Shared Experience

 

Dear Eliza,

        I am so sorry we missed your birthday yesterday.  By the time you get this letter it will be long passed.  We had some excitement that seemed to take over our focus.  It did not start as a positive excitement.  It started out worrisome and troubling.  Let me explain.

        On the 3^rd Grandpa received a receipt in his email for a purchase we had not made. Grandpa is the one who is normally calm while I do the freaking out, but yesterday the roles were reversed.  We had checked the purchase card number against our accounts but it wasn’t either one of those.  Than Grandpa noticed the purchase had been made on a debit card.  We could not find either one of our debit cards but I did not recognize the number on the receipt.  I decided it must be an error had been sent to Grandpa by mistake. I also accepted that it must have been a blessing in disguise – though I didn’t know what the blessing was.

        We went to the bank first thing in the morning.  Sure enough the number on the receipt did not match our accounts.  Grandpa cancelled his card and got a new one, but I held on.  After we returned home I continued searching and pretty much tore our room apart as I did so – looking under the bed and checking pockets. Though I was initially searching for a missing debit card it felt like I was actually searching for something bigger.  At first I didn’t know what that was.

        In the process I realized that my driver’s license was also missing.  I tried so hard not to worry and leave it in God’s hands.  I had every ounce of faith that it was somewhere in the house.  Still it felt like whatever I was searching for was bigger than the debit card or my driver’s license. But I was still clueless as to what it was. 

        After searching for a few hours I found an old temple recommend.  Omigosh!  I was missing my temple recommend and I had already signed up for Grandpa and I to go to the temple on Saturday.  Now what?  Of course I continued my search – praying the entire time – and I suppose with each missing document I must have prayed a bit harder.  I knew it was in God’s hands.

        Finally, after about five hours, I remembered a pocket I hadn’t checked.  But before I had the opportunity to check I remembered the last time I had worn said item I had thrown it over the couch and figured it would not be in the pocket but may have fallen in the couch.  I moved a cushion – sure enough my DL and recommend were there.  The debit card had fallen into the couch and could not be retrieved right away.

        What a blessing!  What an awesome, though somewhat nerve racking experience.  I truly felt joy from this experience.  So I felt the need to share this with you.  Grandma’s awesome experience happened on Eliza’s tenth birthday.  Hope you experienced an awesome and blessed day of your own.

                                                     Love, Grandma

Back to Standard

 It is DARK

It is so DARK

I don't like so many hours

of Darkness.

I want more natural

LIGHT

It is so important to STUDY THE LESSON!

           We’ve now had two months since we changed our Sunday meetings from 50 minutes to 20. Although for our stake personally it has only been a month and a half as we didn’t meet as a ward for two weeks due to General and Stake Conferences.

          One may think of 30 to 50 questions to go along with any scripture study or General Conference talk that is introduced but instructors need to be even more selective than they were prior to September.  Instructors are now conductors to ask questions, provide reviews and ask for feedback. 

          The things that may have touched me the most during my studies may not even be mentioned because it was the first set of scriptures or the 9^th paragraph which inspired me the most whereas the instructor may be prompted by the Spirit to take us where I hadn’t dwelled in my own personal studies – but I can certainly contribute if I am prepared. 

          I think those that don’t give themselves the opportunity to dive in the material and ponder over what has been outlined for them – I think they are missing out.  Sometimes there are things that don’t resonate and it is up to each of us to find something that will.  I encourage everybody to study the lessons and come prepared to contribute.  Find a deeper meaning.

Font My Eyes

 

Less than three years ago I had 

marked the large font scriptures I had 

inherited from mom.  I don’t recall 

struggling so much as I am today.  

Seeing words is a challenge depending on 

the font size.  I sing hymns that I have 

memorized but cannot read the words to 

sing along.   I don’t read notes and so I 

would do better with words only.  I rely on 

modern technology and blow words up to a 

more comfortable font size.

I have renewed my glasses each year – I don’t 

think they are the problem.  I do see words better 

with natural light.  

Glasses don’t come with built in sun.

DayTrip to Redwood & Crescent City

           Richard’s birthday was yesterday.  Jaime was hoping we could celebrate with a daytrip to the coast.  We’ve never been to Redwood National Forest and as it is less than 3 hours away, we decided to make our daytrip there.

 

          The redwood trees are enormous!  We mostly drove through without getting out of the car, but decided to walk a one mile trail.  I couldn’t look up without getting dizzy – though I tried a few times.

 

          Jaime was hoping to get some pressed pennies.  But since pennies are now discontinued, will the penny press become a relic of the past also?

 

          We ended up in Cresent City so that we could eat lunch.  Afterward we went to the aquarium and Jaime made a pressed penny of a seal.  We toured the facility and got to touch starfish, mollusks and a small leopard shark.  That was a cool experience.

 

 

          The tour  finshed with seals following the command of a trainer.  Also fun.  Since the aquarium is so near the ocean the water is pumped into the tanks so that they are swimming in the same ocean water.  Some might think it’s cruel to remove animals from their natural habitat and put them on display.  But the animals are well cared for – each with its own story of how it came to be at the aquarim.

          One seal was captured after another seal tore through her eye.  It was infected when she was captured and had to be removed.  She probably has a better chance of survival at the acquarium than back where she was found.

 

          It had been quite a long day for each of us.  Happy Birthday Richard.  We were gone for more than ten hours.

 

 

Bonnie

           I used to move the rollway table toward the desk to keep Bonnie from going down the side of the bed.  Now I roll it closer to more easily reach my water bottle.

          She used to come in each morning or afternoon to play Phrasel with Jaime and me – though she never contributed.  Sometimes her noise was too loud and we would kick her out.

          Sometimes I play phrasel with Jaime over the phone.  Yesterday she thought she could hear Bonnie in the background and was saddened when she realized it was not Bonnie.

          We do enjoy meals now without her watching our every move – waiting for food to fall from the plate.  Our first meal was spare ribs – ironically a meal we had eaten just before Bonnie got sick.

          She did a good job cleaning plates with her tongue before I put them in the dishwasher.  Now I have to scrape small leftovers into the compost or down the disposal.

          No more Bonnie hairs to clog up our lint traps or litter the hallway.  No more scratching the carpet with her overly long nails.

          We miss Bonnie.

So Sad

           We made the choice to put Bonnie down before climbing up and down the stairs became even more difficult for her.  I took this picture six days ago.  The last one I will ever take.

          Three weeks ago she was really sick.  Gradually she seemed to come around to her loving happy self.  That’s what makes it hard.  Putting down an animal that seems so happy and full of life.

          But she was not full of life.  She tired easily.  She’d whine a lot.  And bark at who knows what.  She’s at peace now.  Jaime and I are not.  It wasn’t an easy decision.  We are both sad.

          But her time was coming soon. There's a few things I won't miss.  But I will miss her love and wagging tail.