The Rest of the Story

So, it's been a while since I posted. Life does take over sometimes. But today I opened my blog, reread "Spiders" and realized that I needed to tell the rest of the story...

My "spider bites" were in fact not spider bites at all, but the beginnings of a miserable case of shingles. Perhaps many of you have never heard of shingles and, hopefully, never experienced shingles. Though I was familiar with the name, I really had no understanding of the condition, the causes or symptoms. I learned the hard way.

Shingles is a skin rash caused by the chicken pox virus. After an individual has chickenpox, this virus lives dormant in the nervous system and is never fully cleared from the body. Under certain circumstances, such as immune deficiency, cancer, or emotional stress, the virus reactivates and causes shingles. In most cases of shingles, however, a cause for the reactivation of the virus is never found. Anyone who has ever had chickenpox is at risk for the development of shingles.

Shingles rash starts as small blisters on a red base (so the "spider bites"), with new blisters continuing to form for three to five days. The blisters follow the path of individual nerves in a band-like pattern on an area of skin (mine was around my middle, mostly on my back). Eventually, the blisters pop, and the area starts to ooze. The affected areas will then crust over and heal. The duration of the outbreak may take three to four weeks from start to finish.

But, before the rash is visible, the patient may notice several days of burning pain and sensitive skin. When the characteristic rash is not yet apparent, it may be difficult to determine the cause of the often severe pain. I had done quite a bit of yard work the day before I first felt pain in my back and thought I had perhaps pulled a muscle or something. The pain continued throughout the course of the rash and I even had purple bruising around the rash.

Ben (my family nurse practioner son) confirmed my diagnosis when I sent him a photo of the shingles rash and prescribed an anti-viral medication. But, even with the medication, the shingles ran their course (though it may have been shorter than it would have been without) and the pain continued and eventually, as it healed I guess, the pain became constant itching!

Several weeks later.......I was finally well again. And that is the rest of the story.

Spiders

I've always thought that spiders were beautiful, fascinating creatures. I don't want to embrace them as my close friends, of course, or even keep them as pets. But I have, over the years, seen many varieties of spiders, watched them weave their incredibly complicated webs and move from place to place with such speed and grace.

How is it possible to fear a creature portrayed as so intelligent and kind and generous as Charlotte of "Charlotte's Web" fame? She did, after all, save Wilbur time and again from a violent and untimely death! She was a loving mother who carefully prepared and provided for her young. She was loved and lamented when she died.

And what about the super powers made possible by a spider to a man in "Spider man." Super heroes are an accepted part of each child's life and absolutely essential, in their eyes, to the safety of the world! And to think that a spider made it all happen...

Many people I know are afraid of spiders and, I suppose, rightfully so in some cases. Spiders can be really ugly and are often found suddenly in unexpected places, startling even those people not generally freaked out by them. Spiders can be dangerous. Some carry venom poisonous to our human bodies. A bite by some spiders can bring pain and suffering, even disfigurement--not a pleasant thought, for sure.

And that brings me to the reason why I was thinking about spiders today. I woke up with what is obviously a set of spider bites on my back.

EEEWWW! ICKY! ITCHY! OUWEEEE!

While I can admire spiders in theory, the thought that there was one in my bed, crawling over me in the night even under my clothes, does creep me out a bit. Time to shake out the bedding and fumigate the house. Biting me is no way to increase my fascination and admiration for those arachnids in the world. It is a love only to be felt from afar!

HERE'S TO GOOD WOMEN

Some thoughts from others, combined into one post...

Women have strengths that amaze men.....

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,

but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy

and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in..

They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer

when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel

and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about

a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member,

yet they are strong when they

think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss

can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you

to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what

makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their

family and friends.

Women have vital things to say

and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.


So, Here's to good women--

May we know them.

May we be them.

May we raise them.


HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

WHEN YOUR HUT'S ON FIRE

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger.

He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?'

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him!
'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.

The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.

Madison Grace LITTON!

It's official. Madison is now a Litton, daughter to Brock and Melody "as if she were born to (them)."

So now they have FOUR beautiful children of their own: Braxton, Madison, Jessica and Blake.


Now all they need is employment! Anyone hiring?

National Library Week

The calendar on my wall labels the week ahead as National Library Week. I never knew there was such a thing. But I support the designation a hundred percent. I think we should celebrate, even honor, the creation of libraries. I can't imagine my life without them.

