Today and every day, I am thankful for this view:
(Photo taken with my cell phone.)
Our view from our great room, deck and master bedroom.
I love looking out the windows all day!
It's beautiful in the morning and gorgeous in the evening, lovely all day and in any kind of weather.
Every morning and most late afternoon/evenings we have 3 visitors also - 3 deer. They love the alfalfa field. :)
Today I am thankful for a fun conversation with a little friend, Gavin.
Gavin is my little 6 year old buddy. He belongs to my cousin, Craig and his wife, Sharelle.
We have a great time together.
Often, Gavin will call me on the phone to chat. He has lots of fun things to share and say. I enjoy listening to him; he always brightens up my day!
Today he told me he recently had, "A really, really special dream."
When I asked him what his dream was about, he said, "It was about my future wife!"
"Oh! Your future wife?" "What was she like?"
Gavin then told me that his future wife looks like me.
A little shocked, I said, "Oh, wow!" "I hope she is nice!"
Gavin then told me, "She was very, very nice, just like you!"
"Well, Gavin, I am glad she is nice, I hope you will have a very nice wife."
He then said, "Yep! She looks like you and she is really nice, just. like. YOU!"
At this point, I really didn't know what to say but he was so sweet, it made my day. He then said, "Oh, and you know what Marilyn?" "I think her phone number was 214-316-____!" (MY phone number!)
Oh, that cracked me up!!
I love that little guy and he certainly knows how to make me smile!
Children are the best!
They are wonderful and special.
I am grateful to have many children continually in my life.
I hope I can be a positive and loving influence in the lives of the children with whom I come in contact.
And today, I am thankful for a really sweet friendship with a particular 6 year old.
Gavin and I with Russell behind us.
we are still
growing
strong!
In the best way(s) possible.
Yes, I do know the saying is "still going strong" but that would only apply on certain days - other days our "going" may be somewhat weak, or slow, depending on the circumstances. I am not saying we are getting older - just a little more careful. ha, ha! :)
(But any kind of going is better than not going at all - in my book. When I was quite young, I referred to myself as a "Go-Go Girl" (because I liked being on the GO). This made my parents laugh hysterically and then call me that (the Go-Go Girl) for years after. It took several years to figure out why that was so funny - I probably said that in '69 or '70 - those of you familiar with that era will get a kick out of that).
Jonathan and I are still learning and facing new challenges which cause us to grow, as are all of you, growth can be difficult, can't it? When we were first married, I thought by the time we were married for this long, we would have everything figured out. Life has a funny way of keeping us on our toes and training us to become better folks. Growth is necessary and worth the effort; like GOing, growing is a progressive motion.
Onward and upward!
Take this lovely tree in Glacier - it has been growing, stretching, reaching heavenward for many, many years. Most likely withstanding plenty of storms and difficult conditions. If we were to saw the trunk of the tree, we would see the 'scars' of it's growth; rings that mark each year of life. Compared to many of the trees surrounding it, this one is still fairly young. Yet, it is a grand old tree; sturdy and strong.
East Glacier:
Wild Goose Island:
Wild Goose Island has quite a little legend attached to it. The island IS the tiny island in the middle of St. Mary Lake. It is such a lovely place! Here is the legend:
A Montana Legend
retold by S.E. Schlosser
In the middle of St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park is a small island halfway between two shores. Many moons ago now, there were two tribes living on either side of the lake. While there was no direct warfare between them, the two tribes avoided one another and had no dealings one with the other.
All this changed one day when a handsome warrior on the near shore saw a lovely maiden from the other tribe swimming toward the small island in the middle of the lake. He was instantly smitten by her beauty and leapt into the lake to swim to the island himself. They met on the shore of the little islet, and the maiden was as taken with the warrior as he was with her. They talked for hours, and by the end of their conversation, they were betrothed. After extracting a promise from his beloved that she would faithfully meet him at the island on the morrow, the warrior swam home to his tribe, and she returned to hers.
Oh, what an uproar they met upon their return. Neither tribe was happy at their meeting, and all were determined to break the betrothal instantly. What to do? The man and the maiden had no doubts at all. In the wee hours of the morning, each swam out to the little island to meet one another -- from there to flee to a new land where they might marry. As soon as they were discovered missing, warriors from both tribes set out in pursuit, to bring the renegades back by whatever means available.
But the Great Spirit was watching, and took pity on the young lovers. He transformed them into geese, which mate for life, so they could fly away from their pursuers and so that they would always be together. When the warriors arrived on the island, the found not a man and a woman, but two lovely geese walking among the small trees and bracken. At the sight of the warriors, the two geese stroked their necks together lovingly and then flew away, never to return.
From that day to this, the little island at the center of St. Mary Lake has been known as Wild Goose Island.
Oh Canada!
Waterton, Canada. The most lovely little town! It is quaint and pristine - so typical of Canadian towns.
West Glacier:
Although it is difficult to see in the collage, there are skiers skiing just at the base of the mountain in the bottom photo. So fun! July skiing! It's what the kids do on their days off who work for the tourist industry during the summer. They were having a blast!
It seems that I must fall in love (or strong like) with a flower or plant life wherever we travel on vacation. While in Alaska, it was the fireweed! So beautiful! In Glacier, it was the "bear grass." The heads of the bear grass are so light, airy and delicate looking. As I looked more closely at the bear grass, it was like looking at thousands of tiny daisies on one flower. (And you know how I love daisies!)
The bear grass got it's name in a unique way; well, I think it is unique. We were told it was NOT named bear grass because it resembles a bear, nor is it eaten by bear...
but was named bear grass when Lewis and Clark came through that beautiful part of our country. As they entered the valley, they saw a bear laying in a field filled with this tall flower; so, that is how it became known as bear grass. When Jonathan and I walked down a steep hill to get a better look at the bear grass, we noticed lots of wild strawberries growing among the bear grass and forget-me-nots. Makes me wonder, if they had gotten a better look at the area where the bear was laying, would we be enjoying bear berries each summer? Ha, ha!
We also went through Yellowstone on our way to Glacier and then again with the kids (quick day trip) at the end of our little getaway.
While we were in Yellowstone, the little kids who were looking at everything were so funny! Their parents wouldn’t pay attention to them – too bad! While we were looking at the paint pots and mud pots, and watching them bubble up (and let off steam), a little girl was standing next to us. She kept talking to her mom but her mom wasn't interested in talking with her right then. She didn’t understand what was happening with these hot mud pots that were spewing and slinging mud while releasing gasses…she asked her mom, “Is it trying to go potty?!” All her mom said was, “Just a minute…” Jonathan and I were laughing so hard! The poor little girl seemed so distraught.
At another hot spring (with a sulfur smell), we were admiring the beauty of the water and all of the different colors when a dad and his daughter walked by. The dad said, “I really like this one, don’t you think it’s pretty?” His little daughter, probably around age 5, was walking a few feet behind him and said, “Yes, daddy, it’s really pretty…and THEN there’s the smell!” Ha, ha! Well, that became a favorite quote of ours for the rest of the day (at least); and THEN, there's the SMELL!
There was a lot more to our little getaway and I will try to share more a little later as I get a chance.
Couldn't resist one last photo of the bear grass in West Glacier.
25 years of marriage on the 29th of July. What a time warp! How did 25 years go by?
We did go to see a special production of "Fiddler on the Roof" together for our 25th anniversary.
It seemed rather fitting.
FOR A MONTH NOW.
What are the three of those things doing together as the title?
My friend, Dawn, who loved my spaghetti squash almost as much as I adore her, passed away on March 25th.
It's been a little hard to navigate through this one. I find myself thinking of her, missing her friendship and getting emotional at the strangest times and/or places. I'm not sure why, we all knew it was coming and she lived a lot longer than the doctors said she would...
but the longer she was here, the more time there was for a greater bond to be created. So, I miss her all the more. Yet, I am grateful for that extra time. Time is a GIFT!
I do struggle in general when children have to lose their mom (or dad). These kids are at such critical ages where it seems they need a mother's influence, love, compassion and care.
Having said that, I know there is a reason for her passing now and I am certain that all will be made right for her husband, kids and family left behind - somehow.
Since her passing, I have been trying to find ways to still be of help for the family without intruding on their time of grief.
Everyone grieves differently, so I have to watch for signs from them to show what is needed, wanted, or where I can be of most help.
I'm still helping with the kids, as I was before she passed.
And dropping food off as much as possible. They have a lot of mouths to feed: Dawn's 2 parents are still living with them, her husband, of course, 4 kids left at home +2 adult children with one fiance`- on their own but coming home frequently to spend time together, and a couple of friends who have moved in.
Dawn's funeral was really lovely, and I do mean lovely. The words which were spoken were very nice and the music was beautiful. Along with that we were all wearing PINK! (Her two favorite colors were red and pink). That was a request from Dawn, she did not want everyone to come wearing black and looking (or feeling) glum. The family sent out invitations to her 'celebration of life' and asked that we all wear some form of pink. It is the only funeral I have ever attended with so much color. Beautiful. The men wore pink shirts and/or ties, the women came in pink scarves, blouses, jackets, or dresses.
I was asked to give the eulogy. I was quite surprised and a little overwhelmed by it, but also honored. I felt worried about being able to get up there without passing out - my blood was low and I was weak. But I had some special experiences leading up to it and I felt I could do whatever I needed to on that day.
