Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Blog time
I have a question for my blog friends - How do you make time to blog? I have so much fun catching up on all the fabulous blogs I have found (thanks to Google Reader it's easy) that I forget to post on my own blog... I keep adding new blogs to my reader list - I fear soon I will have millions of posts to check. Since I want my blog to be a family record I believe I do need to post occasionally. Give me your wisdom oh blog babes!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Doug and Cate
Friday, March 7, 2008
Life can be hard - don't be bitter
This is my great grandmother and grandfather. Their love story is like a fairy tale. My Grandmother left a beautiful life history telling her "little ones" as she calls us, all about her life. Grandma was 5 feet tall and grandpa was over 6 ft. Aren't they a beautiful couple? 
Life was wonderful.
Grandma had a couple of little children and was pregnant with my grandmother when she got the news that grandpa, who had been working in a copper mine, had been killed in an accident. My heart breaks when I read the story. Grandma shares that in her deep sorrow her father gave her this advice, "Abby, you can choose to be bitter or you can go on in faith. Don't be bitter."
(Grandma Gooch with her son)
Fast forward 50+ years and you find me knowing and loving my Grandma Gooch (she outlived 3 husbands, the last was Grandpa Gooch). I don't think I ever saw my great-grandmother without a smile on her face. She was the most lovely woman - so full of faith, even though her life was so hard. In her history she tells of losing a baby, having financial setbacks on top of being alone with a little family for many years. As a teenager I didn't know her story and would never have guessed that she had lived through such trials. She trusted the Lord all the days of her life.
Even in the nursing home where she lived out her last days she was always upbeat and positive. Though her memory was gone she was happy.
Now to the present - Our family has had a rough week - watching my children wanting children so much and having to wait for that blessing is very difficult. I've always felt that Great Grandma Gooch is my guardian angel and I can feel her encouraging me to press forward with faith. Her testimony reaches down through the ages to bless my life. May I follow Grandma Gooches example. May my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren know me as one who loves life and has faith that God lives and loves us.
Life was wonderful.
Grandma had a couple of little children and was pregnant with my grandmother when she got the news that grandpa, who had been working in a copper mine, had been killed in an accident. My heart breaks when I read the story. Grandma shares that in her deep sorrow her father gave her this advice, "Abby, you can choose to be bitter or you can go on in faith. Don't be bitter."
(Grandma Gooch with her son)
Fast forward 50+ years and you find me knowing and loving my Grandma Gooch (she outlived 3 husbands, the last was Grandpa Gooch). I don't think I ever saw my great-grandmother without a smile on her face. She was the most lovely woman - so full of faith, even though her life was so hard. In her history she tells of losing a baby, having financial setbacks on top of being alone with a little family for many years. As a teenager I didn't know her story and would never have guessed that she had lived through such trials. She trusted the Lord all the days of her life.
Even in the nursing home where she lived out her last days she was always upbeat and positive. Though her memory was gone she was happy.
Now to the present - Our family has had a rough week - watching my children wanting children so much and having to wait for that blessing is very difficult. I've always felt that Great Grandma Gooch is my guardian angel and I can feel her encouraging me to press forward with faith. Her testimony reaches down through the ages to bless my life. May I follow Grandma Gooches example. May my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren know me as one who loves life and has faith that God lives and loves us.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Did you think to pray?
When I was a little girl my dad gave me a camera. What a treasure! I was going to take it to the Daddy-daughter event but couldn't find it anywhere. I looked and looked and was completely distraught when my mom reminded me to say a prayer and ask for help finding the camera. After the prayer I had the thought to look behind the dresser. I almost disregarded the thought because my mom and I had already looked. I decided to check one more time and there it was. What a testimony builder for a little girl.
Fast forward about 40 years and we have the same girl looking for her camera this very morning. I'd looked everywhere and wracked my brain about where I could have possibly left it. Dave was very helpful and asked, "Where's the last place you put it"? Gee I hadn't thought of that.... I looked in all purses, in the cars, under, over and through and no camera. Just when I decided that I was going to have to buy a replacement. I remembered the prayer of that little girl. I thought I'd give it a try though I reasoned it was my fault that I hadn't been careful with the camera and it was really not that big of a deal. But I bowed my head and asked for help. As soon as I opened my eyes the thought came, look behind the chair - there it was. "Heavenly Father you are so kind!"
I am reminded again of His constant care. He is mindful of us and waits for us to ask. I think I hesitate because I don't want to test my faith. What if He didn't answer my prayer? But one way or another He always has. "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord." It's really that simple - Love the Lord and trust that He will care for us.
