My dear Sister.

This is dedicated to my dear Sister, Dawn . Dawn is two years older than me. In her young 52 years she has had her fill of health problems. No fault of

her own, it's just the way life has been for her. 

This isn't going to be a pity party, because she would probably kill me if

she knew I was writing this. I, however feel that it needs to be said. 

Dawn, is the strongest woman that I know. 

She faces her challenges head on, doesn't ever feel sorry for herself . 

She has never worn a badge of " survivor" on the outside for everyone to see.

She just carries on and doesn't look back. I have never ever heard her

say or ask, "Why me?" 

At 33 years old she had a Brain stem tumor, and even though it wasn't cancerous,it

damaged her nerves on her left side of her face where, she lost her hearing on the left side, she lost the ability to smile or wink on the left side, she looked like

she had a stroke, but didn't. She was a mother of 5 children at the time with the 

youngest around 9 years old. 

She was thankful to be alive and pressed on. She accepted

various callings both in her ward and in the Stake.

Her next health challenge was when she was told she had 

Breast Cancer. It wasn't even two weeks from the time she was first diagnosed when

she had her Mastectomy.  She went through Radiation and Chemotherapy

and she received much support from friends and family.

I remember my younger sister and I took Dawn before her first surgery

to do Glamour Shots because we knew there would be changes in

Dawn's appearance. She accepted those changes like a champ. 

My younger sister took Dawn out wig shopping before the chemo started and they had a blast

trying on many wigs until she found a couple she really liked. Throughout these times Dawn received many Priesthood blessings, her name was put on Temple prayer rolls throughout the world, where

dear friends and family members lived. 

She again over came these challenges. Then came 2011, while Dawn was visiting her eldest

Son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren out of state, Dawn became gravely ill right before

she was to return home to California.  She had came down with Bacterial Meningitis. 

This illness almost did her in. She was in critical condition for sometime. 

At this time she was serving as her Ward's Relief Society President and once she was out of the woods,

She, like a General, was directing the troops, her counselors and sisters 

from her hospital bed two states away. She always took her RS Binder with her where ever she went.

She couldn't travel home for a month, so she did a lot of delegation until she

got home. 

Fast forward to this week, April 27, 2014, and again, she came down with

Meningitis.  I have had the privilege to serve my sister as she

has served many others while she has been in the Hospital. She shared with us, that  it

 all started with an ear ache then turning into a Headache that brought her to her knees with

a spiked fever. An Ambulance was called late Monday night with my Brother-in-law

following. I know he was so worried, I'm sure so many things went through his mind 

because of the seriousness of her condition. We got the call in the wee hours of the morning

and headed down to be with her.  I felt calm for some reason and knew that she would

be all right, but we needed to be there all the same. While we were there Dawn received

a special Priesthood blessing from her Bishop and another Brethren that happened to be in the Hospital where he was with his wife who was on the same floor as Dawn. 

I just want to say here - that it wasn't even an hour that transpired after she received her blessing that she was doing much better. From the time we got there in the morning to the time we left in the 

afternoon, she was doing a 100% better.  

Today we were with her again and she is progressing in a positive way. 

The headache is not as bad the swelling around her brain has gone down and she is coherent and still, she doesn't complain. She will have many days to convalesce and recover from this.

I don't know if I could handle the challenges the way she has. I don't know if

I could be that strong.  She is not done yet, I know there is much for her

 do here.  I love her very much and I am proud to be

her younger sister. 

She is Amazing.

 

This is her, on a very Happy Day, with her son, daughter-in-law and husband

at the LDS Sacramento Temple.

regards

"aka" georgie

 

Blah blah blah blah blah.........

Is it uncomfortable when one shows their vulnerable side? People get uncomfortable because

1. They don't know how to respond.

2. They want that person to always be strong.

3. They don't want to be around a person that they think is weak.

 

I kinda like it when one shows their vulnerable side, because to me, it shows me that

they are real and relate able in some respects.

 Not that you want them to be whiny all the time. It's refreshing

when they don't always have to be so strong and carry a stiff upper lip.

Yes, being strong is noble and all but sometimes it's okay to let 

people know you are a real person with tender feelings. 

This is just one thought I have had. 

Now if you are reading this, my thought is, are you going to read this and step away

with the thought - Wow this girl has issues and roll your eyes and leave in silence? or

will you leave a comment with your ideas and thoughts?

Comments are always welcomed even when I don't agree with them. 

I appreciate different opinions.

Another thought I have had lately and more lately than ever is:

Is it me or as women get older they become:

1. Overly sensitive and get offended easily

2. They are NOT afraid to say or speak their mind - when before when they 

were younger they would never dream of saying  such things out loud or to another

person

3. They  become mean and unkind and sometimes downright rude. 

I have noticed from our Religious Leaders that this later part has been a topic of

Concern.

They have been Asking us to be KIND, gentle and respectful, or

just be more Kind. Why is that? I know why, it's because, I have noticed

that we haven't. Why is it that we, especially women are more inclined to be

intolerant or less patient with each other? 

Where are the days of  biting ones tongue so as to not say something

that cuts like a knife into one's spirit?

I remember growing up my best friend's mom always saying, "If you can't say

anything nice, then don't say anything at all".  And this women

never did say anything unkind to another person, or at least never in my presence.

I'm not here to judge because in no way am I a saint, but...

It makes me genuinely sad when people are unkind.

I just want everyone to get along and be happy. 

I want people to be happy for each others accomplishments

and not be petty or jealous. 

I wish for people to be compassionate for others when they are down or

 in their sorrows.

I wish there to be less cattiness.

If I have lost you in my soap box of words, I am sorry.

I pray that I may show kindness and respect with no 

judgement to all. 

Someone asked me recently if I would be mad at them them for doing

something wrong? I told them, that  I wouldn't be mad, but that I would

be sad. And that's because I want the best for them and for 

everyone. I really do.  

I make no apologies for having a Pollyanna attitude.

That is me, I can't change that. I don't know how to. 

I am fun or funny and I hope that I am friendly. 

Yours truly

"aka" georgie

 

 

I've been AWOL.

I am still alive, just been busy with Life in general. I am even debating to start all over again with this

Blog. We officially moved in September - and Life has been too busy to sit down and concentrate on blogging. Between home life, work life, church calling life it takes so many brain cells to balance it all.   So to start somewhat fresh -

This is what Hubby and I are thinking about installing in our back yard: 

 

                                        What do you all think?  Our new place is a lot smaller and we only have a large shower, sooooooooo, hubby misses his baths and............One day I was just sitting there thinking and it came to me, Why don't we put in and outside bath tub, it would be pretty easy, I think. I know crazy huh!  A long time ago like 24 years ago when we were building our first house we were kind of camping out at our property as we were building we had an old bathtub and we used it to take baths outside, the kids loved it, again, I think. It was summer time. I know I have  a picture of hubby taking a bath in it somewhere, oh well.

 

We love our new place as I always love anywhere we live, as long as we are together right? That's all that matters. It's very cozy and about 15 minutes to town. So its very quiet. Every day I get to drive down a dusty country road and see cows in the pasture. I just love cows. It reminds me of a simpler time, I get very nostalgic when I see them.   Well this is all for now. 

Maybe I'll be back sooner. 

TTFN

                                   "georgie"