Monday, January 30, 2012

A day for two roses...

Today there are two roses
place by the graveside
of a very special man named Scott.
Scott is the husband of my very dear friend Deby.
Two years ago today 
her sweetheart left this earth
from a tragic snowmobile/avalanche accident.

Deby and Scott have a love story
which started over 40 years ago.
They have a family of
three beautiful daughters
and three handsome sons.
Deby is a devoted mother, grandmother and friend.


Her world both stopped and started that day.
A day of stopped earthly association,
stopped conversation,
stopped hugs and kisses,
stopped sharing and helping and supporting.

The starting of cherished memories,
 of independance,
and  alone-ness.
Not loneliness...
because she is surround by 
the support of family and friends, 
but alone-ness that is hard to describe.

We entered this new journey of journeys one year apart.
(Alain died just 5 days after Scott's accident just one year prior.)
Deby knew much of what my new world would be like.

We both know where our sweethearts are,
we know what kind of men they were in life,
and we are anxious for the day when we can be with them again.
Until then...
we are trying to make 
every day count!

(Deby has touched my life for good!)




Saturday, January 28, 2012

Do you have a Pinterest interest?

 
PARTY!

My cute friend Konda held her first ever Pinterest Party today! 
She invited those of us in the neighborhood 
who have been pinning and repinning and liking and following each other!

(Notice her husband in the other room....
imagine.... not wanting anything to do with our squealing and laughter!)


OK... so the idea was that we would each bring a recipe that we had pinned on our boards
and bring it to her home and share with each other.
I was giddy over these "piggies" I saw, so I pinned them to my
"Ideas to do with the Grand-kids" board!
I honestly don't know when I would have taken the time to try them,
but this gave me a great excuse this morning.
So easy and so much fun!
Pig out!
 


Konda's Men
Snowmen that is!


Warning.... completely addictive!


This could be considered wasting time... I know I will have to be disciplined, but the way I see it...
once I've pinned it,
it's sort of like mission accomplished...
well... at least partially.
Sometimes I just like to look...
(we can't do it all!)

Thanks Konda!  Besides being a "party queen"...
you're the best!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Another birthday girl!



A very good listener
U  nusually kind & thoughtful!
B ig time workout girl!
R eady to work hard...
E asy to talk to.
Y es... she is that beautiful in person!

 Aubrey Ann turns 28 today.  
She is the girl on the far right.  She has the most beautiful smile and teeth!
 Aubrey was the peacemaker in our family. 
We could always count on her to be where she was supposed to be,
doing what she was supposed to be doing.
Alain and I would marvel at what a big help she was 
even when she wasn't asked.
In other words...
she was a joy to have in our home.

She is out in the big world in California,
working as a paralegal
working out every day
and honestly... still trying to move forward
after the loss of her sweet dad.
Aubrey was Alain's only daughter and they were very, very close.

Happy Birthday Aubrey
I love you!




This was a visit of her's to our snowy home in Idaho.  
We even built an ice cave for the little girls to play in!



This is her graduation day in 2008 from BYU! 

Monday, January 23, 2012

10 Years of Wonderfulness!




I s a very hard worker
S peaks Spanish very well
A lways a teaser
I s a very good piano player
A wesome grandson
H ugs his Nana with the best hugs!

 
This is Isaiah Alain. 
Isaiah was born 10 years ago today! 
He is my very first grandbaby! 
(He was cuddled and kissed like no other!)
I will never forget the first time I heard him say "Na."
(Short for Nana!)

This is Isaiah this past summer in the backyard.
He wanted to be the first one to find a ripened "raspberry!"
(And he was!)
The bee's were making him nervous so he went 
and got a pair of his Papa's work gloves.
I asked him how in the world could he pick raspberries
with gloves on?
Very well, apparently!





One morning I went outside and found my sweet daughter in law
and grand-kids working in the garden.
I was so impressed with Isaiah... he is one hard worker.
I will never forget the previous summer when he got another group of cousins
and went to work weeding the corn to surprise Papa!


This is a picture of Isaiah's dad Brandon, Papa,
Isaiah (holding his scriptures) and little brother Josh just before
Isaiah was baptized in California two years ago.



Isaiah is the tallest boy sharing his talents at our
Family Reunion Talent Show!






                 Happy Birthday Isaiah!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Grief is love's shadow!


  I read an article by S. Micheal Wilcox, who's wife recently died of cancer.  He said the following...

"After losing my wife to cancer, I had to learn to
live, love, and grieve all at the same time.
I'm still learning to feel my way without her
physically beside me, 
but I am learning more of the deeper meaning of eternal love."

