Category: Extended family

Dear Friends

Our Relief Society presidency was released last Sunday. I have felt all of the emotions about this change in my life, but have landed on joy, and that is where I will stay. I have no ultimate regrets or concerns about things left undone. I know I served with all I had, and was strengthened by God to go beyond that. I have loved this calling, and have thanked my Father in Heaven often for the privilege to serve in such a deep way. Most of all, I have loved the relationships I have been able to build with the people in my neighborhood. My presidency has been ideal for me and for the season we served. Each was so needed in her role, so perfectly prepared by experiences, personal gifts, and goodness. I asked Paige to make a simple sketch of our faces, close together, that I could frame or embroider. I love these women!

 

Payson temple

We decided to attend the temple as a family, all six of us at the same time. My parents came with us and we did ordinances for some particularly dear family members who are deceased. Some spent time in the baptistry. Mark had names he had discovered himself at the family history library plus one other special name we have been waiting for permission to do. Others spent time in a session. Daniel and Richard carried names Daniel found when he was twelve years old. It was an especially sweet day at the Payson temple. The name cards had been well-traveled, with some ordinances in Arizona, others in Draper, and now Payson. I was really affected by the experience and I was glad that I still had tissues in my pocket from a different day in the temple. I wish we had taken a picture, but we got separated and things were a little hectic getting there. My mom figured we had some challenges getting to the temple because it was the right thing to do. Amen.

Sunday Breakfast & Friends

Paige came home from New York last night and Daniel spoke in sacrament meeting today. We had a lot of family join us for the meeting, so we gathered for breakfast before church at our house. Daniel’s friends ate breakfast leftovers after church on our back patio. We didn’t get photos of everyone who came, but we are thankful for those who showed their support. It was a good day.

Four Wheelers

Richard and his brothers and dad went camping and rode four-wheelers a few weeks ago near Richfield. Russ shared these photos with me. I am told someone with a gun in a holster tried to run them off his land, even though they were on a forest service road. They met some people who fed them strawberries in the shade, and Richard’s dad seemed to draw energy and vitality from the adventures.

I am glad the men had this time together and that the crazy guy did not draw his gun. I understand that after submitting to having photos taken and being followed, they were on first-name terms with the guy. In the end, crazy guy gave them a phone number to contact him when they “came back with their women” next time. We women can’t wait. 😉

Eagle Court of Honor

On Sunday evening at the Spencer cabin, we held Daniel’s Eagle Court of Honor during our family reunion. Thanks to Richard J. and Sarah, we have some great photos from the evening. We were surrounded by family, friends, and special guests, but we were also in a sacred setting. The cabin and mountains, with more than 100 years of family memories, added to the feelings of the evening. Daniel earned his Eagle a long time ago, but the court of honor felt intimidating to do, so we delayed. I’m so glad we decided to do it in this setting before he leaves on his mission.

Half Moon Bay

We arrived at Half Moon Bay after dark on a Sunday night. We set up quickly and fell asleep to the sound of waves. It was so dark, we couldn’t know how close we were to the water, and looked forward to the morning to reveal where we had landed.

In the morning, the beach was ours to claim, cold and beautiful, and we did claim it, most of us in a commando crawl on the sand to stay warm and out of the wind. Mark, of course, took on the waves with little boy zeal in a longer, leaner version of himself than the last time he was at the beach. I knew I was watching some of the last of his childhood as he moved to attack the waves with kicks and leaps. He will be more reserved next time. I will brace myself for that.

Two favorite memories from this leg if the trip: an eclectic and well-stocked used bookstore and an old fashioned diner.

Good surprises from Half Moon Bay: a new friend at the campground named Dave, flowers everywhere along the path to the beach, Daniel’s videos of Mark, and we became faster at folding up the pop-up trailer each time.

Menu: chicken salad on pitas, breakfast burritos, pizza, diner food, roasted hot dogs, and cinnamon sugar doughies by Mark and Richard

Essentials: jackets, heater, books, magazines

Favorite conversation: at Grandma Ruth’s house about “The List” of things she is not supposed to eat anymore.