House Fire Update 2

I found this short clip in the local news paper from my brother and sister in law's town:

"On Monday morning, a fire also destroyed a home on Sinking Fork Road in Gracey.
The resident, Kirsten Roberts, told firefighters her daughter noticed ashes falling from the ceiling. Roberts hurried her children outside and called 911. She believed the fire started in the chimney.
The house was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived, said Joshua Gydesen, assistant chief of the Gracey Volunteer Fire Department. They moved the vehicles from the driveway and let the house burn.
The Herndon and Square Deal departments also sent volunteers.
Roberts’ husband is a soldier deployed overseas, Gydesen said."

We spoke with Bryan and Kirstin and they said they are doing very well. They have been so impressed by all of the love, concern and support that people continue to show. They are looking for a place to live temporarily but have decided to rebuild. Bryan asked Kirstin (jokingly - but STILL!) if she wanted to add a wood burning stove to their new home - it was the first fire related injury they had to report. :)

There are sad things too - children who miss their blankets and beds, lost Christmas presents that weren't even opened, the pictures that will never be recovered - but a lot of what is replaceable has already been given to them - and what isn't seems small compared to the miracle of everyone being safe.

There was smoke blowing into their house the night before and Kirstin had wondered what was going on. Bryan happened to call and told her to do a couple of things. The smoke stopped but she was still worried. Before she went to sleep she prayed that her family would be kept safe and that nothing would happen to them in the night. The next morning she fed the calfs and came in - all of the kids were up, which was a bit unusual. There house is a 2 story and all of the bedrooms were on the top floor. With all of her children awake, they were downstairs together when Kate noticed the sparks. Kirstin went in and saw them too - and they got out quick! She said she got her children into her Expedition but it wouldn't start because it was so cold, so they sat in it and watched the wood fall and the siding melt right before their eyes. After a couple of minutes the car started and she backed down the driveway just a bit and by then most of the house was gone. She said that the firefighters believed that the attic had probably caught fire and been smoldering most of the night. So glad... so glad they were spared. I am sure this will be a Christmas that they will never forget - and that, at least eventually, the good memories will completely dwarf the bad. The memories of the fire will be buried under the memories of the people who cared enough to share their homes, food, money, bedding, clothing, and love. Who can doubt when seeing a miracle such as this, that Jesus really does live? And I'm sure that as we celebrate His birth, that these acts of kindness are the greatest gifts He receives.

Advent Day 14 - Christmas in a Different Country

Wake up song:

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Pocket Paper:

You are Cordially Invited to A Christmas In Germany.
Date: December 14, 2010
Time: Evening
Place: Your very own home

I read a lot of things about Christmas in Germany and then we did a few of their traditions. The favorite for the children was leaving their shoes outside the door for Nikolaustag. He comes around and puts candy and nuts in your shoes if you have been good, twigs if you have been bad. Luckily Nikolaustag came a bit early in the evening because the kids shoes were getting snowed on. There was plenty of squealing when they all discovered Nikolaustags offerings were for those of good children!

My favorite tradition was the plate of nuts, chocolate, fruit, and ginger biscuits laid out for the family. We also enjoyed dinner around a center piece which was a wreath with 4 candles. One candle is lit each Sunday between November 26th and Christmas Eve. The final candle is lit on Christmas Eve.

The Christmas tree originated in Germany and the children were surprised to hear that German children are not allowed to help decorate the tree. They believe there is a curse that goes along with seeing the tree before Christmas Eve. The father usually occupies the children while the mother beautifies the tree and then they take the children in for the Christmas Eve celebration.

We had a GREAT time learning about different traditions and might even adopt a couple!

Advent Day 13 - 12 Days of Christmas

Wake up song:

All I Want for Christmas (It should have been 12 Days of Christmas but I didn't have that one on any of my Christmas cds)

Pocket Paper:

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Twelve drummers drumming,

Eleven pipers piping,

Ten lords a-leaping,

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids a-milking,

Seven swans a-swimming,

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Decide on a person or family to do the 12 days of Christmas to – then plan what you will give them. As with tradition, the 12 days start ON Christmas day.

The Twelve Days of Christmas are the festive days beginning Christmas Day (25 December). This period is also known as Christmastide. The Twelfth Day of Christmas is 5 January, with the celebrations of Christmas traditionally ending on Twelfth Night and is followed by the Feast of the Epiphany on 6 January

1 True Love refers to God

2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments

3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues

4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists

5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.

6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation

7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the sacraments

8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes

9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit

10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments

11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles

12 Drummers Drumming refers to the points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed.

Epiphany is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. On this feast, Western Christians commemorate principally the visitation of the Biblical Magi to the Baby Jesus, i.e., his manifestation to the Gentiles; Eastern Christians commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, seen as his manifestation to the world as the Son of God. It is also called Theophany, especially by Eastern Christians.

We picked someone who will be mostly alone after the Holidays. I am excited for this one especially because after Christmas is over there is a period of dull-drums - but instead we will be focusing on someone else. The children are thinking of fun things to do and give. We all like this one!

House Fire Update

By the way, these pictures are of my adorable nieces. They came and visited this summer. Kirstin, I will get these to you with any others I have~

My dad talked to Kirstin tonight. Her dad made it there and I am sure that makes it much better for them all. Bryan is on his way back - I think he is getting pretty close. Kirstin told my dad that it has just been amazing what people have done - some army friends, some church friends, some neighbors, even complete strangers have brought them clothes and necessities and money. I'm thinking that it is probably seeing the caring of others that has made the most difference - although I am sure having clothes to wear is a plus too. I appreciate the comments by everyone and the calls wondering what we can do. I really don't know right now. I am going to call Kirstin tomorrow, but in the meantime I am sure the appreciate the prayers.

Apparently they had a pretty good night last night. I was happy that all of the children were with their mom. My dad said that a couple of the younger girls were really wanting to go home and just couldn't understand why they couldn't go sleep in their own house. Kirstin patiently put them in the car and drove them over and showed them what was left and explained that there wasn't a house there anymore. I'm sure it was a hard thing for a mom to do.

I'm thankful for all of the people who have helped them in the last day and am sure that it will continue. People really are just mostly amazingly kind and caring. I hate to see tragedy happen to people, but it sure brings out the best in those around them.

I will post on here anything that Kirstin says her family needs. Thanks again for caring about them. They may be related to me but they are actually nice people!

