NIGHTMARE after NIGHTMARE after NIGHTMARE

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2009 The last two nights I have had a plethora of nightmares. The last one this morning that I woke up to was about me being chased by Arab terrorists. In most if not all of them I was being hunted down by someone. This afternoon, being Tuesday, I picked Jayden and Bailey up after school. We went home and they did their thing; video games I think, and I read for a while. After my eyes got tired, I lay down on Stacey and Corey’s bed and took a nap. I woke up from a two part dream. In the first part I was in an airplane over Mirror Lake in the High Uintahs when it broke apart or something similar; I’m not sure exactly. I went into a free fall, curled up in a ball and landed in the lake lower legs first. The semiconscious part of me had me kick off the bottom of the lake and make it to the surface. The still asleep part of me had me stuck in the mud at the bottom of the lake not being able to kick myself loose and I drowned. From that dream I went immediately into another dream. Corey and Stacey and I were in an airplane in the same area. Again the plane broke apart. This time we had one parachute between the three of us. I was wearing it and Corey and Stacey were hanging onto me. Corey and I were hanging on to each other for dear life but finally we couldn’t hold on any longer and he fell and died. He landed on a ledge half way down a cliff. The highway ran along the edge on top. People were standing above where he landed watching the whole thing. The weight of Stacey and me was too much for the parachute to hold and I knew if we both stayed hanging on we would both died. So I pulled Stacey up to where she would be able to hang on by herself and I let go and fell. I was able to guide myself so that I landed virtually on top of Corey and I was killed also. Since there were witnesses our bodies were soon recovered. The scene changed to sometime later, maybe a day or two before Corey’s and my funeral. I don’t know were Stacey was but she was obviously distraught. Corey and I waited until she was as calm as we figured she was going to get and we appeared to her. I was at Corey’s right side and back a step. He did all the talking, telling her that we were in a better place and happy and that he wanted her and the kids to be happy and generally encouraged her. (The scene was from her point of view.) I finally spoke up and asked her to tell everyone else that we had appeared to her and she had visited with us. The scene next changed to the day of our funeral. Stacey was at our viewing in the Relief Society Room at church standing five or ten feet in front of our caskets when we appeared again. Each of us was standing behind our own casket. We were smiling encouragement to her and I think Jayden and Bailey were their witnessing it too. (Again the scene was from Stacey’s viewpoint.)

SO CUTE, BAILEY ANN

Friday, November 13, 2009 Again today I picked Jayden and Bailey up after school and took them to their house. We watched cartoons including The Last Earth Bender which we have seen over and over. The two of them took turns, or often both talking at the same time giving me a blow by blow account of what was going to happen next including “word by word.” After Stacey got off work at 6:00 the kids and I left to meet her, Corey and Judy at McGrath’s at Southtowne for dinner. As we were driving on Redwood Road north of Camp Williams, Bailey asked me if I could drive with my knees. I told her “No, the seat is too low.” She said that she wanted me to drive with my knees so I could put my fingers in my ear so I couldn’t hear what she wanted to say. (She didn’t want to feel embarrassed.) Finally she said it anyway. “I think the city is so beautiful when it’s dark.” I told her I thought it was beautiful too. This gave her some confidence and she said, “Jayden, do you think the city is beautiful.” Jayden was so intent on playing a video game on my cell phone he didn’t respond. He probably didn’t even hear her. I thought she was so cute and so mature for an eight year old.

HERE COMES SANTA CLAUSE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2009 Corey called this morning and asked if I could rescue Stacey. Their van wouldn’t start (again) and she needed to get to work. He thought maybe we could jump it. That has worked in the past. For a while they were having a lot of trouble with the battery dying. When I got there and checked, the battery seemed fine—the lights where shining brightly. But, when Stacey tried to start it, it made a loud clicking sound so I drove her to work at FEDEX KINKOS in Draper. While we were driving we started talking about Christmas which is in a month and a half from now. She said that Jayden is getting the idea that Santa may not be real or at least not like he thought he was when he was younger. He said that Santa Clause died a long time ago. Stacey said, “Yes, there was a St. Clause who died way back when but now other people do his job for him.” Jayden said, “I know who Santa really is, it’s Father in Heaven.” Stacey said “Uh…sure!” At this point Bailey chimed in with, “If it’s Father in Heaven we should get everything we want ‘cause he can do anything.” Whoa, Fortunately Corey who was there did some quick thinking and said, “Yes, but Father in Heaven only gives you what you NEED!”

