Annie's birth, Lucy's bike accident, and Trent and Natalee's start of graduate school, Rach and James' housing, marked the end of the summer and the period of some great stress for everyone. It was and is a time of fasting and fervent prayer. We are grateful Lucy has recovered so well and that Annie is gaining weight.
Just recently Lucy has learned she has been accepted to Vienna study abroad, and G & K will go to the Washington seminar.
On Labor day weekend, we went to Phoenix to celebrate Dwayne and Maurine's 60th wedding anniversary. It was wonderful to be with all the family, including many Larsens and many friends and ward members. There are so many of us who have been affected by the faithful lives of Dwayne and Maurine--and we are only the living ones. There are many on the other side as well. I enjoyed going to Steve and Brookie's home, and to the celebrations at the churches. The Williams girls did a great job planning all the food and decor. It was wonderful to stay at Karen and Paul's and get caught up on their lives and with the boys. I do love my Williams family.
The next weekend we went to Hill Field to hear grandpa give his "Candybomber" talk. Ryan had arranged for that at the chapel. We love to hear the talk!
Joy Reish and her mother, Joyce came to Utah and stayed a week at Wolf Creek in Ogden canyon. I was able to join them for two nights and have a good visit there. Joy has Lymes disease and is not at all herself. I hope she can find some treatments that will help her. She has had many difficult times in her life.
I enjoyed the Relief Society broadcast with Lucy and Kassie. I especially liked Elder Uchtdorf's talk to the women about being kind to ourselves. His bright attitude and encouraging ways are healing balm. He seems really tuned in to what women need to hear. It is wonderful to spend time with these young women whenever I can. I like sitting by Greg and Kassie in church and seeing them whenever we can. I feel so happy around them and feel that they are so good for each other. They look happy and I'm excited to see where their lives will go.
General conference at the end of the month was so uplifting and testimony building. I always feel stronger and want to do better after hearing conference. I am so exceedingly grateful for all those who work very diligently to prepare, then to present such an undertaking. We are so richly blessed in many ways. It was fun to have a girl's night with Kassie, Abi, Logan and Lucy when the boys were at Priesthood.
In September I enjoyed some days of driving to SLC to help with Elsie and Ruby while Nicki went to the hospital to spend time with Annie. This is a very stressful time for their family and I feel good to be able to help if possible. Knowing when and how to help has been a learning experience for me too. We look forward to the nightly updates to know how Annie has fared that particular day.
I feel I am really examining priorities and decisions right now as we move toward a phase of having more of our children move away. We are in the process of changing our stake YW presidency. I will stay, Emily Avery will stay to be camp director, but I will get a new counselor and a new secretary. I don't know for sure when that will happen. I pray for the right thing to happen for everyone. Piano students keep coming and I keep encouraging and trying. This work is full of every kind of emotion.
Particularly meaningful to me was to finish editing and placing photos in the book I've been working on, "Alta Jolley Halvorsen," for the past 10 years. Friday I turned it in to BYU press to have them print a draft and then after making small revisions, I will have them go ahead and print it. It will be hard-bound and will take about 4 weeks to print.
Now the leaves are turning and it is birthday season. We are harvesting in the garden, vineyard, and orchard. We are filling many quart jars with tomatoes, grapejuice, peaches. We are richly blessed. Time to give back is coming in different shapes and forms and I pray for guidance to know how to give back. Life is full and good and I have a feeling and a testimony of the Lord's caring and presence in my life.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Summer 2011
This summer goes down in history for many reasons. Greg and Kassie were married on August 12th. Everything about the wedding was wonderful. Ryan and Nicki and family welcomed Annie Maurine into this world on August 17th. Her early birth at 28 weeks will change things for some months to come--in fact forever. On that same day as Annie's birth, Lucy had a bicycle crash, which will likely change things for the next while also. She starts her second year and wonders if she will be able to do her Sophomore recital this fall. Trent and Natalee moved to Indiana just before the wedding(s)--Natalee's sister was married too. They begin a whole new life now in Indiana as students--surely they do miss their home in Texas. Abi and Brian are raising their active little boy, Logan, who learned to crawl and now stands up in his crib. They are considering buying a home and selling their condo. Life is adding on and on.
