Isaiah for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Isaiah (daughter Audrey's youngest child), who is 15 years old, joined us on our drive home from California.  He has been here with us for a week now.  There are people who drain and people who fill and I am happy to say that Isaiah is a filler.  Like his father, he likes to be busy.  He looks for things to do that are helpful.  And so this past week with Isaiah has been a productive one.  We have filled our days with projects and our evenings with mysteries and other coasting activities.  It has been fun.

Other guests have shown up as well.  My friend Phyllis came back, with dogs, for a few days.  This time the neighbors complained about her barking dogs, so she left a day early, which was today.  It looks like this Arizona girl will be moving here.  She has found a home in Star that she is trying to buy. If successful and all goes well, she will be here for good in August.

Audrey and Cliff came for a few days as well. They are on their way to BYUI to pick up their soon-to-be-married son, Chase.  He will go home with them for a few weeks, then return to change his life forever by marrying his love, Morgan.  I found it very enjoyable to have Audrey and Cliff around again.  I have missed them.  After so many years sharing a household, it seems strange to think that they live far from us now.  They will return, with Chase, on Wednesday for a quick overnight.  Then they, and their two sons, will head for their California home.

There is much to be said for one-on-one time.  I feel like we have gotten closer to Isaiah and enjoy him so much more for his time here with us.  It is precious to have this time with him.

A thunder storm moving in.  Imagine...rain in the summer!
This is a sight a California girl never sees, there.

Isaiah, in a goofy moment.

Isaiah at work.  He loved this job.  "It's hard
not to go fast," he says of this fun, but productive  experience.

Layne loves it here.  He keeps telling me so just about every day.  I suppose I am happy here as well, in  spite of missing so many people.  I wonder, now that everyone in the family has visited and now knows our situation, if they will want to visit regularly.  I wonder if they will come to like it here.  I wonder if any of them will develop a desire to move here at some future time.  I wonder.

Family Reunion

It seems to me that the greatest challenge in all the world is getting along with people, especially big groups of people.  We are all so different and see the world in a variety of ways.  Coming to a meeting of minds is often quite challenging, even within a family.  And so it was for our first official family reunion.  For the first time this year, our children were in charge; Audrey and Cliff specifically.  They had in mind a simple, inexpensive beach event with everyone finding their own place to stay.  Ben's Jessica felt that staying together would be much more fun so she found a place to rent in Santa Cruz.  We out-of-towners all went in together to finance it.  So we spent three days together in a lovely house in Capitola, home of the beach of my childhood.

Audrey and Cliff's idea of leaving the days open to our choice of activities and Jessica's idea of all staying together came together in a most delightful way.  Our three days were filled with beaching (for some of us; Layne and Reed did not stick a toe in the sand), playing games, eating out, cooking in, walking, going to the park and the aquarium.  It was lots of fun being together; everyone got along well and enjoyed each other's company.  There were few photos, no formal ones, no special shirts or exchange of family histories; just being together having fun.  I think everyone left feeling like this was something worth repeating.

Everyone was there except Gerald, Frances and kids.  We missed them.  Perhaps next year we can say that everyone in the family was together for one happy week.  I hope that is how it will go.  Chris and Jessica will be in charge.  Jes says they are already making plans!

Our family, lining up to visit the "Mystery Spot."

Experiencing weird phenomena at the "Mystery Spot.

Getting to California is a priority for us now that we are here in Idaho pretty much alone as far as family goes.  Flying always seems to be the easiest way.  Layne made all the arrangements for our usual stand-by flight from Boise to San Francisco.  But all the flights filled up for both Monday and Tuesday.  Besides that, there was an airplane accident on one of the runways at San Francisco airport, causing it to close.  We settled on driving.  So we spent Monday getting there and Friday getting back, with Isaiah for company on the return trip.  He asked to come and spend the week with us.  So our boy is here, filling our home with his youthful spirit.  We love it.  Audrey and Cliff will arrive this weekend to pick up Chase, who is finishing his first year at BYUI.  He will have a short time home with his family before returning to Idaho to start one of his own.  He will marry his lovely Morgan in August.  Hum.  That puts us in the position of potentially becoming great-grandparents.  Somehow I never imagined that I would ever be old enough for that!

Digging a huge hole in the sand was a daily pursuit for the kids.
Here is Ben's William doing his part.

The water was cold, but boogie boarding was not to be missed.
Posed here are my Jessica's Gemma and Ben's Alexis, Jacqueline
and William in front

Our older grandkids:  Scott, Rayne and part of Allegra,
in the backyard of our rental.

