and the two shall be one...

On Saturday, October 20, our youngest son, Vance, married Daphne Brown in her parent's backyard. The whole weekend was a wonderful family celebration with all of our children and grandchildren there except for John, Johnny, and Caitlin. This hasn't happened in a long time so it was a very special occasion. Everything was beautiful and enjoyed by all that were able to be there. So that only leaves Chelsea that has not been married off, but she is in no hurry, which is fine with us.

It has been a good month. We had Chelsea come to stay with us to get the house ready for visitors during my fall break. This has been very nice. It gave Doug and I the chance to go to the temple. I was able to be the proxy for a special lady that was instrumental in collecting a lot of genealogy on Doug's line. Chelsea and I attended a very nice bridal shower for Daphne on the 6th with Beth and Emily. The following week we worked hard on the house and got a lot done but fall break went by too quickly.

The week of the wedding, I went back to work and Chelsea went over and helped at the Brown's house to prepare for the festivities. On Thursday evening, after a very long day with parent-teacher conferences, the fun began with the arrival of the Newswander family and Vance. Chelsea was invited to a bachlorette party that evening and we got reacquainted with our grandkids. We are so grateful they made the long journey to be with us on this special occasion. Friday was spent in preparation for the big family dinner to be eaten after the rehearsal that evening. Mom and I picked up Rachel in the morning and Vance took off to get Tracy, little Daphne, and Emmett. Tracy had been at Jeff's because they picked her up at the airport on Thursday. Trent brought pizza for lunch with the kids after they had a 'leisurly' morning. It turned out great and we had a lot of fun working together. We had a nice evening with the Brown family and helping to get things set up for the big day.

Saturday morning was pretty laid back for a little while. We made apple pancakes, one of our favorite breakfasts. Tracy and I then began making the albondigas. We had all the meatballs ready by the time everyone started arriving for lunch. It was wall to wall people but Dad and I agree it was fantastic and our favorite times. Cruch time started about 2:00 when we were all starting to get ready. (Uncle) Vance and Kay arrived about 2:30 and helped us out by taking some chairs to the wedding. Everyone got to the Brown's before 3:30 looking great with only a missing tie (solved because Doug had one) and a uncooperative zipper (anybody got duct tape?). The rest of the day was perfect - ceremony, hugs, kisses, family, friends, food, pictures, dancing, and tears of joy.

Sunday, many of us we were able to go to sacrament meeting at Patton ward. Then we all (except Jeff's family and the newlyweds) gathered at Richard's to eat leftovers and celebrate Rachel's birthday. We talked, laughed and enjoyed each other as long as we could before goodbyes had to be said. We are so grateful that we had this special weekend together and the special effort that was made by those that came a long way as well as those that are nearby. It will not be forgotten.

Fun-Family-Filled Summer

The past two and a half weeks have been filled with wonderful family events. Here is brief rundown:

July 6 - Mom and I flew to Missoula, Montana for a reunion at my Uncle Jim's/cousin Diane's house. We arrived at the airport about 15 minutes after Aunt Jean and Uncle Bob. Mom cried when she saw Jeannie. We rented a car, checked into our very nice hotel, met up with Uncle Steve and headed over to Jim's.  We had a nice dinner at the house and then sat around visiting a while.
July 7 - The big reunion events started off with a picnic and picture taking at a nice park in Missoula. Steve took Mom, Jean, Bob, and I on a scenic tour to Lolo Pass right outside of town. This is a place where the Indians had helped Lewis and Clark on their expedition. Then we went back for dinner and to join the big group. It was a lovely evening and it was great to meet all of Jim's grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
July 8 - We went to church with Jean, Bob, Leslie, and Irene. Jean, Bob, Mom and I went for brunch before going over to Carol's beautiful home at the top of a mountain in Pattee Canyon. Mom and I took Jean and Bob to the airport before heading back to Diane's house. We ate leftovers and visited for a couple of hours and said our final goodbyes before Mom and I headed back to our hotel room.
July 9 - Mom and I got up very early to get to the airport and fly back to Tucson. We were tired, happy to be home, and very glad to have been able to be with Mom's siblings and all my cousins.
July 10 - Gavin Appollas Davidson was born and we were able to go meet him that afternoon.
July 20 - About lunch time, my brother George came to visit with George E, Linda, and their children. We had a really nice visit. It was very nice to see them. Tracy, Johnny, and Daphne arrived in St. David with Chelsea. Daphne Brown, Vance's girlfriend, also joined us. We had our dinner, learned how to play Liar's Dice, and camped out in the front yard. We had a little rain earlier in the evening that cooled it off and then we had a beautiful night out in our tents.
July 21 - We started the day with apple pancakes and then met Richard's family at the Pioneer Day parade. It was the longest parade that I remember having in St. David. Vance even got to play cymbals and march with the band.The Heritage Society really worked hard and put together an outstanding celebration as a combination for Pioneer Day, Arizona's Centennial, and St. David High School graduating students for 100 years. It was wonderful to see so many people that our children have grown up and friends that we have made in this lovely community. We are very blessed. The kids went to watch the games for awhile and met me at the barbeque where I was serving. We all went back to the house and played games and relaxed. Richard's family left and the rest of us, except Dad, went back to the school for a patriotic concert that Mom and I sang in. That was really special to be a part of the community choir and sing some great music with Daniel Tenney making it a lot of fun. Next, we were hanging out on the football field waiting for the fireworks. There was a band playing and a gunfight show. We all entered a round of the Cake Walk and won a cake for Daphne's birthday party. That was fun. The evening was beautiful and a lot of friendships were renewed. Mom got tired so we came back to the house so Dad and I watched the fireworks from the house. It was spectacular!
July 22 - Tracy and Johnny came to the house to help me get food ready for the family dinner/birthday party. We went to Patton Ward's sacrament meeting and then on to Tucson. There was a lot of eating, playing, talking, baby holding, and enjoying each other's company. Pictures were taken and then goodbyes had to be said. It was a perfect weekend except for the absence of Rachel's family because of distance and Jeffrey's because they choose not to be with us. We pray that someday we can all be together again.
July 24 - Sophia Lynn Davidson was born and so we made another trip to Tucson to see our 15th grandchild. We are truly blessed.

