Mother phoned me on Monday, March 12, 2012 to tell me that dad had experienced a fall.
The next morning she phoned me again that dad may have experienced a mild stroke, and he seemed to be paralyzed on his left side. I planned on flying out in 2 weeks.
I was standing in a line at Safeway when the hospice nurse phoned me and said, "If you want to see your father before he dies, get up here right now". She said that my mom didn't understand how ill my father was. Of course We came to find out it was brain damage from fluid that was hemorrhaging into his brain so that his condition was becoming gradually worse. Even. up until, Monday, the day he died, I too didn't realize how soon dad would pass on into the next world.
I was very ill and thought, perhaps, I was checking out of this earth life myself. I didn't dare drive up to high altitude before I took my stress test which was scheduled the following day. A wasted day that I could have spent with my dad. Hindsight. But a grateful thank you to Glenn and Whitney for driving up to Clearfield and spending time with and caring for grandpa untilthe rest of us could get there.
Joseph, Matthew, Keith and Amy, Meghan, Emily, Whitney and Glenn, and Joshua were all able to speak with Grandpa before he passed away. Emily hardly left his side. She was so cheerful with him, fed him pop cycles, pudding and Jamba Juice with a twinkle in her eyes and a smile on her face. Watching her interact with my father as I sat on the bed on his other side, was a memory/experience that I will always cherish.
I truly appreciate everyone who made the effort to say goodbye to their grandpa and who spoke at and attended his funeral. The presence of you children strengthened me and supported me at this emotional time. I know that Grandpa appreciated your visit as well (both before and after he departed).
Saturday, when your dad clasped Grandpa's hand, that sparked something. Grandpa started saying, "James, James, James". Grandpa was very animated. He said the name over and over. Not always being the brightest bulb, I told dad that it was Bill holding his hand. Then I asked if he was referring to Madelyn's & Christopher's dad. He said "no" and said he saw James (as in Peter, James, and John) talking to God. Then he repeated two more times that he saw James speaking to God. I remember thinking that I'd be more excited that I was seeing God, but dad was focused on James I assume because James was speaking to God on behalf of my dad.
Emily had told dad that my mom had gone to get her hair done. She said, "She wants to look beautiful for you, Grandpa" To which dad responded, "she always looks beautiful to me."
Mom got back from having her hair styled and dad called her to his bedside. He told her that she was beautiful and that he loved her. A brain that is being damaged and destroyed by a hemorrhage and yet he somehow remembers that mom just had her hair done and to complement her on her appearance what an amazing companion he was to my mother. Mom told dad that she loved him and I thought that would have been a sweet time for him to depart but alas dad had to endure 2 more days.
Dad was seeing beyond the veil and I asked him who he saw. He saw his mother and his brother, Clifford but at that time he didn't see his dad. Mom asked him if her dad was there and dad said that he was. I pictured dad's beloved family gathering to welcome him home. I likened it to giving birth. Dad truly labored to die and was finally set free of all his pain and suffering. The moment of his death, when his spirit left his body not so dissimilar to the moment it entered.
Dad passed away on Monday night, March 19, 2012, just short of his 99th birthday.
The day before his viewing, I thought I would be joining dad. I was a bit disappointed that I wasn't going to live longer but other than that I was fairly calm about my pending demise. Denial? I was very ill. How to describe how I felt? I felt miserable with my head up. I felt weird and dizzy like I had no blood pressure laying down as well - but horrid sitting up. The next day came. I had to be at the viewing by my 91-year-old mother's side but I couldn't sit up for 10 minutes without feeling yucky and starting to black out. After 2 hours at the viewing, it dawned on me that my dad was somehow giving me the strength and the energy to sit there and endure. At the realization of this blessing I leaned over to tell mom, when she said, "Do you feel your dad's presence? He is blessing me with the strength to sit here". I told her that I was just about to tell her the same thing.
Later that night at the motel I was crying and talking out loud to dad. I was sorrowing that everyone couldn't be at the funeral. As I kept talking, my disappointment turned to gratitude and joy. Emily was taking care of Baxter, Amy helped David through security at the airport. And then I felt so thankful for all you children. I started crying even harder as I told your dad, that my dad was indeed with me and helping me see cup half full instead of cup half empty. I felt his lesson so forcefully to control my attitude. It is my responsibility to choose gratitude, happiness and to not allow disappointment, self pity, or depression take over. Thank you, so much, dad, for that beautiful tutorial! I realized that this experience was a manifestation of the gift of the ministering of angels as was being strengthened at his viewing.
Thank you, Michael and Aaron for such beautiful talks. Thank you so much! Thank you, Glenn for your opening prayer. Thank you, Joshua, Aaron and Michael for wearing an article of dad's clothing as you honored him by being pall bearers. Thank you for being pallbearers, Aaron, David, Joshua and Michael! Thank you Heidi and Sarah for bringing all the squirmy cherubs. Thank you, Wendy & Jeremy for driving all night to be with us. I so wish you could have made it to his funeral it was perfect. Thank you for staying with my mom for a few days and helping her pick a head stone for their grave. Thank you, Joseph, Matthew, Keith and Amy, Meghan, Whitney and Glenn, Joshua and Emily for coming to say goodbye to Grandpa. Thank you my beloved husband and cherished companion, William, for your support and love. Dad (grandpa) knew you all, he knew you were there. I know it meant the world to him. I kmow he liked your talks, Aaron and Michael.
And most of all, thank you, dad (grandpa), for still blessing my beautiful children. I had many a talk with him over the last 5 years of how I needed his help to bless and serve (minister to) you children. Several of you have told me stories of you feeling his presence since his passing. I am so grateful for this. He still lives (just his body is retired) and he is with us and is sill blessing our lives. I love you all.
Showing posts with label Marsha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marsha. Show all posts
Monday, December 24, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2007
Peeking at All Those Presents Sitting Under the Christmas Tree
Peeking at All Those Presents Sitting Under the Christmas Tree
Have any of you peeked in advance at a wonderful present you are being given? I have. Only I didn’t know I was peeking. Let me explain.
When I was 12-years-old and my dad was bishop, our ward won the Men’s Soft Ball regionals and advanced to All Church . For those of my posterity who may read this in coming years let me explain what All Church was. Each ward had a men’s soft ball team and they competed with the other wards in the stake. The ward to take 1st place in their stake advanced to regionals. If you won 1st place in your region you advanced to play in the All Church finals and could be the best men’s soft ball team in the entire church. I remember a few California teams but most of the teams were from Utah wards. Well back to when my dad was bishop of the Kaysville 6th ward. I remember that my dad was so proud of these men. Dad would take me to All Church and we would spend a good part of the day watching the various teams and appraising them. “Could our ward beat them? Did it look like they were better than us?”
Before or after one of our games, that year, my dad and I were walking around and we paused to watch a game. We saw this man hit what should have been a home run but there was a strong breeze that day and it blew the ball just foul. We stood there amazed as we continued to watch that man hit one homerun-blown-foul after another and another and another and another. Weren’t his arms wearing out? How could anyone hit so many foul balls over the fence? Finally he hit a double and we groaned a bit in sympathy for him – at just advancing 2 bases instead of getting a home run, then we went on our way. A few days later my dad was reading the paper and he told me that that man had been named MVP of All Church that year. Wow! And to think I saw him do it.
