Our Holiday Season

As we move past summer, through fall and watch the first snows fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmases past dance in my mind with images of costumes, tasty baking, putting the extensions into the dining table and hearing my grown children banter about who would be seated at the table on a "chair" rather than on a bench. I still smile over those memories. I was just so glad so many faces were seated and sharing the spirit of a holiday season event.

Tastes of goodies prepared for entrees (ham, turkey, roast, etc.), desserts plus traditional items (Dad's fruit salad) have always been part of celebrating. Some of the same goodies are reappearing, seeking new enthusiasts. Now that my children are grown with homes and children of their own, I might add to meal preparations (upon request) usually hosted by one of my children.

At first that seemed foreign and a bit like my role had been usurped, but gradually it has meant I can find greater peace and relaxation visiting with everyone and giving attention to grandchildren.

There is no end to my pleasure at seeing the creativity for some of these family traditions as they are passed along...

Denise with "Nubby" as a pink fairy-butterfly and "Madi" as the cutest Halloween Witch.

Even Nathan enjoys the traditions he grew up with... 

Lois Harris (Mom #2) and her family help him to find joy in celebrating!

Staci will host Christmas for Nat and I this year. It's been 12 years since she's celebrated that holiday with us. I haven't decided if I'll put up my tree and decorate in my tiny apartment, as yet. I love Christmas decor and will enjoy every light, bow and candle that emerges before me this year.

Staci asked about my food preferences and such, but I'm looking forward to her style in celebrating - amid what might be a busy work schedule for her (yet to be determined).

The evolution from leading in household tradition setting to witnessing those traditions being passed along is quite wonderful. I've seen the grandchildren learning to dress up for roles in the Nativity as my children carry forth reading the scriptures and retelling the story annually. I had three girls to bide for the role of Mary, and Rayanne only has boys... but the story is always retold.

We used to race about on Christmas Eve (after dinner), singing carols and dropping off treats to friends and family and Rayanne has carried on that tradition while Denise choses to be a secret Santa to show her love and concern for others.

My hope is that everyone reading this and those who I hold in favorite memories will find joy in the coming holiday season. Consider renewing an old tradition or creating a new one that will make your life richer or the lives of others more love filled.

Talk to you soon...

Happy Holidays and

Merry Christmas!





Downsizing- an evolving skill development!

I've been house sitting for 17 months for someone who has been offering missionary service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's been a mutually beneficial arrangement.

She's to arrive home in the coming days and after a quick hunt for a new home for myself, I began the process of moving my belongings to the smaller residence, a basement suite. I've downsized a couple of times over the years and find the simplification process quite pleasant, after it is completed!

I'd had my furnishings stored in her garage and could see them each day as I parked my vehicle. I could envision the space I'd require to meet my ongoing needs but found I'd underestimated the space I need for my "work" world to accompany me.



As an independent contractor I keep the records and files for the agencies I serve in my home office. But, as downsizing means simplifying my needs, this time I actually parted ways with my desk top computer and determined I'd learn to trust the laptop I'd purchased. I did purchase a back up drive system and I've used it a few times. Between that drive and thumb drives for various designated purposes I'm depending on my new system to not disappoint me. It's already been in for repairs twice in the first months of my ownership (which leaves me a bit disconcerted) but back-up systems truly are the key to personal information security - at least that's what I'm told.



I'm also a genealogist who believes in retaining paper copies of records. The volume of family history materials one collects over 40 years amounts to two filing cabinets, two large and two small storage boxes and multiple tote bags, enough to fill a good sized closet.



My son-in-law and two grandsons worked with a rental truck to move my furnishings and since that start I've made daily trips with smaller items in my car. While that may seem inefficient, downsizing is a process. It often requires measuring spaces (which I did do), and constant review as to the best locations for items in the new location.

As television viewers absorb the habits of "hoarders" they witness the process required for someone to let go of items they've collected and stored for a long time. While the volume and the strategies are a bit different for me, downsizing is a bit of an emotional process. Each item that may have seemed essential two years ago when it was packed away in storage, today is re-examined for its necessity in my changing world. Weighing and measuring each box or its contents for pertinency is key to coming to a comfort with the new and simplified world one designs out of necessity. My children know that I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to the paper records I retain, but we have an understanding that I'll do the best I can to rid myself of as much of the collection as possible before I leave mortality. I'd hate to have them stuck with trying to ascertain value for items or to have to eliminate the possessions I've treasured but they won't want. As I visit seniors in care facilities and realize how much more I must part with in the coming years, the task seems daunting. But I'm certainly learning how to do the job!

