My Ongoing Journey View RSS

Unexpected Visitor... 14 Jun 2023 10:44 AM (last year)

 

The older I get, the more I realize that with the dawning of each new day comes a new and perhaps surprising experience.  I have been discovering at this stage of my life (8 decades plus) that no matter how young or old you might be, there is always something new to learn, experience, or discover.

It is late Spring, 2023, and this morning was one of those "discovery" days!  I get up pretty early most days because I have flowers in my garden that need watering or else they will die in this desert heat.  I love my garden and I love my flowers.  On this particular day, I discovered there was a visitor in my yard...an uninvited visitor!  Oh, it's not that I dislike wildlife, but when they invade my growing things and think it is their food, that is where I draw the line.

This morning, I was greeted by a little grey bunny (probably an adult...or a pesky "teen-ager") sitting just behind my favorite red flowers!  ;Startled at first, I wasn't sure what to do, so I turned the hose on "him," "her," "it," and startled it, as well!  I chased it all over the yard and called for my husband to join.  It was a merry chase!

For the life of us, we could not figure out how it got into the yard.  Dean had spent days and hours "bunny-proofing every inch of our fence!  It would seem that that was to no avail.  Somehow, somewhere, that little pest got into the yard.   It was quite funny to watch it run (hop) to the corner where it used to get in and freeze!  There was no way out.  Throughout this merry chase, it dawned on me that the other day, I found the side gate open and it had been open for at least a day and a night.  I shut it and hoped that was the end of the drama.

What I am thinking, and my husband agrees, that bunny was already in the yard, probably hiding in one of the bushes, and I had just shut him "in," not "out!"

After chasing the rascal around the yard with "deer-out"spray, I opened the gate and let it out.  Hopefully that is the end of the drama and I will not find this little furry bunny-rabbit in my yard again.  No more chasing him out of my garden...that is, util someone forgets and leaves the side gate open again!

Don't you just love a new discovery to add to a little flavor to your life's journey?  😄

Rediscovering Books... 16 Mar 2023 5:43 AM (last year)

 For the past few weeks, I have rediscovered the art of reading a good book again.  I have learned two new tricks to help me do that.  You know, of course, that for the past 20 years or so I have struggled with my vision.  The losses that I have endured have pretty much come to a halt, though and my vision is the best or the worst that it will ever be and I am adapting.

The first thing that I have discovered is that I can "listen" to a book being read with a program called Audible.  It is a wonderful tool!  I can either just listen to someone (or the author) read the book to me, or I can also follow along with the physical book.  I like both.  The other discovery I have made is that I CAN actually read a book.  It is much slower, of course, because I have difficulty still connecting words when I can only see the end of it and have to move my eyes backwards to find the beginning of it.

I recently acquired a wonderful book, an autobiography of an old friend and mentor of mine named Don Bluth.  Perhaps you have heard of him.  He was an amazing animator who worked first for Disney, then branched off on his own, creating Don Bluth Inc.  He and his fellow animators created such movies as "The Secret of NIMH," "An American Tail," "Land Before Time," "Rock-a-doodle," "All Dogs Go To Heaven," and "Anastasia."  The book is Called, "Somewhere Out There."

I knew Don when he lived in Santa Monica and we attended the same Church.  He was an amazing 18-19 year old who directed our youth in light operettas, such as "Rio Rico: The King of Cocos Isle," The Mikado," "H.M.S. Pinafore," great Roadshows and other productions.  I was privileged to be in and/or play the lead in many of his productions.  When he was 19 years old, he went on a Mission for our Church to Argentina.  He served there for 2 1/2 years, creating many musical and dramatic productions for the Argentines!

After Don came home, he and his brother opened a playhouse in Santa Monica called, "Bluth Brothers Theater.  He did that with the help of his brother, Fred.  They were quite a duo.  And then, at last, he got his dream job at Disney Studios as an Animator, and his career took off from there.

I haven't seen Don since my high school days, so it was a joy for me to hear him narrate his book while I follow along with the reading. " Good job, my friend!  I am grateful for having had the opportunity to know you way back when."  He now owns and operates a new theater in Scottsdale, AZ, called "The Front Row Theater."  I hope to be able to attend one of his plays some day soon.

I am so grateful for modern day technology that has allowed me to both read and hear the many books that I love to read.  God has surely blessed those who have created this for people like me who do not see like they used to.

There Goes Another One... 31 Dec 2022 6:51 AM (2 years ago)

 I cannot believe today is the last day of yet another year!  Why, only yesterday it seems as though it was only just begun.  I am sitting at my desk on this 31st day of December, 2022, and I am trying to recapture all of the events of this past year.  There were many!

In February, Dean was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer and that threw him into a long debate of whether or not he should have the surgery of just go straight to the radiation therapies recommended by his Oncologist.  It was a long debate!  At the conclusion of what seemed like a lifetime, he opted to see a Urology Surgeon in Phoenix who did Robotic Surgery.  A couple of weeks later, he drove himself to his cousin/s house in Phoenix who took him to the hospital for the surgery.  I had to stay home, because I don't drive and I couldn't go into the hospital with him anyway.  I felt so helpless...all I could do was pray and wait.

The surgery went well, and in a couple of days, he was able to drive home.  I was glad to see him again and glad that I was able to assist with his recovery.  That  recovery period was a slow process, but we managed to get him over the hump and back to the Doctor for a follow-up visit.  I was able to go with him this time.  The Doctor said he was doing fine and ordered a PSA test in a couple of weeks.  That test was a little high, so he would have another one in another few weeks.  Again, it was high and going up.  At this point Dean consulted again with his Oncologist, who talked at great length with us about why his PSA was up and he recommended radiation therapy...the one treatment we had tried to avoid.

And so began four weeks of radiation treatments.  At the end, his PSA was at a decent level and we were relieved.  Cancer and its treatments are not for sissies!  For now, it is all behind us.  He still has to monitor his PSA levels and each time we pray for good results.

My children are doing pretty well.  Mark is struggling with the loss of his teeth since his oral Cancer and treatments.  After the gums healed, he was able to get "new teeth," and he has joined my club of learning how to tolerate these foreign bodies in our mouths.  (I got a whole new set myself, as the old ones were wearing out and not fitting well anymore!). Kim is enjoying her roll as Grandmother of 10.  We enjoy the reports and pictures.  Debi continues to be active in golf, although she has had to give up softball!  She is awaiting a shoulder replacement in January!  She just wore the darned thing out over the years.  She also battles skin Cancer, like her mother!  

JerriAnne is continuing to love here career with the blind school in Springville, Utah.  Oh, how she loves those children.  Heather works much too hard and was asked to give up one of her jobs... the Real Estate market is suffering right now, so they laid her off.  That has been a blessing in disguise for her.    What's this I hear about a planned trip to London next year?  I'm jealous!  In August, we shared her surprise 50th Birthday Party in Las Vegas with Rich, Elissa and a lot of family and friends.  That was a wonderful party!  And last, but far from least, is Billy.  He has pretty much settled into his new/old life in Redmond, Oregon and tells me he is very happy and "peaceful," as he puts it.  We miss him here.  He and Monica did come here in October for a visit and we just couldn't get enough of him.  He was only here for 2 days!

n July we ventured a trip to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico to visit with my sister, Chrisie!  We had a wonderful time.  We talked Hal, my brother-in-law, to come with us and I really think he enjoyed himself.  We even went to see Sue (Chrisie's friend) perform at the local Elk's Club.  She really puts on a great show!  All inb all, we had a wonderful trip.  We even stopped in Hatch to pick up some green chili's.  Chrisie and Sue helped Dean and I get those chili's stripped and put in baggies and frozen to take home!  Dean loves those things!

The last couple of months have been pretty quiet around here, except we did travel to Laughlin, Nevada for Thanksgiving with Hal and his granddaughter, Stasia and her husband and baby, Lennix.  It was a most unusual Thanksgiving celebration, but great to be with family again.  After that, we made a little detour to St. George to see Mark for a couple of days.  He recently suffered a spider bite to his left hand and his right thumb.  The left hand required surgery!  Poor guy...he just can't seem to catch a break these days!  

Dean did surprise me with the honor he was given to play "Taps" at Military Funerals at the National Cemetery in Prescott, as well as several other sites around the valley.  He is now serving his country in a very special way and I am so proud of him.

We celebrated the Christmas season with the many Concerts in the area.  Dean was involved in about 4 of them.  It is a busy season for him and I get to be a grateful audience!  My days of participation are behind me.  We did sing a duet at his Church one Sunday, and that felt good to participate in something once again.  

The Christmas season brought so many memories of Christmases of old to mind and I had a wonderful time this year decorating the house and the tree, baking goodies and just loving the season.  The realization that family and friends are ever more important in my life was a glorious one.  And, of course, keeping the REAL reason for the season uppermost in our minds gave me so much peace and love for the season...probably more than I have felt in years.  Somehow it made all of the chaos going on in the world pale by comparison.  Thank you, Jesus, for being born into this crazy world and for all that you did for us and for all that you taught us.  Your sacrifice has been such a great example for me in my life.  

And so, with the day dwindling away, I bid a fond farewell to another year with these words...

        ...At the end of the year, when your heart needs a lift--get involved with Christmas music, immerse yourself into sending out Cards and Letters to loved ones, buy or make special gifts for loved ones, enjoy the sparkling lights all around you, and smile every time you turn on the lights of your own tree...and most of all cuddle in your heart that beautiful little baby, born in a cattle stall and laid to rest on a bed of hay.  Do a kind deed for someone in need.  If you do all of these things with love and thanksgiving, your heart will be full and the season will surely be bright.

God bless you, every one!

And now, we prepare to welcome in a whole new year.  Though we don't know what experiences it will bring, we do know that each and every day is in the Master's Hands and All is Well!

                HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Water Under The Bridge... 17 Nov 2022 3:00 AM (2 years ago)

 I stand on a bridge and look over the rail.  First, I contemplate where the water came from, and second, I move to the other side and I try to imagine where it is going.  My life's experiences are like the water flowing under that bridge.  Looking back, I see clearly how each and every experience has shaped my life and given me perspectives that can come by no other way.  

Some of those experiences were planted into my life's garden by bad choices.  Like weeds, they grew and nearly strangled me and ruined my beautiful garden!  But, I gathered strength and pulled each and every one of those nasty weeds out of my garden, making it easier to grow again.  Bad choices just seem to creep in sometimes when you least expect them  But if I catch them early and recognize them for what they are, reverse my course, "pull the little weed," then my work later won't be so hard.  And those experiences become just "water under the bridge."

Mostly, I have made extremely good choices which have nourished me and helped me to grow in oh, so many ways!  Good choices, like choosing to go to a place where I could find a good man to marry; choices like wanting and having a large family; and choices like staying close to my Savior when I need Him most.  Those choices are like the sunshine that nourishes my garden.  Whenever I let the light of the Gospel into my life, and pray often, then I can move easily along the path of my life, and my journey is not burdened with noxious weeds.  Good experiences are also "water under that bridge!"

Such has been the experiences of my life thus far.  Now, I step to the other side of the bridge and watch the water flow farther and farther away from me.  I have no idea where the rest of my life is going, nor do I know where the water will end, but I do know the direction I have chosen for my life.  All of our future experiences cannot be seen, because we do not know what storms may come; what unexpected choices we will be faced with; what lies at the end of the journey.  And so, the water's destination and my own are unknown.

I have plotted my course and it leads me to a glorious end in heaven surrounded by all of the family and friends who have traveled their own path to reach their goals.  That much is my greatest desire and I work daily to reach it!  Oh, what a glorious day that will be.  I truly look forward to it!

Meanwhile, I will set my canoe upon those waters and travel along the way to my destination, welcoming whatever new experience the Good Shepherd has in store for me.  I know it probably sounds a little morbid to speak of these things, but I am in the sunset of my life.  I've lived much longer than I ever anticipated I would.  At some point, known only to the Lord, it will end.

Many days, I feel like I can continue on my journey for another 10-20 years.  My aging body is slowing down, but my heart and my mind are not. If the Good Lord permits it, perhaps I shall see His glorious Second Coming.  I would love that!  But, alas, we do not know when that day will be.  It could be very soon in our time, or somewhere in the distance.  Nevertheless, all the righteous of the world will rejoice and I picture even the confused ones seeing His light and falling to their knees ready to repent and they, too shall receive Him.

Meanwhile, I will stand on my proverbial bridge and ponder!

Families Are Forever... 19 Sep 2022 5:23 AM (2 years ago)

 From my earliest recollections, Families have been the most important circle of my existence!  Though I don't remember the event, I am sure the first person's face in my family that I saw was my Mother!  Ah!  My Mother!  She was my constant companion and the cutting of the umbilical cord could not separate us!

But life moves forward and slowly, ever so slowly, others entered between my Mother and I.  First came me Dad, then my Brother, then my friends, and then came Gerry!  Though he was the love of my life, leaving my Mother was difficult, somehow.  I remember every vacation we ever had in our married life together had to be to my Mother's home!  Pretty selfish, huh?  But Gerry went along with my wishes and home it was for vacation.

My Daddy was the second most important family member in my life.  He was my protector, my teacher, my guide, my disciplinarian and my friend.  He scolded me when I did wrong, he praised me when I did right and his love for me was never changing, unconditional.  Both of my parents have gone to Heaven now, but I know that I will see and be with them again for eternity.  The same is true of my husband, Gerry.  He is gone now, too but we will be together for eternity also.

My brother, Darell, though my greatest tease when we were kids, became my best friend after our parents were gone.  He was my rock.  We loved reminiscing about "the good old days when we were kids" and even about some more recent experience together that we cherished.  And, guess what...he is gone now, too and I miss him.

There is a gap of 9 years between my sister, Chrisie and I, but in the past few years, that gap doesn't seem so wide anymore and we ave become great friends.  She always has and still does make me laugh!  She knows the deep sorrow of widowhood and we relate to that a lot.  Thank goodness she is still living so we can still share experiences together.

The family that I was blessed with...

All of my growing up years were spent dreaming about marriage and then a family.  I always wanted to be a "Mom!"  I married Gerry (Gerald Vernon Henderson) on June 7, 1958 in the Los Angeles Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It was a beautiful summer day and carried with it the hope of a bright future. Gerry was a Geologist and with that job came a lot of travel and moving.  I think we moved 10 times before settling down in Southern California in 1970.  What a wonderful adventure.  And we filled our home with nearly perfect, beautiful children.

(The above picture has 5 of my children in it, plus my sister, Chrisie and Granddaughter, Abbie.  (And me!)

Our firstborn, Kimberlee Laurie was born on March 26, 1959 in Santa Monica, California.  She was the most perfect little baby girl I had ever seen and I fell in love with her immediately.  I loved just holding her and cuddling her and nurturing her.  As she grew, that love never faded.  She was never a problem child and I was grateful for that.  She fulfilled her destiny to become  a wife and mother and has given me 4 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren (at the time of this writing).  What a wonderful legacy from my firstborn.

One year after Kim's birth came Mark (Mark Randall).  He was born on March 21, 1960.  Gerry was so delighted with his little boy and his little girl.  He wanted to stop right there because we had the perfect family.  For a while, Kim and Mark grew into great buddies, but over the years, they became the individual little people they were meant to be.  Kim, the perfect little lady, and Mark, the rough and tumble "normal" little boy.  I loved watching them grow.

Mark had a rough life, and when his Dad died, he withdrew more and more into himself.  He was married twice and had 4 children (2 from each marriage).  Life has not been kind to my son.  He is a Cancer surviver, but it left him toothless and has only part of his tongue.  He is very self-conscious of his speech impediment.  Over the years, he has become a great friend to me.  I love my son so much.  He has added those 4 grandchildren (as mentioned above) and 2 great-grandchildren to my family tree.

Two years after Mark was born, along came Debi (Debra Dawn).  She was totally unexpected and not planned...and Gerry was nervous about a growing family.  He had come from a family of 9 children and grew up on Welfare.  He wanted better than that for his family thus became a work-a-holic!  He would have been content to stop at 2.  What can I say?  It takes two to make this happen and I tried my best to be the obedient wife.  At any rate, Debi was the product of our love and now there were three.  She was born on January 14, 1962 in the middle of a snow storm!

Debi was a delightful little girl...quite the opposite personality of Kim.  She was actually a little girl copy of Mark!  She was a joy to have in our family and I really was glad she was here.  Gerry took to her, too and loved his little girls.  Debi grew up to be quite a sweet young woman.  She was much like my sister, Chrisie..athletic and loves the outdoors.  She didn't choose well in the marriage department.  Like her love for baseball, it was "two down and one to go"...the third one truly was her "home run."  She was blessed with two children from y her first marriage.  And those two brought forth 2 great-grandchildren for me.  "I love you, Debi.  You bring joy into my life!

Another two years passed, and I was getting "baby hungry!"  Gerry was gone a lot and I was home alone a lot of the time.  I needed another baby to love.  So, I prayed for another one.  And the Lord heard my prayers and sent another sweet little girl to our family.  All Gerry could say was, "Oh, No!"  But I knew that deep in his heart, he loved his children...each and every one of them.  And the Lord had provided all the work he would ever need to support them.  

We had a hard time coming up with a name for her, but settled on JerriAnne.  It fit her perfectly.  She was born on May 28, 1964, Memorial Day Weekend!  She had some difficulties as an infant.  She was allergic to many things and developed a raging UTI, which the Dr. diagnosed as the result of an anomaly in her urinary tract.  She had  two Ureters coming down from her right kidney.  That is what caused the urine to back up and resulted in infections.  She eventually out grew it, as the Dr. said she would.

JerriAnne adored her big sister, Debi and tried to be like her in every way.  Debi did not like that and pushed JerriAnne away constantly.  As a result, they are not the best of friends...even to this day.  I wish I could have made it different for them, but I couldn't when they were little and I certainly cannot today.  I do love both of my girls, however.  JerriAnne was not lucky in the love department.  She had a few boyfriends, but never could find the "right one."  So, she remains single.  She loves children, and because she never had any of her own, she became a teacher and her love of children led her to teaching little blind ones.  They are her children!

After JerriAnne was born, Gerry decided he wanted to go back to school to get his Doctorate and eventually teach at the University level.  So, with 4 children and a little trailer with our family belongings, the Henderson family headed to Champaign, Illinois and the University of Illinois Geology/Clay Mineralogy Department for 3 years.  Those 3 years were the hardest of my life...and I'm sure they weren't easy for Gerry.  He went to school and studied, and I went to work and took care of children.  Their ages at this point ranged from 7 down to 2 years of age.

Though those 3 years were difficult, I have to say they were the most rewarding of our lives.  Gerry accomplished his goal and I loved being his "help-meet." In February of 1969, we headed to Southern California, where Gerry would begin his Teaching career.  His first job was part-time at a California University in Los Angeles.  He also did some night teaching at USC.  In June of 1970, we moved to Rowland Heights, and in the fall he started his full-time job at Cal-Poly University in Pomona.  He loved that job.  He got along well with his students and was looked up to by the staff, eventually becoming Head of the Geology Department (Earth Sciences).

On August 2, 1972, we welcomed our fifth and final child to the world.  Heather Colleen was a beautiful little girl and would "dance" her way into my heart.  It had been 8 years since I had JerriAnne, and I was a little rusty.  Oh, my!  We now had 4 girls and 1 boy...much to Mark's dismay!  He told me once to do him a favor and not have anymore, because he already had too many sisters!  He was their tease, but I suspect deep in his heart he really loves them.

