TIME FLYS

Twenty years ago yesterday my last daughter was married. She was married in the Salt Lake Temple and we had a fun black and white reception at the University of Utah.

Being a single mother I was left with mixed emotions. So happy all my girls had found some one they loved and sad my home now felt very lonesome. I kept very busy traveling and volunteering and taking classes and looked forward to more grandchildren. Karrie and Richard soon started a family and the handsome football player at the right is their baby........my youngest grandchild. Last night he called to be sure I was going to his foot ball game today as it was grandparents day. I went and his team won. I was given this picture to wear around my neck so everyone would know whose grandparent I was. They had a nice little booth set up with treats for us. The weather cooperated and the black rain clouds went by without a storm. What a beautiful day and the perfect thing to do on a fall saturday afternoon. I am very proud of Scottie and we have a lot of good times together.

My son-in-law Robbie took off yesterday for Canada to goose hunt. I will probably be hearing from my daughter, Pam, to do something. Being alone isn't her favorite thing. I'm loving this beautiful fall weather and counting the days until I'm off to New York and the cruise with my family.........18 more days.

ONLY GOD SEES

"With admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees".........

Four life changing Truths.....1. No one can tell for sure who built the wonderful churches and cathedrals etc. as we have no record of their names. 2. The workers gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. 3. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. 4. Their passion was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw every thing.

God sees you every day and the sacrifices you make even though no one else around you does. No act of kindess you have done, no cup cake you have baked , no costume you have made, no child or pet you have tended, no cub scout meeting or room mother project goes unnoticed by God. You are building a cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become. The every day routine of loving, caring for, sacrificing for and protecting your children and family, make you a builder of something every bit as great as a cathedral or church. You may or may not live to see the results of all your years of labor, but God is watching you every day. Your passion in this life's job should also be fueled by your faith you are doing God's will. So see yourself as a great builder. A person who may never see your finished product, but your name will be on it. One day the world may very well marvel at your cathedral never giving the invisible mother the credit for the patience, sacrifice, love and time you put in on each and every child we raise. But in our hearts we know that God knows of our works.

WHY???? 7-11 Tenth Anniversary

GOD BLESS AMERICAN...Ten years ago today terrorists flew planes into each of the twin towers in New York and into the Capital building, the one headed for the White House was crashed in PA by the crew to save many and they have become heros for all of us.

A millions "whys" have been uttered in the past 10 years, and I have added mine many times. Why? What was God trying to tell us ----or show us? Was there some kind of lesson to be learned that day? I live by the creed...."Things happen for a reason.....just believe" and for the life of me I don't see any reason for that terrible act. The picture on the left was taken by someone a few days before the towers were destroyed and the light coming in between them make a cross. It was on the internet and I printed it off and have it framed so I never forget that day and the many lives that were lost. If the terrorists thought they could destroy American in any way, they failed, it only brought us together more. There has been a movie made called "Rebirth" some man follows five people over the past ten years and the rebuilding of their lives and the rebuilding the memorial that now stands where the towers once did. I look forward to seeing it. I did visit ground zero five years ago and am going back to New York in several weeks and look forwarded to seeing the new reflection pools that fill the holes that were once the towers.

RENT - A - GRANDMA?????

Hey, all you grandmas out there I just ran across the perfect job for us and we are all trained and qualified....... We all know there is no substitute for a grandma, but a new placement agency comes close. Rent-A-Grandma screens women age 50 and older as caregivers for children and older adults. This new service was launched a year ago , the Los Angeles-based employment service is expanding nationwide. Assignments for workers, who average $14.00 to $18.00 hourly around LA include various jobs. Grandmas are good fillers for families while their nannies vacation or in-between hiring new ones. What a fun and interesting idea. As your grandchildren grow up (my nine are doing that too fast) and no one seems in a hurry to give you any great-grandchildren, you think.....Yes, to stay young and vigerous you need to keep interested in youth.........When all your friends are of the gereatric age and all they talk about is what ails them it can get pretty depressing. You are out there to help children discover all the wonders of the world and of themselves. I say come on grannies, lets get out there and help out where we can, no one now days have jobs for the "elderly." and unless you are over fifty you can't apply for this one......As for me, I intend to stay a young blogging, emailing, facebook, texting grannie till the end!

