Made it to Utah - - Life has been jam packed since day one.

Cathching up on my blog which is horribly behind. For some reason I've lost interest. I think it is probably due to the current adjustment(s) of living in a new place and knowing that our life in Florida is over . . . done . . . for good. I'm doing ok and I know I'll get more at ease here but I'll be honest and say that moving after 20 years is not a piece of cake and your brain can play little games with you just when you think you are moving on, it says, "oh no you are not!"

It's been hot and dry in Utah and since Dean and I arrived with our moving truck on July 2nd, we've had family visiting for family reunions and weekends and currently Dean's brother Doug and his wife Turid are visiting from Norway. She and I are kindred spirits. We are the two sisters-in-law who really connect. It's probably because we are close in age and our children are raised and on thier way. Turid and I have had several long chats and I will miss her when she goes back to Norway at the end of the month. Doug and Turid want to move back to Utah like Dean and I did and have put some goal planning in place to possibly do that in the next couple of years. I hope they can.

Eric and Jen have come down to visit us from northern Utah 2 weekends this month and may come for the July 24th holiday. This is a holiday that is celebrated in Utah and commemorates the arrival of the mormon pioneers to the state back in 1847. It's a bigger deal in Utah than July 4th. I remember moving out of Utah and being in a state of shock when I couldn't take July 24th off. It never dawned on me that the rest of the world didn't commemorate this holiday too! Duh!!!!! Sort of like People in the south all feel that Martin Luther King Day should be celebrated the world over. Duh!!!!! No! These are days that are significant to a region but not everyone cares or even knows how important they are to certain other populations.

I'm having physical problems. Both knees are having weakness and I see an orthopedic doc every few months for injections that are supposed to help me walk until such time that I feel I'm ready and brave enough for knee replacements. It all started with a worker's comp injury that happened at my hospital job a couple of years ago. I didn't report it because I'd worked in worker's comp and knew what a big deal it is to get the care you need - - so I chose immediately not to go there. I knew as soon as I hurt myself that I was just going to go to my own doc and forego all that reporting, waiting and then being told what to do by someone else. So next year sometime I will probably have at least one knee done.

In the next few weeks I'll be going to Seattle with Dean again to welcome a new little grandson that our daughter Rachel will be giving birth to. They are a sweet little family. Ashlynn the 5 year old kisses her mom's tummy and says, "baby!" Ashlynn has Down Syndrome but is smart. She knows what is coming and while her speech is somewhat delayed, she doesn't miss a thing and understands everything that is said, everything that is about to happen or that has happened and has the funniest responses to life. She is hilarious and it will be fun to see what her response is to having a new brother. She's ready!

The rest of the year is scheduled out for me as I plan to do some more caring for Eric's girls for a few weeks in the Fall.

Clay and his fiance will be moving here from Alaska in September and there will be a December 18 wedding for them here in Utah in the Manti Temple. So my year is already gone and planned out. The calendar is full and I'm looking forward already to the 2011 calendar and having nothing written in those blocks.

In between all of this we hope to soon sell our home in Pensacola and begin building a home in Oak City Utah at the base of a mountain on a lot that we have chosen for ourselves up there. It's lovely. It's our dream.

Goodbye to a friend

I said goodbye to a very close friend today. We met 10 years ago and she has been there for me in good times and bad. She was with me when I drove my boys to the airport to leave for their 2 year missions and also went with me to pick them up from the airport when they came home. Many times I could be with her and I would just talk and she would just listen. Sometimes I laughed out loud and sometimes I cried when I was with her. Sometimes she even listened to me pray. She was there with me when my daughter got married and moved across the country; she was there with me every day of my 10 year career in human resources at a local hospital. She and I became especially close 3 years ago when Dean moved to Utah. She would take me out for long drives and would play beautiful music for me the entire way. Saying goodbye was harder than I thought it would be. She has committed to go on and help another family and I know she will create memories and serve them just as well. Goodbye Blue Buick!

