I just thought I'd post this picture because it makes me happy!! My little vampire!

The walk of my life...

              This is how I picture me riding off into the sunset, a lime green road made just for me!!

When I first woke up after brain surgery, I couldn't understand what people were saying. Most words were a mystery and I was afraid I now spoke French, but didn't know it. The doctor said the fluid around my brain was disturbed and would take two weeks to settle back into place. I believed him, however I was worried thinking it might not fix itself and I'd be stuck inside my head alone for the rest of my life.

However, on the second Sunday evening after surgery, my good friends Jeff and Julie Boydston came over to give me a blessing. The Boydstons are always there and such a blessing in mine and Hill's lives. As Jeff gave me the blessing, I understood what he was saying!! I understood what Father in Heaven was saying to me... the power of the Priesthood is so dear to me. One of the things I learned in the blessing was the Lord wanted me to be patient and He was working in my life. From that day to today it has become easier each day to talk and to discern what people are saying to me. And I pray everyday thanking my Father for my life and for the return of my mind...

My dear friend Donette came from CA a few days prior to my surgery and stayed for over two weeks. She stayed by my side in the hospital and after I came home. She made it possible for Hill to work. Hill was only able to get the day of surgery off. Hill didn't worry because Donette stayed with me through everything. In fact she was with me when the doctor took out the stitches, she kept my spirits up while I was fretting. Hill was so grateful for Donette and couldn't thank her enough, and neither could I!!

During my surgery the Boydston's and Donette stayed with Hill. Shelby Boydston came to keep Hill's spirits up. He kept them all in high spirits and kept them laughing, just as I asked him to do!! He is such an awesome young man!! I taught him in Primary 3 times in his life. He is one of my adopted sons, and he and Hill are sister and brother and love each other!! He is a young man now, one I am proud to know and a man you can count on, I an honored to have been one of the people who taught him the gospel. He and his family are our family forever.

I want to thank all of my family and friends for their prayers and support through this trial... I truly couldn't have made it without you all. I do not know why I have been so blessed with all of you, but I am certain you are all angels on earth!!   Thank you Father in Heaven for my life once again!!

MRI or not ...

             An MRI machine is not very big? who knew?

Yesterday I was supposed to have an MRI, after being poked and prodded all afternoon. I apparently am claustrophobic...I couldn't do it. When they closed the cage over my face and slide me into the tube I got panicky. I asked her to take me back out!! She said it was a common occurrence and not to worry, but I did worry and I felt really bad, like I was going to get in trouble... I'm 56 not 6!! lol

Thank goodness the doctor is willing to put me a sleep prior to surgery and do it just before surgery Friday! What a relief!! Thank you Dr. Spetzler!!

Mom's Famous Potato Soup

My mom's famous soup recipe.
In a pan melt a stick of butter on medium and sweat a whole yellow onion to soften, you don't want any color on the onion. Cube 6-8 potatoes and add to pan. Salt and pepper to taste and add water to cover the potatoes, kick up the heat. When potatoes are fork tender add a can of condensed milk. Add the drop dumplings into the boiling soup, while stirring the pot in a circular motion. Dumpling ingredients: 2 cups flour, salt and pepper to your taste and 4 eggs. Do not mix too much as they will get tough, all the flour doesn't have to incorporated as it will work as a thickener, but most of it should be. You just make them all sizes and just drop them off the spoon or with your hand. The dumplings will rise to the top in minutes. Then the soup is done. We usually let it cool just a bit before eating,

Yes Arnold I do have a Toomer!! lol

Well, next Friday I will have surgery, performed by this man. If you think about it, it's kind of wierd to meet someone once and decide what he is telling you is in your best interests. But that is what happened. Tuesday we had an appointment with Dr. Spetzler and he stated my tumor has to come out. No ifs, ands or buts... he stated if it didn't I would lose my ability to speak soon. Now I know there are a few Home/Visiting teachers who might say that was poetic justice, after I had talked their ears off!! He told me I could get a second opinion, but I said I had prayed about it and knew he was the doctor for me. He said he was glad I'd gone to the "Boss". So the good news is, the tumor is not actually in my brain, it is in the fluid around my brain, is quite large and is pushing my brain around. Dr. Spetzler stated it is most likely benign and I have probably had it for a long time. So that is the update I promised... Before my surgery I just want to tell everyone I love them, and that means you! And to thank you all for your prayers and good wishes!! I'll see you on the flip side!! Love, Robin

