Maybe Next Year

I am reflecting on the events that have happened in our family this past year. Beginning in January we started the New Year off in a new home and a new city. In my wildest imagination I did not think I would ever move from the home that we had begun to fix up. I loved the house and the ward we were in and could have stayed there for the rest of my life. There were other plans for us. Kristen was able to get a good job at Maleluca as a designer and we felt so blessed about that. I began the long process of becoming a substitute teacher.

There is a good story to that. I went in to apply on January 21st and on the 22nd the ESD posted a note that they were no longer hiring substitute teachers. I was perplexed so I called them and found that I had just applied under the wire and my application was good. It took them a while to get my fingerprints processed. I found that my finger prints have worn off and so they had to send them back and forth a couple times before I could finally begin working in May. I love my job and find it enjoyable to have a new adventure every day.

In March we were called to be temple workers. I was called to be a Gospel Doctrine teacher also. This takes up many hours of research as I prepare my lessons. I loved teaching about the Old Testament this year and found new insight into the many books, history and culture. I also love working in the temple. I miss teaching Seminary but find that I have been able to substitute sometimes. I love being creative in preparing the Seminary lessons and have a good time working with the youth.

During the month of April there were new adjustments as I learned about the area we now live in. Kent came to visit for a few days when Kerry drove to Utah to pick up a new table for us and buy a table for his Dad. He and Kerry had a good visit. We also were preparing for a big trip to see Italy during the summer and were getting exciting for our missionary daughter to come home. Another wonderful event we were looking forward to was the birth of our first grandson Sawyer.

May and June went by quickly as I substituted at several buildings in the area. The first part of July I flew to Connecticutt to help move Cherie and Keith, spend time with Lily, and help with everything when Cherie gave birth. I had a lot of fun even though it was really really hot in Connecticutt. We moved the week that Cherie was due to deliver and found that she was a little bit past the time she expected the baby to come. The night he was born we took a long walk and pulled weeds in her flower garden. It did the trick and she had Sawyer that night. I would have never known she was in labor she was so calm!!!!

We met Kerry at the airport at the end of the month and I flew with him to Italy. The highlight of the trip was being with Jenessa and meeting the people she taught. I wish I had done that with all my children now. It was such a treat. Italy was a fantastic place to go and Kerry had done his homework in planning the trip. Kudos to Kerry for making the trip fantastic. When we flew home we met Cherie, Keith, Lily, and Sawyer at the New York Kennedy airport and were able to visit.

The rest of August saw Jenessa and I taking several trips. We went to visit with Joslyn and took a trip to Forks, La Push, and the Olympic National Park. The highlight was the park. That is a do not miss because of the beauty of the lakes and forests. We stopped to get a hamburger and a lavender shake in Forks. A few days later Bryce came and we moved Jenessa to Rexburg to finish her last semester of school.

September I began working at the schools and worked on finishing some quilts. I made a butterfly quilt and an quilt depicting the outdoors in the Northwest. I love going to quilt shops and during the summer Kerry and I went to a resort up across the border from Canada. While he was in meetings I took the car and went quilt shop hopping for quilt blocks. I finished the quilt in November.

The highlight of November was when Jonathan and Janilee came to visit for Thanksgiving. The day they got here a big snowstorm hit. All their plans to go to the coast were ruined but we were thankful to visit with them one more day. I loved the blueberry pie and cranberry sauce that they made for Thanksgiving. I loved having them more than anything.

The highlight of December was when Jenessa graduated from BYU-Idaho. She came in 3rd in her class as cum laude with a 3.94 gpa and received the Newell K. Whitney award. Four professors had to vote for her to receive it from her department. What an honor. We dropped by and visited with Jonathan and Janilee on our way back. And Christmas was the best when I had Kristen and Bryce come a few days before and Kent came too. I loved visiting with Kent and watching him beat almost all the levels of Mario. It was great to go to church with my children also. I hope next year is as eventful as this with great things happening in the family.

July 11, 1983 Journal Entry

I have a lot to catch up on in my journal. I helped landscape my parent's yard. Alan and I dug up a lot of the lawn.

On July 2nd we drove to Fort Belnap from Helena through Lewistown and stopped at Buffalo Hot Springs to swim. We came on to Jan's house where I have been staying with the children since then. On the 3rd we went to Rachel's blessing.

Jan's branch is very small with an average of 15 people out to church each Sunday. The Relief Society President drives 70 miles to church each Sunday across the Canadian border.

On July 4th Mom, Dad, Alan, and albert left for Helena after the men went fishing for the morning.

An interesting point just made to me is if you cannot be trusted to use earthly wealth wisely, how can you be trusted in governing more spiritual matters?

This past week we have taken the children to a museum and park in Chinook, a ranch with animals (chickens, pigs, cows, bulls, horses, geese) and they rode a swather and three wheeler. We took them swimming, camping and fishing.

It has been miserably hot here...over a hundred degrees F.

John has done extensive dental work on my mouth. He has filled so many cavities it looks like a war happened in my mouth.

Jonny misses Kerry and home terrible. When we were coming home from camping, he said, "I don't like to go on vacation and miss my daddy."

