Simple Pleasures

A few things that have made this week sweet:

Reupholstered chairs

The bounty of Bountiful Baskets

Look at those lovely pears!

Final stages of a 6-month road construction project in our neighborhood

6 months - 1/2 mile just to get to the 1st street (and it's still a 2-lane road)

Dinner on the patio with special friends

Bittersweet because Vicky is moving :(

An inspiring devotional with Elder D. Todd Christofferson 

A happy husband when we have cold cereal for Sunday dinner

Birthday flowers that still look lovely

Another One Bites The Dust

Goodbye & good riddance September 17 deadline.

From the gang at JH

Jigsaw Puzzle

Can't help myself, I LOVE these photos Ayrel & Ben took at Antelope Canyon. I didn't steal all the pictures posted on their blog, just the ones that look like pieces to a giant jigsaw puzzle. And maybe a few more...

362 Days

It just dawned on me that when my next birthday rolls around I will be turning 60.

 

These are the things I am committing right now to do between now and then so that I can stay young (as promised in the book "1001 Ways To Stay Young"):

 

1. Spin until I fall over

2. Hang a hammock in my living room

3. Never admit I don't know how to use my i-pod

4. Paint the walls in my house pink to give my complexion a youthful glow

5. Switch my birthday to February 29

6. Call my friends "Grandma" (or "Grandpa")

7. Drink chocolate milk with a straw (and blow bubbles)

8. Write memos at work in invisible ink

9. Never complain about a drafty room

10. Quit pinching baby cheeks (it's a great way to be mistaken for a witch)

 

 

Plus, a few quotes that I will memorize:

"The only disability is a bad attitude,"
- Oscar Pistorias (paralympic runner)

  

"Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul,"
- Douglas MacArthur

 

"You can only be young once. But you can always be immature,"
- Dave Barry

 

 

I don't have any problem with the aging process. Well, except I really don't like gray hair, spider veins and age spots, but otherwise I like the getting older and wiser stuff. I like looking at my life and knowing it's been - and continues to be - nothing short of wonderful. I love the time family and friends take to remember my birthday, and the kind and funny greetings sent my way. I love the unexpected remembrances.

 

 

And of course, I love all the good food that came with my birthday this year:

 

BeeYouTeeFull cookies from my kids - so special that nobody at work would eat them...

...but they were willing to eat these yummies, also from my kiddos
 

Chocolate Mousse Cake!

When I arrived at work I found my entire desk covered with cookies, cards, cake and decorations. It was such a fun surprise, and even more fun to share it all with the great people I get to work with.

 

 

A dreamy dinner at Ardavino's - red snapper with the most lovely vegetables and orzo. Keven was quite happy I didn't bring my camera along; you will have to trust me that it was as yummy and as beautiful as you can imagine.

 

 

 

A perfect ending to a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of birthday!

 

 

And the very next day:

 

5:45 am - my first run as an older woman, and my running buddies didn't abandon me. Neither did my blue moon!

 

 

An Ode to the Preservation of the Written Word

Many times I've sat me down,

And oft have sweet refreshment found*

In reading of those days of old

From journals written and stories told:

The memory of a child's woe,

Perhaps a challenge with a foe;

Success in learning something new

That once had seemed too hard to do. 

A tender moment with a newborn child;

Perhaps a party that got too wild!

Piano concerts, spelling bees,

Lost back packs, scraped-up knees.

The first haircut, the first day of school,

The first time a perfect child breaks a rule.

The first campout, the first big date;

When you know they've found their soul mate.

The mundane moments of raising kids

In years to come will seem like bliss.

So take a clue from one who seldom did write:

You won't regret recording something tonight!

As I read from letters faithfully saved by my sweet mother-in-law, Hallie, I realized that some precious memories would have been lost to me if she hadn't saved my occasional letters to her. Since I've always been sporadic about keeping a regular jounal, the day-to-day happenings I wrote about in letters would have evaporated had she not saved them.

A few tidbits gleaned:

10 May 1983
Keven didn't mention that Joy treated us to Chinese food did he? He missed out because of meetings - the rest of us had a good time! The kids were kind of rowdy, but the management didn't kick us out, so maybe it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

Ayrel is really growing. She is getting tall and is taking on more of her own look. She's trying to scoot - not too effectively yet. When Mish walks by she'll grab hold and ends up with a fistfull of cat hair. She has a real thing for her dad. The other night I was rocking her by our bed. He fell asleep and missed all the cooing and singing she dedicated to him. It was a precious moment. This morning she sat in her high chair and sang to the sunshine. The other kids are totally infatuted with her. It's lovely.

Soren's goldfish died yesterday. He was such a sad little fellow. He made sure it was properly buried out under our new little Mexican elder tree. Sven was so sweet and offered to give Soren his own. Soren has decided to buy a new one instead.

Sonja and Brei are picnicking. They have packed a little lunch of toast, carrots, jicama and cracked nuts to eat out front. They are busy little ladies.

Thank you for the roller skates. Everyone is thrilled, and great efforts are being made to master the round, round wheels and preserve the sore, sore bottom ends. My bets have been placed on Sonja to come in 1st, although Sven is making great headway. Soren was in mourning yesterday and didn't spend as much time as the others.


