Marching On

My how time flies when your head is stuck in jet lag.

Add daylight savings time and you have one messed up woman.

These are the things I have a foggie recollection of happening:

My Connor celebrated his 9th birthday

My parents celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary

We celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary

We picked out some pretty flowers in remembrance of our sweet baby Caroline

My Denim will celebrate his 3rd birthday this week

My brother celebrated his birthday

and my husband's niece, Taegan decided to get baptized

Life is good and if you don't slow down you might miss some of the best parts

August Remembrances

In one week we celebrate and remember 6 family birthdays.

We started this birthday week last Wednesday when Cooper turned another year older to reach the ripe old age of 7. We celebrated by going to the Baseball game, an all American pass time. We got our money's worth, but had mixed feelings, when our team lost in the bottom of the 13th inning. Cooper is in the 1st grade and is a whiz at reading and math. He is a gentle giant, a very kind young man who makes me very happy.

On Thursday we celebrated Victoria's 10th birthday. She is now in the 5th grade and has many friends. She is celebrating by going to Tropical Island (a celebration destination in Germany) with her family and a few friends. She is the oldest in her family and a good help to her mother. Sometimes she seems as if she is growing up way too fast, and I miss her.

Friday brought the first birthday of Miss Ada. She enjoyed her cake and a quiet family celebration, seems a certain hurricane named Irene kept us from traveling last weekend as planned. Ada is working hard at growing up. Now that she is a whole year old she wants to walk and eat big girl food. So many milestones to pass in just one quick year. She loves to jabber and figure things out. She is a happy baby that brings her mother great joy.

Today, on the 29th, I take time to remember my grandmother, Beatrice Kent Kidman. She was born in 1905, the daughter of Nellie Van Lueven and Jesse Clarence Kent. She married Lewis R. Kidman on May 26th, 1923 and raised 5 children. She was a wonderful cook and had a strong testimony of truth. She worked in the Los Angeles Temple for many years. She has always been someone for me to admire and I choose to try to be like her in many ways.

Tomorrow we remember our sweet angel Caroline. She was born 7 years ago, and for living only 6 months, she has touched our lives in such a tremendous way. I know where she is and I am trying to live my life so I can be with her again.

On Wednesday we complete our week of August remembrances by recognizing Jeff, my first son in law to join the family. He is a good man who loves my daughter and their children. He is kind to me and a wonderful example of manhood. I am proud to call him my son.

A busy family week. I know that family things happen on family days for a reason.

Happy Birthday loved ones. May this next year bring you joy and happiness as you continue to grow in love and understanding.

Sadness

One of the blessings of living in the same place for over 20 years is that you get to see the kids grow up, get married and have children of their own.

Last Sunday at church 3 of my youngest boy's friends from their teen and early 20's were visiting with their wives and babies. It was fun to see these young men wrap their arms around their wives, care for, kiss and coo at their babies. They have grown into fine men---and I remember when I had my doubts---but time and experience show that, thank goodness, teenagers usually grow up into fine adults.

At the family reunion the "Wedding Game" was played (Newlywed Game). They ask silly questions to one spouse and the other has to guess the answer. Well the question to the women was "Before we were married my husband used to _______ but now he ______ ." One fellow had the greatest answer....Before we were married I used to raise he... but now I raise kids.

It has been fun to watch the youth in our area find someone special to marry and then start their own families. Some have struggled with starting that family and it has been a delight to see them finally hold a prayed for and worked for baby that they cherish and love. Unfortunately sometimes it takes longer and the outcome is not as hoped for.

Today I am attending a funeral for a friends grandbaby. I am reminded of my own sweet grandchild who is an angel in heaven. As I pray for my friend and her daughter as they mourn their loss, I pray for their strength to make it through the years and see blessings for this experience. I say an extra prayer for my Caroline and her parents. I am thankful for eternal families and the blessings of eternal truths.

Pancakes

And the winner is......

the young man who can consume 9+ thick and flaky pancakes in one meal

When baby Caroline was in the hospital Dallin was 3 and Ella not quite 2. It was a difficult time for the whole family. They moved just before Caroline was born, and it was a 10 hour drive. The children came to stay with us a few times and I made many trips to their home during that one memorable year.

We ate a lot of pancakes together, it was a meal they enjoyed that would fill their tummies up. In the 6 years since that time, whenever we are together, Dallin and Ella always ask for pancakes.

I don't think Dallin realizes why he likes pancakes so much. I don't think I realized why until I started really thinking about it during this visit. It is his form of comfort food for the soul. To comfort his soul I have made pancakes every morning since I got here.

On Thursday we were running late so I had him buy lunch at school. Little did I know that the menu for the day was breakfast for lunch--pancakes.

On Friday I decided to take the children out for dinner to one of Dallin's favorite places--Bob Evans. It is convenient--just down the street and reasonably priced. I was thankful to have a choice besides mac and cheese, we were all happy. The two boys looked over the picture menu and both ordered.....pancakes.