Still at it

Last week I chose a realtor. She came immediately even though I was not quite ready for her. That shows how badly they want our business. I really like her. She let me down easy and said, "I just want you to wrap your head around this." Then she gave me all the bad news. Our house is not worth as much as we thought. At this point, I don't care. I just want to be out of Pensacola, sell the house and get on with my new life. Then she said, "Your house will sell for sure. This is a beautiful house," and added, "stop putting money in it - - - NOW!" She explained that because of all the bankruptsies and foreclosures and short sales in the State of Florida, the housing market is continuing to spiral DOWN. . . and it won't recover for at least three more years. When the rest of the country has started to climb out, Florida is not. Story of our lives. We're always in the wrong place at the wrong time. But we have many other blessings, so I'm not going to complain. I am one of the happiest people on earth. That's just my opinion.

This week I found a leaky pipe and a few other repairs that will need to be done before it will pass an inspection should a buyer come forth. So today I called yet another handy man. It's getting so I close my eyes and point when I open the phone book or look on the internet for people to come and help me. The painter I hired was someone I had hired before to do drywall and the 2nd time he came to paint, he ripped me off. Probably my own fault but he won't be getting called again by me. He did a good job and that's all I care about.

I have two fix-it men coming tomorrow to give me bids on the last 4 items to be finished on the house. The'll come next week and then Dean will come next week, and then we'll put a sign out front and head west again for the last time, I hope. So far I've worked with a Bathroom refinisher, a roofer, a drywall man, a painter, a plumber, a handy man. Total cost of all the fixins? $3700.00. That doesn't take in the dollars saved because my boys and my son-in-law did a lot with no labor fees. They probably saved me a total of $1500.00 I have dones some work myself which saved another $500.00 All in all, I've spent very little dollars. Yay!

Since starting this project, I know how to caulk, lay flooring, do detail work. I know Lowes building supply store backwards and forwards and they know me by name and I know many of their sales people by name. Lately when I go there some of them say, "Hi, Mrs. Gardner, how are you today." Can I just say that working with people like this makes this process a lot more pleasant? Thanks Lowes! You have been the best help ever. I will be praying for a miracle when I leave here in two weeks, that our house sells "over night."

If you know someone who would like a really nice home that's priced ahead of the market, send them our way. it's not a short sale, it's not a repo that you can buy for thirty or forty thousand, but this is a house you can move into and live in and love from the get go; a house that will not require any repairs because its new and clean and livable.

I've Been Reading this Book Again

A few weeks ago I was packing up some of Clay's things and found his spanish copy of "The Book of Mormon, Another Testiment of Christ" which he used on his mission in Guatemala. I sat down and opened it up and started to read from the first page of the book of Nephi. I have read this book in english more than a few times. This time as I was looking at the words in spanish, which I didn't understand, something very significant happened to me. I felt tingly all over and had a warmth in my heart that radiated out through my body. It was an amazing experience. I have had this feeling before when reading the book, but who knew I would also get the feeling while reading it in a different language that I do not understand.

I determined that I would read the book again - in English and have been doing that for the past 6 weeks every morning when I wake up and before I get out of bed. It's so nice! Today I read from the prophet Mormon's record. Mormon carried and compiled this book which had written records of many early prophets who lived in ancient America. When you read this book you can't help but believe that it has truth in it. What a great man Mormon was. I love this book. Someday I hope to be able to meet Mormon and his son Moroni who also has a written record of his travels and experiences included in the book.

When I travel, I travel with this book. I keep it close, just like I do my driver's license and my wallet and my car keys. It is an essential friend and support. If you want to read it, you can find it at any book store. I hope your curiosity will help you find this book and that it will bless you like it has me.

This Made me Happy

I found this picture on a blog I've been following. It made me smile immediately. I plan to make this cake very soon whether I have to eat it by myself or have it for special company. Yumm! Here's the website it came from. They have the most delectible things there. http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com/2010/05/cherry-chocolate-cake.html

Chocolate and cherries are my favorite right next to chocolate and mint. I get both of these insatiable cravings from my mom! She loves them too! I think she would make this cake for me if I asked her to.