Lessons learned...

"If you haven't needed an item for 6 months you may discard it," may work for some people, but after housesitting, I'm aware of many items I've not used for the duration, but suddenly need now with relocation. That rule doesn't fit my circumstances.

"Determine if your need to retain an item is from emotional attachment or actual need," could be a necessity, but when I review boxes of photos, keepsakes (from my children), resource materials for my work (which I could probably discover on-line), I must admit I don't have this rule under complete control.

"Will it fit the evolving lifestyle?" is a question I ask myself repeatedly. It's a dandy approach when you go through your wardrobe to determine what clothes still fit and which ones are "hopefuls". I'm much better at discarding and dropping things off at Value Village. A few years ago I actually kept clothes in boxes for sizes in anticipation of my return to a former figure. I've now decided if I return to a former form of myself, I'll spend a few dollars and purchase new items.

Other rules seem to relate to independence and health concerns - for instance if I were to suddenly be incapable of caring for myself and living independently, my "household hoard" would be a problem - dishes, furnishings, files, etc. But, despite the early demise of most of my extended families, I've decided the Lord knows my habits and He'll provide me with an "impression" or a sense of necessity to do a sudden downsizing to save my family the burden. If He doesn't, I'll have a very tactful but firm conversation with him when we meet.

The bottom-line I've come to discover, is discarding parts of my lifestyle may bring blessings to someone else's. Some of the furniture that doesn't fit my world today has added comforts and convenience to other households - because I seldom send such items to the landfill.

Downsizing is an exercise and a discipline. It requires personal awareness of needs, constant determination to separate our wants from our needs and an awareness that the Lord knows our situation. Just as He fed the Children of Israel "manna" on a daily basis, he will provide for us as well. He's been really good with me about such matters. He readies me for change. For instance - I've been driving into a garage to thereafter enter the home I housesit. My new home requires my parking outside, entering a garage through a side door and then entering my apartment from another entry door. The garage based style I've become accustomed to has alleviated the discomfort I might have felt under other circumstances. It's all a matter of perspective.

Don't let downsizing intimidate you,

it really is a component of simplifying one's life and lifestyle!

It's as delightful as losing weight

if you've been dieting for some time - it feels GOOD!



A visit at Gramma's house

I recall visits made to elderly friends and relatives of my parents when I was a young child. I met one of my grandparents (the woman who had raised my mother) in my youth but she wasn't at all interested in myself or my brothers. Her generosity to each of us during the visit consisted of a sugar cube from her tea tray. I am not certain if her lack of contact with us that day was relative to her health, her disposition or her priorities, but we didn't connect or gain any association.



My other grandparents died before I ever knew them. I have photos of them. Grandfather Acheson was a fireman in the City of Winnipeg and my Grandmother - Geraldina (his wife) was a pleasant looking woman. She'd had three sons (one my father) before she died prematurely.

I have a photo of my matriarchal grandmother as well. She seemed fashionable and the image of her in roaring twenties garb has always given me a sense of curiousity about her. She also died at a young age leaving my mother and her sister behind.



There was never a grandparenting model or mentor from which I might construct my own style of grandparenting when the opportunity arose. I have loved each of my grandchildren as they've arrived and often produced hand-made quilts in celebration of their births, but I've not had the same close relationship with each of my grandchildren. I've failed at being a good grandmother to the grandchildren with whom I've not had close proximity. I could make excuses for those lost opportunities, but that would only add to my personal failure in the blessings they are in my life. Amid the children I've spent time with, I can readily identify the ones that are like myself or other family members. It's wonderful to see attributes pass along from one generation to another.

When my grandchildren visit I tend to be both a "spoiler" and a "ruler." I try and produce eatable treats (or purchase them depending on the tastes of the grandchildren), I purchase toys and gift them as well as retain a toy cupboard for their visiting entertainment. I gift books quite often because I've always valued them in my own life. AND, some of my grandchildren actually enjoy Gramma Dates with me or coming to my home for sleepovers.



