Sabbath Meetings * Dinner with the Ks, & Oreos

Today is Sunday and a day of rest, and worship attending meetings. The sister missionaries spoke in our ward. They talked on the atonement and used stories to illustrate the Savior's gift to us. The talks centered on Christ's atonement. The story about the "Touch Of The Master's Hand" was also given. I have that story on my blog and am familiar with it. One of our high council brethren from our ward spoke in sacrament meeting. Our bishop also spoke. He also talked in our combined Relief Society/Priesthood meeting.

*I made an observation today. When I go earlier to get a soft seat in the chapel and save half a row for Aaron and Candice I feel the spirit more with less distractions there than when sitting in the overflow area.

I went to Hank & Lori's for dinner. We had a nice dinner of roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, fresh fruit and dessert of Oreo's and mint chocolate chip and Butterfinger ice cream. Yummmm.

After dinner K7 wanted to play Apples to Apples game. It was fun and I ended up with the most cards. It was a fun game. The kids enjoyed the grandparents playing with them.

Baby Shower For Lori & Baby Klarissa

I attended a baby shower for Lori and her friends, Syd Crockett's home. All the "girls" were invited and we had a light lunch and baked sweet rolls, which were delicious. Tara, Courtney, Erin, Tanise and Jordyn were there, besides K4, K6 were present. Lori's mom, Linda and sister, Lynette came also.

There was a lot of support from the ward family. She received a lot of lovely girl outfits, blankies, and disposable diapers. I missed seeing the gift part as they did that first hour and I arrived in time for the second hour. But, the weather was just great and remained just right with a nice breeze.

Lori is all set now and ready for her June 12, due date to have the baby. We missed a couple of family who were unable to attend.

Graduation Time for K2, Celebration!

K2 with Mom & Dad Graduation from Mountain View High--





Today took us to the Marriott Center for Hank and Lori's oldest son, K2. We took up a whole row plus another half dozen seats as family and extended Family.



Both Grandparents were present as well as Bestafar, Great-Grandpa Burt, Lori's grandpa. He is getting more frail, and was in a wheel chair for convenience for him to navigate better. Bless his sweet almost 90 year old self! Lynn and Linda brought him, and was able to join us at the house for dinner.

K2 with pal, Shauna, a loyal supporter

This was a great day and K2 looked pleased to participate in the Mountain View A Capella choir singing "Come Thou Font of Every Blessing." It was beautifully done, and surprised me that they were able to get away with singing such a religious song at a high school graduation. I know this is Utah, so it kind of doubled as a "prayer of thanksgiving" which is what that song reminds me of. I know it is one of Lori's favorite songs for choir when she was Choir Director. It brought back pleasant memories of when their ward choir presented it back a few years ago.

I told Hank, that he now has two graduated from high school and only nine more to go of their children to their graduations in the years to come. He smiled. Time goes by so quickly, before you know it Karoline and Klarissa will be walking down the aisle in the graduation gowns from high school. Turn around, one day they are small and the next they are grown! Sunrise, Sunset. . . "

Mark Your Calendars, Family REUNION Dates. . .

Forever Families



Hi Everyone,

It is that time of year again! And Mom is loving it. We get to have the last week in July, with Michael, Matt & Beth coming to visit Utah. Michael is solo this time to be here while Matt's in town. He worked out his schedule and we get to have a few days overlapping their visits.

Beth is doing a half iron man-type event in Burley, Idaho July 25th. She is wonder woman! and has been training for it and even going to do a half marathon this week end or next up in Washington. Good luck with your events, Beth.

The plan is to have dinner at Mi Ranchito, Saturday evening. Then on Sunday bring your smiles and herd for a Family Picture to a site to be announced. If any of you want your family's pictures to schedule while Michael is here aside from this one, he will be available Saturday morning for that if you are interested.

Monday will be for the family heritage family night for our main event. Then Tuesday the plan is to go to see the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. This may change if Monday is better. The main purpose is to take the children to see the temple while they can before it is dedicated. We need to make reservations ASAP so any feed back is welcomed. Matt's family has reserved that same time Michael is here to accommodate our family schedule.