Heather was a natural-born dancer...much like her mother.  I was elated with that.  I loved watching her dance in recitals and plays and all around the house.  Shen she was 8-years-old, we lost her daddy.  He died suddenly of a heart attack on February 7, 1981.  It was a huge loss for this family.  I didn't know how we were going to carry on without him.  For months, I was numb and would ask the Lord, "Why did He have to take my Soul-Mate?"  Why did He need him more than I did?"  I don't think I ever really got an answer that satisfied me.  I missed Gerry terribly.  But, I knew we were a forever family and we would be together again.  And somehow, I knew he would always be close by to guide me.

A new course, a new ship and a new rudder...

I don't know why Gerry had to die at such a young age...I have given up questioning.  But, at the age of 49, on February 7, 1981 he was called home to Father for another purpose.  We all miss him terribly!  Though it was a struggle at first, I had to go on.  Kim had to go on with her plans for a June wedding.  Mark had to go on with finding his purpose in life.  Debi had to go on with whatever plans she was making for her future.  JerriAnne had to go on and finish High School.  And Heather had to go on and grow up (she was only 8!).

In the beginning it was hard.  I only had a part-time job and supporting this household was no easy task.  I met with a financial advisor and cried, "Help!"  He did just that.  We set up some accounts for the two younger girls, set aside $$ for the three older ones, put away some $$ for. myself, and planned a "dream" vacation for me.  I chose a Cruise to Alaska.  It was planned for August.  I would take Debi and JerriAnne with me.

I will never forget that trip...for many reasons!  It was a first for me and having my two daughters with me was such a blessing.  I saw some of the most beautiful scenery God has to offer in this part of our world.  When we weren't touring the stops along the way (Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway), we were at some buffet or dinner party "eating" the most wonderful food there was to offer on a Cruise.  AND, I met my "future" on the very first day on board.  His name was Dean Mickelson...14 years my younger...a Pharmacist from Taos, New Mexico (never heard of it!)

It was great fun to get to know this young man. While onboard, I never had any thoughts of any kind of a future relationship, we were both there for the trip of a lifetime on a Cruise and there was this age difference.  And the girls and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the Cruise.  We were there for a week.  When it was over, it was hard to say good-bye to the beautiful Sun Princess.

After our Cruise, the girls and the rest of our family met in St. George, picked up our boat (now my dad's) and headed to Lake Powell for a week.  We love that lake and water skiing and camping are great family activities that have kept us going for years.

I don't really know when the "Correspondences" began, but Dean and started writing to each other, and through the mail, we fell in love.  Crazy, huh?  By April (25th...Easter) we were married.  And the rest is history. 

 Dean and I had one son, Billy, who is the light of my life!  He is a talented young man.  He tours with his one-man-band, playing his Cello...self-taught.  He writes music that is only his and has gathered quite a following all over the world.  He is happy with his music and his life and that makes me happy for him.  He tried marriage once, but found it just wasn't working and so now he connects with only girl-friends.  He has no desire to "try again!"  I love that boy.  Our spirits connect and he is a joy to have around.  We don't always agree on everything in this crazy world and that is OK.  Those things are not important to our relationship.

Eight Decades and Still Plugging Along...

I look back over those eight decades and I can hardly believe they are gone.  Where did they go?  In a couple of weeks I will be 83 and I don't feel that old.  I have lived a good life, corrected my course several times over those years and come to a place where I am content with "the whole of it!"

My progenitors include 6 children, 19 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.  This is my heritage!  This is the heritage I present to my parents and grandparents, etc.  May God bless each and everyone of them.

The World Has Forgotten...But I Never Will ! 14 Sep 2022 7:10 AM (2 years ago)

 I can still get emotional on 9/11!  And now, l cry for a fractured Nation!  Fractured?  Yes!  The destruction of our icons on that day 21 years ago did more than scar New York City, Washington DC, and a field in Pennsylvania...it left scars on our Nation...and I don't think they are going to heal any time soon.  Over the past 14 years, I have watched so many changes in our Nation, in our Government, in the Politicians that run our Country, and in the population--the people--in general.

The kindness and love that filled our hearts on September 12, 2001, turned into callouses and the youth of today weren't even there to witness the awful events of that day and a good number of them haven't even been taught about the day our Country was attacked.  They cannot relate to the horror of the events that our eyes, ears and hearts witnessed.  Some of their hearts have been turned toward the new Socialistic type of government that has gripped our Nation slowly over those years.  We now have a President who is "Hell-Bent" on finishing the job that Obama started in 2008.

I cannot abide these changes.  I cannot go along with these plans.  And if it means my destruction, then so be it.   I am ready.  I wish I were younger, because I would be a fighter and stand tall for righteousness and saving our Country.  But, I am old and I am weak, and I am nearly blind.  I have loved my Country for nearly all of my 82 (nearly 83) years and my heart is as broken as those two buildings in NYC that broke up and fell to the earth.

My daughter, Heather and her family visited NYC a few Christmases ago, when it was still a magical place to visit.  They paused for many moments at the Ground Zero fountain which rests on the spot of one of  the Towers.  They have re-built the World Trade Center where the other tower stood and for all of the generations who follow us.  nNow, they have a wonderful memorial to visit, ponder, and perhaps feel a little bit of what we felt on that day 21 years ago.

Where do we go from here?  Where will our Country be next year at this time?  We are divided practically in half.  I like to think that most of the Country is good and strong and patriotic, but I fear our numbers are being encroached upon by the other half, which is growing daily (with the help of the millions of illegal immigrants who cross our open border every year.  This is still America in my heart, but many don't feel that way.  Why, Lord, is this happening to our chosen land?  Why have we turned a blind eye and an unfeeling heart away from Thee?

One day I will understand God's plan for us and there will be peace.  But I will not be here to see it.  One day, our Savior will return to the earth and usher in His Government.  One day there will be peace upon the earth again.  One day Satan will lose his battle to claim all of the hearts of man and he will be chained for a thousand years and the earth will be free of wickedness.  One day...

I just pray that we will never see another 9/11 in our history. 

 

Life's Challenges... 26 Sep 2021 7:53 PM (3 years ago)

I find it peculiar that Dean and I seem to mirror each other with our life altering challenges.  For example, when I met Dean, he told me of his experiences with Cornea Transplants because of an eye disease that I had never heard of, called Keratoconus.  This is the coning of the corneas to a pointed configuration.  I was amazed by his experiences.  Twenty-one years later, I would experience a Cornea Transplant due to the exact opposite eye disease, called Fuchs Dystrophy.   This disease was the thickening of the cornea.  The only cure was to have a transplant.  He has had 9 eye surgeries, and I have had 5!

Dean's transplants all went well.  Mine, wasn't to be so fortunate for me.  I suffered an intraocular stroke in my right eye that wiped out the inner 1/3 of my Optic Nerve, leaving me virtually blind in that eye.  Four years later, Dean had an accident that dislodged one of his Corneas and had to have emergency surgery on that eye which resulted in damage to his retina.  Another surgery saved it!  But his eyesight suffered.  He has been dealing with the battle of bad eyesight ever since.  In 2016, my left eye developed the wet stage of Macular degeneration and I experienced a blind spot which cannot be reversed.  This is in my left eye.  So, I, too battle with bad eyesight!

In 1985 I had to have a total Hysterectomy due to the fact that my Uterus was just too worn out from having 6 children.  This year (2021, Dean had a () due to the development of Cancer.  I guess that is how life goes for us old folks.

In 2012, I suffered a subdural hematoma and had to undergo surgery to drain a massive bleed which left me with some bruising of my brain that I had to deal with for a time until healing could take place.  Last Thursday evening, Dean suffered a small Stroke that injured 2 sites on the left side of his Cerebellum, which has effected his speech.  He was a very lucky man, because it could have been  much worse.  He now has to have serious heart medications to keep his Atrial Fibrillation from causing more blood clots to be released to the brain.  

Dean has Atrial Fib, I have High Cholesterol; Dean has serious eye problems, I have serious eye problems; Dean had a stroke, I had a Subdural bleed; Dean has serious skin allergies, I have skin Cancer; Dean gets very cold in a warm room and I roast to death; Dean over-reacts to things, and I guess I under-react; Dean is a male, and I am a female!  Makes me wonder what else is life going to throw at us before all is said and done for the two of us.

I don't believe one can get through life with out challenges!  It is the stuff life is made of that helps us to grow.  If we don't, we just curl up in a ball and never get anywhere.  We either grow or we stagnate.  We either move on or we stay in one place.  We either live our lives in the sunshine or go around eternally with that proverbial little black cloud following us wherever we go.  Me?  I like sunshine!  Oh, I guess I like a little rain once in a while, but, boy!   When that sun comes out after a storm...that is my happy place!

Nine-Eleven Plus Twentty... 11 Sep 2021 8:52 AM (3 years ago)

 

Oh, my...I just can't wrap my brain around the fact that it has been 20 years since that dreadful day in history that brought America and her citizens to their knees!  Twenty years and I can remember that day as if it were just yesterday!  The images still float around in my brain can still bring back the same emotions that I felt on that day and for weeks afterward.

America cried.  Men and women cried.  Fathers and mothers cried.  Children cried.  And many around the world cried with us.

Today, some of those older men and women are no longer with us.  Some of our young men and women who volunteered to go fight a mindless enemy are no longer with us.  The children are grown up and some living today weren't even born yet.  We went to war...the longest conflict in the history of this country...and many more lost their lives.  We conquered the enemy...or did we?

