Goodbye Grandma

I flew out to California a few weeks ago because my Grandma on my mom's side passed away after a few years of being in a home suffering through the late stages of Alzheimer's. It was a very solemn event, as funerals usually are. My uncle David did a great job of taking care of all of the details. Being the only person that was able to go out to help take care of the last few details I was blessed to be able to help with a lot of the final details.

It was neat to be able to help design the headstone and David let me choose the wording and the scripture for it. I chose the scripture in the first chapter of Enos that talks about rejoicing in the day that our mortal shall put on immortality and stand before Him. Well, you can imagine my surprise when I read the words " And I rejoice in the day that my mortal shall put on immorality..." Ok, so that "t" is pretty important....it's funny and ironic to me because, as you all know, I credit my grandmother for my love and attention to words and spelling. Somehow you just have to laugh at it all....I am sure she is just incensed by the whole thing. Actually I am sure she has many more important things to worry about, so I will be incensed for her :o)

I did get to dress her and prepare her body for burial. The RS president and another sweet sister from the ward came to help me. This is not my first experience with this type of preparation, but it is my first for someone that needed to be buried in temple clothes. My uncle David (who is not an active member) called me before I flew out to the funeral and read off the list of items on the receipt of clothes that were sent to him. I noticed a few things missing. Being short of time I just took the needed items from my own bag. It was awesome to take care of her one last time and to dress her in a few things that were mine.

I was always so close to my Grandma and those of you who have followed my posts know that I have posted pictures from her life in earlier posts. I have missed her over these past few years of her deterioration, but I am so happy to know that she is happy again and busy working. She loved working in the temple and was alway an example of this to me. I can only imagine she is just continuing in the work she has always loved!

I love you Grandma and will rejoice in the day that we reunite!!!

Wow! Has it really been 17 years

Here's to the first 17 years of our eternities!!

I can not believe that 17 years has come and gone. We have had some great times! 17 years of living with my best friend. Nothing can be more fun than being with someone everyday that can still make me laugh after all of these years.

Through the years we have lived in:

Midland, TX

Las Vegas, NV twice

Monterey CA

San Angelo, TX

Dover, DE

Anchorage, AK

Maricopa, AZ.

We have had 16 addresses and the infamous approximately 40 cars (Joe can give and exact count of make, model and color).

We lived the Air Force life for nearly 5 years and Law School life for 4 years.

We have had 4 children each born in a different state.

Michael will be 16 in 5 days born in Monterey

Hayden 13 born in Dover

Jenna 9 born in Las Vegas

Nathan 3 1/2 born at home in Maricopa

Joe and I delivered our last baby unassisted in our home and what an unnerving yet incredible experience that was.

We have had 3 of our children baptized and 2 receive the Priesthood. Michael will shortly be ordained a Priest.

We sat and listened as Joe's grandfather gave a beautiful Patriarchal blessing to his 14 year old great grandson, Michael. It was then I realized a little deeper my responsibility as a mother!

We have purchased a car knowing that our 16 year old boy will be behind the wheel...which has caused grey hair on us!

We have been flexible with our children's education and have had them in public schools, charter schools, and even home schooled. We have watched Michael sucessfully finish his first semester at the community college before his 16th birthday as he has set a goal of having his associates by 18.

We have sat on the side lines of probably thousands of football, baseball, basketball, soccer and dance practices and games. And have spent many hours listening to the "music" learned in piano and guitar lessons!

We have made friends (and family) all over the country.

We have gone on cruises together, Grand Canyon, Disneyland and Disney World, trips to New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia, San Diego, Sea World, Knotts Berry Farm, Colorado, Zion National Park, Mexico , and about every state in between and many other places that Joe and I have enjoyed without kids..... but we are just as happy with a spontaneous night away in Scottsdale or Prescott.

Joe loves movies and I HATE them.....I love the Theater and Joe will tolerate them....

I love taking the kids hiking and being outside and Joe looks forward to being able to do them once again. (hopefully this next back surgery will help him enjoy them once again)

We have endured medical difficulties:

Joe's back surgery...with one more to go in Dec.

Nathan's surgery at 6 weeks

Hayden's diagnosis of Diabetes

Hayden's appendectomy

Hayden's trips to ICU every 6 months :o)

We have served in about every calling we can think of (and many of them more than once :)

We have both served in YM/YW

Joe has been EQ Pres.

High Council

Ward Clerk

Sunday School Pres.

We have both taught Sunday School

I have been primary chorister

Education Counselor in Relief Society

Activity Chairman

Nursery Leader

Stake Camp

and my new favorite calling: teaching early morning seminary

I am sure I have forgotten some but most of those we have done 2 or more times :o)

We have run a successful campaign and Joe has served well as a City Councilman in Maricopa. We have experienced the fun and frustration of political life.

We laugh and we cry and take life one day at a time. We have celebrated over life and we have mourned over life both with our family and with other's families!

This has been a cram packed 17 years of moving, traveling, schooling, changing, growing, looking back and questioning things we have done ;o) But mostly I look over the past 17 years and realize above all things that I have been incredible BLESSED and I very much see the Lord's hand guiding our lives to where we are now. Nothing can be worth more to me than this!

A picture's worth a thousandwords...

I HAVE GOT TO GET A CAMERA FOR MY SEMINARY CLASSROOM. I had this thought to play scripture mastery Twister...how fun does that sound. It was fun!!! I assigned a scripture reference to a color on the Twister floor and a matching reference to the spinner. So I had a student spin and say, for example "right foot If you lack wisdom" and the kids then had to put their right foot on the circle that had James 1:5 on it. We even had Danny Hunsaker of our bishopric attending today that got down and gave it a try!!! I wish I could describe how funny it really was:o)

Happy Easter

Easter was extra special this year as we shared it with Jenna's 9th birthday. What a beautiful day. Grandma and Grandpa found her a darling brown dress with White polka dots and bright blue ribbon trim. She was darling!!!

We took the kids to the Easter Pageant at the Mesa temple the thursday night before Easter and what a great reminder of what this holiday celebrates. I loved watching the re-enactment of the Saviors life, death and resurrection and it filled me with a spirit of love!!! I think having spent the last several months teaching the life of Christ in seminary I was touched me a little more deeply than in years past. I walked away realizing the peace that comes from not just reading, but studying and teaching the words of God and the prophets. I feel like I have missed many years of studying and teaching to my family. With or without a seminary calling I hope I take more time to really study and teach the scriptures... to my kids.

What a glorious gift. I have heard the saying that without Easter, Christmas would be useless. How true it is. Our Savior was born just as promised and prophesied from the begining of time. Starting with Adam and through every prophet until His birth all awaited His arrival. It was then that He made sure that all was done to fulfill every prophesy of His life. Jesus chose to endure all that He endure.

I don't know when the day will come that I will fully understand all that He did for me or how He did it; butI can't wait until the day that I can kneel before him and with a full, humble heart thank Him for doing it.

Joe's back surgery

Joe's back surgery went well. He was only able to get one disk fixed and in 6-8 weeks the dr. will look at the second herniated disk and see if Joe is ready to have that one fixed. Joe is home and doing well. He will be out of work for a week or so, which will be fun to have him around the house a little bit this week. He feels well and is looking forward to being able to be more active and play more basketball again. He is on crutches for a couple of days as his right let gains some strength because of the surgery. He is in good spirits and has good drugs...so all is well. Joe is a trooper....which I love about him!