A Simple Woman's Daybook~ Sept 27, 2012

Just for today~September 27, 2012
 

Our lives pass swiftly by! I want to do something to remember

the everyday moments and my thoughts about them.  

That is what this daybook is all about.

Focusing on the little things that become my life.

One week at a time.

 

Outside my window...It is 1:15 P.M. and the sky is bright blue and it is cool.  At least it is here in the house where we are protected from the hot sun by large shade giving trees.  It is 72 right now outside and that seems a little chilly.  But it is supposed to reach 90 today so we'll see.  So far my long sleeved shirt and hoodie feel just right.  I thought I would have started on this much earlier but instead I was treated to a lovely visit from one of my favorite friends whom I have not seen in quite awhile due to our crazy summer schedules.  Faye, thank you for your visit and gift.  So sweet of you!

I am thankful for...discretionary time during the day.  I don't think I could ever go back to the rigid schedules we use to keep.  Even though we are very busy we are not on someone else's schedule and for that I am very grateful!  It makes serendipity and spontaneous time spent with friends work so well.

From the learning room...I am learning that with faith and prayer we can carry on through trying times and come out just fine.  Robert has returned to the US and is now relaxing at home with his family before starting his new assignment.  We are so thrilled he is safe and well and happy to be home.  We are so grateful for the Lord's watchful eye over him while he was gone this past year and for taking such good care of Laura and the boys too.  We are grateful for the dedicated service they have all rendered to all of us for our freedoms.

I am reading...Another S. Michael Wilcox book about prayer.  Excellent!  His Sunset still lingers with me, I think it always will.

From the kitchen...Having the two missionaries over for dinner tonight.  We are having Mexican food.  We had a dinner party here on Monday and there were a ton of leftovers so lucky me.  I didn't have to come up with a plan.  This past week someone mentioned they had heard of a woman whose husband said she had "Menupause!"  Yep that is what ails me.  I just can never think of anything that sounds appealing so I must have menupause too.  Such a clever new word and so real!


I am missing...all the kids.  This is what happens when we do not see them for a month or so.  And I am really missing seeing Robert at home with his family after a very long year of separation.  We are so happy and thank all of you for your good wishes and many prayers.  My heart always longs for loved ones far away. 

Some spiritual thoughts I have been having...how merciful God is and how many blessing we each receive on a daily basis.  They are just so numerous and easy to take for granted.  I try not to and to remember what he has done for us all.  Yesterday I woke up with a terrible toothache and was able to get right in to our endodontist and get a root canal.  At the time I wasn't thinking  "Wow I am so blessed to be spending my day in the dental chair having a root canal!"  But I should have been.  It is so great to be pain free today after a miserable 24 hours.  Sometimes having our carefree, pain free moments taken away we have a much clearer picture of what we should be thanking the Lord for daily.  Like the simple grace in just being able to be alive and well.

I am hearing... Sleep Tight a lullaby by Celine Dion.  Little Hazie's favorite song.   Our littlest angel turned 5 on the 24th.  She has been a very extraordinary blessing in our lives.  She was soooo excited to be having her birthday.


One of my guilty pleasures...afternoon naps.  I need them because we wake up so early.

Pet Peeves...People without manners or any sense of propriety or circumspection.

I am going...to go to the Family History Center in our town tonight and help a lady gather some information about her ancestors.  Such a rewarding and fun way to spend an evening.

I am quoting... 

I am so grateful for a good father and husband and the fathers of our grandchildren and all the good fathers that are our friends.  One such special friend shared a letter to his son this week with me and it was so touching to see the love for his son expressed several times and in several ways in that letter.  When children grow up with a father like that, they have all the advantage in life to succeed.  When you know you are loved you can accomplish anything.

If I could change one thing it would be...that bad things would not happen to good people.  But I do understand it is part of the plan to make us more faithful and stronger but it is hard to witness sometimes.  One of my really good friends begins chemo this week after a double mastectomy.  Not  good.  But her attitude is remarkable and she will survive!

An enjoyable movie we have watched lately...Nothing great lately.  I have to really search some more for some good uplifting movies.

I am curious about...a lot of things and it can really derail me when I am at the computer with the largest library on earth at my finger tips.  Fun but can be a tool for procrastination. 

Plans for the rest of the week...tomorrow perhaps a trip to the city.  Saturday going to a friend's garage sale and then in the afternoon the General Relief Society broadcast and dinner.  Sunday church and genealogy meeting in the afternoon.  Monday start it all over again!
 

