Heather to come home for Christmas, September 26, 2016

Heather told us today that she and Brandon's time off is approved, and they want to spend about 10 days with us over Christmas!

They will fly into Jackson Christmas Eve and fly back on January 4!

We are brainstorming on some fun things to do while they are here - some ideas are skiing at Grand Targhee, cross country skiing, sledding, tubing, seeing the Elk over in Jackson again, playing games, lots of yummy food, etc.

For Family Home Evening, Blaine and I sprayed the whole outside of our house, on the siding.  We had lots of cobwebs and dirt on the siding.  We used a power head and sprayed all that down, soaped up the windows with a special brew, soaped the siding where it needed it, and then went back and sprayed the soap off.  It looks much better.  We haven't done that in years.

Missoula, MT Cross Country Races and Re-Cap of our Wedding Open House, Sept. 24, 2016

September 24, 2016

Blaine, Carl and I are headed to Missoula, MT this Saturday morning.  We slept in Dillon last night.  Blaine had to work until 5 yesterday, so we only made it to Dillon last night, it was about 3 hours drive.  We were able to stop in Rexburg at 6 and eat at Costa Vida with Nikole, Breanna and Derek.  It was fun to see and talk to each of them.

Elizabeth left yesterday morning, with her XC Varsity Team; they arrived in Missoula last evening.  Mr. Gleichman is a great coach, and he always allows extra time to get there.  They were going to check in and get the team’s race numbers and walk the course, etc.

Mr. Gleichman is going to pick up Carl’s number for us this morning, since we won’t get there til about 9:30 and you’re supposed to pick it up before that. 

The Women’s General Broadcast is tonight at 6.  I’m hoping we will be back, or else I’ll have to listen to a recoding.  I always love those meetings.

The three of us listened to Marie Osmond’s song, Meet Me in Montana.  The words in the song are actually true of Montana.  There is a lot of wide open space and big skies.

It rained most of the way to Dillon last night.  We had hardly any rain all summer and now it’s rained almost non stop for a few days.

Carl is playing the cello in his middle school orchestra with Mrs. Schindler.  This is his first year playing that.  He’s still taking violin lessons with Melanie Moulton.  He is running first place on Teton Middle School’s Cross Country team.  He ran a race on Thursday at Ririe.  It was one of the hardest races, as far as one huge hill that was very steep, that he had to run up and then later down.  It reminded me of the Grand Targhee race, which is horrid.  Heather got first place in that one way back in 8^th grade!

Carl did really well, but it was hard.

So, it will be fun to watch Elizabeth and Carl run today in Missoula.  I was surprised that Blaine wanted to come.  He has missed a couple of Elizabeth’s races due to work or the week of Derek’s sealing, so I think he was feeling guilty.

I just got a call from Elizabeth.  It’s 8:10 here and they are already up and have been to the grocery store to get food for the day.  She said that last night, they arrived in Missoula, walked the course, went to eat a nice Asian restaurant, then went back to their motel.  She says Mr. Gleichman is having the whole Varsity Team stay and watch Carl race!  He told Lizzie he wants to watch Carl!

Elizabeth is doing pretty well, but did “catch a cold” this past week and got her pinky finger squished between a weight and the floor on Thursday evening.  Other than that she had been doing really, really well as far as her health.  You had to be Varsity to come to this Montana race, so she was very excited to be third woman on her team last week.  She’s been cutting time off each race.

Nikole absolutely loves college in Rexburg at BYU-I!  It has been such a joy to see and hear her talk about the happenings in her life.  She loves her classes, she loves being on her own, she loves dating young men that are mature.  She enjoys her roommates.  She rides the shuttle bus that the Ivy provides.  It goes all around campus and down to Wal Mart twice a week.  I’m impressed with The Ivy. Nikole’s been on several dates.  She is smart with men.  She was called to be the ward pianist.  I guess the Bishop interviewed all his ward members that first Sunday before classes started.  He found out Nikole can play the piano.

They asked her to play the next Sunday.  She’s funny, and she said that they only asked her to be the pianist for that sacrament meeting, because she believed  they were “trying her out” to see if she could really play, and then they might ask her to be the ward pianist, after they proofed her.  She was right : )

April Smotherman is in her room room.   Nikole really likes her a a lot.  I guess they are the two studiers in the apartment.  The others said they know they will probably get bad grades, because they plan on playing.  Blessedly, Nikole does both.

Derek and Breanna seem to be doing pretty well.   They look radiant and happy.  Breanna worries us with her health.  A tender mercy is that our prayers were heard and she was able to be healthy and whole during the wedding and their honeymoon.  They loved their trip to the Cayman Islands and Cozumel Mexico – a cruise that was almost a week long.

