BIRTHDAY #58-A Beautiful Day!

A beautiful, balmy, nearly-perfect-in-every-way day!! The weather was so lovely. Just like I'd choose from a catalog, if that were possible. We walked on campus, got birthday powdered sugar donuts and opened cards, read scriptures, then got ready for the day. Dad was at work by 7--another busy week for him. Laundry was on the agenda, but also some planting -- radishes and flowers for out front in the assorted pots there. For a fun new thing, I made two strawberry pies. I had fun sampling the berries and filling as I was preparing. Pretty yummy! Did a little housework, and did banking when I took Megan to work.

My 38th birthday (with 20 years' experience)

Superlative sunset at Sunset

My current school/home project is preparing a WORD document of "important documents" and I made good progress on that. It will be something I can send to my students who are interested and they can copy the pages that apply to them, also edit if they need to. I'll fill out ours upon completion and keep it with the "important" things to grab in an emergency.

Hearing from loved ones was always welcome -- first Jenny, then Erin, then mom and Mary. Mail was nice, too. Cards from Diane Linn Young, Mary [a musical one], my mom, 3 brothers, and the Petersons.

After picking up dad, we got ready for our Subway Sunset Picnic--an almost annual event now. It was wonderful with the welcome clouds to add variety. A low ridge of them blocked the final descent, but it was a lovely scene until then. Darkness came quickly, the color show at post sunset will have to wait for another time...the sun and clouds had other plans, I guess.

One candle to represent all those years...in the strawberry pie, and it was yummy! I'll post a photo at a later time. Dad's little concert ended my evening of a very nice birthday. Grateful for all that occurred, and for all who are in my life. Here's to another year!!!!!

Mom's Milestones. . .

It's now June 2008, officially today. The week was enjoyable with the holiday at the beginning [See Lindsey's blog] and moved on to Megan's KHS graduation Thursday [see Lindsey's dropshots]. I kept giving dad high 5's at the graduation and mentioning how wonderful this was, but thought I ought to explain why that was such an awesome thing for me to see Megan graduate.

May 2000. . . Eight years ago seems so far away now, but the memories will always stand out in significance for me. Perhaps they are fuzzy for you, but never for me. I had just finished chemo treatments and the final recovery weeks, finally feeling like I could get back up on my feet----and STAY up!!!!! I had been approached to teach family history in the fall at BYUH, a surprising new professional opportunity for me. Megan had returned from the 4th grade Big Island trip earlier which I didn't get to chaperone, but I'd felt good enough to chaperone her end-of-the-year picnic with the 4th grade down at Clissold's Beach and beyond. It was probably around then, but it occurred to me that even though I knew I had to take this recovery thing one day at a time, how blessed I'd be for each family occasion I'd be able to witness. I didn't know then what the future had in store for my health, so each event held great meaning for me. My goal was to make it through the remaining high school graduations--first Jenny, then Erin, and finally, 5 years after that, for Megan's And so now, as of May 29, 2008, I'VE MADE IT!!!!! These are tears of J O Y.

BUT I'm just so thankful to have witnessed so much more than that in these 8 years...accompanying 2 daughters off to school in Utah following their h.s. graduations, 3 daughters graduating with their bachelor's degrees, 3 daughters' temple marriages and acquiring, at last, "my own sons," births [so far] of 3 handsome and well-loved, unique grandsons, travel to Denver, Boston,Plymouth, Providence, RI, Connecticut [where we watched the Nauvoo temple dedicated], Sharon, VT, Indiana, Illinois/Chicago, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, NYC and Wicked with PJ, Nauvoo, Europe, Christmas in Utah and California and its theme parks, and Europe and dream-of-a-lifetime Croatia, Northern Rockies in Canada, Palmyra, etc., another trip down to PA, Acquiring land and completing our renovated, beautiful home on the most beautiful spot imaginable here with John's mark in every nail, board, or brick along the way. If my family knows me well, they remember that I'm a realist, so I'd never even ventured to hope this far ahead back in 2000 that ALL of these would occur--and so much more I'm not mentioning, but nevertheless, appreciating. Dad, that's why there were all of the high 5's and "we did it"s !!! I feel so very, very blessed. And I thank the Lord for these abundant, dream-come-true blessings and events I've been privileged to witness in all of your lives.