House Fire

My poor little brother, who is deployed, and his poor little family - wife and 6 kids, had their house burn COMPLETELY to the ground this morning. SO thankfully, NO ONE WAS HURT, but their hearts must be aching. I know it is only "stuff", but it is THEIR stuff - favorite stuffed animals, and blankets and pictures. Beds, clothes, journals... gone. They have nothing but their lives and the clothes on their backs. They are staying with church friends. My sister-in-law is a ROCK - she has to be with that many children and a husband who is frequently away. I don't know how she does it every day - but today, I love her for what she is especially. Her father should be there soon and my brother is being sent back and hopefully will arrive in a couple of days. I tried to call their cell phones, but got no answer. Maybe they were in the house too. So guys, if you are reading this, we love you and are praying for you and are SO SORRY for your loss and SO GRATEFUL for your spared lives!

Advent Day 12 - Mary and Joseph

Wake up song:

Breath of Heaven

Pocket Paper:

Jeffrey R. Holland, “Christmas Doesn’t Come from a Store,” Liahona, Dec 1995,
As a father, I have thought often of Joseph—that strong, silent, almost unknown man who must have been more worthy than any other mortal man to be the guiding foster father of the living Son of God. It was Joseph selected from among all men who would teach Jesus to work. It was Joseph who taught him the books of the Law. It was Joseph who, in the seclusion of the shop, helped him begin to understand who he was and ultimately what he was to become.
I wonder what Joseph must have felt as he moved through the streets of a city not his own, with not a friend or kinsman in sight, nor anyone willing to extend a helping hand. In these very last and most painful hours of her “confinement,” Mary had ridden or walked approximately 160 kilometers from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. Surely Joseph must have wept at her silent courage. Now, alone and unnoticed, they had to descend from human company to a stable, a grotto full of animals, there to bring forth the Son of God.
I wonder what emotions Joseph might have had as he cleared away the dung and debris. I wonder if he felt the sting of tears as he hurriedly tried to find the cleanest straw and hold the animals back. I wonder if he wondered: “Could there be a more unhealthy, a more disease-ridden, a more despicable circumstance in which a child could be born? Is this a place fit for a king? Should the mother of the Son of God be asked to enter the “valley of the shadow of death” (Ps. 23:4) in such a foul and unfamiliar place as this? Is it wrong to wish her some comfort? Is it right He should be born here?”
But I am certain Joseph did not mutter and Mary did not wail. They knew a great deal and did the best they could.
Perhaps these parents knew even then that in the beginning of his mortal life, as well as in the end, this baby son born to them would have to descend beneath every human pain and disappointment. He would do so to help those who also felt they had been born without advantage.
I’ve thought of Mary, too, this most favored mortal woman in the history of the world, who as a mere child received an angel who uttered to her those words that would change the course not only of her own life but also that of all human history: “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28). The nature of her spirit and the depth of her preparation were revealed in a response that shows both innocence and maturity: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).
It is here I stumble, here that I grasp for the feelings a mother has when she knows she has conceived a living soul, feels life begin and grow within her womb, and carries a child to delivery. At such times fathers stand aside and watch, but mothers feel and never forget. Again, I’ve thought of Luke’s careful phrasing about that holy night in Bethlehem:
“The days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and [she] wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and [she] laid him in a manger” (Luke 2:6–7; emphasis added).
Those brief pronouns trumpet in our ears that, second only to the child himself, Mary is the chiefest figure, the regal queen, mother of mothers—holding center stage in this grandest of all dramatic moments. And those same pronouns also trumpet that, save for her beloved husband, she was very much alone.
I have wondered if this young woman, something of a child herself, here bearing her first baby, might have wished her mother, or an aunt, or her sister, or a friend, to be near her through the labor. Surely the birth of such a son as this should command the aid and attention of every midwife in Judea! We all might wish that someone could have held her hand, cooled her brow, and when the ordeal was over, given her rest in crisp, cool linen.
But it was not to be so. With only Joseph’s inexperienced assistance, she herself brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in the little clothes she had knowingly brought on her journey, and perhaps laid him on a pillow of hay.
Then on both sides of the veil a heavenly host broke into song. “Glory to God in the highest,” they sang, “and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). But except for heavenly witnesses, these three were alone: Joseph, Mary, and the baby to be named Jesus.
At this focal point of all human history, a point illuminated by a new star in the heavens revealed for just such a purpose, probably no other mortal watched—none but a poor young carpenter, a beautiful virgin mother, and silent stabled animals who had not the power to utter the sacredness they had seen.
Shepherds would soon arrive and, later, wise men would follow from the East. But first and forever there was just a little family, without toys or trees or tinsel. With a baby—that’s how Christmas began.

Advent Day 11 - Movie Night

Wake up song:

Jingle Bells

Pocket Paper:

Movie Tickets to see "Jingle All The Way" at Marshalls at 7:30 tonight.

Advent Day 10 - Christmas Orange

Wake up song:

Oh Come, Oh Come, Emanuel

I love the story of the Christmas Orange. It is told in many places with several differences, but always ending the same. I read many versions - German, English, Dutch... it seems like everyone has a favorite. I liked certain things about all of them. Because I couldn't find one with EVERYTHING I liked, I took the several ideas and wrote my own version.

Pocket Paper:

The Christmas Orange
Many years ago, in an orphanage in England, there lived a little boy named John. John, like most of the children who lived with him, didn’t remember his parents, indeed, the orphanage had been his whole life.
The children spent the daylight hours on the street looking for ways to make a coin or earn a morsel of food. They considered themselves lucky, though, because they had a place to sleep each night and a bowl of soup each day. But the biggest blessing was theirs on the most anticipated day of the year. On Christmas each child was given a beautiful, fresh, sweet orange as a gift. These oranges were treasured, smelled, admired, and finally savored by a child who knew it would be another year before this pleasure was theirs again.
On Christmas Eve, of the year in which our story takes place, John happened upon an elderly man huddled in an abandoned doorway trying in vain to escape the chill of the winter wind. John could tell by the color of the old mans skin and the sunken features of his face, that it had been a very long time since this man had eaten. John wished that he had something he could share with this stranger, but his only food was the watery soup at the orphanage, and it was forbidden to take the bowls out of the dining hall. It was then that John had a sweet, yet painful idea.
The next morning as the children sat for their soup, they were also given that coveted Christmas orange. John held the round prize up to his nose and drank in the aroma of the citrus. For a minute he soaked in the feel and smell of this precious offering, and then silently rose from his stool and made his way out into the snow. His task seemed simple, but each step required effort as he anticipated giving away the only thing he had to look forward to in his meager life. When he reached the doorway containing the starving stranger, John presented the orange to him without the slightest hesitation. Indeed, the giving was the easiest part and John’s heart was light as he headed back to the orphanage. Upon arriving he stole quietly up to his room. Although he was glad for what he had done, he couldn’t bring himself to see the other children with their oranges – to smell them as they were peeled and see them enjoyed when his was gone.
As he entered the common sleeping room he noticed a small, round lump on his bed. Curiously he made his way over and pulled off the scrap of cloth covering the ball. Under it laid an entire peeled orange! Something about this orange was different though. Then John realized – it was made up of pieces from many different oranges. Each segment was an offering from a child who shared John’s meager existence. Each segment represented the gift of a precious piece of their own treasured Christmas Orange.

