Symbols of Christmas

It has been a long time. 

Tonight we brainstormed on symbols of Christmas. 

Light

Ornaments

Tree

Candy cane

Nativity Scene

Star

Manger

Angels

Shepherds 

Choirs

Presents

Santa

Reindeer

Elf

Snowmen

Then we needed to relate it to Christ. 

Lights — star, Jesus: the Light of the World

Ornaments — stars, gifts,

Tree — according to 1Nephi : Mary, Tree of Life

Nativity Scene — obvious a symbol of the Nativity

Star — map, Jesus: Light of the World

Manger — Humility, Bread of Life (Jesus)

Angels — 

Shepherds — witness, the Good Shepherd

Choirs — angels, prayers, praises and worship

Presents — wisemen, first gift (Jesus)

Santa — giving to the good, Service, attributes of Christ

Reindeer — disciples, angels, we take the light of Christ to others 

Elf — priesthood (helpers)

Snowmen — mortal life (temporary), benefitting from struggles, from Isaiah-pure, washing, sinless, ideal

Gingerbread — bread of life 

Gingerbread houses — places of worship, temples 

Poinsettia — eternal, blooms in the dark, resurrection, second coming, true vine

New chapters

So I am now working for an optometrist. He is in our ward. Super nice guy. I’ve been there almost three months. I am learning all the machines. I can do almost all the screening. The crazy part is the selling of the glasses. So complicated. There is nothing like jumping in the deep end and learning to swim. And I’m not a salesman, but this job does require a bit of it. 

Today I got my prescription updated and I will be ordering a new pair of glasses. I’m excited about that. 

Boaz went to state for the 400. Crazy. It was rather miraculous. 

It rained that day. I was happy to not get a sunburn, but we huddled under the umbrella for a good portion of the day. 

This is Craig’s nephew who lives in Boise. He hooked Craig up with the job. We are grateful to him. And we are looking forward to being closer to his sweet family for a bit. 

While Craig and I were there in Boise watching the races, we found ourselves in the middle of a family. We chatted as we do, and one of them had n unfurnished basement. 

Craig was interviewing for a job in Boise. He got the job, and we found a nice place for him to live during the week. We feel it was guided. I love it when we can see God’s hand in our lives. 

So for the next year, until Boaz graduates, we will be living for the weekends. 

Boaz is working for our stake President for the summer on his ranch. We feel it is such a blessing. 

He is also taking two online classes. He dislikes then, but he would dislike them during his senior year as well. This way they will be out of the way. 

Craig is in a huge hospital group. He manages the Cardiac group. 31 doctors, 31 mid levels and 100 other employees. Several locations. He has a lot to do, but he is very qualified for the job. He signed a two year agreement, so it looks like I will join him in Boise after graduation next year for the final year. 

Josh is half way through his first semester of college. He is loving most of his classes. I love when he calls me excited about something he’s learned. 

We are still hoping to sell the house back in Colorado. So we are maintaining three home right now. Pray that we are able to sell and get out from under the mortgage. 

Marching along our path. We continue being tumble weeds. Our families are rocks. I think God needs both kinds of people. 

Perspective

I peeked in Boaz’s room and saw this. 

I almost panicked. I thought the paint on the wall was water damaged and was peeling away. 

I walked closer and saw this. 

A little something from a girl to hang on the hook that was already there. 

Doing it better than anyone

I have become obsessed by the TV show, The Chosen.” I wasn’t sure that I would like it, but now I watch episodes multiple times. 

I must be out of practice when it comes to understanding the main themes of a show. It took me watching it twice and then sleeping on it to get the full message. 

It is the Pool of Bethesda episode. There is a secret Roman investigator who is watching a zealot plot. He says that he wants to catch him in the act and then kill him. It will prove that Rome is that much better. 

We see him lurking, unobserved, throughout the episode. He sees the plot develop and he is there for the final act, when everything changed. Jesus had set in motion a miracle to distract the main assassin. The miracle happened at just the right time to heal the lame man and then break up the plot. 

Because Jesus is just that much better. 

