Lessons on money management

So I gave the lesson today in Young Women's and the lesson was on being financially responsible. This is ironic for three reasons:
1. Money management is my most recent/never-ending stress. Just the other day I was having a slight money meltdown because I know the basic principles of money management, I think I understand the basic concepts, and yet I struggle to maintain a budget. I get so frustrated with myself. Sometimes I wonder if I should just take a class to learn Mandarin Chinese--it would be equally simple for my mind. Nic jokes that my bank statement is my kryptonite!
2. This goes along with #1--I have never been very good at money management. Again, I could give a lesson on basic conversation in Chinese that would equally tap into my expertise...
3. This is the second time I've given this lesson. It was about a year ago that I gave this exact lesson! Obviously, the Lord has us teach the lessons that we need to learn the most, and obviously, I haven't learned it yet!

A goal...

Coming soon...
For the 12 days of Christmas this year, I will post every single day. It will be amazing.
=)

Oh Shutterfly, oh Shutterfly, you're designs are oh so lovely...

Okay, most of you have heard me talk about Shutterfly. Well, let me say more...=)
First of all, it is that time of year when I should have already ordered my cards and sent them out as I resolved to do last year, but, as fate/habit has it every year, I will probably be sending out our Christmas cards on Christmas Eve...anyway, here's a preview of the amazing card that will soon (I hope, I hope) be hanging on your fridge:

Anyway, let me just put in a little plug for Shutterfly here. I have been working on a scrapbook on for Sam on Shutterfly and absolutely love it. They have tons of lay-outs and designs, and it has been really easy to maneuver through the process. Plus, it has been more cost-efficient and less time consuming than the crafty, scissors-fancy-paper-and-glue scrapbook. Here are some links to other products that I enjoy using:
Christmas photo cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo

holiday cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards

· photo calendars to http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars

birthday card to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/birthday-cards-stationery

Letting Go

Where to start? Things have been a little rough for our dog, Gimli, lately. A couple of months ago he started limping a little bit. It kept getting worse to the point where he wouldn't walk on his back leg at all. We took him to the vet and found out that he blew out his knee. I was so relieved because I had been reading on-line and everyone talked about hip cancer being common in big dogs. I was so happy it wasn't cancer. The vet told us that he could get surgery, but it was very costly. Ever since we almost lost Gimli a couple of years ago, we promised ourselves not to put him through anything like that again. At his age, it is also really risky to do any major surgeries, plus, last time we discovered (after a lot of bleeding and a blood transfusion) that he is a hemophyliac. This time surgery just wasn't the right answer for him. The vet gave him a prescription for doggie Ibprofen, and we decided to wait things out and see what happens. He hasn't been able to put any weight at all on his back leg but has gotten pretty good at hobbling around. We decided on criteria for making the big decision: 1. Was he in pain? 2. Could he go outside on his own to go to the bathroom? 3. Was he eating and drinking well? 4. Was he happy? Well, the medicine helped, and he hasn't really seemed to be in pain. But he can't get up any stairs, and so couldn't get in and out of the house on his own. He could walk though, so Hubs built him this awesome ramp up to the back door. Problem solved. But in the past few weeks, he's dropped a lot of weight. His collar and his skin just hang on him. And he doesn't get up very much at all. He used to rush to greet Hubs when he got home from work, but now he just stays on his bed. He struggles to get up more and more and lately he's had a few accidents in the house. I keep trying to tell myself that it's just a rough patch, and things will get better, but all the while Gimli is trying to tell us good-bye.
The past few months it has seemed like he has been training Gus and delegating a lot of his 'duties' to the puppy. He has started eating out of Gus' bowl and has given his bowl, the alpha bowl, to Gus. A few times I haven't been able to find him, only to discover him sleeping in the nursery with Sam. And the past week he just gives these looks that seem to say that it's okay to let go. But it is so hard. I know that he has had a good life and that he knows how much we love him. And he's been such a good dog. Well, more than a dog. He was our first boy. He is my best friend. When I think of all that he has helped me through, especially all the years of trying to start our family. So many times he would cuddle on the love sac with me while I cried. And when I was sick, he would be extra gentle when he would lie down next to me. He was my guardian. Whenever Hubs has to go out-of-town for work, he always tell Gimli, "Now you look after your momma for me." And Gimli does. He has always just been there. He went jeeping with us in Moab; he went rock crawling with us and even got to ride in Clay's bus once; he rode in parades; he went for walks; anyone who knows us well, knows Gimli. He is part of our family.
And now I just got off the phone and have set the date for the vet to come and put him down. No more denial. No more hoping to change fate. I was hoping we wouldn't have to make this decision, but I know that Gimli isn't happy. He has always been there for us, and now we need to be there for him.
Here's a song that Hubs had me listen to last night that feels like what Gimli has been trying to tell us:

If heaven was an hour, it would be twilight

When the fireflies start their dancin' on the lawn
And supper's on the stove and mamma's laughin'
And everybody's workin' day is done.

