Jodie came home...

I guess Home is where I happen to be living. I have always considered Utah to be home, even though I spent 39-40 years in Arizona. Jodie, last November, decided to move to Provo Utah.

This week Lynn, David, Jodie, and myself, moved the rest of Jodie things from Lake Havasu City Arizona, to Provo Utah. The weather was extremely cold. David drove his truck,a four seating Avalanche, and had his covered trailer. The weather was snowing more than half the time, and the tempiture was extremely cold. at one time it was -3 below 0.

David drove both ways, from Springville Utah, to Lake Havasue City, and back again. While David got some sleep for driving, Lynn, Jodie, and I packed, and Tom helped. We brought back Jodie's piano, and fireplace. and other things that Jodie boxed up for travel. They also strapped Jodie's two Kiacks on top of the truck.

We left Utah on Monday, packed and left for home on Tuesday. The wind was so strong it rocked the truck. Often David and Jodie would check on the Kiakes to be sure they were secured.

We were reminded several times by Lynn that the coldest spot in Utah was Beaver. Being so cold that day, Lynn would say lets don't gas up in Beaver.
On Davids rear view mirror there is a spot that tells you what the outside tempture was. We watched it go from above 0 to -1 and -3 and back to -1. While Lynn was sleeping, we asked each other if we wanted to gas up in Beaver? as it was coming soon and Lynn had made such a point of not stopping there. We kind of snickered and decided to stop in Beaver, where Lynn would need to get out to gas up the truck.

David also got out to write down the numbers from the gas pump, and quickly jumped back into the truck exclaiming how extremely cold it was outside. Lynn climbed back into the truck and said he figured out we were in "Beaver", because he saw a advertisement paper on the counter indicating that we were in "Beaver"!

Blue Day...

I HAD ONE OF THOSE DAYS!!

Who are You?...

There is a movie called "UP". It is a animated story of a man who grows old and is lonely. In his many adventures he ties balloons on to his house and floats away to a dream spot on a mountain where there is a tall waterfall, he and his wife, who is now dead, use to dream of living there.

In this cartoon as the man is ageing he uses a chair lift to move to a different floor level in his house. My kids laughed and laughed at the thought of a chair lift. And wondered where this weired idea came from.

In the back of my mind I am at the age where chair lifts are a reality, and have been thinking that it may be something that I may need in the near future. I was surprised to see my kids laugh about it, but then again they have not been around family that has grown older.

I am almost 67, I never dreamed that getting older would happen to me, I thought I would always be the same. Life has some surprised for you as you get older.
I never dreamed I would have 2 hip replacements, and have to have 2 knee replacements coming up. With out them I would have been in a wheel chair long ago. I am still walking pretty good, after all I am considered still young...

I look in the mirror and the face that looks back at me, often scares me. my skin seems to be sagging and hanging around my mouth and chin and neck, making ugly deep wrinkles of age. I see more brown spots appearing everywhere. and the bones in my fingers and toes are twisting out of shape because of arthritis, and causing more pain.

I have never been a beauty queen, but I never thought I would lose what I did looked like. I hardly know myself now. and its hard to find ways everyday to except the way I look, and I am not done, ageing yet.

Maybe its another lesson we have to learn here, because we can't learn it after this life. And we have to know what it is like, to have compassion for others.

Some time I will be able to say "been there....done that!"...

New Year 2011

A new Year....A new day....A new hour.... A new page.... A new moment in time...

Every thing is fresh... and starting new... with blank pages before you.

What will be written on these pages before the end of this given time?

Looking back... Hopefully... they will contain mostly smiles...

Bernard Walker...

Bernard William Walker, Lynn's father, was born 3 June 1919, and Died 1 Nov. 2010 in Provo Utah, and Buried in Orem City Cemetery.

He was a good man, loved his family, would do anything he could for them. He was a hard worker. Taught his kids how to work. He was totally honest in everything.
He served in the war, and on a mission. He was blessed with a incredible mind, which most of his family has been blessed with. He was totally mentally alert when he left this earth. He quietly helped his neighbors when they needed it. He didn't boast about anything he did, just quietly accomplished what needed to be done. Even in his 90's he was active in church as much as he could be... All though he was not perfect, and like the rest of us had alot to learn in this life...
I will miss him...

Just a added Note...
All my Family, All my Kids, All my Grandchildren have been in attendance. At the Hospital, and at the Funeral.

Jodie was asked to offer the Walker Family Prayer at the Hospital, she is 26 of age. Her sweet spirit touched many in the room and left alot of wet faces.

With only a few hours to prepare an arrangement, Jodie, Pauli, Jennifer and Amber all played strings for the Funeral, and Launie sang the first verse, of the Hymn "Oh My Father". The music was beautiful...I was so touched of the masterful skills of the girls.

The Funeral was recorded, and we have a copy.

A Gift...

I was describing to some of the Lady Missionaries at the Employment Resource Center the neet surprise my daughter and her husband had given us last year, hanging from the celling, hand cut snowflakes around the top of our Christmas tree.

I folded a paper and cut a snowflake, Sister Carter was delighted and asked to see how to fold the paper. As I was teaching the cutting of snowflakes we had some good laughs, I seemed to be the only one who had some experience, enjoying a good activity, we learned not to cut completely across the paper, (twice).

Most of the Ladies cut snowflakes, and even one visitor cut one which was of horseshoes and hearts. Pam Baily, loves and raises miniature horses.

Elder Paul Evans walked to the DI to look for some thread, and came back with some crochet thread which was perfect. Soon Lynn was hanging snowflakes from the celling around the room. It Looked Real Cool....they were all so different and neet. I taped the circle ones, to one of the office windows, filling one with a small snowflake, and added some other snowflakes. I told everyone that the circle one was a ice crystal.

The snowflakes added a nice touch to the Christmas season, along with the Christmas tree and pointsetta which were there.

Its hard to believe that I only have one more week of my Mission. Time has flown by so fast, I am feeling a little sad. I could extend, but I have to have surgery on my knee. So maybe when I get back on my feet again I can look forward to serving another Mission somewhere...

NOTE; The snowflakes had to be taken down from the ceiling and taped to the office windows. The movement of the hanging snowflakes during the night time, for three days, set off the building alarms.... lol

Where is Time?

One Year a person who prepared our taxes, asked me how many years did I think I would live? I answered him, as long as my kids still need me, I will be here!

Looking back through this year and all its complications, I see a over view, (that has nothing to do with all that has happened this year.) that all my kids are quickly getting to the point of not needing me. Which is good for them, but not so much for me. They have turned out to be good and great people, and care about each other in their own way.

I have really felt that way, and perhaps some insight. Also at my age now, even though still considered young, I feel my strength weakening. and others who are a lot older than I, running circles around me.

Bernard Walker said that the "Golden Years of Life" are not when you are old and retired. But when you have your young family around you, and you are busily keeping up with them doing things, that bring you the most happiness.
Not when your old, stiff, painful, sick, and alone.
I agree with him.

I have alot of friends I can talk to, and I have a list of things that have to be done.
But its my family that I long for....and they are all grown up...