TIME OUT FOR WOMEN

I have been wanting to do this post for the past week...but just haven't had the time with everything going on at home. But now...here I sit with my Hilary Weeks CD playing in the back ground and and my note book in front of me. I hope this post won't seem like rambling...but so many amazing thoughts were shared there, and I want to share them with all of you.

Brad Wilcox: When he was a mission president in Chile he had a missionary who was going through a difficult time, and the elder asked him...president, finding work is sometimes so hard, wouldn't it be easier to let everyone die, then do baptisms for the dead.....the answer was simple and clear, baptism is just a means to the end...what are we really here for, "to become like our Father in Heaven". We can't do that if we are already dead.
Why did we come to earth...it wasn't to be with him...if that were the case, we would have never left to begin with. We would have stayed. We have to remember that our lives are like a symphony...God wants to the composer. He is making us. This life is about becoming better.
We need to think always...Can Christ see himself in us?
Missionaries teach people to read, ponder and pray...but do they do it? Do we do it? Sometimes
God doesn't answer right away. If he did would we continue to study?
If we have any doubts as mothers/women...know that God is there. He does hear us and He loves us.

Hilary Weeks: She did a clicker experiment. Every time she thought something negative she would click her clicker to count how many thoughts she had in a week, It was several hundreds a day. Instead she decided to count the positive thoughts. She was happier and more positive and happy. And her clicks were in the thousands for the week.
"We become what we want to be by being what we want to become".
As we say our daily prayers we need to be asking the Lord what is it that He wants or needs for us to accomplish that way. He will let us know. The Lord will be as much or as little a part of our lives as we want and let Him be.

Sheri Dew: The spirit is a great translator for whatever it is that you need to hear. We must all remember the YW theme: We are daughters of our Heavenly Father. We will stand as a witness at all times and in all place.....not when it is comfortable for us....but always. As women we need to be an example of what a daughter of God is. YM need to see in us what they can become.
We can never be neutral about the gospel. We must be a witness to the truthfulness and restoration.
The gospel has a happy ending...we all return to our Father in Heaven. Who doesn't want a happy ending?
How deep are our spiritual roots. Are we water and cultivating them? What does your faith, courage, and heart look like. It isn't the flower on the outside...it is the root that counts. What does our inside look like? The root is what drives us to be who and what we are.
We all have earthquakes and aftershocks in our lives. If your prayers seem that they aren't being answered...remember the one who said, "my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" If you want the view, then you need to make the climb. This is the dispensation of the fullness of times. In D&C 121 we are told that nothing shall be withheld from us. All power is restored to the earth.
Christ will come again...we need to be seeking women with deep roots.

Stephanie Nielsen (NeiNei):  I have to write first how amazing it was to hear Stephanie speak. She was a last minute addition to the program, and I felt so blessed to hear her words. If you don't know who she is, click on her name and learn more about her.
She told about her experience of the plane crash and how it felt to be in the plane burning.. She said that she knew she was going to die, and she felt at peace. She knew that the people she loved knew how she felt about them, and that her life what in order, and she was okay. It made me think about my life and if I would would be ready to die...and sadly, the answer was no.

She had a choice to recover and be happy. She remembered her divine nature and potential. When she looked at herself in the mirror the first time she saw God in her eyes and knew that He loved her, and it would be okay.
We need to love ourselves, and love others.
We are daughters of God.
Make our relationships better. Make sure that others know how we feel about them.

Emily Watts: 5 Habits of Happiness:
1. Have thick skin...make sure things can bounce off. You can be the BEST mother and people will still judge you. Remember they don't have the full picture.
2. Expect hard things of yourself AND of your children. As we progress and do something we realize we can do hard things, and succeed. The road to accomplishments is paved with whining.
3. Give you children a FEW will chosen TRADITIONS. They bring happiness and wonderful memories. It doesn't have to be something expensive. Just something that your family does.
4. Think of yourself as a person. Your children deserve a person as a mother.


S. Micheal Wilcox: Secret of becoming is learning and knowledge. We are always serving...do we serve ourselves? Sometimes we need to take care of ourselves first. D&C 125~ there shall be a time given to learning much. Sorrow is a great teacher...but remember....we PASS THROUGH sorrow, we don't stay in it forever...and we pass through, we are one step closer to joy.
We need to show appreciation to our spouse for what he/she is....not what we want them to become.

Wendy Ulrich: 7 Steps to Happiness
1. Stop worrying about your weaknesses....work on your strengths.
2. Don't try to get motivated to exercise...it won't happen. Motivation follows action. Start doing it and the motivation will follow.
3. Stop trying to find friends. Develop friendship attributes. We can't wait for others to come to us, we need to go to them.
4. Don't try to feel happy. Be grateful and that brings happiness.
5. Celebrate Failure. It means we are trying. Learn from trial and error.
6. Don't get help with your problems. Help someone else with theirs and you will be happy. Service is the best medicine.
7. Don't endure to the end. President Hinckley said, "life is to be enjoyed, not endured." We need to pause and notice what is around us. Find delight and joy in the moment.

I had a lot more notes, but these are just some of the highlights.
Jericho Road was also there along with Hilary Weeks....the music was amazing!

DAY #30

Thankful for the month of November and for the chance to really think about things that I'm thankful for...and also for "chatting" with Anz Bona this morning...Did you know that today is day 100?! I'm thankful for that too!


It has been a great month. I have enjoy doing these postings. It has helped me to realize all the amazing blessings in my life. Some may have seemed silly, but they were all things that made me think. I was reminded of the song, "count your many blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings see what God has done!".
 
I am thankful for November. It has been a wonderful month, full of blessings and much joy and happiness. Today was a wonderful day to end the month. I had the opportunity to email back and forth with Robert this morning for a few minutes. He is well and happy. He has 100 days to go...that means tomorrow we finally will be down to double digits!!
 
