Johnson Family Dish

…and 2 weeks later

I am feeling better for sure but I am not 100% yet. I think that is going to take some additional time and patience on my part. I got out of bed late this afternoon when the kids got home from school. I must have been dilusional or just high on hope that I would be completely restored to pre-devistation state, I am not. It will take time to continue healing and gaining my strength back, much to my chagrin. Thank you all for your well wishes and prayers.

I got a lot of reading done. I read some books that have been on my ‘to read’ list for a long time. Many of my neighbors and friends brought me movies and a wide screen lap top so that I could watch movies, I have some new favorites now.

I got so much help from the ladies in my ward, and my brother and sister. I am so grateful to them all and feel like I owe them more than I can ever repay. All of this service touched me deeply. I cannot think of it without emotion.

I learned so much from all of thier selfless service. I kept in my journal a list of all of the people who helped out so that I would never forget what they have done for me. These people will never know how they touched me and just what they have taught me about love and devotion. I have written all of my thoughts on this experience in my journal for my children to read someday. I physically felt worse than I ever have in my life, and yet I cannot think of a time I have ever felt more loved, strange. Love is complex and I learned a dimension of it that I never knew before.

This has been so difficult for my children and Randon. I know that this experience came, though terrible and I would never ask for it or wish it on anyone, for our learning. I hope that we have learned what the Teacher meant to teach us, so we don’t have to repeat this one.

I want to cuss… or cry…

But really I just want to be better. I went to the Dr. today for another follow-up. I am still having headaches, dizziness and extreme fatigue. He told me that I needed to stay in bed for 2 solid weeks only coming out to go to the bathroom!!!! He said that if I did this he thought I would be completely better at the end of two weeks. If I did not he thought I might be better for the HOLIDAYS!!!!!! He said this was normal for recovery from menengitis. He said that the pattern I described of resting 2 days and then feeling better one day (two if I am lucky) and getting up to go about life and getting sick again is normal and that if I would just stay down even though I think I physically can get up and function, NOT TOO, or it will take longer for the inflamation to go down.

They took blood again, which always wipes me out all by its self (when I am healthy and strong, much less with how I am still feeling). So my friends, I am getting a bit depressed. I am tired of feeling like a zombie. Randon and I are going to have to figure out how to put me in bed for 2 weeks, I WANT TO BE DONE WITH THIS TERRIBLE ORDEAL!

1st day of school 2007

1st day of school 2007 045, originally uploaded by mjseptbebe.

Empty. All of my children are at school today, all of them.

For 12 1/2 years I have had at least one of my children home with me, today that changed.

This is Addi taking Charis and our friend Madelyn to thier class room, first day of school.

I am happy for them but, I miss them.

Favorite Family Movies – What are yours?

We have had a lot of time lately to watch movies together, me and the kids. What are your Fav.’s? I need some new ideas. We like animated movies, they are not our favorites, however (there is only one on our fav.’s list).

Here are ours:
1. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
2. The Sound of Music
3. Second Hand Lions
4. Ella Enchanted
5. Man from Snowy River
6. White Fang
7. Nanny Mc Phee
8. The Other Side of Heaven
9. The Iron Giant
10. all of the Harry Potters
11. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

In no particular order.

What would you consider a ‘must see’ family movie?

He will NEVER be a Dr.

Scott came to me while I was resting today (still trying hard to get better ). He had a cut on his finger that he got while helping his dad in the garage. I took him into the bathroom to clean it and I was asking him about it and he said “I don’t feel good” and passed out. He has passed out on me before and so this time I asked him what was happening in his body before his collapse. He explained to me that he just doesn’t like the sight of blood. After laying down for 15 min and drinking some water he was back out in the garage with his father. So, he will not make it as a Dr. O’well he never expressed intrest in that anyway.

ABC’s and disclaimer

My friend Vicki tagged me on this ABC’s list….

