March 14, 2024

  Brendon left for home on Friday evening. I had subbed the Friday morning Temple shift for Leslie Clarke and later picked Brendon up at the West Coast Express station in Maple Ridge. I brought him home, packed him a quick lunch and he was off. I worked my own Temple shift on Saturday and then Liza drove down and arrived Saturday evening using the same car Brendon just used to drive home with. She was heading out for a PT course near St. Louis in Jefferson city. We both forgot the time change Sunday morning but luckily our cell phones woke us up at the new 5:30. I got her to the airport, went to our sacrament meeting then  down to the YSA building to teach the young adults the first Temple Prep lesson. I had six students and Renee Mitchell came in with them. I am looking forward to teaching them. I love that age group and love the subject matter. I went to an emergency prep meeting for our May event and finally returned home for our family zoom. Busy week and weekend.

I got my hair cut on Monday and Kona had her groom on Wednesday. According to Gabriella Kona’s hair was matted and she had to shave most of it off plus charge me an extra $30 for doing so. I feel terrible. I need to brush more often a with a stiffer brush. Kona hates being brushed and hates using a stiff  brush. I need to be firmer I guess. I had no idea that it was that bad. 

I picked Liza up from the airport after Kona’s grooming dilemma. I had packed up and we left for Kelowna after we got things in Liza’s car and got my house locked up. It was still light when we started out and we got along fine with little sheered Kona snuggled in my lap.

Liza is back working today, Brendon at his office, Keaton and Sayde at school and Breya in Vancouver with a soccer team. Sayde has her play “Matilda” this evening and that is the purpose of my visit. 

Trevor, Tammie, Jaydn and Treyvn are in Hawaii for Spring Break and Cindy, Paul, Jack and Sam leave for their Spring Break trip to Australia to meet little Aksel tomorrow. All are on the move and busy. The Bull family had their Spring Break trip to Cancun a couple of weeks ago. I leave with Liza’s family next weekend for their Spring Break trip to Southern Utah. I will stay with Justin and JayLynn. Pretty lucky children and grandchildren. They have inherited Tom’s love for travel.❤️❤️

March 8, 2024

 I subbed in the Temple today for Leslie Clarke but wasn’t there too long as my last assignment was to attend a session and they allowed me to leave instead.  I have been concerned about Kona this week as I am away from her for longer hours for a few days in a row but it worked out fine today and she is not neglected. 

Brendon stayed with me Wednesday evening before going downtown to the Vancouver Dental Conference. He is back today and I will be picking him up in Maple Ridge as he is taking the West Coast Express that far. He left his car here and I am uncertain if he is planning on driving home tonight or not.

We all got to experience little baby Aksel on the family zoom on Sunday. He is very cute but I think his parents are a little tired as they learn the ins and outs of parenthood. He is doing fine. Cindy, Paul, Jack and Sam leave next week to fly to Australia to meet him during their Spring Break Vacation. They are excited. 

The Temple Closure was over March 4 and I was back at the Temple for a session Tuesday morning. Ruth Boehmer took me to a Vietnamese Restaurant for lunch on Tuesday and that was fun. Cindy and Paul to me and Wendy McKinley to the movie “Cabrini” last night. It was a true story about an American/Italian nun who accomplished much in America during the time of great immigration, as she established orphanages and hospitals to provide for the needs of many. She took her work throughout the world and the Catholic Church made her a Saint. I had never heard of her before. I took dinner to the Hong family last night as they have a new baby.

I have my own Temple shift tomorrow and church, teaching YSA Temple prep and an Emergency Prep preparation meeting on Sunday. Life is busy and that is good. Hopefully my busy is of value.

Renee Gallant sent me a picture of her progress on Tom’s shirt quilt.

March 1, 2024

 Well, it is March 1 today in Vancouver but it is March 2 in Australia and that is the date upon which our little Aksel Reid Hardy was born, weighing 7lbs. His is so cute and both his grandparents and his GG have been crying. Isn’t is wonderful how each addition to the family is greeted with such excitement and love. I went out to do some shopping and returned home to find Max had sent a message and I knew what that meant as Jacqui was past her due date and we knew what the birth was eminent. This has been a first for Tom from his new vantage point and I know he was joying along with us and many others on the other side of the veil.

