July 2011

I have a love/hate relationship with July. I LOVE the 4th of July and the weeks leading up to it listening to the Davis High Marching Band wind their way through our neighborhood streets each week day morning. I love the Kaysville parade (hokey as it may be) but this year I didn't watch it, I walked in it! The DUP had an entry consisting of a float, a horse-drawn (or human-drawn if the horse spooks)  carriage, and a handcart, which I helped push in the parade. It was hot, but lots of fun.

After the parade and the cooling down, the best of the 4th was yet to come! Our traditional family gathering for burgers and the traditional picture of all the grandkids in their 4th of July shirts.

Danielle and David spent the night with me taking in the awesome Kaysville fireworks!

With the 4th festivities behind us, the hate part of the month comes with the middle of July and the memories of losing my beloved husband on July 14, 1999. Twelve years hasn't made the loss any easier to deal with. I miss you David and look forward to eternity with you.

Next the celebration of a special "3" year old in our family. Tyler can't be thee already!  Slow down time - my babies are growing up too fast!!

The 25th of July brings a birthday celebration. The girls and I have a tradition of celebrating our birthdays together by going to lunch or breakfast and usually taking in a temple session. The temple session didn't happen this year as the temples were closed today because it's Monday and the Pioneer Day celebration.  We enjoyed a yummy lunch together, along with Mary Ann, at Olive Garden.

July also brought a new calling as service missionary. I am working with the associates at the DI who are attending technical training at the DATC. This is a one year (minimum) calling and I think it will be extremely rewarding to help these brothers and sisters accomplish their goals.

Next up - August and our ward family trek. Stories and photos to follow next month.

30 Days of Gratitude

Day 1: I am so very grateful for three beautiful, caring and amazing daughters. I cannot imagine my life without any of them. They are amazing mothers who are teaching and raising awesome children. They enrich my life and continue to teach me through their examples, their spirituality and compassion.

Day 2:  I am grateful for the 30 years I was able to spend on this earth with this man. I am even more grateful for the eternity that we will be able to spend together with our family.

Day 3: I am grateful for ten beautiful, talented grandkids who bring richness to my life. Kaycee, Kolten, Kelly, McKenzie, Danielle, David, Sophie, Spencer, Conner and Tyler:

YOU ARE THE JOY IN MY LIFE!!

Day 4: I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for a living prophet of God who directs His church and for the abundance of blessings I receive each day from a loving Father in Heaven who knows me and my needs.

Day 5: I am grateful for a comfortable warm home to come home to each day. It is my refuge from the world; a place of peace, a place of joy, a place of love.

Day 6: I am grateful for the community I live in; for the safety I feel here, for good neighbors, for beautiful tree-lined streets and for the sense of pride this community has.

Day 7: I love the Sabbath. I love everything about it...attending church, partaking of the sacrament, feeling the spirit. But most of all, I love to stop for a minute, step away from the world and think of holier things, things of eternity, feeling that peace that only the Savior can give. Today I am thankful for the Sabbath.

Day 8:  Today I am very grateful for the members of our armed forces - both the veteran's of the past and the soldiers of today. They are heroes amoung us. Tonight was a tribute to the veteran's at Apple Tree, where I work in the Relief Society. We had one sister and eight brethren who were honored as veteran's. To all military personnel (veteran's or current), I offer my thanks and gratitude for defending this great nation and the freedom of each of us who live here. God Bless America.

Day 9:  I am grateful for temples. After spending a few hours there this morning, I am keenly aware of how much our Father in Heaven loves us to give us such a beautiful, peaceful place to escape the cares of the world and draw nearer to him. I love temples!

(Thanks for the picture Marcie)
Day 10:  Today I am thankful for my five senses. In the last week the changing of the seasons has heightened awareness of these gifts. The taste of crisp apples fresh from the tree in the fall; the smell of  fires coming from fireplaces; the sight of a kaleidoscope  of bright yellow, orange, red and brown leaves;the touch of lightly falling snow with the biggest flakes I have ever seen; and the sound of fall leaves crunching underfoot. I love fall!
Day 11: I am grateful for the opportunity of serving at Apple Tree Retirement Center in the Relief Society. The dear, sweet sisters of Apple Tree are such pillars of strength and examples of truly enduring to the end and never giving up. We have lost so many sisters this past year. I am grateful for the privelege of serving them.
Day 12: Thankful am I for the gift of friendship. I have a special friend who has literally rescued me emotionally and spiritually. She and I have a bond which is a gift from God. I'm grateful for Norda.