One of my favorite things...fresh salsa.  I made some this week and it is fabulous and free weight watcher food.  Yay! (Salsa not chips!)

Some photos I am sharing this week...a few photos from out dinner on Monday night.  I got a few things out for Halloween and some fall things knowing that it will be here before we know it and nothing like a party to inspire you to get a move on things.

 The kitchen window sill

These next three are the mantle in the dining room

The above pics are antiqued but the one below is natural

 The buffet top

The Place Settings

 I bedazzled this pumpkin to make 

it sparkle a little with candle light. 

Kind of a wild tablecloth, eh?
Not usually my style but fun 
for autumn and white dishes.

Below is in daylight.

The dinner was served buffet style, so easy!

It was a fun and casual evening and it was good to have our turn.  We do this once a month and take turns hosting so on your night you do everything, the dinner and the FHE lesson.  Then for the next four months you just come as a guest.  So nice really.  We gave the lesson on prayer and then discussed Sunset by Michael Wilcox.  I had gotten one for each of the couples as a Christmas present but decided it was just the perfect time to give the books to them...so I did.  This is why I cannot shop too early for Christmas.  I end up giving it to them in September or forgetting I bought it in the first place.  This for once is not an old age thing...I have always done it.  Live and learn does not seem to apply!  I cannot help it if I just love giving presents to special people.  :-)

❤♡♥♡❤♡♥♡❤♡♥s, Bon

.001 Percent~Thank You!

When a picture is worth a thousand words!

You Are Not As Small As You Think!

I really like Amy Lynn Andrews for all kinds of blogging tips and know how, and for this photo above that has a great message.  One little person can do more for the good or not so good of everyone around them.

I have been thinking about the people that have had a  tremendous impact on my life.  I love each and every one of them for the things about themselves that they have so freely given in their excellent examples, work and service, to make my life much better.  Many of them are you, my readers and I thank you for your friendship so much.

Warning, Warning, Warning...

Eight more weeks until Thanksgiving and then... 

you know what will be here.  Christmas!

Hazie will be pretty happy at that thought. 

{{Psssst, she will be 5 on September 24th!}} 

I bought some Christmas presents this week

 for some special friends.  

Yay!  You?

Anyway...

Mother Teresa's Anyway Poem

"People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse 
you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some
false friends and some true enemies
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway."

Reportedly inscribed on the wall of Mother Teresa's children's home in Calcutta, and attributed to her.  It has been since discovered that it was actually penned by Kent m. Keith.  Regardless, it is beautiful and no wonder Mother Teresa embraced its message.

A Simple Woman's Daybook September 14, 2012

 

Just for today~Friday, September 14, 2012

Our lives pass swiftly by! I want to do something to remember

 the everyday moments and my thoughts about them.  That is

 what this daybook is all about.  Focusing on the little things 

that become my life.  One week at a time.

Outside my window...It is sunny and cool and there is a slight breeze blowing.  The temperature is suppose to rise to 90 this afternoon but right now it doesn't feel like it will.  I woke up later than usual this morning and it felt good to get up after the sun had risen.  I don't have a lot on my plate today but Jim will fix that I am sure as we are working on a new website for him.  I am his Tech Team!  Haha!

 I am thankful for...A day to chill out a little.  It seems it has been a long time.  A really long time since I had a day like this.  I will be planning a lesson for Sunday but that will be a breeze compared to these last many weeks...or is it months?

 From the learning room...I am always amazed at how a humble heart and a merciful God listens to our prayers, understands us completely and give us answer, comfort and peace.  The older I get, one of the most favorite parts of all of that is I don't have to go through a long litany of explanations when I talk to him, he really knows me even better than I know myself.

I am reading...Sunset by S. Michael Wilcox.  This book is the most beautiful love story I have ever read.  It is different than you might imagine.  It is about a middle-aged  happily married couple who have successfully lived their life, raised their five children, and looked forward with great anticipation to their retirement years.  Mike was retired 3 months when Laurie is diagnosed with brain cancer at 56.  This is at true story; Michael's story and the most poignant and most heartfelt story you can imagine.  Every page is very spiritual and poetic.  Guaranteed to touch your heart and bring tears to your eyes and a new understanding of life and death like no other.  This is a book I always want by me.  I know I will read it over and over.

