The last ones...

Hey all.  So, I got the results of Cole's blood tests.  Apparently he tested really high in ONE of the gluten tests.  (I guess there are three different ones?) In a way, this is good...it means that there is something tangible that we can work with.  He now takes prevacid AC each day, and he needs to stay away from sugars.  This means big carbohydrates, too.  So we're going to have to really work on rearranging our eating habits, and such.  And poor Cole, he's going from eating sugar and starches daily, maybe I should say hourly, to cutting WAY back.  I'm still trying to figure out how I can make more "gluten free" meals, and basically, this means a lot of gross stuff, and foods that sound and look terrible.  So, wish me luck.  It doesn't seem like that big of deal, but it's actually going to change all our lives.  For the better, but still a big change. And yeah, it's also anxiety related...but this is something that I have, too.  So Jeff and I are even more firm in our resolve to make our home a sort of haven for all our kids. Just a place that they enjoy being themselves, and know that they're loved and appreciated.  Even when I'm being a really rotten mother. 

 This is my last "Beautiful Girls" post.  I wanted to restate that these women aren't the only beautiful girls I know, but they're important to me....really important to me in different ways.  I think that a good woman is fairly easy to find...it's the good men that are in short supply.  Why is that?  I mean, if you were to really think about the people you know...the best ones, aren't they like, 89% women?  And beautiful?  This is personal experience talking, not just opinion.  Thus, the reason I felt like I needed to do this for the women in my life.  So, there ya all go.   

Sadie doesn't comment on my blog, but I know she reads it.  She's mentioned it to me a couple times, and when I check the map on my blog...which I do more often than I feel comfortable admitting, I always see two Laramie, Wyoming, points.  One, I know is my sister, Lora.  And the other started up after Sadie moved there to go back to school.  So I'm assuming it's her.  And if it's not, then this will be the first time I've ever been wrong in my entire life. ;) I met Sadie, really met her when I was in eighth grade and she was in seventh grade.  I'd seen her at school before then, but we were in different grades, and it wasn't until we had one class together-choir-that I met her and her best friend, Kass Sanders.  I liked them immediately. They were funny, and so much alike that sometimes it was as if they were sisters, even looking alike.  But I was always closer to Sadie.  She seemed to get me a lot better, and I just thought she was adorable.  I remember her getting mad once at Christopher Walmouth because he was never nice to her.  He was Becky Elliot's boyfriend at the time, and I asked why it was that big of a deal. She said, "Well, you'd think that maybe he'd be less of an a$$hole to Becky's friends because when he's a jerk, all of us won't convince her to dump him".
She's always been that girl that seems to be completely comfortable with herself, and that was something I admired, greatly.  Grade school, and high school, and in adulthood, she's never settled. She is spiritually and physically strong...and if she feels like she can be stronger, she takes the initiative. She's going back to get her Master's Degree, and she's self-sufficient in a way that I've never been.  She's truly beautiful, and fun, and everyone that knows her, loves her.   Though I don't see her often, she is a person that I know that if I were to visit her, or she me, we'd be comfortable, and enjoy each others company.  There aren't a lot of people like her.  And I'm lucky enough to call her a friend. 