It's challenging to understand each of them as unique young people. Tidbits of time with them somewhat limits my appreciating their style of loving, having fun and play. As they turn from toddlers into little people they become more open about their preferences for activities, meals, snacks and movies and that's been helpful. There is a fine balance between just becoming identified as the Gramma who gives endlessly in lieu of the one who prefers individual time with them to talk and learn about them. I've come to love dinosaur movies, surf boarding at the ocean and watching acquire skills musically, artistically and in negotiating skill sets.



Gramma's house...

One afternoon as a pair of my grandson's ran down the sidewalk pathway to the front doors of my apartment building, the older of the two called out to his younger brother, "Andrew, remember we have to be quiet - this is Gramma's house." I treasured his awareness that my home had different rules than his parent's home. It meant he was learning about my world as much as I was learning about his. 

All the grandchildren develop their own style of snuggling with me. Some climb on my lap and nuzzle. Others perch on my lap and request back and arm rubs (gentle) and slowly drift off to sleep. I've shared beds with some of the grandchildren. It's meant learning to sleep on a sliver of mattress so their rest wasn't disturbed in a new environment. But in the morning they each announced a good sleep and sought their favorite breakfast items. When funds can afford it, breakfast might even mean a trip to MacDonalds and a playland experience, other times it's meant pancakes with ice cream topping. 

I don't know what my grandchildren will say about me as they turn in to young adults, but I hope they will recall some good memories - more than I had to fall back on. I know they may feel like my rules meant restrictions, but I've softened over the years and it's helped as they've determined to understand "why" some rules exist. 

This is Easter weekend and I've had a few reports from grandchildren about their family events. I'm learning one reality, they each grow up and as they do so, the requests to have their needs met changes. This week I was asked to help one of the teenagers learn how to "jive" for a dance competition he wanted to attend. His report to me on Sunday morning made it sound like he had a wonderful time with his peers, especially the young ladies. His mother invested more than I did in the dance instruction, but I was pleased to be invited to participate.



I hope my role evolves in such a way that I can eventually have more time and energy available for them all. I also hope one day to become better acquainted with the grandchildren that live at a distance. I know my mother demanded my Dad drive her annually from one house full of grandchildren to another. She'd make some of her favorite meals, share a few stories and seemed relieved when she and Dad climbed into their vehicle to head off alone to the next household. She worked at staying connected with her children and their children. I'm mindful that letters, cards and gifts would perhaps be appreciated, and I should make more of those efforts when travel isn't as possible. All my grandchildren are precious and remarkable and I know if I don't take the opportunity to tell them so, they may never know that I love them!

 

Old Fashioned Values

This morning in a Church women's group meeting (Relief Society) about 50 ladies spent forty-five minutes discussing honesty. After numerous stories were told and comments were shared it became quite obvious that honesty may have become optional for a better part of society.



Some of the stories told were as basic as the dishonesty of theft from retail outlets, plagarism and cheating on university papers or exams and even the small or significant lies people present to one another that range from incomplete truths to money-making deceitfulness that we hear about on the evening news.



The conversation included business realities. One business woman stated that between $10,000 and $20,000 annually was lost from their family business due to theft. We all know insurance fraud raises our coverage rates and our economy has been spinning as banks failed as unscrupulous investment practices have become the norm.



Moses was the first prophet  to clearly state the need for practices of honesty such as, "Thou shalt not steal." We may think he just meant stealing another's money or possessions, but with any consideration for the complete list Moses provided we might include - stealing a person's reputation, "Thou shalt not bear false witness."

We could also consider the theft of precious relationships by Moses declaration, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Yet, does adultery, today, have more facets than we realize? A plague of pornography is raging, and a taste for it can become very destructive. Initially it tintilates and eventually it can rob the recipient of a more loving nature in trade for satisfying lust.

When Moses said to "honour thy father and thy mother," society, both the young and the old may see the recommendation as passe. The young may believe parents to be old fashioned, out of touch, or lacking understanding. The more mature adult may find it hard to make aging parents a priority, or they may be discomforted by quieted eyes or a tilted head as their parents question conduct or choices (like living beyond one's means). All the distances between parents and their children might be considered as a form of theft. As distances and differences rob family members of the love, caring and support we can bring to one another, the theft can leave us bereft.