Now it is time to try to rest before school starts again. It has been a good summer.

spoiled

Being spoiled can be good or bad depending on your frame of mind and the reason that you are being spoiled.

Lately, I have become very spoiled. This is because Doug and Vance have really been helping me out. Doug has taken over doing all of our laundry. So, every Friday I come home to a basket full of clean clothes. They both help me cook dinner most nights and then have started doing one dinner completely. All of this is such a great blessing to me. Vance has been helping with the yard work, which can be so overwhelming. Of course, Mom is even doing her part because she washes the dishes almost every morning. My house has never been immaculate and it probably never will be but it is so much easier to keep up with things with all this help. I believe this is a good type of spoiling.

The bad type of spoiling is when we start feeling that we deserve special treatment and do not give credit to those that are providing you service or comfort. I believe that the majority of our generation and younger are very spoiled. We have had pretty comfortable lives for the most part. I attended the funeral of a special lady yesterday, Olive Nelson Brown. They just don't make people like her much anymore and I think it is because we are generally spoiled. Her life had not been especially easy but she worked, served, and loved without expecting anything in return. She was an outstanding example of faith, living the gospel everyday, and enduring to the end. What a great legacy she has built. What kind of legacy are we building? Good question to ask ourselves each day. Let us not be like the world and feel entitled.

It has been a good week. School was different because of AIMS testing. I am helping to proctor the 6th grade Special Ed students and there are only six of them so that is really easy. I gave the students in my math classes a project called The Cookie Sharing Project. They are having fun with that and we have had some good cookies. On Friday, Doug, Vance and I went to Thatcher. Doug and I did a temple session which was very nice. Vance came so that he could spend some time with Daphne Brown. They met us at the temple after our session and then we picked up Chelsea to go to have dinner. Thanks to Emily for spending the afternoon and evening with Mom. I am so grateful for all my blessings. Especially those that are linked to family and the gospel.

God be with you till we meet again.

April 15, 2012

Good morning to all! We have been busy helping with indexing the 1940 US Census. This has been a lot of fun and it is exciting to be a part of such an important work. I have done one page of forty names a day since we started on April 2. I finished taxes for Mom, Chelsea, and us. That was a load of my mind.

The weather has really made me want to get outside and work in the yard. Vance has really helped me and has planted a plum tree, two pine trees, and a cottonwood to add to the peach and plum tree that were already there. I had two apple trees that didn't make it. I love trees and want to continue adding a couple each year. I got a few things planted in the garden after Vance tilled it for me. Anyway, I really love playing in the dirt. It is definitely therapeutic.

I had to stop for a moment because I am watching "Fires of Faith" about the origins of the King James Bible. There is a scene in a mall when a young woman starts to sing the "Hallelujah Chorus" and people start joining in. It is a beautiful and brings tears to my eyes every time. These words ring true and touch my down deep in my soul. I am so grateful for my Savior and the atonement. I'm grateful for the scriptures and our modern day prophets. So many of the talks that were given at General Conference two weeks ago seemed to be just what I needed to hear. Pres. Uchtdorf''s talk really hit home with me. I pray that we can forgive one another as family members and be united again.