Derek is working on an application for an internship this coming summer at Nielsen Research, where Brandon works.   These days it is very competitive to get into good internships.  He is working on campus for 7 hours per week at the Career Office place he worked at last year.  Then he still works for Hal, but it’s in spurts.  Better spurts than not at all, right?  He is organized and works hard and is enjoying his classes this semester.  I know that he’s had some really “bad” or difficult semeters, so I count this as a tender mercy – perhaps that Breanna brought the blessing of comfort and happiness, even during a semester.  He said that it’s because she feeds him good dinners J

We had them meet us at Costa Vida with Nikole for dinner last night, because we needed to keep going towards Dillon, so we didn’t get to see their apartment.  The last time we saw it was one day after they got home from their honeymoon, so it was just like we left it – full of their wedding presents, one couch, one table and chairs and we helped them set up their new memory foam bed.

Their apartment is really nice.  I think it’s called Stone Brooke.

So, let’s go back to the open house in Driggs.  So, we had a wondrous, beautiful day at the Ogden temple, witnessing the sealing and feeling Heaven near. The weather was warm, even hot at the temple for pictures.  The luncheon went beautifully and the reception at the Marcum residence back yard was just fabulous.

Then our couple made it to Salt Lake that night, made it to the Salt Lake airport very early the next morning, then made it to Miami and later on to their crusie.

While they were gone, we brought her belongings and the wedding gifts from Utah to their apartment while they were gone.  Brandon and Heather drove a moving truck and unpacked the whole thing, including packing her parent’s old, nice, heavy couch up 3 flights of stairs.  Blaine and I and Carl brought another load from Driggs with their table and chairs they refurbished, their filing cabinet and their bed parts that had come in long boxes.

After they got home, we went back and took one of those last items, helped them set up their bed, watched them open their presents.

Derek started classes the next morning.  Breanna is off track this time, this end up on the same track as Derek, but I think she wanted to get her health back into normal order.  She is tending 2 children for her uncle’s family, as a job.  She works Monday through Friday from 10 to 2.  I told her it sounds like she is their mom, she runs errands for the mom, tends the children, cleans house, does laundry, etc.

On Friday, after Derek’s first week back in classes, they came to our home, and we had our “Open House”.  It turned out beautifully and we had many tender mercies with it.  First was the weather.  We had forgotten, when we planned it months ago, that the weather the end of August and early September is unpredictable.  Sometimes it rains, snows, or is nice and warm.  The week of the open house it rained almost every day.  It had not rained all summer, hardly, and now it turned cold and it rained. 

^However, we had been praying fervently that the weather would be nice for just one day and evening, so we could do our open house on Blaine’s mother’s lawn.  Our prayers were heard.  It was windy and rainy the day before, but when we woke up that Friday morning, it was clear and blue skies.

The second tender mercy of our open house was that my co-worker, Rubi Valdez, came into my office a few days before the open house.  She does wedding decorations, too.  She told me she had a dream that she helped me with my decorations for the open house.  She said that she does weddings for the Hispanic community, but the white people don’t know who she is.  She figured that if she helped with decorations for ours, it would be free advertising, and she wanted to do it for free!  Well, I’m not crazy, so I told her what I had from the luncheon we put on , and then said I’d be happy to have her help.

So, Thursday night, Blaine and I took our Suburban and loaded 6 round tables, 2 long banquet tables and 65 chairs and took them up to Grandma’s lawn and set them up.

Friday, Blaine went to work, but I had the day off.  I went to the yard at 11;00 and wiped all the tables and chairs off with hot soapy water. 

Around 2, Rubi came with her horse trailer full of decorating things – beautiful shabby chic looking wooden doors for the backdrop, a desk with drawers that pull out and mirror on it for cards, sign in, etc., an old juke box, an old telephone, old windows and screen doors that we spread all around.  It turned out to be very classy, shabby chic looking.  We worked on it all afternoon.  Rubi brought another friend form work, Jenny.

So, by 6:30, there we were, up in the tops of mountains, on our Mom Ripp’s own front lawn, across from the Tetons, with a wonderful view, ready to go.  Marcums had arrived – all but Jamison, who had some sports activities, and our Elizabeth who was at a cross country race in Pocatello.

People started to trickle in.  It was steady all night.  Breanna’s mission president and his wife came right at the very end.  They are from Utah, somewhere by Breanna’s parent’s home, but they couldn’t make it to the wedding or the reception down there, so they drove clear to ours. That was another tender mercy.

