Anau (Family) Graybill

Teacher of the Year Award--04/29/2010

2010-05-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

Keri...setting the example for her students...not only in word but actively...as a GCU graduate 05/02/2010.

"Teacher of the Year" award was presented to Keri and other teachers from schools in South Salt Lake by the local Rotarians. Mom and dad were thrilled to attend a special luncheon with Keri to recognize this honor. We sat with Keri, her principal, the past Rotarian president and the mayor of South SL. The Rotarians are a great service oriented organization. They recognized the efforts of some excellent teachers/counselors. Keri is her school's 2010 recipient--for her commitment in building the AVID program at her school and promoting college readiness to the community of South SL. This has been a year of great sacrifice for Keri with her work at the school she teaches, and in her final push to complete the requirements for graduate school. Keri is a great teacher in our own family. We as well as her nieces and nephews have learned much from her. CONGRATS KERI. WE LOVE YOU!

GCU's Happy Graduates...

2010-05-06T04:26:00.000-07:00

Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona--05-02-2010

Riki and Keri. No-one knows better than they the sacrifice of work and time they've spent to see this day.

Very proud parents...not one, but two graduates...on the same day. Thanks Keri and Riki for this moment and also Erin, Lily and Kekena (Kena)-- Riki's beautiful girls.

During a short and memorable stay in Phoenix, Arizona recently, we discovered that making our way to two convocation ceremonies during peak hour traffic, was quite a feat. Riki's was early morning...Keri's, late a.m. Both were held at different locations. We were grateful we could attend both. Riki's was at the First Southern Baptist Church. Overflow parking was next door on GCU's campus. Keri's was at Bethany Bible Church. Parking was more than ample. Erin saved seats for us at Riki's convocation and we saved seats for them at Keri's. The convocations are quite the affair with pomp and pageantry. The hood colors of the faculty was fascinating. Some more spectacular than others. Each school has a color. For Riki, the school of business was brown. For Keri, the school of education was light blue. The two day affair, is an event to be remembered for the graduates: their parents, spouses, grandparents and family members who gathered from all over the country. Grand Canyon University (GCU) has the greatest online studentbody than any other campus in the USA with just as many students, attending on campus. On our row at Keri's convocation, were two other families. One from Pennsylvania and the other, from California. We of course are from Utah. After the covocations we went back to tour GCU's campus. We ate lunch provided by GCU for the graduates and their guests. We ate with students, from Florida and Missouri. The only downside to the convocations, was having to listen to a few repeat speakers from Riki's. What a proud moment for us (mom, dad and Erin) as I'm sure...it is for Keri and Riki. We found the GF (gluten free) store and Riki was excited to sink his teeth into their donuts. That evening, we ate a wonderful dinner at Stillman Park in Scottsdale, with the AZ cousins. It was so fun to see the Hiedi and Tamara with their family.

Saturday, May 2nd, the final ceremony was held in Chase Field--baseball stadium. As if the 1st day wasn't memorable enough, this day was spectacular! Fireworks, balloons, an amazing trumpeter, flag ceremony, the stadium roof opening at the end to allow the balloons to escape, Scottish bag pipers, food vendors and a sea of people--heightened the effect on those present. The sites, smells and sounds were incredible even GCU's choir. It was a long walk to the stage. I wondered what thoughts went through the minds of each graduate? Erin and her aunt, made leis for Keri and Riki to wear on the last day of ceremonies. Unfortunately my camera batteries were by then, dead. Maybe Erin will email me a copy of the happy graduates in their regalia and leis? Hint!

A few of the anau (family).

2010-03-04T07:55:00.000-08:00

Bailey, Kena, Lily, Colton and Garrett are some of the voices to be heard in our backyard this year. Oh the things we'll see, the things we'll hear and the things we'll do as soon as the snow melts. Kena will be busy exploring with Bailey and Nans. What joy to hear their squeals of laughter and excitement as they make new discoveries?

Lily will want to blow bubbles, turn rocks over to see what's hidden beneath them. She'll giggle and pick up the wriggling things we find.

Colton will be tough and climb all the big boulders this year. Nana will have to watch him like a hawk. He'll be gentle around the flowers and want to smell their delicious scents.

Garrett--the big kid in the yard, will be busy showing off his new foot skills (soccer), shooting hoops and making them. He'll help Nans watch the little ones and help them explore. Oh the fun we'll have this year. Grace will be showing off her speed, showing her little cousins around and puttering in the gardens with Nans, Colton and Lily.

