Week of October 21st

 Sunday

It was late Sunday night before we knew for sure that Mike was not coming home until Halloween night.  Actually, I was glad he had another week, because he would have been robbed of his last week of his mission.  He needed this week to say his good-byes and make that closure.  I can wait.

Monday

 Such wonderful news first thing Monday morning.  Paul called to tell us of the safe arrival of little Levi Douglas.  What joyous news to have him here safely before expected.  I can't tell you what it is like to have another grandchild.  I just want everyone to know that no matter how many grandchildren I have, I love each one individually and so very much.  My heart is so full, and I can't wait to go down and see him and the family.  But, I must wait for Mike.  These pictures say so much of what is important in life.

Tuesday and Wednesday

Now we headed down to Salt Lake for our last two days of our mission.  Dad and I have loved our mission.  There are so many things I have learned and loved.  Some are: I love being with Dad and the time we have shared together.  We are closer than ever to each other.  I have loved being in the service of the Lord and to feel His spirit so closely on our mission to do and accomplish the tasks and things we were asked to do.  He is truly involved in His work.  I have loved the friendships that we have made with the other missionaries and staff at the library.  I have loved the records of the church.  They are sacred and are His records.  In them are such a testimony of His love and involvement in these latter days.  I wasn't even aware of this.  Oh, and it was nice to see Rob more often!   It is sad to end, but we both felt it was the right thing to do.  On our last day, Deb, the staff member who is in charge of the call center, shared some training video's with me.  There are two quotes I want to share with you: Elder Holland: "However hard we run, it's not hard enough.  With however little sleep we get, we have to get by with less sleep. There is an urgency that increases with every passing day.  These are the last days."  It is important to be a part of His work. Elder Bednar with serving people: "When you leave, people should have an increase in capacity and confidence."  I thought that was a good message for home and visiting teachers.  If you want more, I can send the rest of my notes to you by email.  

It has been an emotional week.  But when we pulled into the driveway Wednesday night, our lights were on and there were posters hanging in the window to welcome home Elder and Sister Jensen from our mission.  I just cried.  It meant so much to me, thank you Colleen & kids for painting them.  On our bar was warm soup and bread bowls.  We were both starving.  It is good to be home.  Life is so full, and I love the Lord with all my heart for His goodness to us and our family.  We are truly blessed.

Thursday, Friday, & Saturday

 We continued to get ready for Mike, had play practice, served at the Family History center in Garland on Friday, and went to the temple that afternoon.  I made a quilt for little Levi, but I won't put a picture in until he is with it.

What a blessed week I have had and what a full and good life I am having.  

Week of October 14

Sunday

   Sunday morning we went to 'Family Day' with Ellen to visit her YSA ward.  It was fun to spend that time with her.  We learned of a new church calling that we don't have: 'Information Texter'.  Yes, there is someone in charge of texting information to members of the ward.  There were definite chuckles heard from the various areas where parents were sitting. We had a linger longer and then stopped to take Joe's grape juice to them. But alas, we did not remember that it was the primary sacrament meeting at our ward, so we missed it.

Monday

   I got some extra cleaning done and then went over to help Colleen and Josh paint his bedroom.  It looks so nice and was so fun to work with Josh.  All their bedrooms have now been painted.  It has put me in the mood to paint here.  First I have to get in the mood to clean.

Tuesday & Wednesday

    It is the beginning of saying good-bye on our mission.  Dad gave the devotional on Tuesday and I did on Wednesday.  I gave a very shortened version of my Family History Fair Class on the grandparent's book.  We have gained so much and been so blessed while on our mission.  I can't believe how much my testimony has grown.  I can't believe how much my desire to serve the Lord in these latter days in building up the Kingdom have grown.  It is really true what has been said about making friends for life on a mission.  We really have met and gotten to know some very incredible people--both missionaries and staff. And I can't believe how much our love for each other has grown.  We like spending this time and serving the Lord together, so expect it to happen again!

 

 We stopped in to spend some time with Isaac on his 6th birthday.  He's growing so much! 

Thursday

   One time makes a tradition!  We had such a good time last week with Rob's family and this week we went with Chris' family to Idaho Falls.  I loved spending this time with them.  It's been a long time since we have been to the that temple, and it used to be ours when we lived in Palisades.  We told the kids when we would come to Idaho Falls we would stop at McDonald's with their dad and U. Marion and all have hamburgers, drinks, and fries, pay with a $5 bill and get change. 

 We went into the visitor's center and their statue of the Christus is low enough to touch.  Actually, it was the highlight of my day when I was alone and touched the prints in Christ's hand and thought of the atonement.  I owe everything that I have and am to Him.

It was such a beautiful day.  You can't see it, but all along the falls there was a line of Canadian Geese standing on the edge resting.  The internet is amazing.  Here is a picture someone took of it:

It can make one wonder.  There can be many lessons that come from nature.  Just as pictures have several meanings, to me it represents Christ who gives me stability among & just before the 'falls' of life.  A quiet assurance that all is well in Him not matter what may come or is just around the corner.

 In front of the temple and our picnic lunch afterwards.

   Then we went to the King Tut exhibit at the museum, which was a big part of why we came here.  There is something about seeing and learning of the past and of other cultures and time periods.  Here is Mallory and Noelle by one of my favorite pieces.  It was a real Egyptian carving of a person with the rays of the sun at the top coming down and there were little hands on the edge of each ray.  The hand was in one shape, like an outstretched, cupped hand.  Because of where we had just been, it reminded me of Christ, as the sun each day, to remind us He always has His hands outstretched to us.