Advent Day 9 - Stockings

Wake up song:

Hang Up Your Stocking

Pocket Paper:

Once a year in the middle of December Santa Claus comes around

With gifts and things all the kiddies will remember

Pleasing everyone in town

He'll bounce and bump, he's so doggone plump

As he goes his merry way

He shouts and sings for the joy he brings

If you listen you'll hear him say

Hang up your stockin',

Hang up your stockin'

Hang up your stockin' on Christmas Eve 'cause Santa's on his way

So boys and girls, here's something to remember

Listen to me through the year

If you're not good and if you're not tender

Santa's sure to hear

Hang up your stockin',

Hang up your stockin'

Hang up your stockin' on Christmas Eve 'cause Santa's on his way

I'm not very crafty. Our Christmas stockings have always been the Walmart leftovers bought in the days after Christmas when they are 90% off. Nothing wrong with that. When I was a child my stocking was red and white and had my name written on it in Sharpie marker. I LOVED that thing. It was MY very own piece of Christmas. So a few years ago my friend Emily told me about her stockings that she was customizing for her family. I loved the idea but wasn't that ambitious. This year when we were constructing the advent calendar, Amber said that she was making personalized stockings for her family members and said she would help me if I decided to do it - and - really, how do you pass that up. I let each person pick their two favorite things about winter and Christmas and then cut them out of felt and put them on their stocking. The stockings aren't done. I gave them the top sock with the stuff adhered to it, but not blanket stitched yet. Hopefully I will be done before Santa is ready to fill them - right?

Advent Day 8 - Gratitude

Wake up song:

Count your Blessings Instead of Sheep

Pocket Paper:

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward

Make a Christmas Card and write a Thank You note in it for one of your teachers.

Using the same treasures as we used to make ornaments, we made Christmas cards with thank you notes in them for our teachers. Most of the kids ended up making two or three to cover all of their favorite teachers. Camilla even made one for her mom and dad. It was sweet to watch them as they wrote notes of thanks to people who devote their time to helping them learn. Gratitude is such a holiday feeling.

Advent Day 7 - Service

Wake up song:

The Christmas Song

Pocket Paper:

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves--giving of the riches of the heart and mind--and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store." James E. Faust, "A Christmas with No Presents," Ensign, Dec. 2001

Today you will buy, wrap and put under the tree the present that you bought for a person in our family. BUT that’s not all! Also today – look for ways to serve and do a secret act of service for as many people in our family as you can.

We drew names in our family:

Dad - Camilla

Mom - Anna

Tanner - Madsen

Madsen - Tanner

Camilla - Ella

Ella - Dad

Anna - Mom

Shopping was fun and we ate pizza in the van, which is always a treat! I think we found some great surprises!!!

Advent Day 6 - Ornament

Wake up song:

Deck the Halls

Pocket Paper:

DECK THE TREE WITH THINGS OF BEAUTY
FA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!!!
MAKE AN ORNAMENT THAT IS PRETTY
FA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!!!

We made ornaments from beads, fuzzy pipe cleaners, sparkly pipe cleaners, bells, ribbons, and anything else we thought we could get away with. The kids had fun fun fun! Some of their ideas surprised us - we ended up copying them!

Advent Day 5 - Missionaries

Wake up song:

Oh Holy Night

Pocket Paper:

Today we will:
- feed the missionaries (at Marshalls)

- write to a missionary

- attend the First Presidency Christmas Devotional

ELDER RHINEHART
THE CHURCH OF
JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS


SISTER RHINEHART
THE CHURCH OF
JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

Christmas in St. Petersburg
by Elder Greg NelsonRussia St. Petersburg Mission
It was Christmas Eve around the world, but just another frosty December night in St. Petersburg, Russia. This country celebrated no such holiday.
Our zone had just presented a Christmas program in the huge Kazanski Cathedral, where we sang Christmas songs and read from the book of Luke. It seemed as if our words and notes drifted up to the lofty ceiling and were swallowed by the darkness. But the sparse audience, mostly members and investigators, had partaken of the Spirit.
Our missionary work hadn’t been going well. People didn’t want to listen to two humble young men give them a message of redeeming love. Perhaps because of my discouragement, the Christmas celebration planned for later that evening didn’t hold much appeal for me.
My boots kicked up some new fallen snow and I shoved my bare hands deeper into my pockets. My gloves had been misplaced at a hotel a few days earlier. In this country, you don’t just walk into a store and buy gloves. You need to search.
Suddenly, Elder Redd sat down on a bench in the small park in front of the cathedral. I thought, Oh, now what? I just want to go home where it’s warmer.
Home was not the right thing to think about. It brought a flood of memories I really didn’t want to ponder right then. This was my first Christmas away, and I was feeling down. Where were all the decorations and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season? What about stockings, Christmas trees, and nativity scenes?
We hadn’t been able to get through to the international operator, so it looked as if I couldn’t make my phone call home either.
Tears welled in my eyes. I turned around so my back was to the wind. As I faced the cathedral, everything began to grow quiet. I looked at the majestic structure in front of me, bathed in pale, green light. The stars above were pin dots on a black shade, radiating calmness and peace.
“Silent night, holy night; all is calm, all is bright. …” The phrases softly entered my mind and drifted in whispers from my lips. “Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.” Elder Redd heard me and joined in a little bit louder. There was a feeling of reverence.
As we sang the second and third verses, a warm realization came to me. The joy, happiness, and peace at Christmas come from within. The material things and outward symbols of celebration bring sweet feelings, but only for a short moment.
Instantly, the thought of sharing Christmas with the other elders became appealing. It would be a gathering of friendship and love. We missionaries all needed to strengthen each other.
Christmas is what you make of it. It doesn’t matter if you’re with family and friends or halfway around the world. The real gifts at Christmastime are the fruits of the Spirit. Paul said, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Gal. 5:22). Could one ask for anything more during the celebration of Christ’s birth?

Brad and I both served missions for our church when we were in our early 20's. It is hard to be away from all of your family and friends for the holidays, but it is a wonderful experience to be sharing your love of Jesus with others as the world celebrates His birth. It really is an experience like no other. We are glad we were able to do it, and we are glad that others are doing it now. When we sing "Peace on earth goodwill toward man" we are really wishing for everyone to know Jesus Christ. He is "The Prince of Peace" and sharing Him is an awesome calling.

