This week has been a little stressful for me. It is a rough week because it brings up so many memories of my Mom, Dad and my wonderful Mother in Law. This week was my parents birthdays and my Mother in Law was buried on my Mom's Birthday (Oct. 19). I think that when we have our parents with us we certainly don't tell them enough how much we appreciate or love them. When they are not with us, we learn to appreciate the lessons they taught us in life.
One of the things all three taught me, by example, was exactly how important family is. They should always be our priority. I hope that I let my family know how much I love them and appreciate everything they do for me. I can't imagine my life without them in it.
I remember having those great family Sunday Dinners at home as a teen. The best thing was that my grandparents were usually there, along with my Aunt Lois. So much confusion with so many people in the house, but so much fun. When I met Dave, one of the first times I was at his house was for "The Sunday Dinner" after church. A lot of people. He had a big family too, and all his Mom's brothers and sisters came there for dinner. What fun! How I miss all that.
What I want to really say is "appreciate your family, love them unconditionally, and Tell Them Every Day!" Remember God loves us all unconditionally.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Wonderful Things Are Happening
So many things have happened since my last blog. I can't believe how long it has been. We have been so busy with the many wonderful things that have been put in our path. 
The pictures I put in are of Kyle, Ben, Noah and Becca, the second one is Becca, Donna, Kim, Stephan, Dave, myself, Noah, Ben and Kyle, and the last one is Donna and Becca. We have two more grand daughters, Ryleigh, and Reese. They are Becca's sisters. I will post some pixs of them soon.
We have had visits by family and friends since June, and we are looking forward to my sister, Claudia and her husband arriving here on Thurday or Friday for a few days. I have completed three more classes at Colorado Christian University. I am on the down side. I will be finished with all inseat classes in 6 months. I find it amazingly hard to believe that I have actually been able to manage these classes. After all, I have been out of school for 45 years. I have loved most all of the classes I have taken. Even the Challenging ones. I found out why I did not take Algebra, and Geometry in High School. Bottom line, I passed the math and I don't ever want to see another math class. Thank Goodness-Human Resourses only requires one 3 hour course!
I received a new calling at church. I am teaching a Primary Class of 4 turning 5 year olds. I am learning how to teach them. It has been challenging for me. Teaching Primary was never a calling that I thought I wanted, but I love the children and they are also teaching me many things. After all, I am a fairly new convert to the church and these great kids were born into it.
Donna and her dogs have moved in and we are so blessed to have her here with us. Life has been challenging for her but she has been a great help and we love her even though we have a few trying times. I know that is normal when an adult moves back in with their parents when they have been on their own for so long. I, personally, have to watch my attitude because I go into defensive mode some days with the "it's my house and you need to do what I tell you." You just don't do that to your 38 yr old daughter. Still your kids are your kids! Bottom line, I love her and am so thankful to have her in my life.
We have Noah for a few days and he, as always, is joined to his Pop Pop at the hip. They went for a haircut today in the "go fast" car. Of course he came home with goodies. His Pop Pop loves him more than anything! You can see the love between them. We are going to be grandparents in January and it will be another boy. God has blessed us so richly.
I am not really ready for the fall weather just yet, but Dave has been eyeing up the Christmas Decorations at Lowes. He is dreaming of a mini car dealership with a corvette in it. Lowes has the best stuff. If Dave is good maybe Santa will bring it to him. Anyone who knows us - knows we need more Christmas Decorations like a hole in the head, but we always can use stuff for the village under the tree. Sooooooo I am dreaming of an Elvis Drive In that is also sitting on the shelf at Lowes next to the Car Dealership.
WELL, this is my life today as I know it, I love being able to grow daily in my love for my family. We have been so blessed.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Life At It's Best
Life is finally getting back to normal after a wonderful 3 1/2 week vacation. Dave and I left Colorado on May 11th and set out for a multi-purpose vacation! We drove to Junction City, Ks. and spent the first night--we were just tired. I guess just getting out of the house and away from the 4 dogs, who are usually underfoot, but we love them anyway!
