Christmas

Daughter-in-law Dorothy asked me to babysit last week, on Monday.  Baby Bruce had the flu and she wanted to take him to the doctor's.  I spent that day and the following in Brentwood, taking care of kids and generally trying to help out.  All of the kids were taking turns with the 12 hour flu so I was exposed on many fronts.  By Thursday I had it.  I pride myself at resisting stuff like that so I was a bit disappointed at my body for not doing so this time.  After all, it's Christmas and there is much to be celebrated.  But succumb I did, so last week was pretty lost.

Fortunately I felt mostly ready for Christmas.  Gifts were all wrapped and I was fairly well prepared for Christmas Eve, when everyone would gather for our annual celebration of the birth of the Savior.  I put lots of preparation, hope and prayer into this special night.  It is dedicated to the spiritual side of Christmas.  I always envision a perfect family re-enactment of the Savior's birth, done by spiritually minded grandkids who really get into the story and take it seriously.  I suppose it is pretty obvious that I set myself up for disappointment.  This year I did several things to lessen it:  I gave out nativity story parts to the kids early so they could read up and practice their parts; I picked out, organized and labeled the costumes so they could find them and put them on easily; I cleared out a bigger space for the re-enactment; I made a little book of the nativity story with the kids as characters in case the whole thing turned to worms.  At least there would be something in writing as a back-up.

Granddaughter Jacqueline is narrating our Christmas Nativity Story.
A picture of Christ creating the world is on the TV screen.

Allegra and Scott are Joseph and Mary

Here are the grandkids at the end of our Christmas Eve, dressed in
their new Christmas pajamas.

So, here is the report:  only some of the kids actually prepared their parts BUT it went pretty well!  The kids played their parts, we took lots of pictures and video and generally enjoyed the outcome.  So all that work was worth it.  We followed up with a candle ceremony, where each person receives a candle, shares a positive thought and places their lighted candle on a center table.  By the end there is a lovely collection of light which we liken to the light our family can share with the world.  It is a lovely thought which I hope the children catch.  So, in summary, I felt fairly good about our celebration.

Christmas day was crazy fun yet I felt a bit of melancholy.  I often cannot figure myself out.  Sometimes I am overwhelmed with feelings that I can't explain to myself.  Perhaps my bits of sadness came because I didn't feel my best (flu hangover) or perhaps I was missing my mom.  Or perhaps a bit of both.  Or maybe there is a bit of something else that I haven't figured out yet.

This week I experienced a bit more of sickness.  Disgusting but true.  I seem to be on the mend today.  Feeling crummy has kept us from meeting up with son Ben and family at their rented cabin in the snow.  I'm sad to miss it.  But I've got to get a grip; this Saturday is New Year's Eve and the whole family will gather once again for a marathon night of food, games and conversation.  I wouldn't want to miss that.

At this closing of 2011 I feel grateful for the peace and plenty that still are a part of our lives here on this wonderful little hill in California.  In spite of struggles and losses, life is so very good.

Cracking Nuts

I think there are probably hundreds of little miracles that happen in our lives that we don't notice.  Monday a small miracle happened to me that I didn't miss.  On Monday Layne and I went our separate ways on separate errands.  Mine ended at the local gas station where I filled our Jeep gas tank.  In the process of that I managed to lock myself out of the car.  Keys were inside.  Also purse.  I tried every door with no luck.  Feeling quite foolish, I entered the gas station store and asked one of the workers if he could unlock my car.  He gave it a once over and said the only way was to break a window.  "What car insurance do you have," he said.  "Maybe they provide towing service."  "Hum," I replied.  "I'm not sure if we have Farmers or State Farm."  "You don't know who insures your car?" he asked me, thinking I was a total moron.  That's kinda how I felt too.  All the car insurance information was right there in the glove compartment.  Locked up.  Out of my reach.  But I did figure out that we have Farmers and was just talking to their help line making arrangements for rescue when I happened to look outside where the jeep was taking up a pumping space and saw what looked like our other car.  I walked outside and moved a little closer.  To my amazement there was Layne, just finishing filling up our Envoy!  There he was, without knowing I was there and in great need of help.  He was delivered to me in some special, magical way.  I was saved.  And I was grateful that somehow he was led to that gas station at that time.  It was a tender mercy indeed.

Here we are just before our last performance of Nutcracker.
Layne has lots of eye make-up on so he looks a little funny.

Layne, daughter-in-law Jessica and son Ben at our Bethlehem
Dinner.  Note the use of fingers instead of forks.  Gotta be authentic!

Ben and Jessica's youngest, Jonathan.

We have been practicing for our part in a Nutcracker production for some weeks now.  Layne refers to our rehearsals as, "cracking nuts".  I kinda like it.  Anyhow all that practicing ended this weekend with our final performances on Temple Hill, in Oakland.  Layne had a solo part again this year during the Grandfather's Dance.  His part was a little more extensive this year, which made him a bit more nervous.  But he did a great job.  The whole show was amazingly good.  I believe I have explained before that our friend Rachel Tan is responsible for this amazing effort to bring the Nutcracker to Temple Hill for free.  She and her husband have spent lots of time and money making it happen.  Rachel has three dance studios and it is her students who present the entire show.  Professional props, beautiful costumes and well rehearsed dancers make for a show that rivals any that you might pay money to see.  Both nights were packed.  Rachel's daughter played the starring role this year and did a lovely job.  I found it quite wonderful that this gift the Tans have offered to so many people is also providing their daughter with an unforgettable experience.   It's a joy to be a part of it.

Tonight our kids downstairs, Cliff and Audrey, had their annual Bethlehem dinner.  Our local family gathers for it and dons shepherds head pieces before being served with Bethlehemish food, which must be eaten with our fingers.  It's a fun experience.

