Well, Christmas has come and gone already. My sweet daughter and her family are on their way home and should be there by now. They had a rough trip up, but we so did enjoy them all. She and her husband are doing such a great job raising our grandbabies. The children are really nice people. Owen and I were just sitting and listening to all of them talk with each other and must say how impressed we were at how sweet they treat each other. We heard NO quarreling nor arguments between them. When I commented on that, Austin(15) said it was because it was the day before Christmas Eve, so he knew he had to be extra good. Sherry says they have their moments, but actually are pretty nice most all the time.
We had a wonderful Christmas with family and lots of snow. The children were very happy to be able to play in the white stuff and Christmas day was beautiful and sunny, so playing was pleasant. Took hours longer than it should have for the turkey to get done and dinner was late, but delicious just the same. Christmas eve was a very special night. We had Janelle's baptism in our stake center then came home for dinner of creamy potatoe soup and homemade dinner rolls. Our full time missionaries came to eat with us and also enjoyed a recorded Music and the Spoken Word from a couple of weeks ago. The Choir had guest performers with them who sang the 12th century carole of THE FRIENDLY BEAST and a reading about how the carole, I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY, was written with a little history on Longfellow. It was beautiful and worth listening to. The special thing about that recording was that Elder Barwick(missionary) had used the same poem in his talk and Bro McClune had used the same topic of the Longfellow carole in their talks the same Sunday as the broadcast. Neither of them knew about the broadcast which really surprised Elder Barwick when he watched the program. We talked about simple gifts which was a perfect ending to a beautiful Christmas eve.
I am not looking forward to the schedule change for our ward meetings next week. We will now have the early schedule which starts at 9a.m. but I guess the plus side is that we weill be out at noon. Makes it really hard to get people out for choir practice is the tough thing. I thought about asking for a release from that call, but was reminded that I should just serve as long as needed...so I am still waving my arm around like I know what I'm doing. It is a wonderful calling and I do love to hear the choir do well, so guess I shouldn't rock the boat.
I am wishing all you a very happy and prosperous New Year. I am thinking there will be alot of changes headed our way and am so grateful to have the gospel in my life to help me understand the big picture.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Turkey Day's A comin'
Can't believe that it is Thanksgiving Week already. This year has zipped by...
Our whole sacrament meeting today was about gratitude. I am really glad to be reminded to be grateful from time to time. Personally, I feel too many of us forget to be thankful for all the wonderful blessings that come into our lives and those around us. Isn't it a sin to forget to be grateful? Anyhow, I am grateful for so many things it would take days to list everything.
I do want to take time to let all my friends and family know how grateful I am to have you all in my life and count myself very blessed. I am most thankful to have a good husband who is so sweet and kind to me in every way. We have shared 41 and a half years together now and it really does get better with time. He is such a good friend and companion, I am blessed to have found him at such a young age. I think of both my sisters, and the trials they have had with their marriages, and I know the gospel has made the difference in my life. It is what has helped me to know what is important and how to work on those important things.
I am getting excited for Christmas!! My Sherry and her family are coming up here for the holiday this year. It will be the first time she has been "home" for Christmas since she and Royce moved away to Colorado when Zachariah was just a new infant. We've been together a few times, but not in our home. It looks like Janelle will be baptized while here as well. She turns eight on Dec. 18 and decided she would like to be baptized here so her Grandpa and Grandma can be there, too. I think that is really special. We are so proud of our grand kids for wanting to make good choices. I think they all have good parents who love the Lord and so they are being taught good things.
Owen turned 65 this past week! It was not an easy b-day for him. When his Medicare card came in the mail he got very sad and would not sign it nor put it in his wallet for about three weeks. He finally did so under protest. We actually had a nice date and then he was very surprised to read the blog Sherry and her family posted. Actually, he was more than a little touched. It did him great good to read how much his family loves him. Thank you family.
Another thing I am looking forward to is having Sherry help me with this blog. I want to learn how to make it more personal and be able to post some photos and have some music too. I look at all these other blogs and feel like a dinosaur not having figured it all out yet, so stay tuned, more's a comin', I HOPE.
Have a marvelous Thanksgiving!
Our whole sacrament meeting today was about gratitude. I am really glad to be reminded to be grateful from time to time. Personally, I feel too many of us forget to be thankful for all the wonderful blessings that come into our lives and those around us. Isn't it a sin to forget to be grateful? Anyhow, I am grateful for so many things it would take days to list everything.
I do want to take time to let all my friends and family know how grateful I am to have you all in my life and count myself very blessed. I am most thankful to have a good husband who is so sweet and kind to me in every way. We have shared 41 and a half years together now and it really does get better with time. He is such a good friend and companion, I am blessed to have found him at such a young age. I think of both my sisters, and the trials they have had with their marriages, and I know the gospel has made the difference in my life. It is what has helped me to know what is important and how to work on those important things.