W O W ! ! ! Thank you all for being there, and for being the sources of Parent Pride Moments you each are for me. I'm thankful, still thankful, for each day, and every day is a "birth" day for me and will always be.

That's all for now.

Love, mom

TAGGED

Been married? 400 months! That is, 33 1/3 years on April 21st.
Ages? Dad is 59, mom is57
Eats more? Probably mom. Dad is at work, mom is too near the kitchen sometimes.
Said "I love you" first? Dad, I think.
Dad is taller [5'11" vs. 5' 6"] and sings better, too. He's basically well trained musically by comparison, but we both enjoy music together and that includes many styles, from blue grass to classical.
I think we're smart but in different ways and subjects. People, university leadership & organization = dad; history, geography = mom. We "complement" each other in this and other areas. There is still so much to learn!!
TV remote? Mom in the day [HGTV and MASH], Dad mostly at night. Usually like the same types of shows...mom doesn't like magic shows, though.
Temper? Dad never gets verbally upset, so has to be mom. I make up for him. Girls would agree, I think.
Laundry? Mostly mom, but dad will do it if she's away.
Dishes? Dual duty...and that is much appreciated.
Right side of bed? Mom--it's by the alarm clock, and I sleep lighter than dad.
Cooking? 99.9% is mom for both baking and cooking--except for waffles. Often heard these days is "Let's eat out." With just the two of us, we can share entrees and save.
Stubborn? It's a draw. We both have lived long enough to like things our own way.
Admit wrong first? I won't go there.
Seeing whose parents most? We both visit our own about once a year. AS we've gotten older, we spend less time with the in-laws. Without grandchildren to take and visit, it has simplified our lives some to do it separately.
Friends? Dad has more associates from work adn teaching. Mom's friends are few and treasured. [She's really picky and many perceive her as "quiet" and harder to get to know. Those who are close in enough know the real person.]
Siblings? We each had 3, though dad's brother Robert Ray Neal was deceased before Bill was born. Mom has brothers, Dad has sisters living.
Wears the pants? We both do. Mom runs the finances and gets taxes done [jointly decide on investments, though], household interior upkeep & garage, and washes/maintains the car, runs most kid-errands and grocery shopping/cooking/cleaning/laundry; Dad works to provide the primary income, helps determine most social/business engagements, takes care of yardwork, outdoor window washing, and floor care/carpets and some minor house repairs. We've been at this a long time and have done things this way for many, many years. It works for us.
I don't know who else to tag!! :D

May is My Favorite Month!

May 16th--a birthday celebrating day for Mary Hauschildt, my niece Julie, and Lisa's mom. This month/day usually has much going on, especially since it's a Friday, too. Trevor's first May Day Festival was held. His Bright Beginnings preschool danced two numbers. I hadn't seen a May Day in YEARS, so that was special to attend this one in the BYUH Cannon Center. Lindsey has already posted the videos online. She is the Blogger Queen!! Other events for me today were teaching a family history workshop for IAAP on campus. It was well received, with about 22 or so attending. A quick trip home to change, and back to the FHC for my Friday shift until 4 p.m. The day isn't done yet!!

Just one more quick trip home to change into walking clothes for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life at Laie Elementary. Lindsey and Kyle joined me for my first celebratory round [dedicated to survivors and caregivers]. How special it was to have this representation of my life these past eight and a half years--a married daughter [I have 4 grown daughters, 3 now married] and a grandchild [I have 3.7]. To me, being a survivor means having a "birthday" every day! I cherish any day I live without cancer even though cancerphobia will always remain with me. Too hard to get over that, but I'm grateful for all in my careful, compassionate medical team who keep me keeping on. Tonight I walked 10 rounds, as I'd hoped to do--one for each of the 8.5 years I've lived since I was diagnosed, and 1.5 to grow on. Nice people to visit with were there, and it had always been a wish of mine to participate in one. It's nice do what I need to do to make my wishes come true and it was great to share it with my loved ones.