I miss her alot right now. I have to hurry back to Utah so I can sit in her kitchen and talk to her and dad while she cooks for us. I know, I'm spoiled!

Signs that someone has been here.

These are the signs that someone has been here and gone. Food, beach bags, sand toys with sand still in them, watermelon eaten on a hot afternoon, luggage, a rental car, airline wings, pony tail holders, favorite cookies from our favorite bakery in Milton Florida, TUMS, new bathroom hardware installed, new tile in a newly painted laundry room installed by a kind son-in-law. All these things and more are signs that somebody was here and now they have gone.

Goodbye, my Childhood home

The kids came this month. They same to say hello and they also came to say goodbye . . to the home they grew up in.

Clay was here by himself for 9 months. He lived in our home while attending school. Two months ago, he obtained work in Alaska with a cruise line; and so he called and said, "I have to go mom." This was our signal to come, one last time. I came,and Eric and Rachel came along with their families, to say goodbye to Clay and to their childhood home. The place where they grew up loving each other and fighting with each other and most of all laughing with each other.

When Eric came back after being away for 7 years, he walked and walked and walked through the house. He said, "This feels very strange!" After the first night's sleep, it was obvious he had settled back into his childhood and the feelings connected with it. He relaxed, played with his children and his brother and with me his mom. After a day or so, he said, "I missed this place so much," (meaning this town, Pensacola), "but I'm glad I don't live here now." He has moved on. Pensacola is not how he remembered it. It's not as quiet or safe. Now he has a family and his own home where he is creating traditions and memories of his own. When he went to the beach he said, "Ahh this is nice." He spent 3 days there. Before he went back to Utah, he lovingly, methodically and patiently painted the livingroom and hallway with his brother Clay. They worked together just like they did as children. They did it with the loving care that was evident in their hearts for the place that helped to raise them into the men they are now. When Eric said goodbye to this home, for the last time and went home, he called and said, "I wish I was back!"

Clay flew off to Alaska while Eric was still here. When I took him to the airport, he hugged me hard two times and said, "I love you mama!" I'm not sure he really said goodbye to the house, but maybe he did. Perhaps he said it quietly to himself while he was painting the living room before he left. Clay says he'll be back soon for a visit. When we moved into this house Clay was 18 months old. Now he is 23.

After Clay and Eric left, Rachel came with her family. The morning after her first sleep in the house, she walked through the den and said, "Oh, I love it here!" Today she and her family left early in the morning to go home after being here for a week. She was leaving for the last time. I found her standing in the kitchen, just standing. When she saw me, she dropped her head back, closed her eyes, and the corners of her mouth turned south. I recognized the sign because it was familiar to me - - I'd seen it many times in her life. She was about to let the tears flow. I hugged her and said, "I know! It's the house and saying goodbye to it! "Yes," she said, "and that I know I'll never be back." I said, "I know, me too!"

Eric was in this house for 13 years, Rachel for 14 years and Clay for 21 years. We're thankful for the time it housed our hearts, our lives, our loves, our traditions, our dreams. We learned in this home, we cried and laughed here. We celebrated successes and mourned some losses here. This home was a place of healing on many occasions. This home helped us make decisions, and now it is helping us to move on . . sending us out into the world again. We love you sweet, dear, house - - our growing up place, our home.

This is where Dean and I were married 31 years ago in February. These pictures were taken this past Christmas while we visited Temple Square in Salt Lake City to see the Christmas lights. There were thousands of people walking through and it was freezing cold which adds to the Christmasyness of it. Our son Clay had just flown in from Florida for the holiday and he was actually following clues for a scavenger hunt that a friend of his had prepared for him. She had us running all over the Temple grounds that night. It was Freezing and oh so Fun to see Clay's face light up with each find. I think he is in love with that friend now and time will only tell how that ends up. Maybe he and she will end up here making vows to each other just like his dad and I did on a cold snowy February morning in 1979. If you hadn't noticed this is one of the most beautiful places on earth during the Christmas season.

Two Weeks! Two Months!

As I race through life recently . . . I feel like the fire ants above look. I know you can't see them, but they are there, working feverishly to build another home in my front yard.

