Life Lesson

In my life, I have spent a lot of fun time piano accompanying. Playing and visiting new venues, with lots of fun people was a blast After playing for the Institute choir in my college days (that's where I met Randy) I began to wonder where I fit in as an accompanist, because clearly. the attention was directed at the singers. Sometimes I would feel lonely, patiently waiting on the piano bench, anticipating my own directions, or secretly wishing my part was worthy of the directors attention.

Years passed by and as a young married girl, I found myself accompanying for another fun womens' group. Again, those same feelings of wanting to be at least noticed, popped up. . . . ("Hello...over here...") But I was always ready to play when needed, and like a dog waiting for a bone, playing was the reward! Then one night, the director paused. She began speaking about how important it was to have a good accompanist, because if they are "rusty" or unprepared, it takes time away from the group. The director ends up attending to the pianists flaws. Kind of like a "squeaky wheel". The whole experience hinges on the quality of the accompanist. She was referring to me, and crediting me for being that good. She also said that you can tell a good accompanist when not a mere word is directed at them for correction. I was pleasantly surprised. After all those times of wondering where I stood, thanks to her, I finally knew. I must say that I had to eat "humble pie", but I will forever be grateful for what I learned that night. It applies so perfectly to LIFE. So, you don't always have to be noticed to be good. Imagine that!

This week, my Mom ended up in the hospital for a couple of days, unexpectedly. Thankfully she is home again, now. But when someone you love so much goes through a scare, you begin to think of things like, "I wonder if I have told her enough how much I love her?". She hasn't required a lot of attention. She is easy to please. She is an angel. She always has a smile. She is there in a pinch. She would do anything for me. She loves me. She is so worthy of the highest degree of praise. And then I think of my piano days . . .

She is not a squeaky wheel. She rolls quietly and smoothly along with goodness. She KNOWS her "part". She is ready to perform. And she does it flawlessly. No complaints or adjustments. She's perfect. She watches on the sidelines for her opportunity to serve.

No, you don't always have to be noticed to be good. Mom is a shining example of that. but in case she is sitting on the bench wondering where she fits in . . . "I Love You dearly, Mom!"

Grand imprints

Have you ever laid on a memory foam mattress? You know how when you get up, there is still an imprint of your body still molded in the foam that doesn't go away for a long time? That's how I feel today.
I know how it feels when little Emmie comes to visit and we soak in every minute we can with her, (since we don't see her but every few months) and then we have to let her go back home. There is an imprint of her little self that lingers in our hearts that doesn't go away for a long time. Kind of like a lump in your throat.
But, this weekend, we got to watch Kate - overnight. . . By ourselves! We soaked in every minute. She was so good. And do you know what? Even though Kate lives just 15 minutes away, and we could see her everyday if we wanted, the imprint that she left in our hearts when she had to go home is just as deep as if we were letting Emmie go to her home 15 hours away.
If you are reading this, and you are our children, just know that we really do know that those sweet little girls belong to you! We also know that the reason they are so good is because of you.
I just learned today, though. that those little imprints are the same - no matter where you live.

What are you doing for Easter?

I almost cried at the start of conference on Saturday. Hearing the music and seeing the temple made me realize how completely thirsty I was for the abundance of knowledge I was about to receive. Isn't that funny? I didn't even know how in love I am with conference. . . To tears!

I had a piano Mom ask me what our plans were for Easter. Was I doing a family dinner? It caught me off-guard. No, our family dinner is held on the Fast Sundays. We join together with my brothers and their families ("the cousins") routinely on those Sundays. I pictured myself on this Easter Sunday, and I knew that what I would be doing, compared to what she would be doing would be totally different. I would be soaking in General conference for 2 days. At our house or at my parents home in Gilbert. An Easter feast? Yes! I think this week when I see her, I won't be caught as far off guard. I might be ready to tell her about my Easter.

He Lives!