The next day we headed for Tennessee to visit with our very good friends Vic and Kathy Gray. We do not get to see them often enough. We spent 3 nights with them and had a great visit, but their house was also our travel to and from spot to a couple other places. The first being the National Corvette museum in Bowling Green, Ky. We had a great time and enjoyed all the history of the Museum. Even enjoyed a great lunch in their diner! That was on Wednesday.
On Thursday, we drove to Sparta, Tn. It was so wonderful to see my Aunt Bev. I had lost touch with her for many years. We had a great day with her just visiting and catching up. I also got to meet my cousin's daughters and grandchildren. I realized that life is so short that you should never lose touch with those you love!
On Friday we left our friends house and headed off to Hillsboro, Tn. to take pictures of Dave's grandparents and his father's headstones! We had decided that we needed to try and construct some semblence of family history for our children. This meant visiting grave sites and taking pictures of how to get to the cemetaries along the way! We don't want them to loose their heritage! We headed off to Pennsylvania to visit with our other son, Bill, his wife-Kristy and their three beautiful girls, Becca-15 yrs, Ryleigh age 3, and Reese age 1. What a blessing they are. We found that we are missing a bunch being away from them. We also got to spend time with very special friends, but that time is never enough. We were there 4 days and could have stayed a month!
We left on Thursday and headed off to Ohio to spend a few days with family and also drove to Kirtland, Ohio, where there is much LDS church History. We also were able to spend a night with a friend we had not seen in 30 years (since we left Germany). It was a great 24 hours, but not long enough! We left Kirtland with a much better understanding of what happened there! We left Ohio and headed for Nauvoo, Il. There is much church history there. We stayed at a cottage owned by the Nauvoo Hotel. It basically was a 3 bedroom house, with a full kitchen (not that I used it-we were on vacation!) dining room, large living room, and a sitting room. We drove to Carthage and visited the jail. Dave and I both experienced some amazingly strong feelings there. After that we drove into Nauvoo to visit the restored homes and businesses of the first settlers of the Mormon Church. We toured many of the homes and the Joseph Smith Family Cemetary. We enjoyed two shows put on by the missionaries and the missionary couples serving their missions in Nauvoo.
We left Nauvoo wondering how these people gained the strength and trust to follow wherever the Lord sent them. They started over so many times. I wondered if my faith was truly that strong. We made the next stop along the way in Far West, Adam ondi Ahmen, Liberty Jail and the Visitors Center in Independence, Mo. I can't imagine how many times their faith was tested and yet they always remained strong. We are so blessed to have such leaders to set examples for us.
Finally reality sets in-We left on Sunday morning and thought we would drive from Independence to home, but by 4pm we were exhausted and decided to take one last evening for ourselves and just relax. We arrived home on Monday, June 1st and we are back to reality. I started back to school this week, taking two classes, we started our outside project of patio block and flower beds. Thanks to Stephan, and our Missionaries the patio block got laid before the rain came on Tuesday. Now I only have to get the rose bushes to plant. Then on to the next project!
I would like to say that vacations are wonderful, but it is good to be home (until the next time).
This trip has strengthened my faith and love for the church. I know that there is a plan for each of us and in that plan God has put a purpose for us. We may not see it at first but it is there. I have come home with a stronger faith and hunger for more knowledge of the Lord.
We love you all.
The next day we headed for Tennessee to visit with our very good friends Vic and Kathy Gray. We do not get to see them often enough. We spent 3 nights with them and had a great visit, but their house was also our travel to and from spot to a couple other places. The first being the National Corvette museum in Bowling Green, Ky. We had a great time and enjoyed all the history of the Museum. Even enjoyed a great lunch in their diner! That was on Wednesday.
On Thursday, we drove to Sparta, Tn. It was so wonderful to see my Aunt Bev. I had lost touch with her for many years. We had a great day with her just visiting and catching up. I also got to meet my cousin's daughters and grandchildren. I realized that life is so short that you should never lose touch with those you love!
