Mother's day...New baby, things to be thankful for

This is last Saturday, just a little while after Avonlea was born. We are still in the delivery room. I love this photo, and keep going back to look at it. Three generations of women here....You can see how delighted I am with this new little baby girl. I love being a grandma. I am proud of my daughter, Becky, for being such a wonderful mom...and so thrilled with the little new life that has come into our family.
On Mother's Day......Avonlea is barely 24 hours old here.

This is the second anniversary of my mother's passing. I continue to miss her so much. She would have been so thrilled with her two new great grandchildren who have come to our family in the past 6 months.


This is a little photo I was lucky to get today, of Rory visiting with her mommy. I happened to be over there tonight when they were ready for Family Prayer. Rory was saying the prayer. It was a good thought provoking moment for me, and I have been reflecting on it for several hours now. Recently, I have not felt well. I have some surgery coming up in a few days, and I am concerned about it. There are days when it takes over my thoughts, and it is not as easy to see the wonderful things that surround me every day. As I listened to Rory thanking the Lord for the things in her life, I thought how many things I have to be grateful for. Rory mentioned the obvious things, like her home, her mommy and daddy, Jesus....but she voluntarily added other things in without any prompting at all....worms....potato bugs.....her very own watering can.....a car ride with Grandpa Bill......and Avonlea. Just part of a long list of things that are precious to her in her little world, things that she experienced today. We have been counseled to give thanks in all things.......and to "take what comes, and love it". SO, starting now, I will look for the good in my challenges and look forward with faith that the Lord will see me through it, and I know that I will be better for it. Like Rory, I am very grateful for the little things in my days that bring me joy. I often enlarge on those things on my photography blog ....check it out and leave a comment there. Doing a photo a day has helped me to notice all of the beautiful things around me, and I am really enjoying this project.
http://karrensphotojournal.blogspot.com/

Sweet Experience Yesterday

This is not my photo... I found it on the internet as a background download. The flowers at the temple are beautiful, but nothing like this yet.

Ralph and I, had the privelage of going to the Jordan River Temple yesterday, with a friend in our ward, and her family, who were doing temple work for her parents. We joined them for the endowment session and the sealing. Honestly, it was one of the sweetest temple experiences I have ever had. the sealer took his time, and taught the group in the sealing room about a number of things, before actually performing the ordinance. I learned things, and understood some things that I had never realized before. The spirit in the room was warm, and penetrated my heart. It was so wonderful to see this sweet family, acting as proxy for mother, father, and grandparents. What a gift they gave their ancestors yesterday! My testimony of the temple and the ordinances performed there. grew by leaps and bounds yesterday. I am moved, to really get going with Family Search, and start taking my own family names to the Temple. It is important work...it is the work that God wants us to do.....and I know it with all of my heart.

Testimony-of-the-Book-of-Mormon

Testimony-of-the-Book-of-Mormon (click to hear Jeffrey Holland)

I add my testimony that the Book of Mormon is indeed true. I am re-reading it presently, and as I do so, my heart nearly bursts, with my love for my Savior Jesus Christ, and my own testimony that He lives, that He is my Savior and Redeemer. I know that He willingly took upon himself the mission to come here and die for the sins of the world, and that He was chosen in that Pre-mortal council in heaven. I know that we shouted for joy when the Plan of Salvation was presented to us, and I feel that we must have felt such LOVE, for the Savior, as we comtemplated what He was about to do for us. I testify that He was born of Mary, in humble circumstances, described in the Bible. I appreciate His example, his teachings, and his willingness to carry out his Father's plan, as he took upon himself the sins of this world, and worlds without number. I know that he died on the cross on Calvary, and that He rose on the third day, with a body of flesh and bone. I also know beyond any doubt that he appeared to the Nephites on this continent, fullfillng His own declaration that He had sheep of another fold. (John 10:16). I know that sacred records were kept on this continent which were later revealed to, and translated by, the prophet Joseph Smith. I bear witness that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in these Latter days, and that all of the keys, doctrines, and ordinances that were present in the ancient church are restored again, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I do not believe that any one can read 3 Nephi 17, and not feel the Holy Ghost testify to them that this book is true, and that the Savior lives, and loves each and every one of us. I love HIM. I have a desire to keep His commandments, and bear testimony of Him and his gospel.
This past Easter Weekend was marvelous....the spirit was so strong in General conference, as we heard prophets, seers, and Revelators and other servants of God, bear witness of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and of those things which we ought to be found doing. I'm grateful beyond words for my membersip in Christ's true church, and for the covenants I have been privelaged to make in his Holy Temple. I'm grateful for the power of the Priesthood that is in this church, and in my family, and for the great blessing that it is in my life.

