Nikole's Seminary Graduation and Love Continues with Derek, May 25, 2016

May 25, 2016

Today we are traveling to Snake River High School, with Nikole, Elizabeth and Carl to show support to my nephew, Caden White, at his high school graduation.  His seminary graduation was last night, but we are still in school, so we didn’t feel like we could travel two hours out and two hours back on two school nights in a row.

After I wrote so recently, we had a wonderful Sunday.  Nikole had her Seminary Graduation that evening.  I had attended my last ward conference, for this year, with my Stake Primary Presidency that morning.  I had to wake up at 5:45 am, so I could meet Lisa Foster by the graineries at 6:45, so we could meet Julie at Broulim’s at 7, so we could get to Victor and pick up Susan Thompson and could make it over the pass and be at the Jackson church by 8!  It was a really good ward conference, even though I miss my own ward and family so much.

One of the tender mercies from the ward conference was the chance to sit in the ward council meeting before the regular ward starts.  It’s always inspiring to get to know the members in each ward.  I still feel like I should be “in the trenches” serving in my ward, like these members are now doing.

President Cooke told about how he felt like he didn’t really fit in when he first got  in the Stake Presidency.  President Palmer and President Kunz had already been in four years with President Price.  Now it’s been 8 more years.  He said it took about 2 years for him to feel like he was part of the “group”.    His point that was he had a strong testimony, and he was bound to serve where he was called.  He was blessed for his diligence, and came to love his calling.

President Kunz talked about how much we need to treat our spouse the very best.  We need to overlook the flaws and negative things we think.  We need to only focus on the posistive, only say the positive, only think the positive about our spouse.  He said it’s up to each of us to save ourselves, but we cannot get into the top of the Celestial Kingdom without our spouse.  I felt prompted to try harder to be kind and good to Blaine.  He is my sweetheart, and my dearest friend.

I was tired from the morning, but I came home and squoze a nap in, which helped so much.

Derek brought sweet Breanna at 5 to eat a special dinner with us before we went to Nikole’s seminary graduation.  Nikole had invited Breanna.  It was so fun to have them in our home.  This was the second time Breanna had been in our home.

I can’t really explain how much I loved having her with us.  She is just so easy to be with.  She is kind and good to each member of our family.  She looks at Derek like she adores him.  He looks at her like he loves her right back.  She is pretty, notices small things, gives genuine compliments.  She comes from a good family.  She told us that her parents told her to tell us thank you for raising such a good son.

We all went to Nikole’s graduation at our church, which is the Stake Center.  I enjoyed the graduation.  Nikole gave the opening prayer.  It was beautiful, she used mature words, appropriate.  It was fun to be with her, to take pictures afterward, to make memories.

It was fun to take pictures of Nikole with us and with many friends afterwards.

I know some Marcums in our valley – Selar, Dale – the older ones, Paul – the young man that works with me at the hospital.  We had told them about Breanna, and had told her about them.  We were able to introduce Breanna and Derek to Dale after Nikole’s graduation. He was thrilled.  Breanna’s great grandpa is Dale and Selar’s  brother.   He was happy to have a relative.

Derek and Breanna had fun talking to many people at the graduation, including David Breckenridge and President Ryan Kunz.  President Kunz told Derek he shouldn’t let Breanna get away from him.  He told Breanna we are a good family.

There was such a good feeling at the church.

Derek and Breanna came home with us.  They “owed us ice cream”, which Breanna had not heard of – for having their first kiss, so we had the ice cream in the freezer, and those two served us.  Carl said he didn’t think it should count, because they didn’t buy the ice cream : )

We then played Scum and Gimme 5.  By then, it was 10 pm, and they needed to head back to Rexburg.

We hugged her when she came and when they left.  She just felt so right.  We know Derek gets to choose his eternal mate, but we felt from the first time we knew he was dating her, that she is “The One” for hm.  She is just wonderful.  They are like two peas in a pod – he’s the male version, she’s the female version.  They are very much the same.  They look like each other.  They are both tall and slender.  They are both happy, friendly, kind, motivated, good leaders, hard workers, smart, talented.  They are a perfect couple.

I cried or even wept, after they left, because the Spirit was so strong, and she is so wonderful.  I am so happy they found each other.  It’s a large, large tender mercy!

Carl's Violin Recital, Elizabeth's Choir Concert, Nikole to Graduate from Seminary tomorrow, May 21, 2016

I feel the Spirit close, and am very grateful for the tender mercies that have rolled into our home and life the last couple of weeks.

