Sunday evening after celebrating Grandma-Great's birthday with family, I sat down to relax and turned on the TV. A story was coming across on the news about the death of Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley, beloved prophet and leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Rather than sadness, I felt a feeling of warmth knowing that he had lived a long and faithful life and is once again with his sweetheart, whom he has missed so much.

A friend sent me a link to Glenn Beck's program and his tribute to Pres. Hinckley - I thought I would put it on here, so that you can all witness the genuine sincerity with which this man speaks of our prophet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z58eHBnEHhk

Grandma-Great's birthday is the 29th of January, and she will be 85!

Grandma, We Love You

If every person to whom you have shown
Some act of compassion and service,
Were to try to repay you in their own kind
I fear there would not be enough
Days or hours in our lifetime.

“Inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of these; Ye do it unto Me.”

If every piece of cloth you’ve pieced
And every stitch of thread you’ve sewn
Were laid side by side & end to end
They would stretch from here to Timbuktu,
And back again.

“I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more that the first.

For every unkind word
that is spoken against another
You offer up a compliment, and a calm reassurance
That the World is a better place,
Because we are in it.

“Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only . . .”

If to you, a rose was sent
For every day that you have spent
Thinking of, worrying about, or fretting over each of us
In our daily routines;
The World would be a garden of roses,
And you would be the Master gardener.

If we could all have the perfect Faith
That you carry in your heart;
Then your Mission as our Mother would be taught.
That because we are all God’s Children,
There is nothing more important or urgent –
Than for us to do those things that will
Help us return to HIM.

Some women are born to Greatness –
Others strive for Greatness—
Mom, you’ve always done the best you could with what you had; you’ve always cared for others when it would’ve been easier to think of yourself; you’ve always been there for all of us when it seemed the rest of the World didn’t care. We love you.

“Charity suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Doth no behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. . . .Well done, thou good and faithful Servant. . .”

You watched over us by Day & Prayed for us each Night

Written for Mom on her 80th birthday
January 29, 2003

Sue

A while back, I mentioned that I was going to try to spotlight my kids talents on my blog. I have occasionally put something of Mike's up and Heidi has her own blog, that features all the art she has done. On the other hand, Heather does some incredible polymer clay figurines that are just DARLING! She has mostly made them for her little girl to play with and friends/family with no renumeration - other than accolades and encouragement to try and sell them. Recently, I took one to a baby shower I attended and 'the crowd went wild' (so to speak). So I want to put the ones that we have taken pictures of here so that you can see them.

Alysa just sent me this cute pix of Sloaney this morning - so I had to add it. She's such a happy baby!

I haven't posted for over a week -- no birthdays, no excitement, the grey & dismal BLAH's are beginning to set in! How I would love just one day with enough sunshine to melt the iceberg in my driveway, and the opportunity to take a walk without the inversion strangling you at every breath! HOW LONG 'TIL SPRING?

Let's see: Kloyie's baptism was a few weeks ago and I haven't posted pictures of her special day. It was a very cold and snowy day, much like today. But she looked beautiful in a dress that Matt & Alysa gave her for her b-day. When I told her she looked like a princess or a bride, she said 'How 'bout a Princess Bride, Gramma?'

Nadine, DiAnne, Whitey and I drove up to Morgan last week to visit our Aunt. We always have a good laugh with her, and it was a beautiful day (albeit COLD). We took the scenic old road out of Morgan, and exchanged memories about where friends/relatives lived (back in the olden days), an old tree that Nadine and a friend got chased up into to get away from a elk(?)and were stranded there all day!

Grandkids are the funnest! Taylor stayed here one afternoon and helped me dig out after a big storm. Because she didn't have any snow gear, her clothes got wet and cold, so we threw them in the dryer and I put one of my 'oldest' flannel nightgowns on her to cozy her up. She thought that was pretty neat, when I explained that DiAnne had made the nightgown for me and two just like it for Heidi and her Mom when they were babies.


Laila took off running across the driveway, and whether it was icy or her feet just got away from her (as she is much like the gazelles loping across the plains, lately), she slipped and got a road rash on the side of her face. When her Dad bent down to give her a hug before bed that night, she explained to him to be very careful with her 'owie', cuz it hurt a little!

Mike, Shari, and Connor made a quick trip up this weekend with a U-Haul truck, bringing back a portion of their household in Hurricane. They only stayed one night, but will load up another truck and drive back for good next weekend. They too love the desert, but they love work and money more! So Mike is following an opportunity back in SLC.

I was the lucky Grandma to watch Sloane last night for awhile so I got some new pix of her. I can't believe she is already 7 months old! Where does the time fly to? She's a happy baby, and is beginning to be very curious about everything - a piece of lint on the carpet, a stray cord stretched out along the wall, the inside of a mouth - you know, how the tongue works, all the teeth!
So this has been a very "Grandma Brag" kind of blog - but they're all worth it, and I love them all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TERI!