Day 13: I am grateful today for three little boys who bring light to my life. Spencer, Conner and Tyler are three bundles of unlimited energy and questions - as well as three little bundles of sheer joy.

Day 14: Today I am grateful for a beautiful granddaughter who is celebrating her 12th birthday today. McKenzie is in 6th grade, is learning to play the viola and the piano, plays soccer, is an excellent student and has the biggest smile of any of my grandchildren. McKenzie brings me joy!

Day 15: Yesterday, I went to Pleasant View to watch Kelly's primary presentation. It was an excellent program - made even better by Kelly's beaming face as she sang of the love the Savior has for her. I am grateful for Kelly. Kelly was baptized in September. She is an amazing little girl. Kelly is a very good student, is learning to play the piano, is full of emthusiasm for life and loves her family. She is still happy to give grandma hugs - which brings me joy.

Day 16: I am grateful today for my sister, Mary Ann. I am grateful that she is living close by now, that we can go to lunch, work on projects, go to the temple and just plain be together. I am grateful that she is here for the winding down of Mom's life. With four older brothers, I am especially grateful to have a sister to share a special friendship with.

Day 17:  I witnessed the most incredibly beautiful sunset tonight. When a scene like that presents itself I think, "How the Lord must love us to make such a glorious place for us!" Today I am grateful for the beauty of the earth from the miracle of each tiny juice pocket in an orange to the almost indescribable color of a setting November sun. Truly, I stand all amazed.
Day 18:  At Apple Tree today, Sister Johnson gave us a lesson on the Holy Ghost. I am grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and the guidance and knowledge this gift imparts to me.
Day 19:  Much of my Christmas shopping and sewing is done! I am grateful for that fact. 
Days 20 and 21:  Last night and today was stake conference. I am thankful for stake leaders who serve with open hearts and hands. I am grateful for those speakers who gave me strength and hope through their timely messages. I am thankful for an outgoing stake Relief Society Presidency who have taught me much about service and love. 

Day 22:  Today I experienced joy as I sat with my mother through an hour of music therapy at Chancellor Gardens. As we sang along to "You Are My Sunshine", Mom's eyes locked with mine for the whole song and I recognized that, for that brief moment, although she doesn't know my name anymore, she knew who I was and that she loves me. I am grateful for my mother.

Day 23: Tonight as I sit in my warm home with a raging blizzard outside, I am grateful for modern day heat and for the comfort of a home no matter where I am in this home. My memory took me back to days growing up as we huddled around the old oil stove in the front room of our house in Logan. It was the only source of heat for the house, so on nights like tonight, we either had to huddle around the stove or pile into bed with a stack of homemade, warm quilts on top of us.

Day 24: This is a wonderful time to be on earth. While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good. There are marriages that make it, parents who love their children and sacrifice for them, friends who care about us and help us, teachers who teach. Our lives are blessed in countless ways. -President Thomas S. Monson

Three Postings Does Not a Blog Make

WOW - how did it get from October to March without an update to this blog?  So much for good intentions! I have lots of excuses ~ holidays, working overtime, new Relief Society calling, but the bottom line is just one word - procrastination.

So - what has happened since October.  I will start with one of the best things.  For Christmas, my girls gave into my constant nagging for an updated family picture.  The pictures turned out awesome. And - they didn't even make me wait until Christmas to view them. 

Though I loved all of the pictures, the ones with my incredible grandkids brings me joy each time I look at it.

October also brought the celebration of my mother's 90th birthday.  Although her health and mind are failing, she rose to the occasion for her party and did well in remembering names of cousins, nieces, and old friends who came to celebrate with her.

Mom joyful to see nieces Colleen and Maxine.

The Nay Family with Great-grandma.

The Clark's with Great-grandma Davis

The Sander's with Great-grandma.

I truly believe in miracles. Sunday I had cooked a turkey breast in a bag inside of a pyrex baking pan. The turkey was done, and as I was getting it out of the oven, Tyler came into the kitchen and was pulling on my leg wanting to be picked up. Rather than turn and put the baking pan on the counter, I sat it down on the stovetop and picked him up. I had no sooner turned around than the pyrex baking dish literally exploded and shattered into hundreds of various size shards of glass. These shards went flying across the kitchen and I have no doubt that if my little guy had still been at my side instead of in my arms, he would have been seriously injured. We were blessed. I believe in miracles . . . . . .