Hi family! I just got home from Arizona and the highlight of my trip was definitely visiting the Mission Office and visiting with Joe's Mission President and his wife. Right when we got there Sister Bassett gave me a big hug and said Elder Carter was here just an hour ago. President and Sister Bassett were very complimentary of Joe, told me that he is quiet but get's the job done. We listened to a song that some of the elders sang in a fireside on Sunday sung to the melody of "Be still my soul" but called "I love the Lord". Afterwards Sister Bassett said Elder Carter sang in the group.

I loved being in the office and seeing Joe's picture up on the board with his companion. I am so thankful that he is serving. It was neat to be so close, yet so far :) Love you all.

Keep posting like this Jer- it makes it soo much easier for me to update my blog ;). (Thanks for letting me copy it). By the way I love the picture...now, where was I when all this was going on? I'm glad you stay on top of things!

Sam pulled Tater Tot's tooth last night. She was eager to have him do it! I don't think this girl feels much pain, or maybe she just ignores it when it comes. If so, she possesses a great life skill.

On Cristie's suggestion, we had a family prayer when Sam & Melissa and their kids were ready to leave. I asked Jack to offer it. He uttered a sweet, fervent prayer and was very serious about it. Last week at Johnny Nielsen's farewell, I watched young Ed, sitting in front of me singing the hymns without parental coaching (heck, he wasn't even sitting with his parents). I remember my grandmother being very interested in how the gospel was being accepted by her grandchildren. I see it in my mother, and now I too take great joy in watching my grandkids sing, speak, pray, and most of all accept the ordinances of the Priesthood.

November is the month we celebrate Veteran's Day, and it's the month of my Dad's birthday. My mother presented me with my Dad's masonic ring shortly after his death, and in his honor I wore it last November and have decided to wear it this year as well.

His service to our country all those years ago in WWII means more to me now than it did before, perhaps because he's gone, perhaps because I know better now how young 17 really is. I've watched several episodes of the Ken Burns series on The War on public television this fall. I have no way of knowing what kinds of battle experiences my Dad had because he didn't talk about it much. Even when we were little kids, infatuated with war and soldiers and guns, he didn't share much about his days in the Navy. My mother thinks it might have been because he was ashamed of much of what he did in the war.

Anyway, I'm proud my Dad served our great country in that awful war, and I wear his ring this month in his honor.

TRICK OR TREAT
Okay, I'm sure this layout is going to be messed up. someone help me figure this thing out!
It was lots of fun!

I hate that Doug and I are not in those pictures. What a great group! I thought about you all often and am glad you had a great time. I had a great weekend myself. A girl in the ward called me yesterday and invited me to go to an all day seminar called "Time out for Women". This is an event done by Deseret Book once a year and is kind of like a mini education week. Women come from all around. The speakers were awesome, Kenneth Cope was there to sing, and it ended with my favorite, Sheri Dew - she is awesome! It was so nice to be able to go and be inspired and lifted as well as make a new friend. I love you all and miss you SO much. I look forward to seeing Katie and Danny next week.

Sam dares Lizzie to eat sand.

It was too hot. It was too cold. There was too much downhill, and then too much uphill. It was too long, and many who went said one time was enough. Perhaps their perspective will change as time passes. The Subway is indeed one of the premier hikes in Utah. I loved being there, soaking in the incredible beauty and being assisted through some of the tougher obstacles. My favorite part of the hike is probably the first segment. It's downhill, not challenging, and I'm fresh, so I can better take in the beauty all around. Another favorite for me is the cascades (where we took the last pic). We've made it throught the narrows, we've frozen in the icy waters and the canyon has now opened up and we're in the warm sunshine. My least favorite? The hike out, of course.

I am missing my family tonight. Love you all.

wow, Melissa, you do check this blog regularly!

I added the slide show from my picassa (a free google photo app) web album. Very easy to do.

Wow, what great pictures!

How did you do that slide show thing? Very fancy!

