These darling family members and friends bring a lot of joy.
Delightful company
Category: Family Time
Father’s Day 2025
The local kids gathered with us to celebrate Father’s Day. Mark called from Copenhagen, and Paige called with W from Alabama. There was a puzzle, snacks, and a dinner of Richard’s favorite foods.
After a two year break from the tradition, I pulled out the Sunday dinner journal and asked our family what they appreciated about their dad this year, which launched us into lots of reminiscing. Daniel, McKenna, Tim, and Queenie placed bags on Richard’s apples to protect them from moths, and we enjoyed the evening sitting out on the beautiful lawn.
Our children bring us a lot of joy.
Movie marathon
Mark loves the Mission Impossible movies, and we took his advice and watched several of them together to prepare for our viewing of The Final Reckoning. These movies are long, so we had to split the marathon into several days.
I don’t normally watch action movies, but it gave me time with family and it was a reminder of Mark. We are resolved not to give him any spoilers and I’m sure there will be another movie marathon after he gets home.
Alabama
We made a trip to Alabama to visit Paige and her family. We had some outings, but the highlight was playing with W—.
Photos from the weekend
This weekend Richard and I attended a baptism and a mission farewell. I’ve decided not to share every photo here, but this is a small peek into extended family life.
16 years. 1 year. 6 months
Sixteen years today I began writing this blog. What do I think of that? I think it’s probably more than almost anyone needs or wants to read. But the blog is a personal accomplishment and I celebrate this milestone. Thanks for reading. 🩷
Little W— is one. 💙
Today I am also celebrating Mark, who has been a missionary for six months. He is serving in the mission office for a few hours a day and talking to people for the rest of the time. I miss him. It is hard to have him gone, but I know it’s the best thing. Perhaps I am more yielded and still about it than I think.
A photo check-in
I have photo evidence of most of our family this week. 🙂
Richard’s Birthday List
Richard celebrated a birthday recently. During the last year, here are some of the things I observed about him:
- He became a grandfather. He delights in this little grandson.
- He enjoyed his new upstairs home office, and worked from home until last September. He is now going into the office each day after nearly 5 years at home. What a change for both of us. He still uses his home office most evenings to put in more work hours.
- He went on two trips with friends to ride 4-wheelers. He knows how to work hard and play hard with healthy balance.
- He continued to serve as first counselor in the bishopric. I see the effects of his living a consecrated life in his countenance, his perspective, and his unselfishness. He becomes a richer version of himself each year.
- He began to use some of his humor when he conducted sacrament meetings. When he says something funny, the ward members repeat his jokes to me throughout the week. People are tickled to be caught off guard when he shows his funny side.
- He bought a new-to-us truck which makes him so happy.
- He worked hard to plan 4-wheeling adventures and other activities for the Ross reunion. This year, we rode to the top of Monroe mountain, went tubing in the Sevier river, and stayed in a historic home in Joseph.
- He planned an epic family and senior trip for Mark. We visited Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks and made so many memories.
- He continued to exercise in the gym and took his supplements. He is fit and trim.
- He watched over a plentiful apple and tomato harvest. We are still enjoying dried apples and salsa from his labors.
- He edited an incredible family video for Christmas. What a history he has created of our family with these annual videos.
- He helped Tim with lots of truck repairs.
- He took Mark and Tim skiing many times.
- I think he had a great year.
Weakness to strength
As I paged through a journal I wrote in 2013, I was amazed at the things I did that year. All of our children were still living at home, so beyond the things I recorded in the journal, there were so many meals, so much laundry, and so much driving. One line stands out to me from this journal,
“My favorite sin right now is haste.”
By “haste” I meant that I didn’t take enough time to be still.
In 2025, haste is no longer a favorite sin. I have been given the gift to be still. True, I have less laundry and cooking to do now, but there are a few more dominant forces during the last 12 years that taught me to slow down.
First, the years of decision arrived for our children with college, missions, marriage, and beyond. I realized that the most important thing I can do for my children is pray for them. And when they ask for advice, I need an arsenal of inspired wisdom. I choose stillness so I can feel assurances of peace concerning my children and to help my children.
Second, I had poor health for an extended time which taught me to slow down. I was forced to stop filling my life with non-essentials. I learned to sit on the couch and listen to my family. I didn’t miss being busy, so as my health returned, I remained more present and unhurried.
Third, I had church callings that stretched me to study deeply. We had unprecedented and perplexing issues to handle, so I had to be still so I could see the path forward. I was perplexed so often that stillness became a habit.
This exercise of looking back over 12 years of personal growth shows me that my Father in Heaven works through many means to help me change. He wasn’t the cause of my difficulties, but he helped me to use these obstacles as stepping stones toward rest.
…my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.
-Ether 12:27
Winter activity of choice
While Richard and Tim skied on Saturday, I stayed home and watched a BBC miniseries. All were happy.