When I Grow Up, I want to Be a . . . . .

I dreamed of being a telephone operator.  Mom had been one when she moved back to the city and it sounded so "romantic".  Of course when Ernestine came along, I really wanted to do it!  I used to love to do impersonations of her, but I heard that I did Edith Ann better.  Probably due to the stuffy nose from allergies.


I loved my little nurse's kit and loved to play nurse with my friends so that I could give them a shot that really hurt.  That was so much more fun than getting the shot.  Mom even bought fabric to make a nurse's outfit with a blues cape.  I made a top with it when I was in 7th grade.  It turned out really well . .  dang I was good.  Mom and I got into an argument.  I took the fabric out and I made it that night in my room, with no help.  The next morning I threw it at her and said, "See, I can do something right"!   Still can't believe that I didn't get my block knocked off!  I made my clothes from then on.  Oops!  All on the old treadle sewing machine that I still love!


I went from dream to dream, over the years.  Jon and I have often met couples that we admire and decide when we grow up, we should be like them.


But now, in my "golden years" I have a new dream. . . .

Costco sample lady!  Talk about a people watcher's dream!!

I Wonder . . .

. . .  if my children have any idea how many times I engaged in one of my favorite things to do, watching them sleep.

. . . . .  if they know that if they know that when I watch their children, I am watching them all over again.

. . . . . if they know that I often wish I could still watch them sleep.  See them look so peaceful and serene.  So innocent and trouble free.

I wonder if Jon knows that when I'm not going crazy over some project, I even love to watch him sleep. . .  even though I do get jealous that I can seldom drift off the way he can.

I guess I am wondering a lot of things these days.  Just part of life I suppose.

The Queen's Riddle . . . . NOT a Political Statement . . . well not completely?

Barack Obama met with the Queen of  England .  

He asked her, "Your Majesty, how do you run such an efficient government? Are there any tips you can give to me?"

"Well," said the Queen, "the most important thing is to surround yourself with intelligent people."

Obama frowned, and then asked, "But how do I know the people around me are really intelligent?"

The Queen took a sip of tea. "Oh, that's easy; you just ask them to answer an intelligent riddle." 

The Queen pushed a button on her intercom. "Please send Tony Blair in here, would you?"

The former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, walked into the room and said, "Yes, your Majesty?"

The Queen smiled and said, "Answer me this please,
Tony, your mother and father have a child. It is not your brother and it is not your sister. Who is it?"

Without pausing for a moment, Tony Blair answered, "That would be me."
"Yes! Very good," said the Queen.

Obama went back home to ask Joe Biden, his vice president the same question. "Joe, answer this for me. 

Your mother and your father have a child. It's not your brother and it's not your sister. Who is it?"

"I'm not sure," said Biden. "Let me get back to you on that one..." He went to his advisors and asked every one, but none could give him an answer. Finally, he ended up in the men's room and recognized Colin Powell's shoes in the next stall.

Biden asked Powell, "Colin, can you answer this for me? Your mother and father have a child and it's not your brother or your sister. Who is it?"

Colin Powell yelled back, "That's easy, it's me!"

Biden smiled, and said, "Thanks!" Then, he went back to speak with Obama. "Say, I did some research and I have the answer to that riddle. It's Colin Powell!"Obama got up, stomped over to Biden, and angrily yelled into his face,  "No, you idiot! It's Tony Blair!"


AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS PRECISELY WHAT'S GOING ON IN WASHINGTON  D.C.

What Is It About White?

I love to see the temple,
We finally went there today.
Where everyone is in white,
A sight that is pure delight!

Jon, Sarah and I went to a baptism today.  Well, running late as usual, we didn't make it for much of it, which I really regret, but there was a wonderful spirit there and we were glad to have this short time with a family who has been so dear to ours for so long.

Then we went on over to the temple.  When I saw Jon in his white clothes, I was swept back a little to the first time I went.  He got there early, changed in to his "whites" and met Mom and I as we walked in.  Oh my, be still my heart.  I fell in love all over again.

Then I looked over at Sarah in her white dress.  Now call me prejudice if you want, but she is such a pretty girl, but in white, she seems to glow a little.  That swept me back to the first time each of my children entered the temple to make these special covenants.  Something about leaving the world behind for a couple of hours, everyone wearing white, nothing to set one apart from another, just all being there, leaning closer to their Heavenly Father as they do His work, brings out the beauty in a soul.

Sigh . . . . ..  at peace with the world here!