If you have something you would like to do with Michael on the 23rd and or 24th we(you) can make use of his visit with us too. We are open to suggestion to all options.

Matt and Beth will be here together about a week. Matt will fly back to WA and Beth will be driving back with the boys and two nephews around August 8.

Lots of activity and time with siblings. I am pleased to have All my children in the same places at the same time.

What a tender mercy, and to welcome our new little member of the family in a few weeks, Klarissa, Hank and Lori's new little bundle of JOY. She is number 36 on the family branch of our Family Tree.

Memorial Day 2009--Title of (Our) Liberty Still--

7 And there were many in the church who believed in the flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi exceedingly precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great victory which they had had over the Lamanites, and their great rejoicings which they had had because of their deliverance by the hand of the Lord.
8 Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one.
9 Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men.
10 Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous’ sake.
11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.
12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of dChristians remain to possess the land—
14 For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the church.
15 And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea, all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come.
16 And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.
17 And it came to pass that when he had poured out his soul to God, he named all the land which was south of the land Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and on the south—A chosen land, and the land of liberty.


May we ALWAYS remember those who have died in the cause of Liberty for Christ's sake.

Breathtaking View of Snoqualmie Falls, WA

Beth took me for a ride up a canyon to see these falls. They were absolutely breathtakingly beautiful! I never knew they existed,but now that I do I want to go back and experience them again.






I took these photos myself with my little digital camera. Not a bad one in the bunch!


You have to kind of tilt your head a little to see the whole effect of this amazing water fall. I wanted to get as much as I could into this one shot so angled it and really kind of like it....do you?

Friday in Seattle

Lunch at the Microsoft Food Mall in Seattle with Matt & Beth


Beth managing the boys, Cole and Ethan at the Space Needle



Cole hanging upside down on a bar atop the Space Needle

Welcome Home, Matt & Beth

Our hosts for swimming, Shelley and Tabitha Elenbaas'.


Cole's fearless jump off the diving board at Elenbaas' pool in Redmond.





Grandma with Ethan in the hot tub pool. The pool was heated to warmer than body temperature. The regular pool was heated and like a bath tub. Nice.



Ethan ready to jump off to Beth in the pool, not to be upstaged by
Cole's jumps.

Here I go Again~~On the Scriptures. . .

This morning was kind of wild getting the boys ready to go to their friend, Shelley's. I need to go run a few errands so will use this time alone wisely. First thing I wanted to do after they left, with the house all quiet, was to read my scriptures!

I was literallly hungry for them, since I am not a regular routine like at home. Well, I had not sooner picked up Alma 43 and started to read the heading when the thought came to me that I had left the GPS chord in the car Shelley took the boys in with the car seats. I had them ready to go, in the car and all she had to do was climb in.

Well, I had the GPS in the house, but the chord was still attached to the dashboard. I had forgotten to take it out like I did last time to go places unfamiliar to me here in Seattle.

I have a testimony of reading the scriptures and how it tells us ALL things we need to know and DO. I needed to know the GPS wasn't going to work all by itself without the charger to operate it.

I felt it was another tender mercy and I am being watched over by angels to help me get through the small things. It has already blessed my day.

Matt and Beth called this morning too to check on us. The boys were full of energy and didn't seem to be missing them at the moment too badly. That is good. I am pleased they feel comfortable with me and love Grandma Mattie!

Some days, Cole would say, "let's go get my Mommy and Daddy at the airport." I have to tell him it isn't time yet. He is okay with that and we go on to the next thing he is doing. Ethan even stopped and said hello Daddy and Mommy and smiled while they were on speaker phone. His face lit up just being able to say "Hi," anyway. I know Beth must miss her boys, how could she not and Matt too.

Flight Museum in Seattle

Some of these photos were found online under images for the Flight Museum. Sorry they are not very big. Just click on them for a larger image is all you need to do.


Founder, Wiliam Boeing innovator in aviation

By the way, Ethan must have had a light case of the chicken pox. It seems that he had a vaccination nine months ago at his one year old checkup according to the doctor's office. Beth was surprised to hear he did. He had a very light/mild case with only about six eruptions that came as quickly as they dried and disappeared! So there were no concerns about taking him out in public. Thank goodness. He really didn't slow down nor skip a beat. He is a dynamo and always moving, perpetual motion.



