Tuesday's thoughtful tip

Yup, you guessed it, I'm combining them today. (I'm finding that if I actually take the time on Tuesday to post a "tip" (ya, all of two times now...) that it is really hard for me to take the time again on Thursday to be thoughtful - even if I do have some thoughtful kind of thoughts...)

So - here is the tip -

BE YOUR OWN BEST DOG!

or

Be the best YOU that YOU can be.

or

You aren't expected to be a hunting dog AND a hospital dog -
Just be what YOU were meant to be!

(you get the idea, use whatever words you want...)

and now, if you have more time to read, here is the story (the thought) behind it.

In church on Sunday, my friend Jenny shared some thoughts that I needed to hear. She was talking about her neighbor's dog, Cocoa, who is a "working dog." Cocoa has been trained and certified to go into hospitals and nursing homes to give love and comfort to people. (this is not Cocoa, but the same kind of dog and pretty much just as pampered, Cocoa is just more brown...)


The neighbor (Christine) had come with Jenny to a family dinner and in the course of the evening, Jenny's brother remarked that while Cocoa was very good at giving love and comfort to people, he would make a LOUSY hunting dog.


Jenny then paralleled how each of us in life is good at different things. While some of us are good at one thing, we aren't so good at something else. and vice verse. AND THAT IS OKAY!

Then Jenny and I were talking yesterday and I asked for her advice. I told her how frustrated I was that no matter how hard I try, I just can't keep on top of the housework. When the house actually does get picked up and looking nice (either by myself or the house cleaning help,) I just can't maintain it! It drives me crazy! She has 3 kids, and yet she is organized and her house always looks picked up and ready for people to walk right in. We talked about it for a while and I thought it was hilarious the direction the conversation went.
She tried to make me feel better by pointing out things that she struggles with but she thought I was good at. The first one she said was "good at managing money." I laughed right out loud! I hated to burst her bubble, but while I can MENTALLY understanding how to save money, I can't do it. I get totally stressed out when Tim and I have to discuss finances. Luckily Tim is EXCELLENT with money and he covers for me and is patiently trying to train me to be better.

Another thing that made me laugh was when she suggested that I might be extra critical of myself because I spend so much time with my friend Holly, who is an excellent housekeeper. Jenny said something along the lines of it might be discouraging to me to hang around with Holly because she was so "perfect." I just had to laugh, because I am good enough friends with Holly that I know that even though she IS a great housekeeper and super organized and she is an all around super great person - I also know the struggles and insecurities she has.

I guess it all comes down to the fact that what we see on the outside isn't necessarily what's really going on.

Just as Cocoa would never make it as a hunting dog, I don't know that I will ever make it as a super housekeeper. I am getting a little better, I think. And Tim and I are trying really hard to get the kids trained into some better habits, but it is slow going. and that is OKAY! We are moving in the right direction.

I just need to figure out what kind of "dog" I am, and then be the best I can at that!

Tuesday's Tip

My tip for today is this:

If you ever decide to introduce a bit of specific structure to your blog, say for instance a "Tuesday's Tip" or a "thoughtful Thursday," you must either be much more organized and structured than I am, OR you should NOT introduce it at the beginning of the crazy, busy, days of summer. WAIT until fall, when kids are back in school and life slows down just a teeny tiny bit...

(maybe it doesn't really slow down all that much, but school forces quite a bit of structure into the lives of people like me... and I think that is probably not all bad, if ya know what I mean.)

crazy weekend part 1 - the wedding

Our sweet niece, Jenny, was married in the Salt Lake Temple on Saturday, June 20th. (yes, this is a week late...) It ended up being a bit crazy, since we had lined up someone to watch the kids while we were upstairs for the sealing, and that person had to cancel at the last minute due to sickness. We just went up as planned, and Tim stayed downstairs with the kids and I went up to the sealing.

Jenny looked beautiful. The sealer said some inspiring things that I am hoping will make it into my next "thoughtful Thursday..." It was a beautiful ceremony and we wish Jen and AJ a very happy life together.


Here are some photos:




Tim and the kids took some photos while they were waiting too...

