Wednesday, June 29, 2011

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and
 impossible to forget.”  -Unknown
I have wonderful friends. 
 I am truly blessed. 
 The word friend includes so many types of people.  
A friend sent me this thoughtful Friend prose 
piece  and I really love what it says.....
When I was little, 
I used to believe in the concept of one best friend,
And then I started to become a woman.
And then I found out that if you allow your heart to open up,
God would show you the best in many friends. 

One friend is needed when you're going through things with your man. 
Another friend is needed when you're going through things with your mom. 
Another will sit beside you in the bleachers as you delight in your children and their activities. 
Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be. 

One friend will say, 'Let's cry together,'

Another , 'Let's fight together,' 

Another , 'Let's walk away together.'

One friend will meet your spiritual need,
Another your shoe fetish,
Another your love for movies, 
Another will be with you in your season of confusion,
Another will be your clarifier, 
Another the wind beneath your wings

But whatever their assignment in your life,
On whatever the occasion,
On whatever the day, 
Or wherever you need them to meet you with their gym shoes on and hair pulled back, 
Or to hold you back from making a complete fool of yourself .. 
Those are your best friends.

It may all be wrapped up in one woman,
but for many, it's wrapped up in several.. 
One from 7th grade,

One from high school,

Several from young married  years, 

A couple from old jobs,

On some days your mother, 

On some days your neighbor,

On others, your sisters,

And on some days, your daughter. 


I am at girls camp this week with some amazing sistah friends.... life is good.



Monday, June 27, 2011

Work goal

I have been working this month to teach Laila that we work and then we play.  It has been a challenge.  Laila is really great at making job charts...not so great at the follow through, but that's why we set this work goal for June.   She makes a new one chore chart each week.  I pulled this completed one out of the garbage.  

It's been good for both of us to have a work plan...and get it done before we have a friend over, go swimming or take off to a movie.  I love to PLAY and so does Laila....but work is very important too.

I do like that she puts, "say I love you" at the bottom of each chart.  She calls her dad, her brothers and others so she can make sure she checks this off.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Kung Fu Panda

Kung Fu Panda 2 was a pretty good movie, for a sequel. 
We saw it over Memorial weekend, but it has stayed with me.  
I don't know why it seems many animanted shows have the "I don't fit in, I must be adopted' theme going on...but they do.  
Rio, Dispicable Me, MegaMind, Tangled,  and this show, Kung Fu Panda  all have it.
As a mother of a gorgeous adopted daughter....I find it....... tiresome. 
I wonder what Laila thinks about it as the movie plays.   Does she relate?  Does she need to leave me and find her roots?  Does she think she would be happier some place else?  


I must admit, I was rolling my eyes and got a good knowing glance at Wayne, when the theme of the movie was revealed.... A "Here we go again...." type stare, over Laila's brown head.  
I was ready to go to sleep, like I do in most animated shows, and talk about it when it was all over.
But I stayed a wake and watched and waited...and it got better.  
The line that got me...and finally helped me to like this movie,  was the father (a goose) talking to his adopted- panda- bear- son Po:
"The beginning of your story may not have been that great...but look how well it turned out."  Or something to that effect.
I came away crying and smiling. Laila and Wayne were touched as well.
 It doesn't really matter how we start. 
 It's the choices we make and love we share along the way that make us who we are.
_______________________
.........another thing.........
I actually sat in the sun by a pool for 4 hours on Wednesday.  
I read a book and chatted and got in the pool and just felt such contentment.  
It was lovely.
Krystin's pool was refreshing and the kids ( Landon, Laila and Preston) had a great time.
Laila getting ready to jump off the high dive....
Summer is here!
__________________________
AND........
Addison has been teaching me to do a few things in Photo Shop.  He is amazing.  I am a hack... but I made this summer sign........

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Father's Day 2011

It was a rainy, but great day to honor our fathers!

Wayne gave a talk in church today about conference messages and honoring fathers.  Right before he stood to speak the youth in the ward sang, "Love at Home."  This was Tom's favorite hymn, and we sang it around his death bed.  It was a tender mercy for Wayne and me.  We felt like his dad was there to hear him speak.  Wayne is a masterful speaker and weaves scriptures with poetry, songs and personal experiences.  I love listening to him share his testimony. I am so blessed to have him in my life; my best friend and father of our children. He is a man of many talents.
 He is a great example to them of perseverance, magnifying callings, goodness, service and love.

