Growing Up.

As a child I wanted to be grown up. I wanted to buy a car, get married, have children, own a home and decorate. It all sounded like fun! And seeing people travel the world, and having fun adventures always looks better on film, or in pictures. We have no idea what went into the planning, the money involved and the energy it took to do their life.

The hardest part about growing up for me has been doing hard things. Responsible things like, working, or giving birth, or making dinner. There is an artist that I love named Mary Engelbreit. She made a calendar years ago with the quote, “Life is Just So Daily” on the front. I’m sure kids don’t get it, but adults do.

Since I have been an adult, I’ve realized our parents and others made it look good. They must have had struggles and challenges, but I was really unaware. I must have been busy being a kid. I heard it said once, “Don’t grow up, it’s a trap!” Hahaha! That’s funny, and true! There are mundane daily things like dishes, laundry and chores, but also some really hard challenges and experiences. You just need to keep going, keep living and plugging along.

I have spent the majority of my adult years very overwhelmed and feeling pretty bad about myself. My expectations of what it would be like and how I would manage were way off. I was very disappointed in myself. Then I learned some great lessons. I learned that life is harder as an adult than I thought it would be. I learned that it’s ok to not have it all together. I learned that for the rest of my life I will be trying to get a grip. And that’s ok. I learned that even in all the challenges of being an adult, there are some major benefits too.

Some of the best blessings and most cherished experiences you can only have with a sweetheart and in a family, as an adult. Getting married and having your best friend as your mate is like a play date. He’s so wonderful, and fun, and sometimes I with I could send him home to “his” house, but we just go to bed and things are better in the morning. To create life with my sweetheart is so wonderful. To see him holding and loving and caring for our kids, and grandkids is such a treasure. To have things and stuff that we have worked for, a home, cars, fun toys, comfortable furniture, and we can’t forget food to enjoy is the best. But most important is the relationships, the family, the time and the love we have experienced in a greater sense than ever before in life.

Growing up is hard, but it is the best!

Favorite Books

As a small child a fun thing that would happen about once a month or so, down by the church we attended would be parked a big motorhome/bus looking vehicle. It was called the Bookmobile. To see it parked there would be such a happy thrill. I loved the Bookmobile. I had various books for different ages and by different authors. It had a special smell and all the books looked wonderful lined up waiting to be read.

I loved the picture books before I was very proficient at reading. One of my favorites is a book called The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. It’s a story about a precious little cottage that is built on a hill out in the country. There is a brook nearby and fruit trees with swing hanging from them. Smoke is coming from the chimney in the cold months and in the warm months the mother in the home hangs clothes to dry in the yard. There is even a little pond for swimming just down the hill from the house. At first the family comes and goes in a horse drawn carriage, but soon there are cars, and tractors and machinery that makes it way to the little house. The little house is curious about the city, but is concerned as other houses rise up around, and soon the little house is surrounded by a large city. The buildings are very tall on either side of the little house and the sun is blocked, so no one wants to live in the little house. The city kept getting bigger and bigger. Trollies and cars and busy people constantly moving and the little house missed the country. Then one day the great great granddaughter of the man who built the little house came and moved the little house back out to the country. The great great granddaughter found just the right spot and the little house was so happy and never wondered about the city again.

I love that story! The cute little house and yard and country location are just what I’d always wanted to live in.

The next favorite book that I love is The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett. An orphan goes to live with her uncle. He is very sad and lonely. She is very sad too. She finds a secret garden near the uncles home and asks him if she can use a bit of land to plant things. She meets a new friend, Dickon, who is the younger brother to the chambermaid Martha. She finds out shortly after she gets to her uncles house that she has a cousin, Colin. He is very sickly and his existence is all about crying and being taken care of. Well, Mary the orphan and cousin is not putting up with him. She helps him to realize he’s not sick and encourages him to do more. He starts to do better, and Mary, Colin and Dickon spend hours in the garden. This is another example of something I always wanted to do. Work the land and make my patch of earth very beautiful with flowers, vegetables, shrubs and trees. I love to be in nature.