More birthday news...My baby Megan celebrated her 18th birthday in some unusual ways on Wednesday, May 14. We started with a "b and b style" breakfast...loved those beautiful, ripe strawberries and fun things on fancy dishes. We've moved past donuts, I guess?? since that was being served in seminary that day anyway. A Subway was requested for lunch, so I took that to her at lunch time on the short day. There was a new "Guitar Hero" cd added to her collection from Christen so those two enjoyed some time here playing that while I ran some errands. Fun until time to go to the KHS awards night at Hale Kuai. Megan received an English class award. Her teacher was there to present her with a journal; mom gave the lei for the combined birthday and award. A box luau was Megan's dinner at the PCC where the event took place. I helped her eat the lomi lomi salmon.

May was memorable for Mother's Day and travel, too, and temple time--with more celebrating in Pennsylvania for Jenny and Aaron's special graduation and luau. We really loved the time with them in Lock Haven. Even though we were 5000 miles from Hawaii, a yellow carnation lei was made for me to wear on M. Day and precious emails were shared! Many sweet memories and moments were spent with the Jensen Ohana East. Lock Haven is a special place, for sure. The Palmyra days, temple time, road trip to Fabius and back, with some unplanned adventures --like smelling lilacs and seeing gorgeous tulips--made this a great time away from the usual. Megan was in good hands here with Aaron and Erin Nelson.

Visiting my mom and seeing cousins and Mary and Gaylord started the month off well. It's a shopping haven in DM, so now baby Howe will be dressed for the season when we get that far in July. Visiting with people, special ladies, from my growing up years was a treat, too. Mom is looking and acting really good--such a great thing to witness compared to her recovering last time I visited.

And then there are the mIlestones...Life doesn't usually have this much variety in it for me. This May, special as it is, is indeed unique. So many "one last time" events will be passed...seminary has already ended, graduation for seminary is coming this Sunday [Megan speaks], then the last day of class, then graduation, then our life involved with Kahuku will end after 16 years. And I smile, because in the fall, Trevor begins kindergarten. One Christmas letter of ours said something like A family is a circle...it never ends...we truly we are! And THAT is what is JOY.

Beautiful Day!

This is the kind of day you wish for if you've moved away from Hawaii. The sky is blue, the breezes are slight yet cooling, and you just want to be OUTSIDE! Devin and I enjoyed some planting time outside in front and then played a variation of croquet/chase tag out back. Fun! OF course I had to blow some bubbles, so spring has officially sprung here. I hope Papa and I can spend some time outside watching Trevor practice baseball tonight in this glorious paradise.

Finals are completed and I turn in grades tomorrow. Now I can make my home dust-free, tidier, and ready for those who will be here with Megan, minding the homestead, while we are on the mainland soon attending Jenny and Aaron's graduation. The kitchen is my first frontier...usually tough for rookies, but I'm ready for that now.

Preparedness seems to be a strong undercurrent here with the costs of gas and groceries/transportation for goods rising almost daily. Gas is now $3.75 at Chevron. A few weeks ago I bought our preparedness 10 by 10--that is, ten weeks of ten different canned food items to use, so 3 months. We've been trying to increase the savings account also to include a liquid stash of 3 months billings and expenses. That's taking longer to do. Even stamps will rise in cost next month. I bought some of the "forever" stamps at the current price so they can still be used when the new ones take place.--an idea for you all. Meg needs to send her grad invitations before the price jumps. She now has one Sunday to do that before I leave and since her orchestra concert is over and no more town trips will be needed. She's creating a label for those as she isn't happy with her handwriting.

Concert was wonderful! I'm not sure if I'll ever have the chance to watch Megan play again--it will depend on the participation and availability of an instrument for Mr. Taniguchi's Friday night ensemble adn if she ever picks this back up later in life. You can guess I was teary about that. 16 wonderful years of supporting my girls in band--I'll never forget "Crazy Clock" and some other very special moments in cafeterias, the gym, BYUH, and away from Laie. I'll be ever thankful to people like Mike Payton, Daryl Agena, Ernest Taniguchi, Gavin Min. They helped along the way. Those are moments you all made us so parent-proud.
Music-- a lifetime love, and passion for some. I'm grateful for it and what it brings to our lives and home.

