So we get out of church and there are drops of rain and then it gets harder. Oh I'll just wait it out I thought ... but Curtis Chipman insisted he should go my car. It was far back in the back parking lot, because I had gone home to find the key to the family history room and had to park in the back parking lot because everything up close was full. So there was an empty spot right by the back door. Thanks to Curtis I got just a little tiny bit wet and then when I started coming home it started to come down hard. After parking in the garage I went and got my camera and this is what I shot looking out from the garage.If you enlarge this you can see the streaks.
My sleeve
Lucy's car.
Now I moved to the backyard...
Interesting ... looks like the streaks are going backwards
looking up ... looks like rocks coming from heaven
The garden... I was actually think of planting something yesterday .... I'll wait a bit.
This picture says it all to me ... Even when there is turmoil, there is some peace of heaven shining through! I needed to have a little change of venue today... too long and personal to discuss here. As Bach says... "Live Life in Passion"... (well at least he did in the "Bach" Movie I showed at school a couple of weeks ago.
Jonathan at the Regional Orchestra Concert at Camelback High School.
setting up.... I enjoyed helping with Leslie's Ward Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet I loaned hats, maracas, guiros and poster board flags from around the world I made for school musicals years ago.... plus I arranged Mariachi music and played it with Bryan, Jon, Robert and Landon. It was fun!
Nathan doing his stuff! hiyah!
Landon being his goofy self!
Our Mariachi Music Group.... we should have put Landon in black too!!!
At Jenna's Baptism.. She was soooo beautiful that day!
She really had such a spiritual glow about her.
At the grave site of "little" Brigham Justin Greer an almost 3 week old infant who fought a brave battle to live here on this earth, but his call was to go back into the presence of Our Father in Heaven. His parents had so much faith through out the whole thing and kept a public blog. I am sure that Brigham's story may have had some powerful missionary and faith experiences for those who followed this sweet story. He sure did touch my soul!
This is Kenyon, what a fun experience! Giving my first "real piano" lessons to someone outside of my family. I always knew I could teach beginning Piano not just strings.
School KindergartenHere is the Tree! Isn't she cute..
Here is the Cuckoo! Actually he is a little cuckoo! lol! The kindergarten classes were doing actions to the Music from Camille Saint Sains' Carnival of the Animals "Cuckoo". There was a forest of trees (KIDS) and every time the kids (cuckoos behind the trees) heard the sound of the clarinet playing "Cuckoo" they would peek from behind their tree ....it was so cute!
The "Frozen Pond" I saw the day of Brigham's funeral. It was one of those super freeze days in January 2011! ooooohh,,, brrrr it was down to lower than 20 degrees and my trees have suffered from it this year.
The story of the Lion and animals digging for water
Substitute lion and narrator in the evening were just as good as the day time students.
teaching kids to bow......
Abiyoyo story from South Africa The Story of Ayelivi ... who is lost in the jungle and trusts the animals to find her way back home.
Accepting a flower for the program....
The Stage set created and done by members of the 5th and 6th grade General Music classes.
I realize when I start adding all these pictures that I have been super busy. Life is good and I do "Find Joy in the Journey"!
Even though there were fun times these past two months, there were sad and hard times, like when the Greer baby passed away and when Nick Parker was hit by a truck when he was driving to school on his motorized scooter. He was hurt pretty bad and had to be hospitalized. I am sure faith and prayer and Priesthood blessings where there to help all those who needed it. That is What I Like About our Church... We believe that the Priesthood has been restored and that every worthy male who holds the Melchizedek Priesthood has the right and privilege to give blessings in behalf of us when we have the faith, and the desire and need of a Priesthood blessing. In the middle of January I could hardly walk. It was painful just to get up and walk the shortest distance, but I would put on a fake smile and went to work and just kept on going with the thought in my mind that surely "I can do hard things." But as the pain progressed my students noticed and I was sometimes asked by the sweet kids at school if I was OK? What can they do to help. I said a prayer for strength to just keep going and when I came home one Wednesday evening there was an email from my home teacher asking how I was doing and if he could do anything for me? OK folks, was the spirit whispering to him? Yes I say! So I asked him if he wouldn't mind to giving me a Priesthood blessing. So he and his young home teaching companion, who is now a new elder getting ready to go on a mission, came and gave me a blessing. The pain did not disappear, the problem is not gone, but it subsided enough so that I could function with greater ease. I can bear the pain and I can keep going .
