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Once upon a time, this sweet dog came into my life. She was a "pound" dog, and we chose her because she sat at the door of her cage and wagged her tail at us without a sound. The place was chaotic with barking dogs, clamoring for our attention, but she (wisely) captured our hearts with her big brown eyes and fluffy tail. When we found out she was born around Valentine's Day, we named her "Candy" after the faithful dog of Grandpa Wilford, and she lived with us for 14 years. She was a nuisance at times (yes, she COULD bark! and nibble at little people!), but mostly she taught us unconditional love. She liked comfy laps, babies who threw food on the floor, turkey ham, a scratch between the ears, the back of the couch where she could look out the window and be warmed by the sun, and rides in the car. She did NOT like sirens, thunder, getting her hair cut, babies who pulled her tail, being shut up in the bathroom when the UPS guy came, and the liver nuggets in her dog food. She was affectionately called "Canders" and could "yowl" with My Quiet Man. She was happy when we walked in the door and watched for us to come back when we left. I miss the way she'd "fluff up" a place to sleep and then sigh when she was settled. Sometimes I call for her when I drop something on the floor, wishing she'd come trotting over and slurp it up for me. She was a good dog. Very Good. My little Candy...
Lately a scene from one my favorite movies has been running through my mind: Yentl, who is really a girl dressed as a boy, goes to a wardrobe fitting for her/his wedding to Hadass and has a hard time keeping her/his disguise from the tailor. "Embarrassed in front of his tailor? A tailor is like a doctor!" Finally, she/he admits: "Look at this, look how easily I fool them. They may have eyes, but they don't see. They never really look at me. People are blind...how else would everyone believe me?" Every day we "look" at people...or not...and believe that they are one thing or another--happy, sad, dangerous, shy, wicked, angelic, poor, rich, idiotic or intelligent. The truth is, we have eyes but we don't see. Many times I've made a quick judgment at first glance, and then come to know what is real. Marjorie Hinckley said, "Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." We put on one face for the "world", thinking to hide what is real, when truthfully, we are all just little children of a loving Father who truly SEES inside. He sees that hard battle, that sore broken part, that scary unknown...and He blesses. Peace. Comfort. Healing. Believing. Loving.
I am an admitted homebody, and at times, eager to be alone. As a child, I preferred playing by myself (and all those imaginary playmates) than with the neighborhood friends. I shut the door, pulled the curtain, climbed the tree, crawled inside--all for the sake of inventing my own dialogue, my own scenery, my own orchestrations, my own jokes, my own pace. Even today, I come home from dropping off My Girl at school, hurry through the stacks of dishes and laundry and paper trails, and then snuggle into the recliner with the latest library book or Netflix movie before I need to be at the computer. My alone-at-home time...however brief...is an amazing comfort in the rattle of my days.
Our trip south for President's Day included squishy hugs and kisses, opening belated birthday gifts, smiles and laughter, food--glorious food--in delicious abundance, basketball, race cars, champion horses, church with pretty girls in dresses and a handsome boy brave enough to give his first talk, shopping for books and gadgets, "swumming" indoors, snowflakes on red rocks, Vicks vapor rub & pills, Uno Moo, popcorn, neck wraps, puzzles with extra pieces, Chester in a sweater, sniffles & coughs, countdown to baby brother, and meeting the newest puppy of the family, Mr. Scooby Doo. Look at those eyes... Yep, he had us at "Ruff"! I do love our growing brood and the time we can spend together. Just wish it came around every other week or so...
Happy, happy 4th birthday to my adorable little grandson! I just "skyped" with him on the computer, and he wiggled and chattered and spelled his name and asked me what I was going to have for lunch and gave me directions to Pirate Pizza (where he's going for his party tonight)--"It's by Panda Express and you drive by the movie theaters and you park your car by the front." He also wondered if I was giving him the "punching game that they have at Walmart" for his present. He has been a joy and delight from the day he was born and is absolutely the most beautiful BOY child in the world (I can say that...I'm the Grammy!).
I love him beyond words and am so blessed to be just one of the MANY people in his sweet life. Have fun today, Mr. LRS, and I'll be seeing you SOON!