FUNNY LITTLE ONES

Thursday, November 12, 2009 Today Niki hosted a boutique party at her house for Brook Barton. Last night Judy cut up vegetables and made dip for it and today I delivered it. Afterwards I put Gavin in my car and went around the area putting flyers on all the community mailboxes, advertising the affair. From their Gavin and I drove to Alexa’s preschool to pick her up. It seemed the whole place was watching for us. Niki had called ahead to let them know that “Grandpa Fred” was going to pick her up and that “he is wearing a red shirt.” When we walked in the door everyone was laughing. They announced that just before a “Grandpa Frank” who was wearing a red shirt came in to pick up his grandchild and they at first tried to give Alexa to him. Good thing this gentleman and Alexa knew the difference! (Come to think of it, I'm note sure they tried or not but I thought that made the story more interesting!) Later while we were in the car, I was teasing Alexa and asking her how old she was. She held up all the fingers and thumb on one hand and said “five.” I jokingly scolded her and said, “NO, YOU'RE THREE!!” She of course responded with, “No, I’m five.” “No, you’re three.” “No, I’m five.” Etc. Finally she said, “I’m three and a half and one ninth.” When we were driving out of their area on the way to get Alexa, Gavin saw the pond and start saying, “Duck!” and “There it is/they are.” (I forget which.) After picking Alexa up we went to Carl’s Jr. for lunch and to kill time. I got them an order of Chicken nuggets (Carl’s Jr. Star shaped) and fries. They each ate a handful of fries and Alexa took a couple of bites of chicken. At his request, I squeezed a packet of ketchup for Gavin to dip his fries into and he daintily dipped away. But a few minutes later he suddenly slapped one hand flat into the ketchup, fingers and all and started making a fist and opening it—back and forth squishing ketchup every where. Then he took a big sip of milk and intentionally spit it out all down the front of his shirt. After that with two swoops he threw everything that was on the table onto the floor. There was ketchup and fry sauce and fries and paper etc all over the place. I decided it was time to go home. I cleaned up as best I could, pack up the two rug rats put them in the car and left. Whew!

ISSIE or ISn't HE

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 Because Corey had the swine flu last week FEDEX KINKOS wouldn’t let Stacey work fearing she might contaminate her pregnant coworker. Today she picked up an extra shift to make up some of the money she lost while she was off. I picked up Jayden and Bailey after school. When they saw me they ran up to my car laughing. They said that after school Issie had to pee bad but when she was finished she discovered there was no toilet paper. Bailey said, “So I had to help her.” I asked how she helped her and she said she got some toilet paper from another stall and gave it to her. A moment later Issie walked past and when she saw us gave us a big smile. Today Corey got the results of his lab work. He has type 2 diabetes. He called me and told me and he seemed to be taking it well. Later at McDonalds he called Stacey and the emotion of it hit him. Poor Kid. On his way home from work he stopped at Wal-Mart to get some medicine and some test strips etc. the test strips were frightfully expensive so he called his insurance company. He ended up putting off getting the test strips. I would have paid for them.(I met him there with the kids.) The medication he is on is a combination pill of Glucophage and something else. The other stuff makes the pancreas produce more insulin if I remember correctly. The Metformin/Glucophage helps the cells use the sugar better. I hope I have that all right. At Wal-Mart Jayden was upset and pouted because he couldn’t get a Star Wars sword. He got over it.

ISSIE, YES OR NO

Monday, November 09, 2009 When I picked up the kids after school today Jayden and Issie were walking down the sidewalk side by side talking with great animation and big smiles on their faces. Bailey was close behind also in the conversation. After Jayden and Bailey climbed in the car, Jayden was hanging half way out the window and told me to drive to Issie's house. As it turned out, she was just crossing the street so we turned around and went back the other way. When we met up with Issie she yelled, asking where we were going. Jayden yelled back "to your house". She giggled then screamed "NO" and giggled some more. Jayden laughed and we headed off to his and Bailey’s house. Jayden confessed "I'm bad" repeating it several times, "I lied, she never slapped me!" He also said that today VaShawn told Issie he loved her. I guess this grossed her out and she broke off their relationship. Jayden told me about it several times and each time the story had a little different twist to it. Long story made short Jayden and Issie are back together and besides VaShawn is moving away soon.

TYPICAL SUNDAY in SARATOGA SPRINGS

Monday, November 09, 2009 Chris is in town. It was his forty-first birthday on the seventh and so the whole family came to our house after church yesterday for dinner including sushi which Jim made with the help of Chris and Jayden. It was fun to watch how patient Jim was walking Jayden through the process. Jayden is a smart lad and I’ll bet he could do it on his own the next chance he gets. We also had tempura, wontons and Thai chicken soup. Niki brought her camera and took pictures of the kids outside but between the cold and Gavin being grouchy I wonder how they turned out. I said something about Issie and Jayden got a sour face. He isn’t taking their breakup nearly as well as he was Friday. Corey and Stacey’s ward put on their primary sacrament meeting program yesterday. I understand it went off very well. Stacey did a fantastic job of putting it together. Her abilities continue to amaze me and her confidence continues to grow. Two kids refused to give talks so Jayden and Bailey filled in and did a good job. Bailey’s talk was only a few sentences long and she memorized it. Jayden’s was lengthier. Greg and Niki were the speakers in their sacrament meeting. Niki said that most of her twenty minutes were spent introducing the family and how she and Greg got together etc. She said she let Greg do the preaching.