My sister's oldest son, Joshua Bodily, just left this summer to serve a mission in Brazil. Right now, ironically, he is in the mission my oldest brother, Sam served in - Atlanta Georgia. Josh is waiting for his Visa so he can go out of the states. We wrote letters to him. We talked about mine and Brad's Christmases in the mission field. All of the kids got their own name tags. We fed the missionaries who are serving in our area - at the Marshalls - and it was DELICIOUS! And at the end of the night we watched the Prophet talk about Jesus and Christmas during the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. It was a wonderful day.

Advent Day 4 - Shepherds and Angel

Wake up song:
The First Noel

Pocket Paper:
A Shepherd’s Love By Marie Fuhriman Olsen
In the time of Jesus and in earlier Bible times, shepherds tended flocks of sheep that provided both food and clothing for their families. Shepherds were some of the first people to hear about the birth of the Baby Jesus. Shepherds loved their sheep and took good care of them. They spent day and night with their sheep to protect them from wild animals and dangerous places that might harm them. And they led their flocks to good food and clear water.
If the flock were not too large, shepherds often gave each a name. The shepherd of Bible times would lead his sheep rather than drive them as the western shepherds do. Every evening he counted his flock as he put each sheep into the fold (enclosure to protect animals). Sometimes the fold was called a corral.
The older boys in a family would help the father plow, sow, and harvest the grain. But when the youngest boy was old enough, he was chosen to become a shepherd who cared for the family’s sheep.
Shepherd boys lived very simple lives and wore simple clothing. They wore a tunic like a long shirt made of cotton, with a leather girdle or belt wrapped around the waist. An outer garment consisted of a warm aba, often made of camel hair. It shed rain and at night could be used as a blanket.
The shepherd carried a scrip, a bag made of dried skin or homespun material. When he left home to tend his sheep, his scrip was filled with bread, cheese, dried fruit, and perhaps some olives. And for protection from wild animals, a shepherd also carried a rod, a stout wooden club similar to a policeman’s truncheon. It was often made of oak and had a knob on the end of it. Sometimes spikes were driven into the end of the rod for added protection.
A shepherd often used a staff to help him guide his sheep. Sometimes the staff had a crook on the end that enabled the shepherd to hook any sheep that began to wander from the flock. He also used a sling made of two strings of sinew, rope, or leather, with a wider piece of leather in the middle to hold a stone. The sling was swung around the head, and the stone was released by letting loose of one end of the string. It was used to protect the sheep from wild animals or to alert the flock to change its direction of travel. Occasionally the shepherd used the sling to drop a stone close to a sheep that might be lagging behind or to startle a sheep that needed to catch up with the flock.
Jesus was often referred to as the Good Shepherd. His followers were people who believed in Him, and were sometimes called His sheep or His disciples. Before He left them, He made sure that each one of His sheep or followers was loved and cared for. Jesus needed someone to feed His sheep, that is, to teach and care for them and to be their shepherd when He was no longer with them. He asked His disciples who loved Him to do this.
Jesus knows and loves each one of us. He wants us to know that we are precious in His sight. He is concerned about us and wants us to learn about Him and His gospel and to return and live with Him some day.
We must also help to watch over all of Jesus’ sheep. By doing those things that we know are right and by sharing with others the truths of the Church, we are helping to feed His sheep.

After we read our paper we hung up the felt shepherds and angel on the top of our advent calendar. The kids were excited that we were going to fill in the stable on top. We will have to see who comes next!

Advent Day 3 - Christmas On The River

Wake up song:

Winter Wonderland

Pocket Paper:

Invitation to Christmas on the River. At Snake River Landing from 5:30-8:00. They had horse drawn trolley rides, Christmas Carolers, lights, and shops selling hot chocolate - which we TOTALLY needed. We met the Marshalls there (obviously, since we made this together) and had a great time! There is something charming about a little community gathering. The favorite thing? We got to see Santa!

Advent Day 2 - Military Men and Women

Wake up song:

"I'll Be Home For Christmas"

This day is about Soldiers protecting our country and freedoms even through the holidays. Many of them, including my brother, are away from their family during this Christmas season. I had read about the unofficial truces in WWI and WWII and shared that today. We also wrote to soldiers and bought Candy Cane Oreos for some people in our neighborhood who are deployed.

Pocket Paper:

James E. Faust, “A Pattern of Love"

"At this Christmas season, let us take time to ponder the significance of the birth, the life, and the death of the Savior of the world. Of all the pronouncements in sacred or profane literature, the announcement of the angel to the shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night was highly significant:
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11).
After 2,000 years, in many countries—indeed even in so-called Christian nations—we still have not only internal and external wars but also hunger and neglect. In the war in which my father served on the western front, in the stillness of Christmas Eve there wafted over the trenches to the ears of the American soldiers the soft sound of the voices of their enemy singing, “Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht” (“Silent night! Holy night”; Hymns, no. 204). Their enemy in turn could hear the American soldiers singing, “Peace on earth, goodwill to men” (“Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains,” Hymns, no. 212).
Twenty years later, in the war in which I served, the same area and the same enemies were involved. Although I did not serve on the western European front, on Christmas Eve the English and American soldiers could hear the Germans sing, “Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,” and the Germans could hear the Americans sing, “Peace on earth, goodwill to men.” Fortunately, our erstwhile enemies are now our friends.

Though there was no official truce, about 100,000 British and German troops were involved in unofficial cessations of fighting along the length of the Western Front.[10] The first truce started on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1914, when German troops began decorating the area around their trenches in the region of Ypres, Belgium.[11]The Germans began by placing candles on their trenches and on Christmas trees, then continued the celebration by singing Christmas carols. The British responded by singing carols of their own. The two sides continued by shouting Christmas greetings to each other. Soon thereafter, there were excursions across the 'No Man's Land', where small gifts were exchanged, such as food, tobacco and alcohol, and souvenirs such as buttons and hats. The artillery in the region fell silent that night. The truce also allowed a breathing spell where recently-fallen soldiers could be brought back behind their lines by burial parties. Joint services were held. The fraternisation was not, however, without its risks; some soldiers were shot by opposing forces. In many sectors, the truce lasted through Christmas night.

Advent Day 1 - Treasure Hunt

My friend Amber and I were discussing the holidays and how hard it is to pull children/people away from the sole anticipation of a visit from Jolly Old St. Nicholas. Don't think for a second that I am opposed to such a person and/or his visit. I love Santa! But I feel like the focus is on Christmas DAY and mostly for the getting of gifts. Not just my children suffer. I suffer too. I spend the entire month preparing for those few minutes of gift opening and lose the rest of the month.

