Temple Lights

I went to see the Temple lights a few times this year. Here is one outing with a group of friends. I love walking around the Temple grounds.

Disregard how my eyes look

Matching sweatshirts!

My job

My last day of work was Friday. It was getting physically too much so I had to say adios. They have been so gracious and accommodating to me for 4 years. I've been carrying around my oxygen in my mini backpack more often these days and when I do, my back hurts worse so it’s just a domino affect. A few days before I left we had a staff Christmas luncheon. They had gotten a cake made and a card signed by everyone for me. (there was another lady leaving too) They are so thoughtful! Everyone said the nicest, sweetest things… it made it even harder to say goodbye. They kept telling me I’d have to come visit. I promised a few of them I would so I better keep my promise and get back there in the near future.
Now your wondering what am I going to do with all this time on my hands. Well, I'm going to find another part time job, but one where I can sit and not be pushing 40+ pound carts around. I'm also going to volunteer at a few places as well.
This was a hard decision, but after much thought and prayer it's what I'm suppose to do. It makes it a little easier knowing I'm following the many promptings I was given and I know everything will work out the way it's suppose to. There's not a doubt in my mind about that. Since I'm following the spirit I know Heavenly Father will bless me. Now it's on to what's in store for me next!!

Each group (adult, circ, and youth) had to decorate their pods. This one was the best. If it had been a contest I think Youth would have stolen the trophy hands down.

Puzzles Galore

I LOVE puzzles. I always do a puzzle during thanksgiving time. This year I did three 500 piece puzzles. It took me a while, but it was fun to do.

Noel Concert

A few weeks ago I went to the East Valley Mormon Choral Organization Christmas Concert. It was beautiful! I LOVED it! They have all kinds of choirs—sunbeam chorus ( 4-6), children’s chorus (6-10), youth chorus (10-14), concert choir (high school, 14-16) and East Valley Mormon Choir (Adults). They also have an orchestra. Everyone volunteers their time and talent. This makes it even more special.

Random girl sitting next to me.

My roommate and her boyfriend sat on the other side of me.

Temple Flowers and Nativity

My friend and I went to the Temple last week and I had to stop and take pictures of the pretty flowers again. I can never get enough of them.

This is one of the nativity's that are on display during the Christmas seaon.

And me, just for kicks

Down Syndrome Christmas Party

I helped with this party again this year. It’s always a fun time being Santa’s little helper, dancing with the kids, and seeing the kids' faces light up. That's the best feeling in the world. It’s also awesome to watch my bishop DJ. That’s his side job. He is so great at it too.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

The Monday after Thanksgiving my house had their own Family Home Evening. We bought a real tree, decorated it and the house. Well, to be honest we were listening to Christmas music even before Thanksgiving. We just couldn't wait! We have enjoyed having the tree the last few weeks. Three of us left to go back home for Christmas so it was nice to enjoy while we were there.

Thankful

I have a new favorite song this Christmas. It's called Thankful by Josh Groban from his Noel album. I love love love it! I love the words he expresses. It helps me remember the true meaning of Christmas. But it doesn't have to apply to just Christmastime... It's everyday life as well. With the new year were all setting goals for this upcoming year and one of mine is to be more thankful for what I've been given and recognizing the little blessings that come my way. We've all heard when you forget yourself and serve others your own problems are diminished and you see things more clearly. I love helping people... Seeing smiles on their faces is priceless; the feeling is amazing. I am so thankful for everything I've been blessed with this year. This week I've been thinking back through this year and I'm in awe of the blessings that have been poured out upon me. Heavenly Father has definitely spoiled me. :) With that being said I need to be more conscious with those around me and find someone to help everyday. As Josh Groban says, "There's so much to be thankful for."

(After Christmas I'll leave the song, but set it to only play when you want it to. That way it's not annoying to those listening to other music on their computers)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Nana

Last week I visited my friend's grandma, Nana, at her house for a few hours. We chatted and I took her to lunch. She got to choose where we went and so it was off to McDonald's. We both had cheeseburgers and fries. It was really fun! I really enjoyed hanging out with her. She's such a kick.

