Alison Esther

OK, now she's changed the name of her blog!  After I suggest to everyone to check it out by the old name!  Alison now uses her own name for her blog name.  Go figure.  Anyway, check it out because it's always great!

Alison in London

In case you haven't heard, my youngest daughter, 

Alison, is in London!

She is doing a semester abroad with BYU and seems to be loving it!

We, of course, miss having her home, but, she is having an opportunity of a life time!

Here is a picture she posted on her blog.

I wanted to share this and tell you to look 

at my blog list on the right.  

Alison is listed as Eleanor Louise.

It's a name she likes and plans to name her first daughter 

(after her pet goldfish).

I love this girl!  

She makes me smile even though she's kajillian miles away!

Alison

To all my friends,

"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

As Sisters in Zion...

Within the our Church Family we have a wonderful group of sisters.  We are definitely sisters.  We do our very best to look out for each other and help each other when needed.  Yesterday was a beautiful example of the love that we share for one another.  During Sacrament Meeting, the sister who leads the music was having an emotional day.  She is a single mother, widowed, from Korea.  She is also a recent convert.  Her oldest son just went into the MTC to prepare for his mission to California.  She is the sweetest person and she was trying so hard to keep her tears in check.  After the opening hymn, another sweet sister went up to sit with her and comfort her.  When it was time to sing the Sacrament hymn, the second sister stood to lead the congregation.  She isn't used to doing this and she was visibly nervous, but out of love she did it.  When the meeting was about to end and it was time for the closing hymn, another sister, who knows everything about music, stood to lead the congregation.  After the meeting, I was going to go give a hug to my sweet Korean sister, but she was wrapped in the arms of so many others showing their love and support to her, I didn't get a chance.  I love knowing that we have such love and concern for others in my neighborhood and within the circle of friends and church family! I love you ladies!

Some days are like that...

So, nothing very exciting to write about, but I feel like it's been so long since my last post I should write something!
Three things come to my mind, all old age related, which works since my birthday is in 2 days.  When did I get so old?

Monday, I hosed out Molly's kitty litter box, filled it with clean litter, set it in the laundry room and expected total happiness from Molly.  She will sit and stare at her box when it isn't clean enough for her, so I figured she'd really appreciate how clean it was!
Wednesday morning I walked into the laundry room and found a surprise from Molly. She'd pooped on some sheets that Alison had thrown on the floor to be washed.  WHAT!  I looked at the litter box and nearly died.  I had cleaned and filled it, then without noticing, I had turned it so the door was to the wall.  Seriously.   I totally cracked up! Sorry Molly!  What must she have been thinking all day Tuesday when she really needed to use her bathroom and found it unavailable?  I think she had also used the floor drain to pee in.  So resourceful.

Wednesday, my VT partner, Cindy, and I took two of our sisters to lunch.  Trina and Gladys are both very sweet ladies.  Trina is a couple of years younger than me and Gladys is 91 and one of my favorite people.  We went to Chuck-o-Rama because that's where Gladys wanted to go.  I paid for Gladys and I, then walking over to our table checked out my receipt.  The nice man had given me the senior discount for Gladys and for me!  Really.  Hey, I still have 4 years before I qualify for that.  But, I appreciated the small savings.

Today, Thursday, I washed my temple dress and as I pulled it out of the washer realized that I'd left a tissue in the pocket - again!  This forgetful, old age thing sucks.  But, on the up side, I have a really good excuse for doing stupid things!

On a positive note, it only took me 10 minutes to renew my driver's license today!  The picture looks like a mug shot of an old woman tho'.

The sweetest thing that happened this week was a sweet lady that came to the temple last night (the temple is the best part of my week, every week).  She was in her nineties.  Her friend walked her over to me and this tiny old woman told me she was going to need some help.  I told her that helping her was my favorite thing and she was so appreciative.  She told me that it had been 15 years since she had been to the temple.  Later, I saw her in the dressing room.  I stopped to visit with her while she waited for her friend to come out of the bathroom.  She told me that her husband had been a bishop and had been in a stake presidency.  Then he got really sick and had to have 5 surgeries.  He'd been dead 6 years and she just couldn't bring herself to come to the temple alone.  But, her friend brought her tonight and she was so happy to be there.  She said she couldn't wait to come back again.  Yep, I cried.  What a tender moment that was for me.  The temple brings such peace to those who attend.  I love being there!

