One of my favorite quotes

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style"
-Maya Angelou

(This is a really good focus for me after the last absolutely crazy days, knowing that there are a few more to go.)

How Sweet It Is To Be Loved....

On March 19, 1974 I went here:
















and married Mr. Keven T. Jensen for time and all eternity.



 
 

Front Row: Grandma Davis, Laurie, Keven, Hallie, Kelly
Middle Row: Dad (nice pants, dad!), Mom, Aunt Judy, Aunt Mildred, Elaine Morrison
Back Row: Uncle Fred, Aunt LaRue, Bishop Montague, Carol Morrison

 

 

 

 
 
 

Aunt Joy & Great-great Grandma Davis (Great-great Grandpa was there too!)

 

Thank you Aunt Judy for the beautiful cake!


1 year 2 months later - Phoenix, AZ (just before Soren was born)

 
 

Unbelievably, today we are celebrating 36 years of Wedded Bliss!

Huh?

Today I bit into an apple and it tasted just like September - how do they do that?

Mothering (and Grandmothering) From Afar

We tried so hard while raising our children to teach them to be independent, contributing and generous adults. We wanted them to have the life skills that would allow them to pursue their dreams, the compassion to reach out to others whose needs may be small or large, and to live honest, upright lives. Like just about every other parent we know. So should we be complaining that our children live between 850and 6,200 miles away from us? This, of course, means that our grandchildren live between 850 and 6,200 miles away from us too. Didn’t we encourage their independent choices? Are we not pleased and proud of the opportunities they have sought and the achievements that have come their way? Yes, definitely yes.

But how does the mother in me reconcile the deep yearning to drop everything to go help daughter #2 who is sick beyond being able to even move, and who’s oldest of 3 is also sick? How do I keep from boarding the next plane when daughter #4 calls, too sick and miserable to even fix herself a cup of broth or tea? Daughters and daughters-in-law who are alone with children while husbands are gone on business for days, even weeks - how I would love to go and help/play with them. And then there’s the baptism of grandson #2 in far-off Korea; basketball and soccer games, piano and dance recitals, birthday celebrations. And the list goes on and on and on. And yet another call yesterday from daughter #1, and I sense that she is crying for her momma too – and she is – she needs me to hold her hand on the ski lift.

Simply Pleasure

My most recent simple pleasures:

• A weekend visit from Ayrel & Ben (so Ben could run the El Paso 1/2 marathon with his brother and Ayrel & I could have a day to play - which included a nice patio lunch with Kris)




• Soren showing up for dinner twice in a week's time because of over-nights in El Paso. The first time was while Ayrel was here (but before Ben arrived), so it was like a semi-mini-family reunion with lots of good food and serveral rounds of Mexican Train. The second time we had to try Bobbi's famous fish taco recipe. Yum!












(notice all the shadows because of ALL of the sunshine??!)


• Spending a day at a wonderful Women's Conference with these special friends (and getting to hold one of the twins almost the entire time!)



• Taking a walk with my sweetie to see our neighborhood in bloom

















• A boot-kickin' day

People Watching

An evening at the Olive Garden to say good-bye to Ben and to recognize the time Kris spent in the dentist's chair yesterday provided the opportunity to take these photos. While waiting for the rest of our dinner party Kris really enjoyed watching people come and go - there were lots more smiles and laughs than you would think from how serious he is looking in these pictures!








Kris LOVES the Olive Garden. Kris LOVES Ben and his parents, Bobbi & Rocky. Kris LOVES cheesecake. Kris was a very happy man!

Random Picture #6

2008 - Sitting at the kids' table for Thanksgiving Dinner

Random Picture #5

My great-great aunt, Mary Sargent, whom we called Aunt Mame. She had a wonderful sense of fun. As a young woman she served a mission to the Northern States.

Random Picture #3

2008 - Some of the beautiful flowers from celebrating 20 years of Jensen Harmon & Co.