Happy Valentine's Day! I remember the first Valentine card I got from a boy (other than the ones automatically given in grade school). I was in the 8th grade and had gone out hand-delivering cards & goodies with my siblings to our neighbors and friends (do we do that anymore?) and came home to find a LARGE (at least 8 x 10) card and fancy box of chocolates. When I read who it was from, I visualized the face of one of my brother's friends and was initially horrified to think that my "secret admirer" was a puny sixth grader! But when my mom saw my expression and figured out my thoughts (of course!), she quickly set me straight--this was from the OLDER brother, Jeff, a much more mature 9th grader! I'd like to say it was my first romantic experience and that I was starry-eyed and love-struck, but no...this sudden attention turned my blood to ice. I was scared out of my wits! I was only 12 1/2, was pretty much a loner girl who still played with dolls and crawled into closets to read my books, and here was a flesh-and-blood boy who wanted to walk me home from school and HOLD HANDS! Horrors! (Months later, I would be begging this same boy to look my way and give me a smile...but that's another story.) So, here's to Jeff and his tremendous teenaged courage--and to the quiet solidity of the love I have now and forever with my Quiet Man, for whom my Heart beats.
Thanks, Mimi, for this wonderful picture, "A Girl Writing" by Henriette Browne. I see myself in this portrait, as well as my J-Girl. Lately, she has been feverishly writing a wonderful tale about an Angel mesmerized with Hades (she's enchanted with Greek mythology). I love to see her typing away at her computer or scribbling in her notebook, for she has "caught" the writing bug. Ahh, how delicious it is! Sometimes I find myself lying in bed late at night or early in the morning, conjuring up titles to stories--oh, I have a whole grundle of them, like "Bending Steel", "Alone in My Father's House", "The Yellow Barn at Soddy Daisy", or "Somewhere Else to Turn"... They'll probably never gain substance other than these titles, but aren't they intriguing? Don't they just BEG to be written and explored? One of my next goals has got to be that I finish at least ONE of the myriad of stories that are gasping for life in my computer's memory. Just one...
This photo was taken about five years ago and is one of my favorites of my Quiet Man. He's smiling...with TEETH! It makes me smile to see it. This was before a lot of adversity came tromping up to our door, but it was also before four (almost five) little angels came "trailing clouds of glory" to join our little A, too. I have to look at the blessings as well as the challenges. I want 50 more years on earth with this man and all our big & little people, so changes are afoot. There is so MUCH to smile about, if I just stop and remember...
Today marks 32 years since I married my sweetheart, my best friend, my Quiet Man. Look at us--young, fresh, hopeful, starry-eyed with dreams and love, ready to step off into the great beyond. We've been through thick and thin, joy and sorrow, heartache and heartbreak, laughter and longing, and all the rest that goes with being a human being. But we've also felt the stirrings of heaven, seen angels in the form of newborn babies, witnessed miracles and tender mercies, and learned what it means to live "happily ever after" in a world that would rather crush you than hug you. Thank you, honey, for standing by me when you could have walked away, for showering me with blessings I didn't deserve, and for keeping an eternal perspective when it was most important. I love you more than words can say, and I love the family that we created all those years ago.
Today, I celebrate the day I received one of the greatest blessings of my life in the Salt Lake LDS Temple...the gift of endowment. I was nineteen, one day away from becoming a wife, naively embarking on a journey that would feel like a roller coaster at times, but innocently believing that love could conquer any and all obstacles. I had my handsome Quiet Man by my side and we were invincible. I remember that I wore a long yellow dress to the temple, symbolic now of the warmth and light I knew I would receive. I remember Aunt Marilyn there with us, and her sweet remark that now I was an official member of the "sweetheart neck & back club". How tenderly God blesses us, teaches us, holds us in His hands. Every time I return to the temple, I am reminded of that February day and how quickly I began to see eternity...
Sorry to burst anyone's bubble out there, but I have definitely done my share of fan-mania, and not always to the delight of family and friends! Lately, I often have to beg forgiveness from my teenaged girl because I seem to be reverting to my bygone teenybopper stage. For example, didn't like them when I was a silly junior high and high schooler, but NOW I love listening to Michael Jackson and Donny Osmond. And don't even get me started on boys with guitars, especially adorable Aussie Keith Urban and his buddy, Brad Paisley. Sometimes it takes my breath away. So, today, I can honestly say that music is one of my loves, from classical favorites, such as the Mozart "Requiem" to "Start a Band" to "Heal the World." (Thanks to my Quiet Man for recording Keith Urban's performance in the pre-game show at the SuperBowl yesterday--he knew I'd love it! And thanks to J & D for watching "Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" for FHE with me tonight...) "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony..."
