Catching Up

Wow, I didn't realize how long it's been since I shared anything with all of you! I guess that means we have been busy.

I did spend a week in mid August serving as a hostess at Campus Education Week at BYU, I loved it! I will have to write about some of the things I learned in a future post.
We also bid a sad farewell to most of the members of the BYU 2nd ward, we love our association with these amazing young people. Now we have many new members of the ward ~ we had a fun bbq/water games day in the park last Saturday, and and our Sunday meetings have been wonderful; we are looking forward to a great year.

Someone sliding into home plate during the 'kiddie pool kickball' game

keeping the pools full

Cache is back, he spends his mornings with us 3 days a week. He is so much fun and I'm amazed how much goes on in his little brain.

It's been a weird garden year. Our zucchini plants died! Do you know anyone who is able to kill their zucchini plants? And our other squash got lots of blossoms but very little fruit ~ so we have carrots, peppers, and some tomatoes (although the tomatoes look sadder than usual). The strawberries are still producing though, and Cache loves them.

whatever Cache doesn't eat goes into the freezer

We harvested our corn about the first of August, it was delicious!

this is all the corn we got, but Dave and I both think it was the best corn we ever ate

Dave built this arbor a few weeks ago, it turned out really nice

Summer always goes too quickly for my liking, it's hard to believe Labor Day has come and gone already. We have some fun plans for the fall: we would love to go north, before it gets too cold, to see Rachel and Dave and their family, and Scott, Donna, and boys, and we have planned a trip to see Rick, and a 'Vocal Point' concert in November.

Morning thoughts

I take a morning jog several times a week. My usual route takes me through the city cemetery.

this is my favorite tombstone, it makes me laugh

I sometimes find myself wondering about the people buried there ~ what were their lives like? Were they pleased with the choices they had made, with the man or woman they had become?

Life events occasionally force us to face our own mortality. The death of a loved one, a serious accident or illness, or even just the passing of another birthday or anniversary. The end of our mortal lives will come someday, we will have become the person that we have created through our choices.

I love the Old Testament; I love the symbolism of Christ that is everywhere in this ancient record. I recently read about the tabernacle that Moses was commanded to prepare and carry with the children of Israel through the wilderness that God might dwell among his people. I also read about the various sacrifices that the Lord commanded them to offer, to point their minds forward to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and their total dependence on him for redemption. I have found scriptural heroes like Moses, Abraham, Esther, and Noah. They loom large in my imagination, bigger than life, yet they were just ordinary people like us, asked to do extraordinary things in extraordinary times.

I found a statement in an OT commentary in the introduction to Numbers 13-16. It says: “The Old Testament has some stories of great and marvelous men and women..who provide inspiration to all who desire to achieve true greatness. But the Old Testament also records many tragedies. The tragedy was not so much in what happened, but in what was lost, in what could have been, compared to what was.” Old Testament Student Manual, Genesis - 2 Samuel, Religion 301, 205.

These two ideas merged in my mind this morning on my way through the cemetery. When I die, will I have become the woman that God intends me to be? Will my life be a triumph or a tragedy? I know that my Savior Jesus Christ has paid the price for my sins, rebellions, misjudgments, and carelessness. I know that as I repent I am made pure and clean through his blood, and that he is able to affect changes in me that can make me a pure and sanctified person. But, he waits for me to choose to accept his offering and let it be effective my life; I must decide if I will follow him, live as he asks, obey his commandments, and yield my will to his that I may become holy through his love. His is the power and ability, the choice must be mine.

Our Sun Oven

I got a Sun Oven for my birthday this year.

A few days later, it was used to bake a loaf of Rosemary bread.

There are plans in the works for cookies, rice, brownies, some kind of chicken dish, and some soup or stew all baked/cooked with the power of the sun.
So stay tuned for updates on our cooking adventures.

A day filled with family

Last Thursday was a day filled with family. It was the day of my Uncle Erwin's funeral. He is my dad's only younger brother ~ the eighth child and fifth son of my Haws grandparents ~ and was my dad's only living sibling, until July 1 when he passed away.

It happened in a room in the ER in a local hospital, where he was surrounded by some of the many people who love him. It was a bitter-sweet time; good-byes with those we love are always difficult. As we stood close to each other in that quiet room, we heard the beeping of the monitor as it tracked his gradually slowing breathing and heartbeat, and the whispers on phones to loved ones too far away to be there in person.
We felt a sacred reverence for the event taking place. My grandfather Haws died when his family was young, at least his two youngest sons, my dad and my Uncle Erwin, were under 8 years old. As we waited, knowing the end of his life was minutes away, we thought of those who have gone before ~ his parents and brothers and sisters ~ and their joyful anticipation of a long-awaited reunion, only moments away.
Loving words were spoken, to and of him. The sacred priesthood power was exercised in his behalf, invoking the will of our Father, and expressing our love and respect for this man who has been such an influential part of our lives. Tears were shed, prayers were offered and heard. There were many hugs and 'I love you' s spoken, and we eventually left that room grateful to have been there to bid farewell to this man we love.
Thursday was a day filled with family ~ as we gathered to celebrate the life of our Uncle Erwin, and to rejoice in 'the great plan of happiness' of our God that promises us that families last forever.

"America"...powerful new patriotic original

This is definitely one of my favorite times of the year. I love the 4th of July parade, patriotic music, the hallowed words of our founding documents, and the inspiring lives of those who were raised up to create this system of government that has blessed the whole world.
A friend posted this video on facebook, and I want to share it here.
I hope you enjoy it and feel increased gratitude for living in this land.

Strawberries!

Look what I found today in our 4 planter boxes of strawberries, almost 6 pounds worth.
We will be making strawberry jam tomorrow.

Love Stories

I love love stories, especially true-life love stories ~ here are my top two all time favorites.
The number two top love story started in 1975 at Lake Perris California. That is when and where I met Dave. He was home on leave from the USMC for a month or two and since he is a good friend of my brother in law Gene, he and my sister Holly invited him to our waterski outing. We went to dinner a few times with Gene & Holly, then he returned to his duty station in the east. About a year later he was stationed in Orange County where he and I both lived. We started dating off and on; but I also saw him with other girls at activities we both attended ~ group dates, Young Adult dances, firesides, etc. There was no talk between us of marriage, no ‘I love you’, and only one kiss. I was under the impression that we were just good friends. One night in the spring we were together walking through a park. We found a place to sit and started talking. Then, totally unexpectedly, he looked at me and said: “I think we should get married.” I wondered for a second if he was giving me some general advice; there was no shortage of people telling me and other young people my age about the importance of marriage. After all, he is a few years older than me ~ I wondered who he had picked out and even if he had a suggestion for me. So the first words out of my mouth, in response to his surprising statement was, “to who?”
It turned out that he had chosen someone, and he had also picked out someone for me. His response to me was, “to each other!” We talked a little about it, and I am embarrassed now to admit that I asked him, more than once, if he was kidding. He convinced me that he was serious, that he really wanted me. He did not get an answer from me that night. During the next few days I began to see him differently, to understand what he was offering me ~ his love (although he still hadn’t used that word), to support me, to share my burdens, our own home and family. Three months later we were married in the temple. That was many years ago, and only the beginning of our love story. We have shared many wonderful times together, a few tragedies, sorrows, and frustrations; we have had quite an adventure together. Still, the 30 plus years we have shared are only the beginning. I have heard it said that real love stories never have endings ~ and because of the gospel of Jesus Christ and his plan for our happiness, our marriage and family can last through the eternities.


The number one best love story began before we were born. It was then that our relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ began. We all knew and loved Him there, we learned of the plan for our progression and trusted Him to play the vital part He volunteered to play in that plan. When we read in Matthew “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ...” we may think that Jesus is giving general advice. It’s true that He wants all people to come to Him, but His invitation is to all of us as individuals. If we ask, and ponder, we will become convinced he truly wants us, that His offer of love, companionship, redemption, peace, and so much more, is to us individually.
As we accept His invitation, He will walk with us through the trials, challenges, and joys of our lives. This story of love between us and our Savior truly has no ending, it will go on throughout eternity.

These love stories are my favorite because I live them, they are as breath to me. They bring me purpose, direction, and immeasurable joy.