So, after a weekend filled with activities, we are looking forward to a slower pace this coming week.  I think we are almost ready for Christmas.

Celebrations of All Sorts

Our neighbor, Tony, is a high energy guy, full of ideas.  He has done some nice things for us since we've been here.  So when Tony came to Layne with a Christmas idea, Layne wouldn't do anything to discourage him.  Tony wanted to place a large, lighted star somewhere on our hill.  Layne agreed that it would be a great idea.  So Tony bought all the materials needed and asked Layne to build it.  Normally Layne would attempt to get out of yet another project.  But this was Tony.  So he took on the task and now the star rests atop a pole in the field in front of our house.  I love it!  It can be seen from the highway near our road and, hopefully, adds a little sparkle to those who notice it.  All in our little valley can see it as they drive down our road.  A star is a little thing but we are celebrating it.  This never would have happened without Tony!

Our daughter Audrey had her gall bladder surgery last Monday.  She came home Tuesday.  The surgery was routine, as we hoped it would be.  Signs are good for a full recovery very soon.  It's wonderful to live at a time when so many discomforts and physical problems can be solved relatively easily.  She is out of pain and loving it.  This is a little bigger thing to celebrate.

Our star at night

Our Christmasy front door

While she was struggling with her gall bladder she asked me to teach her seminary class.  I found it surprisingly pleasurable.  Not that her students were ready and open but that reviewing the material was joyful, as I once again pieced together gospel history that I take great pleasure in knowing.  My first day with her students was the "honeymoon" day, when they are too interested in a new personality to cause much challenge.  The second day however, the honeymoon was over.  Still, they responded to some of the ideas presented.  Sometimes I weary of trying to teach teenagers.  They must be "won" before they are willing to open themselves to you.  They can be great or difficult, depending upon the situation and the day.

Our son Reed has been out of a job since November.  He's been through several series of interviews and just finished another series last week.  We've been praying for a job offer for weeks.  We are celebrating once again, as, HE GOT A JOB!  He'll begin working for Bank of the West this next week.  What a sweet relief as he has a big family to support.  As soon and the deal was sealed, he and Dorothy went shopping!

I sometimes think we, as a culture, have become too accustomed to being entertained rather than taking responsibility for our own experiences and fun.  So when I was asked to work with two other ladies to come up with entertainment for our ward social, I suggested that we have everyone participate in some way.  We dreamed up a nativity scenario that included all in attendance and it seemed to work well.  There was a happy lingering after the party was over.  One of my theories about that is that, if there is a good spirit present, people are not in a hurry to leave it.  I think that happened last night at our ward social.  It made me happy to see it.

Layne gives his fifth blessing tonight!

A Stumble in the Dark

Some of the biggest changes in life come to us in an instant.  My mother's stroke was one of those things.  She went from a vital, active woman to a very dependent one in an instant.  I had one of those moments this past week, with, hopefully, just temporary results.  I was walking downstairs early Wednesday morning, in the dark, and missed the last stair.  Before I had time to think or react I was flat on the floor, a bit dazed and twisted.  I was on the way to the garage where Layne was waiting for me, perhaps a bit impatiently.  He had no idea of my fate until I finally was able to get up and limp my way to the car.  We were preparing to leave for our early temple assignment.  Layne was very sympathetic once he saw my problem.  I limped my way through our morning temple assignment and early afternoon Costco stop.  As it turned out, I sprained my ankle, and bruised up various other body parts.  I babied the ankle as well as I could but spent the next few days wanting to do nothing except sit and sleep.  I seemed to be drained of all ambition and energy.

It is at times like these when planning ahead really pays off.  I have most of my Christmas obligations done, so those few days of idling gave me no stress.  What a happy thing that turned out to be.  Last year at this time I was a bundle of stress over things I wanted to get done for Christmas.  For me, planning ahead for things like Christmas can backfire.  It happens to me because, having accomplished my early goals, time opens up for thinking up new ones.  Then they become a whole new pressure as I attempt to accomplish them as well.  This year I'm holding myself back.  I've accomplished the goals I set and I'm determined to set no more.

By Saturday I was a new woman.  Energy returned and I began to feel a bit more normal.  My ankle is still double its normal size but it is much less painful and moving much better.  So I guess I'll recover.  But experiences like these call to my mind how grateful I should be for times when my body is all in relatively good working order.  I've been reading a book on physical fitness for old ladies and it has encouraged a more vigorous exercise routine.  I'm considering that.  I can see that it takes more effort than I'm used to
to keep an older body in working order.  This week's experience is a great reminder that it's very nice when all the parts are working properly.  

Today our daughter Audrey awoke with pain.  She has been having these pains on and off for awhile but lately it has been mostly on.  So her hub, Cliff, took her to Emergency where they confirmed what we already thought; she has gall stones and an enflamed gall bladder.  So she goes in for surgery tomorrow sometime to have the pesky part removed.

Here's Jonathan after his blessing.  Note his outfit; shirt, tie and vest.
He makes a pretty cute package, don't you think?

While she was on this hospital adventure the rest of the family headed for Palo Alto to see our newest grandson blessed.  Jonathan Galbraith was blessed by his dad, our son Ben, with an assist from son Reed and Layne.  We enjoyed lunch and a bit of bonding at Ben and Jessica's afterwards.  It was a lovely time even though shortened by the desire to visit Audrey before it was too late.  She is looking forward to the surgery and no more pain.  It is a routine procedure so there shouldn't be any problems.  I believe we are all feeling comfortable with it.

It has been a full but rewarding day as we returned from the hospital to our Christmas-laden house.  Now I must teach seminary for Audrey the next two mornings.  I can't say that I'm excited about that.