The Flight Museum was near the Boeing Aeronautical plant north of Seattle and close to the airport. There was quite an exhibit of so many different kinds of airplanes I didn't even know exisited. There were two levels each of the World War I exhibit, and for WW II...


The boys had fun running around freely and there was a section where they allowed children to climb into the displayed smaller aircraft. They were real planes, and not toys. I took pictures of them in and out of them, but they didn't stand still either.


Most of them were action shots; I didn't try to bring the computer adapter from home to download. None of the snapshots were posed, but are cute.

We started out about eleven o'clock and went to a couple of places first. Then we got to the museum after lunch time. There were several school buses on field trips there. It must be a popular field trip place. We saw some elementary age kids just leaving when the high school age kids were arriving. They may have been integrated studies kids. I don't know too many other typed kids that take field trips that age students.



I was worn out just chasing after the boys, but it was fun and Cole minded fairly well. I just had to keep up with him and make sure he was supervised. Ethan found once he got out of the stroller he didn't want back in. So I placed him in the back where Cole usually goes, and Cole took the front seat. But I was glad that there was no fuss over who sat where, at that point. What a tender mercy and a small miracle.

Matt & Beth called this morning and said they were going to Barcelona today. Wow, I told him to take pictures for me. I love that name, and wonder if some of my ancestors are from that area....? I guess I could do some Family Search to find out next time I am at the branch library. I look forward to someday finding the connection between Mexico and back to Spain.

Saturday is a Special Day

Seattle Skyline


I went to the Matt's Stake Conference for the Adult meeting tonight. I was able to take notes. It was a feast of the Spirit. I wrote in my journal about it and had some very sweet impressions told to me. The theme was Tribulation and the results of those trials that bring us peace and draw us closer to the Savior and his atonement.

Speaker after speaker bore testimony of their faith being increased and embraced the atonement through illnesses, disappointments, or separation from family through death of a loved one.

Don't we all experience these trials and find solace and comfort in drawing closer to God and Jesus Christ? I do. No doubt it has been my own refinement. I know aside from divorce, losing my parents and Grandma McIntire were my most difficult trials to go through.

I am reminded of the scripture, that unless we are visit with death, tribulations etc we cannot become sanctified in Christ, so that we will always remember him and look to for our salvation.

The thoughts brought out in these talks was that unless we go through some kind of tribulation--how are we to learn compassion for others in those same situations that we have gone past? I know that my ability help others through their problems as a therapist were some that I went through myself. Our Savior descended below them all and he was perfect! But he did it for ALL of us and so willingly.

I (came away)so thankful for my own trials after hearing about others' trials with the resilience I have gained and learned much from compassion to give as I support someone else in their own deep trial. My ability to follow the Savior is also heightened. I know there is a plan of happiness with light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. I count my blessings one by one everyday!

The gospel principle of repentance is another tool that is the answer to some of the tribulations we experience. I am reminded of Enos and his plea to Father in Heaven to know if his sins had been forgiven. It is a blessing to have another chance to rewind the tape of life and erase the imperfections and faults to go forward with a clean slate and begin again.

A companionship of the Holy Ghost is my (our)reward; what more can I or anyone ask?

I am very thankful for Matt & Beth's friend (Seth) who came to my rescue to watch the boys while I went to the Saturday evening adult meeting. Evidently the youth were tied up with a dance scheduled this same evening. Amy, his wife said she had tried to find sitters but had no luck herself. I was added upon by the richness of the spirit to bouy me up as I am handling the care for Cole and Ethan for Matt and Beth while they are in Spain.




Today the boys and I went for a drive to look for Target to pick up a prescription I needed to renew. I put the address for one store in the GPS and ended up so far out into a scenic route to a couple of yard sales!! Ethel had a ball finding some treasures. I finally did find Tarpet though. The boys liked the ride and had chicken McNuggets and chocolate milk on the drive.