HAPPY LABOR DAY....

Awesome job...... I say thanks to the many people who make my life what it is! The people that keep my electricity, water, heat, TV, roads, shops etc., etc., etc. working.......just for me. I get up every morning expecting these people to make my day run as I wish, no, I am not happy when the water is turned off or the power goes down.... but some laborer is there to fix it for me. Before I go to sleep at night I feel I should ask myself some questions, (1) What have I given today? In what ways have I been a contributor? (2) What did I learn today? Did I learn a new word, did I listen instead of talking when someone was speaking? (3) How has today enhanced the quality of my life? How can I use today as an investment in my future? If I didn't say thank you enough, do some one a favor and call a friend to say hello then I didn't reach out or give anything. (4) What am I proud about in my life right now? Oh, so many things. The person I have become through trials, the wonderful family I am the patriarc of and the love they give me. (5) What am I grateful about in my life right now? To have been given almost 80 years of health, family and enough to eat and a warm home. (6) What am I enjoying most in my life right now? My family and friends..... So to the many wonderful people who contribute to this good life I have (especially all the wonerful service men who fight to keep us free) I say Happy Labor Day.....Awesome Job!

POWER QUESTIONS

I feel I have come to a peaceful time in my life. But, we all go through the in and out of having peace in our life time. The world is definitely not the world I grew up in. For my children in their old age and my grandchildren in the future things don't look easy. Instead of moaning about what I don't have in life, I try to examine what I do have. Two good questions to ask yourself each morning.....(1) What am I happy about in my life right now? What about that makes me happy? How does that make me feel? (2) What am I excited about in my life right now? What about that makes me excited? How does that make me feel? Sometimes if I can't answer the question for instance of "What am I most happy about in my life right now?" I refrase it to be "What COULD I be most happy about in my life right now if I wanted to?" When I put "could be" in there it allows me to step back and examine my life from a different angle, and perhaps an answer. When I was born in 1932 American was just coming out of a terrible depression and grew itself into what we have become until the last three years or so, so I have great faith it "could" do it again with a new President! OMG - OMG -OMG!!!! Obama must go - Obama must go - Obama must go!!!! Now I feel better. Happy Labor Day weekend. All my kids are busy so quiet at my house. Christensons at Lake Powell, Panniers in St. George and Cooks at a friends cabin.

SEPTEMBER HAS ARRIVED.....

Love, love, love summer and quite enjoy Fall only problem I know what follows Fall. The older I get the less I enjoy winter, my artheritis complains constantly. But, I am feeling pangs of guilt when I think of how much I have to be thankful for. As of today.........no earth quakes, floods, sunami, hurricanes have washed away my little corner of the earth. I feel so sorry for the people on the East Coast that are being flooded away and homes lost or destroyed. "Irene" was a terrible storm for so many people. I have a roof over my head and enough to eat today. I think of this little poem called Dishwasher's Grace: Thank God for dirty dishes,They have a tale to tell. While other folks go hungry, we're eating very well. With home and health and happiness, we shouldn't want to fuss, for by this stack of evidence.....God's very good to us. I'll take the dirty dishes and not complain.

Today is a ball game with Annie cheering and Rich playing......proud gram.....It seems my calendar stays pretty busy and I love it. I read people's whose calendars are crammed with commitments are 60% more likely to live long, healthy lives than folks who struggle with boredom. Why? The brain and body are so intrically connected that boredom speeds the onset of serious illness. If my family doesn't die of exhaustion and lack of sleep they have potential to live forever. Labor Day around the corner!!!!!