I have started rereading the Work and the Glory series. It is a great way to visualize the beginnings of the Church. Those early saints that stood by the Prophet Joseph Smith had to have great faith. We have it pretty easy in comparison because that legacy was established. I am grateful to the early saints and my testimony of Joseph Smith. I know he was a prophet.

We have been to two birthday parties this month. Emmett turned three and Warren turned five. Time keeps marching on. Felicity had her birthday yesterday. We want the best for all of our children and grandchildren and pray for them always.

God be with you till we meet again.

a new year

Many things have happened since I wrote last. I have thought of writing here a few times but think that most of the events of my life are pretty mundane and I always forget to take pictures when I should. This morning, though, I remembered how excited I was when I read a diary of a distant aunt that talked of getting wood for the stove and how much snow had fallen on a particular day. So, for those that might be interested here is a quick wrap-up of the past few months.

Fall semester ended up being pretty interesting. I worked with two different student teachers in the math classes that I teach. I learned how much I really love being a teacher because I missed not being the one at the front of the class. I think that it went well and it was nice to be able to help these new teachers on their career paths.

The holidays were all pretty quiet because no one came here and we did not go anywhere except on Christmas Eve. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, we had a wonderful gathering at Shannon's because Michael and Amy had come to Arizona. On Christmas Eve, we had a nice dinner at Richard and Beth's house. On Christmas Day, I was priveledged to accompany the ward choir during sacrament meeting. This was a great opportunity to stretch my limited piano skills. I was grateful and it went well.

We gained a new grandchild in December. Arlo Jonas was born to Jeff and Heather. We are so happy for them and hope that he will continue to be strong and healthy. By the end of July, we will have two more grandchildren because Richard and Chris are expecting an addition to each of their families. This will make a total of fifteen grandchildren for us. What a blessing they all are to our family and bring us great joy.

Last week our stake conference was outstanding. I truly felt the Spirit there and it has inspired me to continue working on my own salvation and that of my family. A few months ago, Dad suggested a change to our Sunday activities. We have stopped watching TV (except maybe an inspirational movie or show) and started working on our family history. This has made such a difference in our lives. Dad had already been reading his scriptures and saying his prayers religiously. His example has helped me to be more diligent in my efforts to follow the counsel of our leaders. We fast and pray for all of our children in their different situations, even those that don't really listen to us. The only way for true happiness is to live the gospel.

Family is the most important thing in life. My uncle Steve and his wife Judy came for a real quick visit on Friday. He took Mom to Nogales and to the cemetery in Tucson. He said she did really well and was very overcome when she came to my Dad's grave. Lately, she doesn't remember that she was married or that her husband is my father. We ended the day with a nice dinner with George, Casandra, and Jessica. I am so grateful to Uncle Steve and his efforts to stay in touch with Mom and to transcribe the story of our family. He is going to launch a website where all his research, pictures, and Grandma Lolo's history will be available to all of us.

Love to all of you. Have a wonderful Sabbath.

This is for Paula...

My sister and I were definitely different. She was artistic and an extrovert while I played the piano and was a bit of a wallflower. She kept a tidy house while I struggled to keep the dishes washed. She taught me how to bake bread so that I didn't have to serve "stones" anymore. She loved people and had tons of friends that adored her while I had my short list of people that I held dear. This was because she was caring and was a real friend to so many. She loved her husband even when he could not find the courage to stay by her side to the end. She was optimistic and would always tell me "everything will be all right" when I would be fretting over the "what ifs". When we were little we always shared a room. This, of course, would lead to squabbles and lines would be drawn mapping out our separate spaces even on the double bed we shared. But then there were the nights that we would get the giggles or push the bed under the window to feel the breeze from the thunderstorms so that the curtains would fan us. She wasn't perfect and would demand to get her way when I would be the one that would try to do what Mom or Dad wanted. She was my maid of honor when I wasn't even in any of her wedding photos. But for all of our differences and disagreements, we loved each other. I know I wasn't her best friend but, beside my husband, she was mine. I was blessed with the opportunity to help take care of her during her last summer here on this earth. The day before she passed we had a very special visit together. She was afraid. Afraid to leave her children behind, not knowing what would happen to them. So it was my turn to tell her "everything will be all right". I know it has been hard for them, but she left us with such a good example that if we follow it "everything will be all right".

