The day after Christmas,

my roomies moved out!  

I will miss them!

I will miss the pitter-patter of little feet in the mornings...

I will miss their excitement about life...

I will miss their tiny arms around my neck hugging me...

I will miss their mommy and daddy...

I will miss their giggles and laughter...

I will miss their jokes...

This one grew the most while living with me.  

She got 5 teeth and started walking!

And, I will miss her running to the front door every time I let the dogs out!

Family Christmas Party---

---gift and germ exchange!!!!

Here are some photos of our fun Christmas Party Weekend.  

We had a blast, however after everyone got home, 

the sore throats, spots, coughs, fevers, 

and other contagious heebeegeebee's broke out!

 Baking cookies with grandma!  

Mr. K & Bella

 Pretty ladies!

 Bay and uncle Anthony!

 Ugly Christmas sweaters!

They looked so cute and l-o-v-e-d making their own sweaters!

Bella and Miss Lulu!

 Opening gifts!

 Good friends. 

 Food!

I was most excited about this Christmas photo!

Due in July--maybe on my birthday!

Congratulations Smith family!

Christmas Pillow Cases

Every year I paint the grandchildren pillow cases for their Christmas present. 

Let's just say, I need to start earlier next year!!!!

Here are the photos of my work for this Christmas:

Here are some photos with them opening their pillow cases:

Trials

Some of our trials are temporary.

Some of our trials are permanent.

The same trial may be  temporary for one person and permanent for another.

And, while going through our trials we long for peace in our heart and to fill our being. . .

"We all long for peace. Peace is not just safety or lack of war, violence, conflict, and contention. Peace comes from knowing that the Savior knows who we are and knows that we have faith in Him, love Him, and keep His commandments, even and especially amid life’s devastating trials and tragedies." Quentin L Cook, Personal Peace:  The Reward of Righteousness.

"The Savior is the source of true peace. Even with the trials of life, because of the Savior’s Atonement and His grace, righteous living will be rewarded with personal peace."  Quentin L Cook, Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness.

Strength from Pearls

Jackie Kennedy Onassis

(source)

 

 On the morning of Joe's funeral, my head just kept saying, "I can't do this." 

Then, in my mind's eye I could see Jackie Kennedy with her two small children

at her husband's funeral proceedings. 

I remember seeing those many pictures of her bravery as the whole world watched.

I thought to myself:

if she can do it, so can I.

 

(source)

 

I put on my single pearl necklace, and my pearl stud earrings--

my strength for the day to bury my husband.

 

A couple of years later for Christmas I bought myself a strand of pearls:

a necklace,bracelet, and earrings. 

A visual reminder of how strong I really am.

 

 

It is amazing what we can endure when we are called up to endure it.

Optimist or pessimist?

Some of us aren’t optimists or pessimists, but rather realists---life has made us that way.  It is our life experiences that have taught us there are things beyond our control and all we can do is be accepting.  Which sounds pessimistic, but it is really optimistic!

 Wouldn’t it be great to “believe” again and have all the magical thinking of a child?  Wouldn’t it be great to be the most optimistic person in the world?

 Realists are grateful.  We do count our blessings and we are grateful for what we have.  Being grateful is not a magic want that unlocks and sets free all discomfort and pain in our lives.  Realists can suffer intolerable pain, and be full of gratitude for the most simple of things.

 Realists discern between looking honestly at life and ignoring the storms around us.  There are optimists who don’t really look at life honestly, but rather choose to ignore anything negative.  Optimists see the storm and still believe "if I don’t acknowledge it, the storm won’t affect me."

Realists know that it doesn’t matter how you look at the glass; it still has the same amount of liquid!

Realism is a form of maturity; wisdom in understanding:  some will be good, and some things are bad. . .no matter how you look at them.

My Mission. . .

Here's how you decorate a Christmas tree family history style!

Thankful for. . .

knowing he loved me.

This morning as I have thought about my many blessings I am reminded of an event that took place at the cemetery.

I was at the cemetery visiting Joe's grave, when I saw a newly-widowed friend.  After a few minutes, I walked over to this friend.  We shared the difficulties of being widowed and the harshness of death, when she suddenly and sadly said to me, "At least you knew that Joe loved you.  I never knew for sure he loved me."

Yes, I knew Joe loved me and I am so thankful that I was able to experience the best and most special love that can exist between two people.  A love that included friendship and respect.  A sacred love that reaches through death and lives eternally.

I am grateful that I worked at our relationship, that I respected our relationship and that I endured to the end; because now I have the sweet memories of a successful true love to savor the rest of my life.

I am very blessed indeed.

Selfie and monkey

Here is a picture of my oldest monkey and myself.  I wanted to show how tall he is to me, but then he stood on his tippy toes when I snapped the photo!  So, here is a picture to show how tall my oldest monkey is on his tippy toes!

Me and the monkey that made me a grandma!!!

Somedays....

I just feel blue like this:

Monkey picture!

We were at Wal-Mart waiting for momma and the girls, and I snapped this cutie picture!

He still brings me flowers!

Last summer when I visited Joe's grave look what I found growing on my side of the headstone!

If you know me and know how much I worked to teach him to bring me flowers, you know this is a big deal!

Sunday Thanksgiving Dinner....

....with the family!  

Love these people bunches and bunches!

 Grandma and her girls!

 My beautiful girls!

 Love this little family lotts and lotts!

 The boys and their funny faces!

 Two grandfathers.  Love these inspirational men!

 The monkeys and me watching YouTube!

 She missed the memo:  there's no crying at grandma's house!

Grandpa and great-granddaughter!

 Cousins!

Remster decorated my front door!