JESSIE'S VEGAS

Some people do not like their in-laws. I kinda like mine. Mainly they are fascinating to talk to, well-read and up on current events. I have shied away from disclosing to them that I am not of a Republican persuasion,but that for years I have taken each political persons agenda, picked it apart and scrutinized my choices before voting.  I was surprised to hear they were the same way and were annoyed with those who voted a purely democratic or republican. I have been reviewing the constitution with Jess this year and I adore our founding fathers! These dudes were no nonsense fellows with a clear goal in mind.The day to day preservation of basic human liberty!  They did not agree on everything,but they were dears!  My in-laws called them statesmen and said even back then they warned of the day when political offices might be bought with money!  How right they were! I found my 13-year old was always present in the room,  along with Jess moving constantly around, b...

So Many GOOD things have happened! Syd is gaining function at an incredible rate and is blowing her teacher's away with her progress. Lauren is holding down a job and is happily married! Jess is getting almost straight A's in school and She feels more focused. Her ADD seems to be taking a back seat. Even Alyssa has shown wonderful progress! She decided to stop taking her meds for her Tourettes and she is not having any angry outbursts. It was the goal of her doctor when she was quite young that one day she would not need medicine. Really there is only one thing dampening my day, but I find I have to go hide when I cry because I do not want anyone to know or think I am ungrateful. I even somehow hope to disguise my tears from God.  He has helped us SO much, maybe I am petty or childish. I suspect I am just sad to be reminded in such a blatant fashion that there really is something unusual in my kid's craniums...most of the time they appear normal so even I try not to rememb...

I dont know if dreams are a big deal or not. I kind of hope not because mine get pretty weird and convulted sometimes. My dad always had weird dreams too and loved to talk about his escapades. My brother Chad would say " I saw this behind my eyes" meaning in his sleep. My brother Mitch and myself had the added misfortune of actually walking and talking in our sleep! One night I got out of bed on three different occasions. On the third trip I guess I found Chad in the bathroom. I made him get off the toilet and he said, "Coley, I was going poop first!" Then I stuck my big toe in the water and said, "Mom, the water is too cold!" My sister Angi said I then went back to bed with the poopy foot so she wouldnt sleep by me the rest of the night. The teasing and chiding that followed that night from my siblings left me in a bit of a conondrum. I didnt remember that night or doing any of those things they said I did, but I would be darned if I was going to let it h...

I am awake and it is very early. Too early, but the summer is slipping away and school will be starting soon. I always looked forward to school starting when I was a kid, but now, as  an adult,  I really despise school for my kids. It is not all in all the school systems fault that my offspring have suffered depression, loneliness and self-doubt during the school year. When I learn that the curriculum was not sanctioned by child development specialists or psychologists, my heart sinks. Who decides what our kids are developmentally ready to learn? Only educators and the government themselves. Maybe in most cases regular kids can keep up,  but  kids with learning issues? No? It makes me a little ill.

I have not done well in my endeavor to write every morning.Some mornings I am.so blasted tired my head falls asleep before it hits the pillow. I have been thinking a lot about my father .  I visited a hobby shop this week full of model trains, model cars,.rocket ships and jam packed full of just plain stuff. There were guys behind the counter giving tips on important things like syringes. At first I thought it was a diabetic testing supply center or a drug cover operation. When the scruffy guy ahead of me in line looked desperate and said he really needed his needles and syringes, I got a little suspicious. Then the cashier said that was a special order and he was going to have to go in the "backroom" to get it. Things changed when he said it was, "The best way to paint the small pieces." I started thinking about my dad.  One Christmas he said he had a "Big" surprise for us.  He led us out to the "building" at the side of the house that was the g...

I had good intentions to keep my brainstorming writing going but I have worked a million shifts in a row. Right now I am in the Bundt cake parking lot waiting for the compilation of my dozen bundtinis! MIGHT as well reward myself in a delicious bite of sugary goodness to end my marathon work stretch. My work life has been quite complicated as of late. I was really struggling in my role as a nurse...surrounded by red tape, procedural overload and computer charting built around the dinosaur DOS system, I have been losing my mind. The good news is I work with some incredible individuals! They have been going nuts too so I figured it wasnt just me.  Beyond the craziness, I had been praying for a boost to bring me up from the depths of nurse burn -out. I went back to a day when I was performing a musical number in front of a large crowd in Boise. I guess I can sing and have always enjoyed music. In that particular moment and on that stage something unusual happened. The back up sound sy...

Well crap! Here it goes! I read an artistic book my mom recommended and I guess I am supposed to write morming pages a day about ANYTHING! I am not allowed to proofread or go back(kind of annoying, but OH WELL) Whatever is on my mind I am to write down...today it is lincoln logs.  I need to buy some and take a look at them again.  I am ashamed to say I know what they taste like as I was first introduced to them at the age of two and at that age I mainly tasted everything new and smelled things so i could get to know them.  As time went on I must have learned this was not socially acceptable.  Two-year olds, however, simply want to use all their senses to explore.   I wonder why we have determined some senses superior to others??? In the grown-up world I KNOW the sense of sight is given top billing! Everything that is seen is deemed real or concrete and superior.  This has led to an evolution of not just visually overwhelming movies and games but has also le...

Good morning! My mom just told me you are making a surprise for the newlyweds and I wanted to say "thank you" in advance.  I also wanted to tell you a little bit more about Suzy. I hadn't planned on naming her middle name Suzanne, but after she was born, it was like God just whispered that was her name.  Can I tell you now, at twenty-one years old, we were just talking about how much we love her incredible laugh, kindness, and gentle nature!!! In a moment of clarity, I was suddenly aware that God knew twenty-one years ago that that little babe would grow up to be like her wonderful great aunt. I really like it when God is in the details!!! A few months ago I had a dream about grandma Thelma. She was showing me something in her basement.  In the old fruit room she opened some drawers individually. I was expecting food, but no! Each drawer was full of momentos of each of her kids and grandkids and great grandkids!!! There was a Gene drawer, a Suzanne drawer, a Chad dr...

I am still trying to figure out how to communicate with the special young man in my charge on Sundays. Born without a hippocampus, the flight control center of the brain, he wasn't estimated to live long let a lone walk. Yet, here he is walking, smiling and even "signing" some basic language skills.  Overall, he is quite active and loves to move around. There was one time, last Sunday, when he sat still. It was during singing time when his sister and I were trying hard by hand gestures(some signing some charades)to communicate the words to the song, " Heavenly Father Loves Me". As he wrapped his arms around himself in a hug to show the sign for "yes I know Heavenly Father loves me", his face changed.  For a moment heaven and earth were one and the Holy Ghost flooded that primary room. I knew he had a sure knowledge that YES! Heavenly Father loved him! Beyond that, he was confident in that love and there was no questioning or feeling that God's love...

Last week I was at the doctor's office with Syd again. I made sure I parked at the West side of the building because they just opened a call center on the East side and the employees were out having a smoke and leaning on my car the last time I was there. I don't drive a Rolls Royce, but I just prefer to have some bubble space around my vehicle.  Sometimes I become weary driving the same route, pushing the same button on the elevator then trying the same funny doorknob that always seems to stick at that office.  They have a big screen TV  that perpetually seems to be turned to the news channel to keep the occupants in the room entertained and deflected from the fact that their butts are sweating on the plastic-backed chairs.   Yes, a lot of times I pack a snack and water bottle to keep my blood sugar up during our vigils there. This week someting happened that made me pause from all of the mundane plastic plant in the corner, ripped Time magazine cover acti...