*Family Words*

Puvis  [puh-vis]

Once while my sister-in-law and family were watching a movie, when our nephew Sean was quite young, he got up to get something. As he got up, someone in the room asked him to get an item for them, then someone else asked him to get something for them. Finally, Sean said very firmly, “I’m not the puvis!” 

Well, the family decided that he must have thought that it meant that he was not the slave. So ever since then, when someone asks too much of another person in our family, it’s not uncommon to hear the person say, “I’m not the puvis!”

Totally “Fort Worth” It!

Hermana Kelsey 13:4 -email-
Dear family!
Happy Birthday Gramma!!
I’m glad things are going great for all of you. So this week was great!!!! For reals!! We met a new investigator a couple weeks ago, and he is so legit is isn’t even funny! His name is J., and he has been reading the Book of Mormon a lot, and he told us yesterday that he has been talking to God, and that he knows it’s true. He also told us that he has a very strong desire to quit smoking, and to change his life completely. He gave us his cigarettes yesterday, and then he got a blessing to help him be strong and not go back to it. He just quit cold turkey! It was so great. He is AWESOME!! Very genuine and kind. He understands God’s hand in his life as well. He has seen and recognized the blessings that have come into his life since the elders first talked to him. He’ll get baptized for sure, and he’ll be a great member when he does get baptized. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Anyway, I think I’ll miss his baptism though, because we set his date for the 14th of April, and I feel like I’m going to get transferred this next transfer. 🙁 I hope not, but we’ll see what happens.
Other than that things are good. We are finding a lot of really elect people, which is great for us. A lot of times we meet people who seem nice and everything, but aren’t willing to do anything or change who they are. Lately, we have met a lot of great people who are willing to do things.
We will be having a baptism on Friday! Her name is H., and she is 78 years old. She is the sweetest little old lady! She is the mom of a recent convert that is from Peru. His name is J. 🙂 Anyway, she is so adorable. She will probably be the oldest person I will see get baptized. So that is something cool that will be coming up.
Just a little side note: We were told by our zone leaders that they write every week to President S. about us. So we asked them what they say about us (Sister V. and I), and they said, “We just tell him, ‘They are short in stature, strong in spirit.'” Ha ha ha. It was funny, and cute.
Mom:
Yes, I got the package. Thank you so much! I really needed my medicine. And you are an inspired woman! 🙂 I have been having allergies really bad lately, and the tissues were a life saver. And Sister V. and I have been enjoying the candy you sent. Also, who is that little chikadee in that picture you sent me? Oh wait, that’s my niece? What happened? She’s all grown up!! I couldn’t believe that was her. I seriously looked at that picture for 10 minutes straight trying to figure out how my sweet niece became that little girl. It’s crazy. And she’ll be even bigger when I get home. Weird. I’m glad she remembers me at least. 🙂 I miss her a lot. 🙁
Dad:
Man, that is so cool that you have memories like that with your extended family. Ha ha. And that is funny you destroyed a six pack of beer. We waste a lot of beer as well. Sometimes we find it and dump it out, so little kids don’t find it and drink it. I worry about that sometimes, because we have met people lately that are/were alcoholics, and they started drinking when they were like 5 or 6! That is crazy to me. But I guess if it is available, and your parents don’t care, then I can see how it happens.
Man, that is crazy about grandpa. He is a little troublemaker isn’t he? That’s scary though. I hope everything will be okay with him.
Emmy:
That’s awesome you are doing clinicals. Sister V. did nursing stuff before the mission, but now she decided she doesn’t want to do that, but that she wants to be a teacher. Go figure right? What a change in career field! But yeah things are great. I love being a missionary! I don’t want to come home! Well…like I do, but I don’t at the same time. It’s weird. When you go on your mission you will understand. 🙂
Well, I better go now. Be good. I miss you, but I’ll see y’all soon.
Love, Kelsey
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Howzit-Elder Flexy!

Elder Flexy 21:2 -email-

Mama,
wow gramma is eighty!!! and she is till doing great!!! cool! this week was a good week we worked hard one of our baptism dates is being baptized this week. its going to be great. we had zone conference and President V, is a stud!!! we learned so much and he is opening up more and more. such a great man. anyway i have to do a survey for the mission so its going to be super short today. Love you
Love Elder Flexy

Baba,
thats cool that you got to see you cousin Kip thats sweet. and thats sad that grampa p. is having those problems. but tell everyone i love them and miss them.
Love Elder Flexy
M,
i’m glad your doing good lil sis. keep up the good work. Love you
Love Elder Flexy

My Mom is 80!

