Being an Aunt

When I met my husband, his first neice had just been born the month before. His computer desktop at school was covered in pictures of a round-faced, blonde cutie with the most scrumptious cheeks you ever saw! :D I didn't get to be an aunt to my own siblings' kids until I was already a Mom, but there is just something about being an Aunt! It's way more than having someone else to hand them off to when they have a stinky diaper. :D I just love building those relationships and working on the forgetfulness that happens when I don't get to see them very often.

It's never easy for any relationship to be apart from each other. Things get lost... forgotten... have to built up every time you do get to reconnect. For me, It's important to me that when my neices and nephews think of "Aunt Diana" they think of someone who is REALLY happy to see them and they know that I love them. I LOVE talking on the phone to them even if all they can say is repetition of the sibling of mine in the background. :D I love nothing more than a tiny voice saying "Hi, Aunt Di-nana" or "I-dana" or "Ji-tana." :D

Part of the joy I get from being an Aunt surely stems from the joy I get from being a sister. It's so fun to hear about their accomplishments from my sisters and brother (though hers is more of a blind commentary at the mo) :D and sisters-in-law and yes, even brothers-in-law. It is fun to comiserate and compare notes and just share the joy of raising children together. I love guessing which cousins will be the closest friends... by age, by personality, by name... how do their names sound together when you're looking for the two of them? :D We don't get to see all of our cousins all of the time, but we talk about them and to them and say their names often enough that they are not strangers.

There is something wonderful about being an Aunt! :D

Happy New Year! (I promise, I tried to come up with a more interesting title!)

This is for all of you who read blogs instead of your email. :D (And also so I have a record of it for future reference.) If you don't get this in your email, it means I don't have your email address, PLEASE get in touch with me if you don't want to miss other equally stimulating reading experiences as the following. :D

Hi, Everyone!

My plan was always to save this letter until after the holidays. I simply chose not to stress about it. :) These days, I better choose or it gets chosen for me! We have just been so blessed this past year and you, receiving this letter, are so much a part of that! When I was a kid, we made a couple of really big moves and it always felt, to me, like I was leaving this huge chunk of my heart wherever I left. I tried so hard to keep in touch with people with quite a great degree of success, in some cases! ;) This year Facebook has brought me so many familiar faces right to my computer! I get such an incredible thrill every time I find someone I was friends with when I was younger! I just love being connected! I guess I’m just as cheesy as I ever was… I don’t know how to be any other way! :D

Our move from Tooele was very emotional. We had planned on retiring there! :) We miss our family and friends dearly and try to get out there whenever we can. If you sent us a Christmas card and it came back to you, I am infinitely sorry! We moved here to American Fork in the spring and you didn’t know my address… it’s okay! I’m a guilt-free zone! I would so love a copy of your Christmas letter anyway! ;) No stress, no guilt! That’s just the kind of friend I am… my gift to you! ;)

Geoff was driving about 3 hours every day to get to and from work. You thought YOUR blood pressure rose with the gas prices! He can now ride his bike when it’s not cold and gas prices went so far down that we might actually get some of that pesky debt paid off! He loves his job as a Web Programmer for an awesome company that was just bought out by HP. They used to be called LogoWorks, but they just changed their name to Market Splash. He also does a lot of freelance work on the side and between his programming skillz and his buddy’s graphic design skillz, they’ve put together some really awesome stuff. :) We are loving our new house and Geoff especially loves that the projects he has done so far were his own idea and not because something broke or wasn’t done right, etc. Of course, being us, most of our first projects had to do with a lot of overgrown, unruly plants in the yard! :D

I have felt such a rise in my spirits since being here. Having my husband back during waking hours is awesome!! Our kids are thriving and growing and with self-sufficiency comes time for me to do things I love, too. If you can’t find me, check the sewing room! I have my own room, now and I put it to great use. I have started sewing my wheelchair coats again and it is hard to describe the joy I feel at knowing that something I made is snuggling a child in a wheelchair somewhere. I still sew a ton for my family and for gifts and everything, too. It’s just my “thing.” :D We are active in our Church and I am slowly making friends here, too. We have had more opportunity to visit with family and we love having people over! If you’re nearby and the lights are on, come on in! :D

Rebecca is about to turn 9, which is a miracle all its own. We are so glad to have such a precious child in our midst and we love taking care of her and basking in her glow. :D We have struggled a lot with increased seizures as the school year started, but we have finally settled on a medication combination that seems to work for us. Hallelujah for that! :D Becca’s new school is excellent and with 4 nurses on staff, my heart has been much more at ease while she is away from me during the school day. :) She LOVES school! She’s a very happy and content little girl.