As we were working through the eulogy, her oldest daughter told me she wanted to give the eulogy. I told her that if she felt she wanted or needed to give it then she should. She said her family didn't want her to do it; they thought she wouldn't be able to. As we were talking about it, I felt that giving the eulogy could be healing for her in some way and I wanted to do whatever I could to help her. We ran through the changes within the eulogy if she gave it or if I did and I suggested that she ask for the support of her family and let them know that she had my support. We decided that I would be ready to give it, even at the last minute if she couldn't and that she could let me know at any time if she wanted me to take it over. It was sweet to watch her try to gain the strength to do this last thing for her mother. On the morning of the funeral, she still wasn't sure if she would or would not be able to give it but that was her desire; so again, I encouraged her and let her know I would be right there and ready to fill in if she gave me the sign. She was able to do it and I could see that she NEEDED to give it. It was part of her healing as well as her tribute to her sweet mom. I felt so happy for her (and proud of her, too).
Before Dawn passed away, she had been moved from the hospital to a rehab facility. Once there, she was up and down quite a bit with her health. She rallied, and the family set up lunch and dinner times for friends to bring her food and visit daily for an hour. I was so excited for our lunch date on Tuesday, the 26th. I knew she would want spaghetti squash so I bought one for her. She always wanted me to make her spaghetti squash! In fact, near the end, her mom told me Dawn was being sustained by the spaghetti squash and the juice I was juicing for her. I'm so grateful that something I could do for her helped in some small way.
Dawn passed the week of Easter. Each time grief would hit me throughout that week, my thoughts were immediately turned toward the Savior and His resurrection. How I love Easter and the hope which accompanies that sacred day. It was sweet to have that reminder during a difficult week for many.
"Grief is inseparably connected to our capacity to love. The depth of our grief is in direct proportion to the clarity and care with which we have loved." - Deanna Edwards
The first time I read that statement it resonated within me; my thoughts exactly.
We are now moving forward through (and with) the grief.
I've been keeping an eye on those who loved her greatly, praying for them daily and watching for moments when they may need a helping hand, listening ear or a comforting shoulder.
FOR US. (Sort of...)
Christmas morning - we still made something soft and warm (probably not delicious - we didn't taste test, ha, ha!).
With our 20+ years of cinnamon roll making, plating, decorating and delivering tradition having to end this year, I was most grateful for a secluded, up-in-the-cabin retreat for Christmas day. It was also nice to be gathered together in a place that holds some family memories.
Struggling through feelings of frustration, disappointment and inadequacy (toward myself only) at Thanksgiving told me I needed to prepare myself a little better for our most favorite tradition of the year.
(I still hope and pray that one day I will be able to work out how to make the cinnamon roll tradition happen once again. I missed that incredible smell that can only come from such deliciousness baking. I missed the kids trying to taste test (before they should, ha, ha!). I missed delivering to some who would ask us in for a visit, or give us some hot cocoa as we reached their doorstep. I missed the faces of really excited kids who had just opened presents and wanted to share their happiness with us. I missed those who would light up as they opened the door to a hot breakfast delivered by 4 cute kids in Christmas pj's with their crazy parents beaming behind them. I missed the many people who would tease our kids and tell them they needed to hurry up and get home so they could open their presents! I missed the excitement that we all felt together as we would load up plate after plate, platter after platter and successfully deliver something sweet to those in need, those we wanted to remember and those we love. It would take us most of the day, I began at 4AM and we would usually get back to open our presents between 1 and 3 PM. And I loved every minute of it all! As the years went on, I thought the kids would decide they would like to do things differently but they didn't! It was a tradition that became very sweet to them too; they looked forward to it and loved every minute of it each year).
The question this year was "What kind of service can we do on Christmas morning in a remote location with no neighbors around?" We all still wanted to be able to "DO" something together that might be of benefit to others on Christmas morning. We looked around the cabin for things we could do there but there wasn't much that could be done during the winter. I finally came up with the idea of making blankets, for the young and old alike, who would visit the cabin. Even in the summer months it gets chilly up there, especially at night. Although the selection was pretty limited where we had to shop, the girls and I picked out fleece patterns that will hopefully appeal to the kids (and grownups) who will be staying in the cabin throughout the years to come.
On Christmas morning, Megan and I were the first to wake, as usual. :) I made crepes, apple compote, cream cheese filling and lots of homemade syrups for our breakfast. After all of that prep, our favorite was a crepe with fresh banana slices, the cream cheese filling and a little chocolate drizzle on top... :) (Crepe and cream cheese filling recipes here - these are the original version, I made a gluten free version for us).
Once everyone began to get out of bed, the kids opened their stockings. When we were all gathered together we began working on the blankets. We made 6 blankets that were double sided.
And you know what?
We had such a good time working together! We really enjoyed it. I think it was just the right thing to do this year. We finished the blankets at around 1 PM and they looked great! We were happy with them. Once we took some photos of them and sent text messages to Ben and Joan showing them the cabin blankets, we opened our presents.
Trying to get a photo of Jon with the blanket he worked on and Meg jumped in...she likes being in the photos!
Girls working on blankets.
Smash can't resist the urge to curl up on something that is super soft!
Since I was the last to get to finish up (I'm a mom, I have lots going on...) everyone helped me finish the last blanket. How I love these people!!
All of the blankets lined up on the railing. If you look at them closely, you can see both sides of each blanket. Aren't they great looking? Don't you think the little kids will fall in love with some of them?
Life is Good! Nathan had some definite needs this year, quite a few of them and one of the top needs was a blanket to keep him warm. I hope it is doing that!
A really great surprise for Emily. (This gift meant a lot to her). She had lost the sapphire from her very special birthday ring quite a long time ago. We were able to replace it and surprised her with it on Christmas! Now she can take that with her wherever she goes (on her mission) and remember how much we love her!
So, the excitement on his face is staged (I know all of his faces)...but he really was excited about his gift: registration for AFY (Adventures for Youth).
You probably remember the tradition of a note (written in the form of a poem about how they have been and grown through the year) placed in their stockings and read after all gifts have been opened. This note points them to the one most desired gift. It leaves little clues to where the gift may be hiding. This has always been so much fun for the kids! They always cheat and read the note when they get in to their stockings...then they are on the lookout for their one special gift all day until it is time to search for it. This year Meg's gift happened to be hidden in the hat we put on "Donner." She was not too thrilled when she read at the end of her note. "On Dasher, on Donner...
That is when she realized she might have to touch him in order to get her gift. It was entertaining to watch her retrieve the gift very, very carefully! Soooo funny!!
Our Christmas day was such a calm, relaxing, and enjoyable day! Absolutely perfect. Being all together was the BEST gift I could have ever received for Christmas. Thanks, Jon! And thanks to Ben and Joan for letting us take over the cabin!
Ah, the warmth of December!
Hoping you are also keeping warm and enjoying this holiday season.
HAPPY HAIR DAY!
Not to be confused with a good hair day.
Today I am thankful for a happy hair day and the reasons for that.
Oh, it has been a long time since my hair has looked like this! How I miss this disheveled look!
My hubby asked me out for a little mid-day date. Although I asked several times what we would be doing, I wasn't given any direction.
In fact, I was totally ignored. Which kind of bugged me.
I mean, really. At least let me know if I need to dress a certain way...hiking boots? Tennies? Snow boots? Formal dress? Ha!
He came home for lunch, we only had an hour or so after we ate.
Since he wasn't giving me any direction, I figured he didn't have a plan. So, I thought of many ways we could be of service to some other folks for an hour.
But he wanted to take a drive.
Which I thought was strange since he only had an hour. Where would we go? It wouldn't be anywhere super cool if he had to be back to work soon.
He was moving really fast - which is strange for Jonathan, he grabbed my boots and threw them in Larry; not even giving me time to put them on in the house.
After brushing my teeth, I followed out behind him in my red polka-dot slippers, grabbing a jacket on the way.
He began driving down familiar roads, continuing to more familiar roads and I was really wondering why we were not going with my plan - to help someone - rather than drive to nowhere in particular.
And then...
he turned the corner
and I realized where he was taking me:
Mini of Loveland! Is that not heaven on earth for me?!
We test drove the new Mini Roadster and WOW(!) what a ride! Not certain if I have just forgotten how tight and zippy Carlotta was or if the new roadster is even tighter but I was blown away by the ride!
Of course the first order of (driving) business was to take the top down. Was it chilly? A little. But I learned how to drive with the top down and stay warm a long time ago. Turn on the bun warmers and the heat full blast, keep the windows up even though the top is down and voila! (With those tips plus a coat and scarf, gloves and blanket- if needed, you can keep that top down in the cooler months.)
I was so overcome to be driving a Mini again that I began to cry. It was as sweet of him as it was cruel. ha, ha!
We have a great family vehicle in Larry (Sir Lawrence of London) but leaving Carlotta in TX was one of the hardest things to give up (for me). I loved that little car, she was like a part of our family. As crazy as that sounds, she really was. For instance, when Meg was little, each morning before we got into the car she would give her a hug (across the bonnet) and wish her good morning! We did really LOVE everything about Carlotta.
At the time that we made the vehicle change in the family, it was definitely the right thing to do but I have certainly missed her - almost daily. She is definitely remembered each time we have to gas up!