From the kitchen...right this minute I can hear Jim chopping nuts in the kitchen and making a chicken salad for himself and two friends he has invited to lunch today.  They are working on a project together to help a man in need.  Not sure what is brewing for dinner tonight but the day is young. 

 I am missing...Several people that are most dear to me.  Robert will be coming home in the not too distant future now from Afghanistan.  I am missing him the most and cannot wait for his return.

Some spiritual thoughts I have been having...My thoughts contain a huge amount of gratitude today.  Just feeling like we are so blessed with goodness and good cheer in our lives even when things are not perfect they are still very good.

 I am hearing...Adia, by Sarah Mc Lachlan.  I am really stuck on her music lately.

One of my guilty pleasures...solitude.  I always need it.  To regain my sense of balance and perspective.  It is not so much about alone time as it is times where I don't feel a lot of pressure to constantly be doing something every second that someone else thinks they want or need me to do.   I definitely feel this has to to do with needing quality time to do things that are just mine where I can take my time without watching the clock ticking all the time or deadlines.  Time to ponder, pray and just be.

Pet Peeves...people that are hot and cold.  I like knowing where I stand with people.  People that keep me guessing all the time tire me.  I guess that is my insecurity speaking.  I just want to feel confident with people's friendships and love.

I am going....get going on this day and get showered and dressed.  It is 9:30 am for crying out loud.  But I am going to take my time in the process!

I am quoting...my pinterest board <http://pinterest.com/onedesigner/genealogy-family-history/>

An enjoyable movie we have watched lately...Nothing lately but I am feeling the need to see Il Postino.  In my top five favorites for sure.  Oh we did see Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.  That was pretty cool.
 

I am curious about...why it took me so long to get a new doctor that I really like?  Such an important thing to have someone you feel comfortable with in the process of getting and being healthy.  She is my first female doctor.  What a difference is all I can say.

If I could change one thing it would be...turning back the clock just little.  Not to be younger but to be wiser about various things.

Plans for the rest of the week...date night tonight...a movie with Jim and popcorn.  Tomorrow I am going to help someone rearrange some furniture and do some shopping for non-food essentials like detergent.  I keep a list going and then make the trek to Walmart about once a month.  Sunday teaching a genealogy lesson to our family history group so have to get that ready.  Monday meetings and getting measures for some Hunter Douglas shades that will eventually replace all our blinds.  Love them.  I am excited about the one we are getting next as it is for my office and will keep some of the cold from freezing me out during the winter while at my desk chatting with you.  Tuesday working and beyond that I cannot even remember.

 One of my favorite things..teaching genealogy.  I really love it.  I taught on Tuesday night and I am still high on that experience of being able to give a little help to those who want to find their family.  It is a great feeling to share the learning with those who are interested.

Some photos I am sharing this week...all ten grandkids have started school again.  The years just pass so quickly.  Here are a couple of them I did receive photos of on their first day.  Thanks Jen.

Julia started 6th grade.  

Her last year in elementary school!

 Hazie started her last year of preschool. 

 She'll be five on the 24th of this month.

 Chloe Jane  (not first day but close)

We sure love these little munchkins, they are growing up so fast.  Spencer and Piper are in 8th grade and Connor in 7th.  Julia 6th, Ross 5th, Zach 4th, Aynslee 3rd, Chloe 2nd and Owen Kindergarten and Hazie preschool.  

Some birth order photos from our

 family reunion in July 

Of course we took 50 and somebody looked

goofy in each one!  Typical funny!

1: Piper, 2: Spencer, 3: Connor, 4: Julia, 5: Ross, 

6: Aynslee 7: Zach, 8: Chloe, 9: Owen, 10: Hazel

❤♡♥♡❤♡♥♡❤♡♥s,  B

Time Out For Women

I feel so blessed this morning as I contemplate the things I was able to experience this past Friday night and all day Saturday at Time Out For Women.  You know, I am just so convinced that as women we truly need this.  This conference just fills your soul with hope, joy, humor, inspiring music, spiritual awakenings and love.  It is physical, tangible and palpable on so many levels.

I  took note of how I actually felt lighter, happier, more peaceful and loved.  Loved by the people that matter most to me, the 2500 other women there, the speakers, my friends I came with and the ones I didn't and especially the Lord.  I felt the sisterhood we all share as women, mothers, grandmothers and single, married and widowed women.  It uplifted me in ways that made me want to be a better person, more dedicated to my values and beliefs, more willing to sacrifice and serve and lift up the hands that hang down.  It made me feel more like accepting that gift from others when I need it too. 