Good old fashioned values are so simple. They've stood the test of time.

While we might imagine they can be exchanged for values of lesser demand upon us,

are we cheating ourselves?

 

The WAVE!

After my disabled son, Nat left home at 18 years of age, we delighted in some of the lifestyle options that were afforded him. Special Olympics (swimming and bowling), attending sports, biking, camping (like he had with our family), and even dance events.


Segregation was been the rule more often than not, but Nat's unique "spirit" and enthusiasm has allowed him to successfully integrate into communities of people from time to time. This is a story about one of those times...

Nat's WAVE!
As a young child living in Calgary during the Olympics of 1988, Nat must have absorbed the crowd excitement of televised activities more than I had realized. We'd watched the opening ceremonies,

the athletes...





many of the actual sporting events and amid it all Calgary became famous for their WAVE!


For those not familiar with the Olympic Wave, it's a crowd action whereby in a succession of crowd motions, an audience raises their hands or raises objects, and then lowers them creating a synchronized wave motion repeatedly for minutes in celebration of a success by a team or competitor.

Nathan played "wave" with his siblings from the sofa during the televised events and then years later had a recall of the pleasure of such group dynamics and excitment.

How it happend!

One of Nat's residential care home providers included semi-pro baseball league game attendance in his recreation schedule. And while our family wasn't aware of it, Nat gained a reputation for cheering the home team by initiating the WAVE by attendees in the ballpark stands. The residential family left the area and we Nat moved to another home, but his baseball league attendance did follow.

It seems a period of time later, ballpark administration realized the spirit of the games had changed. When they began to investigate the history of the decline in crowd enthusiasm, they were told the drop in excitement co-incided with the fact a young dependent adult man had stopped coming to the games. It took a while, but eventually Nathan was identified and located. He and his new caregivers were invited to attend the games without a fee, and if that was not sufficient to evidence his influence on the baseball games, they gifted him with their sincere recognition of what he contributed to the sport.

His first game back at the field, Nat was brought down to the in-field given a team jersey, a hat and then was told to run the bases. The crowd cheered and gave him the WAVE! I nearly cry each time I think about it.

He can't tell us the story and allow it to grow by the telling, but after it was told to me, I determined to tell it as often as possible. I've wanted people who feel they lack talents/gifts or skills to hear how a young intellectually impaired adult, who couldn't speak in sentences and needs daily supervision could make a difference in the lives of so many people - relative strangers. 

Nat didn't just make a difference in the lives of his family members, or his friends and associates (although he does), but he made a difference amid hundreds of people who didn't know him, except for valuing his enthusiasm. They enjoyed how he shared his joy. He found a way to connect with crowds, bring them together and direct them to do something uplifting and positive. He used his influence!

We can be of positive influence just like Nathan is. We can smile in elevators, say hello to people on the street, give up our seat on a bus to someone other than a senior, let the person behind us at the check out move ahead of us... We can let people know we love life and our joy will spread and infect more people than we can imagine.

We don't have to be important and impressive to influence others... take a peek...

Don't these smiles influence you???

Smile and the world smiles with you!

Be of positive influence, spread your joy,

make a difference!



Genealogy makes Families Forever!

I've spent most of the past 40 years doing genealogy research and keeping a journal (the latter not always consistently). Both offer a formula for making families "forever." The first, family research helps me find the roots of my capacities, interests, health, attributes, size/shape, weaknesses, strengths, passions and more. I have a governor general, members of parliament, physicians, business owners, journalists (which I chose to do at one point in my career), farmers and even soldiers in my family. Their wives and children relocated with them when required. They married, had children and buried those they loved.

Journal writing allows me to leave perspectives, memories, attitudes, experiences, and the story of my life's experiences for those who come after me. Many times as I found ancestor families, I craved having journals of their daily lives to strengthen me. 

Just like my pleasure at teaching my children and now enjoying grandchildren, journals allow me to potentially influence others for as long as the pages/words survive. When my weaknesses in attitude, faith or capacity are recorded, readers will be able to read on and see I eventually worked through each season and move forward with my life. It may encourage them.

