Friday, October 14, 2011

A Full Month of Work

After some reflection this after noon, I realized I have been working 40 hour week since September 7th. During this time Troy and I have seen less and less of each other. Henry died we adopted Thomas, then work started. Troy is going to school and working about 15 hours a week. As you can imagine, there isn't a lot of Julia and Troy time.

Despite coming home exhausted and just wanting to just crawl in bed, Troy and I still manage to spend some time together every night. We read and pray together and then lights out! We spend some time together in the morning  eating some breakfast or lately Julia finishing getting ready and Troy laying on the bed; then that's about it. You would think that in the beginning it was nice to see each other than after a while the habit dies from the want to sleep in. But it hasn't! I think the want to do it has even stronger. Since there is such little time during the week, we just want to spend any second we can together.

What else has helped as odd as this may sound, is doing chores together. Despite the dreadful schedule the house gets clean and laundry still get done every week. We have even started doing some of the things together. It gets done faster, there is less for one person, and we can actually spend some time together. When something has to be done at my parent's house we both go over to share the work or just so that we are both there in case something else comes up or there is a problem. Thomas's litter box and toys get cleaned and put away as needed and we have even decided that both of us will always go to vet appoints. This is "our baby" and we both want to stay in the loop.

I have finally put my foot down about working Sundays. I have told all the people I work for that I will no longer do it in less it's an emergency which is: Someone is dying, lots of blood, or there is absolutely no one able to come in and the person will be left alone. Troy still works some on Sundays, but there is now a day were we can count on seeing each other for longer than an hour.
Despite all the trials we have drawn closer together as a couple and grown as individuals.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

17 Miracles

Recently a new Mormon film came out called 17 Miracles. Let me just say this movie is fabulous. Even if you're not Mormon you'd love the movie. It's filled with hope, strength, and love. Any Christian should watch this movie.

Amazon- 17 MiraclesAfter the movie I decided I wanted to learn more about my family that crossed the plains in a handcart company. Two Hafens crossed the plains, the Hafens are my mother's father's side. A mother and daughter. I am unable to find out more at the time. I plan to ask my parents for some more information, I know we have some journals. Then there were some McMullin's my mother's mother side. Both were directed by Brigham Young to settle Southern Utah. I hope that more people are doing family research now. It's so amazing to learn more about where you came from. For example, only 2 brother's whose last name was Hills came to the US. There are several Hill, but very few Hills in the US. Why? Only 2 people came with that name. I'm sure over  the years more have come but the fraction is still very small. Decedents of them built the Mayflower. How cool is that!?
After watching it I started thinking of the miracles in my life. I decided I wanted to make a list of the 17 miracles in my life. At first I wasn't sure how I would get 17, but once I got going it was easy. I thought about posting it, but upon further thought I decided it was better for me to keep this to myself and challenge my few readers, to write down 17 miracles in their lives. It sounds hard, but once you get going you begin to realize there are more than 17.
But one miracle in my life that I will share is the miracle of family. Over the years I have been able to see several kinds of families. But the ones that always stand out is the ones that are united. Those families can have a tornado thrown at them and they'll still come out as one. My family has been through unemployment, people in and out of hospitals, Bipolar disorder, 4 people with ADD/LD, having no money, death, and now Alzheimer and marriage. 
Even though I bet no one will go out and watch 17 Miracles after this I hope you will take the challenge of listing miracles in your life and learning more about where you come from.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Raising a Kitten

As I said in a previous post, Troy and I adopted a kitten the day after Henry was put to sleep. What I didn't tell you all was Tabitha wasn't Tabitha! The day after that post we got a call from the vet that we had chosen the brother, Thomas! Troy was sad to return the pink stuff, but happy we were getting a "baby" none the less. Kittens are HYPER, he runs all over the place and jumps on and off the couches, tables, and us. He thinks we always want to play so he bites (playfully) but it still hurts. He also scratches a lot, but he is forgiven for that. On "Grooming Day" as I call it. When ever he gets a bath, nails trimmed, and teeth brushed the thing he hates most is the nails clipping. You'd think I was killing him the way he fights me.

When he gets out of control he gets put in the kitchen to calm down. He knows that when he goes in the kitchen it's like a time out. He cries, runs, etc. But it gets done. Now that he is older we allow him to come in our room. At night he sleeps right in between us. We're always scared we'll roll on him or something, but then we remember how quick he is.

Since we got a kitten we can kind of mold him. Henry was 7-8, he had his ways and he told us to get over it. Thomas we're trying to teach to CHILL. Lay on the couch, let us pet you, etc. But the big thing Troy wants him to learn is to go on a walk. His grandmother has taught her cat to walk on leash and Troy wants Thomas to do the same. It's a slow processes but I think he'll get it.
He does great with the people I work with. Most of my and Troy's clients have met him. He's a little skid-dish but he some how knows it's time to calm down.  They all love him, and I can tell he loves them.

He's also learned about the vet. I take him to the same one as Henry and an old friend also works there. Poor Thomas doesn't mind anything really, that is up until they need to take his temperature. You can't very well ask the animal to hold it under their tongue, like humans, the most accurate reading is a rectal reading. Poor things flops all over and cries. Kittens you take once a month to the vet, he loves the drive, but once we get in the room and he sees the doctor grab the thermometer he is ready to go. I don't blame him, I'd feel the same way.
When he comes up to the computer where Henry's picture is I tell him "that's your brother, Henry" in my mind all of our pets will be brother's and sisters since they are all part of the family, and will be forever. I firmly believe Henry will be in Heaven with us, he will know us and we'll know him. What a joy it is to know that even though someone or even an animal leaves this world, that we will be with them all again. We will all be gathered together as a family.
Henry day before Diagnosis