A couple of events are deeply recognized as coming from Father in Heaven.

My own Dad, who I adore and love deeply, has been having kidney problems.  I've been very unaware of the progressing disease, called Renal Disease.  I had been aware he had been seeing the kidney doctors the last couple of years.  He had mentioned to my mom he may need dialysis someday, about three months ago.

I had a nice talk with my Dad on the phone about a month ago.  His Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) was 30 then.  It was then that I started to study kidney disease once again.  I hadn't done it since nursing school.  He was already at the Stage 4 of 5.  But he sounded like it was ok, and his doctor hadn't said anything about dialysis yet.

Last week, my mother called and said that my Dad's GFR was 15 and that the Kidney Institute in Pocatello had called him to invite him to come and tour the facility this past Thursday.  Of course, my mom and I assumed this meant we were touring, then getting a fistula in his arm next week, and starting dialysis at the center soon.

That was fairly earth changing to me.  I found out there are 5 stages to kidney disease.  My Dad is in the final stage, 5.  Most of the research says that once you start hemo dialysis, you live about 5 years. My Dad is 74.  I just felt like he was too young.

I decided to go to the tour with my parents.  At first, my Dad didn't want me to come, he said it was too hard for me to take off work, and leave my family.  I knew, though, that I needed and wanted to go.  They needed support.

So, I had Blaine give me a blessing of comfort before I left Thursday morning, because I had been broken hearted all week.  Blaine gave me a beautiful blessing, like he always does, that helped me a lot.

A tender mercy is that once we got to the tour, and as I had a chance to ask my Dad some really simple questions about his kidney health, we all discovered it was just a two-hour class.  Yes, it was serious material, but his doctor had just referred him to take the class, because dialysis is coming for him, but not this week, and we don't know when.  The doctors will watch his blood tests and his symptoms and advise him each 3 weeks, at his appointment.

I couldn't figure out how he got to a GFR of 18, (not 15 like I thought) without him having any other symptoms.  But as I rode in the front seat, I tenderly and softly asked some questions and discovered that my Dad has had high blood pressure since he was a young married person!  He's had it his whole life.  He also has swelling in both his legs!  He said he's had that several years.  And he has a family tendency in his mom,s Wiseman line.  Well, gee, so, he has been slowly working from Stage 1 to Stage 5.  Oh, and he has had tiredness.

All three of us felt relieved, after the class.  I felt like a weight was lifted off me.  Yes, he is still in kidney failure.  Yes, he is going to have to begin dialysis at some point, probably within a year.  But it's not as acute and terrible as I thought.

We learned about several choices for dialysis.  I had studied them before I came, but it was good to reiview it and to be able to see the equipment.  The medical world has developed so much.  They have "at a facility" hemodialysis, at home hemodialysis, home peritoneal dialysis, which is the one we all liked best.  You get a port in your abdomen,   You hook up at night, when you go to bed.  It cycles through the night while you sleep!  Yes, it's not the nicest thing to do, but it's so much better than I pictures.  You can take the small machine with you anywhere!

My sweet Dad took us to eat at the Red Lobster, after the class!  He knows I love that restaurant.  I rarely eat there, usually once a year in Boise, when I go for the Infection Control Conference.

He also made me breakfast, an omelette, ham and hashbrowns. He took my keys and went out in the rain and parked my car with the end to the garage, so I could take my things out easily.

They both thanked me many times.  I was so glad I had gone to support and be with them.  I love my parents.

Derek and Breanna continue to date.  We recognize her as his eternal companion.  We have since the beginning.  They are so sweet to watch.  They are such a match.  She is kind and treats him very well.  He does the same for her.

They are coming here on Sunday for dinner and then to go to Nikole's Seminary Graduation.  We get to eat dinner here first at 5, then go together.  We are so excited for Nikole and happy to have Breanna in our home.

Carl had a fabulous violin recital at the Tetonia church last night.  He played a long, complicated Concerto.  Oh, it was sooooo wonderful.  There he was, this young 12 year old.  He stood up in front, with no music -all memorized, and played it like  he was a college level student!  I can't express how good it was.  The middle school orchestra teacher was there.  She didn't even know Carl knew how to play!  He wasn't in the new orchestra this school year, because the band teacher and Melanie thought he would be bored.  But he wants to do it this fall, he wants to play a different instrument, like a viola.