This poem by C. C. Miller titled "The Echo" illustrates the importance and impact parents have as they influence their children:

'Twas a sheep not a lamb
That strayed away in the parable Jesus told,
A grown up sheep that strayed away
From the ninety and nine in the fold.
And why for the sheep should we seek
And earnestly hope and pray?
Because there is danger when sheep go wrong;
they lead the lambs astray.
Lambs will follow the sheep, you know,
Wherever the sheep may stray.
When sheep go wrong,
It won't take long til the lambs are as wrong as they.
And so with the sheep we earnestly plead
For the sake of the lambs today,
For when the sheep are lost
What a terrible cost
The lambs will have to pay


We spent time with the entire Cole Clan, honoring my dad at Marcie's home.  A hot dog bbq bar with all of the exotic fixings that only the Calls can create.  The rain stopped and we were outside for a bit.

The Grandkids love their Grandpa Lyle!

   I love my dad so much, and am always grateful to be in his presence.  He makes me laugh-- crocs and knee shorts....who knew?   He is interested in my life and my children’s lives.  He adores my mother.  He just radiates the love of God and is truly a fine human being.  I feel so blessed to be his daughter. 

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Thankful Thursday

1.  I am thankful Addison and Bre had a wonderful time in London.  Their highlight was most definitely their four days in Scotland with the magical Sharkeys.  They saw 30 theatrical productions while there, and mastered the tube and the busses to get around.  I am so happy they could share this adventure.   I can't imagine what it would be like to be with your spouse 24/7 for 8 weeks.  WOW.
In front of the Orangery
Add and Bre outside of the London Temple
2.  I am thankful Lindsey's wedding day was wonderful.  The highlights include Landon falling down the stairs and spraining his foot a half hour before the event,  NO "crazy" parent outbursts--(we were geared up for some), a lovely ceremony conducted by uncle Terry, the daddy- daughter dance, losing James over and over, having Lindsey's puppy at the party, me being bossy so we could keep on schedule, having so many ward people and relatives come out to show love and support, the leaky ceiling, the dance party, skyping Add and Bre on Wayne's ipad so they could be part of it and finding 3 grandma corsages in my fridge the day after it was all over.  Oh well.
Lindsey dancing with her dad, Dale.  Dale stayed, chatted and danced for 4 hours.  We were all proud of him.
Lindsey and James drove off into the sunset so to speak and have been busy setting up their basement apartment and opening wedding gifts.  They are in Lake Tahoe for their honeymoon this week.  Grandma Welch's home is a lot quieter now.

3.  I am thankful for Monson and football.  He did good in the ALL Star game, but we lost 7 to 37.  Our team just hadn't played enough together and the other team had 14 players from Bingham that had been playing together for three years.  Whatever.   He said it was a blast!  Monson will never play defensive tackle again. He is looking forward to D End or linebacker.  He is thrilled to be moving forward and actually registered for classes and spent some time with the Dixie coaching staff this week.  Now if we can just figure out how to help his wrist?


4.  I am thankful  Laila is having a great summer. The Carnival,  Lagoon, Seven Peaks, cousin sleepovers, theatre/dance and piano lessons, swimming at Krystins, Bear Lake vacation, sleeping in and staying up late!  Ah summer!!!!!

5. I am thankful for Landon. He was a great help for Lindsey's wedding. He finally has an appt at the migraine center at the U.  This is a huge ordeal. He spends atleast 72 hours every week in bed and throwing up.  It is debilitating and has only gotten worse.


6.  I am thankful for swim suit cover-up weather.

7.  I am thankful.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

5 Best Decisions of my Life

1.  Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2.  Marrying my high school sweet heart.....WAYNE
3.  Having a family.....love my 4 sons and my darling daughter
4.  Living in Bountiful
5.  Becoming a Teacher

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Thoughts on Example.....and the Gospel.

I love Musical Theatre.
This is not a new statement for me.
There are so many songs that stick in my head and heart that have really important messages.  One such song is from Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim..... It's called Children will Listen.  