Thanksgiving

On odd years our extended family comes to our house for Thanksgiving.  That made this year our year.  Isn't it interesting that thinking and planning for things takes so much longer than the actual thing?  I put more than my usual thought into our feasting day.  We rearranged the house to accomodate 24 people, put out games for family bonding ahead of the meal, then set the tables with china (instead of our usual choice for mobs--paper) and even used name cards to get folks properly mixed.  Layne prepared a Thanksgiving message.  Everyone contributed to the feast.  I think it was the best celebration we have had so far.

I've been working on gratitude lately.  I've decided to make it a priority to notice all the details of my life that I should be grateful for.  It is amazing to me that I live in peace and comfort at the cost of so many who have come before me who created this wonderful condition for us in the midst of having none of it for themselves.  They worked and fought on faith that it could happen.  I want never to forget that I am not responsible for my comfortable situation and need to extend my never-ending gratitude for being on the receiving end of things.  I found a scripture in Isaiah that seems to me to sum up this idea:

                        For the Lord shall comfort Zion.
                        He will comfort all her waste places
                       and He will make her wilderness
                       like Eden and her desert like the garden
                       of the Lord.  Joy and gladness shall be
                       found therein, thanksgiving and the voice
                       of melody.   (Isaiah 51:3)

I feel like our little piece of Zion is filled with joy and gladness and the voice of melody.  Well, the inside of our Zion anyhow.  I'm still hoping for the outside (our "wilderness") to become a garden of the Lord.  But perhaps I should feel grateful for the weeds and mud also.  At least they are our weeds and mud.  At least there is enough rain to make some mud.  There is always a positive side of things, it seems.

Here's our Thanksgiving feast

Here are our three babies:  Jonathan is with Audrey on the left (and feeling much better);
Jeremiah (in the middle, in green) is Reed and Dorothy's foster
baby; Bruce sits on his mom Dorothy's lap but wants to get down;
James (son of Reed and Dorothy) is leaning in at the right.

Here is our granddaughter, Rayne (Audrey and Cliff's oldest)
and Scott (Reed and Dorothy's oldest) just after Thanksgiving dinner.

Brother Bonding:  Reed and Ben (in back) are playing
Scrabble on Ben's ipads.

Last night, while I was preparing dinner, I watched a sweet, clean Hallmark Christmas movie.  It was strictly formula; easy to see the happy ending it was headed for.  But I've decided I like happy endings best.  In spite of all the struggles of life, I believe in happy endings.  I think of Mom every day and picture her in her happy ending.  I believe she is at peace and enjoying her experience outside of this mortality.  As I get older I feel ever more keenly the shortness of life.  I now see my life in finite terms.  I see that the end of my turn on earth is not very far away.  I guess I could say that my biological clock is ticking and I don't want to miss doing what I came here to do.

Shopping Mania

My granddaughter, Allegra, asked me to take her shopping on Friday.  She has a passion for yarn so I agreed to take her to her favorite yarn store.  I seduced her into making a couple of stops along the way.  We visited a craft store and she went nuts with delight.  So did I.  I'm determined once again to get all my Christmas shopping done by Thanksgiving.  This magical store enabled me to cross a few grandchildren off my list.  Buying meaningful things for 21 grandchildren can be formidable.  I've been working on it for weeks.  But now I'm a woman in control.  I managed several additional stops before Allegra began to wonder if we were ever going to make it to the yarn store.  We did.  She showed me the yarns she has been salivating over.  One was $35 for one skein!  Wow, who knew knitting could cost so much.  We didn't buy that one.

What fun to feel so good about getting so much stuff.  I even found a couple of things for Layne, who repeatedly tells me,  "don't get me anything for Christmas; I don't need anything"  I find that sentiment  simply unacceptable; Christmas is for giving after all.  So I'm going to give some things to him whether he wants me to or not.  I'm hoping that he'll warm to my choices and be glad of a few new items.  I've noticed that he DOES need a few things after all.

Rayne, my oldest granddaughter, works at Norstrom's department store.  Once a year Norstroms has a 30% off sale for employees.  She invited me to go to Norstrom's Rack, their out-of-season discount store, on that special discount day, where we could use her 30% off on already discounted clothes.  That day arrived on Saturday.  Audrey, Rayne, Allegra and I arrived at the store at 7:30 AM and shopped there for a couple of hours.  What fun!  At that early hour there weren't very many employee shoppers so we had a ball going through all those clothes.  We all found a pile of treasures, and bought them all.  It's hard to resist a bargain.  I can't remember buying so many new things at once.  It was quite exciting.  I would say that I felt guilty spending so much money on clothes, but I don't.  That's because I used a little of my inheritance money!  What a blessing it is to have that little stash to use when the need arises.  I'm so grateful.

Later on Saturday we drove to Brentwood to see our grandson Scott perform in his marching band.  They were in a Christmas parade.  There was a great turn-out.  Brentwood is a friendly, supportive town.  It was fun to spend a bit of time with son Reed and Dorothy.  They are a noble-hearted couple.  Plus they took us out to dinner.  Mexican.  That's pretty noble.

Here's Scotty in his marching band.  He's right behind the
guy in the black T-shirt (that doesn't belong there!)

Here's grandson Bruce (Reed and Dorothy's youngest).
He's doing his favorite thing, eating.

I've been thinking of my mom a lot lately.  Every time I wear her clothes I feel a little tinge of guilt; it is as if she would mind me borrowing them.  I keep finding little corners in the house where I have stashed things to use for her.  Sometimes it feels as if she will return and fill her space in my life.  I miss her.  I wonder how she feels about what I have done with her things and how I have spent some of the money I inherited from her.  My rational mind tells me she hasn't a care for any of that anymore.  But I keep running into my feelings that, somehow, she still does.  It's silly.  I just don't want to disappoint her in any way.  I know she is happy and busy now, yet part of me wonders, is she?  Is she with Daddy?  Has she spoken to her little brother, Larry; the one whose death she mourned for so many years?  Has she met all the relatives she spoke so often about?  I feel that she has.  Still, I'd like to know. 