Ten years ago people were mourning the tragedy of 9/11 while my family and I were mourning the loss of my sister, Paula Jean Burns Fortman on 9/10/01. All the memorials this weekend have brought back so many memories and feelings. She will always be a part of me. I love you Paula.

super summer

We had a super summer visiting family, teaching summer school, and two major home repairs completed along the way.

In June, I called the gas company because I suspected there was something wrong in the gas meter because it was running everytime I went by it. They came out and immediately shut off the gas to the house. There was a leak between the meter and the house. So, we were responsible for fixing the line. Our wonderful home teacher, Bishop Cottrell, helped us arrange (and also dig) for Bro. Witbeck (he has a ditch witch) and Fred Kartchner (he has a shovel) to come and help us dig the trench for the new line. Both Doug and I helped dig the trench. It was a big job, 180 feet and 18 inches deep. Then we had to wait for the plumber and county inspectors to do their part. After two and a half weeks, we had gas again. We also have a new roof! We finally opted to have a metal roof put on our house. One of my former student's father did the actual putting the new roof on, but we had to have the old roof off first. So Doug and a group of high priests from our ward came and pulled the shingles and bad pieces of wood off the house. They were done in two and a half hours and even hauled off all the trash. During all these projects, I got a bit of yard work done too. Summer school went really well and quickly too. It was a very productive June.

Of course, the highlight of the summer was our family vacation. Here is a quick rundown:

We (Doug, Chelsea, Mom, and I) left St. David after church on July 10th and drove all the way to Sedona. We spent a peaceful day at the cabin and had a nice visit with Tara Golden. Doug even caught a couple of fish for my dinner. The next morning we cleaned up and drove to Cedar City for the Shakespeare Festival. We watched "Romeo and Juliet" which was pretty good. On Wednesday afternoon, we arrived in Logan to stay with Rachel's family. That next week was spent preparing for the family reunion. Rachel had actually done all the planning and work before we got there, so we just helped with the finishing touches. Besides the preparations, we got to see two musicals "South Pacific" and "Oliver". The latter was our favorite because our grandson Joseph played one of the orphan boys and a pickpocket. That was a thrill! The Wednesday after our arrival, we headed off to Porcupine Reservoir for the Davidson family reunion. What a fun time! For four days and three nights, we talked, hugged, laughed, played in the water, slept a little, lounged in the shade, played games, and ate some really awesome food. It was heaven and we didn't want to leave. We can't thank Rachel and Trent enough for all the work that was done for this reunion. It was perfect!! When we got back to Logan, we had more awesome news. Tracy had given birth to her first baby, Daphne Lois Cochran, on Friday, July 22. Dad had already decided that we would go to Colorado to visit Tracy on our way home but now we were even going to see Daphne. We left Saturday afternoon and drove from Logan all the way to Fort Collins. On Sunday, we got to Lamar and had a wonderful visit with the Cochrans. Monday we had a great lunch at a Chinese buffet across the street from our motel and then played games till we had to leave. We went back Tuesday morning to say goodbye and then drove to my Aunt Jean's in Romeo, CO. We went for Mexican buffet that evening and got to see my cousin Vince, his wife and daughter. Mom was so happy to get to see her sister. We chatted till late that evening and left after breakfast to drive back home. We were all grateful to be back home but also for such special memories for this summer.

Hope all of you made some good memories too. Here are some pics too.

end of school 2011

Another school year has ended and even now I am starting to prepare for the next. I learned alot this year and was able to make it through PreCalculus and earn my math endorsement. I do enjoy teaching math and have grown to love the middle schoolers. I have big plans for the new year and am looking forward to improving the middle school math program. I still spend most of my day teaching Title I reading classes and feel good about how well this program is working. I have moved my Title I classroom to the elementary building so that I can be closer to those students and have a little more room. It will be nice but right now it is a BIG mess. Thanks to Rocky, Frank, John, and especially Santa (my aide) for doing all the packing and heavy labor. Now I get to try to sort through all the boxes to be ready for summer school that starts in a week. Fun times.

Many of you have probably heard about Doug's heart attack this past April. It was a little bit of a shock but a blessing in disguise. They were able to fix a problem that he has had for a very long time. Now he is doing great in that area. Today, we have been married for 35 years. We have gotten closer in the past few years, so I'm glad he will be around for a few more. He must have inherited Vivian's heart and not his dad Arlo's. He may outlive me, which he says would be the worst thing that would happen to him. Anyway, we have also had some really high winds this spring. This has done some damage to our roof. It has been quite an ordeal trying to find someone to get the work done. It still isn't done but I think we finally have someone that will follow through. Here's hoping. As my mom always says, "If it isn't one thing, it's ten." So, like a roof, marraiges will get damaged and worn over time. It isn't always easy to fix it, but with a lot of work it can be done.