Robert F. Spetzler, MD, FACS
Director, Barrow Neurological Institute
J. N. Harber Chair of Neurological Surgery
Chair, Division of Neurological Surgery
Director, Neurological Research

Dr. Robert Spetzler is a world-renowned neurosurgeon who specializes in cerebrovascular disease and skull base tumors. He has been involved in pioneering the technique of hypothermia and cardiac arrest for the treatment of difficult brain lesions. He has been honored many times by professional societies, including the American College of Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. In 1994 Dr. Spetzler was chosen to be the Honored Guest of Congress of Neurological Surgeons. At age 49 he was the youngest recipient of this prestigious honor.

Dr. Spetzler was born in Stierhoefstetten, Germany, and moved to the United States at the age of 11. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and his MD from Northwestern Medical School, Chicago, Illinois. His postgraduate training was completed at Wesley Memorial Hospital–Northwestern in Chicago, Illinois. He completed a residency in neurosurgery at the University of California, San Francisco. He received board certification in September 1979 from the American Board of Neurological Surgery.

In 1983 Dr. Spetzler left his position as Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, to assume the Chair in the Division of Neurological Surgery at Barrow. He has been the Director of Barrow since 1986. He is also a Professor of Surgery, Section of Neurosurgery, at University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, Arizona.

Dr. Spetzler has published more than 300 articles and 180 book chapters in the neuroscience literature. He has co-edited a number of neurosurgical textbooks, including the Color Atlas of Microneurosurgery. He is on the review board of several neuroscience journals and is Editor-in-Chief of the Barrow Quarterly and Skull Base: An Interdisciplinary Approach.

Yes, we moved to Arizona???

                No this is not Chicago, this is Tempe Arizona!

Anyone who knows me, knows I hate hot weather. So you may ask, "Why did you and Hill move to Arizona??" That sir is a good question...

Most of you know Hillary served a mission for our church here in Mesa AZ, Spanish speaking. And she has been home a little over a year. Since returning home we have experienced some very traumatic events in our lives. Maybe I should make a list?

1. First week home my Aunt Evelyn passed away. She had an aneurysm in the doctors office and never regained consciousness. She is still sorely missed.

2. In that same week my mother was hospitalized, and this has been ongoing from that time. She is continually in and out of the hospital and the ER. She was finally diagnosed as having Alzheimer's.

3. In July just after Hill got home I was diagnosed with Uterine Cancer. In August of 2011 I had surgery in Sacramento CA. I was very blessed as the cancer was caught early and didn't require chemo nor radiation. However, during my surgery I was infected with E coli, and was readmitted to the hospital in Fresno a week later. I spent another week in the hospital and ended up having a systemic reaction to a drug they were using and had a red welt over most of my body when I was released. I had to have my incision cut open and left open to heal from the inside out. Hill had to pack my wound twice a day for 9 months. And there were  other things she had to do for me, like cover my entire body with a serum twice a day as well...and the list goes on, there really was no dignity left.

4. On Thanksgiving day Hill's father was found in his home, he had passed away. There was a lot of issues regarding this that Hill as his child had to take care of, from paying for his funeral to shutting down his business. It was really a very traumatic time. The only blessing in this was, Hill and her father were in a good place in their relationship. Something I encouraged and was very happy about. Even he and I were in a good place, I had forgiven him and actually had dinner with him with Hill the Friday before his death.

5. Hill is almost finished with her Biology degree, and prior to leaving on her mission had been excepted to Fresno States program and had an internship. However when she returned the state budget had been cut and she could not get the classes she needed to complete her degree in Fresno.