The next favorite story that I love is one that I read as an adult. It is a classic. It’s called: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. My Mama read to us kids from this book when I was young. I remember being kind of concerned about the lady Miss Havisham, who still wears her wedding dress and that the wedding cake and flowers are covered in cobwebs. It was always there in the back of my mind growing up and then I finally decided it was time to read it. It’s not an easy book, even though the reading level for this book is considered to be grade 9, and the genre is young adult. The book is over 100 years old and many of the words are not in use anymore. This does make it a challenging book to read. I must say even though it was tough for me, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, the story and the characters. The main hero of the book is Pip. His full name is Philip Pirrip, but goes by Pip. He is a very poor orphan who is being raised by his oldest sister. She is unkind to him, but her husband Joe is a good man and treats Pip kindly. Pip runs into an escaped convict, Magwitch who asks Pip to bring a file so he can cut his chains off. Pip brings the file to him and also food.

This kindness touches the convict who later becomes a very important part of the story.

Pip is asked by Miss Havisham to visit and he spends time with her adopted daughter Estella. The two children play games and Pip developes an affection for Estella while she acts aloof and disinterested.

Much later Pip is given an opportunity to go to London and become a “Gentleman”. Pip doesn’t know who his benefactor is, but he suspects it is Miss Havisham. There are many twists and turns and Pip finally finds out who is supporting him. He learns some very hard lessons about what is most important. He learns that sometimes the ones we judge or look down on turn out to be the best people after all.

I’ve always considered expectations to be one of the most difficult things in life. It’s something we all do. We have some plan for our future, we have expectations, but very seldom does life turn out exactly like we think or expect. As a young woman my hope was to marry and become a Mama. That was my dream. My expectation was that I would be able to be a homemaker and care for my children without working a job outside the home. Reality, my dream came true, I am married and a Mama. I’m so thankful for that blessing. My expectation did not happen the way I hoped. It has been necessary for me to work in some way or another to help provide for our little family. Was I disappointed? Yes, but I also found creative ways to work, like doing daycare so I was home and bringing in income.

So is it better to not have expectations? If we don’t make plans or expect certain things to go a certain way, will we move forward toward our goals or what we want? Or what if there is an event that you’re planning, you need to plan. How many people do you expect? And the planning continues; I want people to come, what if they don’t? I want it to be fun, what if someone gets upset? (Like last time). I better be prepared or expect there could be problems. Another example: When I’m a grandma, it will be like this or that. Then when you become a grandma you realize you’re not in charge. How you expected it to be is not how it is. I’m still learning this at 61 years old. It seems to be better to just enjoy life. Do your best in whatever life gives you. Be careful with expectations, for Pip and me they don’t always turn out how you thought they would, but they turn out wonderful. It is best to enjoy life, and be thankful in all things. Great Expectations are a lesson in life.

Music

I am not a huge music follower, but I love music. I forget to listen! I love it when I hear it, but I don’t need it going all the time. I enjoy pop or at least the “pop music from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and more” as the radio station used to say. When a song comes on the radio or I hear it in a store somewhere, I find myself humming or softly singing a long.

The very first song I remember liking as a kid was a song called Sugar, by The Archie’s that came out in 1969. We danced to it in the 5th grade. I loved it, and it takes me back in time. I loved the sound the dancing and the boys that we danced with.

Then there was a song called Brandy by Looking Glass that me and my friend Julie used to sing together.

Sometimes a song would be popular and be heard at the time of a significant event and that song forever reminds you of that event. When a family friend died, Midnight at the oasis by Maria Muldaur played in the car on the way to the funeral.

Pretty much any Dan Fogelberg, Billy Joel, Elton John, Jackson 5, Blondie, Cindy Lauper, Eagles, or Chicago songs remind me of high school. Although a lot of the songs I liked were one hit wonders for some bands, so I won’t mention them. Anything that would play on the pop radio station back in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s was my favorite. I didn’t have the ease of listening to music that I liked -like the kids do now. Just what the radio played and occasionally what I bought, but it was a cassette tape then.

The song Jessie’s Girl by Rick Springfield used to be a favorite between me and my friend Julie. We’d sing at the top of our lungs playing our air guitars, and then play it again. So much fun!

Since the late 1980’s I was introduced to Yanni. My little brother would play his music at the house I grew up in while we were there on Sunday’s for dinner. I loved it from the start. No vocals just instrumental. Yanni is from Greece and has a very unique sound to his music, but it just touched me and I love it. I used to blast Yanni on Saturday mornings so the kids could enjoy it while we got our Saturday chores done. I have seen him in concert at least 3 times. I really don’t do concerts so that is more that anyone else. I love Yanni.

