King Family Timeline: December 2004

Jan

With many areas experiencing sub zero weather & blizzards, Jen couldn't fly to IF on New Years day as she had planned. Her flight was rescheduled for the 2nd but then the PA leg got cancelled and we had to quickly drive her to Seattle. Her plane was supposed to get in early evening but didn't arrive until midnight due to delays. My sweet parents kindly met her at the airport at that late hour.

Emily got to stay a bit longer than Jen. She was dropping tears all over the floor of the PA airport. Breaks my heart. I stood behind the glass crying as well.

Beans stayed a couple extra days due to weather on Snoqualmie Pass and arrived home to ice in the toilet bowl and no running water. Next day plumbers repaired 4 leaks! Mom Clarke is the last one to fly out. I hope the weather is better for her.

Nimbus got sneaky hiding
under my pillow!

Looks like Andrea has been
playing with Nimbus

This month: Bishops youth fireside at our house - 35 were here.

Bishops training at our house - 22 for dinner with Stake Pres, bishops and wives.

Started teaching a parenting class with Sis. Fillmore every Friday (6 week class)

Feb

Mom, Dad and Carole came for the month and stayed in our condo. It was sure fun to be with them. They left us some pretty lighthouse themed decorations in the condo.

On the 21st Aaron got asked by a newly converted young man, to baptize him! Jack Cote, 17 year old.

Activity at the Wadsworth Castle

Emily called me to ask if I knew where she could buy pesto in Rexburg. This is such a funny note I got from her. She calls it quest for pest:

So I realized I had been absolutely corrupted, poisoned, and brainwashed when I got the craving for Pesto last Sunday; now this wasn't just pesto, but spread on tortillas and baked righteously. Today I made the quest to Albertsons (I often venture to Albertsons and purchase an occasional half pound of potato salad) to find the green puke (I know no other way to describe it). Anyhow I didn't know where to look and I feared asking for help, "Excuse me where is your PESTO?" . . .I could see it now. I called mom and she suggested I ask the deli dudes. Well, okay. I went over to the deli and a cute deli dude came out, looked at me and said, "a half pound of potato salad!" and grabbed a bowl to dish it up. I was so flattered I said yes. He then said, "ah, your getting predictable, need to switch it up next time." After he got me my potato salad he asked if there would be anything new this time. I told him about my quest for pesto so he helped me look- alas, Albertsons has none and he knows of no town that does. "The last time I saw that stuff was in Denmark!" Well, so ends the Pesto Quest but I think I shall return to the deli with my best cloths (look for a ring) and lay the flirting on thick! "I will have some of your gassiest beans!"

Mar

Went with Chris to Kaui to scout out places for the company trip in November. It's so pretty. I'm excited for everyone to go.

We've decided to start having a morning family prayer in addition to evening just because things aren't quite right around here. Also Aaron falls asleep so deeply - it's like a coma and he's having much trouble getting up in the morning. We hope this might help and Aaron was all in favor. When we brought it up Andrea was silent but expression showed disapproval and a "Oh brother - what more hard things will they think up" look in her eyes. Andrew defiantly said "No. I won't get up" with a "you can't make me" attitude. I felt sad. We told them we just wanted to give it a try. At 5:45 this morning a miracle happened. We all got up for prayer. I was filled with joy as I took Andrea's hand and said "can you come for prayer in our room?" She said sure and got up. I hugged and thanked her. Chris got the boys up and Andrew came right in with no complaint. Aaron made it on time to seminary and even though the twins went back to bed, there was such a good feeling in our home. Both the twins at different times in the morning told me they thought it was good what we did. Wow. Sacrifice brought for the blessings of heaven today.

I went to Woman's week in Rexburg and got to be there for Mom's bday. Tom, Shar and Jarom came over and Shar, Em and I went to Jen's class! She's such a great teacher. Em is a sophomore. When the semester is over she is going to Southern CA to surf for a week before coming home for the summer.

