Unbroken bonds

 I believe a mother is always there for her children.  Even when she isn't here on this realm of existence anymore.  I know mine is.  I have been cleaning today, trying to de-clutter my life a bit.  Going through a drawer, I found a letter from my mom.  It is dated March 23, 1987.  I was 19 years old, and we had apparently been discussing my fear about making a correct decision about something.  It is deeply personal, but I will share this lovely bit.

"Believe me when I say that clouds will pass over, rain will come, sadness will occur. But there is much more sunshine and happiness out there than anything else if we have the courage to trust in ourselves.  May God Bless."
                                            My Love Always,
                                                                   Your Mom

I read this letter with so much love in my heart and tears streaming down my face.  My mother has been in heaven for 16 years now, and yet she is comforting me still and giving me good advice.  I love you, Mom!

"Ch..ch..ch..changes"

Change is constant in our lives.  We are in motion, hopefully always forward.  A new opportunity brings hope and excitement, good changes.  However wonderful the future is, there is always a grieving time for the familiarity of things left behind.  As my co-worker said a couple of days ago, "The best decision is not always the easiest to make."

I will miss the Orem library very much, and most of all, the co-workers who have become a second family to me. However, I look forward to a new full time position with Utah County and the adventures and learning to come.

Goodbye, Major Tom

Yesterday, I woke up to the news that David Bowie had passed away from cancer. As my friend Kim said on Facebook, "to say he was an icon is an understatement."  So many of us loved this visionary singer, actor, and song writer that he was.  I met him as just a small kid, sitting with my parents in our family room, watching this wild looking space guy with a guitar, singing on TV.  Then some years later, watching him sing wearing a nice tailored suit, with just that blonde hair, one blue eye and one green eye.  "Changes," as his song said.  Always changing and pushing the barrier a little more.  Through it all, that beautiful voice.

I can't remember any of my life without Bowie's music, and I'm glad it's that way.  I will remember a man who wrote, and sang amazing things.  Someone who was eccentric but classy. He couldn't stand to be boring, and I wonder now if he viewed heaven as another grand adventure.  I like to think they have a great voice up there.

Always one for drama and a sense of humor, he released his last album two days before he died and left us with his swan song "Lazarus."

"This way or no way
You know, I'll be free
Just like that bluebird
Now ain't that just like me."

Poetry crush

"While all bodies share the same fate, all voices do not."

                                               Li-Young Lee



"People who read poetry have heard about the burning bush, but when you write poetry, you sit inside the burning bush."

                                              Li-Young Lee


I sort of love this guy.  One of my favorites.  Amazing.

The Royals

There are certain things that seem to carry through the ages from our ancestors.  I have not been aware of most of these. The English Royal family, for instance.  My mother and I both loved the news about them. When I was a young woman, we set the alarm, got up at 3:00 a.m. to watch Princess Diana's wedding.  It was like a fairy tale on live TV.  I have never forgotten it, and how much fun it was sharing that time with my mom.  My admiration of Diana grew over the years, and I was heartsick when she was killed.

When my mom was frail and sick, I would bring magazines to the hospital sometimes and we would read about the royal news.  It was fun for both of us. I never knew that I was protective about this until Paul casually told me he doesn't care for the royals in England and would never bow (even in respect) to the Queen.  I didn't like that.  No, I really didn't. I felt personally insulted, silly as that may be.

My maiden name is Woodward.  We are descended from Richard the Third (yes, the Richard the Third whose body was recently found and buried in a State funeral in England).  My ancestor was given the job of  keeping the woods, like the "Duke of Nottingham."  That is how our name came to be.  On my mother's side, we are related to Anne Boleyn.

Queen Elizabeth was born the same year my mother was (1926). They had lived through the same times in life. My mom watched her coronation when she was a very young woman. She always said that Elizabeth had carried so much on her shoulders and ruled with dignity for so many years.

Why do I like them?  Maybe because the Queen is the longest living monarch ever, and I admire that. Maybe because the monarchy rules the country of most of my ancestors.  The motherland I would still be living in if my family had not come here.  Maybe because my skin is porcelain and my hair is red, and when I was in Finland, people always asked me if I am English.  No, I'm not, but my family was. Yes, the monarchy does make me feel in a strange way, like home.  If I ever met the Queen, I would happily curtsy to her with much respect.

New Year 2016

It's the last few minutes of 2015.  She's been a good year for the most part.  I've spent the entire year with the man I love.  I am so grateful for my family and my loved ones. I hope the new year will bring more beautiful days to us, and to all of you!

Several days of Christmas!

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . . six more children.  You get the picture.  Our much larger family made this Christmas a long and joyous one, as we celebrated it several times to include everyone.  It was a wacky and wonderful time.  Can I now take a vacation from the vacation??

Dec. 19th

We drove to Ogden and visited and delivered gifts to Paul's family.  Older sister Jayne (who is just finishing Beauty School) cut Dakota and Carson's hair.  They loved that.

Dec. 24th (Christmas Eve)

It started to snow . . .

We baked lots of Christmas sugar cookies, frosted, and delivered them.

Dec. 25th (Christmas Day)
Round 1

It snowed about 10 inches.  Such a lovely white Christmas to wake up to (at 6:00 in the morning).

Dec. 26th
Round 2

Add two kids, and go for another Christmas celebration . . .

Goofballs!  Stripper pole at McDonald's.  It was only breakfast time.

And we made lots and lots more cookies and frosted them.  We ate more snacks and sugar.  More stockings and gifts for Brianna and Preston.                                                                                   

Snowball fight in the park just before dark.                                                                                          

           

                       

Dec. 27th
Round 3

Add two more kids, more food, and a "Pie Face" game . . . Jayne really loved watching us all get whip cream in our faces!

End of the evening . . . two exhausted parents and a worn out doggy.

It sure was a great time though.  We love our kids.