Since I’ve gotten older and have struggled more with depression I have come to love Paul Cardall. Instrumental again. Very soothing and calming. I love instrumental hymns and piano music. The older I get the less I like drums, loud noises and scream singing. In fact most of the time that I’m in the car driving, it’s either silent or I’m listening to a podcast.

Isn’t it interesting how we change as we grow older?

We’re All Influencers

I had a conversation with my daughter Kelsey the other day about “Influencers” on social media. As we talked about how they seem to be quite confident in what they share and seem to believe. Some of the influencers are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the same church we belong to. These are good people, and they sometimes have a large following, but they’re views and what they do is not always the view of the church, exactly. They sometimes don’t follow all the teachings, completely. Some are even upset about something the church or its leaders have said, and they share that on their platform. I’m a believer in agency and the freedom to choose. I know others don’t always agree with what the church teaches, but when my daughter and I talked, we both agreed the best place to learn about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is from an official representative, missionaries, leaders, and those who are called to share the true gospel teachings. If you got your feelings hurt, or an older mentor told you something and it’s not correct, you shouldn’t be sharing that information if it’s not true. That being said, you can’t change others.

The 6th question in the temple recommend interview is this:

  1. Do you follow the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ in your private and public behavior with members of your family and others?

Russell M Nelson said, “Individual worthiness requires a total conversion of mind and heart to be more like the Lord.”

Are you an example? What about an Influencer? Influencer: one who exerts influence : a person who inspires or guides the actions of others.

Aren’t we all- Influencers? Whether we influence others to do what’s right or not.  

I want to tell you about two of the most Christlike influencers I know: My parents. My Daddy was not a member of the church until he was a 20 year old in the army, stationed at the Presidio in San Francisco. He joined the church, because he was influenced by another soldier who was a member and who gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon. My Mama grew up a member of the church in Salt Lake City, and was on an adventure working and living with girlfriends in San Francisco.  They met at church and shortly after fell in love. 

After marriage they moved to Utah. All the while living the gospel, and being amazing. They raised a big family by today’s standards, 6 kids. Five boys and one girl. That’s me. 

All parents know that the job is tough. We do our best, but we’re not perfect. My three older brothers struggled living what my parents taught, but were never left out or not included. The influence and love my parents showed was beautiful, and consistent.

I want to tell you about one brother, Keith. He was an alcoholic, a smoker, and a drug addict for most of his adult (young) life. He was finally jailed for a DUI, and would call my parents often begging through tears for them to come get him, all while the parent not talking to him would help the one talking to him be strong. “You need to be there”, they’d say. He was there for 5-6 months. While waiting for the court date, Dad wrote a letter to the judge asking to please be lenient with his ruling and let Keith be released with time served and come home. He could have gone to prison. Thankfully, he was released with an ankle bracelet and allowed to come home to my wonderful parents’ influence and love. FYI there isn’t alcohol, cigarettes or drugs at the county jail. He was clean the day he was released. Maybe seeing his life for the first time since his teen years, sober. The pull of my parents’ love would prove to be greater than the pull of his previous lifestyle. He was able to stay sober and became completely active in the church. He married in the temple, and served in whatever calling he was given. Guess what? He became a righteous influencer to all who knew his previous life. He became a positive influencer because my parents were a positive influence to him. One remaining challenge from using needles with drugs, he had contracted Hep C. His liver began to fail. We were so worried and sad. He had just cleaned up his life! But we all prayed for a miracle. It happened and through a very generous donation Keith received a liver from a donor who had died in a car crash. 

My parents provided Sunday Dinner every week for most of our adult lives for all the extended family. All were invited and most of the time everyone would come. On occasion my kids would  see one of my older brothers smoking out in front of the house. They knew it wasn’t a good thing, and they’d come tell me in a very worried voice. I’d say, “yes your uncle smokes, but that’s not who he is. We love him no matter what he does.” 

My parents went through so much worry with kids whose choices were not what they wanted for them, but their love for them was always greater.  

Even if we understand the idea that we should love people, we sometimes think we’re supposed to love them back onto our path instead of respecting their own journey. I’m not trying to love people into coming with me. I’m just loving people. No expectations, no transaction. They and God will figure out their journey; my job is to love them along the way. -Steve Young

Now, back to my brother Keith. He did great for a while, loving and serving and blessing lots of people, and living as a follower of Christ. He found out that he had throat cancer in 2019, then glioblastoma (brain cancer) in 2020, and passed away in January of 2021.  