And for a modern reference, he doesn’t even need to be in the room where it happens. Nobody saw the end result. They saw the lame man walk, but His disciples didn’t even know about the plot. 

I know that part is pure fiction, but it made me wonder how many times we are in the middle of significant events and we don’t even know. The main miracle goes totally unnoticed and souls and lives are changes and saved and we didn’t even see it. 

Because Jesus is that good. 

Why we can take a midweek trip

The beginning of February something happened. In the pharmacy, we had been short staffed. One of the techs was out for back surgery. The first day she was out, another tech quit with no notice. That was January 5th. So for a month the rest of us techs were trying to just stay afloat. There weren’t enough of us to man all the stations. We had to be very flexible. And the mossy senior tech was the one out with surgery. 

We spent most of January not very happy with the other tech that just walked out. 

February first was a Monday. Our manager was working until noon, when the other pharmacist came to work. During that time, the three of us techs who were working managed to get most of the morning jobs done. 

I was scheduled to put away stock and do data entry. I could not do them at the same time. So putting away stock had the priority, I thought. When I was done, I checked data entry and saw that it was under control. I decided to hurry and load the robot. Because the week before it had been ignored and it took me al l day on Friday to get it loaded and cleared off. 

I was two bottles away from finishing, when the manager asked who was doing data entry. She had been there the whole time. We all said what we had been doing. We had not followed the list, but we had all been working. 

She flipped out and broke a clipboard in half with her hands in the face of the youngest, and newest tech. It sounded like a gunshot. I basically rolled my eyes and kept working. The manager left, which isn’t a new thing when she was mad. She had left when she was the only pharmacist before which stopped everything. 

I thought to myself if she wrote us up I would give my two week notice. I thought I was being a bit dramatic. 

She came back in about 15 minutes and called all the techs into the shot room and Sid if we ever didn’t follow the list again we would be suspended or fired. She was sick of it. What ever it was. Then she started handing out papers. I asked if she were righting us all up. She said yes. I handed the paper back unsigned, and said consider this my two week notice. She said fine. 

The rest of the day was awkward. I was extra friendly to the customers. 

The next day my computer clearances had all been revoked. I couldn’t do important parts of my job. I wondered aloud what was happening with the computer and took what I couldn’t do to my manager for her to do. By lunch she had fixed my clearances back so I could do my job. 

I was not allowed to do data entry or dispensing. Both of which have direct pharmacist supervision. Instead I put the freight away and worked  the windows. Basically the jobs that could cause the most damage were the ones I was given. 

I was so glad to get out of there after my two weeks. But I worked them because I didn’t want to be like the other tech who just walked out and left the rest of us in the lurch. 

To celebrate quitting, I went to SLC and stayed with Deb for a few days. We quilted, shopped second hand stores (I found some great deals), and ate at restaurants that we don’t  have here in my small town. 

When I got home I found out that Craig also quit his job. I won’t go into the details. But when he first got here, the staff was worried they couldn’t make payroll. And 200 jobs were in jeopardy. Two years later they don’t even remember that happened. Small town politics and siding with incompetence basically pushed him out. So now we both are unemployed. 

I have had an interview. I hope to hear good news next week. If not I will apply other places. Craig has a plan. We are not panicking. We feel that heaven is aware and sending us peace. We do not feel forgotten. 

But that is why we were able to take a trip midweek this week. 

Boaz is a junior. We want to stay here for his senior year. Otherwise I would gladly see this town in my rear view mirror and good riddance. But we have about one and one-half years to stay for Boaz. It makes this these next months bitter sweet. Bitter because my boy will graduate and leave home. Sweet because I will be able to get out of this town. So I can’t wait and I want to make this time last. 

Wendy two-shoes

Craig and I decided to go south and find the sun. In the sun, Craig golfed. I rode in the cart, ate out (we had Mexican and Thai which we can’t have in our small town), and stopped to see some sights. We went with a couple in our ward. 

The first day the boys rode together and the girls rode in their own golf cart. We chatted and got to know each other better. 

Somewhere around the fourth hole I looked at me shoes and was horrified. I blurted out my predicament and cackled loud enough to catch the boys attention. 