If heaven was a town, it would be my town
On a summer day in 1985
And everything I wanted was out there waiting
And everyone I loved was still alive.

Chorus:
Don't cry a tear for me now baby;
There comes a time we must all say goodbye;
And if that's what heaven's made of
You know I ain't afraid to die.

If heaven was a pie, it would be cherry
Cool and sweet and heavy on your tongue
And just one bite would satisfy your hunger
And there'd always be enough for everyone.

If heaven was a train it sure would be a fast one
That could take this weary traveler round the bend
And if heaven was a tear, it'd be my last one
And you'd be in my arms again.

Chorus:
Don't cry a tear for me now baby;
There comes a time we must all say goodbye;
And if that's what heaven's made of
You know I ain't afraid to die.

And here's a verse for Gimli:

If heaven had a dog, it would be Gimli
With his big heart so full of love;
And angels will care for him and play with him up above
Just until I can have him again with me.

Road Trip to Montana

Last week Hubs had to go to Montana for work and said, "You guys want to come?"
Uh, yeah! So we loaded up the car with Sam's ten suitcases and our one and headed off to the big sky country.
Highlight #1: Sam was an amazing road tripper! He slept when it was his nap time, and he babbled and played when it wasn't. He put a lot of hours in that old car seat and never really complained at all about it. He was so good the entire trip. Whose child is this anyway? =)
Highlight #2: Driving through Glacier and West Yellowstone during October is spectacular! The views were gorgeous. The weather was a little colder than home but pretty much blue skies and stunning the whole time. Sometimes I wanted to do my usual car snoring but it was too pretty to miss! (There are parts of Montana, however, that are a whole lot of nothin' and then it was okay to sleep! It was crazy to come out of Glacier and then half an hour later we're driving through the flatlands, with no mountain in sight.)
Highlight #3: Hotel life, need I say more? Sam and I could really get used to the hotel life. Breakfast buffet in the morning (a waffle and whatever else was being served + hot cocoa for me, bread, oatmeal, whatever from mommy's plate + apple juice for Sam), someone else cleaning our room and making the bed, swimming in the pool, lounging in bed watching cable TV, and then off to explore a new place--we loved it!
Highlight #4: Exploring new places--we were in Kalispelle for two days, Great Falls for one, and Bozeman for one day. Kalispell was definitely our favorite. We went for a long walk to the historical downtown part of Kalispell and strolled through the different shops. I bought a couple of books (of course). One of the books was a children's book about Jesus that is from the 1920's. I like old books! Sam got some toys (of course). And we had a good time. I also found my new hobby at one of the shops--mosaic art! Yay! I can't wait to try it!
Highlight #5: We were only a few hours away from Spokane, so we decided to drop in on Heidi and the kids. It was soooooo good to see them. We had dinner together and got to spend a couple of hours together, and then we had to get back on the road again. Hubs played barbies with the girls and later went into a gas station with princess stickers plastered all over him. Will and I talked cars (we both agree that the ferrari is one cool car!) and I got to play with play dough (a secret favorite pastime of mine).
Highlight/Lowlight/freak-mom-out-light #6: Sam's great escape--Heidi lives up in the mountains, and as we were driving down the winding road toward Spokane, suddenly Sam tugged on my hair and said, "Momma?" In all the good-byes, Nic had thought I had buckled Sam in his car seat, and I had thought Nic had done it. The result? Sam was riding free and easy, no seat belt or buckles to hold him back. The minute I realized that Sam was standing in his car seat and not buckled in, I freaked out. I was yelling for Nic to pull over immediately and Nic was trying to find a good spot to pull over. Meanwhile, Sam tipped over and was hanging upside down between the car seat and his stroller, laughing his head off. I didn't find it so funny at the time! Once we got Sam properly buckled in, Nic and I just kind of stared at each other in shock. Yes, we had become those parents! After we, mostly mommy, had settled down, we had to give the grandparents a call to share with them Sam's capers.

Updates

So here's an update on the Sam-sleep thing. That first night, as you recall, was two hours of crying. The next night was half an hour. The next night was forty minutes. Last night? Five minutes! What? Nic had just whispered, "That kid has some lungs, doesn't he?" I had just crawled into bed. Both us were hunkering down for another stretch of crying. And then there was silence. Nic thought maybe Sam had managed to make a rope out of his blankets and had escaped from the crib. I went to check on the kid to make sure he was alive. I found him lying down, snoring softly. Go figure. I have no idea what to expect tonight. Every day as a mother I am learning that you just never know.

Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. "One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. "The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."