January
Everybody is out the door and onto seminary, school, work etc. We would all rather linger and play but back to business as they say!
I sure miss our college kids and I've got the post Christmas blues something fierce this year. I'll busy myself putting away Christmas decorations, cleaning house and the car and helping Jen get out the door to Logan. (She's moving to Logan) The sun is shining and it's a bright and beautiful day.
Funny note from Emily in trying to decide between Anthropology and Psychology. She went to Psych and "doodled pictures of evil scientist and trees all over my paper. Shortly after I went to Anthropology class and almost wet my pants! The teacher can only be described in one way: eccentrically insane. There is just no explanation for him...he is nuts!...I am definitely sticking with this guy." ha ha!
Jennifer moved to Logan (because of a guy she likes named Bryce) and is enjoying being in the Cache Chamber Orchestra. She's excited that her conductor's name is Robert Frost! She does a lot of substitute teaching in the schools. I miss her loving, cheerful, playful, patient voice that so calmly sooths the savage beast that arises from time to time in the little tweedle beetle battles. ha ha
Chris and I went to South Island in New Zealand. (see next page for pictures) So grateful that Mom and Dad could stay with our children while we were gone. We got to enjoy visiting with them a few more days after we got home. We went to Paulsbo, Port Townsend and Troll Haven. Sealander's are renting a gorgeous house over there and we got to go inside to see it.
February
Andrea was awarded a science catalyst award today (Jen's birthday!) for creative thinking and participation. Also today, Andrew attended Middle Level Regional's, a leadership conference in Bremerton. Six Middle school students got to go and Andrew was the only 6th grader and also the only boy! When I called to sing happy birthday to Jennifer I told her that she had a really great birthday over here today! ha ha.
Paula and Rock had Sammy and Sierra sealed to them! They sure are the cutest little African American twins!
Chris went with Marilyn to San Antonio to get conference stuff ready for April.
Chris and I went to film festival in Victoria and stayed in a B&B. I dreamed our room was called the "Sponge Bob Square Room" and that little baby sponge bobs were hiding in there. The only way to see them is to hop and laugh and then they would bounce and roll out of their hiding places. We tried it and the cute little sponge bobs did just that...they laughed and bounced and rolled all over the floor, walls and ceiling! ha ha!
On the 20th Jennifer told us that it was "Hoody Hoo" day. You run outside at noon and yell "Hoody Hoo!" and it chases away winter. ...Here's a boo hoo...Mr. Rogers died today. I often wished I could live in his peaceful slow-paced neighborhood.
On Presidents Day I took the kids on a bike ride to Carry Blake park and brought sack lunches. Chris came over and joined us.
March
Got garden planted and the raised beds. Mr. Peat Moss is good today...one of the few fella's I know who don't mind mingling with manure and compost. Strawberries and glorious sunshine made the Daffodils smile happily and the plum trees are singing with blooms.
It seems that when the road is difficult, the arrival at our destination is much sweeter. I'm praying for Jen's journey which I guess won't be in Logan much longer. It's been a hard month for her as Bryce broke up with her. Also she didn't get the position at BYU-I that she applied for. I hope so many things. I'm grateful Jen Jones came and took Jen to Provo for the weekend. Jen's positive outlook and great faith have carried her through this in a wonderful way and she is a great example to me.
I went to Woman's week in Rexburg with Emily. Jen joined us there for a little while as well and we all had a ball. Mom, Jen and Em and I went to the luncheon together.
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| Em putting the smart stuff on the board |
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| Me pretending to teach that smart stuff! |
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| Got to be there for Mom's birthday! |
April
Chris is in Texas. I drove him to PA airport then helped clean the church. Aaron had marching band in the Tacoma parade and is playing a hero in the roadshow tonight! Yikes...I don't have his costume finished!
People are hanging yellow ribbons on street signs and light posts etc for the safe return of soldiers in Irak. I helped with part of it and pray for them. I feel so small to pray for something so big.
What a wonderful, wonderful thing has happened! Jen is hired at BYU-I! She says she feels drunken with happiness. I just so happy for her!
