anyone??



We tried to get the guys on board for a little snack to hold us through that day's graduation ceremony, but they wanted to stay at the apartment and chill out with their computers while watching T.V. That's no fun!! Sarah and I had a much better idea--getting ice cream before donning the cap and gown!! YUM!!



This was a popular posing spot for the graduates in front of the statue.



We got awesome seats close to the stage on the very front row so we could see Sarah walk by. We sat in a very entertaining spot--right by the taped line on the floor that said "stop here please." The line was placed there to space out the graduates so they could get their photo taken right before climbing the stairs and walking across the stage. Some students noticed the sign, but lots of them didn't. It was funny to watch them bump into each other because they didn't expect to have to stop.



A big shout out goes to David and Mary Excell for supporting Sarah on both days despite the fact they were caring for their grandchildren those days. Three cheers for Sarah having great in-laws!!!


Here's Sarah when she was entering the building for her School of Business College Convocation.


And again when she was walking up to receive her BS Marketing degree.




Here's her proud dad and her happy husband.



I stand in awe again as our second daughter has achieved this wonderful goal of obtaining a college degree--something I have never done. Way to go!!!


Congratulations Sarah!!


We topped off the two-day graduation celebration by going to dinner at Chili's. ¡Olé!


And gracias for another fun time in Cedar City, Jeff and Sarah. We love you both.

Sarah's Graduation

See Jeff and Sarah's blog.