The topic of this post is "Two Weeks! Two Months! Two Years" Why? Because my life is H-E-C-T-I-C! Yet, within this same thought is the fact that I am blessed to be able to live it, have time to live it, have FREE time to live it, and, cope with it weekly, monthly and yearly especially in the last two weeks, two months and two years.

My life has done a complete one-eighty in the last year - - TWICE! I was a full-time career gal. Then not. Then I moved to the west - Utah and established a home there and now - - back to Florida again to finalize and sell our home here. Within that time I have gone to Seattle THREE TIMES for more than a few days each time due to need to help and care for family. I have cared for parents in time of need for several weeks, and also moved in with a son and his family, except for weekends,to assist with child care for a couple of months. In between that time I have been able to reconnect with my husband who I lived across the country from for 2 years and am still trying to get back with full-time. We plan to buy or build a new home in Oak City Utah in the next year and be in and settled. When I get there, I'm not leaving the house for at least 6 months. I'm going to wake up every morning and look at my husband and say, "Good morning, it's nice to see you on this rare occasion!" Our love is strong or we would not have made it through the past 3 years of mostly seperation.

If I had kept a daily calendar of the past year, it would reflect that my life has been almost full-time helping others. It has been possibly the most fulfilling time of my life and the HARDEST and fastest passing time of my life. From may of 2009 to May of 2010, it seems like only one month has passed. Life is not worth living if it is always about you. It's only worth living if others know that you stand by ready to be there for them when they need you. Now I'm in Florida caring for ME and my house as I prepare to sell it. One last caring visit to my home of the past 20 years. In approximately 86 days I'll be heading to Seattle again to help my daughter with the arrival and adjustment of a new baby. And so life goes on . . .

Vacation Addendum

I decided it would be nice to write the highlights and low-lights of our vacation which began 10 days ago. We were to arrive back home in Utah tonight. Three of us did arrive home but I stayed behind in Seattle with our daughter to help with some unfinished business. It's interesting that before we left home I felt like I should ask her if she felt that I should stay a little longer at the end of our week. She said, "No I don't need anyone to stay longer!" But still, in the back of my mind, there was this knawing feeling that I should pack more than two shirts and two pairs of pants for this trip - - and so I did that. Turns out I did stay longer because there was a need for me to do that. What do we learn from that? Always listen to your thoughts, feelings, promptings. Don't ask others what they think, just follow your heart! That's all I have to say, now here are the highlights and low-lights of our trip.

1. Picked up parents and headed for Seattle staying one night in Boise ID on the way.
2. Driving with sweet parents who had not been away from home in awhile. We laughed and listened to them talk about the past, dating experiences, school experiences, work experiences. Eating, driving and listening to good music was the best. I always love the drive to a vacation the best - - because of the anticipation of the journey and what it could be.
3. Seeing our four-year old grandaughter Ashlynn and her mom, our daughter Rachel, welcome us on the front porch as we drove into the yard of thier Auburn, Washington home. There is no happier person in all the world than Ashlynn because she has special needs which really is a oxymoron because someone this happy could never really have special needs.
4. Breakfast at the Sun Break Cafe in Auburn. Lunch at IVARS fish house.
5. Driving through Seattle sight-seeing and taking pictures of all the sights of Seattle. I wondered if we would see my favorite movie sights, "Sleepless in Seattle," Frazier's Apartment building, "Love Happens." We did find a house on the end of a pier that looked just like the house that Tom Hanks resided in for "Sleepless in Seattle." That was fun.
6. We found out we're having a grandson in about 4 months and I was at the ultrasound appt. with our daughter when the news broke.
7. One low-light. The doctor called and said our grandaugther may have Cancer. We were on our way home when the news came. Rachel called us in tears and so we went back to her house for a day and I stayed several more days while Dean and my parents went home. Now I know that the prompting that I might stay longer was real and I also know that this is the real reason we planned this trip when we did.