Anyway, longer story shorter, we decided to have more focus on important things this month - and fun things too! So we invented our own, personalized, amazing Advent Calendar. I am going to post it day by day so that my children and I can remember the things we did this first year. I hope that in the years to come this Advent Calendar will be an anticipated Christmas tradition and a sweet memory of childhood for my children.

Right after Thanksgiving I told the children that they would be able to open a present on December 1. I love for them to hope and dream about what it could be. We built it up until they were SO READY to burst with excitement. Every day has a song that they wake up to and then they get ready, come down, get their stuff gathered, eat breakfast, and THEN they get to open a pocket - IF they are on time.

Day 1. The song was "We Wish You A Merry Christmas." They woke up cheerful and expectant. They hurried down, ready for the day, ate, and then Tanner got to open a box. Inside the box was this poem:

Twas 24 days before Christmas
And hung on the wall
Was an amazing gift…
A surprise for all!
But before it was there
It had to be found
So on a treasure hunt the children went round.
They looked high and low
And followed the clues
To find their present They must start with their shoes…

Madsen got to lead the pack and went to the hall tree that we got (and LOVE) from Mackrory's! Thanks guys. I digress. Madsen led them to the hall tree and they found this:

You have a new clue what will it be?Go and look where you brush your teeth!

Camilla's turn to lead now. They ran up the stairs and found a new clue in the toothbrush drawer:

You are good, you have the clue... Now run to the place where you keep the glue.

Ella led the line of happy runners to the "Kid Cupboard" where they found this final piece:

This is the final clue in our fun…
Just find this one and you’ll be done.
The treasure you find will be great!

Go to a picture of whom we celebrate.

Anna took them to the picture of Jesus in our living room and behind it was a wrapped package with the calendar inside. They all tore it open and I told them to look in the pocket marked "1". They found this:

Great job! You win! We hope you had a blast…
The fun isn’t over – we will make it last
All through the month of December you’ll find
Surprises in these pockets of mine.
Each day you will look when your mom says you may
To see what surprise you have for the day.
Some days will be gifts, some will be treats,
Some will have stories, or places to be,
Whatever the surprise is, each day we’ll discover
More love for mankind, Jesus, and each other!

Merry Month of December!!!

We also had a "Treasure" of Christmas candy in gold and silver wrappers which they got to eat before leaving for school. Fun.

So that was how it all started...

Sunday Brunch

One of my favorite things about Sunday is waffles. I love them - from Super Multi grain to Pumpkin Spice - waffles are good food. Our typical Sunday includes making and eating waffles as a family before Brad's 10:00 church meetings (sometimes RIGHT before his church meetings!) I'm not sure if I love the waffles for their taste - or just for the sheer fact that NO ONE complains about eating them, but whatever the reasons I'm grateful for Sunday Brunch.

Halloween At Last...

Our family had a great idea this year - yes, just one a year, but this one was BRILLIANT! We all decided to be Harry Potter Characters for Halloween. It was great to have a family theme. We listened to a lot of Harry Potter theme music and spent a bunch of time at Amber Marshall's house while she sewed these great robes for all of our Hogwarts students. Brad is Snape, obviously. I am the lesser known but equally evil Madame Umbridge. Tanner is Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quiditch team. Madsen is Harry Potter for the third year of his life - but the Quiditch Seeker Harry. Camilla is Hermione, LOVED her hair! Ella was Ginny Weasley and SO excited to dye her hair red. Anna was Luna Lovegood - and her personality pulled it off splendidly - including her catch phrase "It was nargles!" Good times. Magical even.

Broken and Blessings.

You know what they say, "when it rains, it pours." Well, it is raining "broken" at our house. I'm broken. A month or two ago my heart was racing for about 15 hours. An EKG showed that everything was fine (thank goodness) but blood tests at the same visit revealed that my thyroid isn't working like it should. Gratefully they can medicate for that. Then I had some cysts last month. Hooray. Fortunately they seem to have dissolved. Next thing? like a complete idiot, I was cleaning cake mix out of our stick blender with my index finger on the left hand while holding the stick blender in "ready mode" with my right - somehow in the cleaning process my right hand pushed down the "start" button and my finger got blended. It will heal and the blessing is that I didn't have to go to the ER. The ironic thing is that all of my children were at school and Anna was at a birthday party and I was SO excited to be ALONE - I guess I need a child to babysit me. A piece of my tooth broke this week. I'm still looking for that blessing - I guess that it didn't break down far enough to require a crown or root canal! Then on Monday (Monday, Monday - so good to me - or whatever!) I found that someone had stolen my email password and was randomly sending all of my contacts pharmacy emails (sorry about that, by the way!) and my dishwasher broke. So with my pureed finger and my broken dishwasher I have been REALLY enjoying life. Today a repairman came over and told us, for the low, low price of $65.00, that we would have to buy a new dishwasher. The blessing here is that we went to Best Buy (after calling around to confirm that they really were the best buy!) and they only had two dishwashers on display. We didn't want either - well, actually I would have liked one of them, but NOT for the price. So we decided to order one from the online store and have them deliver it to the store in a couple of weeks (Thanksgiving dishes anyone?) When he went online to order the one we wanted it was "unavailable" but it said that there was one in the stockroom at that VERY store! Guess what? It was TRUE! We brought home the dishwasher and are now trying to get it functional. The blessing? No one has been electrocuted... yet.

Thankful... Snow (WHAT???)

I know. No. I STILL don't like snow. But... I am thankful that snow (if we HAVE to have it) umm... I am thankful that snow is WHITE. Even with the never ending cloud cover, the white snow reflects the tiny bit of light that does manage to filter through the winter haze and provides a bit of glimmer in an otherwise bleak season. So there. I found SOMETHING that I like (besides the water factor) about snow - if we HAVE to have it. Please know that I am still the person who will hopefully be found (soon and permanently) in a sunny, tropical, island paradise!!! Aloha!

Oh, and I'm thankful to see my cute LITTLE baby helping my cute BIG baby shovel snow... if we HAVE to have it.

Thankful Music

Christmas starts after Easter in most stores. After Halloween it is a FREE-FOR-ALL for the rest of the world - as far as Christmas goes, resulting in a sad neglect of Thanksgiving. I'm sure Chris Stoker would be proud of my acknowledgement of this fact. This year I decided to try something different. I have started playing hymns of Thanks. This morning it was Come Thou Fount. It makes a difference in my attitude, as well as that of my children. I am thankful for good music.

IF... I Agree On It.