I'm feeling very sad for Jen. It looks like her contract with BYU-I will not be renewed. They gave it to a married man with a couple kids but told her she'd have a job there if she completes her doctorate. As always, Jen has a most amazing positive attitude about this and will be flying to NY soon looking at a doctoral program. She flew to each of 4 schools where she received acceptance into their program: Renssalaer, Bowling Green, Ball State and Texas Tech. She received a stipend and full tuition offer from these 4 schools. She has chosen Renssalier in Troy NY. It is a prestigious school in her field of Rhetoric and Communications. Jen's teacher reviews were so stellar this past semester. The dept chair told Jen that some of her reviews were the highest he had ever seen before and that they were all so high, it put her in the top 10% of not just the English dept but the whole university.

Spring break at the Columbia River Basin Oregon

Multnomah Falls

May

I love that BYU-I gets out in April because we get the girls home earlier!

We took everyone on bikes to Victoria for the weekend of the twins 13th birthday and we all had tickets to Carmen! It was so much fun and weather couldn't have been more beautiful!

Happy Birthday!

On the ferry

B & B where we stayed the night

We hurried home because Aaron got asked by one of Andrew's friends to baptize him! James Lowrance, age 13. I chatted with James' mother, Patricia, and she told me that James has always been very carful about things and she trusts his decisions. She said he's always sought for good and in a time when young men could be turning to rebellious things like gangs or drugs, how nice it is that he has chosen to hang out with Mormon boys. She said she feels safe and happy that he has chosen this way but she has no desire to become involved with our church. (just a note...she did later join the church and we were good friends)

James (and Jack in Feb) have given Aaron such a great pre-mission experience. We've had James over for follow-up discussions.

Mother's Day

Waiting in line for Harry Potter 3

Business trip to Netherlands & Ireland (see next page)

Returned home from Netherlands to find things well here and the kids had the house clean. Jen was hit with something strange while we were gone. She woke up one morning all stiff and it continued to get worse and worse. She went to a doctor and they ran tests. She got a blessing. After we got home we took her to a specialist in Seattle and also to a Naturopathic here in Sequim who has her on a program of way too many yukky tasting things. Her condition has gotten so bad she can't turn a key in the door or open a lid on her water bottle. She had to use a wheelchair at the temple and at the airport. She has been through too much this past semester with a doctoral program in NY coming up etc. I'm worried about her. I have her name in the temple.

Jennifer went back to Rexburg to teach for the summer. They said she could teach every summer until she finishes her degree. It was sure hard sending her back to Rexburg in her condition, but she isn't going to let this stop her from teaching!

June 10 Albany NY

Jen's apartment

RPI

Aaron has graduated from HS and we are so proud of him.

(GRAD PICS OF AARON)

All this growing up of children seems to suddenly happen before we expect it. He's been accepted to both BYU and BYU-I. He plans to leave on his mission in Dec or Jan. Emily took his graduation photos that turned out great!

Family photo fun in our own backyard (which month)

Our pretty yard!

Went to Rexburg for Mom and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary June 9th! It was a lovely celebration. Aaron spent so many hours perfecting a dvd of exceptional quality for the reception. It turned just amazing and everyone loved it. Much family including those from SLC gathered in the cultural hall.

Day after the 50th we went to a Pickett reunion in IF. Later in the day us Klinglers had a potluck at Porter Park. Steve had asked everyone who wanted to participate to bring an instrument and we all had such fun playing music together. Steve was a great band director.

We got home really late on the 27th then had Andrew off to scout camp early the next morning.

July

Invited Gilliam's over for a cookout on the 4th. They brought 9 of them!

We went on a hike to Merrimare Falls with Holloway's and Naillon's and then they came to our house for FHE and a cookout.

Aaron playing from his heart

Chris left early for a weeklong priest outing in Leavenworth. Aaron sadly didn't get to go because it conflicted with the national HOBY conference in DC that he is helping with again this year. I drove him to PA airport and he flew to Seattle and then on to Dulles on the redeye. Beans spent the week with us and now the twins are in Moscow with them so I am here enjoying a bit of quiet time!

An estimated 30,000 people attended Lavender Festival this year! Up about 200% from last year. Ferry lines were hours long as people poured into Sequim.

Samuelson's were so kind to take Jen to her appointment with a specialist in SLC. She is in serious health trouble but doesn't talk much about it and tries to stay positive. When she went off Prednisone she couldn't turn a key in the doorknob, it hurt to chew, couldn't open a lid and went into a wheelchair. I really worry about her and also Emily...haven't figured out what either of them are suffering with. They've always been so healthy and now it's just so strange and I hope it all goes away soon. As for the rest of the family, we all seem to have hurry sickness. We all yearn to slow the pace but how do you walk slowly or stop to sharpen the saw while on a high speed treadmill?