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| I love this photo of Mom and Dad at the SLC Temple where they were married. |
The sunshine has been playing peek-a-boo in the clouds. It's been rainy and the ground is responding in lush green. Spring is whispering through the trees and brushing our cheeks with pink from the blossoms. Ahhhhh I love spring!
Emily has arrived home for the summer, Yay!
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| Back again with friends and being silly! |
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| Yay! On our way to the Mariner's game! |
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| Baptisms at the Temple :) |
Twins are 12!
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Andrew is excited to start passing the sacrament. He is the Deacon's Q Pres.
Irrigation festival time is so festive and fun. Aaron will march in the parade and twins in the kiddie parade. Jen gets to ride in the state park truck.
Many hours spent helping twins work on their 3D projects & presentation board for History fair.
Went with Chris to SKIM conference in Netherlands. (See next page)
We went with the band to California & Disneyland. They had wonderful performances and are just the best bunch of kids.
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| Aaron marching in Disneyland! |
June
Emily was the photographer!
This week Andrea got braces on upper teeth. Also, she's been so kind to babysit little ones for those who come to the Marriage and Fam Rel class I've been teaching. The classes are all done now.
Poor Emily has had a rough month. She's had sickness in the mornings for such a long time. She was sick with a pain attack and vomiting on Weds (May 28th) and another Saturday. Br. Heder and Chris gave her a blessing then Chris left for a California conference. Sunday night was a 3rd attack. I gave her lobelia every few hours to stop the vomiting and was calling and faxing Idaho specialists and the hospital to get her records sent over here. I took her to Sorensen Chiropractic but that didn't help and to a lab for blood work.
We have gotten behind in the yard. So many beautiful days must be why there are some gardens with weeds as tall as I am.
A lady from the community called me to ask for some help moving. Oh man my first thought was of dread that this word had gotten out of Mormon's helping you move. We can't keep up helping the move in and move outs just from our ward. But a voice came to me in that quick thought and said "The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of love". I told her we'd be glad to help. I called the sisters and we went over to help her. She was in a wheelchair and was just so grateful to us. She had been so overwhelmed that she didn't know what to do when along came the sister missionaries who gave her my number. She couldn't believe the timing of it all. (Sis Adams had dreamed about the duplex and knew it when she saw it) The Lord loves his sheep. We worked away and as we finished the lady (Joyce Durrant) took our hands and with tears of gratitude asked if we could have a prayer together. It was then that I realized that although we couldn't share a gospel of doctrines and principles with her, we could share the true gospel of love like Jesus would.
July
If it's true that corn should be knee high by 4th of July, we are in trouble. It's not even half way to the knee. Our berries are so plentiful! We even have peaches this year!
This month was camp for YW (Chris & I went up on the last night and day). It was also camp for YM (Chris, Aaron and Andrew went). Another thing Aaron did is serve as staff in the Washington DC International HOBY Leadership Conference. He worked so hard and got little sleep. He was there from 17th to 26th!
Last year Skyler did an eagle project that Chris and Aaron helped with. They fixed up an elderly widows home. They calked and painted the whole house. This week we got a call from a young man who was moving his mother to live with his grandmother who lives here. He and his mother have joined the church and they wondered if anyone could help them unload the truck. Many came and to our surprise, the grandmother was the very widow that Skyler, Chris and Aaron helped last year! Little seeds of gospel love sprouting in the soil of her unsure heart towards this Mormon church her children have joined! So cool!
Jennifer has been doing campfire programs for the kids at the State Park every Saturday.
August
We took the kids to Canada and went caving! Christie Klingler went with us. She is staying with us so she can get away from a controlling guy.
We are so thankful that Emily is feeling better and well enough that she went back to Ricks. While we were in Rexburg we went to the IF Temple with Jen to receive her endowment. She thought it a good time since she is on the Rick's College faculty this year! We're all so thrilled! Woohoo!
Had a fun family reunion at Beverdick Park and Green Canyon hotsprings.
