March 21, 2014




Wow!  I knew I hadn't posted in awhile but it has been 3 almost 4 months!  Well we did get moved before Christmas which was a major undertaking but we managed to get set up for Christmas although we still had plenty of boxes in the garage.  My oldest boy went with his girlfriends family skiing, they are Jewish and do not celebrate Christmas, and I was sad he would not be with us but I was happy he was getting a chance to go skiing.  The funny thing, he actually got homesick and said it was hard being away from home at Christmas : )   Sometimes as they get older you don't think they care, especially boys, but he missed us and the things we always do at Christmas and everything.  I was glad.


It seemed like right after Christmas, January 18, I left to go on a cruise.   I've never been so I was excited.   My sister takes my mom cruising somewhere every year for her birthday.  My mom was turning 70 this year and my sister insisted I go and bought my ticket.  I was hesitant to go because I still have a 14 year old at home and it was a 2 week cruise!   I'm really glad I went, my husband and my son did fine while I was gone and I had a wonderful time.  We went to Hawaii and stopped for the day at Maui, Kauai, Hilo, Waikiki and Kona.  It was wonderful, Hawaii is really a beautiful place.  I have a cousin who lives on Hawaii in Hilo and she met our ship with beautiful flower leis and candy and cookies for us, so sweet.  We had a wonderful margarita in Hilo called a Liliquoi.   Margarita with a passion fruit flavor.  So good.   Cruising in the ocean was really awesome, for a few days we could see no land.  I thought that might be scarey but it wasn't. It was peaceful.   The best part actually was being on the ship with housework or homework or cleaning of anything for two weeks.  I really rested for the first time in years!  I love my family but I don't get a lot of rest around them!  Always lots to do!   My mom had a great birthday and a great time was had by all.    The last night I started to get sick and by the time I got to my house I was full on sick with strep throat and went to bed for 5 days.   I started to feel alittle better and got sick again!  I have been mostly sick for the past month and a half and am finally starting to feel good again.  Whew!  I went to the doctor twice, had tons of tests and  they said I don't have any infection anymore but it may be the extreme dryness we are having that is bothering me and everyone else I guess, a lot of people I know have been sick for longer than usual.


About a week and a half ago now I went back home to my reservation in New Mexico with my sister and my brother for a family funeral.  We were happy to be with everyone and to be there for our family but it was such a sad occasion.  I miss people but don't feel too sad when someone has lived a long life.  But this was our 39 year old cousin and she had been fighting cancer for about the past 3 years.  She really fought hard and stayed with her kids longer than they thought she would considering her cancer kept coming back and spreading everywhere.   She handled it with such grace and faith it was amazing.   But in the end she was in so much pain she wanted to go. She was put on a ventilator the last few days but it wasn't what she wanted and she asked her father to please take her off, she was ready to go.   They did and she smiled at everyone, said she loved everybody and flashed the peace sign.   Then she left.  I have never seen so many people at a funeral ever.  The church was standing room only.  People squeezed together in the pews, there were no gaps.  And at least a hundred stood along the walls and in the back through the entire funeral mass.  It was very beautiful to see that a person who lived 39 years  made such an impact on so many people.   We should all be so loved : )