I remember, as a child, riding my bike (or sometimes walking, though it was a long ways) to the city library. I would take a bag, usually a grocery sack, and fill it up, after spending hours reading front flaps and back covers to choose just the right ones. The trip home was complicated by the lopsided load and occasional sack breaking. But it was worth it. The rest of the day was filled with stories, histories, poems, ideas, plays and adventures found inside that bag full of library books. My favorite place to read was in our back yard, next to the creek in the shade of our many trees. Or, if the weather was bad, I might spread out on my bed or the front room floor. It didn't matter much where I read, only that I read.

I won a set of encyclopedias when I was about ten years old. I remember holding those new books in my hands, enjoying the texture of the cover and admiring the strong binding. I loved the smell and feel of the pages. For a time, it was in those encyclopedias that I searched for the answers to all my homework questions. Eventually, though, they became outdated and it was back to the library for updated information and a broader spectrum of study materials.

A library is a place of wonder, a place of information and imagination, a place of "what for" and "what if" and "why" and "how" and "where" and "when". A library holds a wealth of possibilities. No one home could hold (or possibly afford) the vast number of books, magazines, briefs, maps and other resources that are found in a library.

So take the opportunity this week to visit a library. Use this valuable gift we have been given to expand your mind, to increase your imagination, to entertain a child or answer your questions. And while you are there, thank those wonderful librarians that work tirelessly to catalog and shelve and order, making those vast resources accessible.

Life is Good

So it's Sunday
and Easter
and General Conference
and the sun in finally shining again.
It doesn't get much better than this!

Two thoughts for today:

"When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!"
(Stuart K. Hine)

"God believes you are worth loving,
even with your sins
....even with your shameful past....
Even if you were the only sinner in the world
....Jesus would have died for you alone!"

I am so blessed. I am so grateful.
Life is good.

CHS PROM NIGHT

Here's a few photos from Mariah's junior prom. Her escort was Derrick Moody, a very nice young man who graduated last year from Cokeville High school.

Beau Petersen and Mariah were the Junior Class Attendants to the prom king and queen.
The promenade was a masquerade. Mariah's mask was awesome.
We had a pre-prom photo shoot at the house, too. Mariah found the perfect dress for her, with a small adjustment made by her Aunt Sandra.
Her gloves and earrings and shoes were just the right touches to complement the dress.
I don't often get to look down at Mariah anymore. But this was a nice angle for a look at the skirt.
Now that is one "POOFY" dress!
It took more than "bibbidi bobbidy boo" to get this Cinderella ready for the ball. But it was a magical evening for our youngest daughter.

"These Two Commandments...."

" Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:37-40

I don't know how many times in my life that I've heard or read these words. But today, as I pondered them, I realized that I could base all my plans and choices on these two commandments alone. I could use them in my daily personal evaluation of progress. If I believe Christ, and I do, then I must believe what he has said. And many times He repeated that loving God and loving thy neighbor "as thyself" are the sum of the gospel.

So I've decided to begin each day asking myself three questions: What can I do today to increase my love of God? What can I do today to show love for a "neighbor"? What can I do today to improve myself (so I love myself) ? At the end of the day, I will account to myself on the completion of those goals.

It's simple. It's daily. It's in line with my belief. It's measurable. I like it.

The Creation

I taught a Relief Society lesson today about The Creation........like the creation of the world and all that is upon it (as well as other "worlds without number", but that part is for another discussion). It was a wonderful, humbling, eye-opening opportunity to first recognize the power of God, then marvel at His wisdom and ability and thoroughness, and finally to gratefully acknowledge that He did it all for me and you.

Have you ever thought about the miracle of life? Not just human life, but all life---grass, shrubs, trees, fish, birds, animals, insects, even the earth itself. Each little detail that allows a species to not only exist, but to adapt and thrive and "fill the measure of it's creation", to reproduce it's own kind and "find joy there in."

I pondered on the way all things on the earth are inter-related, how often one species relies on another to survive. I searched through a plethora of photographs and videos of our world, recognizing the diversity of God's creations and the beauty in each. I delighted in the blessing of living life here in this wonderful place we call home.