Today, I love my sister, Laura, and wish her the happiest of birthdays. We are four years apart, and that was a lot in our childhood. But, now as an adult, I like to think of her as one of my best friends. We may live far from each other, but I think of her every day and wish her all the best. This OLD picture is of my sweet 17-year old sister and my baby boy on his blessing day. Happy Birthday, "Leona"! I love you muchly! Hopefully this is the year I come visit you (or at least, plan a visit in earnest...)
Today, I love--LOVE--my sweet littlest granddaughter! It is her FIRST birthday and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. Since the day she was born, she has been tiny and petite, but BUSY. She just wants to go and do, no matter what it is. She follows her big sisters like she's one of the gang, and she loves to explore, especially kitchen drawers and closets. She doesn't like to sit still long enough to snuggle too often, so we take our hugs and kisses when we can. Happy Birthday, Jane! Grammy loves you with all my heart...
Today, I love that it's Chinese New Year! My girl is really into this, so she encouraged me to wear RED today to symbolize good luck, and before she stepped out of the car this morning to go into school, she put a picture of an adorable bunny on her iTouch. I can get into this, too--when I found out I was born in the year of the Boar, I looked up some of the attributes: Whatever they do, they do it with all their strength; they make friends for life; they have a great thirst for knowledge; they are quick-tempered, but hate quarreling and arguments; they are kind to their loved ones; and no matter how hard problems seem to be, they try to work them out. Okay, that pretty much describes me in a lot of ways. I also love that one of my best friends was blessed with two beautiful Chinese babies who are growing into even more beautiful young women. GONG XI FA CAI, everyone, but especially you, Miss Colleen!
Today, I love food storage, and that somewhere in the last year or so I was smart enough (I like to think it was inspiration) to stock up on things we eat all the time. For the past month, we've been living on a lot of what was already in the pantry/freezer/in boxes and cans on the shelves in the garage. The only things I bought at the store were basically milk, bread, apples, eggs, and ground beef. No fluff. No treats (okay, I did go to Maverick last Saturday and buy 5 candy bars for $2 because I was dying for chocolate, but I shared with my Quiet Man and my girl). This morning, I was finally able to do a normal round of grocery shopping and buy shampoo and paper towels and t.p., along with things like "normal" mayo, yogurt, bananas, and chip dip for the Big Game this weekend. It didn't hurt us at all to go without for a while, and we may have even shed a few pounds. I may not ever have to delve into my 72-hour kit, but it's nice to know that those cases of chili & tuna & rice & soup & fruit cocktail & potato pearls & peanut butter were all well worth it. (PS - that is NOT a picture of my pantry above...yeah, I wish)
Aww, it's February! Starting off cold (weather-wise), but warm (heart-wise). I have lots to be thankful for, lots to make me smile, lots that I love. Maybe this month will reflect that...a daily affirmation of what I love and why. Today it's the fresh, unwritten days of a new month. I've torn off that old page of yesterday and see only the possibilities of today and tomorrow. I LOVE changing calendars! Today those squares full of promise are labeled with birthdays, anniversaries, mini vacations, celebrations, singing, and so much more that will somehow sneak its way into the minutes between awake and asleep. This will be a good month. So let it be written...so let it be done!
Once upon a time, this sweet dog came into my life. She was a "pound" dog, and we chose her because she sat at the door of her cage and wagged her tail at us without a sound. The place was chaotic with barking dogs, clamoring for our attention, but she (wisely) captured our hearts with her big brown eyes and fluffy tail. When we found out she was born around Valentine's Day, we named her "Candy" after the faithful dog of Grandpa Wilford, and she lived with us for 14 years. She was a nuisance at times (yes, she COULD bark! and nibble at little people!), but mostly she taught us unconditional love. She liked comfy laps, babies who threw food on the floor, turkey ham, a scratch between the ears, the back of the couch where she could look out the window and be warmed by the sun, and rides in the car. She did NOT like sirens, thunder, getting her hair cut, babies who pulled her tail, being shut up in the bathroom when the UPS guy came, and the liver nuggets in her dog food. She was affectionately called "Canders" and could "yowl" with My Quiet Man. She was happy when we walked in the door and watched for us to come back when we left. I miss the way she'd "fluff up" a place to sleep and then sigh when she was settled. Sometimes I call for her when I drop something on the floor, wishing she'd come trotting over and slurp it up for me. She was a good dog. Very Good. My little Candy... 
