All good stories start with a miracle.

One day in seminary, the student's were sharing times when they had seen the hand of God in their life. You know you're in Delta territory when 70% of the miracles have to do with travel. Delta employees and their immediate family and parents enjoy the privilege of being able to fly for free. It is an amazing benefit. The only problem is that flying standby is only a good idea if you don't really care if you get there. Delta employees talk about flying like senior citizens talk about their health. Both feel like they're cheating death with every successful day.

WARNING: FLYING STORY
So, as a sign that I am enjoying flight privileges during this season of my life, I will start the telling of my  adventure with the flight miracle. There I was, trying to get to Pocatello. (previously Idaho Falls, but plans were changing by the hour.) The flight was overbooked by 3. Ten paying customers had to get a seat before anyone in standby had a chance. I was number 17 on the standby list. It looked so bleak I was tempted to call my daughter and tell her I couldn't drive with her and her baby to Nebraska, but how sad would that be? I wasn't ready to give up. It looked pretty good to Portland. I could fly there then fly back to Salt Lake City and then to Pocatello, if not that day surely the next. On the morning I was to fly, the thought occurred to me to check at the SLC gate. The flights left only 10 minutes apart so I couldn't be at both gates. I had to commit. I went early to the SLC gate with the intention of asking the gate agent what my chances were. She told me she couldn't let me know for 10 minutes. I waited until the screen came up. The 10 paying customers all had seats. I was number 15 on the standby list. I was going to walk away, when up walked a pilot friend from church. I told him my dilemma. He looked at the screen, pointed out some numbers I hadn't noticed before, and advised me to hold my post and take a chance. "Right now there are 15 seats available, you're number 15. If you were my child I'd tell you to stay at this gate." I took this timely and miraculous advice and got on the plane bound to SLC. The next problem was getting off the 250 passenger plane in time to catch the Pocatello plane which departed 30 minutes after my plane landed. Being seated in the back, back row (It's true the seat doesn't go back, but you can use the bathroom as often as you want without bothering anyone) it took fooreeevvverrr to get off. I skipped the airport bathroom and headed straight to the other gate, the one that no one knew because no one flies to Pocatello, ID. It was the very, very last gate in the concourse and I saw the agent heading outside. I called out (politely of course) "Excuse me, can I get on that plane?" He turned and said, "In one minute I would have said 'No." And that's how I came to be in Pocatello, ID on May 19, 2014.

OKAY. IT'S OVER


I love to tell stories the long, slow way, especially the good parts. So, my sister Mary picked me up from the airport. Can I just say that I love my sisters and brothers? This sweet girl has been a fantastic aunt to my daughter and son-in-law while they lived in Pocatello. She gave them a home to visit and rocked the baby in the night and on this particular day was dressed adorably in her cleaning outfit as she helped the kids prepare to move. When we saw each other the talk was fast and lively with lots of interrupting to get the most words in  in a short amount of time. This was especially important  because plans had evolved to an afternoon departure to get some driving hours under our belt, so the sister visit was short. Not wanting to appear on the scene with too many needs, we stopped at a taco trailer on the side of the road. I don't know why this is important to me,  I think it solidifies my memory with Mary. There we were trying to use our California upbringing to pronounce the names of the food with the proper Spanish accent. Of course we laughed long and loud in the car because the girl who served us spoke perfect English and probably thought we were ridiculous...hehehe good times.

Back at the apartment it was all business as moving always is. People were in good spirits but tired good spirits. Joseph's sister and husband  had been helping for a while, friends came to send them off and help with the truck. My job was to hold the baby. I slaved. Then "Good-bye" to Mary, "Hello" to sub sandwiches and baby shots and we were off, Joseph in the truck and Eliza and Hyrum and I in the car.

The hospital where Hyrum was born, just for history's sake.

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Do you know what's fun? We drove by Lava Hot Springs. I had a serious deja vu. I had totally been there with my roommates in college and had forgotten all about it. I have a scar from hitting a seam on a water slide to prove it. I realize that there are a lot of words spilling out of my brain, but I love when my past connects with my present.