For my Mom’s 80th birthday, me and my siblings and our spouses took Mom and Dad out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. We gave her a “Love Note” book. A week or two before, I asked everyone one in our family to write a “Love Note” to our Mom and Grandma, telling her that we love her, and that we admire her, and that we are so thankful for her. One of my Mom’s love language’s is affirmations. So I thought, “Let’s make a book of “Love Notes” from all of us who love her, and she can read them any time she feels the need.” My Mom is reading the “Love Note” from my Dad. The book turned about pretty cute. And I think my Mom loved it. She also got other gifts and we laughed and had a great time! I asked her if she feels 80. She said, “No!” What a blessing to have healthy parents. There she is with Dad watching her blow out the candle on her treat. It was one of those trick candles that doesn’t go out. Funny! I love my parents so much, and feel so blessed to have them. This is my “Love Note” to my Mom:

My Dearest, and most sweet, and wonderful Mama,

On the day I was born, I met my “first” best friend. In fact it is because of you I learned how to be a friend. From that day on you have been there, always supportive, always listening, teaching and consoling. Always showing me how to live by example, and at the same time, trusting in my abilities and allowing me to be me, and most important, always loving me.

Your example has taught me to love and serve Heavenly Father, to choose happiness even when I feel sad, to not let others actions keep me down, to be responsible for my own life, to think about how others feel and love them, and how to not judge, but to look for the good in everyone.

I know that you love our Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ and believe in the Holy Ghost. You live the gospel. I have watched you give countless hours in sharing your knowledge of the gospel and of family history. You have spent the time it takes to know, and then share your knowledge with others. That is amazing to me. Some people learn and never share. You are a gifted teacher, and continue to share with others what you have learned. You are amazing to me.

The years of service you have given our family are a testimony of your devotion. You have kept us a close knit family by providing a well-balanced meal for years on Sunday. When Brett and I were a young married couple, it was the best meal we had all week. And now our family still sees more of each other than most families, by spending time together often. We are all very strong personalities, but we love and respect each other, because you have taught us to love and respect each other.

You love our children and Natasha, and have told them how important they are to you. They always feel so important after getting hugs and kisses from you, and having you whisper in their ear how much you love them. You are a wonderful Gramma, and Gramma-Great.

As I have become a mom and a grandma, I have become even more aware of the sacrifices and time involved in loving and caring for a family. It makes me more in awe of all you have accomplished in your life, while raising a family, and I am so thankful for your example and all you have taught me. Thank you for the many times I called with questions and received just the right answer to what I needed to know. Your knowledge is a blessing to me.

I am so thankful that Heavenly Father blessed me to come to live at your home. He knew that you are what I need to help me make it through this life. You and dad are both wonderful and such a great example of a loving married couple, and I thank you for that. I am so blessed to have you Mom, for 50 + years. Thank you for being the wonderful person you are!

I know you will have the happiest birthday ever, because you will always be the most “super“ Mom.

I love you, my Mama, my “best” friend.

Maybe It’s In The Gene’s!!

So there’s this cute, funny thing that happens at our house when my little grandbaby comes. She likes to take toy cars and line them up in rows.

Does she play with dolls? Not so much.

The cutest and funnest thing about her lining up the cars is…that’s what her daddy used to do when he was four. She started this all on her own, while her daddy was at boot camp.  Maybe it’s in the genes?!  Now they do it together!

So. Cute.

What a sweet and fun girl. I love it so much when I get to see her. What a doll!!

 

An Amazing Lady!

My darlin’s Aunt Della Mae passed away this past week.

Her funeral was yesterday. It was a great funeral.

It was a great funeral, because she was an amazing lady who had a great life. It was a celebration of her life. She was 85 years old and very accomplished. She was very educated. She was successful with her job. She and her husband spent years serving others and volunteering. She raised 6 children, has many grandchildren and great grandchildren. She traveled around the world. She had a beautiful yard and home and was a wonderful hostess. She played the piano beautifully.

Sometimes when I hear about the amazing things others have done with their time on earth I feel a little like I haven’t done enough. Like I haven’t used my time wisely. I know Della Mae wouldn’t want me to feel that way. Especially if those feelings came from hearing about her life.

She was the kind of person who cared so much about other people. And how they felt and how their life was going. My children all have felt loved and valued by her. I love her and she will be missed.

If she were here with me right now, she would tell me to be the best “me” that I can.

And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Della Mae’s children: Kerry, Klaine, Kim, Kevin, Kirk, Kip. Great people!

Totally “Fort Worth” It!

