Family

Do you really think there are no coincidences?

About two weeks ago I went to a meeting for work with some great ladies who volunteer a lot of time with their schools. Unbeknownst to me, one of them who walked through the door was my mother's cousin's daughter. To most of you that probably sounds like a very distant relative. To me, she is a very close relative. (My mom was an only child and her youngest uncle's family ALWAYS included us in every holiday and family activity) I remember when she was born and I watched her grow up. She is an beautiful woman with an lovely family. When I saw her, I jumped up and hugged her and felt that feeling of family connection.

After we were seated this morning I looked up and there was another one of my mother's cousins (sister to the brother who is the father if the above cousin) coming down the aisle! I jumped right up and hugged her. She hurried on to the back of the plane to secure a seat. The plane was full and late in taking off. So, when we got to Chicago we were running late and hurried off to find our connecting flight. We had 30 minutes. After Ray had taken care of business, I hurried to the rest room and who should I see waiting when I came out was that same cousin! A really long hug this time and a promise to get together when we get home.

These are connections to my mom. I have been thinking about her A LOT lately. Seeing Marchelle two weeks ago should have been enough. But usually I need a hammer over the head to get the message! Seeing Jolayne twice today was an answer to my prayers.

Last night Katie came over and we spent some serious time together playing rock band and talking about important things. It is nice to have her close.

This morning Megan came out in the pouring rain to take us to the airport, early this morning. What a sweetie!

This is what greeted us at the end of the day.

I love these two. What happiness! She has grown up so much in the last six weeks.

It did not take her long to warm up to us as you can see.

Lauren with her companion and their land lady.

Lauren writes that they had another baptism this week. A sweet sister from Burma who her companion had been teaching.

She reports that they are continuing to teach the young man they found, even though his pastor took him away the weekend he had committed to be baptised.

They are also teach a protestant pastor who at first wanted to debate doctrine with them. He wanted them to keep coming back and he slowly changed from wanting to debate to actually wanting to learn!

The weather continues to be hot and humid. She has heard that it does not cool down until January!

Please pray for her and the people they are teaching and looking for!

Zucchini

As many of you may or may not know, I love zucchini.

No kidding.

I eat it at least twice a day.

For breakfast I saute it with onions and green peppers and make an egg white omelet.

For lunch I microwave it with cabbage and add it to my fat free cheese tortilla, yummy with salsa.

For snacking I cut it into strips and eat it raw or sometimes cooked.

For dinner I make a zucchini and cucumber salad- delish (according to my manly man)

However, my freezer is full of zucchini and my garden is still producing faster than I can consume it.

So this morning I thought of drying it!

Unfortunately I ate half the first batch it tasted so good. I salted it a little before drying and they tasted better than potato chips.

Of course, my family would point out that I have not eaten potato chips in four years and so would not really know if that were true!

I thought I was so brilliant that I thought this up, but when I went on line to look for a picture of zucchini, I found pictures of the before and after drying!

A Week of Firsts for Lauren: Florida Update

What do cakes, frogs, slammed doors. wrestling matches, offending others and a baptism have in common?

They were all firsts for Sister J!

Lauren is still finding ways to bake cakes!
Her first cake baked on her mission.

Lauren and her companion with President Newman. No, it is not his 1,050th birthday. That is the mission baptism goal for this year!

So, other than the cake (I found out about it on the mission blog, not from Sister J.) Lauren writes that it was a big week of firsts!

"I saw my first Florida Frog."

"I had my very first in the face door slam."

"I offended a member for the first time."

"I also had my first wrestling match as a missionary."

"But the best FIRST for this week was... drum roll please... I had my first Baptism!!!"

The Fallen Tree

We may have spent our last weekend on the mountain! By weekend I mean Friday night and Saturday. We are not big party-ers! We just enjoy a little time away. And by last time it may be that by the time we are able to go again, it has snowed. So we are at the mercy of the weather.

Anyway, on our way last night after dark. When you cannot leave home until 6:30 and it takes 1 and 1/2 hours to get there, it is dark. Anyway, it is dark and we are about a half a mile from our destination when we encounter a tree across the road! Yes, a tree. A BIG tree! It has fallen across the road. Oh, dear, I think, we will have to go home.

My manly man gets out of his truck, surveys the situation, turns the truck around, backs up, gets out and hooks a tow rope to the tree and his truck. Then he asks me to slowly pull forward so that he can make sure the tree does not hit the truck. I do so and voila! the tree is out of the way! I am in awe. He tells me we had better not come without the chain saw next time.

So, off we go to our home away from home. As it was dark and I did not think about it at the time. I was thinking about how our weekend was ruined. And then I was thinking about what an awesome man I married and how happy I was that I did not take a picture of the tree blocking the road. Here are some pictures of the tree, out of the way now, that almost ruined my fun time:

The broken end that separated from the stump.

One of the views that I enjoy.

Update from Florida

Lauren is already hard at work in Florida. She wrote that she and her companion taught 170 lessons and made 178 invites in 12 hours Friday. She continues to be excited and to love the work she is doing. She sent her e-mail from the home of a sister who was baptized two weeks agog. The same sister she talked to from the call center at the MTC in Provo. There really are no coincidences, Heavenly Father truly loves us and knows who we are and what we are doing. Please keep Lauren and the people in the Florida Jacksonville Mission in your prayers. Lauren would love to get letters, so please contact me for her address.

Crochet Fun!

Baby boy sweater (note the cute buttons)



Hat to match.

Lauren's MTC District

This morning at 6:00 a.m. we got to talk to Lauren as she waited for her flight to Florida. It was good to talk to her and to hear her voice! (For those of you that know we have never gone this long without talking) She sounded great and enthusiastic, although a little apprehensive about what was to come. She just wanted me to talk to her, so I did.

This afternoon we got some pictures from her. She looks so happy, in fact she looks radiant!

This evening about 6:00 p.m. I received an e-mail from her mission president's wife letting me know that she arrived safely.

Yesterday I noticed the picture on Katie's desk of all of us girls: Mom, Katie, Megan, Lauren, Katie, Josie in the tummy, and myself. Mom looked so very happy in that picture. Her smile radiated her face and spread to all of us.
It has been one year since she left this mortal existence and I miss her more today than I did yesterday. Although time has helped to heal the sorrow and the pain in my heart, I still miss my mom!
I miss her smile.
I miss visiting her.
I miss her advice.
I miss her listening ear.
I miss her kindness to others.
I miss her encouragement.
I miss hearing her play the hymns.
I miss seeing her sitting at the organ.
I miss her unconditional love.
I am thankful for the gifts she gave me.
The gift of kindness.
The gift of patience.
The gift of charity.
The gift of the Gospel.
The gift of an eternal family.
I am so grateful that I know she lives on.
I hope that the life I live is a tribute to her.
I love you, Mom!