Odds and Ends

Our son Benjamin has done an excellent job of feeding my fascination with "techy" stuff.  I am now enjoying his old Apple laptop and an iphone.  I love them both even though I am far from using them to full capacity.  Lately I've been experimenting with using my iphone to play my dance music collection, stored in itunes.  Each Monday I plug in the dance music while I do my housework.  Wow, what fun.  I dance and sing my way through the chores.  I get them done twice as fast and get some good exercise doing it as I can't resist stopping to dance along my working way.   I believe it has lifted my spirits as I have been feeling exceptionally happy for the last couple of weeks.

I've also designed an organizational system for myself, to help me get things done a bit more efficiently.  I admire organization, but usually from afar.  I have dozens of projects in my mind and begin many of them.  But I finish very few.  Why?  Well, partly because I always leave those fun things for last and last never comes.  But now I have a plan for actually doing them!  Using this new system I have finished one of my projects.  I've made a Christmas book for the grandkids.  It tells the story of the birth of Christ using pictures of the grandchildren as biblical characters.  It's kinda cute.  I plan on giving them to the family for Christmas this year.  I can't quite put into words the joy that comes to me when I actually finish something.

Here is the cover for the Christmas book.  Our oldest
grandchildren, Rayne and Chase are pictured here.

Layne and I are in the thick of Nutcracker rehearsals.  We are the old folks again.  This year the woman in charge of our scene, "Miss Maria" is a beautiful young ballerina with big expectations.  Basic dance steps are not enough; we must move at just the right angle and our hands need to be in just the right position with each movement.  Maria has big ideas for Layne's solo part too.  He's not impressed.  But he's doing it.  He makes every effort to do just as she asks at rehearsals, but when we get home he isn't nearly so enthusiastic.  "This is the last year I'm doing this," he has said to me several times over the past couple of weeks.  We'll see if he softens over this next year.  This may indeed be our last experience with Nutcracker.

An 11 Day

Here's Rayne during a brief break on our hiking trail.

I simply have to say something on this 11/11/11 day!  So I am choosing to celebrate the life that we enjoy here in this promised land.  This morning I hiked a nearby trail with daughter Audrey and granddaughter Rayne.  It was exhilarating and beautiful.  Nature nurtures like nothing else.  I believe that the Spirit of God is in his living things.  We were surrounded by them this morning.  There is no better way to start a day full of 11s than this.

A Possible Yard

We have been here in our new home for 4 1/2 years now.  I love it and feel very grateful to have it.  The only scar on my contentment is our yard.  That condition is my current "bug."  It seems to have fallen on me to determine how to design and plant it.  That's the problem.  I've come up with various ideas, carefully drawn up and then, rejected.  I know for sure that this is not my gift.  So I flounder.  My eyes take in the lovely horizon to horizon view from here, and the beautiful hillsides, now filling with green from the recent rains.  All is candy to the eyes, except when they fall upon the outside space that is actually ours.  I have reached the end of my patience with it.  Yet we don't currently have the funds to buy an expert to help us resolve it.

But here is where our serendipity comes in.  Recently a friend referred a young man to us that needs a place to stay for a time.  He simply needed a spot to park his RV while he tries out a new job here in this area.  If it works out he will move his family here and get a home.  In the meantime, he will be here with us.  Guess what he does for a living?  He's a landscaper!  What a magical thing!  I told him with a smile that his rent would be his help planning our yard.  He happily agreed.  So I'm very hopeful that, before long, we will actually have some plans for our very needy yard.  It's a challenge, you see, as we have poor soil, wind, and poor water.  Not a good combination.  But Beecher, our landscape friend, seems unmoved by the problems.  I'm excited to see what ideas he comes up with.

In spite of my complaints about the yard, I am going through a spurt of exceptionally pleasant times.  Perhaps it is the time of year.  I love the rain, and the holiday season.  Or perhaps it is my new approach to housework.  I have a collection of dance music that is now accessible on my iphone.  So I plug it into my ear during my cleaning sprees and dance my way through the work.  It has proven itself to be a glorious way to move me through my working routine.  I move with more energy and the music fills me with positive enthusiasm.  Dancing just does wonderful things for me.  (I wish it did for Layne!)

For the first time ever we spotted this large two point
buck in our yard!
 

Here's Audrey trying to calm our youngest grandson
Jonathan.  He's having tummy trouble these days.

At our extended FHE I caught Cliff tossing a napkin over
grandson Bruce's head.  Bruce didn't mind a bit.

With the word getting around about Layne being a patriarch, there seems to be a growing number of requests for him to speak to youth about blessings.  This past weekend, I spoke with him on just that subject.  It was a lot of fun.  I've discovered that, if I am excited by my subject, speaking is fun.  One- shot exposure is lots easier than weekly ones; as in my sunday school class.  My usual students listened to me with interest when I spoke on blessings, but have quite a bit of trouble doing so for my usual sunday school lessons.  Hum.  What's the deal with that?

Our Halloween was a non-event this year.  Layne and I cuddled together on spook night and watched a decidedly unspooky movie, North and South.  It is a romantic English movie with a theme not unlike Pride and Prejudice (my absolute favorite love story).  I liked it lots better than trick or treating.  Sunday our local gang came over for extended Family Home Evening.  That was lots of fun.  I am going through a particular enjoyment of people phase right now.  I like it.

Seattle

Layne has been feeling better and better this week.  Whatever made him sick last week really took it out of him.  Today is his third blessing (I know I'll stop counting at some point, but not today) and he is feeling a little dizzy.  I think it is because he is fasting for the blessing.  But he will not compromise himself by taking a drink.  He has a steel will about those things.  His philosophy is that his body is not in control; HE is.  I admire that.  It usually works well for him.  Here's hoping he will make it through the blessing without swooning.