This morning I fired up the grill and started flipping the pancakes. Dallin downed 6 large and fluffy ones with home made syrup so fast I had to blink twice. Yesterday he downed the first four off the grill and the second 5-- for a total of 9. It would have been 10 but I got sloppy and accidentally dropped one.

If I can keep a young boy happy while his parents are away by flipping pancakes, I'll flip as many pancakes as it takes to fill him up, both body and soul.

Dallin has been so tired while I have been here, I think he might be growing--but then maybe it is just a carbohydrate overload.

Angel Baby

Today is celebration number 5 of Birthday Week in August.

Six years ago today Caroline Elizabeth was born.

We knew before she was born that her life would be fragile. We were blessed to have her for 199 days.

Caroline is Michael and Kendra's third child and second daughter. Her memory gives our family joy and direction.

When the family gets together I often inadvertently set a place for her. When we all sit down and a place is empty, I remember.

After Caroline passed away Kendra gave me the curtains from her bedroom--pink eyelet--that I made into little dresses for her sister and cousins who were girls. They were sweet little dresses, plain and simple. I made 4 of them. Now the cousins who weren't born at the time are growing into the dresses.

Life keeps going on. Babies are born, the family is growing. Memories are sweet. Occasionally the tears flow when tender thoughts are close.

For all of the rest of my life she will always be Baby Caroline.

Sweet Angel Baby.

I love you baby Caroline

bloomin' trees

For our anniversary when we were married for 27 years my sweetheart and I planted a redbud in our yard where we can see it from our family room window. Every year one of the first things to bloom in our yard is our redbud tree. It has purple flowers and it looks beautiful.

When my son left for two years to go to Italy I knew my only way to communicate with him would be weekly letters and a telephone call at Christmas and on Mothers day. As a little boy he loved forsythia's with their yellow blooms. When he left us at the beginning of spring I planted a forsythia in the yard and knew that when it bloomed for the 3rd time he would be home again.

When my granddaughter passed away 5 years ago I needed new memories of beginnings and beauty. I planted a sweet almond next to the playground in my back yard. It blooms with pale pink flowers that look very delicate and fresh. I love how it flowers where the children play.

This week as I drove down the highway there was a little town that I passed through that had the streets lined in white booming trees. It was almost heavenly driving down that stretch of road.

I am so glad for the change of season and the blooming trees that remind us that grey days will pass and flowers and butterflies will come to brighten our path.

When ever I am down, discouraged, frustrated and feeling forlorne I think of my mothers reminder to me--"This too shall pass".

I am glad for pretty flowering trees that remind us that the grey days will pass, but sometimes I wish the flowering pretty days could stay a little longer. Is that why artificial flowers are popular???

QUILTS

Five years ago, ladies from the area where we live labored to make 199 baby quilts to donate to Cincinnati Children's Hospital in the name of Caroline Elizabeth Anderson.

Caroline was born August 30, 2004, Michael and Kendra's 3rd child. They moved to Cincinnati, Ohio just before Caroline was born where the best doctors and hospital in the nation for Caroline's unique heart defect just happened to be. Caroline was born missing the left half of her heart--HLHS.

Caroline lived most of her 199 days at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. She was home for about 6 weeks where Michael and Kendra spent every hour of the day and night caring for her needs. When Caroline went back to the hospital they moved her into a full sized hospital bed. The staff there used baby sized quilts as sheets and bedding for the infants on the big beds. The larger beds gave them room to work around the child and the quilts defined the space and brightened the rooms.

So many people knew and loved Michael and Kendra and wanted to do something for them during that trying time. After my mother and I visited Caroline in the hospital we had 10 hours to visit in the car on the drive home. We decided that a good way to put our prayers into action was to start a quilt drive. Anyone who asked what they could do, more than prayers, we would tell them about the quilt drive.

Soon a friend showed up with 15 little blankets, one for every minute her daughter had lived. As the blankets came in we knew we could make the goal of one quilt for every day that Caroline lived.

Caroline passed away on March 16, 2005. She was 199 days old, it was our 32nd wedding anniversary. We had 8 grand children at the time. Caroline's brother Dallin was 3 and the oldest. Two were her same age, Alexandra was 9 months and Cooper was born the same week as Caroline. Caroline was teething, her mouth hurt, it was difficult for her to breathe, but she waited patiently for all of her grandparents to be there with her. As we talked of heaven and family she would light up and giggle.

I remember Kendra making preparations for the funeral and she seemed so peaceful and happy when I knew her heart was broken. As I visited with her she told me that today her daughter was joyful so she chose to be joyful with her. Kendra knew that in the days and years to come there would be days for crying and sadness, but that day she chose joy.

Today, along with my tears I too choose joy. Caroline blessed our lives with an eternal perspective I now understand better than I did before. Every time I look at a pretty quilt I think of my sweet angel and the stitches I sewed in tears as I prayed for my granddaughter and her parents.

Every day is an opportunity for choices no matter what the day offers. Thank you Kendra for an eternal perspective and reminding us that even in trying times we can...

CHOOSE JOY