Familial Research and Development

Sometimes I have thought that ' we ' are blessed when we do what's right and because of that and because we strive to avoid doing things that are 'not right', then only good things will happen to me. Well, excuse me, ' we ' did not get a theme park ticket to enter this life and sometimes bad things, sad things, hard things happen to goodly people. Well, even ' sometimes ' is a stretch from the truth. The ugly truth is, 'bad' happens in everyone's life on an ongoing basis. That is the nature of life, of mortality. Also, sometimes our perception of 'bad' is warped and wrong. An event may appear 'bad' at first, however given enough time we can learn that it-the bad event-was a blessing in disguise. Time. How to work through in your mind and heart over time the 'bad' event sometimes is the greatest challenge. The following society, scripture and song have been and continue to be my greatest source of strength through t...

Well, no. Not really. However as we arrived 30 minutes early we were able to see so many old foggies (we're getting there, but aren't there quite yet) showing up. Using canes they were. Walking like cripples too. My oh my. And they are here for a dinner dance evening? Well, I never! So we took our coats off, got our picture taken, sat down, ate our salad and slowly the table filled, the room filled, the band was playing and I swear! I saw those old foggies set those canes down, take the waltz or polka or lindy pose with their partners and danced their cares away. They floated majestically across the floor. It was like as soon as they could be in the arms of the love of their life, each others strengths filled in the weaknesses of the other and a unique perfect balance was struck. I think, as we grow older, mature, gain more experience, we finally start to see it's best to shut up, buck up, and know that your partner is the only mortal you can really trust. It isn't your...

I want you to know how happy we are here in our new home. The kids are going through normal adjustments for having just moved but are doing well. Janele went to girls camp with ward girls and there finally really started to feel accepted and part of the ward. John now has a paper route and just bought his own school shoes. He and David, Jacob, and Joey are up at the Boy Scout rendezvous. John is the only one who will be spending the week up there as Cub Scouts are invited during the day only. What's so terrific about this camp out is that 42 general authorities will be there visiting throughout the week, they said, and probably president Benson. He was the grand Marshal of the Provo Freedom Festival Parade this summer. We had to go see it, would have anyway. But when his car passed by I was overcome with emotion and for no reason was in tears. How can you love a stranger you have never known so much? David's learning a lot of things about finishing a basement. He talks to the c...

Mom always told me that and except for what are now called flip-flops, we learned their name as thongs-I always wore socks or nylons when I had shoes or sandals on. Always. That's how it was. So I was good about wearing flip flops if I HAD to have something on my feet. Let's face it, in Southern Cally you rarely need to cover your feet except when going into a business where health codes require such things. Fast forward a couple decades... I take my number three child in to the doctor. He's got something on his feet-the skin is so dried out and now there are pimples too. What did the doctor say? Well, here's some cream for his athlete's foot, the pimple (they did a biopsy) is staph infection so here's a prescription for that, throw out the old shoes, always wear socks, wear sandals WITH socks so his feet can air out (moistness feeds and houses athlete's foot), and change your shocks at least once a day but twice a day would be fine too. I had never ...

Doing the laundry in the old ringer washer was one of my chores. AND mom always made me sort the laundry. Once a load was washed and wrung out, it sat in the basket until the next load was washed and wrung out, which sat in another basket until the next load was washed and wrung out, until the wash water was so dirty it was time to turn the pump on, pump the water out and then start filling the tub with rinse water. Repeating the same sequence with the rinsing of the loads of laundry and then running outside to hang them on the clotheslines to dry took most of the morning. Why did it matter if the clothes were sorted? Colors run. Now they have laundry soap that prevents that so why sort? Because whites go dingy if you don't. They have a color-safe, fabric-safe bleach for that.... Yes, however it doesn't really do a great job of keeping the white white. I'm not talking solely about solid white articles of clothing. I have and my Dove has articles that have a white backgrou...

Pain and joy seem to have a very deep connection. Sometimes within one life and sometimes bridging more than one life. Within one life would be a mother and her child. Painful during pregnancy, childbirth and sometimes through the growing years and yet also so much joy! Bridging more than one life... That is what I'm pondering now. I have been pondering this ever since my youngest child achieved/earned his Eagle scout award. As I recall the challenge was from the Bishop. Whoever earned theirs first would be taken to Ruby River for a steak dinner. The Bishop's son was one of those young scouts. My husband was not the Bishop. My son was the first of that group and received the steak dinner. So much joy and righteous pride and yet... The Bishop's son seemed to become less and less active in church. It's been about a decade that I've watched and caught glimpses here and there and what I am seeing feels... painful. The Bishop's son was in my Ethics & Values class...

That's what he said. He was pacing. Rambling. Thinking out loud. Reaching. Reaching for help, for understanding. He was at a transitional point and knew it. He also knew that right there was something/someone/some understanding just beyond his reach which could help him be less messy. Well, that's what he said, 'I'm a mess'. We are what we are. This is stage one. Or are we? Then he went on with a list of labels... bipolar manic depressive (that one he fumbled around with) ADD/ADHD OCD This is stage two-finding our labels. Some people use labels to hide behind. It becomes their excuse to accept themselves as they are (a difficult and challenging thing to do) and to continue in that same vein. After all, they are what they are. Some people find their labels. Define them. Own them. Accept them. Understand them. Intimately know them. This is stage three. And then... Then they choose to find out what 'not being a mess is' ... or how to be normal... or rather how ...