Fast forward about 40 years and we have the same girl looking for her camera this very morning. I'd looked everywhere and wracked my brain about where I could have possibly left it. Dave was very helpful and asked, "Where's the last place you put it"? Gee I hadn't thought of that.... I looked in all purses, in the cars, under, over and through and no camera. Just when I decided that I was going to have to buy a replacement. I remembered the prayer of that little girl. I thought I'd give it a try though I reasoned it was my fault that I hadn't been careful with the camera and it was really not that big of a deal. But I bowed my head and asked for help. As soon as I opened my eyes the thought came, look behind the chair - there it was. "Heavenly Father you are so kind!"
I am reminded again of His constant care. He is mindful of us and waits for us to ask. I think I hesitate because I don't want to test my faith. What if He didn't answer my prayer? But one way or another He always has. "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord." It's really that simple - Love the Lord and trust that He will care for us.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Cate said yes!!
It's official Doug asked Cate to be his wife and she said yes!! Yeah another beautiful Hopkins girl! The date is August 22 in the Oakland temple. We couldn't be happier for Dougie - he found his one and only. When he was in high school they asked the seniors what they wanted for their future and Doug answered, "someone to grow old with". His dreams are coming true. Stay tuned, I'll add pictures as soon as I get them.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
I've been tagged
10 years ago I was: Busy with a boy in preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school and college! I spent a lot of time in the car...
5 Things on my To Do List for Today: Vacuum, clean the bathroom, do laundry, clean out the spare bedroom and Fix dinner - these 5 things are always on my to do list...they're also usually on my "didn't get done" list...
6 Things I'd Do If I Became A Billionaire: 1. Build all my kids a house in the same neighborhood. 2. Buy Dave a Porsche. 3. Do a mission tour with the boys where we'd set up a humanitarian project of their choice. 4. Build a fabulous and beautiful fitness retreat that wouldn't cost much to attend. 5. Spend a year traveling so Dave could visit all the architectural wonders of the world 6. Set up retirement funds for all my friends and family (hey a billion dollars is a lot of money!)
3 Bad Habits: I don't want to talk about it!
5 Places I Have Lived: Nampa, Idaho - Pacifica, CA - Rexburg, Idaho - San Luis Obispo, CA - Half Moon Bay, CA
5 Jobs I have Had- Hickory Farms sample girl, United Airlines temp secretary, Secretary for flight attendants and Pilots at Swift Air, Gifts and Gadgets in-home consultant (such a horrible decision...) and my favorite - WW leader and personal trainer!
*Things Most People Don't Know About Me: I hate mice! Some people know that my claim to fame is that I threw up from the top of a ferris wheel - yes over the edge while it was moving -showering many, many people with chunks - that was not a happy carny guy when we finally got off... one more thing you may not know - I was nominated for homecoming queen at Ricks college in 1977 - I made it to the top 10 but lost to my friend who played the drums for her talent!
5 Things on my To Do List for Today: Vacuum, clean the bathroom, do laundry, clean out the spare bedroom and Fix dinner - these 5 things are always on my to do list...they're also usually on my "didn't get done" list...
6 Things I'd Do If I Became A Billionaire: 1. Build all my kids a house in the same neighborhood. 2. Buy Dave a Porsche. 3. Do a mission tour with the boys where we'd set up a humanitarian project of their choice. 4. Build a fabulous and beautiful fitness retreat that wouldn't cost much to attend. 5. Spend a year traveling so Dave could visit all the architectural wonders of the world 6. Set up retirement funds for all my friends and family (hey a billion dollars is a lot of money!)
3 Bad Habits: I don't want to talk about it!
5 Places I Have Lived: Nampa, Idaho - Pacifica, CA - Rexburg, Idaho - San Luis Obispo, CA - Half Moon Bay, CA
5 Jobs I have Had- Hickory Farms sample girl, United Airlines temp secretary, Secretary for flight attendants and Pilots at Swift Air, Gifts and Gadgets in-home consultant (such a horrible decision...) and my favorite - WW leader and personal trainer!
*Things Most People Don't Know About Me: I hate mice! Some people know that my claim to fame is that I threw up from the top of a ferris wheel - yes over the edge while it was moving -showering many, many people with chunks - that was not a happy carny guy when we finally got off... one more thing you may not know - I was nominated for homecoming queen at Ricks college in 1977 - I made it to the top 10 but lost to my friend who played the drums for her talent!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