So back to our story.

Hillary got a pretty good job in Fresno which was a great blessing to us, and also a stumbling block to her progression. She received some really good training as an Optician. She also worked with people she loved. But she did not want to be doing this work when she was 50, and never complete her degree. So she and I spent a good deal of time weighing the Pro's and Con's of moving to complete her education somewhere other than Fresno. We then took our decision to the Lord and knew without a doubt we needed to move so she could complete her degree.

Being Latter Day Saints we just thought BYU in Provo. We have many friends there and would love to live close to Salt Lake City and be able to attend Conference on a regular basis. We had our life in Provo planned. We were going to live with a dearly beloved cousin and our home would be a meeting place for "Card Nights" and "Movie Nights" and Sunday dinners with family and friends!! Doesn't that sound like a life anyone would be looking forward too? We were really looking forward to it!!!

But after a month of trying to find a place to live in Provo and having no luck, Hillary was distraught. As the time to move grew closer and we had no where to live Hill was starting to second guess the answer we had received when we prayed. This is how the adversary works, he tries to undermine what you know when everything doesn't fall right into place easily. I told her God had let us know the decision to move was a good one, and that He would provide a place for us.

A friend kept telling Hill she needed to attend ASU in Arizona. I kept saying "No" we are moving to Provo! The same friend made her promise to look up ASU online and then decide. Man was I out numbered on this one!! She did keep her promise and looked ASU up and it was like a light lit up her face. I could see she was excited at the opportunities ASU offered her. My heart was sinking, I hate the heat...ASU offers 10 majors in the field of biology, and there are 7 majors for the next year and internships galore. One internship is in Ecuador and she is Spanish speaking. I knew I was doomed at that point. But before we made such a big decision as to change where we were moving 3 days before we moved, we knew we had to take our decision to the Lord and ask him if this is where He would have us go. I was still holding out hope for Provo. Upon the end of a long session of prayer where Hill was voice and I was voice it was very clear we were to move to Mesa AZ. I petulantly said, "No Provo." Well, when we got to AZ we actually settled in Tempe which is where ASU is located.

Usually in your life when you make a life changing decision, it may be years before you see the Lord's hand in your new circumstances. In this instances we saw two very significant signs that we had made the right decision.

The second week we were in AZ I woke up to a very swollen face, I in fact looked like a very Cute Old Gargoyle, my nickname to a few Missionaries and Hill. After an early morning call to Kaiser my health insurance company, they told me to go to an urgent care for treatment. So by 8:30 am I was in an urgent care and had seen a doctor who had determined it was an infection possibly in my sinus or from a tooth. He didn't feel comfortable just giving me antibiotics so he ordered a CT scan. In a matter of minutes I had been given a shot in my backside and three prescriptions, yes right there in the urgent care. I didn't have to go to a pharmacy, what a concept!! So by 10:00 am I had seen a doctor and was in the process of having a CT scan. By 11:30 am the doctor called me to say, "the infection would be cleared up by the antibiotics he had given me, and oh by way there was a secondary finding you have a brain tumor." The doctor called me 4 times that day to give me recommendations for Neurosurgeons. So if I had been home Kaiser would have just sent me home with antibiotics and been done with it. So now I have changed insurance and will soon be seeing a Neurosurgeon, I'll update you when I know more.

And the second item that says to us, "You are where the Lord would have you be", is Hill got a job with an eye care corporation in the second week of being here also. She started yesterday and she was offered a promotion the same day she began!! More money and she loves the work. She will also have insurance in 3 months and other benefits.

So I know we are where we are supposed to be for now and we are praying for all whom we left behind to come visit us soon!!!

Motherhood is my greatest calling ever...