I have lost all three of my older brothers, now. They all died young. Their choices and lifestyles quite possibly could have played a part in that. But they always knew they were loved and could receive help at any time from Mom and Dad. The lesson is this. Our job is not to judge. Our job is not to choose for another. Our job is to live the gospel of Jesus Christ in our homes and in our community and in the world. We are all influencers. Living the gospel is the right thing to do, and being a righteous influencer as a result of it is wonderful. I want my legacy to be that I loved everyone, and that I was an example of a believer. When you love, it doesn’t mean you agree, it means you honor their right to choose for themselves. It means we love our non-member or inactive neighbor. It means we continue in faith even when the world is in turmoil.

2 Nephi 31:19 …after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow apath, I would ask if all is bdone

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a asteadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of bhope, and a clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and dendure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eeternal life.  

Jesus said, “Love everyone, treat them kindly too. When your heart is filled with love… (you’ll feel good and true.)” I’m so thankful for the most wonderful influencers in my life, my parents. For their example and influence that has blessed me with the desire to “follow the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ in my private and public behavior, with family and others.

A Little Quirky

We’re all human beings, and are mostly the same. Made in the image of God. We have eyes, ears, arms, legs, hair, mouths, etc. Because of DNA we all have familiar traits. Many times in life you can tell people from the same family because the look very similar.

In the family I grew up in we have funny little pinky toes. They’re short and bend toward the big toe, over the toe next to it. It is very obvious in most of us kids. My dad and all the brothers except two have what my dad calls fringe. Bald on top with hair on the sides and back. There’s an old wives tale that says the men/sons go bald if the mother’s father is bald. My Mama’s dad had a full head of hair when he died. So I don’t think that’s true.

In our family, we have two girls and two boys. We hear from many people that our girls look exactly like each other. Some people can’t tell them apart. That is a surprise to me, because I don’t think they look alike much at all. The boys are very different Riley has dark brown hair, and Alex has blonde hair, although the older he gets the darker his hair has gotten. People have said they look alike. Really?

One of the things I would say is a trait that has carried down to our kids, and grandkids is curly hair. Not everyone has it, but some do and I did and do. My maternal grandma and my Mama both had wavy/curly hair. I have always had curly hair. Riley has curly hair. His kids have curly hair. Although his sweet wife Janet has curly hair too. So they get it from both parents. Emily, our Bonus Baby has a sweet little one with really curly hair.

Joy
Grandbaby Monroe

One other physical trait that I think I have from my grandma is short and fluffy. I may not be super fond of the fluffy part, but I have learned to love me, all of me, and I do.

I think physical traits that repeat through the generations are neat! It is one of the many things that bonds us to each other even if they’re a little quirky.

We’re made in the image of God and each other.

Sometimes Timing is Everything

When Flexy (Alex) was a teenager he was just a little guy. That’s not a huge surprise, because his Dad is a little guy, but the generation before my darlin aren’t so little. His Dad is quite tall and so are some of his siblings. So back to Flexy, we became concerned enough with his size that we took him to a specialist. An Endocrinologist had made arrangements for a home care nurse to come to our house in the late evening to draw blood to check his growth hormone. It’s true when they say you grow at night. Your growth hormone peaks at night so he came at around 9-10:00 pm. He put a port in Alex’s arm so he could draw blood about every 20 minutes or so for a while. I remember him being there for at least an hour. Each time after drawing blood he’d sit at the kitchen table working and waiting for the next draw.

Earlier in that same evening Kelsey was doing homework at the kitchen table and for the last little bit my Mama was sitting at the table helping her. We had Alex sleeping in the room closest the kitchen so it was an easy distance for the nurse.

After the home care nurse left we quickly got ready for bed. Kelsey was close enough to the kitchen table to see a scary thing happen and what could have been a been a tragedy. The dome light above the kitchen table fell hitting the table and shattering in all directions. It was a fairly large dome light and had facets so that the glass just flew everywhere. It left a dent in the table where it fell that is still there today. It took quite some time to clean it up and my memory tells me we found a piece of glass here and there for days and maybe even months after.

The timing of it is the amazing part. If it had happened any earlier it would have been a really bad accident. The home care nurse was sitting inches from where the light landed. Kelsey and my Mama were close too. The timing was everything. I am so grateful that the dome light held on till just the right time. No one was hurt. It was a mess, but cleaned up well.