Why I am committed to family research and journal writing

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe we lived in spirit form before coming into mortality. We had learning opportunities, formed relationships and awaited our turn to come to earth. Mortality is, yet, another learning experience. Our time on earth gives us the chance to evidence our nature and disposition, to prove our capacities for many things from the use of our talents and gifts to the exercise of commitments we made before birth to be of goodly (kind, generous, loving, nurturing, etc.) nature and to form healthy, lasting relationships. 

Just as biblical scriptures are records of Old Testament and New Testament historical events and stories, journals become the same evidence of one's having lived a complete life. During our lives others may judge our actions and find us lacking in some way. But, if our journals are complete, we leave a record of the desires of our hearts and our efforts to overcome our weaknesses and shortfalls. We also share our insights and celebrations - birth of children, accomplishments of those we love, the tragedies or hardships we endure and the lessons we learn from our daily experiences.

Some life's lessons are just as important as lessons we learn from the scriptures. We learn from one another just as we learn from the heros we find in the scriptures. But, to have that learning opportunity we must share our thoughts and experiences in written form, just like the prophets and disciples did hundreds and thousands of years ago.

Comparing our lives...

Raising children in a limited income household, when my children were young, often gave me a sense of frustration and disappointment. When the grocery budget did not meet the appetite of my quickly growing family I would, at times, feel life was not treating me fairly.

Over a period of months (when I first began to research my patriarchal line) I learned that George Acheson left Ireland in 1849 to come to Canada with a new bride. The young couple must have anticipated wonderfully good things ahead - because they knew if they escaped the Irish potatoe famine, life had to improve.

How could they have known that the bride (as yet unidentified in official records) would die during the crossing and be buried at sea. It nearly broke my heart to learn his dream for their fresh start was so dashed. He eventually became a policeman in the City of York (Toronto) and married a woman he met apparently on his beat. He kept the faith, had children and they had children and so on... and so on... and here I am.

Another record search offered me the Will of a family member. Again from Ireland, the deceased had so little property of value that leaving "gooseberry bushes" to family members was recorded. When poverty creates the need for such donations of good will, lessons about today's financial constraints are quickly brought into perspective.

Parenting pains...

As mentioned in an earlier posting, my third child, a son, Nathan was born intellectually impaired (my contracting measles during pregnancy). Nathan had hearing problems and is aphasic (lacks language/speech).

I felt a great deal of anxiety about Nathan when he was young. I prayed and begged God more days and nights than I can recall now, to make a miracle happen and to have Nat become whole. I also constantly asked"why?" and felt once again that life wasn't fair. No other parents in my immediate association had a child with a disability, until much later in Nat's life.

Then one evening, as I carefully reviewed a microfilm, again hunting for my Acheson ancestors, I began to collect the names found in birth records for children of a specific husband and wife. They had one, then a second, a third and even a fourth child all in the space of a few brief years. I had four children of my own, each born two years apart. I could see their little family in my mind.

Then, in the death records I reviewed later that night, I began to cry as I found the death of two of their youngsters. The reality of health care limitations, limited food products, warm homes, lack of daily conveniences like running water and flushing facilities were so apparent that my life looked like a picnic in retrospect to my ancestors. I might have to plan for Nat's ongoing needs, but I had supports and opportunities available to me that would never have been imagined to that bereft couple.

My family is forever - today! I know many of them by researching where they lived, their children, their challenges (records of wars and land losses). They keep me going and I hope my remembering them, gives them pleasure. I say that confidently, because I know they exist - again in spirit form. They are waiting to regain the joy of permanent physical bodies they will gain in the resurrection.

We will meet. We will greet, and because I believe I may have known many of them before I came into mortality, I look forward to regaining their association. We are everything to one another. They've made me possible, and I'm grateful to them. It's so good! 

Perspective is everything in life.

"half empty... half full!"

challenges vs. opportunities

hardships and trials or growth and development

Perfect moments in time!

Each of us lives life one day at a time, but too often we don't truly realize we have perfect moments within a day. A perfect moment means we must "live" in the moment instead of allowing our minds to wander into thoughts that reflect our hopes, frustrations, guilt, and even worry.