  We got back about 4:30 and made peanut brittle and had chilli dogs before going to play practice.

Friday

   We took Ellen with us, who was on fall break, and went to Salt Lake.  Our zone was having a farewell party for those missionaries who were leaving and we were one of them.  We had a lovely luncheon and then went to a session at the Salt Lake Temple.  When we got home we babysat Chris' kids while they went to the Brigham City Temple.  Joe's family came over and we painted welcome home signs for Mike (so much easier this time because Ellen wrote the Chinese) and then we ate watermelon and played a good game of 'Scum'.  This picture is of me when I was King.  That doesn't happen very often, so that is the reason for the picture.

 

Saturday

  After play practice, Dad worked in the garden all day spreading manure - three loads from the Capener's.  Ellen helped me work on Mike's quilt getting it ready for the sewing machine.  I started sewing around 3 or so and it took the rest of the day.  It would be finished, but I broke the sewing machine needle when I only had the binding at the top to finish.  We watched 3 movies while doing all of this. 

  Another full, wonderful week.  And think, this week Mike may be home.  I love life.   

Week of October 7th

    As you all know, I love dandelions.  I always loved my dandelion bouquets in the middle of the bar, table, or the single dandelion in my ear.  Remember, there had better be dandelions on my casket when I die. 
     I have started this blog because I don't like to write in my journal, but I love the weekly posts that Emily does.  So, for two weeks I have taken pictures with the idea that I will begin a blog to keep my current life history.  

Week of October 7th

        This year's traditional ice cream during afternoon conference.  Yes, it was utter chaos, and I loved it.  I will never tire of seeing the grandchildren have so much fun with each other.  Hopefully they got as much out of conference as they did their ice cream.

   It is always hard to pick a favorite talk, but I cried through most of Jeffery R. Holland's, so I will have to go with that one.  We so desperately need to have love for one another, especially in our family.  Acts of charity begin at home with our spouse, children, and each other.  But I have found in life that charity isn't necessarily giving, although that is part of it, but what you are.  

Monday

      I'm not sure how many times I have said, "I'm done canning this year."  Then something comes along and we are canning again.  Dad and I did 100 2-quart jars on Monday.  Yes, we watched several movies while we did it!  Some things never change.  I also got a lot of work done on Mike's quilt top and we went to Sue Ellen Macfarlane's house and downloaded a PAF file for her.  It was a good, big day.

Tuesday & Wednesday 

     We went on our mission these two days.  I did have an interesting phone call while working at the call center.  A man wanted to know if we had any journals of David O. McKay. He was looking for an account of when David O. McKay was riding in a parade and stopped and motioned to a little 7 year old black girl to come over to the car.  He gave her a blessing and then continued on.  The caller had just returned from the temple with that now 61 year old woman who had just gone through the temple after joining the church the previous year.  In the 97 hits on our catalog of just journals of David O. McKay, I suggested to him to have the woman write the story from her perspective and then submit it to the church.  He thought that sounded like a good idea.  I can just see Pres. McKay doing that.

Thursday

         We went to Bear Lake to spend the day with Rob and his family.  It was such a wonderful day.  I don't ever remember Bear Lake being such perfect weather.  Not to hot and, best of all, not too cold.  We went out in the sailboat, which I didn't think I ever would, but there was hardly any wind and it was so fun to have Marri and Sophie sail the ship!  The pool was just the right temperature.  

   Sorry, I didn't get the picture rotated.  This is dad and I standing in front of the building that dad's father and mother got married in when they eloped to Paris (Idaho).  They were married upstairs.  It used to be a barber shop below.  It was a fun half hour drive with Rob and Emily to explore.  Here is the Paris Tabernacle.  

     It was back to their condominium and we played a game of 'Lucky Unders'.  Scott was the winner!

     We left about 5:00 and went back home (after getting a raspberry milk shake, of course) just in time to go to play practice.  Do we look young enough to be dancing at Fezziwig's party?

     Chris, Josh, Noelle, Mallory, Ellen, and Mike are all in the play, so plan on coming to watch it.  Maybe we'll be far enough along with it so you can see a practice around Thanksgiving.  Uncle Marc is playing Scrooge.  Ellen is the ghost of Christmas Past, Josh & Noelle are Cratchet kids, Mike & Ellen are Topper & Topper's girl, and Mike is also Young Scrooge and poor husband.  The rest of us are in the chorus.

Friday

     I forgot to take pictures while Tesha, her mom, and I did 35 quarts of tomato juice and 14 quarts of tomato paste.  That was the last day of canning.  Later that day I finished Mike's quilt top.  I've been working on it in little bits of time during the week.  It is from his old t-shirts.  I'm very happy with it.  I hope I get it finished before he comes home on either the 23rd or the 30th.  We still don't know (as of Oct 19th).

Saturday

     No pictures, but I went to the Family History Fair in Logan.  I taught 2 classes of "Strengthening Families Through Generational Stories" and one class called, "Involving Youth in Family History."  I haven't taught it as much, and I wasn't as happy with it when I taught it at Weber in September, so I've been working on it.  I was so relieved when it went so well.  I even had about 6 youth in the class.  

     It was a wonderful week.  I may be tired, but I am very happy.  What a full life I'm living right now.  I think I am busier than ever.