It's fun to be a Nana when I have such beautiful, fun loving grandchildren to play with. "Lead me, guide me, wallk beside me. Help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do, to live with him someday." Grandparents play a vital role in the lives of their grandchildren. What a blessing in our old age to have this responsibility. I love every moment we have together. Special thanks to Emilie and Nickie for these pics.

Spring 2009

2010-03-04T07:38:00.000-08:00

The "grands" love our backyard. They sometimes call it the "park." Signs of spring are evident again. It promises to be another happy year filled with young voices as they run, jump, climb and play in the "park." Our granddaughter Grace Kekena--will be one of those voices.

2010-01-01T13:56:00.000-08:00

Dion and Maryanne...flipping pancakes and scrambling eggs...to feed a hungry July 4th crowd at the Granite Community celebration of our nation's birthday.

Viewing the past...

2009-11-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

Having a husband/dad who is skilled with his hands, we (Tia, Jared and mom) stepped back into history and gained an appreciation for the craftsman and the things created by his hands from the late 1800's as we toured the Peel Mansion Historical Museum--built in 1875 by Colonel Sameul West Peel. http://www.peelmansion.org/

In winter the grounds are somewhat bare and the trees, nude. The post oak tree (on the left) the oldest living tree left on the grounds--looked tortured. It had a story to tell much like the one Nell, our guide shared with us about the home.

Off to Arkansas again!

2009-11-12T14:44:00.000-08:00

Keri gave me a surprise gift--a roundtrip ticket to visit Tia and Jared for my birthday. So here I am. Last night Tia and Jared took me to Shogun's--a Japanese dinner cooked while we sat around the grill and watch the chef work his magic with the food. It was delicious! We enjoyed dessert at home. I chose pie instead of the traditional birthday cake--pumpkin cream pie from Village Inn. It is to die for! Tia who is not a fan of pumpkin pie devoured her slice. She said she's a convert!

Early yesterday, Tia ran with friends around a nearby lake while I walked-- enjoying the blanket of fog that settled over the lake, trees and nearby golf course. After it lifted, the lake revealed flocks of honking geese, crane and other fowl. Such a relaxing site. Tia won a cool gift from running a 5k Halloween Race. She gave it to me. So off we went to a place called Bathjunkie. It was fun to sit and mix the oils (citrus, floral, fruits 'n' veggies, botanicals, different strokes, rains & musks, spices and wannabees-knock-offs of perfumes...etc) then have them mixed into yummy: body lotions, creams, cleansers and spritzes, to fill the empty bottles in my kit. Fun store and fragrant smelling. I love the FREE products. What a special day except family had a challenge reaching me to wish me a Happy Birthday. I had an accident with my cellphone the night before and Tia and I couldn't figure out how to remove the wet battery. When Tia came to pick me up at the airport in Tulsa, OK Tuesday night--she brought a cooler filled with fruits, veggies and drink on ice for me to snack on on the way back to Arkansas. I stuck my phone in the cooler and forgot to retrieve it until Tia emptied it and said, "Mom...what's your phone doing in the cooler" which was now soaked. Hard lesson. Ouch!

Hogle Zoo Trip

2009-09-14T15:09:00.000-07:00

Sep 2009, Colton and Lily enjoy zoo day with Nana.

Two little "monkeys" quiet as can be.

Two little "monkeys" having fun.

Two little "monkeys" take time to rest.

Two little "monkeys" love to explore.

Granite Community July 4th Celebration

2009-07-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

The early morning hours Saturday, July 4, 2009--reminded me of those far from home protecting my family's freedoms and liberties. As I posted the flag in their memory and for those who passed on, in defense of our country-- I take pride in the age old familiar words of beloved patriotic songs-- "Hurrah for the red, white and blue...Forever in peace may you wave. You're the emblem of the land I love... O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave..." The day can now begin. Dion, Keri and I headed to the church. We are part of a large group of volunteers who cooked and served breakfast to a hungry Fourth of July crowd. We served 1250 breakfasts to both young and old. Dion and Keri helped scramble eggs. I helped flip pancakes, dozens! The Burmese community from south Salt Lake, came dressed in the colorful costume of their heritage. In the longest parade ever seen in Granite, they waved the "red, white and blue" proudly. It's easy to see what freedom means to them. The joy and laughter of little children as they retreived candy along the parade route, thrown from those in the parade, what a beautiful sight! Too many of the world's children live in peril for their lives. Thank God daily for liberties we enjoy because others sacrificed so we can have them.