One day we will probably have another Mini. The roadster was certainly fun and I loved everything about it but it is a two seater, so I don't think that is the one for us. Jonathan said that the reason he really likes it is because it is a two seater! (He likes getting me to himself). But the reality is that we still need at least 4 seats. (And one day we will begin adding to this awesome family and I will definitely want to be able to put car seats in the car again).
But we sure did enjoy the fun little journey and the ride down memory lane together!
Go HERE to see Carlotta after we first got her. (The kids have sure changed since that time! Be sure to click on the photos of the kids and their friends! It is crazy how much things have changed around here.)
Emma, age 9.
Our TX friends brought TX warmth to some chilly CO days!
Unfortunately (AND fortunately) we had a real cold snap just before they
were to arrive. It only lasted while they were here. What timing! It was unfortunate because they felt really cold the entire
time they were here. (Thankfully, we have a fireplace and plenty of hot
cocoa). However, it was also fortunate because Emma really wanted to play in the snow and
we did have a little on the ground for her!
Megan and Laura.
Megan and Laura became friends at the very young age of 18 months. Below is a photo of the two of them when they, as they say, "ran the nursery (at church) with me."
(They did LOVE that bubble machine!)
We took them to Estes Park. I thought it would be a great blend of a little shopping (in a fun little resort-type town) and a lot of scenic beauty. They were able to get some CO sweatshirts and t-shirts to keep the girls warm while they were here and some to take home to the boys who didn't get to come on this trip. We hope the boys will get to come with them the next time they visit.
We have several photos of Megan riding on Laura's back from over the years. Had to take another one! Emma behind them cracks me up!
We drove through Rocky Mountain National Park just after sunset. Every time we visit RMNP we see it in a new way. It changes from season to season and day to day. But the national park is always peaceful and so beautiful!
We saw this guy walking around town after we left the national park. The people that owned that property had put up a barbed wire fence around their home and yard but he walked right over it. So, I guess if you are big and have pointy antlers, you can go wherever you want, ha, ha!
Of course we had to stop by The Stanley Hotel; it was especially spooky since it was Halloween time. They really do it up for Halloween at the Stanley.
Megan and Emma have their arms around their "ghosts." After we left, Emma told us the story of her ghost, how they met, fell in love, etc. Funny! Kids are so great!
Of course, Jenney and I had to get a photo with our own ghosts. Her ghost seems to be smaller than my ghost. Ha, ha!
Here is a shot of the front of The Stanley, check out the lady in a costume that looks like it is right out of the Hitchcock movie, The Birds:
The photos do not do it justice! It was gorgeous that evening. (But it is always gorgeous in Estes.)
I still have so many photos to go through...
I was so happy to have them here with us; loved every minute!
Having them here felt like we had family here with us, they are so much more than friends to us. It was easy, comfortable and fun having them around, no matter what we were doing. It could be football, church, shopping, driving, playing outside, hanging out by the fire or eating or all of it - which is what we did - and it was all wonderful! (I'd say fabulous but I don't know if Jenney really likes it when I say fabulous, ha, ha!)
Come back! Soon!
Entertaining and FUN!
On October 13th I was with these awesome young adults for a really fun celebration. I'm so glad I was able to be there with Diana, her family and friends for her celebration.
Love seeing these kids so happy!!
Pictured: Diana (in white, on the left), Nathan, Seby (Diana's brother), Ana (her mom), Maru, Emily, Joseph and Katie (her back is facing us, you can see her in the photos below).
Nathan and Emily had a little trouble with the" hip action" but they were great when it came to the "stirring the pot" move!
Nathan shared that Smash is the only kid who got "Mom's hips" (meaning mine). Smash is pretty proud of that, funny kid. (I think Megan might be practicing...so that may be changing!)
We danced and laughed and danced and laughed....until the neighbors started pounding on their ceiling (Diana's floor). Ha, ha!
Emily has told me that I always post funny photos of her - well, she gives me such great material!
Another one below:
These are such great people! I love Diana's family, they are so sweet to us. I have a special place in my heart for her mom, she is a wonderful, wonderful lady!
Diana has very sweet friends. They are all so happy and love to have fun! It is apparent how much they love Diana, too.
Her 22nd birthday! A beautiful cake for a beautiful girl!
It was such an honor for me to be invited to her birthday celebration! And I had so much fun dancing and laughing with everyone.
Diana is a really wonderful, remarkable girl. I'm so thankful she has come into our lives. She is warm and inviting, smart and lovely in every way. We all just love her!
THAT being a GRANDMA would be the BEST!
When Megan was little and was constantly carrying around her "Bitty" she would ask, "Mommy, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
I would tell her, "A grandma."
And taking care of this little guy reminded me of how much fun it will be...
one day...
in the future...
(not right now, kids)
years from now... :)
Brady's parents told me that I would "be the best grandma!" That was such a compliment coming from these sweet parents.
Seriously though, having a little one around is so much fun!
When he arrived, I asked, "Are you ready to play?"
He quickly responded, "YA!!" as he pushed his parents out the door, ha, ha!
You get to do a lot of things you would want to do (if you were younger) but you don't feel or look like a fool doing them!
We played at the park, spent a lot of time on the swings.
Made rice krispie treats - with the leftover marshmallows from the many I let him eat. :) He would fill his mouth with them and while his mouth was still full, he would say, "Mo. Mah-mahl-low. Plee." Too cute to not grant that wish.
We played games. I introduced him to Jenga - which he loved! Any two year old would love building a huge tower; building it as high as it could possibly go, getting it to the point of toppling and then watching it fall to the ground in pieces! He thought that was very exciting and fun. We couldn't get it built high enough, fast enough. :)
We colored and drew masterpieces.
He introduced me to bubble guppies? Not really sure what they are but he likes them.
We ate a lot of snacks. He especially loved going through all of my cupboards and fridge while telling me what things he has at his house that are like mine. This was so cute of him, finding familiarity.
We walked around together, holding hands and looking at all of the wonderful things in this world, like leaves and trees and basketball hoops. :)
With a little help from his friend (me) he mastered the park rock-climbing wall and was soooo happy:
(Isn't that the face of accomplishment?)
Come back and play again, Brady. :)
Dear Mom,
Never before would I have thought that I would need to lean on you in my 40's. My plan was to let you and dad lean on me by now. So, this turn of events took me by surprise.
YOU also took me by surprise when you so selflessly brought my family into your home this summer and took care of me - and the kids! I didn't have to worry, or stress out about what was happening with them. I didn't have to worry about what and when to eat. All I had to do was focus on getting well while you and dad provided the most wonderful atmosphere for all of us.
It was a life changing experience for all of us. Your influence and love for the kids has instilled in them a growth that could have never happened in any other way.
And the love I felt from you and dad brings me to tears even months later.
What a sweet experience for me to return home at this stage in my life and get to learn from you, up close and personal, again.
I feel so very thankful to you.
I'll be there for you and dad whenever you need me. :)
Happy birthday! I hope your day is absolutely beautiful and filled with love!
All my love,
Mar~
This is such a cute photo of Mom and Meg! I had wished I could get a good photo of mom and dad with everyone (especially Rich) when we all met in Brigham (here) but they weren't able to make it. I;m hopeful we will all get together again soon.
AGAIN (because I keep thinking of things I want to write about and then I forget to share them - it's a crazy cycle that I haven't been able to break yet)...
Early in September, or was it late August? (Wow, time is really moving quickly!) Megan and I attended a special meeting together for moms and daughters (ages 12-18). It was an unexpected and unscheduled meeting for us but thankfully we were able to attend! Several thoughts that were shared by the speakers that evening were thoughts that have not left me, the experiences and lessons shared come to my mind almost daily. Must be share-worthy, don't you think?
We had three wonderful women from the general Primary, Young Women and Relief Society Boards visiting the area and offering training for the local leaders. While here they decided to hold a special meeting for all of the young women, their mothers and leaders one evening.
Each woman who spoke to us spoke poignantly (and directly) to the young women and their mothers. Their remarks flowed seamlessly from the first to the last. It was apparent that although they have some concerns for the young women of today's society, they also have a great love for them. They want the young women to understand how much God loves them.
Ginny U. Smith from the Primary board spoke to us about the importance of what was learned during the primary years. She began with a plea: "Remember what you learned while in Primary..." In those years there were seeds planted that will help our young women grow into mature women of God.
She asked us to journey back and remember important things from our Primary days:
1. Live the Primary songs (and remember the teachings within them).
2. Keep Sacred Covenants that were made at baptism.
3. Remember to say "I love you."
She spoke of the Japanese word, Daiji (pronounced die-ee-gee).
Daiji, meaning precious, handle with care, and put back in proper place.
She spoke of how other languages have words such as this that have special meaning and are a way of stating something so special that you need no other explanation. We don't have words like this in the English language.
I understand what she was saying. The Italian language is full of words like this, full of words that easily express deep feelings. When I returned home from Italy, I had a hard time expressing myself without the use of the Italian language...I still do. In fact, there are times, even still, when I will share some of my thoughts to my Heavenly Father in prayer in Italian, thank heaven He understands.
She taught the young women that they are daiji to their Heavenly Father. They are precious. he wants them handled with care, treated properly and then returned to their proper place, returned to Him. He knows each one of these young women (and each of us) by name and cares about them (and us). We are daiji, precious.
