They Listen

Caleb was telling someone about conference. He came and asked me who was the guy that talked about the tire in the windshield. Luckily I had jotted a few things down because I can't remember anything longer than a minute. I told him Neil L. Anderson. He then proceeded to tell the person on the phone- "My favorite talk was that Anderson guy. He told a story about . . ." He related the story as told very well. Needless to say I was very impressed. The kid had actually listened to at least one talk of Conference. It might have helped that he was playing Conference Bingo and he needed "home" and he was listening intently for one of the speakers to say it. Doesn't really matter- he listened and learned!

P.S. In his blessing on dinner he said he was thankful he could watch Conference. WOW!

It's Gotta be a Boy Thing

Having only had daughters I am learning a lot from all these little boys in my life. Little girls just really don't do this, or at least mine didn't! Logan using Stockton for a little more heigth at the table. Dave says he looks like he is practicing for football. I'm not sure if Stockton is laughing or crying at this point. Mindy said he was originally laughing but then was distressed over it.

Jordan (2) and Sam (4 months, I think). Looks like Jordan is practicing the same move. Sam looks like he is having a good time.

(Jordan and Sam are the sons of Dave's nephew, Benji.)

There are a ton of little boys in both our families. When all these guys grow up a bit I'm sure there will be enough for 2 football teams. Won't reunions be interesting?

Thanks Melissa for letting me use your pic.

Oregon trip

The week school started Dave had a class in Portland. Everyone at work said he should drive and take me with. I really felt to stressed and busy to go and I wanted to go to San Francisco with him in October so I could see Becca and Steven. I really didn't think I should do both. But everyone convinced me I should go. I was so glad! It was a great trip! The drive through the Columbia River gorge was beautiful. We didn't stop after it got really pretty but all along the way there were these wind surfers and kite surfers everywhere!

This was the view from our hotel room. OK, I am sheltered, I don't think I have ever stayed on a floor this high, 14th, which if you follow my facebook you saw my discussion about how it is really the 13th, but that is another conversation. Downtown Portland is kind of interesting. The blocks are really small and the streets are not very wide. We would walk 7-10 blocks to the mall or Dave's class and it was like walking to other end of our subdivision. I met Dave for lunch each day and window shop, or look for a better place to eat, or just go back to the hotel. Then we would venture out again for dinner. We always were sure to be back in the hotel by dark. There were a lot of street people setting up their beds by then. The Willamette River runs along the edge of downtown.
On Friday Dave's class got done early so we left the downtown area for the first time since our arrival. We went to the Japanese tea gardens, the rose gardens, and an arboretum.
This was the only shot of Mt. Hood we got. We could see it on the way to Portland really well but never stopped to take a pic. We never got a good view of it on our way home, so this one from the tea gardens had to do.

We didn't plan ahead well enough to be able to do a session at the Temple but took a drive to it. It is a very unique and beautiful Temple. The landscape is gorgeous. I guess that is a result of a milder climate than home. I thought even the bees looked different from ours.
Now that I leave for California in 4 days I thought I better get this trip documented. It has been half done for a month! I decided to do the beach part of the trip separate. I hope I can get that done faster so it is done before I leave! Stay tuned!

Visiting Teaching Overload

I have been wanting to do a post on visiting teaching for quite a while but just haven't got to it. Recent events have made me decide I must do it!
Not long ago one of my visiting teachers passed away. Roberta was a healthy, active 70 year old woman. She went to as many ball games of her grand kids as she could and still had regular "get togethers" with her two best friends from High School. She didn't visit often because she served with her husband in the St. George Temple during the winter months. But when she did come she brought a sweet spirit and always made my day a little brighter. In late winter this year they came back to Idaho Falls for doctors appointments. Her heart was betraying her healthy lifestyle and was giving out on her. She received a pacemaker in May, and went downhill from there. On a rare morning that I was home and sitting at my desk with the blinds open I saw the ambulance go up the street. I couldn't fight the feeling that I needed to find out where it was going. I put it off as long as I could until I jumped in my car to go investigate. I drove past her house just in time to see the ambulance pull out of her driveway with her husband and son in cars behind. She passed away later that day. She spent her last morning on this earth doing something she loved. Her husband took her for a drive up to Palisades. I was so blessed to have known this dear sister and have her as my visiting teacher.
Now for her companion and my current visiting teacher. Ramona has been visiting me for quite a few years. She is 78 and her health has not been great for some time. She comes faithfully on the first Thursday of every month. She lives across the street and visits me and my next door neighbor, she drives to my house. When she leaves I walk her down my stairs and to her car. Her husband's heart is giving out on him but he still rides his bike around the block almost everyday, he was substitute teaching until this year. The thing that amazes me the most about this couple is that they are raising an 11 year old grandson. They have had him since he was 2. Ramona is a perfect example of what a visiting teacher should be. She comes faithfully, gives a meaningful lesson, brings an occasional note or gift, and shows me genuine love and concern. Again, I am so blessed to have this sister in my life.
Last year my companion and I were having a hard time finding a time to visit our ladies. It was just a crazy month for all of us. We decided that the only way to get everyone was to get together for breakfast, so we set up a time to eat at her house. Before the day came we ended up inviting the walking buddy of one of the sisters, then the visiting teaching companion of another sister, and then the walking buddy of my companion. There were seven of us that came together for that breakfast. We had such a good time that we decided to continue the event every other month. Of course it was no longer visiting teaching but a great friendship came from it. One morning in June we had a bitter sweet breakfast as we said goodbye to one of the sisters who is now serving with her mission president husband in Nova Scotia. My life has been and will continue to be blessed by these sisters.
In January they put all the names of the sisters in a hat, shook it up good, and assigned routes as they pulled out names. Well, I'm sure that isn't what they did, but it seemed like it. I was going to write about my new route but maybe I should keep this positive. I will just say that my route is the weirdest situation I have ever been in. In my nearly 35 years of being a visiting teacher I have never considered myself a "bad" visiting teacher. Ya, I've missed visiting a month here and there and struggled getting to know some of the sisters, and probably missed the opportunity for service sometimes, but I've tried hard to do my best, but not now. It is hard! You would think that you would feel grateful when you find out your visiting teaching was done for you on the first of the month and you are off the "hook". But it makes me sad that I will not have the opportunity for these sisters to bless my life this month. I do take the chance to visit with one of the sisters at church but she cheerfully reminds me that I don't have to come this month, it was taken care of. Whatever, I am ready to talk to the RS pres. about it and ask for a change, something I have never done before.
Our RS lesson today was about Visiting Teaching, just what I needed...NOT!!! I don't need any more reminders that right now I am a "bad" visiting teacher, and worse, I have a rotten attitude about it!
Just on a side note- Dave and I just got new home teachers. So did our new home teacher, his is Dave. They talked today, we are going to dinner this week so they can both do their home teaching at the same time. We have a lot in common- We both have divorced daughters with children living with us and mom's that are needing a little more help in life. Hmmm, I think I am excited for this!

