What are the most memorable and treasured gifts you have received in your life?
The year my dad wrote a poem and hid the pieces to a trampoline was a favorite Christmas memory. It was so unlike my dad...I still don’t know if my mom put him up to it or if he did it all himself, but it was amazing. I knew that he went to a lot of trouble that year and I have always appreciated that—especially as I have gotten older.
My favorite gift I have given came in Christmas 1994 when Genius Golfer and I gave our parents a special gift...we wrapped up a tiny diaper and used a special poem to tell them that we were expecting Jill. They were surprised, but thrilled.
Showing posts with label families. Show all posts
Showing posts with label families. Show all posts
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Monday, October 14, 2013
Change of Plans
Our nephew, Bryce, got home from his mission in Slovakia 10 days ago. I figured he would speak in his ward next Sunday. That was convenient since The Girl was going to be home that weekend--as it is her 'fall break' on Friday. But in talking with Sister In Law Lori last night, apparently there are scheduling issues and Bryce will most likely speak in their ward the second or third week of November. I guess he spoke a few weeks BEFORE he went into the MTC, so speaking a few week AFTER he gets home is only fitting.
It is crazy to me that he is home. But, I am glad. He is a good kid and it is fun to see him with the other cousins.
It is crazy to me that he is home. But, I am glad. He is a good kid and it is fun to see him with the other cousins.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Family Ties
Last evening we had one of our monthly family dinners at Grandamcita's home. This one was for my BIL, who turned 50 last week. We have a dinner about once a month, as each of Genius Golfer's siblings, and their respective spouses have birthdays in differing months. So it is generally 4 of GG's sibs, 3 spouses, and whatever kid-cousins show up.
The last time we got together it was The Boy's turn to pray in our family prayer that night. In his prayers he told God that he was thankful for his cousins and that they loved each other and got along so well.
I was touched to hear that kind of sentiment form him, but my heart broke at the same time. I love that the kids love their cousins--and they really do! Now that they are old enough to drive, they find ways to get together, with or without the parents. What is heartbreaking is that my two nephews have become estranged to my own kids. The boys don't know my kids and my kids don't know the boys anymore.
When they were all little my sister and I would try to do something with the kids all together monthly or so, and more in the summer. We wanted them to know each other as we never knew most of our own cousins. We had three close by as we grew up and we certainly loved them, but we had more that lived states away and we never got to know, and consequently might not even recognize if we saw them on the street.
My sisters boys and my kids began to drift away as a result of her divorce. There were time issues and visitations. There was some kind of drama, to this day we don't know the story, that the older one in particular was told by the other side of his family to keep him from wanting to be with us. My kids experienced a loss that no kid should have to feel--and that was nothing compared to the strife the boys were experiencing. But my kids didn't understand what their cousins were going through, and there was little we could really tell them to help.
Now, I think most of the strife for the boys is settling down, but know their parents have both remarried and there are blended families to settle into. Add to that the schedules of busy teenagers and family activities and work schedules and church and...well, you can see that there is little time left to reestablish relationships with their cousins from that side of the family.
So while I my heart hurts for the broken relationships with my own nephews my kids are missing out on, I rejoice that they do have cousins that they know and love and want to be with any chance they get. And I hope that the time will come with repairs and reacquaintances can be made.
The last time we got together it was The Boy's turn to pray in our family prayer that night. In his prayers he told God that he was thankful for his cousins and that they loved each other and got along so well.
I was touched to hear that kind of sentiment form him, but my heart broke at the same time. I love that the kids love their cousins--and they really do! Now that they are old enough to drive, they find ways to get together, with or without the parents. What is heartbreaking is that my two nephews have become estranged to my own kids. The boys don't know my kids and my kids don't know the boys anymore.
When they were all little my sister and I would try to do something with the kids all together monthly or so, and more in the summer. We wanted them to know each other as we never knew most of our own cousins. We had three close by as we grew up and we certainly loved them, but we had more that lived states away and we never got to know, and consequently might not even recognize if we saw them on the street.
My sisters boys and my kids began to drift away as a result of her divorce. There were time issues and visitations. There was some kind of drama, to this day we don't know the story, that the older one in particular was told by the other side of his family to keep him from wanting to be with us. My kids experienced a loss that no kid should have to feel--and that was nothing compared to the strife the boys were experiencing. But my kids didn't understand what their cousins were going through, and there was little we could really tell them to help.
Now, I think most of the strife for the boys is settling down, but know their parents have both remarried and there are blended families to settle into. Add to that the schedules of busy teenagers and family activities and work schedules and church and...well, you can see that there is little time left to reestablish relationships with their cousins from that side of the family.
So while I my heart hurts for the broken relationships with my own nephews my kids are missing out on, I rejoice that they do have cousins that they know and love and want to be with any chance they get. And I hope that the time will come with repairs and reacquaintances can be made.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Family Respsonsibilities
Yesterday in our Sunday school class we had a lesson about family responsibilities. Of course, we talked about the duties of parents to their children and that of fathers and mothers and how, though different, were equal in value. We even brushed past the responsibilities children have to their family.
What we kept coming back to, though, was that all these are great, in an ideal world, but to reach "ideal" we have to each be accountable, take responsibility, basically grow up.
Here is where the theory seems to implode.
If humankind would do that, we'd all be looking for room on the Rapture Express--being translated and brought up into Heaven. The problem with it is there are so many who simply will not be accountable, take responsibility or just grow up. These are the few who make a lesson like this necessary in the first place.
I understand that everyone is raised differently and thereby has differing ideas about what might be their personal responsibility or accountability. But I think if we each took the initiative to be grown ups and look for the responsibility in our lives and our families, we could take on what it appropriate and make our families stronger and in turn, society as a whole.
But it is just so much easier to let someone else take care of it all. But then, guilt comes easy to me.
