You Say It's Your Birthday!

Most of your are probably too young to remember this song. It was a Beatles song which says; "You say it's your birthday. It's my birthday too--yeah. (Interestingly enough, I share this birthday a fellow employee, a girl I grew up with, whose name happened to be Debra as well - now that doesn't happen every day - and Oprah - albeit - I'm about 2 1/2 hours older than she is!) They say it's your birthday. We're gonna have a good time. (I have had a very good time today!) I'm glad it's your birthday. Happy birthday to you. Yes we're going to a party party. (No, I don't think we're going to party, party, party - but work on the house!) Yes we're going to a party party. Yes we're going to a party party. I would like you to dance--Birthday. Take a cha-cha-cha-chance-Birthday. (I did something better than dance for my birthday - I did something nice for someone else) I would like you to dance--Birthday Dance. You say it's your birthday. Well it's my birthday too--yeah. You say it's your birthday. We're gonna have a good time. I'm glad it's your birthday. Happy birthday to you! (It has been a good time, a good day, a good life and if its your birthday too - well - Happy birthday to you!)

A New 4 Letter Word in Blanding!

SNOW

I assume the pictures speak louder than words.

We have had about 60 inches of snow this winter!

It snowed Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Do you suppose it will snow tomorrow?

As we have fasted and prayed for this - we ARE grateful

BUT

My back is NOT!

What Have I Been Up To?

January always seems to be a very busy month for me - this one is no exception. Here is what I have been up to:
1. School Board - January is Utah State School Boards Association Annual Convention in SLC - takes a Thursday, Friday and Saturday of regular life! (Got to have lunch with Jackie at the Grand America and have to die for Bread pudding with rum sauce!). Ground breaking for Tsebiinidzigai Elementary School (Dare you to say that one!) in Monument Valley, Utah. It was a day which brought three first: my first Navajo Blessing of the Ground Ceremony - very impressive. my first Navajo Blessing (After the Blessing of the ground, all the "dignitaries" on the stand were asked to line up to the left of the Medicine Man and we were each blessed. It was a very humble experience. my first time to pick up hitch-hikers. On the way home from Monument Valley, I picked up two you bundled up back pack carrying hitch-hikers. They were two young people from France and Germany. We had a very interesting, information sharing trip from Mexican Hat to Blanding. Today was our monthly school board meeting.

2. Work - We have implented an electronic medical record program for use in our clinics. I have spent HUNDREDS of hours learning and working on this. I will spend THOUSANDS more until I have it down pat and can help the clinics take part of all the features. Everyone we talked to before purchasing the product said, "You will hate going to work every day for the next 6 - 9 months - and then one morning you will say, I can't believe we didn't do this years ago." - I am living for that day. I'm certainly in the "hate" part now! I'm trying to work less, as I'm only part time - but I've nearly been working full time without full time benefits for the past year.

3. Home - Is there a room in my house that is normal? NO!!!!! Is there a bed in my house that can be slept in besides my own? NO!!!!!!! Are there enough hours in the day to spend working on the house? NO!!!!!!! We have been sheet rocking, mudding - I think if I go back one year I said I would never do that again, do I have a good memory? NO!!!!!! We are wiring, knocking out parts of walls and on and on and on. Somewhere in all this you try to do the everyday things like cook, sort of clean house, laundry etc.

4. Snow Removal - that has become our part time job this winter. Today I see Snow as the prime example of "opposition in all things." It is the needed, desired, beautiful, fun for recreation item for which we fast and pray and give thanks - yet it is trying, miserable, frustrating, dangerous, exhausting stuff which we have had more of this year than any years since I have lived here! And the forecast? "Winter storm warning for 6:30 a.m. tomorrow until 6:30 pm the day after tomorrow! We truly are lucky! My back just doesn't know it!

5. Quilting - two babies on the way mean two baby quilts in the making. One is 2/3 finished, the other is "still in the bag" (literally! I have the fabric purchased and it is "still in the bag"). I love to quilt and have to limit myself to quilting only 1 hour a day.

6. Theater - So, I just don't have anything to do so I'll be in a play! Do I need my head examiend? Of course! Dinner theater is coming up for Valentines and EOTS so I said I would be in one of the one act plays. I should probably start memorizing my lines!

7. Church - Tuesdays is our temple night - our night of escape from the demands of the world. Our night to relax, enjoy, absorb, contemplate, serve, learn and love. Its really a great night for us. Being the "Provident Living Specialist" puts me in the hot seat to find a "hot deal" each month for the ward - not always easy down here! Got any ideas? Send them my way!

