MOI..... Revisited....

Well, yesterday June 27th 2009 was the day West Bountiful chose to celebrate our Nations birthday. We had a parade, fun in the park, music by "Endless Summer" in the evening and then fireworks. A great day and lots of fun. But the highlight was the parade, and that I was invited to ride in it. The City invited a local car business to supply cars for the occasion and I got to ride in a red Lexus convertible.
Alan drove, Michael rode shotgun and Emily and Rebecca rode with me in the back. There wasn't room for me to sit and I had to ride up on the back. I was a little nervous as I contemplated this as I thought, if Alan had to "catch" up and jerked the driving I might roll off the back. But fortunately it didn't happen. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and we had fun. The children saw friends and threw candy. We were asked to be careful in throwing the candy not to hit any of the parade watchers. I know a lot of people in West Bountiful, but when we reached the boundaries of our Ward and Stake the reception changed. And as we drove up Pages Lane and passed our neighbors and they greeted us and called encouragement, my heart was touched and tears came to my eyes and throat, these are my neighbors, my friends. Alan, being Alan thanked the people for their applause and then said, "thank you, but what about my wife?" Various men instructed us to "drive to such and such make a right and the first house on the left leave the car in the driveway." I told them they were WAYYY down on the list. :o) As we approached our house I started to smile and I heard the family chanting, "Granma, Granma, Granma," as we stopped there they all swarmed the car and we took pictures. I had my camera and tried to take a movie, which I post here. I am not in the running for a cinematography Oscar, but it portrays the excitement. I am grateful for my family, if it wasn't for them I wouldn't be a Mother. And if it wasn't for My Alan, where would any of us be? I repeat "It is just a pleasure being nominated" Who loves Granma? Who does Granma love? and don't you forget it.

What's So Special about June 25th....

....it's half past Christmas.

This is the wording of a cartoon in the Deseret News
on June 25th 1971.
It is also the day our youngest, David was born!!!!
So to us of course June 25th is always special.
He named himself as the "golden child" when he was in his 20's. But at the age of 14 he became an "only" child when the last of his siblings got married. When someone in school expressed envy at his "aloneness" David explained it took him 14 years to get there.
As a teenager he was quite laid back, never wanting anything bad enough to have to work for it. But generally got it anyway. Because his Mom thought he should have it.
We lost him one time when he was 5 years old and after scouring the neighborhood and enlisting much help we found him asleep under the bed. His sister tells of the time he wanted to be carried when they were on a walk and she refused because he was to big to be carried. He sat down on the ground and she walked off and left him. He just sat there until she gave in and had to walk quite aways back to get him.
In High school he got involved in the theater and has provided much enjoyment for lots of people in his performances at Rogers Memorial Theater. And never ending joy and laughter for his family as he creates special songs every Christmas of a family nature. He has no competition as "Joseph....." and he can show whoever how to sing "Music of the Night", much to the delight of Margie.
We always have fun when David is around. He is a good man. He loves his wife, he loves his kids, he loves his siblings, he loves his Mom and Dad and he loves the Lord, and we love him. So much talent, so many stories, not enough time.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON
and many more.

My Daddy

As I have contemplated writing about my father today he has been brought into sharp focus. He was a wonderful man. This picture shows him as I remember him when I was a child. He took me to the pictures (movies) to see "Snow White". He also took me to see the 3D movie "House of Wax" a scary movie that I still remember. :o) He and my Mother used to take us for long walks. I remember asking him where we were going? he said "Home". I was upset because we had just started out. But he explained that we were "going home" it would be several hours before we got there but we were "going home" that was ok with me. :o)
As a teenager after my Mother passed away he encouraged me to learn to cook. He bought me a box of chocolates when I went on a trip to Yorkshire to visit Alan. We were friends. He taught me how to pray. He taught me to talk to "the Father" as one man talks to another. When we would go out together to the pictures, to shop or to church I always took his arm. He was a gentleman. He would give his seat on the bus to any lady and "doff" his hat. He wore a cap to work (as in the picture) but always a hat going to Church or for dress.
He loved the Lord and had a strong fervent and enduring testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He honored his priesthood and was always on the Lord's errand.
This picture was taken the day I married Alan. Alan was in the army so I stayed at home with daddy and Brian, while Alan served in Egypt. Joe was on his mission. A few months later I moved to Colchester in England to be with Alan and Daddy visited us there and took us to see, "Gunfight at O.K. Corral".
He was an avid genealogist and sat in many cold Parish Churches looking in the records. He married Norah Moss and eventually moved to Utah.


This last picture was taken about two years before he died. He loved his family. He grew up in Belfast as an "only, lonely child" Actually he had two brothers and two sisters, but one brother and both sisters died in childhood. His older brother Robert was 12 years older than him and apparently wasn't around much. Daddy was born on the 4th July 1902 (he always said America was celebrating HIS birthday.)And was named after the Prophet Joseph. :o) He turned 12 on Saturday July 4th 1914 and started work in the mill on Monday the 6th. He started out sweeping floors and as he swept he sang. The noise of the machines was tremendous so he sang all the louder. The foreman was not impressed, he scolded him for singing, he thought he was hurt from the machines.
He loved and honored his Mother and took care of her all of her life.
He loved his family. A few days before he passed away, I think he knew what was about to unfold, he called upon the Lord "to bless my family for I love them". And he did, and he does. We sometimes refer to him as "wee Joe" and I always imagine him and my Mother watching my family as we love and live together.
I love my Daddy. He taught me so much. I hope I do a good job of honoring his name.

UTAH... This is the Place

I recently returned to Utah after a trip to California. We entered through St. George. Everytime we cross the Utah State line I sing various bits of hymns as in, "Firm as the Mountains Around Us" or "Utah, We love Thee". I say bits because inevitably I only sing one or two lines before I am crying. :o) I LOVE UTAH. When I cross the border, I AM HOME. Driving north on I-15 I look upon the green fields with pleasure and gratitude and recognition, I'm in UTAH. I always notice there are lots of "Utah" plates, I AM HOME. Even when flying into Salt Lake City I know when I am in Utah airspace, I'M HOME. Back in 1962, Lesley (4), Archie (2 1/2) and Timothy (15 months) and I traveled from Washington DC to Chicago by train, and from Chicago to SLC on the California Zephyr. On the afternoon of the 3rd day as we crossed from Colorado into Utah there was a line painted on the canyon wall "Utah/Colorado", I cried. I was in Utah for the first time. "Now, therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citzens with the Saints" Eph. 2:19 I just found out we have a new State song,I asked my Granddaughter Emily to sing the last verse for me.