I received a thank-you note from Teri for helping at the Festival of the Trees. It was funny, because she mentioned how forgetting must be a part of approaching 50! 50?! How can that be? I remember the day she was born. I had gone into the tabernacle in SLC with my Primary group to do baptisms for the dead. When I got home, I was told the news that DiAnne had delivered a new baby girl. I was so excited and couldn't wait to offer up my babysitting skills. I would spend weekends with them, and get up with the baby once during the night to give DiAnne a break. I also remember the first bath...WOW! That makes me feel so old! Between dance recitals, directing the Nativity at the family Christmas party each year and so many productions that she has been in, Teri continues to thrill her fans & has begun a new career in Real Estate.

Teri is the oldest daughter of DiAnne & Glen, and she is married to Tom. They have three awesome and talented kids - Jessica, Nicholas, and Taylor.

Teri, Teri – You’re so very, very
Entertaining and Funny.
You sing, you dance, and please the crowds
And watching you makes us all so Proud!
Your Humor and Grace, and savoir-faire
Makes everything you do beyond compare.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOM!

Isn't this little guy cute - and can you tell who he is? Tom is my brother and the 3rd oldest of my siblings. He was one child that tested the water (quite literally when he drove a car off the road into the Weber River!), my parent's patience and Grandpa Fry's good nature (I believe he was in Grandpa's jail the night my Mother went into labor with me!). The gleam in his eye, and the smile on his face always lets you know you're in for a good story of mischief and mayhem! When I asked Leanne for some verification of my facts she more than willingly gave up a few good stories on her Dad: "Dad was the Supervisor over Avionics Training Device Simulators for F-16 and C-130's.
1) He got mad at some of the guys because they kept going into the restrooms with the newspapers and they would fall asleep on the toilets, so Dad had Civil Engineering come and take off the stall doors so they couldn't sleep in there any more and it made quite a few people mad, especially his boss and the Union. 2) He also received a Pigeon Poop Kit from another boss and good friend in Minot, S.D., which was a pan and and broom in a box. Dad filled it up with pigeon poop and sent it back to him through the base mail. It was quite the joke on the base for many years. 3) About the car in the river -- which time? I know of at least 2 times. He still has the newspaper article at home with the roof of the car sticking out of the icy river. Of course he was feeling no pain at the time of the incident. Eventually, he grew out of his 'wild ways' as far as actions, but his sense of humor and mischievous thinking lives on. It's funny to know that one of my good friends from junior high actually worked with Tom, and never realized he was my brother - but she says 'everyone that knew Tom liked him'. Not hard to believe!

He and Margie were married in 1949 and they have one lovely daughter, Leanne who is married to Garth; and two grandkids, Jorgan and Chad. Thanks to them for so lovingly taking care of their parents.

NEW YEAR 2008

Today is Daddy’s birthday --- he was born Jan. 3, 1900. It was always so easy to remember how old he would be for the year! He was 49 when I was born. . .and 65 when he died. It’s difficult to remember any one thing about him . . . he’s been gone from my life longer than he was in it.

New Year’s has always been a time for reflection, contemplation, and resolution. What were you doing New Year’s Eve? Were you curled up by a cozy fire, celebrating the beginning of a new year with someone you love? Were you remembering times gone by, with the hope for a better tomorrow? Were you reminiscent of a more carefree day when the wind in your hair, or a skinned knee was your only concern? For me, the end of a year and the beginning of a new one is no different - marked by sorrow, sadness and regret.

Sorrow in my heart for those who have passed through our lives and are now gone - Left without a goodbye, a promise of tomorrow, or a feeling of warmth. Sadness in my heart as I realize unfulfillment in my life. Regret, which is the biggest disappointment – when I realize what I am capable of, what is expected of me, and the realization that I haven’t been diligent in seeking those areas that would allow growth.

I’m sorry for the blonde, blue-eyed child who has no recollection of a childhood. I’m sorry for the frustration and confusion of adolescence. I’m sorry I was a follower, instead of a leader; or at best, an Individual! I never explored who I really was or who I wanted to be. I’m sorry for relationships that I either didn’t encourage or nurture. I’m sorry I didn’t take time to have fun and explore new horizons. I regret thoughtless words and deeds.

So, with this said, I am declaring 2008 “The Year of Sue” (remember the Seinfeld episode where George resolves to do everything different?)! I want to become more healthy, happy, and independent! I want to let go of old hurts and salve the wounds with love and forgiveness. I want to forget the past, and make each day of my present account for something.

I love all my family and am thankful that they have been there to fill in the gaps!