Now December is starting, and I have something exciting planned for blogging as well. I will have to write a few posts ahead of time due to my surgery that I'll be having in a few weeks. My right hand will be out of commission for a few weeks (carpal tunnel)...but I think it will be fun...so stay tuned!
 

DAY # 29 SERVICE AND FAITH

Day #29~ Thankful for service and faith. I was the recipient of someones service and taught an amazing lesson on faith. Thank you Mr. Deeds...(you know who you are.)



We have been doing a few updates on our townhome. It has been a fun and busy week, but the house is now back to normal. We even have our Christmas tree up and the house decorated. It feels good. It feels like home again.
There was one last small job that needed to be done. Some of our doors needed some adjusting done to them. I could have called my father to help, but didn't want to burden him. Instead Giovanni and I thought to call someone that we know who has been out of work for a while, and was doing small jobs to earn some income. We knew his work to be good and also knew that he would charge us a fair price. It would be a win win situation for both of us.
He worked diligently for several days to get the job done. He called last night saying he was done and asked if he could come bring the doors back and hang them. While he was here we talked and chatted about life and our different experiences. I showed him pictures of Robert on his mission in Italy.  Mr. Deeds (name changed) had been to La Spezia many years ago...so we chatted about his trip to Italy. It was nice to spend time with this man. We have known him for years and love him and his family dearly.
When the doors were hung it was time to settle our bill with him. We figured it would be more than $100 and we were happy and willing to pay. Also because we felt like we were helping out Mr. Deeds and his family. What happened next was something we weren't expecting.
Mr. Deeds said that instead of paying him that he wanted for us to pray for him. He said that most of his jobs were finishing up and he needed more work. He said that if he did service for other people that he knew the blessings would come and he would have work. He told us that he loved us and knew that we had a son on a mission and that we too deserved blessings and service. That it would be a way to help one another out.
We asked if we could pay him for part of his work, he declined. He said that he was being selfish, but that he really needed the Lord's blessings and had prayed about this and knew what he needed to do.
I can not express to you in words the spirit that filled the room last night. This humble man who wanted to serve and who had so much faith. He taught us a lesson last night of service and of faith.
As I knelt and said my prayers I prayed for Mr. Deeds, and for his family that they would be blessed. I also thanked the Lord for the great lesson of faith that I was taught. I went to bed with gratitude in my heart and a renewed sense of faith and a stronger desire to serve others.
Every time I look at these doors I will remember Mr. Deeds, and the lesson that he shared with our family, and I will always be thankful.

Sometimes the greatest love is not found in the dramatic scenes that poets and writers immortalize.

Often, the greatest manifestations of love are the simple acts of kindness and caring

we extend to those we meet along the path of life.

~Jospeh B. Wirthlin~

DAY #28

...thankful for a hubby who helps around the house and cooks dinner!

Boy do I need to give a big shout out to my sweetheart! Gio...you are the best!!!

Today was Gio's day off work, and what did he do? He drove the car pool for school (he always does on Monday's), then off to the dentist. When he got home he finished up the laundry folded the towels and put away all the clothes. The laundry room is EMPTY!!! What a man!

Then...he made Brian an after school snack and helped him with his Robert Frost poem, and let me rest for a while (first day back to work was a long one!). When dinner time rolled around there were a few dishes in the sink, so I cleaned the kitchen and he made dinner! Simple yet yummy!

Now he is off the basketball practice with Brian so that I can have some quiet time.

Thank you Gio!! You really are THE MAN!!!

DAY #27

Today I am thankful for Christmas lights. When the house is dark and quiet with Christmas music playing softly I sit and look at the lights on the tree and I feel sweet peace

There are no words to describe the peace I feel when the house is dark and I look at the lights on a Christmas tree.
I think back to the first Christmas that Gio and I spent together. December 1990. We bought a small tree and some red balls and tinsel and a few lights. It was a small simple tree with no fancy decorations, and there would only be a few, actually 2, gifts under the tree, but it was a lovely tree. So full of promise and hope for the future. Robert would be born a few weeks later and we would sit and look at the light and talk of our future.
Now, 21 years later, it is the same. We sit looking at the tree and the flickering lights. The feeling is the same. Love. Peace. Joy. There will be a few more gifts under the tree this year compared to that first Christmas. But the feelings are the same. Brian will be here with us and we will delight in watching his face as he opens his gifts. Then there will be the phone call from Robert. We will sit around the phone for an hour talking to him. Then...we will sit back and talk about our future. When Robert will be home. How he and Brian will laugh and tease one another. The joy we will feel.
It makes me think of Mary all those years ago. The peace, love, and joy that she too must have felt thinking of her son, soon to be born. And who knows what she must have thought when she saw the star shinning so bright in the sky. Her Christmas light.
Thanksgiving has past, but I am still remembering the reason for the season, and I will always be thankful!

THANKFULNESS

Being without a computer for a week sure does make you thankful when you have one again. I have been accessing the Internet through my phone for the past week while we've been doing some home improvements, changes and updates and finally, last night Gio got the computers up and running again.
So....I do need to play some catchup on my thankful list:

Day #21 ~ I am thankful to know that I'm cancer free. For the past month the doctors have been running a few tests and the last one was a uterine biopsy that was done. Yes, they were checking for uterine cancer. I was told that it would take up to two weeks to get the results back, but instead it only took about 4 days. NO CANCER. I can not express in words the relief that I felt. You try to not worry about something that you don't know, or can't do anything about, but it is still there in the back of your mind. I was indeed thankful!