Evil visited our shores on that infamous day and its influence here and around the world has spread like the virus that has beset us over the past year and a half.  The evil one has gained a stronghold on our country and the hearts of men and women in leadership positions.  Power hungry politicians lead our once great Republic!Our children have grown up with ideas of wanting to live in some fantasy land of Utopia...they are not taught to love this great land as I was taught.  I fear the injuries inflicted upon Lady Liberty twenty years ago are far deeper than the scars of the footprint left by two burning towers in a once great city...New York City.

If I could leave any comforting words to my children and grandchildren...even my great-grandchildren, they would be these.  America was more that a dream shared by a handful of men in 1776.  This land has always been "a land of promise," blessed by the hand of God and destined to become a great beacon of liberty to be seen from far and wide and respected.  That great God of this land put into the hearts of men to form a great nation...a beacon of liberty.  She was destined to become that "shining  city on a hill," spoken by one of her greatest Presidents, President Ronald Reagan.

In my eight decades upon this earth, I have seen America rise and fall through a World War (II), the Korean War, The Viet Nam conflict, and many other conflicts around the world pitting good against evil.  And though we always felt that good was winning, evil has slowly enveloped the hearts of men and we didn't even notice.  Each new generation has been spoon-fed on propaganda, first in our Universities and today, in our Public Schools.  Children as young as 5 or 6 are being taught that this is not a great country..."your parents are wrong!"

It took a pandemic...a world-wide virus...to open our eyes!  At least most of us who have been around for nearly 100 years!  Is it too late to turn things around?  Our president "The King Who Has No Clothes,"  has abandoned Americans and allies in Afghanistan, he has abandoned Americans at home, and we at home fear that evil will visit our shores once again.

The only thing we have to hold on to is our faith in God.  "If He brought us to it, He will bring us through it."  I believe, dear children, that God hears and will answer our prayers.  His plan for this great land is not finished.  Good will prevail over evil.  And we will be a beautiful America again.  Once again, we can lift our voices up toward Heaven and sing the strains of "America, The Beautiful!"  "Oh beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain.  For purple mountains majesty, above the fruited plain.  America, America, God shed his Grace on thee.  And crown thy good with brotherhood...from sea to shining sea."

As we remember that awful day of 9/11, 2001, may we also remember the day after that brought a nation together in brotherhood.  We were all one on that day...let's bring it back again!

Perhaps Near the End of My Journey... 6 Jul 2021 9:36 AM (3 years ago)

I usually sit down and write with pen in hand and a clean sheet of paper in front of me, but my eyesight is failing  and when I write my thoughts with a pen and paper, I come back later and cannot read them!  It's a real bummer and it is a dilemma I had hoped I would never face.  

My mother had Macular Degeneration, the same ailment I am dealing with.  We took her car keys away from her when it became obvious that she was a danger behind the wheel of a car.  She was the same age as me, which was 82 or 83!  I stopped driving about 2 years ago, and I refuse to get behind the wheel to drive.  I'm safer walking!

Sorry for the side-note!  To continue...I write now on the keyboard of my computer.  Thank God that I still have the mental capacity to remember where the keystrokes are.  It was a skill that I learned in High School and has served me well for decades.  So, here I am staring at the computer screen, and I must gather my thoughts and figure out what to write.  It has been a good while since I have even tried.

Covid 19 hit the country last year and slowed everything down...not only for me and my family, but for the whole world, as well,  My youngest daughter and her family got it, suffered its ill effects and recovered.  They were the only ones in my family who came down with the dreaded virus.  My husband and I dodged it at every turn.  We sequestered ourselves in our home for the most part, wore those stupid (needless) masks when required, and ate healthy, took our Vitamin D3, C, Zinc and whatever else we were of a desire to do.

The "pandemic" is pretty much over after a year and a half, except for the attempts by "higher-ups" who call themselves "Scientists" who scare us to believing otherwise.  I never did fear the virus and I never will.  I (and my family) use common sense and treated it just like we treat any other disease that is going around.  Panic and fear are not things I subscribe to.

So, with the world and the country trying to resume some semblance of normalcy, I think I have a jump start on all of them.  I go outside and work in my garden; I walk sometimes with my husband; we go out to eat; we go to Church and the Movies and Concerts.  And we do not wear masks in any of those events.  Here's how I look at it...if I get sick, so be it.  I know what to do to take care of myself.  If I get really sick and I should die as a result, again, so be it!  I'm not afraid of death!  I've lived nearly 82 years on this planet and it has been an exceptionally good, fulfilled, happy life.  And the way the world is going right now, honestly, I would welcome that Heavenly change!

So, my dear friends, that brings you up to speed with the life and journey of Florene (Lori) Davenport-Henderson-Mickelson,  and God willing, I will be back, hopefully sooner than later.  Until then, I bid you all farewell and God Speed!

                                                   

What is Truth? 19 Feb 2021 8:45 AM (4 years ago)

 I have been contemplating many things lately.  One of them, which keeps popping into my head is the dilemma we are dealing with in our country...in fact in all of the world... right now, on the subject of TRUTH.  There are so many voices out there.  Some of them shouting!  Some of them very calmly proclaiming their own version of their own truth.  Some of them preaching truth.  Some of them sneering that their version on truth is the ONLY TRUTH.  What is one to do?

With all of this noise and confusion all around me, I am reminded of a story that has been told in my Church, TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of a young boy who heard confusing voices all around him in the year of 1820.  They were attempting to sway people to join the various churches looking for members.  He was a boy who had been taught by his parents to search the Scriptures.  One day, as he was reading in the Gospel of John, he came across a verse that read, "...if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not."

The boy pondered these words and decided to put then to the test.  He walked into a wooded area near his home in Palmytra, New York, found a quiet, secluded spot and knelt down to pray.  He didn't expect what happened next and he was really surprised to find himself surrounded with light and directly in front of him, it was brightest of all...and there, in a pillar of light stood two personages.  And they spoke to him!  One introduced the other as His beloved son and said, "Hear Him!"

The boy's name was Joseph Smith and he had just seen a vision of the Father, who pointed to the other and called Him His beloved Son! This is a truth that I. know, because the Holy Ghost has testified the truthfulness of it to me many times.  And I cannot deny that Spirit.  Nor can I deny the burning within me that testifies truth.  This is a gift that has been given to me!  This is a gift I treasure.

There is a Hymn in our Hymn Book that asks, what is Truth?  The title of this Hymn is "Oh Say, What is Truth?"  From this hymn, I learn a great deal and it helps me find the answers to many of my questions.    It describes Truth as "the fairest gem"that the richest of worlds cannot produce.  Think about that for a moment.   Think about all of the principalities of the world and what they tell you that they say is their truth.  Is it?  Is it the fairest of gems?    Test it!  Next to truth, all of a "Monarch's diadem is counted as dross and refuse."  Truth is certainly a rare gem!

The second verse calls truth the "brightest prize."  When you find it, hold on to it, because you have certainly found a prize!  Mortals and Gods aspire to possess this truth...this rich prize.  To possess it is "an "aim for the noblest desire."

Truth overcomes evil.  I include the entire third verse here.  "The septre may fall from the despot's grip.  When with winds of stern justice he copes.  But the pillar of truth will endure to the end, and its firm rooted bulworks outstand the rude blast and the wreck of the fell tyrant's hopes."  

This verse pretty much tells it all, if you follow a court case (as we have witnessed recently in the impeachment trial of our past President, Donald J. Trump!)  Truth wins in the end!  There were so many conflicting voices and the lies were brought to the forefront.  But still, those who lied believed their lies so profoundly, they were turned into tyrants!

On to the last verse...truth 'tis the "last and fir first."  "Tho the heavens depart and the earth's fountains burst, TRUTH , the sum of existence, will weather the worst, ETERNAL, unchanged, evermore."

So, when you are confronted with confusing voices, put their words to the test..do what Joseph Smith did....Pray, and measure those confusing voices against their value and endurance.  Are they eternal?  Good words, these!  Put them to the test.

For me, the test is eternal.  I measure good against evil and "GOOD" comes out on top every time.  I also have the gift of discernment, a gift I earned after many trials of choosing between good and evil in my life.  The Lord knew I had to earn it and I am so grateful He stuck with me as I traveled that difficult road.  It is a precious gift and I don't ever want to lose it.  

My Savior.  He IS "The Last and the First," The Alpha and Omega!

He is my True North.

He is the compass by which I navigate my life.

Without Him, I could not discern what is TRUTH!

Getting along and Getting by... 31 Jan 2021 7:45 AM (4 years ago)

 As I journey forward into this new year, the year of our Lord, 2021, I am finding myself in awe at all that I have experienced in my lifetime!  The progress (and sometimes regress) of mankind has been astounding!  And still, mankind is struggling with this phenomenon of getting along and learning to love one another.  Control and greed seem to creep into every aspect of our lives.

Though I have been oblivious for the better part of my life, of how government has crept into the simplest acts of controlling everything, to dedicating their missions to make sure we are constantly under their thumb.  It has been a slow process, so most of us haven't even noticed it.  For the most part, my life has been full of happiness and peace, but last year was a nightmare and this year is looking to be more of the same, if not worse.

Now, while all of this has been going on, I have also noticed another phenomenon taking shape.  More and more of my friends, myself included, have been turning their attention to a higher power.  We are turning to prayer and the scriptures and developing a stronger relationship with our God, the Creator of the Universe and all that in it lies.  He is ultimately in charge-- and this thought gives rise to peace in the soul.

The month of January is closing and February will soon be upon us.  As I look toward the rest of this year, I pray that hearts will come closer and be more in tune with the spirit of love--brotherly love--and turn away wrath.  May we be more understanding of the needs of others; more compassionate towards those who are finding their livelihoods disappearing; more helpful to those who need a helping hand; and more ready to pray with a brother or sister who is suffering through loss.

I pray that the Virus that has plagued this land for a year will burn out its engines and move out of the atmosphere.  And I pray that we will be more ready for the next epidemic to come our way.  We have the science to understand these things and I pray that the good minds will work diligently to find cures and vaccines and may government step out of their way so they can do their work.