Careful the things you say
Children will listen
Careful the things you do
Children will see and learn
Children may not obey, but children will listen
Children will look to you for which way to turn
To learn what to be
Careful before you say "Listen to me"
Children will listen.


I have found this so true in many areas of family life, but none more than CHURCH.


So many of our attitudes become our children's attitudes.  
I have a friend who always called famiy night...famiy fight...and that's exactly what it was.  
A self fulfilling prophesy.  
I have another friend who has never loved attending Sunday School.  She talks about this a lot...so her children also have a hard time wanting to go to Sunday School. 
Our feelings are passed on.  
Our attitudes are passed on....good and bad.  


I asked my Addison and Landon what evidences did they see, daily, that God lives and loves them.   Both replied, "He put us in families and he gave us beautiful sunsets."    I was pleased by this answer because I have said this many times.  I have taught or brainwashed my children well.  I love sunsets because my mother loves sunsets and always made a big point of going outside to see the truly glorious ones.  It was so fun to listen to Laila at 5 years old, explaining to a friend that "sunsets are God's gift to us to remind us of heaven."  


Children will listen.


I'm starting to sound like my parents....my kids are starting to sound like me.   Ask my kids what we do on Sunday and the answer is, "we go to church and visit Grandparents."  


I remember as a youth coming home from church and complaining about this speaker or that teacher and my dad abruptly ending these conversations.  He made sure we knew how difficult it is to speak and teach and how no one is getting paid.  He told us to pray for this person instead and pray for ourselves that we would be less critical.  He made sure we knew we could talk about these things at home with him, but not around an Uncle of mine who loved to find fault with the church and with the people in it.  Around Uncle Dave we were to keep our negative mouths shut.  I wondered about this  as a teenager, but now I really see the wisdom in it.  Positive yields positive...negative breeds negative.  Dad taught me early by the power of his example to love the gospel and the people in the church........ and I watched, listened and learned.


If we want our children to love being involved in the gospel, we need to pass on our own feelings of love.


"I love going to church." 


 I try to say this out loud and often.  


Laila loves going to church.  She loves Jesus and Joseph Smith and spiritual things.    Years ago, we were talking to Laila about Joseph Smith and how he had two adopted children, and  how Joseph- the husband of Mary, adopted Jesus....Laila's eyes got wide and she tearily said, "I'm just like Jesus...only whinier."   I think this could be said for all of us.  We are trying to be like Jesus too only sometimes we whine and complain about how it's going in our lives.  We need to be more positive. 


My children need to hear me say.......it's uplifting to go to church, prayer works, the Bishop serves and loves us.........the more positives I throw out there, the more positives come back, and the more positive my feelings and my children's feelings become toward the Lord and his gospel.







Thursday, June 9, 2011

Carnival 2011--SUCCESS!

Monson and Emilee Dahl....painting faces.  My dad giving the carnival...two thumbs up!
Me with Nicole Bohn...a beautiful 7 month old...
Angela, Gma Sheri and cousin Preston at the donation table..... Boys vs. Girls Jars
G ma Welch and Laila
Cotton Candy!
Cousin Nash with a Cotton Candy beard
Cousin Haley and friend with Princess crowns
Sno-Cones
Evans boys waiting at the Sponge throw
Cousin Abby Welch....more cotton Candy!
Wayne was the cotton candy king.  Cousin Shelby ran the  Sno- cones and Monson did popcorn
Cindyand Sandy  help with Balloon pop
Cousin Kylie and Nash  helping with the Fish Pond
It was a beautiful Tuesday morning for the Laila Carnival.  We had a good group of people to help us and made money for Primary Children's Hospital....$545.00!!!!!
Oh, by the way, the girls won by $75.00

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Year Books

See ya next year
H.A.G.S.
Stay Cool!
Year book signing day was always very important to me.  My written in and on books will attest to the hours I spent sitting on the floor at BHS writing in year book after year book while others passed mine around to do the same. I would save a whole page for Wayne to write to me on.  This way he knew the expected amount.

I would come home and read every  signing....was there a secret intivation in there?  A hidden meaning?  Unrequited loved?

Truman spent a day one summer going through his yearbook and actually calling everyone who had written...."Call me.  We should hang out some time."  
 "Hello this is Truman.  You said to call you, so I am..... ( pause) ......"
 It was awkward.  Truman loved it!

