Camera Fun

I enjoyed playing with the settings that are on my phone's camera....please enjoy the following pictures...I know that I do...

PEYTON!!!!

For over a year I have not been able to post pictures of my adorable niece, Peyton, because the adoption wasn't finalized until yesterday...SO...I'm making up for that by posting a ton of the pics I have of this cute girl on my phone!  She is wonderful and we are so happy to have her OFFICIALLY in our family!

Another Petaluma Weekend!

I found out that the Petaluma Wildlife Museum was having the annual pasta feed fundraiser, so I decided to go up for the weekend to attend.  I dropped Austin off at the cousin's and Kyra and I headed to Petaluma.  It was crazy being there again, since the program had such a profound meaning in my life.  I was sad to see so many different changes, but happy to see some improvements as well!  I was able to meet up with my friend, Helene, who was in the program all four years with me and it was great getting to see her!  I had to talk mom and dad into coming with us.  Kevin and Peyton showed up for the event as well!  After the event I went and chatted the evening away with Johanna.  It was a lovely day!

The African room!

Kyra holding a baby alligator!

They had a porcupine!  Crazy!

The creek that I played in all the time growing up!

Cats

I decided to do some volunteer work at a cat shelter. I've only gone twice, but it is quite the experience every time!  Kyra came with me the last time.  There are about 100 cats in this no kill shelter.

I call this cat Sid.  He reminds me of the sloth on Ice Age...he's really clingy and has these huge wideset eyes.  You can't really tell in this picture, but oh well.  He's also the cat that will go pounce on the other cats when they are sleeping.  Sounds like Sid to me!

The cats enjoyed getting attention from Kyra!

Picky

A couple years ago my dad came out to Utah to finish up some stuff on the condo before my roommates moved in.  While he was there, he told me that I was too picky when it came to boys.  I told him that he could come to church with me that week and any boy that he picked out, I would flirt with.  We went to church that week and afterwards I asked him who I was to flirt with...he said no one.  HA!

A few years before that I had an awesome Bishop who every time we chatted he asked about my dating/flirting etc.  One Sunday when I was in an interview with him, he asked me about it and I told him that he could pick anyone out of the ward directory and I would flirt with that person.  He named the oldest guy in the ward right off the bat...I told him to be serious about this!  So, he went through the ward directory and in the end came up with no one for me to flirt with.

Yup, my dad and my uncles have set an amazing example for how I should be treated...I might be single for the rest of my life!  ;)

Sweet Home Kaiser Permanente

I grew up with Kaiser as my health insurance, doctors, pharmacy...they have it all.  When I went on my own insurance in Utah, there was no Kaiser.  I did the best with what I was given and got along ok.  Moving back to California, I got Kaiser health insurance again.

 I went to my first doctor appointment today.  My sister had emailed her doctor and asked if she could take me on as well, and she said yes.  She was able to get all my prescriptions taken care of and then set up an appointment with an endo, which I haven't had since I had Kaiser before.  She got it all set up for me to get my blood lab work done whenever I had some time this week that would automatically be sent to the new endo before the appointment.  Then she sent me down the hall to have pictures taken of the insides of my eyes to make sure everything was going well.  While I was there, they made an appointment for me to get my eyes checked.  They even let me look at the pictures of the insides of my eyes....so cool looking!  After I was done there, I walked down the hall some more and picked up my prescriptions, which were all just waiting for me from when my dr. submitted them.  I finally get to use the brands that I know and love and that work best for me!  Not to mention the fact that my insurance is amazing and I hardly have to pay for anything!

This was great, everything was close by and they were able to make appointments for me on the spot and all of my records will flow seamlessly between my doctors.  I didn't realize until today what a huge weight has been on me trying to keep prescriptions, doctors, appointments, records and results straight between all the different places I used to have to go even just in general, but made complicated by diabetes.  There were no questions or fighting with or about my insurance or how much of my prescription they were going to cover or how much they were willing to give me right then or that something hadn't been approved yet, or...the list goes on and on.  I know Kaiser isn't perfect, but it sure was a breath of fresh air in comparison!  Now only if Kaiser had dentists...

True Story

Preface:  With Lisa and I on diets around here, and fruit being worth zero points on weight watchers, bananas have become even bigger of a staple in our lives.  We are always running out of them around here.

Story:  It is night time and I go out to eat a banana.  I notice that there are three left.  Perfect.  I can eat one tonight so that my blood sugar doesn't go low and that leaves one for me in the morning to make my shake and one for Lisa to put in her morning fruit medley thing.  I happily go to bed after eating the banana.

The next morning I wake up and go to Lisa's bedroom and crawl in bed with her.  My stomach was already rumbling.  We start talking about weigh ins and how we think we have gained weight.  Lisa seems rather insistent about the fact that she has gained weight, and I doubt her and ask her how she knows.  She says she knows because she weighed herself and she had gained weight.  After some prodding it comes out that she weighed herself with clothes on or during the middle of the day, so in dieting world, that doesn't count...you go off of the weight you have first thing in the morning before eating, after going to the bathroom and completely naked.  I started mocking her saying that of course she will gain weight if she weighs herself in a snowsuit after eating all day.  In the middle of the mockage, she blurts out "I ate the last banana!"  I am overcome with sadness and grief.  My perfect breakfast is out of the question.  You don't make a fruit shake without a banana.  Wait a second...last night there were two bananas...  "YOU ATE THE LAST BANANAS YOU MEAN, you banana whore!" came tumbling out of my mouth in complete horror and shock.  She didn't even deny it.  She ate them both.  Then came the real confession.