Advance the time. It is now at least 6 years later and Bill and I are eating dinner at mom’s and dad’s home. I think we were just engaged and my parents were politely trying to learn who this guy was that I’d brought home for them to meet with the big silly grin on his face. Of course I bragged how he was Valedictorian of his high school graduating class and had been asked to be one of the Valedictory speakers at BYU that year. He mentioned that he’d played basketball and baseball in high school and that when he was 17 he’d even played in All Church with his ward. As a matter-of-fact . . . That was when he was interrupted in his story when dad realized that that was the same year our ward was there. I then told my honey about this man we saw hit one foul over the fence after another after another. Bill’s big old silly grin got even wider, if that were possible, as he announced that he was that batter and got MPV that year. What fun. To think that I got to have a sneak peek of my future husband that day – and what an impression he made!
Marsha 2007
Have any of you peeked in advance at a wonderful present you are being given? I have. Only I didn’t know I was peeking. Let me explain.
When I was 12-years-old and my dad was bishop, our ward won the Men’s Soft Ball regionals and advanced to All Church . For those of my posterity who may read this in coming years let me explain what All Church was. Each ward had a men’s soft ball team and they competed with the other wards in the stake. The ward to take 1st place in their stake advanced to regionals. If you won 1st place in your region you advanced to play in the All Church finals and could be the best men’s soft ball team in the entire church. I remember a few California teams but most of the teams were from Utah wards. Well back to when my dad was bishop of the Kaysville 6th ward. I remember that my dad was so proud of these men. Dad would take me to All Church and we would spend a good part of the day watching the various teams and appraising them. “Could our ward beat them? Did it look like they were better than us?”
Before or after one of our games, that year, my dad and I were walking around and we paused to watch a game. We saw this man hit what should have been a home run but there was a strong breeze that day and it blew the ball just foul. We stood there amazed as we continued to watch that man hit one homerun-blown-foul after another and another and another and another. Weren’t his arms wearing out? How could anyone hit so many foul balls over the fence? Finally he hit a double and we groaned a bit in sympathy for him – at just advancing 2 bases instead of getting a home run, then we went on our way. A few days later my dad was reading the paper and he told me that that man had been named MVP of All Church that year. Wow! And to think I saw him do it.
Advance the time. It is now at least 6 years later and Bill and I are eating dinner at mom’s and dad’s home. I think we were just engaged and my parents were politely trying to learn who this guy was that I’d brought home for them to meet with the big silly grin on his face. Of course I bragged how he was Valedictorian of his high school graduating class and had been asked to be one of the Valedictory speakers at BYU that year. He mentioned that he’d played basketball and baseball in high school and that when he was 17 he’d even played in All Church with his ward. As a matter-of-fact . . . That was when he was interrupted in his story when dad realized that that was the same year our ward was there. I then told my honey about this man we saw hit one foul over the fence after another after another. Bill’s big old silly grin got even wider, if that were possible, as he announced that he was that batter and got MPV that year. What fun. To think that I got to have a sneak peek of my future husband that day – and what an impression he made!
Marsha 2007
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Each child I had was a miracle
Each child I had was a miracle - a great and amazing gift. They were all joy. I am amazed at what they are becoming . . . . still. Growing, ever changing, always learning, sharing, listening to them - seeing their prankster mischevious small young selves peeking out at me from behind them. Look what they are becoming. They have children of their own. I am happy. Sometimes I cry and feel like my heart is breaking. I am confused. Life happens so quickly....someone has put it on fast forward.
Evan's eyes, sharing, happy, excited. Tasks mundane boring. David and Evan helping, enjoyable. Evan sorts the dark socks into the right pile of dirty laundry. He puts the towels in the right place. He makes no mistakes. Mundane and boring becomes a game. Evan smiling while he hands us all the pillows that need to be put onto the bed we're making. He volunteers. The act is so spontaneous that I laugh. I'm having fun. Evan watches Noah and Arwen eat. He seems amazed that they are eating......a LOT. He nibbles. We four at the table.
Austin looking at Grandma. He's letting me into his world. I see trust and a bond that is building that is unique to the two of us. Like a secret we share. I plan short little activities because my attention span needs expanding. How can they have longer ones than I do? Wonder. Amazement. All these babies and children and there will be a bond between us. I am becoming grandma.
Arwen - where does she come up with the words? "Grandma, I want to cuddle". The request comes, like most requests from children while I'm playing ultimate frisbee. We will cuddle Arwen. Choices. Can I ever be content in the perfect moment without being pulled in more directions than I can do? Arwen talking while we eat cake. She finally gets up and gets the entire bottle of cashews because grandma is just doling them out way too slowly,
Madelyn, strong-willed, beautiful, an amazing smile. She has Wendy's eyes when she smiles. Too far away. Sadness. I want her near to me. Closer. I am missing the unfolding of her self like rosebuds opening up a little bit each day - that is the wonder of them - discovering the beauty that is them.
Noah, he melts my heart. He remembers something special that I have forgotten - some secret gladness. Does he remember me from before? The trust and happiness and sharing. "Animal." Eating cake together. "More nuts, grandma". "milk". "more milk". They are all turning into people.
Dallin, laughing. Dallin's smiles. His big blue eyes. His sweet nature. Feeding him a bottle. Watching grandpa feed him a bottle. Dallin rolling over, chewing the joy stick, watching me play Ms pac man. Joshua Aaron Alan, excited to meet him again and again. Change so rapidly. Dark brown hair and eyes. Who is this person? Excited about discovering the unfolding of THEM. Jack - so new, he's barely here. Who is this angel going to become? I can feel the newness, the purity. The accomplishment "I made it! I'm here!"
Walking down a beach on a gray and drizzly but warmish day. All colors are muted - shades of gray. Whales spouting, breeching. Seals slapping their tales and barking. Frenzy. Sea gulls and pelicans hundreds, thousands. Joshua and William. This day is as good and happy as I've ever been in my life. It is a good day. I can't imagine anything in eternity being better. I'm with Joshua and William and there is beauty and wonder - contentment and excitement and I feel good. A killer whale comes out of the water almost up onto the sand. He comes out of the water right in front of us - just a few feet away and makes a sharp turn. He wants to eat a seal. The cows are all in circles - heads facing out and tales in. The bulls are spaced between the various circles of females. Protecting. Barking. Slapping their tales. The killer whale is beautiful. I want the seals to survive. The pelicans and seaguls are in a frenzy probably feasting on pieces of seal.
I am still unfolding. I am still discovering who I am. I am growing and improving. I am becoming grandma. I am still becoming wife. I am still learning to be mother. I am still becoming daughter. We never stop changing, improving, growing. I never want to stop until I am like Jesus. Can you imagin the music and delight to hear his laughter? Mortality. If it's this good - this amazing I want to become like Jesus. I want his attributes, his kindness, his gentleness but I want some things to take awhile because I want to keep on being amazed. I want to keep the amazement and the wonder and the joyous surprise that keeps happening to me - I like the discovery - I like the unfolding.