April Fool's Day!

No one was swinging on the Horsie swing today. We woke up to 6" of snow. We are not complaining though. We really need it . Our yard is sooo dry and pathetic looking. Too bad we did not have fertilizer on the ground before this nice wet snow.
Little Gracie, was not deterred by the snow. Our gopher friend, (enemy really ), In the back yard, is already moving around underground. Gracie could sniff him out under almost a foot of earth and 6 inches of snow. She did get clear down there, to the tunnel . She was almost underground herself when she finished. It is a good thing she cleans up so well.
This beautiful Robin was running away from me every time I went out with the camera today.

I finally got him this evening with my zoom lens....isn't he beautiful? I also spotted two Blue Jays in the neighborhood. They used to nest in our big pine tree. That is the only thing that I miss about the tree..all the varieties of birds. Since the Robins and the Jays are back, Spring cannot remain eluisive for long.

My in-laws, Fritz and Gerda Hubrich

This is a book that Ralph's parents gave us for Christmas. It documents the experiences of the East German Latter-Day Saints during, and following World War 2. Once I start reading, I can hardly set it down. Their pain and suffering is beyond description. For Ralph's family, his mother and grandmother were left alone with the little children, and Fritz was gone for four years fighting in the war, and they had no idea if he was dead or alive. Russian soldiers took over their home, and they struggled to survive. The women were not safe. Everyone was hungry, and they had no shelter. On an especially difficult day, Gerda decided that it was time to take their lives, and end it all, as so many others had done. They went to a little lake where she explained to her children that they would be going home to be with Heavenly Father and would have no more pain and sorrow. Ralph's grandmother interveined, and stated that the Lord had protected them this long, and He would continue to do so. It was only two days later when Fritz came home to them. He had suffered many trials himself. He had been shot at, and had to dig his own grave twice. Once he escaped into a lake, where he was shot at, and nearly drowned from staying under water so long, and another time, he was let go to be with other prisoners of war. Their struggles were far from over, even after the war ended. The work of rebuilding was HARD and food was scarce. My father in law was like no other when it came to finding ways to provide. The things they ate, and how they struggled to survive, would require a book in itself.

I admire them for their faithfulness, for their love of God, and for pressing forward to help themselves and others. Fritz was the Branch president at that time. They are a great example to all of our family, in many ways. I admire all of those from Ralph's family, and I am proud of my own Pioneer heritage ....the struggles were different, but no less difficult. I feel so lucky to have had so many who gave so much, that I might live in peace and comfort here in America. I am worried for the future of America, and hope that this generation can rise to the occasion and preserve the freedoms that we still enjoy.
Here are two photos of Fritz, and Gerda and their children. The photo on the left is of the back yard of their apartment. You can see there is a thriving garden there...Fritz has always been a great gardener. The one on the right is the two of them with sons, Ralph, in Fritz's arms, and Dieter, in the baby carriage.
Here they are today. This was taken last week when we celebrated their birthdays. Gerda was 92 on March 8th and Fritz turned 98 on the 14th of March.
Here are their four children and spouses. Dieter, passed away in 1973.

Feeling better

I have been ill for a couple of weeks. It was working up for longer than that with just not feeling well, since before Christmas. Finally, more and more symptoms and fever took me to the doctor on Feb 24. A diagnosis of Diverticulitis once again, the second time within a few months. I went home for bed rest and liquid diet, but the next day more serious symptoms occurred which took me to the ER for a CT scan, and evaluation. The findings from that scan indicate that surgery is no longer an option. I will be seeing a surgeon on Monday to schedule surgery in the near future.
To make matters worse, I contacted a virus, which has just been miserable. The antibiotics make me nauseated, and dizzy, with a headache. I burned my mouth because my Pero was too hot, and so I have really been through the mill. I still have a mouth full of canker sores, even a week later. I have not quite finished the meds, still coughing a lot, but all that is sooo much better than where I was, so today I am grateful for returning health. This is the first day I have been up for most of the day and doing a few little things. I even got the camera out and caught some cute pics of Ralph with our granddaughter, Rory. They made a snowman. I went out on the porch and snapped a few shots with a zoom lens. I LOVE doing my photo a day blog and am happy to be back in the saddle, so to speak. Here are a few pics from today:

I'm Back

As I was taking posts down, I felt bad, because it is something I have really enjoyed. I had several followers post comments, or call me and email me about it, so I decided to keep doing my personal blog. I may not post often, but at least once or twice a month. I enjoy following the blogs of family and friends as well. I will be browsing around less frequently, and will try that for awhile and see how it goes. Thanks to everyone who contacted me about the blog.