Yesterday was a day of exhaustion.  That is why there was no blog post, so I will play catchup today.

Thursday night I felt like I needed a break so I snuck away to eat ice cream with a couple of girlfriends.  We talked for well over an hour.  It was a great little therapy session.  Thanks Cori and Terry.  After I got back, I did my daily blog (which takes me all too long, you'd think at the speed I do this, I was the stroke patient).  I only say all this to say I went to bed entirely too late on Thursday night.

Yesterday morning, Marty woke me up around 4:45.  He wanted to go eat ice cream with Jessica. ?????  At 4:45????  Then I remembered.  Jessica was bringing breakfast to seminary.  She wanted to take our traditional birthday breakfast since her birthday is Sunday.  Our traditional breakfast is cold cereal with ice cream and milk.  (Don't knock it until you try it).  OK, if Marty wants to go to seminary, we will go to seminary.  Marty taught seminary last year but has no recollection, nor belief that he did.  I thought it might help spur some memories as well as please Jessica.

When Marty was picking out his clothes, he was insistent he wear a tie.  He must remember he wore a tie to seminary, or you wear a tie to go to church.  Not sure which, but either way, he picked out a tie.  He doesn't know how to tie a tie.  I don't know how to tie a tie.  Thankfully, Marty had taught Jessica to tie a tie. 

When we pulled into the church parking lot, our car was swarmed by teenagers.  They LOVE Marty.  He loves them.  I overheard one seminary teacher say, "How is this even possible?"  All the teachers that had knowledge of Marty's stroke were surprised to see him.  Jessica's teacher didn't know anything about it.  When I asked if it was okay if we stayed, she graciously agreed.

Fridays is a more fun day in Seminary.  They eat breakfast and play games with a gospel theme.  Yesterday they played SONGO - played like BINGO but with songs.  Sister Severson would sing the first few lines of a song and the kids had to write down the next few words.  If they got it right, they could mark the square that she called.  As the kids would do this, they were humming the tune to help them remember the words.  This was the first time Marty had heard humming.  He made the sign for music and then grabbed his lips.  I just about laughed, but we were in seminary.  On the way home, I started humming.  How do you teach someone to hum??  You can't show them how to form their lips.  The sounds change differently.  I just told him you have to try to make the noise and then practice changing that noise.  All day yesterday he would hum everywhere we went.  He can only make 3 different notes and they are pretty random notes, but he can at least figure that out.

After seminary we stopped at Lowes.  MArty wasn't too impressed with Lowes.  It was too big and he really didn't want to look around.  I grabbed what I needed and headed out.  Marty didn't really like home improvement before the stroke so somethings never really change.

When we got home, I was just feeling sick from sleep deprivation.  I told Marty I needed a nap.  I very quickly fell asleep on the couch and slept for about 3 hours!!!!  WOW!  I must have been more tired than I thought.  I had dreamt that Matt & Stacie Pabst had come to our house.  I asked Marty if we had visitors while I was a sleep.  He nodded yes.  I asked who.  He shrugged his shoulders.  I asked if they came inside, he shook his head no.  He motioned that he stayed on the couch and didn't answer the door.  I am so sorry to whomever drove out here to see us and we missed you.

By this time it was lunch time.  I went to the kitchen and pulled out all the yummy leftovers we have.  Marty smelled each one over and over until he settled on tomato soup.  He enjoyed this one so much.  A huge thank you to Meg for making this.  I had to get the recipe.  If anyone wants a great soup, here's her recipe:

Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe:
3 pounds ripe tomatoes, remove stems and quarter
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
6 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) canned tomatoes, with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 quart chicken stock

1 TBS fresh oregano (I also added fresh thyme because I had some)
1/3-1/2 c half and half
1 red bell pepper cut into 1 inch chunks.

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the red pepper, tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet (on parchment paper) and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, oregano, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.

Blend

Return to pot heat to med-low (no boil) and add half and half. Whisk up for minute and enjoy with a grilled cheese sandwich or a baguette.

It freezes well, too. Just put it in freezer container before you add the half and half. I add that part when I re-heat it."

After reading that recipe, I realized how much we are loved.  It is an AMAZING soup that takes an amazing amount of time.  Our church friends are pouring their heart, soul, and time into showing us their love and compassion.  I am so eternally grateful.

After lunch Marium Seidel came to visit with her little girls.  Marty is connecting with children so well.  Madelyn staring plucking at the piano.  Marty went over and helped her play chopsticks.  I haven't heard him play the piano in years.  It's one of those hidden talents he has that he has kept hidden under a bushel for so long I wondered if the flame was out entirely, but now I can see it's still there flickering.  I am grateful that Madelyn came to visit so that Marty could play the piano, even if it was only chopsticks.