Marsha 2006
Evan's eyes, sharing, happy, excited. Tasks mundane boring. David and Evan helping, enjoyable. Evan sorts the dark socks into the right pile of dirty laundry. He puts the towels in the right place. He makes no mistakes. Mundane and boring becomes a game. Evan smiling while he hands us all the pillows that need to be put onto the bed we're making. He volunteers. The act is so spontaneous that I laugh. I'm having fun. Evan watches Noah and Arwen eat. He seems amazed that they are eating......a LOT. He nibbles. We four at the table.
Austin looking at Grandma. He's letting me into his world. I see trust and a bond that is building that is unique to the two of us. Like a secret we share. I plan short little activities because my attention span needs expanding. How can they have longer ones than I do? Wonder. Amazement. All these babies and children and there will be a bond between us. I am becoming grandma.
Arwen - where does she come up with the words? "Grandma, I want to cuddle". The request comes, like most requests from children while I'm playing ultimate frisbee. We will cuddle Arwen. Choices. Can I ever be content in the perfect moment without being pulled in more directions than I can do? Arwen talking while we eat cake. She finally gets up and gets the entire bottle of cashews because grandma is just doling them out way too slowly,
Madelyn, strong-willed, beautiful, an amazing smile. She has Wendy's eyes when she smiles. Too far away. Sadness. I want her near to me. Closer. I am missing the unfolding of her self like rosebuds opening up a little bit each day - that is the wonder of them - discovering the beauty that is them.
Noah, he melts my heart. He remembers something special that I have forgotten - some secret gladness. Does he remember me from before? The trust and happiness and sharing. "Animal." Eating cake together. "More nuts, grandma". "milk". "more milk". They are all turning into people.
Dallin, laughing. Dallin's smiles. His big blue eyes. His sweet nature. Feeding him a bottle. Watching grandpa feed him a bottle. Dallin rolling over, chewing the joy stick, watching me play Ms pac man. Joshua Aaron Alan, excited to meet him again and again. Change so rapidly. Dark brown hair and eyes. Who is this person? Excited about discovering the unfolding of THEM. Jack - so new, he's barely here. Who is this angel going to become? I can feel the newness, the purity. The accomplishment "I made it! I'm here!"
Walking down a beach on a gray and drizzly but warmish day. All colors are muted - shades of gray. Whales spouting, breeching. Seals slapping their tales and barking. Frenzy. Sea gulls and pelicans hundreds, thousands. Joshua and William. This day is as good and happy as I've ever been in my life. It is a good day. I can't imagine anything in eternity being better. I'm with Joshua and William and there is beauty and wonder - contentment and excitement and I feel good. A killer whale comes out of the water almost up onto the sand. He comes out of the water right in front of us - just a few feet away and makes a sharp turn. He wants to eat a seal. The cows are all in circles - heads facing out and tales in. The bulls are spaced between the various circles of females. Protecting. Barking. Slapping their tales. The killer whale is beautiful. I want the seals to survive. The pelicans and seaguls are in a frenzy probably feasting on pieces of seal.
I am still unfolding. I am still discovering who I am. I am growing and improving. I am becoming grandma. I am still becoming wife. I am still learning to be mother. I am still becoming daughter. We never stop changing, improving, growing. I never want to stop until I am like Jesus. Can you imagin the music and delight to hear his laughter? Mortality. If it's this good - this amazing I want to become like Jesus. I want his attributes, his kindness, his gentleness but I want some things to take awhile because I want to keep on being amazed. I want to keep the amazement and the wonder and the joyous surprise that keeps happening to me - I like the discovery - I like the unfolding.
Marsha 2006
Friday, October 22, 2004
What a Coincidence!
What a Coincidence!
We were all laying in the living room on the floor. There was the mom and the dad and all the children. ALL the children would probably include down through Michael but perhaps could have included Krista and Amy as well. I’m pretty sure that the children from the Meghan on down escaped this plague. The WHY of why we were laying on the living room floor escapes me now except that perhaps it was easier to take care of everyone there and the closeness of each other was comforting to us. Were we on the living room floor because it was too hard for us to get out of bed when one of you children needed us? Whatever the reason our entire family was laying on the floor in the living room at Marble Drive – laying there extremely ill – sicker than dogs – at deaths door – plagued by the plague . . . I wish I could find better words to describe the agony. Everyone was vomiting. Everyone was nauseous. Some of us were writhing. And the sick sick parents had to take care of the sick sick children. It was almost last days apocalyptic. Someone viewing the scene might almost await our eye balls to fall from their sockets and for our hair to fall out and to see us with flaming baldness instead of a well kept hair style. Despite the devastating probable influenza which was wiping us out, dad and I had to clean up vomit and diarrhea and try and keep you children clean. I remember at times crawling to the bathroom or crawling over to one of you children to try and render assistance and reassurance.
As we laid there I remember commenting upon the coincidence of getting the flu every year right after Thanksgiving. We had come down with the flu three years ago right after Thanksgiving and the previous year at the very same time. Dad commented that he didn’t think we had the flu. The epiphany of awful truth came charging painfully into my awareness. This was NOT influenza. This was NOT a coincidence. This was salmonella poisoning from the Thanksgiving stuffing. This was salmonella from the raw egg that I always put into the stuffing for a bit of moisture. I’d watched my mother make stuffing. I learned to put in the egg from her – but she always stuffed the turkey with the mixture and cooked it to death. And our barely warmed, three-day-old, kept-in-the-oven stuffing was almost cooking US to death. The parents CAN BE TAUGHT! And it’s never happened again. The egg is gone and the stuffing (Thanksgiving dressing) now goes in to the fridge for safe keeping. I think we could have been at death’s door literally but I think a kind and loving God knowing our earth missions that we all had yet to accomplish wouldn’t let you children croak just because your parents were clueless. And so we writhed in nauseous agony on the living room floor vowing to eliminate the egg and void pseudo influenza in the future. There are no coincidences – things are all a part of a plan – and when it comes to cluelessness – well the Lord has his ways to around it. J
Marsha 2004
We were all laying in the living room on the floor. There was the mom and the dad and all the children. ALL the children would probably include down through Michael but perhaps could have included Krista and Amy as well. I’m pretty sure that the children from the Meghan on down escaped this plague. The WHY of why we were laying on the living room floor escapes me now except that perhaps it was easier to take care of everyone there and the closeness of each other was comforting to us. Were we on the living room floor because it was too hard for us to get out of bed when one of you children needed us? Whatever the reason our entire family was laying on the floor in the living room at Marble Drive – laying there extremely ill – sicker than dogs – at deaths door – plagued by the plague . . . I wish I could find better words to describe the agony. Everyone was vomiting. Everyone was nauseous. Some of us were writhing. And the sick sick parents had to take care of the sick sick children. It was almost last days apocalyptic. Someone viewing the scene might almost await our eye balls to fall from their sockets and for our hair to fall out and to see us with flaming baldness instead of a well kept hair style. Despite the devastating probable influenza which was wiping us out, dad and I had to clean up vomit and diarrhea and try and keep you children clean. I remember at times crawling to the bathroom or crawling over to one of you children to try and render assistance and reassurance.