The hot tub was the place for the tots:  Reed's Bruce, and foster
daughter Mari; Ben's Zachary and Abigail.

Some of the in between kids took to drawing.  Here is Gemma,
Alexis and Jacqueline.

More back yard activity as we take turns gathering around the
fire for some'mores.  William has his back to us, Gemma, Reed and
Allegra are in the foreground.

So our life continues to be filled with company.  It may be that people are our source of greatest joy or sorrow; our greatest challenge.  But I'm so glad for it.  I love having lots of people in my life.  

Reed and Dorothy

Finally, after some 70 years, I occasionally enjoy having stretches of time spent alone, or mostly alone.  But I still love having people in my space.  That is a good thing because this summer has been spent with just that.  We had most of the weekend to prepare for a visit from son Reed and his family.  They arrived Monday night.  We had 5 days filled with activity and bonding.  My dream was to have some private moments with Reed and Dorothy and those moments made some brief appearances.  With 6 children in tow, things were still pretty busy.

I had a dream of an Independence day celebration that would beat any we had in California, as my friend Pat Green filled me with celebratory ideas.  We began the day by going to Boise to watch a parade.  We arrived early to be sure to find a seat among the masses that surely were expected.  I had visions of marching bands and flag waving that would fill our heads and hearts with patriotic fever.  I cannot find the words to describe my disappointment at the actual parade.  No marching bands.  No music of any kind.  Just various groups of people walking down the middle of the road promoting their various interests, many of which had nothing to do with patriotism.  Our front row seats brought not one minute of euphoric spirit; just a wish for it all to end.  The crowd thinned well before the parade ended.  What a disappointment.

Our family all set up for the underwhelming Boise parade.

We then went to the Greens for a BBQ and various games.  That was fun but we left early to put the babies to bed.  The most fun came when we brought out the fireworks.  We gathered in our darkening back yard and light them up.  We all had a great time!  It reminded me of the fireworks celebrations we used to have in our Fremont home before they all became forbidden.  What a surprise to discover that fireworks shows were all around us.  From our yard we could see them in every direction, but they were especially close and beautiful when we faced the little town of Star.  Our own small country town put on a show that rivaled any we have seen anywhere.  Wow, we loved it!  So now we know how to celebrate Independence Day in Idaho!

Fireworks at home!  Our gang gathered around a sample.

Sparklers!  They are a little different than those we used to have.
The kids are using one to light up many.  These are red!

Of course included in our celebration was our annual viewing of the movie, 1776.  I'm happy to report that Reed and Dorothy are addicted to it as well as we are.  The more I see it the more I love it.  I have such tender and emotional feelings about this country and the men who sacrificed and took a big leap of faith in creating the groundwork for our freedom and way of life.  I am so grateful!

Reed, Dorothy and older boys went up in a hot air balloon on Friday.  That is getting to be a regular event for us, it seems.  We are out of balloon tickets now, so maybe we will move on to other activities.  Our time with the kids was nice.  There is a lot to be said for spending time with one family at a time.  We've not done that much in California because so many of us were there.  We tended to gather in bunches.  Reed prefers smaller gatherings for the intimacy it promotes. I can see what he means.  Maybe that is one of the blessings of being here.

Our R & D family.  Back:  Bruce, James, Reed, Scott.
Front:  Vincent, Dorothy holding foster daughter Mari, Timothy

But tomorrow we head out to California for the mother of family gatherings, the family reunion.  Audrey and Cliff are in charge.  It promises to be a week of beaching and, hopefully, bonding.  We'll soon see what this brings to the family dynamic.

Horses

Boise is heating up.  After weeks of perfect warm weather, we are now experiencing triple digits; today is supposed to reach 108 degrees!  Because of that I arose early this morning to fit in my daily walk.  It was warm even then.  As I proceeded to the front of our yard, the whole area was filled with litter.  Some creature of the night got into the neighbor's trash and had a feast, creating quite a mess.  I spent some of my walking time picking it all up, with the neighbor's help.

When I returned from my shortened walk I began trimming the roses while Layne worked in the yard.  As he looked up, he was greeted by 5 beautiful horses, comfortably munching on the weeds behind our house.  A closer look told us how they got there...across our lawn!  As they moved ever so slowly towards our vegetable garden, Layne called to me and we urged them back to the weeds.  Soon neighbors were out helping us and discussing what to do with 5 horses.  The sheriff showed up.  Then several more from the local equestrian center.  Soon a plan was hatched and the horses were led away.  Calm returned.  The adventure was over.