We left our temple shift early on Wednesday to catch a flight to Seattle.  For the first time ever on the flight to Seattle there was tons of room; so much so that even we standbys had not a worry of getting on.  Our visit with Chris and Jes was great.  She has just about the neatest used book store I've ever seen.  I promise that this is not a biased view point; the girl has a knack for making things look inviting.  Her little shop appears to be gaining a following, which is a very good thing.  She is no longer in the red.  But, as she says, she could not make a living at running it.  Profitable or not, she seems to love it.  She has a serious thing for books.  Perhaps I have a little of that as well.  I managed to find 6 books that I could not resist buying.

It is good to feel good about family.  Chris and Jes both have good hearts and a desire to do what is right.  Their three children appear to be doing fine.  I'm looking forward to visiting more often and getting a better read on these cute blond grandkids.  Jes and I spent an hour or so in their hot tub.  Wow.  I want one of those.  Not only do they warm you up on the outside, but somehow promote communication that warms up the inside.  It's cold in Seattle.  But after our hour in the tub all was warm and cozy.

Here's a crazy picture of Chris and Jessica's three children:
Peyton, Gemma and Miles, posing for me.

We are home again, blessed once again with a flight to San Francisco empty enough to fit us comfortably within.  What an amazing time of year for standbys to travel.  I'm glad to live at a time when it is all so easy.  And now, let the holidays begin!

Our Newest Grandsons

Jonathan, born in September, with Allegra

Bruce, born in January, with Layne

Home

These past two weeks have provided me with 14 days at home with no distractions.  What a gift of time!  I can't help feeling a bit heady about it.  I'm making all sorts of plans for getting projects on their way to being done.  My mind is exploding with ideas.  The trouble is, I get started on one idea and then get another, and so it goes.  When I actually finish something it is a joy.  So I'm hoping that I can do more of it.

Layne gave his second blessing a week ago.  This time he began praying about the person way ahead of time and got lots of inspiration during the preceding week.  What a help it was.  I think he is beginning to get the Patriarch thing into a more comfortable place.  He spent lots of time rigging up a contraption to hold the recording microphone in just the right place when he gives blessings.  I'm amazed at how he can maneuver things to serve his needs.  In this case he took a desk lamp with a moveable arm, cut off the light, adapted a part from something else that would hold his microphone and  put it all together in just the right way.  The moveable arm can place the microphone just where he wants it, leaving his hands free.  He has such a knack!  I love that about him.  Perhaps all those boxes of extra parts from various things he has saved are worth the space they take.  It seems so!

Sometimes, among all the friends one collects over a lifetime, a few emerge that become "kindred spirits".  These friends have a direct road into my thoughts and my feelings.  They do because their roads are so very much like mine.  I have several friends like that.  One of them is Trudy Ostler.  She and her husband have been on a mission in Fiji for three years.  So I was excited when she said they were coming here for a visit.  Their plan was to come this past Friday.  As serendipity would have it, another of my kindred spirits called and visited on that same day.  Jody Jensen and her husband Jerry had lunch with us.  Bill and Trudy Ostler came for dinner and an overnight.  What a feast of intimacy that day became!  It has been sad for me to see all of those special friends come in and then out of my life, as they move away and settle in other, far away, places.  But on Friday, my plate was full.

Layne took me on a date last week.  It is worth a blog mention because it rarely happens.  We have become quite the stay-at-homers.  But BYU's Ballroom Dance Team came to town last weekend.  I talked Layne into taking me.  He will usually bend to my dancing wishes as he knows it is such a passion for me.  He's great that way.  So we went.  We were both dazzled by their performance!  Even my non-dancing Layne loved it.  It just goes to show that there are a number of things well worth coming out of the house for.  But first we have to get out the front door.  That seems to be the hardest part of all.

Jody and me

Our front view early in the morning

Speaking of Layne, he got sick today.  This is also worth mentioning because it rarely happens.  But it seemed to have passed quickly.  He is now sleeping peacefully with high hopes of feeling pretty normal by tomorrow.  There is nothing like feeling miserable to remind us of how great it is to feel good.  I'm grateful that good is how we feel almost all of the time.

Layne's First Blessing

Layne ready to give a Blessing

Busy-ness does not lend itself to meditation.  This has been another week crammed with activity, including some more time with Ben and Jes.  I enjoy that.  In fact, I enjoy all the rush of things.  That is my trouble.  I fill my time with all sorts of things that must be done, but that I also like doing.  Time rushes by and I worry sometimes that I'm missing time to make sense of it all and use it better.

We have had a major rain storm already!  Cloudy skies are my favorite kind of sky.  The ground is now soft and workable.  I've been spending time digging in it, trying to get our front yard presentable.  What fun it is to play in the dirt.

We have been asked to perform in Nutcracker, on Temple Hill, again this year.  Practice has begun, with a new director.  She is a no-nonsense kind of girl with big ideas about how we should appear on stage.  More grace in movement and heads up at all times for best stage projection.  Hum.  Layne's part has also expanded a bit.  He is the grandpa, if you remember, who has a dance centered around him and a small solo part where he dances and hurts his back.  I can't help giggling to myself when I think how we wandered into this experience.  This man of man who doesn't like performing, or dancing is doing it...again!

And speaking of this man, Layne gave his first Patriarchal Blessing today.  He was one stressed guy, but it worked out just fine.  He did a great job and the young woman he blessed loved it.  So it all worked out.  He is greatly relieved and will be much calmer for the next blessing.  At least I think he will.  We will soon find out as he is scheduled to give another one next Sunday.

