Reflections

Today I attended the funeral of one of my favorite aunts, Bonnie Jean Liedtke Wagstaff. I had not been able to get over to see her at the care facility and she probably would not have recognized me anyway, but I still feel like I missed an opportunity. Seeing my cousins and other uncles and aunts today and hearing about my aunts passing a few days ago has put me in a reflective mood.

Aunt Bonnie

I started my personal history the other day which has also made me reflective.

I have been remember all the things I did as a child with my relatives and friends. I remember going to my Aunt Bonnie's for Liedtke family Christmas parties. They have a home on Dimple Dell Road in Sandy. This home had a really steep driveway and when I was little I was always worried about sliding off the cliff in the snow. I also remember their stone stairs that led from the front door to the upstairs living area and the downstairs living area. They had another set of stairs at the other end of the hall, so us kids would run around and around, up and down both sets of stairs until the adults told us not to.

Remembering these family times also made me remember times when all the kids in our neighborhood would get together and play games. We would be together for most of the day playing football in the street, listening to Battle of the Bands on 1320 AM (Casey Kasem was the DJ. An oldie but a goodie), playing Ghosts in the Graveyard and Monster. What fun times we had.

Then I read Lizzie's blog and started remembering all the times I have had with her, Sara and Doug, and the new ones with Gary and Luke. I remember all the times we went to soccer tournaments for our vacations. I remember going to Disneyland when the kids were little and taking their first airplane flight, and then to Disneyworld. I remember the time I came home from Young Women and found spots of blood all over the wall by the stairs in our apartment. Doug had gotten a hold of my rotary cutter and cut his finger. It hurt so he waved it back and forth and got blood everywhere. I remember the time Lizzie stayed awake with me all night when we were driving us and some other girls to a tournament in California. I was getting tired and all the other girls were asleep, but Lizzie stayed up to keep me awake. I remember time Sara was visiting a friend and the friends parents took her to a concert. She forgot to call us. When we could not get a hold of the girls parents at around 2:30 am (she was only about 12) we had to call the police. When she finally arrived home she looked so sorry that I could not get mad at her. I also remember she sang her 1st solo in choir in junior high. The Spirit was so strong it made me cry. She still does make me cry whenever I hear her singing.

I remember when I met Gary. He was the professor of my history class when I went back to school to get my Associates Degree in graphic design. He told us to watch this piece of a movie. Then he showed the movie, Princess Bride. The part where the guy is testing Wesley with the poison. Then he paused it, put his face near the tv screen and asked if we saw any resemblances. He did look like Wallace Shawn and we all laughed. We became friends and it went on from there.

I remember when Lizzie texted me and told me that she thought she had found the man she was going to marry. Needless to say a few weeks later, she and Luke were up here and we were looking for wedding dresses while Luke and Gary talked in the car.

I am so grateful for all these loving memories and for the many memories to come. What a great life I have had and have now. I am so blessed.

Happy New Year

Saturday January 1, 2011

So today is the very first day of 2011. The year 2010 was a wonderful year. Gary was promoted to a Program Manager at WGU and then made the program manage over the new MBA program which began July 1, 2010. Needless to say we had to postpone our anniversary trip. We were going to schedule it for October, but that was the time of the Columbia College graduation. So we ended up going in September. We went to New Mexico, Albuquerque, specifically. It was a blast.

We moved Sara out of the house in August (it was great to have the house to ourselves), but then we moved her back in in November. Her roommates are moving and she wanted to be able to save some money. She may move to Long Beach, CA and live with her Aunt Melanie. She is doing well and has made so many new friends since she moved back. She has been on many dates and been attending the Singles Ward. She is working more hours at Dairy Queen.

I was put in as the Young Women President in the Adamswood Ward. I am learning so much. With the help of the Lord I am able to do many things and hopefully help each of my girls. It has been a lot of fun and a lot of work so far.

We found out that Lizzie and Luke are going to have a baby in July. I am so excited!!!!! I can't wait to be a grandma. I have two other grandchildren from Gary's oldest daughter, Tasha, but this one will be so special because SHE will be the first from my children. I know Lizzie will be a great mom. She has such a special spirit and will be able to teach this grandchild all about her Heavenly Fathe and Savior. Lizzie is a great example of endurance and faith and she married a very special guy. Luke is wonderful to her and will make a fantastic father. I think they are having a girl, but no matter a girl or a boy, this child will be spoiled by her/his grandparents.

We spent Thanksgiving up here with Luke and Lizzie visiting us (with Luke, Gary and Sara spending the night out in 15 degree weather on black Friday). We headed down to Las Vegas and spent Christmas with Lizzie and Luke.

That was a recap of 2010.

I did forget to mention that Gary kicked me out of his office at the end of December, but I did not finish creating my office/craft room until today. I got a sewing machine for Christmas (I had been using Sara's) so I needed a place to set it up. So I guess him kicking me out was a blessing in disguise.

This is my new office/craft space

Now I have an office area and a craft area.

Craft area: My sewing machine and accessories and my easel. I want to start painting again, too. Now I have room to do both.

My new office area

Gary's new office. Notice the green area? That is the putting green that Luke and Lizzie gave Gary. He has fun with it.

I have also set some new goals. I am still working on my Personal Progress, so I am setting goals all the time, but the beginning of the year is a good time to set more. I love achieving my goals. Last year one of my goals was to read the Standard Works. What a great time I had doing this. I started with the Old Testament, then the New Testament, Doctrine and Covenants and then the Pearl of Great Price. I read the Book of Mormon every day along with the others, so I ended up reading it 4 times. It has made my life better and me a better person, so I am going to do it again this year. Only I am going to read them chronologically, so some of the Pearl of Great Price will be intermixed with the Old Testament.

Anyway, that's about it. I hope everyone's 2011 will be great. I look forward to many wonderful days.

Life is grand!