Jim and Bon In Real Life

The Path of Our Journey

Blue Bonnets of Texas

I just love this picture taken by my friend, Deanna. It just reminds me of life's journey.

To me it just symbolizes how the road is long and the end is out of sight. It has its bumps and curves and heights to scale. There are places we would like to pass but it is forbidden.

At any point along the way, the place where we are on the road is the biggest and most visible while the road behind and ahead are less distinguishable. This is a blessing if we don't dwell on the bumps we have endured or worry excessively about the ones coming up. Staying in the present, with God's help, we can handle them.

As we go along if we look around and beyond the confines of the road we can see immeasurable beauty surrounds us even at the curves, bumps, hills and things that cannot be passed around, but must be gone through to stay the course to the horizon and beyond.

I like this picture so much I wouldn't mind having it painted and hanging on our wall. It would remind me that life is a journey~not a destination. Any of you talented artists out there want to paint it for me?

Celebrating Melissa!

Here's Little Treat For You!

A few years ago you were doing this on
Your Special Day in Paris!

We know not every year can be Paris,
Moon Light and Roses but...

Seriously, This?

I am so sorry you have to go to the dentist
on your Birthday
which I might add shows a great
deal of maturity and being responsible!
Ummmm...
I am not there yet...but you probably already knew that!

I called to wish you a Happy Birthday this morning and Chris shared the plans for the day. I am glad he is home with you at least. I sure hope you have a fun day in spite of that little detour. I guess with two more birthdays in the house in the next few days you'll have plenty of celebrating! Do enjoy spending your Birthday Bucks! We love you, Missy! We'll call you later when we are on the way to Jim's Award Reception tonight. XOXO

Special Delivery From Aunt Jen
here is Missy today with Julia and Anyslee!

Yep, I Admit I Cried! ~For Caroline~

Caroline, this is a rerun of an old post especially for you since we both LOVE her! Why am I not surprised you liked this movie too? She is a Dancing Queen, isn't she? I just watched it again tonight!

I have had people ask this question so thought I'd try to reveal exactly why this movie made me cry. Hmmm, well, here are some of my random thoughts about it....

I loved that it was a movie about people over 49 that depicted them as vibrant, fun-loving human beings that have loving hearts. They are still, amazingly enough, full of passion and desire, and a need for a relationship in spite of the losses they have experienced in life. I loved that Meryl Streep's character was still filled with love and hope after being without the person she loved for 20 years. I thought it said a lot about the nature of the human heart's ability to go on dreaming dreams even when things have not always gone your way.

I love the Dancing Queens scenes where women of all shapes, sizes and degrees of physical beauty as the culture defines it, were celebrated. They were all beautiful, young and old just because they were women! There were no stereotypes of what beauty is, they were just beautiful because they were themselves. So tears.

I love the carefree manner in which they were rejoicing in and remembering some of the feelings they had had when they were 17 and dancing queens. I could actually remember feeling that way at 17 and some of my tears were about just letting that carefree spirit I felt then~ slip away. It just reminded me that we have forgotten how to play and I missed that feeling in my life. Nostalgia ~ So more tears.

There's Nothing Like the Reunion of Old Friends

I loved the song and scenes of "Slipping Through My Fingers" because it was so like I feel about our beautiful daughters and (of course our son) and the fact that sometimes I mourn the loss of their childhood and miss them so much. You try to keep a light heart about them growing up and going away but sometimes it just doesn't seem possible that that part of your life has slipped through your fingers and is over and that things will never be the same again. So tears...lots of them (maybe even gulping sobs where you are glad the surround sound of the theatre is very, very loud).


The Winner Takes it All...Everyone probably relates to this song on some level. I loved the dramatic way in which it was used in the story and the amazing performance of Meryl Streep. Don't you relate to that line..."I don't want to talk~ because it makes me feel bad?" Sometimes you just feel that way about things that have happened in your life. Again tears. You have climbed the mountain but sometimes you just feel tired, weary and worn out. I loved the visuals of her escaping the pain and running up the mountain with the red scarf. To me it symbolized that in spite of her trials and discouragements she could still move forward with an unexplained passion for living and loving.

