Ramblings

I received an email today from the boys' pre-school teacher. Kellie found out last January that she had breast cancer and she has bravely battled through. She submitted her story to foreverybody.com in August when they were asking for stories from women with breast cancer for a contest they were holding. She found out a last week that she was one of the 12 finalists and then last night got the call that she won the contest! They are having an "Evening in Pink" next week to honor her. Just wanted to share that great news and congratulate Kellie! We love her so much and are so glad she is doing well!

Today I had my 36 week appt. with my midwife. As she was measuring my impressive girth, I asked her to measure me around my waist. She kind of looked at me oddly and I asked her if I was the first person to ask her to do this. She replied that, as a matter of fact, I was. She asked why I wanted to be measured around my waist and I told her "I'm just wondering if I'm as wide as I am tall, yet." Thankfully, I'm not! We both got a little chuckle out of it, though.

She then proceeded to tell me about an anesthesiologist she used to work with that was pregnant and in a surgery. Every time she walked by the patient, she noticed his head would move. So she gave him more anesthesia to stop him from moving. This happened several times before she realized...the guy had PLENTY of medication, she just kept bumping his head with her huge stomach!!! I can totally relate as I have run into several things with my belly in the last few days...doorframes, fridge doors, countertops. It's getting big, I tell ya!

We went to Parent Teacher Conferences last week and got good reports from both teachers. They both are doing well. Noah is doing awesome with learning how to read and write and Curtis is a spelling whiz! He has got 100% on almost every spelling test! I really like both teachers and am grateful for their care and concern towards my sons. I told Sam that was the first PT conference I've been to for Curtis that I haven't cried. He has come a long way and I think we have too!

Along those same lines, Sam and I were asked to speak in church this Sunday. My topic? Parenting. Great. Not looking forward to that.

I cashed in my Service Auction certificate and had my kitchen and bathroom deep cleaned on Monday by a sweet lady in my ward. Get this, she said she thinks cleaning is FUN. What? I don't understand. I like the reward from cleaning but I certainly wouldn't call it fun! Anyway, she did an awesome job and I appreciate her so much! Thanks Dorothy!

Was "Ramblings" an apt title or what? Nothing profound to say, just wanted to share!!!

Service Auction

About 6 years ago I was called to be the Enrichment Counselor in my ward Relief Society. This made me laugh because I had been a sporadic attendee to this ward's Enrichment meetings. But, this was what I was supposed to do and I realize now what a growing experience it was for me. At one of our stake training meetings I was given a bunch of great ideas for Enrichment meetings; one of them being the Service Auction. It was a big undertaking but decided to go for it. My committee and I made paper money, put together about 70 bidding paddles, came up with a questionnaire and made dinner for about 70 people. Of course, any time you are in charge of a big event, you are worried things might not work out the way the are supposed to but the whole night was a success. Everyone that attended brought either an item that they had made or filled out a service coupon to auction off. Then everyone filled out a questionnaire that gave them points towards "service money". Some of the ways to earn "money" were "5 points for each load of laundry you have done this week" or "15 points if your Visiting Teaching is done" "20 points if you've been married for 25 years or more" "10 points if you've had FHE every week this month". You get the picture. So after all your points are added up, you trade them in for "money" and then the bidding began. Our RS Pres was the auctioneer (Karen, who is one of my greatest friends now) and people really got into the bidding. Everyone left with at least one or two items and a great memory. So, the next year, we held the 2nd annual Service Auction.

Saturday night I attended the 5th annual Service Auction. This is still one of the favorite activities for the sisters in the ward and we all look forward to it. I took some Christmas Cards that I made and a board with vinyl lettering that says "Believe". I ended up coming home with a plate of cookies, homemade salsa (with chips), a cute pink baby blanket and, my favorite, a coupon for a sister in our ward to clean my house!!!! I also came home bouyed by the friendships I have with the women in my ward and the love they show to me. I'm so glad that this has become a tradition in our ward, despite all the changes in the RS presidencies, everyone knows that this is an event that can't be missed! I'm already looking forward to next year's auction!

Service and Small world

So, for several months now, I've had this perfectly good scrapbook room in the basement just waiting to be organized and I just haven't had the energy (ok, let's be honest, I haven't had the desire) to get it done. Well, Friday night, my cute sister Amy came over to go on a Sonic slushee run. Of course, I jumped at that and when we came back we ate the dinner I had made earlier. Then I took her downstairs to show her some of Sam's handiwork in our never-ending construction and she walked into the dreadfully disorganized scrapbook room.
A: "So, Kath, what's in these boxes?"
K: "Um, I really don't know. I just need to get someone to help me go through them and get this room organized."
A: "Let's do it right now."
K: "Seriously? You want to? OK."
Little did I know that Amy was going to help me Hitler-style. "Do you want to keep this? Ok, what are you going to do with it? Hang it? No, don't put it down and wait, hang it right now." She was relentless! We cleared out 5 or 6 "keepsake" boxes in a matter of 20 minutes and kept only a few items that had really sentimental value (like my diploma and wedding certificate). I even parted with old letters from college and Oakcrest, AND my decaying wedding bouquet. Amy didn't pressure me into getting rid of anything, she actually questioned me a few times when I threw stuff away. But she did keep me working for a few hours and we accomplished so much. There is still more to do but we got a huge chunk of it done. Thanks, Amy, for your service. It was just what I needed and guess what? I actually made a card Saturday in my scrapbook room at the table! It was so great!

Sunday, more service was rendered to me, this time by my hubby. I noticed my toenails were looking pretty hammered and I tried to touch up the polish. Unfortunately, this big belly makes toenail painting near-impossible. So I asked Sam to help me, and he obliged. Now, you have to understand how huge this is. Sam HATES fingernails and toenails that are painted, especially toenails. I don't know why, he's never really explained his disgust, he just hates it. So, I knew it was a long shot when I asked him but he actually did it, and did a better job then I have ever done! Now, that, I tell you, is true love!

Now on to small world...a month or so ago, a man walked into my dad's office at church and told him he and his family were moving into the ward. He said his name was Phil Banza and my dad immediately recognized his last name as an Elder's that I served with on my mission. So, he asked him if he served in the Johannesburg mission and Phil replied that he hadn't but his brother had! So, Sunday, Phil and his sweet wife spoke in church and then Phil, his brother Junior (who was my first zone leader and someone I love dearly) and two other men sang "I need thee every hour." Sam and I attended with the kids and had a little reunion afterwards. It was so fun to see Junior and his family. I just can't believe what a small world it is, especially when you are LDS. Imagine an Elder from the Congo goes to South Africa on his mission and meets a Sister from Salt Lake City and 13 years later, the Elder's brother is in the ward where the Sister's father is the bishop! Crazy!

Baby update: Today was my 30-week appointment. The same girl weighed me and put my weight down as 19 pounds less than last time!!! My midwife came in and looked at it and said, "that's not right" No, it isn't. The girl doesn't know how to read a scale!!! She put down that I weigh 10 pounds less than I actually do. Normally, I wouldn't complain about losing 19 pounds in 2 weeks but at this point in my life, weight gain is critical. I swear that girl needs weighing lessons!!! Aside from the weight loss, everything is looking good with this wiggly baby girl!
Oh, speaking of weight loss...Curtis was watching "The Biggest Loser" premier with me last night and he suggested that after I have the baby that I go on the show. What is it with my kids and my weight?!?