Simply Providential...

Bob and I are in NYC for business (Bob) and adventure (me). Several interesting things have happened to me that seem simply providential. We missed our morning flight out and were able to get on standby at noon. I sat next to a red headed woman that was very sweet. She was from Prescott and going to NY to help her daughter make dresses for her upcoming wedding in June. I told her about Kendras dress that I had made...

and Chelsees reception in my backyard (sorry, she has all the pictures). That got us on to gardening and soon discovered that we were both "Master Gardners"! The similarities in our lives were astounding! Truly a kindred spirit.

We then checked into the Meridian here in Manhattan. It was lovely enough but not very warm and inviting for me. The hallways were dark grey and blue lights and...well I felt like I was in a 1960's bar. Weird imagination. Luckily for us they only had a room for that night and so the next morning I packed up and booked a room and the Omni Berkshire. We have never stayed at this hotel in Manhattan but I love the Omni hotels so off I went with luggage in taxi. As I was walking back to the Omni later that afternoon I noticed a restaurant just two doors down from the Omni. I always look for the narrow frontage but deep restaurants. It usually means amazing food. I suggested as we headed out for dinner that night that we take a look. As we entered we were overwhelmed by the fresh florals that were everywhere! Each table had a small vase with a dozen flowers...roses, ranunculus, berries.

But the most stunning were the large cherrie branchs with full blooms reaching to the top of the ceilings with some white lilies at the base.

It was like stepping into a secret garden. It just took my breath away. The fragrance was amazing. I just kept closing my eyes and taking deep breaths to try and take it all in. We were some of the first people there and so the food aroma had not taken over yet. I would have never found this place if we had not had to move! Providential enough. The owner came to our table and talked all about his flowers. Every season the restaurant is transformed by whatever is in season. This is a must see if you are ever in NYC. The name oddly enough was simply "La Grenioulle" meaning The Frog.

Strange name for such an enchanting restaurant.

One more interesting point of interest. Across the street from the Omni was a

giant blown up rat and cockroach and men drumming on 5 gallon paint buckets.

I thought they were advertising a new Broadway show and ignored it. The problem is that it was all day and getting a bit annoying. Bob came home and said that it was the painters union harassing the hotel for hiring non-union painters. The union paid these guys for the week to stand outside and agitate guests with the noise. It was so disturbing to me to think that a hotel cannot hire who they want. The union will make you suffer if you don't use them. Pro union or not...that is just simply wrong. Is this the land of the free or not.

So today we are going to walk all round the park and see what we can see. I am very excited. Bob doesn't have any appointments today. This would be a first for us when we visit Manhattan. I'll post pictures of our day...

Easter and Lilies

I've always wondered what the connection was between Easter and Lilies and so I googled it. Here is the condensed version:

The Easter Lily originates from the souther part of Japan and was brought here to America in the late 1800's. It's scepter or trumpet shape makes it a symbol of royalty. Its white color indicates purity, innocence, hope, and virtue.

Christ makes reference to the flower in the New Testament when he says..."Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin and yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." I love Christ's description.

Lilies are often called the "White-Robed Apostles of Hope". Lilies were discovered in the Garden of Gethsemane after Christ died on the cross. During the Easter season, churches line their altars and envelop their crosses with a multitude of Easter Lilies, to signify the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope of eternal life.

And now you know...

Happy Easter

An Afternoon with Dad

I realized the other day that perhaps it might be nice to update you on Dad with a video. Mom and I went on Friday to give Dad a hair cut and snapped a few pictures. He was not very responsive through most of the taping but I was able to capture some sweet moments. He is very weak and it seems a miracle that he keeps hanging on. I pray everyday he can be released from this life but while his sojourn continues here on earth he will be loved and taken care of. For those of you who have not been able to see Dad/Grandpa for some time this may be a little difficult to watch. Just know that every once and awhile we see a glimpse of him and it would make you smile.

Mom giving Dad a good luck kiss before I start cutting!

A video of Dad...

"We are always teaching..."

a house of order...

It was a year ago that Bob had had a conversation with our Stake President about an activity we had wanted to have with our Arboleda Branch youth. Every Fast Sunday we have a "Noche de Crepas" with the YM and YW. This particular Sunday was unusual because it was not only crepe night but the Super Bowl. We lamented over what to do. Watch the game with them, forget the game or postpone until the next week. Pres. Ostler simply counseled "We are always teaching." So we had our crepe night in conflict with the game. I don't remember if we had a low YM turnout. It doesn't matter. The words "we are always teaching" comes up often as we make decisions with our calling and as parents.

After I finished reading this morning my heart remembered this counsel and so I want to share some thoughts.

In D&C 93 it teaches us first of light, then of learning, then of teaching.

Light:

2: Christ is the "true light that lighteth everyman that cometh into the world."

Learn:

28:He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.

So bottom line...keep the commandments and there are more then twelve. We are commanded in many things. And this is the command given in 93 that is so important, especially to you parents raising kids now...

Teach:

40: But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth

Now Frederick Williams is getting chewed up a bit here:

42: Ye have not taught your children light and truth, according to the commandments; and that wicked one hath power as yet, over you, and this is the cause of your affliction... "set in order your own house, for there are many things that are not right in your house..." Joseph Smith gets rebuked and then Newel Whitney on the same issue. It is safe to say that this would include all of us on some level. I can't teach if I don't know, and I can't know unless I am obedient. This is the condition of "light and truth." And here is the guide: D&C 109:7-8

Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even

a house of prayer,

a house of fasting,

a house of faith,

a house of learning,

a house of glory,

a house of order,

a house of God.