Washington is a beautiful place. Too bad it is so far away from Utah! It is like driving in the mountains but everywhere there are trees and more trees, tall pine treees. I like the smell of the fresh air too! This is a perfect time of year to be here with less rain and nice sunny weather in between.

Don't Judge a Day by What Goes South

If when I woke up this morning I would know the mishaps that would happen, maybe I would have thought twice about going anywhere AT ALL today from the house.

It was a day that kept on giving. . .as well as seemed overwhelming. But there IS silver lining around the dark clouds. Yesterday I ran out of gas, in the driveway sitting trying to configure the GPS Matt bought so I could go places without worries. I had forgotten to stop for gas when we came back from the Zoo yesterday. It was cold and rainy so easily forgot to stop with two boys wanting to get home.

Luckily Matt had a reserve gallon of gas in the garage and had just texted me to ask if I was on my way somewhere. His timing was right one and he saved the day, all the way from Madrid!

Today, a glass broke that fell out of the cupboard and I didn't see that coming in time to stop the crash. Then I had to put Ethan in his crib so I could shower and dress for the temple. He was not too happy but the alternative was to have him get into everything he could think of in the few minutes I was in the shower. He survived it though.

Then after I was all ready I had the trash in separate bags, one for recycle and the other for the garbage in general. I walked out in my stocking feet in slippers. My slipper must have caught on the cinder blocks around the walk by the garage and I went flying spread eagled face forward. I took quite a jolt and a thought came to mind if I should even venture out at all after all the trauma for one day. I put that aside and kept on as if everyhing would work out fine. Which it did!

I even mixed up a batch of Tana's recipe for Pumpkin Cookies. I refrigerated them to bake when I came home from the temple. Beth's friend, Shelly came by to take care of the boys and was going to take them to a dog park. Her daughter met them at the park and they had fun and ran around chasing after their friend's dog.

I had a chance to take in the temple and the spirit of it and enjoyed a session and ate in the cafeteria since I hadn't really eaten lunch. They had some corned beef and cabbage; Interesting that I chose that since Granpa McIntire liked having that on New Year's Day. He said it brought the Irish Good Luck!

Well, May 15, marked the anniversary of Granpa Mc's passing, in 1988. I didn't get to call son, Hank to remind him, but I thought he would realize it sooner or later if I didn't tell him. So all in all the day was not a total loss. I count my blessings of being protected from anything worse than what may have ocurred.

I spoke to Tana, Tracie and Tara today throughout the day for one thing or another. I appreciate the calls and contact while I am here in Seattle. It makes me feel more connected to all of the rest of you. I talked to Tara all the way home from the temple.

It was a blessing to be able to get a call from Erin last night who needed to ask me some questions about my life story for a school assignmet. She had specific questions that were fun to recall of my growing up years and what I did at her age. She must have asked me thirty questions.

Tara then called me first thing in the morning about 6:15 Pacific time to ask more indept question of nine significant things that happened throughout my life. She woke me up. But, that little historical adventure will be worth reading again for my posterity to read about their Grandma Mattie.

Tara said most grandmas wouldn't remember all those things and didn't know if she could herself about hers. You never know. I think it is a gift to be able to recall the good things and share with my grandchildren.

Ethan May have the Chicken Pox

Last night when gave the boys their baths I saw a suspicious blotch on Ethan's back. I looked for anything similar tonight and sure enough found another one, but on his face on the right cheek.

I texted Beth, (Yes grandma knows how to do that!) and asked if he or Cole had had the Chicken Pox. So I watched this morning to see if there were any more of them. AND SURE ENOUGH THERE WAS, only this one was close to the one on his cheek.

So it looks like I will be counting more spots as the days go by. Having a gazillion kids, you kind of recognize a few of these things as they arise. Ethan is so good natured, he hasn't skipped a beat . . .yet. Beth wants me to take him to the dr. later so I will call and see what he says.

More later. I am on the run, with two pre-schoolers in tow. Ethan weighs a ton, (almost) and Cole is only five lbs. more. That stroller I was pushing yesterday at the Zoo felt heavy going uphill most of the way!