This has been the second week of the Temple closure and I am trying to use my extra time doing things I sometimes feel need to be put off. I have washed all my Temple dresses and Temple clothes and have them ready to go again and yes I have quite a good number of Temple dresses. I wrote the mayor to discuss the need for improvement to the Fort Langley cemetery, cleaned my stove and oven which I have been nervous to do, dealt with some banking concerns which Tom would normally take care of, called my sister Joanne and Tom’s sister Carolyn, hosted Annie’s husband Kyle, took Carol Jensen out to lunch before her move to Lethbridge, hosted the dessert portion of the Ward Progressive dinner and just tried to get a few others things done that were needing to be done. I need to make an appointment for my hair to be cut and for the dog to be groomed. I also received a calling, with Stake approval, for me to teach the YSA Temple Prep class. All my callings are Temple Centered and I love it. I still teach Temple Prep in the Ward, coordinate female LOWs and server as an OW.

Bryson is doing some better and wrote me separately this week. I am praying and hoping that increased medication will eventually be of help to him. He was on a child size dose and Liza didn’t realize it. He said he is just trying to get thru one day at a time and I agreed that that is the best method to use. Missions are a challenge as is life and we all truly need to work at it one day at a time and pray for the Lord’s help in doing so.

Camille is in town for a hospital appointment for Presley and Cindy and I will try to get up to see her, Presley and new baby boy Tell. We have some things from Carol to give them and a few gifts from us. Carol has made her move to Lethbridge and messaged me today to say she was just arriving and that the drive had not been perfect. Glad she has arrived safely and we wish her all the best.

Excited for these angels from Heaven being sent our way.

February 25, 2024

 I filled in as the LOW last Thursday evening for Erika Leavitt as she received her OE. She is Brian and Brenda’s granddaughter and a cute girl just feeling ready for the Temple. As it turned out I knew her other grandparents the Johnson’s . Georginna Johnson is from the McConnell family from Schelelt and Tom was their Bishop years ago and we had attended their wedding. Fun to make those connections and be part of this special evening for their family.

I made food in advance for Liza’s family coming last weekend - bran muffins and lasagna. It was nice having them here. Liza and. Brendon got to the Temple to do sealings with Cindy and Paul and then the girls all went to Sarah’s baby shower while I served in the Temple filling in for Minna as assist coordinator. They all came over for dinner afterward and the Burgess family had the chance to see Jack and catch up with him. He has had a cold since going to the YSA conference in Edmonton. The Burgess family headed home Sunday afternoon.

Cheyenne was home for reading week this week and Jean had me for dinner on Monday evening and we enjoyed a Chinese “hot pot” which was new to me. Cheyenne spent much of the time working on an assignment that was due but finally sat down to eat. She came back home with me to visit Kona.

I went over to Rosemarie’s home on Tuesday afternoon to help her with some redesign. We had lunch then I hung pictures, moved some furniture and redid one shelf. I will need to return and she wants me to consult on some furniture decisions she is making. It was fun but crawling around and up and down wears me out more as I get older.

Our niece Annie’s husband Kyle has stayed with me this week from Wednesday to Sunday. Their daughter Reece has been involved in university basketball playoffs at UFV. They did well and came in second to University of Saskatchewan. Annie and Kyle had five girls and just recently a little tail end baby boy. Kyle brought Reece over to see me one day.

The ward had a progressive dinner on Saturday and I had signed up and volunteered to do dessert. With Kyle and Reece coming and going I told them I had better not go to the first part but wanted them to come to my home for dessert. Kyle got home to join with dessert party and I invited Jean and Cheyenne before Cheyenne flew back to school last night. 

Bryson arrived in Holland this week and has been struggling but they realized that his medications need some serious adjusting and we are hopeful and praying that makes a difference. He has so been looking forward to this Dutch Mission and we want him to enjoy it.

 This is a memory picture from Tom’s memorial service as I sat and talked to people after the service all the while being surrounded by loving angels.

February 14, 2024

 Today is Valentine’s Day. I am remembering Tom and my very loved family members. I made a list this morning of all our family members with their names and their numbers according to the order in which they became part of our family. At the moment, including Tom, Halle and Anderson, there are 31 of us. That number will change in about a week and will continue to change but they are all loved and special to me and to Tom and we want them forever. It makes me realize how loved, numbered, named and remembered we are by our Heavenly Parents and our Savior.

My week has gone along with regular responsibilities and activities - Temple attendance on Tuesday morning,  Temple service Saturday, church on Sunday, family zoom on Sunday, a hair cut thrown in and hair colouring, making food to be frozen for the family, ordering Valentine flowers for friends, working on callings, paying bills, buying groceries, caring for and walking the dog along with cleaning, cooking, listening to church podcasts and conference talks almost daily and studying the Scriptures and “Come Follow Me”. I was to go today to help Rosemarie with home decor but she is a little under the weather and we will reschedule for next week.