Was Father in Heaven helping? Was our Guardian Angel holding it in place till it could fall without hurting anyone? We may never know, but I know that we are protected in this earth experience and I am so grateful.

The Living Christ

THE LIVING CHRIST

THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLES

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.

He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.

He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.

We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.

He rose from the grave to “become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among His “other sheep” (John 10:16) in ancient America. In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised “dispensation of the fulness of times” (Ephesians 1:10).

Of the Living Christ, the Prophet Joseph wrote: “His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

“I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father” (D&C 110:3–4).

Of Him the Prophet also declared: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

“For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—

“That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:22–24).

We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth—“built upon the foundation of … apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20).

We testify that He will someday return to earth. “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5). He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him. Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts.

We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

First Presidency. 1995. Signatures
January 1, 2000

THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE

What a Wonderful World

A professor asked his class, “Where do you live?” Answers came from around the room, starting with the dorms and various other locations around the city. The professor asked again, “Yes, but where do you live?” Someone shouts, “United States of America!” He responds, “That’s true, but where do you live?” “North America,” “Planet Earth,” and “Milky Way Galaxy,” are answers given. “That is correct,” said the professor. Even though we all live in different locations, we all live in the same place.

I love this little story that my Mama told me from her college geography class. Even though we all live in different places and have very different lives, we have much the same feelings and love for our beautiful world. I am so grateful for a loving God who created this beautiful, wonderful world.

I think He must have favorite colors much like we do. The blue sky in its many hues and the brilliant white clouds that sometimes are gray, or almost black. Clouds that are huge and puffy or whispy or even dappled. So much variation and beauty. When I was a child I loved to lay on the grass and watch the sky. The clouds make interesting shapes and I could almost feel the earth spinning as I watched the clouds go by.

What a creative thought to use water to beautify and add to the landscape in various ways to make us stop and look. A waterfall, how breathtaking, the bigger the better. The sound is deafening. A little creek or stream is so relaxing the sound is like a lullaby, tinkling with its various pitches. I had a favorite little creek that I spent time near as a child and it was magical. I would make little pools with various rocks and float leaves and sticks on the water. Hours were spent and so much happiness was experienced there. I remember feeling so much peace and love and even now slow, small water has a way of calming me and helping me to know there is a higher, bigger power that loves me and knows where I am and how I’m doing. He sends a feeling that I can’t deny. I love that different bodies of water are different colors too, depending on all kinds of things, like how deep it is, what’s in the water, etc.

The luscious greens of the many grasses, and plant life all over, from the plains to the rain forest. The golds and pale greens of the desert. The rocks that are all so very different yet the same. The Mountains that show signs of stress and upheaval while getting to where they stand now. My favorite mountain is a sentinel, a guard and protector to our city and makes my heart feel so blessed to see it and know it’s been here, watching for millennia. It is beautiful!

The majestic trees that sometime grow taller than buildings. Their strength is evident by their stature. Some of their foliage turning shades of gold, red, orange and brown, before the fall in Autumn, a witness of the cycles of life we all go through. We went to visit Vermont this fall and the scenery was so lush and speckled with so much color. Wow! I had another feeling while viewing the trees and leaves that God loves us so much to give us the seasons. Season’s give us a different way to view the same place. It is good to see things from a different perspective. It’s good to have different challenges too. We’ve been in a drought, our lawn was not the usual green, plush grass that we usually get to see and sit on, and the grand kids play on. It makes me appreciate the water. The abundance of water. I hope we can have a green lawn and flowers next summer. I am so grateful for nature.

Fresh tomatoes from the garden are a favorite of ours. We eat them almost every day in the summer. It is amazing to see the gardens full of vegetables and the trees full of fruits. What bounty. Flowers are my favorite though. I love to look at the tiniest detail of each flower. While hiking with my sweetie, we found a tiny little white flower on the trail as I stopped to look, I noticed that the petals were shaped like hearts. I felt His love right then. A little testimony of Gods love. Flowers gladden the heart. They bring a smile to your face. You can feel a warmth and amazement for the tiny details. The colors are so wonderful. The smell is the best. When I worked at the flower shop I was amazed that the best smelling flower to me was called Stock. Just a random average name for something that smell amazing. I think God loves hearts, and stars.