Mother's Day was nice and I was able to talk to almost all of my children. My great-neice, Sierra Garner, was baptized this past month. I was honored that she asked me to play the piano and say the opening prayer. It was a very nice day with family. I want to thank Shannon for taking care of mom when I want to go to the temple or go on a date with Doug or any other crazy thing that comes up. It is such a blessing to have her family so close by and willing to help. We also had Ashlynn's birthday party which was another great day. We are thankful that Amy is now in John's life and they have attended our family get-togethers. Family is important - warts and all! It is my greatest blessing.

Doug, Richard, Beth and I got to see the Moody Blues in concert this past month. It was really AWESOME. Doug and I have tickets to go see a Diamondbacks game this next weekend which we are excited to do. Mostly we are looking forward to our trip to Utah to visit Rachel's family, "Romeo and Juliet" at the Shakespeare festival, and have the Davidson family reunion. Should be a good summer!

Love to you all.

Chelsea, Mom, and I got to spend an afternoon with Anna and Emmett (Vance's little boy) during Spring Break. He just turned two this weekend. We went to Sears and had these pictures taken. He was cute and we had a nice time. We don't get to see them very often so it was a special treat. Spring Break came and went with nothing too exciting happening. The week before my cousin's daughter got married and had her reception in Tucson. We had a wonderful time visiting with my uncle (Mom's brother Jim) who lives in Montana. We even went to my cousin Jim's house the following day.

Mom has had a lot of pain lately because of arthritis and her curved back. Shannon has been very helpful in taking her a few times so I could get other things done. I really do appreciate it. We have been blessed by having Mom stay with us and she seems quite settled now.

This week has been a busy one. On Thursday evening was Family Math Night at the school. It was not very well attended because of too many other activities going on, but it was enjoyed by those that were in attendence. Yesterday, I had to go to Tempe and do a lesson presentation for the last class I should have to take for a while. Thank heavens.

Sunday Blues

It has been a very long time since I wrote on this blog. Life has been very busy and there are many things I should have shared. There was Broadway on the River. This year, I sang "You Can't Get a Man With a Gun" from Annie Get Your Gun. It was a lot of fun and went really well. Thanksgiving was spent at Richard's and was really nice. Mom had a little bit of a hard time with being back at her house and it not being her house anymore. She was mad for a few days. But, now she is very settled and is happy to be here. For Christmas, Rachel and her family came to visit. We had a very nice time and then had a wonderful get-together with most of the family including John at Casandra's club house in Tucson. That was so nice. I have been working towards earning a Math Endorsement and getting through PreCalculus which was a real test for my brain power. I also passed the AEPA teacher certification test for math in January. We recently helped Chelsea buy a house in Tucson that she will be renting to Chris and Emily. It needed quite a bit of cleaning and a little fixing up. We have been working hard for two months and they are now moved in and getting settled. I think that catches up the on the news.

But, I usually sit down to do this on Sunday; and Sunday I always seem to get the blues. I cry alot on Sunday. The blues that is caused because of those in our family that choose to not associate with us. My heart is broken and I ache for the loss of opportunities to be a part of their lives. The only reason I started this blog was to keep in touch with the family that is far away from us. I'm not sure they even care what happens in our lives. We love and pray for all of our children. We also pray that someday that they will be able to forgive us for being imperfect parents.

end of October

It does not seem possible that it is the end of October already. Our lives have been full of work and a tragedy.

This past Friday the tragedy occured with the passing of Suzanne Burns, my sister-in-law. She is a good person that has always served her family well. She opened her home to those in need including two of my sons. She will be missed. We are sad at her passing but comforted that she did not have to suffer too long. She faced this illness with courage and faith so I know the Lord will bless her for her strength and the life she led. When we visited her in the hospital she was laughing and joking with us and the nurses. She was a good example of how we should all face adversity. I hope I can remember this always.

Mom is doing pretty well and enjoys being here most of the time. She really enjoys when she gets visits or calls from her family. She has been going to church with me and getting to know a few of the sisters. Today she mentioned how nice everyone was and that it is a nice place to live. We have hired a young sister from the ward, Ashley Stover Savage, to come and have lunch with her on the days I cannot come home for lunch. Mom has really enjoyed this also. She is doing pretty good most days. We took a trip to Tombstone the other day that really cheered her up because she talks alot about Tombstone and Nogales. We are planning on going to Nogales soon, maybe on Veteran's Day. We had to get her a new pair of glasses because she lost the ones she had before. Doug has been a big help with taking care of her when he is able. He is very good at making her laugh. We spend most of our time together talking about the past but I think it is good she has someone to talk to and be with. We are doing the best we can.