And lastly, I loved Meryl Streep and the way she has magnified her talents and given so much to women in general, just by being herself and working hard to perfect her craft with style, grace and a lot of spunk. I love that throughout her career she her carefully chosen her roles so she didn't get type cast as a one dimensional woman.

So, I ask you~ who wants to go to Greece with me, put on an old house dress and a scarf, an apron and some clunky shoes, and ditch the bras and the make-up? Then we will all joyously skip down to the peer singing and dancing like queens, cannonball into the water and laugh our heads off!

Posted by Bonnie at 10:04 PM

My Oldest, Most Precious Friend Lives On In Me

Although my mom passed away nearly seven years ago I still think of her everyday and especially on her birthday. Today I am going to speak to her cute little twin, Joseph, who is still alive and doing fairly well. Their birthday was yesterday but I had jury duty so this is one day late. I saw him a year ago last fall for the first time in 39 years and it was like visiting with my little mom all over again. They looked more and more alike as they got older. What a blessing twins can be.

This is the poem I wrote for her memorial service program.

Mom was a tiny little thing and so cute!
Unfortunately I look nothing like her at all.
Bummer!

My mom was so wonderful...truly a best friend to me, especially when I was an adult. We enjoyed doing everything together and I was so blessed to live near her except for about five years when we were first married. Mom was a devoted wife (oh my gosh...a wonderful example of a selfless wife, always doing things for my Dad!) She was a super mom and was always there for me, she never let me down. She was the best at supporting and loving unconditionally.

Mom would love these flowers, her favorite color was always purple!

She suffered so much when my father passed away...she lived 24 years as a widow and never adjusted to it. In 1991 she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. What was supposed to be a fairly routine brain surgery (yeahrite!) turned out rather poorly and she was unable to live alone for the rest of her life. We could not have her at home with us due to her surgically induced disabilities and that was one of the most heart-breaking experiences of my life. She had done absolutely everything for me and I could not take care of her when she needed me.

I guess if there is any lesson in that it is that you should never promise you will never do something that you might just have to end up doing. She lived in a skilled nursing facility for 10 years. And 2 separate board and care facilities for the last two years. Fortunately, it was very near our home and I visited everyday for about two years and then a little less often, like every other day until she died. What I learned from that was that service truly does increase your love. I would never have loved my mom as much as I did had I not had the opportunity to do the basics for her. I also learned that no matter what you do for an ailing parent, it never feels like enough. So you just have to do your best and feel good about it in the end. And you also have to find balance in it so you can carry on a life of your own. In my case that meant, continuing to work, raise kids, have a life with Jim, Church...the whole enchilada. The Lord does carry you and give you the daily strength you need. Looking back now, I know I could never have done it alone without His divine intervention. I needed His help daily.

Anyway, I am missing mom today. I remember one time she and I were spending the night at my brother's and we read the little bedside book Marilyn had, "Love You Forever" together lying in bed in the morning. It was the first time either of us had seen it and we both bawled our eyes out. It was so sweet and it turned out to be our story.

Jo-Jo Bean

"I'll Love You Forever
I'll Like you for Always...."


Happy 91th birthday yesterday, Uncle Joe. I know Mom would be happy
to know that we will talk together today!

A Simple Woman's Daybook~May 17, 2010

To join in focusing on the simple things and pleasures of your daily life or to read other people's entries, you can click here.

So, For Today...Monday, May 17, 2010

Outside my window..the sun is trying to peek through the cloudy sky, it is breezy and chilly out. I have a busy day today with a Jury Duty Summons. I have a feeling it will be a long day as I am in group 10 out of 11 to be questioned. So hopefully it will be a nice day weather wise as I am going to have to walk several blocks IF I can even find a parking place.

I am thinking...if I were to get called to a jury this would be pretty good time, just sayin' not that I am wishing for it. I was called to come in one other time and sat there all day and they had their jury about three people before I was to be questioned. They had gone through 125 potentials. Ugh!

I am thankful for...Prayer and the Holy Ghost that leads and guides us and testified of the truth of all things.
From the learning room...When trials come it is nice to know that the Lord is always near, we just have to reach out and take His hand.

I am reading...Book 3 in the Zion Covenant Series by Bodie Theone. This one is entitled Munich Signature. It is really good and I am so thankful to be into this series. Especially today when I will have it in my hand most of the day! I love reading books recommended by family and friends. Laura got me into these books and I feel like it brings us closer through all the 7,000 plus miles. I also love how much I am learning about WWII from this historical novel.

From the kitchen... we have leftover curry chicken for tonight but tomorrow I have to make "The Soup" for Jim.

I am wondering..when our new area rug for the dining room will arrive. It is supposed to ship out today from the manufacturer.
I am hearing...Miracle by Celine Dion. Every mother should have a copy of this entire CD. Amazing.

I am going...think about my mom a lot today she would be 91 if she were alive. There are so many people that have died that I miss very much. My parents are on top of the list and other family members and friends.

I have been thinking a lot about the ones that died without telling me. Just kidding, but y0u know the ones, we all have those. Someone who has been very important in our lives and somehow you find out they died...sometimes months or years after the fact.

Often they are people you have known through school or work and you don't know the family so somehow you just stumble onto the news randomly, usually when you are trying to reconnect because they have been on your mind. That has happened to me with several really good friends from the past and then you find yourself mourning way after everyone else.

Today if I could change one thing...that I could wish my mom a Happy Birthday and just see her again and chat and ask her for her advice on things. And mostly just to give her a big hug and thank her for being such an inspiration in my life on so many levels.

I am quoting...“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” C.S. Lewis
My spiritual thoughts include..the fact that the atonement is for so much more than forgiveness of our sins. The power of what Christ did for us covers healing everything in our lives like a beautiful warm blanket of unconditional love.

Around the house...I feel like I have had the time to keep up better than I have in many years. I love it!
I am missing...many important people in my life very much!

I am hoping....I get excused today as the week is full already without adding jury duty to the mix.

One of my guilty pleasures...Lancome
One of my favorite things...books and movies and experiences that touch my heart, evoke deep emotion, and even bring tears to my eyes.

An enjoyable movie I have watched lately...I have been having a Meryl Streep fest. I do love her movies and her work and just her in general.

A few plans for the rest of the week...jury duty, cooking, visiting teaching Wednesday, a dinner honoring Jim for his contributions to an organization called SELPA which is an educational entity, date night, a working around the yard weekend, bringing dinner to a lady that just had a baby on Saturday night, and Jenny Oaks Baker violin concert on Sunday night.

Here is a picture and a thought I am sharing with you~

This is our little Rossie. Ross broke his arm in four places on March 17th. He has pointed out to me that although St. Patrick's Day is supposed to be a lucky day, it was not for him. This is something he learned after the fact though.

Ross is fearless, Ross plays at full speed, with all his heart, Ross is tough, Ross is passionate, Ross is all boy. Ross thought it was quite exciting to be getting a cast and having people sign it, etc. He was thrilled and thought getting all the attention and a treat after the cast setting was great. Ross thought a big chocolate bunny was so worth the broken arm, or so he told his Dad that day. Ross is left-handed, Ross had two casts one up to his shoulder for four weeks and then the above one for three weeks. Ross got his cast off on Friday, finally.

Ross learned a lesson. Chocolate bunnies are not all they're cracked up to be and it was definitely not worth the broken arm. Hopefully Rossie also learned to be a little more careful.

Isn't this a pattern for how we all learn from our mishaps and mistakes. Consequences of not being careful can really come back to bite us, and because of that we learn. I know our little grandboy well enough to know he will continue to be all boy, passionate about everything in life and this will probably not be the last cast he'll ever have.

But I bet he won't trade the experience for only one chocolate bunny if and when the time comes again! I do so love this little guy. In spite of it all, he truly made the best of his time in his cast. He's got a lot of strength within and he just pushes forward looking for the good in each day. He tells me he want to give me a billion kisses just about every time we talk. Who can resist a little boy like that? Not me, nope not his Gramma!!

My Gramma ~ by Julia

This love letter from Julia was originally posted 10/25/08. I definitely get the sparkly part but the cold drinks remain a mystery! Not that I do not like cold drinks but it is funny that she points that in a little after thought bubble? I love this little girl with all my heart!

Double Clicking makes it easier to read

Scootin' Around the Canyon

Here is my little Jewel just before a race
at school the other day!
She appears to be the only one
paying any kind of attention.
She is #2 from the left.
Gotta love kids!
♥s and Smiley Faces
Only 9 more days of school and they
will all have another year under their belts.