Anna and I have new jobs. Her assignment. MY job is to find whatever it is that tickles Her Royal Majesties fancy, HER job is to tell me if she "agrees on it" or not. If YES - I WIN!!! She is happy and we go on with our lives. If she DOESN'T agree (which happens more often that one might think!) then I get to keep guessing until I DO get it right and she "agrees on it".

Two examples.

A: Mom, I want something to eat.

M: Okay. What would you like.

A: I don't know - something I agree on.

M: How about a sandwich?

A: No. I don't agree on that. If I agree on it then I agree but if I don't then I want something else.

M: What about some cheese?

A: Umm... I don't agree.

M: What about a banana?

A: I don't agree. If I agree on it then I agree...

M: Yes. I know how it works. I'm just not sure how to read your mind.

A: Keep looking and I will agree when you say something I agree on...

Scenario #2.

M: Here are your clothes.

A: Not that shirt.

M: Excuse me?

A: I agree on the pants, but not that shirt.

M: Okay, then Princess Picky, which shirt do you want?

A: I don't know. You pick shirts and I will tell you when I agree on one. If I agree then I will say I agree and if I don't then you can pick another one.

M: *sigh*

Kids - it's a good thing they are cute because sometimes...

I AGREE!!!

The Humpty Dumpty Solution...

Anna got a book today. It was about Humpty Dumpty. She wanted it me to read it to her...

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the kings horses and all the king's men...

Couldn't put Humpty together again.

{Pause}

"MOM? WHY DIDN'T THEY JUST CALL THE QUEEN?"

If only Mr. Dumpty's attendants had been so insightful!

Plum Lovely

I remember someone telling us once that "quality time" is a nice thought, but the reality of the situation is, that with children, you must have a large "quantity" of time and then IN that you will find gems of "quality".

The children were out of school Thursday and Friday of last week. This week they had 1/2 day Wednesday and Thursday and were out all day today. Some of that time has been spent nagging about jobs and projects and homework and room cleaning. Some has been wasted on sibling tiffs and tattling and sitting in timeout. But we have had a few "quality gems". A picnic in the park yesterday, pizza party picnic last night with friends, good Student Led Conferences, fun little "games" together... and then today (my favorite thing) we picked our neighbors plums - they love the tree but not the fruit - we sang songs and picked and gathered. It was lovely to have them all gathered around, doing something very worthwhile and productive, and doing it happily. It was a Plum Lovely afternoon...

What Part of PRAYER Don't You Understand?

I was saying a prayer today. Ella came in...

Ella: MOM!

Me: {nothing}

Ella: Mom.

Me: {nothing}

Ella: (shaking me a little) Mom?

Me: Just a second I'm saying a prayer (as if it wasn't obvious!)

Ella: (whispering) Oh. mom?

Master Gardener!!!

You may recall that for my Birthday this year I got the gift of a Master Gardener class from the University of Idaho. After months of lecture, volunteer hours, continuing education, and speaking assignments, I am now OFFICIALLY a MASTER GARDENER GRADUATE!!!

So there.

If you didn't think I was cool before...

Spy Kids Forever

I LOVE... LOVE... LOVE when my children start some sort of game together. They have been campers and orphans and vacation kids and karate kids... But this one, THIS one is a classic. Spy kids. Here they are all dressed to go undercover - but their decorated mason jar lids identify them even if their clothes lead you to believe that they are just "regular" kids. They love being spy kids. This game comes out more frequently than any other. I love listening to them when they don't know I am. I just hope ALWAYS that there will be another time - I don't want the day to come when they are too big to be spy kids anymore. I think that will break my heart - and think of all of the bad guys that will get away...

Phone Conversation:

Anna wanted to call her dad today. She wanted to do it all by herself because one day she did it all by herself accidentally and so now she knows how. What? Fine.

We called. He must have been with a patient because he didn't answer so I let her leave a message...

Anna: Dad?

Answering machine: {nothing}

Me: It's his answering machine so you will have to just talk and then he will call you back.

Anna: Ummm... How many days do I have to stop sucking my thumb?

Answering machine: {nothing}

Me: Bub, he can't answer so just talk and he will call you back.

Anna: Ummmm...

Me: Do you have something else you want to ask him?

Anna: Yes. Dad?

Answering machine {nothing}

Anna: Ummm, dad? Are aliens real?

Me: OKAY! Are you done now?

Anna: No. Umm dad? Mom made the best cookies. Mom, did you try one?

Me: Yes. (one ha!)

Anna: Did dad try one?

Me: Yes. (one ha ha!)

Anna: Oh... Dad? Can we have one for treat?

Answering Machine: {nothing}

Me: Dad isn't there. He will have to call you back.

Anna: I know. Mom? Can we have one for treat?

Me: Are you done talking to dad? Or is there something else you need to say to him?

Anna: Ummmm...

Me: Do you want to tell him that you love him?