I read all of my kids books to see who is writing what, and what types of kids my kids are hanging out with  etc...   Some kids write the rudest, weirdest, creepiest, dirtiest things.   I really don't know what they are thinking.   I make sure to let my children know not to hang out with these kids every again!

Addison was okay with year book day.  He only wanted "real" friends to write in his....not everyone and every body.   Landon and Truman wanted everyone and everybody...Monson couldn't care less.  He has had many years where his books are "clean."

Monson was a good sport this year.  He stayed and participated in a few hours of yearbook signing.  He went from getting his book straight into Chamber Choir class, where they all wanted to sit in a circle and pass the books around.  Monson dreaded this.......so he would look what the girl next to him was writing and write the exact same thing in the book he was writing in.  If she  wrote , "We should hang out this summer.  Call me. "  Monson would write, "Lindsey wants to hang out with you this summer. Call her." So funny.  He hates the awkward times when he is finished writing his two lines in someone's yearbook and they are writing an epistle in his.  SO he acts like he is still writing then closes the book so they can't see his page.
Tricky.
He made sure he wrote in every girl's book...."I wish we would have kissed more."  
He makes me smile.


Have I read or even looked at my old yearbooks since?  
No .  My kids have though and got a good chuckle.
What seemed so important at the time... a life line to friends that would last forever is really such a momentary thing.  

Saturday, June 4, 2011

My Lindsey

I love Lindsey Welch.... I saw her just hours after she was born and fell in love with her round face, olive skin and dark eyes.  I remember thinking what a beautiful baby girl.

I love these pics...... 

Lindsey is getting married today.  It's a happy day but also one that tugs on my heart.
I am reflecting on her past 20 years......... 
                                Lindsey has not had a storybook life.

Her parents, Dale and Krissy got divorced when Lindsey was just 4 years old.  It was a difficult  time.

Lindsey ended up living with her dad and Grandma and Grandpa Welch and Holly.  She went to Bountiful Elementary, MPJ and BHS, played soccer,  dance, piano and had many good leaders and a great ward that loved and doted on her.

My boys  adopted Lindsey as their sister when they were all growing up together.  Lindsey didn't have any siblings and the boys wanted a sister...so it was a perfect fit.
There were a couple of years...when Lindsey was 8, and again at 11 when her mom wanted Linds to move to  Reno with her.....There were many Sunday night tearful goodbyes, brought on by joyful Mondays when Krissy had "changed her mind."    This was so hard on Lindsey, but I think in Krissy's heart of hearts she knew Lindsey was better off with Grandma Welch.....she wouldn't be a latch key kid this way.   I know it might seem selfish that Krissy didn't make more personal allowances for her daughter...but really I look back on this now and think of it as- The Lord knew what Lindsey needed. 

Truman and Lindsey are tight cousins and good friends.  They were a year apart in school but very close in their hearts.  I can still see these two little munchkins at 2 and 3 picking  black garbage bags full of blue flowers  from our cabin property.  Messy, muddy faces....but so joyful as they brought me and Grandma Welch our flower gifts.  
I always felt like Lindsey was a part of us.  She really fit right in.  Lindsey would go on different family vacations with us.
We loved sharing Disney World  and our yearly Bear Lake jaunt.
She would climb the family tree for our yearly pics.


Lindsey was having a hard time in High School with friends and feeling good about herself.   Lindsey wanted to move to Reno....she thought it would be better to be with her mom. I got to be the one to tell her about her parents divorce and court appearance.  How her mom never showed up so the Judge had no alternative but to give custody to her  less than capable father.   We cried and hugged and cried some more.

  The Good news about Lindsey's life was her Grandparents..... especially Grandma Welch.  A better person there never was to love and raise this beautiful, sometimes troubled daughter.
  I made Lindsey  promise that she would stay in Bountiful and finish high school.  I even bribed her with a New York trip if she did.  In 2008...Lindsey, Truman and Monson all joined me for a fun filled week there.
Grandma Smith , Lindsey, Mom- Krissy, Grandma Welch, Me.at BHS graduation.
Her truly  one constant and greatest champion has been her Grandma Welch.  She has given stability,  love and moral courage to help shape Lindsey's life.