Earth Day: Erin and Lindsey discussed going green--or greener. I finally bought the green fabric bags at Foodland and they give a nickel for each one used. In addition, they have a coupon stamp--get some freebie after the tenth use. Last week I took 5 stuffed plastic bags of bags to Safeway's recycle bin. Now we'll have fewer to deal with--just need to get into the habit of taking it in with me to the store. Planting these veggies, using them, and expanding our little container garden is a goal in mind. Once the lanai upstairs is ready for some plants, I think it will be the food fillers that will round out the space. I hope the Bush stimulus money can go to our needy lanai!!

And thus it is this Wednesday, April 23, 2008. I love you all.

Quote: Don't allow yourself to sell yourself short or to hold yourself back. You have amazing qualities that are yet to be developed. Be the one who says "I will" when someone asks for a volunteer. It's usually a risk worth taking.

April, May, and June

April, May, and June--They will be here soon--with all those things that they will bring--sun and flowers, rain and showers--with the sun so bright, the days will be just right--in April, May, and June. This ditty was created by me and a good friend, Theresa Vanek, when I was in 4th grade. We even had to sing it in front of the class, can you imagine shy me singing in front of 40 kids and my teacher!! Yes, I can still remember the tune after ALL these years! It HAS been rainy lately, and I'm looking forward to some sunnier weather. I could call Theresa my "first best friend" so that song has always remained special. She moved to Nebraska that summer and we were pen-pals for the next 10 years. She asked me to be her maid of honor then, but that didn't work out for me as I was on my "poor college student" budget. Since I was responsible for spending money [it would have meant travel by bus to Omaha] I didn't get to do that. Life and choices. Imagine how we could have kept in touch with each other if we'd had cell phones or internet back then. I guess I'm appreciating technology today, and appreciating that I can be in contact with each of you. Whoever would have thought this would be second nature, so very possible?

I must have had a thing for April. When I was a freshman at UNI I wrote a poem called, "Hello, Rainy April." It was about the many days of rain we'd had and my feelings about roaming the umbrella'd campus...I don't recall the lines to that one, though. Probably best!! In Iowa it was okay to carry umbrellas...Megan let me know that is NOT done here. You can get laughed at for being sensible like that. I'll still see she has one when she goes to SLC. Another place, so perhaps, a time for looking at doing things differently is not doing things badly.

The days march on...Classes keep me very occupied, and this coming week the end is in sight. With classes ending, I'm putting away/filing/organizing/throwing out materials from the academic year. I've enjoyed learning myself this semester. It keeps me fresh to have new things to explore and add into the classes. This time it is the new.familysearch.org program
for religion class. So many good features, and I'm now able to help my students with it and others who come to the Family History Center of Fridays. I means I'll need to edit the syllabus and materials for fall, but it is a good experience and prevents that class from being stale.

Learning is a hobby of mine--HEC 220 is fresh each semester in some ways because students choose their mini-lesson topics from a list. I then cover the "missed" topics, so I have to redesign what I teach each term. This again is a good thing and helps keep me fresh in the area, too.

This coming week will be unusual with dad away in San Diego and with Lindsey's family going to Maui, and with Erin and Jenny and their hubbies in their half-a-world-away from each other locations. "WE'RE HOME ALONE" will be the motto for the week. We'll miss you all--AND our boys visiting and playing with us, but glad they and Linds can keep John company on Maui.

Fransis Simram was/is here for a few days--he's like our son, calls us Mom and Dad--and he's now 44!! He has 6 kids, 5 boys, one girl. Oldest is NEAL SIMRAM--a good name! He was in Kona for a conference then took some personal days to come and stay with us/see friends and relatives, and attend temple times. Back to Pohnpei for him by Monday, I think. It's great to catch up.

Our Saturday was special--needed a town run. We're really combining errands now that gas is 3.55 a gallon here. We started the day at the temple for a session, then home to take Megan to her car wash for band, then back to the temple for the sealing of Daniel Skaf and Jacquelyn's baby girl to them. Had the car washed, then off to Honolulu for some lettuce wraps at PF Changs and then to Costco to get a new router for the wireless internet. Haircut for dad at Windward, then home for the Grandparents' naps!! That was our exciting day.