Sarah Comin (Baker) was the only LDS (Mormon) friend I had growing up.  She was a year older than I.  There were others in my age group, but they sucked.  Big time.  In fact, one out of the two LDS girls that were actually my exact age (Holli Sharp), and her older sister-who became pregnant her senior year-would call me "Bitch" in the hallways of school, between classes.  Nice, right? And the reason they'd call me bitch is because I made fun of her older sister, Heather, when we went to a Seminary breakfast and she cut her boyfriend's pancakes into bite-size pieces.  Granted, he WAS two years younger than she was, so I'm guessing choking COULD have been a problem.  (Btw, her boyfriend was Lance Shepperson, of the Levi and Lance Shepperson "smell" she commented on, and he married and had three kids with her, and ended up divorcing Heather and getting remarried to her within a three year span.  Now I'm friends with him on Facebook, and he seems to spend a lot of time in Karaoke bars, with a blond girl--not Heather--that's his wife and has two brown front teeth.  Not that that's really relevant for this post, but I was right....I thought that their pancake-cutting love was a joke and guess what?  IT WAS).  And April Strait was the other Mormon in my grade...and anyone that knew her thought she was a freakshow and a half.  And she was also pregnant by our senior year.  And interesting side note, I think I've seen her stomach more times than anyone outside my nuclear family...every time I went back to Wyoming, she'd show it to me.  Just because she'd popped out five kids (at that time), and had no stretch marks.  I didn't ask, believe me.  Kudos to her, though.  I'd be pretty proud of my non-stretchmarkedness, too, however, a bit more private about it .  Anyhoo, sorry about that stroll down memory lane...back to Sarah.  
Sarah was that girl that was kind to everyone, and thoughtful and steadfast in our faith, which for a high school kid, was really hard.  It was really hard for me, anyway...and obviously it wasn't a cake walk for the others in our age group, either. But the place where she was strongest, was believing in herself. I remember that Sarah had the worst obstacle that I'd ever seen anyone have to overcome, in her daily life.  And I can't tell you exactly what it was, as it's not my memory to share, but it rhymes with "shmendy".  And it was one of the most evil and vile things I've ever seen...still to this day.  Honestly.  I say that my childhood was rough, but I didn't have a shmendy to deal with, and I know I would've ended up in an institution if I would have.  Because I would have gouged out her eyes and sawed off her limbs. And she totally would have deserved each depraved routine of torture I put her through.  But that's all I'll say about it.
I think what made me love Sarah most was her personal strength.  As a kid, you have all these obstacles...like getting along with friends, and just making it through each day, and trying to find what you need and what you can do about it.  In addition to that, in addition to being my friend, and helping ME with those things, she had to deal with this monster, that seriously tried to sabotage her daily.  And I witnessed so many things that were just...so completely unjust and terrible, yet, were things that became her everyday life.  And so this is just one of the reasons for my amazement with Sarah, is this:  She overcame all of it.  She's a mother herself, and her world revolves around her little one, I've witnessed that much.  And she never had that.  And her husband loves her, and has given her everything that she missed out on...and I've witnessed that, as well.  Sarah's adult life is the way I always hoped and prayed it would be.  She's one of those people that deserve greatness, and she's got it.  She's smart and lovely, and doing and being what she always had wanted.  I'm so happy for her, and her story makes me believe that having great courage and self-worth won't steer you wrong.  It just takes a seriously strong person to make it work.

Sarah Stevenson is my niece.  That's so weird to me sometimes, but I guess that's how it happens when your husband has 14 siblings.  I've gotten to know Sarah a little better because for a while she was in my book club.  Now, obviously, she's a knockout, but I'm pretty sure that everyone loves her voice...anyway, I do.  And I'm very popular, so chances are high.  She has an English accent that I just wish I was born with.  Sometimes when she's talking I feel bad, because I'll miss parts...as I'm just coveting her accent the entire time, imagining myself and how everyone would love me if I sounded like her...Anyway, back to Sarah.  She's funny.  And she pretends to think I'm funny.  That's two things that someone has to have to make me a fan.  She's gotten so fricking skinny lately...and believe me when I say that's a compliment.  Maybe some wouldn't think so, but if I could be skinny like her, I'd be soooo happy.  And I'd wear belly shirts and mini skirts.  So maybe it's a good thing I've got some junk in my trunk, and then some.  Otherwise, my neighbor wouldn't be the only trashy short-shorts sporting, cig smoking, kid yelling, bra-less tank wearing, mama.  
One thing I truly love about Sarah is that she's kind of an "anything goes" girl.  She's really great about fitting in to niches and being open-minded and she makes you feel good to be around her.  I think that people like this draw others because everyone likes to feel good about themselves.  And when you have someone that you wish you were more like telling you that you're fantastic--it's pretty much a high for me. My memory of Sarah has changed recently...and I don't know if it's cause of the new hair color.  She used to be a brunette.  But the other day I was at a family function and I started talking to her.  And she told me I looked great...and I had PMS, and I'd just fretted like an hour before about how to cover up my zits, and bloated belly simultaneously. And there she was, looking like Shadow Barbie...tall, and glamorous and skinny and blond, and genuine, and in a black dress that was funkily stylish.  And she told ME that I looked great.  And she said it in her English accent, so I TOTALLY was listening.  Anyway, that's what I've been thinking about when I think of Sarah, lately.  It's a selfish memory, I know.  But it made me feel so great that I forgot about the side-effects of my bout with PMS and immediately felt more comfortable.  Sometimes people have a gift of saying the right thing.  (Not one of my strong points).  Sarah is definitely one of those people. 