In November of 1986, when I was 11 months pregnant, yes I said 11 months pregnant, the doctor decided finally to take Hillary through C section. Because I had an infection they had held off taking her until it was in check. The night she was born they told me I would probably die that night. They were right I did... I met the Savior that night and was given the chance to come back and raise Hillary. As the nurses and doctors were shoving tubes and needles every were in a frantic rush to save my life, I remember the last thing I said, "I thank you Father for my life". A nurse close to me said, "What did she say"?...

The doctors were so sure she was going to be ill they had a doctor from Valley Childrens Hospital in the delivery room and a helicopter on the roof waiting to transport her at birth!! However, when she was delivered, she was pink and beautiful and screaming to beat the band!! The doctor who was waiting was so thrilled she wasn't ill he took her and cleaned her up and did all of the new born tests himself. The nurses said he wouldn't give her up.

I felt compelled to write this down today. In this blog on my journey through motherhood.

Over the last 25 years our lives have been a roller coaster of joys and trials, some worse than others. She has amazed me with her intellect, she read on her own at age 3. She became my hero when at 12 she had major surgery on her spine and walked out of the hospital 6 days later having only taken one dose of pain medicine after the surgery. She became my life line when at age 11 she was my nurse for 13 months, having to pack my open wound from surgery twice a day. She is truly the kindest person I know, she has always counseled all of her friends calling them all "sweetie", and never has said anything unkind to or about another person.

We had a particularly sore trial when she was 19, we found out she had a sister who was 5 months older than her. It was the only time in her life she was lost... Hill hates lies, so much so she stomped her foot in front of me at age 6 for over an hour wanting to know if Santa was real... When she found out about her dad's child with another woman she felt like her whole life had been a lie. For a short time she was someone I didn't know. But the Lord placed some amazing people in her life and they loved her unconditionally. Most importantly she had an amazing Bishop who loved her and believed in her.

After that time she became even stronger. She is the strongest woman I know, she can take anything and has. I'm not saying she does it on her own, because she does not, she does it by spending lots of time on her knees in supplication to her Father in Heaven. She served a valiant mission in Mesa Arizona Spanish speaking, and she loves the people of AZ so much.

After her mission we have had many more sore trials but I won't list them here, anyone reading this blog already knows what they are, because I'm not shy about sharing my life with anyone. Smile. Much to Hill's chagrin.

I promise this blog is about motherhood and not just about my daughter.

I wonder at women who have more than one child, how do you do it? How do you watch as their hearts break times 2, or 3 or...? and their dreams seem so far away. How? I know my Father knew this about me, I know without a doubt He has a plan for Hill far better than mine or hers. I have felt this from the night she was born. And yet I fret. But through everything I wouldn't change a thing because I love who she has become. And I know all of this has made her who she is today. I am grateful for it, this thing called motherhood!

Mom...

The first one is Jamie and Mom at the Kings County Fair back in the 70's. And the 2nd one was just taken by Jamie and those are her children.

Our family has been going through a paticularly sore trial of late, it has actually made us all feel inadequate. My mother has been ill lately and has been in and out of the hospital and the ER. They usually don't find anything wrong with her, but because she is old and has some dementia they don't take her serious either. Her doctor finally referred her to a neurologist and she believes mom may have Lupus. So now she may get some relief from the pain she suffers. It has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions. My daughter has been doing some research and found information about dementia, and we believe she has frontal lob dementia. It is the type where you lose your personality and become combative, which she has become combative to the point of frustration. I know the nurses at St. Agnes would be glad if she never came back, she yells at them and calls them all names, so unlike the mother of my youth. They have even had to have security come to her room. She has ailienated a lot of her family and she accuses my step-father of all sorts of crazy stuff... so every visit you never know what to expect. Yesterday she was crazier then ever when my sister-in-law, Sara, and I were there. Her subject yesterday was one I can't repeat. I am so shocked at who my sweet little mom has become. My younger sister, Jamie, works really long weird hours so she doesn't get to visit as often as the retired sisters do, and the thing is when Jamie calls her she seems to be in normal mode??? Sara and I get crazy and Jamie gets normal?? Is it because we are there more? or is it just us who bring out the worst in her??? I have no answers and I just wanted to post to remind myself of who my mother was, and not what the disease has done to her.