The first stop that evening was Bennington, ID. I know, I hadn't heard of it either.  Joseph's friend's wife's parents live there. That's what's great about Joseph, he loves people and they love him.  We felt completely welcome. I realized I really like to see where people live. So this cute girl, who I had met before, grew up here with mountains in her front view, mountains in her back view, a nice garden on the side yard and a little sheep farm a couple of blocks away. That's a good way to grow up. After dinner instead of watching TV we went to see the lambs. There I was looking the Atlanta girl wearing flip flops in the barn. No one could tell that I grew up in the country.  I felt love and strength in this home.

Me still in my flying clothes. Driving clothes don't
have zippers.

Hyrum's first lamb encounter. Aww

Not Eliza's first lamb encounter, but still cute.

A couple more hours on the road put us in Lyman, WY. I actually think I've driven past Lyman before. I remember the sign just not the town. The word on the street is that people in Lyman don't use addresses, just land marks. That was also our experience. Joseph's aunt's late husband's kind and gracious parents put us up for the night. We heard some wonderful stories of fishing in Alaska with exhibit A (delicious fish) for a midnight snack. Just because you live in a small town doesn't mean you have a small life. These people's life was full of family, adventure, generosity, and happiness.

Tuesday morning started the drive of drives. It actually wasn't bad, but with a baby in the car anything can happen. Luckily, he just ate and talked and when he got tired we cranked up the static on the radio, gave him a pacifier and he fell peacefully asleep. Don't judge.

So, baby girl Eliza is moving to Omaha, NE. The fun thing about that is she was born in Lincoln, NE. When we arrived in Lincoln we stayed with our lifelong friends, Rich and Joyce Starr.

They had been our neighbors for the 8 years our family lived in Lincoln. During this visit we were right across the street from where we had lived until we had 7 children. As I looked at the little house and yard that felt so magical when there were little long t-shirted babies running in and through shouting, "Cowabunga," and  "May the Force Be With you," I realized what wonderful days they had been. I'm sure those looking from the outside in might have wondered what the sanity level was, and that is a good question, but the fun level was very high.

Our old house

Me trying to see into the back yard

In the evenings during our stay, the Starr's little girls came to visit, little girls who have grown into wonderful, capable women. We laughed and played and laughed and ate. Rich made his famous Mother's Day ribs. They were just as good as I remembered them.   It's a wonder that restaurants can still be in business 20 years later, but I ate broccoli beef from the neighborhood Chinese restaurant, Primavera which replaced Vegetables Primavera which is what I really wanted, from Valentino's and lemon berry slushies and corn dogs from Sonic which are not nostalgic but were on special and delicious.

We also shopped at the Goodwill that I had single handedly kept in business when Paul was getting his PHD. It never disappoints. And don't forget the Super Saver grocery store that I practically lived in. One pregnancy my OB asked what I did for exercise. I looked him in the eye and said, "I shop at Super Saver with children." So many great memories.

Thursday, these two had a special date to see "Wicked". Hyrum had a special date with Grandma, Joyce and Rich.. He was good for us but was very happy to see his awesome parents.

And then I hugged my friends and kissed my babies and flew away. This time flying was a cinch.

Sunday, Eliza took her baby to the same church I had taken her when she was a baby, and then made her Dad's rolls and shared them with the Starr's, just like old times. Ain't life grand?

Is it too late to talk about Mother's Day

So, around here, Mother's Day can be a little dangerous.  My emotions are running about as high as my expectations. My heart is full of gratitude for my mother and children, but there's the depressing realization that I have a long way to go in my motherhood skills and I've already got 7 kids out running wild and free in society.  One wonders, who would step into that? Well, the winners for bravest children are Daniel and Andrew. They rolled in for the weekend and made it great for me.

 For the record, if a child sends a heartfelt note, I'm more than pleased. If they really want to get on my good side, add food to the note, and if anyone insists on giving a gift, a pedicure is always perfect.  My husband gave me a pedicure and made rolls and dinner, Daniel made his fantastic Italian bread and brought grandchildren to play with, Rebecca made me a hundred cookies and Andrew cleaned the kitchen and sang me a song.

 I heard from all of my kids in one sweet way or another so I was happy and everyone was safe.