Emily is 6 and loves First Grade more than almost anything! She told me a little while ago that she wishes she could go to school on Saturdays too and just have Sundays off! I should have recorded that for her and played it back when she’s older. :D Emily is a voracious reader and literally reads anything she can get her hands on. We finally started letting her read with a reading light at night in bed because she just couldn’t put anything down! :D She’s her mother’s daughter, for certain.

Gracie is 4 and I get nervous if I don’t know where she is… you know what I mean. I have this little itch in the back of my mind whenever it has been too quiet and it doesn’t stop until I’ve found her. :D She is creative, like her sister and quite sneaky. We told her the other day that she will get to go to school when the leaves start falling off the trees this year and she asked, “Will the leaves start falling off tomorrow?” :D Gracie is very strong willed and I believe she will never leave the straight and narrow path once she decides it’s HER idea to stay upon it! :D

Landon is the first brave boy to join our family. He just passed the 18 month mark and is the spitting image of his Daddy. We call him “mini-Geoff” and are suckers for his adorable grin and the way he laughs when he gets excited. He is not nearly the talker that his sisters were, and we’re enjoying that, too! :D He calls both of his parents “Mama” even though he undoubtedly knows the difference. :) He also has a career in mountaineering… add that to his insatiable appetite and you can usually find him sitting on the kitchen table investigating whatever was left there from the last meal. His favorites are his sisters’ forgotten cups of half drunk kool aid! :D

We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends… even if you are our family, we are so grateful to count you among our friends. Words cannot express the gratitude we feel towards you, our support network, for getting us through the really rough times. Thanks for loving us the way we are! We love you right back!! And now that you know where we are, please don’t hesitate to write us back! Following is a list of every possible way to get a hold of us since we know your address books will need updating and we look forward to hearing from you so that we can update ours, too! May the light of Christ be in your heart always and may He always watch over you and bless you!

Your friends always,

The Sagers

What Diana Needs

Okay, I'm in over my head with this Christmas business, so what am I doing? Taking a break and getting lost on the computer for a few minutes! :D I first saw this idea on Melissa's blog and I have been curious as to what mine would be. But it took my brother, Darrin, doing it too to make me curious enough to check and then I really had to post it! :D

Here are the rules if you decide to try it... you should! It's fun! All you do is Google your first name with the word "needs" after it and post the first 10 results. In other words, I Googled "Diana needs" and here's what came up:

1. Diana needs a wealthy husband. (Did we all guess that with my name the first one would be about Princess Diana? :D This one was about tabloids saying she needed to get married after she divorced the Prince.)

2. Diana needs a nickname.

3. Diana needs to come over and turn my charming studio into a warehouse loft!

4. Diana needs Facebook.

5. Diana needs you now! (As if that weren't funny enough, here's the rest of the tagline:) Finally, Diana is getting obedience training.

6. Does anyone else think that Diana needs to go this week ?

7. Diana needs... Pattie invited everyone to play along with this game and now I'm inviting you :-) The rules:All you have to do is Google your first name with the word 'needs' (As if Melissa and Darrin were not enough, I was also invited by Pattie to do this post! :D )

8. Diana needs help about NCS2001 amp (Aint that the truth?!) :D

9. Diana needs some RAM upgrade.

10. Re: What Diana needs to do about Ebay

This one was technically number 15, but well worth saying out loud... Diana Needs A Hug.

Number one is defnitely not true unless you mean Spiritually wealthy and that I've got! ;) Number two could be it's own post with room for plenty of comments and suggestions! :D I'm not sure how I'd go about number 3, but hey! there's a first time for everything! Number 4 is most definitely true! I heart Facebook! Yeah, like number 5 would help me now, everyone knows you can't teach an old dog new tricks! :D Nobody better answer number 6 unless it's to say I get to stay!! I don't know... Geoff, do I need numbers 8 and 9? You would be the only one to know! ;) What Diana needs to know about Ebay is that going to D.I. online can be very dangerous for your pocketbook! :D And I ALWAYS need hugs!!

Consider yourself tagged!

Guess what this list is...

