Who would have ever thought. . . . ?

Today marks the forty second birthday for Tanise! I am amazed and had no idea that many years ago what I would be doing this many years later. I know I was a young mom with two children and wondering what I could do to teach my children about God.

I wanted to be able to have God be first in our lives. I knew within myself even at that tender age of twenty-two, how important a relationship with God was and is. There were not a lot of answers for my adult mind either, much less the questions one has in seeking truth. The responsibility for me to teach my children as a parent weighed on my mind. My heart was searching for something to believe and pass onto my children. I grew up knowing a lot about the Old Testament prophets. I listen to Bible stories and retained what I learned as a child. It was very natural for me to take my family with me to church from birth.

I loved my family, my parents and others unconditionally. I know I was lead gently by the hand to find the truth. The idea that I had a firm foundation and belief in God manifested when I was expecting Tanise. Would it be justified to say that she could have been influential even as an unborn child to help me have those yearnings to know truth, God's truth. I always wondered what I did to deserve the caliber of children that I am blessed to have.

The truth was important to me to know about who I was, and my role in the universal plan of something I knew not about just then. Then, as I learned line upon line, and precept upon precept my understanding increased at just the right pace for my education in the Gospel. We had talk times early on with bedtime stories that started reading with Hank. Then as each one was added, I read to Tanise and Tara too.

One day I was lying on the bottom bunk bed with Tara for reading. All I had closeby was the scriptures. I turned to the Pearl of Great Price and read to Hank, Tanise and Tara. Tara was just two going on three. Tara was most interested in what I was reading about the creation. She would ask me to tell her "about the Earth" and I read out of the book of Moses and the account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. She loved it.Now, how many 7, 5 and 3 year olds sit still to listen to the scriptures in the Pearl of Great Price for nap time? See what I mean about the caliber of my children?

I think you each came that way prepared, ready, willing, nurtured in the principles of the gospel as we had Family Home Evenings and had fun making our treats that one day a week. You shared your musical talents, we sang a lot in those times, and each gave the lessons too. We had testimonies on Fast Sunday after we got home and before we ate a prepared meal while we were at church. Then we had prayers, had a short Family Home Evening for testimony bearing and then broke our fast as a family.

We sang and memorized songs, played the piano and each shared their talents in our Family Home Evenings. I had a full time job being a wife and mother that is for sure. I took that job very seriously and cherish those years I was home and out of the world, as you were all growing up.

I count my blessings to be a mother and grandmother. It means so much to me to have the time I have had the last several years to be MOM and Grandma. The time in giving of myself too gave me back the years I was in school and felt out of touch with my grand babies. So, time is precious to me more than ever.

Now I have opportunities to be involved in your lives to benefit my posterity. Our family circle is growing and now going into a new generation in the blink of an eye.
We will be having our Family Reunion some time in July for all of you to know ahead. It should be more or less around the 24th of July holiday and will keep you posted.