Something unusual about this summer is that we didn't go on an extended trip. David and I went to Delta and surrounding area the first weekend in June with the Utah History Association and visited the Japanese internment camp and Wheeler Peak. The other activity for me was to go to YW camp at Mia Shalom on July 12th. David came and stayed one night to help out as a Priesthood holder.
Another reason for notability was that Rachael and boys came to Utah and stayed with us for about five weeks starting about July 9th, just before YW camp, while James finished his Master's degree. They left after the wedding, on August 15th. Since Nicki was on bedrest, then started her five-week stay in the hospital, Rachael spent some time there with her boys taking care of many children. We also had turns with Ryan and Nicki's children while Ryan stayed in the hospital with Nicki. Abi and Logan came to visit quite a bit. Trent and Natalee and family arrived before Greg and Kassie's wedding so we had quite a full house. One night we had three tents in the back yard, and Ruby slept in our shower in her pack-and-play. We had the four oldest grandchildren sleeping on the floor of our living room for many nights, the three younger ones were up in the bunk bed room. George and Rachael were in the northwest room. It was cousin heaven around here for a while. We had all of our children and grandchildren here except for Nicki.
Probably one of my favorite activities with the grandkids was to go to the Pioneer Park celebration on Pioneer day in Provo. It was fun going with them to the pioneer village and riding in the covered wagon. I liked helping all the grandkids get dressed up in their pioneer clothes. We cooked a lot of food, went to get a lot of food, and cleaned up after eating a lot of food. I enjoyed being around Rachael. She is very capable in so many ways. I don't know how she keeps it up. She provides all good things for her children.
I did miss Nicki so much while everyone was together. It is different without her and her pleasant and interested conversation. I missed knowing how she was doing and thinking of her in the hospital made me feel quite sad. However, I was at the same time grateful that she had such good care. Now little Annie is receiving fine care there too. Another sadness for me was that Ryan and Nicki's children stopped calling me "Nana Bean." Somehow everything is different after this difficult summer with Nicki in the hospital.
We begin a new season now with BYU starting and school beginning. Both Elsie and Millie are starting school for the first time. I hope and pray their teachers will be interested in them and love them and all the children. It is a beginning time of figuring out trips to Salt Lake helping Ryan and Nicki, time with the harvest, with Lucy, thinking of all our children and grandchildren, with Stake YW, with music and piano, with my extended family, with David's extended family.
Things uppermost occupying my mind are all the above. I am reading quite a lot in the New Testament and have found that I really love knowing more about what Jesus says and does. For example, when Judas comes to betray Him, He says, "Friend, whyfore art thou come?" It represents to me the way Jesus can have us look into ourselves to see our true motives. I love to study what he says to the Pharisees and how he answers questions. There are a lot of times where in the scriptures it says something about how "astonished" people are at the doctrine.
Yes, it was a crazy, chaotic, and exhausting summer. It probably won't stop too soon. Probably a good thing to do at this point would be to focus back into good exercise and eating habits along with more sleep. We've seen many miracles and blessings in spite of some challenging times. We've seen the Lord's hand, many tender mercies, simple gifts, and glimpses of joy.
Something unusual about this summer is that we didn't go on an extended trip. David and I went to Delta and surrounding area the first weekend in June with the Utah History Association and visited the Japanese internment camp and Wheeler Peak. The other activity for me was to go to YW camp at Mia Shalom on July 12th. David came and stayed one night to help out as a Priesthood holder.
