Just call the WAAAAmbulance...

We've got a whiner here!

In November it will have been a year since I was finally diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia. It took quite a few months to get my medicine right but now that it is right I am virtually pain free. I only have occasional pain. I can bend over to pick Gracie up or stuff off the floor just fine now. That alone is such an amazing difference and has made life a lot easier I must say! I just really really hate being on medication. I really do! I'm so weird. Loopy. Forgetful. Tired. I have to take Pepcid because my medications make me have horrible heart burn. I just hate having to deal with it. Yesterday at church I was embarrassingly weird. It was SOOO hot in the building and I had only eaten cereal at like 8:00 and by the time Sunday School rolled around I was really shaky and feeling really weird. So when it was my turn to read I sounded like a kindergartner trying to read. It was very choppy and strange. Then after Sunday School the ladies had to walk past me to go to Relief Society and these ladies that I am friends with wouldn't even make eye contact with me. I think they didn't know how to act. I actually take unrighteous pride in the way I read the scriptures and the comfort I have developed when reading scriptures. Not many months ago I was really upset to read in front of people but I finally felt comfortable doing it and then I humiliated myself in front of the whole ward by reading them so strangely yesterday. At Matthew's baptism I embarrassed myself by thinking that Stan was supposed to do the talk on the Holy Ghost instead of baptism and I said it loudly in front of everyone there. So embarrassed!!! There was something else like that that happened that weekend but I can't remember what it was. I'm not on pain medications since they don't affect the nerve. I'm on Lyrica and Amitriptyline. They are both used for lots of different ailments but they work to treat the nerve. It's so hard! My choices are: Be in excruciating, horrendous, searing pain all the time, OR be pain free due to medication that makes me really weird all the time. Well, you know, weirder than normal!  :)  I'm trying to be positive about Brian's job ending in January but I'm totally freaking out. Stress is a trigger for pain from the TN. I just hope and pray that he'll find some work before the job ends. I am really grateful that he has a little time before the job ends! HUGE BLESSING! I just worry so much because I know that the job market really sucks right now! I am trying to have faith that it will all be ok. We had a really fun weekend which was great! We went to our neighbor's baptism, we went to our friend's little girl's super fun birthday party and BBQ. And we went to the ward soup and bread fall social. It was great too!  Yummy soups and fabulous homemade bread and rolls, and banana splits for dessert. That is one of our family's favorite activity for the whole year! Sunday was so relaxed and calm that I just had too much time to think about things after church. NOT a good thing! Today I just need to get super busy again so I don't have time to think. I worked twice this weekend doing my little Hallmark job. I LOVE IT! I went Friday and Saturday nights at 8:30pm and got home at I don't remember what time on Friday but midnight on Saturday. It's entertaining to see all the people at Walmart that time of night! I'm going to end this post with a picture because there needs to be something positive on here! Sorry I'm such a downer today. Next time I'll be more positive I promise. Sometimes I just need to wallow in self pity and get it out of my system.

One day I walked into the living room and saw these 2 like this. Just snugglin' in the recliner. I just had to capture this sweet moment!

A very....interesting baptism...etc.

Our sweet little Matthew was baptized Saturday. He has looked forward to being baptized ever since he saw Zack get baptized 3 years ago and has talked about it often. As his baptism date has drawn near he has talked about it even more. He had started talking about how excited he was to be baptized but how scared he was to actually be dunked under water. We've encouraged him and I told him that I was TERRIFIED to have my head under water when I was baptized, too. I told him that our Branch President even talked with me and told me that everything was going to be ok. My wonderful Grandma Irvine sent me a lovely letter of encouragement also. I just remember praying really hard that I wouldn't drown and being so thrilled that He actually answered my prayers and kept me from drowning. HAHA   I thought that might help him but it didn't. He got more and more nervous as the week progressed. Poor kid!