A Hairy Day

Everyday for a week we have had people ask us if we found Hairy. They call us, they ring our doorbell . . .I even had a mother call today that has lessons tomorrow. I thought she was going to reschedule lessons, but she just wanted to know if we found Hairy, that's all, "OK, see you tomorrow". We did find Hairy. A man caught her going "due west" last Wed. morning, about 15 minutes after she disappeared. He didn't see the posters until that evening, so Hairy spent the day with him.
If Hairy only knew how we spent our day. . . It's one I don't want to forget.
One Grandma. Two darling grand daughters. Joyously babysitting for the morning while their moms (our good daughters) went shopping. Beautiful day. Haphazard decision to take Hairy with us for a walk. . . Emmie had Hairy by the leash. We enjoyed every little footstep since it takes time to get up and down when you're so close to every pine cone. We studied everything. As we got to the end of our street, we made a turn to go slowly back home. The girls were good, Hairy was not. As we turned around, Hairy pulled in the opposite direction. With Emmie's grip, she held on as tight as her 21 months could hold. It was enough to give Hairy leverage to slip backwards, right out of her collar. She ran frantically northbound like an escaped criminal. I grabbed both of the little girls hands, knowing they were a priority and I did NOT have a third hand for any dog that was on the run - besides, I knew we could catch up to her in the car. She never got very far, what with every tree and bush filled with gross stuff to eat. I picked up Kate and Emmie ran with me. I strapped Emmie into the car seat, since I knew she probably could make more of a mess than Kate (ha). We were off. Kate had free rein of the whole back of the van. We went at a snails pace. Hardly moving at all. Hairy had to be under someones bushes. I could just see her in my imagination, sniffing and trotting on and stopping to sniff again. No Hairy. We just covered our 2 streets, since I had never known Hairy to go out of our neighborhood, besides, her feet are so small, she gets "bushed" easily. I couldn't believe she wasn't somewhere close. I knew we'd find her. After circling the streets, I headed back to the house. Our next plan would be to strap the little girls into the double stroller (thankfully loaned to us be our good neighbors). I parked the car and turned to find Kate standing next to Emmie sharing her new found treasure, an opened package of juicy fruit gum. She had half a stick in her mouth and was quickly sharing the rest of the pieces with Emmie. I had to laugh out loud while I hurried to empty Kate and Emmie's mouths, knowing they knew they would be busted. I left Kate in the car, since her favorite game is for people to chase her, and I knew she would probably want to play it. I lifted Emmie out and sat her in the stroller. (Ah, one in!) Since my distraction of putting Emmie in, Kate had a new plan. She had now made her way to the driver's seat, where I had left the gum in the door handle. As I looked up to grab her, she was sitting there, madly unwrapping sticks of gum as fast as her little 16 month old hands could manage. The look on her face said it all! She knew she had hit the jackpot. (Glee!) So I rolled Emmie around the front of the car and left her outside the driver's door while I opened it and grabbed Kate. I was completely tickled at the site of her new found mischief. I grabbed her, taking out the half piece of gum in her mouth (some still in the wrapper) and some in her little hand. As I felt relief from the gum ordeal being over, and with both girls out of the car, I turned to put Kate in the stroller. . . No stroller. It was not at my feet where I had left it. I was panicked. But my peripheral vision led my eyes to see the back of it, rolling away from me, with the back of Emmie's little red haired head helplessly heading so slowly towards the street. With a quick 2 steps, holding Kate in one arm and grabbing Emmie's handle with the other, (my heart raced at the image I had just witnessed) I tucked Kate in and said a quick prayer of thanks. I didn't feel that we had narrowly escaped a disaster, I just felt a knowledge that we were being watched by Heavenly Father. My short prayer was for thankfulness of that knowledge. There is a reason I was not born with 3 arms. Hairy was not the priority that day, even though she was the reason for the experience. I am in love with 2 little grand daughters. And because of the worry, joy, and gratitude I felt that day, I know he loves us all.

new beginnings

March has been busy. Awesome family all here. Awesome family in the temple together for Jeff and Vita's wedding and reception. Grand daughters that were born to play. Dog lost. Dog found. Julianne and Emmie back to NE. Randy released from Bishopric. (All the spaces in this post so far are packed full of memories that bring a smile across my face from ear to ear.) New beginnings?. . . A perfect season!

THANK- YOU!

Yep, today we let Julianne and Emmie go back to Brenden. He misses them, but always unselfishly shares them with us, helping us sense what heaven can be like. But as hard as it is to let her go, it is sweet to realize that he is so anxious to have her back. It was so fun to have her here, though. We played and played and ran and ran and oooed and awwwed and ran some more. Pure delight! Definitely a light goes on when our children come back home. I am grateful for each of our children and their spouses, who one by one have come into our little fold, to love and support each other.  No words can express the joy in the heart of a mother when she sees her children drop everything to be around each other. Thank- you , dear children!

Sisters

Sisters . . . I never had my own, only awesome brothers (NO complaints!) But we had 2 girls back to back. I wanted to do cartwheels after each one, but it was hard, what with C sections, etc. Today, they are grown and have each blessed us with one delightful little grand daughter a piece. Be still my heart! They are 5 months apart. Oh, the joy. Today Grandpa took the day off to watch them while the 3 of us went shopping. He only changed 5 total diapers in 3 hours. He's a trooper. It was heaven to be with the girls. I think Heavenly Father knew they would be wonderful friends. I am blessed. . . and you should see these grand daughters!