A fun little side note from her talk: She mentioned that she and Elder L. Tom Perry often arrive at the church office building at the same time. She hears him humming a tune on the way into the building each day, often it is a Primary song. When she mentioned that to him, he responded that he wasn't even fully aware that he did that. :)
At baptism we entered a covenant path with our Heavenly Father. She urged all to remain on that covenant path and one day return to "our proper place" with Heavenly Father.
There was a story she shared that was so powerful. This is the story I think of nearly every day:
She spoke of a friend of hers with a 13 year old son who had turned away from his parents and his upbringing. He had become belligerent and really become a totally different person than the son he had previously been. He had turned to some friends who were not a good influence on him; introducing him to drugs and other things. He was unkind to his parents, his countenance was dark and he was angry all of the time. Tension grew in their home and it was difficult for all of them to live together. Her friend, his mother, was beside herself and had no idea what to do for this son of hers.
They tried to help him with every resource available: Bishop, counseling, etc. But he showed little to no change.
He continued his troublesome spiral downward and their home-life became more and more difficult. Words between he and his parents escalated into yelling matches. He would not interact with the family in any positive manner. This mother was worried, sad, depressed and felt out of her league in how to handle this difficult situation with her son. Feeling that she had already exhausted all options and needed additional help, she asked in prayer for divine intervention and for help to know what to do for her son.
The thought came immediately to her mind, "Tell him you love him." She thought to herself, I can't tell him that! We barely speak and when we do it is not positive. She dismissed the thought and again the thought came to her, "Tell him you love him." She dismissed the thought with the accompanying spiritual feeling by saying she wasn't even sure she liked him any more - how could she tell him she loved him?
Days went on with no change. Then one night after a particularly difficult time, she went into his room where he was sleeping and realized that although things were hard between them and she did not like him much, she did love him. And the thought occurred to her again to tell him she loved him. She thought that she could tell him while he was asleep. There would be no confrontation if he were asleep when she told him. So, she quietly knelt by his bedside and whispered to him that no matter what had transpired between them and no matter what path he chose, she loved him and would always love him. In that moment, in the dark of his room, a feeling came over her and it was a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time. Her love for him was genuine and saying it gave her a feeling of hope and peace. In fact, it felt so good to her she decided to do it again - when he was asleep. The next night she waited for him to fall asleep and knelt down beside him again and whispered, "I love you." Again, the feeling was so sweet to her that she wanted to say it again. She decided to say it to him each night when he was asleep and it became a highlight of her day. Each night she watched and waited for him to fall asleep so she could go in and tell him how much she loved him.
At age 15, when he entered high school, he began to change his friend group. He tried new sports and aligned himself with better influences. Slowly, he began to change. He began attending church again, attending Seminary and meeting with his Bishop on a regular basis. Over his high school years he changed into the young man they knew in his earlier years, only better. He eventually served a mission for the church.
One day just after he returned from his mission, he was in the kitchen and overheard a conversation between his mother and a friend of hers. This friend of hers was now going through a similar situation with her son and she had come over for advice. She asked, "What did you do?" "How did you get through it?" "How did you help your son?"
His mother, this friend of Sister Smith, told her that one day he "just grew out of it." From ages 13-15 it was really difficult but for some reason when he got into high school he changed friend groups, got involved in new things and began to change. She encouraged her to have hope and be patient.
The returned missionary son, upon hearing all of this, came into the room saying, "Whoa, whoa, mom!" "Don't you remember?" "Don't you remember what you did for me?" And then he recounted, "Each night I would go to bed, pretend to be asleep and wait for you to come in and tell me you love me...that made all the difference."
The power of love. The power of a mother's love! I was so touched by this story - I believe that great love has the power to change many things in this society of ours. (Although he had other resources offered to him, he acknowledged his mother's love was the greatest reason for his change, beautiful!)
This thought reminds me of a time when my dad told me that he had given his mother reason to be disappointed in him once and the look of hurt and disappointment on her face caused him to never want to disappoint her again! (My dad is amazing... and he inherited that look!) :)
Susan C. Jones from the young women board spoke next. She implored the young women in the room to believe in the words from the young women theme that they recite each Sunday at the beginning of class. "We are daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves us and we love Him." She invited the young women to slow down the pace of the entire theme each time they recite it and "feel of the power in the words."
We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him.
We will "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things,
and in all places" as we strive to live
the Young Women values, which are:
Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice and Accountability
Good Works
Integrity and
Virtue.
We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values,
we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants,
receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.
She stated that young women who "believe they are daughters of God live very different lives than those who don't."
Happiness can come from knowing they are daughters of God.
She invited the young women to take courage in following the church standards. She encouraged them to say this phrase as they each have a decision to make (regarding the standards): "Because I am a daughter of God, I choose to _________."
She spoke about the importance of modesty, in fact, all three ladies who spoke to us that evening touched on the topic of modesty.
But Susan Jones said something that was so memorable and I know this phrase will stay with each of the young women in attendance that evening.
While talking about modesty she began to talk about the scripture that has been a theme for the youth, "Stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places..."
Then she asked the young women if they would stand as His witnesses? Would they be willing to "stand as a witness at a ll times and in all places and in all prom dresses?"
What a fun and memorable phrase!
She taught the young women that in standing as His witness they may have to stand alone (from time to time).
The last speaker was our general Relief Society President, Linda K. Burton. President of the largest female organization (with 6 million members).
She spoke on the path we are all on together as women, old or young. This road is that of discipleship. Quoting Elder Neil L.Andersen, "Wherever you now find yourself on the road of discipleship, you are on the right road, the road toward eternal life. Together we can lift and strengthen one another in the great and important days ahead."
Much of the remainder of her remarks were of the path that Christ had to walk and how his path led him Gethsemane.
What path we are likely on at this time and how we may assist one another in continuing on the path that leads us back to Him.
She ended her remarks with those of Elder Ballard:
"When God asked who would come to earth to prepare a way for all mankind to be saved and strengthened and blessed, it was Jesus Christ who said, simply, “Here am I, send me."
Just as the Savior stepped forward to fulfill His divine responsibilities, we have the challenge and responsibility to do likewise. If you are wondering if you make a difference to the Lord, imagine the impact when you make commitments such as the following:
“Father, if You need a woman to rear children in righteousness, here am I, send me.”
“If You need a woman who will shun vulgarity and dress modestly and speak with dignity and show the world how joyous it is to keep the commandments, here am I, send me.”
“If You need a woman who can resist the alluring temptations of the world by keeping her eyes fixed on eternity, here am I, send me.”
“If You need a woman of faithful steadiness, here am I, send me.”
Between now and the day the Lord comes again, He needs women in every family, in every ward, in every community, in every nation who will step forward in righteousness and say by their words and their actions, “Here am I, send me.”
Before she closed, she reminded us that we are all "daiji" as Ginny Smith had stated earlier in the evening and that "the Lord wants us back."
After the meeting was over, Megan was able to meet each one of these women. They each spoke to her, asking her name and a little about her. They hugged her and told her she was beautiful and they loved her smile! They were such wonderfully gracious women.
Whew. Glad I finally got some of that recorded here, I'm sure you can understand why I would like to remember that lovely evening.
We went in search of fall color with the hope of seeing (hearing) the elk bugling as well.
And we definitely got to enjoy both! The colors have changed early this year because of the very hot, dry summer. I'm so glad we got to get into the high country before they were all gone!
Jonathan and I decided to go up to Estes Park for an afternoon. We had to be back for the football game that evening but we stayed in Estes as long as possible, soaking up every minute of that beautiful day! (In order to be able to get some time together, we have to take the opportunity during the week when the kids are in school. Our weekends and evenings are busy with their events - I like the daytime outings though, I am more awake for them, ha, ha!).
We took a picnic lunch and ate it near this little pond - and a herd of elk. It is bugling season for the elk and we got to hear several bull elk bugle. When they bugle, there is a bugle noise in there along with a screaming noise that is a little frightening - when it is coming out of a HUGE bull elk. We saw one of the largest elk I have ever seen; his antlers had to be around 4 feet high!
This cow (female) elk was quick to move when the large bull (male) bugled.
The young bull elk seen below had been chased away from the herd but he did not go far. He sat and up on the hill away from the herd but watched over them all afternoon. I guess he figures if he is patient, he can join the herd when the big, old bull is gone. :)
We walked right up on him without seeing him at first. We backed off very quickly. That is a face that means business.
And the big guy? Here are some photos of him:
He was just coming up over this little ridge by where we were eating our lunch. When we saw how massive he was and that he was coming our way, I started packing up our picnic but he decided to turn and go back into the thicket, phew! :)
Look at the size of the back of his neck! Oh, I wish my photos could really show how huge he is!
I feel like I should name him, I mean really, I'm showing a lot of him here and he wasn't my lunch date! But Jonathan and I did have such a good time sneaking around to catch better glimpses of this great creature.
Can you see him laying in the thicket? Along with two females? Perhaps now you can see just how large he is when you compare him to two other elk?
And one last one of this guy, the rock looking thing in front of him (in the photo) is actually a cow elk.