Sept
The boys kayaked to the lighthouse over Labor Day.
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Jen is doing well on the BYU-I faculty. The dean stopped her in the hall and told her he'd just received an email from one of Jen's students who said what a great teacher Jen was and that she just loved her.
We're all excited for Tom and Shar expecting their first baby in November! They have picked the name of Jarom.
Emily has dropped her classes temporarily with a medical release. She's having panic attacks. Trying to decide what to do. My parents took her to Yellowstone, Aunt Karen took her to Mesa Falls, Jen came down and they went to a movie. They also went to a fireside that my parents hosted. Br. Whiteman Jr. spoke and sounds like it was excellent.
Aaron is a young man full of ideas and projects he wants to do. He is in demand for his computer skills by neighbors, friends and family. He just finished redesigning and producing the SSI website. He comes home from school and sits down at the keyboard and just plays music right out of his head. His sounds paint pictures. How does he do that! It amazes me!
Andrea is on the volleyball team and loves it. She is talented and helpful wherever she's asked most of the time. ha ha
Andrew plays on the basketball team. He has switched from clarinet to saxophone and has quite a talent for it. He would love to play on the computer full time if we let him. (We've restricted it to 5 hours per week of computer/tv) He thinks of himself as helpful but he gets distracted so easily! He talks and talks and talks and makes noises with his voice, tongue, lips, hands, objects, whatever he can imagine. His body is his musical instrument!
The last hamster died. Chester was the original who began the population of 27 in our home. He was Adam. Even and the children died quite a long time ago, He was the first and the last. Speaking of fruitful, our garden is so fruitful we can't manage all the blessings of our productive produce. We picked a squash that weighed 30lbs!
Business trip with Chris to Progue (see next page) When we got home I was thrilled seeing that the kids had strung Christmas lights in the window - our traditional sign of rejoicing in someone returning.
Sept 30: Message from our neighbor, Marilynne Munro. While we were out of town, Munro's asked the twins if they'd take care of their dog, Riley while they went to the game. They agree but then Dave came down with a bad cold and they cancelled on the game. When Andrea came over, Marilynne told her the situation and that they wouldn't need help with Riley afterall. "About 3:30 Dave and Riley and I were on the couch watching the game and the doorbell rang. It was Andrea with a homemade "get well" card for Dave. It was all done in rhyme and all three kids signed it. I had her come in for awhile - stayed away from Dave - and we sat on the floor and played with Riley. dave and I couldn't get over the card and the thought behind it. Here's 3 kids, Mom and Dad are gone, and instead of getting roudy and in trouble (as many would do) they compose a card for their neighbor. It really brought tears to my eyes after she left, wishing I had been fortunate enough to have even one child like your gang. My goodness. Anyway, we really appreciated that and Dave was very touched. So, thank them again for us. They sure are special."
October
Chris is in San Fran for conference.
Andrea told me that her name was announced over the intercom system with the school announcements because of her great serving in the volleyball game! She made 6 points and 5 of them were all in a row at the end which won the game for them! (It was an exciting game that we got to be to!)
Jen was observed in her writing class by the department chair. He peeked into Br. Samuelson's office to tell him he'd just come from her class and told him it was "Excellent...excellent...exemplary!" I'm so thrilled that Jennifer is teaching there. This is a dream come truth for her. She is so happy to be there and is well loved. She is also in the Primary Presidency in her ward.
Emily is going to take a class from Jen next semester! She will be a 2nd year physics student.
7th grade Band had chair competitions and Andrea won 1st chair flute position out of 10 flutes! I don't know how she does flute so well with braces!!! Andrew got 2nd chair Sax. All the kids told me Andrew deserved and should have been 1st chair but Mr. Upton's had to give that spot to his friend's kid.
November
8th: A special day! Jarom has arrived! :) 7lbs 12.5oz, 19 1/4". Shar and baby are doing well.