6 May 1987
We hope you will enjoy these pictures - of course the children are much cuter than a picture could ever depict! They were all involved in a Primary Talent Show yesterday, fun for everyone. Soren played his fiddle; Sven was a comedian in a skit; Sonja and Brei did a folk dance; Ayrel and Tanja clapped wildly for everyone, kin or not.


3 March 1997
Ayrel and Brei traveled with the youth to Mesa for the ward temple trip. One bus was charterd to take 37 kids and 7 brave chaperons. The bus broke down on the way, and they limped into the truck stop on the Arizona border. They waited there 5+ hours for another bus to take them to Mesa; by then the temple should have been closed but they waited for our kids to come and do the work. It was a pretty special temple experience. They arrived home after 4am Sunday morning - it was interesting to me that the adults looked LOTS better at church than any of the kids!



More than once I have said that I wish I could have one day  a year with my children being little again, just to savor moments like these, but these little bits and pieces of the past are almost as good.

Thank you, Mom Jensen!

*Sorry Kelly J., I couldn't resist! In another post I will do justice to your classic ode.

Good-bye 44118

Four years ago Ayel and Ben moved to Cleveland: Ayrel to begin the NOAC program at Kent State/University of Akron to earn her Au.D and Ben to begin medical school at Case Western Reserve University.

My first visit to "the Mistake on the Lake" was delightful.

I loved the cozy home they found to rent

Brrrrrrr!

 I loved seeing the campuses where they would be attending school

Buchtel Hall at the University of Akron where Ayrel's White Coat Ceremony was held

Hadyn Hall at Case Western Reserve University

  I loved going to Ayrel's White Coat Ceremony

Ready to conquer the world together

 I loved poking around Chagrin Falls with Ayrel and Sonja

 I loved meeting many of their brand new friends at a BBQ they hosted

 I loved playing all day at Cedar Point with Ayrel

(so, so very sorry Sonja. What were we thinking???). 

I loved my memorable trip to the airport in the DeSoto

(when it was half-way between "Before" and "After")

Before

After

I left believing they were in a very good place with some wonderful adventures ahead of them.

And guess what? I was oh, so right!

Return trips included visits to Kirtland, only 1/2 hour from their home!

On the porch of the Newel K. Whitney store

and Amish Country

an Indians game

 Walks and runs in their charming neighborhood

a little bit of Tejas!

A tour of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on the shores of Lake Erie

Running my first 1/2 marathon with Ayrel

Ayrel, Troy, Ben, moi and Sonja

(Kris was a great cheerleader!)

Discovering some really good food at places like Fire, Nighttown, and a great Indian restaurant somewhere in Parma (where they know Ben & Ayrel by name and treat them like family), and some great bakeries

Plus more time spent getting to know their friends, some of whom have even come to El Paso!

Of course, the BEST of all

 was welcoming little Avery Joy!!! 

Four years sounded like a long time at the beginning, but for me the time flew by.

In May I was able to attend Ben's graduation from Case Western Medical School, which has a rich history of tradition. I didn't mind one bit that there was a procession  of the graduates across campus led by a bagpipe player! There were many wonderful events and moments to celebrate and honor Ben for all of his hard work. Well done, Dr. Ben!

It was pretty special to see his father hood him at the ceremony!

Avery, Dr. Dad and Ayrel

Dr. Gonzalez and proud family

Bonus - after Ben and Soren drove away in the big moving van, heading to Tucson,

 I was able to stay a few more days and help take care of Avery while Ayrel worked some

l-o-n-g days. Fun and games for Grandma!

One day I met my sweet friend Kim (who now lives in Pittsburgh) halfway in Youngstown, where we played with Avery and ooohed and aaaahed over the beauty of Fellows Riverside Gardens. (I highly recommend it if you are in the area!)

Sweet little mama bird

This past weekend we made our last trip back to celebrate Ayrel's graduation. It was a whirlwind trip, and I left wishing we could have had another day....or two....or five. (But since they are now happily ensconced in their new home in Tucson I can't feel too badly - a 4-hour drive is a piece of cake!)

Graduation Day was breezy and misty and cool - perfectly lovely!

 

Sonja keeping the graduate dry on the way to the ceremony

Entering the stage

Hooding

It's official!

Avery and Drs. Gonzoli

Oh, happy day!

Phil, CeCe, (Dr.) Tammy, Avery, (Dr.) Ayrel, (Dr.) Ben, (almost Dr.) Steve and (Dr.) Maura

BFF - CeCe and Avery

They even showed up in coordinating outfits, unplanned!

Proud parentals, for sure!

Pretty little ladies, all in a row

Much to Celebrate!

Dr. Phil, Dr. Ayrel, Dr. Lauren and Dr. Greg

Avery may not have realized the significance of the day, but she certainly understood the importance of yummy cake and BaLLoONs!!

It was another great day full of happy moments with family and friends, a very lovely way to finalize 4 years of hard work and determination, of stress and challenges.

After the ceremony I asked Ayrel if she felt different. Her answer made me so, so happy:

"YES!"

She said that when the Dean conferred the title of "Doctor" on the graduates she felt the significance and power of the title.

In the end it has clearly been worth it all.

In the end it can be said that Ayrel and Ben made the most of every opportunity that came their way during this time, and are leaving with so much gained and so much to offer.

Congratulations!

Schulabschluss!

Kudos!

Felicidades!

Gefeliciteerd!!!

P.S.  I truly hope that there are future opportunities to return to Cleveland. I will jump at the chance!