That Friday night, we later found out, was also Homecoming foot ball game night at our local high school, so we feel very blessed that as many people dropped by as did.  It turns out that people loved the cheesecake.  After trying to get them from Costco, where they were supposed to be splendid, but that didn’t work, and then trying Sam’s Club – but that didn’t work either, Blaine told me to just order them from Broulim’s, even though they were about $150 more.  He figured it would take that much effort and gas money to drive to Pocatello or Idaho Falls, so I listend.  The cheese cake was wonderful.  It had either raspberries or strawberries on top, chocolate syrup had been drizzled over the cake before the berries were added.  It was luscious.

The decorations were beautiful, our Derek and Breanna were gorgeous, and the company that came through was great.   My parents, Tad and Kortny, and Christian and Jennifer and their families all came for a short while.  That was nice.  None of the Ripplingers came, they had all come to the sealing or reception in Ogden.  So, the whole evening was as if another dream come true. 

Grandma Ripp, Blaine’s mom, was so thrilled over the open house on her lawn.  She is kind of a home body the whole time I’ve known her.  She has her children come over, but that’s about it.  She doesn’t invite other people over.  Well, she was so thrilled that now people know where she lives. President and Sister McKellar were the first ones there.  He talked to her a lot about her good family, and her continued good grand children, etc.  That made her really happy.  She stayed on the front lawn clear until the end of the reception, which is unheard of for her.  She usually has to go in and lie down, whenever she is having a normal day.  So, it made me happy that she was so thrilled over it.

Words from the Sealer by Blaine, Nikki, Brandon and Heather Pilcher, September 3 or 4, 2016

Words from the Sealer to Derek & Breanna Sealing

September 2, 2016

These are things that Mom, Dad, Brandon or Heather remembered

No other place on earth that the sealer would rather be…

Your challenge will not be loving each other, you already love each other more than any couple the sealer has seen… You are going to be a happy and valiant couple… You will be blessed to have a happy life…

           

There will be a lot of council provided by those in the room to be given outside the temple that you should listen to but the greatest council is provided in their example as they are keeping commandments and by how they are living their lives…

Parents and grandparents in the room… this is one of the joyful moments for them

I know you think you love her today but that will grow even more profound as you have experiences in life and children

Jesus was there – it is his house, the house of the Lord

            Don’t have to wait for the Second Coming to see him – come to the house of the Lord anytime and he will be here. The savior was present in the temple during the sealing…

People on the other side of the veil that were promised they could be here

            God, angels, witnesses… these angels are family/friends on the other side of the veil and are present

Remember the veil ceremony. You will be passing through the veil one day - Derek bringing Breanna through the veil one day, remember the name your whole life…

Authority and keys of sealing from President Monson directly… When the prophets is prompted by spirit to be the sealers… They sit down with Prophet at Salt Lake HQ.

Come to the temple often and remember what is said by doing work for the dead as a reminder of the covenants that you are making…

You are lucky to have the promise to come forth in the first resurrection…

Remember to keep the commitments and covenants that you have made

You are commanded / ‘encouraged’ to have children… your greatest joy will come from your children

Derek and Breanna's Wedding/Sealing Memories, September 2 and 3, 2016

September 3, 2016

I need to write about several tender mercies in our lives the last few weeks, before the vivid memories are gone.

We experienced one of the most splendid blessings a person can have yesterday, as our son, Derek Ripplinger ,was sealed for time and all eternity to Breanna Marcum in the Ogden Temple.  He is 22, she just turned 21 in July.  It was one of those days that you just thrill over again and again.

The weather was good, sometimes even hot, but we were grateful, because we had passed through some rain and wind storms on the way to Layton the evening before.  It was crazy to have rain, because we have only had rain twice the whole summer, and it was just a light rain, then.  The rain of the night before the wedding was heavy, and when it was a dust storm, you could barely see and it rocked our Suburban.

We took Blaine’s mother, Helen, with us.  She is 83 years old.  She was a “Trooper” and really seemed to enjoy the whole trip.  She was very close to Derek – she always felt a connection with him, since he was a baby, and since we lived less than ¼ mile from her for Derek’s whole life, since he was about 18 moths old, they did have the chance to get to know each other well.

The wedding plans took a lot of tender care for both sides of the families.  We ended up buying the table linens for our Luncheon online – Gaylynn Bean gave me the name of the website.  It cost us less to buy than to rent.  We borrowed white table cloths from our ward, and then used the mint green table toppers that we had bought, with a few table runners for the head table and coral sashes for the back of each chair.  We had ordered ahead the food from Café Rio in Layton – homemade tortillas, black beans, sweet pork and plain chicken, their yummy cilantro ranch salad dressing, lettuce, cheese, pico sauce and brownies from Albertson’s that had mint green leaves with a little coral rosebud of frosting on each square.