On Friday we left our friends house and headed off to Hillsboro, Tn. to take pictures of Dave's grandparents and his father's headstones! We had decided that we needed to try and construct some semblence of family history for our children. This meant visiting grave sites and taking pictures of how to get to the cemetaries along the way! We don't want them to loose their heritage! We headed off to Pennsylvania to visit with our other son, Bill, his wife-Kristy and their three beautiful girls, Becca-15 yrs, Ryleigh age 3, and Reese age 1. What a blessing they are. We found that we are missing a bunch being away from them. We also got to spend time with very special friends, but that time is never enough. We were there 4 days and could have stayed a month!
We left on Thursday and headed off to Ohio to spend a few days with family and also drove to Kirtland, Ohio, where there is much LDS church History. We also were able to spend a night with a friend we had not seen in 30 years (since we left Germany). It was a great 24 hours, but not long enough! We left Kirtland with a much better understanding of what happened there! We left Ohio and headed for Nauvoo, Il. There is much church history there. We stayed at a cottage owned by the Nauvoo Hotel. It basically was a 3 bedroom house, with a full kitchen (not that I used it-we were on vacation!) dining room, large living room, and a sitting room. We drove to Carthage and visited the jail. Dave and I both experienced some amazingly strong feelings there. After that we drove into Nauvoo to visit the restored homes and businesses of the first settlers of the Mormon Church. We toured many of the homes and the Joseph Smith Family Cemetary. We enjoyed two shows put on by the missionaries and the missionary couples serving their missions in Nauvoo.
We left Nauvoo wondering how these people gained the strength and trust to follow wherever the Lord sent them. They started over so many times. I wondered if my faith was truly that strong. We made the next stop along the way in Far West, Adam ondi Ahmen, Liberty Jail and the Visitors Center in Independence, Mo. I can't imagine how many times their faith was tested and yet they always remained strong. We are so blessed to have such leaders to set examples for us.
Finally reality sets in-We left on Sunday morning and thought we would drive from Independence to home, but by 4pm we were exhausted and decided to take one last evening for ourselves and just relax. We arrived home on Monday, June 1st and we are back to reality. I started back to school this week, taking two classes, we started our outside project of patio block and flower beds. Thanks to Stephan, and our Missionaries the patio block got laid before the rain came on Tuesday. Now I only have to get the rose bushes to plant. Then on to the next project!
I would like to say that vacations are wonderful, but it is good to be home (until the next time).
This trip has strengthened my faith and love for the church. I know that there is a plan for each of us and in that plan God has put a purpose for us. We may not see it at first but it is there. I have come home with a stronger faith and hunger for more knowledge of the Lord.
We love you all.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Enjoying Life
This is my very tardy blogging. Tax season is over! Finally I get to have a life once again. It was a good tax season. My clients are wonderful and most of them have become more like friends. As I set their appointments for next year, I tell them that I look forward to seeing them soon.
Then there is school! Yes I am still at it, but will be taking one block off during May so Dave and I can take a long overdue trip back to Ohio to visit with our family there and then on to Bowling Green, KY to the Corvette Museum and the on to Tennessee to see my Aunt that I have not seen for over 30 years. I am really excited about that. One should never lose contact with family members like that.
This has been a week of rememberence for us as we thought of the stillborn birth of Stephan and Kim's baby "Ryan" I can't believe it has been a year. Kim and Stephan have shown me strength beyond measure over the past year. How I love them and the boys. They are the light of my life.
I passed my year membership into the LDS Church. I received my endowments in March and eagerly await Dave receiving his soon. We will be sealed in the Denver Temple on August 8 with our very good friends, Chuck and Renee Smith. It will be a wonderful weekend. Our friends, Kathy and Stan are flying in from Salt Lake to be with us. That is a good thing, because they are the ones who started the ball rolling 39 years ago! We were just slow.