Mrs. Schindler looked like her mouth was watering, after she heard Carl : )  She asked if he was coming to her this fall for orchestra.  We said yes.  She was so excited.  Many adults came up to him and told him how wonderful he was.  It was just inspiring and beautiuful  We recognize the gift from Heavenly Father and we adore Carl's teacher, Melanie Moulton, who also has the gift, but unlocked it in Carl.

Elizabeth had a beautiful Varisity andAmbiance Choir concert during the week.  We are grateful for her.  She sings the low women's alto part.  We feel like Elizabeth has had many tender mercies in her sports this school year, as she's pressed forward, despite many obstacles.

Carl also had a band/choir concert last week.  Miss Christensen is outstanding.  The concert was great.

Nikole is getting ready for Seminary Graduation tomorrow night, and then gets to go on her Senior Sneak this next weekend.  She will graduate June 3.  She is really excited about living at the Ivy in Rexburg next fall.  She's getting ready to register for fall classes.  We drove to Rexburg on Monday and met with an adviser, who helped us plan her classes, so they will transfer to Utah State.  Nikole is thinking she wants to major or minor in Statistics, but BYU-I doesn't have that program.

Sister Terri Furniss passed away last week.  She battled cancer.  I loved her a lot.  It was a tender mercy for me to know her.  Blaine and I had gone to her home about two weeks ago.  So glad we did. It was fun for me to hear what she was like, when she was young, and to see how pretty she was, when she was young.  They had pictures of she and Mike.  She looked like her dauhgter, Kelly, and her sister, Connie Letham, in those younger pictures.  She was a painter, a hunter, fisher, and she loved family.

I have Fridays off.  Terri had passed on Wednesday or Thursday.  I had gotten up Friday, put a chicken tacos dish in the crock pot and was ready to make strawberry pie, when I received a text, asking if I would be willing to take dinner into Furnisses. I could!  I count it as tender mercy that I was off, so I had time.

Kristy Pehrson and I have been friends since I moved here.  We were talking on the phone about a humanitarian project she's in charge of.  At the end of the conversation, she told me that we shouldn't have favorites, but that she and President Pehrson love me and my family, and we are their favorites.  She went on and told the things she loves about us.  I told her right back, that we adore them, and love them, count on them, look to their example.  Tender mercy.

So many tender mercies happen in our lives, every day, if we are looking.

Heather and Brandon ran in a half marathon this morning, in Lexington, KY.  It is horse head quarters.

Derek had a very enjoyable, successful, fun visit to Layton, UT, where Breanna lives last week-end.  They went to her sister's birthday party and out boating on Saturday.  Derek received points, because he could back the boat trailer up : )  Her family seems wonderful.  She's the oldest.  The little four year old brother liked Derek.  He snuggled up to him when they were going to watch a movie. When Breanna asked him where she was supposed to sit, he pointed to the floor : )

Mother's Day and a Tin Foil Dinner, May 8, 2016

Mother’s Day, May 8, 2016

We have so many tender mercies today.  It is spring in our valley, but especially in Rexburg.  I was able to go to the Rexburg Temple yesterday with Blaine’s sisters – Debbie, Tammie, Sherry – and his mom. All the fruit trees are in blossom, the lilac bushes are starting to bloom, the tulips are all up, daffodils blooming at home.  The world is green and beautiful.

Derek came up yesterday.  He, Blaine and Nikole burned a bunch of dead grass by Mom Ripp’s house, while we were in Rexburg. 

Derek has had some very exciting things happen.  On Friday evening, after he and Breanna Marcum had shot guns and cooked tin foil dinners in the oven, with Logan Petersen and Tayler Arnold, who are recently engaged, he basicly told Breanna how much he likes her, in detail.  She told him back.  She said she didn’t want to date anyone else, but he could, if he wanted.  He told her he only wanted to date her, so they are an “item”.  I chuckled, because Derek told us he told Breanna that he was happy, but he didn’t really know where to go from here, he had never done this before : )

Our hearts are bursting with joy, because she is such a sweet, wonderful young lady.  We only met her when they came to our house and did the four wheeler ride last week-end, but we have been receiving reports from Derek, almost daily since he starting dating her 3 weeks ago.

We have prayed all Derek’s life, but especially the last few years, that he would be led by the Lord to find his eternal companion, that she would be as valiant and true and wonderful as he is.  We believe he has found her!  Blaine’s blessing to Derek last fall was that he and she would know rather quickly that they were right for each other.  It appears to be happening!  We prayed fervently that he would not make a mistake with someone else he was dating.

