End of Summer and Father's Blessings, August 27, 2017
What Have I done with my Time This Last Little While?
I'm sitting here, at my kitchen table, Nikole is eating salsa and chips, Carl is wandering around, Elizabeth is sitting on our chocolate-colored long couch in our living room - her beautiful hair blending into the couch, so you only see her pretty face and hands. I'm sitting by the bay window, I can see the holly hocks to my right. They grew so big and beautiful this year - the first summer they have done this. It amazes me that they shoot straight up in the air, many of them over 7 feet tall, without having a fence or wall to lean on. It is about 6:30 pm, on our Sunday evening. It is what I call a long summer day.
We are "winding down" on our long, beautiful summer that we have so much enjoyed. Someone called it an "Indian summer" - I think referring to the time when the Indians used to stay in this valley late into the fall, because the weather was so nice.
It is early evening, the gorgeous sun is starting low toward the west, but it is still a beautiful glowing full sunshine on the back of my home. I sit here, because I love summer. I feel badly and am always sad to see it start to slip away. I try to cherish everything about it. I look out my big windows across the west toward the mountains, in full sun, still, and it brings me so much happiness. The farmer that runs our old place has cut his hay, and it lays in neat rows, drying, and waiting to be bailed.
Our trampoline is up in the back yard, with his high guard net, while Carl still enjoys his time with it.
We are one of the last schools to start. Firth started two weeks ago, where my nephew, Kutter Arbon, goes. Snake River started last week, I believe, where Jace and Maecie White attend. Elizabeth and Carl will begin this Tuesday.
Today, Sunday, was one of those blessed days, that stands out in your memory, because it was so spiritual. We started out spending a really good week with many good summer opportunities and memories. Our last week, before our school district starts. we were able to take our boat out on Saturday. It was Blaine's idea. Derek had wanted to go to West Yellowstone with Abby and Todd and stay at my parent's cabin, but of all the times when it sits empty, this one week-end, my Aunt Connie and my cousin Laurie had asked if they could stay there, so Derek couldn't go.
But he invited Todd and Abby, and they all wanted to come with us, when we offered to go boating at Palisades Saturday. We were able to do some morning work around the house and yard. We left around 11 am, went to Broulim's and got some chicken, fruit, salads and sports drinks. We came back, hooked the boat on the old Suburban and started out.
Lance Argyle and his girlfriend, Salaia, were up here at Grandma's (Helen's) for Lance's birthday. Blaine wondered if we should invite them. He had had four of his male friends up here all week, so we hesitated, because we couldn't take all of them. Nikole found out they were gone, so Blaine invited him. They jumped at the chance to go.
We headed over Piney Pass, into Swan Valley and up the Palisades Reservoir. We met Derek, Breanna and Todd and Abby at the boat ramp. It's a ways up.
We spent a fabulous few hours boating. We found a floating dock, where some of us could sit in the sun and watch, while the others took turns riding the tube, riding the knee board, the wake board, the water skis. Blaine and I water-skied.
The day was one of those gorgeous summer, perfect days. The sky was blue and the sun was bright. The water was smooth like glass when we started. We just enjoyed each other's company and had so much fun together.
Today was a day that is a little hard to describe the spiritual joy a person feels. I felt the Spirit testifying as we sang the songs that Lizette Lewis and Erin Jensen chose. Jacob Jensen gave his mission report. It was just one of those very good, pure, ones where you can feel the Spirit burning. Kristy Jacobs played a beautiful piano piece that was so pretty. I watched her husband, Kade, watch her like she was his queen. They've had it rough. Kristy could not have children, and she got a terrible abdominal disease like Crohn's or the one you get from ticks, even though she never remembers a tick bite. She has really struggled.
Conner Kunz and Reese Clayton were the youth speakers.
I went up to Erin Jensen, who played the organ, afterward. I was just crying with feelings of the Spirit, by the end. I hugged her and we spoke about Jacob, how proud we are of him, how proud I am of she and John being such good parents, raising such a good son, and family.
I had a sweet conversation with Rachel Bates, who is a divorced mom, who lives a fairly lonely life, even though she has five grown children. She is a splendid school teacher. She was telling me about her new assignment to help kindergartners learn Spanish, as they learn their regular school work. At the end, we had said good-bye and started to part. I suddenly turned back and asked Rachel if she was going to ask for a back to school Priesthood blessing. She looked stunned, and then started to cry. I came back, and we both cried. I told her how Blaine was going to give us blessings, and I heard George saying they were doing father's blessings at our house. I told her how I always get a blessing when my school children go back to school. She agreed, and said she could sure use one. She told me she was going to go ask George, her brother, if he would give her one later today. We hugged and I felt blessed, that I was prompted to ask her about it.