Our Grandchildren

2009-07-08T15:06:00.000-07:00

Nana & Papa Graybill with the "grands." Garrett (almost 10), Lily (2), Kena (5 mos), Bailey (2 mos), Colton (3) and the brave one standing on the rocks in our backyard, Grace (6). We have waited so long for this photo. Their parents stood on the sidelines dangling bribes (candy) for smiles. Did it work? We had a very nice Mothers Day dinner after the photo session. Thank you family for this gift. It wasn't so hard was it?

Our grandchildren in dark shirts belong to Orin and Meagan. Nana holds Riki and Erin's girls while Papa holds ever so gingerly, Omai and Nickie's daughter.

Jarem Omai Graybill's Family

2009-06-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

Grateful parents, Omai and Nickie Graybill admire their manea (beautiful) daughter--Bailey Manea. She was born on March 30, 2009. Another 40 minutes and she would have shared a birthday with her Uncle Orin. This photo was taken by her parents friend and photographer, Emile.

Rainy week in Rexburg, ID.

2009-06-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

This precious photograph of Bailey Manea Graybill, was taken by Emile, a friend of her parents.

May is the month of wedding anniversaries for our family (Riki & Erin-7th, Tiare & Jared-10th and mom & dad-27th), Mother's Day (family photos--yeah), bidding farewell to Tia & Jared and warming weather.

Grace, Colton and Lily have had fun searching for bugs, playing with them, blowing bubbles, dining out on the patio and helping Nana with her gardens. This time, it was during another of those short and fast-paced trips home. I missed the shuttle in Rexburg so Dion drove me to the next stop to catch it--Idaho Falls. I arrived in UT, on a hot Thursday afternoon on May 28th. Meagan, Grace and Colton picked me up. I began babysitting-fun that afternoon and in one weekend, logged 17 hours of babysitting our beautiful grandchildren. Thankfully, not all at one time! The older I get, the joys of life increase especially as a grandparent. It's an enlightening experience to discover each grandchild's personality, when they are in your care? Friday afternoon, I had Grace and Colton again. We didn't come indoors until Aunty Tia arrived. She and I took Grace and Colton to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner. It was fun introducing them to restaurant manners. That evening I babysat Lily and Kena while their parents went on a date. Kena is a happy, smiley baby. What a chunker--soooo... cuddly and beautiful! She has grown since her trip to NYC. At 5-mos. she rolls and attempts to sit up. Lily is a good sister, very loving and caring with Kena. Lily likes to read to Kena who is all smiles as Lily points out things in the book to her. Lily is smart for a 2-year old and loves to fetch things and be very helpful for Nana. We had a wonderful evening together. Saturday, I had Bailey all to myself for 5- incredible hrs! She's as sweet awake as well as asleep which was most of the time. During playtime, I placed her next to me on the kitchen countertop. She watched my every move as I chopped and diced stuff for chicken salad we're going to eat at the park after her baby blessing Sunday. She smiled and made cute baby sounds--How sad I don't understand Baby Gurgleaze? Bailey is a very fair child. What a beauty! She's doing well for a 2-mos. old. I love her stretch moves. Her whole body becomes involved with the move. Her facial expressions are precious. Bailey's eyes checked out her new surroundings. Babies are so smart! When Nickie and Omai came to pick her up--her eyes lit up, her body language--urgent for one of them to pick her up. Omai trimmed and mowed the lawns before they left. Won't Keri be suprised when she gets home! I'm thankful the "grands" share my love for the outdoors. We spent a lot of my time home, in the yard this trip. The family campout this year should be exciting as they're older. Riki & Erin have the task to find a suitable place. At the culmination of the short week home, Bailey Manea was blessed by her dad. It was short notice for the family as Bailey's Aunty Tia and Uncle Jared-- moved up their move date to Arkansas. Now we're missing them but they're good children so we won't be too sad. We are mostly happy for the new set of adventures and experiences they'll have--they probably won't even miss us? Saturday evening, I babysat Orin's children. He and Meagan went out to dinner with friends. Garrett busied himself shooting hoops most of the time. Grace and Colton helped me pull weeds, haul mulch, plant bulbs and water plants. Garrett, with Nana's supervision, made macaroni cheese for dinner. Grace cleaned the strawberries and Colton helped her setup the grandchildren's picnic chairs and table on the patio for dinner. We were still in the yard when Aunty Keri came home from her camping trip. A few minutes afterward, Dad drove in from ID. They were both suprised to see how lovely the yard looked. Thanks Omai! The "grands" were excited to visit with Papa as he showed them the bag of rocks be brought with him including maple nut treats. Sunday after the family luncheon in the park, we sadly said farewell to Tia and hit the road again for Idaho.