Day #22 ~ So thankful to be blessed with such an amazing husband who treats me like a queen. He really is my King! I am so blessed to have him in my life.  For those of you who know him, you know what I'm talking about...for those of you who don't know him, you're missing out. I love you Giovanni. I am so glad that you are mine, for eternity!

Day #23 ~ Electricity. Our went out for two hours. I thought I would die. I had so much to do. I began to think about the people back east who were without it for days...or pioneers, who didn't have it at all. Another reason why I am thankful that I'm alive now, and not back then. When the lights came back on I wanted to dance!

Day #24 ~ THANKSGIVING!  What a special day to be together with family and friends. It was a day of reflection. Thinking about my wonderful husband, two special sons, dear family and friends who bring so much joy and happiness into my life. It was a day of also thinking of those family members that have passed on and how thankful I am that they were in my life. Especially my mother. And I also thought of Robert, of course, and the great blessing that his missionary service has been to me and our family.

Day #25 ~ Medicine...in the form of doctors and nurses. My brother, Dave, has been in and out of the hospital or the past few days with very high blood pressure and kidney failure. Yesterday they did a biopsy and they will know within a week or so if he will need dialysis or a transplant. His kidneys are only functioning at about 20% or so. He has been diabetic for a long time, and it is catching up to him. And Rylie, my nieces son, has had a stomach virus and needed to be admitted to the hospital to get some fluids in him. Nothing serious, but still...makes you worry some anyway because he is so little (only 8 months). I'm glad to know that there are knowledgeable people to care for us when we need it.

Day #26 ~ 9 days off work. It has been great!  I've been able to do a lot around our home. Improvements and some redecorating and getting ready for Robert's return as well and updating our room and new bed for Brian. It has been a fun week. I love the time off. A week is great. I'm going to enjoy these last two days. Monday will be here soon enough!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

Yesterday afternoon Brian had his first basketball game of the season.

Oh how I have missed those games.  I

t was fun to seat in the bleachers and cheer him and his team mates on!

We are looking forward to another fun season.

I am hoping they will play spring ball too

because I am afraid that winter ball finishes before Robert comes home,

and I would love for him to see Brian play one game...

We played against Pleasant Grove Vikings.

Here are a few pictures from the game!

It was a good one! Great job Brian, and Bulldogs!

DEAR FRIENDS

Day # 20... Today I am thankful for dear friends!

I remember growing up thinking that it was ALL about the friends. Especially as a teenager. It was ONLY about the friends. As I look back now I am amazed that my parents put up with me through it all, and that they still loved me, and even let me back in the house. (Yes, a few times I was dumb and thought I could do it on my own without them. Stupid mistake!)

Of all those "friends" that I thought were so important...well...through facebook I have found a few of them, whom I choose to still be in contact with. There are others that I choose not to have contact with. We are still "friends", but as adults, via the Internet. We all have grown up and probably if any of them are like me they look back on their teen years and think, "oh my goodness, what was I thinking?".

My mother told me several times as I was growing up that as an adult if I had 2-3 really close friends to consider myself blessed. She said, yes, you'll know a lot of people. But how many of them will really be there for you when you need them the most. As I have gotten older I have found out who my true friends are. I am so thankful for those people that have always been there for me, and my family.

There is one family that has adopted us as one of their own. The siblings are like my brothers and sisters.  The parents are like an additional set of parents for Gio and I, and grandparents to our kids. They have loved us and been there for us for years now. They have been there for all the special occasions,  baby blessings, baptisms, temple attendance, mission farewells, (and soon homecoming!). They invite us to be with their family on Thanksgiving and every Christmas Eve we spend with them. When there is a holiday they make sure to let us know that we are invited. We are so blessed to have Tom, Joyce, Randy, Aimee, Todd and Janine, Jill and Steve, Ali and Brad, James and Nicole, and all of their children as part of our closest circles of friends.

There are others who are dear friends too...and we are thankful for all of them. But this one special family has been such a blessing in our lives. We love you all and thank you for always being there for us and loving us! We sure do love you!

THANK YOU, WHERE EVER YOU ARE

Day #19: Today I am thankful for a 16 year old girl who loved me enough to put me up for adoption so I could have a better life. Thank you, where ever you are.

I was adopted when I was 3 weeks old. My parents got me through the state of California. They had adopted my brother, David, four years earlier though LDS Social Services. I remember being about 6-7 years old when my brother told me that I was adopted. I didn't understand what that meant. He told me it meant that mom and dad weren't my real parents. I was freaked out by that. I went home and asked my parents about it. I remember my father putting me on his lap and us having a talk about adoption, and how lucky and special I was because so many people loved me and wanted me to have a good home.

I have always been "proud" of being adopted. I felt special. But there came a time in my life, about the time I went on my mission (age 22) that I began to think about my biological mother. Did she ever think about me? Did she remember me on my birthday and holidays? Did she regret her choice to have me be adopted? What was she like now? Did her family know about me or was I secret that she kept to herself? So many questions, but no answers. Before my mission my mother actually gave me my adoption papers. She said it was part of who I was and that I should have them, "just in case"...what does that mean, "just in case"?

While you are in the MTC (missionary training center) you have the opportunity to go to the temple every week. It is a wonderful time to learn and reflect...on spiritual things. You can leave the world behind and think and ponder things that you may not normally do outside, in the real world.

On one particular occasion I had been thinking a lot about my biological mother and what would she think of me if she could have seen me then. Did she ever have the chance to hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Would she agree my choice to serve a mission, etc, etc, etc. The experience that I had that day in the temple was something that I will never forget and always cherish. It is something very private and personal that I have only shared with the dearest and closest of friends, and maybe not even all of them either. But when I left that temple that day I knew that it was all a part of God's plan. I was with the family that I was meant to be with, and that a young girl made a sacrifice because of her love for me and my mother. I knew that she does think about it, and remember me. It is something that I will always cherish.

