Spring in Utah

 Jamie and Jordyn Lyn came in a perfect weather window.  The two days they were here, which was Tuesday and Wednesday the weather was beautiful and with pleasant 80's temperatures.  Thursday morning I go up, looked out at the mountains and there was snow down on the foothills.  Yup, typical of Utah Spring it went from the 80's down to the 50's over night.  I'm so glad they were able to enjoy a couple of perfect Spring days.  I sent Jamie and Jordyn Lyn this picture.  

While Jamie was here she gave me a couple Burt's Bees detoxifying charcoal sheet face masks to try.  I put one on Thursday morning and just had to send her a picture of me with the mask on.  One picture is supposed to be normal and the other picture supposed to be scary.  Actually I think they both turned out scary!!  I know.  I know.  It is hard to tell which one is scary.  They both are!!  But, the mask was so refreshing and felt so good - if I didn't look in the mirror!

Cheesecake Factory

 Jamie and Jordyn Lyn were headed back to Fresno today so our time with them was short put the visiting packed in the hours we had together.  It was fun to sit and visit with Jamie this morning about Yoga and what it means to her and how she feels it can help people.  She promised that the next time we are together she will teach me some Yoga.  I would love to experience that.

At 11:00 we met Lynda Ann at the Cheesecake Factory for lunch.  Mindy had meetings all day and couldn't join us and Maren wasn't able to be there so it was just the four of us.  The food was delicious!  We even ordered a huge piece of chocolate cake (It's called Linda's fudge cake) and we were all so full that the four of us only ate about 1/4 of it.  We visited until 1:00 and then Lynda Ann drove Jordyn Lyn and Jamie to the airport to catch their 3:35 plane.  It was sad to see them go , but just seeing them for the few hours we did was a blessing.  

I told Jordyn Lyn that I wanted a sweatshirt that said perfectly imperfect.  So profound!

Jamie and I decided we should have split one.

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Our chocolate cake.

I love this granddaughter.  She has just completed her first two years of college and will be moving to an apartment this Fall to start her next year at Fresno State.  Jordyn Lyn is majoring in Graphic Design.

Love you Maxfield Californians!  So much fun to have you with us.  

Belated Sunday Thoughts

 

I get a bit overwhelmed when I think about the mountains this family has climbed together since this photo was taken. and long before that.  I also get overwhelmed when I think about the goodness that Heavenly Father as shown me along this journey.  I can tell you with an absolute surety that mountains are much easier to climb with my Father in Heaven by my side.  I look at myself in this picture surrounded by children and grandchildren and I want to yell out Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's words:

"Don't you quit.  You keep walking.  You keep trying.  There is help and happiness ahead.  Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.  It will be all right in the end.  Trust God and believe in good things to come."

Emmi in Pompeii

 Just got these pictures this morning of Emmi strolling through the streets of Pompeii.  

She said "I FOUND THE MISSIONARIES!"  She said they were walking around and she kept catching people like "hey, that's a member right there."  Then she find the missionaries!!!  She said she spotted the tags all the way across the market square.  The missionaries told her that they had found around 15 members that day.  

Emmi also mentioned that she is trying to figure out how to get over to the Rome temple while she is there.  That would be so exciting.  

Jamie and Jordyn Lyn

 I got a text from Jamie that she and Jordyn Lyn were flying into Salt Lake for a wedding.  They would be here Tuesday late afternoon for the wedding and then leave Wednesday afternoon to head back to Kingsburg.  A very short visit but I will enjoy every minute I can get with them.  Of course, when Jamie got here I was having some trouble with getting my pictures to download from my phone.  So Jamie was able to do her magic and get things fixed so I could blog again.  Of course, there was a lot of talking and catching up on family and each other.  Jordyn Lyn has now finished her second year of college and is well on her way to a four year degree.  

These pictures were after they had come back from the wedding.  We visited until after midnight.

I'm not particularly happy that I'm looking old and Jamie looks like she is still in high school!!

So fun to have them here.  I have a little surprise planned for them this morning.  I will write about that later.  

Mother's Day

 Saturday before Mother's Day, Lynda Ann, Mallory, Hayley and I met  Mary, Lila Mae and Susan at Joe Vera's for a delicious Mexican lunch.  It is one our favorite places to go.  We visited for a couple hours , exchanged presents and then headed back to Salt Lake.  Lynda Ann had worked all night and needed to get some sleep.  I meant to have the waiter take a picture but was so involved in all the conversations going on that I completely forgot.  Susan was happy because she hates to have her picture taken.  Susan gave me a gift card to my favorite hot chocolate stop on a cold morning before work and a gift card to my favorite clothing store along with some of my favorite lotion and body wash.