Conference Weekend

Layne watching Conference with Jonathan

Food and paper work keep Jacqueline and Tim entertained,
at least some of the time.

 There are times when I have to think to remember what day it is.  Lots of activity does that kind of thing to me.  I spent some time with Ben and Jes, as planned, early this week.  This time I had more clothes and a better plan.  lt was fun spending time there and figuring out how to organize things in a pleasing way for the kids.  Somehow organizing appeals to me.  It has taken me some time to figure out how to do it but I'm making progress.  I find, though, that the busy household at Ben and Jessica's takes some getting used to.  My own household was once busy but I'm used to quiet times now.  I guess that is the old lady in me.

So it was sweet to return to my fairly quiet husband and home.  Finally, after a couple of weeks, we harvested the garden.  Layne has figured out how to grow vegetables here, at last.  So our garden is really putting out this year.  So tempting a place is it that the local deer have figured out how to slip their way under the garden fence!  But Layne is philosophical.  The garden is big enough for them and us now.  So we'll share.  Our garden haul was big.  I spent two days bottling and drying its bounty.  Standing on my feet all day is an exhausting activity.  I guess I'd be happy to not have such a garden haul, for a little while anyhow.

Church General Conference was this weekend.  We loved doing activities that put us in front of the TV for each and every session.  I found it very inspiring.  Sunday found all the local kids sharing it all with us.  I tried to provide Conference activities and goodies to keep the little ones busy.  It worked some of the time.  I know it sounds crazy, but after conference I dressed the kids in nativity clothes for Christmas photos.  I'm planning ahead you see.  I have plans for the photos, come Christmas.  I'm determined to be ready this year and enjoy the season without stress.  What do you think; is it possible?

Daughter-in-law Dorothy and Bruce Galbraith

Mary (Jacqueline) and Joseph (Vincent) with the
baby Jesus (Jonathan--isn't he perfect for the part?)

Jonathan Henry Galbraith

This past week began as a nice normal week; the first one we've had for awhile.  But by Wednesday night that all changed as we were awakened by a call from our son, Ben.  His Jessica was in labor and they needed me to come and stay with the children while she went to the hospital.  This is baby number 6.  I decided that I best not hesitate.  So I threw a few things together and headed to Palo Alto, arriving sometime after midnight.  They headed out and I fell on top of their bed, clothes and all, and attempted to sleep through what remained of the night.

Five little kids were surprised to find me instead of their parents Thursday morning.  But, following Ben's written instructions, we got through their routine and delivered the school kids on time.  A healthy 9 pound plus baby boy arrived that morning!  Each anticipated child brings prayers for health and strength.  Our prayers were answered yet again with this little boy.  You may imagine the excitement that followed as the children found out about their new little brother.  Ben drove all of us to the hospital Thursday night to visit and see the baby.  It was a wild time as all competed to hold him at once.  But patient parents gave each child their special time, in turn.

Jonathan, one day old

The kids visit mom Jessica.  Jonathan is in
there, somewhere.

Arrived September 22, 2011:  Jonathan Henry Galbraith    

These grandchildren are an energetic bunch but were very good at following their grandmother's instructions.  They were all mine Thursday and Friday.  I cleaned, washed, cooked and organized in an effort to have all ready for our new little boy.  I somehow didn't foresee spending this much time away from home.  I only brought one outfit, which I wore for three days.  I got pretty sick of it!  On Saturday Ben and Jes returned home, with their special bundle.  Later in the day I finally returned home, so happy for the safe arrival of the baby and also happy to be able to return home.  Home.  It seems like such a long time since I've spent much time there.

Today (Sunday) Ben and Jes asked me to come back and help for a couple more days.  This time I'm taking more clothes.

My Husband the Patriarch

Colorado Monument, located close to Grand Junction
and visited by Elaine and me.

Brynn Jansan and new husband Roy Long

Buddy Elaine Conlon in front of part of Gateway Canyons,
a get-away near Grand Junction.

I wrote this entry a week ago but had endless problems inserting the pictures.  I am settling for this format a week later.  So the entry 
below is actually dated
SEPTEMBER 18, 2011


Sometimes life is too full to be captures by a few words.   I've been gone for 2 1/2 weeks. It has given me a special appreciation for home.  Colorado was my home for those few weeks.  I spent some time with Colorado friend, Elaine Conlon.  We had tons of fun together, driving around the show spots of Grand Junction and watching a movie each night before going to bed, early.  The early to bed thing was necessary, as Elaine is a very early riser and walker.  So, for a couple of weeks, was I.  The Colorado stay ended in Cedaredge, where I helped my sister Maryanne and hub Bob clean out Mom's home and hold a two-day garage sale.  We got rid of lots of stuff.  Bob and Mar stayed on another week to finish the clearing out, making Mom's home rather a sterile place, with most signs of her life there removed.  The result left with it a sadness, particularly felt by Bob and Maryanne as they pulled away and headed for their home.  I won't return there now until, possibly, spring.  We can take our time sorting the remaining of Mom's possessions.  The renters move in October first.  It is hard to say how our relationship with the Ranch will go.  I'm not sure how I feel about being there with Mom and Dad removed from it.  Perhaps it will not call to me; or perhaps it still will.  Time will tell.

I came home a week ago tomorrow.  How sweet it is to be home!  How wonderful everything looks.  Being gone from Layne for such a long time gave me a longing for him.   I was especially happy to see him and feel his arms around me once again.  I believe that absence is often a good thing.  It makes me appreciate the people in my life even more.  It's nice to find friends in family.

