Elizabeth Participates in DYW of Teton, March 4, 2017
It is Sunday morning, and I am reviewing our week and how we and I spent my time. It is looking like it might be sunny this Sabbath morning, but there is still quite a bit of snow on the ground. There is a bare batch all along the back or east side of our house, like there usually is, from the wind pattern, and there is a big bare batch on our front south side of our lawn, but other than that - pretty much snow as far as the eye can see. Most people here are tiring of winter, but we are hopeful that better weather and spring are just around the corner.
Last night, our darling Elizabeth participated in the Distinguished Young Woman of Teton Valley Program, the scholarship program for high school juniors. My parents, Elizabeth's Grandpa and Grandma White, Elizabeth's aunt and my sister - Kortny, and her family - Tad and Kutter all drove from Blackfoot to support and watch Elizabeth. Elizabeth's Grandma Ripplinger came with Nikole, and watched, even though she's 84.
Our good friends, from our ward - Barbara Knight and Sister Julie McKellar, Tess Dalton and her daughter Abby, Lizet Lewis and her daughter, Tiffany Jenkins and Jocelyn, among others, all came to support Elizabeth. It makes my heart swell with love to know so many people care.
My mother saw Barbara Knight, across the auditorium last night, and mentioned to me how beautiful Barbara still looks. She wondered what Barbara does to stay looking so good. She had forgotten what age Barbara is. She asked me if she was close to my mom's age. I told her no, that B is actually Helen's age, which is almost ten years older than my mother. She was amazed.
Elizabeth has been spending all of January and February attending Distinguished Young Woman Practice. The last few weeks, she would go to school, then go to track practice, then go to DYW practice from 6 to 9 pm Monday through Thursday. She has been taking an every other week piano lesson on the internet with her old, beloved teacher, Paula Johnson. Paula lives in Arizona, but she would use "Skype" or Facetime to teach the lesson. We are grateful to Paula, for teaching Elizabeth, all these years, and for this last lesson session only by internet. We are also grateful to the DYW leaders, who give so much time, all free - they are not paid, to work with the young ladies.
There were only five participants this year - Elizabeth, Hailey Kunz, Hailey Nelson, Aryauna Hoyle, and Olivia Wilson. Sydney Birch was signed up to participate, but she had a terrible ski accident, and had to have surgery on a leg, so she had to drop out. We are so proud of all five of the young women. We are seeing a trend of young women not wanting to put the time in for the practices. We admire the five young women for doing the program, so many others do not.
Words can't express how grateful and proud and full of love Blaine and I feel for our darling Elizabeth. Oh, she looked lovely on the stage! A lot of people thought she had what I call the best stage presence. No matter what she wore, she just glided across and around the stage - very stately, elegant and beautiful. I know my Grandma Williams was with us last night - she helped my mother and my aunt Shauna do these programs.
Elizabeth played a song called Bumble Boogie - the song itself is a show stopper, and Elizabeth just played it like a dream. She owned it, as we sometimes say. She wore this gorgeous black dress with gold trim we had found at the Glass Slipper to rent. The grand piano, at the high school had the top up on the stand, and the whole picture was a sight to behold. Then, when Elizabeth started playing, the whole audience took a gasp - it was so intense and complicated and gorgeous! Oh, I thought I could almost hear angels singing from on high. Needless to say, Elizabeth won the talent award later. Her tiny - maybe 5'4" 120 pound body, and mind - performed that musical number, like she was a concert pianist!
Elizabeth wore a lavendar/purple to the knee dress, that we also rented from the Glass Slipper in Rexburg, for self expression. She really carried herself, beautifully. She has great posture, she has her long light brown hair, that floats along behind her, a smooth, beautiful walk.
She wore exact matching work out clothing, in the fitness category.
She wore an opening number outfit. The theme was Amelia Earhart - Take Flight. The whole program was based on a flight and airplane. She wore clothes Amelia would have worn - fitted tan jeans, high top tan boots, white blouse, with a cover tan jacket, a bluish scarf around her neck and goggles on her head. Those young women looked so cute, in that opening number.
Several tender mercies happened during the process, as you would probably imagine. No one had arranged for someone to video the program. I asked is I could find somebody. The leaders said I could. I asked Elizabeth who she knew, maybe a high school young man, that could do it. She suggested Seth Jensen. I contacted he and his family - he was thrilled to do it.