I met Shauna shortly after Jeff and I started dating.  Keri used to tell me all the time when we worked at Future Shop together about her sister that she just admired so much--that was raising her two boys, and her "interesting" views on energies and foods and suppliments, and lots of stuff that I'd never really heard of.  I remember once after Jeff and I were married I was at his parent's house.  And I don't really know why I was there....I think we had to have papers signed for the apartments that we were managers of, or something.  Anyway, Shauna was there, too.  She and her sons Matthew, and Andy.  She was making this weird green drink in the blender, and giving it to her kids.  It smelled pretty good, kind of like apple juice.  But the way it looked, well, it was pretty much what I would expect to find in Andy's diaper after eating some high fiber biscuits.  And Matthew and Andy were chugging it--which I thought was completely weird, because Jeff has some kind of hatred toward salads and anything that's not overly pretty.  And Keri had told me at the time that she "didn't like to eat green things".  So I guess I'd assumed that all Andersons were these weird, picky eaters that had no sense of adventure when it came to culinary creations.  (Sorry Andersons, but you know who you are).  Shauna has broken a lot of what I imagine as "Rules of Andersons".  She's the one that I'm always looking for at family functions, so I can try what she's made for the pot luck dinner.  And she always surprises me with her ability to put stuff together and make it taste great.  I remember once that I was babysitting Shauna's kids and Matthew, who was 12 at the time, told me that he'd never tasted anything better than the homemade meals his mom made.  I wish my kids could say that about me.  But, no.  Never in a million years.  Shauna is one of those people that are truly interested in your opinions and thoughts.  And it's nice, because she's also very accepting.  She's not one of those people that want to know why you think the way you do to tell you why you're wrong...and believe me, I know a ton of people like that.  She wants to know what you think why you think it, to see if there are any angles that she may have missed.  She never makes you ashamed of having a different opinion or outlook, and she always supports you when you do.  I think she's someone that her kids will really treasure.  She's made all these recent changes in her life...and she's facing them head on.  When I think of things that are scary, that's one of the biggest things I can think of...change, and being the one to do it.  But she's completely kicking butt and taking names. There are so many things about Shauna that it's hard to pinpoint anything.  She's truly one of those larger than life people. And I'm in awe of her. 

Sharon is my aunt. She's a woman that I admire for a lot of different reasons.  She's the queen of puns.  Some are pretty bad, ;), but she holds the reign over one of the quickest minds I've ever witnessed.  She's witty, and her memory is amazing.  Sharon can remember the names of people she hasn't seen in like, 15 years.  I can't even remember names of people I met 15 minutes ago.  Or sometimes, close friends and family members. (I've convinced myself that this is an anxiety-induced setback.  Not a repercussion from Diet Mountain Dew).  Anyway, she has lived her life on her own terms for as long as I can remember.  She loves her parents, her brother, and her sister--my mom. I remember summers going to her home, and staying a week.  My mom, my sisters, and my brother would drive for a day and a half, and then be spoiled rotten by Sharon the entire time we'd be there.  She'd feed us, take us to parks and the zoo, and on bike rides or walks, and of course, my favorite part--she let me watch all the MTV I could handle.  She was definitely the most fun part about summers.  I always noticed my mom was really different when we'd go visit.  She was...younger, and laughed, and she and Sharon had a gazillion inside jokes.  As a kid, I thought that was a bit annoying, because I wanted Sharon's attention continually on ME, but I see how important that time was, now.  I need my sisters, both of them, so much.  They're the only ones that know how I came to be the person I am, and that's a remarkable bond.  My mom is lucky that Sharon is her sister, because she's devoted to her family.  I've seen that time, and time again.  Sharon was very supportive of me when my dad was dying.  I will always appreciate that.  Despite the love and devotion she has to my mother, and despite the separation between my parents being ugly and uncomfortable, she still was there for me.  And I think that that, more than anything, showed me that despite other obstacles, family is family.  And it's important to put personal ill will aside, and focus on the best aspects of them.  I've had a really hard time with that this past year, and I feel like I'm coming more to terms with it.  Sharon doesn't know, but she's been a big example to me in a lot of ways.  I love her greatly, and she makes me laugh...even in the most uncomfortable situations.  I'm sad that she lives so far away, but I'm very grateful that she tries to visit whenever she can. 

