Dadd-i-o

Happy Father's Day Dad!  You are still on this earth - although your memories of me have faded long ago.  My memories of you are fresh, and vibrant, and alive.  As I sat by your bed a couple of days ago - I looked into those beautiful eyes and I remembered your amazing spirit.  Something always stirs in them when I talk to you and call you by your name - and remind you for the millionth time that I'm Nicole, your daughter, knowing fully well that inside, your spirit knows that but your mind cannot put that piece of the puzzle together anymore.  I have tried to do all that you asked of me in my life.  I have continued to tell your stories to my children.  I have honored your name.  I have danced in the dark on your toes to music from my imagination.  I have cared for mom, and her home. I have planted seeds in the earth and one by one said, I love you dad, I love you dad, I love you dad as I planted them.  You are today, and always will be alive inside of me as long as I am alive.  You stood for things in life that are rarely found in this world of ours now.  Quiet reserve, tender service, a belief in the earth and mother nature and in the signs she gave you to live day to day.  A respecter of animals and the beauty and purpose they bring to everyone.  God has not forgotten you dad.  He's just reminding me that there is more to learn from your gentle heart, that keeps ticking, and ticking and ticking.  Your mind still reminds it to do that.  Today I honor you.  I pray that you know that your grandchildren have had a great dad.  That your great grandchildren have a great dad, and your legacy will live on and on as long as I possibly have the strength and power to do so.  I love you!  Always save the last dance for mom - but I lay claim to the second to the last dance ok...

To the Dad in my world - Fred Bowen

To the Dad in my children's world - Del

To his father - Ed Hillary - on the other side of this world,

along with Mike's dad.

To Ryan's and Bethany's dad's, Randy, and Mark

To Andy and Emma's dad, Matt

To the future dad's in our family somday:  Mike, Ryan and Ryan

Hope you know that you are all loved.

Oddly Enough....

When He's Home:  Dinner, on time, several courses
When He's Gone:  Pancakes at 10 PM
Home:  Sleep in my bed until I twitch so much I go to the other room so he can sleep
Gone:  Sprawl out on the King Size Bed - and snore and twitch all I want.
Home:  Park the 4-Runner exactly behind the Motorcycles
Gone:  Park sideways in the driveway just because I can.
Home:  We take his route on the bike course
Gone:  Ride amuck.... amuck amuck amuck
Home: Frozen feet next to his to get them warm
Gone:  Just frozen feet
Home:  All quiet on the Western front - at about 9:00 PM (because we're exhausted)
Gone:  Did you know that Jimmy Fallon is on at 3:00 AM?
Home:  Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, and Avitar....
Gone:  Every single chick flick I own, and microwave popcorn, and chocolate milk
Home:  Quietly tiptoe in the shower at 3:00 AM for work
Gone:  Sing rock and roll at 3:00 AM in the shower.
Home:  Pour a glass of milk.
Gone:  Drink it right out of the milk carton, and say - AHHHH loudly afterwards.
Home:  YEAH!  U of U made the Pack 10!
Gone:  Yea... BYU will still show them who's boss... (How 'bout those Aggies?)

Did I mention that my true love and I are total opposites?

Don't get me wrong folks - I miss him when he travels.....

.... and I seriously really love him - deeming us... yes...

The Odd Couple

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.....