So every year on November 19th I always remember to tell her "thank you, where ever you are". I am here and love my life because of a young 16 year old girls unselfish choice. As a mother I can now understand the pain and heartache that she must have experienced that day, and maybe on other occasion's after that as well. I have thought several times of trying to find her. But there is some fear and trepidation. I don't want to ruin her life by showing up. And I also have an image in my mind of the type of person that she is (because of that day in the temple) and I don't want to ruin that either.

I will always be thankful to her. I have my life because of her unselfish act.

Where ever you are...Thank you...today, and everyday. I do think of you and I look forward to the day when we can meet and I can hug you and tell you how much I appreciate you.

THANKFUL FOR TOFW!!!

Today I am thankful to be going to TOFW tonight and tomorrow. This will be my 3rd time to attend, and it has become a yearly tradition for me. I wish all of you could attend with me, but don't worry, I'll tell you all about it!

If you don't know what Time Out For Women is, then go here.

I feel bad leaving Giovanni and Brian when it is my birthday, but I know they understand. I LOVE TOFW. This will be my third time going. And I'm thrilled. The first time I went was 4 years ago. I went with a work friend and we drove to Boise. Then I went last year to SLC with my friend, Natalee and we had a great girls weekend. This time I'm going alone. Not how would have liked it to be, but it is a hard weekend with the holiday coming up...and well, I didn't want to miss out. So off I go. And I am sure that it will be just as wonderful with just me, myself, and I.

There are always wonderful speakers and music and by the time it is done I feel spiritually fed and ready for anything. I'm really looking forward to it...And don't worry, I'll tell you all about it.

THANK YOU ALLI!!!

I don't know if I have written about this or not, but one of Robert's really good friends, Alli is in Italy with BYU for study abroad.  A few weeks back she had the chance to go to Cinqueterre and see Anziano Bona. Lucky her. I actually talked to her on the phone a few days after she saw him. It was so neat to hear someone else's opinion of him. It was neat to hear her say such nice things about it. It sure made me miss that boy even more.

If you want to read about Alli's adventure's with Robert, go here for part 1, and go here for part 2.

I can only imagine how excited Robert was to see another friend from home. He had been "homeless" for a few days and was starting to look it too. Thank goodness it was p-day and that night he and his companion were able to go back to their apartment. It's hard to live out of a suitcase for 2-3 days, and when you only have 30 minutes to pack up (got the call on short notice) you forget a few things, and his razor was one of them. But he sure did clean up nice for Sunday!

Enjoy! And thank you Alli for sharing! xoxo

PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE

A lot of friends have asked for the recipe that I use to make pizza. I am terrible at answering back their emails or sending them the recipe, so I'm putting it out here. It will be easy for me to refer them back here to find it. But first off, I need to give the credit for this recipe to my friend, Mary. She is an amazing cook and this is her recipe, but I know that she won't mind me sharing. Our family has the tradition now of almost every Sunday making pizza. There are a few occasions when we don't, but we love it!!!
Good luck!

items needed:
kitchen scale
mixer
pizza paddle
pizza stone (not pampered chef, but an actual stone)
rolling pin

2 lbs 10 ounces flour
1 TBS yeast
3 tsp salt ( i use about 4-5 for more flavor)
1 tsp sugar
3 1/3 small cups hot water  (small cup referring to a plastic cup approx 4-6 oz, not the tiny ones but the next size up..not 3 1/3 C like we measure here in the US)
cornmeal

for pizza add 2 tsp olive oil/for bread do not add oil

Directions:

weigh flour and put in kitchenaid (or mixer) bowl.
with small plastic cup make hole in the middle of the flour
put sugar than yeast in the hole
put salt around outer edges of flour. keeping away from sugar and yeast (if the salt mixes with sugar and yeast it will not activate like it should)
get one plastic cup full of hot water and pour over sugar/yeast combination and let activate, this can take from 3-5 minutes. it should get foamy and rise (this water is not part of the 3 1/3 cups water)
begin to mix and slowly add water...you will have to go by touch on how much water you need
you want the dough to be somewhat sticky, but not gooey.
mix dough until it pulls from the sides, just like when you make bread
after mixing well cover with plastic wrap and a cloth and let rise, it will double in size then punch down, i usually let it rise 2-3 times
i can mix the dough around 1230 pm and usually by 530 pm i am making the pizza

Cooking Directions:

put stone in oven approx 30 min before cooking to warm completely
i usually put my oven between 530F to 550F
roll out the dough and the spread with tomatoes sauce and whatever you want to put on top
i roll out the dough in flour, however on the paddle i use cornmeal because it doesn't burn in the oven as easily as flour does, and still helps with the dough to not stick.
put in oven using paddle and let cook 4-5 minutes depending on your oven and how crunchy/chewy you like your crust

When making bread:

I usually let the bread rise twice, then shape it and put it in the oven to cook, usually about 425F-450F for about 25 minutes or so.... you can mix in herbs if you want, leave plain, put oil on the outside before cooking, or whatever you would like.


I hope you all like the recipe and that it works well for you. It took me a couple of times until I got it to work for me. Everyones ovens are different so you'll have to adjust for that as well.

INTERNET Day 17!

Sounds silly I know... but today I am thankful for the Internet.

I am sure that being thankful for the Internet seems silly to a lot of people. Maybe even frivolous. But for me it is a large part of my life and staying connected to people that I love and care about. It has also been a way for me to meet new people and make new friends. Let me give a few examples.

I have had several jobs in my lifetime, and lived in several different places, including Europe (Italy to be exact). Because of job changes and moving to the USA were it not for the Internet I would not be able to keep in close contact with some people who I consider to be my dearest and nearest friends. Also, we have family in Italy and through facebook and blogging it is a way for us to keep in touch and see what each other is doing.