It’s been a stark difference, how Derek feels, when he is around Breanna vs. some other young women he has dated.  It’s such a pleasant, nice surpise.  We are so grateful to Breannna’s parents, who raised her so nicely.

We discovered that her Grandpa Robert Marcum was born and raised in Driggs.  We know many Marcums in our valley.

I’m grateful for all the mothers in my life today.  I remember the ones past – Adelaide Dye, Annie Wiseman, Elizabeth Lusk, Zella Parks Cutler, Mae Williams, Violet White and my own sweet Mom, Renee’ White and Blaine’s other, Helen Ripplinger.  I owe so much to those women.  I love being a mother and am grateful for my five superb children that I adore with all my heart.

Blaine and I have been working in our yard, trying hard to keep weeds out and our flowers and trees are budding.

Blaine gave me three hanging flower baskets, which he put up on the porch.  I love them.

Yesterday, Debbie, Tammie, Sherry, Helen and I attended the Rexburg Temple together.  We were able to view my favorite temple film, the one that has Heather’s acquaintances from her Nauvoo Mission in it.  We stopped by Deseret Book and ate at Applebee’s.  We saw Todd Anderson at Kiwi Loco.  They were having a big outdoor celebration for their five years of business.  He works there.

Nikole has mailed out her senior announcements for graduation.  We are less than a month away from that.  She met with Tiffany Wilson to have an orientation for cleaning the condos – her job for this summer.

Elizabeth has gotten a little better since last week.  Her voice and eyes sound and look normal.  She’s got a cough still, but is better.  We will switch to allergy management soon, I’m sure.  She did really well running in the 800 and mile at the track meet in Jackson.  She will have Districts this Thursday and Friday.

Kortny mostly, and I are working on a 50^th Wedding Scrapbook for our parents.  We have an overnight party planned in August in Lava.  I found an app that scans the old pictures quickly onto an iPhone.  Then we move them to Shutterfly and make a book.  It’s going to be marvelous.

Carl was asked to go with Miss C., his band teacher, to go to the elementary 5^th graders to advocate for the music program at the middle school.  He got to play some parts of songs on the drums or xelephone.  He also ran in that track race with the Tiger Griz and did exceptionally well.  He had a Scout overnight camp at AJ Woolstenhulme’s.

We just have a great time together, with our own family.  We’ve felt the Spirit, as Derek shares his life, his dating Breanna, his joyful feelings, etc.  We get along very well, most of the time.

My children are the pride and joy of my life.

I was able to Facetime with Heather last night.  They found a drive-in theatre near their home.  She was showing me the blooming trees.  I showed her my new living room curtains, my flowers that are blooming, the green hill and forest behind our home.  I’m so grateful for modern technology.

It’s been nice to have some weeks off of the Stake Primary visits.

Today, this morning, we’re on our way to see my mom.  We invited them to our house for dinner, since I needed to be with the Ripplinger Sisters on Saturday.  They couldn’t come, so we are going to them.  Christian and Kortny and their families did something with my parents yesterday.  We are going to have Brunch together and then go to their sacrament meeting.  Then we will head home.  I just worry, because my mother hasn’t been very healthy this past year.  I never know when she won’t be here, so we decided we would go see her.

I have a firm testimony that having a nice, stalwart, kind, patient, happy personality goes a long, long way in this life.  I have been around people that are particular, picky, and not very happy lately – it’s so much easier and plesant to be the other way – for yourself and all those you are around.

We had a nice nursing staff meeting.  Sandra had Soledad Trejo make Mexican food for our breakfast at staff meeting.  It was Nurse’s Week.  It was good, and everyone enjoyed it.

Breanna Marcum Comes to Town, May 1, 2016

We have so many tender mercies each day of our lives.  This week, Derek brought Breanna Marcum home for the first time.  They were on a double date.  Gary B. ended up not being able to keep his part of the date at the last minute, so Derek's nice roommate, Nathan from Kansas, stepped in and took Breanna's roommate, Madeline from Nashville, TN.  They came up from BYU-I, met us for a few minutes.

Blaine was with Carl at a track meet, the Chocolate Milk Mile, which was part of the Tiger Griz.  When Derek told me he had to find a date for Madeline and asked if I could find another four wheeler, I thought of Uncle Francis.  I called Aunt LaRue and they happily agreed to let Derek take their Red Rambler four wheeler!  That was very nice of them.  So, Blaine had arrived back home, just when we needed to go to Francis's, get the four wheeler started, fill it with gas, and get it back down to our house.