So . . . this trip turned out to be a trip that was about "vacating life" as well as a trip to take care of someone and care for them when a moment of possible crises arrived. There are no coincidences in life. I find that when we are living to the best of our ability, we are put in the places we need to be, when we need to be there. It always happens that way for me anyway. I hope it does for you as well.

Turns out our little Ashlynn does not have childhood cancer and we're thankful for that. More tests are being run to see what she does have. For now we are thankful and know that many prayers over the last three days were answered and may have even turned the blood tests to Ashlynn's good from where they were three days ago - - very bad.

So . . . vacating life is not always what you think it will be when you set out. It can be all that and more - - much, much more.

Vacation

Dean and I and my parents have been on vacation for one week now. We came to Seattle to visit our daughter and grandaughter. Our original plan was to visit them to give them a break while thier husband and father and our son-in-law is deployed in Haiti, helping in the earthquake recovery (2010).

Turns out we not only came to visit them but brought our parents who also needed a get-a-way. They had been through some parental trauma in the last year and that trauma had taken it's toll on thier nerves and was actually diminishing thier state of well-being and happiness, so we put them in the car and we all came.

We have not always been good at vacating life. Everyone should be good at this because life can get pretty busy, tough, strenuous, mentally taxing, physically taxing and not to mention down-right dull at times.

This vacation has been good for Dean and I because in the act of vacating our day to day life we were also helping someone else vacate thiers and we all needed the rest that getting away from life provides.

The dictionary holds the following definitions for the word "vacation."

1.a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday: Schoolchildren are on vacation now.
2.a part of the year, regularly set aside, when normal activities of law courts, legislatures, etc., are suspended.
3.freedom or release from duty, business, or activity.
4.an act or instance of vacating.

I would say that we have failed in accomplishing number 2 above in some respect because our vacations for the most part the past several years have been vacations of necessity which don't really count as vacations do they? Going to see family, attending a funeral, helping a sick child while necessary and needed can put more stress on you than if you had stayed home but we do all these things because we are needed and we love someone else and want to help them in times of crises.

This vacation, we have spent much time laughing, giggling, eating, resting, sight-seeing, loving, sleeping, and resting. I think we have met all of the objectives listed in the dictionary and then some.

Today I went to lunch with my daughter and her daughter and that was perhaps the most joyful part of our vacation because they are so perfect in my eyes and remind me that I want to be more like them - - perfect in almost every way.

Travelling with my parents has also been fun. I haven't done that since I was a very young woman and before that a very young girl. My husband and I have been apart for the better part of the last three years so being together on this vacation has been a wonderful reunion for us all.

Life is tough, vacations are needed and we should never put them off because we are too busy. That is just indication that we need vacations more than anyone else. Hello Realization - I'm one who had to be hit over the head to wake up and vacate life!

Dressing up my Blog belongs to Rachel

I just have to say something about my Rachel. She is my middle child. She is the girl in the family. I'm so glad she is in the middle in between her brothers. When I see my three together with her in the middle I think, "What a perfect place for a sister to be - - in the middle!" In the middle she can be a friend to both brothers and in the middle she was always there to remind them that someday they would find someone like her or not like her.

When she was young and running through the kitchen, at times like a tornado the brothers would quip, "I'm not getting married if all girls are like her!" Then she would do something nice and thier hearts would soften and they were instant friends again. For the older brother, she was always cool, because she knew about cars and trucks and would even go to the races with him. To the younger brother, she had this fantastic quick sense of humor which he loved; and she also loved his hilariousness that came out when they were in the car together or at the beach. To this day, she misses Clay's humor, especially when her life gets a little more stressful than she cares for. They all three did concerts together and still today enjoy laughing over funny YouTube videos. Sometimes I don't get thier humor and what they think is funny but I'm the mom and maybe I'm not supposed to. I get joy just watching them all three laugh at the same thing at the same time.

To her dad and I she is the ray of sunshine who has brought us much happiness. She came into our lives 10 months after her older sister passed away and from the day she was born she was always there to comfort and smile at us as we continued to heal after Annie parted from our family temporarily.