One can of PediaSure
One dusty binky
Three socks
A stuffed fish
Seven receipts
A generic hot wheel car
Three lists
Two craft/fabric store ads
Two expired Medicaid cards
Three pens

Yep! You guessed it! This was what I cleaned out of my purse before filling it with books to entertain children at the doctor's office. :D I guess I have upgraded my purse to more of an activity bag with my planner/wallet thrown inside. It's a blessing and a curse... I can usually find something for someone to do, but that means I have carried it all around! Ever seen "One Fine Day?" :D

So, analyzing this list, what does my purse say about me? With that many old receipts, expired Medicaid cards and used up grocery lists, I'd say that I'm pretty disorganized... but I did attempt to clean it out, so maybe I'm only temporarily disorganized and I usually get around to getting things in order. :) Those 3 pens have been sorely missed! With budding artists in the house I can rarely find a writing utensil all to myself... I was pretty excited to find these. The binky, fish and the hot wheel car belong to the brudder in our family... who, I might add, is extremely easy to entertain! And obviously we have a blessing in our family that the Medicaid cards and PediaSure point to... Medicaid covers everything that regular insurance doesn't (just for her) and not every Mom can pump food straight into the belly of a difficult eater! :D

Even though the doctor was not fun (!!) we are hoping to get our Daddy feeling much better. And a big thank you to my Mom for the books that we brought and read together while we waited.

Invisible Mom

This is an excerpt from Nicole Johnson's novel The Invisible Woman (W Publishing Group, 2005) For more information, check out the author's Web site at www.freshbrewedlife.com.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please." I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Carol , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my daughter to tell the friend she's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want her to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to her friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

____....____

Thoughts from Diana: I can't tell you the times that I feel invisible, I felt invisible most of the day today. Pretty much everything I do goes unnoticed and unappreciated. I'm really only noticed for what I don't do... where's my clean pants? there aren't any clean spoons! BUT today Landon got back down off the fireplace (that was not running) when I asked him to- he's learning to obey. Gracie came and helped me clean up at Grandma's house- she's learning to do nice things for others. Emily read books every chance she got today- she's got my love for reading. Becca smiled when I changed her- that's pretty much all I need to feel good right there.

I know I'm making a difference. I can't see it right now for the most part, but the glimpses I get give me hope. I would rather be invisible and have my children grow up strong and good decision makers than to lose them in my shadow because I'm the only thing I think about. It's definitely the other way around most of the time and I'm working on not losing myself and doing things for myself that help me remember who I am and where I'm going.

I know that Heavenly Father watches out for me largely because of my children. He guides me to guide them and help them be who He sent them here to be. I especially could not be a good Mom to Becca without the subtle promptings I receive on her behalf. Same goes for Emily and Gracie and Landon!

10th Anniversary Present

Ladies and Gentlmen, let me introduce to you one of my favorite singers of all time...

Collin Raye!! From the second row!!!

Geoff took me to see Collin Raye at the Desert Star Theatre. It was amazing! I'm trying really hard to get past my speechlessness and find some words to describe this night for me, but I wanted to get some of it out while it is still so fresh. The first person I saw was a dear friend who just happens to work there! Bonus! I tried to describe the experience to her afterwards and could barely speak! We're in the 'Moms of kids with disabilities' club... we don't need mere words! ;)



If you've heard Collin Raye's songs you know he has a huge heart. Songs like "Love Me" and "I Think About You" (both of which he sang tonight!) have big meaning and a lot of emotion behind them. He also has fun songs like "That's My Story" and "That Kinda Girl" (he also sang those!) that aren't as heavy. He sang a cover song of the Beatles song "Here Comes the Sun (Little Darlin')" (I thought of you, Dad! ;) ) and the one written by Charlie Chaplin "Smile." He also sang "I Can Still Feel You" and I probably forgot a whole lot more! :)



Speaking of smiles, this guy has such an infectious smile!! I mean he's all teeth and happiness just radiates out of him! The man sitting next to us said he'd heard he's coming out with a Christian album, which doesn't surprise me at all. His faith in God comes out in so many of his songs. Faith, God and Country (as in the U.S.A. ;) ) are what so many country artists are all about. One of his songs was all about how Heavenly Father answers our prayers with what we need, not what we want... it's called "What I Need." :) iTunes has already been raided for that one!