It made me realize we are all in this together.  By the very nature of our womanhood, we understand one another.  When we add to that the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we share and is so much a part of who we all choose to be, it is just heavenly.  And now that it is over, I just have to bask in the light of reflected glory by sharing a few of the wonderful parts of the conference with you.  The reminiscing will be sweet.

The theme this year was Seek The Good.  Can't you just imagine what it would be like to be in room with 2500 other women all seeking the good?  Well, that was precisely what it was.  Women from all over the area, each with our own joys and sorrows, from every walk of life just taking a moment to experience a revival of the things that keep us going, make us happy, help us cope and enrich our minds and expand our souls.  It was such a profitable, well spent and wonder-filled time.  There are some very funny, and inspiring women among us!  They are ladies that love life and God and are simply authentic.  They are willing to share their life's lessons for the edification of others.  And there are men who come to do the same.  Talk about serve as Jesus did.  You'll find them at Time Out For Women.  The conference is held in various venues all over the country.  You'll find the schedule and a whole lot more here.  http://tofw.com

Mike and his Laurie

My absolute favorite of the presentations was done by S. Michael Wilcox.  I have heard him speak many times and he is one of the most spiritual men I have ever heard share his poignant stories and testimony.  He is one of the deepest, most poetic and eloquent men I have ever been taught by in my life.

 Less than two years ago he retired from his teaching profession and was all ready to dedicate his remaining decades to being with his wife and enjoying all the fruits of their labors.  They had successfully raised 5 children, were enjoying their little grandchildren and were planning many things in their "Golden Years."  His Laurie, was diagnosed with stage 3 brain cancer just a few months after his retirement and he buried her about nine months later in the bitter cold of winter, just after the holidays. 

Here is an excerpt from his presentation:



The road he has traveled over the past couple of years has been so difficult and so enlightening for him and he has shared this very personal and poignant story of his love for Laurie and the struggles of her last months of life in his newly released book.   He did this because he knew how many people this book would help not for the royalites or for any other worldly reason.  This book started out as his personal journal, his quest to make sense out of what had happened.   And it was his way to sort out his thoughts and feelings and to come to an understanding of the unthinkably hard loss of his beloved wife.

Anyone who writes can identify with this sorting out process and anyone who loves deeply can relate.  Whether your spouse is still alive or has passed on, I feel this book is essential to our understanding of the magnificence of our marriage relationship in Christ.  Jim and I have been reading it each night and believe me the tears have been flowing onto our pillows. His words resonate with our own feelings and give voice to thoughts buried deeply within us.

If you have lost your spouse this will be a really important work to comfort you and help you get through the pain of separation.  If you still have your spouse it will help you to work together through the thoughts of being left alone for a time in your future.  It will also help each of us be our best selves and to live our best lives possible while sojourning on this earth with our eternal companion.  I can honestly say, this is a book that is changing our life and I just wanted to share that with you today.  I love this great man with all my ♥ for the willingness he has had to bear his soul for the edification of all who come in contact with him.  He is healing more than himself in his journey.  God bless you and keep you,  Brother S. Michael Wilcox, is all I can say.  He will uphold you for you are truly a man of God in every sense of the word.

Congratulations Chris! (Brag Post...sorry!)

Sometimes a Mom just has to share...!


"The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world's largest technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession.

AIAA Member Spotlight – September 2012

AIAA Congratulates Dr. Christopher Mattson
By: Duane Hyland, AIAA Communications

The AIAA Member Spotlight for September 2012 shines on Dr. Christopher Mattson, AIAA Senior Member, and associate professor, mechanical engineering, Brigham Young University (BYU), Provo, Utah, and a recent recipient of a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Mattson was nominated for the award by the National Science Foundation in recognition of his “innovative research to enable product design for sustainable poverty alleviation, and for dedication towards establishing third-world outreach and learning experiences for engineering students.” His research work is funded in part by the National Science Foundation.

The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers is the highest honor that the U.S. government bestows on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. They were established by President Bill Clinton in 1996, and are coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President. Honorees are selected for their pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and for their commitment to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, or community outreach.

Mattson, the co-director of BYU’s Mechanical Engineering Capstone program, is a member of AIAA’s Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Technical Committee, and was the technical program chair of the 2012 AIAA/ISSMO Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization Conference.