Anna: (giggling) I love you dad.

~~~Hanging up.~~~

Anna: Mom? Can we have a cookie for treat?

Me: No.

And that is where it stops being cute!

Madsen Reaches for Excellence...

At our charter school the theme for the year is "Reaching For Excellence." To kick off the year they had an essay contest for the 5-6th graders and the 7-8th graders. Madsen won SECOND PLACE out of all of the 5th and 6th graders! He got a certificate and was able to read his essay at an assembly in front of the entire school. He did a great job. We were really proud of his effort.

For posterity, here is the essay:

Reaching for excellence doesn’t mean we have to “BE” excellent right at the start. We are “WORKING” toward it. Reaching for excellence means trying to be better at what used to be our best and growing stronger in our talents, abilities and struggles.

I want to use a couple of examples. When a little bird is trying to crack its way out of it’s egg, it takes time, effort, hard work and determination. When the baby bird finally cracks the egg and is free it is also stronger. In school we can’t expect our teacher to just push the lessons into our brains while we sit there. We have to work at it. If someone was trying to help the baby bird and cracked the egg for it, it wouldn’t be strong enough to survive. We have to work for ourselves in school. No one can do it for us if we are the ones who want to learn. We have to better ourselves with our own hard work. After the egg is abandoned, the baby bird is not done. Now it has to learn to fly and soon lay it’s own eggs. Just because I worked hard in fourth grade doesn’t mean I am done with all of the hard work. I need to keep going, keep working hard so I can spread my wings of knowledge that will lead to success.

Sometimes in school I feel like a caterpillar, like I’m not going anywhere, or not progressing. But the caterpillar makes a cocoon and turns into a beautiful butterfly. So even though I might be going slow or not moving at all, if I am reaching for excellence then my mind will become something beautiful with knowledge.

Teachers are like the mothers of the little creatures. They don’t expect me to be perfectly excellent, neither do they expect me to be quick about things and rush myself. The teachers care about things to help me grow. Excellence means working hard and long to achieve my goal.
After I have achieved my goal I can help others achieve their goals and be a successful person. Being excellent right away is a talent that nobody may have, but working on excellence is a talent that everyone can have. And like a baby bird, when I strengthen myself and my wings, I will soon spread my wings and soar off into life.

Great job, Mads! You are an incredible writer and one heck of a boy!

Taxing Taxes!!!

Most people think that children don't have a very accurate view of the financial world - indeed more than one child has had the idea to purchase a small country, several top of the line cars, and a jet pack with the very first $100 they inherit... My children, on the other hand, seem to have a shockingly realistic view of money. Today while we were playing "Movie Theater" a few of my children were selling packing peanuts as popcorn and peanuts and after a "purchase" I was informed that the cost was "Four dollars plus tax. So that will be four dollars PLUS two MORE." Ouch. Reality HURTS!

When It Rains Frozen Romaine

They say when it rains it pours. What they don't say is that the pouring simply fills one up to the very very very tippy top of their limits. Then, after the downpour, one drop sends the whole thing spilling over, destroying the sides of the dam and drowning everything living in it's wake. I'm not sure why I ever decide to try to eat better - life is actually MOSTLY tolerable when it is smothered in chocolate - but lettuce, broccoli and chicken? Not so much. And we still have two houses. And we have to show the one we are living in today. And there is WAY too much to clean. And the kids are finally feeling summer in a way that makes the restless for school - maybe this is in answer to my last blog. And I, just in general, seem to be having an off week... So this morning, in sticking with my "eating better" goal, I decided that rather than trying to choke down another egg or oatmeal without sugar - I would just have a chicken salad. The chicken is cooked - in the fridge - easy - easy to clean up (since we have peepers coming this afternoon) - good plan. Where is the Romaine I purchased yesterday at Sams Club? I KNOW I bought a HUGE bag? Where in the heck... In the freezer. True. Slimy. Nasty. Sometimes when it rains, it's the frozen Romaine that pushes you over the edge.

More TIME!

One of the things that I love about the end of summer are the eternally long days of excruciating heat. They wear me down. They burn me out. They nearly choke me with their intensity and duration. It is because of these days that I am able to welcome Autumn, no matter how hesitantly, with its nippy mornings and crisp evenings. Autumn only lasts for two blessed seconds and then winter is here - my trial in life. But wishing for the cooler weather is what I LIVE for. This year? We haven't HAD summer. We have had 4 days of "good" heat - the sweltering kind. It has been spring or autumn ALL SUMMER! AND today, when I had to register my kids for SCHOOL I felt choked up! I'm not ready! I haven't gotten enough of them yet. I haven't wished for... well for ANYTHING that I don't have just now... except MORE time!

Stay SUMMER. Stay CHILDREN! Just wait for a second, Father Time - I'm not READY!!!

Fashion!

This is Sarah.

Besides being absolutely beautiful, talented beyond imagination, sweet like you wouldn't believe (right, Sarah's mom?), and my niece, Sarah is FASHION personified! This darling little fashion diva gave me a pair of her shoes that she is too cool for or something. I completely LOVE them! Love. Almost as much as I love that Sarah. Love.

So thanks, Sarah.

I have taught you well...

What A Shame.

I was holding Ella today and she was smoothing my hair. Then she said...

"You would be so pretty with black hair. Down to here (she pointed just below my shoulders). With it really curly." pause... *sigh*... "But... your hair is brown. What a shame."

Summer Storms

I love the power in a summer storm. The thunder, lightening, and torrential rain that moves in faster than a four year old with a purpose - and thoroughly rinses the earth leaving us clean, damp and refreshed. Just another reason to love this time of year. If only summer lasted as long as winter here!!!

We Will ALWAYS Love You, Wendell!!!

Our neighbor and best friend Wendell passed away this morning. We are different people because of him. We loved him like a dad/grandpa. He is just a good, good person. This is going to be a long post because I want it forever to help us remember our favorite things about one of our favorite people...

Two years ago this coming Wednesday, Brad and I were doing a final walk-through on this house here on Summer Way. Our realtor was also the Bishop of the ward we were moving into. While we were finishing the walk-through we saw the funeral home van pull up across the street and that was when Wendell became a widower. Because of all of the wonderful people who had helped our family when we lost some of our loved ones, I asked if we could help with the family luncheon for his wife Verna's funeral. That was the first act of service we were able to do in this home.

Wendell was very independent. He could take care of himself. We asked often if we could help him with anything and he was always nice and friendly, but he was also "just fine." Well, I shouldn't say that I was happy when he broke his leg because that is just not nice - but I was, in a way. Very early in the fall of 2008, Wendell was walking out to get his mail. He still had his automatic sprinklers on but it had frozen that night. Just as he put his foot down on the sidewalk, it slipped out from under him and down he went. He was unable to walk for several months due to a broken ankle. After he got home from the hospital he finally started letting us be friends and help him. My children expect food to be prepared and served to them EVERY DAY and so I just told Wendell that he would get something from us each day. That was a great time for us. When we would take over the food he would visit with us - sometimes for hours. Sometimes he would invite us over and tell us stories of his childhood growing up on the railroad. My kids LOVED the stories of "Little Wendell". That boy was just as sparky as the man across the street!

By the time his leg healed Wendell was family. He wasn't afraid to ask us for things and he knew he was always welcome here. He made us "Cavatini." Cavatini was his made up dish like a pizza pasta - noodles with pizza sauce, pepperoni, large chunks of onion, pepper and such. The kids LOVED it - they would have sneered at it if I had made it, but for Wendell they gobbled it down. Whenever he worked in his yard he had several little "helpers." In the winter our arrangement was he had the snow blower - we had the people to push it. It worked out perfectly for both of us. When the weather was nice we would visit nearly every day. One of the things I will miss most is Wendell walking across the street with his big sun hat on saying "Hey neighbors!"