As I reflect upon this past year, I can really relate to what he is saying.  Life went on...for me and for everyone else around me.  The sun came up in the morning and set in the evening.  My own heart kept beating and therefore I had to learn to live.  As living became automatic, I also felt a great need to love.  The opposite would be to be angry, or blame or become bitter. I knew in my heart that that was not an option for me.  Thirdly, and most important,I needed to grieve.   I love what he said about this.

"Love is a redeeming emotion and grief is love's shadow.
I am now living in that shadow, 
the diminished light cast upon me by the death of my wife a short eight months ago.  
These have been days of pain and yes, fear and questioning,
but also of profound love
felt in previously undiscovered depths of my soul."

If there is a shadow... there must be sunshine to produce it.  I am grateful for the "son" and the sun!   If there is love... then there must be grief.  True to the Faith booklet, states the following under the heading "Death"

..."You have probably experienced the pain that comes at the death of a family member or friend. It is natural to feel sorrow at such times. In fact, mourning is one of the deepest expressions of love. The Lord said, “Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die” (D&C 42:45). The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life."

I feel a great sense from people that what they want to hear is that I am good.  I know that I need to be "good" because that seems the most healthy, but 11 months later I still hurt and ache and wonder.  To finish this post, I again take from the words of Micheal Wilcox which is exactly how I feel too.

"Life now has a strange, unfamiliar quality to it.
I'm on a stage in someone else's play.  I act out my roles. 
I interact with the other players.
I say my lines and execute my entrances and exits.
It's a good play, certainly not a tragedy, and the scenes are filled with wonderful people
and much joy, even laughter.  
But the genuine life, the loving life, is somewhere else.
I wait for the play to end.  The other actors will go home, the crowds will thin, and I will see her
waiting in the wings...and 
we'll walk off together."

Tomorrow is another new day.  Baby steps.  Courage.  Faith. 

I will get there...

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Son-in-law's B-day!

 Aaron is turning 29, I mean 32 today.  He thinks that sounds old.  Not!  Aaron has been wonderful since Alain passed away.  He has tried to help me with any question or fix it, etc.  I have "so" not wanted to become a bother, but he has been so very willing to help me out, and I know Alain is grateful and will really thank him one day.  

A wesome hunter of beasts
A super great dad (&husband)
R eady to help me with anything
O ver the top CPA
N ever complains



A quick story about what a great dad he is.  Saturday his little girls wanted to have a "Hot Chocolate Stand."  Jamie called and wanted to bring them up to my home and sell it from the sidewalk.  I thought, "Oh no... it's so cold, no one is going to stop!"  I didn't want their little hearts to be crushed.  Aaron went to work setting up a table and hanging their homemade signs.  The wind kept blowing them off and Jamie said, "Look, Aaron is taping rocks onto their signs so they will not blow off!"  I thought that was so precious.  He bought the cups, brought the chocolate, made the chocolate... all the girls needed to do was stand there in the freezing cold and look cute.  My sweet neighbor Sarah drove by.  (We told them to wave)  I don't know what made her slow down and turn around and come back to be their very first customer.  Soon my other neighbors and their children, and Sarah's children came by.  Even Grandpa & Grandma Tonks came by to warm up!  They made a whopping $7.77 including tips! 

Monday, January 9, 2012

Six years young!!

(Paige is my 5th wonderful grandchild and 3rd beautiful granddaughter...)

Her birthday is today...January 9th!  I remember the day she was born.  Although her parents lived in California, her mommy was going to be living here with us in Rexburg while Paige's daddy was in training for the Coast Guard.  So she was born at Madison Memorial Hospital.  I was standing just about as close as one could get when she arrived into this world.   Boy was she a beautiful baby!

Last week during church Paige looked up at her mom and said, "Mommy, I think Papa is happy in heaven!                                    



P retty as a princess
A lways thoughtful and loving
I s the most sweet and tender little girl
G ets along with everyone
E xtra, extra special







Love you Paigie Waigie Puddin n' Pie!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Happy Birthday Brandon B!


B  rave
R  unner
A  wesome cook
N  ot a nerd
D  iligent
O  wner of three beautiful dogs
N   ice to everyone

Brandon & Alain

Sunday, January 1, 2012

365 more days to work on this one....


This... is something that has come across my mind
several times for the past couple of weeks.
therefore...
I think  2012 is going to be my year to work on the following...
having more
Charity.
I will follow up on my blog throughout the year,
and let you know how I'm doing.

 I have the most awesome family and friends,
so I will tell you all...
I expect only the best from you!
We can do hard thing!!!

Happy New Year!






Can I just say that I love this.  
I have had this quote hanging in my office on a tiny piece of paper 
( I think it's time to blow it up big),
for about three years.... 
Imagine a world if we all tried to do these things, even just a "little bit" better!