My Cousin, My Friend Forever!

Been thinking a lot about this friend of mine, my dear cousin... Her oldest daughter is going through some very challenging medical things right now. Wishing Michelle could know just how much I am thinking of her and wishing I could physically be there for her as well.

Cousins make the best friends ever!

 Just look at Char and Jer, for instance...

 And I sure hope these two will also become forever friends!

The Little Things Make Life Grand!

We haven't taken a long trip for a while, our dates consist of watching old movies on the computer or "going out" to get flu shots, our evenings are reading the paper while eating dinner and reading some scriptures... 

But as Luke says, "Life is Good!"

Maybe it's all the years alone or maybe it's that I happen to have the best husband ever, or maybe it's some combination of the two...

But all of the little things like sitting together to watch something, taking care of our health together, eating dinner side by side, and perusing the news, laughing at the comics- all of these little things are so very grand!!!

And we found a Jon look-a-like in the paper!!!

 Looks just like him, don't you think?! And a bow tie too!

I am so blessed!

A "Typical" Saturday...

Luke said I should do a post about my very long day yesterday...

Started my day with a relaxing bubble bath! (from 4:30- 5 AM- yes, my day starts early now that I have spent so long with Luke and his CFS- his early bed time = me waking crazy early most mornings.)

Then started on the grapes- had to pick them, de-stem them, wash them, then juice them!

A few years ago, I only got 8 quarts from these grapevines. Now I have 27 quarts! Wow! Yes, this took many hours...

And I canned a few jars of tomatoes while I was waiting for the juicer.

Also 2 loads of laundry, 2 loads of dishes, vacuuming, mowing the front and back lawn. Attached the slide to the swing set, pick a few strawberries and more tomatoes. Pulled the weeds in the driveway, completed over an hour of paperwork, cut some fabric to prep for Christmas projects. and did some crocheting.

Oh, also went shopping, picked up clothes for the granddaughters, got gas for the car, printed notes for school.

And prepped meals for Luke.

Then ended the day watching the football game! First entire game Luke and I have watched together- very enjoyable day!

When Great Things Seem Small...

Life is so challenging and hard and just plain no fun at times! There are new challenges at work, ongoing problems with Luke's health, and so many other truly small things that add up to seemingly overwhelming big problems! The truly great things in my life can seem suddenly small and insignificant.

So because as Luke says, "life is good", I am going to review some of the small things that make my life great:

1) Because of my work schedule, I can get out in the mornings to enjoy the fresh air and a magnificent view!

And this is just one of many. Every day is new and beautiful in its own way, and I am blessed to have a front row seat.

2) My yard/garden- I may not yet successfully grow veg- but I sure seem to be able to grow bushes, trees, and flowers!

3) Food- I love to cook! And nothing is so great as making Luke something he loves to eat like garim masala or stuffed zucchini!

4) My job! I work with the most amazing people who are all trying so hard to make a positive difference in the life of EVERY student! I could not ask for a better work environment!

And I think the list could continue for A VERY LONG TIME!!!

The thing for me is to remember that this list consists of things, though small to others, that are great to me. 

Growing Up- A Beautiful Toddler!

And now she is two!

Claire is so beautiful, fun, imaginative- a pure delight!!!

I am so blessed to be called 'Grandma'!

3 Important Lessons I Learned From My Dad!

My dad is a GREAT father in so many ways! But above it all there are 3 important things he taught me through his words and his actions...

1) Life is NOT fair! And isn't this the truth?! Whenever I would complain when I was young, my dad would remind me that life isn't fair- because of course, I was most likely complaining about something unimportant in the general scheme of things, and I am certain I was complaining that it isn't fair that so-and-so gets ________ when I don't... I'm sure you get the picture. So, my dad would invariably agree that whatever I was complaining about wasn't fair because 'life isn't fair'. In the moment, I DID NOT like the answer, but I couldn't argue with the logic at all. This was NOT the answer I had gone to my dad to receive, but it is just what I needed to hear and to learn!

So many years later and so very many things I could complain about- getting divorced, being a single mom for all of those years, having a lower paying job, Luke's health struggles- but I did learn that life is not fair. It is glorious! It's 'not fair', in a sense, that I was able to get out of a bad situation for myself and my children, that I was able to have so much time with my children with so many great people helping us along, that I have a job that means so much to myself and so many incredible young people, that I have an amazingly kind and caring husband who needs my support in life! I am so glad that I learned that life is not fair, or I may have learned to focus on so many negative things while being surrounded by so many great things! I may have missed seeing the glorious!

2) Hard work = Being happy! My dad has always worked hard! He was a public school teacher when I was young. So, he spent many nights and all of his summers working extra hours, extra jobs to earn enough for our family. In his 'spare' time, my dad gave hours to church service, traveling 1/2 hour each way every time he had to go to our church building. Plus he found time to teach his children how to work hard! We planted and tended a HUGE garden (think almost 1000 gladiola bulbs plus fruit and veg to store for the winter huge!), learned to care for bees, sold gladiolas and honey at the local farmer's market, harvested wild grapes for juice, and learned to hunt mushrooms safely. 

Some of my best memories are working in the garden, harvesting those grapes, working at the farmer's market, church service like boy scout meetings with my dad! Yes, we did have vacations, but the times spent working with my dad are also the happy memories! Working hard does mean making happy memories!

3) I AM LOVED, ALWAYS and FOREVER! I know without a doubt that my dad loves me! The times I have done something wrong, he would listen patiently, tell me he loved me, and then show me his love through an equitable solution to the problem I had created. The times I needed a shoulder to cry on, he would listen and then simply love me, telling me that I could get through whatever the challenge. He has allowed me to try things and fail while loving me. He has allowed me to try things and succeed while loving me.

My dad will always be there for me and will always love me. Because of my dad, I also know that my Father in Heaven loves me, always and forever!

I have the best dad!!!

And I think my granddaughters have some pretty great dads too!

"freedom to choose one's attitude in any given situation" Victor E. Frankl

It has been such a week!

I have a new granddaughter!

and a wrecked car! (yes, I am okay and no, it was not my fault... but it is still wrecked.)

And before all of this, there were the intensives and graduation...

The intensives were incredible in so many ways to so many students! AISU knows how to do things right!

And graduation- well, I've been to more than 16 graduation ceremonies in the last 16 years, and this year I was privileged to hear the VERY BEST graduation speech I think I will ever hear from a most OUTSTANDING young man. 'Mike' (not his real name) is in a wheelchair from a form of MS. He is an excellent student with such a big heart. I have never heard him speak an unkind word to anyone or about anyone.

He started out by giving the background for Victor Frankl, a concentration camp prisoner during World War II who went on to write "Man's Search for Meaning" about his experiences. Victor had everything taken from him during his time in the camp- except Victor discovered that they could not take away his choice of attitude.

“Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation.” 
― Viktor E. Frankl

'Mike' then told his own story. He used to be able to do so much. Then came the day he could no longer dress himself, feed himself, take care of so many things for himself... and he is losing his ability to use his hands. Doctors say he may live for another 5-7 years. And yet this brave young man sat on the stage looking at the graduates and said that he can still choose his attitude. He can choose to look forward to the things he can still do! And so can all of us!

What a powerful message!!!

This is what I need to remember in my life, now more than ever. With Luke's health challenges, car wrecks, and so many other unexpected happenstances in life, I need to choose to look forward and remember my blessings!