Winners!

Young missionaries work so hard--I can testify to that.  But they also have a lot of fun when they get together. In the Kentucky Louisville mission for their Christmas zone conference they had an ugly sweater contest and here is the result.  By the way they were the winners!  Way to go Elders!  On top of all of that they were doing service projects throughout the area where they served and had set a goal to make contact with a certain number of people before Christmas which they also managed to achieve.  Elder Duncan and his companion also won a contest in their apartment complex for the best decorated window.  They obviously were on a roll!

Happy Birthday Abby!

11 Years Old

"You were brought into this world to be a blessing and inspiration to the people around you."

Mark It Off

When we first came into the house to look at it before we bought it I pointed out that we could build a bookshelf between the fireplace and the sliding glass door.  Once we got everything unpacked I made a design of what I wanted to have the shelf look like and then Scott and I went to Home Depot to buy all of the shelving for it.  After several trips and with lots of help from people in the store who felt sorry for us old people trying to maneuver the wood around we began!  It took a few days but I love how it turned out. With Scott's help we measured, cut, installed, adjusted, and readjusted until it fit our needs.  I love how it turned out but I ask anyone who sees it to not look to close.  Not bad for two old people--now we start painting!

Imagine

In dealing with Scott's Alzheimer's disease one of my goals is to do everything I can to help him feel safe and comfortable and keep his confusion as low as possible.  If we are at home that is very easy to do because I know what he wants and what he needs fairly easily.  Unfortunately, staying home isn't something that we can always do and honestly for me getting out of the house a little each day provides some distraction as well. The biggest challenge when we travel is to limit the amount of time we are gone and also to make sure that he isn't tired before we begin.

For Scott there is no memory of a landmark or an area or even a city.  A number of times when we have gone down the hill he is so sure that I am going the wrong way that he is visibly shaken and no amount of assurances I give him that we are going the right way helps him calm down. More then once he has grabbed the door handle and told me he felt like he wanted to open it and get out.  One of our new neighbors came over to introduce herself and told me that her husband had recently passed away after dealing with Alzheimers.  I asked for any advice she could give me and her answer was, "make sure you have a lock on the front passenger side door so he can't open the door while you are driving."  Apparently this is not a unique aspect of the disease.

Think about how you feel when you are in a new city or area trying to find your way around.  Now intensify that times 100 and you may be able to understand how unnerving it is for Scott once he leaves our house. Now when he gets upset he has started a little mantra that he repeats over and over to me.  "I don't have any idea where we are but I know you do so I am okay."  How can I not love this sweet man who is scared to death and confused daily and yet he tries to get through it by repeating over and over that I know so he is okay.  I have decided that my Scott is a retired homing pigeon!  He can't get us home any more but once he walks into our house he is so happy because he knows that he is safe there.

Christmas Concert!!

A year ago we attended a production of the Nutcracker presented by the Boston Ballet Company.  You would think that couldn't be beat but today we discovered that it was definitely not the case.  This afternoon Scott and I drove to Irvine where we attended a Christmas Concert at Concordia University in which our grandson Owen was a part of.  What a phenomenal program!  From the moment it began it was magic and I heard some of the most beautiful singing and listened to an absolutely accomplished orchestra made up of students and apparently local members of the community.  I think I can say that the program had me sitting on the edge of my seat totally transported into the Spirit of Christmas.  The only complaint I had was there should have been several times where the students should have been given a standing ovation. Honestly they were phenomenal.  Owen wore numerous hats today as he switched from the choir, to the trombone to the drums and not to brag to much--he was exceptional in every role.  I hope that until Owen graduates from college we can make this a regular part of our Christmas traditions!