Ah-Hah Moment

I realized this afternoon that I measure my time by what I "get done".  I had quite a bit of time to "get things done" this week, but didn't "get it done".  Made me feel kind of crummy until I remembered that I had:

•  A wonderful day on Wednesday cleaning the van with Garrett.
• On Thursday Lincoln helped me do my shopping and get back home without getting lost.
• Friday I had two sweet little men here keeping me safe and most of my sanity intact, in spite of a few rousing rounds of Hungry Hippos, a nice snugly time watching a sweet video with stories about the Country Mouse & the City Mouse and "just one short story" in bed . . . read upside down so that they could both see the pictures.  
• Then a little squeeze and kiss good night as they snuggled down in the covers, closed their eyes and went to sleep.  I don't believe there was a sound after I turned out the light.

I usually have them sleep in separate rooms but didn't need to this time.  If they only knew how sweet they looked, twice as sweet as when only one of them snuggles down in that great big bed.

Tomorrow I won't "get much done" either.  Just go and be with wonderful friends while their precious children are baptized and take the Savior's name upon themselves as they move forward and upward to return to their Heavenly Father.

So I guess I did get something done after all.

Wishing you all some days when you don't "get much done!"

Real Women . . . Over 50 . . . According to Andy Rooney

In case you missed it on 60 Minutes, this is what Andy Rooney thinks about women over 50** * As I grow in age, I value women over 50 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why: A woman over 50 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think. If a woman over 50 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting. Women over 50 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it. Women over 50 are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated. Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 50. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 50 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Women over 50 are forthright and honest.. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk, if you are acting like one. You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her. Yes, we praise women over 50 for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 50, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress. Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say,  "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? "  Here's an update for you.   Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage.Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage! All I have to say, if we are that great at 50, what we must be by the time we are 60!!  Zounds!!

Just Been Thinkin' . . . .

I have had such a swirl of thoughts and emotions since Aunt Wanda's funeral.  A lot of reminiscing, a lot of wondering about a question my brother, Bob, asked me the day of my Aunt Vivien's funeral, and just looking back at all the twists and turns in my life.  So I will go back, a bit and briefly, if that word is actually part of  my vocabulary  ;-}

My great grandparents were in the Mormon colonies in northern Mexico raising their family.  Great Grandpa was killed in a mining accident when Grt. Grandma Jacobson was carrying her last child, Uncle Bud.  Some time after that when the great "hero" Pancho Villa was running a muck in the country side, they left and went up to El Paso.    There they stayed for quite some time.

My Grandma Annie (mom's mom) met and courted my Grandpa Joe while he was in the cavalry at Ft. Bliss, and they married, lived there until my mom was about 13 years old.  At that time, Grandma and the kids moved to Duncan, AZ, I presume to be near my Great Grandma (Jacobson) while Grandpa stayed behind in El Paso to work.  When my mom graduated from high school, she couldn't get back to the big city (El Paso) fast enough!  Mom and Aunt Wanda were not only cousins, they were best friends.  I have a picture of the two of them strolling down the street, arm in arm.  I love it.  I haven't seen such a big smile on my mom's face that often, especially one that is so full of youthful abandon.  I have a feeling in her terrible shyness and lack of confidence, her buddy Wanda was a catalyst for letting her fears go and have a good time . .  don't read anything into that.  Mom was shy, Wanda was NOT!

The big question (that Bob asked that day) is, "What would our lives have been like if we had never left the Las Cruces?   What would we be like?  Do you ever ask yourself that?"  No, Bob, I hadn't.  It has crossed my mind numerous times since then.  And lately they have crossed my mind again.  "What if . . . .?"

When you look at the children of my great grandparents, you see such a variety of attitudes about life, the gospel, talents and what is the most important in this life.  It is easy to see how the decisions and choices of each of the children might have influenced the direction taken by the following generations.

I have found that many of my peers are really wonderful people, I like them, a lot.  I enjoy seeing them and meeting their children.  Getting to know them again, at times I feel some awkwardness that I feel uneasy with. It is a little sad, having to work so hard to try to stay close to the gospel has made it so central in my life that I can feel unsure of myself when I am with those who haven't done the same.  I am talking about good decent, productive children, parents, citizens.  I like them, I enjoy being around them.  I want to feel an ease that just isn't there sometimes.  It took a while, but a soul can sense that they wonder about me as much as I wonder about them . . .  that is mainly around my dad's family, who are, by and large, not affiliated with any particular religion that I can tell.

I hope that through FB and having email addresses will give all the opportunity to become reacquainted, to redevelop family ties, and not just at funerals.   I hope the older generation who are finished with this phase of their eternal path, will be able to lead all of us "youngsters" back to family.

Family is not one of the little things that count, they are one of the big ones . . . a really big one!!