Shower Time

Well, it's been quite a day. Switching emotional gears all day long. But we ended the day on a 'high' note. The ward had a bridal shower for Adrianne tonight and it was a lot of fun and she got nice gifts. The group gift was the knives they had registered for, and they were so excited, especially Mike. He picked them out and they'll get a lot of good use when they practice 'Iron Chef' at home!

Everyone has settled down tonight and the phone has stopped ringing. It is still such a shock that Jeaneen is gone. So unexpected. She was 76 last November. That is still young. I'm so glad she died at my parents. They loved her and got along together so well. She and Jack were going to stay in a hotel but everything is booked because of the Super Bowl. So when they were here for the family shower and temple, they decided they would stay at my mom and dad's. I'm glad she died in a home with love and people there who loved her instead of in a cold hotel room alone. The last thing she said was to my mom when they hugged good night and she told her thank you for letting them stay and for being so good to her and that she would see them in the morning. Last night, late, she and my mom stood at the kitchen counter for quite a while eating pnut butter rice krispie treats with the choc/butterscotch frosting that my mom made for her because she was coming and talking and laughing. She hadn't been sick or anything. I guess that's the way to 'go'--quietly in your sleep.

Duff flies out in the morning so he and his siblings can meet with the mortuary.

Update--

Here is a picture of Grandma Duffy with Adrianne at the family shower. She was so happy and had such a great time being here. This is one of the last pictures we have of her.

Her viewing will be on Tuesday evening, and her funeral on Wednesday in Salt Lake City. Grandma and Grandpa Davis are doing fine and so is Auntie. What a day for all of us!

I'm on my way to Adrianne's bridal shower that the ward is giving her. I'll post again later.

GRANDMA DUFFY PASSES AWAY!

We got a call this morning from Grandma and Grandpa Davis in Arizona that Grandma Duffy has died.

She and Uncle Jack were staying with them while they were visiting Deidre and her new baby and participating in his blessing on Sunday.

Grandma Sigie went in to the guest room to say good morning and Grandma Duffy didn't respond--which isn't necessarily a big deal because her apnea condensor was on and that is a bit noisy. So she walked around the side of the bed and tried to wake her up by moving her arm and she was gone. Grandma Sigie called for Grandpa and he ran down the hall and confirmed she was dead. They called 911 and Auntie and she sped over. The paramedics said she had been dead for quite some time, and they estimate that she probably passed shortly after she went to bed.

The medical examiner has just arrived and they are doing what they need to do and then will take her body.

That is all I know for now. I'll post again later.

Finals, Doctors, YW, and Wedding

Way too much going on today. Christine is in the middle of finals. (stressful for everyone!) Shaun is home doing the doctor thing and it's been a rough couple of days with that. I fought through not having a meltdown this morning about it all--just when he seems to get things stable, he has a setback--but I finally paused and had a good experience with prayer.It didn't change the outcome of anything, but it did give ME strength and peace and the ability to cope. Funny how that works. Then YW tonight for Chrissy and more wedding stuff. I'm going to bed now because I've HAD IT!!!

A Tribute From Glenn Beck

I found this in my email this afternoon. I am a Glenn Beck fan and I think his story of finding the gospel is inspiring. This is a very nice tribute from him for President Hinckley.

Stand A Little Taller

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I borrowed this from my cousin, Roberta, who borrowed it from a friend as well. But it is touching and started my morning in a very humbling and grateful way. President Hinckley has been in my thoughts constantly for his love and example. He lived what he asked us to do, and he was a champion of standing a little taller. I will always remember him for this statement. I will miss him so!

Vacuum Cleaner Mystery Solved

Last weekend when we were getting ready for the family bridal shower, Lisa was doing some vacuuming for me and she was really frustrated with my vacuum cleaner. She kept asking me what kind of piece of 'crap' vacuum I had. Then Natalie was doing some other vacuuming and she kept saying, "Mom what happened to this vacuum?"

I DON'T KNOW!!! It worked fine for me the last time I used it!!!

Well, when I was cleaning out my closet last week I realized they were right, it was TERRIBLE. I turned it over and discovered the vacuum cleaner mystery: the belt was ripped and just hanging together by a thread! I went to Lowe's, purchased a package of 2 belts for a grand total of $2.49, and came home and fixed it. Now it works like a charm!

Rain, Rain, Rain!

The rain just keeps on a-coming! Everything sure is GREEN! The canals and rivers are full. Some swift water rescues have been on the news. We are supposed to have a day off tomorrow, and I ought to try and get my rose bushes cut back and fertilized before the predicted rain returns on Wednesday!

The rain is such a blessing though. We have been in a drought and so far we have had more rain in January than we received all last year! So far--there haven't been any serious land slides, etc. in the burn areas. The rain has come, paused enough to soak in, and then started again.

Our local mountains have had LOTS of snow. 3 people lost their lives in an avalance in Wrightwood, where Auntie Tia and Uncle Bob live. The 'grapevine' pass has been closed several times as well.

We keep track of the snow in Utah because of the kids being there and the cabin. They have had so much this year. Again--very needed. We hear Midway has a TON, which we will see over the Presidents Weekend.

President Gordon B. Hinckley Passes Away!

PRESIDENT AND PROPHET GORDON B. HINCKLEY passed away this evening at 7pm MST. Duff's mom called us immediately after she heard the news. We called all the kids and the bishop told the youth at the fireside where Christine was. I knew this day would come, but when it does, somehow you are never quite prepared. I feel secure and at peace though because of my testimony that the Savior leads the church and a new prophet will be in place shortly and for the time in-between the Quorum of the 12 Apostles are in charge.