Tough times

Our family has had some major medical issues recently. This is just a simple, quick update.
1- Ruth (my sister-in-law in Bountiful) had open heart surgery about a week and a half ago to remove a tumor and fix a hole. She came home Tuesday- just in time to send her son, Jonathan, off to the MTC. She is doing amazingly well. (lesson learned- take care of yourself so you can recover from incidences easier) Her sister and the Cannon kids are doing a great job of helping her out. Another son is getting married on June 25. They are moving into mom's basement apartment, which will be a comfort to have someone there.

2- Mindy had gall bladder surgery on Wednesday. It was quite routine and she was home that night. April and I came down to help her with the kids. I was delayed a bit getting here (Saratoga Springs) because of a bad ulcer attack. But thanks to modern drugs I am able to function without pain. She is healing nicely but needs a lot of help with the kids. Stockton and Logan are at the "trouble stage". They are everywhere and don't quite understand no or to not do something a second time when they got hurt the first time.

3-My mom fell Thursday night and even though several people offered to take her to the doc to get checked she didn't. She had a horrid night and Friday morning had her dear neighbor Hannah take her to insta-care. They immediately put her in an ambulance and sent her to Lakeview (the hospital in Bountiful). They sent her to the U of U medical center via ambulance where she ended up in the burn trauma ICU. Just because that was the only ICU room available. She broke 2 vertebrae- C1 and C2. She had to lie flat with a neck brace until they could get her into surgery this morning. That is where we are now- waiting for the word on how it went.

For all you Grey's Anatomy fans. Her surgeon is a real life Dr. McDreamy. OK, I haven't even seen him but he is a neuro surgeon and there are lots of residents around here. I wonder if they live a soap opera life????

The good news-
1- Becca and Steven flew in Thursday night for Becca's best friends wedding. They have been able to have a fun time with Mindy, Garry, their kids and April. I have been sad that I have only been able to spend a little time with them.
2-We are so blessed with good medical help. Mom has 2 very good friends that are doctors here and they have been in contact with assurance that she is in good hands. Almost all of the nurses and doctors that have given her care are so nice and caring! (OK, there was one that reminded me of someone who shall not be mentioned that I could have lived without)
3- Dave and I had an incredible opportunity to be in the room with mom when Elder Kikuchi (sp?) came in to give her a blessing. He is in Mom's ward and was a home teacher with dad. He had Dave assist in the blessing, at the moment I didn't realize what an experience that was for Dave but he was a little in awe. Elder Kikuchi is very soft spoken but as he started the blessing his voice was "powerful". He blessed mom with power and strength. He blessed every part of her body specifically to function properly, her heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, spleen, bones, muscles, sinew, etc. He also reminded her that her husband and son were praying for her as well as other family gone before. It was a powerful blessing and comforted her greatly. Mom also has the best friends and neighbors. They have been here to offer help wherever needed and I feel their sincere concern and love with each word they speak.
4- I am grateful for the Lord's blessings. Dave and I were sitting in the cafeteria yesterday when a man came and sat near us. He called someone and told them he was at the Uof U with his wife in ICU- she had lost their baby and she had complications. They were 2,000 miles away from home and had used up their credit card and knew nobody in Utah. I just cried at the thought. Dave spent a long time talking to him and helping him find some help.

Final word- I know that the Lord's hand is in all we do. I really don't know why we have to go through all this but my family and I are truly blessed as we face our trials.