I'm ready for some travel! I'm starting to think about my trip now. Dad and I will travel mostly separately until PA, but I'm glad we will get to have that week together to celebrate Jenny and Aaron. It's always stimulating to me to plan a place to go. Would have enjoyed San Diego--I keep reminding dad I've not spent any time there except in 1987 at Sea World when we went with Petersons [SHELL gas station], so it's my turn!! We'll keep that one on hold for awhile. To Iowa, PA, and NY via Chicago and Denver and LA is coming up. Glad we're on United for those trips! It's been an interesting few weeks for the airlines industry--Aloha, ATA, Airbus, and now American. Glad "U" for United is at the end of the alphabet, as if that has anything to do with the matter!

Checking out for now. I've rambled long enough! Thinking of you and missing you. Please be in touch.

Quote for the day: Action plus knowledge = improvement.

New Days...updates for you

Aloha, Family--It has been a balmy and beautiful week here in Hawaii. It's the kind of weather everyone who's been experiencing winter for so long would be sooooo grateful to enjoy. But, even though it is home to us, Hawaii STILL is beautiful any season and we appreciate where we are every day.

This past weekend we enjoyed watching the many NCAA games. Even though I don't follow them through the year, except the NCAA II Seasiders, it is fun to watch these top college teams at home, here, relaxing together. Walter Roese's team [USD] was beaten, but it's great that his team got to advance to second round and it's just his first year there as assistant coach. Easter Sunday Megan was ill, but Dad joined me at church--a nice change as he usually is on campus for church services in assorted wards. The bunny lay a single trail down the stairs for Megan to follow one more time...then she found her eggs hidden in many places the other girls will remember...under the piano was one, of course. Remember where our bunny liked to hide his eggs?

Our Easter/birthday ham dinner bash was Monday. Both Lindsey and Dad blew out the candles on the Texas cake...with little guy helpers, of course. We'll have to have someone who was present with camera in hand to post one of those photos. It was a pleasure to have my "Hawaii Family" all present for that; Megan needed an additional day off from work to recover still, so she joined us, too. Now she's all better, and nearly has completed her independent study English class that she'd scheduled in for the break. She now has some time away from that and is enjoying Youth Conference with her friends today, Friday, and Saturday. Orchestra practice is Sunday, so it's nice that YC ends Saturday.

MY spring break comes soon...classes are going well and soon it will be finals time! Today was fun for me to make additional travel plans for the PA/Graduation trip in May. That always is fun for me! I used some RCI points that we'd accumulated to get Dad from Chicago to and from Scranton. Even linked him up with my flight back to Chicago...he'll arrive a little earlier in Scranton on May 5, which is good, so he can get the car and check into the hotel. I arrive later at night. We used RCI for the rental car, too.
Now we can make some arrangements in Palmyra area and we're nearly set for our adventure. We're calling this our celebration of "400th Month-aversary" since that will take place April 21. Married for one third of a century!! Whoever thought it'd last this long? [we did.]

I can truly vouch for GEICO and their good service. The adjuster came yesterday to trade the van title for a pay-off check. It's better than just having it die from need of being junked due to major maintenance, I guess. It does still seem strange without the van...even Devin thinks so still...but we're adapting. Think of all the gas we'll not have to use now??? And lower ins. premiums, and maintenance/registration/safety inspection, etc. Simplicity has been our style...now we're simple again in this department, like we were for so many years before Mazda truck, and Neon, and Camry.

My Friday will be the usual "Friday Tidy" time, then GG at 11, then off to the FHC for an afternoon to assist and learn more about the new fh online program. I think Dad is ready for a break this weekend...he's been living and breathing "WASC ACCREDITATION" for the past several months, and the team leaves tomorrow after their report. WHEW!! Dad is due for a break from that...and then comes SIFE!! Employee dinner for BYUH is next week, too. Always something in his hands...but as you all know, that's how he likes it!! At least we all know him. Please know it meant a lot to him to hear from you all today. Did I ever think I'd be married to a 59-year-old man!! But he's so young in spirit in many ways, so young at heart is what matters.

Closing this now, but letting you each know I miss you and hope to visit with each of you soon. Keep on blogging! Love this way to catch you all up at once and vice versa. Happy Weekend, everyone!