Shar felt the time was near so I took off in the car on the 7th and got there around 6pm. Emily got in at 3:30. She had a Dr. apt in Richland on the 6th & 7th and then drove over to Beans hoping for the baby to come while she was there. I kept talking to Jarom in my mind telling him that his auntie Em really wanted to see him and if he could come Sat. we would all be so pleased! Our wishes were granted!
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Sharilyn worked at a local pre-school until 2 days before Jarom was born. She sure fits into the roll of mom so well and Tom as a father. Sharilyn is loving and kind and Tom keeps their little trailer warm with a cozy fire lit in the wood stove every morning and then in the evening when he gets home. They are both so good and I never hear either of them complain about anything.
This Thanksgiving we are warmed by the fire of love from family and friends and turkey and gravy. It was just Aaron and the twins and 93 year old Izola Sims. (I visit teach her). She is so cute and plays ragtime piano with gusto! Later we went with the kids to another sister I visit teach in assisted living, Evelyn Fairclough. I go each week to do her nails but lately twice a week because she fractured her neck. She is a doll maker and last year gave me such a beautiful doll she made. I named her Evie after Evelyn. She gave me another pretty one that looks like Shirley Temple and told me I could only have her if I sewed her some clothes. Evelyn let me pick out materials from her supplies and I sewed her a pretty ballerina outfit.
The day before Thanksgiving we had a youth activity at our home and the day after the sisters came to our home for dinner.
In church today: Br. Beck bore his testimony and quoted Jen! "I remember something Jennifer King said in a talk here at this pulpit.. she is quite a scholar and I just love her." He told how she said we don't need to focus so much on trying to overcome this bad thing and that bad thing, but rather focus on all the good things we Can do and get busy doing good and the bad will take care of itself.
Funny: I helped with Franny in the nursery. She was reading the Three Pigs to the kids then handed the book to Brinley and said in her Brooklyn accent: "Go tell Sister King what the pigs names are" Brinley shyly pointed to each pig and told me their names: "Oscar, Meyer and Weiner" Ha Ha Ha! Oh that is so Franny!
December
The stockings are hung by the chimney with care and Christmas music is filling the air.
Cute Christmas card message from Olive and George up the road: "Each time we drive down the hill and see your house and yard, we are pleased that you and your lovely family decided to locate here. You all are a wonderful addition to this potpourri of Spyglass people. Just the fact that you have CHILDREN makes you special because no other neighbors' homes house kids: only dogs and cats. So your home should give hope to us all! We wish all of you Kings a wonderful Christmas and a healthy and bountiful New Year."
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| Jarom's blessing day |
Aunt Marla passed away from the flu on the 17th and Chris flew to IF to be with Uncle John. I just love Aunt Marla. We are shocked that flu would take her. The rest of us, including Beans who were at our home, stayed behind because we were all flying to California to go to Disneyland! We left the house at 6am to Seatac where Chris was able to meet us. Mom C, Jen and Em and Davilyn Dalling flew from Idaho Falls.
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| At Uncle John's |
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| On the plane to CA |
We all went to church with the Davies in their ward on the 21st then enjoyed the LA Temple grounds all beautifully decorated for Christmas.
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| Hotel fun |
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| Notice the photobombers! ha ha |
On Mon and Tues we went to Disneyland and Calif. Adventure. We had a great wonderful time and I have no regrets but I wouldn't want to ever do this again. It was crowded and made Christmas so hectic. So cute, Jarom's first real smiles began on that first day in Disneyland. He was so happy all day!
We flew home on Christmas Eve and nobody got more than 2 hours of sleep. We spent a tiring afternoon making goodie plates and Christmas caroled to Bankstons, Meachums, Shaws, Ruckers, Gilliams, Izola & Evelyn. People ask us to come to their home. What a rejoiceful time being together and feasting on the Christmas spirit. It's been fun watching little Jarom change and become responsive to us with big grins. What a darling!
Mom Clarke came home with us and will stay for a month.
Aaron's received his patriarchal blessing on his 18th birthday from Patriarch Golding who was moved several times in the prayer and afterward he had tears in his eyes, as did all of us. The spirit was so strong. (see journal for more details)