Just a couple of days after my return, Layne and I headed to Arizona, where our Mongolian daughter Brynn Jansan, got married to a man named Roy Long.  We went with some reservations.  Roy is a very nice man, but much older than Brynn and not a member of the Church.  They seem to have nothing in common.  But the wedding was lovely.  Roy made arrangements for us to stay at a vintage hotel in Tucon, where they were also married.  It was a beautiful place, full of interesting history.  We met and enjoyed Roy's family, who all love Brynn and were very supportive of the wedding.  So I feel a bit better about their chances for happiness.  All that family support can only be good.

Son Ben's second daughter, Alexis, was baptized on Saturday.  All the local family gathered for the occasion.  It was a lovely time seeing the excitement in Alexis' eyes and then enjoying Ben's chicken, cooked with his special vinegar and tomato recipe.  Yum.  Ben's Jessica is very pregnant with their 6th child.  It is scheduled to be a boy.  That will give us 21 grandchildren!  I'm thinking that is all we may get.

Here's the special news:  Layne was ordained to be a patriarch today!  Can you imagine it!  It still cannot.  Never in my wildest thoughts could I have anticipated that he would do this.  His ordination was pronounced by the Stake President, Kendall Cooper.  He covered just about everything imaginable in his comments and blessing.  I was set apart to assist.  So there you have it; our lives are forever changed, or soon will be.  How is a patriarch supposed to live?  Behave?  I guess we'll soon find out.  In the meantime, Layne has decided not to watch his favorite TV program, NCIS, anymore.  Yep, he's cleaning up his act.  Here's hoping that all will work as it should and he will feel the Lord's inspiration as he blesses members of the stake.  As the stake president said, he is now a prophet, seer and revelator to those who come to him for blessings.  But no pressure.

Son Ben and daughter Alexis
on her baptism day.

Layne's ordination to Patriarch, with family members present:
James, Layne, me Cliff, Reed, Scott, Rayne, Allegra, & Audrey

Family Happenings

My three boys:  Reed, Gerald and Benjamin

Slowly but surely we change with time.  Layne got used to seeing doctors when he was flying.  The company required two exams each year.  But since retirement his health sentiment has become, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."  So you may understand how difficult it was for me to arrange for him to see a skin doctor.  He had some spots on his face that were not healing.  I wanted them checked. He didn't.  So I made an appointment for him and just informed him that he was going!  He consented.  But I went with him to make sure the doc checked all the spots I had in mind.  He returned from that experience with burn spots all over his face.  You may imagine how impressed he was with that.  "I'll never go back there," he told me.  I was afraid that he would be quite a sight, covered with red burns, for the duration of the week.  But from the start his magical skin made little of it.  He looked good from the first day.

Frances and Gerald

Elaine's dog, Lili, sitting between my legs.
Elaine says she likes me!

Gerald and his family spent a day with us on their way back home. Gerald is such a good talker. I love that about him. The family locals came over and spent time with us and Ger and family on their last night is the USA. So our house was filled with family and fun once again. We are so lucky to have most of the family close by. Ger and Fran let on Thursday morning. We had a lovely dinner with our neighbors on Thursday night and then I headed to Colorado, where I'm staying with my friend, Elaine Conlon. We are in the thick of girl stuff and watch "chick flicks" each night. I've decided that being away from Layne once in awhile is
a good thing. I realize how much I love him and how valuable he is to me in a dramatic way when I'm away from him. How can that be bad?

Salt Lake

Layne's twin brother, Lynn, his wife Camille
and their son Curtis and family (behind)

I don't like traveling much.  Home has, hands down, the biggest call to me.  But this past week we were off to Salt Lake, to visit with Layne's twin brother, Lynn, and our son Gerald and his family.  Gerald belongs to a benevolent and wealthy Chinese family, via his wife, Frances.  Her father heads an extended family that works together and shares the family monies much like our Church United Order concept.  Because of that, Gerald and Frances live in a beautiful home in Taiwan, owned by the Family.  Hence, their home costs are very minimal.  The Family fund also bought two homes in Draper, Utah.  Ger and Fran have furnished one of them and they stay there when they come to the States with their English students for their month-long tour each summer.

So, after that long explanation, it makes a bit more sense to say that Layne and I determined to spend some quality time with Ger and Fran, so we flew to Salt Lake last week to see them.  Our standby efforts paid off both ways, as we made the flights into and out of Salt Lake just as we planned.  Upon our arrival, all of us headed to Kaysville to visit Layne's brother.  The Galbraith boys claim to be very close and I suppose, in a Galbraithy kind of way, that might be true.  But we see and talk to Lynn and his wife Camille, maybe, once a year.  That would not fit my definition of "close."  I wish it were more as I love spending time with them.  But for some reason, over the years, we haven't been together very much.  So it was a treat to spend a few hours with them last week.  Lynn and Layne are twins, but quite different in temperament and appearance.  We had fun talking and laughing together.

Grandson Seth 

Granddaughter Angelica

Gerald and Fran's home in Salt Lake is almost new, but he had several home projects that he wanted to accomplish. So the rest of our time in Salt Lake was spent working on his projects.  Actually, I love having a job to do.  Working on something that makes a noticeable difference in things is very rewarding.  So it was fun to see progress on the house and the light that filled Ger and Fran as each thing was accomplished.  It was quite bonding, and I'm very keen on that sort of thing.

We came home on Friday and things moved along like they always do.  Saturday was our Stake Conference at Church.  The stake president, President Cooper, asked to speak with us after the meeting (which we missed to attend a neighbor's party).  The outcome of that meeting was life-changing.  Layne has been called to be the new Stake Patriarch!  For a month he has been fearful of being considered for this.  As he responded to the request, his face flushed and his eyes filled with tears.  I believe I understand his fear.  He now must cultivate a spiritual condition that is worthy of hearing the voice of the Lord, by a schedule.  He will be fully dependent upon inspiration to function.  That's pressure!  Not only that, but this is a lifetime calling!

