Too Good to Not Share

--Some thoughts on adversity:  “Life is a series of problems:  Either you are in one now, you’re just coming out of one, or you’re getting ready to go into another one.  The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.  God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy."

Pastor Rick Warren

PS.  I am amending this to say that He wants us Holy AND happy.

"The Year" Rolls into "Years"



My very wise, very older brother sent me a text early yesterday morning that said "For some things we don't need reminders.  Because we can't and don't want to forget.  Thinking of you."  Thanks Z.  This is a perfect description of how I feel.  I want and need to function in all of my roles, but I don't ever want to stop being sad that My Guy is no longer with me in mortality.  I don't think one day has passed without at least a few tears, and I am great with that.  So is Bill.  I know he wants me to be happy, but I also know that he is just fine knowing that the love I feel for him has somehow become perfected, and he is very well missed.  Anything that "takes me back" to the hospital is very hard.  I have been "back to the hospital" since April 12.  Friday and Saturday were especially hard, because whatever the calendar says, Saturday will always be the anniversary for me.  I have even found myself missing my mom.  She adored Bill.  It really would have been so nice to have her through all of this.  I watched her tender care of Craig and Pam when they were struggling with their "tiny cups". She visited with Pam on the phone every day.  It really was one of Mom's finest hours.  I was so proud of her love and concern.  She has been gone three years on the 30th.  Wow, what we have all been through in such a short span of time.  We are so blessed to have each other.  We have the most amazing family ever.  I managed school yesterday very well.  Then I ran myself ragged running all over the county because I had decided that I HAD to buy my plants that day.  Also that I needed something called New Guinea Impatiens.  I had to have them for the courtyard.  I have always wanted them and always forget when I do my planting.   Anyway, I finally found them.  Then the plant I had on Bill's grave was almost dead, so that had to be replaced.  On to the grocery store for dinner food.  We were having spaghetti, and I wanted it to simmer for a long time.  Friends visiting, phone ringing and dinging.  All were great distractions that worked very well.  Family arrived before my return from a quick "sick friend" visit.  We had a wonderful time together.  We ate dinner and thanks to Jeff and Brooke, we discovered something amazing called Ruby Snap cookies.  I wish I had taken a picture before they were devoured!  We missed the family that wasn't there, but it is always good/sad/helpful to be together.  Because the basement is in the biggest mess that ever was, and we now have to venture into the last realm of Bill's things that haven't been gone through, and now have to because the room is going to be carpeted, we ended up sifting through memories.  We found the "long looked after racing suit" that Jeff has been hoping we would find.  We found some more great Ferrari pictures.  It was a very good way to end the evening.  Liz, Josh, and I took Jeff home and found ourselves at the cemetery.  It sometimes seems to me that Bill is everywhere, but there.  I feel him with me every day.  Of course.  He is Bill.  He is going to be involved in whatever is happening in the basement or in any of our lives.  Love you, Babe.


The beautiful roses that were delivered with the exact words that I had been praying I would hear.

The perfect flowers for Bill delivered by a dear friend.





Never too young to get hooked on the phone.

Spencer's Big Day

Congratulations, Spenceroo on making such a great choice to get baptized!  The day was not without temptations to resist that tepid water, but  you kept choosing right.  You are a neat young man, and Papa and I love you so very much.  Thanks for inviting me to share your special day with you and speak about the Holy Ghost.  (Thanks Patty, for my talk...went very well).  Remember Spencer, "Life is Rough, Wear that Helmet!"  I hope you are making sure that your mom doesn't cheat when playing Bananagrams, because we know this is a bad choice!

Our Girls

Happy Late Mother's Day to my amazing girls.  They are wonderful moms to all of our adorable grandchildren.  Kelsey is running all the day long working "down south" and shuttling kids back and forth to school and doing it very well.  Brooke is the queen of baseball this Spring.  Three boys playing this season.  It has to be a record!  Tracie is keeping track of Spencer.  He loves Karate, most of the time, and was very happily baptized this month.  Mariah works and keeps Toryn in preschool and on the slopes!  Jenn has her hands full with her three, planting flowers in the whole neighborhood and managing pets!  Lindsay manages to take a meal to someone almost every night, playgroup, room mom of the year, and all between weekly trips to Disneyworld!  Lisa is enjoying being new mom to her beautiful new doll.  Liz takes good care of  her little munchkins and is getting plenty of practice for the main event.  You get up early, stay up late, fix meals, do homework, clean up after, teach, pray, do laundry, and still find time to care about others.  All in all, we stand in awe of all that you all do, and all that you all are!  We have the most amazing bunch of grand kids ever!!  Your kids have THE MOST AMAZING MOMS EVER!!  We are so grateful for our wonderful family and our many blessings.  We are so blessed to have each other.  Love you all!!

Happy Mother's Day, mom!

Thank you for always singing "Love at Home" to ease the fighting...my kids love that I carry on that tradition...Thank you for all the amazing rolls with our Sunday dinners...Thank you for introducing us to Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, and Doris Day...Thank you for family trips all by yourself, trips to La Jolla, Carmel, Palm Springs, and....RENO...the biggest little city...and a hotel stay none of us will EVER forget!...Thank you for countless late night slumber parties (which includes Love Boat, Matlock, and Magnum P.I.)...Thank you for morning scripture study, as well as dinner scripture study when Bill moved in...Thank you for being a smart republican, and knowing more about politics than anyone I know. I think I've learned to form an opinion AFTER I've discussed the topic with you...Thank you for always running late because it make me neurotic about being on time. Thanks for your love, support, and never failing words of wisdom...I sure love and appreciate you so much, especially on this Mother's Day. I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for sending me to someone that I could look up to and who is the perfect example in every way of who I want to be like. Your strength and positive attitude through your trials in life have had a profound effect on me in ways I don't think I could ever even begin to tell you. Thank you, mom, for not only being the best mom in the world, but also the best friend I could ever ask for. LOVEYOUTONS!!