Breanna’s sweet family had put a lot of time and effort and love into her wedding dress, the videographer, two photographers, they had their beautiful reception in their backyard.  They had put new bark in their flower beds, replaced their back door, which was wood to a nicer one, decorated their yard with white lites.  The caterers had beautiful doors for a backdrop, beautiful old looking drawers with the video playing on them, a big central table with about five popcorn flavors and Italian ice in mango, strawberry lemonade and one other.  They hired a DJ, who played music and kind of narrated the activities at the end – like the bouquet toss, the cutting of the wedding cake, the first dance, the dance with Breanna’s Dad, Derek’s dance with me, the group dance, the sparklers, etc.  Marcums went to a lot of planning and work.

I can’t fully describe the beauty of the wedding day.  Both families had put lots of tender time and effort into the planning.  Of course, the beautiful sealing was the best part of the day.  Tracey Ripplinger works in that temple, and she had volunteered to help us get a great sealer assigned to our wedding.  We will have to look his name up, but he is in the Ogden Temple Presidency.  He did a great job.  Heather, Brandon , Blaine and I wrote down as much of the words of the sealer, as we could remember, so they can have that.

The feeling in the temple was pure peace, love and joy for us.  Breanna’s mother, Bonnie, got to go early with Breanna, like I did with Heather, but the rest of us could come later.  We woke up that morning at Lori and Bruce Schiess’s home.  They were kind enough to offer to let all of us stay there – Helen, Blaine and I, Brandon and Heather, Nikole, Elizabeth, Carl and Derek.  They are empty nesters now.  It was greatly appreciated and saved us so much money.  Lori is Blaine’ first cousin.  They grew up in houses right next door, though Lori was several years older than Bruce.  We woke up that morning, Sept. 2 and the sun was out!

Carl and I actually went for a walk around Lori’s neighborhood first thing.  Then everyone started to wake up.  Blaine took us all to McDonald’s for some breakfast – Bruce and Lori both went to work.  Derek thought he was starving : )

We let him go, after breakfast, or Brandon and Heather took him to Breanna’s home.

We stopped at WalMart, because three of our children needed to get their “sibling” gift for the luncheon.  We all found out our feet hurt in our fancy higher than normal heeled shoes.

We went back to Lori’s for a brief rest, and then headed towards the Ogden Temple!  Lori lives in Kaysville, so we had a little drive.

But let me back up.  A couple of weeks ago, I made the long trip down to Marcums, so I could attend Breanna’s second bridal shower.  Her ward friends gave her this one.  So, I had seen her neighborhood, met some of her young friends, and her neighbors and ward members.  I probably wrote about that, but it was very nice and enjoyable.

In the two weeks since then, Derek and Breanna had their “First Look”, which is when a hired photographer takes pictures of the groom seeing the bride for the first time, in her wedding gown/dress.  They did this at a park in Salt Lake.

Those photos are gorgeous.

They have spent a lot of time in our home or with Marcums, so we’ve had the chance to get to know her really well.  We adore and love her.  Her family is great, as well.

So, the five weeks somehow passed by, with them seeing each other most of the time.  They were so fun and sweet to have near.  They are one of those few, beloved couples that you can just tell really, really, really love each other.  They remind me of the pictures of my mother and father, when they got married.  They’re both stunningly good-looking, and they just look beautiful together.  They also remind me of President Eyring and his wife – both tall and thin.  The best part is that they are beautiful on the inside, as well – they both have beautiful spirits. 

Derek was sure time would not move fast enough, even when we said, “Only one week to go, or only three days, or only two days”.  It was too long for him to wait for him to be with his beloved Breannna.

Derek was really receptive to my ideas.  I had dreams of a wonderful gentlemanly courtship, proposal and marriage.  He did not disappoint me.  Nor did she.

So, Breanna left our home on Monday, for the last time, as a single lady. 

Our sweet Heather flew into Jackson on Tuesday evening.   I have the tender mercy of having my work be nice to let me use my PTO Paid Time Off to take all but Monday off this week, for my Heather’s visit and Derek’s wedding.  So, we picked her up at 8:30 Tuesday evening – Derek, Nikole and I while Blaine took Carl to his scout review.  We had never been to the Jackson airport, so that was a nice, new experience.  The Easterneres that were on Heathe’rs flight coldn’t get over the huge mountains, that were right by the airport.

Of course it was thrilling to have Heather back home – she’s so beautiful, mature, and wise for her young age.  We enjoyed her company, and she helped us with wedding last day advice, opinnions nad plans.

Brandon had been attending a conference for his Nielsen business in Chicago.  Because his conference was kind of in the way for his brother in law’s wedding, that awesome company offered to fly him home to us on Wednesday night, into Jackson, again, and they will fly him home to Cincinnati on Monday!  That is another tender mercy!