I choose eternal happiness!!!

George Albert Smith said, “I sometimes have said to my friends when they seemed to be at the crossroads, uncertain as to which way they wanted to go, ‘Today is the beginning of eternal happiness or eternal disappointment for you.’”

President Smith testified of these truths at the funeral services of Hyrum G. Smith, Patriarch to the Church, who had passed away at a relatively young age, leaving behind his wife and eight children:

“I have felt, since I was asked to speak at this funeral, that perhaps I would not be able to do so. My emotions have been stirred, and I have found myself incapable of controlling them, but since I came into this building a beautiful, sweet influence of peace has come into my soul. …

“Instead of mourning I feel to thank our Father in heaven for the Gospel of His Beloved Son that has been revealed anew in our day. … To know that life is eternal is a wonderful blessing,—to know that throughout eternity the blessings that this good man has lived for will be his. His mortal life has been terminated but this is only part of eternal life. He has laid the foundation deep and secure upon which he has built and will continue to build throughout eternity. The joy that he has experienced here upon earth will be added upon. …

“As I think of the experiences of people in the world, on occasions of this kind, I marvel how we have been blessed. I have no more doubt about eternal life and the immortality of the soul than I have that the sun shines at midday. … It is a sad thing to part with our dear ones, even temporarily. We send them upon missions, or they go to other parts of the world to live and we miss them. When an occasion like this occurs it seems that they are more distant, but as a matter of fact they are not, if we but understood. … Instead of extending the condolence that sometimes might go to those who are bereaved, I feel more like rejoicing this day that I know that this is not the end. …

“… So today, as I stand in your presence, when perhaps tears should be flowing, my soul is filled with comfort and satisfaction. I pray that that comfort may be in the lives of each of those who are bereaved.”

Our eternal success story!!

"If ever you are tempted to become discouraged or to lose faith, remember those faithful Saints who remained true in Kirtland. Hold on a little longer. You can do this! You are part of a special generation. You were prepared and preserved to live at this important time in the existence of our beautiful planet earth. You have a celestial pedigree and therefore have all the necessary talents to make your life an eternal success story." --President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Boys and my heart...

As long as I can remember I have had a soft spot for boys. I feel like they are mis-understood. I see young teenage boys walking down the street, and they almost always are staring at the ground. They look so dejected... my heart breaks for them. I actually want to get out and give them a hug. I don't because in today's world I would not be understood. The idea of affection would probably be shunned as boys are supposed to be tough. Sometimes I see boys who are way to young to be walking alone scuffing along with a backpack bigger than themselves strapped to their backs. It always tears at my heart strings and I wonder what I can do to help them. I always say out loud, "Where is your mother"?

So now to the reason I am on this diatribe, I am in the office today, some may know this means Panera since I retired, and in front of me is a young mother sitting with her young 6 year old son. I am trying not the eavesdrop but she is very close and not quiet. She is waiting for someone. She is totally unaffectionate to her son, when he tries to hug her she pushes him away, and constantly corrects him for behavior I thinks is normal. He is simply trying to engage her in conversation?? I am feeling sad that maybe I did some of the same to my own daughter? I want to tell her to enjoy him while he wants to be around you, and many other old woman insights... but I don't. I realize she is probably doing the best she can, and is overwhelmed. We have all been there. Parenting is a huge responsibility, and children don't come with instructions. It is always easier from the outside to see what needs to be done, so I bite my tongue and pray for them.

When her company arrives it is her sister and her boyfriend, through overheard conversation I realize she is very young and a single mom. Her son tells the aunt how his mother cries a lot, and then he said, "When she cries, I cry back"... his mother is embarrassed and they have a conversation about crying and everyone cries sometimes. There is much more private conversation I hear and am broken hearted by, but the worst point for me is how she tells her son, "I cannot be your entertainment, I will not entertain you, I am in school and have a project due, and I'm going to school so I can earn money because I have none." My heart just dropped... she has no idea how she has just told him that money and school are more important than he is to her... I know earning a living is important but as prophets have stated, "no success in business will ever compensate for failure in the home."

