I think I know why I had that dream

I had this dream last night. 

I was climbing up from a long winding tunnel.  Just as I got to the top, and then climbed out, I looked back down that tunnel and noticed a very little child struggling to also make it to the top. 

This child was wearing a white bunny costume complete with bunny ears that were even covering it’s face, so I couldn’t even tell if it was a boy or girl, or who this child belonged too. 

I reached for this child over and over again, but he or she kept slipping from my grasp and I watched as this child fell further away. 

I reached further down feeling the strain on my shoulders as my arm stretched as far as it could go, and I was finally able to grab that child by the hand and pull him or her up into my arms. I held this child close and tight, feeling such relief. 

It was one of those dreams that felt so real.

Then I woke up and remembered something that was said at church yesterday, which thinking later, most likely triggered that dream. 

We had a special meeting where a new world wide program was introduced for our youth ages 8 through 18.

After it was all explained, the youth were asked to write down their goals of what they would like to accomplish, in those four areas above. 

Before the kids started writing their goals the adults were told, “Help any child near you.” 

I know this was in reference to helping them write their goals at that moment, but, I kept thinking this has been my motive all of my life, as I’m sure it has been for many people.

But I kept thinking of those words, “Help any child near you.” 

Perhaps we need to do this even more now. 

This is a harsh and scary world right now, even for adults. 

How must this seem to a child? 

So I’m thankful that little child dressed as a bunny came in my dreams last night. Now I am more motivated than ever to look out for children all around me. 

And just in case you don’t know about our new program for our youth.... it involves major efforts in:

1. gospel learning

2. the privilege of service

3. personal development

4. exciting activities  

You can learn more, by going here.

And by the way, as always is the case with our church, all are welcome!

I've only read one page of this book so far...

I haven't read this book, but I want to. 


It's the September pick for Jenna Bush Hager's book club and here's what she had to say about it:

The Dearly Beloved is a book about faith and doubt. Love and sorrow. It follows two couples whose lives are intertwined as they navigate pain and joy. And it made me think about with whom and where we find comfort when life hurts? Or who we reach for when the goodness in the world makes us want os sing out with joy? I gave this beauty of a book to my family--and loved the conversations that came from it. Read with me---this gentle, gorgeously written book may be one of my favorites ever."

So why am I doing a post about a book I haven't even read yet? Because.... I did read the dedication at the beginning, and it reminded me so much of my childhood:

Dedication by the author, Cara Wall:
"To my parents, Merle and Duane, who somehow taught me everything I know without ever telling me what to do."

Yep, that was my childhood in one sentence. 

The easiest spaghetti I ever did see...

I watched Karen make Spaghetti and Meatballs in my Instant pot when she was here last month, and I was amazed!

She just puts everything in there, even the dry noodles, and then it just takes about 15 minutes to be done.

I said, "So you could just get home from soccer practice and throw this all in the Instant Pot and it would be done in 15 minutes?"

"Actually," she answered, "That's what it's called, Soccer Mom Spaghetti." 

I watched her kids google it up.

Go HERE for the complete recipe, but basically it's this:

• Add a little olive oil to the cooking pot. Olive oil will help keep the noodle from sticking and also add a nice flavor to the spaghetti sauce.
• Grab meatballs out of the freezer, dump them in.
• Open a jar of your choice of spaghetti sauce and dump it in.
• Breaks some Spaghetti in half and dump it in.
• Pour in the water.
• 
  
• Once all ingredients are added to the Instant Pot DUO Plus, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker, you are ready to pressure cook. Go change your clothes and set the table.

I just discovered some GF spaghetti noodles at Trader Joes that are suppose to act and taste like regular pasta...

We shall see!

So I will be trying this speedy spaghetti recipe soon. 

Thinking about what it must have been like....

Sometimes when I see something, I just have to share. 

So here's what I watched this morning and I've been thinking about it ever since...

I especially appreciate how this TED talk speaker summarizes at the end.

He's recovering

We were both so happy that Dennis felt up to going back to church today. 

Two Sundays he missed because of his stroke 20 days ago. 

We figure it's probably the most he's missed church in a row 

since he joined back in 1969.

Even when he had that bad staph infection in his elbow back in 

2000, and he was going to the hospital almost daily for about a 

month or two...he didn't miss church. 

He showed up every Sunday even with that pic line of antibiotics going into his heart. 

He loves church so much. And the people there.

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️

We were told repeatedly at the hospital, and many times since then by his Dr, that if any stroke symptoms appear (in him or anyone else!) we are not to wait at all, but to call 911.  

It's all in the timing. 