This is what I saw. 

Do you see it?

I have one two different shoes. They are both black, but one has laces and a thicker sole. These were the only shoes I brought. I spent the whole five hours in the car oblivious. Utter mortification. 

We finished out the round and Craig took me shopping for new shoes. With the a ton of commentary. Most of it revolved around me wearing mismatching shoes on purpose just to be able to get new shoes. 

On the way to the shoe store I said shoes are hard for me. Thinking about my high instep which results in a high bridge. That combined with my wide foot make it hard to find shoes that fit and are comfortable. Craig looked at my mismatched shoes and said obviously shoes are hard for you. 

He helped me find a pair in record time. 

And now we match.

We had a wonderful time. 

A few pictures of our trip. 

Kayla and I. 



Cool tree growing in a rock. 

Beautiful tee box. Snake River in the background. 

He let me wear his hat, I forgot sunscreen and my own hat. 

A blue heron fishing in the morning. Can you see the most rising off the lake?

White Pelicans. I counted at least seven pelicans somewhere on the lake. 

This is Shoshone Falls before the Spring melt. I want to come back when the water thunders. This is the Niagara of the West. I want to feel the mist in my face the power of the water in my bones. I hope we can come back. 

A wonderful midweek trip. 

States and capitals

Last night Josh challenged me to a duel. We had six minutes to write out the states. He thought he would win, obviously. I wasn’t so sure he would. 

As we worked on our list, Boaz wandered over and it became two against one. I protested loudly, which is my habit in these type of family situations. Boaz told me later he didn’t really do anything. But it is our normal dynamic. 

Six minutes was plenty of time. Josh realized his mistake in challenging me. I gloated, as moms do in this situation. 

I was slightly concerned, because he was catching up because six minutes was plenty of time and I was missing three states. I tried to do mine in geographical order, but I thought I missed a few in the Midwest. It is hard when you can’t picture things in your head. My minds eye being blind is a disadvantage at times. 

Turns out I missed Nevada, of all places. It’s not in a line. It is sandwiched in between the West Coast states and the line of states marching down from Idaho. Dang!

I also missed Nebraska. I thought I was good on my line down from North Dakota. But I missed that one.

I also missed Connecticut. I was fairly confident in my East Coast states as well. So as I was trying to find my last three states, I was focusing on the Midwest 

I ended up with 47 states. Josh ended up with 45. Not quite the spanking I crowed about. It is wonderful to still be the mark my two genius boys strive to measure themselves against. 

One of them was foolish enough to say we just needed to do the capitals. I jumped all over that and started to write them down. Josh fell for it and cried the whole way. 

I ended up missing seven. Not bad for remembering something from 4th grade. He didn’t even count how many he missed. Boaz was able to help with Baton Rouge, because he missed that years ago on his test. I wish he had counted, because that is where the real spanking happened. Even if I got 43 out of 50. Not even an A. But enough to beat them. 

As it should be. 

Scripture - Doctrine and Covenants 14

This scripture spoke to me today. Something that cannot be done. 

As much as people are willfully blind, the Light cannot be hid. To not see the light, it has to be a choice. Because the light is clearly visible. Christ can be seen. He is obvious. 

I love that about Him. I love that He can be found. 

CFM February 8 - 14

This week we read about John the Baptist restoring the Aaronic Priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. The first thing they did after they received the Priesthood was to baptize each other.

I remember my baptism. My dad baptized me. He didn’t come to church very often, but he came for that. I think that was a hard thing for him. As a child, I was afraid of the water. I had to be brave to put my head all the way under. I wanted it so bad that I did what I was afraid of.

Sometimes in this life, God asks us to do hard things. Many of you might not be afraid of the water and that would not be a hard thing for you at all. But there will be a time when we are asked to do something hard. It might be saying a part in the Primary Program or giving a talk in church. It might be inviting a friend to church or an activity. It might be going to church when other members of your family don’t. I don’t know what your hard thing is, but I do know that God knows what your hard thing is. And I know that He will help you.

