Well November is here and rushing forward. When Halloween is over my mind turns to the holiday season and the reason for these holidays. First, let me say I am very grateful that we have seasons, even though I don't like the winter as much as the other seasons. I wanted to take a few minutes and list some of the things I am most grateful for: 1. My Family: without them, I wouldn't have known pure joy, deep sorrow, happiness, misery, laughter, the healing of tears, and an array of emotions good and bad 2. My faith in the Savior: I know that He has made all things possible 3. A loving Heavenly Father that provides tender mercies everyday if I look for them 4. My health: I can walk, run if I need too, breathe, see and hear 5. My education: I love working with the children and helping them learn to read and write 6. For the beautiful world I live in 7. For my home and the comfort it provides 8. The strength to press forward 9. The wisdom to know what is good and where good things come from 10. For music and the power it has to heal my soul The list can go on and on. Just know that I am grateful for all that I have been blessed with.

Brrrr

Brrrr! Today was the first day I didn't really want to be out helping patrol the area before and after school. I usually help every morning and evening keeping the children safe because of all the construction around the school. My old bones felt the cold today. All I really wanted to do was snuggle up in my blankets and sleep. However, the garage has been so nice!! Thanks Mike for finishing it enough for me to park in there.

Trip

On Wed. I headed over to Sheridan for a Reading conference. I continue to be amazed at how much there is to learn even after 9 years as a Reading Recovery teacher. The conference was very good. I then headed over to Gillette to visit Bryan, Chelsey, Hannah, and Hayden. What fun! I sure enjoyed seeing and playing with those grandchildren. Chelsey, Hannah and myself went and got our hair cut and then splurged and got our nails done. Chelsey made some yummy potato soup and grilled pizza! I ate so much. I came home this morning over the mountain. On Wed. when I left it started snowing on the top, today there was snow on the ground and foggy part of the way but wow was it beautiful. It made me realize how blessed I am to live in this beautiful country. The tress are turning and remind me of how important the cycle of life is. That doesn't mean I am ready for winter! Mike called me last night and chewed me out for not letting him know where I was (he thought I was coming home on Sat. night). It reminded me of some of the conversations I had with him when he was growing up. Turn about is fair play? I really didn't mean to make him worry. It just reminds me of my lack of communication skill. I've got to get better at expressing what's on my mind. Anyone want to hear? I thought not. Well until the next time I want to express myself have a wonderful life.

Spoiled

Well, I think fall has arrived in Lovell. I picked a few more tomatoes tonight hoping to get one last canning done. Nicole and I are thinking about doing salsa. I am now parking in my wonderful garage. YEAH! It sure is nice to open a door and step into the garage and get into my car. I am so spoiled.

House update

As you can see the house is coming along. We now have driveway, a door on the garage, sidewalks and stained brick.

This is the porch Mike added to the back of the house where the old porch use to be. It is so nice to have a covered porch.

This is the brown stain ont he birck that Shawnee stained before she left for school. THANKS Shawnee.

This is the back of my new bedroom and pantry. Mike, Nicole and I put up the siding yesterday and he would have been finished but I changed my mind yet again on how I wanted it finished. The pantry is starting to fill up very fast. I love having a place for my big canning pans and the jars of food I just canned. We moved the freezer into the garage as well. I am so blessed!!

Thanks

I just wanted to thank everyone for your kind words and thoughts this past week. It is hard to believe that a year has gone by sense Kevin passed away. So many thoughts, memories and feelings. I am so grateful for my knowledge of the plan of salvation and for the healing power of the atonement. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about him and miss his kindness and laughter. However, as time moves forward so do I. I see his goodness and kindness through our children who continue to serve me. I am given strength beyond my own as well as courage to move forward. I know my Heavenly Father is aware of me and my feelings. As the song goes, "He, only He knows". I am grateful for the atonement of a loving Savior and because of this atonement there is hope in things I don't always understand.

