The Day Before

The middle of August to beyond the middle of September is always a significant time of year to me. September 16, 1991 was the last 24 hour day that I had with Ashleigh (click here if you would like to read about it). Today was very different than that day of twenty-one years ago. The best part of today was going to see Mason in his primary program. He sat so reverently on the stand, he said his part perfectly, and he sang the songs with all of his heart. Of course I had to sneak a few glances at my baby boy, the proud daddy who had a big smile on his face... which brought tears to my eyes as I reflected on primary programs of not so long ago.

I realize that this time of year is significant to many others as well. On the 15th my niece Megan celebrated her twenty-first birthday. Megan was born less than 36 hours before Ashleigh passed away. As I looked at pictures that Megan just posted on facebook I can't believe she is already twenty-one... she is a beautiful young woman, inside and out.

September 17th is Caitlin's half birthday. She was born exactly 18 months after Ashleigh passed away. I am so grateful for Caitlin, she blesses my life daily. She is my best girlfriend. In some ways I think she saved me.

I have been blessed with some dear friends, and consequently, their daughters are my dear friends as well.

Stephanie Johnson Lambert was married on September 17th. I remember that day so well as I was privileged to be there in the temple with her. I was so happy for Steph. What a happy September 17th.

I remember the September 17th when Charity Johnson Dabel received the most precious gift as her baby son Kadon was placed in her arms. Kadon makes me happy every time I see him as he greets me with a huge smile and enthusiastic wave.

Two of the men in my life; my brother Alan and my grandson James share September 12th birthdays.

There are some sad and tragic memories associated with these few days in September. Six days before the 10th anniversary of Ashleigh's death was 9/11. I will never forget that day.

I had only one cousin that was my age and he passed away when he was seven... September 17th would be his 54th birthday.

Happy and sad... good and bad memories; some of the circumstances that make life... life. Of course tender memories surface each September 17th (which I like to refer to as "Ashleigh's Day"), bringing with them waves of emotions including tears and sometimes sadness... but also feelings of love and peace and the assurance that we will be together again.

Here's hoping that this September 17th will be a joyous one with happy new memories to add to the list.

Day 26: Whirlwind Weekend

It was a whirlwind weekend for me! It all started Friday night with an end-of-summer-back-to-school party with our YSA ward. I love our ward and am so grateful to be a part of it!

YSA

Family

On Saturday we were up earlier than usual and headed to Pineview to celebrate Jeremy's birthday. Not only did Jeremy provide all of the entertainment for us (boats, jet skis) he fixed us all lunch. He served all of us on his special day.

My boy and his boy... Andy and James.

The birthday boy and his family... Jeremy, Mason, Emily and Tanner.

Kristin and her boys and Jeremy and his boys.

Andy and Mike.

Caitlin and her friend Sarah on the boat with Jeremy.

Friends

After a full day at the lake we rushed home to attend a wedding. Our friends daughter was married in the Salt Lake Temple earlier in the day, they were having a ring ceremony and Mike was asked to officiate. We arrived home barely 45 minutes before the ceremony. I don't think we've ever gotten ready so fast in our lives. It was a beautiful ceremony and Mike did a great job. People all around me were flashing pictures so I thought "what the heck" and took this picture with my phone.

Extended Family

For many years we celebrated Mike's Grandma's birthday "family reunion" style. Although Grandma has been gone nearly eight years, on Sunday evening we celebrated her 100th birthday with many of her posterity.

Aunt Beverly, Aunt Judy and Bonnie (my mother-in-law).

I haven't seem Mike's cousin Lani since Grandma's funeral. She has always had long, long blond hair. Earlier in the day I wondered if Lani still had long hair. I was surprised to see that Lani didn't have any hair. She was diagnosed with a rare and incurable cancer in March, but because they caught it so soon (major miracle) she has had chemo and her prognosis is good.

The whirlwind didn't end with the weekend... but I've got to save some things to finish up my 31 days.

US Open

So, I actually didn't go to the US Open... Mike, Jeff and Jeremy went with my brothers Archie and Alan. I just enjoyed three days sightseeing in San Francisco. This picture was taken on Saturday morning (June 16), the guys last day at the open. They are in the parking lot of the Embassy Suites at Burlingame. My room is on the third floor overlooking the bay.... *insert smiley face*

This is Thursday morning (June 14) as we are leaving the Embassy Suites in Sacramento. The guys left in one car and headed for the Giants game as Marivic and I left in the other car for Burlingame.