Take a deep breath... I know it sounds simpler then it is. Never get discouraged or give up. Be the light...so they can see the way.

Loves...

Wall Street Journal..."Did I Get Married Too Soon"?

December 16th 1977

November 2009

I was 19 (almost 20), Bob was 21 and recently home from his mission when we got married. We knew each other in High School...sort of. He had a girlfriend (that would be you Judy) and I was two years younger and didn't really run in his circle. It was April of 1977 and I had just gotten home from a year at BYU when I saw him at a dance festival. We technically met for the first

time, we dated, we broke up (actually he dumped me) and then we got back together (three days later he regretted dumping me). Our first date was the first of June, we were engaged by October and married by December. There is a love story between these lines but that is not why I am writing this entry. Bob received an article in the Wall Street Journal written by a staff member at Institute for American Values entitled "Did I Get Married Too Soon?" To both pro and con advocates I will be really honest. There were times I thought I had. I loved Bob and wanted to marry him so I did. I had a Hollywood idea of what marriage would be like and found out that it is much easier create a love story in an 1 1/2 hours on a movie screen then to create one in real life. Only one night at the movies and you have wives all over

the world saying to their husbands..."Why aren't you more like Edward!!!" I haven't read the books or seen the movies but I associate with enough young women and grown women alike to know it has had a damaging impact on their idea of what love really is. Vampires....really? I once heard a women lecturing on this subject. She was trying to help detox her daughter from the effects of the movie "Titanic". I remember one of my daughters (it was Kendra and her friend Katy Slade) coming home with her friend, both being in tears over the death of Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie. Kate and Leonardo...now they had a real love story. She then went on to say, "It's a good thing that boy died because the minute he hit shore he would have been gone." I laughed at her brutal honesty on the subject. My biggest problem in getting married so young was that I was immature.I dove head first into a world where I had to be selfless, loyal, hard working, careful with money, careful with words. The list goes on and on.

What I know now that I didn't know then is that I made the right choice...for me. What I could not see then, I see so clearly now. I saw it this week when I went to lunch with a young friend of mine that has been married only 9 months. The transformation is taking place in her and she is beautiful. How do you best teach a young woman service. Place her newborn child in her arms.

(Jessica as a baby. I don't remember everything being so orange and that I have no pictures of her and I when she was a newborn baby!)

How do you teach a young woman selflessness? Support a husband through the countless hours of school and/or work. Even sweeter is if he knows he is coming home to a wife that greets him with an understanding spirit and a warmed up plate of dinner. How do you teach a young woman about order and clean. Let her experience the chaos of a dirty home and piled up laundry. She learns quickly the virtue of hard work and sees the spirit of peace in her home when she creates a house of order. I was so busy developing these skills out of necessity (usually due to a lack of funds), that I didn't notice the incremental growth along the way. I did not have the wisdom at 19 to know this but at 52 it is as clear as day.

I told my husband on our date last night that I came up with the perfect analogy for this article. I was told once that the best way to get through your day was to start with the challenging things first so that your evenings are peaceful. It is true of marriage and family. Start while you are young and fresh and full of energy. Grow and stretch through your eternal progression. Rid yourself of all the human tendencies that make you miserable. Life will never be without it's challenges, old or young, but my life is more peaceful now. I am content and love sharing the "evenings" with my husband. It is so much sweeter than I had anticipated. So here's to 32 years and growing up together.

In the dirt with Grandma.

I got to watch Elli and Wesley the other day while Jessica ran some errands. I had some gardening and thought "What a perfect activity for my grandkids! I'll get so much done and we'll have so much fun doing it!" OK, We had a lot of fun.

Elli insisted on raking the pots we had just planted. We lost a little dirt but the plants survived.

Wesley said that only blue gloves would do. Thank heavens Targets marketing team agreed with him.

First an old fashioned picnic...except I got the food at Wendys which technically makes it not so old fashioned. I could have fried up some chicken and made some potato salad but why?

Gender gardening tools. Gotta love Target.

Wesley got the hang of it and lasted about 2 mintues. Elli's contribution was raking the stone. But who cares, her entire ensemble was color coordinates...pink and green...what else matters?

Zero tolerance for dirt in her shoes. She did this more than worked in it...

But look! We have matching shoes! Mine are on the left I am embarrassed to admit. It's my Mom's fault. I guess with two of us to cook (I'm a twin) she just got tired and didn't finish my feet.

Nature calls. I just wished it hadn't been in the bed we were just about to work in!

So the gardening didn't last long. Next up...running in the sprinklers!

A final shot of the work...I did. My grandkids contribution...not to pull it all out! Great day

To be chosen by a good man,,,

I want my daughters to be beautiful, accomplished and good;

to be admired, loved, and respected; to have a happy youth,

to be well and wisely married, and to lead useful, pleasant lives,

with as little care and sorrow to try them as God sees fit to send.

To be loved and chosen by a good man is the best and sweetest thing which can happen to a woman; and I sincerely hope my girls may know this beautiful experience...

Louisa May Alcott

"Little Woman"

Bob, thank you for choosing me all those years ago and for reminding me everyday that I am the best thing that ever happened to you. I feel the same about you. I love you.

Happy Valentines Day