Ah!  So many problems and so many loving people working on solutions...if only government would allow them to work!  People are out of work because of government!  People are suffering because of government.  But good e\people are waking up and beginning to speak up and fight against the corruption and control that we find ourselves in.  If we let God help us and not become angry mobs, we will be able to accomplish great things.

I love my life!  I love my Country!  I love my family!  I love my God!  I pray every man, woman and child in this land of ours will be protected throughout these coming months and this coming year.  Be not discouraged!  Be not dismayed!  Cultivate Faith and Hope and most of all Charity!

GOD BLESS AMERICA! 

View The World Through Someone Else's Lense..A Short Story... 31 Dec 2020 10:46 PM (4 years ago)

Several years ago, I received my first Cornea Transplant.  I never troubled myself with whether or not the surgery would be successful (although looking back, perhaps I should have!), but rather what would it be like to view my world through someone else's cornea?  I conjured up any number of imaginary scenarios such as being able to see my world exactly as the former owner of my cornea would have seen it.  Would I be color blind?  Unlikely, because the corneas don't control the ability to discern colors.  More likely, would be an enormous amount of astigmatism!  Yikes!  I already had enough of that.

But, that was another story for another day and I have already told it adnauseum!  No, my focus for this piece is finding the ability to see and understand another's world as they see, live and understand it.  A challenging task, at best, and daunting, at worst.

I have recently been sharing an experience with a long-time, very dear friend of mine who has fallen into a trap of being taken in by a much younger man.  I shall call her, Julie, to protect her and any and all friends involved.  Julie and I grew up together.  We attended the same Church.  We went to the same School.  We sometimes liked the same boys!  We hung out in each other's houses and got to know each other's families very well.

After High School, we just sort of drifted apart.  I went off to College and she went through a couple of marriages.  I reconnected with Julie when she moved to a nearby town and we ran into each other quite by accident.   Over the next several years we shared each other's stories and picked up our long-lost friendship again.

Once again, however, I moved away and we only occasionally kept in touch.  Until one day about 5 months ago when she called me and her voice had an almost giddy quality about it.  She said, "You will never guess where I am."  Of course, I couldn't.  The last I knew, she was still in that little Podunk town where I left her when I moved.

"I am in Texas!"  I said, "What on earth are you doing in Texas?"  "Oh," she said, "I have so much to tell you!  After Jack died, I was so lonely, and I met the most amazingly beautiful younger man!"  Well, that piqued my interest.  "And I thought because of all of your experience with your current husband, who is also younger than you, I thought you might be able to give me some advice."

It was true.  After my husband died, I had married a younger man and over the years we don't even notice the difference any more.  Julie certainly sounded happy, so what did it matter?  And so, we left that first conversation at that.  I told her, "Good luck with that!"  And we didn't speak for another week or so.

The next time Julie called, she didn't sound as happy as that last phone call.  In fact, she was crying.  This "gentleman" friend (and I use the term loosely) just dumped her in a run-down rental (after she paid the rent) and took off  in her car to find a job and the communication scanty  She was alone in a place where she knew no one, without a car, and very little food or furniture.  I tried to console her the best that I could, but just about every other word or sentence out of her mouth was to his defense.  In my mind and heart, my concern was for her safety...and a feeble attempt to bring her back to reality.

We talked for probably an hour, and then I told her she needed to rest and try to get some sleep.  Things might look better in the morning.  I said a prayer for her.  I guess I watch too much TV and have heard about all of these horror stories about younger men preying on older women, taking whatever money they had and then moving on to their next victim.  I prayed Julie wasn't another one of these statistics.

GIFTS... 21 Dec 2020 7:21 AM (4 years ago)

 I have had such a full life abundantly overflowing with a plethora of amazing gifts.  My heart is filled with gratitude.

My father was the best gift-giver.  His first gift to me was my mother.  He was a young man of 19 when hemet my mother.  He swept her off her feet on a dance floor when she was barely 17.  They were married on her 18th birthday and 5 years later, together, they gave me the gift of life.

As I grew, he discovered one of my favorite gifts was anything sweet.  He gave me the gift of a piano, followed by 9 years of piano lessons.  He gave me the gift of dance lessons--also for 9 years.  He gave me the gift of his wisdom.  

    --Correcting me when I made mistakes.

--Praising me when I made good choices.

He gave me the gift of patience.  Waiting for me to fund the rught way, and nudging me along the path.

He gave me the gift of  unconditional love.  I never understood that, until I had children of my own!  I knew he loved me when, one day, I asked him, "Daddy, you have given me so much all my life==what can I give you in return?"  I can see him still, dressed in his white shirt, white pants, a white apron tied around his waist, stained with the juices of meat and food preparation, and a white envelope hat on his head decorated with the little "pickle" pin which was the symbol of his restaurant.  

He was sitting on one of the 4-legged stools at one of the long tables at the restaurant.  His simple, yet profound answer to my question was this, "The only thing I ask of you in return is that you will always remain as good as you are right now."

That simple response brought tears to my eyes.  I leaned down to give him a kiss on the cheek and one of my tears rolled out of my eye and down his cheek.

I loved my dad dearly.  I can't say that I was always good--or that I always made good choices--but my dad's gift of forgiveness was always a given.

Writing about my earthly father gets me thinking about my Heavenly Father--the Father of my Spirit.  He has been the best bestower of the greatest gifts--and the list is long!    The first gift He gave me, like my dad, was the gift of my life.  And with that gift  came the gift of my parents.  I shall forever be grateful for them both.

My Father in Heaven gave me one brother and two sisters.  They have blessed my life in countless ways.  He also sent Angels to me, called "friends"--each in their own season--some still grace my life.

He gave me many talents--some I have already discovered, some I am still discovering, and  some I am yet to discover.

He gave me the gift(s) of my own family(s).  First He sent me Gerry Henderson, a Graduate Student at BYU, who swept this little Freshman of barely 18 off of my feet, just as my dad had done with my mom all those years ago.  We were married the following June.  Then came five beautiful children, each one a treasured gift.  Growing old together was not in the cards for us.  Gerry went to live with Heavenly Father  much too soon!  

Six months after Gerry's death, I met Dean Mickelson.  He was charming, a great talker.  We met on "The Love Boat!"  It was crazy--and this young man truly was an answer to a lonely widow's prayers. He truly was a gift from God.

My next gift was our son, Billy.  He, too was an answer to many prayers.

Heavenly Father gave to me the gift of music. He gave me fingers to play the piano and ears to hear the music, and a heart to feel it in my soul.  He gave me feet to dance to the music.  I heard the rhythm to keep the beat and a body to move with it.  I feel the music throughout my whole being.  He gave me a voice to sing through both my heart and soul.

These gifts  were only for a season.  I can no longer play the piano because my eyes are growing dim;  I can no longer dance because my body no longer moves the way it used to; my voice is no longer sweet and pure.  But I am grateful for the years I could do all these things.  Now, I have ears  to hear the music and I can close my eyes and visualize the past.

So many gifts --too numerous to list----my Heavenly Father has bestowed upon me!  So much to be grateful for.  These are certainly note-worthy  gifts in my life--but the greatest gift of all is the gift of a tiny baby, born in a stable long, long ago in the town of Bethlehem.  The Father gave us the gift of His Son.  And His name was called, Jesus Christ.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." (John 3:16)

The Father gifted The Son--The Son gifted to us Eternal Life.

So many gifts!  So much LOVE!

                                                Keep on Giving!

                                                Merry Christmas!

Through The Eyes of a Dreamer... 7 Nov 2020 7:34 AM (4 years ago)

 I have always been a dreamer.  Even when I was a very small girl.  I remember lying on my back on our front lawn and, looking up at the clouds, I would dream of being able to fly up there in that vast expanse and sit on the very top of one of them.  I imagined that I saw many different shapes in those clouds...shapes like animals or people or castles in the sky.  I don't know where I got my imaginative power; I only know that it has been with me for a very long time.

I believe that is where my writing skills were born.  Making up stories and/or poems has been something I have dabbled at for decades.  Mostly, I do it for my own pleasure, but I have occasionally done it for publication.  I have several books of poems that some of my works have been published in and a very real recognition (to me, at least) by a Poetry Society.

I wrote a short story about the life of my father's adventure in the restaurant business in Santa Monica, California.  His restaurant was called "Pickle Bill's Barbecue," and so I titled my book, "Memories of a Pickle Kid."  It sold over 100 copies!

My husband and I are both retired now--Dean after 41 years as a Pharmacist, and I after 35 years as an ICU/ER/Flight Nurse.  We both needed something to fill all those empty hours in the day, so we have launched a new project called Healthy Sense Living.

Now, here I am, with my husband, putting together a Website that deals with products which enhance our five senses.  Let me explain.  The Website is called HealthySenseLiving.Com.  We search for products that are for sale on our site that are pleasing to what we SEE (Visual), what we HEAR (hearing), what we SMELL (Aromatherapy), what we FEEL (touch), and what we TASTE (through healthy eating).

Here is an excerpt from our "About Us" page:  "As two healthcare professionals with combined medical experience spanning 76 years, we have become more keenly aware of the benefits of preventative medicine regarding stress reduction for better health.

"We all, in our busy lives, need some 'settling down' time.  Settling down to what?  To your body, mind and spirit on this user friendly website in order to fulfill your needs in your healthier living environment."

Now, you might be asking, "What has all of this got to do with my imagination and writing?  Well, let me explain.  I believe that it takes imagination to venture out into any new project in life.  I have filled my cup with my writing; I have filled my soul with writing my stories and poems; now my husband and I are imagining something new and different.  Will we succeed?  We hope so.  But that is not the important part of this new adventure.  We want you to succeed.  We want you to find fulfillment through your five senses, just as we have throughout our life.