And here we are... back in rainy, cold Rexburg, Idaho. The farmers are elated! The constant rain showers is a godsend for their farmlands. Can't say the same for the construction industry? Dad's project is moving along--not nearly as fast as he'd like it. The parking lot was striped yesterday. The floor coverings should be completely installed this week. The main parts for the MRI and the CT scanner...are installed. The brickmason's done! Dion flipped a lightswitch on in one of the rooms first thing this morning-- it didn't light up. After he'd shown me the rest of the building, we walked back down the east hallway. That room was all lit up? Hmmmh...a slow starter? Something else to add to the electrician's fix-it list. I passed my Idaho Wetland Engineer again this morning--Buddy Beaver. He was waiting in the weeds beside the trail. When he heard me, he dashed to the safety of the rocks that line the river bank. From his vantage point he stuck his head out to see if I was a threat. Seeing that I wasn't, he kept abreast of me moving ahead from rock to rock. When I stopped, he froze. I took a couple of pictures of Buddy with my phone camera but have yet to figure out how to transfer them to my laptop? Perhaps, I'll take my digital camera next time? Finally, I bid him Buddy goodbye and continued on my walk. What initially started out as an hour walk several months ago, now takes me 40minutes-- unless I stop to listen to the wildlife. Last time I had my camera, it took 2 hrs to complete the walk but I got side-tracked...taking pictures of the railroad tracks etc! Yesterday was a treat! I spotted two Idaho beavers swimming downstream. I stopped and watched them for a few minutes. They went under the bridge I was standing on and continued down to the train bridge, turned around and came back. When they saw I was still there, they made for the river bank and disappeared under the brush of willow, wild roses and cottonwoods! I looked for them again today. Nothing!

We are family...

2009-06-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

Amazing...we we able to meet for the express purpose of having family photos. It took a request from mom for Mother's Day, to entice everyone to get in the mood. Can't wait to see the photos! Will post as soon as they're back!

The grandchildren love being outdoors. We are having some fun times again especially with bugs, insects, "pokies" as Colton calls the thorns on the rose bushes, playing with water, gardening, checking out the progress of the plants in our yard, blowing bubbles and of course answering all the "but why..." questions fielded by the "grands." Last weekend, Nana logged in 17 hours babysitting. Her only regret, Papa missed out on all the fun. When he drove in late Saturday night from Rexburg, he held their attention with candy, and a new collection of polished rocks.

Sunday, May 31, 2009--Bailey Manea Graybill was blessed by her daddy, Omai. The family enjoyed a picnic luncheon in the park afterward. It was a perfect day until we said goodbyes to Tia. She and Jared leave Wednesday for Arkansas. You are already missed and loved...more than words can tell.

"My cup runneth over...with love."

2009-02-11T15:38:00.000-08:00

Post Mission

2008-09-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

We have slowly eased back into daily living. While we miss the experiences of our mission service, it is sufficient to say... that wonderful period of our lives left an indelible mark upon our soul. Sep 2006 - Apr 2008 ... a memorable period. We are very grateful for the life change in our relationship with each other and with our family and for continued memory making experiences.