Reed and his family are due to arrive tonight.  Perhaps we can take them on an adventurous sit in the back yard tonight, to watch the sun set.

Layne, behind or house keeping a close eye on those horses.

People Joy

It doesn't get dark here until 10 PM.  I sat on our expansive lawn last night and watched the sun set.  It has been hot but the evening wind blew through my hair and cooled the rest of me in a very pleasant way.  It is good to stop for awhile.  Stop moving.  Stop doing.  Just sit.  It has been a very busy summer so far.

Sunset view from our lawn on Saturday night, about 10 PM.  

Last week our Sunol neighbors and good friends Bev and Ernie Trutner arrived for a visit.  They spent almost a week with us.  It was so fun to spend comfortable time, where nothing special was expected.  We talked, played dominos, did a couple of local tours and just generally enjoyed spending time together.  I feel a kinship with Bev and Ernie; they are pure in heart, kind and good.  In spite of that, I sense an aversion in them, especially Bev, to Mormonism.  We share spiritual thoughts and feelings but if they get to "Mormon-y", Bev shuts down.  I can feel it.  I have not addressed this directly with her but I suppose it might be a good idea to do so, sometime.  I would so like her to see what I see.

Bev, Ernie and me, outside an abandoned Penitentiary, one
of the tourist sights here.

Bev and Ernie at our farewell lunch at a local Mexican Restaurant.

Bev and Ernie left last Wednesday for home.  That was just in time for us to pack and head to Salt Lake for a Friday wedding.  The last of our Mongolian daughters, Marta, was married in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple Friday morning.  How I love that girl!  Marta is one of those wonderful people that has a laugh in her heart that is always ready to burst forth.  Her joy is life is contagious.  She is one of those people that makes life better for people.  It appears that she is marrying a good match.  The wedding and reception was filled with warm feelings.  I believe it will be a good marriage.

Marta with her new husband, Matt Hansen.

Marta and Matt in traditional Mongolian clothing.

Marta and Layne dancing the father-daughter dance.  She also
danced with her Mongolian father.  Both of her parents were
able to be here for the wedding! 

We stayed with Bob and Maryanne.  Bob is recovering from knee surgery so isn't getting around much.  Maryanne is a bit tired so things there are moving slowly at the moment.  We tried to get some little things done for them.  I wish we lived closer so I could help out more often.

We also stopped by Gerald's house.  He is wanting to rent out that house in Draper.  But it is full of furniture and personal things.  We plan to do our best to help him by packing things up when we are there.  It makes me sad to walk through his well-equipped home that stands empty of people.  I hate to see the household dissolved.  I suppose renting it is a good option since they spend little time there.  But there is a sadness to it for me.

We are home once again.  I'm hoping to talk Layne into watching the sunset with me tonight.  Tomorrow Reed and family will arrive.  After that we are off to California for a family reunion.  What a summer!

Full of Grandchildren

Several months ago, before we moved to Idaho, I told my pregnant daughter-in-law Jessica that I would return to California and take care of her six children when the time came to deliver her baby.  I also volunteered to take the children back to Idaho with me for another week, to give her some quiet time.  She and son Ben are the parents of a busy household of lovely children, none of whom is of a quiet disposition.  That promise rode in the back of my mind ever after, until the week of the delivery arrived June 3rd.

Off I flew that day, arriving Monday evening.  Jessica entered the hospital Tuesday night and delivered the baby Thursday, making June 6th the birthday of our latest grandchild.  Victoria was born with dark hair and lovely features, into the arms of a collective welcoming committee of 6 eager children and an excited mom and dad.  Oh, and I was there too!

Here is granddaughter Alexis jumping on the tramp at her
house in Palo Alto.  I took the picture so I could fool around
with it and make the picture below.

Here is Alexis as she appears above but with a different background.
She wanted me to add an angel's robe but that seemed a bit difficult to
pull off.  Fun to do!

I worried that I would not have the oomph to handle things at their home, but all seemed to go well.  The children adapted to my way of functioning without complaint and the time sped by, as it always seems to do, until the arrival home of Ben, Jes and Victoria Friday afternoon.

Here is our 22nd grandchild, Victoria, surrounded by
her family in Jessica's hospital room.

Jessica and Victoria, at home.