CHRISTMAS 2007

Okay, okay, I know it's WAY early, but Katie mentioned drawing names while she was in town, so I thought I might as well.
I'm not good at the rotation thing, it seems that the same people are giving or getting repeatedly, so I went ahead and just drew names. Let me know if there are any repeats or any other changes that need to be made. Here goes;

SAM gives to VALERIE
MELISSA gives to LAUREL
ALISON gives to DANNY
DOUG gives to ED
KATIE gives to ELIZABETH
DANNY gives to JOE
ED gives to SAM
VALERIE gives to KATIE
LAUREL gives to DAVID
DAVID gives to MELISSA
JOE gives to DOUG
ELIZABETH gives to ALISON


That's it. I'll be sure to remind everyone around October or so... :)

We had such a fun visit in Salt Lake this past week. It sure went fast! As we were driving away Abby said, "That was the best week of my life." I enjoyed being a visitor and staying at home with the family. I was amazed at Mom's patience with all the noise and chaos at any given moment. I loved the late nights up visiting and the daily outings. Thanks Dad for the hikes, car rides, ice cream run and all the fun with the grandkids. Not only was it a break for the Mom's, but memories built these kids will always remember! I couldn't have gotten through that mouth surgery without all of your help - thanks for your hospitality! I love you all and will see you soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOUG!

Jerry, thanks for resurrecting the blog with those beautiful scenes of summer. As I was reading, I was listening to the song "Swallow" by the Wailin' Jennys...totally fit the picture you illustrated.

Speaking of music, Sam surprised me with an ipod last week, and my childhood dream of turning my life into one big musical is coming true. :)


I have loved, loved, loved having Ali and Katie in town with their kids. I love going to Grammy's to see a house chock full of family, every one helping each other out. Little babies, mommies, cousins and grandparents. Pure joy. That is what life is about.

My great-great-great grandmother writes in her journal of cramming into their tiny cabin, mother, father, sisters and their husbands, children, each morning to pray as a family. She and her sister married very tall men, and they had to open the front door so her husband could fit into their house (his legs lay outside while the rest of him was inside).

I love summer time.

Since Ali has started her new blog, I thought it might be nice to get this one going again, so let me be the first to post.

We're looking forward to having Ali and Katie and their kids join us here tomorrow. It will be nice to get the kids together and I'm thinking the noise and activity around here will not only be tolerable but soothing in a strange sort of way.

A couple of current entries from my notebook might catch you up on my summer:

"I drove home through my neighborhood from coaching a softball game. It had been a hot day, over 100 degrees here in the valley. I saw a little girl slowly padding her scooter along a quiet side road. I saw a mother pushing her child in a front yard swing hanging from a tree. Neighbors enjoying the summer evening simply and unmolested. I was grateful for a peaceful summer."

And from yesterday...."I spotted a hawk on my walk today, cruising the updrafts above a sunbaked ridge. I've noticed a rabbit recently, running from bush to bush and perhaps the hawk has too. He glided well above me, free and perfect, unconcerned with the cars rushing on the freeway well within sight. Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

melissa, thank you so much for bringing us up to speed as to ada's surgery and prognosis. it's been fun to watch her fly around with that little cast. nothing slows her down for long.

it's hard to believe that those twins are already six years old and Eli just had his six year old birthday yesterday. these little ones are growing up much too speedy for my liking.

my love to all of my dear hearts. xox

Ada's surgery Wed. went even better than I expected - as far as convenience goes ;) I was expecting to be there 2 days. We were able to go home the same day.

Here's the deal; she has hemiplegic cerebral palsy (which you already know) that affects her right side.

She walks on her right toes, and so the top half of her calf muscle is REALLY tight (so is here Achilles heel) making it impossible for her to go all the way flat on her foot without hyper extending her knee.

The surgery was basically a calf extension (I don't know ho they did it), but now her foot goes all the way to the ground. She will be in a cast for 4 weeks and then a splint after that for a little while, until we can get her weak muscles strengthened (with therapy). This will all hopefully improve her gait permanently, so that she can walk and run 'normally". This is important because she trips a lot and it affected her posture, (we've been worried about her developing scoliosis).

She was a fun little patient. Not ever nervous, always cheerful, and has hardly complained at all. The only time she started complaining was when her room mate (who had a much more severe procedure done) began crying and writhing in pain. Many people came to her aid with lotion, ice packs, back rubs and wheel chair rides. Ada observed all this very carefully and then, coincidentally, she suddenly and dramatically began undergoing more than she could bear. The theatrics were very convincing to the nurse. Soon Ada was gaily enjoying her own wheelchair ride and her pain control was promoted from just regular Motrin to the Lortab.

She's already walking around in her cast...so it looks like things are going well for her. I'm really excited and I hope this helps her out a lot.

Anyway, that's the update. Her cast is bright green with purple hearts on it. She loves it, and has been getting so much attention. It's kind of stealing the thunder from Jack and Ada's birthday today (she's getting loads of attention and get well gifts), which is noticeably bothering Jack.

....all that twirling for the camera reminds me of her Aunt Kate!