After the Siedels left, we headed to Walmart.  We weren't in a hurry and only needed 2 things, so we spent time wandering around.  I had never seen a 3D TV before.  Walmart has a bunch.  I stopped and looked at them while Marty was in the restroom.  When he came out, I put the glasses on him.  He walked right up to the TV and tried to touch the cars and grab the boxes that were flying at us.  He really looked like an overgrown kid playing in front of the TV.  I think it messed with his mind a bit.  I was actually surprised how inexpensive 3D TV's were.  I think our next TV will definitely need to be 3D.

Once we left the electronics department, Marty pulled me back down the aisle with the movies.  I thought he has seen a movie he remembered.  To my surprise he pointed at a woman working out in a sports bra and short shorts.  He pointed at her stomach and then tugged at his garments.  I asked if he wanted to know why she wasn't wearing them?  He nodded yes.  I explained that only those that go to the temple wear garments to cover their body.  He seemed puzzled at first, but seemed to accept that.  He then asked if the girls wore garments.  I told him not yet.  They would when they got married.  He made his sign for long time.  Yes, we hope it will be a long time :)

As we were leaving Walmart, Marty said "Mom, Jean"  I asked if he would like to go see Jean Field.  He indicated he would.  I headed that way and called them to be sure they were home and up for a visit.  They were pleasantly surprised.  We had a nice visit with them.  Marty remembered helping Jean when she was the Relief Society president with a couple service projects.  She remembered that her son-in-law Bart worked in the library.  As we were leaving, Marty tearfully told Jean "Thank You".  Jean is the only person Marty knows is fasting for him and he is overwhelmed with gratitude that anyone would not eat for him.  He has brought it up a lot.  We have talked about a lot of people fasting for Marty, but Jean is the one that he holds onto.  He carries the card Jean sent him with him at home often.  He loves Jean.

We then went and picked up Jessica from school.  Her drivers license expires on Sunday.  We needed to get it renewed.  When we got to the spot, Marty pointed at the Kum & Go across the street and motioned he was hungry.  I offered to take him over, he wanted to go by himself.  Oh, how I was worried to have him cross the busy street.  Would he remember to look both ways?  Would he remember where he was and how to get back?  But he was insistent.  Marty is almost as stubborn as me when he makes up his mind, and his mind was made up.  I stood at the window and watched him walk across the street.  He did it and didn't get hit by a car!  A few minutes later he came back with raspberry zingers and 2 nut rolls.  He pointed out that the nutrolls were 2/$1.  Good deal.  I asked if he likes nut rolls.  He shook his head and said, "mom".  His mother does like nut rolls.  She'll be here tomorrow and he bought them for her.  Memories are triggered everywhere we go!  Even at Kum & Go!

After Jessica got her license, I gave her the keys to drive home.  Marty shook his head no.  He didn't want to ride in the back.  Poor Jess.  That girl needs some driving practice.

Our evening last night was pretty low key.  Addyson had a date last night with Connor.  While Addyson was out Marty would say, "Addy, Connor" and then make his signs for good & friend over and over.  Yes, Addyson and Connor are good friends.  Marty fell asleep on the couch.  I tried to wake him up and have him go to bed.  He pointed at the couch and said, "Addy home".  I told him she wouldn't be home for a couple of hours and he could go to bed.  I'd wait up for her.  He finally agreed to go to bed.  He was exhausted.  All the memory recall and learning of new words is taxing on him, and me.  Sadly, I didn't wait up for her either, but she did wake me up when she got home.  We had a nice talk.  I'm glad she had a nice time with Connor.  Good friends are important when you are dealing with stressful situations.

We did get two pieces of good news yesterday.  One of my friends, Roberta Collins, has a lot of history with speech therapy, working with stroke victims and rehab.  She has graciously agreed to come work with Marty starting on Monday.  I am so grateful that the Lord brought Roberta into my life in Germany this year so that we can have this connection now.  She is definitley a God send.  After Roberta agreed to do this, we got a call from a Mercy clinic in Rogers.  They can take him into their program the week after next.  He will have his preliminary assessment on the 17th.  10 days seems like an eternity, but I'm relieved to have it calendared.  Crazy that there are so few openings here.  Seriously people, if you are interested in speech or occupational therapy, open a clinic in Northwest Arkansas.  To take nearly 3 weeks to start thereapy after a stroke is a little ridiculous!

Overall, this week has just been plain exhausting. Marty's parents should be here Sunday night. I will start work again on Monday. It will be nice to have a distraction, but I know my heart will be torn. I pray that it won't lead to further exhaustion. I will need to be diligent in going to bed early and eating well to keep up my strength. This isn't a physically hard experience, but it is mentally and emotionally exhausting. We are doing well, but are tired!