Hello everyone, It has been a long time sense I last wrote. Life has been busy around here. To begin the story let me start with Kirk. As of May he no longer was able to stay at the place in Thermopolis. I had to find a group home for him. My desire was to bring him home but I knew I would not be able to do it alone and I would let him get away with more than he should. However, still my greatest desire was to have him closer to home yet still have the opportunity to grow. I had decided to have go to Worland at Big Horn Enterprises after searching for the best place that would fit his needs. In the mist of all the decision I told Mike and Nicole about my desire of having him closer. Nicole took that information to heart and talked to her mom in Washington about starting a business that would allow adults like Kirk to be serviced in Lovell. Nicole got certified to work with clients and her mom moved out here to run the program. I was so excited to think that we could bring him back to Lovell. So as of Sept. 1 Kirk is living in Lovell about three blocks from me. What a blessing to have Janet (Nicole’s mom) and Nicole willing to do this. They will be expanding their program as soon as Kirk gets settled which he seems to be doing. With him moving home a home needed to be provided so Mike and Nicole who had been trying to sell their home made their home into his new home. Janet and Kirk now live there and Mike and Nicole and kids are living with me until they get their new home built. In order for the state program to pay for Day Hab. and residential care he had to be in a home other than mine. Each day gets a little easier for him and he is less confused about what is happening. I went over to see him today and the whole time I was there he kept saying, “go home, go home”. I kept trying to tell him that he was home. Hopefully he will realize he is at home and will settle in. The Day Hab. is across the street in an office building. They did a nice job fixing it up. Nicole’s dad and brother along with his girlfriend were a big help through the whole process. Klete (Nicole’s dad) blocked the new foundation for Mike and Nicole’s new house. He was very busy. I guess the saying goes many hands make light work. I didn’t do too much myself. I think everyone thinks I am too old and can’t do much anymore now that I’ve turned 55. I myself feel that way when my bones start aching. Shawnee moved to Logan in the middle of Aug. where she is attending college (USU) to receive her masters in Human development. She is working hard and is often over whelmed with all the reading and extra things she has to do. She is an assistant to one of the professors so her time is spent helping others. She is playing the organ for institute devotionals once a week. She was in the choir but had to quit so she could fulfill her other responsibilities. She hates being away from the little nieces and nephews. She has grown very close to all of them and they all love her. I am so grateful that she was here for me this past year. She kept me going and kept me from feeling sorry for myself. Her blog: http://iamshawnee.blogspot.com/ Erik and his family live about 4 blocks from us as well. Sariah will be turning 8 in December and is anticipating her baptism. She is now in second grade and loves it. Bekah is in preschool and just turned four. She misses her sister while she has been in school. Sandy still works for the college in their food department. She worked this summer for the game and fish. A job she loves! Erik continues to work at the family’s body shop for his uncle and cousin. With Mike and Nicole living with me I get to see their two little pumpkins every day. It is so much fun to see them grow and learn. Whitney loves to dance and sing. She performs for us daily. Wilson is now starting to rock on his hands and knees. He may be crawling in the next week or two. That should be interesting. He is such a grunter. Every time anyone is eating he grunts thinking he should get some of whatever is being eaten. It is very funny to watch him. Nicole continues to make bows and is very artistic in her creations. Whitney is 2 going on 20 and Wilson is almost 7 months old. Here is their blog address. http://miknicfamily.blogspot.com/ Bryan, Chelsey, Hannah, and Hayden live in Gillette Wy. About 4 hours away. I don’t get to see them as often as I would like. It is partly my fault because I hate to travel and haven’t been there in a while. Bryan works for the city in the water department and is taking a few classes from the community college. Chelsey gets to be a stay at home mom during the day and does some building cleaning on the weekends. She is such a great mom. Hannah just turned 3 and Hayden is 2 and into everything. Here is their blog address. http://cbhendershot.blogspot.com/ As for myself I am learning to take one day at a time. Some days are harder than others but after a good cry I feel better and I am given strength from above to move forward. I have been so blessed in so many ways this past year. Mike and Erik added a garage onto my house with a room on the back. I moved into that room when they moved into the house. The house has changed so much but I love it. You wouldn’t believe it is the same place. During the summer I helped at the family fabric shop. My cousin who runs it had cancer so there were many days she wasn’t able to work at all. We are just so grateful that she is now cancer free (we pray daily that it remains that way). She got me quilting again and I love it but haven’t had the time sense school started and all the moving. Hopefully next week I can get my machine out and get started again. My blog: http://geraldine-geraldinesworld.blogspot.com/ I pray each of you are well and happy. Sorry for the long letter but wanted to catch everyone up on the happenings around here. May the Lord bless you and protect you and your families. Love, Geraldine