Heavenly Father, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost all want to help us to do important, hard things. As we read the Doctrine and Covenants this year, let’s look for the hard things that Joseph Smith, Emma Smith and the others did. Let’s look for the ways that they were blessed by being brave. Then let’s be brave and do our hard things. As we do so, we will stand in holy places and blessing will rain down upon us and our families.

We love you

Lion

Craig spent a few nights away from home. Craig asked if he was snoring loud last night. Boaz said, Oh, the lion has returned.”

Scripture Doctrine and Covenants 6

I have been thinking about this for two weeks. 

Section 6 is one of my favorites, out of many favorites in the Doctrine & Covenants. This is a section given to Oliver. He desired and received already. It was perhaps  habitual. He desired to know the truth from rumors, and set off to meet Joseph. He desired to be one of the witnesses and was. This time he desired to be able to translate. 

One of the verses begins like this:

And the next verse begins like this:

In this weeks reading, there are more verses that begin with a declaration of who it is who is speaking. This book, the Doctrine & Covenants, is the Lord Jesus Christ answering questions. He speaks and that is transcribed for us to read. Other scripture does not do that. A whole book written because Joseph #HeardHim. 

And Joseph knew his gift was meant to be shared. He wrote down the words of the Word of God for others. And then he published those words for us, almost 200 years later. 

I love the Doctrine & Covenants. I love that God still speaks to His prophet. I love that inspiration and revelation is for everyone. I love that that includes me. 

How do I hear him? I hear him when I read the scriptures. I hear Him when there is peace in the middle of turmoil. I hear Him when I write about hearing Him. 

Boaz’s reflections on his life

Boaz is a deep thinker. He is solemn and hilarious. 

One night he came in to the front room and told me had been reflecting on his life. I am so glad I didn’t laugh, I almost did. He is sixteen, but an old soul. 

He thanked me for how I made him smart. 

I smiled and said he was born smart. 

He reminded me of the morning walks to the bus stop where I would have him spell his spelling words. Of the times we would read together for his reading minutes. Of the times I sat with him as he struggles to write out an assignment. 

He is now a much better writer than I am. He is smarter than I am, but still respects my intelligence and experience. He is a straight A student. His classmates rely on him to explain their homework. He has his sight on being a particle physicist, and talks about things I have never even heard of before. 

I look at my boy and am so grateful to be his mother. He has blessed me beyond measure. 

Tiny Christmas tree

This year we put up a tiny Christmas tree that fit in our tiny house. 

I sang: 

Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas Tree, with ornaments from Hawaii — and Wisconsin and Mt Rushmore. 

Last quilt of 2020

I finished it before Christmas, but I waited to send it after the Christmas madness. Little Elowynn was already here. In fact she was about two months old already. But I for it done. 

I think they kinda look like kitty faces. 



The back. 



Older sister is liking the quilt. Grandma says older sister might have claimed it. I’m just glad it will be loved. 

Christmas suits

This year we bought suits for the boys. Well, what we did was we took them shopping. Or Craig took them shopping while I got my hair cut. I never would have picked out what they did. 

They picked out amazing suits and were super excited and anxious as we waited for the alterations. 

Pictures of the results. The night they came. 

The shoes were a revelation to me as well. 

These pictures are on the following Sunday. 

My men in almost black. 

The bros picture.  

A selfie



Josh realized the cool green lenses were his and the switch was made. 

Oppose. I missed all of December

Looking back, I don’t want to forget this. 

We celebrated our 22 nd anniversary December 19. I had to work. I had ordered, and already received, a foot/leg massager. The whole family had used it and we love it. 

The day of was a Saturday, and I had to work. I was somewhat grumpy to have to work that day. But I was powering through. 

I saw Craig come to the window, we were not busy at the moment, so I hurried out to see him. He recreated his proposal. He made a poster of the website and brought me roses and lilies and chocolates. 

I ended up with a goofy grin, under my mask, and telling my coworkers all about that day 22 years ago where I became brave and promised my life to Craig. 

It was a good decision. And he still wins for doing this.

The whole store just kinda stood around and smiled while I kissed him and laughed and kissed him some more. 

Still glad I said yes.