Back at home. The family rallied to help us make the transition. In April, not only did we arrive back from Pennsylvania but Omai and Nickie bought their first home in Riverton, UT. In May, Riki and Erin sold their first home in Nibley, UT, and moved closer to family. Tia's marriage to Jared Glover on May 10th in the Salt Lake Temple, provided a meaningful opportunity for their familys to meet the many people who have impacted their lives. Our home and yard is receiving some TLC. Dion finds deep satisfaction in working with his hands and has remained busy with projects at our children's homes and our own. He's also working part-time, maintainence on several commercial buildings for a friend. Dion interviewed with Okland Construction. He starts a project for them in Rexburg, Idaho this week -- Rexburg Outpatient Clinic. He and Maryanne love visits from the grandchildren and their parents. We were immediately given service opportunities at church. Maryanne, the nursery and Dion is with the YM (young men) in the ward. Family get-togethers have been many varied. It is exciting to sit back and watch family interact. We love the caring and love that is shown whether we are having fun in the backyard or indoors as we eat, watch games, play games or sing. Last month was our first family campout. It was an eye-opener watching the reactions of the grandchildren as they milked the cows or fed and petted the animals on a historical farm. Remembered moments: annoying wasps that magically appeared when we sat down to eat...or... Grace, proudly passing around the cookies she baked with Nana for the campout...or...Aunt Tia taking all the her nieces and nephews on a walk to see the farm animals ...or...Aunty Keri making a mad dash with Colton who is potty training, to the outhouse and making it...or...Omai asking Garrett if he'd like to sleep under the stars with he and Aunt Nickie and an ecstatic Garrett running to take his sleeping bag out of the tent...or..the family gathering in a circle at the close of day... chatting away the late hours... or... Nana walking Lily in the early hours of morn star-gazing to settle her... or ...dad and Omai leaving camp early to pick up milk and juice at the store...or... dad and Orin dutch oven cooking, Mountain Man Breakfast and then showing the guys how to clean up...or...Meagan, volunteering to wash the dirty dishes. Thanks to Erin and Riki for finding the campground on a short notice. Our experiences taught us that we love each other enough to want to do this again. Can't wait!!! It's so good to be home.

2008-06-18T23:08:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

It's great to be home! We returned from the mission field (Pennsylvania Harrisburg Mission), two months and 2 days now. It was difficult to bid farewell to our dear mission family and new friendships. We will never forget our time in PA. It is a beautiful state. We arrived home safely, on April 16th--Keri's birthday. It has been one round of events since that day! It will be wonderful to update our blog and will do so in the next blog with photos of a special day for our family...Tia's sealing to Jared Glover in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Last quarter of 2007, gone! Make 2008 meaningful.

2008-01-02T19:29:00.000-08:00

Our anau is thriving. We have been very blessed. October through November we attended several baptisms -Lancaster, Harrisburg and Hanover, PA. Brother Long is an older gentleman. You should see the smile on his face after his baptism. Elizabeth is a young single mom. She has lots of challenges but the gospel of Jesus Christ will be a great guide in her life. The next sister, also a single mom, was well supported by her new church family. The room was packed for her baptism. Present were all her ward leaders, home teacher and visiting teachers. Primary leaders watched her daughter. It was great to mingle with the Hanover Ward members. The fall colors have been prolonged this year. What a gift! As we drove the mission on an errand, we were greeted at every bend in the road with a spectacular show of fall colors. Our grandchildren are growing. They have such enthusiasm. It's a joy to talk to them and never long enough! Our work at the mission office never ends. Like our mission president and his beautiful wife, the Lord is there to help us survive, another transfer and all the activities, sandwiched in between. The work is relentless but the rewards very sweet! December went by too fast. Our Christmas newsletter was short and ready to go but alas... technical problems with the computer again. So in our laptop, sets the 2007 Christmas newsletter. It was great to prepare for the Christmas season. Nothing splashy, just a very simplified Christmas. No shopping except for the grandchildren --all of $6.00 in our pocket. We drove 8 hours (over 400 miles) Christmas eve to deliver the Christmas mail and packages to the Williamsport (WP) Zone. The other office couple, the assistants and President and Sister Pugh delivered to the other zones. We missed Christmas dinner at the Mission Home because Elder Graybill decided we were going to deliver the outer reaches of the WP Zone. He really did not want to go to the party at the Mission Home. Besides, we were too late coming home. It was a nice quiet evening. Mom fixed a simple but delicious Christmas meal. We miss our family. They gave us a great gift again. They took Christmas to a family who might not have had one. The Lord came to redeem us. And we can be. We just have to follow in His footsteps. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth in its fullness. There is no better blueprint for returning home than to abide by its precepts. So this New Year, lets go forth repenting since we aren't perfect and seeking forgiveness for our shortcomings. Then lets press forward with determined faith and steadfast hope in Christ.

