Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Happy Birthday Blondie!

A= angel of course
N= nice as can be
G= gifted at gift giving
E = excellent at caring
L = loving mother, daughter, sister & friend
A= abundant love



Angela has always been an angel. 
 I am grateful to have such a wonderful, caring daughter,
who loves people, her husband, her daughters and me!  
To hear her laugh makes my heart smile. 
Happy Birthday Angela!

Saturday, May 26, 2012

If I only had (one more) today!


Today it's raining!
While staying indoors
 and trying to finish up my
very creative "to do list",
I put in this new CD
by Hillary Weeks.
Her first song turned on the faucet...
and made me really think
"If I knew that I only had one last day with my Alain..."
well....
well... "what would we all do"
 with our spouse, our child, our friend?

I'm changing the words just a little to fit my situation...

If there were no more tomorrows
If I knew that (you) could not stay
I know how I'd spend every moment
If I only had today.

I'd hold you and I'd listen
And I'd let the dishes sit in the sink
I'd tell you I loved you, over and over
And for once I'd just let the phone ring.

I'd wake up before the sun did
And I'd watch as you quietly sleep
I'd pray for time to move slowly
Knowing the moment won't keep

All the gifts that Heaven has given
Every blessing that's come my way
Wouldn't mean anything without you
If I only had today.

There's no time like the present
Life doesn't give any guarantees
The sun will set and time won't wait
so while (we) have today...

I'll hold you and I'll listen
I'll let the dishes sit in the sink
I'll tell you I love you, over and over
For once I'll let the phone ring
And I'll remind you of forever
And how our love will never change
Because I have today...


 sigh!


Thursday, May 17, 2012

Happy Birthday to my Son-in-law Judson!

Jjust wonderful
u= uses free time to read...
d= dependable
s stable & serious (around his mother-in-law)
o= on a mission to get through dental school!
n= nice and neat

That is Judson
not Justin...

   I appreciate him for many reasons...
the biggest one for loving my Michelle.
They are going to be parents at the end of summer.
Life will change...
big time...
FOR THE BETTER!

Happy, Happy Birthday Wishes to You!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Dear mother all flowers remind me of you!

Me, Donna Kay, and my mother...
(I think a giant fly was trying to land on my eyelash...)  1958

My mother,
Elna Mae
gave me life!
How can I ever thank my parents enough for that gift?
My mother provided a home where I was fed, clothed, 
taught how to work, how to be honest, how to be part of a family.
I believe I was wanted and loved!
She became a widow at the young age of 38.
She raised me alone when I turned eight years old.
She passed away six years ago.
She was alone without her husband for 40 years.

Why has it taken 54 years,
after raising children of my own,
and now becoming a widow myself,
to want to break down in tears of my  "years"
 ... of not being grateful
 ENOUGH!

My mom loved Alain.
He walked on water as far as she was concerned.
When she was here living with us he would try to make it downstairs
to watch Jeopardy with her in the afternoon.
He could tease her,
but she would give it right back.
I cherish him all the more,
for the love and respect he showed my own mother.
He wanted to do anything possible to make her comfortable and happy
while she was here living with us.

I remember after Alain died, thinking,... 
"I know this march, it is all very familiar,
I watched my mother do this." 
(Although all of my children are grown and raised.)

As I am trying to be independent now
I see in my minds eye when I was a little girl,
her fiercely wanting to do the same.
I watched her valiantly trying to take care of our home,
the home my father and her sweetheart built for her 
just seven years before being killed in an accident.
She didn't want to be a burden on others.
I watched her repair things, 
always taking care of something the minute it needed taking care of.
She didn't let anything go for very long,
hence,  I grew up in a nice home with a beautiful yard
full of green grass and flowers galore.
She loved, loved, loved gardening!

She was clean and organized and taught me
everything has a place and everything needs to BE 
in that place.

I would hear her crying in her room at night.
I was just a little girl and did not understand.
Now I do.
But...
she woke up every morning with the sun
 and stayed busy all day long.
I NEVER saw my mom idle!

Today and always,
"Thank you mom
for your....
  •  tenacity,
  •  faith, 
  • perseverance,
  • sense of humor
  • caring
  • example!"
Mother Dear I love you so!
2012

I

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Off the beaten path...

 My sister and I were on a drive from my home to hers and we decided to 
cross a couple of things  off her "bucket list."  
We took off up a mountainside to "check" things out
 and ended up right in someones driveway...
 the only other way around it was "off a cliff."

I stopped to take a picture of this old abandoned house, 
but good thing we didn't try to go inside...  
don't ask me what that streak coming down in front
 was/is?

This was the view on the opposite side of the spooky place!


Today I am back,
Home Sweet Home!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Dancing in the wind....


Last week I did a lot of stumbling...
   I've tried blaming it on the wind.....
(If you've ever spent time in Rexburg, you know what I mean)

After all was said and done (and cried out),
my sweet friend sent me the above quote
 and it fit perfectly.

This particular new dance I am  trying to do 
is hard,
and I will stumble and cry and hurt....
but it is part of my life
and I want to do it well.
 Last week,
my silly back was still hurting,
I missed Alain terribly,
& I got the flu...
 right in the middle of a" young women activity at my home on Wednesday...
I wanted to just pull the covers over my head.

In the nick of time,
Prayers were heard & answered,
Family & friends encouraged,
Sweet service was rendered...
and
today the sun is shining 
and
no wind!
(I continue to be touched for good!)

"I cannot promise an end to your adversity in this life.  I cannot assure you that your trials will seem to you to be only for a moment.  One of the characteristics of trials in life is that they seem to make clocks slow down and then appear almost to stop.  There are reasons for that.  Knowing those reasons may not give much comfort, but it can give you a feeling of patience!"
                                                                                          
Elder Henry B. Eyring
April 2012


Thanks Sarah for this sweet surprise on my doorstep...


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Thank heaven for little girls... and big girls!


Michelle 
was able to get "4" buddy passes to bring her big sister Angela 
and her three precious daughters to Idaho for a week long visit. 

 My heart took a picture of these three little girls running towards me at the airport 
yelling, "Nana, Nana!"  
There was a man standing close to my car and I saw a smile spread across his face also at the scene.  
They sure do make me feel loved, 
and it goes without saying how much I love them! 
 Ellie (8), Paige (6) and Emma (3).



It was so fun that the three sisters could be all together.
Jamie and Michelle are due within six weeks of each other...
We held a "Baby Shower" for Michelle
the night before they had to leave to go back!
They both are expecting little "girls!"
Making the watermelon baby cradle was so fun and EASY!
Love my girls!