200 Days Left...

As you can see on my counter on the right - Elder Hillary has 200 days left to serve the Lord.  (Not that his mom is counting or anything)  It's been a long haul for this young man - His journey has not been that of most.  After seeing him in pre-op in the hospital a week before he was to leave for Mexico, I never dreamed he would be allowed to serve.  He laid there on the hospital bed ready to go into surgery with his missionary name tag on - he said, "It's the last thing to go off when I go in - and the first thing I need to see on when I come out of this.  And it was.  I thought many times of the previous hundreds of days - that he was out there changing his life on a mission - and he was - but mostly I think of the lives HE has changed because he was allowed to serve.  To me - the greatest, most humble lesson learned is that you don't need to be the most incredible missionary in the farthest most deserted place in the world millions of miles from home.... you need to be a humble, sweet, kind, strong, soft spoken servant in a small town in El Paso,  Horizon, Hatch, or Pima... speaking the language you've been trained for, teaching the gospel you've lived for, speaking the words that change people's lives, bearing testimony of that which you believe - to be an amazing missionary.  Of all the letters I've written to him - most have said - "Now if you weren't where you are... who would have helped the Lord make that miracle happen?"  Oh how I love my son.  Oh how I love the Missionary in him.  200 days will fly by - and he'll be home - ready to knock the socks off of anything he wants to accomplish.  No ties, no anchors, fulfilling all promises he's made, and looking amazingly handsome doing it.... Returning with Honor...  It's been a time of physical, and mental healing.  A time of spiritual growth and language growth.  Memories made for a lifetime and friends and new members to match that.  Our family has been blessed by his service...and his companions have been top notch. (Except for the one that called him a Utah Nazi Mormon.... of which I prayed he would get blisters and boils for the remainder of his mission......) (or chaffing... I also prayed for chaffing....in the heat) (:  So - cheers to you Elder Hillary - you pictures are also on the 'other camera' of which will be posted after I create a new way to download my pictures..... sigh.  Happy 200th day left my son - which means only 200 X 1,000 times more prayers to go, and blessings to receive.  We love you!!  Oh and we'll try to find your bedroom and where you stored everything soon.... and we'll let the hem out on all of your jeans because you've grown an inch or two right?  And maybe we'll even save the numbers of the girls calling to find out when you are coming home.... and their moms.... (:

You are my sunshine

Dream Big

Aw....

NAKED BABY TOES...

WANNA JUST TAKE A BITE OF THEM DONT'CHA...

Plantin' a Memory

I asked my grandson Andy if he would help me plant some radishes...this was his response..  It was important to me to do this with him.  My father, Fred Bowen, grew the most amazing gardens throughout his life.  Each one turned out to be a picture of perfection against the Mendon Mountains in Cache Valley.  People would stop and look and stand in awe at the beauty of his gardens.  My son Matt recently planted his garden, and the next generation down just helped his Grandma.... it wasn't about the radishes - but about the moment.  Here are those moments...

we added some of this and that....

and this is what we grew!

and then this is what Grandpa ate...

Most excellent salad of memories Drew Bug - Thanks!

(Remember Great Grandpa Fred!)

Teach a child when they are young and they will never depart from it....

works.

Emma's Day

Well - I decided to not cry over spilled milk - or pictures that I cannot upload - and rejoice in the ones that I could upload.  We spent Memorial weekend in Washington, in the Seattle area (because everyone asks what part of Washington....).  It was the big weekend for my beautiful grand daughter Emma!  It was the best time for both families to get together since most of us are Utah folks.  Matt and Bethany were very patient and waited until we could all be there for her blessing.  We enjoyed their new home - it was filled with so much love.  To see them at this point in their lives with jobs, a home, and 2 beautiful children - is a rich blessing to be a part of.  Here are a few pics from Emma's Day

The Hillary Grandparents - yep - we're a smilin'!

We shared the day with the Stimpson Grandparents - also smilin'

(We really love these guys!!)

The amazing parents of Miss Emma - and our ever

so handsome Grandson Andrew.  (My favorite little terror!)

Good time for a 3 Generation Picture...

Mine with Matt is on the ...'other camera'.... ):

You can see where she gets her good looks!

(We LOVE Bethany!  She is a wonderful mom)

She wore her Grandma Bracelet... Each heart represents

a Grandma, and a Great Grandma.   (Shhhhhh..... sleepin')

Hope you always know how much your parents,

Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Cousins and Neighbors

love you Emma - and somewhere in there - I do believe

that Andy loves you too.... but he's kinda busy right now....

Great... Great.... Great... Great weekend.

I'm ready to go back.

KaZoWiE!

WOW!  I was so excited to go to Inkleys to have a DVD/Pic file made of all of my pictures from the trip... and 2 clips from Elder Hillary... and Bethany's pics that she took and shared with me..... it is harboring 1,100 PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!  for only  $8.00!  Excellent........

Now.... it will take 7 hours for Windows 97 to allow me to download them, so I can look at them......

Dear Santa.....