Here's to my Rachel who calls me just to say, "I just called to say have a nice day," and then she has a cute story about Ashlynn before she hangs up. Today it was about Ashlynn's fall off the porch on the way to the bus. My day is always better after she calls because I'm reminded that I did something right because I have her.

Here's to my Rachel who fixes up my Blog because I can't figure out how to do it and don't want to. Here's to my Rachel who spends her husband's hard earned money and her free time on those who have less than she does. Here's to my Rachel who always finds a way to get through her own hard days and also finds ways to makes other people's day brighter at the same time.

Do we find our ancestors or do they find us?

Lately I have been amazed that the world is taking an accelerated interest in finding their ancestors. This is evidenced in the recent televsion productions on PBS's 'Faces of America" and NBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?" The premise of these shows is that professional geneologist research is done for celebrities and then the Geneology or stories of the celebrities past is presented to them on television. I have been interested and spell bound in a few episodes of Faces of America as I watched Oprah and Mario Batalli learn about their ancestory and how those relatives had similar interests and personality traits and even work interests. As they learn that their careers and even their charities are interests passed down through family lines, thier eyes light up and they become emotional as they finally meet their family and in turn learn more about who they are themselves. This week others like Susan Sarandon will be portrayed as they are presented and assisted in finding out their history and family members of the past on the NBC show Friday night.

The interesting thing to me is that celebrities and other people are just now getting interested in who they are and where they come from. What is this new phenom and why the sudden interest in researching one's relatives. Is it just a passing fad or the newest craze that will pass with time? I don't think so. I think the world is finally coming to understand what is important; thier family! I also believe that spirits from people who have passed away call to us to find them and make records and take that even further - - which I will explain at the end of this blog.

Finding ancestors, doing family history and writing our own personal history is not new to me or to the members of the church I attend (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.) Not only that we have been encouraged since we were children to write in a journal and create our own personal history, our church has the largest Geneological Library in the entire world right here in Salt Lake City where anyone in the world can come to learn more about their family ancestry. Our churh has presented family histories to all of the recent Presidents of the United States.
http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/57628/Obama-family-history-presented-to-US-chief.html

The reason we seek out our ancestors is because ultimately we all want to know who helped us begin our own lives. We are all family and were family before we were born. We all have ties back to Adam and we are brothers and sisters who belong to the same family. It is no surprise that people are wanting to know how they are tied together into family lines. Who we are, what we do, what we enjoy doing is tied to someone in our past who had those same traits and passed them on to us. Family research can help us find someone from our family's past who is probably very similar to us in many respects.

So now we ask, what do we do with the knowledge of our ancestory once we have it? There's the question that is most important. We record it, we treasure it, we share it with others; but is that all? No, there is something else we can do. Our Ancestors who have passed away before us wait for us and even prompt us to find them for a specific reason. They are the ones who are speaking to us "from the dust" so to speak. They want to be found and then there is something else they wait for us to do for them. What is that act of service they are waiting for? For the answer to that question and others regarding families and extended families visit www.mormon.org. You will be amazed and hopefully encouraged even further to find your past.

Note - I have filled several journals in my life and recently purchased another journal. In that journal I have created a time-line of my life and plan to not only make brief daily entries but also stories about experiences in my life that I feel would be of interest to my children and their children so they can know me without having to search to learn about me.

January Duldrums or updrums - WHICH?

(These pics are of Howard standing at the entrance to Fish Lake National Forest which is 10 minutes east of our home in Delta). Click once on the pic to enlarge.

Hello February! January came and went without even a thought of posting on my blog. Why? On January 1 I was completely exhausted from all of the happy and fun activity in December. When my grown up children left after Christmas and went back to their three different cities of residence (Seattle, Pensacola and Ogden), I cried out loud briefly, then Dean hugged me and I stopped crying and then I thought, "Here we go into long,dreary January!

I have been fearful of living through my first January since I arrived here on August 7 of last year. I've not experienced January in Utah for 22 years but I do have a mark on my brain that says, "Katie, on January 1 you will be depressed and it won't let up until your birthday on March 5th. Having lived and grown up here for 30 years I am well aware that January brings a semi-serious depression for me. How do I know? because I experienced it from age 10.