When Lindsey graduated and turned 18 she was determined to move to Reno and finally live with her mom.  We totally supported her in this.  She needed to see if she had missed out or if she had made the right decision years earlier to stay in Bountiful.  It was a hard year.  No friends.  Too much  free time.  No great job.   Just waiting around for her mom to get off work so they could hang out.  It wasn't great, but atleast Lindsey got this out of her system and could move on with her own adult life now.

Lindsey went to a party while in Reno...and met a friend who set her up with James Andrus.   She came home and got a grant to go to SLCC....she started dating James...they have gone to school together at SLCC  and they also worked together at Convergys.    James is an only child of divorced parents.  He "gets" Lindsey and Lindsey "gets" James.  They are really good for each other.
 James proposed last summer.   10 months later the day is finally here.


The thing that I just loved about Lindsey's wedding announcement (besides James' baseball hat) is how the Bride's Parents are listed:  Dale Welch and Grandma Wanee Welch.

Lindsey knows.

I love Lindsey and I am so happy for this beautiful day.

Friday, June 3, 2011

June Goals

June is all about work!
Working in the yard, especially....
but working in the house...the basement and closets as well.
It's also about teaching my remaining two children to WORK!

May came and left too quickly. 
 I got through all of the change whether I wanted to or not.
  I hope one day when I say I am going to "embrace change" I can be talking about "all of the Money" instead.  That would be somethin'.

We are moving into Summer and hopefully SUNSHINE and SWIMMING will fill my days!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Monson Graduates

Monson graduates from Bountiful High School Friday night.

Once again I ask, where did the time go?

Just yesterday he was sitting in my car, doing errands with me,  being my buddy while his brothers were in school.  I remember his little smirk, and one eyed popeye face.  I asked him what he was thinking about....his response, at 3 years old,  "I'm just thinkin' how cool I am."


That just about sums up Monson's life experience.

He is cool, and he is many other things as well.

Monson is a lover.  He  has always had a girl friend.   A string of them really...since before he was 16.   My dad has quit trying to remember all of their names, because they keep changing.  We tease him that they are all short and brunette....and what he should date/marry is an amazon-blonde if he wants the tall-athletic-family-team that he can coach when he's a dad.

Monson also loves the Lord.  He is a scripture scholar whether he admits it or not.  He is Priest quorum 1st Assistant and has served on the stake youth committee for the past year.  He loves mission prep gatherings with Brother B., and is excited to turn his mission papers in at the end of August.
Seminary Graduation: Adam, Christine, Jenna, Gma Sheri, Monson, Wayne, Melinda

Monson is an athlete.  He loves sports.  He could watch ESPN 24/7.   He knows what's going on and has opinions about who and what is the BEST.  He loves LeBron James ...he thinks he is LeBron James. Sports have been good to him.  He had a great high school football career.  He was asked to play in the All Star 4A-5A Football game this June.  This is an honor that only two BHS students received, Monson and his good buddy Dillon Salazar.    Monson has  great friends because he was involved in  basketball and football while at BHS.  Buddies that will carry him through into College, mission and beyond.

Monson is obedient.  Example:  5th playoff game of his favorite team...Miami Heat and Wayne asks him to set up home teaching appointments instead.  Monson gets on the phone and calls his two families....with a happy voice and attitude.  I don't know why I am always amazed by this.  I should be used to it by now. He is an obedient child.  He is home by midnight on Friday.....10:30 on school nights, and he is rarely late.   When I ask him to tend his sister, on a weekend, he is always willing.  This attribute will serve him well through out his life.

Monson is moving on.
I keep having his song go through my head and heart as I watch him finish up his senior year.
It's a song I made up for him and would sing to him as I rocked this google faced, red head baby to sleep at night.

Monson, Monson I love you so
Monson, Monson I'll watch you grow...
So tall and so strong
So kind and so smart
Oh, Monson
You're God's work of art.

I believe my Monson has lived up to all of the attributes I assigned to him in his song.....
He is Tall, although he wishes he was a lot taller.
He is Strong...and continues to work out and get stronger  all the time--even with his wretched wrist.
He is Kind.... truly Kind....
He is Smart as evidenced by his scholarship and Honor cords which he brought home and surprised me with.

My baby is all grown up........and he still is very cool.