How did this happen??? How did this happen???

How did this  happen??  I just can't figure it out.  Who played this joke on me?  How did this  happen?

I'm a young married, just starting our life together.  Everyday is a new adventure.  We laugh, cry, joke, fight, love...the years pass.  How does this happen, we move away from friends and family, start building our life's together in Washoe Valley..far far from Las Vegas.  Only 2 years and then we will move back to our roots in Vegas..how did this happen?  38 years later and our roots are deep in Washoe Valley.  Las Vegas in no longer home..how did this happen?  Our first beautiful child..a daughter came to our home..a short two years later a son...11 months later a daughter..life is so wonderful  family, home..church..could we ask for any more blessing??  Two more sons join our family...more love, more fun, more difficult times, more challenges..Now here I am  turning 60 this week.  Married 42 years.. 5 children, 9 grandchildren the oldest being 18...oh how did this happen?  I blinked!  I blinked and my life went zooming by.  At times I want it all back..the newlywed time, the babies, camping...science projects..but one can't bring it back.. Only remember, look at pictures..I'm 60 surely I'm not really a senior citizen? How did this happen?  I just don't know. No more blinking..

Break The Silence

I was looking on my Facebook page & I found an ad by Wylers with the Teal Ribbon which is the ribbon color of Ovarian Cancer. As I clicked on the ad, I found that September was Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. I followed the link until I came to the NOCC website..ah..very cool I thought.. I then started browsing for events around the USA. I found no NOCC organization in Nevada, sadly, but found one in Sacramento which is only 127 miles from me. They were sponsoring a 5K
walk/run to "Break the Silence of Ovarian Cancer". I checked my calender and realized it was 2 weeks away on Sept. 17th and I didn't have anything planned, so not stopping to even think about it, I signed up..not as an individual, that would be too easy, but as a team. Team Brenda in honor of my sis, Brenda, who is an Ovarian Cancer Warrior. I decided that I could be a team of one, BUT, just maybe I could get others to participate with me. I immediately, emailed my Cousin Valerie in California, a few close friends, and my daughters. Five minutes later I had a Team of 4, then 5..before I knew it we were up to 8.. I decided that we needed a Team shirt so, knowing my Sister Brenda's art talent, I asked ( or told) her to design the artwork..she stayed up all night and the next morning we were ready to go to the printers. And to make our Team Brenda complete, Brenda was able to fly up to join us in our Walk/Run.
What an inspirational day..an upbeat event, honoring the survivors and those that had lost the fight to this disease. Seeing my sis, smiling from ear to ear. Watching as she was selected to get up on stage and open the event.. She was a natural. Seeing other teams honoring their loved ones. Listening to the stories of the survivors, feeling the hurt of those that had lost their loved ones. Watching as the survivors were gathered for a picture and seeing the very young girls, young mothers, grandmothers...all ages that are fighting this silent killer. We walked, laughed and finished the race with my sis in a wheelchair for most...but she crossed the finish line on her feet!
A special thanks to "Team Brenda" members all who traveled to support the cause: Cousins Valerie and Laurie, My Daughters: Nielsine and Amanda, Friends: Donna(whose sister Martha is an Ovarian Cancer Warrior), Cathy and Mary, and of course our Team Leader: Brenda. I love you all! Can't wait for next year..we are already recruiting!

Trees

Years ago there was a dome built to house an artificial environment for a garden. The conditions were perfect. Temperature regulated, perfect amount of light and of course the perfect amount of water to make trees and plants flourish. And flourish it did! The trees and plants grew at an amazing rate. One day as the scientists were checking the garden they noticed that great limbs were breaking off the trees. Why? What would cause this in a perfect environment? As they researched this they discovered that trees develop stress bark from the elements. The howling winds, the snow and ice, even the dry weather. All these things cause stress bark to form on the trees, especially around the limbs. What does this stress bark do? It makes the trees stronger. Able to grow and produce in all conditions. The trees in perfect environment were weakened..the trees left to survive in the elements grew strong, able to withstand the winds of Mother Nature.

Such is our life. We could live in a perfect world, but would be grow strong limbs? I know that the challenges and trials that we face help us to develop stress bark. We grow in character and spirit from the winds and storms of life. We should be thankful for our blessings and our trials. For it is with the trials and how we handle them we become all that we can be.

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Waiting for Spring

I'm waiting for Spring. Officially it has been spring for over a week. But right now it feels more like winter. Snow, Wind, Snow... I know that spring will come as it does every year in the foothills of the Sierras. We will have some warm days soon and then just when we think it is really spring, a hard freeze and more snow.

