my dear ones--minus one

here they are

minus one

the love that got me out of bed each day

here they are

full of life

with so much life to live

each face reminds me

girl in denim...fun

white collared girl...distracted and singing

airplanes on chest...earnest

baby..."what the heck"

yellow socks...responsible

boy in suit...man around house

blue shirt and tie...his tormentor

the sum of each

the joy of all

...

one of my favorite places

Y do i get goosebumps when i enter your stadium?

Y is your fudge the best i ever tasted?

Y does the hourly bell still ring sweet?

Y do i dream about the HFAC?

Y

Stephen Covey

Truman Madsen

Charles Metten

Kresimir Cosic

faithful bishops

great friends
games
classes
Angel Flight
concerts
memories memories memories

Jerry Carter
Julius Caesar

we grew in love here
and boy howdy did we ever have fun

Y

first time

away from home
pretty much

on my own

life expanding experiences

parents provided

heaven on earth

i will always be thankful

too strong to say

BYU

amazing

photo by lizzie carter

...

my washer

never take for granted

dirty going in

clean coming out

rather remarkable

 turn of a faucet

brings hot or cold

over the years

gallons of water

boxes of soap

electricity sucked up

so, which is it?

the dirtiest kids

or the cleanest kids

because

that machine rarely rests

(194-217)

*my washer

*my dryer

*hot and cold running water

*plentiful soap

*electricity

*a back that bends

*hands that work properly

*i can see colors
*Julie's generous offer

*Janet's yummy rolls

*Linda shares her talents
*Cindy's preparation and energy
*BJ's generous offer

*friendly smiles

*lunch with my sweet girls today

*gift pillow on porch

*everything tastes so good to me

*ann's post about farming
*body image fireside
*note from Elizabeth
*spoke to my out of town girls today
*stage play with Sam and Melissa
*Joseph has a great laugh
*David's surprise visit

...

audree

March, 1955

i have a new sister

Audree

while it is fact

this sweet addition

has blessed my entire life

it is also true

she is beyond compare

her virtues unmatched

selfless and caring

tender hearted, thoughtful
hard worker

really truly good
through and through

which could be irritating
if you're not

her birthday

her being

was a gift to me

always

...

Nathan George Clark

i used to ask

which son resembles him

"oh, he was more handsome than any of his boys"

gone when i was three

polygamist

two wives

my grandma--his second

she birthed thirteen children

my father--his youngest

and his name sake

brother to Annie Clark Tanner

A Mormon Mother

son of Ezra T. Clark and Susan Leggett

one of twenty-one children

his mother the second wife

"if you can't say something nice

you'd better not say anything at all"

because of him...i live

...

my saint

Cleo Call Clark

"she had a hard life"
i was told

but i never heard her complain

i would ask her snoopy questions

intrigued by polygamy

"just never you mind dear"

a mixture of good with spunk

bearing cinnamon rolls

and thirteen children

we pulled honey taffy

together

daughter of

Anson B. Call and Mary Theresa Thomson

grew up in Colonia Dublan polygamy

happy

she loved me

referred to her husband as "daddy"
his second living wife

straight forward

endured sever hardship

ostracized and poor

but i never heard her complain

my dad used to say,

"she never spoke an unkind word about anyone"

now that's a tribute

some have said

i am most like her

she thought so too

she pieced and quilted two quilts for me

crocheted around coat hangers

helped me prepare a Sunday school talk

completed my Primary pillow

"i will bring the light of the gospel into my home"

still on my bed

stood by the organ and sang while i played

a card for every birthday

attended my plays

she was there...

only family member

at my wedding reception
traveling 625 miles

she came, for me

she will come for me again

one time i ran away to her arms
her home
understanding and compassionate

she told me others had come

when i asked who

"just never you mind dear"

i love her

...

1953

ric rac embellished pinafore

cinder block walls

eighteen year old mother

we look pleased

enough

hard to imagine

being you

doing grown-up stuff

could i be

enough

or too much

...

just thinking...

This girl is totally cracking me up. She loves her sleep but last night when she went to bed at seven I had to think it seemed a tad early. Granted it was dark outside, but her circadian rhythm is strong and this DST thing has thrown her and her mother for a loop.

Then again she said that she woke up feeling very rested at five-thirty this morning. Who wouldn't?

Her brother on the other hand didn't get to sleep until four-fourtyfive this morning. He is in LOVE and if he's not on the phone with his Lyndalove he is madly texting, studying, working with an occasional visit to the gym. You know what? I am going to hate to see this kid move out. He really is a delightful, patient, happy guy. Just look at those faces. You know neither of them are excited for a photo-op, but there they are #7 and #8 ... being good sports. She looks like someone threw a dirty diaper in her direction and he looks like the cat that swallowed the canary. I love REAL!

I am crazy for my kids.
-----------------------------------------

Now these photos are a pretty good sampling of just how I spent my Halloween weekend. I look happy because I am. The thing I like a lot about being a grandma is hanging out with these neat little people. They are so much fun and smart. I can tell they don't get teased too much because when I kid around with them they just look at me with those innocent eyes and wonder.


---------------------------------------

Today when I was reading Daniel chapter 6 I was inspired by king Darius' fasting for Daniel and then Darius not being able to sleep that night fearing for Daniel's safety. He told Daniel that he would be spared from those lions...Darius was stuck between a rock and a hard place as king...but, he had faith that Daniel's God would deliver Daniel from a terrible fate.

¹⁹Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

 ²⁰And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
 ²¹Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
 ²²My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
 ²³Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

I love this sweet example of faith and goodness. I admire Daniel for praying three times daily even at the peril of his life. Consequences for those who attempted to ensnare Daniel seemed a little harsh...and that's putting it mildly. But, then again you don't go messing around with Light, Truth, and Justice.

"Because he believed in his God, no manner of hurt was found upon him."

I trust in that very Power.

(thanks to Liz for the camera and downloading and shooting)




...

celluloid

shadows stretch

daylight dwindles

no recollection

so long gone

she smiles

her mother cared

hair is curled

clean

click

a lost moment

preserved

black and white

so long ago

...

keeping up with the joneses

aka...evanses

each year she is there

climbing her ladder

creating bright and beautiful

we are simple

a candle in each window

we like it that way

beating the storm

she choses wisely

works patiently unraveling lights

sometimes she replaces

floundering strings

but, she does replace

of course i joke

there is no competition

only admiration

my only wish

to live across the way

to enjoy full on light and cheer

...

fulfillment

all i ever wanted
the most i could ever ask for
to raise a child
to Thee

imperfection and impatience
made it hard
desire and love
easy

when did i know
that my work and glory
ran parallel
to Thy will

always, i think
i always knew
his name reflects
humble prayer

bone of my bones
flesh of my flesh
each one
complete devotion


...

Halloween 2009

Halloween booty

strewn across table

mama says take your pick

they choose with care

costume clutter abounds

happy voices compare loot

one small bag to keep

the rest ... who knows

big daddy helps out

walking kiddo's door to door

he's invested, scanning

sweet Halloween prize

...

real power

five young girls

one young boy

fresh still, round downy faces

some permanent teeth

but, mostly baby

all dressed in white

there was no fanfare,

fireworks, or dignitaries

but what took place was

truly astounding

heavenly gates unlocked

angels and witnesses

all that really mattered

happened

pure, wet, shiny

six priesthood daddy's

mama's ever watchful

guiding

gappy smiles

shake hands and embrace

smiley eyes

perfect trust and obedience

angels...

"behold your little ones"