My Window

The weather is beautiful today. The high is only 67, but it's 64 right now. I'm sitting in my room with all my windows open letting the cool breeze come through. It's partly cloudy with a little shower here and there. As I was sitting on my bed I thought about the view I have out my windows. The fields are green with the sun shining on the mountains and trees behind them. I live in a part of town where some of it is still farmland. It's so perfect. I love Heavenly Father's beautiful creations. I thought I'd give you a glimpse of the view I have so you get the picture. (sorry it's not too clear with the screen in the way)

Dust Storm

We had a dust storm just south of where I live today. It caused five crashes on one freeway. I was in a little one a few years ago. I was coming out of my neighborhood and it came over my car and I couldn't see anything. So I just stopped and it soon passed. It can be pretty dangerous.

The first two pictures are from today's dust storm I got from the news channel's website and the rest I got from google.

Thankful for...

Being Thanksgiving time I thought I would share what I'm thankful for so here it goes:

- family
- friends
- the gospel of Jesus Christ
- doctors
- modern medicine
- technology
- home
- ward
- bishopric
- car
- beautiful weather
- scriptures
- prophets
- apostles
- job
- nature
- animals
- music
- patriarchal blessings
- the spirit
- the holy ghost
- personal revelation
- TEMPLES
- the atonement
- worthy priesthood holders/priesthood blessings
- hymns
- PRAYER
- living 25 years when as a newborn doctors didn't think I'd live past 10
- clothes
- food
- government
- tender mercies Heavenly Father gives me when I don't deserve them
- amazing examples of love, kindness, and charity all around me
- everything I haven't thought of yet, but will after I post this

The end. :)

Classic

I was going through my pictures tonight and came across this one. It's from when I went to help tend my sisters kids in October.

Story: I told Abby to "make Evelyn smile" and this is what she did. She obeyed me, but not exactly what I was going for. Classic!!

Camping

I went camping for the first time in 15 years (girls camp doesn't count). Here's some pictures to prove it.

LOTS OF FUN!!

Note

I'm thinking I really like changing my blog background. I tend to never go too long without swapping it out. There's just so many cute ones to choose from that I have to try them all! Just an FYI for today. Goodnight.

A Big Backfire!

A little background about my lungs...

Now here's the story... Last Thursday I went to my pulmonologist's to get taught how to use a new medication. It has just been approved by the FDA and I was his first patient to be on it. I was excited because it was going to open up my pulmonary veins which would help me breath better and give me more energy. Sounds great huh?! I thought so too. But I was also a little nervous because it was new and I didn't know what to expect. (This was the first medicine that wasn't in pill form for me) So I got taught the ins and outs about this contraption.


I'm suppose to take it 4x a day (evenly spread out). I have to make sure I have an outlet around or the portable battery to plug it in. I take in 3 breaths each time. It takes more time to set the thing up, than to actually take the medicine. Quite funny.
They had me try it for the first time there at the office so they could watch me to see how I responded to it. My blood pressure went down a little bit and I got light headed, but they said that was normal... it would go away. I felt like I couldn't breath as deeply than before, but the lady (who was from the medicine company) said oh that will go away too... so I believed her. My oxygen hadn't gone up or down, which it should have gone up if the medicine was helping. After half an hour she said I looked good so I could go. To be honest, I didn't want to leave. I didn't like leaving so soon with this in me and having a 45 minute drive home. So I sat in the waiting room for probably 10-15 minutes before I left. By the time I got to the parking garage, in a handicap spot right in front mind you, I was out of breath, purple, and needing oxygen. Ya, normally I would have been tired, but not so tired that I was panicking to get my o2 turned on. Anyways, I get home and continue to take it diligently 4 times a day, even the same hours. You ask why do you take it 4 times a day?! Answer: who knows!

what it came with

By the very next day I'm feeling more tired and still every time I take the medicine I feel worse, but I keep saying to myself it'll get better. Needless to say by the time Sunday hit (3 days later) I had no energy, weak, dizzy, and oxygen was way worse. I went to church and needed oxygen just walking down the hall; pretty pathetic. My friend looked up the symptoms of when to stop taking it and everything I had was on there. So I called the doc right when they opened Monday and they said to just stop taking it. I've never had a medicine that not only just didn't work, but made me worse. Since then, little by little, my energy has come back, o2 a little better, but still get the weak feeling. I try to eat something before I get to that point because I hate it. The best part to this story is that my doctor said he might want me to try it again in a few weeks and to that I say HECK NO!!!