Derek got here before we were done getting the second four wheeler ready.  Blaine and I had gone the Monday before, up Horse Shoe Canyon, and rode our four wheeler up to see if "The Loop" was dry and without snow.  Blaine had to battle a few trees, it was interesting, and we did get almost to the top, but had to stop because of too much snow.  So, it was a miracle that we didn't hurt ourselves doing that a week ago, because Blaine had a "boomerang" experience with a tree.

Breanna and the others were very nice to meet and had good manners.  We took a picture of the four of them on the four wheelers before they headed out. Our new friends had not brought warm clothes, so Blaine got four sets of boots for them, and winter coats, because even though the sun was out, it was still cold when the wind blew.

They came back an hour later - very dirty, but looking happy and like they had a great time.  Derek had told them to bring a change of clothes, so that was good, because they all needed it.  The men's faces were the dirtiest, because they were in the front.

All three of them oooed and ahhhed over this beautiful valley.  They all said they wanted to come back in July, to hike, etc.  They didn't get to see the Tetons, because there was low cloud cover.

They played "Gimme Five" with Blaine and I after their ride.  The men ate chips and salsa, but the ladies didn't eat.

We had offer drinks,  but they didn't want any.  Carl made Gatorade anyway, and gave the first cup to Breanna.

Breanna was kind, happy, fun, sweet, friendly and a genuine person.  She is pretty.

We liked her.  Derek and she seem to get along well, and have fun together.

Breanna is the Relief Society President in their ward in Rexburg.  Derek is the Elder's Quorum President again this summer semester, even though he's not really taking classes, he's off track, and he moved one building over, because this other wing of the Complex had A/C and washer/dryers.  There is a second RS and Elder's Quorum in the ward.

My Heather is doing well in Kentucky/Ohio.  She and Brandon have just settled right in.  They are involved big in their ward.  Brandon helped a ward family to re-do a table top for a deck.  He had to cut the tile, replace it and put it in the new shape.  It looks beautiful.

Carl did really well at school with his four leaf clover project for the Mohr Mini Mall. One big miracle for us this school year is that Carl's teachers at the TMS really like him and help him.  He goes the extra mile in everything he does.  He planted seeds his teacher helped him find, and sold the tiny plants for .75 each.  They sold three Fridays in a row to thier 7th and 8th graders.

Carl also ran his first ever track event, the 1600.  He ran it in about 6:32! which is the fastest he's ever run!  We think he's going to be a great runner.  He does that without training or trying too hard.  He's awesome.

Elizabeth has been struggling with her health. Her calves have been giving her fits, but now she had been sick with a head cold, and chest cold for 13 days.  Finally I took her to Dr. Redd on Friday morning, she got a prescription for Augmentin and cough syrup, and I believe she's starting to improve slightly, which is a blessed miracle to me.

We fed the missionaries today - two Elders, one from Somoa, who turned out to joke most of the meal.

Nikole went to her first young adult fireside.  She says she finally doe shave senioritis.  I believe it just gets to be hard to be with some of the difficult classmates you've been with for 12 or 13 years.  She still loves us.

Nikole had a grand Prom date last week-end that I didn't even get to write much about  Clayton Campbell took Nikole.  They went with a great group of youth.  I went to Porter's, past Victor in Teton Springs, and took pictures, with Blaine  It seemed like a Dream Date to me.  They looked sweet together.

I love my family with all my heart.  My mother is struggling a lot with her health.  Blaine's mom wants Donald Trump to win the Presidential election.

The weather here has been divine.  It was forecast to be rainy all week, but it was sunny and cold two days and then today was blessedly clear, blue sky and sunshine.  Oh, it was good.

Church was great.  I was able to attend my very own ward, which I haven't been able to do for a long time, due to my stake primary job.

I'm excited about the I was a Stranger challenge by the General RS President, in General Conference. I try to reach out to those in need.

I invited two non-member friends to the RS activity on Thursday.  One told me yes, one wanted to go, but was in S. Carolina.  The yes canceled the day of the event, so I was disappointed.  But I know that the Lord counts it as missionary work when we invite.  I did call Aunt LaRue and took her, though.  It was  a beautiful night of reviewing bread making skills.  It motivated me to come home today, Sunday, and grind my own wheat, and make 3 big loaves of home made hard white wheat bread.  yum!

Heard a beautiful story in Debra Woolstenhulme's RS lesson today.  Heard great testimonies in sacrament, and I bore my own. Derek said Breanna and he bore their testimonies in Rexburg.  Would have loved to hear.