But I'm ready to be warm. To see the new leaves and blossoms. I'm ready for the rebirth of my corner of the world.

I suppose that is how I feel about my life right now. The economic times are so difficult. Wondering how our business will survive.   I know it is a test of faith. I know we still have each other and the rest is just stuff, but it is still difficult to work through.

Yes I know Spring is coming...hurry..Please hurry.

So Long 2010...Welcome 2011!

2010 is almost in the history books..I am thinking back over the last year. The highs and the lows. The joyful times and the unhappy times. Remembering last year as I left my sister in the hospital on New Years Eve to return home to Reno. Her ovarian cancer had returned and she was recovering from surgery. Remembering my daughter-in-law miscarrying and my youngest son serving a 6 month sentence for drugs..yes the 1st of 2010 was not the best of times. But then came my 40th anniversary on Feb.14th..wow how time has flown bye. Then a trip to Disneyland with 3 of my children and 6 of my grand kids! Great Times! And from Disneyland I flew to Vegas to hop in the car with my youngest sister Nell on our adventure to Phoenix to take care of our sister Brenda as she recovered from more surgery at the Mayo Clinic. What a time we had. Laughing, crying. talking, listening, hugging, eating, crafting and just having such special sister time together. As sisters we have always been close, but now we are even closer. The 3 Amiga's!

Then there was my nieces wedding in April and my parents 60th anniversary party the next day. Spending more quality time with my sisters, brother, parents, and nieces, nephews and spouses. Good Times! Summer brought another anniversary party, this time for the motorcycle women's group that I am an officer in. Great times with fellow riders from all over the western US and Canada. Special time with the Twisted Sisters from Oklahoma. Sad times as my middle son and his little family moved to Washington. Happy times when my youngest son moved back home and has done so well. Sad times when my youngest daughters marriage fell apart. Good times when she and her sons were able to move back home. Great times when John and I took our 4 oldest grand kids camping with us in Oregon. Overwhelming times when John was called to be Bishop of our Church. Blessed times when all our children, grandchildren, my parents and sisters and brother-in-law were all with us when John was sustained and set apart. Great news when my daughter-in-law was pregnant again with a healthy pregnancy. Sad times when my sisters cancer returned again after Christmas. Seems as if we have come full circle. I know that every year has ups and downs. We must have trials to appreciate the blessings that we have. May I remember to count each blessing and know that the challenges are for my good also. Goodbye 2010..Welcome 2011! Will remember to find joy in the journey. Life is for living! Happy New Year.

Changing Seasons

Autumn is here. Leaves are now orange, yellow , crimson, and brown. Evenings require a sweater and socks. Frost kisses the last of my summer flowers. A new season. And here I am looking at the new season in my life. Children are grown. Grandchildren are abundant. My husband was just called to be Bishop in our Ward ( We are Mormon). We felt the spirit telling us this was going to happen, but, we were sure that as with the changing of summer to fall, we were past that season. Bishops are younger now. My husband is grandpa and I'm grandma to 8 grandchildren. But Heavenly Father knows what is needed, and at this time he showed his sense of humor and called John as Bishop. I know he will be a wonderful Bishop, he loves the Lord, he loves the ward members and the kids love him! He is very much humbled by this as am I.
But then I think, what a nontraditional Bishop and Bishops Wife. We are both converts to the church. We have a business that is spiraling down, our children, as good and loving as they are, have, for the most part, become inactive. John builds hot rods, we ride harleys. We also love the Lord and will serve him. Season change.. and so must we. Life is full. I am blessed

Oklahoma Sisters!

One nice thing about traveling around to different motorcycle events is meeting great women from all corners of the country and all walks of life that share a commen interest in motorcycles. I have met many great women..but have a special bond with my Oklahoma Twisted Sisters. maybe its the name of their chapter..but really it is just a wonderful group of women that have become my special friends. I met them lasat year when I was in Kansas City, MO, trying to drum up support for Summer Nationals to be held here. I was alone at he event, tyring to be a lot more out going than I usually am with a group of strangers..and there they were...The Twisted Sisters. We hit it off and a wonderful friendship began. Two of the members Hopper and Sprout visited me last year. Then this last week 7 of the chapter members came up for a visit and to attend our Anniversary Party for my chapter. So much fun having them here. Sharing food, fun, conversation, and riding. Was glad that they were able to ride up to Lake Tahoe with me. Such a great time. I miss them.. I'm hoping that I can ride out to see them sometime in the future. Good Times.