Oh, I think I'll call him Mel:
This herd was hanging out in town:
While we were watching this herd in town, a tour guide came by with a rather large tour of people. the guide told something that I had never heard before. He said that they have found, in observing the herds, that there is a female in charge of the herd. She makes the decisions as to where they go, which elk are welcomed into the herd, etc. The male's role in the herd is to protect the herd and keep the herd together, making sure they follow the lead of the female in charge. He said in observing the herds it appears that the female in charge is respected by the others. Interesting, huh? As we watched this particular herd in town, it was apparent which female was in charge. :) Pretty cool!
She began to lead them down the road, the male would bugle call to the rest of the herd and they immediately followed:
So, we had a funny little (miscommunication) thing happen. Married people do.
Before we left for our little outing, I was making our picnic lunch and daydreaming of the beautiful meadow we would find. There, we would lay out our picnic blanket and relax, talk, laugh, and eat a delicious lunch together.
As we headed up to Estes, I asked Jonathan if he knew of a nice place where we could have our picnic - I asked this as he was chowing down eating his grilled chicken sandwich (gluten free) in the car. He put away the lunch and said he knew of a great place.
When we arrived there I was less than happy about the place. It was not the meadow I had dreamed up in my mind, nor was it a fun park with picnic tables. It wasn't a little bank by a river or stream. It was in front of a busy lodge, people were coming in and out, the cars were whizzing by, and the places to sit were right by the entrance to the lodge - on benches - where everyone could watch us eat.
He was not happy that I was not thrilled with the place. I could be thrilled with it if we were there for something else. But I had in my mind a nice quiet, secluded, away from people kind of place where we could really relax and enjoy the beauty of Estes for the afternoon.
We left after circling the parking lot several times while discussing our options (he was not happy with me for not being happy) and found the little place pictured earlier.
After I explained to him what sort of picnic I had thought we would be having, he was sweet and said, "I need to learn how to woo you." I didn't disagree. We both laughed.
Then he said, "But I don't know how to learn how to woo you, I need to get lessons from someone." We laughed some more. And then we both decided that the best "WOO-ing teacher" would be his buddy Arturo.
Never in a million years would I have thought he was serious but later that night, he announced to me that he had called Arturo for his first tutorial and had gotten some pointers but admitted that Arturo's suggestions might be hard to actually fulfill.
Oh, that Jonathan cracks me up!
Although he may not be Mr. Romantic, he has always been super kind to me and has even been known to "woo" me from time to time, I may need to remind him of that. :)
This year it was reported that the ceremonies and tributes for the victims of 9/11 was kept to family and loved ones only. No dignitaries, etc.
I think that is a good idea, it's been 11 years and I am sure those people need to be able to grieve in their own, personal way.
This was such a tragic day for our country and so many people have suffered greatly ever since.
Through the pain and sorrow though, our country united and I believe we began to appreciate the important things again.
I hope we will continue to remember the changes we all made in our lives after this brutal day; both as a nation and personally. We need to remember.
This morning I was sad to hear that on this anniversary Christopher Stevens, an American Ambassador in Libya, was killed by Libyan rebels along with 3 other Americans.
How we are perceived by some and disliked by many around the globe makes me sad.
Sometimes the weight of how we all treat each other - worldwide - hits me and it hurts. I wish it would change.
Even when I read scriptural accounts of fighting and hatred from long ago it bothers me.
We are different. Not one of us is alike...but we can aLIKE it that way!
We can see the good in others, we can choose to appreciate what they have to offer.
We are capable of that. I know we are capable of that and more. If God loves all of us and we love Him, and if we are His spirit children, then we should be able to love each other. And if love is too hard to reach, acceptance would be a great place to start.
Moroni 7:16 ...the Spirit of Christ is given to every man...for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ..."
Because of Him, we can do good, we can be better, we have been gifted with His Spirit and we can be empowered through that Spirit.
If you haven't seen the news surrounding the very sad incidents overseas (and here!), here is a video:
Sunset. How I love this time of day!
Scenes from our little field trip:
Ben and Joan's cabin is on the other side of the dark green mountain on the right side of the photo.
Look at that unbelievably turquiose blue color of the lake, yes, it is really that turquoise color. The color of the lake is the result of calcium carbonates suspended in the lake. Bear Lake was formed by earthquake activity 28, 000 years ago; it is 20 miles long, 8 miles wide and 108 feet deep. We explored all around it - just as much as we could! It's a lot to explore and we definitely didn't have enough time...Jon? Want to go back and finish exploring?
This is what Jonathan looks like (his stance) while he patiently waits for me to walk around and take in everything around us (and that's a lot! I can never see enough!):
(I believe he would wait for me forever).
And of course not everything can be beatuiful all of the time...while we were out we stopped alongside the river to take in the beauty, rest for a few and chat a little. Standing there next to the beautiful river, I saw this:
In a NO FIRE zone! Someone had built a recent fire. After dealing with (and living around) wildfires, I was disappointed to see that people would do this:
(can you believe the bullet casings? sheesh!)
Let's get back to beauty...
Scenes from the cabin:
Grandma Joan's pinwheel. It is always there, spinning away on a fence post. It is amazing that it keeps hanging on and spinning no matter the season or weather conditions.
Good morning, sunshine! This was our morning view after a brief but beautiful early morning rain shower. While I was out taking photos, I could see and hear other storms all around us, so cool!
And there is so much more I could share... Oh my!
We have been totally unplugged!
And it has been so wonderful.
(See below? This is one way we unplug!)
(Not certain why his face is so shady! I tried to lighten it as much as I could so we could see him! He says he's my "mystery man" but after 24 years I kind of know what he's going to do or say before he does it and I like that).
Jon and I have just spent the past week in Bear Lake, ID. with little cell phone coverage, no internet or any other form of media. Talk about relaxing!
(I'll share more about that a little later.)
Our (month long) time away has been fantastic and very helpful in getting me to a much healthier place. (Mainly thanks to my parents who created a safe environment for me!)
We have just returned to Colorado; back to reality...
it was hard for me to return and know that I will now need to jump back in to our normal lives and all of the tasks that accompany our return.
But it is time to reconnect with the rest of the world - so I am plugging back in, albeit reluctantly.
And today is our 24th anniversary! Yes! Happy Anniversary to us!
We are more grateful for each other than ever, more happy that we have each other and even more excited about the years to come. Such a great feeling!
While we were in Bear Lake, we were able to really enjoy each other. Boy, do we know how to laugh together!
And we played! Well, as much as we could given some of our little challenges at the moment. But I pushed and did as much as I felt I could and then some.
Our time together was perfect in every way. Just what we needed - to reconnect. :)
Happy 24!
(Note to self: take the photo of us BEFORE we bike (on a surrey built for two) around Bear Lake...not after - Jon looks really tired because he is - I think he worked extra hard with those pedals so I wouldn't have to! Sooo like him to take care of me).
My former "boss-lady" whom I love, love, love(!) is moving on to a new school. So, a couple of weeks ago, I was asked to send in some video and photos - old and/or new. (And they wanted me to come for the surprise celebration for Ginger...boy, did I ever want to go!)
We were getting ready to move (I had just found out I needed to be ready in a couple of days!) and I wasn't well but I really wanted to be able to participate in some way. Thanks to keeping a blog, I had some photos at the ready! It was easy to get them sent off to TX. We even made a couple of quick video clips for Ginger. (Next best thing to being there...).
The stroll down Isbell memory lane made me long for those days. It was such a privilege for me to be able to work where my children attended school and be among some of the most wonderful people on the planet!
Happy, happy days! And it all began with Ginger.
50's day - the three of us with Ginger, Gayla and her daughter, Codi Grace. (Love those gals!)
Day 100 - Smash with his oxygen tank and cane. Me with slouchy stockings and old-lady reading glasses, hey, where are those?! I could use them now!
Megaroo asleep under my desk. Sweet baby. Just looking at this makes me want to hold her on my lap and squeeze her!
Nurse Stacy with Smash and her daughter Julia. (Stacy is another favorite person!)
Stacy's daughter Katelyn (Noodle):
Smash! Giving his report on Chief Sitting Bull.
With his 3rd grade teacher:
Sitting Bull and Pocahontas.
Halloween at our home.
Ginger with Mr. and Mrs. (Bert and Eloise) Isbell for whom the school was named:
I had the privilege of driving them in the town parade - in my Carlotta! FUN!!
And the faculty, each holding a favorite thing (mine is a photo of my family).
I could go on and on...but this is enough for now. You get the picture. :) These were happy days.
Another fun fact about me and celiac disease: my middle name is Celia, just add a 'c' to the end and you have celiac. (Goofy, I know, but this is how I embrace new challenges). :)
Soon I will post something else, I promise. This will not become the "Let her have celiac" blog instead of "Let them be little." It is just that right now, I am totally immersed in reading, learning and understanding more about this disease in order to speed up the healing process, if possible.
Thank you to those of you who have reached out with helpful hints, suggestions and places for me to look for additional help. I really appreciate all of that!
Now, back to the article:
Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is found mainly in foods but may also be found in everyday products such as medicines, vitamins, and lip balms.
The small intestine is shaded above.
When people with celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging or destroying villi—the tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small intestine. Villi normally allow nutrients from food to be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream. Without healthy villi, a person becomes malnourished, no matter how much food one eats.
Villi on the lining of the small intestine help absorb nutrients.