I just barely passed the midterm for a PreCalculus class. This is the last math class that I am taking to complete a math endorsement. It is math that is way past my abilities but when I get a problem correct I feel pretty good and sometimes even shout out loud. It feels like such a great accomplishment. I never was a math whiz but I am now starting to understand a lot more than I even imagined, including imaginary numbers! So by Christmas I hope to be done taking classes for quite a while again. The annual Family Reading Night took place on October 20th and was a big success. This is an activity that I am in charge of at the school. We got a lot of positive feedback and it was well attended. That means I only have two more large functions to get organized for this school year. Last Sunday was our Primary Sacrament Meeting and the spirit was so strong and sweet. The children performed well. I am so blessed to be able to be a part of Primary because it always strengthens my testimony and enjoy the love that the children share with me. The Lord loves each one of us and knows what we need. I am grateful for that love.

That is all for now and hope that this finds you and your loved ones are happy and blessed with all that you need at this time and send you my love and prayers.

changes

Life is full of changes and the past month has brought a few changes in our life. Some of these changes have been more challenging than others, but we are growing with each new experience. I now have a 'new' kitchen that is a wonderful improvement. We just need a new floor to go with the cupboards and countertop.

Chelsea left for Eastern Arizona College on August 19 and we do miss her. We have now become "empty nesters" and on to a new stage in our lives. Chelsea seems to be enjoying it so far. We are also grateful that she is taking advantage of this opportunity to go to college and hope that she will be able to prepare herself for her future. Two days after Chelsea left, we moved my mother in with us. We were able to finish the bedroom for my mother with help from Richard and Chris. Beth and Shannon helped with the move too. Mom is now getting settled into a routine here and seems to be adjusting to us. She has been to the doctor and has been diagnosed with moderate dementia (she scored 15 out of 30 on the test) which is most likely being caused by Alzheimer's. The doctor prescribed some medication that is supposed to delay the effects. She really liked Dr. Mayberry and feels good that she was able to see him. They also X-rayed the knee that has been bothering her. We are very happy that we are able to help her at this time and it is nice to have her here. She has told me a couple of times that she is glad to be here because she isn't alone anymore.

Two days before school was to start, I found out I would be teaching a Pre-Algebra class as well as a 7th grade math class. I had been planning on just having the 7th grade class, which I had taught last year. This means an extra lesson plan everyday. It has been a little challenging but I have really enjoyed and feel good about how things are going so far. I'm still taking classes to finish qualifying for a math endorsement and pass the certification test. So, work is keeping me busy but I am very grateful to have a good job so close to where we live. I am very blessed.

Mom and I took a trip to Thatcher two weeks ago to take Chelsea some more of her things. It was a nice visit and we also got to see Landon Kartchner which was a real treat. We also took a trip to Tucson to visit with George and Suzanne. Our prayers are with them as they deal with their health issues. It seems that the Lord has been watching over all of us, even through all of our family's trials. On Labor Day weekend, we were able to procure some good corn from Alexander's and green chili from Brother Bryce to make some tasty green corn tamales. Richard and family came down to help and we had a very enjoyable day. Today we ended up just relaxing. Looks like the changes have been taken in stride and we are better for them. Hope all is well with you and yours.

summer screeching to an end

Summer weather is still here but my "summer" is about to end. We have been very busy for the entire month of July. It started with the end of summer school party at the Benson pool. We started our trip to Utah with a stop at the Diamondbacks game on Saturday. Thank goodness the tickets were free because the game was awful. Spent a lovely Sunday in Oak Creek where we got a nice rest. We enjoyed "Much Ado About Nothing" on Monday evening at the Shakespeare Festival and got a wonderful welcome on Tuesday from the Newswanders. We laughed, played, ate, watched "Eclipse", swam, ate, went to the zoo, visited Elaine and Roger, ate, went to the Ogden temple, talked, and ate. Joseph's baptism was very nice and we were so glad that we were able to be there. On the way home, we stopped at Cedar City again. I went to see the musical "Great Expectations" and that evening we all saw "Macbeth" after a great Oriental buffet for dinner. What a wonderful trip!

The second half of the month has been appointments, cleaning, and two wonderful family memories. I was able to be with Shannon, Josh, and the girls for their sealing in the Gila Valley temple. What a special day. I was happy and proud of them. Then last Sunday, we had a nice dinner with John, Amy (his girlfriend), Alex (her daughter), and even Caitlin. We had a lovely visit and they promised we would do it again soon. He is so much happier than I have seen him in a while.