Heather’s flight was covered under their frequent flyer miles, so it didn’t cost them anything, so that is another tender mercy!  Heather got a promotion in her Macy’s company, so she ended her last job there and will begin her new assignment there on Tuesday. 

I can’t say enough about these two helping us with everything.  I had everything planned and ordered and made for the wedding, but they just helped in so many ways.  They are good emotional support, the appreciate everything we do. 

So, we spent Tuesday and Wednesday, first with Heather, then with Brandon, too, and our Derek.  All five of our children were home together, for the first time in quite a while.  It was wonderful. 

Thursday morning, Derek, Brandon and Heather headed out together, to go spend a little time meeting Breanna – this was B&H’s first time to meet her.  They gave the engaged couple a “Go-Pro”, which is fairly new technology, at this time.  It’s a camera, that you hold on a long, long stick, which can get wet and it will take pictures of you doing all kinds of things and record video, so it will be perfect for Derek and Breanna’s honeymoon, as they are going on a cruise to the Cayman Islands and Jamaica and Cozumel, Mexico.  Brandon and Heather also helped Marcums put up some lights in the trees in their yard. 

So, we arrived at the temple grounds.  Mike and Sherry  kind of took over helping Mom Ripp, so that helped us a lot

Our three youngest waited outside, with the Marcums.  I guess Nikole did take Elizabeth and Carl to get ice cream, about a block away, while we were at the sealing.

So, as we went into the temple, I just felt this peaceful, wonderful feeling.  The temple was gorgeous, outside and inside.  We all were led to an open room, like a huge waiting room.  We were able to greet family and friends there.  We met the Marcum grandparents and great grandpa again.  We met Bonnie’s Glen Parents.  They were all wonderful.  All of Blaine’s siblings and their spouses came.  My sweet mom and dad were there, Bishop and Kayleen Moulton, many of Derek’s Ripplinger cousins, Christian and Jennifer, David and Alene Breckenridge and many of Breanna’s relatives.

There is so much symbolism.  When it was our wedding party’s turn, the female worker comes in, she announced our last name wrong, but after she was corrected, she said it right.  She asked for the mothers of the bride and groom first, then the fathers, then the grandparents to lead the company to the sealing room. 

Bonnie and I stood in the room, by our special chairs, by the couch where our bride and groom would sit, until everyone had come into the sealing room and were seated.  Then the sealer brought the bride and groom in, the sealer came over and greeted me and Bonnie, then over to the witness’ side to greet Blaine and Bryant.  He then met the grandparents.

The room was filled with Heaven’s Light.  There was such a sweet, good feeling in the room.  The room itself is so beautiful and light, that you just feel like you are in Heaven.

Tree Slices for the Wedding, July 31, 2016

It is a rare moment when I am alone in a room in my home.  It's Sunday afternoon, our three children are sleeping downstairs in their rooms or are very quiet.  I laid down for a while with Blaine, but feel I have things I need and want to do, and if I sleep, I will miss the moments.

Some of the tender mercies I saw in our lives this past week - I still hold a tender spot in my heart for Nicole Tonks - she was Elizabeth's Girls Camp Leader a couple of weeks ago.  She went all out - put her whole heart and soul into the calling, and it showed so much.  Such a blessing to Lizzie and our entire family.  It makes such a different when members do their calling!

This week, Coach Neil Gleichman put his heart and soul into a Summer XC Camp - the camp was a week long -well, from early Monday morning until Saturday afternoon.  It was vigorous.  It cost $200, which is significant for today.  It did include lodging in a tent by Jenny Lake and the nutritious food was included, though.  They had two tents - one for men, one for women.  There were only five young women from THS that attended - Kat, Ruthie Bagley, Elizabeth and I can't remember the other name.  But Mr. Gleichman took them on two runs per day, usually a hike or activity in the the outdoors, and they had instruction on nutrition, how to properly run, all aspects of XC - it was outstanding.

I'm in love with Elizabeth.  We missed her while she was gone almost 6 days.  It's a tender mercy of God to have a sweet daughter like Elizabeth.  This week will be her last week working at Corner Drug.  She's worked long and hard this summer.  It's a good thing we/she asked for part-time this year.  She's still worked a lot.  She was able to get all of the time off she needed for her camps and things, so that was nice.  I do not think she will work there again next year, but Sally and Aaron Myler have been good to her.

A tender mercy is that Elizabeth has not suffered from allergies this summer.  It's such a big deal - a very few days she had to take one tablet of an anti-allergy, so we feel blessed.  The pain in her calves that plagued her during last school year has almost dissipated, which has been wonderful.  We credit Coach Geichman for his work on teaching us to roll her calf muscles in relieving that.