The new Patriarch

Nephew Bryan, who visited us on Sunday,
just in time to learn of Layne's new calling.

Since then we have thought of little else.  What can we do to make our home more receptive to the Spirit of God?  How can we create a more spiritual character?  It is a team calling the Stake President said.  So there will be a function for me to play.  I wonder how this will impact our lives.  Having this assignment does answer a couple of questions that have been on my mind.  We won't be selling our home anytime soon.  We won't be going on another mission any time soon either.  We are here for the foreseeable future.  There is some peace in having that settled.  And, as we move forward, I will say that I have every faith that the Lord will take care of us and direct our path.  This ultimately will be for our good.  It's the details we have to work out.  So now begins our leap into a new spiritual adventure.

Home Activities

Son Ben's girls, Alexis and Jacqueline

I am a free spirit by nature.  Being of this nature, I relish open time.  Time that I am free to do anything with!  I was investing in such thoughts when son Ben called to see if I'd babysit some of his babes while he and Jes went out of town.  Of course I said I would.  So the three oldest kids came on a Wednesday and stayed until the following Sunday evening, when our family time climaxed in an extended get-together to celebrate Cliff's birthday.  It turned out to be a lot of fun, as being with the kids is.  I felt tired at the beginning of my time with the little kids, but got into it.  I'm always pleasantly surprised by my adaptability.  I think we can do and enjoy more than we think.  Often I find myself entering into some activity I don't feel up to, only to find that I have it in me!  It's a happy surprise each time.  I love those kids!

This past while has been full of activity but not much of what I planned on.  It seems like life is mostly like that.  I have array of projects that I hope to accomplish only to find myself leaving those to the very last.  So I rarely get to them.  I need to change that by being a bit more disciplined.  I'm a wild woman with open time; it goes to my head as I fill much too much of it with hopes and plans rather than action.

Balloons at Carmen's grave

Layne and I worked in the temple twice last week.  It was one of those things I didn't want to do but did.  I had so much fun!  It is a joy to  have a place where I feel embraced by the place itself as well as the people that work there.  There seem to be a number of things that I don't look forward to but should.  I wonder how to go about acquiring a happier anticipation of such things.

 Our granddaughter Carmen would have been 11 this year, on August 10th.  We celebrated her life by meeting up with her family at her grave in Antioch.  We talked about our memories of her, put flowers on her grave, prayed for her and released ballons.  I love having a set-apart time to devote to her memory.  As the time passes, it is easy to not think of her as often.  There are now small members of our family that don't know her.  I feel the need to keep her memory ever before us.  I'm glad for these times of remembering.

One of my walking views

I am resolved to exercise regularly.  Again.  This time I determined to use Rayne's newly acquired tread mill.  It's located downstairs in the "dungeon", our room without windows, where the kids often go to play video games.  I was explaining my plan to daughter-in-law Dorothy when she said, "you have 6 acres; why don't you walk around your yard?"  That was a rather obvious suggestion, I thought.  So, taking her advice, I've been walking around our wild and hilly property each morning.  Why do I forget how nurturing it is to be outside, among other living things?  I love those walks.  They take me up hills and down, through the orchard for a peachy snack and through the garden for the latest ripe and ready vegie.  Often the cats follow me and keep me company.  I love it!  Oh, and I'm feeling stronger too.

The Busy-ness of Home

Why is it that desirable things all seem to come at once? During those intense days with my sister in Colorado my son Gerald, who lives in Taiwan, came to visit in Sunol. Daughter Jessica's three children were also at our home. Where was I? In Colorado! "It's all good", as the saying goes. But I felt torn between all those "goods." I kept my commitment to my sister Maryanne, but longed to somehow reach back to home as well. So when Layne suggested I end my Colorado stay by flying right home, I was happy.

But granddaughter Rayne was graduating from BYU Idaho in just a couple of days. She wanted me there soooooo, I gave up my trip home and, instead, drove to Salt Lake with Maryanne, where I met up with daughter Audrey and hub Cliff and drove to Idaho with them. As with so many things that take effort, it was worth it. Rayne looks lovely and her graduation was fun to see. You can see her here, in her robes, in one of the campus gardens.

I was lucky enough to get on an early flight home from there the very next day, on Saturday. I arrived in time to greet Gerald as he and the kids were driving out, on their way to Utah. Our Gendreau kids were still here though so we were at no loss for grandkid company. Layne did a grand job taking care of kids and all else while I was gone. One of the great things about being gone for me is being missed by this hub of mine, who rejoiced upon my return. Now I could take care of the grandkids. How romantic!

Daughter Jessica arrived from Seattle the same day I arrived home. It was great to have her with us. It's a rare thing these days since she is running a book store. We had fun with her and the kids and sent them all off for their home on the following Tuesday. It was a great bond all around even if exhausting. But maybe I'm saying that because I came home exhausted to begin with.

So now here we are, in the quiet that we two alone generate, surrounded by the new collection of boxes from Mom's that Audrey and Cliff were generous enough to bring home to me in their truck. Somehow seeing Mom's things contained in just seven boxes makes it all seem more manageable. I've got all but the family records sorted out and incorporated into the house. Too bad I can't say that this is all. We've made a dent in Mom's things but only just that. Over the next few months we hope to get the bulk of the sorting done. In the meantime, I'm home, alone with Layne, enjoying some open days to do with as I please. For now.

Pictures:  Top is our graduating Rayne; son Reed and his son James are in the thick of a chess game (they came to visit several times to bond with Jessica and her kids); Layne is standing next to a navy buddy, Larry Durbin, who came to visit with his wife, Teddie.  They are great people and also retired from United Air Lines.  Bottom is a glimpse of a day at the beach with Audrey, Dorothy, Jessica and kids.  You see the day through the eyes of grandson Bruce, who LOVED snacking on the sand.