Sunday School was fabulous. My beloved President John Pehrson taught the lesson. It was on Marriage, D&C Section 131The doctrine he taught was just so powerful. Handsome, big John Pehrson, teared up several times, became so choked up with emotion, that he had to pause, and his big booming voice quaked as he spoke. Bishop Moulton was in the crowd, and he choked up and testified of marriage, of Father's divine plan that takes a man plus a woman to have increase, to create families, to be entitled to all that the Father has - in this section and in Pres. Pehrson's lesson we spoke of kingdoms, thrones, principalities, power, dominion over things above and things beneath, but we must be 1 baptized 2 get the Holy Ghost 3 Priesthood and 4 Celestial Marriage in the Temple. Oh, it was just glorious.
In Young Women's, Kiley Kunz taught the lesson about Mothers. She asked me to talk about how being a mother makes me feel, some of the challenges, some things the young women could do to prepare. I felt prompted to take the picture frame I've had with the quote about Homemakers having to have knowledge in about 15 degrees - such as horticulture, chemistry, cuisine, finance, child development, etc. We talked about how a mom gives up her body to house a baby, gives up her own private desires to bear and raise a child, but also about all the joys. I had them cut a red heart out of paper. I asked them who the heart of their home is, they all said their mother. I asked them to watch their moms and grandmas this week. I asked them to see what their moms do, that makes them the heart of the home, to try to pick some things their moms do that they could learn, etc.
Then we went to Jensen's house for a light lunch, then home. Blaine gave each of our precious children father's blessings and gave me one last. We have an app that lets me record Blaine's voice, actually giving the blessing, so they can listen later or type it up from that. I used to write notes as quickly as I could, and then go back and type it up.
You know Blaine has a gift for giving splendid blessings. They are so advanced as far as spiritual gifts. I am grateful for his gift. We love getting those blessings.
So, you could say I cried on and off all day. I feel so grateful and so blessed.
Heather and Brandon are coming in a couple of weeks to stay for 10 days. We are going to have a baby shower at my mom's with family, and Sarah M. is going to give one on the Saturday with our ward friends. Derek and Breanna will have their first wedding anniversary on September 2. Elizabeth and Carl start school on Tuesday. Nikole has been dating a young man named MF, but now he has to go to BYU-Provo and she goes to BYU-Idaho.
I'm sitting here, at my kitchen table, Nikole is eating salsa and chips, Carl is wandering around, Elizabeth is sitting on our chocolate-colored long couch in our living room - her beautiful hair blending into the couch, so you only see her pretty face and hands. I'm sitting by the bay window, I can see the holly hocks to my right. They grew so big and beautiful this year - the first summer they have done this. It amazes me that they shoot straight up in the air, many of them over 7 feet tall, without having a fence or wall to lean on. It is about 6:30 pm, on our Sunday evening. It is what I call a long summer day.
We are "winding down" on our long, beautiful summer that we have so much enjoyed. Someone called it an "Indian summer" - I think referring to the time when the Indians used to stay in this valley late into the fall, because the weather was so nice.
It is early evening, the gorgeous sun is starting low toward the west, but it is still a beautiful glowing full sunshine on the back of my home. I sit here, because I love summer. I feel badly and am always sad to see it start to slip away. I try to cherish everything about it. I look out my big windows across the west toward the mountains, in full sun, still, and it brings me so much happiness. The farmer that runs our old place has cut his hay, and it lays in neat rows, drying, and waiting to be bailed.
Our trampoline is up in the back yard, with his high guard net, while Carl still enjoys his time with it.
We are one of the last schools to start. Firth started two weeks ago, where my nephew, Kutter Arbon, goes. Snake River started last week, I believe, where Jace and Maecie White attend. Elizabeth and Carl will begin this Tuesday.
Today, Sunday, was one of those blessed days, that stands out in your memory, because it was so spiritual. We started out spending a really good week with many good summer opportunities and memories. Our last week, before our school district starts. we were able to take our boat out on Saturday. It was Blaine's idea. Derek had wanted to go to West Yellowstone with Abby and Todd and stay at my parent's cabin, but of all the times when it sits empty, this one week-end, my Aunt Connie and my cousin Laurie had asked if they could stay there, so Derek couldn't go.
But he invited Todd and Abby, and they all wanted to come with us, when we offered to go boating at Palisades Saturday. We were able to do some morning work around the house and yard. We left around 11 am, went to Broulim's and got some chicken, fruit, salads and sports drinks. We came back, hooked the boat on the old Suburban and started out.