I chatted with Aaron in DC and he is exhausted. They are short staffed and he's with little sleep. A cool thing happened. They had a panel of religions and the Mormon panelist didn't come so 10 minutes before the event they asked Aaron if he would fill in. He shared the gospel with an audience of approximately 50! He taught for 15 min. then opened up for questions for 20 min. He also talked to some individuals who had questions for about an hour. Aaron told me that he witnessed the fulfillment of the scripture that says how you will be given what you are to say in the moment that you need it. He said he went to DC hoping to share with at least one person and ended up with about 50!

When I picked Aaron up from PA airport I said "Welcome to the other Washington!" He took a deep breath of air and said "Oh this air feels so good! I'll never take it for granted again." He was so exhausted...no sleep or food.

August

8-14-04...

This morning I woke from a sleepless night feeling overwhelmed with sadness. This is the last morning to be at home with Aaron as we now know it. Aaron is getting ready to go to BYU-I and we are all heavy hearted. He's getting his mission papers ready to turn in. Why must we push our children out of the nest so soon! I wonder what age they would be if we let it happen naturally? We're all going to the temple this morning for youth baptisms then I'm flying to Rexburg (IF) to help Jen get packed up etc to leave for NY. She is so sad leaving BYU-I and putting on a brave face. I'll also be with Em while she's getting her wisdom teeth out at an oral surgeon because one of them is impacted close to a nerve. The rest of the family will drive down on the 19th in our car and Aaron in his. I am truly a beggar before the Lord with all my worries.

I miss our kids and will miss Aaron so much. In tears I knelt to pray pleading for comfort and in Heavenly Father's mercy the spirit told me, reminded me, that this moment in eternity goes by so quickly and then we will all be home forever and never have separations again. Together forever in our joyful loving heavenly home. All this is just temporary. I then asked Chris for a blessing and he reminded me of when we left our heavenly mother and father an how we were sad but it was important and necessary for our progression. All these things are important steps in this life. Though the sadness is there, so is joy and comfort in seeing our children's progression and the spirit blessing me with a wonderous view of eternity with all our loved ones forever.

While in Rexburg I want to have a surprise 50th bday party for Chris on the 20th while everyone is around. What a month...on the 21st we will fly to NY with Jen to help her get settled for her schooling at RPI. I worry about her being so far from home in her condition. I'll be sad leaving Jen in NY and leaving Aaron in Rexburg. It's so hard. One thing exciting is that Aaron will be roommate's with Justin Klingler. When we get home to Sequim we'll get the twins in school and then we'll be off to Portugal for Chris's conference and Shar will come and be with the twins. Too much is smacking me in the face at once.

Upper Mesa Falls Idaho

Feeding the fish at Big Springs

We got Jen settled in and met her LDS roommate, Susan. She's wonderful. We got her some groceries and put together a bookcase, desk and bought bins and other needful supplies to help Jen. We rode the bus to and from Troy so she would feel more comfortable with the route, bus changes and stops. I'm so thankful for every little thing the Lord is blessing us with through all of this. It was hard to leave Jen there, so far away. We flew back to Rexburg via SLC. Sleepless night...delayed flights. Arrived in SLC about midnight, stayed in hotel, picked up Mom C from Katie's then headed to Rexburg. Bad dreams about catching busses. Before heading back to Sequim it was nice to spend a little more time with Em and Aaron.

We got back to Sequim and I spoke in the combined RS/Psthd on family scripture study and afterward Pres. Shaw came up to me and said "You can come over and study scriptures with me anytime!" Wow, that made me feel great.

Someone brought great big zucchinis to church and I hauled one home. Br. Bahrt told me that big zucchinis make great murder weapons'. You just freeze it, bop the victim on the head, eat the zucchini and there is no evidence! ha ha ha. I think he's been in way too many dramas.

Chris had a meeting in the rose room so we were staying upstairs. Something came up that we needed to go downstairs so Andrew tried to go out the window landing onto a blanket. That didn't work so I carefully lowered him down the laundry shoot and he got back up via a ladder up to the window! ha ha.