 It was a treat to have Daniel drive over. His wife, Erica, was visiting her graduating sister and family, so he packed, loaded, and drove his 2 little boys what was supposed to be close to 4 but seemed strangely closer to 3 hours from Savannah to Atlanta.

We played Perplexus, Epic Duels, Rat a Tat Cat, Stratego and Nerf . We ate watermelon, which Caleb claims we always have, ice cream, and regular food.

Grandpa: "Who wants ice cream?"

Speaking of polite, which we may not have been, Daniel and Erica's children are very polite. Makes a Grandma proud. Caleb made me this adorable Mother's Day card. xoxoxox

 For some reason, little 2 yr. old did not sleep very well. I heard him once and came down to find his Daddy rocking him in the rocking chair at 2:00 am. That was a very tender picture for me, seeing my child loving his child. The next day, Daniel didn't even seem grouchy. Seeing what a good Dad he has become is a wonderful gift.

However, the lack of sleep took it's toll on 2 yr. old. He had been very reasonable the day before, but was not tolerating us as well with inadequate rest. I hope he didn't mind that we kind of thought it was funny when he punished us for getting on his bad side. I think he felt better after eating a couple of  Mother's Day cookies.

I love my mother. I love being a mother, and I love being a grandmother.

Andrew, happy to be back to home-cooked meals.

Tender Mercies from Heaven

For the 3 seminary teachers from the Fayetteville area, Wednesday has been temple day.  Anyone else is invited to come, and we love it when they do.  Many weeks, though, it has been just us.  The temple is always great, but the hour drive into Atlanta and home is just as great.  The friends in the car are the best of friends. We may not have spoken much before, but that changes once we're temple bound.

Yesterday was the loveliest of temple days. We got on the topic of God's love for his children. I was the driver and had been feeling some stress over issues. (I usually have issues, that's how I roll.) As these sister/friends began sharing stories of sweet blessings in life, I felt peace enter my heart and anxiety replaced by gratitude and love. I want to remember these stories and share them with others who's hearts need a boost.

1. She had been traveling on Hwy 54 and was approaching a busy intersection. It was her habit to get into the middle lane to avoid the congestion of the right lane. She had the thought that she should stay in the right lane. This thought was accompanied by a calm feeling. So she waited patiently in the slow lane. In the next moment a car to the left slammed on his brakes only to collide into the back of the forward car. Then she heard bam, bam, as the subsequent cars each hit the car in front of them. She became aware of God's love for her and desire to help her avoid an accident that day.

2. She was looking forward to Facetime with her missionary son in Mexico. She only got to talk to him on Christmas and Mothers Day. She was in a restaurant using their Wifi. When she didn't hear from her son at the appointed time she began to panic and doubt her technology skills. She asked for help from behind the counter. After a few unsuccessful minutes she tried the patrons. "I'm trying to skype with my son in Mecico. Can you help me? A young man responded. Are you -----'s Mom? I'm his best friend. I'd love to help you. Contact was made. A precious conversation occurred, and some of God's children were at the exact right place at the exact right time.

3. She had been struggling with some things that weighed heavy on her heart and needed assurance from God. She sought out a bench in a secluded place on her neighborhood walking trail. As she studied her scriptures and poured out her heart in prayer, a big fluffy dog, attached by a leash to a puzzled and embarrassed owner, came right up to her, looked at her and stayed. The owner tried to pull him back to the trail, but the dog wouldn't budge. The owner apologized for the doggy intrusion, she wasn't really a dog person but she reassured the owner that it was okay. The owner gave the dog freedom and the pooch jumped up on her and kissed her and loved her and then was done and went back to whatever dogs do with their owners on the walking trail. Tears came as she recognized this as a hug from heaven and a reminder that God loves her dearly.

4. She invited her seminary students to her home for some extra scripture memorization time. In preparation, she searched the house for all the Book of Mormons she could find. She found a few missionary copies and discovered that one of them contained a picture and testimony written by a man who had died of cancer several years prior. She had not known the man but did know his wife. The man had written of his love for God and family and the importance his family held for him and how much he loved them and how grateful he was that they would be together not only in this life but in the eternities to come. The thought occurred to her that this copy should be given to the wife the next day on Mother's Day. She wrapped it as a gift and presented it to her in church. It was received warmly, and the next day she received a phone call stating that surely this was a divinely designed Mother's Day gift from a loving husband and father who had gone before sending abiding love to gladden the hearts of a devoted wife and children who still loved and missed him.