Nikole is happy and excited for college.  She attended Reiley Moulton's family/friend dinner last night and his farewell in sacrament meeting this morning.  She had a lot of fun with Reiley, Freeman McCashland, AJ Robison, Keegan Kearsley at the dinner.  Nikole had a really good date with Dallin Isaac, our cousin Jake Isaac's brother.  He picked Nikole up at Breanna's home in Layton, had a fun date to Boondocks, he ripped his pants on the fence, when he tried to climb over to fetch a ball Nikole had hucked over the top, they got him new shorts at the City Creek Mall, ate there, had fun riding long boards at Breanna's church - just had a grand time.

Nikole went with Carl and I to Rexburg - she chose to drop us off at Rexburg Rapids, which turned out to be really fun - I think it is one of the best buys and deals to do, right in Rexburg - a big water park with two slides, a lazy river, a huge little kids toys and pool area, nice picnic areas with covers from the sun, a lap pool.  Nikole had fun with the gas attendent and a young man at DI, who asked if she was attending BYU-I and invited her to swing dancing on Wednesdays.

I had some personal struggles this week with a wierd feeling I rarely feel of feeling like really wealthy people control everything.  I know they do in the world, but it was more personal.  I've always believed and taught my children that although I'd like them to set their goals high and to obtain a job that they love to do but that makes decent money - I always believed and taught that money really doesn't matter truly, it 's the service, the heart, the love of Jesus Christ and the following of Him who served and loved all - that is the pure gospel, and the way we should live.

I know Heavenly Father's house is full of many mansions, and His church on the earth and His temples are beautiful beyond anything here on earth - so I know that is we inherit the Celestial Kingdom - I've heard it's more beautiful and wonderful than anything I can imagine here, so it's worth it, but I just don't understand over-abundance of money on this earth.  I don't know why people have to have super large, extravagant homes, and so much riches.

I've learned I guess it's ok if they stay humble, focused on the Savior and don't think they're better than other members and people.

My two oldest presious children are married or marrying into wealthy families.  I pray their hearts will remain pure and good.  Breanna's family is sweet, fun and happy.  They are very good to us.  We had fun hiking with them at the bridal shower.  Breanna is a sweetheart.

I prayed fervently for deliverance from the sad feeling I was having.  This was Saturday morning.  Then I went about and we did our usual Saturday work.  We had been busy last week-end, spending boat and hiking time with Terry and Derek and Breanna, so it was nice to be home.  I had traveled to Rexburg to take Carl to Rexburg Rapids and to do a bunch of errands, so it was good to be home.  I worked away and Blaine worked away.  As we did our work and got to pick up Elizabeth at around 3 pm,  I began to feel the Holy Ghost prompt and teach me.  Such a tender mercy to know the Holy Ghost is real and He will bring comforts to our troubled hearts.

I had the prompting that my belief is still absolutely true - no matter whether we are poor in money, medium or wealthy - we are judged the same - the Lord uses the wealthy's money to run his programs in the church, but others have other gifts, other testimonies, other things that the membership needs - we all have talents, blessings, things we can offer the Kingdom.  We are all going to be judged on our hearts, the service we gave, the commitment to living His commandments we gave on the earth.

I also had the prompting that I have going through two very big, regulary stressful (even if it's good stress) events - having two children leave home and having one get married.  Putting on a marriage is a big event.  So, no wonder.

I'm going to keep trying to save money on my weekly deal groceries, I'm going to keep canning fruits and vegetables in the fall, I'm going to keep being the best daughter, wife and mother I can be.  I'm going to keep attending the temple regularly, I'm going to keep paying my thing, keep doing my church calling, keep loving my family, keep serving those I know are struggling.  The soft and tender answer was for me!

Derek went to see Breanna on Friday.  It was her 21st birthday.  We sent a polka dot skirt in the mint color she loves.  We helped Derek order the big canvas picture of he and Breanna she wanted, and he ordered he and she tickets for Lagoon!  Wow, she's being treated royally!

He will come home either tonight or tomorrow morning - we are guessing in the morning.  They cannot stand to be apart very much.  : )

It's a blessing to be part of a wonderful courtship and marriage.  I feel it has been a Fairy Tale, but in real life.

I've been plugging away at the decorations for our open house here.  I had hoped to use the same table decorations for the lunch, the reception at Marcums, and then our open house, but that doesn't work, so we are painting jars, and I had a miracle of finding slices of trees that are in fashion.  A tender mercy was that my friends John from work and Ken Schwab.  I asked them if they knew of anyone who could find me a tree slice to decorate our open house with.  John Dobbins told me he had just cut down a big tree the night before, on the hospital property!  He would use the big saw and slice off 2 inch thick pieces of the tree!  Ken said he John didn't have big enough pieces, he was going to cut wood the next day in the forest, and he would get me one!  Yay!  Tender mercies!