There were a couple of songs that I didn't know that were from an album he called a 'collector's item.' Apparently, he was with Sony when he made it, but they disagreed about a lot of things and he was leaving Sony and was going to market the record through someone else. Well, Sony put it out anyway which means he didn't promote it since he wasn't with them anymore and he couldn't put it out the way he wanted to with is new company and Sony only put out a few of them. It had some really cool songs that I hadn't heard, so I think I may be surfing iTunes for those, too! ;)



A long time ago, in the early 90s, is probably when I fell in love with Collin Raye's music and when he was pretty much at a high point in his career. He did a video for his song "I Think About You" that was used by abused women organizations and things to earn money and stuff. In it, he talks about how when he sees women in crisis, etc. that he thinks about his little girl. At the time, his daughter was in the video with him when she was 8 years old... she was there tonight and sang a couple of songs with him... very cool! She's beautiful and has a very pretty voice.

If you've talked to me and let me ramble on about this famous man I've never met, you've heard me tell you that he has a granddaughter with disabilities. Tonight he said she has an undiagnosed neurologic disorder that basically took her away from them slowly. She was developing normally and then she just slowly started losing abilities, etc. She is 8 (I know, huh?!) and doesn't speak and uses a wheelchair, etc. He sang a song that he wrote for her and I of course cried all the way through it! I think it's called "She's With Me" and it will be on his new album. It starts off talking about how it is to take her in public and have people stare and he says "she's with me" and includes her in things anyway. He talks about how happy he is when "she's with me" and it ends with her being there to usher him through the gates of Heaven because "he's with me." My mother's heart sang right along with him and it was neat to hear words put to so many of the same emotions I feel.


It was an incredible night for me! This kind of music has always "spoken" to me and it was pretty amazing to be sitting only a few feet away and singing along and clapping and cheering. What an awesome 10th Anniversary present, Hubby! Thank you so, so much! I know, a thank you in a blog post... what could be better? I hope you know how much this meant to me and it was even better to be able to share it with you!

Tagged by Paula

Rules: Put your answers in 'google image', pick from first three pages

First name: Diana


Middle Name: Darlene
Maiden Name:

Robert E. Lee

Last Name: Sagers
That's my baby Becca! She came up on the first page because this picture is on the Early Intervention site. My father-in-law also came up on the first page. ;)

Bad Habit: Messy House
What are you doing right now?: Getting ready to go to a movie
Grandmother's Name: Ethel
Past Pet: Sadie the black Cocker Spaniel

My first job: Fry jockey
Where I grew up: White Mountains, AZ
One of my favorite places: Sheep's Crossing, AZ
If I went back to school, I would: become an Intervener for Deafblind kids
Isn't this a beautiful picture? I got it from: http://www.helplaurenlearn.net

Place I would love to visit: Ireland
My favorite color: Neopolitan
Favorite Food: Cheesecake!
That was way fun! I'm tagging: Geoff, Mom, Angela, Kelly, Darrin, Melissa M., Aunt Colleen, Danica, Heidi, Christina, Melissa C., Nancy, Sophia, Kathryn, Jenny, Lisa and Cammie.

Hey, hey, Boo Boo!

I have an 8 year old daughter with disabilities, I'm always on the lookout for things that are going to help me be able to do everything I need to do for her. I've recently discovered a way to protect my back and keep it strong and healthy for all of the lifting I do day in and day out. Let's be honest, though, it's not just Becca, Mr. "Just because I CAN walk, doesn't mean I do it ALL the time!" plays a hefty part, too! Pun most definitely intended! ;)

I do Yoga!

And I love it! I have a pregnancy yoga video that I used to use, but I'd really only pull it out towards the end when I was way uncomfortable and trying to find a way to help sore muscles. A while ago, we were at Ross... yes, the dress for less one, and saw a yoga video for a few dollars. I LOVE IT! I always feel so good afterwards. It's very relaxing and slow, yet I end up pleasantly sore the next day because I really did get a workout. I am enjoying it more as I go and I can do the poses by listening to her instructions rather than having to try and look at the screen. My girls love to do it with me! Don't expect any video, though! I think I look pretty silly and we have a no poparazzi zone during yoga time! :D

I've talked to other Mom's with kids with disabilities and a lot of them have used and liked yoga, too. The whole point is that if you strengthen your core muscles... abs, etc.... then your back has the support it needs and all of the muscles work together to give you more lifting power! I don't care if I have washboard abs... I have 4 kids and I'm proud of my "Mommy body," but I've got to stay strong to be able to lift Becca for years to come. :)