When asked what inspired Mattson to enter the engineering profession, he went back to childhood and said that a big influence on the decision was his “natural curiosity about how things worked.” Once in the profession, curiosity combined with creativity and the realization that as an engineer he could “create new products and systems.” The combination of curiosity and creativity combined to ignite a passion for engineering and engineering analysis within Mattson. Like so many others in the AIAA Spotlight, Mattson also cited a person who inspired him to pursue success in engineering, as he continued: “One of my earliest colleagues was Peter Skillman, a mechanical engineer (currently a Vice President at Nokia). In him I saw strong analytical abilities and an infectious appreciation for the creative elements of engineering. When up against problems, as we so often are during product development activities, Peter could very quickly get to the root of the problems and create and prove solutions to fix those problems. I knew, after seeing Peter solve tough problems in elegant ways that I wanted to be able to do the same.

When asked what his favorite moment in engineering was, Mattson went back to an early career experience, relating: “Soon after I started my first industry job, I was put in charge of a small project. We had to understand the requirements, be creative, be analytical, and commit to design features that would go into production. There's an interesting moment between pre-production parts and production parts; in that moment, as a young engineer, I really hoped that our product would work the way we designed it to. When the production parts were tested and shown to work I realized that my engineering training had been worth it and that I could indeed design products and systems that worked the way I wanted them to.”

Mattson took a global perspective on the field of engineering when asked about what the future might hold, and what types of obstacles engineering will overcome, stating: “Almost everything around us has been engineered. And for this reason the engineer has a significant place in our society. For our own society, the future is most certainly bright as engineering will continue to bring new and desirable technologies to people every day.” He continued: “For people in developing countries, the future is even brighter as the influence of engineering is spreading further and further into their societies. This means we are starting to see more and more people getting access to clean water, medical care, and better transportation and communication technologies.”

When asked what advice he would give students who are currently enrolled in engineering programs at the collegiate level, Mattson has this advice: “Start building a place for yourself in the network of engineering professionals. Begin with your professors; get to know them and let them know you to such a degree that they can recommend you to their industrial colleagues. Get involved in their research. Act like you fit in the position you want to fill someday; dress more professionally, make and keep commitments, double check your engineering, be someone that others want to work with.”

For those in high school and thinking about a career in engineering, Mattson counseled: “As you know, engineering requires a strong foundation in math and science. Do all that you can to build that foundation. Don't forget, however, that engineering is also a creative profession, and one that can make a real difference in the world when we have an awareness of current world events and needs. Start growing an appreciation for creative things and current events now, and make it a part of who you will become as an engineer.”

Mattson concluded the interview with these thoughts about AIAA: “For 10 years I have been a member of the AIAA Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Technical Committee. Joining the committee and interacting with that network of professionals has been by far one of the most valuable activities I have ever engaged in. So many of the good things that have come my way can be traced back to the relationships formed on the technical committee.”

AIAA congratulates Dr. Mattson for winning a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, and for his selection as the AIAA Member Spotlight for September, 2012. We wish him the best on his continuation of his research, and in his efforts to eradicate global poverty."

Chris has made all those late nights typing his papers in high school totally worth the effort! 

 :-) ♥ B

Life's Little Outtakes

 

San Francisco~September 6, 2012

This is one of my iPhone, Drive-by photos

 on the Bay Bridge.  This has become one of my

 favorite things to do while Jim drives. 

The trick is to get between the cables

 that are in the frame about every half a second!

Speed 50 mph...can you say pure luck?

I love this one!

Don't you just love outtakes or deleted scenes on the special features of DVDs?  It is fun to see what they just didn't want to include.  And yet they do include it in the features.  They do it because sometimes even though the editing to shorten the film requires deleting something, they realize that people could gain something from them.  That is kind of how I view some of the things in our lives.

We had one such experience yesterday. One thing Jim and I always do is we pray for safety before we go on a car trip.   We have done it forever and it is just part of our routine.  Happily those prayers have always been answered as we have hoped.  Yesterday was no exception.

For the past week we have made a trip on the freeway everyday to Oakland for one thing or another, two trips to the airport, a couple of days of work, ward temple day, etc.  It just seems our car is beginning to think we live there almost.  Yesterday we went to the Temple grounds and dropped off the kids' rental car at the Temple parking lot and then we took, Jen and Lowell with us to San Francisco.  It was their 15th anniversary and it was a beautiful day we had some fun plans.  The weather was outstanding and it was fun to see them relaxed and childless for the first time in nearly 14 years.   We missed their kids but also enjoyed the peace and quiet and whole uninterrupted sentences, even paragraphs exchanged.

