Maybe there is a bigger purpose, a bigger

picture that we only contribute a very small

piece to. You know, like one of  those thousand

piece puzzles?   There's no way you can tell by 

looking at  one piece of the puzzle what the puzzle 

is going to look like in the end.  And we dont have

the picture on the outside of the puzzle box to guide

us.  Maybe everyone represents a piece of the puzzle.

We all fit together to create this experience we call

life.  None of us can see the part we play or the way

it all turns out.  Maybe the miracle's that what we see

is just the tip of the iceberg.

from: Making Faces

by: Amy Harmon

MY THANKSGIVING PRAYER

of 2015

Thank you dear Heavenly Father, for these good people who do their very best to take care of one another and to be mindful of each other and who love one another.  We are truly blessed with more than plenty.  Plenty of food, plenty of talent, plenty of love, plenty of fun and of course, plenty of blessings from Thee.  (For look where we can celebrate this day!!!!)
May each of these dear people around this table be blessed with continued peace and prosperity and with continued  determination to do their very best and to enjoy their journey.  May we each feel love, and give love and be love.
May we be mindful of those what cannot join us at our table this year.  Please God, send them our thoughts and prayers. We miss them.  We wish our table and our circumstances could hold them all! May we all continue to work towards our hearts' desires and that these desires will be in alignment with what Thou would have us do and to be.
Thank you!!  Life is good!!
Amen

 These bags of groceries are maybe just an 1/8th of what we hauled in to feast on!!

 Handsome boy whom I so enjoyed playing card games with!! Notice the homemade egg rolls!! YUM!!! Thanks Mericar!!

Here's what I think now: At first you fall in love.

You wake in the morning woozy and your twilight

is lit with astral violet light.  You spelunk down

into each other until you come to possess some

inner vision of each other that becomes one thing,

Us Together.  And time passes. Like the forming

of Earth itself, volcanoes rise and spew lava.  

Oceans appear. Rock plates shift.  Sea turtles swim

half the ocean to lay eggs on the mother island;

songbirds migrate over continents for berries from 

a tree.  You evolve- cosmically and geologically.

You lose each other and and find each other again.

Every day. Until love gathers the turtles and the 

birds of your world and encompasses them too.

from: Driving Mr Albert

by: Michael Paterniti

The stars aligned, the rain clouds departed and the sun shone warm and golden and Mothers Day became practically perfect this year.  Sure we were missing a few kids..but phone calls were the next best thing to filling in the void.

I cant remember the last time I've ever been completely taken by surprise.  But Saturday night it happened...a joyful, glorious surprise.
Seeing Joe and his whole beautiful family walk into the restaurant where My Builder and I along with Brian and Mericar were enjoying a delicious meal together was a most delightful surprise!! It was the very best kind of surprise!!  And then the fun really began....'cause painting primer on a million cabinet doors just wasnt quite fun enough was it Bri and Mericar!!!??  Getting a tiny home ready for their move in date is becoming quite the push.  But I'm so, so grateful that I can help..really I am.

Watching the kids swim at the hotel, going to church on Sunday morning with B&M and Anna and David and the kids and receiving a chocolate candy bar was just the beginning.
Having everyone come to our tiny home was wonderful and a little daunting...would we all squeeze in!!!??. There was art at the kitchen table and nap taking and kid shows to watch and newly planted flowers to yank out of the ground. (dear dear Beckham oh how we LOVE you!!!)  There was food to eat and an RC truck to race up and down the road and then the most satisfying  springtime walk along the Logan River.

 Life has gotten in the way for Joe...he may not even remember what a great artist he once was..and probably still is...but it looks as though Beckham will be following in his footsteps!!

I estimate that a 100 rocks were hucked into said river. What is it about bodies of water and boys and rocks?!!

The frogs sounded as happy as I was that the sun had returned after our 5 days of rain. Croaking chorus'es of frogs were singing to us all along the trail. David was determined to catch one of them to show to all the kids. So he rolled up his pants, hopped the fence and waded in!! (Anna was convinced that he was'going to 'catch' more than a frog from the muddy marsh...like a parasite or something worse. Oh sweet Anna...whose daughter are you anyway?)

He was a beautiful little reptile...who withstood much mauling by tiny little hands.

 Ben isnt afraid of reptiles, NOT AT ALL...he kept trying to give them a kiss!!

Brian and David also caught a little garter snake for the kids to see and touch..much to Natalies dismay.

I gathered some simple wildflowers to brighten my countertop.  Oh how I love buttercups.  They remind me of my childhood, and living back east.  Did you remember that holding  a buttercup under your chin can determine whether you like butter or not?  If you see a reflection of yellow on the underside of your chinny chin chin you love butter!!!

 (Is Anna walking with Jesus!!!??)

Oh what a glorious day!!!  My kids..and their kids, and their wives and husband, bring me such joy!  My pride in them  knows no bounds!!