Crazy weekend part 2 - the museum

Since Jenny's wedding (see part 1) was at 12:20, and the reception was at 6pm that evening, we opted to take all the kids up to the temple, then we spent the afternoon at the Discovery Gateway. (the childrens' museum.) Unfortunately, Tim wasn't able to come to the museum with us, since he had to show some houses in the afternoon. The kids and I had a great time. Aaron had been to the museum before, on a class filed trip, plus the fact that he's older - so he kept getting bored and wanting to move along. Bryan and Caleb on the other hand, were NEVER done when we finally made them move to the next area. When Tim was done with this real estate stuff, he picked us back up and he headed out to the reception. It was a garden reception, and the weather DID NOT cooperate. it was raining a cold, but they had set up a bunch of lawn canopies and that allowed people to be outside, until they got too chilly. Here are some pictures:

Father's Day

Father's day was a good day. The primary children did a GREAT job singing their songs during sacrament meeting. They really sang out loud and strong. They were so cute and I was super proud of them. We had a pretty quiet day at home, then after dinner we drove over to visit my grandparents and then on to my parents - to wish great-grandpa and grandpa (respectively) a happy father's day. we got home late and the kids are extra tired and crabby today. Oh well. - it's summer, we can make it work. (This was written last Monday, but I wanted to wait until I had the pictures to post...)

Caleb and Great-Grandpa Fugal.

Bryan and Great-Grandpa Fugal

I am blessed to have many amazing men in my life. I have a wonderfully kind, patient, and loving husband TIM. I have my father, who is always laid-back, mellow, and always willing to pitch in help to get a project done. I have my father-in-law, Bob, who is sweet, kind, and totally accepting of others. I have 4 biological brothers, one adopted brother, and 2 brother in laws, all of whom teach me so many things and are such great examples to me (and my 3 sons) of what REAL men are. I truly am blessed, and I have the greatest Father of all, MY HEAVENLY FATHER - to thank for it all.

Late night Dr.'s visit.

Thursday night provided yet another adventure. It was late - 9:30, and the kids were up past their bedtime. Everyone had been sent off to bed - but Bryan picked Aaron to come in and listen to his "personal prayers." (usually my job, but I was okay with having a break...)
Soon we were hearing playing/chasing sounds instead of praying/bedtime sounds. The sounds of chasing and laughter quickly escalated but before we intervened, it turned into screaming/crying sounds. Tim and I hurried in, to find a bleeding Bryan. He had apparently tripped and fallen, hitting his head on one of the metal bolts on the bunk bed.

We were both uncertain about if I should slap a bandage on and see how it goes, super glue it shut, or if he needed stitches. (If it was MY head, I would have just glued it shut, but when it is my child, I tend to play it a little more safe.)

After talking to the pediatric office that was on call for after hours, I took him in, just to be safe. (Aaron was feeling SUPER guilty - felt like it was his fault and all that, so I let him come along.)

The nurse that initially looked at the cut said, "oh yeah, this isn't too bad, the Dr. will just glue this one shut." After she cleaned the cut and looked a little more closely, she changed her mind. "Well, maybe not. The edges aren't really coming together. I think it might need a stitch or two to help it close."

So then the Dr comes in. "Definitely needs stitches," she said. "I think maybe 3 or 4."

After the numbing gel had some time to work, and the Dr. sees about a million other late night patients, she finally came back in. Bryan ended up getting 7 stitches, since the cut had some turns in it - as opposed to a straight line cut. (the hexagon shape of the bolt will do that you know...)

Anyway - at MID-NIGHT - we finally got home! I was exhausted! Now I need to schedule ANOTHER appt to remove the stitches. I can only hope they won't charge me another co-pay. I have paid $75 in co-pays already this month... plus another $150 in other medical charges that aren't covered since we haven't hit out yearly deductible yet. (Not lots of sickness, just regular run of the mill stuff... Caleb had his 18 month well - child checkup, I took Katrina in to have them diagnose some strange growth things on her neck, then had to take her back 2 days later for her "kindergarten' check-up" (they just couldn't do them together - don't ask me why...probably so they could get another co-pay out of me))

CRAZY BOY!!!

MIA - again...

Good Grief! It's been over a week since I've posted. It's not that I haven't been doing anything - rather the opposite. I feel like the past week has been CRAZY! I've actually written out a couple posts that are sitting in my "draft" folder, just waiting for the accompanying pictures... I suppose I really need to learn to upload pictures from the camera myself... Oh well. Tim got them onto the computer downstairs, so tomorrow I'll go down there and get a couple new posts up.

SO... Until tomorrow.