The Good News--It turns out that Ethan actually did have a chicken pox vaccination when he turned one nine months ago. The dr. said for me to watch him and make sure to let them know if he had any infected pox'. He seemsd to be eating just the same, and no loss of energy either. He stayed in the stroller when I went to the library with them today. Beth says he won't do that for her.

I took them for a ride last night up to the Seattle Temple. Cole liked that and asked if he could go inside. It was closed. I told him that when he comes to Utah in July, that he and his Mommy and Daddy will be able to take him on a tour of the new Oquirr Mt. Temple. He liked that. He also likes to listed to "church songs" in th car. He means the Primary CDs. He prefers those to anything else that I might try to listen to. I picked and played the ones about Jesus. Good for him.

Grandma Mattie siting in Seattle!

Today was the first day with Cole and Ethan, winging it alone. Matt & Beth left for Spain this morning. We went to a children's place for fun hand's on activities. It was called a museum, kind of like the one at the end of the tour at the Dinasaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point back in Utah.

It definitely filled the time for them to be distracted after seeing their parents dropped off at the airport. We had Happy Meal lunch at McDonald's. Both boys were well behaved. They loved it.

Other than Ethan weighing (30 lbs.) a ton, I managed him in his stroller, with Cole in tow on the stand up space behind little (?) brother. By the end of the day, my back was out from sleeping on my side and have a vertebrae out. I have a couple of remedies to rely upon to work those through.

More tomorrow~ we will be going to the Zoo.

A Day At The Woodland Park Zoo

The boys at the entrance to the Zoo in Seattle. We had a great time and went to McDonald's afterwards.




The elephants were way back into the zoo, but we found them.
Kids enjoyed seeing them in their habitat.



It was a little chilly being overcast and on the cold side. Cole just kept running and was warmed with or without a jacket. I was very cold and got sick later from the sudden change in body temperature with a nasty cold and sore throat.




The penguins. Cole wanted to run find them first thing. We had to walk and find them first. He was a little impatient, but we found them. They were in the open and underwater.











A beautiful peacock with all it amazing colorful feathers. He seemed to pose for me as I kept taking pictures. He opened his feathers and paraded around (like a peacock) and seemed like he was posed for each one. What a guy!

A Little Bit of Honey Goes A Long Way

Monday is a blurr already. It was all about getting the last minute instructions from parents to prime me for the next ten days with the boys. Beth was worn out on Sunday and needed some extra time to breathe, literally. She did a great job and got through the list like a champion.

One thing that stands out now about Sunday was that she ended up going home with the boys after sacrament meeting, since they were coughing and needed to be home. Well, when Church was over, there was Beth at the Church waiting for Matt and me to come out and go home. Evidently Cole and locked the bathroom door and walked out of the bathroom. No one was inside and she was unable to figure out how to open it.

It had a special key which was no where to be found. She was parked in the parking lot and kind of holding on with a full bladder and had to run inside the building when we came out. Matt had to unscrew the door knob which no other way was going to open it. Beth felt relieved that she was not the only one who was unable to get it opened. Matt showed me what to do in case it happened again.

Right then, Beth felt badly not knowing what I would have come up while she and Matt are in Spain. No worries. I will just go with the flow.





Matt gave us all priesthood blessings before we went to bed. Beth had a lot to do so finished her tasks and tried to go down for the night. She kept coughing with allergies and a sore throat and could not settle down. I got up about 1:00 a.m. and she was sitting in the living room. I remembered a remedy to take a tablespoon of honey with lemon. I happened to bring a fresh lemon and two limes. Don't ask me why, I just had the impression to bring them instead to leaving them in Utah. I had bought some a while back and hadn't used them, so packed them in my bag.

I gave her some honey she said they had in the cupboard. I squeezed the fresh lemon and gave it her with warm boiled filtered water besides more honey. It soothed her throat and stopped the cough almost immediately. It was incredible. She slept well the rest of the night. Grandma's can be good for something even in the middle of the night.