What we kept coming back to, though, was that all these are great, in an ideal world, but to reach "ideal" we have to each be accountable, take responsibility, basically grow up.
Here is where the theory seems to implode.
If humankind would do that, we'd all be looking for room on the Rapture Express--being translated and brought up into Heaven. The problem with it is there are so many who simply will not be accountable, take responsibility or just grow up. These are the few who make a lesson like this necessary in the first place.
I understand that everyone is raised differently and thereby has differing ideas about what might be their personal responsibility or accountability. But I think if we each took the initiative to be grown ups and look for the responsibility in our lives and our families, we could take on what it appropriate and make our families stronger and in turn, society as a whole.
But it is just so much easier to let someone else take care of it all. But then, guilt comes easy to me.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Coping Mechanisms Observed
I spent this morning with my Dear Friend Tammy. Tammy has A.L.S. (also called Lou Gehrig's Disease) and is completely bedridden now. Her personality and sense of humor is still intact and same as ever. But physically she is not herself.
Tuesday and Friday mornings I spend at her place doing some housekeeping and laundry and just visiting with her. Her Husband, Rick, goes into the office on Fridays so she needs someone there to help her and watch her while he is gone. Today, I also got to help the hospice nurse wash her hair and then I fed her some lunch.
Her girls were home today, since it was Fall Break Weekend, but their dad still had the regular adult help scheduled for today. I was curious to watch how the three girls are coping with their mom's situation. Each one deals with it so differently.
Daughter #1 is a senior in HS and seems to deal with the whole situation by avoiding it. She is away as often as not. She has a job, granted, but it sounds like she is off with friends (always away from home) when she is not working. I hope she doesn't miss the opportunity to say things to her mom that she will want to say. And I hope she figures all this out before she regrets her choices down the road.
Daughter #2 is in junior high and very sporty. But she has become more of a home body of late. Today, in fact , she was making chili for their family's dinner and kept checking in with her mom for directions. Her mom tells me that DD#2 regularly sits with her and they read/listen to a book on tape and then talk about it together. Daughter # 2's coping with things by not going very far from home, nearly the opposite of her big sister.
Daughter #3 is in elementary school and is the family princess. She has always been the baby and was treated as such as she was growing up. But she also likes to dress and act older than her age, playing up the cuteness or the (at times) flirty factor. Her coping mechanism seems to be a stronger need for attention. She checks in on mom while she is home, but has also swiped mom's lipstick or make up and I find silky black bras in her laundry. I worry that her acting "older" will draw the exactly wrong kind of attention down the road.
How these three girls cope is fascinating and at the same time worrisome. I want to encourage them to do things that will be positive and will become treasured memories with their mom and the time they spent with her, serving and sharing with her for them. I'm not sure my influence is one they will listen to or even care for, but I feel for them all. Most of all I feel for Tammy who is not capable to changing much around her. She is putting on a good face and being as strong as she can for her girls, but she can't force a change in them, or in herself.
Each one of us is in a similar circumstances with our families and loved ones. We may not be facing terminal illness, but we all know that no one gets out of this life alive. Are we spending our time wisely? Are we making memories that we will treasure down the road? Are we telling people who mean something to us that we love them, admire them, pray for them? Look at your family this weekend, and see how you can improve those little moments together. It isn't easy, but it will be worth it. I just hope Tammy's girls can balance out their feelings with the time they have left with their mom.
Tuesday and Friday mornings I spend at her place doing some housekeeping and laundry and just visiting with her. Her Husband, Rick, goes into the office on Fridays so she needs someone there to help her and watch her while he is gone. Today, I also got to help the hospice nurse wash her hair and then I fed her some lunch.
Her girls were home today, since it was Fall Break Weekend, but their dad still had the regular adult help scheduled for today. I was curious to watch how the three girls are coping with their mom's situation. Each one deals with it so differently.
Daughter #1 is a senior in HS and seems to deal with the whole situation by avoiding it. She is away as often as not. She has a job, granted, but it sounds like she is off with friends (always away from home) when she is not working. I hope she doesn't miss the opportunity to say things to her mom that she will want to say. And I hope she figures all this out before she regrets her choices down the road.
Daughter #2 is in junior high and very sporty. But she has become more of a home body of late. Today, in fact , she was making chili for their family's dinner and kept checking in with her mom for directions. Her mom tells me that DD#2 regularly sits with her and they read/listen to a book on tape and then talk about it together. Daughter # 2's coping with things by not going very far from home, nearly the opposite of her big sister.
Daughter #3 is in elementary school and is the family princess. She has always been the baby and was treated as such as she was growing up. But she also likes to dress and act older than her age, playing up the cuteness or the (at times) flirty factor. Her coping mechanism seems to be a stronger need for attention. She checks in on mom while she is home, but has also swiped mom's lipstick or make up and I find silky black bras in her laundry. I worry that her acting "older" will draw the exactly wrong kind of attention down the road.
How these three girls cope is fascinating and at the same time worrisome. I want to encourage them to do things that will be positive and will become treasured memories with their mom and the time they spent with her, serving and sharing with her for them. I'm not sure my influence is one they will listen to or even care for, but I feel for them all. Most of all I feel for Tammy who is not capable to changing much around her. She is putting on a good face and being as strong as she can for her girls, but she can't force a change in them, or in herself.
Each one of us is in a similar circumstances with our families and loved ones. We may not be facing terminal illness, but we all know that no one gets out of this life alive. Are we spending our time wisely? Are we making memories that we will treasure down the road? Are we telling people who mean something to us that we love them, admire them, pray for them? Look at your family this weekend, and see how you can improve those little moments together. It isn't easy, but it will be worth it. I just hope Tammy's girls can balance out their feelings with the time they have left with their mom.
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