I am getting excited for Christmas!! My Sherry and her family are coming up here for the holiday this year. It will be the first time she has been "home" for Christmas since she and Royce moved away to Colorado when Zachariah was just a new infant. We've been together a few times, but not in our home. It looks like Janelle will be baptized while here as well. She turns eight on Dec. 18 and decided she would like to be baptized here so her Grandpa and Grandma can be there, too. I think that is really special. We are so proud of our grand kids for wanting to make good choices. I think they all have good parents who love the Lord and so they are being taught good things.
Owen turned 65 this past week! It was not an easy b-day for him. When his Medicare card came in the mail he got very sad and would not sign it nor put it in his wallet for about three weeks. He finally did so under protest. We actually had a nice date and then he was very surprised to read the blog Sherry and her family posted. Actually, he was more than a little touched. It did him great good to read how much his family loves him. Thank you family.
Another thing I am looking forward to is having Sherry help me with this blog. I want to learn how to make it more personal and be able to post some photos and have some music too. I look at all these other blogs and feel like a dinosaur not having figured it all out yet, so stay tuned, more's a comin', I HOPE.
Have a marvelous Thanksgiving!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
October Already???
Hard to believe October is already here and more than half way over. Reality hit today when they were announcing plans for our wards Trunk or Treat party and supper. I guess that time really does pass you by even when you have been sick.
I have had a bout with horrible kidney infection. I have never had such pain in my life. They thought I was trying to pass a kidney stone, but fortunately that was not the case. I had two rounds of antibiotics which seems to have finally knocked it out. I just hope I never have to go through that ordeal again.
I am so grateful for this beautiful time of year. Fall has got to be my favorite time of year. I love the beautiful colors and the crispy air in the morning. I do not look forward to winter driving, but this fall weather is just great. I feel blessed to live in this valley where we have such distinctive seasons. I feel sorry for all of my friends on the west side of the state which brings so much rain with this season.
Owen was in northern Arizona this evening and was complaining about the heat. He said it had been in the 90's there today. That is just wrong for this time of year as far as I am concerned. I like the low 60's like we had today.
We are so pleased to hear about the Halvorsen's son getting his mission call. What an exotic, exciting place to be called to serve. I hope we get to go on a mission someday, but I will be very happy to stay in the USA. Our oldest grandson says he wants to go to Venice, Italy. That would be wonderful...We'll have to see where he will be needed. He is such an awesome fella. He challenges me to read my scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. One time I asked him who his favorite person in the B of M is, his response without thought was Nephi. When I asked which one, he said," all of them, they are all wonderful and it would be too hard to choose just one of them". I love him, he will be a wonderful full time missionary.
I am so grateful to be a member of the church and to know that it is true. What a blessing that is. It is what keeps me sane and helps me have hope. Things have been really tough on our family this past year, and I think that were it not for the teachings of the gospel to give us hope that everything happens for a reason, and that if we but endure to the end, there will be blessings to be the reward. The important thing is to endure, after all we can do anything when we know there is and end to come. Sometimes I need to be reminded to keep on enduring...
I have had a bout with horrible kidney infection. I have never had such pain in my life. They thought I was trying to pass a kidney stone, but fortunately that was not the case. I had two rounds of antibiotics which seems to have finally knocked it out. I just hope I never have to go through that ordeal again.
I am so grateful for this beautiful time of year. Fall has got to be my favorite time of year. I love the beautiful colors and the crispy air in the morning. I do not look forward to winter driving, but this fall weather is just great. I feel blessed to live in this valley where we have such distinctive seasons. I feel sorry for all of my friends on the west side of the state which brings so much rain with this season.
Owen was in northern Arizona this evening and was complaining about the heat. He said it had been in the 90's there today. That is just wrong for this time of year as far as I am concerned. I like the low 60's like we had today.
We are so pleased to hear about the Halvorsen's son getting his mission call. What an exotic, exciting place to be called to serve. I hope we get to go on a mission someday, but I will be very happy to stay in the USA. Our oldest grandson says he wants to go to Venice, Italy. That would be wonderful...We'll have to see where he will be needed. He is such an awesome fella. He challenges me to read my scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. One time I asked him who his favorite person in the B of M is, his response without thought was Nephi. When I asked which one, he said," all of them, they are all wonderful and it would be too hard to choose just one of them". I love him, he will be a wonderful full time missionary.
I am so grateful to be a member of the church and to know that it is true. What a blessing that is. It is what keeps me sane and helps me have hope. Things have been really tough on our family this past year, and I think that were it not for the teachings of the gospel to give us hope that everything happens for a reason, and that if we but endure to the end, there will be blessings to be the reward. The important thing is to endure, after all we can do anything when we know there is and end to come. Sometimes I need to be reminded to keep on enduring...
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Once again!