Nope.....no vampires.....

Nope - no pictures yet - but I'm sitting here in the Seattle area.  I'm visiting my son Matt, and his beautiful wife Bethany, and my grand kids Andy and Emma.  I am always amazed at the lives my children have chosen to live - I am so impressed with the goals they have made and obtained and the wonderful adults they have become.  I'm enjoying Matt and Bethany's beautiful new home - and wonderful neighbors.  We arrived on Friday to celebrate Emma's blessing.   It was hard to be so far apart on this Memorial Weekend from the family - Mandy and Ryan in Texas, Elder Hillary in Arizona, Ashley and Mike in Utah - but I told them all that our hearts would be connected.  I have ENJOYED - massive amounts of time with my beautiful grandchildren - who would have known how amazing they would be - and how they could impact my life so much.  They define Joy.  I look forward to many more 'JOYS.'  Seattle is absolutely beautiful, and no, my other children will never visit here because then THEY WILL WANT TO MOVE HERE!!!! (:  It's so beautiful and green.  The houses are surrounded by forests of huge trees and it smells like rain heaven.  I'm still a bit confused - I haven't seen a Vampire yet - and  I don't know if I'm on Team Edward or Team Jacob still.....  BUT... the neighborhood where they live - is filled with wonderful neighbors - kind and helpful.  Each one will influence my grandchildren in one way or another - every color, every religion, every kindness.  A variety of humans bringing special gifts to their lives.  I love the fact that both grandmas and grandpas can have so much love for their children - and between the two families - that's how it should be.  We are all a big family when we are together.  I have struggled immensely that my son is living so far away, but his successes and happiness is first and foremost at the top of the list.  He is in his element here, he is outgoing and helpful and engaging to those around him.  His amazing wife Bethany is the sweetest mom ever - patient - and funny - and real.  She opened their home to everyone today - they all came - visited, loved each other with kind conversation, and left a bit of their hearts here in their home.  When I leave I hope to leave a bit of my heart here.  I will miss the 'NANNA' calls from the top of the stairs - I will miss the sweet brush of Emma's long eyelashes on my face, I will not miss Lemon Bars, but I will miss Bethany and her itching when you say an animal sound.  I will miss... my Son.  On those days that perhaps you miss me - find that piece of my heart I left there and hold it carefully - and I will be there.   "I carry you in my heart, I carry your heart in mine"  Thank you for a beautiful weekend.  I love you always, in a land with no sun - you are always my sunshine.

SQUIRREL..... Random thoughts Part 12 (the first one was posted - but I've lost the other 10 somewhere....)

Things I'm doing instead of being out on the road riding my bike....

Posting this blog - after reading my daily nienie dialogues.
Facebooking - it's a sickness... and I gotta feeva.
Laughing that I found some old friends - and we are all very old now.
Watching a fly floating around in my waterglass, and wondering how much of it I drank before I noticed it.  (Hey I can share)
Wondering what I'll pack for my trip - besides the things I want to take to my grandkids..... always wear clean underwear - ok mom.
Missing the traveling man Mr. Hillary - as I look over at his doghouse he usually sleeps in at night.... I still kinda miss him.  Wait - take that back - he took the toothpaste. Sweep out the doghouse...
Wondering if my 80 year old mom failed her drivers test for the 3rd and lucky charm time.
Thinking of all of the lives we've just saved.
Eating carrot cake right out of the pan with a fork - because I can.
Wondering what I'm going to do when I get a flat tire today at the point of the mountain.
Missing the Yorker for some dumb reason.
Wishing that recruiters would land the job instead of making calls that make my heart leap and sink.
Hating Channel 5 coverage on ATK - Hating layoffs more and more and more....
Smelling the homemade pumpkin cinnamon whole wheat bread baking....mmmm lovin' my kids, and carbs.
Reading Elaine's comments and realizing that I'm lucky to have a friend like her - we will burn baby burn in the next life.
Lovin' that my son in laws are handsome - and my daughter in law is hot ta ta.
Aching to hold my grandkids, and corrupt them quickly - with sugar.
Searching for something to eat after the cake.... chips and salsa?
Realizing that when Ashley, Mandy, Matt and I talk on facebook - no one knows what in the world we are talking about - because it's all in code - oh .... if you only knew.
Acting like I'll miss work while I'm gone.... what the?  Scratch that.
Anticipating Biggest Loser, Parenthood, Stupidest Idol, and Dancing with the Tramps, and staring at only one way to record all of the stations at once.
Noticing that there's also a reception I have to be to tonight, mmm more cake - should I take my fork and fly water?.
Seeing that I've now wasted a whole lot of time on the computer.
Sending all my love to my Missionary.  Ok - so I'll spare a bit o love for the other kids too - oh ok - you can all have all of my love..... except my love for a tall McDonalds Coke - and thinking.... now was NOT a good time to give it up....
Driving to McDonalds.
Pausing.... no.... getting my padded butt shorts on and hittin' the road.  Ok - maybe I'll put a top on too.
Squirrel....