Also, with Robert being on a mission it has been a way to meet the mothers of other missionaries and to build friendships with them. What a great source of strength it is for me to be able to "talk" with a mother who lives in another city/state about our sons and compare notes and stories, and to share a few tears together.

And thanks to facebook I have also had the chance to "meet" people that know our son Robert through his missionary service. They send me pictures and emails and messages just to let me know how wonderful our son is, or to let us know that he is fine, says hello to us, or whatever. It is a source of great comfort just knowing they are there. No, I don't check up on him, and I let him do his own thing, but...still, it is neat when someone tells me that Robert was just at their home for dinner and that he is such a nice boy. It warms my heart.

I am also to use the Internet with my work to keep in touch with other coworkers. Since we all work from home we don't have the chance to meet one another very often. But I feel like I have made a few good friends.

The Internet has also been a font of knowledge for school assignments, church talks, etc. There is so much information out there to discover. Of course, all things in moderation. But I am thankful to know that Google is there when I have a question. Ha Ha!

NOVEMBER 16

Today I am thankful for Wednesdays! It is the day we get emails from Robert Bona. We all look forward to waking up in the morning and reading his letters! My life for the past two years has not been measured from weekend to weekend, but from Wednesday to Wednesday! We only have 114 more days!


I never realized how long 2 years was until Robert left on his mission. 730 days is a long time. We are now down to 114! I can't believe the end is coming.
Most people live their lives counting from week to week. Sunday to Sunday or Friday to Friday. It use to be like that for us. But as of March 3, 2010 our weeks have been counted from Wednesday to Wednesday. The reason being...Wednesday is Robert's p-day! (Preparation day). That is the day that he gets to send his email home to us! We usually write to him sometime between Sunday and Tuesday night. Depending on what is going on, but we know that his emails arrive on Wednesday. I have to admit that since he got to Italy in May of 2010 I usually don't sleep well on Tuesday nights. Only because I'm anxious to get his letters and know how he is doing. I have since learned that I'm not alone. This phenomenon happens to a lot of other missionary moms as well...and fathers too. We all get up and either check our phones or computers to see if the email has arrived. We start checking around 3:30 AM and it continues throughout out the morning until around noon time when we loose all hope and know that it will come the next day. (Usually due to some training meeting, etc.) We have all learned not to worry and to pray continually. We love our missionaries!

You can go here and read, and you will understand why I am thankful for Wednesdays!

THANKFUL FOR STRANGERS

Today I am thankful for complete strangers that meet my son on the streets of Italy and take his picture and email them to us. Another tender mercy!

We received an email a few weeks back, on one of Gio's email accounts. He thought he had told me about it, but he didn't. So yesterday after a not so fun afternoon at the doctors Giovanni tells me about an email from a family in St George who happen to be in Italy a few weeks back and ran into some missionaries. They took the picture of the missionaries and asked for the parents email to send  a quick note.
Guess who the missionaries were....yup....that's right! Anziano Bona and Winward after a pday at Cinqueterre....

It is pretty obvious that it is pday and Robert decided to give his face a break and not shave (the joys of sensitive skin).

Another tender mercy. I can not tell you the joy that I felt seeing these pictures of my boy! I sure do miss him. 115 more days and I can hug him. I can't wait. Just thinking about it I get a lump in my throat and a few tears in my eyes. How wonderful that there are other missionary moms out there to do something special like this! For now I'll just keep looking at his picture and smiling!

I LOVE MY DADDY

Today I am thankful for my dad, Norman Clifton. I know that every girl thinks that her dad is the best, however, I KNOW that my dad is the best!


I am so thankful for my dad. He really is one of the best men that I know. I can't imagine having any other father except for him.
I have so many fond memories as a child riding motor cycles with him, sledding, him scaring me at night after watching a movie, fixing my bicycle, going on trips to Hawaii (where he tried to sacrifice me to the Hawaiian Gods), Greece, Mexico, etc.
He would wake me up in the morning and take me and my friends to early morning seminary. I remember the Daddy/Daughter dates that we would do in young women's and the time we went ice skating.
He was always there for me to cry on his shoulder or laugh with him over some funny joke.
He would work so hard to support our family. He loved each one of us in a unique and individual way.

The thing that I think of most with my dad is how much he loved my mother and how much he took care of her towards the end of her life. He was there every second of every day. He would do anything for her. He was such an example to me of true love and Christlike service.

He would have so much fun with Robert and Brian when they were small boys. I am so thankful for the time that he spent with them. And for the hours that he babysat them for us so that we wouldn't have to leave them with strangers!

I am thankful to my father for the choices that he has made in his life. He joined the church and has been an active member ever since. He raised us with the gospel in our homes and set an example for us every day by the way he lived his own life.

I love you grandpa. (That's what we call him now days!). Thank you for all that you have done for me over the years and for all that you are to our family.

I AM STILL THANKFUL!

Saturday
Today I am thankful for a great basketball coach for Brian. Not only does he teach the boys great skills on the court, but he also teaches them about life off the court and how to be a great young man! Thank you Coach Finch for your example to these young men and also for all your time and dedication!

As I wrote last week, Brian made the A team for basketball at the jr high. He has the same coach that he had at the end of the season last year. Coach Finch is the Offensive Guard coach at the high school. He is also a pumpkin farmer for his "real" job.
Gio and I were impressed with him the first time that we met him. The way he interacts with the boys is great. It is obvious that he loves the game of basketball...but more than that it is obvious that he loves the boys that he coaches.
I don't think I have ever heard him "yell" at the boys how most coaches I have seen. And trust me, I've seen a lot of them. (We've been this route with Robert in the past).
The thing that impresses me the most about Coach Finch is the fact that not only does he want the boys to be good ball players (remember, some of these boys will be on the high school team as they get older, if they are good enough), but he wants for them to be good young men. The lessons that he teaches to them off the hardwood are more important than anything else. He wants them to be good young men.
We feel blessed to have him as Brian's coach and know that he will be a positive influence in his life in many ways!
Thank you Coach Finch!