Stars when you’re camping are the best. You’re out away from city lights. Sometimes you can even see our Milky Way Galaxy. It makes you feel small in the immenseness of space. Small, but loved and significant. The Big Dipper, the Little Dipper, Orion, the North Star. I have a soft spot for the North Star, because it reminds me of my Daddy. He’s a light in my life and following him has always lead to good things, good decisions and happiness. It’s because he has always followed our Savior.

Animals are precious. Even big ferocious animals like lions and hippos are so soft and gentle with their babies. Some animals are majestic. Watching a tiger or giraffe walking is a sight to see. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t smile when they are holding a puppy or a kitten. Our silly little pup is so fun, and annoying, she wants to come sit by me, and when I call her to come up, she just looks at me. It’s funny and she cracks me up. I call her my therapy dog, because she loves me and I love her, and snuggles are very nice. All of the different species of animals, rodents, birds, fish, reptiles are so interesting and fun to see and learn about.

The Sun is the most important. It gives us light and warms us. I struggle with the shorter days in the winter. In fact as we get closer to the Winter Solstice, I am even more grateful for light. There is a sweet hymn that encourages sharing the light you have inside you.

When the days are gloomy, Sing some happy song; Meet the world’s repining With a courage strong. Go with faith undaunted Thru the ills of life; Scatter smiles and sunshine O’er its toil and strife.

Sometimes living on this beautiful world, our earth is tough. Even though it’s hard, I am ever grateful for the opportunity to live here and have the experiences that life gives me. Focusing on that is best. If you think about it, the whole world testifies of Gods Infinite love for us. I am so grateful for this wonderful world.

Charlotte the Black Widow Spider

When the kids were little we lived in on the east bench of our town. It was not unusual to see Black Widows from time to time. They would be in various dark places like the garage or in the basement.

One time we found a Black Widow and decided to keep it and observe it for a while. We bought a little container that was safe and gave us ample viewing area. We would put flies, mosquitoes, and other insect type animals in the container and watch Charlotte do her thing. Wow! It was very interesting.

We saw a juicy and feisty yellow jacket (wasp) flying around the house and we decided to put it in the container, alive, and see what she could do with it. Brett put the wasp in and we all gathered around, and wow! Just, wow! She was amazing, extraordinary! She stayed at the other end of the container while the wasp just buzzed and vibrated. It was very angry. Then Charlotte came crawling over very speedy and bit the wasp, then crawled back over to the end of the container. She waited for a minute or two and then crawled back over to the wasp and bit it again. Then ran over to the end. Pretty soon the wasp was very still and calm. Then Charlotte calmly crawled over to the wasp and started wrapping it up in silk. She went round and around the wasp until it was completely wrapped up. For the next few days she would occasionally be at the wasp drinking it.

Having Charlotte was such a fun experience. We had her for a few months, then decided we were done. I had an idea to call the local Nature Center and ask if they would like to have her for their display. She was a beautiful specimen. They said, “Yes!” We delivered her to the Nature Center and shortly after received a lovely letter thanking us for the donation.

During the few months we had Charlotte, we had become very impressed with her and the amazing abilities she had to kill and eat.

The Junk Drawer

Most houses have a junk drawer. It’s usually somewhere close to the kitchen or laundry room. Maybe you have two junk drawers. It is the drawer that holds things that don’t seem to go anywhere else, or the things that we need and use a lot and we need them close and easily accessible. Here is a list of the things in a typical junk drawer.

Pencil, pen, ruler, tape, highlighter, stamps, chapstick, batteries, scissors, paperclips, a doohicky that holds an ace bandage on, screws, nails, letter opener, scratch paper, stapler, paper clip, little gold bell, screw driver: standard and Philips, red eraser. some random plastic something that may not be needed, but we are afraid to throw it away because what if it is, whistle, white out, etc.

In the junk drawer we had growing up the most useful and handy item was the ruler. Not for me, but for my Mama. She used it often for all kinds of projects, but on occasion she would need to get one of the brothers back in-line, when they were misbehaving. She could open the drawer and grab the ruler in one swoop and hit one of the brothers on the bottom end with it. They would usually laugh, as they ran from her, because she’d hit them on the pockets of their jeans which provided too much padding. I never worried about the ruler, because she never used it on me. Thank heavens!

Junk drawers are interesting and helpful, and a necessary part of a home.