The kids and I packed on Saturday, and picked up daughter Jessica (not to be confused with daughter-in-law Jessica) that evening.  She had agreed to fly in from Seattle to help me drive the children to Idaho.  We went to Church on Sunday and headed to Audrey and Cliff's home in Mountain House that afternoon.  Audrey had the one day flu on the previous Friday but was well over it by our visit on Sunday.  We had fun with them and Reed and Dorothy that evening and fell into bed that night.  It was my idea to spend Sunday night with Audrey and Cliff so as to cut an hour off of our drive to Idaho on Monday.

Daughter Jessica and I organized the kids early Monday morning and we were off to Idaho in Ben and Jessica's van.  Six children, from age 1 up to age 10, were all arranged in their several seats, with movies to fill our hours.  Jessica and I had a great time talking all along our way.  I anticipated that the trip would bring its share of challenges, but the kids were perfect!  Perhaps the movies and the pre-packaged lunches and snacks we prepared were the secret.  We arrived in good time Monday evening with everyone in good spirits.  My good friend Nikki Larson and her special needs daughter, Heather, arrived that same day from California.  They also spent the week with us.  What a house full!  Layne had supper prepared and all seemed right with the world.

Then I began to feel quite awful.  Awful deepened into truly terrible.  I went to bed.  Layne and Jessica put the kids to bed.  The night was filled with yucky-ness.  By morning the worst was over but I was wiped out.  Grandson Zach as well as Jessica got sick in the night.  It turned out to be...you guessed it...Audrey's one day flu.  Jessica pulled herself together to catch her flight home.  Layne was left to manage our little gang and he did a great job.  By Wednesday I was almost normal so we were able to do some things, in between nursing the various sickies, as the flu moved among us.  So, instead of the daily adventures I promised the kids, we spent most of our days at home.  By Thursday Layne was feeling pretty terrible.  Our run with the flu ended at last with him.

Grandson Jonathan, at the park in Idaho.

I wouldn't want you to think that it was all work and no play however.  We did manage to fit in some fun stuff with the kids:  a trip to the park, swimming, a water balloon fight, Father's Day surprises, a scavenger hunt, shopping, story telling, movies, volley ball, and various outdoor fun.  Not bad considering the flu was ever present.  Friday Ben flew in and everyone left Saturday morning, including Nikki and Heather.

Layne and I with our BJ kids just before they left for home.

Whew.  We made it.  I was sad and glad to see them go.  It was such work to keep things going smoothly, but what a great bond we all had.  I feel such tenderness about those children after spending so much time with them.  So, in spite of my worries, I feel the time invested was worth it.

Now for a nap.

A Little Road Trip

I went on and on telling Layne how much I enjoyed driving from Boise to Salt Lake a few weeks ago.  Maybe all my carrying on warmed him to the idea of us making the same drive this past week.  Except we took his old Toyota truck instead of our much more comfortable Envoy.  You may remember my complaints about driving that truck from California to Star at an average of 50 miles per hour.  It took us an hour and a half longer to make that fairly uncomfortable trip.  So I was dreading another truck ride.  But in order to pack up some shelves that son Gerald said we could take from his Draper house, we had to use the truck.  For all of my complaining, it turned out to be quite comfortable.  Plus, Layne drove much faster!  Maybe I'm too much of a California girl, but I like to get things done in a hurry, if at all possible.  I know I need to slow down and Idaho is just the place to teach me that lifestyle.  But I haven't got it yet.  So I was happy that, in 6 hours, we arrived at my sister Maryanne's new home in Draper.

Maryanne and husband Bob have done an amazing job of making a newly moved into house look like a well settled in home.  It is lovely.  She even included touches of red in our guest room and bath.  Can't beat the color!  We had fun hanging with them, taking in the view from the tops of the mountains, accessed from their back yard, and sharing some family history.

Here is a picture of my grandmother, Margaret Halfacre,
copied from Maryanne's collection.  

We also visited Layne's twin brother, Lynn, and his wife Camille.  We had a sweet time with them, promising that we would get together much more often now.  The Galbraith men are an interesting lot; they consider themselves close, but rarely talk and almost never see one another.  Layne is perfectly happy being alone or with a crowd; with family or without.  He keeps his love for them in his heart and seems to feel little need to actually connect.  But I'm pressing him to press the family flesh a little more often and hold out hopes that we will.

Cliff Conlon and his daughter Lori.

Audrey sent me this picture of granddaughter Allegra's thick,
curly, red hair.  Can you imagine any hair more perfect?

This Sunday (today) we enjoyed the company of our Colorado friend, Cliff Conlon, who brought along his Boise daughter Lori for a Sabbath dinner together.  I love having the chance to be close to wonderful people.  Most people are, it seems to me.