Sunday
Today I am thankful for my KitchenAid mixer.

I know that today is Sunday and it seems like I could find something more appropriate to be thankful for..but because it is Sunday that is why I am thankful for my mixer. It's been about a year now since Gio bought me my mixer. It was for my b-day last year. I had wanted on for a while, but they are so expensive and we just didn't have the money to buy one. I stumbled across at great deal at Sams Club and so Gio gave in and bought it. He tells me now that he didn't really think that I would use it, but since I wanted it he bought it.

I can honestly say that because of that mixer we have a new Sunday tradition. My friend, Mary, taught me how to make Italian pizza. The real kind. We bought the pizza stone. Not the pampered chef kind, but the real one that is about an inch thick and that I can put the oven up to 550F to cook. He also bought me the pizza paddle. We have found so much joy out of these three kitchen items that we bought! Our Sunday tradition is Pizza. The kind of pizza that cooks in 4-5 minutes in the oven and reminds us of our dear Italy. We feel like we are "home" for a few minutes as we take a few mouth watering bites.

So, yes, I am thankful for my KitchenAid today, and every day!
Thank you Gio! I love you!

11.11.11

Did you all make a wish today? Once or twice? I hope, whatever your wish may have been, that it will come true. 11.11.11 doesn't come around very often...in fact I'm sure there won't be another one in my lifetime, and probably not in my children's lifetime either. So I guess it really is a big deal.
There is another reason though that today is a special day. And that brings me to what I am thankful for...today is Veteran's Day. It is the day that we honor those in our armed forces, past and present. It is a day of reflection and gratitude for those who have protected and served our country in the past and to remember those who are doing so now.
I have my own opinion of war and I may not always agree (true, I don't know the full, real story, so who am I to judge) but I am also so thankful to those who put on a uniform or carry a gun, or even those who sit behind a desk in the name of protecting and serving our country to keep us free.
My grandfather and father were in the Navy, in the CB's. They weren't the ones carrying the guns, but they still served their country and did it honorably. I am so thankful to both of them and their sacrifices and service.
I hope that today and every day we can remember those men and women in uniform. And their families. They all give so much for you and me.
Every time I look at a flag, or hear the pledge recited, or the national anthem sung I get a chill down my spine. I am thankful and proud to be an American...and it is because of men and women who have given their lives and their time to help make us free.
I know that it isn't enough...but Thank you!

I KNOW IT'S KINDA EARLY, BUT.....

today I am thankful for Christmas music. Yeah I know it is kinda early and we are here talking about Thanksgiving and being thankful and I'm mentioning Christmas. But it is true. I L.O.V.E Christmas music. On November 1st I start listening to it, and I usually stop somewhere between Christmas and New Years.

My family thinks that I'm crazy and when I get in the car the turn it on they all say, "Nope, No way, Not happening." Sometimes I win and we listen and sometimes I don't and I end with Jason Durullo in my ear! But when I'm home by myself during the day and working and I have it on low in the back ground, or when I'm not working it is up pretty high!

I know it seems weird, but the main reason that I love it is because of how it makes me feel inside. I get this warm fuzzy feeling that makes me happy. It helps me to stay calmer and more at one with the universe. Boy that just sounded really cheesy, but the truth of the matter is....it is the truth. There are certain songs that really help me to feel close to the spirit. Silent Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Little Town of Bethlehem, What Child Is This, to just name a few. And I love feeling the way I do when those songs are playing. Yes, there are the silly ones too...I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause, Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer, etc...and those are the ones that make you laugh and smile. It is so nice to feel so many different emotions while listening to music.

I can only listen to it for two months out of the year, so come on...cut me some slack and give me a break. But I will tell you this...I still have out the fall decor, and Christmas doesn't come up until the Turkey is eaten!

DAY # 9

Well...today is November 9th. Robert will be home in 4 months....121 days! And we can't wait!
But that isn't why we are here. You have come to see what I'm thankful for...

Today I am thankful for the gifts of Repentance and Forgiveness.

I feel like this sentence says enough all by itself and that there isn't much more to write.
I am so thankful for a loving Father in Heaven who sent his son to be our Redeemer. That because of him I am able to repent of my sins and short comings and that I can continue to try and do better. Ever day I am tested and tried in different ways. I am a mere "mortal wo/man" but I try my best. But sometimes I fail, actually a lot of times I fail. But I pick myself up, dust myself off, and start over again. And I will never, ever give up.

I am also thankful for Forgiveness. A loving Father in Heaven who will see no more my faults and shortcomings if I do repent and He will also forgive me and love me just the same. I am also thankful for children and a spouse who also realize my faults and continue to help me to be a better person. They forgive me when I mess up, and they let me try again.

I am sure that I will fail many times in life, and I hope that  they will continue to forgive me, just as I forgive them. As a parent it is easy to forgive, because we love our children. Sometimes forgetting take times...but that is where true forgiveness comes into play, it least, I think so. I can't carry a grudge or I haven't forgiven...but I can still be on my guard....does that make sense to you? Maybe not, but to me it does.

Thank goodness for tomorrows...I'm going to need a lot of them...

TODAY I AM THANKFUL

to be a mother...with the good, bad, hard, and happy times.