 Well, the big day came. There was a little girl from another ward named Jessica who also was being baptized. When the talks finished the Bishop who was conducting said that they would like to have Matthew baptized first and then Jessica. Well, Matthew freaked! He did NOT want to go first! I was rather embarrassed and explained that Matthew was very nervous about having his head dunked under the water and wondered if she could go first. That's when SHE freaked out TOO! Her mom said she was scared too. It was seriously the craziest thing we all had ever seen! They both were weeping and wailing and yes there was some gnashing of teeth! They both were baptized...eventually. LOL! Some of us joked that we wished we could take video of it so we could show it at Matthew's wedding reception. LOL! It was definitely crazy! Now he says that being baptized was so awesome that he wishes he could do it again and that he can't wait until he's 12 and can go to the temple and do baptisms.

Interestingly enough, though, the spirit was very strong. Especially when Brian confirmed him. I'm thankful that Zack & Matthew have been blessed with that companionship. I am grateful that Brian holds and honors his Priesthood. What a beautiful thing! We felt the spirit throughout the rest of the day. It was like we just felt we needed to be reverent. I had to run to the store for my prescription and I hated going because it felt like I was breaking the Sabbath or something.

The luncheon afterwards was nice. Yummy food and spending time with family. I love baptism days! They are just joyful! I am so grateful for the gospel. I am so grateful for the joy that fills our lives as we strive to live righteously. We are FAR FROM perfect but Heavenly Father blesses us for our efforts and I am truly grateful for Him and the blessings He gives us.

~Brian was told at the very end of last month that his job will be terminated in January. They just simply have enough people in Logan at USU that do the work that Brian does here that they are going to give them the work from USU-CEU and terminate that position here. We are so worried and Brian is hoping that he'll be able to find something. It was nice to have Matthew's baptism to bring some joy to our lives since we've been pretty stressed out. If you hear of any Accounting jobs in your area please feel free to let me know. :) tarafree26@hotmail.com

~So my friend Nikki who was doing my hair in exchange of me babysitting her 2 awesome kids, moved away a couple months ago. She did hair but she also worked part time for Hallmark at Walmart and Smiths here. My friend Tamra worked with her. Well once Nikki moved they put Tamra in charge and they needed to hire someone else to work with her and they hired me! It's very part time and very flexible, which is what I need! So I started yesterday. It was SO much fun! I am really excited about the whole thing! There were about 9 of us yesterday working on a whole redo of the cards and displays and such. It was really fun working with those ladies and learning lots of new things. And those of you who know of my love for stationary, cards, and wrapping paper, and organizing, sorting, and filing, know that this is right up my alley!!! I'm just thrilled with the opportunity!

~So Brian had church meetings all morning Sunday. He usually helps me tons on Sundays so I was worried about making it to church on time when we are always late to church when I HAVE his help so I figured I didn't stand a chance on my own. I was really trying to stay on top of things. When we got to church I scanned the congregation for Brian and couldn't see him anywhere. So I looked at the congregation and I realized that none of these people looked remotely familiar. So I looked at the Bishopric and THEY were different too! So I checked my watch and it was 10:00. We were an hour EARLY!! Yes, I'm crazy!   :~/

Matthew rockin' his 70's jumpsuit. He thought that big collar was totally groovy! :)

My hair looks like crap but I was there on time. :)



Matty with Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa gave the best talk on Baptism. I cried like a baby when he talked about how 8 years ago we were all gathered together for Matthew's (and Jessica's family for her) baby blessing. The time is just slipping away...  :(



Matty with Steph, J.J., Josh, & Emily. He's looks kinda like a little ragamuffin. He started undressing and I told him he had to take pictures before he could change his clothes. So his shirt is cockeyed, and his pants are twisted. But his cute little Jack-o-lantern smile makes the rest not matter!!!  Grandma and Grandpa game him a suit and he was THRILLED to get to wear it for the first time on Sunday. He looked very handsome!!!

Matty with his cousins Jordan, Jeremy, and Marne. Jordan just came home from his mission a couple of months ago. We just love them!

Matty with Aunt KayTee. Uncle Chris had to work so he wasn't able to make it. We're so glad KayTee came!!!

Picture frame make over

I bought this picture frame at D.I. a few weeks ago for $2. I was so excited to transform it into SOMETHING I just wasn't sure what. Well, I finally made it over this weekend. I think it turned out cute! At least Gracie's flowers are more organized.

BEFORE...

AFTER...

I think I can squish another row in but you get the gist of it.