Life is But a Dream, July 24 Pioneer Day

We revere our dear pioneer ancestors, and all our countrymen who fought valiantly in World War I and II and all the other wars we've had.  We love our beloved United States of America.

I've always had a deep love of ancestors, most of whom I conisider pioneer ancestors.  I've always had a longing to know who they were, what they were like.  And so, I've been led and blessed to slowly learn about them throughout my married life.  How I love them!

Derek and Breanna came from the end of the semester, on Wednesday night and stayed with us Thursday, Friday and until Saturday morning.  She sleeps in his old room and he sleeps upstairs on a blow up mattress.

Thursday and Friday, Blaine had taken off of work to be with his brother, Terry and his wife Maryann, who had come from Safford, AZ.   So, Thursday they spent the day together, and then we went hiking when I got off of work at 3.  We took them to Devil's Staircase, but only hiked about 1.5 hours in and then turned around. It was gorgeous, but I was surprised how dry the forest has gotten since our hike a month ago, for the marriage proposal.  It was just the three couples - Terry and Maryann, Derek and Breanna and Blaine and I, because Carl had 4H, Elizabeth had been at Corner Drug working, and Nikole didn't want to go.

The hike was beautiful.  I love summer here.

Friday, I had invited and planned a big boating trip to Palisades. I had one hang up.  I was supposed to go to Boise to present a report to the Intermountain APIC Board on my trip to Charlotte, NC.  But they let me do it by Webinar from our hospital.  But it had to be from 1 to 2 pm.  So, that ruined my boat plans.  They decided to go around 10, so by the time I would have gotten there, I would have to turn around and leave by 11 to get home by 12 to be at the hospital by 12:30, etc.

So, I had packed the yummy lunch, and coolers and had to send them all off at 10. Todd came up, too - so Blaine, Derek, Breanna, Terry, Maryann, Nikole and Todd had a wonderful day together at Palisades.

I still was blessed to finally get through to my Webinar hook up by 2, instead of 1, then we prepared a yummy meal of roast beef dip sandwiches - with the roast beef in the hollowed out french bread, with green peppers, mushrooms, and onions, with cheese and also cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew melon.  The family loved it.

We went up and visited with Terry and Maryann at Blaine's mom's.

Terry and Derek, Breanna, and Nikole all left Saturday morning.  Terry and M for Arizona, Nikole for a date with Dillan Isaac - he picked her up in Layton, at Breanna's - they went to an amusement type place - Boondocks, or something, out to eat, to the Salt Lake Temple and then long boarding - very fun, good date.  Derek was taking Breanna back home to stay for 5 weeks til their sealing.

Marcums are good and welcoming to Derek.  He's been blessed, just this week-end.  Hal is the man who hired him to help with his business. Hal is Bryant Marcum's friend.  Derek had been working about 5 hours per week during the semester.  Derek had told Hal he would like to do more work.  Hal said he'd get back to him.  Well, Hal's secretary called Derek Friday evening, like from 6 to 8 pm, and wanted him to do a bunch of work on a big project over the week-end.  They need it done by Monday morning!  So, we see the Lord hears our prayers, but sometimes the answer is not convenient, but we are grateful.

Derek had to work a lot the whole weekend with this new assignment, but it will help him have money.

My Dad has his kidney doctor visit on Tuesday.  I predict that they will tell him his GFR number is 15 or less, and that's it's time to choose which type of dialysis he wants, time to sign up to get the fistula in his arm, and to have the social worker come to their home and set up his dialysis center.  So sad, but necessary.

Their 50th anniversary party is coming right up.  Sweet Kortny finished the souvenir book - spending about 50 hours working on it.

Brandon and Heather work their hinders off in Cincinnati and Kentucky, in their ward.  There are only about six families that have enough money to support themselves!  So, Brandon and Heather get used a lot.  They were asked to put on a ward party on Saturday.  They had to use their own money, and do all the work.  There is no committee, or people to help.  You do it all and go pick ward members up, because they have no car and no way to get there. The Bishopric helps you.

Elizabeth is headed to a long XC Camp with Mr. Gleichman.  They start in the morning at 8 - Monday morning, then go all week til Saturday evening.  They sleep in the woods.  It's a rigorous camp, costs $200.  I think it will be well worth it, but they have a ton to learn and do in the great outdoors.

My plans to use the Mexican ladies in Layton, for the wedding lunch, had to change.  Their bid is $15/plate, and children are $10/plate.  We can do Cafe Rio for $10 plate and get our own water and dessert.

