Thursday, June 12, 2014

Father's Day is Here

Sunday is Father's Day and it hasn't received much attention as yet.  We just concluded our 50th wedding anniversary with our very large family and celebrated my 70th birthday on top of that.  Now it's time to celebrate my sweet husband, the father of our 9 children and the love of my life!

What a blessing it is to have this man I love by my side for so many years.  He has truly been a loyal and devoted husband and father.  I'm more and more amazed at him each year.  He doesn't quit!  He has such drive and vision when it comes to something he is passionate about.  Right now that is BYU Idaho and the Research and Business Development Center (new name of the Entrepreneurial Center (E-Center) and Southern Idaho Research Center (SIRI) now combined, which he was instrumental in developing during our mission. He loves this work and would go to the ends of the earth to develop it

Come to think of it! That's exactly what he is doing!

 In just 4 days we will be flying to Ghana to volunteer our time, money and energy to learn how we can help students and businesses there and establish connections between the students and business owners in Ghana and the RBDC Center and BYU Idaho.




When Bob and I went to BYU Idaho as missionaries in 2006 we had no idea what we would be doing. Bob had a rich business background, had trained interns, worked in Venture Capital and had headed a successful business.  Little did we know that all these experiences would come together in the creation of the E-Center.  He compared it to Nephi's experience building a ship.  He didn't know the end result but just followed the promptings as he prayerfully received direction and put it together piece by piece.



It was amazing to see how people who were needed for specific skills or tasks just seemed to appear at the right times.  The Center was not funded by BYU Idaho so money was always a challenge.  He never let that deter him.  He knew in his heart that the money would come.  It was the Lord's work and the Lord would provide.

And He did!

It was a glorious time for both of us as we felt the spiritual direction of the Lord each day and watched His work move forward both with our projects and in the university as a whole.  It was miraculous!  That's one of the sweetest blessings of serving a mission...feeling that guidance and satisfaction!



Now Bob is looking forward to doing more of the same as we tackle yet another ship building experience but his time in Africa.  We go forward, not knowing exactly what we are to do, but trusting the Lord to make it known step by step.  We have no doubt that He will do just that!

What an adventure life is with this sweetheart of mine.  Life is never dull being married to a man like this.  He loves and is devoted to me, loves and is devoted to his family and he loves and is devoted to the Lord.  What more could you ask and yet I get a whole bunch more.
 I get a man who is humble, prayerful, always tying to improve, reassuring in times of challenge, steady and always moving forward, never looking back.  He worked hard to provide, requiring nothing for himself never begrudging giving it all to his growing family.  Now he works just as hard to bless the lives of others at his own expense, always certain that it will all work out.

How grateful I am for this man.  I pray that I can be a support to him and the great work he is doing.  It's not fancy or glorious.  It will be hard, slow and often discouraging, but step by step we will do our best to make a difference and continue the journey together.






My own dad HERE


Wednesday, June 11, 2014

The Big Birthday

O.K. It finally happened. Yes, I had another birthday and this was a big one! The occasion was made sweeter, however, because our whole family was gathered to celebrate. Since I was married just 6 days before my 20th birthday, our 50th wedding anniversary and my 70th birthday were celebrated in the same weekend. It worked out well. We all attended the 30th Ward where all our children attended growing up then returned to the house for Lasagna and birthday cake before everyone departed. Bob made his first ever birthday cake and I let him! It was delicious! 

 I've been anticipating this new decade for some time and now it has happened. It's really quite amazing. When I was younger I never thought about being 70 and now here I am. I guess I'll just embrace it and celebrate with an adventure in Ghana.

Monday, June 9, 2014

50 Years and Time to Celebrate

This past weekend we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. Yes...50 years and as Bob and I review the events of our courtship and marriage it seems like yesterday. How does that happen?
Just as our marriage started with a sealing in the temple, we started the celebration with a sealing. session with 21 of our family members with Elder Daryl Garn, a dear, long-time friend, officiating. It truly was heavenly as we looked around the room to see our children, spouses, a granddaughter and her hustand and Bob's only brother and his wife, who joined our celebration. Each couple took turns kneeling at the alter for two couple sealings and 6 son sealings. We did 88 ordinances in all. It truly was a bit of heaven.