I will not say I have never had a day when I was discouraged or overwhelmed myself, and it is the reason I so wish I could have shared with that young mom what I saw from the outdside looking in, but I wonder if I would have listened myself back when Hill was young and I was doing something in a way that was not in line with gospel principles...

The following quote from President Joseph F. Smith states it pretty clearly, and it is for girls as well.. :)

“We should never be discouraged in those daily tasks which God has ordained to the common lot of man. Each day’s labor should be undertaken in a joyous spirit and with the thought and conviction that our happiness and eternal welfare depend upon doing well that which we ought to do, that which God has made it our duty to do.”

President Smith applied that principle to parenting as follows:

“After all, to do well those things which God ordained to be the common lot of all man-kind, is the truest greatness. To be a successful father or a successful mother is greater than to be a successful general or a successful statesman.”

Success in an occupation—even a lofty one—is only temporary, President Smith concluded, whereas success as a parent is “universal and eternal greatness.” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1939, p. 285.)

A Little Daughter JOY...

I love that Hill has a job she loves, and I love having lunch with her at Whole Foods!! What joy she brings to my life !! :)

Valentine JOY...

Look what showed up at my door early Valentine day!! Thank you Stef for the goodies and to the kiddos for our valentine cards!! It is nice to be remembered on this day even if you don't have a Sweetheart!! lol

The JOY of a brother...

Here is my fixed cord,so I am back in business !!




Here he is with our mother recently and his youngest daughter, Melissa!!

You know on February 11, 1960 I didn't think much of the idea of having a brother!! He took my place of being the baby, for a little over 4 years. I had enjoyed that spot immensely and was a little tyrant. But as much as I wanted to not like this interloper, he was cute and clever and I couldn't help loving him and wanting to protect him... so alas he became the baby of the family (for 8 years) and the only boy and we all doted on him!! He was without a doubt our parents favorite!! Even today he is the favorite, but I don't mind because he is my favorite brother!! He is a man on whom you can rely, he's kind and a loving husband, father and grandfather. And really quite brilliant, this week alone he fixed my cord to my computer, bought me an ice cream cone, fed Hill and I dinner (actually his wife did) when we just dropped in for the day, and then asked us not to try out for American Idol after we sung him Happy Birthday on the speaker phone!! So for 52 years now he has been fixing things for us and has been our biggest cheerleader!! Happy Birthday Bro, You Rock!!

Oh what JOY spring is about to sprung!!

Here in Clovis we must be prepared for Spring, because if we blink we will miss it!! We only have a few precious moments of Spring and then it becomes Summer !! So I am poised and ready, ah to be able to not run the heater nor air conditioner for a few days, and to have the air blowing thru my hair with the car windows down !! Yes it is beginning to feel like Spring here!!! And I am finding JOY in that!!

My joy today was Clovis 2nd ward...

DeAnn and Gary Brunsvik greeting Elder Benson Brunsvik at the Fresno Air terminal!

I miss Clovis 2nd ward... today we attended, what we call our home ward, Clovis 2nd ward. A dear friend, Elder Benson Brunsvik, returned from his mission this week and was speaking in Sacrament meeting. So we attended to hear him speak. From the minute we left the car, people were saying hello, hugging us, and telling how much they missed us!! It felt wonderful !! We are new in our ward and therefore are still in the infant stages of our accquaintances there!! Not that people are unfriendly because they are not, they just don't know us yet and so we get a smile and an excuse me as they step past me to another seat. I know we will eventually know everyone in this ward too, but in the mean time it was great to be in my "Cheers" were everybody knows my name!!!

Happy Happy JOY JOY...

Tonight my JOY is from be able to be at the Fresno air terminal when Elder Benson Brunsvik came home from his mission in Guatamala!! This is a scene I never tire of !! WELCOME HOME Dear Benson, you were sorely missed here and now Guatamala is missing you!! P.S. thanks for the picture Jeff!!