Another reason for notability was that Rachael and boys came to Utah and stayed with us for about five weeks starting about July 9th, just before YW camp, while James finished his Master's degree. They left after the wedding, on August 15th. Since Nicki was on bedrest, then started her five-week stay in the hospital, Rachael spent some time there with her boys taking care of many children. We also had turns with Ryan and Nicki's children while Ryan stayed in the hospital with Nicki. Abi and Logan came to visit quite a bit. Trent and Natalee and family arrived before Greg and Kassie's wedding so we had quite a full house. One night we had three tents in the back yard, and Ruby slept in our shower in her pack-and-play. We had the four oldest grandchildren sleeping on the floor of our living room for many nights, the three younger ones were up in the bunk bed room. George and Rachael were in the northwest room. It was cousin heaven around here for a while. We had all of our children and grandchildren here except for Nicki.
Probably one of my favorite activities with the grandkids was to go to the Pioneer Park celebration on Pioneer day in Provo. It was fun going with them to the pioneer village and riding in the covered wagon. I liked helping all the grandkids get dressed up in their pioneer clothes. We cooked a lot of food, went to get a lot of food, and cleaned up after eating a lot of food. I enjoyed being around Rachael. She is very capable in so many ways. I don't know how she keeps it up. She provides all good things for her children.
I did miss Nicki so much while everyone was together. It is different without her and her pleasant and interested conversation. I missed knowing how she was doing and thinking of her in the hospital made me feel quite sad. However, I was at the same time grateful that she had such good care. Now little Annie is receiving fine care there too. Another sadness for me was that Ryan and Nicki's children stopped calling me "Nana Bean." Somehow everything is different after this difficult summer with Nicki in the hospital.
We begin a new season now with BYU starting and school beginning. Both Elsie and Millie are starting school for the first time. I hope and pray their teachers will be interested in them and love them and all the children. It is a beginning time of figuring out trips to Salt Lake helping Ryan and Nicki, time with the harvest, with Lucy, thinking of all our children and grandchildren, with Stake YW, with music and piano, with my extended family, with David's extended family.
Things uppermost occupying my mind are all the above. I am reading quite a lot in the New Testament and have found that I really love knowing more about what Jesus says and does. For example, when Judas comes to betray Him, He says, "Friend, whyfore art thou come?" It represents to me the way Jesus can have us look into ourselves to see our true motives. I love to study what he says to the Pharisees and how he answers questions. There are a lot of times where in the scriptures it says something about how "astonished" people are at the doctrine.
Yes, it was a crazy, chaotic, and exhausting summer. It probably won't stop too soon. Probably a good thing to do at this point would be to focus back into good exercise and eating habits along with more sleep. We've seen many miracles and blessings in spite of some challenging times. We've seen the Lord's hand, many tender mercies, simple gifts, and glimpses of joy.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Last Sunday as Mother of Children at Home
Today was a momentous day for us. This is Lucy's last Sunday at home before taking flight. She gave a marvelous talk on testimony, played the organ, and did the Primary music. I thought how she has come of age. My mind also skipped across years of children at home.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Welcoming baby George Jameson Spencer
Rachael with Ryrie, awaiting baby George. His name didn't materialize, though until some hours after his birth. He took his precious time deciding to be born! This picture was taken on Sunday, James' birthday, and Rach still had to wait two more days!
This little munchkin has one job and one job only--that is to be cute and adorable. When Tommy wants your attention, all he has to do is grab your chin and jerk it toward him. There is a real danger of whiplash involved. He even does it to the story time lady and the Stay and Play leader, Mary Rose, while she is doing the circle time.
David love to wrestle with the grandkids. Owen and Ryrie are in the frey at the moment.
This is Ryrie, but all the boys have hockey gear like this. Most spare moments turn into a hockey game. Tommy would be able to jerk your neck around so you could see this in the proper way.
After baby George's arrival, here we are playing "Doggie Doggie Where's Your Bone." Tommy likes to be "it."
George Jameson Spencer newly home from the hospital, Jan. 20.
Ryrie with his new brother.
Proud daddy, James with Tommy and George at the hospital.
My first view of George, about 6 hours old. His hair is long and dark. In the front there are some crazy cow-licks going on. He is a very healthy-looking baby. All the student onlookers were instructed that his mother must have been healthy.
William and Ryrie have cubs on Mondays and this is what they look like decked out in their uniforms. They are working on doing a "good turn daily" and have to report on it at dinner time.