We then broke loose and began to party. Everyone, children and all, headed for Paul and Angela's for a BBQ lunch and swim. Delicious brats and hot dogs were served with all the trimmings including J Dog's special sauce. Uncles and aunts joined the grandchildren in the pool and much visiting took place,both in and out of the pool. We didn't wrap it up until about 5.

The next event was an adult dinner. Siblings and spouses gathered with Sam and Nancy and Bob and I at our home for a sit down, catered dinner. We sat at one long table and visited until late. Our children shared memories about what they had observed about our relationship through the years. It's interesting to see your children's perspective and what they learned from you when you were unaware that you were teaching! The young adults enjoyed an evening dinner and visit at a restaurant, while the teens watched the younger children together.

Saturday morning it was off to David and Shawni's home with the whole crew (56 in all). Their sweet neighbors turned their personal resort ( expansive yard) over to us for several hours. We performed organized competitive relays and water competitions in teams made up of every age, so well organized and prepared.  We were working against the clock. We then hit the pool, literally, as we "cliff jumped" and water slides into their pool. We wrapped it up with pizza and soda drinks. The winning team got Klondike Bars for a prize and the rest enjoyed Otter Pops. Luckily they had a couple of extra ice cream bars for Bob and I. We received the "royal treatment" throughout! 

It was then time for everyone to go start for home to shower and clean up for the evening's official celebration dinner, program and dance which was held in David and Shawni's brand new, gorgeous home. It isn't fully furnished yet so it worked out perfectly! We had a delicious frajita bar with mini chimi's and all the trimmings prepared by Mi Amigos. The round tables of 8 made it great for some personal visits. Throughout the evening a sweet friend and photographer took pictures of any combination of groups that anyone wanted and we thought up a lot! She was there for a couple of hours. Two great videographers joined us for most all of these activities (except the temple) and filmed away. They interviewed family members on the side. How fun it will be to see the final product of their intense efforts. I'm sure they are working their hearts out on a lot of editing.

During the program our grandchildren ( those  under 18) sang "I Am A child of God." I leaned over to Bob and said it was like attending our own funeral!  What a delight they were! Younger Bob. Julie and Stephen each talked about qualities they had learned in our home and then Bob and I were asked to tell how we met. I went first and did just that, anxious not to take too much time but just give a good summary, then Bob spoke and had such a sweet spirit as he expressed his love for them and other tender feelings that will be such a blessing to have on tape. Later I though of all the things I wished I'd said. (I tend to do that a lot...rethink what I I have done or said) I'm not great when a camera is rolling! 

It was the most amazing sight to me to see our whole posterity sitting in front of me (only our two missionary grandsons were missing). I just hope they know how dearly I love each one of them, how much I love The Lord and that the commandments are the "secrets" to happiness, success and peace in this world and the gospel is the source of every blessing. It is the foundation upon which we built our home and family and I am grateful beyond words for that firm foundation. I didn't get to tell them but I hope they know anyway.

We finished off the evening with lots of dancing and some tasty cheesecake. 

All of these activities were orchestrated by our 9 children,. They planned, designed, organized, counseled together and tackled each of the individual activities. (Divide and conquer, coordinated by our oldest son). We were overwhelmed  with the results. They did a magnificent job! It was perfect. They pulled off a celebration that was a hundred times more fun , better executed and more tender than anything we could have ever planned or even envisioned.

Thank you our dear children for that lovely gift of love. You made some pretty special memories for us all. Thank you also for your time, travel, time off work and all you sacrificed to make this event so "memorable" and "meaningful". We love each one of you so intensely.

I will be adding pictures when I can