As we laid there I remember commenting upon the coincidence of getting the flu every year right after Thanksgiving. We had come down with the flu three years ago right after Thanksgiving and the previous year at the very same time. Dad commented that he didn’t think we had the flu. The epiphany of awful truth came charging painfully into my awareness. This was NOT influenza. This was NOT a coincidence. This was salmonella poisoning from the Thanksgiving stuffing. This was salmonella from the raw egg that I always put into the stuffing for a bit of moisture. I’d watched my mother make stuffing. I learned to put in the egg from her – but she always stuffed the turkey with the mixture and cooked it to death. And our barely warmed, three-day-old, kept-in-the-oven stuffing was almost cooking US to death. The parents CAN BE TAUGHT! And it’s never happened again. The egg is gone and the stuffing (Thanksgiving dressing) now goes in to the fridge for safe keeping. I think we could have been at death’s door literally but I think a kind and loving God knowing our earth missions that we all had yet to accomplish wouldn’t let you children croak just because your parents were clueless. And so we writhed in nauseous agony on the living room floor vowing to eliminate the egg and void pseudo influenza in the future. There are no coincidences – things are all a part of a plan – and when it comes to cluelessness – well the Lord has his ways to around it. J
Marsha 2004
Thursday, October 23, 2003
Antelope Island
Well, this year I will write about our summer vacation to take Emily back to EFY at BYU. It was an especially enjoyable vacation for me. Dad, Amy, Joshua and I went to Antelope Island one day. We decided to “swim” in the Great Salt Lake. Well, it was quite the walk out to the lake and the day was very hot. It was a totally desolate place. We finally arrived at the water and started walking out into the lake. The water was filled with brine shrimp. It was more like a “soup” than a lake. I remember I just kept walking & walking out into the lake. I walked maybe half a mile into the water. I just kept waiting for the soup to clear up a bit but it never did. Finally when I was about chest deep I decided it was about time to try and float. Za za zing my tennis shoes shot up out of the water like an air balloon. I almost panicked because I felt like I was losing my balance. But soon I got the knack of it all and I laid my head back and totally relaxed. We floated and floated and floated for an hour or more until we noticed that we’d floated all the way back to shore and were floating in about 12 inches of water. The water was filthy. I went “swimming” in all my clothes which include my garments. It was so funny when we got back to Grandma’s house and I took my clothes off to get a shower. Many many brine shrimp fell all over Grandma’s bathroom floor. They were stuck all over me. Yuck. We forgot the camera and decided that we’d go back to Antelope island and hike back out and swim so we could take some pictures. But each day that came & went - well we just couldn’t muster up the courage to get into that brine shrimp infested “soup” again. One more addition to the story that was really funny. Amy and I walked back up from the lake to get into the car. The car was gone. Now Krista, Amy and I already had that experience once before at StoneRidge mall. We went into the mall via a Macy’s store. We exited the mall via Macy’s as well. Well we hunted for the car for over 40 minutes. We finally went back inside the store and asked someone to help us. I told them I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. They asked me WHICH Macy’s store we came into the mall through. That was the first time we realized that there were two Macy’s stores. Case solved - car found. Well back at the Great Salt Lake, Amy and I were going through it all again. No car! Well there weren’t two Macy’s stores this time and then when I was pretty convinced that someone had stolen our car & remembering the two Macy’s stores we realized that there were two different bath houses and parking lots. We had drifted almost half a mile to the other bath house. So we trudged down to the other house and there was our car right where we left it. That’s twice!
Well, still on the same vacation, we drove up to Bear Lake. It was a real hot day (again). We got out of the car (at a rest area) and rested in the shade - just laying in the shade and snoozing. Well Joshua and I left Bill and Amy sleeping and we walked to the lake. The very shallow water was (unlike the Great Salt Lake) crystal clear! And I mean CRYSTAL! But… the water was about 110 degrees warm! 98 degrees is luke warm and this was way above luke. It felt so warm and yet it was so clear. Finally we talked Bill into coming down. He and I walked out (again) about chest deep. Again we were in our clothes - no swim suits. We had so much fun playing in the amazingly warm clear water. It was an especially nice day. Joshua thoroughly enjoyed playing in the warm water - so much so that I was tempted not to drive back to Kaysville but to get a motel room up there so we could swim and play some more the next day. We did buy three raspberry shakes from 3 different establishments, though. Bear Lake area is known for their wonderful raspberries (we were there too early in the year to experience fresh ones - dang) but we did enjoy their raspberry shakes. I don’t recall now which one I liked best - I think it was the first one that we tried. But since I’m not sure, I’ll just have to try one from all three places again the next time I visit Bear Lake. .
Mom’s 2003
Christmas story
Well, still on the same vacation, we drove up to Bear Lake. It was a real hot day (again). We got out of the car (at a rest area) and rested in the shade - just laying in the shade and snoozing. Well Joshua and I left Bill and Amy sleeping and we walked to the lake. The very shallow water was (unlike the Great Salt Lake) crystal clear! And I mean CRYSTAL! But… the water was about 110 degrees warm! 98 degrees is luke warm and this was way above luke. It felt so warm and yet it was so clear. Finally we talked Bill into coming down. He and I walked out (again) about chest deep. Again we were in our clothes - no swim suits. We had so much fun playing in the amazingly warm clear water. It was an especially nice day. Joshua thoroughly enjoyed playing in the warm water - so much so that I was tempted not to drive back to Kaysville but to get a motel room up there so we could swim and play some more the next day. We did buy three raspberry shakes from 3 different establishments, though. Bear Lake area is known for their wonderful raspberries (we were there too early in the year to experience fresh ones - dang) but we did enjoy their raspberry shakes. I don’t recall now which one I liked best - I think it was the first one that we tried. But since I’m not sure, I’ll just have to try one from all three places again the next time I visit Bear Lake. .
Mom’s 2003
Christmas story
Wednesday, October 23, 2002
When I was little I was always afraid of something
When I was little I was always afraid of something. After I saw this dorky B movie called The Giant Tarantula during one Saturday matinee, I just knew a giant spider was going to come and step on our home and smash me to smithereens. I’d lay awake at night - scared to death - awaiting my doom.
I also went through a witch phase. I didn’t know what a witch was except for the kind I had seen in the movie, The Wizard of Oz. I was afraid a witch would come into my bedroom at night and “get me”. I was always glad to have a friend spend the night or a cousin. I’d have them sleep closest to the door and figured when the witch came she’d get them first and that would give me time to flee to my parents bedroom to safety.