After checking into our hotel rooms, Marivic and I took a scenic drive through a forrest of redwoods to arrive at this beach. It wasn't like the beach at the beach house... there was no pier, or shops, or hamburger stands, and hardly any people around; I would never have dared to swim or boogy board in that water, the waves were rough... it was very natural and undeveloped land... it was beautiful!

After our afternoon at the beach we drove back to San Francisco via the Pacific Coast Highway. Again... not like our sea level version of the PCH at the beach house... we were driving atop cliffs.

We met the guys at Hard Rock Cafe on Pier 39. We also got to meet Tara's boyfriend Andrew.

When we went back to the car we noticed Mason Street so we stopped for a picture of Jeremy.

On Friday I went sightseeing with Marivic and Tara. We crossed the bridge to Sausalito. Has anyone been there before?  It is a beautiful little bayside town... and I had the best ice-cream cone ever there!!

I loved the hillside town overlooking the bay. All along the main road were little shops and cafes. I love narrow, winding streets... except of course when I am driving through them.

Friday night we met up with the guys for dinner. They had plenty of great stories to share about their first day at the open. Jeff and Jeremy were pretty happy about their actually meeting and visiting with their favorite... Phil Mickelson.

I did enjoy a couple of hours in my hotel room resting from sightseeing. My room overlooked San Francisco Bay, so I pulled back the curtains and opened the sliding glass door and let the breeze in and listened to the water. It really couldn't have been much better than that... I'm not kiddin'. 

Classics and Favorites: Sibs and Kids

Don't you love it when pictures appear that you've never seen before? Especially if your kids are in them. This picture is a new favorite for me, it just came into my possesion in the last year or so.

This is my only sister; Lilian, and my baby brother; David, with my baby boy; Jeremy. I had three children before any of my siblings even started having kids. Consequently, although they missed out on having cousins very close to their ages, they had the benefit of being the "onlys" for a few years. The only grandchildren and the only nephews... on both sides of family.

My siblings loved my children and they built relationships with them that have endured through adulthood. Lilian and David were my best babysitters when the boys were little. Lilian grew up and started her own family, and teenager David one day proclaimed that he wasn't babysitting again... and he didn't; until Caitlin came along.

Lilian is my only sister and she's the best! I love going to her house and I often invite myself over for movies and her fabulous popcorn, Mike and I have a reserved seat. We can talk on the phone forever... and still have things to say an hour later. She is willing to help out at the deli on a moments notice if needed, and everyone likes it when she comes to work. She's fun! I love my sista Ririan!

David is my baby brother. He has a heart of gold. When he knocks on my door I know it's him because nobody can knock on a door the way he does. We have a telephone ritual that never fails. He can make you laugh 'til it hurts... but can also bring a tear to your eye.

When I see this picture of Jeremy I just want to cuddle him in my arms again. His little Tanner reminds me of him when he was the same age. What a precious baby boy, and he still is... my baby boy!

Love you Jer Bear and Leenz and Wayway!!

Classics and Favorites: First Family Picture 1993

Last week was Caitlin's birthday, so it seems appropriate to share a favorite picture taken minutes after her birth.

When I went to my very first OB appointment I told my Doctor that I would like the baby to be born on St. Patrick's Day. My due date was so close to that day, and after all... I was born in Ireland. I was induced early that morning and amazingly it was my longest labor ever. Caitlin Rose (perfect name for a St. Patrick's Day baby girl) made it with just 55 minutes to spare. I came to the conclusion that Caitlin and Ashleigh had spent some time together, and waited as long as possible to say "goodbye".

Caitlin's birth brought a lot of joy and healing to our family. Just look at the smiles on our faces. She was, and continues to be a gift. Happy birthday Rose!!

Classics and Favorites: Impromptu Deli Performance 2008

I wish this favorite picture was bigger; but, I'm sure everyone gets the idea. Our family loves music! And when the drums, guitars, keyboards and microphones aren't available... we (they) improvise. This is an impromptu lyp-sinc performance complete with water bottle microphones. You have really missed out it you haven't seen Jeff and Jeremy perform a duet; complete with choreography. So glad this moment was captured on camera; and as you can see we start them out young in the family, there's baby Mason getting in on the act, or... wondering what the heck is going on!

