Update (or where has the time gone, anyhow?)

It's pretty much been a whole month since I've looked at my blog -- amazing how the time is flying past. There's been plenty going on, that's for sure, but probably my favorite things involve the kids in my life.

Natalie called the other night to report that Simon had said his first intelligible prayer: "Heavenly Father, please bless Grandma. Amen!" Made my night to hear that one.

We had a quick beach trip a few weeks ago (need I say again that there is something at the beach that really restores me? I love it there). It was fun to spend time looking for shells and playing in the warm water with the little guys.

I got to sub for Primary music in our ward on Sunday and had such a good time with the children there. I don't mind admitting that I miss them a lot. Stake Primary is a whole different area and while it helps to know that I am where Heavenly Father wants me (that much is very clear), I sure do miss the children. It was a breath of fresh air. And there is some more music subbing on the horizon which is something to look forward to.

Miss Maya turned 7 and we celebrated with a skating party (see the above pics for proof), Simon is coming up on his 2nd birthday (Sesame Street party in the works, I think), and we are all going to be in Dallas for a walk for Autism Speaks (if you want to contribute, go here -- we can use all the help we can get). Our grandson Ben has autism and as I watch their family and what they are dealing with, I loathe autism more all the time. Ben is doing great but autism needs to be wiped out.

Halloween is next, and then we are onto November celebrations: Natalie's birthday, Chris and Tara's anniversary, Chris Cottam and Chris Mason's birthday (same day!), Thanksgiving and that will wipe out November. Add to that lots of wards to visit (watching their Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentations will be pure pleasure!) and I'm tired just thinking about it.

And then Christmas? Seriously?! Where is the time going, anyhow? I need to get moving!

How to Stay Married

Mark and I have been married a long time (to be exact: 35 years and 9 months) and recently I was talking to someone about how people manage to stay together that long.

I have made no secret about the fact that when I was younger and was making the marriage decision, I wasn't especially careful, prayerful or smart. Yes, I was somewhat prayerful, but mostly, I was just head over heels in love. And that's how I chose Mark.

Fortunately for me, I was also lucky and probably a better descriptive word would be blessed. He is calm, funny, smart, loving, tolerant and patient (seriously, if you know me, that is a requirement) and best of all, he loves me. He is a great husband, a wonderful father and now a fabulous grandpa.

And I think this says it all. We do irritate the heck out of each other at times, but the love we share is stronger than the irritation. Romantic, huh?

He's a keeper!

The Road Not Taken

Simon - nearly 2

Daniel - 7
Ben - 5

Mason - 4 1/2 (the half is very important)

Maya, nearly 7, with Lucy, 3 1/2 months

"Yes, it would be fun to go back and travel the road not taken, especially with the grandkids." ~Robert Brault

I ran across this thought today (Robert Brault is a writer whose thoughts seem to connect well with my own, only he has the facility to put things much more clearly than I do!) and loved it. Anyone who knows me knows that the topic of grandkiddoes speaks to my heart. I knew long before I ever had any that I wanted grandchildren. I love children in general, love my own children so much -- but I knew somehow that the grandma experience would be exceptional and I wanted it badly. And as I have had that experience (with the most precious of children, I might add!) my heart has surprised me by the strength of the emotion I feel for them.

They make everything better. It's always fun to do even the simplest things with them because to them, life is an adventure. And being included in those adventures is what makes my life rich and full. I often muse about the road not taken and I love the thought of the fun exploring it with a grandchild. They have such curiosity and that wide-eyed excitement that pulls a willing grandma right along with them.

They are all different, they are all funny and bright, and they are all loving. And they are all loved immensely by their grandma, who is grateful for them every day of her life.

Which makes me even more grateful for the knowledge I have of the eternal nature of the family -- to be with these precious family members forever is one of the greatest blessings I can claim.

A New Start

"God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me". ~Author unknown, variation of an excerpt from "The Serenity Prayer" by Reinhold Neibuhr

How can it be the first day of school? (and I know that it's already been the first day of school in other places!) The summer has flown for me. And I am having this fall-ish feeling that I love -- sort of the feeling of a new start (you know what I mean) and time to get back on a schedule etc. Which is weird considering I have no one who lives at home with me except Mark -- and he's on the same schedule he's always been on.

But I do love that feeling. It's the right time of year to step into the routine, to feel the steadiness of scheduling, to get back to (trying, anyhow) being better about keeping dinners fixed on time, to stay up on my church calling, to get my house in order. That's what fall says to me -- even when the temps here are over 100.

