On the way home

We arrived home in the early evening after the 1,000 mile trip from Idaho to Arizona.  Bill and the kids quickly unloaded the car and we got everything sorted out.  I didn't unload much because Conor was excited to show me what he had bought me while I was gone.  A Crock Pot!  I'm very happy with it because he was responsible for something happening to my old one, I've really missed using one, and the new one is nice.

But I digress.

The girls traveled really well because of two things:

*A new DVD player for the car (the old one didn't work on the way to Idaho, so it was replaced)
*Alicia taught them to finger crochet and Grandma gave them each a ball of yarn so they crocheted yards and yards and yards of yarn!

Along the way Bill promised the girls they would be able to either play in the snow or eat ice cream.  We finally found a place in the mountains with a little snow, so we pulled to the side of the road for the girls to play.

As you can see there were only a couple of inches of snow, but they made snow balls and had fun throwing them at each other.

I love this picture because you can see the beautiful desert scenery in the background.  We drove between mountain ranges all the way through Nevada--geologically very interesting.

Look at our family!

My father-in-law's funeral was the first time in a long time all seven of Bill's children were together.  Aren't we a fine looking group?  I really love these guys and girls!  I am at the back right and our daughter-in-law is at the front left.  All the rest are Bill's children (and my children and stepchildren).

We had a really nice time together.

Today is my father-in-law's funeral

It has been several years since I attended a funeral of someone to whom I was close.  That one was so surprising and interesting that I hardly thought to shed a tear.

However.

I think Bill's family is a lot more sentimental than the family of my dear friend.  I think there will be a lot of crying.  Seeing someone cry almost always gets me misted up at a minimum.  I hate to cry in public.

This is what I'm going to do:  I'm going to think of my favorite memories of him.  I like to think of Bob seeing the funny side of life, like Alicia in her sneakers and wedding gown.  I like to think of his playing parlor games on an almost-weekly basis for 30 years with my mother-in-law and the same other couple.  I like to think of his shooting a deer deep in the woods and hauling it out by himself--with his wooden left leg.  I like to think of hearing his Korean War stories about his better-than-perfect eyesight.

I'm almost looking forward to the funeral to hear some other good stories about him!

Have you ever heard of these names?

These are two of my favorite literary characters who happen to be real people.  I visited their grave this past summer and just found the pictures again this weekend.  Honestly, it was hard to believe I was looking at the actual headstone for people I've "known" almost my entire life.  One of my daughters almost got named after her and one of them did.  Which ones?

Think about the music to which you listen

I think this also applies to TV shows we watch, what we view on the Internet, and video games we play.

About parenting

"I believe it is by divine design that the role of motherhood emphasizes the nurturing and teaching of the next generation. But it is wonderful to see husbands and wives who have worked out real partnerships where they blend together their influence and communicate effectively both about their children and to their children."
—L. Tom Perry, "Becoming Goodly Parents", Liahona and Ensign, November 2012

 

A thank you letter

This came through my friend Sara today:

This is a thank you note to a good man.
Thank you for turning aside from a life of ease and security to run for the presidency against an incumbent.
Thank you for enduring the slander of you, your family, and your faith perpetrated by a . . . . negligent media.
Thank you for calling things such as terrorism by their right name.
Thank for selecting Paul Ryan as vice presidential running mate.
Thank you -- and your lovely wife -- for demonstrating true love.
Thank you for handling yourself with grace and equanimity in every situation.
Thank you for your patriotism.
Thank you for believing in America. It is to our eternal shame that America did not, in this time and place, believe in you.
 

I sure wish Mitt Romney had won the election.

Meal Plan Sunday

Monday:  Santa Fe Chicken casserole

Tuesday:  Hearty Italian Sausage Stew

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:  Pizza

A truly sad day for our family

Today my father-in-law died.  He was 82 and his health had declined, but no one thought today was going to be the day.  He went to church but didn't feel good, so he went home.  He felt worse so he called 911.  He died at the local hospital of an abdominal aneurysm.  He didn't linger; my mother-in-law was still at church.

I really liked my father-in-law.  He was smart and funny and loved to tease.  I think he liked me because I teased him right back and we both loved it.  He and my mother-in-law were married 60 years this September and they were a terrific couple.

From a boy with a very rough upbringing to a man with a great wife, seven children, thirty-three grandchildren, the Gospel of Jesus Christ in his life, dear friends, and hobbies, he came a long way. 

I will really miss him.

My second appointment of the day

 . . . was at 8:00 am!  What do you think this staid and not-too-dusty room is?

It is our Family History Center!  Atually, it's about half of it.  The other half has some microfilm/fiche readers in it, soon to be remodeled with more computers and fewer readers.  In addition, we are going through the card catalog to see which of our collection are available to read online for free.  I think those books will be donated or sold.

So the 8:00 appointment was a bi-monthly meeting of all the volunteers.  I think they need to provide cinnamon rolls and milk for the next meeting.  Perhaps I'll volunteer to provide it all.  Or can you eat in a library?

I still don't love my obligation to volunteer at the FHC, but I'm looking at it as an opportunity to help others while I learn to be a real genealogist.  Win-win, right?