The Lord has asked us to "become perfect," even as our Father in Heaven is perfect. It may seem like an impossible assignment until we realize we can break the task down into smaller components. When teaching or training children with neurological impairments, we call the process "task management breakdown."

Instead of struggling to find the measurement of perfection of ourselves within our lives, we can try to find moments where God has made life perfect for us! We can "know" the gift is just for us and we recognize it, give praise for it and joy in it?

After exercising these perfect moments frequently in my life, I know relishing them evidences to God that I am one with Him. It offers me such joy and I believe it gives my Father in Heaven joy as well.

Perfect swim moments 

Several times each summer (or in tropical locations in winter) I've found perfect swim moments.

I am blessed to be able to become "one" with a natural water environment (lake, river, ocean). My body enjoys innate boyancy, and accordingly I don't have to struggle to stay afloat. That means I am given the chance to caress the water and be caressed by the water with every portion of my body- arms, legs, hands, feet, back, neck, even my scalp. I can relax to feel it's influence to lift or hold me or to pleasure me.

Each water experience is unique. The movement of the water diversifies my experience.

Waves can bring excitement and play.

Quickly moving streams allow for giving control to the elements- a tendency that often provokes fear in others.

Still, quiet water calls out for a ballet experience of leg lifts, rolls, circles, then my stillness as the water continues to move after I've ceased motion.

My perfect water moments have taken place in tropical locations, in glacier lakes, in fishing streams, but only rarely in quiet swimming pools. I've found joy in water 6 weeks before delivering a baby or by slipping out of a kayak with my clothes on because I couldn't be separated from the wocean waves for another moment. One afternoon, I even had to take a water break from a family picnic to climb into a mountain lake in full blue jean and t-shirt attire. Despite the wet ride home afterward, the water renewed me at the end of a long parenting day.

I have a photo of one of my perfect moments. I've been preserved forever hugging my legs (knees up to my chest), sitting on a Maui beach, facing ocean waves, feeling the entire combination of power of wind and water, sight and sound - alone... alone with my Father in Heaven. I recall thanking Him for that perfect moment. While it lasted more than a moment, it may have been that I was blessed to feel the perfect sequence of time for five or ten minutes - until the photographer called out to me and distracted me from the event. But it was enough. Having the photo to remind me makes me live that moment over and over again.

God's creations and his water environment have given me many, many perfect moments.

If you haven't had a perfect moment recently, ask the Creator to help you to silence your life, your body and your mind sufficiently to invite Him to lead you into His perfection. It may become a pathway for you, as it has been for me to understanding that becoming perfect, to be like Him, can begin for you with treasuring the same things he treasures - his creations.

Perfect moments will change your life.
Each will lead you to the "feeling" of perfection!

Each will introduce the longing for more perfection and the desire to return to His perfect association.

More lessons from grandchildren!

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe that "dependent" children are special and have a unique and blessed status with our Father in Heaven. I'd not want to speak for the Church officially, but some of us believe these special children/adults have already evidenced their commitment to God and Christ, before coming to mortality and they join us here to have an influence in our lives and to help us learn more about our Father in Heaven.

After more than 35 years of being in association with "special needs" children, I think it is important to share incredible moments of joy that they bring into my life. I am a mother to a 38 year-old dependent adult son, Nathan. He's taught me lessons I may share here another day but for today I'd like to share a lesson taught by a disable grandson.

Amid my history of Gramma Dates with grandchildren, one with my grandson, Gabriel stands out for how he gave me more on the date than I believed the time and cost of the date were to bring to him.

Gabriel spent a season of his young life fascinated and pre-occupied with dinosaurs. I'd created a collection of plastic dinosaurs for his playtime in my home and I'd gifted him dinosaur books and such, and even enjoyed watching dinosaur movies with him.

Gabriel doesn't know it, but before he was born I'd spent more than a year writing a children's book, Land of the Sleeping Dinosaurs. It had been published, was well received in various places and had added to my opportunity to share my adult pre-occupation with the world around me.

Back to my story...

I discovered, by accident that a marvelous family entertainment event was taking place in a nearby city - Walk with the Dinosaurs, and after budgeting carefully I purchased two tickets for the event. I was so excited as I planned and then took action to give Gabriel the ultimate dinosaur experience.