Celiac disease is both a disease of malabsorption—meaning nutrients are not absorbed properly—and an abnormal immune reaction to gluten. Celiac disease is also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Celiac disease is genetic, meaning it runs in families. Sometimes the disease is triggered—or becomes active for the first time—after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress.
Symptoms of celiac disease vary from person to person. Symptoms may occur in the digestive system or in other parts of the body. Digestive symptoms are more common in infants and young children and may include
Irritability is another common symptom in children. Malabsorption of nutrients during the years when nutrition is critical to a child's normal growth and development can result in other problems such as failure to thrive in infants, delayed growth and short stature, delayed puberty, and dental enamel defects of the permanent teeth.
Adults are less likely to have digestive symptoms and may instead have one or more of the following:
People with celiac disease may have no symptoms but can still develop complications of the disease over time. Long-term complications include malnutrition—which can lead to anemia, osteoporosis, and miscarriage, among other problems—liver diseases, and cancers of the intestine.
*
If you want to know more, click on the link at the top of the post. Of the last list, I have had 7 of those symptoms listed. Not sure about bone loss because I have not gone in for my scan yet, I hope my bones are still strong.
Thinking good, strong (and happy) thoughts.
Well, I did it.
My first iron transfusion/infusion on Friday.
The best part? The warm blanket!
Tomorrow (Monday) I go back for more, then again on Friday and then I repeat that again next week.
It has taken me a little while to feel up to getting back on here to report.
The iv iron was a little unpleasant during the procedure. Not sure why other than maybe my veins were finding it difficult to support all of that extra volume(?).
But I did alright.
Jonathan was right there with me to help me try to feel more comfotable. He knew how I was feeling by looking at me, I didn't have to say a word. When I felt faint, the foot rest on my chair was raised instantly.
Afterward, I was completely wiped out. Not able to wake up. I slept for hours and felt so out of it.
Once I was up, it felt as if the flu had invaded my body while I slept, and that is how I have felt the last couple of days.
I'm hoping for a little more fun with the iron tomorrow. :) (It would be nice if it gets easier).
Even though I was told that it would take several infusions before I would begin to feel a little better, I was hoping for more; hoping for instant energy.
But I will take what I can get. And hope for the best.
This is how it is right now and frankly, it could be so much worse.
The iron was the color of root beer extract.
My nurse friend sent me a text telling me of one of her recent patients. His hemoglobin and hematocrit stats were very close to mine, she said, "After a couple of units of blood he could finally remember his name! You must feel awful!!"
I've been asked why I haven't gone in for a blood transfusion. If I were to end up in the ER for any reason, they would be required to give me one. However, if I have to have one, it would be better to get it from my doctor at his cancer center.
He wants to try to help me build my blood on my own while he hunts down the reasons for loss and why I don't absorb iron.
When he asked me to go in for the iron transfusions, I asked him about the iron and how it would be able to do what it needed to do when my blood volume is so low. (Thinking that iron needs good red blood cells to attach to). There is so much I don't know about our remarkable bodies and how they work! But I am learning more and more each day.
He told me that the iron in the blood is like the bricks and mortar while building a home, it helps to frame and hold the structure together.
So, hopefully, those red blood cells are building a happy home with all of this beautiful new iron.
The next photo is not for the FAINT of heart...don't look if you are squeamish. (Smash!)
Just wanted to show that root beer extract looking liquid filling my veins.
Have you heard of it?
With my current (and past year) back issues, I have had a lot of trouble keeping physically fit and healthy.
One of the struggles with that has been weight gain. And for me, the recent gain is significant.
That is definitely something I do not like to deal with - at all.
Any weight gain will not help my back, so I need to try to find ways to keep on top of this.
When I saw my doctor this week, she suggested I try the 'my fitness pal' app that I can put on my iPhone. It is a FREE app.
If you are trying to get healthier, i.e. track your fitness, gain weight, lose weight, track workouts, water intake, etc., this is a great place to do it.
According to the app, I have been under-eating. I tend to eat a lot of veggies, beans, etc., which you think would be great and fine but the app is telling me too little could be sending my body into a starvation mode and therefore is holding on to everything...
So, I have been trying to eat the right amount of calories and I hope it will help me. We will see.
The app has already been helpful because it serves as a reminder to eat on time and not skip meals.
My fitness pal is also offered online, it is a free service.
In the hope that someone else might be able to benefit from this, I am sharing the info here.
We chose to spend our Valentine's evening with these sweet, excited, NERVOUS, and very giggly girls.
I'm sure it wasn't Jonathan's first choice for our evening together but we did have a great time and these sweet little ladies made it one I won't forget.
One of my three volunteer positions in church (callings) is working with these young girls. And I love each one of them. They are so happy and fun. (More on the others later).
For the last couple of months we have been preparing for this evening (it was actually scheduled for last week originally but we were asked to change the date at the last minute; which left V-day as our only option).
We decided back in Nov. that we would like to do something nice for their parents. So, we planned a nice dinner - babysitting included, thanks Meg and Smash!
In preparation, the girls learned about etiquette and how to serve properly. They learned how to plan and carry out a dinner party and how to make an invitation. They learned how to sew (and iron since we had to iron while sewing and most had not ever done that) and made these super cute matching aprons! They loved sewing! I think every girl really enjoyed those activities.
They each worked really hard to be ready for the big night!
When the girls arrived at the church that evening, they came to check in with me. They all looked so cute in their red, pink and white! But some of them, at least half were SO nervous! Some of the girls were even shaking! Trembling with fear!
I was surprised that they were so nervous. They needed a lot of reassurance. They had so many questions. What if...this happens? What if...that happens? What if...I? And so forth.
Not one girl wanted to make a mistake. They were so sweet and cared very much about this special evening for their parents.
After lots of reassurance and some reminders, it was show time!
On the way in to serve they were very serious.
On the way out of the room, they giggled and giggled!
The girls literally hovered over their parents and made certain that all their needs were met - and then some. We had to gently remind them that their parents also needed time to eat and talk to each other. They looked at me like I was crazy when I said their parents would like to talk to each other...so that's when I threw in the words, "and think romantical thoughts..."(from Monsters, Inc.) ha, ha! In one chorus they all moaned, "EWWW!" But they left their parents alone for a little while. :)
While coming in to get another plate for her parent, one girl said, "Serving is a LOT of work! It's a lot of back and forth, back and forth..., not sure I want to be a waitress any more."
Enjoying a little taste of what their parents were eating - while letting their parents think romantical thoughts. :)
I must say thanks to my own sweethearts who helped me a bunch!
Meg and Smash babysat and played with the younger siblings of these girls so the parents could be totally free.
And Jonathan helped me by getting the kids to where they needed to be all day while I made homemade pasta and prepared for the evening. Although it wasn't a real celebration for us that day, what he did in helping me was the best gift I could have been given.
I really appreciated it! (And needed it!)
when I found these photos that the kids had taken while we were on our trip to Alaska back in June and July of 2008!
The other day I needed another SD card for my camera. My favorite one is full and I don't want to erase it - still have the jitters about my computer and I don't want to lose the photos. I know, I know, trust issues...
So, I grabbed an old card that I don't ever use and when I put it into the computer to upload the photos, these precious photos were there! Taken from the kids point of views; mostly Meg and Smash as the photographers.
I was so excited to see these and to see the changes in the kids in the last few years. 2008 doesn't seem all that long ago and yet a lot has happened and changed since then; many of those changes are evident in their faces alone.
The photo below is of Meg and I on a bus in Denali National Park. Look at Nathan and Emily just behind us.
Here we are with the girls. Emily had long hair then and had it in braids.
And here we are with the boys. Smash smiled in photos back then!
Not the best photo of us but I had to show just how much Smash and Nathan have changed since then:
Although the moose photo is a little blurry, it's fun to remember all of the moose we saw - as well as other wonderful animals and scenery.
The blond in the photo below is me.
Just kidding, it's not a Mar-bear, it's a real bear.
The kids zoomed in on him, or her:
Kids are great, aren't they? There were a lot of photos taken of this next creature! Ha, ha!
They did make friends with him, he followed them all over while we were stopped at this little picnic area.
But they took a lot more photos of him than they did of the moose or bear, or anything else. I love kids!
I think Meg took the photo below of Smash; it's so cute.
The kids caught whales too - - on camera.
And the photo below is a really great capture. Not sure who took it but he/she managed to capture the sea lions on the rocks and a whale in the water next to them. Really cool!
There are many more photos but that's all I will share for now. It's a lot, I know.
What a very fun find for me, I'm kind of happy that they were tucked away until now because it makes them seem even more special.
Great job at capturing these photos!
Kids, do you remember taking them?
LOVE THE ONE(s) YOU'RE WITH...
One of the young moms from our new church congregation recently gave birth to twins. A little boy and a girl. They are so sweet and really mellow! Their mom needed a little help, someone to come over and hold babies, change and feed them, and do a little light cleaning while she took a shower, ate a meal, had time to read to her toddler, etc. Well, I am the gal for that! I can clean and I can definitely hold babies and love on them for any amount of time.
However, I couldn't help but think of two other babies that I already love; a sweet baby boy and a brand new beautiful girl. How I wish I could hold them!
So, as the saying goes, "If you can't be with them one you love..."