Bryson is concluding his time at the MTC and is scheduled to fly with his group to the Netherlands tomorrow. I am praying for him. Jack flew to Edmonton on the weekend with friends for a very large YSA conference and he is getting school applications completed and in. Sam and Breya are also applying for school as they head toward High School graduation. Jacquie and Max are planning for the baby boy’s arrival within a week. The Bull family have returned from their Cancun spring break trip and the Burgess family are planning on coming down for the weekend. Trevor and Tammie have been in Utah to visit Justin and family.

I feel at peace but miss my Valentine. He has and will always have my heart. ❤️❤️

February, 7, 2024

 I am having Ruth Boehmer for lunch today and thought I should work on this and then take the dog for a walk before she arrives. I have everything ready for the lunch. Ruth lives near me with her daughter and family. She is fairly new in the ward and wanting to make friends.

I have been kept busy with my LOW calling as the Vancouver Spanish Ward Bishop has nine individuals ready to receive their OE and eight of them are sisters. He has wanted them to come in groups together and that has caused me to scramble to get together Spanish speaking LOWs to serve at one time to assist the new sisters. We were to have three sisters come last Saturday but one got sick and we only had two, however, I had all three LOW sisters I had assigned come anyone and had Katherine Turcios take the lead over the other two and organize things as her assigned sister was the sick one. We have three Spanish ladies coming in a week and a half and I have assigned the same three LOWs to assist with them. I have just submitted two names to the presidency for additional LOWs.

Bryson has almost completed his time in the MTC and is hoping his visa is in order to move on to the Netherlands. He believes it may not be ready for Belgium though. He seems to be doing well and even ran into Cohen Rulman there at the the MTC. I taught Cohen Temple Prep here in our ward and I also taught Bryson Temple Prep for that matter.

Jack is busy with work. He helped teach Bela’s friend the missionary lessons and assisted with her confirmation on Sunday after her baptism on Saturday. He has been called to serve in the Temple and is going to a YSA conference in Edmonton this weekend. He has been acting with dignity around Sianne and Caleb and I am proud of him. It is difficult when they and their engagement are right in front of him much of the time. 

I attended my emergency prep meeting on Sunday. I have the assignment to help with this event and we are just trying to determine what it is going to look like as the scope of it has been scaled down. We are thinking perhaps two smaller events twice a year would work. We adjusted our family zoom time Sunday to accommodate my meeting.

It is Paul’s birthday today. He is the oldest of the children and turns 52 today. I must be old as Trevor will be 52 this year too.

All is well, carry on!

February 2, 2024

 It is already February and it seems like the year just began. I am grateful that time does not drag and my days are generally full

I have still been working on going thru Tom’s clothing and my own. Renee Gallant is making some of Tom’s shirts into a quilt and is kindly doing her part for free as an act of service for me. I have received so much service and kind acts since Tom’s illness and passing that it is quite overwhelming.  Cindy’s family came over and brought dinner Saturday after my day in the Temple and I had them select shoes and items of Tom’s clothing they wanted and they helped me with some digital concerns. I took several bags of clothing to thrift yesterday but I will always keep some of Tom’s things with me, 

Tessa Harvey Russell,  Lincoln’s sister, is in town visiting and Mary had a lunch for her on Monday and kindly invited me. Virginia and Laurie were also there and it was a fun time. Mary let me know that her cancer has returned and they will not be treating it. I am praying for her. Mary is a dear friend and I appreciate her so much. She and Lincoln have been so good to us.

I went with Rosemarie last Friday to support her in buying a new sectional for her place. I am her professional consultant. We picked up some lunch afterward and brought it back to my place to eat. Rosemarie is a kind friend as well.

Our released Stake YW presidency, Cathy, Marcy and Jessica, wanted to get together so I told them that they could come to my house  on Wednesday and I made soup while they contributed the rest. These are great girls but each has their challenges. They are the ages of my children but I love my friends of every age. It was fun and Kona always loves any company we receive. She thinks they have come for her. 

I have struggled thru the week getting LOWs organized for three Spanish sisters receiving their OE tomorrow. One OE sister is sick and we have had to take that into account. They only booked last Saturday and I didn’t get LOW requests out until Monday morning. I needed 3 Spanish speaking LOW sisters and one of those sisters did not see my email request but gradually I have been able to communicate with everyone involved and we have pulled things into place. I am praying now that the Lord takes over where needed. I have kept 3 LOWs serving with only the now 2 OE sisters but Katherine Turcios, one of the LOWs, will serve as a corrdinator for it all. I am certain it will be okay.