We have decided to have my mom move in with us. Sooooo, we are doing so major cleaning and fixing up to get ready for her. Chelsea has really done her part as well as Richard and Beth came to help. Things are really starting to shape up. Tomorrow, Bary Judd is coming to fix the cupboards and put in new countertops in the kitchen. I am so excited.

Life has been busy and promises to continue to be more of the same. We are looking forward to the birth of Lillian Marie, Chelsea leaving for EAC, and anything else the Lord sends our way. We send lots of love to all of our family and friends.

testimony

I've been wanting to write something but haven't been able to gather my thoughts very well lately. I think I might be on brain overload. I am taking all these math classes, summer school started, and worry about my mom has made me almost dizzy from not being able to keep a thought in my head for any length of time.

I started to write on Sunday but I was feeling very emotional and sorry for myself so I figured that wasn't going to do anybody any good. The last couple of days, everytime I would start I decided nobody would really care whether I wrote or not. Finally, this evening I went out and watched the sunset and enjoyed the beautiful summer evening that we are blessed with here in St. David. It truly is a blessing. It gave me a chance to reflect and have a moment of peace. I am so grateful for my testimony of the gospel that keeps me going even when life is not going the way I would like. I guess that is what I needed to remember. So, even when it feels like no one else cares, I know my Heavenly Father loves me. I want you all to know that I have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is His church on this earth.

graduation...

Well, the last of our children has graduated from high school. It was so nice to have so many of you come to support her at this time. Graduation also means the end of the school year. I had to clean my classroom and get things put away for the summer. It is a good feeling to get this job done and look forward to having summer school start in another week. It does feel a little strange to not have to be gone to work this morning, but it is nice.

The garden is starting to produce and I enjoy digging and working the soil. It is very theraputic. I have already picked radishes, onions, and a little bit of spinach. This morning I picked my first pea pods and discovered a head of cauliflower about a one serving size. I was so excited. I have never grown cauliflower before.

the end of another school year

We have been busy with the end of another school year. The highlight of the week at school was being able to accompany the third grade's production of "The Wizard of Oz". They did a great job! I have been doing the end of the year testing for Title I and trying to keep the 7th graders busy in Math. I am continuing with my Math endorsement classes online which have been challenging, but it makes me feel good when I figure it out. I feel like the scarecrow when he is handed his diploma. The weather has been beautiful even though it has been a little windy. I am enjoying it because the heat is coming inevitably.

I had a nice conversation with John, my oldest, on his birthday. He is now 38 and seems to be doing fairly well. Chelsea, my youngest, is preparing for graduation with excitement and trepidation. Chelsea and I picked up my mom to attend another performance at the Gaslight Theater in Tucson. She really enjoys going and we had a lot of good laughs. We also met Chris and Emily there.

It has been a spiritual week. Last Saturday, Hailey (my niece Shannon's daughter) was baptized. It was so exciting that Josh was able to take care of the priesthood duties. What a blessing and I know my sister, Paula, was smiling down on the festivities. Today, was the Gila Valley Temple Dedication. I attended the 9:00 session and was so thankful to have been able to participate. The spirit touched my heart many times during the different talks. For your information, the temple is across the highway from where Grandma Davidson lived for many years when she was growing up. Sister Crockett talked of the spirits that were in attendance and I feel sure that Grandma was there. President Monson was in good spirits, though I feel like he was very concerned about his wife. So, I know I have a heart because it was full many times this past week.

It has been a good school year and I am very grateful for a job that I enjoy and provides for us. My garden and new trees are doing well and I am looking forward to the summer. Now, I just need the courage of the cowardly lion to face the challenges awaiting me in the future.

temple open house

It has been a wonderful week. We had a really nice visit with Tracy and Johnny last weekend. Just last Sunday they were sleeping in my living room and now they have begun their new adventure in Dominica. School was busy as usual. I completed one of my online classes which is a big load off my shoulders.

On Thursday, Chelsea and I went to Safford to view the temple. It is beautiful and feels special because it feels like it is our temple. After our tour, we met up with Paul Bird, ate a quick meal, and then I dropped them off at Paul's house while I went back to the temple to serve as an usher for the evening shift. That was a special time. I am so glad I was able to do this. I first helped in the chapel making sure there were tour guides for each group. Even though the weather turned cold and windy, many people came to see the House of the Lord so we were busy all evening. There were many members but also a good number of the curious. I pray that many were touched by the spirit felt in the temple. After working in the chapel, I was sent back into the temple and was stationed in the baptistry. It was uplifting to hear the tour guides share their testimonies with the visitors. I saw many people I knew, some of whom I hadn't seen for a while. At the end of the shift, I got to put shoe covers on people because they had sent the young women home. It was late, 9:30, when I left the temple and went to meet up with Chelsea at the Spring Sing where Paul was performing. I was able to hear the choir's last song and then the traditional finale where the choir alumni joined the choir in a circle to sing "May the Lord Bless You" which was beautiful. We got Paul back home and left Safford about 10:30 to drive home. As you can imagine, it was a little hard to wake up on Friday morning, but it was worth it. Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera so I didn't get any pictures.