I woke up really early this morning thinking it seemed cooler than it has been. I felt proud of myself for getting up so early on a Sunday morning, then I realized the phone was ringing. It was our ward chorister needing a replacement for sacrament meeting, but she had already hung up and called someoe else this time. I was awake! So I read through the Sunday School lesson and felt ready to participate in class today. Then I sat down and turned on BYU channel to listen to Music and the Spoken Word. That comes on at 8:30 here. I don't remember anything after that. I woke up at 11:20. Sacrament starts at 11:00. Sooooo.. Today I stayed home and have rested. I guess I needed it. Next week, the choir is singing, so I must not have a repeat of this week, since I am the choir director. I have a busy week coming up. It seems that since I started back to work, all my weeks are busy. Not at all like when all the kids were home and I worked full time, but busy the same. Owen had a reality check last week when he had to into the Social Security office to take care of all the paperwork affiliated with turning 65. He has the big birthday coming up in November, but says when he thinks of getting older he still sees himself much younger. That makes me think of sister Mary Braga. One time in RS she made a similar comment about getting older and she couldn't remember when it happened to her and Harvey. She said she still saw him as young and very handsome. I guess we all have similar eyesight. Anyway, Autumn is coming. The orchards are harvesting pears and apples as fast as the can. Bartletts started about two weeks agao, now the Anjou pears are ready. They have been picking Galas and some of the softer apples already. The firmer ones will come on a little later, all the way up tp frost. I feel very blessed to live here in this beautiful valley. We have a couple of other Puyallup transplants here too. Laif Docken and his family live in our stake as well as Sarah Backus Strang and her family. She is in our ward and the Primary President. She is amazing with her five children, taking a full load of classes through Uof W, being a foster parent and everything else she does. I get short of breath just thinking about it. I have counted many blessing today and so grateful to be able to do so. I hope I can always remember to be grateful.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
I keep trying to post a note, but so far have deleted all of them, so here goes again...
First of all I want to thank Sherry for encouraging me to give this a try. I think this will be a great way to keep in touch with family and friends and hope to reconnect with old friends.
We have lived in the Wenatchee valley since 2002 and can truthfully say we do like living here. We enjoy all four seasons and lots of fruit trees. It is amazing how much fruit is grown and shipped from this area. On of the big pluses is that we have very few bugs,mosquitoes and flies around here, and I am sure that is because of all the orchards and the care of them. We live about 1/2 mile up the east side of the Columbia River between the Rock Island and Rocky Reach Dams. We have plenty of sunshine right now and have also had more than enough wind, which is causing some problems with the fire situation around here. Several of the families in our ward have been dealing with allot of smoke, but thus far no loss of property. Aaron travels up to Waterville every day for work and has had to deal with the smoke and some grass fires up there all this week. He has lived over here since December after his divorce. He really went through and still is going through a horrible ordeal. I am just thankful we are here to stand by him. I am alos grateful for a good ward faily who have rallied around him. It is still very hard for him though.
I am excited for this coming Saturday, I am planning to go to the Seattle Temple to meet up with my sweet friend, Isobel, to do some family names there. I miss her and wish we were still close neighbors, but I just can't get her to move over here. Maybe she will come visit me soon.
Thanks to Sherry's blog,
I have been able to catch up a little with some of the people who meant allot to me when we lived in the Puyallup Stake so long ago. It is hard to believe George and Judie's baby boy is on a mission. Just seems impossible that he is already old enough for that. I also saw Halvorsen's blog via my daughter and was simply amazed at how grown up and beautiful their sons are. They must be so please to see how they have grown and no longer make messes with the syrup in the family room in the wee hours of the morning, or has that changed yet Koleen? Any way good to catch a glimpse of you all.
I will get some photos posted very soon so you can see how we are surviving our middle years.Til later.....
First of all I want to thank Sherry for encouraging me to give this a try. I think this will be a great way to keep in touch with family and friends and hope to reconnect with old friends.
We have lived in the Wenatchee valley since 2002 and can truthfully say we do like living here. We enjoy all four seasons and lots of fruit trees. It is amazing how much fruit is grown and shipped from this area. On of the big pluses is that we have very few bugs,mosquitoes and flies around here, and I am sure that is because of all the orchards and the care of them. We live about 1/2 mile up the east side of the Columbia River between the Rock Island and Rocky Reach Dams. We have plenty of sunshine right now and have also had more than enough wind, which is causing some problems with the fire situation around here. Several of the families in our ward have been dealing with allot of smoke, but thus far no loss of property. Aaron travels up to Waterville every day for work and has had to deal with the smoke and some grass fires up there all this week. He has lived over here since December after his divorce. He really went through and still is going through a horrible ordeal. I am just thankful we are here to stand by him. I am alos grateful for a good ward faily who have rallied around him. It is still very hard for him though.
I am excited for this coming Saturday, I am planning to go to the Seattle Temple to meet up with my sweet friend, Isobel, to do some family names there. I miss her and wish we were still close neighbors, but I just can't get her to move over here. Maybe she will come visit me soon.
Thanks to Sherry's blog,
I have been able to catch up a little with some of the people who meant allot to me when we lived in the Puyallup Stake so long ago. It is hard to believe George and Judie's baby boy is on a mission. Just seems impossible that he is already old enough for that. I also saw Halvorsen's blog via my daughter and was simply amazed at how grown up and beautiful their sons are. They must be so please to see how they have grown and no longer make messes with the syrup in the family room in the wee hours of the morning, or has that changed yet Koleen? Any way good to catch a glimpse of you all.
I will get some photos posted very soon so you can see how we are surviving our middle years.Til later.....
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