My parents would not let me sleep in their bed. Oh, they let me sleep there a few times - but they couldn’t go to sleep with me there - my mother would complain about me wiggling and moving and keeping her awake. BUT I had a grandma - a wonderful grandmother and she loved me sleeping with her. She’d tell me that I’d keep her warm. She missed sleeping with my grandpa and she really liked having a little grand-daughter to snuggle up to her. But alas, my mother would tell my dad that it wasn’t proper for me to sleep with her - so even that came to an end. Every now & then I’d still sneak downstairs in the night after an especially scary dream so my mother forbade my grandmother to let me sleep with her. I don’t remember grandma actually sending me back upstairs after I’d traveled that scary distance down to her - I just remember it stopped so I had no one to sleep with to keep me safe. After I was condemned to sleep alone I would get so terrified that I braved sleeping on the cold cold hard wood floor underneath my bed. I figured that a demon witch wouldn’t look underneath a bed for a little child. It never occurred to me to drag my blankets down under with me. Our house was always orderly and I made my bed every morning nice and neat. I knew I’d get into major trouble if I messed up my bed so I’d just lay there under the bed and freeze.
Because of the many many nights that I’d lay awake in terror………in paralyzing fear……..because of the many many nights I froze as I lay underneath my bed on the hard wood floor………because of the many nights I’d slowly - in the dark - travel agonizing step by step down the hall, through the kitchen, past the back door, down the scary basement stairs, through the unfinished basement all the way to my grandma’s bedroom awaiting at any moment with each step I took to be grabbed by some demon or witch or evil scientist or Dracula or Frankenstein …….. because of all that ……… I always let you children come and sleep with your dad and I anytime you wanted to when you were scared. I couldn’t bare to think of any of you laying awake terrified in your bedrooms. Of course it was a bit different for all of you because you were rarely alone in your rooms. You always had each other.
I wasn’t afraid at college. We were safe up in Deseret Towers with lots of other girls but…………..I was afraid of the dark and being alone again after your dad and I were married. We lived in an OLD creaky apartment on Carl street and each morning my clock radio would wake me up with the news of the Zodiac killer and his latest victim. I was fine during the day but one night your dad said he was going home teaching. So I had him load a shot gun and I sat paralyzed with fear in one of the only chairs we owned for two solid hours holding the shot gun waiting for your dad to get home. It was just like those Halloween stories. We lived on the 2nd floor and I heard the door open and then stomp stomp stomp stomp - footsteps up the stairs. Your dad opened our apartment door to find me aiming the loaded gun at him. He felt that he was lucky that I didn’t shoot his head off. I kept wondering when I’d outgrown my fear of the dark and of being alone. Oh, I was no longer afraid of witches and giant spiders. I was afraid of intruders - of bad men breaking into my home hiding behind the curtains just waiting to grab me and startle me. It was strange to me to discover that as soon as your dad and I bought our first home that I was never afraid to stay alone and I was never afraid of the dark ever again. It amazes me that in the summer when I wake up at 3AM or earlier how I love to walk around our property. I haven’t been scared since we first moved in to our first home at Cascade court. I wasn’t afraid at Marble drive and I’ve never ever been frightened of the boogie man ever ever at our home here at Blackoak off of Concord avenue - our beautiful home.
December 24, 2002
I also went through a witch phase. I didn’t know what a witch was except for the kind I had seen in the movie, The Wizard of Oz. I was afraid a witch would come into my bedroom at night and “get me”. I was always glad to have a friend spend the night or a cousin. I’d have them sleep closest to the door and figured when the witch came she’d get them first and that would give me time to flee to my parents bedroom to safety.
My parents would not let me sleep in their bed. Oh, they let me sleep there a few times - but they couldn’t go to sleep with me there - my mother would complain about me wiggling and moving and keeping her awake. BUT I had a grandma - a wonderful grandmother and she loved me sleeping with her. She’d tell me that I’d keep her warm. She missed sleeping with my grandpa and she really liked having a little grand-daughter to snuggle up to her. But alas, my mother would tell my dad that it wasn’t proper for me to sleep with her - so even that came to an end. Every now & then I’d still sneak downstairs in the night after an especially scary dream so my mother forbade my grandmother to let me sleep with her. I don’t remember grandma actually sending me back upstairs after I’d traveled that scary distance down to her - I just remember it stopped so I had no one to sleep with to keep me safe. After I was condemned to sleep alone I would get so terrified that I braved sleeping on the cold cold hard wood floor underneath my bed. I figured that a demon witch wouldn’t look underneath a bed for a little child. It never occurred to me to drag my blankets down under with me. Our house was always orderly and I made my bed every morning nice and neat. I knew I’d get into major trouble if I messed up my bed so I’d just lay there under the bed and freeze.
Because of the many many nights that I’d lay awake in terror………in paralyzing fear……..because of the many many nights I froze as I lay underneath my bed on the hard wood floor………because of the many nights I’d slowly - in the dark - travel agonizing step by step down the hall, through the kitchen, past the back door, down the scary basement stairs, through the unfinished basement all the way to my grandma’s bedroom awaiting at any moment with each step I took to be grabbed by some demon or witch or evil scientist or Dracula or Frankenstein …….. because of all that ……… I always let you children come and sleep with your dad and I anytime you wanted to when you were scared. I couldn’t bare to think of any of you laying awake terrified in your bedrooms. Of course it was a bit different for all of you because you were rarely alone in your rooms. You always had each other.
I wasn’t afraid at college. We were safe up in Deseret Towers with lots of other girls but…………..I was afraid of the dark and being alone again after your dad and I were married. We lived in an OLD creaky apartment on Carl street and each morning my clock radio would wake me up with the news of the Zodiac killer and his latest victim. I was fine during the day but one night your dad said he was going home teaching. So I had him load a shot gun and I sat paralyzed with fear in one of the only chairs we owned for two solid hours holding the shot gun waiting for your dad to get home. It was just like those Halloween stories. We lived on the 2nd floor and I heard the door open and then stomp stomp stomp stomp - footsteps up the stairs. Your dad opened our apartment door to find me aiming the loaded gun at him. He felt that he was lucky that I didn’t shoot his head off. I kept wondering when I’d outgrown my fear of the dark and of being alone. Oh, I was no longer afraid of witches and giant spiders. I was afraid of intruders - of bad men breaking into my home hiding behind the curtains just waiting to grab me and startle me. It was strange to me to discover that as soon as your dad and I bought our first home that I was never afraid to stay alone and I was never afraid of the dark ever again. It amazes me that in the summer when I wake up at 3AM or earlier how I love to walk around our property. I haven’t been scared since we first moved in to our first home at Cascade court. I wasn’t afraid at Marble drive and I’ve never ever been frightened of the boogie man ever ever at our home here at Blackoak off of Concord avenue - our beautiful home.
December 24, 2002
Tuesday, October 23, 2001
My Christmases Past
My Christmases Past
I will tell you what Christmas was like for me when I was young. I remember my Grandma Green always very excited to open her presents. She was old but because of her eagerness she seemed like a little girl. I love my Grandma. I always got her a special gift because she was always so excited to open her presents. I remember how she’d lick her lips and sort of lean towards the tree and her presents with eager anticipation for her turn.
My favorite present that I ever got for Christmas as a child was a bunch of doll clothes that my Grandma made for my dolls. She even knitted a sweater for one of the outfits. That year I got a small fold up table w/ fold up chairs - they were yellow and a doll dish set plus the doll clothes. It was my best Christmas.