Lance Argyle and his girlfriend, Salaia, were up here at Grandma's (Helen's) for Lance's birthday. Blaine wondered if we should invite them. He had had four of his male friends up here all week, so we hesitated, because we couldn't take all of them. Nikole found out they were gone, so Blaine invited him. They jumped at the chance to go.
We headed over Piney Pass, into Swan Valley and up the Palisades Reservoir. We met Derek, Breanna and Todd and Abby at the boat ramp. It's a ways up.
We spent a fabulous few hours boating. We found a floating dock, where some of us could sit in the sun and watch, while the others took turns riding the tube, riding the knee board, the wake board, the water skis. Blaine and I water-skied.
The day was one of those gorgeous summer, perfect days. The sky was blue and the sun was bright. The water was smooth like glass when we started. We just enjoyed each other's company and had so much fun together.
Today was a day that is a little hard to describe the spiritual joy a person feels. I felt the Spirit testifying as we sang the songs that Lizette Lewis and Erin Jensen chose. Jacob Jensen gave his mission report. It was just one of those very good, pure, ones where you can feel the Spirit burning. Kristy Jacobs played a beautiful piano piece that was so pretty. I watched her husband, Kade, watch her like she was his queen. They've had it rough. Kristy could not have children, and she got a terrible abdominal disease like Crohn's or the one you get from ticks, even though she never remembers a tick bite. She has really struggled.
Conner Kunz and Reese Clayton were the youth speakers.
I went up to Erin Jensen, who played the organ, afterward. I was just crying with feelings of the Spirit, by the end. I hugged her and we spoke about Jacob, how proud we are of him, how proud I am of she and John being such good parents, raising such a good son, and family.
I had a sweet conversation with Rachel Bates, who is a divorced mom, who lives a fairly lonely life, even though she has five grown children. She is a splendid school teacher. She was telling me about her new assignment to help kindergartners learn Spanish, as they learn their regular school work. At the end, we had said good-bye and started to part. I suddenly turned back and asked Rachel if she was going to ask for a back to school Priesthood blessing. She looked stunned, and then started to cry. I came back, and we both cried. I told her how Blaine was going to give us blessings, and I heard George saying they were doing father's blessings at our house. I told her how I always get a blessing when my school children go back to school. She agreed, and said she could sure use one. She told me she was going to go ask George, her brother, if he would give her one later today. We hugged and I felt blessed, that I was prompted to ask her about it.
Sunday School was fabulous. My beloved President John Pehrson taught the lesson. It was on Marriage, D&C Section 131The doctrine he taught was just so powerful. Handsome, big John Pehrson, teared up several times, became so choked up with emotion, that he had to pause, and his big booming voice quaked as he spoke. Bishop Moulton was in the crowd, and he choked up and testified of marriage, of Father's divine plan that takes a man plus a woman to have increase, to create families, to be entitled to all that the Father has - in this section and in Pres. Pehrson's lesson we spoke of kingdoms, thrones, principalities, power, dominion over things above and things beneath, but we must be 1 baptized 2 get the Holy Ghost 3 Priesthood and 4 Celestial Marriage in the Temple. Oh, it was just glorious.
In Young Women's, Kiley Kunz taught the lesson about Mothers. She asked me to talk about how being a mother makes me feel, some of the challenges, some things the young women could do to prepare. I felt prompted to take the picture frame I've had with the quote about Homemakers having to have knowledge in about 15 degrees - such as horticulture, chemistry, cuisine, finance, child development, etc. We talked about how a mom gives up her body to house a baby, gives up her own private desires to bear and raise a child, but also about all the joys. I had them cut a red heart out of paper. I asked them who the heart of their home is, they all said their mother. I asked them to watch their moms and grandmas this week. I asked them to see what their moms do, that makes them the heart of the home, to try to pick some things their moms do that they could learn, etc.
Then we went to Jensen's house for a light lunch, then home. Blaine gave each of our precious children father's blessings and gave me one last. We have an app that lets me record Blaine's voice, actually giving the blessing, so they can listen later or type it up from that. I used to write notes as quickly as I could, and then go back and type it up.
You know Blaine has a gift for giving splendid blessings. They are so advanced as far as spiritual gifts. I am grateful for his gift. We love getting those blessings.
So, you could say I cried on and off all day. I feel so grateful and so blessed.
Heather and Brandon are coming in a couple of weeks to stay for 10 days. We are going to have a baby shower at my mom's with family, and Sarah M. is going to give one on the Saturday with our ward friends. Derek and Breanna will have their first wedding anniversary on September 2. Elizabeth and Carl start school on Tuesday. Nikole has been dating a young man named MF, but now he has to go to BYU-Provo and she goes to BYU-Idaho.
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