2007-09-29T05:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Another gorgeous fall day. The colors are slowly changing, more so up north. Yesterday, we travelled to Lewisburg, PA (home of Bucknell University) and Sunbury, PA. The Lewisburg elders area was "white-washed." The new elders inherited a mess which we suspect has built up for several years! Their refrigerator was hauled off this morning by the landlord. To do so, the elders had to clear a path and move furniture away from the long hallway which runs the length of the apartment from the door, all the way down to the kitchen. Their apartment when we arrived, was chaos! They had the scrub bucket and vacuum lying in the hallway and were scubbing and cleaning the area behind the furniture they moved aside so the fridge could be moved out. Meantime we were headed their way with the mission trailer, loaded with a refrigerator from our storage units and kitchen chairs for the elders. We stopped in at Sunbury to pick up those elders (tall, well built guys) on our way to Lewisburg. These 2 young elders man-handled the refrigerator from another of our apartment's we had just closed, up to the second floor of a very small, narrow and cramped apartment. The two young elders (little guys), were very grateful to see we had brought help-their district leaders. They were more grateful when we hauled off large useless pieces of furnishings to free up much needed space in their home. Elders Allan and Madsen seem more excited to dig in, reorganize and deep clean! I think we'll see a drastic transformation about the place, next time we visit. Back at the Sunbury apartment, it is evident the elders are still in the process of making the requested changes after a suprise inspection from the office, last week. They have cleaned. The oven and refrigerator are spotless. They've hauled stuff out and are wearing away at the rest, little by little. They even made a pan of brownies, "it's not to bribe you," said Elder Gallaci, "just to show you how much we appreciate what you do for us at the office." Dad showed them how to fix the holes in the sheetrock. There are quite a few cracks, holes and other dings. We'll never know how they happened, but like dad says, "you gotta fix em Elders!" We'll head that way another time to apply the finish coat, do quick inspections then surprise inspect two other apartments in that zone. We rushed back to the office and then home to quickly change and meet the Harrisburg Front Street elders. The one time we're on time, they're late! They called from a members home. We're meeting them elsewhere. We waited on the wrong street one blockblock from where we agreed to meet them, for 30 minutes. Daddy was embarassed! Luckily, Elder Giles had a calling card and used it to call us. Imagine, it's dark out and 2 white guys stranded in a predominantly black neighborhood? The reason they were late, 6 elders got called out to haul an upright piano up a flight of stairs for a member, who then proceeded to feed them. Rather than haul them all the way back to their apartment, the zone leaders dropped them off at the meeting place. We taught a single black mom. The elders tracked her out recently. Sheara had done her reading assignment and could recount everything she read. With a brand new baby, what a drastic change to her young life! Sheara is hesitant to come to church but was willing to have the elders return for another teaching appointment. We left her with homework, Alma 32 and 2 Nephi chp 2. Our last stop, in Steeleton, PA was unscheduled. We visited with a special family and gave them copies of the Ensign and New Era magazines. They love the magazines but income wise don't have the means yet, to purchase them. When they recover financially from their move from New York, and Sister Mungee's back surgery, they'll soon be self sufficient again! We have been visiting the Mungees since summer. The mom has a strong testimony of the gospel and wants it for her family. She was thankful the elders found them and reconnected them with the church again. They arranged for a member of the Harrisburg Ward to pick up three members of the family up for Sunday meetings. That's the number of extra seats belts in her car. For the first time, last week, brother Mungee attended. He's quiet. The opposite of his wife. His attitude influences the teenage daughter who is struggling with her testimony and a domineering mom who doesn't want her two oldest teenagers hanging out with the wrong crowds that dominate their neighborhood. We can only encourage and pray for this special family who openly welcome the missionaries into their home! They are reading the scriptures and having FHE. Its a good start! We must be tired. Mom went to bed at 9.30 pm. Dad cleaned the kitchen and took out the trash. Mom is cleaning the rest of our modest home and then will update the "family" blogspot. Dad is off grocery shopping. Tonight mom will attend the General RS broadcast with Sisters Pugh and Ritch but will go to dinner first then over to the Camp Hill Ward to help with a service project. Mom really wishes she were attending the broadcast with her angels-Keri, Tia, Meags, Erin and Nickie.

PS: Will someone email me a picture of Riki's family, Orin's family and ours to post?

2nd request: I had other pictures posted but they didn't post? Did I run out of space? How do I start a new page of pictures for posting?

2007-09-27T21:16:00.000-07:00

I downloaded photos from my memory card and was excited to see some wonderful memories captured from Omai and Nickie's wedding, the Mission's Zone Conference up in Oakland Township or what was formerly called, Harmony, Pennsylvania, some of our missionaries etc. If I can just figure out how to retreive some to post here? Suggestions? I clicked on "add image" but it doesn't really tell me anything?

Love Mom

Visitors

2007-09-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

Riki (our son), and wife Erin flew in to visit. They brought a cute package along, our grand daughter Lilian (Lily). Nana and Papa who are serving a mission in Pennsylvania, couldn't be happier to have their family around for the week. They are spending the time in and out of the mission office and visiting some of the great sites to see in the area.