Week of April 28, 2013

Sunday

It was another beautiful Sunday.  Marion and the boys were here and it was so nice to be able to go to church with them.  I was afraid Steven would wake up with a black and blue nose from his accident on the trampoline the night before, but he looked great.  His lip still a little swollen, but no bruising. He was brave because it was a hard land.  

Mike and Ellen came over for dinner and it was so good to have a full table.  Chris' kids were patiently waiting to play with everyone as soon as we were done. 

Josh is having 'quality' time with A. Ellen waiting for the skit.

Isaac and Caleb's skit 

Laughing while reading "Just say Amen, Already." There were some pretty funny ones.

Sunday night after everyone had gone, Ellen got her 'Steak' dinner to celebrate end of semester.  It has been a joke about going out for steak, so I bought some when they were on sale and cooked them here.

Monday

Ellen and Mike didn't need to go until noon, so we all worked in the garden again.

Why I don't do the tilling. It just runs away with me.

Ellen and Mike planting the potatoes.  It saved Dad's knee to have them do it.

Dad tilling - again

I went visiting teaching all afternoon while Dad took Ellen and Mike home. Did some service in the neighborhood in the afternoon and we were both tired by the night.

Tuesday

We had kind of a 'down day'.  It was slow and we just seemed to do quiet things all day.  I guess that made up for the big day before. We decided about 5:30 to head to the Brigham City Temple.
Forgot the camera and used the phone.
I sure love your dad and our life together in all its ups & downs.

Wednesday - Happy Anniversary to us! It's been 43 years!

I spent the morning at the Potter's with Virginia.  Keep her in your prayers.  She has been quite sick and had a mini stroke besides (they think).  Her short term memory is gone and hopefully it is coming back soon.  She is getting physically stronger, but still walks with a walker.

About 1:00 we headed for Layton to go out to lunch at Zupas.  We had a gift card from John and Stacey that we never used while on our mission.  We had never eaten there, but Wow, the quality is exceptional and it worked out just right.  We even had dessert.  But we forgot to take a picture.

Dad wrote me a beautiful poem.  I'm going to hang it up, so watch for it when you come next time.  He added pictures to it, so I can't just write the poem.  

On the way home, we stopped at Isaac's soccer game and Jared's baseball game.  I got pictures of those, but didn't get the picture of the HUGE dandelion bouquet I got from Jared and Steven.  It's the biggest one this season.  It brought back wonderful 'mommy memories'.
 Here are the games:

Isaac

 After he made a goal.

 Defending that goal!

What a handsome young man!

 Jared is up to bat.

He off to a fast run!

He's on first.

 Catcher!

It was fun to watch a baseball game.  Now I've got to get to one of Jeffrey's!

Thursday

Had another wonderful day with Virginia.  We visited about everything.  I hope I have learned how important it is to just take time for others - individually.

That night I donated blood, went to Nicole Cornwall's bridal shower, stopped by to visit another neighbor, and got home just before Joe and Tesha came to spend the night.

Friday

We babysat the boys while Joe and Tesha went to the Brigham City Temple. We worked out in the garden with Ben and Zach.  Here are the gardening pictures:

Zach in Grandpa's hat! He's so cute. 

"I thought all the Dads got these rocks? They must have been slackers!!!"

Here comes Caleb. We said, "You must be all ready to work in the garden." 

Caleb said, "I'm here to do some serious work!" And he did!

Caleb is raking while Joe tills.

Dad has a new friend! China Doll, the cat, just couldn't get enough of him! 

What a Kodak moment!

Look at those muscles! Well, maybe Tesha is the only one that will notice them.

Pole beans this year, and we are watching them like a hawk.  

We'll see if we can grow them like U. Marc.

Only Ben eats a tomato like an apple.  He begged for it.

That night at 7:00, Chris's family had their pictures taken by our neighbor who is getting in to photography.  They turned out so good.  We went with them to watch.  They took the pictures in front of the old, old, Garland school that is along the back road on the right just before you would turn west to the Garland Cemetary.  It would be nice to have her do pictures of all the family's as you come to visit within a 2 month time frame to replace the ones we had done before Ellen and Mike's mission.  I loved the ones Kayleen did all in the same place.  I know we won't all be together, but the family pictures taken at the same time period would be great.

She's getting them ready for their family pose. Colleen holding Zander, Chris, up front: Cierra, Mallory, Noelle, Caleb and Josh

Saturday - Joseph Benjamin Graduates from USU

What a wonderful day.  Our 9th child to graduate from college.  Education is very important in our family and I am glad for that.  I'm very proud of all of you for having a desire to learn and that should never end.  The speaker told them they had added knowledge now, but not wisdom.  That would come with time.  But I'm sure glad Joseph has priorities.  I know too many who won't get married or have kids until after their education.  I don't think my sons could have done it without their wives and the pure joy of the children.  I know it was a lot of work, but so worth it.  

Entering the Spectrum

 Zach, Tesha, Ben, and Joe with that cool thing to play with.

 Joe and his boys.

 Ben wants to graduate also!

 Can't leave me out!

 Better than the degree. What a beautiful family.

 My heart is full.  Where will life take them? Right now New Hampshire. 

I don't want to sound like the mother of the 3 Little Pigs, but another one is out headed for life's adventure.  I don't know if anyone can know how much love I have for all of you.

 Getting the college degree.  I just don't have a camera that can zoom in and focus and we were actually quite close. Tesha got better pictures. 

 Dad holding Ben, Tesha, Joe, me, Mike, Joni holding Zach, Kent (Tesha's mom & dad)

After graduation we went to their apartment and had lunch and then it was off to move Ellen out of her apartment.  She is moving home for the summer. She'll still work for the month of May, but go back and forth. Mike eating pizza while loading the car.

 Joe's bike rack came in handy!

 Then we took Ellen to Ogden to meet with a former companion who is taking her to Provo for the weekend.  We stopped and got help from Josh, Mallory, and Caleb to bring in all her things.

 Caleb and Mallory helping us so we didn't have to go up and down the stairs.

1828 Webster's Dictionary Word for the Week:

Know/Knew- “To take, receive, or hold. To perceive with certainty; to understand clearly; to have a clear and certain perception of truth, fact, or any thing that actually exists. . . To be informed of, to be taught; to distinguish” 

I looked this word up because of this scripture: Alma 10:6 “I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know:” This is Amulek speaking as he is teaching with Alma. Amulek was ‘informed of’ and ‘taught’, but did not yet ‘receive', or 'hold’ to the teachings of the Lord. It seems I am like this in many things still. It is the witness of the spirit that helps us to go from 'knew' to 'know', yet we still fall short in what we know because of our weaknesses.  

Again, I am so thankful for the Atonement. I love this quote: "The purpose of the gospel is . . . to make bad men good and good men better, and to change human nature." (A statement of David O. McKay given in Elder Bednar's "The Enabling Power of the Atonement")

Elder Bednar quoted it and then summarized: "Thus the journey of a lifetime is to progress from bad to good to better and to experience the mighty change of heart--and to have our fallen natures changed."