Blessings!!

How can a heart be big enough to include so much? Sarah doesn't have access to a computer so I thought I would include these blessings here. These are only 2 of my many blessings. Leona is a definite Mommy's girl. She is so precious and darling and Garrett is a charmer. Earl and Sarah are doing a good job with them.

My heart was full to over flowing today. In one of the conference talks it talked about not having any "empty chairs". As I think about each of my blessings I pray for no empty chairs. I am grateful for a husband who after ???%$#^^ years together still loves me, I am grateful for 11 children who after at least 18 years under by tutelage still love me. (I am very much aware of the deficiencies in my parenting...), I am grateful for two wonderful son-in-laws who take of my daughter-mothers. I am grateful for my mother and sisters and Shawn's mother and sisters and for Shawn's Thomas mother and sisters. I am grateful for extended families and the connection we have with them and for their generosity and love for our family. I am grateful for extra-extended families and how connected we are with them. They fill in spaces that we didn't even know were there. Thank you. Yes my heart is full. I know with time some chairs will be empty--some already are but I do KNOW that we can be together forever and they can be filled again and that is what I pray for. (Sorry this was so sappy. When you get to be my age, I think I have the right...)

All is safely gathered in...

To many, you may be thinking, those are sad looking roses...let me explain.

Every year for mother's day Joseph has bought me a rose bush and for reasons I won't elaborate on, I never have one the following spring. This year, I took extra care of my rose bush and it bloomed it's heart out. Even when it got cold it stilled ...smiled...until night before last. The hard frost was just too much for it.

It actually represents for me a good season...I still have lots to learn about growing and harvesting stuff but this year things grew well. I probably did well because I had to. With Shawn gone I had to be on top of watering, weeding etc. It pulled me out of my comfort zone and helped me to recognize that I COULD do it. And all is, almost, safely gathered in. I am looking forward to next year to practice what I have learned. We have carrots that need to be dug (they are huge) and apples to pick and then I really am done, I think. I have harvested BIG cabbages, apples, onions, zucchini, beets, beans, corn and bottled pears and peaches: not nearly enough but at least the storage room doesn't look so empty. We need a better place to store produce, like a root cellar but for right now things are in the freezer or in bottles.

Hoses are drained, lawn is mowed and watered for the last time, sprinklers put away. All these things I have conveniently allowed Shawn to take care of when he was here because he did.

Yes all is safely gathered in...

Conference

I love conference!! The day always seem so peaceful and there is a special spirit hovering over the day today. Things feel different.

Conference has many different memories. I remember being chosen to attend conference with Mom and Dad 2 different times. Only two of us got to go whenever they went. Listening or viewing conference when I was a girl didn't happen. My first year at Ricks I was able to sing with Rick College choirs one time and that was a neat experience. Other times I stood in line to attend in the tabernacle. Even though it was crowded and the benches hard and sometimes I sat behind a pillar, I was always in awe that I was even there listening to a Prophet in person.

After we were married we purchased every conference on tape and listened to them til the next one came out. We have seldom been fortunate enough to view conference on TV so gathering as a family to listen to the radio was the routine at our house. One time we attended in the conference center and that was awesome. Even while listening (and napping), feeling the spirit and the sacredness of the occasion was always present.

This weekend Shawn is in Washington and I miss him being here to preside over our conference activities. We are grateful for his work but he is missed. So tomorrow we will gather once again to be spiritually fed. Like Brigham--I am stoked!