Life just gets grander!! Look at these sweet little blessings in cute little human packages! I’m so grateful for them all! You never know when you’re a young Mama what a blessed and happy time awaits you when you become a grandmother. Each of these tiny souls has come into my life and made such a mark of love and happiness.
There was a story I heard once of person getting ready for a new child to come into their life. I can’t remember if they were parents or grandparents, but they couldn’t comprehend how they could love another child like they loved the one they already had. Like their love was only so much, and they had used all that love. Then someone told them that your love grows. Your ability to love increases. That is truth. I am amazed each time a new baby is born how much I love them, how much I can’t imagine my life without them.
The chorus to a very sweet Primary song says:
God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be—
This is how He shares His love, for the fam’ly is of God.
God shares His love by giving us families. Children, grandchildren and sweethearts.
There are few people who influenced my teen years as much as Jeri. I was very lonely, insecure and needed a friend that wasn’t family. Family has to love you, friends don’t, they choose to love you. Of course I needed my family too, but I found a friend and confidant and mentor in my hero, Jeri. I called her Mom sometimes, because she was another Mama to me. Let me describe her if I can-Jeri was a very regal and gentle woman. She was soft spoken and polite, and very proper. She had a flare for decorating and celebrations. She could put together a party that was fun with a theme that was undeniably clear.
When she was my church young women leader, we went to her home for an oriental dinner. I can’t remember if it was Japanese or Chinese. Let’s just say Asian. She had all the long tables on blocks close to the floor so we could sit on the floor and eat. The tables were laid out with beautiful tablecloths and the perfect settings and decorations. I’m sure we tried to use chop sticks, but ended up using forks. She served stir fry. The meat was tenderized to perfection. It was delicious and a blast!
She had a beautiful home where I felt safe and loved. She was always busy with recipes and had a dream to write a recipe book. She had a closet in her home just for Root Beer Mugs, platters, soup tureens, china, pitchers serving ware that was like going to visit the homewares area of a department store. It was heavenly.
She loved all the church buildings in Salt Lake and would on occasion take us young women to the Lion House for lunch. What a treat! She loved a little restaurant called Dixon Pies. She would take us to get pie and sometimes even lunch. So much yum!
One time we were meeting with our church group up at Bear Lake. I got to ride with Jeri, and talked her into letting me drive her canary yellow Cadillac. It was a peach! We told her we knew the way and ended up in Idaho, and had to make a big circle to get to the lake. She was so cute about it, too. She just laughed and said it was a fun little adventure. She was so sweet and patient with us.
At Christmas time there was always a beautifully decorated tree positioned in the center of the living room window. It would have a theme and that theme would continue around the home. The living room was always perfect. In fact the whole home was something to behold. It could have been in a magazine! Maybe it was?
She loved little Shelty dogs. She had a few in the time I knew her and they always had sweet names like “Lady” or “Missy”. They were beautiful dogs.
She was a stalwart defender of God and Faith. It was evident in her example and the life she lived. She wasn’t perfect. In fact she was hard on herself. I would visit and we would sit for quite sometime visiting about the things that are important in life. She was divorced and very sad about that, but she didn’t focus on it, too much. She struggled with some health issues and did her best to keep her chin up.
She worked in the Temple and loved her time there. She volunteered as a greeter at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, and enjoyed being in the middle of the church sites. Her love of the gospel of Jesus Christ was an important thing to her and I’m sure she shared it as often as possible.
When I got past my awkward years, and maybe I’m still awkward, she continued to be a wonderful support. She came to the airport when I left for my mission. She would deliver sweet notes to my mailbox saying, “Just thinking about you! Love you! Mother Hen”. What a thoughtful lady. I always wanted to be like her. I knew I’d have to scale down a bit, because I would never have the big, beautiful home she had, but I learned so much from her that I knew I could try to be like her, in my own way.
After I married and had my first little guy, I brought him up to her house to show her. It was precious. She took him from me and doted on him, telling me how beautiful he was and what a good mama I was going to be. Every young mama is overwhelmed and a little scared and she helped me to believe in myself. I thought, “I can do this.”
She passed away as a young Grandma. She preferred to be called “Nannie”. She was way too young and left a hole. If she were here I’d tell her how much she means to me. I’d tell her she made the difference in my young awkward years. I’d tell her that sometimes when I’m decorating for a party I think of her and think she’d be proud of my all around party abilities. She will always be a hero to me. She is a lady, an example, a mentor and most important friend. I love you, Mother Hen!
In elementary school in my 6th grade year, there was a year end event called the Pentathlon. It was a fun and challenging competitions in 5 different areas. I looked up Pentathlon on the internet and laughed. We didn’t do those events.
The events in the Olympics are: Fencing, swimming, riding (horseback), shooting, and running. I’m sure because we were a small town school those in charge just came up with events that could be done with little to no expense.
Fencing-is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre; winning points are made through the weapon’s contact with an opponent. The equipment alone is expensive and not an option for a lot of people.
Swimming-This is a single 200 meter freestyle swim. The faster you swim the more points you get. A time of 2 minutes 30 seconds gets you 250 points. Of course we had no pool, which meant no swimming.
Riding Horseback-Athletes attempt a show-jumping course with 12 obstacles. Athletes do not bring a horse to the event; they are assigned an unfamiliar horse and have 20 minutes to practice with the animal. Completing the course scores 300 points with points deducted for penalties.
Shooting and running-The times for this race are staggered based on the competitors scores from the first three events. Athletes run 3200 meters (not quite 2 miles), with four stops to shoot at targets with a laser pistol. They must stay at the stop until they hit five targets (with an unlimited number of shots) or until 50 seconds have past. The placing in the overall modern pentathlon is based on position across the finish line. Pistols aren’t allowed in schools, so that one is out too. It sounds so fun, but would be such a challenge after you’d been running. Being still and aiming to hit the target would be hard.
Our Pentathlon consisted of: a 50 yard dash, a basketball shoot, high jump, long jump and something so memorable that it slips my mind. I had so much fun! I ran so fast. I made lots of baskets. I jumped so high, and jumped so long, and the thing I cant remember? I must have done that good too, because I took first place in all the girls in the school!! And 2nd place in the school counting all the boys!
I was so amazingly athletic in elementary school, but not quite as much so later in junior high and high school. I did compete in gymnastics and diving for the swim team in high school. I loved working my muscles and feeling like I pushed myself to be better.