The twins were a great substitute - for now.
Sweet Clover
and Rich
Watch this video of Rich, his timing is impeccable as you will see and he is a genius, I am sure of that! ha, ha. I love that he surprised his parents too! The first of many surprises to come, for sure.
Isn't he so cute? Thanks for permission to post this, Karen.
EVER!!
For this cute girl!
Our one and only Bemmer-BO!
(At 8 years old)
We pulled off the biggest and best birthday surprise!
I contacted a few of Emily's friends via text and FB and asked them to help me give her a MEGA surprise for her "golden" birthday.
Her friends are the best! They were absolutely wonderful! They were more than happy to help.
And not one spilled the beans.
We drove halfway to Provo on Friday night, then the rest of the way on Saturday morning. (We had to leave to return to CO on Sunday morning; a fast and furious trip... well, not too furious, no one was angry, ha, ha!).
When we arrived in Provo, we picked up all of the necessary party items and then went to the Cougareat at BYU to set it all up and make it feel festive!
Her friends were to arrive at 1 PM, which they did, and then Mary would bring her after that for the surprise.
Emily had NO IDEA that we were in Provo. Not even an inkling.
Now for full disclosure: Emily loves the color red (me too!) and so in thinking of Emily and NOT thinking of THE DAY we were having this shindig...well, not thinking through it fully...I decorated with RED. Mm-hmm. RED in the Cougareat, in the heart of BYU blue, on GAME DAY! And not ANY game day, the big rivalry game day between the Y and the U!
Yes, we had looks and even a few comments and although I felt silly for setting it all up in red, I loved every bit of it. I was so excited to do this for Emily.
This birthday was special! We had not seen Emily since she went away to college in June.
My oh my, did that ever feel like a l o o o n n n n g g g time!
Once her friends had arrived and we had chatted with them for a few minutes, the kids, Jonathan and I went to hide around the corner.
Waiting for her to get there seemed like an eternity. It wasn't. But it felt that way because we were so very excited!
When she came in to the Cougareat with her friend (Mary), the rest of the gang began to sing "Happy Birthday" to her. That is when we came out. She was facing away from us so as we approached her, we sang along. As soon as she heard us singing, she whipped around and BURST into tears! So did I. Tears, tears, tears. And lots of hugs!
It was the sweetest reunion, ever.
Mary is the one in the blue-stripe shirt next to Emily. Greta is on the other side of her. Those three gals are planning on rooming together as soon as their contracts are up and they can move in together. I really love those girls!
Unfortunately, I did not get photos of all who were there (I was busy!) but I did try to get photos of many of those who attended.
Ha ppy birthday, Emily! I love you!
(MY mission...)
is to take one beautifully lived-in home belonging to a family of 6 and transform it into a show-home that has no appearance, what-so-ever, of the past 7 1/2 years and the daily memories made there. That would be 2,737 (+/- a few days...). That is a LOT of memories.
And so the mission began...
With Jonathan and the children gone, I went to work.
**I began trying to write this on August 29th. I am now back to finish it (hopefully) on September 12th -Marilyn's b-day! (my niece) Happy birthday!
In order to be marketable in our area and to be able to compete with new homes, everything had to be updated:
New carpet and paint, everything from the upstairs (that was left after the kids took their things) was put into storage or given away leaving it empty. Main floor needed photos removed, artwork moved around the home, some furniture removed and placed in storage or given away, closets and cupboards cleaned out, garage transformed, everywhere a deep cleaning and then staged for show.
It was exhausting. I was working as hard and fast as I could from 5 AM to 1 AM daily. I had my own deadlines to meet in order to be with my family in CO and just as I thought I was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, there would be more to do. There is always more that could be done.
My body ached, all of the time. It hurt so much that getting into bed at 1 AM was no relief. I would lay there in such pain that I could not get to sleep. When this began to happen, I would think to myself, "There is no way I will be able to get up in the morning, I am going to be in a full-on flare up and not be able to move."
My worry was that I would not be able to make it to CO. Missing the first day of school, for the first time EVER as a mom, nearly killed me. They were in a new place, a totally new environment with new teachers, new policies, new friends to be made, etc. The first day of school is hard any way (for me) but to NOT be with them on the day they started a new adventure was really heart-wrenching. I knew they would have so much that they would want to talk about. My desire to get to CO to be with them was so great that it kept me moving forward.
Somehow, each morning at 5 AM, I would wake up and although my body hurt, I would get up and get working. The rash on my face appeared (which usually means I am done for...) accompanied by a fever told me my body was shutting down but it kept going and I was not able to hold down food either. I was surprised that I was still able to move (although rather painfully) let alone get all of that work done.
There was a feeling, a blessing, that continually accompanied me. The Lord knew the desires of my heart and the difficulty my body was having in cooperating with those desires and He supported and sustained me.
But the work was not done by me alone. There were such wonderful people who came to help and those crazy, wonderful people kept coming back for more! This was not fun work at all! But there they were, working beside me, taking time from their busy lives and/or from their families, to help my family and I appreciate them so much! So, so much. I wish I could more adequately express my love for each of them and my deep and sincere gratitude.
My body was hitting a wall. I knew it. Without those beautiful people, I would not have been able to accomplish all of the things that needed to be done and especially within such a short time frame. These people saved me. Literally. I do not say those words lightly.
AND the house looks better now than it did when we moved into it! Really, it does! It looks absolutely beautiful! Everything is bright and shiny.
I am so thankful to (my special op's force - Marilyn's "angels") Tim and Kristen, Jeff and Jenney, Dave and Ginger, Linda, Shelley, Arturo, Dave and Yunhi, Kim, Mike, and others who called to check on me or popped in and out while I was there working (and those who tried to feed me).
(I must insert here that when Jon and the kids left, we had no idea that we would need to do all of this work before I could join them, we truly thought it would be a bit of organizing, cleaning and staging - otherwise we would have come up with a different plan).
While working during the afternoon one day, I don't remember which day, my father-in-law called to see what I was doing and how things were going. I told him all that I was working on and he let me know that he and Joan (my MIL) would like to go to CO and help Jonathan and the kids. my initial gut reaction was "YES!" I thought that would be wonderful for the kids to have their grandparents there to love and joke with them. They would create a wonderful distraction from the "move" and thoughts of them spending time with the kids immediately soothed my mother-heart. I knew the children would love to have them there. A little while later, Ben called and suggested that they could stay with the kids so that Jonathan could fly to TX and drive me back to CO. When he said those words, I began to cry. Instant relief set in. I knew I needed help. I knew I needed Jonathan to drive me. My body was giving out. The house was nearly ready to be put on the market and I would begin driving to CO soon; this worked out perfectly. Little did I know how much I did need him to come and drive me home. Because of the pain, I could only go a few hours at a time. The first day we only made it to Oklahoma City, 3 hours away. It took us a long time to get to CO. Jonathan knew I would need time along the way to sleep and help my body recover and he was willing to travel like that. I really appreciate it. I wouldn't have made it without him.
I am so grateful to Ben and Joan for making that happen and for staying with and loving the children up close and personal for a few days. Truly, I was sent more angel help and I recognize that and am so grateful.
Although I wasn't well when we arrived in CO, I was much better than I would have been if we had not traveled the way he suggested. My body is recovering and if I could stop falling down stairs, I would be recovering more quickly! Yep, 'tis true. :) Life is always full of unexpected surprises, ha, ha.
Mission accomplished - in TX.
Recovery mission underway in CO.
Tim and Kristen and family
(Need to look for photos of the other friends who helped!)
(Our favorite part of our TX home - the heart of it).
"Where HAVE you been?"
Not you, Me.
Well, we have had some travels (which need to be added to the blog among other things) but in between those spurts of being gone, I have been living my life for Tuesday evenings.
Last May a new church congregation was formed for the young single adults of our faith in our area. Our church was able to form this congregation for the young singles ages 18 - 30 (ish) which was so exciting! These kids need a place for themselves. They are in a transitional time in life and need each other and the gospel. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, this age group struggles with continuing church worship and service; yet they need it and we need them; the Lord needs them.
I had been working with this age group for nearly the past year when their congregation was formed (YSA branch).
When that happened, I was asked to teach a weekly class of religious studies (called Institute of Religion) for them that was to be held on every Tuesday evening.
With utter shock and disbelief that I would be asked to fulfill this calling (that is the word we use in the church for assignment, as each job we are assigned is voluntary and the decision is made as a matter of prayer), I happily accepted. The opportunity to teach these awesome people was exciting to me! But I have to admit I was overwhelmed and humbled by the calling; feeling that I was not adequate or qualified. When I voiced my concerns of not feeling qualified, I was told that the Lord had qualified me. That was sweet to hear but didn't seem to instantly relieve my nerves.
However, the excitement of this calling pushed me beyond my nervousness and I went to work! I studied... hours and hours of study and prayer in preparation for each lesson. Week after week, the schedule was the same. I would study and prepare for many hours while struggling to come up with the lesson plan that the Lord wanted taught. Then on Sunday night/Monday morning, the thoughts would become clearer and I would put the lesson and power point together for the Tuesday evening lesson. Tuesday, I finalized thoughts on the lesson, baked refreshments, packed up and set up the lesson at the church. I would teach Tuesday evening, stay and talk with the kids for at least an hour after as we took the tables and chairs down and then on Wednesday I would have to recover. Then the new lesson would begin.