Our  first stop after Oakland was in Marin county.  We took that beautiful, meandering, canopy-covered road down into Muir Woods.  It was delightful in every sense of the word.  I wish we could start every day with a stroll through the redwoods.  They are so majestic and such a reminder of how large God is and how small we are.  There is a reverence felt there by one and all. People just naturally whisper in the presence of those magnificent trees.  No matter what state of mind you are in when you arrive, it will be transformed almost immediately into something elevated and edifying. The air...full of pure oxygen, the scent of the redwood forest, the stunning beauty,  the quiet, the reverence all make you new again.  It is truly one of the most beautiful places on the earth.

 Muir Woods

From one of the wooden bridges
 gazing down at the stream.

 15 memory-filled years of marriage today!

I think this picture of Jim is so cute. 

 He always says women only

 include photos when they think
 they look good no matter how the
 rest of the subjects turn out!

 Just for the record...Mr. M...

 This is proof positive that just
isn't the case.

 If only two dimensional photos 
could really capture this in 3-D

After the redwoods we went to Muir Woods Overlook
 for a quick panoramic view of the Pacific.

The water was pretty calm and a gorgeous teal. 

The breeze was refreshing and there was no one there.
  We had a tiny snack-type
 picnic on the redwood table by the sea cliffs.  
H E A V E N.

Point Lobos

Then we wound our way back to San Francisco and went to the De Young Museum.  We got the best parking place in the park...amazing.  We went in and enjoyed some of the current exhibits and then headed to Point Lobos for a view of the ocean from our favorite perspective near Seal Rock.  Jim kept the car running while the rest of us got out for some pics.  We ran out and checked out the sea...turned around and found this street vendor selling the most amazing earrings.  Jen and I snagged a pair and jumped back in the car.  The day was magical!  Next we went to our favorite Pizzeria.  Pasquale's in the Sunset district on 8th Ave and Irving Street near where we once lived.  For this:

We have been patrons for over 44 years.  

 The quality never disappoints.  Jim practically

 has his own table there, he has been there 4 times 

in the past five weeks with various visitors.

After we ate it was time to head back across the bridge. We thought we'd never get to the on-ramp of the bridge the traffic was fierce.  Once on we started moving at a pretty fast clip and all of a sudden Jim thought we should stop at Treasure Island for one last photo op and also to see the naked lady called Bliss. Don't worry it is just a giant wire sculpture that is worth seeing for its immensity if nothing else.

Here is Bliss...check out her size compared 
to the palm trees. Jim at just over 6'1" comes just
 below mid-calf when standing beside her.

As we start off the bridge Jim can hear something weird going on with the car so he rolled down the window and he could hear some hissing.  A minute later we had a flat tire, it could have been a blow-out traveling at high speeds on the Bay Bridge during computer hours or on a sleepy deserted lane on Treasure Island where he could easily change the tire without getting run over. 

It was a miracle, an answer to our earlier prayer for safety, a tender mercy of the Lord.  It was the first thing I thought of and I am so grateful.  It wasn't a big, big thing...but a very tender gift.  We were safe.  It could have happened at any time the previous week when we were traveling much faster on the freeway going back and forth to Oakland, or on the mountains going down to Muir Woods which would have been dangerous.   Or on the bridge which would have been extremely inconvenient and dangerous and would have caused major delays for a ton of people eager to get home.

So what could have been a deleted scene in this lovely day is taking center stage.  I include it  because it increased our testimony of God's awareness of all of us and the prayers we offer each day.  We just don't leave home without it and this is the reason.  God lives and he hears and answers our prayers.

We had a wonderfully bonding time with Jen and Lowell and when all was said and done, we were filled with gratitude for the perfection and protection of the day.  Glad you could come along!

A Simple Woman's Daybook~September 3, 2012

Just for today~Monday, September 3, 2012
 

Our lives pass swiftly by! I want to do something to remember

the everyday moments and my thoughts about them.  

That is what this daybook is all about.

Focusing on the little things that become my life.

One week at a time.