A – Attached or Single: Attached
B – Best Friend: Hesper
C – Cake or Pie: Both please
D – Drink of Choice: Water
E – Essential Item: Just one!? Impossible!
F – Favorite Color: Yellow
G – Gummi Bears or Worms: Neither
H – Hometown: Phx, AZ
I – Indulgence(s): Chocolate, almost anything
J – January or July: January, but only in Phx., I can’t stand the cold!
K – Kids: 5, 4 lovely girls, one wonderful son
L – Life is incomplete without: My kids & Husband
M – Marriage Date: March 26, 1994
N – Number of Siblings: 5
O – Oranges or Apples: Both
P – Phobias/Fears: Heights
Q – Favorite Quote: So many quotes, so little space! (Refer to my latest fav. found on my header of this page.)
R- Reason to smile: Going shopping with my girls
S – Season: Spring
T- Tag Three: Lisa, Melanie, Velia
U – Unknown Fact About Me: I am not sure there is one!?
V – Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals: I am an omnivore.
W – Worst Habit: Overeating from time to time, okay much of the time.
X – X-rays or Ultrasounds: Don’t want to need either.
Y – Your Favorite Foods: Italian & European Pastries, just about any European food really Mmmmmm!
Z- Zodiac: Virgo

And now the disclaimer:
I have not mastered yet the fine art of posting pictures on this site. Some of you seem to get GYNORMIS images when I load a photo. I am working on this and I think I know the solution. It is just going to take me some time to experiment and figure it out. BTW, when they are shown on my computer, they are normally sized, crazy huh!? So I am sorry for this, if you want to see normal sized photos you should look at our account on Flikr here -> http://flickr.com/photos/24955854@N00/ .

New Chapter

I feel like we are embarking upon a new chapter in our lives. Our Kelcie is starting middle school tomorrow and our baby Charis begining school next week too. Charis is going to love school! She is going to attend a half day early learner program, this because she missed the Aug. 31st Kindergarten deadline. I am just fine with this though. I have really thought about it a lot and even considered starting her at a charter school to get her in Kindergarten this year but, we decided against it.

It is something that is very hard to believe that all of my children will be in school this year! I guess that I knew this day would come, I just never really believed. It is definately the begining of a new chapter.

I am so excited for Kelcie to start school! I feel really really good about the school that we chose for her. I know lots of the staff at the school and the atmosphere is so positive there, I am just really excited for her! And best of all she will be going to school with her best friend Ku uipo again. As we were getting her all registered and ready for this giant step I had the overwhelming feeling of excitement at her possibilities. In some strange way I feel as though I get to experience all of the joy of this age again with her. And, stranger still it is like healing, watching her have a positive experience. I had to laugh because she wants to play sports, while we were discussing which ones might intrest her she let me know that she wants to play them all! I think we have narrowed it down to basketball and cross country running (which excites the heck out of me to have her as a running companion!) but, if she can do them all, I want her to!

Addi is anxious for school to start. She is going to be on the Brinton Cheer Squad. I think this will help her come out of her shell a little bit more. She went to cheer camp this summer and fell in love it. So, we are really excited for Addi! G-O- A-D-D-I!

Scott is neutral about school. He would be happy to stay home and play legos for the rest of his life. Don’t know if this is something that is common for his gender, I imagine it might be. He has been thinking lately about what he wants to do for a profession someday. We are trying to help him think of things he might enjoy. I think this is going to be my year to work especially diligently with him. The age that he is at seems to be the age where my kids have the potential to really engage in school, but I have found that they have tried really hard to just skate by too.

Morgan is begining 6th grade. She could go to the middle school with Kelcie this year but, we will keep her in her current school. This is mostly due to a fantastic teacher that she has, we really love her. Her personality is just perfect for reaching my Morgan.

And so begins this new chapter in our lives…..

Goose Creek Falls

During our trip to Idaho we decided to go on a small hike to Goose Creek Falls. We discovered this place while driving through the mountains. This was one of my feeling good days and I absolutely could not resist this adventure. The falls are 42ft. high and spectacular to hear and see.

We sat here for a long long time just enjoying the spectacular views and the rushing sound and cool feel of the water.

We really did not set out to hike, as you can see by our clothing choices for the day, but it felt so good to do. We both really enjoyed this.

Up and Down

This recovery has been up and down. Riddled with just as many good days as bad. This week has been rough. I just so badly didn’t want to buy into the 3-4 week recovery time but, I am affraid that I have no choice. I have been dealing with some headaches (which are managable unlike the original ones), dizzy spells and fatigue. I am anxious for this to go away!

I have read some really good books during this time though. “Behind the Scenes at the Museum” by Kate Atkinson is one of them. I recomend it. Also I have read a book that Randon’s Great (4x) Grandfather (Benjamin F. Johnson) wrote, his autobiography, fascinating and inspiring. We found this rare book at a small bookstore in Utah and paid a pretty penny for it, worth every penny.

I feel sorry for my children to spend the last few weeks of summer with an ill mother. There were so many more things I wanted to do with them before school started up again.

We are going to the cabin tomorrow and the mountain air, I hope will rejuevenate me, as it had a couple of weeks ago.