This disorder defintely comes from lack of sunlight in the winter months. I have light induced mood disorder and since January tends to be dark in Utah I was sure it would set in this year. Even in Florida if there was more than 2 rainy days in a row, I would get a headache and then the small signs of my mood disorder would manifest themselves. I was always rescued however on the third day when the sun would always return. There ought to be a provision in Obama's budget plan to send all depressed people to Florida in January. I mean, as long as he's handing out money why not consider the depressed people of the world in January.

Here's the thing! See, Florida Januaries were always filled with spring cleaning organizing, making my first trips to the beach for the year. Generally greeting the day with a song was normal for me because the sun shines on December 26 and on into January and through the entire first quarter months of each new year in Florida. Even going to Target on Bayou Boulevard in January was a joyous experience because their nursery would be swelling with new plants and flowers for me to start to plan my planting which would take place in February. Okay, now I'm definitely getting homesick.

So I have had two realizations this January in Utah. Realization no. 1: I find myself living in Central Utah and surprise of all surprises, the sun shines A Lot in Delta Utah. Most of the snow each year either comes in above or below those of us living in the very center of the state. We somehow get by-passed by most major storms in the year. . . which by the way is not good for crop season. In Delta we have eternal sunshine as well . . . JUST LIKE FLORIDA! Yay!. I'm so relieved. I had no signs of depression this year. It was just the best realization for me to know that I have moved to "Little Florida!" Realization number 2: If you have to leave Florida for Utah, Delta is a good spot to land.

So here is how my January went. I was happy! I had a terrible cold in the nose and ears and throat for two weeks; and I spent two weeks in Roy, Utah (three hours north of here and very cloudy and snowy)tending my lovely little Lilly and Savannah while their parents were at work; I didn't get depressed however because holding a tiny baby all day tends to make you happy! I took long drives on the weekends with my sweetheart Dean. I also received my first new "calling" in the church I attend (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints - Sunday Relief Society Teacher on the 2nd week of each month.) I went visiting teaching which was so much fun - - which amounted to going to homes of ladies I had not met to take them a message of friendship and love and spiritual awareness. There names are Vicky, Helen, Deb, Deanna and Sue. That was so much fun. Visiting Teaching is what you do if you are a woman in the Relief Society Organization in our church. The ladies are between 40 and 83. Even though I am supposed to be teaching them, they taught me alot in our first visits together.

Dean and I also began in earnest a search for a new bed this last weekend.

We are debating on the Tempurpedic "The Cloud" and also looking at the "Sleep Number bed" that is all over the TV. Let me just say that "The Cloud" is the closest thing to laying down in heaven on earth that I can imagine. It's brand new and when I laid my tired self on that bed I fell asleep in less than three minutes. I'm not kidding! I did not get up even get up though I heard other people standing near by talking about it and probably wanting to lay down on it. My bone-spurred shoulders just said, "ahhhhhh." My shoulders, hips, back, knees and ankles were pain-free. The other bed we are looking at is the Sleep Number bed and we are sure we need a King Size. The cost of either bed? . . . too much to talk about but in my mind worth it since we will spend half our life on this bed and either will last at least 20 years. We must do something soon because after laying/sleeping on "The Cloud" I am sure my life will be extended by at least 3 years by making this purchase at this time in our lives.

So that is my January. Now we're into February and I have already put my "love" wreath on the front door and my Christmas Red Rockers out on the front porch are still appropriate. Women stop me and say, "Can I just say, I love your red rockers? You are so creative." I need to really tell them that I come from a place where lots of people have rockers of varying colors on their front porches but I'll settle now for letting them think that I AMMMM Creative. Oh yes! That feels good!

Here we are in February and for the next 2 weeks I'll be in Roy again with babies. It is exhausting but it is happy exhaustion so I look forward to it. I miss my Claydee boy in Florida and My Rachie and Ashlynn and Howard (who has deployed to Haiti for 2 months) in Washington. I must go see them all very soon. I'm so lucky, so happy, so loved and generally well-adjusted - - after all!