Bailey Jones was Elizabeth's back stage mom. She spent a lot of time, doing Elizabeth's hair and make up and helping her change, and everything.
We were reminded of the teaching my father gave me, growing up. If you are favored to win, be gracious and grateful to all those who helped you get where you are. If you do not win, be grateful for whatever award you do receive, or be grateful for the program and the people who helped you.
Gerai Moulton was our speaker, at the luncheon of yw and their parents. She is bald, from alopecia. She doesn't have cancer, her hair just all fell out. She has had a lot of trials. Her message was that self worth comes from within - our attitude about ourself, and what we think about ourself. It is not what the world tells us. It's not what other people think of us.
Gabrielle Berry, who was last year's DYW, taught us a lot, but I remember her saying that her Grandpa Berry told her that "you may be the prettiest girl in the room, but if you are unkind, you become the ugliest girl in the room". It's important to be kind to everyone.
We are just so thrilled over Elizabeth, and being in the DYW Program.
I had a good spiritual experience with my boss, Angela Booker. We had our bi-weekly meeting. She is just so happy I'm doing my job at the hospital. I told her I'm a little behind on everything. She said not to worry, that I'm doing a great job. I found a problem, while I was investigating a case for my December infection prevention control report. We now will change our process for urinalysis in our clinic. She loves it when I accidentally find problems with our systems, just by researching and asking questions. At the end of the meeting, my Angela and opened up, and shared some personal feelings. I had asked her about herself when I first went in, and then we were talking, at the end, of what we could do to make her load lighter. She said, "Stop being nice to me", in a soft voice, like not very many people look out for her. I felt the Spirit using me as an instrument.
Elizabeth and Carl had splendid Parent Teacher conferences. They both got straight A's, and their teachers all raved about them. I feel blessed to have good teachers at TMS and THS. I feel blessed to live in a small community, where people really care. I am grateful for children, who are motivated, good and want to do their best.
I took dinner to three groups this past week - Monday to the DYW ladies, Wednesday to a young couple who just had a new premature baby, and we are feeding the Spanish elders tonight.
I love my family.
Elizabeth received many flowers - from Barbara and Sister McKellar, from Paula Johnson, from Brandon and Heather, and from Brandon and Heather. She received $500 from Grandma Ripplinger, to go to college with.
Last night, our darling Elizabeth participated in the Distinguished Young Woman of Teton Valley Program, the scholarship program for high school juniors. My parents, Elizabeth's Grandpa and Grandma White, Elizabeth's aunt and my sister - Kortny, and her family - Tad and Kutter all drove from Blackfoot to support and watch Elizabeth. Elizabeth's Grandma Ripplinger came with Nikole, and watched, even though she's 84.
Our good friends, from our ward - Barbara Knight and Sister Julie McKellar, Tess Dalton and her daughter Abby, Lizet Lewis and her daughter, Tiffany Jenkins and Jocelyn, among others, all came to support Elizabeth. It makes my heart swell with love to know so many people care.
My mother saw Barbara Knight, across the auditorium last night, and mentioned to me how beautiful Barbara still looks. She wondered what Barbara does to stay looking so good. She had forgotten what age Barbara is. She asked me if she was close to my mom's age. I told her no, that B is actually Helen's age, which is almost ten years older than my mother. She was amazed.
Elizabeth has been spending all of January and February attending Distinguished Young Woman Practice. The last few weeks, she would go to school, then go to track practice, then go to DYW practice from 6 to 9 pm Monday through Thursday. She has been taking an every other week piano lesson on the internet with her old, beloved teacher, Paula Johnson. Paula lives in Arizona, but she would use "Skype" or Facetime to teach the lesson. We are grateful to Paula, for teaching Elizabeth, all these years, and for this last lesson session only by internet. We are also grateful to the DYW leaders, who give so much time, all free - they are not paid, to work with the young ladies.
There were only five participants this year - Elizabeth, Hailey Kunz, Hailey Nelson, Aryauna Hoyle, and Olivia Wilson. Sydney Birch was signed up to participate, but she had a terrible ski accident, and had to have surgery on a leg, so she had to drop out. We are so proud of all five of the young women. We are seeing a trend of young women not wanting to put the time in for the practices. We admire the five young women for doing the program, so many others do not.