I believe that Jesus Christ created the world under the direction of God the Father by the power of the holy priesthood he held. I believe earth was created to open the way for all of us, His children, to have life in physical bodies like His and form families and become like Him. I believe it was created in six periods of time (days, if you will), each in an organized order allowing the next to be possible. And I believe that after creating man and woman, his greatest creation, God rested knowing we could now follow His plan for us.

I am so thankful for life. I am thankful for the earth and all that is in it. I am thankful for a knowledge of God's love for me and recognize it in the world around me.

Take a few minutes to view the video presentation in the link below. Relax and bask in the majesty of this earth that is our home:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHIfRLNYUGw&feature=related

Making Memories

Over the past few weeks I've had Sarah's boys over regularly to play, giving her a chance to nap and regroup after the birth of her new baby girl. It's been fun.

One day I had just Gavin while Jaxon and Nathan were at school. Gavin is two and a half. He doesn't say much, but has found many other ways to communicate his wants and needs. His latest obsession is to play games with me...dominoes, yahtzee, jenga, etc. So this day, he ran in, shed his boots and coat, stole a candy from the office desk and headed for the game shelf, pointing out the one he wanted.

We play most games with widely modified rules and often abandon the actual game for building forts or towers with the game pieces. Gavin has quite a sense of fair play, always insisting that I take my turn. He is beginning to understand my requirement that one game be put away before another is pulled out.

Anyway, we spent nearly an hour playing a variety of games before opting to read books. This is another favorite at my house. I recently moved the children's books to a lower shelf next to the grankids' toys. Now the kids can more easily see what is there and pick out the ones they want. Gavin chose four or five "Critter" books. He climbed up next to me on the couch and we read them all.

The next thing on his mind was food. Opting for strawberry milk and cheese and crackers, Gavin was contented at the kitchen island for a long time. He likes to put his own flavoring in the milk and stir it up. He also prefers to lick off the squeeze cheese before eating the cracker.

After the snack we played air hockey, cheering every time the puck went into the goal. It never matters whose side. Then it was Gavin's version of billiards, that involves putting all the balls up onto the table and into the holes and watching them come out again.....repeated over and over and over again. It's a very loud game!

All too soon it was time to go home. On went the boots and coat. There was a quiet hand in the candy dish and a big smile flashed my way as he headed out the door.

Our visit was over, but I'm amazed how often the memories of those simple moments together have come to my mind and brought a smile to my face. Childhood doesn't last very long, but those memories will be mine forever.

KEEP SMILING!

Keep smiling! The luscious plum forgot to--and became a wrinkled prune.

Our Duty to God--In the Home

(An outline of a talk I gave today at our Ward Conference)

Our Duty to God begins in the home. "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" states: Husband and wife have solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Chldren are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens whereer they live. Husbands and wives--mothers and fathers--will be held accountable before God for the sicharge of these obligations.

15 essential elements of successful families:


1--Love: God for us/us for God, husband/wife, parent/child, others, God's creations
Love is a verb. simple daily acts of kindness and respect

2--Leadership: parents united, by persuasion and righteous example, children practice

3--Liberty: agency, accountability, start with small things

4--Learning: divine nature, God's plan, communication, personal relationships, social skills, provident living/homemaking, reading/writing/math
Elder Bednar in Feb Ensign: "learn to love learning"
FHE, family prayer and scripture study, personal study, practice,
example and conversation
learn where to seek learning: prayer, personal revelation, scriptures
"out of the best books", schools and community resources

5--Literacy: reading and writing (aside from spiritual knowledge) most valuable,
home libraries should begin with scriptures, personal journals, family histories

6--Listen: to each other, words of prophets, music, The Spirit

7--Language: spoken and written, avoid foul language, encourage conversation

8--Labor: WORK, daily chores, projects, jobs, "life is work, but rewards are great"

9--Lessons: from daily life, likening the scriptures, dinner table sharing

10--Limits: laws of the land, home rules, standards, discipline and obedience,
No Limits on Dreams

11--Laugh: A LOT! cheerfulness, happiness, "Men are that they might have joy"

12--Leave out: anger, criticism, "the world". "I am safe in my home"

13--Lift: encouragement, enthusiasm, believe in each other, support and help

14--Loyalty: family ties bind us, defend each other, be best friends

15--Live: D & C 42:45 "...live together in love". continue family ties & relationships

Satan is doubling his efforts and so must we.