I can't help but think of the sweet reunion for him with his beloved wife, Marjorie, who died just about 4 years ago now. He was so devastated when she passed away and showed us how to go on in the face of loneliness and trial.

This is the only prophet that Christine has known so far. When she was born, the prophet was Howard W. Hunter, but he died while she was a baby. So this has shaken her up a little bit. I talked to her about how I felt when David O. McKay passed away. I was exactly her age, 13.

I remember feeling kind of scared, numb, nervous. It was also in January, and it was cold and dreary. I didn't want to go to school. I was standing over the furnace grate in the floor in our living room and remember feeling sick to my stomach. It was a time when I learned about church government and succession in the first presidency. My faith was being stretched and growing. I recall the comfort I felt from my parents reassurance that the Lord was in charge and He would call another prophet to lead us. I remember what an important time it was when we listened on the radio to the next general conference and sustained Joseph Fielding Smith as the new prophet and president of the church! That was the only way we got conference during those days in California. Several years later, we would go to the Stake Center and listen to it and another several years after that we could watch it at the SCenter. FINALLY, the local TV stations began broadcasting it. Up to two years ago when the BYU channel became availabe to us here, we were always at the mercy of a cable company to pick up conference and then send thank yous to them so they would pick it up again.

I've been thinking this evening about the prophets I've known in my lifetime so far: David O. McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Howard W. Hunter, Gordon B. Hinckley. I have a testimony of each one and the work they contributed to build the Kingdom of God here on the earth.

I have loved President Hinckley. His love was always so evident. I always kind of felt like he reached out to us as a loving grandfather would. I will miss him.

Ice Skating

I confess--I love to watch ice skating! Especially the figure skating and ice dancing. When I was a very little girl, my grandparents would take me to what was then called The Ice Capades. Now it is called Disney On Ice. They would get the tickets and we would plan for weeks. It was always a 'dress up' evening. I would wear my best Sunday dress and shoes for the show. We would alway sit as close to the ice as we could. I remember having butterflies in my tummy with anticipation on the drive there! I would fantasize about being an Olympic skater and being invited to be a part of the show! Such little girl dreams! I would always fall asleep in the back seat of their Buick Riviera on the way home.

Whenever we went to their house on Truxton Avenue in Westchester by the LA airport, we had our own coloring books and crayons in a red flowered tin. My sister and I would sit at the dining room table and color our little hearts out. My grandma bought me a Peggy Fleming color book. I was so careful to color each page as perfectly as I could. I tried extra hard to stay in the lines! Those were such happy and carefree trips to my grandma's.

I was thinking about those times as I was watching the U.S. Figure Skating Championships tonight. Yes, I still watch as many skating shows as I can. I cringe when just about anyone falls because I want everyone to do their best, unless it's the Olympics and then I root American only. Almost every year the girls and I go to the Honda Center and see Disney On Ice and Smuckers Stars on Ice.

Tonight, this young 14 year old girl skated her heart out and it was an incredible performance. She won the competition for the womens senior division her first time out. I'm sure we'll be seeing much more from her!

Good Friends

I have good friends--REALLY GOOD friends. We are two weeks out today from the wedding. This morning I had a little meeting at my house to tie up all the loose ends. It is a good friend who will come at 8:30 on a Saturday morning and volunteer to help you with a big event like a wedding reception.

I am a pretty independent, capable person. I am more often on the helping side of things. It is a harder thing to be on the receiving end and I have been very touched by so many of my friends who have OFFERED and VOLUNTEERED to help us. Everyone had so many suggestions, ideas, things that they have used and worked, and things that didn't work so we could go in another direction.

We had everything decided, divided, and assigned in 90 minutes to execute the reception. When they left to go home and do their own Saturday things, I just kept thinking how great it was that we all have different strengths, talents, ideas, minds--how wonderful diversity of 'gifts' is and how remarkable they go together when working to accomplish a mutual goal.

We covered set up, decorations, food and all that goes with that--so many details!!!--, servers, bussing tables, trash, clean up and take down, cold beverages/punch, hot beverages/hot chocolate/apple cider with mix-ins, baskets, favors. And then Patti, who is helping with the wedding gown, and my sister Sue who is an amazing florist, and Gwen who is doing all the fruit.... I could go on and on.

Needless-to-say: I AM SO LUCKY AND BLESSED, and THANKFUL!

The Closet Purge

This is NOT my closet, but it gets the point across. I do much better when things are tidy. Unfortunately, life gets in the way and things get busy and get untidy!

I do laundry on Mondays and Thursdays. Yesterday inbetween loads as I was folding, hanging, and putting away, I got an urge to go through my clothes and get rid of what is old and what I haven't worn for a year or so. I decided I needed to be really honest with myself about what needed to 'go'. I ended up with 3 trash bags ready for D.I. Can you believe that? I went through shoes, purses, etc. This morning I had Duff go through his side of the closet. Another 3 trash bags. I reorganized the shelves, cleaned up everything on the floor back to it's 'place', vacummed all the corners, baseboards, etc.

WOW!!! Can I just say how good it looks, but even better how it feels? Why did I let it go so long that way when it didn't really take all that much time to get it ship-shape? It feels sooooo good to have things tidy, gone through and organized again. I keep walking in there just to look at it and feel that 'accomplishment' feeling all over again. I'll have to do more of this throughout the house after the wedding!