3 years

Today is the 3-year anniversary of your trading your dysfunctional body for a perfect one. I had a hard time today. I was crying a lot. Tony wasn't home, so he didn't come running, which was a good thing. He is worried about me. He takes his promise to you to look after me very serious. I keep telling him that he is supposed to keep me in line and is failing miserable.


At his graduation celebration on Friday we both felt you presence very strong. I know that you are proud of him, as am I. Both, Pastor Troy and Pastor Chris were there, as well as Janean and Glen, Jackie and Steve, another friend from church and even Levern showed up. It was very emotional.


We went to Winco today and did some shopping. I had some coupons and they had some good specials on. For dinner we had chicken and I had some coleslaw left from the BBQ at Kelly Benson's. - All of a sudden - it hit me. While you were with me, our traditional Monday dinner was chicken and coleslaw. I didn't pick that dinner today with that in mind - it just happened.


Your rosebush has about 5 - 6 new buds on. None of them have any color showing yet. It is very hot here, we had 95 today and no rain. I will give the bush another good soaking tonight. Before you know it there will be lots of flowers on again.


I love you so much my love and it is hard to imagine that you are gone for only and already 3 years. It helps that I talk to you every evening - but I still miss you. I will talk to you soon sweetheart.

Spring??

In my last entry (March 10) I told you that I will be trimming the rosebush. Guess what, when I was pretty sure that we were done with frost and such I had about 16 rosebuds on the bush - no way of trimming it down now. Last week I had in varies colors all of 26 roses - WOW - it looked absolutely beautiful.


In the meantime, my birthday has come and gone. I had loads of messages on Facebook. The usual "Happy Birthday" from Jason. He is still upset with me, but I can't help that. Steven - send me a nice message, followed up with a phone call and a bouquet of flowers. The balloon is still hanging on the ceiling next to me - and it's been over 3 weeks now. 


Yesterday was my one-year anniversary of becoming a US citizen - and in 9 days is your 3-year anniversary for leaving me to be with Jesus - where has the time gone? I still find myself often turning to the place where you used to sit at your computer to tell you something. I still miss you like crazy and I love you just as much.


Jackie and Steve got married 4 weeks ago. You never met Steve but you would have liked him. He has a wacky sense of humor. I've never seen Jackie smile so much than she has been doing since she met Steve.


Tony is writing his comprehensive exam on Wednesday and the graduation ceremony is on Friday. I am so proud of him and I know you are too. He is working at the game store but will start of setting up his own practice. He is good at what he is doing. 


Sweetheart, I will try to remember to write more often, but won't promise anything. I am talking to you every night. I love you lots and lots and oodles and gobs.

Happy 9th Anniversary Sweetheart

Hello my love - I can't believe it is March already. WOW Where has the time gone? On Thursday would have been our 9-year wedding anniversary. Tony and I went to Wendover on the fun-bus. This time we won experience - but it was still fun. At the same time we celebrated Tony finishing another semester. On Monday he will start his last semester and graduation day is June 01 - I know you are really proud of him and so am I. He will be starting work in the new City Creek Mall (where Cross Town used to be) in a game store. The same owner who he worked for around Christmas time. They are working with him on his school commitments.

Crafting wise, I am right on target - never a dull moment. For Kelly Benson House residents for Christmas, I am making place mats - 2 for each resident. That makes it 140 mats - I gotta get to use up my fabric scraps - Woohoo.

I found out this last week that Q4U is closed. It is a shame. Mind you, the last couple of times I was there, the food wasn't all that great. I had the lunch special and the meat was dry. I read the reviews lately - and they were pretty bad. I know that "T" was sick and probably couldn't tend to business as he used to. In my opinion, they shouldn't have moved from their old location.

I will apply soon for a passport card. That card is almost the same than a regular passport book, except I can't go overseas with it. Don't want to anyway. It is half the price of the book. I need one for going to Canada, which I am planning on in September for Steven's wedding. I am working on the wedding present. It is a cookbook with tried recipes. All recipes in that book I have either made or tasted. I will be making 2 books and give one to Jason, since I didn't go to his wedding.

Soon it will be warm enough that I can sit outside. Next thing, probably in about 1 - 2 months, I will trim the rose bush. Even so we had a fairly mild winter, I am waiting for spring and summer.

I love you sweetheart and I still miss you loads.

It's been a while

It's been a while since I posted, my love. I hope you will forgive me. Life has just been busy. I did have my eye surgery and It is wonderful - no more glasses. At the last follow up Dr. Tempest told me that he misses you coming along with me. I told him, that makes 2 of us. I have to see him again next year.

We had a nice turkey for Thanksgiving and of course I made Turkey Noodle soup with the leftovers. I froze some of the chopped turkey because I found a recipe for Turkey pot pie, which sounds yummy.