The gift I remember the most was one my dad got my mother. He got her a griddle (the same electric griddle that she still uses today by the way). He had the base wrapped in a beautiful box, the lid wrapped in another stacked on top and a small beautifully wrapped box (the thermostat and plug) wrapped in a 3rd box up on top. All the boxes were wrapped with a lovely bow. I was SO excited to see what was inside that I must have looked disappointed when I saw it was for my mother. Dad told me that I could share it with my mom - hence I got to cook many meals on it later :( ha ha
Christmas eve our family never had any traditions to speak of except that I would always set out cookies and a glass of milk for Santa. When I was a teenager, my mom mentioned that Billy Timothy had her entire family over each Christmas eve to a festive feast. Just an aside comment from my mom and voila the genesis of our family’s Christmas eve feast.
One Christmas eve when I was 16, Grandma asked me to drive her around so she could deliver all her presents she’d gathered throughout the year to give to her friends. I was glad that I could do that for my Grandma. She would always complement me profusely whenever I did the smallest thing, so I thought I was terribly kind and special for every little thing I did. Unfortunately before I married that is my most memorable Christmas eve. But while I’m talking about complements from my grandmother, I will tell you about this other one. Grandma was English and she loved scones. Many were the times when I would anxiously await grandma’s scones to rise so we could fry and eat them. I remember one time standing by grandma and thinking I just couldn’t wait until I could eat a scone. I wanted one right then so bad! I just remember what it was like to want something with every fiber of my being and not being able to have it for awhile. It was hard. When I was older I was in a 4-H club. It was a cooking club. I learned how to make really good homemade hand kneaded bread there. Grandma was old at this time - just a few years before her death. She hobbled upstairs and asked me if I would make her some scones because she’d been craving them and couldn’t make them anymore. Now, you need to realize that homemade bread - the kind I was taught to make - took six hours and it was before the day of bread makers or even electric mixers that would knead the bread for you. Well, I made some for her. I guess it was dough that was touched by an angel, or something, but it’s the best bread dough I ever made in my life. It was bubbly and light and wonderful. I fried her up scones and every single scone bubbled up and was wonderfully hollow in the middle. She praised me. She raved about how wonderful my scones were. They really were too. Because I was so happy that she liked and appreciated those scones so much I made them for her several more times but it was sort of disappointing because I was never able to make them as good as that first time. To this day, I am really happy that I made my grandmother those scones.
I remember being in Christmas Primary programs. The Timothy’s took a “movie” of me performing at one of these programs and I was really really cute . I still remember part of the poem and I was like 3 or 4. It was about trees and some like apple or cherry but the one that made me merry, was a Christmas tree . Cute stuff.
After we woke up Christmas morning we would open our gifts. I’m so glad that my Grandma Green lived with us. She and my dad made opening gifts so fun and almost magical. I guess it was Grandma’s enthusiasm for opening them that captured me.
Sometimes my grandma was like having a sister live with me. She was always getting in trouble from my mom as was I . She played with me and was always excited about making something for others. I got my love of quilting, knitting and crocheting from this special lady. My mother and eventually my mother and I would make cut out cookies every year and we would always frosten them all the same - yellow stars with each tip being decorated with a silver ball. Pink bells with a silver ball where the ringer was. Santa with pink cheeks and coconut on his beard and green Christmas trees w/ sprinkles for the ornaments. I love my large creative family but sometimes I miss the order of my mom’s and my cookies all looking the same - perfect in my eyes.
Soon after we opened our gifts the doorbell would ring and it was someone of my 9 girlfriends from the neighborhood. She would give me a small gift and I would give her hers and then I’d show her everything I got for Christmas and then I’d go to her house and see everything she got. Then we’d go to another friend, exchange gifts and see what they got for Christmas and so on until everyone had given to everyone and had seen everyone's everything.
Then we’d go visit all my various aunts and uncles and see what they got for Christmas. Of course at every home we went to we were offered goodies and drinks and hence I never remember eating meals on Christmas Day (except for once) but I also never remember being hungry.
The one meal I remember eating was breakfast. One year when I was about 10 my dad said, tomorrow we’re going to eat a nice breakfast before we go in to open our Christmas presents. He made it fun - not like a punishment so it was exciting to think about the gifts waiting for me under the tree. Of course we had to wash the dishes & put them away too. Mom and dad always kept Christmas simple. I never got elaborate or expensive gifts. I mean I got a couple of bikes but never for Christmas. I guess they didn’t want neighbors or family thinking they were trying to outdo anyone.
Well that was what my Christmases were like when I was a child living at home with my parents. I have some happy memories and hope that every child will grow up with fond memories of how their families spend Christmas.
I will tell you what Christmas was like for me when I was young. I remember my Grandma Green always very excited to open her presents. She was old but because of her eagerness she seemed like a little girl. I love my Grandma. I always got her a special gift because she was always so excited to open her presents. I remember how she’d lick her lips and sort of lean towards the tree and her presents with eager anticipation for her turn.
My favorite present that I ever got for Christmas as a child was a bunch of doll clothes that my Grandma made for my dolls. She even knitted a sweater for one of the outfits. That year I got a small fold up table w/ fold up chairs - they were yellow and a doll dish set plus the doll clothes. It was my best Christmas.
The gift I remember the most was one my dad got my mother. He got her a griddle (the same electric griddle that she still uses today by the way). He had the base wrapped in a beautiful box, the lid wrapped in another stacked on top and a small beautifully wrapped box (the thermostat and plug) wrapped in a 3rd box up on top. All the boxes were wrapped with a lovely bow. I was SO excited to see what was inside that I must have looked disappointed when I saw it was for my mother. Dad told me that I could share it with my mom - hence I got to cook many meals on it later :( ha ha
Christmas eve our family never had any traditions to speak of except that I would always set out cookies and a glass of milk for Santa. When I was a teenager, my mom mentioned that Billy Timothy had her entire family over each Christmas eve to a festive feast. Just an aside comment from my mom and voila the genesis of our family’s Christmas eve feast.
One Christmas eve when I was 16, Grandma asked me to drive her around so she could deliver all her presents she’d gathered throughout the year to give to her friends. I was glad that I could do that for my Grandma. She would always complement me profusely whenever I did the smallest thing, so I thought I was terribly kind and special for every little thing I did. Unfortunately before I married that is my most memorable Christmas eve. But while I’m talking about complements from my grandmother, I will tell you about this other one. Grandma was English and she loved scones. Many were the times when I would anxiously await grandma’s scones to rise so we could fry and eat them. I remember one time standing by grandma and thinking I just couldn’t wait until I could eat a scone. I wanted one right then so bad! I just remember what it was like to want something with every fiber of my being and not being able to have it for awhile. It was hard. When I was older I was in a 4-H club. It was a cooking club. I learned how to make really good homemade hand kneaded bread there. Grandma was old at this time - just a few years before her death. She hobbled upstairs and asked me if I would make her some scones because she’d been craving them and couldn’t make them anymore. Now, you need to realize that homemade bread - the kind I was taught to make - took six hours and it was before the day of bread makers or even electric mixers that would knead the bread for you. Well, I made some for her. I guess it was dough that was touched by an angel, or something, but it’s the best bread dough I ever made in my life. It was bubbly and light and wonderful. I fried her up scones and every single scone bubbled up and was wonderfully hollow in the middle. She praised me. She raved about how wonderful my scones were. They really were too. Because I was so happy that she liked and appreciated those scones so much I made them for her several more times but it was sort of disappointing because I was never able to make them as good as that first time. To this day, I am really happy that I made my grandmother those scones.