Today was a fun day for me. I was asked to help judge an oratorial contest for the Colorado Springs Optimist Club. I was amazed as I listened to these young men and women speak on what "optimism is." I hope that I get asked to judge again. It was a learning experience for me. Then we went to Kim and Stephan's and had dinner with the "Boys" because Kim got some time to spend with her friends and a "Girls night out."
I will close this with love for all of you. You are important in my life and you give me great joy.
Then there is school! Yes I am still at it, but will be taking one block off during May so Dave and I can take a long overdue trip back to Ohio to visit with our family there and then on to Bowling Green, KY to the Corvette Museum and the on to Tennessee to see my Aunt that I have not seen for over 30 years. I am really excited about that. One should never lose contact with family members like that.
This has been a week of rememberence for us as we thought of the stillborn birth of Stephan and Kim's baby "Ryan" I can't believe it has been a year. Kim and Stephan have shown me strength beyond measure over the past year. How I love them and the boys. They are the light of my life.
I passed my year membership into the LDS Church. I received my endowments in March and eagerly await Dave receiving his soon. We will be sealed in the Denver Temple on August 8 with our very good friends, Chuck and Renee Smith. It will be a wonderful weekend. Our friends, Kathy and Stan are flying in from Salt Lake to be with us. That is a good thing, because they are the ones who started the ball rolling 39 years ago! We were just slow.
Today was a fun day for me. I was asked to help judge an oratorial contest for the Colorado Springs Optimist Club. I was amazed as I listened to these young men and women speak on what "optimism is." I hope that I get asked to judge again. It was a learning experience for me. Then we went to Kim and Stephan's and had dinner with the "Boys" because Kim got some time to spend with her friends and a "Girls night out."
I will close this with love for all of you. You are important in my life and you give me great joy.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
A Touching Week
It has been a while since I sat down to write. Tax season has been very busy. This last week has been touching for me. We had two of our three grandsons here with us all week. I love having them with us. Kyle is ll and Noah is 5. They bring joy to our hearts. They certainly gave Pop Pop a reason to get up and get going this week. There is nothing that Dave would not do for those boys. Kim was in Can Cun and Stephan was handling the house, their dogs and Ben. Ben does not have the enjoyment of year round school as a teenager, but he will get the summer off and Kyle will only have part of it off.
We realized how much Noah has grown up when he decided he was big enough to sleep downstairs with his brother instead of "kicking Grandma out of her bed." Kim and Stephan got them on Friday and the house became instantly quiet.
On to the challenge of the week! Last Sunday we received a call from a member of the Bishopric at our ward. If you are LDS you instinctively know that it ususally means you are going to be asked to speak on Sunday Morning. This was the first time we have talked in Sacrament since joining the Ward last year. As I planned my talk on reading the scriptures, I really had a chance to look back at the last year and see how much our live have changed. I found that in my daily life now the scriptures play a very important part. I turn to them when I am troubled. I wonder now how I made it through Dave's illness without the church, and scriptures and of course our church family, which has become so important to us. This morning as I spoke, I looked at the ward members who have become so important to us. The encouragement we receive from every member is wonderful. The Sisters in Relief Society are a great source of encouragement to me also. I had a wonderful visit this week with our RS President and one of the counselors. I know that they are special, caring people. I envy the fact that they are able to meet with each sister and get to know them. We all find our place in the working of the ward. I have a very special desire and hopefully one day I will be able to fulfill it. Our Bishop is truly a man called by God and gives a sense of calm to us all. I thank God for them all and the blessings they give me in my life.
I am so blessed to have the life that I have now. I love my family and friends so much. This is just my way of saying thank you to all of you who care.
We realized how much Noah has grown up when he decided he was big enough to sleep downstairs with his brother instead of "kicking Grandma out of her bed." Kim and Stephan got them on Friday and the house became instantly quiet.
