Happy Birthday Elijah!

Magic candles!

June 2011

 Afro Boy!

 A flock of something that has been hanging about the neighborhood.

Nearly as big as eagles but not sure that they are. 

Besides, eagles don't usually hang out in such large groups. 

We have counted as many as 10.

 Elijah lost his 2 front teeth.....and his marbles too!

 Cool idea, but something seems to be wrong...

The garden is all planted, plus 10 new trees.

There's my 2 best rock-picker-uppers!

Easter 2011

Since Easter always coincides with our spring break, my kids like to go invade the homes of friends or family. This year we picked my sister Melodee and her family. Her 16 year old son and Chance are buddies, her cute little 10 year old daughter gets along well with Elijah, and her 13 year old son hangs out with Dallin. 

Anyway, I walked in the door and they were painting. How fun! But I had to steal them away for awhile to help me hunt for a new vehicle. Our van's transmission died a few weeks ago and since it has over 200,000 miles on it, I'm not too keen on resurrecting it. Besides, I have been wanting a car with better gas economy, so this was the time. I ended up getting a Toyota Camry in great shape with low mileage. And I got it for free!!! Really. Actually Karl Malone Toyota should be grateful that I am so honest. Who knows how long it would have been before they noticed that I drove off without paying for it. Seriously. They forgot to ask, and I forgot to write the check. And when I went back on Monday, nobody had even noticed.

 Easter with my handsome sons!

 Out on a Sunday stroll

Grandma with 6 of her 26 grandkids

Sunday was kind of fun because we went to the Ward that I grew up in. A couple that I have known since I was 5 years old had just returned from their mission to Sweden. It was great to see a few people that I still knew.

On Monday, I helped Melodee paint. I got to do the edging, which I actually enjoy.

Not a bad way to spend your spring break. Accomplishing things and spending time with those that you love.

Spring......and exhaustion!

The garden is all tilled and ready to go.

I love Spring! 

The salad greens bed. 

I planted lettuce, green onions, radishes, and the 

spinach was all volunteer from last fall. 

I transplanted it to this bed. 

It wasn't very happy with being moved 

but I'm hoping it will rally.

This is what I did today, and boy am I pooped!

143 strawberry plants.

Once the columbine bloom, and the hostas come up, 

this will be a beautiful flower and rock garden.

And even though my body aches all over, it's okay. Working outside with the plants, in the dirt, is my favorite thing. And going to bed tired is good, because I fall right to sleep. . . . zzzzzzzzzz

Therapy

Today I decided to get outside. It was still cool, and I hate being cold, but I couldn't stand being cooped up in the house a moment longer. The picture is of the third acre that I own across the street. Probably the best thing I have ever invested in. It has been a good family project and is great therapy for me.

This will be the third year we grow a garden in it. It has been marvelous! As you can see the spring weeds are threatening to take over. But no worries, there is a nice, older gentleman in town who will trade a good tractor tilling for a window cleaning job on his house. I just went out and pulled up the weeds along the edges of the east fence. You wouldn't think that pulling weeds would make good therapy, but it works wonders for me. It may have something to do with the fresh air and sunshine, eh?

Elijah said...

On Sunday, Elijah said something that let me know that I am not the only one that feels Bishop Rempp was special and misses him. Sacrament meeting had just started and the new Bishop was on the stand. 

Elijah said, 

     "So that is the new bishop." 

I said

     "Yep." 

     "What happened to Bishop Rempp?"

     "He is now the Stake President."

     "What is that?"

     "He takes care of all the wards in our stake."

     "Will we ever see him again?"

     "Oh yes, he is still in our ward. We will see him sometimes.

     "Will we ever hear him talk again?

     "Sure, during Stake Conference."

 Then he just looked at me for a few moments with his big brown eyes.

And so I said,

     "Did you like hearing him talk, Elijah?"

     "Yeah, sorta."

     "Me too."

General Conference

All I can say is, 

THANK GOODNESS FOR THE CONFERENCE ISSUE OF THE ENSIGN! 

For some reason, I was very distracted this weekend and did a lot of sleeping through conference. But lately I have been reading old issues of the conference editions of the Ensign almost as regularly as my scriptures. 

And I will tell you why.

I have been struggling this last month. I feel like all close male support has vanished from my life. My favorite Grandpa died in 2000, then 6 months later my dad died, then 2 1/2 years later my husband died. My second husband was such a disappointment, that relationship leaving emotional wounds that I wonder if ever will heal. Then the nail in the coffin.... My bishop, who has been a huge support to my family the last 7 years, was released last month. He saw us through the thick and the thin of it and his personality suited me very well. Also, our home teacher of the last 7 years, who was like a big brother to me, was changed. And so I am just feeling abandoned. I know God wants me to rely on him and the Savior, and I try. I know I have many great female friends, lovely sisters, and a mom who all love me and will listen to me any time, and they do. I have brothers-in-law and a brother who would drop anything to help me. I have a cousin who is my buddy and I can tell him anything. I am grateful for all of them, and somehow I will just have to be satisfied with that. But those important men in my life made such a huge impact on me, that now that they are gone, I feel the emptiness and sadness every day. I feel like I'm missing a part of my own self, and it hurts and I hate it!

So anyway, I read the conference issues of the Ensign and I feel comforted, like I have many loving Grandpas who are all rooting for me, and loving me unconditionally like my own granddad did.

 Granddad Myrup

  

Adam, My Sweetheart

My Dad, the best man I've ever known.

My Ex, and Bishop Rempp, the best Bishop I've ever had.