Words can't express how grateful and proud and full of love Blaine and I feel for our darling Elizabeth. Oh, she looked lovely on the stage! A lot of people thought she had what I call the best stage presence. No matter what she wore, she just glided across and around the stage - very stately, elegant and beautiful. I know my Grandma Williams was with us last night - she helped my mother and my aunt Shauna do these programs.
Elizabeth played a song called Bumble Boogie - the song itself is a show stopper, and Elizabeth just played it like a dream. She owned it, as we sometimes say. She wore this gorgeous black dress with gold trim we had found at the Glass Slipper to rent. The grand piano, at the high school had the top up on the stand, and the whole picture was a sight to behold. Then, when Elizabeth started playing, the whole audience took a gasp - it was so intense and complicated and gorgeous! Oh, I thought I could almost hear angels singing from on high. Needless to say, Elizabeth won the talent award later. Her tiny - maybe 5'4" 120 pound body, and mind - performed that musical number, like she was a concert pianist!
Elizabeth wore a lavendar/purple to the knee dress, that we also rented from the Glass Slipper in Rexburg, for self expression. She really carried herself, beautifully. She has great posture, she has her long light brown hair, that floats along behind her, a smooth, beautiful walk.
She wore exact matching work out clothing, in the fitness category.
She wore an opening number outfit. The theme was Amelia Earhart - Take Flight. The whole program was based on a flight and airplane. She wore clothes Amelia would have worn - fitted tan jeans, high top tan boots, white blouse, with a cover tan jacket, a bluish scarf around her neck and goggles on her head. Those young women looked so cute, in that opening number.
Several tender mercies happened during the process, as you would probably imagine. No one had arranged for someone to video the program. I asked is I could find somebody. The leaders said I could. I asked Elizabeth who she knew, maybe a high school young man, that could do it. She suggested Seth Jensen. I contacted he and his family - he was thrilled to do it.
Bailey Jones was Elizabeth's back stage mom. She spent a lot of time, doing Elizabeth's hair and make up and helping her change, and everything.
We were reminded of the teaching my father gave me, growing up. If you are favored to win, be gracious and grateful to all those who helped you get where you are. If you do not win, be grateful for whatever award you do receive, or be grateful for the program and the people who helped you.
Gerai Moulton was our speaker, at the luncheon of yw and their parents. She is bald, from alopecia. She doesn't have cancer, her hair just all fell out. She has had a lot of trials. Her message was that self worth comes from within - our attitude about ourself, and what we think about ourself. It is not what the world tells us. It's not what other people think of us.
Gabrielle Berry, who was last year's DYW, taught us a lot, but I remember her saying that her Grandpa Berry told her that "you may be the prettiest girl in the room, but if you are unkind, you become the ugliest girl in the room". It's important to be kind to everyone.
We are just so thrilled over Elizabeth, and being in the DYW Program.
I had a good spiritual experience with my boss, Angela Booker. We had our bi-weekly meeting. She is just so happy I'm doing my job at the hospital. I told her I'm a little behind on everything. She said not to worry, that I'm doing a great job. I found a problem, while I was investigating a case for my December infection prevention control report. We now will change our process for urinalysis in our clinic. She loves it when I accidentally find problems with our systems, just by researching and asking questions. At the end of the meeting, my Angela and opened up, and shared some personal feelings. I had asked her about herself when I first went in, and then we were talking, at the end, of what we could do to make her load lighter. She said, "Stop being nice to me", in a soft voice, like not very many people look out for her. I felt the Spirit using me as an instrument.
Elizabeth and Carl had splendid Parent Teacher conferences. They both got straight A's, and their teachers all raved about them. I feel blessed to have good teachers at TMS and THS. I feel blessed to live in a small community, where people really care. I am grateful for children, who are motivated, good and want to do their best.
I took dinner to three groups this past week - Monday to the DYW ladies, Wednesday to a young couple who just had a new premature baby, and we are feeding the Spanish elders tonight.
I love my family.
Elizabeth received many flowers - from Barbara and Sister McKellar, from Paula Johnson, from Brandon and Heather, and from Brandon and Heather. She received $500 from Grandma Ripplinger, to go to college with.
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