On to the challenge of the week! Last Sunday we received a call from a member of the Bishopric at our ward. If you are LDS you instinctively know that it ususally means you are going to be asked to speak on Sunday Morning. This was the first time we have talked in Sacrament since joining the Ward last year. As I planned my talk on reading the scriptures, I really had a chance to look back at the last year and see how much our live have changed. I found that in my daily life now the scriptures play a very important part. I turn to them when I am troubled. I wonder now how I made it through Dave's illness without the church, and scriptures and of course our church family, which has become so important to us. This morning as I spoke, I looked at the ward members who have become so important to us. The encouragement we receive from every member is wonderful. The Sisters in Relief Society are a great source of encouragement to me also. I had a wonderful visit this week with our RS President and one of the counselors. I know that they are special, caring people. I envy the fact that they are able to meet with each sister and get to know them. We all find our place in the working of the ward. I have a very special desire and hopefully one day I will be able to fulfill it. Our Bishop is truly a man called by God and gives a sense of calm to us all. I thank God for them all and the blessings they give me in my life.
I am so blessed to have the life that I have now. I love my family and friends so much. This is just my way of saying thank you to all of you who care.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Today was a good day!
I had the day off from work today. The calm before the storm of people wanting their taxes done and want their money yesterday! I remember when I used to be one of them.
I did make good use of my time though. My very best friend, Monte, flew in from Alaska to Denver to visit her sister and the rest of her family and Dave and I drove to Denver to spend the afternoon and evening with them. It was so wonderful to spend the day just visiting and relaxing with Monte, Linda and Steve. The surprise came when Monte's neice, Heather and her husband, Joel and their two wonderful little boys came. We hadn't seen Heather for nearly ten years. It was wonderful to spend time with them too.
I guess my point to the above is that we will drive across the country to visit people and we have friends less than one hour from us and we don't take the time to visit. I hope that will change now. We need to hold dear the relationships we have made over the years. Life can be so short. Kids grow up so fast and we are not getting any younger.
I also got to talk to a very dear friend in Mechanicsburg, Pa today. I had not talked to her for about a year. During that year her daughter in law passed away. Karin had a double lung and a heart transplant about 14 months ago. She just was not getting any stronger with the transplant and had be put on a ventilator. Life that way for Karin just wasn't working. It was a hard year for Brandon (Karin's husband), and the families but God has amazing healing powers for families who lose loved ones. Faith is a great part of our lives and we know that with our belief in God that we can overcome anything in time. I still miss my friends in Pa so very much.
So much for my life today. A new day will come tomorrow. I love you all.
I did make good use of my time though. My very best friend, Monte, flew in from Alaska to Denver to visit her sister and the rest of her family and Dave and I drove to Denver to spend the afternoon and evening with them. It was so wonderful to spend the day just visiting and relaxing with Monte, Linda and Steve. The surprise came when Monte's neice, Heather and her husband, Joel and their two wonderful little boys came. We hadn't seen Heather for nearly ten years. It was wonderful to spend time with them too.
I guess my point to the above is that we will drive across the country to visit people and we have friends less than one hour from us and we don't take the time to visit. I hope that will change now. We need to hold dear the relationships we have made over the years. Life can be so short. Kids grow up so fast and we are not getting any younger.
I also got to talk to a very dear friend in Mechanicsburg, Pa today. I had not talked to her for about a year. During that year her daughter in law passed away. Karin had a double lung and a heart transplant about 14 months ago. She just was not getting any stronger with the transplant and had be put on a ventilator. Life that way for Karin just wasn't working. It was a hard year for Brandon (Karin's husband), and the families but God has amazing healing powers for families who lose loved ones. Faith is a great part of our lives and we know that with our belief in God that we can overcome anything in time. I still miss my friends in Pa so very much.
So much for my life today. A new day will come tomorrow. I love you all.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Where will I go from here!
I am a little nervous about this blog thing. I have never done it, but I certainly have seen some amazing things on blogs of people I care deeply about. So here goes and hope I make it to the end!
