celebrating memorial day

 

Mostly, the rides on any kind of tube behind our waverunners are their own kind of thrill ride. This Memorial Day with the Berges, we instituted a new kind of ride. Not a thrill ride…this ride is called a “chatting ride.” Obviously, this ride is for people like the three of us, who just want to have a little chat while going round the lake without worrying about whiplash, falling or getting thrown off tube. (Yeah, we also had that kind of ride as well.)

Nobody rides the Airhead with more panache than these two.

Megan and Brianna

 

with a different pose for the camera every time they came around.

Oh, and we don’t want to forget their exciting screams!

    

Yes, Andrew actually did fall sound asleep on the waverunner while spinning around the lake at just over 30 miles per hour.

 

bathtime

    

camp teasers

We couldn’t have a more zealous promoter of grandkid camp than our first attendee, Courtney. After two years on her own, her brother, Carter joins us this year. When talking about grandkid camp one or the other of them is quick to follow up with…

and then Truby next year and Jonah the year after that and then Elliot and Clark the year after that and Izzy the year after that. (There are more grandkids, that’s just where they tend to end the much rehearsed monologue.)

They have been BEGGING for clues about camp this summer for months! They have used all their formidable charms to eeke some little scrap of information out of us, but we  sealed our lips. Since their invitations got sent this week, we decided to play a guessing game. Everyday they got an email with a picture.

Clue Number One

Being the space enthusiast that they are…they both guessed Space Camp. But that was not correct.

Clue Number Two

They both guessed Earth Camp. Their mom guessed Weather Camp. Nope.

Clue Number Three

The kids were thinking something like Fourth of July Camp, and their mother, tongue in cheek guessed Earth, Wind and Fire Camp.

Clue Number Four

Courtney got it with clue number four. In fact, I was on the phone with her when she figured it out. I could hear her thinking it through and logic-ing out using the clues backwards! And when she had it right, she KNEW she had it right, because every clue worked. I could imagine her shining eyes and smiling face. In fact, my eyes were shining and my face was smiling too.

 

 

 

 

 

Do You Know The Theme of

Grandkid Camp this

summer at the Birdhouse?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Peeking!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carter knows too!

We will

Make them

Bake them

Buy them

Fly them

Draw them

Drive them

And, of course, there

will be a

special surprise!

while i was away

There were quite a few jobs aging on the to-do list. Doug and his able-bodied helper, Brianna, worked their way around the house. Starting at the top, the dormers got painted.

After pressure spraying both floors, a new coat of paint was in order for the porch floor

and the porch railing.

The rocking chairs benefited from a few cans of spray paint.

   

The plants in the garden that literally froze to death this past winter were discarded and replaced.

The Birdhouse has been spruced up.

Well done!

feeling their love while preparing for a visit from an apostle

They drove for eight hours after school on Friday arriving just after 10:00pm. Saturday morning they were all up before 7:00am…helping me.

From the tallest to the smallest, they volunteered for jobs and got tasked with assignments that they did quickly and with a smile. I even received comments like, “We love helping you Nana!” Windows, floors, carpets, furniture, kitchen and bathrooms were given a final clean, polish, shine or  combination of all three. Although it sounds like an oxymoron, they were “reverently excited” for our special guest.

In addition, Tricia and Dan helped me organize the buffet, set the table, run last minute errands and brought their newly bloomed hydrangeas from their garden in Charlotte to enhance the ambiance at the table.

Sunday morning before leaving for church, they packed their car for their return home later in the day, so that the bedrooms and third floor slumber party room didn’t even show evidence of  half a dozen extra sleepers in the house.

(As it turned out, Elder and Sister Andersen are huge fans of old houses and wanted to see every nook and cranny of ours.)

It is the greatest blessing to share extraordinary experiences with those you love.

 

 

 

I will remember this always.

a very special stake conference

As the stake president, my husband asked the seminary students in our stake  to learn about the lives of the first presidency and apostles this year as part of their course of study. Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, but many months later, he found out that Elder Andersen would be visiting our stake. As a special request, Elder and Sister Andersen agreed to meet with the youth this morning. Although not a seminary student yet, but having turned 14, Brianna was invited to attend.

The Andersens shared personal experiences that have been meaningful in their lives. Elder Andersen also gave a glimpse of some of his interactions with other apostles.

He reminded the youth how easy it is to go wrong and that no one is compelled to choose the right, but then warned them that they have been given a pearl of great price, and they must do their part. He also emphasized the importance of honesty. After the meeting, Elder Andersen shook the hand of each and every one of the 100+ youth in attendance.

It was great seeing the stake center was filled to capacity for the general session.  I took quite a few notes, but I will just mention here that I did love being reminded by Elder Andersen in his gentle, but poignant way that who we are, we have been for a very long time and will be forever and that we are in a beautiful time of our eternal lives. He admonished us to see life for what it is and not what it appears. He told us not to be afraid of our situations, but to confront them realizing that we are not alone.

Afterwards, it was our privilege to host lunch for the stake presidency and their wives, the mission president and his wife, Brother and Sister Williams and the Andersens.

 

Of course, I had an expectation for a spirit-filled weekend. The amazing thing to me, is that it was so much more amazing than I had anticipated. I feel truly overwhelmed in a most wonderful way. I lack the words and actually, even the inclination to try to describe it.  However, I am trying to memorize the feeling. I know I will want to access that again and again.

How blessed we are!

sister andersen

 This morning I woke so thrilled for the opportunities of the day. The sisters in our stake were invited to a women’s meeting with Sister Kathy Andersen. It was an incredible experience to be part of a group of 430 women and yet feel such a personal connection to this wonderful woman. In a very intimate way she shared experiences from her own life and the life of her grandmother and great-grandmother that were meaningful and uplifting.

 

After being fed spiritually for a couple of hours, the stake relief society had prepared a beautiful lunch so that we could be fed physically as well.

If this Society listens to the counsel of the Almighty, through the heads of the Church, they shall have power to command queens in their midst.” (HC, 4:605.)

baby faces

If I take enough pictures, will I remember how tiny she is?

 

How soft? How perfect?

Will I remember the sound of her tearless cries?

Will I remember her fast shallow breaths and her great big stretches?

Will I remember her snuggling up against me and falling off sleep, then gently pulling me into the world of dreams after her?

I have loved the past few  days with  my own number ten, dear Audrey Day.

holy comforter episcopal preschool

I had such a great morning reading to the preschoolers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

audrey’s blessing dress

     Made with love and embellishments  from my wedding dress.

      

  

She just loves it!