What a JOY she is...

This week I got to "do a favor" for my sister, while she was out of town with her husband celebrating his birthday, I got to pick Jenna up from school and take her to Basketball practise, and cheer practise and home again. Where her older brother (20) got to be in charge. But the secret is I really love picking up Jenna at times like this, cuz we get to visit and talk about stuff... with no one else along. I Really enjoy her company, she is the most amazing young lady. It is even more special because she says she likes hanging out with me too!! I love my Jenna Benna! I can't wait to watch as our little butterfly spreads her wings and to see who she becomes. She could quite possibly be President someday!! Well something awesome any way, maybe even something better, a MOTHER!! She brings me JOY!!!

My JOY in Visit Teaching...

My JOY today is Visiting Teaching...

Today I went visiting teaching for the first time in months!! Not because I didn't want to, but through the transition from Clovis 2nd Ward to Gettysburg Ward (during my illness and sojourn at my parents) I didn't have a calling nor was I asked to visit teach until now!! In my new ward Orchard View I now have a companion and two sisters to visit. VT was my first calling as an adult, I have made my best friends through this calling and love to visit, as anyone who knows me will attest!! But, I can be long winded... ok am long winded!! It is the only way you can get to know the sisters when you move into a new ward, Sundays are too full of busyness to spend time visiting with each other. So today I'm done for this month and feel like I'm getting to know some of the sisters in my new ward. Maybe soon I'll even have a busy calling and learn why I am in this ward. So I thought I would post quotes from Sister Beck where she explains VT and how VT should feel and work!! I have not always been the greatest Visiting Teacher, but I have always loved the sisters I had stewardship over!! What uplifiting experiences have you had as a Visiting Teacher or through your own visiting teacher?


Through visiting teaching, we provide watchcare by contacting each sister, sharing a gospel message, and seeking to know her and her family’s needs. “Visiting teaching becomes the Lord’s work when our focus is on people rather than percentages,” explains Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president. “In reality, visiting teaching is never finished. It is more a way of life than a task. Faithfully serving as a visiting teacher is evidence of our discipleship.”

The JOY of food...

This is my all time favorite salad. I actually eat salad again now that I discovered this salad at Panera!! But who can eat out all the time? And what if I want it every afternoon for lunch??? Well my JOY today is I found the recipe for the dressing online and I can even leave out a few of the items that make this salad, tho low in calories high in Weight Watchers points. Like the cheese and the candied pecans... I can use roasted pecans and low fat cheese?? Or leave them out if I choose. Anyway the apple chips are readily available at Trader Joe's. So I thought I'd share the recipe with you!! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!! Love R


For Apple White Balsamic Vinaigrette:

2 Tbsp. apple juice concentrate
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 cup olive oil
You whisk it all together.

They bring me joy...

This is my favorite brother and his lovely wife, they are a handsome couple. Not only I think so, but the builder of their new home, McCaffrey Homes, chose them to be on the front page of the Real Estate section today. Hill and I also got to hang out with them this afternoon and evening. We all have so much fun together!! I always laugh so much when we're together, I have to be careful no tears run down my legs!! And tonight was no exception!! :)

A Joyful treat!!

Today Hill was offered a job with Dr. Uryan which begins Monday. So my joy today is two fold, she has a new job she is going to love (like she did her tutoring), and we went to Yodiggity for our free (we had a full Yodiggity card) Frozen Yogurt (sugar free of course) to celebrate!! Yes this year is looking up!!!

My JOY today...

This picture of New England brings me such joy!! I am so grateful to live in the most diverse and beautiful country ever !!! My goal is to travel to New England and enjoy the bounty of the sea!!

My word is JOY!!

My word for 2011 is a bit late, however better late than never !!! My word is JOY!! And it is more than just a word this year. It is also a goal, I wish to find the joy in every day I live. And share it here.