But, I could not take the credit. I just followed what the spirit said to do while I packed late Friday night and was so glad I listened; and did not argue with the impression. Beth took along in her carry-on some honey in case she had a coughing spell again. Lemons would be easy enough to find wherever she goes. She repeated taking some this morning before they left for the airport. I felt like Mary Poppins with a spoonful of honey that makes the medicine go down!

A Mother's Work and Glory~

Gift to MOTHERS from Matt & Beth's Ward--


The speaker in church today really made me think about the things I did as mother when my children were growing up that I took in stride as what mothers did for their children. I assumed it what was mothers did for their children. I didn't have any kind of formula, I just did that gladly and lovingly.

A Mother's Work and Glory As A Mother

Motherhood can be a woman's greatest joy because of the way her children turn out. I truly felt joy in that role and have many wonderful memories. I remember having the feeling to embrace and enjoy each moment they were growing up in my home. I treasured the times I spent driving them wherever they had to be. It gave me one-on-one time to listen and visit with them.

I often prayed to know what and how to help each of them in their problems. Each was an individual and had their own set of needs, that is for sure. I wondered today, just how many runny noses I had wiped, or how many cloth diapers I had changed and washed. Or how many baths I had given, haircuts, meals prepared, bedtimes stories read, or told family history tales, talk times, dresses sewed or up late nights during Christmas preparation for Santa to come. I recalled washing the mountains of laundry, hours of cleaning house, doing dishes, and the sleepless nights once in a while. I know I wrote to five missionaries almost every week, I sent them packages and would have moved heaven and earth for any of the eight! I think I actually did that many times too!

All in all, I AM THE ONE WHO RECEIVED THE GREATEST BLESSING OF ALL, to see my children walk in truth. What more could a mother ask?

I came up with realizing that IF I focused on my children as a single mother with dedication and love; having given unselfishly-- I would reap the promised harvest of a righteous posterity. I know Heaven Father has not let me down.

Everyday is Mother's day for me. I am so grateful for all my posterity who honor and love me.

I love you all, forever. Love, Mom

P.S. Quote by Gordn B Hinckley

President Gordon B. Hinckley in, “Your Greatest Challenge, Mother.” 2000;

"Your hearts are all of one kind. You are gathered together because you love the Lord. You have a testimony and conviction concerning His living reality. You pray unto the Father in Jesus’ name. You understand the efficacy of prayer. You are wives and mothers. You are widows and single mothers carrying very heavy burdens. You are newly married women, and you are women who have not married. You are a vast concourse of women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You belong to this great organization, more than four million of you. No one can calculate the tremendous force for good that you can become. You are the keepers of the hearth. You are the managers of the home. Along with Sister Dew, I charge you to stand tall and be strong in defense of those great virtues, which have been the backbone of our social progress. When you are united, your power is limitless. You can accomplish anything you wish to accomplish. And oh, how very, very great is the need for you in a world of crumbling values where the adversary seems so very much to be in control."

Mother's Day~My Work and My Glory

My Greatest Joy--So far & "The Doctrine of Motherhood" to bring to pass the immortality and eternal lives of my children.

I attended Sacrament meeting in Matt & Beth's ward in Redmond, WA. The speaker was a just graduated co-ed from BYU-Idaho, who gave an excellent talk about motherhood, even though she was a single sister. She stated., "the hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world; is steadfast and immovable. She used the word M-O-T-H-E-R and had a phrase for each letter, to summarize her talk.

M- Multi-tasks doing more things at once

O- Optimism with a silver lining to encourage and uplift

T- Teachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

H- Have heroic faith

E- Energetic leader

R- Real Divine

The young student gave me inspiration to write some things that came to my mind as I pondered some of my experiences as a mother when my children were in the midst of growing up. My duties as a mother were most evident in my mind's eye. I will write those on another page on this blog, perhaps dated another day.

A New Friend, A Grand Experience~

This week has been an eventful week for me. The most kind, gentleman and coming to be friend has blessed my life already. I met him on a singles website and he just lives a few miles away!

His name is Larry. I tried to post his photo here but somehow have some technical difficulty in the meantime. I also have some in Aaron's camera but will need to wait for him to post them to me by email. I misplaced my little digital temporarily. I have since found it and can continue to take my own pics for my blog.