The very first telephonic conversation, between Bell

and Watson, standing in separate rooms, contained

these words; "come here, I want to see you." In the

uncountable human phone conversations since then,

that concept has never been far from our lips. "Come

here. I want to see you." Impatient lovers, long distance

friends.  Grandparents talking to grandchildren. The

telephone voice is but a seduction, a bread crumb 

to an appetite.  "Come here.  I want to see you."

from: The First Phone Call From Heaven

by: Mitch Albom

Presidents Day was spent down in Salt Lake partying with some of the grands.   It was Beckhams birthday ...a few days before...and we wanted to add our two cents to the celebration.
Having Benjamin join us was a small bit of spontaneous genius.  Ripping him from the clutches of his mothers arms...was a small miracle.

All in all it was a wonderful day...a break to remember.  These faces never fail to melt my frozen Logan heart....every single time we see them.  What a blessing each one of them are to our lives.
This is a glimpse of the day:
Mommy told Ben to take a nap while driving down to Salt Lake.   Ben closed his eyes before we even left their parking lot and pretended to be sleeping, until he was in fact sleeping. Such obedience...a rare thing indeed.

Next we met at THE HABIT for yummy burgers and those delicious tempura green beans...a new favorite of mine.  Ben had his 'mommy-made' PB and honey sandwich, apple slices, and red pepper wedges, which completely satisfied him.  (again...who is this child!!!??)

Then we walked across the parking lot to Scheels.  There's always call to see the gigantic fish tank..full of Nemos, and the fun zone to play in.  Fun was had by all!!
Then we said our good-byes...oh how we love these kiddos...and its hard to say good-bye.  Even knowing that I'll see them again..sometime soon.

Next were some business errands to run...which included a cool pet store of course.  Our little man Ben was great company.
The only 'fail' of the day...not being able to meet up with Brian and Mericar as planned.  Darn work, Darn reality.   Disappointing.
But all I have to do to cheer myself up is to look at this pics...and then Im feeling grateful once again.
The drive home seemed quicker than normal...for Ben was talkative...and half-way thru he requested some MJ.  MJ???? What does that mean??  Could it possibly be Michael Jackson!!?? Indeed it was so...my little man is a M J fan!! How can I not adore that!!!???

If I just concentrate I can walk into memory's store

and find the right shelf with the right film and 

disappear into it and still feel in my body that ride...

from: Out Stealing Horses

by: Per Petterson

While lounging by the pool with Lachlan the other day...(more on that occasion later) he asked me a question.  "What's your favorite thing Mimi?"
I ran thru several responses in my mind before replying.
Artichokes
Pizza
Good sheets
Which are all good things, but things I could live without  if required of me.
But my answer to Lachlan and the true answer is this:
Its family vacations and family occasions.

A week ago we had a wonderful family occasion. It was Evelyns blessing day!! She is a blessing and a gift...and this was the day to bless her back with wonderful  promises from her father and God.  Its a wonderful tradition we Mormons have...giving our children and name and a blessing with priesthood power from on high.
This particular Sunday began with a delightful 2 hour drive from Logan to Lehi. And the morning only got better as we sat strategically placed to view all the folks streaming into the chapel.
First was-
Anna and David with Ben and Will.
Then came Brian and Mericar. (such a cute new couple!)
Next..
My brother Joe and Debbie with cute Amber in tow.
Then came the Andersons, Steve and Jenny and their handsome boys and sweet Daisy.
By now Im thinking, "Oh my,  how blessed I am to be a a part of such a magnificent, supportive, darling family."
Then in comes Kelly and Jace and Aly!
And then we see Paul and Ben and Matt too!!
Wow!! Its true! Our family really is the best!! And Im so lucky to be counted among such a fine group of people!

I should have counted how many menfolk stood and walked to the front of the chapel to "help" Joe bless princess Evelyn. I didnt count.  But I do remember wondering if there would be any room for all of them to stand shoulder to shoulder around that sweet baby girl as her father pronounced a blessing.  I believe they ended up standing 2 deep...a double ring around sweet girly...for of course there were plenty of good men from Natalie's side of the family too!!  Im also happy to report that Evelyn didnt squeak or cry during any part of the blessing. What a girl!!
Joe's blessing was beautiful, eloquent, from the heart and sweet as can be.  I dont remember many of the words..but I remember thinking and realizing once again how lucky Evelyn's going to be to have a daddy such as Joe.  Joe is so calm, cool and collected. He never causes a ruckus.  Im afraid he's a master of being overlooked.  We all know how blessed those dear kids are to have Natalie as their mommy...but Im guilty of not remembering the quiet goodness and power that Joe has in his possession ...all the way down to his toes.  He's a rock. And I loved being reminded of this at  special family occasions..which are indeed my very favorite things!!

Never, in peace or war, commit your virtue or your happiness

to the future.  Happy work is best done by the man who takes

his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works from moment

to moment "as to the Lord."  It is only our daily bread that we

are encouraged to ask for.  The present is the only time

in which any duty can be done or any grace received.

from: Virtue and Vice

by: C.S. Lewis