We were hoping that Den got his tPA shot within a 3 hour block of time. I know it was progressively getting worse, until after the shot, and then he seemed to stabilize. 

They asked me right away at the hospital, when this all started. 

I didn't know, so I just guessed "about 9:30."

I remember when I said that time, the Dr and nurse standing by looked concerned but didn't say anything. They were probably concerned that too much time had passed.

But 4 days later when we got home and I was going through the sack of clothes Den had on that first day...I found this in his shirt pocket.

Den had gone to Sprouts right before Vons (where he had the stroke)...so according to the time on the receipt, this would put him at Vons right about 11 am. Not 9:30 like I had thought.

This really helped our 3 hour window of time for his tPA shot, which we were told saved his life.

List of 13 tender mercies the past 2 weeks

I was thinking of all the things, since Den had his stroke 2 weeks ago, that came into place and were so helpful to us. 
(and I'm sure I'm leaving much out)

Here's my list:

1. Den's kids gave us a Roomba vacuum for Christmas. Den worked with it a few times but it just wasn't doing what it was suppose to.


Fast forward 8 months later.

So the very week before the stroke, Karen was here and she said she could probably figure it out, and she did! Now all I do is turn it on with my phone and Googoogaga (Leo named it) goes all over our house vacuuming. 

What a blessing this has been the past 2 weeks. 
One less chore I have to do.


2. Grocery delivery! We had tried grocery pick up before but never delivery. But the first few days he was home, I couldn't well leave Den alone, so this felt more like groceries from heaven.

Yes, Costco delivery.

They say their prices are higher for home delivery, but I couldn't tell much difference, but then I don't keep track of prices so I'm not sure...but totally worth it!

3. Den just happened to buy these shoes at Costco a few weeks before his stroke. Since he can't tie his shoes yet, these are perfect.

4. This mini crockpot which I normally only use a few times a year, was so convenient last week. I'd just put our oatmeal in the night before and it was ready come morning. Mornings were particularly busy with the help he needed to get ready and the therapists coming.

He's back to making his own breakfast now, which he prefers.

5. Our life suddenly became a little easier the day Den got his handicap placard for the car. 

It was also such good news to learn we could get this done at AAA and not the DMV. AAA was practically empty except for us, 3 workers, and one other customer! 

And we're told, if you are a member,  they do many transactions you usually go to DMV for. I had no idea!

6. Since Den and I go to Farmer's Market every Saturday morning, it was as little tricky that first week he was home. So that first Saturday I just told him to do no more than breath until I returned with our wonderful fresh produce. 

By the next Saturday he was able to go with me!

7. What a blessing it has been having the Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapists, and the nurse coming to our home! The PT comes three times a week, OT twice a week, and nurse once a week. I've been told this is just a special service only Kaiser provides?

8. This little pill organizer from amazon we love!

Push button, and nothing ever falls out. 

9. I have to mention this one. Turns out every single day Den was in the hospital, I was able to readily find a perfect parking place! 

 This may not seem like much, but Kaiser parking lot was packed! It meant a lot to me because it was SO hot and I don't do well walking around in the heat.

On the very last day, I told myself not to expect parking perfection again...then just as I was driving into Kaiser a man walking towards his car pointed to me and then pointed to his car...trying to tell me I could have his space. I was in awe!

10. Okay, this one's kind of weird. Right before the stroke, Dennis finally bought a new recliner. He got it set up in his office but then decided he didn't like it. And then before we could even take it back to Costco, he had the stroke. 

 Turned out it's been nice for me to have a recliner right next to him in his office, just to have a place for me to be when he needs me near by. Another blessing we sure did not see coming. 

So we've decided to keep them both and later put one in our guest room. 

11. We've never used this shower much (at least not with water in it) since we moved in 3 years ago. And we never needed that bench. 

Turns out the bench was a perfect "shower chair" for Dennis. 

Which he no longer needs, btw.

12. Thankful for Facebook. Someone at the hospital suggested Den watch one movie a day...to help his brain focus on the plot, and so we could discuss afterwards. So I put a request on FB asking for movie ideas. And did our friends ever pull through for us!

13. And lastly, but should be at the top of my list...is all the family and friends who have called, texted, and visited, and helped in numerous ways! They are the best medicine of all. 

Den is doing so much better! I'd say he's about 85% there!

Annie reads her letter to Grandpa Dennis

Our granddaughter Annie from Montana reads her letter to Grandpa Dennis. She's 3 1/2.

Btw, she's the one who got confused @ her Great Grandpa's funeral last March....and thought it was her Grandpa Dennis who died instead. (even though she just had breakfast with him that morning.) It's tough being 3.