I remember being in Christmas Primary programs. The Timothy’s took a “movie” of me performing at one of these programs and I was really really cute . I still remember part of the poem and I was like 3 or 4. It was about trees and some like apple or cherry but the one that made me merry, was a Christmas tree . Cute stuff.
After we woke up Christmas morning we would open our gifts. I’m so glad that my Grandma Green lived with us. She and my dad made opening gifts so fun and almost magical. I guess it was Grandma’s enthusiasm for opening them that captured me.
Sometimes my grandma was like having a sister live with me. She was always getting in trouble from my mom as was I . She played with me and was always excited about making something for others. I got my love of quilting, knitting and crocheting from this special lady. My mother and eventually my mother and I would make cut out cookies every year and we would always frosten them all the same - yellow stars with each tip being decorated with a silver ball. Pink bells with a silver ball where the ringer was. Santa with pink cheeks and coconut on his beard and green Christmas trees w/ sprinkles for the ornaments. I love my large creative family but sometimes I miss the order of my mom’s and my cookies all looking the same - perfect in my eyes.
Soon after we opened our gifts the doorbell would ring and it was someone of my 9 girlfriends from the neighborhood. She would give me a small gift and I would give her hers and then I’d show her everything I got for Christmas and then I’d go to her house and see everything she got. Then we’d go to another friend, exchange gifts and see what they got for Christmas and so on until everyone had given to everyone and had seen everyone's everything.
Then we’d go visit all my various aunts and uncles and see what they got for Christmas. Of course at every home we went to we were offered goodies and drinks and hence I never remember eating meals on Christmas Day (except for once) but I also never remember being hungry.
The one meal I remember eating was breakfast. One year when I was about 10 my dad said, tomorrow we’re going to eat a nice breakfast before we go in to open our Christmas presents. He made it fun - not like a punishment so it was exciting to think about the gifts waiting for me under the tree. Of course we had to wash the dishes & put them away too. Mom and dad always kept Christmas simple. I never got elaborate or expensive gifts. I mean I got a couple of bikes but never for Christmas. I guess they didn’t want neighbors or family thinking they were trying to outdo anyone.
Well that was what my Christmases were like when I was a child living at home with my parents. I have some happy memories and hope that every child will grow up with fond memories of how their families spend Christmas.
Monday, October 23, 2000
Camp Trips
Okay, I’m at the age and state of mind where my memories are getting garbled up - so instead of one memory I’m going to remember camp trip experiences in general and not just one specific trip.
The famous words of dad, “I know exactly where we are” needs to be remembered throughout family history as the longest hike we took as a family. I asked dad if we could hike back to camp down the other side of the mountain. Joseph said that he didn’t think we could get back that way and that’s when dad said, “I know exactly where we are.” He didn’t and we arrived back in camp around midnight, as I remember, where Wendy had spent the day tending the current baby (I believe it was Meghan at this time) and had chili waiting for us…….and it was still hot (the ending to the story of Where the Wild Things Are which is appropriate whem talking about our memories in a family of 14.
On this hike, I remember Krista and Amy. They were little tykes and it got to a point where they were falling asleep on their feet as they were walking. It must have been miserable for all of us at the end but now, I only remember the adventure of it all and the closeness and excitement of all of us in this together and the fact that we survived!!!! And I’m thinking that the trials we face in this life will be very much the same as we remember them in the next. We won’t remember the pain and it will bond us even closer because of the shared experience.
I remember the camping trip in October (after Michael was in wrestling and before the girls started playing high school volleyball.) After the initial disappointment that the showers and the Red’s Meadow campsites were closed we discovered that this upper camp site was beautiful as well. I remember the warmth of the days and the beautiful colored leaves. I wanted to hike to Thousand Island lake. It was right before Matthew’s mission and he wanted to see the lake and make the hike but we had Krista with us, so we had to turn around early. ? But we made it to the top of a ridge and saw this beautiful vista. By the time we made it to Thousand Island Lake on another camping trip (without Krista), Matthew was on his mission but I thought of him and wished he were with us. I dropped my jacket on that trip and Joseph kindly hiked back about a mile to get it for me. The entire hike was about 20 miles and I remember some lame ranger telling us we could hike it (with little children) in about 6 hours - IN YOUR DREAMS!
One of my favorite camp experiences of ALL TIME was experiencing a great dream - the kind with those great yearning feelings - actually happen. I had dreamed once that I was in Yosemite and it started to rain. Suddenly water started cascading in waterfalls off of the granite domes. I looked closely at the cracks and errosion on these huge granite cliffs and saw that they were made from the water when it rained - It was a cool dream and one I often thought about after. I mean they were the normal granite cliffs and then they became covered with gushing waterfalls. Besides being a great dream - it was a beautiful one. Well…….On the way home from this camp trip, we were driving through Yosemite when it started pouring down rain - cats & dogs worth. Amazing to me was that the water started cascading off of the granite domes in waterfalls just like in my dream. Exactly like in my dream! And although it was totally beautiful and exciting - the fact that I’d dreamed it first made it a weird, eery, exciting event that I always want to remember.
Mom, right after my dream became real
Dad, Matthew & Emily - right after my dream became real.
Notice the fishing pole?
Your dad loves to fish and although we were on a hike to see the falls - your dad is always hoping for a fishing moment - and is prepared. I’m so happy that he got to experience fishing in Alaska! ?
One camp trip, Matthew & Krista were in great humorous form. I laughed so hard at the Carl’s Jr. restaurant in Mammoth that I thought I was going to choke on my food and die. Tears were running down my cheeks - I was laughing so hard. I don’t remember specifics but in general it was the worst food we’d ever eaten. I asked for a knife to cut a burger in half and they gave me this huge cleaver-type. Matthew and Krista started joking about having a weapon so now we could rob the place. Their jokes were hilarious and I was laughing really really hard when I tried to actually cut the burger in half. I couldn’t figure out why it was so hard to cut the burger in half and pressed on the knife even harder. Turns out that Whitney had reached under the hamburger somehow, trying to reach for some French fries, (who does that anyway?) ha ha while I was trying to cut the hamburger in two. The knife had cut through the hamburger and was pressing into the back of her hand. I don’t know how she feels about the “time when mom tried to cut her hand off” but the situation at the time it made all of us laugh all the harder - the lack of thought in her sticking her hand underneath a knife and part out of relief that she didn’t get hurt very much. The food was lousy and we took what we couldn’t eat back to camp joking that if we fed it to this bear that had been raiding our camp each night that the nasty food would scare the bear away for good. One night the bear had crawled into the back of out pick-up truck and had bit through our dish detergent….so if that didn’t drive him off……… But anyway, we joked that the food would get rid of him for sure. We left the food by this garbage dumpster near our camp and in the morning the food was gone and it was funny because we truly never did see the bear again. So we made up a commercial about Carl’s Jr. being so bad that it’ll scare bears away. “Try a Carl’s Jr. Value Meal. It’ll eliminate all your bear worries………”
Wendy and Meghan at Red’s Meadow:
Our first trip to Red’s Meadow
The trip our car broke down & Saddlebag was closed.