She told me about the lack of bananas to hurt me...because I was mocking her.

Salt in the wound.

We then proceeded to go to the store and buy tons of bananas while still in our pajamas.

All is well.

The Best Thing I Ever Ate

I did a little search on the internet for some ideas to blog about and this was one of them.  You'll see some more of these coming down the line.  I'm trying to keep up with blogging and I'm not creative enough to come up with stuff on my own!
The best thing I ever ate.  This happened a couple years ago when Sherstin and I were in Italy.  We were in Florence and had just eaten some gelato in front of Santa Croce while listening to the bells, We were pretty close to where Jenn lived when she was in Italy for a year. 

 Jenn had told me that we had to go to this restaurant called Acqua al Due that she said was so good!  When we got there, it was closed.  Of course.  We were starving and started walking around and just kinda went into the first restaurant we found.  I ordered this chicken and cheese dish.  Oh. My. Gosh.  I have never tasted something so divine.  I had goose bumps because it was so good!  I think we even splurged a little and bought water. 

 We could see out into an area where people were just walking or riding by on their bikes.  It was beautiful and so yummy!  We each shared a bite of our food, and I'm pretty sure mine was the best.  All the food in Italy was amazing...I mean, come on, I had chocolate or nutella for breakfast every morning!  How can you go wrong with that?!

Money??

So, I'm just going to lay it out here.  I'm diabetic.  I've never really done any fundraising for finding a cure or anything, but this year, Lisa signed me up to do this Great America walk for Type One Diabetes.  I would really appreciate it if you would click here and donate a little bit to the cause.  Every little bit helps!  Thanks!!

https://secure3.convio.net/jdrf3/site/Donation2?idb=1958993831&df_id=2447&FR_ID=1802&PROXY_ID=2878698&2447.donation=form1&PROXY_TYPE=20&JServSessionIdr004=yyf7um4w21.app337a

That Age

I attended Ryan Schuhmacher's funeral today and while I was there I realized that I've reached that age.  The age where bad things happen.  I've had friends with miscarriages, still births and infertility.  Divorces happening, parents and friends passing away.  People lose jobs, lose friends and have financial difficulties.  Friends and loved ones leave the church and lose their testimonies.  Mental, physical and emotional issues run rampant.  Drugs and alcohol take over peoples' lives.  These things are out of our control.  

I miss those days when we were young and the biggest problems in our lives were who we were going to sit with at lunch or being upset that we couldn't watch as much TV as we wanted.  

My recent scripture study has been on trials and adversity leading to patience during trying times.  Something that stuck out to me was how much of a presence there was of the word "hope" in the scriptures I read.  

LDS.org states that "Hope is the confident expectation of and longing for the promised blessings of righteousness. The scriptures often speak of hope as anticipation of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.  When we have hope, we trust God's promises. We have a quiet assurance that if we do “the works of righteousness,” we “shall receive [our] reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (D&C 59:23). Mormon taught that such hope comes only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ: “What is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise” (Moroni 7:41)."  

Trials/adversity...patience...hope...faith....eternal life.  

This and That

I think Asia really enjoys it when I am home.  She gets lots of attention.  One of my favorite things to do while I"m at home is go lounge in the hammock.  Asia likes to join me as well.  Can't beat perfect weather, a hammock and a lounging cat!

We had a thunder storm here the other day.  It was pretty cool since I haven't been in one for a while.  The biggest thunder hit right above the house, it felt like.  Scared the trash out of poor Ella...she apparently thought that the safest place would be in Kyra's closet...not exactly sure why..i'm kinda scared of her closet/room....or as Lisa puts it, the black hole!

Miracles

Many people were fasting and praying for Ryan Schuhmacher today for a miracle.  That miracle came this morning as this wonderful man passed away without having to endure more harsh treatments and trials to his physical body.  This may not have been the miracle we were all hoping and praying for, but it was the miracle that our Heavenly Father knew was best.  My prayers and thoughts go out to his family.  

There were a lot of things that I thought about today.  First off, how brave and wonderful Meri and her sons are.  Their lives have not been easy and with this in addition, their lives will continue to have trials.  But God will not give us trials beyond what we can overcome.  This family must be some of the bravest and strongest people I know.  Secondly, I'm grateful for my home ward family.  They never fail to make me feel loved and better about myself when I come to visit.  I looked up to these people while growing up and I still do.  I loved hearing so many testimonies today from these people.  Petaluma 2nd Ward will always be home to me.  Thirdly, I am very excited that hopefully soon, Peyton's adoption will be finalized and Susannah and Kevin will be able to take her to the temple so that they can be sealed to each other for time and all eternity.  This little girl belongs in this family.  She brightens all of our lives.

Lastly, I'm grateful for the atonement and for the plan of salvation.  I find solace in knowing that there is a plan for each one of us.  That the atonement isn't just for sinners, it is for our pain and suffers as well.  We can find peace in these hard times and know that our Heavenly Father is a loving God.  He hears and answers our prayers.  Sometimes not in the way we want or expect it, but I trust that He knows what is best for each of us and "all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord." (D&C 98:3).  The sealing power is on the earth today and Meri and her sons will be able to see Ryan again.  Susannah, Kevin and Peyton will be an eternal family.  We are lucky enough to have the gospel on the earth today and in our lives.