Saturday, Chelsea and I spent the day with my mom. We went out for lunch and a movie. My mom's condition has worsened and we are looking for a place for her to live which will be closer to George because I can't find anything suitable here in St. David. This is very hard for her because she still feels as if she can take care of herself. She can to a certain extent, but she is not fully aware of what she is doing from time to time. When Tracy and Johnny were here last week, we spent a very fun evening with her going to dinner and playing games with her afterward. That was Wednesday. On Thursday evening she called me and was so happy and thankful that we had come. On Friday she told George she hadn't seen me in weeks. Those of you who are close need to visit her as often as you can, she may not be with us much longer and I don't mean just physically.

Please take care and love one another.

not much to say

I haven't written for a while because I just did not have much to say. Life is full of days that turn into weeks in which we live our everyday lives without too much that seems worthy of note. Yet, my life is filled with many good things that I am thankful for. Over the past couple of weeks, I have a growing group of middle school students that come into my classroom to "hang out" before school starts. This has given me an opportunity to develop some good relationships with them. It has been a challenge to teach middle school math, but I like it a lot. I have the best job at the school because I also get to work with Preschool through 6th grade students teaching reading skills. So, it doesn't matter where I go on the campus, there always seems to be someone with a smile or friendly word. We did have a wonderful time with those that were at Warren's birthday party on March 28th. It was a packed house but it was really nice to be together. We went and picked up little Emmett so that he could join us and be able to visit with him for his first birthday. Being with our family is our favorite thing in the whole world. Another real joy in my life is teaching music in Primary at church. I love to hear the children sing and the songs strengthen me and lift my spirit every Sunday. Then there is Chelsea. She has grown into a beautiful young lady and we enjoy many good conversations while we have worked on a couple of sewing projects, driving to school together, or just hanging out at home. Our last project was her prom dress, which is a one of a kind. She was actually nominated for Prom Queen, but didn't win. (Kaydee McWhorter did) Above is a picture of her ready to go to prom. So, life is good for the most part and we look forward to upcoming events...Tracy and Johnny's visit, temple open house, summer school, trip to Utah.....

Spring Break?

Spring Break has come and gone and it has been a busy week. It started out by taking Chelsea and my mom to the Gaslight Theater for a fun evening of entertainment called "The Cisco Kid". We really enjoyed that and my mom is still talking about it. The rest of the week was spent doing gardening, planting 3 trees, taking the Durango in to get the window assembly repaired, took the TV in to get repaired, took the Firebird in for repairs, went to the temple, got my hair cut, finished a costume for Chelsea, did homework for my 2 online classes, and got our taxes finished. Even though I got a lot accomplished, the list is longer for the things that didn't get done. This always happens and is, of course, how life goes. Tonight I will have a new experience. I am going to do splits with the sister missionaries. I am excited and nervous. It should be a good way to finish the week before heading back to school tomorrow. Overall, I feel good about my week off even though we didn't really get to do any "fun" things except the Gaslight. Sometimes you just need to shorten the 'to do' list.

intelligence

It is the end of another month and, as always, the time has flown by so fast it is a blur. Dad and I lucked into tickets to see a Broadway in Tucson production of "Fiddler on the Roof". We got to sit with Rob and Shella Brubaker which was a lot of fun.

This morning I had one of those moments when I really felt inspired. I usually think of myself as an intelligent person but today I realized that I'm really not so smart after all. As most of you know I am teaching a middle school math class. We spent one day this past week doing an activity measuring circles and finding out that circumference divided by diameter equals pi. So, we discussed the formula to find circumference and area. Then we spent another day measuring the area in different ways to get a better understanding of circles. I was supposed to be teaching these kids but only this morning I finally put it all together and it made sense to me of why the formulas work. I'm pretty good at putting the numbers into a formula and getting the right answer but now I realize that I don't always understand what I'm doing. Finally the thought came to me that you can liken this to living the gospel. Sometimes we have to just keep plugging the numbers into the formula before we get a testimony or have the Spirit teach us what we need to know. Also, I think that 'book smarts' does not always equal intelligent thinking. I can get good grades on a report card but often don't know how to use that learning very well and just having a testimony of the gospel does not get you to heaven. You must live it everyday.