This reminds me of what Elder Dallin H. Oaks said in a talk in October 2006, "Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best. Sometimes a 'healing' cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are 'healed' by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us. "
I am not sharing this to boast or say that I am so spiritual, but I know that we are all loved by our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ and that we should not hesitate when we need help. A lot of times I do hesitate, because I don't want to bother someone else with my problems and pains, but I feel that we are all blessed when we properly use the healing powers of the Priesthood. I am thankful for the worthy Priesthood holders that are in my life. I know I could have called my family members too, but for this time my home teacher was in tune with the spirit and came to my aid. OK..... Now onward, press onward on this journey of life.
I Had Some Time To Do Some Reflective Thinking I was attending the funeral for Brother Perkins in my ward and at the cemetery I went and took time to pause and look at the flowers my sister Jane had put at their grave stone for the Christmas season. Life here on earth is uncertain but we should take the advice from our prophet and have "Joy in the Journey."
January 2011 ..... Journal entry...
It’s a new year and life is OK. There are so many people around me that I love and care about. I have my frustrations with money and health, but it seems I am still surviving and I always say “Thank You” to my Heavenly Father for this life here on the earth. I don’t know the answers to so many things and the puzzles of life are sometimes so perplexing. Things don’t always seem fair, but even through it all, I am at peace knowing that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father and I know He loves me. He loves us all for that matter, even when we feel we don’t deserve it. But I am on this earth, it is my journey and I have decided that I shall, I must, try to live it with a smile on my face, even when life is tough. Because even though life is tough, I have been given my life, a human body of flesh and bones and I need to always look to the bright side.
Here is just a small list of my joys…
and a few pictures I either captured or borrowed from My Family
MY FAMILY
My Children...
Many years ago.... My Three Sons....
And My Two Daughters
My Grandchildren ...
The Families.....
Fun Moments for me...
Ballooning ... Smith Kids
Hooper Kids
Going to the Superstition Springs Dairy
At the Lake in the Middle of Winter (2009)
2010 Christmas Eve Balloon Glow at B.C.Park
Evenings in NM working on puzzles
Dinner top of the Tram with Kirk
birthday dinner at Outback
Flying Planes.... Trying out my Electric Chair...
Plug your ears!
My Friends….
Debbie then and now with Meigan
Sweet Young Friends Angel & Alex
"Older Friends"
I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus in my life, knowing that there is a life here after and that we can all live with our Father in Heaven again as well as with the family members who have gone before us.
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"
Service projects...(at my house...thanks)
I am thankful for the healthy part of my life....
and I actually want to take control of the not so good part and try to make it better.
I Love music and the joys it brings to me…
I perform music (past, present and future)
I share music, I write and arrange music
I teach music in school,
(picture of fellow general music teachers Spring 2010 in Gilbert)
I teach music privately
I teach Music to my grandkids too...
I love to share music at church
I am thankful for my heritage and the love I have from my parents. I love my mother and father and I also love my brothers Uli and Mike and especially my "little" sister Jane. She is my dearest sister and dearest friend and I am grateful and love her family. Kelly has been like a brother and I sure love him for loving my sister. I love his love for the gospel too and his sincere heart.
I am thankful that I am a grandma to 15 sweet grand kids.
I'm Grateful that my Grandchildren can get a good education and are being raised by fine parents who love them. These 15 children all have different personalities which keeps everyone on their toes. What a better way to have a variety in life.
So we get out of church and there are drops of rain and then it gets harder. Oh I'll just wait it out I thought ... but Curtis Chipman insisted he should go my car. It was far back in the back parking lot, because I had gone home to find the key to the family history room and had to park in the back parking lot because everything up close was full. So there was an empty spot right by the back door. Thanks to Curtis I got just a little tiny bit wet and then when I started coming home it started to come down hard. After parking in the garage I went and got my camera and this is what I shot looking out from the garage.
If you enlarge this you can see the streaks.
My sleeve
Lucy's car.
Now I moved to the backyard...
Interesting ... looks like the streaks are going backwards
looking up ... looks like rocks coming from heaven
The garden... I was actually think of planting something yesterday .... I'll wait a bit.
This picture says it all to me ...
