May 28, 2024

 I have taught Jadyn three Temple Prep lessons in two FaceTimes and she is doing really well. She is planning on moving to the St. George area the end of the summer to live with a roommate and she will be completing her university about Christmas the. I am proud of her. Breya had her high school graduation and she looked beautiful. She has a scholarship to UofA in the fall. Sam’s graduation will be next month and he will be attending Quantlan University in the fall. Jack came as my plus one to dinner at Chris an Minna’s. (They wanted ideas for decorating a room for Chris to give Patriarchal Blessings in with his new calling.) Jack will leave for Calgary in July to work as an FSY counsellor for the summer and then on to Lethbridge for his first year university at Uof L. Justin and JayLynn are moving bravely on, Zach is in hockey playoffs and working on his MBA, Trey is working on football and going into grade 11. Max and Ross are enjoying being new fathers. Wyatt and Colton are enjoying skiing, hockey and baseball. Keaton is growing and doing his sports and Sayde is loving her writing and being in musical productions. Bryson is doing well on his mission in the Netherlands and is in his second transfer. What beautiful outstanding grandchildren and then I have three precious little greats - Treyson, Aksel and Hansen. How blessed am I. I love the granddaughter in laws JayLynn, Monica, Jacqui and Sarah too.

I met with all the women in the family via zoom to discuss the possibility of helping instigate a Worldwide  Women’s prayer day for our - families, lands, leaders and liberties. There may be groups doing similar things already and I want to know so we can join or help. Mom used to tell me about days of prayer that the countries would have during the war. I just feel like we need to help the world in some way and maybe uniting in prayer might be all we can do. I am a great believer in the power of prayer and I feel that united prayer can be extra powerful. I was nervous to present the idea because I realized  that they all might think I was crazy and who am I to suggest such a thing but I felt if I left the idea and the feeling I had, that I would regret it and feel guilty, The girls did have concerns and questions but we will continue to look into this further. 

Mary asked me to help with her RSociety lesson on Sunday regarding Temples and covenants. I love talking about those things and prayed that what I said would be appropriate. Camille and her family stayed with me Friday evening as they were down for Presley to get more treatment for her cancer. Daylon actually attended the Temple to do work for a deceased friend on Saturday too. Liza, Breya and Sayde were at UBC this past weekend for a wheelchair tennis event and they stopped by for awhile on Sunday while enroute home. 

I went to a session at the Temple this morning and I just going to go back to help Dolly McMullin with her first living endowment patron.

Rain has been falling which is good for forest fires but not for getting my new turf laid in my backyard.

Camille’s children.

May 16, 2024

 I have learned in the past two years that the most overwhelming PAIN can live in the same house with the most overwhelming PEACE. The Lord in His marvellous mercy blesses us, sustains us and offers us both compassion and grace as we pass through the greatest sorrows of our life. I believe understanding the Eternal nature of our Father’s Plan opens the door for that PEACE to rush in. I have been surprised and extremely grateful for this unanticipated gift and expression of His LOVE and I marvel at my feelings almost daily and what I am able to accomplish and what I have been able to accomplish. I do not feel alone. I feel the Lord’s spirit and I feel angels very near - especially Tom. Our relationship has expanded in new ways and his support and influence are always with me. I miss Tom with every cell of my being but I also feel the security of his love constantly and strive to live worthy to be with him forever. Oh, how great the Lord’s Plan, His Love and His miracles which surround us.

I felt I needed to express and record those feelings and insights along with my day to day activities.

Brendon had what seemed to a heart attack on May 3rd while driving. He pulled over feeling dizzy and experiencing rapid heart beat which did not subside. Liza went to pick him up and drove him to the hospital emergency. They kept him overnight and have done numerous tests on him but have been unable to determine exactly what happened. As of now, he is carrying on as normal. JayLynn was diagnosed with blood clots and put on blood thinners so we have been praying for both of them.

