Relatives

Several relatives are flying in for Rookie's funeral next Friday. He was greatly loved - but I think his wife is even more loved. We all want to be here for her.

I love my ohana!

Susan Update

Got a call from my Susan today! So good to hear her voice! She is still in Uluwatu (spelling) at a place that's only $7 per night. She is enjoying herself and meeting new people.

She'll be home on 27 July - and we are soooooooooooooooooo looking forward to seeing her!

No matter how old she is - she's my little baby!

Movie Night

Michelle and Gabe and some of the other teens in our ward went to see Toy Story 3 last night. here's their picture. Michelle is so short!

Email from Jacob

Got the following email from Jacob yesterday (I live for his emails and letters!) - my commentary is in yellow:

Heya Jenny, whats up?(He says "Jenny" cause people I have known 30 years still mispronounce my name as Jenny instead of Ginny which rhymes with skinny)

Uncle Rookie will be remembered as a Hero, a true man of vision. Let us celebrate his legacy!

LOL @ Brandi. He's referring to my note to him that Brandi got in an accident with her new car)altho it is sad that her cars are now broken (and that insurance will probably be rediculous now) tell her she has MY permission to use my car which is really your car which susan was borrowing but cant as she is now in Bali. ;)

So i am in the Boise South Stake of the Boise South Zone. We have a car half of the weak as we are in a car share. The Summer is nothing short of Horrible. It is way to Hot here. Almost as bad as the winter is cold.

In Eagle we only covered 4 wards, but i am back up to 5 wards here, which is about average. the most i have covered at a time is 9 wards.

I remember hearing Stories of Rene. Tell him i say 'Hi' (and where in Ohio is he from? my comp now is from Ohio)

love ya Ginny, write ya gain soon! He's trying to prove to me that he knows how to pronounce my name. you are an awesome mother.He's emphasizing this because in my note to him I emphasized that I know her writes his girlfriend more than he writes me -- he's trying to score points with me)

love, jake

Sad News

We had a death in our family. Rookie - husband of my hanai sister Molleen. I have known him since I was 5 years old.

He was such a fun and happy person.

I will miss him.

Tell your loved ones how much you love them - do it today.

GOOD Sabbath

I love getting up on Sunday mornings.
I love going to Church.
I love my associations with Church friends.
I love the quiet activities we do on Sunday.
I love having the family eat all 3 meals together.
I love everyone being home.

I love the Sabbath.
Sabbath day observance brings peace.

This I know.

The BEST Card Ever

I got a birthday card from Gabe today.

On the outside it looks like just a sweet normal card.

Even on the inside - it looks like a sweet normal card.

And then you press the button...

It plays "What a Wonderful World" as it shows some of Disney's best mothers.

Sorry for the blurriness - but my camera (and my eyesight ain't so good)

But as for the card -
I LOVE IT!

Pictures of Susan

Finally uploaded these pictures from my camera. These were taken on the morning Susan left for Bali. June 20, 2010 - Father's Day. SO hard to say goodbye to my #1 girl - she is the bestest of the best. I am so proud of her for being such a loving and kind daughter and big sister.

Bali Hai Will Call You...

And she did! Susan has called twice from Bali. When she first arrived she was supposed to check into Hotel Lusa but it was full so they checked into another hotel (on the beach in Kuta) and ended up paying $11 per night (which she and Melissa split). She said it was nice but that the water smelled like sulfur.

Today she called and they have left the city and are in someplace called Ubud? Theya re staying at a $3 per person per night hotel that is just okay. They are looking for another place.

She said she is well and enjoying herself. She said it is very interesting - lots of dogs around - the people believe the dogs are reincarnated criminals. She also said lots of cows around - the cows are revered. She said the cows are really "beautiful".

I am glad she is enjoying herself in a new part of the world. What an adventure!

We plan on speaking every 3 days. Can't wait til the next call!

Double Dose

Went to the neurologist for Hannah yesterday. He had upped her meds a month ago (doubled them) because he wanted the Tegretol at a specific level and hopefully control her seizures.

At this appointment we learned that the blood tests showed the tegretol level in her blood didn't even go up 2/10ths - so very minimal.

Why - when the dose was DOUBLED???

Answer - her metabolism is too high - DUH! The doctor said this as Hannah was jumping around the office...and had already had 41 seizures that day.

SO - we are doubling everything AGAIN and seeing if that will work.

This metabolism thing is, of course, why she eats and yet stays slender, slender, slender.

I want to switch my metabolism for hers - just for one month. Please.

Sageet

We got an invitation to a Sageet (Engagement Party) for Steve and Azeema. It was on Saturday night. We didn't know what to expect - but the invitation said wear green and bring a south asian dish for potluck.

These are the people that gave the party.
His name is Joe, I can't remember her name but the baby is Anwar.

All the furniture had been removed from the living room and there were mats and pillows around the edges of the room.

There was a beautiful decorated 4 poster bed at the "head" of the room.

Steve and Azeema sat on the bed while each guest hand fed them bits of a special doughnut
This was some kind of Asian cermony. It was very interesting.