I am inviting you to visit our website and browse through the offerings there.  It is only the beginning, so come back often to see what we might have added to or taken away from the site.  We are hoping that through this new adventure we can bring some insight into your lives about what it feels like, smells like, looks like, sounds like, or tastes like to slow down a little and find peace to your soul through Healthy Sense Living.

   

Visit us at HealthySenseLiving.com

Catching Up...and Moving On... 9 Aug 2020 3:05 AM (4 years ago)

 Every day I sit for awhile and ponder my life.  I have experienced many ups and downs...some of my own creation...others leveled upon me without any help from me at all.  I wanted to record the progression of my aging process so that my children could get a glimpse at what they might face when they have lived as long as I have.

I have a talk with my body every once in a while, just to check in to see how it is doing.  For a woman my age, who has pushed my body through ma y rigorous activities, like ballet and toe dancing for most of my young years, hiking steep trails into mountains, swimming rivers and lakes, skiing and water skiing, a little golf (I never was very good at it!) and yes, even playing the piano.  Plus, I bore 6 children!  All of these should have left me with a ton of arthritis, but what little I have is endurable.  The only bone I ever broke was a toe when I was 13-\ years-old...and, oh yes, a chip fracture in my thumb after our automobile accident last September.  I have been pretty good to my body over the years and it, in turn, has been good to me.

I have had 3 abdominal surgeries, 5 eye surgeries, a bore-hole craniotomy for a head bleed, and most of my teeth pulled.  It could have been much worse.  My vision is crappy!  I inherited my dad's Glaucoma and my mom's Macular Degeneration.  Because of this, I don't drive anymore.  I have a difficult time reading anything unless the font is THIS BIG!  And I can't do any kind of close work,  My hearing us awful,  EH?  And my feet have lost their feeling...Neuropathy...also inherited from my mother.  But my body tells me that if I don't give up on it, it won't give up on me...just yet!

I have been so blessed to have my cognitive abilities still intact.  My memory is sharp, my ability to reason is intact, and I recognize everyone in my life still.  Sometimes, if I haven't seen them for a long time, I have a hard time realizing that that little girl I used to brush her hair as a child has grown into a mature, lovely woman!  Recognizing that they age too, throws me sometimes!  For these blessing, I am eternally thankful, because so much of my brain power could have been wiped out when I suffered my head bleed in 2012.

Why am I writing this?  I think it is because I wanted to keep a Diary or Journal, if you will, to help me track any signs of decline.  I am soon to be 81-years-old.  My mother lived to be 86 and in the last few years of her life I watched her body dwindle down to a frail 86 pounds and her cognitive abilities only slowly decline.  In the end, she didn't know my sister.  I tell myself it was because she couldn't take care of her and we ad to put her in a Nursing Facility.   She was nearly blind and needed a walker to take the few steps she was able to take.

So, over the next months and years, I shall check in here and leave a "progress (or regress) report" so those who come after me can read it.  This is my life!

Experience Leads to Compassion 30 Apr 2020 9:44 PM (4 years ago)

I have been trying to come up with something to write about for the past several weeks, and every time I would sit down to write, I came up empty.  It's not that there hasn't been a multitude of subjects to talk about, it's just that I couldn't wrap my heart around any of them.

Today, however, I was blind-sided by the experiences of a dear friend that turned my thoughts away from the news of the day and toward something altogether different and perhaps a lot more important.  It is the subject of Compassion!  What is compassion?

Modern definitions would include "Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes (of others)."  Webster describes it this way.  I would go a step or two further and say that it is more like after walking the same type of path another is walking, we are able to feel what they are feeling.  In other words, what they are experiencing, we once experienced.  Therefore, we can empathize and feel compassion for their experience.

My friend is going through horrendous experiences right not and she has confided in me about them.  Why me?  Because I have experienced these things before in my past.  I can relate to her experiences and perhaps offer some degree of help by sharing with her what I have learned.  We have a compatible relationship and a common bond because of this.  I can offer her my compassion.

While helping another, I turned to my own life and found that I am trying to show compassion to myself. That sounds a bit strange, but we all can use a little compassion in our lives..  I am going through some really hard physical and emotional trials right not.  I am suffering from AMD (Adult onset Macular  Degeneration.). I am slowly going blind.  I say slowly, because I have had significant vision loss in my right eye for  17 years.  That loss of vision was caused by a stroke within my right eye which destroyed the Optic Nerve...or most of it.  What vision I have left in that eye is useless.

Four years ago, the AMD in my left eye went suddenly from the dry stage to the wet stage and has ultimately left me with a blindspot in the center of that eye.  I received treatment immediately with intravitreal injections with the drug, Ranibizumab or Lucentis.    This inhibits the growth of tiny vessels, which occlude the vision.  Though this is not a cure, it can slow the progression of the AMD.    I hav e had a total of 9 injections plus one Laser treatment.  My AMD was slowed down and for 3 1/2 years, did not progress.

In the last 6 months, I have noticed a worsening of the vision or the blindspot in my left eye.  At this time, I do not have a Retinal Specialist that I can depend on to see me.  The one I had is in Phoenix and comes to Prescott at least once a month.  My problem with him is that I cannot seem to connect with anyone who can make me an appointment with him.  So, I am searching for another one.  I am in a dilemma.  And I am very hard on myself.  I am in a hard place.

All of this has turned my heart to my own mother.  She also had this degenerating disease.  I remember how sad she was when she could no longer read books or her scriptures.  I tried to get her to listen to books on tape or her scriptures on tape, but she was not interested.  She got very despondent.  The next thing she had to give up was her ability to drive a car.  Slowly, her independence was being taken away from her and her depression worsened.

I was not kind to my mother back then.  I grew impatient with her and had a hard time being around her.    I was looking at her glass half empty and could not feel what she was feeling.  I now can feel every bit of her pain, because I am going through the same process.  I cannot drive any more; I cannot read a book or my scriptures; I need a very large and stron magnifying glass to read the screen of mat computer; and I need the aid of head-gear magnifiers to crochet the little baby blankets I am making for my new G-Granddaughters.  Because of my experiences, I can appreciate my mother's even more.  It is too bad that she is in Heaven, because I want to hug her tight and tell her how very sorry I am.

Through all of this, I am reminded that I have a Savior who loves name and I know He will carry me through my own experiences; and I know He will carry my friend through hers as well.  I love my Savior and I love that He is always there for us.  He has walked where we walk; He has experienced our pains and frustrations; He has sunk to the depths of the Hell that we are going through; and He has great compassion for each and every one of us.

Now, let us take those experiences and this knowledge and be more compassionate toward others...whether or not we have experienced their pains.  We can show an increase of love for them and offer our help to them to get them through their life's experiences.

Fear, Panic, Chaos...The New Pandemic... 15 Mar 2020 11:36 PM (4 years ago)

For my readers who know me and know that I am a rational person, I have the following to offer as a solution, or at best a suggestion for the current insanity that has taken over the world.

There is a new strain of a Virus circling the globe, called  The Coronavirus.  Technically, it is called Cobi-d19.  The Media has hyped it up to be "the worst virus ever!"  And it has folks scared out of their wits.  Schools have closed, churches have ceased services, businesses have closed their doors and people have put themselves in voluntary quarantine all across the country.  Some places in Europe have made the quarantines mandatory for a period of 2-4 weeks.

Fear has caused people to start hoarding items such as toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer, masks and gloves.  Soup cans are flying off the shelves, and the low supply has caused people to panic.  And with that panic, has come a chaos seen only when there is a national disaster.

Rational people have become irrational, believing the worst.  Some are predicting a Dooms Day of sorts.  I can only shake my head and look at what is going on around me as insane.  Calm down, people!  Get a grip on reality.  I have lived through probably 8 or 9 so called "Pandemics" in my lifetime...LIVED THROUGH THEM, FOLKS!  And I have never seen anything like this.

Common sense tells me that if you take care of yourselves and avoid large crowds, wash your hands after using the bathroom or working in the yard  (something my mother taught me to do as a little child) or even cleaning house, you are protecting yourself.  We don't need to walk around wearing masks, unless you have a fever or cough and your loved ones don't want to catch your germs.  Cough or sneeze into a tissue and throw it in the garbage immediately, or cough in the crook of your arm.  COMMON SENSE, PEOPLE!

Eat a healthy diet and hydrate yourself.  Good nutrition and water are essential to staying well.  Take your medications and vitamins and even add a little extra Vitamin C.

If you feel you have symptoms, consult your Doctor.  He/She will advise you what to do.  Our Emergency Rooms and Hospitals are overrun by people who think they might have the virus and are demanding the testing  and they are panicking.  And for goodness sake, DO NOT CALL 911!  It is not an emergency...unless, of course, you have severe respiratory (breathing) problems.

All of the articles that I have read, written by Doctors, give this advice and they have done studies that show, for the most part, the majority of people will survive many and all viruses that come along...using common sense.  Don't listen to the media who want you to believe that this epidemic is the equivalent to the Black Death or the Plague that killed thousands in England and Europe a couple of centuries ago.  It was a horrible plague, but keep in mind that they didn't;t have the technological advances that we have today, nor did they have the proper medicines to fight it.

These things come in cycles and we have survived them before without all the hype we hear today.  Fear, panic, and chaos are the only Pandemic that we should eradicate.  So, don't let fear of the unknown blind you to the realities and don't let your fears lead to panic,  because panic eventually leads to chaos...and we certainly don't need anymore chaos in this country.  Replace your fear with faith in God and prayer and you will come to a calm place, just as I have.  God's not done with this country yet.  He has much work yet to be done and he needs good, calm, rational people to carry it out.

Just saying!