Kids stayed up till 4am watching the food network! There was a cook-off and they were all into it. When it was over Andrew said "Wow, I feel like I've just finished watching an action movie only I want to go out and cook something!" Then he said "Too bad there isn't a cleaning channel" ha ha ha!

It feels so weird to only have two kids home. We sat down to dinner and Andrew said "Where is everyone!" We just kind of sat there a minute realizing the situation.

Sept

Andrea 8th Grade

Andrew 8th Grade

Portugal (see next page) So grateful to Sharilyn for coming to stay with the kids.

Field trip to the Sequim fire station

Jen is having such unusual experiences. Such a mix of ethnicities and personalities in her branch and interacting at school with the visiting Turkish professor. Bus is going ok and she's learned that dress at the university is casual because being in a nice dress suit, especially on the bus with all those interesting people, "might be misinterpreted as a sign taped to my back reading "mug me".

A drawer just for Jarom :)

Rexburg

Mt St Helens has been in labor with earthquakes all week and they expect her to deliver any time now a small eruption they expect to go about 3 miles in the air. Also the algae bloom is worse than ever. 11 million cells per liter as compared to 200,000 last year. Washington will boom and bloom!

We had a chase scene in the house...a cat, a boy and a mom in hot pursuit. Mouse ran for cover under the sofa. I lifted it up and out it ran to the safety of the Andrea jungle. There was then a muffled weak meow. I looked around and "No! It can't be!" I lifted the sofa and Nimbus ran out with a disgusted look on his face of "What in the world were you thinking!" Thankfully there's room under there so he wasn't flattened. Next morning, next episode ...a mouse in the house and a dear in the garden! Nimbus nonchalantly walked into Andrea's room and just sat staring through her door...watching. I guess he knew his escapee was in there. Soon he alertly hunched down for the stalking. Minutes later he immerged with a mouse in his mouth and again, let it go! He leaped and played until it got lost somewhere... I emailed Aaron about it and he emailed: "Sounds like things are crazy with a Mouse in the House, a Cat that's gone Flat and a Deer with No Fear! Sounds like Dr. Seuss moved in! :)" Ha ha ha!

Aaron is really excited and loving his religion class with Pr. Peterson.

Oct

Chris is in San Diego for SSI conf. In General Conference, Pres. Bednar got called to be an apostle! Jen said when she entered her classroom, she found herself sad that she couldn't talk with her students about this and rejoice with them. She was feeling homesick for BYUI. But Jen says she is thinking there are probably reasons other than school for her being in NY.

"Dear Jen, I just want to say that I love you and to always remember that through all the ups and downs in life and hurdles to jump with sore joints, there are some constants that will always be true to you. I know there is always hope in friendships, but things happen. Your family and the Lord will always be constant in our love for you and hopefully able to provide a measure of comfort, guidance and courage to move forward. I promise to always try."

Andrea has fairly consistently been the high scorer for her volleyball team. She's a great server! They didn't win tonight but she was a winner!

It's a lasagna day

Aaron and Justin are having a great time together and feeding off of each others excitement & enthusiasm for going on a mission.

Jen continues to have interesting encounters. Living in the world causes us to have a clearer realization of the wondrous protective bubble we are sheltered in...like the Lord gathering us as a hen gathereth her chickens into her protective wing. But, when you must leave the protective wing to share with the world and do that which you feel directed to do, because this whole world is His, as are all those in it, His protective wing can be with individuals wherever they are.

Aaron sent to my cell phone a really beautiful rendition of him playing "I am a Child of God" Wow, it was so beautiful I was moved to tears.

Nov

Shar has been made primary president.

Andrew came in 1st place at leagues for JV.

So much work at home and office getting ready for Kauai trip...a busy week, hard week, sad week, exciting anxious week, happy week. Two in our ward died and my Uncle Dell died. He went out to get mail and was hit by a car in the dark. Such a shock to us all. He and uncle Lewis both died at age 76. I hope they don't come for dad next year when he is 76. Besides that it there was such a joyful reunion meeting up with all the family! My sister, Paula, also joined us and that was a blast. With the Sawtoothians, there will be about 60 of us!

Trip to Kauai Hawaii (see next page)