Quotes of the Week

 Because of Jesus Christ, our mistakes do not define us, but they refine us.

--Dieter F. Uchtdorf

There is no substitute under the heavens for productive labor. It is the process by which dreams become realities. It is the process by which idle visions become dynamic achievements.

--Gordon B. Hinckley

We no longer have the luxury of doing anything that does not bring us or our family to Christ.

--Sheri Dew

Moreover, we can't fully appreciate joyful reunions later without tearful separations now. The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take the love out of life.

--Russell M. Nelson

Quotes of the Week

 Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses -- yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record you feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will grow into the principle of revelation.

--Russell M. Nelson

As you prepare for general conference, I invite you to ponder questions you need to have answered... A hear filled with gratitude for the blessings of life and an earnest desire to hear and follow the words of counsel will prepare the way for personal revelation. 

--Dieter F. Uchtdorf

What is said is not as important as what we hear and what we feel. That is why we make an effort to experience conference where the still, small voice of the Spirit can be clearly heard, felt and understood.

--Robert D. Hales

Benihana; Longhorn; Zupas; Hordeolum Again! Crying Birthday Boys

We always try to get together with Natalie whenever we go to Provo for a basketball game. It is always interesting to hear what her dinner choice will be for our dinner.

This time she chose a teppanyaki restaurant.

Time for the shrimp toss. Once we were full, we took Natalie to her apartment and headed off to the ball game. It's March Madness. Need I say more about the never-ending basketball games???

It had been a while since we were able to get together with Glen's sisters Barbara and Maurine and their husbands Rich and Ray. Longhorn has been a great choice for us to meet when Rich and Barbara drive down from Hyrum.

We jumped at the chance to go with Diane and Grant to Zupas for lunch. Even though they live right across the street, we haven't visited with them much during the winter months.

What I love about Zupas is they give everyone a roll and a chocolate-covered strawberry. Glen doesn't ever want his, so I took his and mine home and had those for a later meal.

The previous photos were the good pictures of me. Now it's time for the not-so-good photos of me...in particular...my left eye. 

I could tell another eye problem was coming on and I was definitely not happy about it. I think this is the 6th time I've had to deal with this particular eye issue. 

This is my eye doctor brother Mark's opinion of the situation. 

I shared my sore red eye with Rebecca and Sarah the next day to let them see the progress(?) I was making toward healing.

This was his response to Rebecca's question: "I have been taught and believe that laughter is the best medicine." HAHA!! 

The next day there was not as much swelling under the eye, but I sure had a red, bulging upper lid.

The following day it looked like I was having fluid retention near my nose. UGH! Not a pretty sight in any of these photos!!

Another problem I have been having is with my allergy injections. I get two injections each week with different serums in each arm. Then the next week they alternate the serums and back and forth like that. 

I started out with a very diluted serum and it increases each week. By the second week, I was having a reaction to whichever arm the weeds serum was injected. The other serum is cats, dogs and grasses.

Each week the reaction was getting bigger and bigger and itchier and itchier and it lasted 5 days. I would have a couple of days of calm and not as much itching and then it would start all over again.

They kept my 7th dosage the same as the 6th dosage and I had a huge reaction--red welt that measured 4 1/2 inches by 5 1/4 inches. I was miserable as I tried my best not to scratch that big spot. 

Then I got the following voicemail from the nurse telling me they were going to remix my serums and make them super diluted. 

Then I would need to start over again with the weekly build-up routine which would change from 18 weeks to now 30 weekly injection visits before I can start spacing them out more than a week. UGH!!!!

But I am happy to report I have had two weeks of injections and I have not had any itching!! Hurrah!!

I got the biggest kick out of this photo of Ben playing Set with Kade. Ben is the ULTIMATE Set playing champion. So much so that none of us even like to play with him because he can spot the patterns so quickly. 

It will be interesting to see if Kade or Levi have the Set game expertise gene. 

Haley, Levi and Kade have been really sick lately and it's been a good thing Ben hasn't gotten it as he has been the one taking care of everyone. He had to cancel a trip out of town because he didn't feel like he could leave his sick household. 

We sure hope he stays well and that the others will recover soon. 

Abe sent us photos of him and Newland attending the basketball games in Greenville. What a fun thing for Newland to do with his dad. It's all part of the March Madness.

Speaking of March...both Monty and Abe have birthdays in the month of March. 

I laughed when I saw the crying baby photo of the birthday boy Monty with the birthday card we sent him visible in the foreground.

What really made me laugh was Abe doing a photo reenactment with his birthday card in the foreground. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to both the crying boys!! 

Quotes of the Week

 We must not be intimidated or lose our composure even though the once morally unacceptable is becoming acceptable, as if frequency somehow conferred respectability!

--Neal A. Maxwell

I make an appeal for us to reach beyond our own contentment, to move out of our own comfort and companion zone, to reach those who may not always be so easy to reach.

--Jeffrey R. Holland

Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval.

--Thomas S. Monson

Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice but a continuous commitment and way of life that applies at all times and in all places.

--Dallin H. Oaks