Hermana Kelsey 13:3 -email-
This week was pretty good. The days are going by way too fast. It’s so weird. I’m not really sure how I feel about that. I have heard that the last 6 months just fly by way too fast. I am already feeling that quite a bit. Every transfer just seems to get over faster than the last. But I am also excited so see y’all. The mission just gives you so many mixed feelings. You feel so happy, and yet really sad, all at the same time. It’s so weird.
Other than that I’m not really sure what to tell you. I forgot my planner, so I’m not really sure what happened this week that I should write to you about. I think that is something that is going to have to continue for me when I get home. I am so lost without my planner. I never know what is going on without it.
Mommy: That is sad about Aunt Della Mae. 🙁 It’s times like these that people need the gospel more than any other time, because it brings comfort of what is to come after this life, and gives hope that we will get to see the people who pass on again. There is a line in the Preach My Gospel dvds that we use as missionaries, where a woman is talking about the way she feels in the church. She talks about how happy she is, and how welcoming everyone is. Then she says, “If that is how it is here, just think about how it will be in heaven. I just cannot wait.” Everytime I hear that line I get teary, because I think about the way we will feel when we get to see our loving Heavenly Father, and our older brother Jesus, and how wonderful we are going to feel. 🙂 I just think about that when I hear of people passing on. Everything is fine for them.
Wow, I can see y’all have been staying busy. 😉 That was a lot of news all in a few lines. Tell Amanda and Jason congratulations on having a baby! That is very exciting. 🙂
Ha ha. The time change messed with us too. We were commenting all day about how tired we were, because we kept forgetting that we had one less hour of sleep. We were definitely worn out last night. But that is a pretty regular thing for us. I don’t think I’ll feel fully rested until I get to come home and sleep for 12 hours or so. That will be the day. 🙂
Thank you so much for taking such good care of me. I really appreciate all the love and support you give me.  : * (that is a kissy face. I’m not sure how to do it).
Dad: I’m sorry about Grandpa. That is really hard to have to see. But everything will be okay. I’m glad that Grandmother doesn’t have to worry about him so much anymore. That is good for her. How is Stacy doing? It she alright? I feel so out of the loop, because there are family members I haven’t talked to, or hear from at all, for 1 year. I hope everything else is good. That’s cool you are getting in bike rides. There is a senior missionary here, that keeps asking me if I would be willing to ride a bike as a missionary. I told him if I had to, but most the reason I don’t want to, is because (1) I have to wear skirts, and (2) I’m really out of shape. I would probably throw up if I have to ride a bike anywhere. But I don’t think they will make us a bike area. All of the sisters in the mission right now are in cars.
Emmy: Things are good here. Did you find a new job yet? I can’t believe you are graduating soon. I swear you were just a little sprout like yesterday!!! Que honda? Anyway, that is way cool. 🙂 Well, I’m almost out of time, so I better go now.
I love you all lots! Tell everyone I say hi. It seems most of them have forgotten about me. 🙁 But it’s okay. I guess that is what happens after you are out of peoples’ lives for a year. Anyway, it’s all good. Be good. See you soon. 🙂
Love, Kelsey

Howzit-Elder Flexy!

Elder Flexy 21:1 -email-
Mama,
Life is good in the new area it is called U. and i’m loving this area. we have been tracting like we are getting paid lately its been great though we are finding good people. well its good to hear your keeping busy. Jason lewis went ot the cape town mission right? i think he did. so a missionary has come back to our zone from america and he is going to marry a Zulu girl. but life is good.
Love Elder Flexy
Baba,
… wow that is really sad about Grandpa. he better hold on for a couple more months. at least you can tell he still cares about grandmother. well i’m glad your doing well too life is great here.
Love Elder Flexy
M,
yep i know exactly how you feel sis about school you remember me struggling so much. anyway keep you head up you will be fine.
Love Elder Flexy

Sunday Best!

“Our motives and thoughts ultimately influence our actions. Jesus repeatedly emphasized the power of good thoughts and proper motives: ‘Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not’ (D&C 6:36).

“In Proverbs we read, ‘For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he’ (Proverbs 23:7).”

  -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Hope your Sunday was the Best! Love, Joy

International Day of Awesomeness?

Really?

There is an International Day of Awesomeness?

I know some days are awesome, and some days aren’t. It’s usually a matter of choice, but I love the idea that someone thought of making an official day. If you want to check it out, the Official Site is here! Yes, there is an Official Site!

So this is what I did with my “Awesome” day…

I showered and did a deep conditioner on my hair, then I cried because I had a fight with my son, then I went and gave him a hug. Me and Emily went to a baby shower. We came home for a minute, because my little 9 year old friend Parker wanted me to pull his tooth. Then we met my niece at the beauty supply store, then went to my sister-in-laws to give her a lesson on doing a blog. We picked up food on the way home and after that my darlin and I went to the thrift store, the grocery store, and came home and now we’re watching a movie while I write this post.

It really was an awesome day.