Dad Aaron and Matthew on top of Conness. Michael is taking the picture. The bottom picture is about the time that dad, Aaron, Matthew & Michael were climbing Conness when Matthew fell through the snow into a lake and got scared to death cause he thought he was about to meet his doom. Aaron & Michael are reenacting Matthew’s experience for the photograph. 
Below is our first trip to hot creek when I was afraid that we were all going to get arsenic or cyanide poisoning because of the government’s warning signs all over.
… and how we always stop at this vista to look at the view cause it’s so worth seeing again and again.
And a memory that should be forever a part of our family history is how Meghan climbed North Peak all by herself when she was only 3 ½ years-old. And I couldn’t find the pictures of her climbing up so instead is a picture of Joseph on the top of North Peak and a picture of Emily (at another time) who is all sunburned from another climb up North peak when she was carried along.
The Swimming Hole
And the swimming hole!
What memories!
What a place!
I think I spent most of my time Worrying that someone was going To get hurt … But I guess that’s what mothers do. Most of you have jumped from these rocks but it’s Matthew jumping in This picture ?
The famous words of dad, “I know exactly where we are” needs to be remembered throughout family history as the longest hike we took as a family. I asked dad if we could hike back to camp down the other side of the mountain. Joseph said that he didn’t think we could get back that way and that’s when dad said, “I know exactly where we are.” He didn’t and we arrived back in camp around midnight, as I remember, where Wendy had spent the day tending the current baby (I believe it was Meghan at this time) and had chili waiting for us…….and it was still hot (the ending to the story of Where the Wild Things Are which is appropriate whem talking about our memories in a family of 14.
On this hike, I remember Krista and Amy. They were little tykes and it got to a point where they were falling asleep on their feet as they were walking. It must have been miserable for all of us at the end but now, I only remember the adventure of it all and the closeness and excitement of all of us in this together and the fact that we survived!!!! And I’m thinking that the trials we face in this life will be very much the same as we remember them in the next. We won’t remember the pain and it will bond us even closer because of the shared experience.
I remember the camping trip in October (after Michael was in wrestling and before the girls started playing high school volleyball.) After the initial disappointment that the showers and the Red’s Meadow campsites were closed we discovered that this upper camp site was beautiful as well. I remember the warmth of the days and the beautiful colored leaves. I wanted to hike to Thousand Island lake. It was right before Matthew’s mission and he wanted to see the lake and make the hike but we had Krista with us, so we had to turn around early. ? But we made it to the top of a ridge and saw this beautiful vista. By the time we made it to Thousand Island Lake on another camping trip (without Krista), Matthew was on his mission but I thought of him and wished he were with us. I dropped my jacket on that trip and Joseph kindly hiked back about a mile to get it for me. The entire hike was about 20 miles and I remember some lame ranger telling us we could hike it (with little children) in about 6 hours - IN YOUR DREAMS!
One of my favorite camp experiences of ALL TIME was experiencing a great dream - the kind with those great yearning feelings - actually happen. I had dreamed once that I was in Yosemite and it started to rain. Suddenly water started cascading in waterfalls off of the granite domes. I looked closely at the cracks and errosion on these huge granite cliffs and saw that they were made from the water when it rained - It was a cool dream and one I often thought about after. I mean they were the normal granite cliffs and then they became covered with gushing waterfalls. Besides being a great dream - it was a beautiful one. Well…….On the way home from this camp trip, we were driving through Yosemite when it started pouring down rain - cats & dogs worth. Amazing to me was that the water started cascading off of the granite domes in waterfalls just like in my dream. Exactly like in my dream! And although it was totally beautiful and exciting - the fact that I’d dreamed it first made it a weird, eery, exciting event that I always want to remember.
Mom, right after my dream became real
Dad, Matthew & Emily - right after my dream became real. 
Notice the fishing pole?
Your dad loves to fish and although we were on a hike to see the falls - your dad is always hoping for a fishing moment - and is prepared. I’m so happy that he got to experience fishing in Alaska! ?
One camp trip, Matthew & Krista were in great humorous form. I laughed so hard at the Carl’s Jr. restaurant in Mammoth that I thought I was going to choke on my food and die. Tears were running down my cheeks - I was laughing so hard. I don’t remember specifics but in general it was the worst food we’d ever eaten. I asked for a knife to cut a burger in half and they gave me this huge cleaver-type. Matthew and Krista started joking about having a weapon so now we could rob the place. Their jokes were hilarious and I was laughing really really hard when I tried to actually cut the burger in half. I couldn’t figure out why it was so hard to cut the burger in half and pressed on the knife even harder. Turns out that Whitney had reached under the hamburger somehow, trying to reach for some French fries, (who does that anyway?) ha ha while I was trying to cut the hamburger in two. The knife had cut through the hamburger and was pressing into the back of her hand. I don’t know how she feels about the “time when mom tried to cut her hand off” but the situation at the time it made all of us laugh all the harder - the lack of thought in her sticking her hand underneath a knife and part out of relief that she didn’t get hurt very much. The food was lousy and we took what we couldn’t eat back to camp joking that if we fed it to this bear that had been raiding our camp each night that the nasty food would scare the bear away for good. One night the bear had crawled into the back of out pick-up truck and had bit through our dish detergent….so if that didn’t drive him off……… But anyway, we joked that the food would get rid of him for sure. We left the food by this garbage dumpster near our camp and in the morning the food was gone and it was funny because we truly never did see the bear again. So we made up a commercial about Carl’s Jr. being so bad that it’ll scare bears away. “Try a Carl’s Jr. Value Meal. It’ll eliminate all your bear worries………”
Wendy and Meghan at Red’s Meadow: 
Our first trip to Red’s Meadow
The trip our car broke down & Saddlebag was closed.
Dad Aaron and Matthew on top of Conness. Michael is taking the picture. The bottom picture is about the time that dad, Aaron, Matthew & Michael were climbing Conness when Matthew fell through the snow into a lake and got scared to death cause he thought he was about to meet his doom. Aaron & Michael are reenacting Matthew’s experience for the photograph. 
Below is our first trip to hot creek when I was afraid that we were all going to get arsenic or cyanide poisoning because of the government’s warning signs all over.
… and how we always stop at this vista to look at the view cause it’s so worth seeing again and again.
And a memory that should be forever a part of our family history is how Meghan climbed North Peak all by herself when she was only 3 ½ years-old. And I couldn’t find the pictures of her climbing up so instead is a picture of Joseph on the top of North Peak and a picture of Emily (at another time) who is all sunburned from another climb up North peak when she was carried along.
The Swimming Hole
And the swimming hole!
What memories!
What a place!
I think I spent most of my time Worrying that someone was going To get hurt … But I guess that’s what mothers do. Most of you have jumped from these rocks but it’s Matthew jumping in This picture ?
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