Anyway, Larry asked me to dinner on Monday to Magleby's in Provo; then we went to an institue class on Tuesday and had a great time. Then Wednesday was highlighted going to Alpine Loop for a drive and then to Midway for a late lunch at the Homestead and had a delicious meal.

Thursday was incredible at Mt. Timpanogos Temple. We had the nicest visit in the Celestial Room and I enjoyed that more than anything I could ever have imagined. It was REAL, and genuine.

The temple grounds were lovely and I wished for my camera to take photos of the grounds and with him, but the elusive camera hadn't surfaced yet. Friday we attended my son, Hank's Master's graduation and later went to Mi Ranchito with Tana, Tracie and Aaron's families for dinner.

Then Saturday, Larry graciously asked me if I needed a ride to the airport to go to Matt's for two weeks in Seattle. Well, yes I did and he accomodated taking me. I have not ever had such an incredible experience before, and/or treated so royally. Thank you again, Larry. You are the best!

I look forward to continuing to know him better and hope for the best!!! Ever.

Prayer and a blessing

I am so thankful for Home Teachers. They are so diligent (mine) and helpful.

Today after sacrament meeting, I mentioned to one of my home teachers that I would be out of town the next two Sundays. They make an appointment on the second or third Sunday, as do my visiting teachers.

My home teachers came this afternoon, on my suggestion to either wait until I came back or come today. The one giving the lesson shared Elder John A. Widstoe's talk about missionary work. It was written over fifty years ago.

The message was so fitting for today's message today. There was a line in the talk that was quoted about how the work would come forth though radio, television, etc. and be an aid in missionary work. It was a prophecy, because look at the media now. . . the internet especially, CDs, DVDS, spreading the Gospel every day. There are also tens of thousands more missionaries in the field today to preach the word of God!

It is the custom for my home teachers to close with a prayer and when the one that gave the lesson has the other one give the prayer. I realized as it was given the prayer was as if they had their hands on my head imparting a blessing upon me. What I recall most besides blessing me with good health and safety on my trip, was the last plea to bless me with what I needed besides to receive all the blessings that Heavenly Father had in store for me.

That last sentence struck me to the core of my soul, and I felt a sweetness of the Spirit give comfort to me at this time in my life. I really am thankful for these good men who strive each visit to carry the message by the spirit and touch my heart and soul. It made my day.

I bore my testimony today in sacrament meeting. I feel a lot of love for my ward and the blessing it is to serve where I have been called. Sunday School and Relief Society enriched my spirit and testimony of attending all my meetings. It makes me, and my day complete.

Words to Song Sung By Family Last Sunday

The words to the song done at Hank & Lori's Ward was beautiful. I could not hold back the tears feeling the sweetness of the Spirit. It was so strong. I had also attended my own ward all three meetings. Then went to a Young Women's, Young Men's meeting honoring the graduating Seniors. I was filled to overflowing and felt like I must have had an extra measure of blessings to sustain me. No Doubt.

Hank, Lori, Kris, & Kaari sang this in Church April 25,
Sacrament mtg was amazing. I felt the Spirit so strongly. I wept through it and felt so uplifted. I also attended the rest of the meeting and had the most sweet experience, and do so often when attending Hank & Lori’s ward. It is like visiting heaven. Enoch Society material. I am (so) blessed with sons who hold the Melchezidek Priesthood worthily.

The Gentle Healer

The gentle Healer came Into our town today
He touched blind eyes And the darkness left to stay
But more than the blindness,
He took their sins away
The gentle Healer came Into our town today

The gentle Healer came Into our town today
He spoke one word, That was all He had to say;
And the one who had died Just rose up straight away
The gentle Healer came Into our town today

Oh, He seems like just An ordinary man
With dirty feet And rough but gentle hands
But the words He says Are hard to understand
And yet, He seems like just And ordinary man

The Gentle Healer He left our town today
I just looked around And found He'd gone away
Some folks from town Who followed Him, they say
That the gentle Healer is The Truth, the Light, the Way.


Amen to that.




Thank you Hank & Lori and K2, K4 for adding to my joy today.