Fractured... 19 Feb 2020 9:13 AM (5 years ago)

Words... 18 Jan 2020 1:30 AM (5 years ago)

The sharpest weapon in the world is the tongue.  And related to it is the pen.  Think of those two weapons and what flows off of them both?  Words!

I remember as a child being the recipient of words that hurt!  Teasing words, unkind words, sharp words, degrading words...all meant to torment a child who did not understand.  My mother taught me a little saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!"  I tried to use that phrase over and over again, but in the end, it just wasn't true.  Words did hurt me!  And I cried a lot because I didn't think anybody liked me.

I grew up with a soft heart, easily crushed, but eventually I learned to toughen my skin so the barbs couldn't get through.  My first husband taught me that.  And I ask myself a lot, "What would Jesus do?"

How many of us have heard "a discouraging word" at any time in our lives?  I know I have ~ and some of my family members have.  How many of us have used these same words, or others to discourage others?

Words can be either uplifting or they can tear down.  They are the building blocks of our language.  Since our language was a God-given gift to mankind it behooves us to use it carefully.

God's words are not discouraging words.  His words are a guide for us, from a foundation of love, and are found in His Holy Scriptures.   It is there that I turn to read His words when I need answers to daily struggles.  And it is there that I turn to read the words that tell of the holiest of events ever to transpire upon the face of the earth ~ the Birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What were the words used there to tell mankind about the coming of His Son to the earth?  They were kind words.  Words of promise that invited the spirit to feel peace.  The Lord proclaimed these words through many Prophets many hundreds of years before the Holy Babe was born.

Isaiah was one of those Prophets.  "...Behold a Virgin shal conceive, and bare a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel (Hebrew for 'with us is God')."  (Isaiah 7:14.). The most beautiful, peaceful words I have ever read!  He was the promised Messiah...born a babe, but he would grow up to be a man.  And it was this man, our Savior, Jesus Christ, who spoke some other beautiful words.  He gave us a new commandment: to "Love the Lord our God with all our hearts, mind and strength."  And a second commandment, like the first, to "love our neighbors as ourselves."

Our words should always be spoken with that love.  Our words should also be written with that love.  I am a clumsy speaker because sometimes I feel things that are not in tune with the spirit and I want to say the right things, but quite often they come out wrong and I am misunderstood.  In most of those cases, I choose to remain silent and wait for those feelings to pass.  But, in other times, I do speak out with heightened emotions, and I am immediately sorry for opening my mouth to speak.  I am deeply sorry if anyone has been the recipient of my clumsy speech.

Let us all remember that there is a time to speak and there is a time to be silent.  And more importantly, let your speech be filled with love for one another.  This should be our challenge for this New Year of 2020.  Love one another and treat one another with kindness...even if it means to bite your tongue!

Looking Back on a Marvelous Year... 1 Jan 2020 9:47 PM (5 years ago)

FEBRUARY:  One of the activities we went to at the Cultural Center on campus of the college in Prescott was to see a group called "Pink Martini!"  They were very good and quite entertaining.

February brought a record snow storm to Prescott Valley.  Literally "up to our knees!"



 And in this picture that a friend of mine in Lincoln City sent me...shows that they even had snow there on the beach.  Crazy winter!

  MARCH:  In March, President Nelson visited Rome to dedicate the Rome Temple and he had a personal visit with the Pope of the Catholic Church.  An amazing, historic event.



 Because of all the snow that we had in February, the desert showed off her absolute true beauty with the blooming of millions of poppies!  It was so beautiful!


March is the birthday of my firstborn daughter, Kim, and also her firstborn daughter, Aubrey!  It is also the birth month of my firstborn son, Mark.  He builds these amazing stairs!  Both of these children light up my life and fill my heart with an abundance of love.













 APR. :  My sister, Chrisie, sent me these beautiful boots!  It was a surprise gift and I absolutely love them.  They are a little tight, but with wearing them, they will loosen up!

April is also the month of Easter.  It is the time for remembering the Sacrifice of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who gave His all so that we can have Eternal Life.

We also had April Conference, when we heard from our General Authorities and our Prophet.  It was an amazing Conference.  So many messages aimed directly at me.








Beautiful Aubrey with her husband Matt and children, Blair, Van and Beck on a beautiful Easter Day.









 Grandson Scott and wife, McKenzie with daughters, Emerson and Elia.
 Dean resting on a rock at Granite Dells, while I zoom in for a photo.  We had our Easter picnic here.  Such a beautiful, serene place in the middle of a hustle-bustle city and away from all of the traffic.

This place is situated next to another beautiful site...Watson Lake.  We should rent a Kayak some day and paddle out onto the lake.

 MAY:  May is the month of flowers...and here are some of the beauties that IO received for Mother's Day from two of my daughters, JerriAnne and Heather!  I can always count on them to brighten my day with blooms that fill my soul with sweetness and love.

My Granddaughter, Jacki Lynn Messick Bracken with her children, Dallen, Sydney, and Jane on Mother's Day.  They are the sweetest little family that I know!

My Mother passed away on Mother's Day, 2002, so this day is hard for me! Dean's mother, Betty, is gone now, too, and we remember her with flowers on her grave.

We paid a visit to Dean's Dad and drove him to the Cemetery.

May is also the birth month of my 4th child, JerriAnne.  She is and has always been  one of the joys of my life.  I wish I could have her close to us forever.






 While in Tacoma, Dean went on a good hike with his brother, Dave and Dave's son, Zachary.  Those men love the heights and the joy of the outdoors.




 JUNE:  How beautiful, this little "June" is!  And how appropriate that Jacki sent me these pictures in the month of June!

Both girls have been taking Dance lessons for a while and I love their little "professional"poses!  Takes me back many, many years to my own days of dance.

 Here we have Sydney.  She is the oldest and has been dancing the longest.  Gotta love these girls.

 My son, Billy was born in the month of June.  He is now 35 and enjoys his life as a Traveling Cellist.  Everything he does is to perfection.  Sometimes I wonder how I was so blessed to have such a son!

















Here is a photo of a rose bush that we planted in our front yard.  Eventually, there will be two.  I love roses and watching them grow and fill up the branches with their beauty.  I pray they will do well.










JULY:  Dean and I donned our cowboy hats and boots and attended our very first Rodeo together in Prescott.  It was an extremely fun day and took me back to when I used to attend Rodeo's with my sister, Chrisie and her daughter (Granddaughter),Chloe!  The air is filled with excitement.





Happy 4th of July to our Country and all of its Citizens!  We attended the celebration at Watson Lake...had a great  show and watched the fireworks over the lake afterward.


 Look at how my roses are blooming!  I am so thrilled!
We attended more celebrations downtown Prescott and Dean and I found a horse to have our picture taken with!  Gotta love this "old west" town!

 AUGUST:  I love this month.  Everything is blooming, and especially my favorite...Sunflowers!  Next year, I plan on planting some along our back fence!  Won't that be grand?





August is Anniversary month!  My daughter Debi and her husband Brian celebrate on the 9th.  Dean and I celebrate on the 8th.  And Travis and
Elissa celebrate on the 19th.  A beautiful month to celebrate perfect unions.

Dean and I celebrated by a walk around Goldwater Lake, named after former Senator  Barry Goldwater from Arizona.

I don't know the name of those yellow flowers, but they were blooming everywhere around the lake.



Heather's birthday is August 2nd, and they celebrated by going back to an old Henderson family tradition of going to Lake Powell every August.  From the looks of it, they had a wonderful time with water, boating and each other.


 Dean and I attended our first horse race at Arizona Downs.  It was exciting.  We are not betters, but we did choose some horses just for fun that came in 1st, 2nd, or third.  Haha!  A good time.  And it reminded me of my dad when he used to go to the races in California.  I learned only a few months ago, that he was a jockey in his youth in Cedar City, Utah.  Maybe my love for horses is in my blood!

 A far cry and a trip down the hill took me to the Phoenix Temple with 3 of my friends from Church.  Oh, my, that was a really special day.  Not only did I get better acquainted with these three ladies (Bobbie, Billie, and Winnie), but I met my old friends from Santa Monica 2nd Ward, Kate Sheiss and Fred Cuthbertson!). They were both workers in met session!  Small world!  I loved it.

 Son-in-Law, Rich, with brand new Granddaughter.  Does he look proud, or what?  Nothing like it, son!

















SEPTEMBER:  Hey, look...another Rosebush!
 ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, DEAN AND I WERE INVOLVED IN A REALLY SERIOUS CAR CRASH.  I TOOK THE BRUNT OF THE IMPACT, BUT THANK MY Heavenly Father EVERY DAY FOR THE SAFETY DEVICES ON OUR CAR...AIR BAHGS, SEAT BELTS, AND THE IMPACT PROTECTION THAT THE WHOLE FRAME HAS.

MY FIRST THOUGHTS WERE OF MY DAD AND THE CAR CRASH HE WAS IN J7ST 30 YEARS AGO THAT TOOK HIS LIFE BECAUSE NONE OF THOSE THINGS WERE PROTECTING HIM.


 Here's another plant we bought and planted in our backyard.  I can't wait till next year to see how it grows and flourishes.

We also bought a bird bath and Dean is painting it...very clever.  It will go in the middle of our outer flagstone patio.  That will take a lot of work!

 Not sure why I included this picture of Brendan and Railynn.  My sweet, sweet grandson.  They are so happy and have only been married a year and a half.  Love you, Brennie Boy








Here's mey happy Debi in Scotland about to take on a real Scottish Golf Course!  I know that she is in the top of her very best place right now!  She loves Golf...and to play it in the land where it was invented...WOW!


My sister, Chrisie sent me these pictures of her Horse Ranch in Erda, Utah.  She is saying goodbye to it because she can no longer maintain it.  I know how this breaks her heart, because this ranch was her late husband, Bob Kump's Horse Race.  He developed it and loved every minute of it.  He has been gone for about 5 years and Chrisie is just having a hard time keeping it up.