I remember as a little girl playing house with my dolls. All I could do was dream of one day being a mommy. That is what I wanted. Then as I grew older my dreams changed some. Yes, I still wanted to be a mommy, but I always wanted so much more.
Life doesn't always turn out exactly as we think it will. There are twists and turns along the way. But eventually we end up where we are really suppose to be. I guess I really was suppose to be a mommy.

Like everyone else, there have been some hard moments raising two boys. They didn't come with an owner's manual or a guide book for dummies. They were sent to us on loan from our Father in Heaven and he trusted us enough to raise them, teach them, and especially to love them!

I don't ever want to say there were bad times, but there were growing pains and I'm sure I flunked a few "tests" that came my way. I'll never forget the day one of my boys agreed with me that I was a "crappy mom". I know that he said it in the heat of the moment, but it has stung me for a long time. I have tried to make up for that moment in time so many times. I hope I'm not so "crappy" anymore. Then there was the time that one of my sons said that he didn't like me very much and for me to go away. Another sting. I don't write these things to make my boys feel bad..on the contrary..but to prove a point. Every family has those really hard times, but then come the sweet tender mercies of the Lord that show you that you really are a great mom....

You know you're doing okay when all the friends call you "Judi" and your sons do too. You know you've done okay when the friends of the sons come to you ask girl advice, or just want to come over and see you and "hang out" even though their friend isn't around. But most of all you know you're a good mom when your son tells you that he wants to go on a "date" with you. Wow...I'll never forget that one! I was floored!!!  :)

There have been so many happy times along the way. Walking around Disneyland, the beaches of Italy, Orlando, the kiddie pool in the backyard, or the trampoline...or just hanging out talking and watching a movie. Reading scriptures together at night. Getting an email where the big brother tells the little brother to listen to mom and dad because we really do know what is right and that we love them both and want what is best for them. That one made my day!!!

I am so thankful that the Lord trusted me (and Giovanni) enough to send us two of his precious sons to raise. I would have loved to have had more children, but you take what you can get and I'm lucky to have these two, so I'm going to do the best that I can every day. I hope they will forgive me for my mistakes and love me for trying. I hope they will never give up on me, because I will never give up on them!

I love you Robert and Brian. I am so thankful to be your mother!

I AM STILL THANKFUL (just kinda' busy to post every day!)

Today I am thankful for the new shift that I will have in January. For the first time in 2 1/2 yrs I will not have to work Sat or Sun, unless I chose to do say!!!
    This was Saturday! I am soooo thankful for the new shift that I will start working on Jan 8th! These past few months have been so hard for me. I really thought that I would like working from 4-10 AM on Sat and 4-8 AM on Sunday's..but I gotta tell you, it's killing me. When I picked my shift I thought that life would be calmer when school started, but I was wrong. It is so hard to stay up to get Brian on Friday and Saturday nights...go to bed at 11 PM and wake up at 3: 30 AM. I think I'm getting old. I just can't do it anymore! I will work M-Th 730-1230 and F 730-1130. It is great because I will be able to pick up extra hours during the week before and after my shift and be done by the time Brian comes home from school and I won't have to work the weekends unless I really want to....How nice is that? I can't wait!

Today (and everyday) I am thankful to belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am thankful for my savior Jesus Christ and for a loving Heavenly Father. I feel so blessed to know that I am a child of God and that He loves me and knows me and watches over me and guides me in my every day life. I may only be one of millions on this earth, but I know that He hears me and answers my prayers and is mindful of my needs, wants, hopes, and desires.
    This was my Sunday thought. I think that it explains itself pretty well. I am thankful for what I know to be true and what I believe.

Today I am thankful for my dear mother, Martha. She was a mother for so many years, but as time passed she also became my best friend. I miss you mom. Thank you for your love and example to me. I can't wait to see you again someday! But for now it is enough to know that you are watching over me and smiling down on me. ♥
    Today is Monday, and I miss my mother. Last night we had all the family over for FHE. It was great to have family and a few extra friend here (Jared and Jimmy). The lesson was on gratitude. It was my turn to give the lesson, and I have to admit that I had to hold back the tears as I was telling my family how thankful I am for all of them. Because Dad is remarried I feel that I need to be sensitive to Lorraine. I never want for her to think that we don't love her or that we aren't thankful that she is in our family. Dad is so happy with her, and she has been a great blessing to him, and all of us..but she isn't my mother. Especially during this time of year I really miss my mom. I think of all the preparations for the holidays and the big meals planned and the shopping and laughing and Christmas music playing. It was such a fun time of year. She would decorate the home and as we would open the boxes with decorations memories would come flooding back from my childhood. It isn't the same now. The family is different and the feeling is different. And I miss it! I want to make those memories for my boys and hold on to them...but it seems to change and it is hard.
    I am so thankful to my mother for raising me and being my mom, but for becoming my best friend. I miss our chats on the phone, taking her to the mall to shop and laughing and talking with her. I would love to tell her how Robert is doing on his mission and how much fun Brian has playing basketball. But then I realize that she is with me everyday watching over me and smiling down on me.
    I love you Mom. Thank you for the memories!

TODAY I AM THANKFUL FOR

my mission, and the opportunity to serve in the Italy Catania Mission. I made some wonderful friends there and met some amazing people. Some of them have had a great influence on the person that I am today. There are too many to name then all. I would be here writing for the next 100 hrs. But I can tell you that each one of them has been a blessing in my life. I have had the opportunity to reconnect with some of them over the years, and I am thankful that our friendships continue. Others I have not heard from or seen since those years in Italy, but I still remember them and the experiences that we shared together and the talks and walks that we had through the streets of Taranto, Brindisi, Bari, Reggio Calabria, Siracusa, and Palermo. I will be eternally grateful to a loving Father in Heaven who through His tender mercy sent me to such a wonderful country among wonderful people.