I am a 62 year old wife, mother and grandmother. I am a full time college student and also work for HR Block during tax season. I decided today to start this blog because I want to be able to put my thoughts on paper. I have learned lately that putting things in writing can give a whole different perspective to life as we see it.
Some of the things I have been thinking about lately is the direction my life has changed to in the past year. I joined the LDS church. What a wonderful day that was for me. My son baptized me and confirmed me the next day in Sacrament Meeting. I have truly found what I have been searching for the past 39 years. I first discovered the church in 1970 when we moved to Salt Lake City. I became overcome by a scene in the visitors center at Temple Square. I could never get the feeling out of my mind. Over the past 5 1/2 years I kept being put in a place of exposure to the church again and finally realized that the answers I kept looking for were right in front of me the whole time. My son and wonderful daughter in law set such examples for me. It was amazing to me what I could learn from my children. Although if you talk to my best friend, she would tell you that I became a Mormon in 1970 but just recently made it official. I have learned to spend time reading scriptures and doing visiting teaching with another friend from the church. I love the women we visit and I have learned so much from them also, even though they are much younger than I am. I truly love the Lord and know that there is a prophet on this earth that provides guidence and structure to our lives.
The other thing I look at is the transition I have made to being a college student. I was a nervous wreck when I started my classes. I was the oldest student in the class and I wondered what the heck I was doing when I first started college in July. I have now completed 6 classes. Five A's and one "B". The classes are a bit of a challenge for me, but I am determined to get through it and have a degree by Dec. 2009. What will I do with the HR degree--probably nothing, but I will have done something I have wanted to do since 1964. I am up for the challenge!
So-----Where will I go from here? Hopefully I will start my journal writing from this blog and take each new challenge I have and think seriously about how it will affect the lives of my loved ones and myself. I have a secret goal for myself that I am not ready to write about yet, but when the time is right I will not be able to stop myself from rejoicing in the idea of it. This is the end of my writing for today and we will see what comes of this. I love you all!
I am a 62 year old wife, mother and grandmother. I am a full time college student and also work for HR Block during tax season. I decided today to start this blog because I want to be able to put my thoughts on paper. I have learned lately that putting things in writing can give a whole different perspective to life as we see it.
Some of the things I have been thinking about lately is the direction my life has changed to in the past year. I joined the LDS church. What a wonderful day that was for me. My son baptized me and confirmed me the next day in Sacrament Meeting. I have truly found what I have been searching for the past 39 years. I first discovered the church in 1970 when we moved to Salt Lake City. I became overcome by a scene in the visitors center at Temple Square. I could never get the feeling out of my mind. Over the past 5 1/2 years I kept being put in a place of exposure to the church again and finally realized that the answers I kept looking for were right in front of me the whole time. My son and wonderful daughter in law set such examples for me. It was amazing to me what I could learn from my children. Although if you talk to my best friend, she would tell you that I became a Mormon in 1970 but just recently made it official. I have learned to spend time reading scriptures and doing visiting teaching with another friend from the church. I love the women we visit and I have learned so much from them also, even though they are much younger than I am. I truly love the Lord and know that there is a prophet on this earth that provides guidence and structure to our lives.
The other thing I look at is the transition I have made to being a college student. I was a nervous wreck when I started my classes. I was the oldest student in the class and I wondered what the heck I was doing when I first started college in July. I have now completed 6 classes. Five A's and one "B". The classes are a bit of a challenge for me, but I am determined to get through it and have a degree by Dec. 2009. What will I do with the HR degree--probably nothing, but I will have done something I have wanted to do since 1964. I am up for the challenge!
So-----Where will I go from here? Hopefully I will start my journal writing from this blog and take each new challenge I have and think seriously about how it will affect the lives of my loved ones and myself. I have a secret goal for myself that I am not ready to write about yet, but when the time is right I will not be able to stop myself from rejoicing in the idea of it. This is the end of my writing for today and we will see what comes of this. I love you all!
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