And the above thought spoke to me today so loudly and clearly that I couldn't not post it -- the person who always needs the most work is me. And what better time than now to work on that?

Happy First Day of School, wherever you are!

(it doesn't look like the picture here -- but it sure says fall to me!)

Road Trip!

Looking forward to a Mason family reunion in Missouri - we leave on Thursday and I think I'm as bad as the kids are: the anticipation makes it twice as much fun!

To Be Useful

"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and have lived well." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mason loves Thomas the Tank Engine. Maybe not quite as much as he used to, but still -- a lot. So we have gotten to know Thomas and those who populate his world. What Thomas really wants is to be a 'really useful engine'. Which to me means that he wants what he does to count for something. I like that. Because that's what I want too. I want what I do to matter. I want the things I do to be pleasing not only to myself, but more, to my Heavenly Father.

So as I go through my days, I remind myself to look for opportunities to be an instrument in His hands. Because I want to be like Thomas: 'a really useful engine.'

New Phone

So recently our Chris decided he wanted one of the new Iphones. I think he figured that the only way he'd get one was to get rid of his (perfectly good) 'old' one. So he offered to sell it to me. I wasn't so sure I needed a new phone, but was willing to go along with him.

Tara, however, heard about our potential arrangement, and absolutely let him have it: "You don't sell your phone to your Mom!! She was in labor with you for 3 days! You GIVE her your phone!" She cracked me up and I loved it. (Chris has a good wife!)

So he gave it to me. He got his new one (loves it), and I got his 'old' one. Recently I got it all hooked up and am learning how to use it. And I am finding that the above cartoon is 100% accurate.

I am getting behind in my TV shows. (And I am loving the Iphone)

Going Home

Welcome to Alberta! (pic is not great -- taken from a moving car - -but still -- you get the idea!)

My cute sister and her first grandbaby, Oliver. She couldn't keep her hands off him, with good reason. He's beautiful.

Oliver and his daddy, my nephew Eric. So fun to see him grown up, and being a husband and a daddy (and doing a great job!).

Val and Keith - my only sister and together, one of my favorite couples (and relatives!)

Ian and Ashley, just after exiting the Alberta Temple in Cardston. Aren't they gorgeous?

Val pinning Ian's flower on him after the temple ceremony. He's a married man!

"Where we love is home -- home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." ~Oliver Wendall Holmes Sr.

Mark and I just returned from a week in Alberta. The purpose was two-fold: to visit with my parents who live in Lethbridge (where I grew up) and to attend my nephew Ian's wedding to his beautiful new wife, Ashley. There's something that happens to me every time I get back there -- there's a pull for me to drive by the house I grew up in, to check out the schools I attended, to look out over Henderson Lake (3 blocks from our house), and to soak up the family that I don't get enough of.

The wedding was wonderful. Ian and Ashley were so ready to spend their lives (and beyond) together and it was a gift to be able to watch them make that commitment to each other. It was wonderful to spend time with my sister and maybe be of a little bit of help in her involvement with the wedding. It was great to be with her husband Keith and son Eric (with his wife Jacquie and new baby Oliver -- both wonderful!). I even ran into some seriously old friends (from way back when -- probably haven't seen them for nearly 40 years -- amazing) and had a little visit with them.

I loved spending time with my parents. I get bothered because they don't get around as well as they used to (or as they'd like to), and I wish there was something I could do to change that for them. But it's fun to be able to spend time with them, even if we aren't doing anything especially exciting. Just being together is really what it's all about.

That week in Alberta has brought out that Canadianism that isn't buried as deep as I thought it was. My feet may have left Lethbridge, but not my heart.

Good Grapes

"Wisdom doesn't come automatically with age. Nothing does -- except wrinkles. It's true, some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place." ~Abigail Van Buren

I have heard it said that learning is an ongoing process and I'm finding that to be true. There isn't a day that passes (super-quickly, I might add!) that I don't pick up something that I really hadn't known before. And I love that. Time is passing and I am learning.

The wrinkles are definitely there. And I want to improve with age -- which means I need to be good grapes. I'm working on it.

Phases of Life

This is the truth! As I look back (which is easier to do all the time, because there is more and more to look back on!) I wish I had enjoyed every phase of life more, even when it was a hard, frustrating phase.

I think that's the key - -to enjoy where you are while you're there. Like Mason says, "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit!". Just love it while you're in it.

I'm so loving the grandma phase I'm in right now.