A few images will give you an idea of the excitement Gabriel and I both shared as the dinosaur spectacle unfolded before us. He'd asked me about how the dinosaurs moved around in the arena set. I explained about the motors inside some of the larger dinosaurs that allowed people inside to drive the huge creatures and I pointed out the legs of actual staff in the smaller dinosaurs (see image 1) that allowed them to move about the set to entertain us.

He told me all about dinosaurs as we waited for the performance, and we chatted again during intermission and that's when Gabriel gave me the most wonderful treasure.

"Gramma, this is so good. Gramma, can we come again and bring Andrew? Andrew would like to see all the dinosaurs."

"Gabriel, Gramma only had the money to bring one of you to see the dinosaurs, but Mommy told me that Andrew was going to see the Monster Trucks with Dad. Andrew will have such a good time, just like you are having a good time."

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly his words filled the air around us and filled my heart with lasting joy...

"Gramma, when I grow up, I could be a dinosaur - couldn't I Gramma!"

I knew, truly knew that Gabriel, despite his limitations could have his every dream in life fulfilled, if all his family were always aware of possibilities and sought for opportunities.

I knew other families had done so, and had done so successfully!

I'd seen the Famous People Players on television as a young mother, raising my own disabled son. Now suddenly, for the first time I was in awe of the opportunities and capacities of "special" children to find joy in their own lives and to bring joy to the lives of others.

Gabriel's dreams for his adulthood will probably change, but because he has an Uncle Mark who is a recognized stage, movie and televison actor, Gabriel may lean in that direction one day. Whether or not he does, he brought more joy to me in that simple announcement, "Gramma, I could be a dinosaur!" than I had imagined possible.

We all have to have such vision and such faith in our ultimate potential and find opportunities to make our dreams come true.

Introduction

Welcome to my world!

My title for this blog " I want you to know," is an indication of why I'm taking this technological opportunity to share a few words with the world.

I've determined it is important to state that "I want you to know" a few things I believe are important. Some of what I've learned may change your life - if you offer yourself the chance. Many of the little things I've learned have changed my life, entirely.

For years I've imagined I'd write a book and share some of my valuable life's lessons, but I've decided, that just in case that opportunity is not presented to me, because of other obligations and responsibilities, I should share bits of pieces of what I'd have put into a book. AND SO, here we go.

First Things First!

I want you to know that I'm grateful for my life, life's lessons, family, friends and associates and while religion may not be important to you, it is to me. I'm grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life and for how it is framed within my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I want you to know that I see mortality as an opportunity to evidence my commitment to truth and knowledge, and my awarenss of truth has come from the gospel and from life's learning and experiences. My knowledge is diverse and I continue to learn each and every day. I learn from those with whom I associate, from the scriptures, from family and often from children - even very young children...

FIRST OF MANY LESSONS 

I want you to know that young children share amazing gifts with adults! 

When my granddaughter Anna was about 3 years of age, she and I were walking across a paved parking lot toward entry to a department store. It had been raining, but the sun had just come out. I held her hand to keep her safely close by me, and as she chatted about what she was seeing around her (on our Gramma Date), she said,

 "Look Gramma (as she pointed to the pavement a few feet ahead of us)."

"Anna, I'm not sure what you're trying to show me?"

"Gramma, look where the sun kissed the ground!"

I continued to try and see through her young eyes and with great awareness and insight, she could tell I wasn't able to discover her field of vision and in patience she took me closer to the place the "sun had kissed the ground." She pointed...

There, on the pavement, in a small pool of rain water, was shimmering color, floating and dancing in the breezes of the afternoon. The water had pooled over a spot of pavement impacted by what must have been an oil leak from a previously parked vehicle.

Anna had found the perfect and most positive phrase possible for her visual discovery. The pool of rain water was reflecting sunlight and the result of oil mingled with the water was a shimmering rainbow of colors. Anna knew the sun's impact in the sky after showers and rain storms- the rainbow. She'd beautifully adapated the concept to a new experience.

Now, each and every time I walk over a post rain storm parking lot, I search for the places the "sun has kissed the ground," and remind myself how perfect a child's perspective and wisdom can be.

Thank you Anna.