Nice to meet you, Eli Jacob Stoker

If it looks like I'm blessed beyond measure it's because I am. In February I visited my Idaho grandbaby, and then last week I got to visit this little doll and his adorable brothers and sister. They live in Portland, OR. Oregon looks a lot like Georgia except instead of steaming, it's misting, and instead of thunderous downpour--drizzle. The main way of detecting that I was not flying into Atlanta was that Mount Hood was right outside my window. Awesome!!!

Upon arrival I was greeted with this warm welcome.

This baby is the sweetest guy, so calm and peaceful..

With four kids, 6 and under, this family is hoppin. In the morning we watched a tool show and a truck show, I'm seriously out of the kid show loop. I don't remember either of the names, but they weren't "Dora" or "Blue's Clues."

 We went to Win Co where we bought some healthy food and this, 

also a healthy food, just a little more delicious than anything in the world. We walked to the bus stop, rode bikes, and had so much fun. I played The Game of Life with the 6 year old and 4 year old. They taught me about choosing a good house, one that isn't cracked, and how great  it is to have babies. I was the banker. When I asked them if they wanted to purchase auto insurance they gave me a confused look. The 4 yr. old said, "We don't know what that is." Fair enough. We all ended up wealthy and retired in countryside acres, so a Life well played.

In the afternoon we dug in the flower bed and found the most enormous night crawler. This guy was so huge he looked like a snake. I tried to document him, but just know that in real life he is 10 times bigger than he appears in this picture.

When it was time to ride bikes, Mallory, my daughter-in-law, let me use hers. Up and down the street we rode, 3 children and Grandma. My spunky 2 yr. old grandson came up to me on his little push bike and with all the confidence in the world asked, "Race?" He almost won, but Grandma pulled ahead at the last minute.

Wednesday was music lesson day-- pre-school music group lessons where the children learn solfege, (that's do, re, mi, fa, sol...like on Sound of Music) chords, and other amazing things that I was thrilled about.

 We also visited the Portland rose garden where the buds are getting ready to bloom. I had to imagine the roses, but the rhododendrons were real and fabulous and oh so beautiful. The only disappointment was that a little bunny was scampering on our path but disappeared before 4 yr. old got to see him. "I never saw a bunny before," was the sad response. I tried to cheer him with the prospects of seeing another (they're everywhere, right?) but all we encountered were some boring squirrels. He seemed to rally when we went to the park which can be even better than a bunny

These are actually from the neighborhood, not the park.
I guess I was so focused on taking grandbaby
pics I forgot flower pics.

.

Thursday was rainy so we played inside. I wanted to play something super fun with 4yr. old and 2 yr. old. Of course I leveraged the game with picking up toys. (Once a mom...) I had the brilliant idea of having them jump from the exercise ball, over the back of the couch, onto the cushions.  I held the ball steady while 4 yr. old took a trusting leap over the back of the couch, bounced once and landed on the floor. You know those videos that go viral and then say, "Nailed it?" It was one of those moments, otherwise known as "Grandma fail." We changed our angle and added a few safety pillows and it did turn into a fun game, but ....oops.

The wrong way.

The right way

That night was Brandon's birthday celebration. We partied with balloons, signs, crowns, dragons, pizza and cheese cake. We topped it off with "The Hobbit 2" and went to bed early. And I slept. There's pretty much always someone awake at any given moment with these sweet children. Mallory works with the baby all night and then Brandon takes the early morning shift before work. Mom and Dad are working very hard to take good care of these lovelies.

                                                      

Friday was my last day. We played a little more "Jump over the couch," I learned how to play "Sleeping Queens" and got to take this great guy to work and see the Nike campus. It's a beautiful place, very swooshy.

Then my sweet sis, Megan, came and took me to the airport. A perfect ending to a wonderful week. Oxox.