Lila Mae gave me some lotion and perfume.  

When I got home there was a package in the mail from Tucker.  He sent me this picture that he had taken at Mindy's wedding.  I love this picture.  It just has to make one smile when they look at it. Along with the picture was a card.  I was laughing so hard when this picture was taken.  Tucker was telling Neal to "quit peacocking!"  Funniest terminology I've heard in a long time.  If you don't know what peacocking is then ask Tucker.

This was the card he sent with the picture.

Maren text me in the evening to wish me a happy Mother's Day and I also heard from Derek wishing me a happy Mother's Day.  

Annie had me out to a delicious steak dinner and games on Mother's Day.  Neal didn't come along because he was preparing for a colonoscopy the next day and decided that he would rather be home close to the familiar things he needed!  And to add here that the procedure went well and everything was fine.  No cancer!  Always good news.  Neal also gave me a huge bouquet of yellow roses.  I forgot to take a picture of them.  But, they were beautiful!

Lynda Ann sent me this and I love it.  

Thanks to all my children for making me feel loved, appreciated and needed in their lives.

Sunday Thoughts

Me and Abby - My little namesake missionary

You had eternity to prepare for your mission.

And you'll have eternity to reflect on it.

But you only have 18 months to live it!

 Missionaries have a hard job.  They suffer constant rejection, exhaustion, and sadness.  They have been given a wonderful opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others, but it is not always easy.

"It was meant to be that life would be a challenge.  To suffer some anxiety, some depression, even some failure is normal.  If you have a good, miserable day once in a while - or several in a row - stand steady and face them.  Things will straighten out.  There is great purpose in our struggle in life."  

Elder Boyd K. Packer

Emmi in Italy

 Emmi has sent lots of fun pictures of her time in Italy.  I won't post them all but will post a few.  She also mentioned that she loves wearing her BYU jacket because she always runs into people who recognize her as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  She said this trip was no exception.  She was on a train and saw a couple across from her and they immediately recognized the Y on her jacket.  They said that they were recent graduates of BYU.  So fun for Emmi.

She mentioned that ordering at the different cafes was a challenge as the menus are not in English - obviously.  But she said she did pretty good.

We will have to have a picture show from Emmi when she gets home so she can tell us all about these pictures and just where in Italy she was.  This is some huge cave that she was in.

She did mention that their next stop would be Rome.  So much to see there.  I remember Rome and it was incredible.  She also mentioned how old everything is in Europe compared to America.

Excitement in Annie's Backyard

Lynda Ann said that she and Jeff were awakened at 5:30 a.m. by a loud crash.  The hoped in their car and drove around to the street behind their house and this is what they saw.

 Thank goodness the tree stopped the car from going through their back fence and into their backyard.  Annie said that they saw a kid run from the car.  She and Jeff waited for the police to show up and gave them information that they had.  The sad thing is that they will never know what the situation was about.  Was it a teenager?  Did he steal the car?  Did he take his parents car?  Etc., etc.  Annie said the amazing thing is that the tree only lost a little bark and except for the front of the car the rest of it was in perfect condition.  Crazy situation.

Finished Project and the new project

 Finally finished the Secret Santa.  One of the hardest ones I've done.  It looks easy but it was hard.  The glasses were a real challenge.  I had to thread the gold thread and then thread another needle with light yellow thread and as I shaped the glasses I had to carefully tack them down in different places.  This has to be one of my favorite projects.  

This is the one I'm working on now.  The designer of this is one of my favorite designers.  

Sunday Thoughts

 Emmi has a lot going on in her life right now and lots of decisions that she will be making in the next little while.  As she talked to her mom she said she was stressing out and that she had been on her knees a lot lately praying for answers about her future with the navy.  I in turn became concerned about her.  I remember so many times when I was growing up that my mother, sensing that I was struggling , would write me her thoughts.  Those letters became very precious to me and I have them still.  I wrote this letter - an email- to Emmi hoping that it would give assurance like my mother's letters to me.

Dear Emmi,

I know you are struggling right now and waiting to get answers from our Father in Heaven as to what direction you are supposed to go.  I am grateful for standards and commandments that keep us healthy, happy and safe.  Grateful that you are living those commandments and standards.  Your answers will come.  