Classics and Favorites: San Clemente Pier

This classic picture was taken on our first trip to the beach house in 1984. I have some other beach house pictures lined up for this series, but I had to share this one first. I have been going to San Clemente beach since I was 10 years old (including my honeymoon), but this was the year that the beach house tradition started for Mike and I and our little family. Some memories of this trip would include: being a contestant on "The Price is Right"; walking from our motel in Las Vegas to Circus Circus, because... "it's just down the street" (it turned out to be 3 miles); and triple odds on craps... and I'm not talking about gambling here folks. I.LOVE.THIS.PLACE!!!

Family Pics

I shared a "sneak peak" of our family picture at the end of June... tonight my sister (click here to see her photography blog) gave me a disc of the pictures I chose, and they are ready to be printed. Here are just a few. You have to agree... my family is beautiful!!!

My four kids

Andy's family

Jeff's family

Jeremy's family

Caitlin's family

A Bit of Heaven On Earth

I think pretty much anyone who knows me really well, or reads my blog... knows that I love the ocean (t'ocean). But does anyone know how much Mike equally loves Yellowstone? And that Mike loves to take me to the ocean, and that I love to take him to Yellowstone?... which is what we did this weekend. It was especially fun this time to join our kids Jeremy and Emily, and our handsome grandsons Mason and Tanner. We also took a side-trip to Yellowstone Bear World in Rexburg (one of those places you drive by on every trip and say, "one of these days we'll stop there", well... "one of these days" finally arrived).



Mike at his favorite place in the park... Hayden Valley. He, Jeremy and Mason spent a couple of hours sitting patiently waiting for a grizzly bear and a pack of wolves. The bear was a no-show, but seven wolves appeared and joined an eighth and the guys watched them make their way across the valley.



This was one of very few elk we saw on this trip, which was very unusual, we usually see so many.



We spent one night at the lake hotel. This is a great spot to sit and capture the beauty of the lake... although I just wanted to capture a picture of the family (just ask the guy that took the picture for me).



Last look at Hayden Valley on our way out.

We sat and watched this grizzly playing in the water for several minutes at Bear World.

A "tour truck" at Bear World, filled with people feeding the bears. It reminds me of what Yellowstone was like years, and years ago.

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Zach, Grandpa Bear, and Adam in between a double header in which Grandpa, Uncle Jeff, and Uncle Jeremy played a few days ago.

Last week Michael and I attended Adam and Zach's baseball game. It was so much fun to see both of the boys get a good hit, play well in the field, and to observe their good sportsmanship throughout the game. We were impressed by how Andy and his friend coached the team. The boys had been given opportunities throughout the season to play in different positions on the field; and at the end of the game before cheering for themselves, they cheered for and "hand slapped" the other team. All in all, playing baseball appeared to have been a good experience for all of the boys on this team.

Michael who has always been a huge fan of baseball, was particularly impressed. His experiences as a child; as well as a coach for our own children, sometimes left him amazed and confused at the behavior of the adults (namely coaches and parents). We were both happy that we didn't see any of that kind of behavior at this game... after all, these are our grandchildren and we want their experience to be positive.

Being at a baseball game always brings to my memory a story that makes me smile. When Jeremy was about six he played t-ball. The coach used to line the boys up on the grass between 3rd base and home plate. They all sat there in a neatly organized row waiting for their turn up at bat. During one of the games a teammate got out on 3rd base. The boys on the team began to murmer about this "out" as the 6-year-old that caused the "out" had to shamefully walk past his entire team to get to his place in the line. I remember feeling so sorry for him having to walk past all of his peers, knowing that he had let them down. At one point he stopped, and with hands out in pleading desperation proclaimed, "I wasn't there the day they gave the instructions."

I love that story. I love coaches that care more about building a child's confidence than winning a game; parents who realize that all of those children on the field matter, not just their child; and those who show understanding to those who weren't there the day they gave the instructions.

On with the game.

TDBC Day 18: Something You Miss

I enjoy Hilary Weeks performance each year at BYU Women's Conference. This year she shared a story about her daughter that touched my heart.

A few years ago Hilary and her nine-year-old daughter went out to dinner together. Hilary enjoyed this one-on-one time with her daughter and was completely captivated as her daughter regaled her with the events of her day, through mouthfuls of mac-and-cheese. As Hilary listened intently to the details of a game of freeze tag, the thought occurred to her that she would have all eternity to enjoy the companionship of her daughter as an adult, but just this short time in mortality to enjoy her as a child.

So here is something I miss: