Fifteen Years Ago Today

My mother became my guardian angel.
"Those we love don't go away,
They walk beside us every day,
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
Still loved, still missed and very dear."

In the beginning, when I'd think of her I'd cry.
Now I smile.

"You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her and only that she's gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on."

Up Next

Brigadoon

March 25 - April 10

Castle Performing Arts Center

Starring Gabe Wright and Nicole Enos

In Front of the Irish Peat Moss Fire

Our Irish Friends

We made wonderful friends with Catheroina and John Lambert and their daughter Kerry.

Catheroina cooked for us, John made us laugh & Kerry entertained us.

We love them.

The Birds

My anniversary gift to Gene - falconry

We spent 5 hours on an Irish country hillside flying hawks, falcons and owls.

A spectacular, once in a lifetime experiences.

St. Paddy's Day...a Month Early & in Ireland

I swear we didn't have a drop!

(serious blackmail picture)

From Our Irish Farmhouse Window

We saw this

Every morning.

Ireland

Me and My Boyfriend of 37 years (35 years married)

Northern Ireland Coast

13 February 2011

28 and counting

That's how many hours before we fly off tomorrow evening for Ireland. Only got a million things left to do - but they are all manageable.

Can't forget to -

1. Leave Valentine treats for the kids
2. Finish my work for engineer's group
3. Get Valentines for the girls to give to classmates
4. Register for my D.C. meeting in March
5. Make Hannah's appt with neurologist for when we get back
6. Clean the fridge
7. Vacuum the van
8. Mail Jacob's Valentine present
9. Cut my hair!!!

At least I'm packed...

Found!

A talking photo frame - of Jacob - about age 9 years old - saying "Happy Mother's Day Mom! I hope you have fun in Buffalo! I love you!"

I was thrilled to find it. I had forgotten all about it.

And I can't remember why I was in Buffalo 11 years ago!

Cleaning Closet

Its scary...like Hoarders Buried Alive. Items found:

To Be Trashed

Black heels circa 1990 - cracked vinyl

Dick Tracy T-shirt

Susan's shoes from when she was maybe 3

17 purses!!! including one from 1985 when we moved here!

Lots of broken hangers

A white linen skirt - what was I thinking????

Old computer cords

2 backpacks

Lauhala bags that are pretty much eaten away.

Keepers!

A quilt I made for Jacob when he was 2

A red muumuu I thought I'd chucked

My favorite Peter Max shirt from 1978!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (And cause I've lost some weight, it fits!!!)

Some cool reef walkers

3 wooden hangers - the antique kind that the dry cleaner used to give - I know they are valuable cause they have Territory of Hawaii printed on them - so that's pre-1959!!!!!!!!!!!!

No money yet, but I'm not done cleaning!

So far - 5 garbage bags for the dump.

Hoarder!!!!!!!!!!

What's On Her Mind

Michelle woke up yesterday morning and said, "Mom I have a picture of Hunter in my mind."

I said, "oh you're thinking about Hunter?" Hunter is a girl from church.

Michelle said, "No I just have a picture of her in my mind."

I was telling Gene about this last night and he asked her, "Do you still have a picture of Hunter in your mind?"

Michelle, closed her eyes for a moment then opened them, smiled widely and said, "Yup I still have her picture in my mind!"

Happy Birthday

To my Mama.

She would be 79 today.

Happy Birthday Mama.

Wednesday Nights

Gene works at the temple Wednesday nights so its quiet around here (not that he makes a lot of noise).

I cook whatever - or not at all - on Wednesday nights.

Gabe doesn't have rehearsals on Wednesday nights.

The two girls read or play quietly on Wednesday nights.

I like Wednesday nights.

Who's In Charge?

I asked Michelle to get me a cup of ice water.

She did and when she gave it to me she said, "Can you get your own next time?"

I replied, "No".

She said, "Are your legs broken?"

I said, "No".

She said, "Well why can't you get it yourself?"

I replied, "Because I'm the mother and you're the kid. You have to do what I say"

She said, "But I'm not the mother!"

I said, "Right that's why you gotta do what I say - like get me water!"

She looks at my water and says, "Can I have a sip?"

I said, "No. Go get your own!"

She walks off muttering to herself, "But I'm not the mother!"

He Wrote - So I Breathe - For 7 More Days at Least

Dearest Mother,

So this is my day:

Today Jacob Wakes up and turns off the alarm on the phone. except that it is not an alarm, someone is actually calling us at 6:15 in the morning. One of our investigators dialed the wrong number. So i get 15 more mins of sleep.

Now Jacob Gets out of bed for reals. And crawls to the bathroom to find a spanish elder on the pot (oh yeah, we had 2 spanish move in with us in our apartment. one doesnt ever lock the bathroom door...)

Jacob, waiting to shower, forgoes morning exercise in favor of the ever well balanced breakfast that is doughnuts and mountain dew.

Jacob goes in to the shower and lets hot water run over him for about 10 mins before actually beginning the cleansing process.

For studies Jacob and comp relate scripture people to star wars characters (after all, it is pday studies.)

Jacob then watches as the spanish missionaries take off in their full-time car taking only a moment to fantasize of the varied comforts it would offer before wrapping up in a jacket and beginning the trek to Wal Mart.

Some guy screams at us on the way to walmart from his car as he drives by, which in and of itself wouldnt have been odd except that we were in pday (normal) clothes.

We walk to email at the family history center and our zone leaders wave as they drive by in their 2010 Subaru. grrrrr.

and now i am here! but all in all, not to bad a day so far to be honest. smith and i have a lot of fun no matter what we are doing. which makes things entertaining.

hmm....as for the work, we have another baptism this saturday, then one next friday, then 2 more 2 weeks after that. once again, baptisms dont equal amount of work put in (altho in all modesty i believe we have put in great work) but they are good encouragement to keep it up. we also picked up a couple new investgators this week. yups. smith is definately my favourite comp, and i think that we are gonn serve together till he goes home (he has only got this one and next left) altho after that i only have 2 left and their are still others who i want to have a chance to serve with.

random factoid: i think that my favourite commandment to teach on the mission is Tithing. tiss awesome. kinda like buying blessings. lol, jk. but it really is my favourite commandment to teach. my fav overall would probably be repentance or faith tho.

anyways, hope you have a wonderful week, and i thank you again for being awesome. and helping me in the infinite ways that you do!

love, jake

On Tuesday's I Breathe

once I get Jacob's email.

...I'm still holding