I have been working on my yard getting new flowers and plants in place. I painted the back patio and walkway with sealer to help maintain the color of the bricks and the patio itself. I had to put two coats on. I got my covid spring vaccination. Myrna brought me a flower for Mother’s Day. Cindy took me out for dinner last Saturday and had me for breakfast Sunday morning for Mother’s Day and my children have ordered me fresh flowers from a local grower for five months. How special! Ryan, my landscaper, will be replacing my burnt turf next week but I will have to pay cost of the turf. It has been a difficult experience. 

I completed teaching my YSA students the Temple Prep classes on May 5 and they are ready to receive their endowments. Two have already booked at the Temple. I had also been thinking about Jadyn going to the Temple so messaged Tammie to see what she thought. Tammie asked if I had talked to Trevor as Jadyn had been discussing the possibility of doing so with them as well and had told them she felt Grampa had been encouraging her. I was so thrilled and realized that Tom and I were still involved in our family’s lives together. We will begin, with her Bishop’s permission, Jadyn’s Temple Prep lessons today via FaceTime.

Clark, my neighbor Marie’s dog, had to be put down after experiencing cancer. That is sad for Marie but Clark was very attached to Marie’s husband Gene, who died of cancer a year before Tom, so the puppy and her (yes Clark is a girl) master are together again. Marie is feeling comfort in that and she still has her dog Finn.

May, 3, 2024

 I will begin by mentioning our family health concerns. We have been hoping that JayLynn would have some positive days health wise but she developed pneumonia which has delayed her sinus surgery.  She has since had a brain scan which showed blood clots and they now have her on medication for that and it looks like the sinus surgery is further detailed. Brendon had some dizziness today with rapid heartbeat. He pulled over while driving and kept in touch with Liza and finally asked her to come. She got him to the emergency and he has been there since. The doctor was not concerned at first but test results are showing possible muscle damage. I am praying for both of them.

I have had a busy couple of weeks. Hansen was born on the 16th and on Wednesday the 17th we held our LOW annual training. Ted Steibel conducted and I did the training. I took carrot cake and cookies and he brought vegetables. Ladene Rempel hosted all the former, current and new Temple Matrons for a luncheon on the 18th and I took a salad for that. It was a fun experience.  I attended the funeral for Abigail Faye Carlton on the 19th. It was sad but lovely and very well attended. Breya was dropped off at my house by her bus carrying her soccer team on their way home from the Island that evening. Brendon and the two other children arrived the next day and they all did baptisms. They drove home that evening. My YSA Temple prep students are all at different spots in their course progression so I had Autumn and Cayden over to my house on Tuesday and we did a marathon lesson to get them completed and I am going to do the same with the boys this Sunday.  I went to Ann Anderson’s funeral this past week. I have been attending one funeral a week for the last three weeks. Jennifer and her family came to stay this pastweekend while they attended the Temple and Norah competed in a dance competition. Spenser and their two dogs stayed with friends the first night and I told them to bring them here the next night. Kona wasn’t too sure about having two other dogs for a sleepover. I got the flowers out to the Stake Center the Thursday before conference and they looked nice. The conference was lovely and Paul gave an excellent talk. We got to go visit our new little baby after conference. He is pretty special. Russel and the kids went home Sunday and Jennifer stayed with me Sunday night so she could spend time with a friend on Monday. I have done my Temple shifts and visits and I also subbed at the Temple Wednesday evening this week. I got the car washed, the dog groomed, the garage cleaned (all by myself), the driveway power washed, the back deck and patio washed and deck furniture set up. We had a couple of sunny days this week which helped me expedite these outdoor activities. I am trying to get the things done that Tom would be doing. I am sure they are not being done as well as he would have done them.

The dog looks beautiful, the car and garage are clean and all those things help me feel good but I am worried about Brendon and JayLynn and will be praying for them. Life gives you every emotion, often simultaneously. Peace and pain at the same. That is what my life looks like and that is my reality but I believe it is the reality for most of us. The most important thing is to recognize that peace has been extended to you by a loving Father and Savior and then the pain becomes able to bare.