David is back in Gunnison and Dean blames me and right now, he doesn't want me to visit. Janean gave me the message. This is just the last straw. I told Janean to please pass on a message to him: Happy Thanksgiving, Happy birthday, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year - I MIGHT see him in 2012. I just simply have enough

And then there was Black Friday. I went to JoAnn on Friday, Saturday and Sunday - I picked up quite a bit of fleece. It was on for the "normal Black Friday" price of $2.99 yard. I saved about $$500 and spend only $150 - Those are deals I like - LOL

I was talking to a cashier at JoAnn and she is teaching in a low-income Elementary school. I ended up talking to the principal today and guess what, I am making an additional 350 children's hats in 2012 - it's not like I don't have enough on my plate, huh? Something told me to get in touch with them though. The principal was very happy about this.

Tony is doing well in school - last semester he had 5 A's and 2 B's - not bad eh? Specially considering he is the oldest guy in class.

I will try to write more often. I love you and I miss you, my love.

Honoring

Wow, 2 postings in one week. Amazing. But I just had to share this.

Yesterday the Kelly Benson House hosted a 1st year Anniversary Celebration and Buffet Dinner. After a delicious dinner, the honoring began. Besides Pamela Atkinson, Kelly Benson was there too. I felt so humbled. Pamela received a certificate for all her humanitarian work and lots of other names were called to receive certificates as well. I believe there were about 100 of them. It was sad to see that many of them weren't there. I received one too and when I went to receive it, there was a loud cheering. WOW, as I said before, it was quite humbling.

Bill Watson, the chairman of the Resident Board told his story. It is totally amazing and wonderful that he is still alive and doing as good as he is. There were not too many dry eyes as we listened to him.

My love, you certainly would have enjoyed the event. Knowing how much you supported me - you would have busted in the seams with pride.

Something I forgot to tell you. I went to see Dr. Tempest on Tuesday and we scheduled my cataract surgery for Monday, July 11. The right eye will be for reading and the left one is for distance. After he fixed my left eye - remember how good it felt that I could see again. I still have 20/20 vision on that one. I am so looking forward to the surgery.

I love you sweetheart. Be well.

2 years

Where has the time gone? You left your dysfunctional body behind 2 years ago. Actually, it was 2 years ago on Saturday. Only and already 2 years.

Your rose bush is positively exploding with flowers. It looks awesome. Weather permitting I am spending lots of time outside. I took some pictures on Saturday and as soon as I have figured out how to post them, I will do just that.

We had a surprise party for Pastor Troy yesterday - he is turning 40 today. Pastor Chris and Lori did a montage like "It's your life" - that was shown first during the service yesterday morning. It was hilarious. If it would have been possible, Troy would have hidden under the chair. You would have loved it. Troy was such a cute kid. I was not going to participate - but then I thought that you loved Troy - so I went in your honor. I am glad that I did.

Tony is still taking his promise to you very serious. I am glad that he is here. It is not good being totally alone. He started school last week, so we always have dinner around 330PM, which is fine. We are going to the WV fitness center 3 times a week. With school out, we might have to adjust our time a little. This morning there were a whole bunch of teenagers taking possession of the locker rooms. The noise level was incredible. Nothing you could have endured with your sensitive ears.

On Wednesday I am invited to Kelly Benson for a buffet dinner in celebration of all the volunteers as well as the one-year anniversary of them being open. I am looking forward to that. You know that I am making Christmas Presents for all the residents. Last year Pamela Atkinson was there to give out the gifts. After 7 years, I finally met my hero. She is such a wonderful, down-to-earth and nice person. Maybe she'll be there on Wednesday?

My love, it is getting easier living without you - but then again, I am not really without you. You are with me in spirit and watching over me. It's just your body that isn't here anymore. You have now a perfect body, don't need oxygen or a wheelchair anymore. And most important, you are now pain free. I love you and I miss you lots and lots and oodles and gobs.

Proud to be American

Today was the swearing in ceremony. Do you remember Jenny's ceremony? Double that one. We were 193 new citizens. Before we said the pledge of allegiance, the judge allowed the family or whoever wanted to take pictures to come down. I am glad that I had a seat - LOL. Tony came down and took a bunch of pictures. The judge said that he hadn't realized that there were so many photographers there. What did he expect? With 193 people being sworn in? DUH

The whole thing was very emotional and I felt you with me. I had butterflies in my stomach for days prior. Debi was there, so was Glen and Janean,as well as Bri, Bonnie, Larry and Bri's boys. We took some pictures outside and as soon as I have all the pictures together, I will post one here.

I now have officially and legally changed my first name to "Chris" The document was with my citizenship certificate. I am so proud, I could bust.

Tony and I went to the Golden Corral for lunch, which means, I am not making dinner. We are still stuffed. Sandra is taking me to the Red Maple for lunch tomorrow. I called her when I came home and she was so thrilled.

Your rosebush - last count were 26 buds. 2 have no green leaves around the flower anymore and 4 more are on the way. I am so glad that I listened to you when you told me several years ago how to trim the rosebush.

My love, this is the final step for me. Now I am truly and irrevocable HOME. Next Saturday is the 2-year anniversary that you left your dysfunctional body and traded it in for a perfect one. I love you sweetheart and I still miss you terrible.