Oh yeah, I nearly forgot.  Alison, my friend Rosemary and I went to the temple on Tuesday morning.  Rosemary and I did an endowment session and Alison did some family names in the baptistry.  Alison knew she would have to wait for us to finish, but it turned out we all had to wait for the men's names to be completed because there were so many names and very few boys to help that day.  While we were waiting, I noticed a man and his wife waiting for some youth to finish.  Turns out it was Donny Osmond and his wife and  two of their boys.  It's always a treat  to see someone famous in the world doing good works in the temple.

Personal Calling Card

A few month's ago I posted about a man I met in Staples.  He gave me his calling card.  I thought the idea was pretty cool.  Why not have a card with your info and some kind of message to share with people you meet?  Easier than trying to find a pen and paper to write your info on and then stuffing it into a pocket or purse.  So, I made one for me!  Now when I meet someone and they ask for my phone number or email address, I can give them one of my cards.  

Maybe you think it's weird or silly,

but I would love to get one from you!  :)

This is the front.

 I wanted to add some words of advice, all of which have to do with children (surprise!). 
The first one is, of course, from Winnie the Pooh. 
The second one is from the kindergarten class I worked in last year.  The kids said this as they left the classroom, punching their fists in the air!  I loved the way they said it with such conviction! 
The last one sounds like He-Man, but it really isn't.  If it works for you, tho', then yep, it's HE-Man!  But, it's what we teach all of the reading kids from K-6.  It stands for the Power of 4. 
Something Teri Yamada came up with to help our kids become better readers.  We say this every time we have our groups. 
The Power of 4 is - "Look at the word, think of the sounds, blend the sounds and read it!"  The kids yell it out and really use it when they need to sound out a word,  I love it!

So yep, that's my calling card.

This is the back.

Cool huh?

I'm looking forward to seeing yours!

Empty Nest...

So, this whole empty nest thing isn't as great as everyone makes it out to be.  I've always heard how wonderful and fun it would be.  So, how come I keep feeling so danged depressed?  I love having my family around! 

Sean is now married, which is really great because I love Tiffany and I love seeing how happy they are together.  I still miss having him here all of the time and teasing and talking to me about whatever. 
Alison is leaving for London on a BYU semester abroad at the end of August.  She'll be gone for 4 months.  Then, if everything goes acording to her's and John's plans, she'll get married in February and move away (kinda hoping they'll go for Georgia's  basement after Jen and Ashton move out).
Sarah and Michelle have a condo together and are very independent.  I see them once in a while during the week and for Sunday dinner. 
Rachel and Patrick have been married over 11 years, so Rachel's  been gone for a long time!  They really don't live very far away, but I still only see them on Sundays too.  They also have sweet Lola, but she's only here when they are.
I mean, don't get me wrong, I really want my kids to grow up and have independent, happy lives!  But, I really miss the days when they were all here, laughing, crying, yelling, even fighting!  Never in a million years did I think I'd feel this awful about having them all grown up! 
So, my sweet friends with little ones still at home, cherish these days!  It really does go by way too fast and you miss the sweet hugs and kisses and joy they bring to you! 
So, now here I am weeping all over my keyboard.  I'm reminded of a story that Gene tells when he was around 15 years old.  He came home from school and found his mother crying at the kitchen table.  When he asked her what was wrong she sobbed something like, "I only have six children left here at home!" (She had 11 altogether and some of them had already grown up and moved away.)
Well, Mom, I totally get it and it sucks.  Maybe when I have a houseful of grandkids I'll feel better.  But for now, I miss those days!  So, kiddos, get busy and bring on the grandkids!  Save your mother from depression!

Yeah, whatever.