As we foster Love in our families, Led by united parents, Learning Lessons with our skills in Literacy and Language, Laboring together, Listening to, Laughing with and Loyally Lifting each other, we will Leave Out "the world" and make choices that bring Liberty withing the Limits the Lord has set. With this preparation in our family life, we (parents and children) can go out into the world and "not fear". We will understand our personal worth and divine potential; our confidence will "wax strong." We will have the desire and ability to "go and do as the Lord has commanded," Living to the fullest this wonderful life that our Father in Heaven has given us, fulfilling our duty here on earth, and returning to Him with honor.

Waiting

We're all experienced at waiting. We wait for dinner to be ready, school to get over, the baby to be born. We wait for getting a drivers license, going on a first date, graduating from high school. We wait to be thinner or older or richer. We wait at the doctor's office or the gas station or the motor vehicle registration office. We wait.

We wait for something that may happen, but might not happen. We wait for things that are good and things that are not so good. We wait for a push or a pull in one direction or another. We wait for an idea or plan, encouragement or warning. We wait to be smarter or stronger. We wait until we have the right job or the kids are grown or we've retired. We wait.

The problem with waiting is that while waiting we go nowhere, help no one, reach for little and accomplish less. We feel no peace or joy. We just wait.

"God is...experienced at waiting. When we're struggling through problems here on earth, trying to cope with the trials that block our way home, He longingly waits for us to turn to Him. He watches our stories unfold and waits for us to acknowledge His plan for our lives." (Barbara Johnson)

One blessing in my life is an understanding of God's plan for me. I know who I am and where I'm going. I have learned to confidently step ahead on the path He has set forth for me. I don't need to wait for the walls in my way to be moved; I seek His help and climb over them. I don't need to wait for courage when I feel fear; I seek His help and conquer the foe. I don't need to wait around for someone to push me along; I seek His strength to increase my own.

Of course, I'm nowhere near perfect and occasionally I find myself waiting when I should be moving along. Sometimes I doubt and question and wait when I should be trusting and believing and moving down the path. But I am learning. I am waiting less and seeking Him more.

I don't want God to wait on me. I find much more joy and peace in running to Him as I try to follow the path that will lead me to an eternal home with Him.

You should try it. Don't wait.

Sienna Mae Weske

Sarah and Jon brought home their new baby yesterday. She is Sienna Mae Weske; born Thursday February 4 2010, 6 lbs 6 oz, 19 inches long. She is beautiful with flawless skin, a head full of very dark hair, and long eyelashes.

She has opened her eyes only once for me and I almost caught it.

She is tiny, petite in every way, perfect.

Sienna is our number 13 grandchild, loved and wanted, sure to be doted upon by all of us. She is a welcome miracle in our wonderful, fast-growing family. Welcome to Earth, Sienna!

The Value of a Smile

They might not need me;
but they might.
I'll let my head be just in sight.
A smile as small as mine might be
precisely their necessity.
(Emily Dickinson)

I was leading the music today in Relief Society. (I lead the music every week in Relief Society.) Anyway, we were singing a hymn called "We Are All Enlisted." It is an exuberant song full of encouragement and enthusiasm and hope. Over and over it repeats the words "happy are we, happy are we." The song is full of words like "there's a bright crown in store" and "glad to join" and "sing as we go" and "we're joyfully marching." I purposely choose songs like this one each week to lighten the mood and draw attention to the blessing we enjoy of being a part of this great organization and to help us feel the joy the gospel brings into our lives.

But today I looked out over a room full of my dear sisters and realized that few, if any, were smiling. Heads were down. Many didn't sing at first. Several women seemed distracted, even distressed, somewhere else. I doubled my efforts. I tried to look at each sister individually and smile my love to them. I was rewarded with smiles in return. More voices joined in. Faces looked up and countenances brightened.

By the time the song ended, I felt a change in the room. There was unity and a cheerful peace. We were ready to begin, ready to share and ready to learn. While I know there is power in the music itself, today I saw the value of a simple smile. It was precisely my necessity.

JURY DUTY

Yes. It was my turn this week. I've been called up several times over the years, but never actually served on a jury. This time was different.

The county court is 45 miles away in Kemmerer. My car is in the shop. It was snowing, of course. There were six people called up from Cokeville. So I figured I could catch a ride, and I did. They were looking for a six people jury and I was number 13 (yeah, I know...I should have known). After all the questioning and the attorneys using their challenges, etc., I was the last of the six to be picked, and the only one from Cokeville. A quick scramble resulted in one very generous soul leaving their vehicle for me to drive home later (THANK YOU REBEKAH) and I began an educational day as a member of a jury in a criminal case.