The last woman I'll tell you about is Wendy.  And honestly?  I don't know if she reads my blog.  But, I do know that her sisters do, and I think it's important that they read what I have to say.  Not that I'm full of the unknown, or anything, but Wendy is someone that amazes me to no end. Let me also say that probably 35% of time I spent on this post went into finding a picture of Wendy.  Which is not an exaggeration.  Seriously.  
Wendy is quiet.  I mean, once you get to know her she's kind of talkative but you kind of have to ease her into it.  I think of her as being a lot like Jeff. Totally photograph-avoiding like Jeff.  Or Jeff being a lot like her, I guess. She's smart and beautiful.  She does our taxes every year, and I am in her eternal debt for doing so.  That's not the only reason she's smart...it's just that I tried to do them one year when it was just Jeff and me.  And I almost had a nervous breakdown because despite the directions being written in English, I'm still too dumb to figure out what they're actually saying for me to do.  Sad but true.  And Wendy teaches herself stuff...she knows how to tile, how to lay laminate boards, how to fix various plumbing problems, how to budget for her family of six, how to squeeze time in for her extended family on top of all the activities of her and her kids.  And the most amazing part?  She does it herself.  She has five kids.  She works full time.  She is a single parent.  How is she still sane? How does she get up and do her hair and makeup everyday? I have asked myself those questions a bazillion times.  And her kids are good kids; which is a true test of a great mom.  They love their mom, and know she loves them. 
Wendy was really good to us at a time when things were hard, financially.  She gave me a job nannying, and I have to say, I loved it.  Not only because she was so good to me, but because I got to know her kids and love them, too.  I got some practice at dealing with teens, tweens, and babies, all at the same time.  And I saw how she cared for each one of her kids, and how she purposely put aside time for each.  I could go on and on, because she's someone that I truly look up to.  I stay home, I have Jeff to dump on, and I have a mere three kids.  And yet, I have times when I'm like:  "I don't think I'm going to make it through today".  Sad huh?  Wendy's life is not anywhere near a cake walk, but she does it.  And she does it well.  She's the meekest Super Woman you will ever meet, but don't be fooled.  She could totally take you in your sleep.

Okay then.  Alphabetically, that's my list.  I'm sorry this last one has come at such a late time.  But I've been somewhere else, I think.  I'm finally able to move around my house again, and not having to wipe tile-dust from everything. And coming up with why I admire these women has been really hard.  Let me fix that:  coming up with reasons why I admire these women has been easy.  Narrowing down those reasons to a paragraph a piece has been a bit overwhelming for me.   I want each woman to be appreciated equally, but not overlooked, because I'm going on and on, either.  Does that make any sense?  It's possible the tile sealant has glazed over my brain and affected me in the same way as toxic paint fumes.  So if I'm just jabbering on with no clear purpose, I blame that.  I have one last thing that I have to add:  Today Kass brought this by:  

Er, this is the underside of it, already being put to good use by my Squish.  After I rearranged it, and laid it out so you can see, this is it in its true splendor:

Isn't it fantastic?  She told me she was going to make a blanket for Syd. In a way, I didn't want to give it to Syd...because I wanted to keep it for me.  But would any of the "beautiful girls" that I gushed about keep a blanket made especially for their baby, for themself?  Probably not.  So I guess I'm learning, right?  I'm taking lessons and carrying through with them. I hope you are, too.  I think we're lucky to have others to look up to, to let us know what we are capable of.  That there are so many more things than we thought possible.  Have a happy Monday!  Hope this lasted you for at least the first 45 minutes of work.  ;)