Then the women all danced a cultural dance and invited everyone to join them.

Everything was very interesting and the food was plentiful, different and yummy. Everyone was so kind and warm and one more thing I noticed - every single woman that attended (most were Indian/Pakistani I think) - everyone of them was absolutely beautiful! Like movie star beautiful.

It was strange for me to be at a party and realize, for the FIRST TIME EVER that
I wasn't the ONLY beautiful woman in the room.

Miracles

So last Friday Susan told me that she lost her debit card...GREAT. She was leaving for Bali 2 days later and losing it meant she'd have to take just cash...which is not that great an idea.

We decided we'd let her take one of gene's debit cards.

On Saturday afternoon I got a message on my cell phone from a guy named Gary who found her debit card AND her driver's license (she neglected to tell me she had lost that too).

How did he get my number since its not on either card????

MIRACLE.

We picked it up that night and she left Sunday.

Someone's watching over us for sure.

Good News!

Its not a brain tumor!

So we keep plugging away hoping to get the right mix and dosage of meds to control the seizures.

Thanks for the prayers.

Catch Up

Camping went well for Michelle - thanks to her awesome sister Susan. Both enjoyed the camp, beach and activities.

Hannah had her MRI on Saturday - but no results yet :-(

Gabe got back from Utah and jumped right into 3 weeks of drivers ed classes. He met a girl at EFY that he is particularly fond of - but she lives in New Mexico.

The mother of some good friends died so we'll be going to a funeral on Wednesday - gene is speaking at it.

Susan is starting to pack for her trip.

And I have a terrible cold. Not feeling good at all.

But could be worse.

Anticipation

Michelle leaves for camping in a couple of hours. How will she do? Who's to say? Packed food she will eat since I know she'll turn her nose up at what they will be serving - so filled the cooler with bologna sandwiches, pizza, chips, cookies, pears, orange crush and water. She'll at least survive.

Gabe home in 2 days - YAY!

Hannah's MRI in 2 days...praying.

The Week That Was

...Gabe went to EFY in Utah and is now spending the weekend having fun with Jimmy Fitzgerald and family (Jimmy used to be in our Ward and was Gabe's Young Men's leader - he moved to Utah in Dec.)

...Got Lakona (Gabe's friend) off to Utah on Thursday night! Whew! He'd never flown before and was a bit nervous. Called me from each layover (3) so I could walk him through the process and guide him (over the phone) to the next gate.

...Hannah had 2 really bad seizures -she had probably more than 50 this week - but 2 were significant because she got hurt! A huge goose egg with one and a very bad cut and fat lip with the other. We took her in after the lip one and her neurologist finally got serious. He added another drug to her medication cocktail since he said he had "a bad feeling that Hannah is one of those people that will not benefit from medication". If she continues to get hurt then we'll start looking at helmets. Her sedated MRI to rule out a brain tumor is scheduled for next Saturday.

...Susan moved back home - sort of. Some of her stuff is here. She was here one night. Her bed and last bit of stuff and her body (maybe) should be here tonight.

...Michelle learned to make pancakes! Her first real cooking feat.

...Got a letter from Jacob's Mission President telling us Jacob got made an Area Leader - not sure what it is but it sounds good!

...Had a GREAT Family Reunion meeting the other night! Things are certainly firming up for this event. I love my Mossman Ohana.

...Spent a good 10 hours this week doing some Mossman family history research and discovered not only the location of Captain Mossman's store in Honolulu, but also refernce to and map of location where he owned a boarding house!

...Heard from my Mossman cousins in England =) and now have such a yearning to go and visit them and go to the family plot in Berwick again. Now if I only had the money.

...Got a cool email from my sister Leilani - reminding me to keep track of our brother Bobby.

...Had a great online chat with my cousin Lisa! Gotta love FB for that one. I'm planning a baby shower for my cousin Manu's wife on July 10. As always, Lisa is the connector in her family.

...Finished completing the tabulation of the Annual Salary Survey for my work. I had to do the formulas on the spreadsheet and everything. Those who know me realize this is quite an accomplishment cause I don't do numbers - only colors.

...Had a meeting with FOG about our upcoming Church History trip in late September. Awesome friends. We have the best potlucks for these meetings. Our travel plans are firming up and we will once again be able to stay at Marydale Inn in Jameson, Missouri. A wonderfully relaxing place.

...Made Sticky Toffee Pudding last night for Gene's dessert! Its the recipe from Augill Castle in Kirkby Stephen (Lake District England) where we stayed in 2006. Yummy and still some left!

...Broke the in-the-door-ice maker on the fridge. Luckily Gene is handy and will fix it (its the motor) today.

And that was it for the last week. Certainly B & B - Busy & Blessed!

Reunion Meeting

Got one tonight at 6 at Bina's house. Its always a game to see who is going to show up. Hopefully it will be productive and we will get all plans finalized.

I've set a goal to get all registration info out by June 15th but I can't do that unless everything is finalized.

Here's hoping!