***A side note...the sale of this property has fallen through 3 times and now Chrissie is renting it to her Daughter (Granddaughter), Chloe.  Chloe grew up here!  And she is expecting her first child, a boy, in January, 2020!



 Oh me, Oh my!  Here I am walking into my neighbor's back yard being greeted by a boatload of old friends, new friends, and a luscious meal...all for my Surprise 80th Birthday Party.

I can't believe this husband of mind.  He put the whole thing together!  This was really a wonderful event.

My old friends Barbara Atwood, Ginger O'Bannion, and Suzi Klein were there from Santa Monica High School!  Plus my Bishop and Elder's Quorum President from my Church.  And the neighbors on my street whom I am just getting acquainted with.  What a joy and a wonderful reunion.






 We hiked, we ate meals together, we smiled and laughed at "Mother's crazy antics...as well as Aunt Chrisie's!"

We got in the pool and just didn't do much...just sat there and smiled at the camera!



 OCTOBER:  Together, Dean and I prepped the area in the backyard for the new Flagstone Patio.  It was a lot of hard work, but the hardest is yet to come.

We purchased more plants, pots and flowers and the whole area is coming together.  I love it and I love the work that goes into it.  (Well, Dean is doing most of the hard work!)

The yellow plant is a collection of tiny Mums.  They won't last, but while they are there, I am going to love them.


 Finally, the Flagstone is purchased and delivered.  Now, Dean has to get to work.  Those pictures will come later...probably into 2020.

 At the end of October, Dean and I took a car trip to Taos, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque.

Driving through this part of Arizona is filled with beautiful vistas...like Window Rock...the Navajo Nations headquarters.

We stayed with Dean's long time friend, Kathy Cordova, in Taos.  She drove us all around Taos, El Prado and Ranchos de Taos and helped us find some of my friends.  She also took us to the Cemetery so Dean could pay his respects to Arsenio, her husband who passed away recently.

Pictured below, is Billy's Baby Sitter, Bonnie Chacon, with Dean and I.  She is such a wonderful lade.  I loved taking Billy there...and at Christmas she would give me her homemade  Tamales to take home.  Yum.



 Another good friend we got to visit was Carmen Lieurance.  She was always welcoming and such a joy to be around.

We had to meet her at the Church, because she had to be at a meeting.

 Dean's main reason for coming to New Mexico was to attend his Scottish Rite Reunion at the Scottish Rite Temple in Santa Fe.  This is a wonderful experience for him and he hasn't been able to do it for many years...since leaving New Mexico in 1998.


 Here, Dean is pictured playing the Long Trumpet in the courtyard.  It is part of the services that they put on inside of the Temple.












After we left ew Mexico, we drove to the Petriffied Forrest National Park.  It covers many miles and has many, many pullouts to look at the ancient and petrified wood.

They look like just old trees fallen down, but they are hard as stone!  That's because they have turned to stone.



 Here is an old, old car that broke down on old Route 66 in the middle of the desert and was just abandoned.


















My favorite photo of the Painted Desert. not far from the end of the Park.  This old world has so much beauty and we are beholding only a few vistas and panoramas that it has to offer.  Mind boggling!

 NOVEMBER:    Another trip for us...this time to Flagstaff, to see the President's Own Marine Band in concert at the University!

We stayed at a beautiful Air B&B and met some amazing people.

 The Band was phenomenal and so "tight" with all of their music.  Dean was in seventh heaven, for sure!

When we left Flagstaff, we drove up to the ski area to check it out.  There is no snow yet, so everything is pretty bare, but I  loved the Aspen trees.

After Flagstaff, we drove to Lake Havasu to spend a week in a Time Share.

It was a wonderful.  We took the ferry across the lake to the Casino and had a light lunch.  We then walked around outside and found this interesting SUV...Dean had to get a photo.  The Casino was closing its doors the very next day, because they have built a new one up the lakeshore from where this old one sits.

I loved the memorabilia all around and near the bridge.  This is the London Bridge, which was taken apart brick by brick and shipped to the U.S. where it was then brought to this part of the Colorado River.  There is a dam south of here which created the lake.  The rebuilding process was quite phenomenal!



 Dean and I wearing "funny" hats in front of the shop that sells them.  The owner was a real jokester who loved playing with people's heads.  We got a good laugh that day!

 Billy came to be with us for a few days and we loved his visit.  While he was here, they put Christmas wreathes on the bridge and I just had to get a picture!

I also love the picture below of Billy standing in the old English phone booth!  (Talking on his Cell Phone!)

 Dean, Billy and I went for a boat ride on the lake and had such a wonderful time playing together.

After Billy left, Dean and I explored some more and found this beautiful fountain.

I loved Lake Havasu and will definitely say yes, if asked to return.


 After leaving Lake Havasu, we drove to California to visit with Kim and Kenny.  Here is their new house that they will be moving into after we leave.  It is a wonderful floor plan...simple and sweet and just right for the "55 and older" population.

The photo below is a sunset picture taken of San Clemente.  Kim and Kenny will be moving from there and I am sure they will miss it.

The photo above is out of order, but it is of us driving home and watching the moon come up over the Mingus Mountains on the horizon.  It was a beautiful sight! and we were glad to be home.


 For Thanksgiving, we drove to Phoenix to spend the Holiday with my friends, Suzanne (no picture), her husband, Lew and Ginger and Sam.  We had a glorious celebration.  Suzanne is a perfect hostess.  We laughed until we cried and sometimes lost our breath!

Dean had a full-blown Asthma attack and we had to take him to the hospital for treatment.  That was the only downside for the whole event.

We spent the night and really had a delightful time!

The photo below is of Sam and Lew fixing the dishwasher, because there were a lot of dishes accumulated with so man y people and so much food!

Christmas~2019...My 80th... 24 Dec 2019 10:23 AM (5 years ago)

In An Instant... 2 Dec 2019 7:11 AM (5 years ago)

Your life can change...in an instant!  One moment you are on your way to celebrate with your husband the Closing of your Refinance on your home with a special lunch date at Red Lobster...and the next moment you area looking at the grill of a white pick-up truck coming right at you!  Then, BOOM, and your whole world has turned  inside out!

It was September 5, 2019, and it was my father's birthday.  I was thinking he would have been 105 years old today, had he lived!  I remember the accident vividly!  I wish I didn't!  I play it over and over in my head and wish it wasn't so.  But, I can't change anything...except my reaction to it.  I choose to have a heart full of gratitude...gratitude that I am alive.

In those first moments after the crash, I thought of my dad, whose life was snuffed out by an accident on St. George Blvd. in 1989.  His life wasn't spared!  He left us in an instant!  Then my thoughts turned to my beautiful mother, who was only 53 in 1969, and the car she was riding in was hit head-on by a drunk driver and she was rushed to the hospital with crushed ribs and both lungs deflated...she would be kept alive with chest tubes for weeks after the accident.  Her life changed in an instant.

Lastly, I thought of my first husband, my forever sweetheart, who suffered a severe Coronary event (heart attack) in 1981while driving, causing his truck to leave the road, crashing into a tree.  His life was taken from us in an instant and our lives were forever changed.

These are examples of some severe and tragic events that can happen in anyone's life, causing their lives to change.  The loss of a loved one, divorce, the loss of a job, an unplanned disaster (fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural disasters)...all of these and even others can cause one to sit and reflect on what you had that is now gone, and turn your sights to the future and survival.

In my case, I don't know how I would have been able to move on without the God\spel of Jesus Christ in my life!

Thankful... 2 Dec 2019 7:03 AM (5 years ago)

Ginger and Sam Caban

I Remember Grandma... 4 Aug 2019 2:29 PM (5 years ago)

Ida Jones Davenport

I loved my Grandma, even though she could be a cantankerous old woman sometimes.  I remember her music and her singing as loud as she could while she played her guitar or her mandolin.  She had a gift, in spite of her life-long struggle with speech because she was born with a Cleft Palate and a Hair Lip.  Adversity did not keep her from being the strong woman she was, or maybe she was the strong woman she was in spite of them!

When I was growing up, my mom taught me to respect other people's property and never to touch their belongings without their permission.  I remembered those teachings every time we went to Grandma and Grandpa's farm for a visit.  Grandma had this beautiful breakfront chest with glass doors in her bedroom, and inside on one of the shelves, she kept some of her most prized possessions.  One of those possessions was a very old doll with a china head, hands and feet.  Her body was stuffed with sawdust and she wore a brown pioneer dress with black ribbon trim.  Everything on her was original...and she was nearly 100 years old!

Grandma's Doll, my Emma Circa 1850's

On every visit to Grandma's house, I would go into her bedroom, lay on the floor on my stomach and stare at that doll for what seemed like hours.  I was mesmerized by that doll.  On one visit, Grandma came into her room and found me there and asked what I was looking at.  I told her I loved that doll and asked if I could hold her?  She opened the glass door and lifted the doll out and handed her to me...and then she proceeded to tell me her story.  She had once belonged to a friend of hers when she was a young girl growing up whose mother, when she was a child, had carried her in a wagon across the plains with the Pioneers.  Oh, how I loved that story!

When I was a teenager, Grandma called me into her room and asked me if I thought I was responsible enough to take care of that doll.  When I asked her, "Why?" she said, "Because, if you are, then I want to give her to you."  My heart lept for joy and I hugged her and hugged her and said, "Thank you," over and over again.  I named her Emma.

I did take care of that doll and over the years she has had a special place in my different display cases...until just a few years ago, when I gifted her to my daughter, JerriAnne, who I knew would love her and take as good care of her as I have.  I told her, when she was old, I wanted her to gift the doll to the Daughter's of The Utah Pioneers Museum in Salt LakeCity, Utah.  She deserves a place in the history of our beloved Pioneer.