Kent has started laughing and last Monday got up on his hands and knees and started rocking back and forth. He has also in the past two weeks, been becoming more dexterious with grasping objects and putting them in his mouth. I was playing with him today and blowing on his stomach and he was just laughing.

Cherie has started sying "I don't want to." every time I ask her to do something. Her talking is becoming more clear. She grinds her teeth at night and keeps me awake. Jonny is a rough sleeper and is all over the bed and everything. I've had to sleep with them both since there are not enough beds. I put one in the crib and Kent sleeps in a camping bed.

I have never seen the misquitos so thick as they are here. Jonny and Cherie are just covered with misquito bites. I counted 25 bites on Jonathan one day and the next he had twice as many, it seemed. Cherie gets them and they swell to the size of a quarter. Kent hasn't had any.

Parenting Large Children

The idea of parenting adults never occured to me when my children were placed in my arms. They were so tiny and helpless and needing everything that I could possibly give them including time, patience, and love. As they grew I learned a lot of patience and wonder if they understand how much I loved them when they were little. I rejoice at their accomplishments as adults and am happy as they work to make this world a better place. I want for them all that they want...a wonderful family life, a temple marriage, a nice job, and most of all happiness. Sometimes I think of them still as my little toddlers asking for 'orange juice', 'cheese', or 'nannas'. I can hear their little voices calling "Nonny", "Serie", "Tent", "Nessa", or "Coco" and the echo of their little footsteps still walk across my heart. They are gone, but I am still here waiting...

Miracles Do Happen

This week we were reflecting on the miracle that has happened in our family this month. Keith has been looking for a job for several months and so at the beginning of the month we had a special fast for him so that he could find a job. He and Cherie had been praying for a raise that he had not had since they moved to Connecticut...then he lost his job. I knew somehow this trial would turn out to be a blessing for them. Even though it was a difficult thing to go through with a just bought new house and a just new baby, it turned out to be the best thing for their family in the end.

This was also a testimony of tithing. Cherie called to say that she had paid her tithing with little left over for necessities. The Lord responded by opening the windows of heaven. Keith had 3 job interviews that week and a job offer soon followed. He began work last week and even had Thanksgiving and a bonus day off to spend with his family. Their family has surely been blessed and we are grateful for that blessing.

Thanksgiving

We went to the Experience Music Project in Seattle and took a tour of Pike Place Market to see the fish fly. Then the next day was Thanksgiving. We have had a wonderful time with Jonathan and Janilee. I would like to express my gratitude to them for coming to see us and also for the fun we had with them. Their trip didn't turn out the way they thought it would but in the end they had a relaxing vacation because of the bad weather.

What a wonderful day Thanksgiving was and it wasn't because of the turkey, the cranberry dressing, the spicy cranberry sauce, the mashed potatoes, the marshmallow yams, the blueberry salad or the perfect rolls. It was because of Jonathan and Janilee taking the time and expense to visit with us. That was what made the day perfect. Having family with us to celebrate the holiday was the best gift of gratitude that we could have been blessed with besides all the great food that was prepared by several people. Janilee outdid herself on the blueberry pie with the buttery crust that she slaved hours over. Jonathan experimented on cranberry sauce with jalapeno peppers which was really good and his famous cranberry dressing was outstanding.

I have been thinking about Thanksgiving. George Washington suggested that we have a day of Thanksgiving in gratitude for the Constitution. I am grateful for this country that I live in and that I can vote and have a voice. I am thankful for our Constitution and the founding fathers who sacrificed so much for this country. I am also thankful for all my children and their spouses (which I consider my children too) and my wonderful grandchildren, Lily and Sawyer. I am grateful for a good husband who is faithful to me and tells me he loves me every day. He sacrifices so much for me and tells me he loves me by doing things for me around the house and at work. I am thankful he has a job and his health. I am thankful for my health also. There is much to be grateful for in life. I am grateful for the vacation to Italy and for the time we spent with Jenessa. I had so much exhausting fun. I wish that everyone could have been here.

Congratulations to Jenessa!!!

Congratulations to Jenessa for her achievement in academics. She has been awarded the Newel K. Whitney Award for excellence by her department. Four professors voted for the student who has starred in their classes. Jenessa deserves this award with her straight A's and her design ability. I love you Jenessa. Keep up the good work!!!!

It's Been Awhile

This week has been some firsts for me. Jonathan has come for Thanksgiving. He hasn't been home for Thanksgiving for many years. In fact, I don't remember when he came home last for this holiday. It was a real treat to find Janilee and Jonathan here on Sunday when I got home from church. (They flew in during church.)

We have been playing games, talking, finding patterns for crocheted dog sweaters and discussing how to make them, having FHE, watching Netflix, and going to see Harry Potter. Our days are filled with fun. Tomorrow we have even more fun planned.

Yesterday, when we came out of Harry Potter a little before 6 we were greeted with one of the coldest snaps we've had in November since I've lived in the Northwest. Cars were going off the road and the freeway was going along at the fast speed of 20-25 mph. We were slipping all over the road but we made it up the hill due to our great city services of putting gravel down on the road. I was thankful that we got to go see the show and also that we got home safely... More fun tomorrow.