Goood News

I heard a beeping sound.  But this beeping sound didn't make sense because I was in a church and was getting ready to sit down to listen to a speaker.  The chapel was full with people I knew well and some I didn't know so well but they all had friendly faces.  Beep, Beep, the sound continued. I was looking around and wondering if it was stuck in my brain from the episode of Lost I had watched last night. Perhaps I was imagining it like I sometimes could hear my bird squawking when he is no where around just because I've heard him do it so much.  But then I remembered I was asleep.  That I had laid down to get rid of a headache that I had this morning.  And then, in the recesses of my brain, I climbed out of the dream and realized it was the answering machine in the living room.

Reluctantly I got out of bed, not able to sleep with the beeping sound any longer.  I shuffled into the living room and pushed play on the red blinking button.

It was my mom with a cheerful voice.  "Hi, honey, I just got the results of the biopsy and it was goood news.  Oh, and I think I would like to come up tomorrow after all if you haven't already given away that ticket."

Notice the extra O's on good?  That's exactly how she said it, drawing out the O sound to make it extra Good. Ah, I love my mom.

And I love that she doesn't have breast cancer.

I think the headache I've had for a week has finally gone away.

Dr. Rood

I love this guy and no, my husband doesn't mind.  He loves him too.  For the past four years we have had the privilege of getting to know him better as he has been going to medical school at OHSU.  I am not his mother or his aunt.  I am in fact his second cousin ( his dad and I are cousins) in my family it just means we are cousins.  But I feel a little possessive of him, like he is my little brother or my nephew.  Over the past four years he has done laundry at our home, eaten meals with us, played board games with us, been to our girls' recitals, played a bank robber at Heidi's western-themed birthday party a few years ago and shared about 100 diet Pepsi or diet cokes with me.  Before he moved here I loved him because he was a member of my family.  Now I love him because I know him.  For mother's day he spent the day with us, calling his mom from our house. He gave me a big hug and told me Happy Mother's day and then thanked me for being a "mom" to him. Sniff, sniff, see what I mean?  He is great.

Today he graduated from OHSU school of Medicine and can officially be called Dr. Rood.  He is doing his residency in Albuquerque, New Mexico in Pediatrics.  I can think of no one better to help ailing children and parents of these children cope with their child's illnesses.  He is kind, gentle and knowledgeable.  And I'm a proud cousin/aunt/older sister.


Four years with Corey from Darilyn May on Vimeo.

To My Mom

Dear Mom,

You are an amazing individual. Krista and I joke about how we got the mom with the white skin when all of our aunts, uncles and cousins have this gorgeous olive skin. I think Heavenly Father wanted to set you apart from the rest, make you different. From a young age you were different. Your siblings had to be "careful with Marilyn" because of your heart condition. As an adult you were never cynical when life handed you lemons. And life did and it has. I never appreciated this until I was an adult. Things go wrong in my life and I tend to complain about it, that is until I remember the lessons you unknowingly taught to me. You don't complain, you bear your burdens with grace. I know it's been lonely the past six months without Ben. It's been lonely but I believe Rich as well. You are experiencing a new chapter in your life, and you are having a fun time with your grandchildren, daughters and friends. We love spending more time with you. We wish you could spend even more. Spending the month of April with you was incredible and I cried when you left.

Now as an adult I realize all the sacrifices you made for Krista and I. You didn't work when we were young but started working as our activities increased. I never made that correlation until years later. Or maybe I did but just didn't appreciate it. You sacrificed your health and time so that Krista and I could go to camps, participate in cheerleading and have class rings. I mention this last one because you were so excited to buy me one. I remember you telling me how your parents couldn't afford to buy you one when you wanted one. So you made sure that I had one. Although I don't wear that ring anymore, I love it and it is special to me because it is a symbol of the sacrifices that you made for me. Another sacrifice you made for me is control of your kitchen. When I was young you let me have creative control in the kitchen, encouraging me to make whatever recipe I found and was excited about. A lot of good things came out of that kitchen but most important of those things was time spent with you.

I am blessed to have you for a mother. I hope that I am as good a mom to my girls that you are to Krista and I.

I love you,

Darilyn

more musings

After the ceremony at the wedding there was a moment when the parents each said something to Sara and Lucien. After they were done anyone could stand up and say something if they wished. Micah (Sara's brother) stood up and said the one thing he learned while traveling the past 18 months was how important family was. And how great it is that you can go home to them. I agree with that as I'm sure all of you out there do as well. There is nothing like our families. They bring us our greatest joys as well as our greatest sorrows. I'm so grateful not only for my husband and children but also for my extended family. My cousins who are like siblings to me (because we grew up that way) and for my aunts and uncles who would do anything for me as I would do for them as well. I love that I can call any of my aunts at anytime and stay with them at a moment's notice. While at Sara's wedding I realized that Chris' family has become just as dear to me. I was soo incredibly happy to see Micah after a year and a half. And to meet his beautiful girlfriend. I fell in love with my nephews, Connor and Ian during the past week as we went camping and to the wedding. I truly wished they lived closer. I also love meeting my friends' families and being allowed a corner of space with their lives. We really are all connected in this great big world.

Fun 4th!!!!

Wow! We had a whirlwind of a day. We woke up early yesterday and drove 2 hours to Harrisburg. When we got there we put the girls on the HART center float and off they went. I barely had time to get sunscreen on them. Chris' parents are on the board for the HART center. It's a community center in Harrisburg for kids to go to after school. The girls love to ride on their float every year in the 4th of July parade.

After the girls were done we took off for Mt. Tom (chris' parent's home) to load up for a river run. Before we left Harrisburg I said, "aren't we going to wait until the parade is OVER?" Harrisburg is a very small rural town and I knew we were blocked in and wondered how we were going to get out of town with the parade still going. Chris' dad didn't seem to think it would be a problem so off he went and we weren't too far behind him. Well, next think I know our Kia Sedona mini van is IN THE PARADE! We had to drive like that for about 6 blocks going at parade speed (which is slow.....dang slow) until we reached the road that would take us out of town. I was so embarrassed. Chris didn't think anything of it nor my father in law. But when I saw my mother in law later she was also embarrassed by the whole thing. Well, it's a funny story now.

We had a great time on the McKenzie river. This was Makenzie's 2nd time and Heidi and Emma's first down this river. There are 2 Class III rapids on this river. Scott skirted Brown's hole with Heidi and Makenzie but Chris, Emma and I took it. It was great. Emma our little daredevil loved the class III's.

After our river run we went to Grandma Ammon's for a barbecue. It was late by then and everyone was really tired. We still had a long drive home so after we ate we said goodbye. I am really looking forward to our annual Indian Mary trip. That will be another fun rafting trip. One the girls love to do.

I had to share this picture. Makenzie took this in the car. The day before she had a lesson on photography at Young Women's. (Thanks Rachael) and then she took this picture. I think it's a beautiful picture of Heidi. Good job Makenzie!