Outside my window...It is Labor Day afternoon.  We went to the Temple with our ward early this morning and then on to a lovely picnic.  It is hot today so this is the time in the afternoon when all you want to do is sit in front of a fan.  So here I am with my little fan on my desk trying to write a post! 


I am thankful for... my husband, he is truly a gem.  Honestly the man works so hard and his energy is unrelenting.  Sometimes I feel so guilty that I can not keep up with him.  But it is what it is.  And quite frankly I don't know anyone else that can keep up with him either so that makes me feel a tad bit better.   I do worry about him though because he just doesn't know when to quit.   I can work that way mentally, just not physically. 

 

From the learning room...To keep things alive and thriving they have to be watered and fed and nurtured.  Left to their own devices they will go to seed.  The path of least resistance is the death of something that was once alive and vibrant.  If you take care of the basics you will see miracles.  This is true in the garden and in your life.

I am reading...Evernote for Dummies.  I just love reading about new programs and software and interactive websites.  I give Evernote and A+ for making life easier.  I love their logo.  An elephant, as in an "Elephant Never Forgets."  There is a full post about in just below this one.

From the kitchen...Not much is going on in there.  We have soup and we have tomatoes for tomato sandwiches and a bunch of other stuff to stir up as needed.  So not thinking about the kitchen this week.  Jen and Lowell are spending Wednesday night with us and all day on Thursday so we will be eating out.  They are celebrating their 15th anniversary with a cruise off the west coast.  Lucky us, they are going to a concert in Berkeley on Thursday night on their way to the ship.  So that is what I am thinking about...not the kitchen!  Wahoo!


I am missing...Our sweet Robert.  He will be home from his Afghan tour of duty pretty soon.  What a hero! And so is Laura and also their boys.  They have all made tremenous sacrifices for you and me to enjoy our liberty and freedom.  Thanks, Robert, Laura and kids!

Some spiritual thoughts I have been having...I have really been appreciating the scriptures lately.  It seems that they speak to me one on one most of the time.  Recently it is has been louder then ever.  I love that.  Also the temple has been wonderful this morning.  It is such a refuge from the craziness of the world.  The difference is palpable, real and comforting.  I read Alma 5 while there it was very moving. 

I am hearing...Kenny Rogers...Love Lifted Me.  I still like that old codger.  His voice is so distinctive and his stories told through songs are fun.

One of my guilty pleasures...manicures.  I don't particularly like the time I spend doing it but I love it when my nails look nice.

Pet Peeves...the silly way they package men's dress shirts.  Holy Cow are all those pins seriously necessary?

I am going...finish up cleaning the house today and tomorrow for our kids' way too short visit.

I am quoting...Pinterest!

An enjoyable movie we have watched lately...Tristen and Isolde. Enjoyed this movie for the first time in a long time.  If I was 40 years younger I'd look twice  that James Franco boy!  He is a bit of a little hottie...just sayin'...

I am curious about...how loud and rude liberals do not think they are rednecks?  Aren't they the ones touting live and let live?  Annoying hypocrisy is a curiosity.

If I could change one thing it would be...that crisis and pain and suffering and disease and death  and war and fighting would just take a little vacation.  I see so many that are hurting.  It makes me sad.

Plans for the rest of the week...tomorrow work at the Family Search Library with James, Wednesday see Jen and Lowell.  Thursday take the kids to Muir Woods, Muir Overlook, De Young and/or the Palace of the Legion of Honor museums and late lunch/early dinner.  Friday I am going on an overnight trip with three girlfriends to go to Time Out For Women in Sacramento.  This is a wonderfully uplifting church event that just celebrates all aspects of womanhood and one I look forward to very much.  It will be Friday night and all day Saturday.

One of my favorite things...something fun to look forward to.  It motivates me to work hard so I can play more often.  Jim is the same way, I am glad you have found a way to roll that suits us both so well.

Some photos I am sharing this week... It looks like Miss Hazie is thinking about being a Kitty for Halloween.  Can you believe she will be 5 on September 24th?  Honestly, one of the real up sides to her many problems is that she is staying little so long.  (You have to find your silver linings where you can.) I like this because she is just so cuddly and loveable and she loves to be held close.  All the other kids grew up into big kids so quickly.  Hazie is lingering in this little stage physically and progressing by leaps and bounds mentally and emotionally and socially.  She is a delight in every possible way.

Here Kitty, Kitty...

❤♡♥♡❤♡♥♡❤♡♥s,  B