When Wendell went on vacations we could look forward to this question 30 times a day, "When is Wendell coming back?" It started before he pulled out of the driveway and didn't stop until we could see him getting out of his little silver Ford Explorer. And the question burns, if we can't live a couple of weeks without him, what will we do now?

Wendell was a thinker. Always thinking. He was an engineer by trade and just had a mind that never rested. He would look at a problem and ideas would just start bouncing. I took the Weblos Scouts over to speak with him when we were working on their Engineer Badge. He showed us plans he had drawn and machines he had made and inventions that were his - they were brilliant. He let the boys tinker with things and encouraged them to try to think of solutions to their problems in everyday life. He was great with kids.

More than being a "thinker" he was "thoughtful". Last year when I was getting ready for canning season I thought, "I wonder if Wendell has a bunch of canning jars that he doesn't want." I would rather buy canning jars that are tried and tested than the new ones from the store that haven't been filled with love and hard work. He told me that Verna had used canning jars but one of the kids had taken them to use. I told him "No problem - I just didn't want to go out and buy a bunch at Walmart if you were looking to get rid of yours." And then I just went on with my life. About three days later Wendell just showed up at our door with a big box of brand new canning jars. He said, "I was just at the supermarket and the Spirit said to me, 'Wendell, your neighbor needs canning jars!' and so I got some." I could have bought my own canning jars, but the feeling that I had knowing that he had thought of me, isn't for sale anywhere. He was like that about everything. He put serious thought into Christmas gifts. He would look for something for EACH child - the boys always got something educational AND fun - something that they WANTED to do but that would also make them THINK. The girls? They got sweet stuff. Dollies and stuffed animals. He knew that Brad was into cooking and went over to the kitchen supply store in town, "None of those sissy aprons - these are real Chef grade!" and bought him a chef apron and hat! Every time he came over for dinner he would comment on Brad's attire. He bought me a hand crank popcorn popper. It is used 3-5 times per WEEK. We really looked forward to his gifts because we knew that they would be what we wanted even if we didn't know it was what we wanted! But even more than the gifts, it was the thought and care and love which prompted their giving that meant the most to us.

Wendell was young at heart. Such a fun-meister. One day as he was leaving our house after visiting and heading over to our other neighbors, whom we love, Del and DeAnn, he saw Tanner shooting baskets. Wendell decided to show Tan a thing or two about B-ball. After all, he had been on a championship team back in the day... up he went for a perfect fade-away - DOWN he came in a not so perfect landing. When he went to the hospital one or two days later they thought his wrist was broken! It wasn't, just sprained, but a brilliant NBA career was officially over before it began. In the time we have known him he has broken and sprained and surgeried himself into the dirt. I think his last count was over 30 MAJOR surgeries in the past 10-12 years. How does someone do that and still maintain such a love for life and such a positive attitude. He wasn't bitter. Lonely, often, but bitter, never. It was endearing.

One night Brad and I were visiting with him and he asked if he could share a poem he had written to his wife when she was going through a hard time. The poem was so personal that I felt like I was intruding just listening to him read it - but it was also so painfully beautiful, that Shakespeare would have been jealous. The terms of endearment, the feeling and emotion that were recorded in those lines, that kind of love is built - one challenge at a time over years of struggling and loving together. One day I hear him say, "At night I look over at the chair she used to sit in, and she is not there..." his voice cracked - and so did my heart. I knew he missed her. I have it on good authority that they weren't sticky-sweet all the time - they were a normal couple talking to each other and snipping maybe even the occasional eye-roll, but Wendell was her caretaker through a very ugly and painful cancer and, though I didn't know him when she was alive, I DO know that he missed her EVERY day that she was gone. And while we are sad for ourselves at his loss, we can't help but be thrilled for him and for her at their reunion.

Wendell turned 80 this past Birthday of his. When we asked what he was going to do he said, "Oh, not much!" He was celebrated with his great son and his loving family but we wanted to party too. We thought - we will just put together a little surprise party - you know, just a couple of neighbors - because it's his EIGHTIETH Birthday! So we asked just a few people. Pretty soon a few more had heard about it and asked if they could come too - "Wendell was our home teacher for years and came every month..." or "I served with him in..." and they all wanted to celebrate him. Indeed, when it was time for him to come over I had to send one of the kids - and when he got there he said, "Well, I was getting ready to come over and then I saw all the cars and thought I probably hadn't better interrupt!" It was just cute. And everyone loved him and wanted to show him. He is an incredible friend and neighbor.

For his birthday we made a list of 80 things we love about Wendell. We could do this list to millions, but I want to at least put this one on here so that we can have the condensed version of that great man.

80 Things we LOVE About Wendell (in no particular order)

His great stories
His patience in suffering
His green thumb
His delicious food
His love for cooking
He thinks about us a lot and likes us still!
He shows his love for others
He is friendly
He makes us laugh
He knows how things work
He is super smart
His tomatoes
His carrots (man those were tasty!!!)
Cavatini
Steak and Peppers Rustica
He shares nicely
His laugh
He boiled a mud duck
He rode his sister’s bike over a jump – just like our boys!
He has a wonderful Testimony
He shares his Testimony
We love that he broke his leg – which might seem mean, but that was when we got to know him and love him so well!
He is Wendell Clause
He loves trains
He is always thinking
His snow blower (thanks for letting us use it too! HUGE difference!)
He likes to travel
He is just plain interesting
He gives great hugs
He has a beautiful yard
The lines in his yard are perfect
He knows how to nourish the different plants
He follows the Prophet
He loves Jesus
He chooses the right
His smile
He asks for help if he absolutely needs it
When he calls on the phone
He loves his wife and misses her, which breaks our hearts, but we are glad he loved her!
He raised a nice family
He knows how to fix things
He magnifies his callings
Everyone feels good around him
He is a good neighbor
He has lots of neat tools and knows what to do with them
He has lived through a lot of things which make him a better person
He took care of Verna when she was sick
He rubs his hands together when he’s excited
He gives us good advice
He is a good friend to our kids
He lets us help with yard work
He makes everyone feel like he care a lot about them
He knows how to express gratitude
He likes our cooking
He is a good example for our kids (and us)
He is easy to talk to
He knows a lot about history
He doesn’t like chicken so – more for us
He’s never quite gotten over a broken jar of peanut butter long ago
He works hard
He likes to try new things
He has a great attitude
He has a kind voice
He is meek and trusting and faithful in hard times
He keeps a tidy garage
He likes to read the scriptures
He appreciates chocolate
He understands what is important and doesn’t sweat the small stuff
He loves children and they love him
He is dependable
When he used his cane, he reminds us even more of President Hinckley
He has great hair
He is a snappy dresser
He likes to tease people
He oozes with class and integrity
He makes us feel like and want to be better people
He is a true disciple of Jesus Christ
He has endured well in things which would have ruined lesser men
He is slick looking
He is a child of God and he acts like one

Things will never be the same without Wendell. We just love him and he loved us and we will miss that. Yesterday his family was kind enough to let us come over and say goodbye to him. Camilla made him a card that said "Wendell, I'm glad you are going to live with Jesus Christ. Don't forget the good times you made with our family!" He read it aloud and then said, "Thank you honey! I'm glad I get to go live with Jesus too but I will miss you." He said something personal and sweet to each of the children and to Brad and to me. We left with broken hearts and these words ringing in our ears, "These last two years have just been preparing me and you for something special." Well, Wendell, it was worth it. It's painful but we would do it again. We sure will miss you!