I loved church today - President and Sister McKellar spoke, which is a treat itself.  They spoke of Patriotism.  President Pehrson taught the lesson on Korihor and the wicked times we are living in are like the Book of Mormon times.  RS was great, Sister/Mrs. Christensen taught about Opposition in All Things.

I love my family!

July 17, 2016 Derek's Proposal, more details

July 17, 2016

I’m continuing on my thoughts from July 10.  So, the biggest tender mercy is that Derek and Breanna are engaged to be married September 2!

We are blessed that our children are close to us, emotionally.  Derek shared all of their dating life with us.  I had once mentioned that a hike to the Wind Caves would make a romantic proposal.   Heather had also mentioned that the hike to Packsaddle Lake would be romantic.  We had thought of packing a canoe into Packsaddle and having lights float out on the water, etc.

In the end, he decided to do the hike to the Wind Caves.  He wanted a book made, with pictures of their dating life, with a last page that said, “Then Derek got down on one knee and asked Breanna to marry him!”

I like Shutterfly.  I’ve used it a lot to make digital scrap books.  So, I uploaded their dating pictures to Shutterfly, then Heather and I, mostly Heather were able to work on it or make it when I went to Cincinnati.  That was special, so Heather could feel part of it.

Breanna’s ring was interesting.  Nikole had gotten her graduation opal ring at Jensen Jeweler in Rexburg.  They told us about a big sale that would be the very next week on loose diamonds.  We had found out earlier that all BYU-I students get 50% off, but this sale would make it even more on sale. 

Derek took Breanna to look for rings there.  She found a few she liked, but Derek felt there was one she really liked best.  He went back later to get it, and to buy it on the day of the sale.  The ring they had was a size 7, and Breanna needed a tiny size 4.  My finger is a 4.5, and I never heard of anyone with a smaller size.  So, Derek  had to order the size 4 to be made from scratch, because you can’t downsize more than a size or 2, or the ring falls apart.  So, he had to get the size 7 on the sale day, propose to Breanna the very next day with it, she had to wear it with a “spacer” for about two weeks, until her very own correct size beautiful round diamond with tiny diamonds all around it arrived.  So, it was  a tender mercy to get such a wonderful ring at such a better price than we would have had.

The proposal itself was supreme.  Derek invited her family and ours – which we had given him the idea, and Brandon had invited us – to hike to the Wind Caves.  Breanna is still suffering from her illness from her mission, so she has not hiked in years.  The Wind Caves hike is fairly challenging, if you haven’t hiked lately.  We became slightly concerned that she would make it to the top.   Her dad said he would carry her, if she needed him to  : )  She did make it though. 

We had fun talking with Breanna’s family all the way up and down.  Jordan, her cousin, was hiding up at the waterfall.  We did not even see him until Derek had Breanna under the lower waterfall, and the rest of us were back, at the side, watching.  We could suddenly see his camera bag sitting on a big rock, then up popped the Droid – the camera that flies, and it zoomed up by Derek and Breanna and up the waterfall and under the waterfall.

Another tender mercy was that the ring box had a video camera in it, so when Derek bent down, and pulled the ring box out, he pressed a button and when he opened the box, it recorded Breanna’s reaction and her expression, etc. – Technology is fun.  We had never heard of anyone doing that.

The whole event was just devine.  We felt Heaven near that whole day and evening, especially on the hike.  I felt my deceased Grandma and Grandpas with us and Breanna’s must have been here, too.    I really believe Heaven cheers for us when something this special happens.

We have been honored to have Derek and Breanna continue to court and date.  They had most of  the wedding plans done when they became engaged.

They had their announcement pictures taken, they are going to get their wedding pictures taken on August 17 – they invited us to watch that “First Look” in Utah at the Ogden Temple. 

I have been working with Breanna to arrange a wedding dinner/lunch at the take center by where she lives, and to arrange the open house here in Driggs at Grandma Rip’s, outside.  I found several tender mercies along the way.

We’ve got the grooms men’s gray vests, coral ties and a suit for Derek ordered thourgh Lori Schies’s friend by Layton.

We have leanred that the groom’s family pays as much as the bride’s.  Especially if you put on an open house or reception in his home town.  So, we had his clothing, his groomsmen, ties for all men in the party, the honeymoon, the hotel for the night of their sealing, the night after in Florida, the cruise, the wedding lunch, and the open house.  A wedding is fun, and great, but also a lot of work.

They are sweet and wonderful.  Our home and family has enjoyed the Spirit in great abundance these last many weeks.

Heather went to Nauvoo this week-end, and had her court trial last Wednesday with the crooked boss from Provo.