Born on Tuesday, the 19th of January, by Thursday George had received many kisses that needed to be rinsed off to prepare for new kisses. At first he thought he didn't like the bath, then he began to reconsider after we reigned in his flying fists and put a warm washcloth on his belly.
Playing games with four lively boys.
Boys helping set table and empty the dishwasher. Rach is hanging in there waiting for George. Many starts and stops.
How great to be able to see a brand new grandchild in the hospital newly born! I love it. These are some of the most special times, aren't they--sacred times.
More hockey and "Mars." Tommy always likes to have on the boxing gloves when "Mars" is on.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Results of Teaching
Thank you, Natalee, for your thoughts on posting. I wanted to write a little of what I have noticed lately about teaching. The stake youth leaders are preparing the stake youth council to teach in the ward conference hour of the conferences. In all our teaching and our activities we need to have a goal in mind. The goal of the auxiliaries, as I understand it, is to help bring others to Christ. I have recently noticed some examples in the scriptures.
First, President Ostergar asked stake leaders to teach at the last stake council meeting Sunday. He noted the example of Enos’ prayer as the result of teaching: “. . . he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it--. . . and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart. . . (Enos 1, 3).” Because of the teaching of his father, Jacob (and I’m sure his mother too), Enos was eager to pray on his own.
Second, Nephi was “taught of goodly parents (1 Ne 1:1)” and went to seek on his own to know the truth of his father’s words and vision. “. . . after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, . . (1 Ne 11:1).”
The third and final example for now is the teaching of Mosiah. King Benjamin, along with prophets, had “labored with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul” to establish peace in the land (WoM 1:18).” Benjamin had three sons and he “caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their father, which were delivered them by the hand of the Lord (Mosiah 1: 2-5).” He taught them the importance of records in understanding the ways of God and he bore his testimony to them. He taught them to search the scriptures and to keep the commandments of God. King Benjamin taught “many more things” to his sons but they are not included (Mosiah 1:5-8).
First, President Ostergar asked stake leaders to teach at the last stake council meeting Sunday. He noted the example of Enos’ prayer as the result of teaching: “. . . he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it--. . . and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart. . . (Enos 1, 3).” Because of the teaching of his father, Jacob (and I’m sure his mother too), Enos was eager to pray on his own.
Second, Nephi was “taught of goodly parents (1 Ne 1:1)” and went to seek on his own to know the truth of his father’s words and vision. “. . . after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, . . (1 Ne 11:1).”
The third and final example for now is the teaching of Mosiah. King Benjamin, along with prophets, had “labored with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul” to establish peace in the land (WoM 1:18).” Benjamin had three sons and he “caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their father, which were delivered them by the hand of the Lord (Mosiah 1: 2-5).” He taught them the importance of records in understanding the ways of God and he bore his testimony to them. He taught them to search the scriptures and to keep the commandments of God. King Benjamin taught “many more things” to his sons but they are not included (Mosiah 1:5-8).
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
New Year Thoughts for Family and Close Friends
December 30, 2008 Tuesday
Happy anniversary to Rach & James!!! We are so grateful for your marriage.
Thanks for responding to my blog, everyone. I’m still trying to make a place in my brain for the purpose of a blog, but I suppose it becomes what one wants it to be.
My New Year’s Resolution is to pray about who to call, help, visit, write that day. I don’t have to DO anything (keeping it simple and reachable), I just need to pray about it.
I have been thinking about, studying about, praying about Virtue, since that is the new YW value. Here is the message that came to me while at Trent & Nat’s house: Please prepare to speak Saturday evening in stake conference 23 Jan, 12 minutes on the topic of 'how parents and leaders can teach the doctrine of chastity and moral purity to help each young woman to be virtuous and worthy to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple.' (28 Nov 2008 First Presidency letter re: YW Theme revision)
I would appreciate any help, ideas and suggestions from everyone! So far the best information I have found is on LDS.org in the YW category, and also in Preach My Gospel pp. 118-119. I am actually excited about this subject and opportunity.
Love,
Mom
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