There is one person in particular who I really do owe my life to. I may not be here today to write this blog if it wasn't for her. Sorella D (aka Natalee). We were serving in Brindisi together. We had been there for a few months...and it was during the summer. One of the hottest ones they had in a long time. The work was hard, and we were knocking on a lot of doors. It wasn't glamours but we were happy to be there and to be compaions. I think that we had a few growing pains at first. But we really did love each other, and we would laugh, a lot. I was thankful to have her as my companion!

I had not felt well for a few days and one day ended up in bed very sick. We had an appointment at the church with a new investigator and since we didn't have many we didn't want to miss it...so Sorella D told me to get out of bed and that I would be fine and for us to go. I got up and dressed and off we went. The church was on the other side of town and we had to take a ferry boat to get there...it was quicker than the bus. Off we went. By the time we got to the church I really thought I was going to die. I've never been in so much pain and felt so sick before. Needless to say I made a small (well, maybe kind of large) scene at the church before Mario got there. When he came in I was green. He could tell I wasn't well. He stopped a car in the middle of the road and made Sorella D and I get in the car with these two men that we didn't know and have them take us to the ER. I don't know if I was more afraid of being in the car with people I didn't know, or going to the ER.

When we got to the ER they took me right in. I had Sorella D come in with me and the doctors' and nurses started poking and proding me. Drawing blood (later to find out with a used needle! I had to be tested for HIV for several years because of it). etc...I was terrified. This whole time Sorella D was right there holding my hand and telling me everything would be okay. The doctors came back and said they needed to operate immeiately. I told my dear sweet companion that I wouldn't go to surgery until she found the Elders. I wanted a blessing. I had to have one. I knew that I would die without it. Just becuase of fear, but because I really knew that I could die. Which the doctors confirmed to me a few days later. I was that close. We waited about 4 hrs until the Elders could be found and made it to the hospital. They gave me a priesthood blessing in the elevator going up the the operating room. And there was Sorella D right by my side the whole time.

When I woke up, who knows how much later, there she was...my dear Sorella (sister). She had her head down on my bed. I am sure that she was exhausted. But she didn't leave me. She stayed right there with me the whole time. Now...there is something that you need to know. Sorella D was a tough cookie, or it least she tried to act like she was. But I could see in her eyes her fear, and how tired she was. But I also could see her love and concern for me. She was the type that didn't like to be touched to much and it was hard for her to let people inside. She had a wall around her. I was the type that I would hug anyone and let everyone in to know everything. So...needless to say we were very different. But there she was, ready and willing to help me. I couldn't get up the first few days and she even helped me with the bed pan. Something that to this day, 22+ years later we still joke about. But I can tell you, that when she did that for me I know that she really did love me. And that she wasn't as hard as I thought, and that I had passed through her wall...just a bit, but she had let me in.

Years have past since those days in Brindisi. I got married and moved back to Italy. She stayed here in the states, married a great guy (he also served with us in Catania) and our paths have not crossed to often...but we do still keep in touch. And I am so thankful for that!

I love you Natalee. Thank you for showing me so much love and kindness. You were a role model for me for the rest of my mission, and even in life of what it really means to love and serve. You made a larger impact on my life than you will ever know. I also know that I am here today because you wouldn't give up on finding the Elders and you stood by me and took care of me. I only hope that one day I can become the type of woman that you already are.

I love you!!

THANKFUL FOR.....

I haven't had a chance to blog this month yet because we have been so busy...but I thought that I would try something different this year. It might add more stress to my life, but I'm going to try...everyday during the month of November I'm going to post about what I'm thankful for...It will be the same thing that I post on facebook, but with a bit more detail, but not to much more (mainly due to time constraints). The main reason I'm doing this is to help me to be more aware of the things around me and in my life. I hope that you don't mind accompanying me on this journey.

DAY #1 Today I am thankful for rain.There is an orchestra of pitter patter playing against my windows, and I love the music! 
It was pouring rain outside and dark and dreary. But I loved hearing the rain pound against the windows. It was like an orchestra was playing. I realized how blessed we are when the rain does come. It waters the lawns, the trees, and fills the streams with water. And the smell of rain! Oh how marvelous!

DAY #2 Today I am thankful for my heater. I woke up so cold and was thankful that I could just walk downstairs and push a button and the house would warm up. I remember living in Italy and we had a propane gas tank that we could use to warm up one room, but it couldn't stay on for long periods of time...and we would warm up our beds with hot water bottles. I really am thankful for heating! (And central AC in the summer!)

When I woke up I was so cold and even my room was cold where I was working. I ran down the stairs and turned on the heater and within 5 minutes my house was toasty warm. I thought of Robert on his mission and how this time last winter he was freezing in Alessandria because their heater wasn't working. I also remembered when I was there on my mission, and as a newlywed with Giovanni. It is amazing how we take the heat and cold for granted.

DAY #3 Today I am thankful for a job that lets me work from home, has a lot of flexibility, and gives us the opportunity to travel (if only we had the time and $$$ to do it more often). I ♥ jetBlue!!!
For a long time I looked for a job where I could work from home and be here for my kids. I wanted something that would have some flexibility but also have the opportunity to earn more. With this job I have been able to do that! I'm only part-time, 24 hrs a week, but I'm able to pick up hours and work 40 hrs (or more if I wanted) a week. Gio and Brian had the chance to go to Florida twice this past year. Gio took the boys to California and when we were in Vegas this past summer we took a day and went to Long Beach, just because we could! Most of all though I'm thankful for my job because I home for my family if they need me. I really do feel blessed.

I am so looking forward to the rest of the month...and what I will be thankful for...and I already have something in mind for December for my daily posts! It is gonna be a great two months!!!