In the beginning, I would get to the church on Tuesday an hour or so before class time to set up the projector, tables and chairs, etc. That time had to change to earlier and then earlier each week, as the kids would start coming earlier and earlier to sit and talk with me before the rest of the students arrived. Some came right from work and would bring their dinner and eat and chat with me while I worked on last minute set up tasks. Some wanted to just talk about anything or discuss what we had talked about previously, they would tell me about work and their troubles, others wanted romantic advice...every moment with them has been PURE joy!
When I was first called, I was told to expect only a few to show up, at least until the word got out that the kids liked the class, if they in fact did...
so, I planned for around 5-10 students.
The first night we had 25. Last Tuesday evening, there were around 50. 50!
I was so excited to see that many coming to Institute.
It seems that a miracle of some sort happens every week. These young singles are incredible! I really love them!
It has been incredible to watch their faces as they understand a new concept or as the Spirit teaches their spirits and a light goes on in their eyes. It has been so sweet to watch them change and grow as they learn and study together. Over the course of the past few months, there have been many wonderful and life-changing experiences.
It has been amazing to witness the Lord's hand in their lives, and in mine. Each week as I was teaching, new ideas would be brought out during the lesson, things I hadn't ever thought of before. The students also had great insights and shared openly their ideas. I would learn from them as they taught each other (and me).
The feeling in the room each week has been peaceful and powerful. This has been the sweetest experience for me; I hope for them as well.
In case you haven't figured out how much I love Institute by now, I will say this...
I lived my whole life loving chocolate..., any kind was fine. Then I went to Italy and tasted European chocolate; I knew I would have a hard time ever going back to regular, American chocolate and I have. I'm sorry to say it but European chocolate is superior.
As it turns out, I have enjoyed and loved most all of my callings over the years but Institute is European chocolate to me! It is far superior. :)
You can probably understand that this has not been a typical summer. We have been busy! One of my most favorite things that came from this amount of study was the time with Megan. While Smash was at work, she would get out her personal progress book and scriptures, study and work on her goals alongside me. I loved that! She is also a great assistant! She read every lesson and gave me feedback. We had wonderful talks about the topics I was teaching.
Another great experience from Institute: One of my Institute students, Samantha, began coming with a friend in June. She started coming to church and began discussing the gospel with the missionaries.
She was raised without the Savior in her life, so she knew nothing of Him until she began learning of Him this summer. I loved watching her grow and learn about His teachings. She was baptized last Saturday! It was such a beautiful experience to see her enter the waters of baptism. The smile on her face could not have gotten any bigger! When she came out of the water, she told me how happy she felt.
Getting ready to start class, letting the students come in, get settled and have a treat before we begin:
I could go on and on (for a year!) about this wonderful class. There is story after story, experience after experience, etc. I love each one of these young singles to pieces!
Since I am in TX and my groom (Jonathan) is in CO, I thought it would be fun to do what we would do if we were together in one of those places...follow?
If he were here with me, we probably would have gone out to dinner because it was 106 degrees outside and I had a hankering for Pappasito's Cantina - all day. Mixed grill, Mmm, mm, good!
And if I would have been in CO with him, we would have gone up into the mountains for a nice hike together. Well, he would have vigorously hiked and I would have trailed behind while taking photos and commenting about the beauty there. :)
When I called Jon and made the suggestion, he was really excited about the idea. So, he left for Rocky Mountain National Park (we have a yearly pass to the NP's) in late afternoon/early evening while Meg and I went into Dallas for dinner together. (Smash was working, bummer!).
Here is a photo of my beautiful view for the evening:
Megaroo
And here is a look at his lovely evening view:
Alberta Falls
And thanks to cell phones and texting, we enjoyed it together...
I am so glad that he participated! He needed a break from work and he loves hiking and /or climbing in CO. I could tell that it was a much needed change of scenery for him. He should give himself permission to play more often!
Meg and I had a wonderful dinner and I loved the time with her. She was a terrific date.
All in all, it was a nice anniversary.
Perhaps next year we will spend it together?
That's what we said last year also, but...here we did it again...
only time will tell.
We'll give next year a good try. We will.
The year after, number 25, I think I may insist that we spend it together, perhaps in Costa Rica? Ha, ha!
Happy 23rd anniversary to us!
Since we are apart, I think it is appropriate to play our song from way back when...
we danced to this (several times) before I left for Italy and it became OUR song:
And sweetie, remember this one? Once we decided where we would be married, it came on the radio EVERY time I drove by!
Download 07 Together Forever (Lover's Leap Re 1
Is it totally obvious that we were married in the 80's?!
Ya, I thought so...if you think the music is telling, you should have seen my hair!
One thing was classic and beautiful, that is for sure, the temple where we were married.
If we were together in TX today, we would probably go out to dinner; at Pappasito's Cantina.
If we were both in CO today, we would probably go hiking together.
So, I'll go to Pappasitos tonight and ooo and ahh over the food, and Jon, you can go climbing or hiking and ooo and ahh over the views! And then we can talk to each other tonight about it all! :) Okey dokey?!
Happy Anniversary to my grandparents who would celebrate 73 years today...I guess they must be celebrating on the other side.
And happy anniversary to my sis and her hubby of 17 years.
The 29th of July is a wonderful day. :)
SUNSET.
One of the (many) things I love about road-tripping is the beauty along the way.
This sunset on the TX-NM border was unreal!
The display of light and color was magnificent and continually changing. I wish we could have stopped the vehicle and watched the entire sunset (but if I were to stop every time I thought something was beautiful we wouldn't ever get anywhere). :)
The girls and I are enjoying a fun road trip together while the boys are at home working. (No worries, they got in their play time too!).
Unfortunately I believe the breathtaking colors of this sunset (red/orange haze) were courtesy of the AZ wildfires. I do hope those fires will be contained soon.
on this Good Friday, a little beauty and perspective for Easter weekend.
I have wanted to share this photo for over a month. While on one of my morning walks (of healing and looking for beauty), I shot this perspective and fell in love with the outcome.
My desire to share my thoughts on this photo and what it means to me (and why I feel it is such a great lesson in perspective) has kept me waiting for time. But time has not been my friend, and it appears that, at least for right now, I am not finding enough of it!
So, I will just leave you with a couple of things:
The bottom photo is the true perspective (as taken from the camera and from my point of view). The tree in the background is reflected in a little stream. But how I love that tree in the top photo..., coming from a different perspective - doesn't it look like a fairytale tree?! A fairytale tree against a chimerical sky. I love, love, love it! Without looking at this picture from another perspective, the fairytale tree would have been missed.
(Also, do you see the 'M' created by the blossoming branches in the forefront?! Total bonus!)
We each see a situation, a place, a time, an experience, or even another person from our own perspective based on where we are standing (figuratively or literally); our viewpoint, what we have experienced, endured or enjoyed throughout our own lives.
Looking through the eyes of another perspective will lend us to a new and larger view. As we open our minds and hearts to others and their unique perspectives, we add to our own, creating a broader and more clear view.
Sometimes our conclusions will change as we look through the eyes of another and other times our conclusions will remain the same. But I believe - either way - we are enlightened and are led to become more receptive and compassionate as we understand another's viewpoint.
If you wish to see more in these photos, click on them to open and view them in a larger format. There is so much I see in these photos each time I look. Please tell me what YOU see in these photos! I would love to hear what your thoughts are as you view them from your unique perspective.
(Gotta get working on that talk...)
So, today is Good Friday and Earth Day and it's a wonderful day for a birthday.
This morning I wondered, "Why is today referred to as Good Friday when it commemorates the darkest day in history?" (I do know the answer).
But if we were to refer to this as Black Friday because it was such a terribly dark day (and think of another name for black friday the shopping day) then we could have Grey Saturday and Easter could be White Sunday. Just a thought. I'm not trying to be sacrilegious, I promise.
In complete seriousness and honesty, I do love Holy Week. And I recognize how Good He was to sacrifice for us. I feel blessed and humbled that He was willing to die that we might live.
Easter has become a much sweeter holiday to me as I have aged and grown through the years. As a child, it was not among my favorite holidays; eggs and the easter bunny weren't really thrilling to me. But while I was in Italy, I witnessed a whole different type of Easter. One more focused on our Savior's Life, Death and Resurrection. They begin by waving palms on Palm Sunday, the rest of the week is full of worship. If desired, a priest will come to your home and bless it at some time during Holy Week. They even have a traditional cake in the shape of a dove.
As I learn more of Him, try to live as He would wish me to live and become the woman He would want me to be, my appreciation and understanding of His Easter gift grows. As our family traditions include more of Him (and less of the other), Easter is becoming a favorite holiday for me.
I am grateful for Him.
Earth Day:
And a birthday!
My sis!
It seems that my sister's tongue lashes out at me a lot, ha, ha! She still loves to stick it out at me, even after all these years. I love it. Almost as much as I love her.
Jonathan's brother, Grant, also celebrates his birthday today. What a day!
Jonathan and I have been asked to speak in church on Sunday, yes on Easter Sunday. With only two days notice, I need some divine assistance! Please pray for a miracle - that I will be able to prepare a talk in 2 days, 2 very busy days! (Actually just one day now).