The details of the court are not particularly important and the entire court session was completed by evening that day (we stayed through the dinner hour to finish deliberations so we wouldn't need to come back the next day). But I learned a lot...about Wyoming law, about jury responsibility, about court protocol, about "presumed innocence" and "reasonable doubt", about the limitations of our court system and also it's wonderful possibilities. I gained an appreciation for the tireless service given by police officers, judges, clerks and public defenders. I learned a bit about patience and attention to detail. I made some new friends of those others on the jury. I found a new place for lunch (The Busy Bee) and enjoyed the wares of the local bakery (great snickerdoodles).

Many people took care of business here at home to make my day in court possible. Bill gave me a ride to Kemmerer. BranDee not only cleaned rooms at the motel, but delivered my mail and took care of coordinating our wolf den setting up for the Pinewood Derby. Sarah took my place visiting teaching and then manned the office until that evening and she also directed the derby! Marlene manned the office after Sarah, until Mariah made it home and took over. Rebekah Roberts, bless her heart, donated her vehicle so I could get home.

All in all, it was an exhausting day I will long remember. If you get called to jury duty, just smile and go. We really are blessed to live in this great land and we all need to do our part to make our judicial system work.

Just a side note: I made it home before the derby was over. It was a fun time and our track survived again to be used another day. I'm getting pretty efficient at setting it up and taking it down, too.

Finding Joy

I bought myself a new daily thought calendar for the year. It is by Barbara Johnson and contains thoughts from her book "I Don't Suffer From Insanity...I Enjoy Every Minute of it." I knew it was the right one for me when I read the thought on January 1st: "Deliberately choose to look for joy in every step of your journey through life and to share it with others. When you do, you will be blessed with happiness no matter what your circumstances are." So I decided to use her upbeat ideas to inspire and motivate me throughout the coming year.

Yesterday this first thought proved to be very applicable. Mariah and I spent Friday afternoon searching for a prom dress in Utah County and then the night at Sandy's place visiting and sleeping on their couches. It was delightful. The next morning we shared breakfast with Jason, Aubrey, Mikayla and Mom and then went to the movies in an actual theater (as opposed to the usual ones where your feet stick to the floor and the seat is broken). This was also delightful.

As we left the theater, we got word that Sarah was again having early labor pains and was driving to Evanston Hospital. So we headed for home. All went smoothly until we were just out of the canyons about ten miles out of Evanston. We heard a noise; the temperature gauge dropped and the light came on; steam began streaming out of the hood. We immediately pulled over to assess the damage and determine our course.

Now here's where the "looking for joy in every step" part comes into play!

We were joyful that we were at an exit where we could get off the freeway. We were REALLY joyful that we actually had cell service (in this place that there is NEVER cell service). We rejoiced that we have AAA and they were able to send a tow truck. We found joy in all the people who stopped to offer assistance (one car staying a long time, just to make sure that we were not without help). We enjoyed the pleasant, efficient tow truck driver who came to our aid. We were happy that a hungry mechanic was still in his new shop late on a Saturday evening as the car was towed into town. We were especially joyful that Sarah had had some early labor (that they were able to stop again and give the baby time to grow a bit more), so that she and Jon were already in Evanston and able to give us a ride home to Cokeville.

Yes. We found joy in every step of that adventure and today have to smile about how it all happened. Now we just have to remember that advice when the mechanic calls this week with the damage report! But no matter what, I am determined to live that advice and "find joy in every step" of the year ahead.

Christmas

Christmas is always fun at our house. But it was especially fun to have little ones with us on Christmas this year, even though it took a Herculean effort on Melody's part to travel the distance with three little ones by herself.


Christmas Eve PJ's (Blake was already gone to bed!). We haven't been to bed so early on Christmas Eve before. It was great.

Santa Claus left stacks of presents. Braxton and Blake had to thoroughly enjoy each thing in their stocking before we moved on to the others. Madison preferred the wrappings!

Mariah got a new friend and some tunes for her ipod.







Rock Band and the new seesaw were the biggest hits with the kids. We had a great day visiting with each other and Jason's and Sarah's families. Phones calls between us and the rest of the family topped off the day. Merry Christmas to all.