So, that should catch up on my life since my last blog! I think I'm tired now and will go to bed!

The Christmas Song?

We've all grown up with the lilting melody and words of The Christmas Song. It starts out, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. . ." Now this has always fascinated me. I have never had chestnuts, never smelled them roasting on an open fire, but the picture painted in the song still elicits warmth and comfort and nostalgia. Imagine my excitement as I opened the Clark's Market Ad for the week and saw, CHESTNUTS!!! The first time in my life I have seen them for sale. I did grow up with trees in the neighborhood which were "horse chestnuts" but these were labeled "poisonous" and were merely kicked down the streets of our town and sometimes stomped and squished on the sidewalks. So I bought a few, they weren't horrible expensive, but not the cheapest item in the produce aisle either. I was being cautious. I got on the Internet and found that you could take this little wonders, prick the "flat" side of them with a knife, soak them in cold water for 15 minutes, drain and bake at 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. The instructions spoke of the warm roasting smells which would come from your oven. (The same process is followed for roasting them on a "shovel" over an open fire.) For our Family Home Evening, I planed on having roasted chestnuts for the treat! Some serving suggestions included salted, dipped in sour cream, dipped in melted chocolate. I was excited, I was pumped . . .and ultimately hugely disappointed. The smell was less than appealing and I guess if you like the taste of potatoes baked in the microwave a little too long, so they are a bit over cooked - you'd like roasted chestnuts. They were starchy, bland, better with salt, not good with sour cream, and a huge waste of good chocolate! I'll never have the same nostalgic feelings for The Christmas Song! Ahhh to our dreams being shattered!

"A Woman's Heart"

I had my Thanksgiving feast early this year - today Sister Julie B. Beck, General Relief Society President came and spoke to the four stakes in our region. It was a feast I must say. I would like to share some of her wisdom here. She spoke about the Relief Society for just a few moments and then asked for questions. As sisters asked questions, she then delivered a marvelous sermon on the subject. I just loved it!

Balancing Life

When asked, how you keep a "balance" in your life she said we must discipline ourselves to take care of the essentials first. She quoted Elder Holland's advice. "If you are sealed to it or if you have made a covenant with it - it had better be your priority."

She also said women are multi-taskers and nearly always take on too much. She said our day has three shifts, the "Day shift," "Swing shift," and "Graveyard." If you work three shifts you will wear yourself out and not give adequate attention to any shift. A woman can only work 2 shifts. She must get sleep, exercise, and healthy nourishment in the other shift. She then quoted a scripture I love so much, "It is not meet that a man should run faster than he has strength."

Helping Out in a World Wide Church

One sister asked, as we sit here in the many comfort we have, how can we help the Church members in foreign countries? She gave 4 wonderful steps.

Pay a full tithing

Pay a generous fast offering

Contribute to the Humanitarian Fund

Contribute to the Perpetual Education Fund

She went on to explain the perfect organization of the Church and how the needs of the members are monitored and considered by the first presidency. She talked about members of the Church in ShriLanka. Due to their humble circumstances and the Hong Kong Temple being the closest temple, members who are temple worthy, can have their air fare paid for by the Church in order to obtain their endowments and be sealed as families. Thus paying a full tithing, contributing generously to the fast offering help those less fortunate a half a world away.

Dealing with Wayward Children

"Successful leadership is the ability to get "volunteers" to set and keep worthy goals." Her advice was to continually pray for these children always remembering "We voted for the plan!" "The plan includes us being "volunteers" i.e. free to choose for ourselves.

"Sleeping single in a double bed"

"We all signed up for the family plan. Waking up and finding ourselves single is very difficult place to find ourselves. It is the responsibility of men to pass on the ordinances and covenants from one generation to another generation. Women are to influence children to accept and keep the ordinances and covenants which have been passed down by the priesthood. In these separate roles as men and women, we can make this influence felt whether or not we are married and have children."

Pornography - a Voice of Warning

Quoting Pres. Monson, Sister Beck stated, "I issue a voice of warning to ALL concerning pornography!" She said, most forcefully, "Each of you have the responsibility to ask the men in your lives, When was the last time you saw any pornography?" We must ask our husbands and our children - This is War and we must be prepared to fight it. The blame goes on the Adversary! Pornography is a storm of the latter days. In fighting this war she referred to Alma 48. This is a time when the Nephites are engaged in war with the Lamanites. The strategies in fighting that war are applicable to us today. Vs. 7: ". . . (he) prepared the minds of the people to be faithful to the Lord their God." It is our responsibility to strengthen our families, discuss the evils of our time and prepare them to be faithful to the Lord. Vs. 8: (they) erected small places of refuge." Our homes are these small places of refuge. We are NEGLECTING OUR DUTY if we do NOT have filters on our TVs and COMPUTERS! Vs 9: (they) placed their greatest number of men at our weakest points." Identify our weakness and and determine as families how we can fortify ourselves against these weaknesses. And even though they were in these extreme times of war, in Alma 50 it says, "There never was a happier people." We can be the happiest people even though we are living in the dangerous times.