    "Heavenly Father has given you talents and spiritual gifts.  He wants you to use these gifts and talents to be happy and bless others.  You once lived with Heavenly Father, who knows everything and loves everyone.  He wants you to be like him!  He gave you a body, abilities and spiritual gifts.  He wants you and all of His children to discover and develop these gifts.  He gave us a plan to help us be happy and bless others."

Those things are often made fun of and criticized in today's world.  In your home and in mine and Pa's, they are celebrated, and as a result, we're happy - even when things are hard and overwhelming.  I know that you have a lot of decisions you need to make in the next couple of years.  Just have faith that the Lord will council you and guide you in the direction He wants you to go.  I love you deeply and you are in my daily prayers asking that you are safe, feel of our love , your families love and Heavenly Father's love.  Be brave, be happy, hold tight to the iron rod and keep your chin up.

Love,

Gam

Pedicures

 I left work early on Monday, met Neal at the salon and we had our feet done.  So nice to have pedicures and have our toes looking nice and ready for Spring and flip-flops and sandals.   Of course Neal fell asleep and I had to take a picture!  Feeling very spoiled!

Easter Sunday

 In the late afternoon of Easter Sunday, Neal and I were invited out to Lynda Ann and Jeffrey's for an Easter feast.  Annie had roast, potatoes, gravy along with carrots and layered jello.  Dinner was delicious.  We also had time to play a game before dinner.  

These were the individual layered jello servings.  They were delicious!

This was the bunny cake we took out to Annie's.

We had a very fun evening with the Gertsons and I was happy not to have to prepare a huge dinner like I usually do.  Not sure I will ever do it again.  So much fun to just spend time at Maren's and Annie's.

Thank you both for making our Easter weekend so fun and eventful and free from stress when I had so much to prepare for and going on.  

Sunday Thoughts

 Easter Sunday was a stressful but very satisfying day for me.  I had been asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting and following Sacrament Meeting I had to teach gospel doctrine.  Talk about a lot of pressure on me.  I'm not going to type my whole talk but I'll just put in a few excerpts from it.  

We celebrate Easter to remind us of what Christ did for us and then to feel gratitude.  I told them that I had seen an Easter video that after reciting meaningful verses of scripture, each participant held up a picture of a family member that had passed away - someone they longed to be reunited with.  The video impacted me deeply.  It made me think of Jeffrey, that we lost six years ago.  My heart suddenly longed to see him again, to hear him say, "hello Mother' and feel his arms around me.  

It made me think of that future day of our reunion and it deepened my appreciation for the Savior's wonderful gift.  

I also told the story of how Lynda Ann had saved my life.  You'll have to read the talk to find out how that fit in.  

I put together a list of things I take for granted, things I would not have if it were not for the Savior.

Because of Him, there are scriptures, apostles, prophets and revelations.  Death has no permanent sting.  We have agency, accountability, salvation, and exaltation.  We have the priesthood, patriarchal blessings that provide us healing, comfort, strength, guidance, and meaning in our lives.  

Because of Him there are stars in the sky, rain drops, rainbows and snowcapped mountains.  Because of Him our prayers go instantly to the throne of God no matter who we are, where we are, or how quietly those prayers are uttered.

Because of Him there is a sacred grove.  We have temples and we have hope, forgiveness and new beginnings.  Because of Him there is no end.

I ended by saying that t doesn't matter whether we journey to the holy lands to walk in our Savior's footsteps or follow them here at home.  What matters is we follow them.  

On this Easter Sunday the message from a thousand sermons can be summed up in this song,

"I know that my Redeemer Lives"

To all my posterity I testify that Jesus Is the Christ.  How great the love of our Heavenly Father has for us that He would send His only Begotten Son to suffer and die for the rest of His children.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  

Easter reminds us that we do not serve a God who is still in the tomb, we serve a God who the tomb could not hold.  The Savior is on the hillside watching over us.

We can find strength in times of trial and hardship by calling on the Lord.  He may not always immediately relieve our burdens like we want, but I know, He will strengthen us in our time of need.  He can make our burdens light and give us comfort through His Spirit and through may others that he puts into our lives.

My Little Namesake Missionary

 Abby posted this on Instagram and Facebook.  Believe me I was very flattered.

I can't wait to show it to Lila Mae.  This is one of my favorite pictures of two sisters who love each other very much.  This picture was taken on Lila Mae's 90th birthday.