February

Wow! So much happens when you are having fun! Brian and I have been married for 26 fantabulous years! It doesn't seem that long. It has been a beautiful trip with so much to see. Brian always remembers to bring flowers on our anniversay and I always get a nice card from him. Usually the card reflects feelings appropriate to something happening in our lives, but what is most cherished are the comments he writes each year.

Sometimes, when I clean out my closet, I reflect on the cards I have kept and experience a resurgence of emotion hearing Brian's voice through his words. He has always displayed such affection, love and concern for me and I am overjoyed to be a part of his life. What shall I do when the time comes for us to part? I often consider my mother's death at the age of 54. I have no concept of life as a wife and mother beyond that. It frightens me. Will Brian and I grow very old, silver haired, and wrinkly together? Or will one of us be left behind?

I must find mates for Meredeth and Tori first. The number of pall bearers isn't quite right. Brenden, Maeser and George will surely tip the casket and dump me into the cold soil. If that should happen, the girls' secret sewing will be exposed! (done so when Brian 'brings me forth' on that glorious morning of the first resurrection, as he slowly lifts my veil, tiny threads will slowly reveal my perfect smile as it existed on the night we first met, albeit without the braces, and as he pulls the veil upward, my amazing blue eyes that first set sight on the young buck from out of town will fully be exposed pulling him closer...and closer...)

Oh, coming back to life. Savanna and Kelsi found out the gender of their new babies last month! Oh darn, I got them right again. Kelsi expects another boy and Savanna another girl. It just feels right. We have photos of Chaser on our computer screen saver. Every once in a while Brian goes into this mood of awe as he sees Chaser's little face. "He is such an adorable boy!" he says. "Who?" I ask, not realizing he is admiring his grandson at the computer. "Chaser! of course!" Now, how could I have known it was THAT boy who was so adorable?

Tori's friend Esther was baptized this last weekend. This would probably be the last opportunity for Tori to see Elder in person for quite a long while. Esther asked me if I was planning to attend. I told her it wasn't likely. "Why?" she inquired so innocently. "That would mean I have to make myself look presentable and leave my house, sooo it isn't likely I would accomplish that today." I recruited Meredeth to be a spy for me to see how well Tori and Elder handle the situation. Meredeth's report to her captain was that even if Tori had tried to get near Elder, the other young women would not have let her through! Aaaghh...to be young. All the young women apparently like Elder because he is so funny. Maybe that is why a particular young woman in the ward has such difficulty accepting that Tori is corresponding with him. Jealousy gets old after a while. Tori really enjoys receiving letters from Elder and looks forward to Mondays when they occasionally communicate back and forth in email.

Esther's sister is full Philipino and, as Meredeth observed the young women gathering around Elder, she also engaged in a lengthy conversation with Esther's sister. Meredeth informed Esther's sister that Linda is Philipino as well. She proceeded to tell what she knows of Linda's journeys into and out-of our home. Unfortunately, Meredeth couldn't recall how Linda ended up in the United States.

This began a conversation on Sunday evening about Linda and other girls who have come to our home. It was so fun to reminise. I had forgotten that Meredeth was only two years old when Linda's sister came to our home. Oh my gosh!! Linda is soooooo old!

So I tell Linda's story again, including how Savanna would occasionally evade Nathan Harward and actually get pictures of Linda to Joseph. Oh, that Harward family! Meredeth informed me when she was in grade school, she was assigned to be the reading buddy to one of the new "Harward" kids. (the family had adopted two African American girls) Meredeth was dismissed as the buddy because Meredeth was identified as one of 'us'. One of those...those... kids from that OSM family! The one that actually loves other peoples kids! (oh my.) Later, just like Savanna and Joseph, Meredeth and one of these little girls connected in jr. high school (or was it high school?) and discovered that each of them are nice and friendly. (not so scary afterall. Boo!!)

One thing we learned Sunday evening is that when Brian and I would go on our date night, Tori had a tendency to throw temper tantrums. Apparently she would get mad that she was left behind and she would yell, scream, kick and throw items. Tori was laughing as she related that all the sisters would gather around her, encouraging her to throw socks at the wall.

"They made you do what?"

"Throw socks at the wall! It was so stupid!They would ball my socks up and tell me to throw them at the wall! Have you ever tried to throw a sock? It doesn't matter how hard you throw it, it goes ppphhhhhtttt!"

I'm dying of laughter, but all I can think about is who thought of that? Tori thinks it was Kelsi. Aaaah, not surprised. She and I often think alike!

Tori remembers having to throw socks at the wall when we moved into our home in Provo. She remembers this because there were no belongings in the front room of the house, so that is where she was sent to throw her socks. She also remembers throwing socks at our home on Park Lane in Orem. She remembers this because she was always sent to throw her socks at the wall that had a large portrait of her mom and dad hanging on it! What torture. I wonder if she purposefully aimed at me?...hmmm

The United States has a black president attempting to get us back in the groove. Brian remains as wonderful as ever. Meredeth and Tori are busy and our home is often quiet. And even if I lose my job due to budget cuts, with a blanket and a large bowl of double-vanilla icecream, along with bananas and raspberries thrown in; life will go on. (I hope they remember to bury me next to a currant bush so I can use my electric blanket, I'm really not into all that silk and satin stuff)