Can We Do It?

One tearful young mother said, "I have one 2 year old and I'm expecting another, I see how wicked the world is and I wonder, can I do it?" Sister Beck gave some beautiful counsel. She said, " We are not asking you to be perfect in this life, we are asking you to be precise! Teach your children the doctrine of Christ. Be "intentional " in your teachings. Nobody owes you anything - you asked for this life and for these responsibilities. Rather you owe the Savior, you asked him to atone for you, we owe the Savior everything. Thank the Lord for the adversity that comes your way and then beg for his help. Her younger sister was the mother of 5 children, the youngest a newborn when her husband left her. She had nothing, she had no money, she had no house, she had nothing. When she asked her sister in later years how she had raised this successful family she had her sister remarked, "I did everything I could with exactness recognizing I totally depended on the Lord. I was not perfect, I was precise. " She stated she did not dare miss a single prayer, a family home evening, a day of scriptures with her children. She could not take care of her family alone, but she could fulfill these acts of faith with exactness and leave the rest to the Lord."

Take Heed of the Promptings of the Spirit

This rather surprised me. Sister Beck said, "When you kneel down to pray, have a pencil and paper near by. Let the Lord know that you are prepared to listen. Write down what he tells you and do it."

It was a spiritual feast indeed. Hopefully there is something here that touches your heart! I'm grateful for the opportunities to learn and to grow that the Lord has given me. I'm so grateful for the teachings and examples I learned in my youth. I'm grateful for the things I did right with my children and hopeful my children will do better and be more precise than I.

Bit by bit - row by row!

We opted not to go on a road trip for the football game and stay home this weekend. 1350 miles last weekend rather did us in! And we're glad we did! We got up early today and went and picked up our windows! We put three of the four windows in, leaving the largest window out until we have "access" to the room. I love the windows, they open so easily, and they actually went in quite easily - minus one near mishap when I was holding in a 4' x 4' foot window and it started to fall out. Then the tough work began - we emptied our closet - threw away about 1/4 of the stuff in it, hoping to throw away at least 1/3 more before we put it back into our closet. So my shoes and Levis are in the coat closet, dad's close are in a closet in another bedroom and my clothes are in a different closet. There may be a lot of streaking through our house! Then we took a hammer and wham, bam, took out the sheet rock in the closet. We will next take out the sheet rock in the other bedroom and rebuild our closet into the "hall." As soon as that is done, we will put in the window. Its all lots of work, it will take us some time for sure, but as the saying goes, bit by bit, row by row! I love it!

Halloween - For The Young At Heart

So everyone knows it - I LOVE HALLOWEEN! Why? well, because it is just such a happy time. I adore the trick-or-treaters! Last night was weird and I was so sad because it was 6:15 and we had not had one trick-or-treater. I didn't know if it was the cold, the still melting snow, or if we are just an "old" neighborhood. But then at 6:30 YES! The doorbell rang and Dracula stood on my front porch! We had a fair amount finally come and also stop at a very respectable time - 8:30. I saw some great costumes, two little boys dressed like girls who made me laugh and laugh! Then in between door knockers we could smell the distinct odor of skunk. I guess all the traffic in the neighborhood riled one up. So a knock on the door, and there standing on my front porch is the cutest little girl, dressed like a skunk! I said, phew you stink! She said, "Yea, I know!" Friday I dressed up for the clinic and to take treats around to the principals and school officials I

work with. Didn't get a pic of me "in" the costume, but here's the costume - I was a "fried egg". I made these Ghoul Cupcakes, there is root beer in the batter and they taste more like brownies than cake. They were great!

I love decorating for Halloween time to. I have "sobered up" a bit and my decorations probably fit with my age, more reserved I guess. We went to a football game, 1/4 finals on Halloween as well (which we won, even though it was a terrible game) and ate Brats. So, all in all, it was a heart warming, fun, successful Halloween! You have all inspired me to get creative with pumpkin carving next year and I am going to carve some WOW ones!