Track Season Begins

I started track practice with my team last Monday in Bowler. Tuesday I was in Gresham and the rest of the week, we were together. The BIG change this year is that I'm the head coach and not the assistant. I liked being the assistant! But, Matt moved away and there was no one else willing to take on the job. I fear I may have this job for more years than I'm prepared to put in. I'm still waiting for an assistant coach. Erin has been a dear and is filling in where I can't be. What a blessing she is!

I've got some interesting youth on the team. Some are very talented and work hard. Some work hard and will do just fine simply because they work so hard. Some are talented and don't work hard and then there are those with little/no talent that don't work hard. Those are the ones that make the job difficult.

I surely miss the seniors from last year as they were such good leaders and workers. I've got some really great seniors this year so we'll be alright. Our first meet is scheduled for Tuesday the 30th. As I checked the weather for the next week, I doubt that we'll end up having that meet. The rest of this week looks good but beginning on Saturday our temps are supposed to decrease with snow/rain coming for next week. It is March so I suppose that's expected. I'm just really thankful for the warm weather in the past week.

An Apostle

On Friday evening, my husband, Tom and I drove in the fog to Neenah for a fireside. Elder D. Todd Christofferson is here to preside at the Green Bay Stake Conference. His son lives in Fondulac and so he had his father and mother speak at a fireside. Prior to the meeting, we had the opportunity because of Pat's current calling as Stake President, to have a meet and greet (along with the Appleton Stake Presidency and wives) with the Christoffersons. It was really fun.

I think we look at the general authorities as people who aren't really human. We put them on a pedistol and think that they must be more favored than any of God's other children. I discovered spending 45 minutes with them, that they are people who put their shoes on one at a time just like me. They have families and responsibilities and careers (or used to).

I've gained an appreciation for these gentlemen who serve so diligently. One of the things that Elder Christofferson told us about was President Monson. He said Sister Monson's health isn't very good and President spends a lot of time taking care of his wife. What a wonderful example of priorities. I'm very thankful that I went and was able to feel the Spirit bear witness of his holy call as an apostle.

I'm Gorgeous!

This afternoon Cami and I were lying on the bed watching Sleeping Beauty. I told her that I thought Aurora was beautiful just like she is. She replied, "I'm not beautiful, I'm gorgeous!" There is apparently no problem with self-esteem in that child. The following are some pics she posed for just to prove how gorgeous she really is.

A returned missionary

On Sunday we had the opportunity to visit the Shawano Ward to listen to my nephew give his first talk after coming home off his mission. He's grown from a kid to a man while he served as is evidenced by the preceeding picture. Ok, maybe he doesn't look like it, but it surely shows in the way he carries himself. What a blessing to be able to serve a mission! The example goes a long way for the other siblings, cousins and friends as well. It was a real treat for me to be there.

A very beautiful surprise

On Wednesday my husband brought this beautiful surprise home for me. Bishop McBain is an artist and last Sunday he visited the bishop at his home. On Wednesday he stopped by the McBain's and purchased this beautiful chalk portrait of the Washington D.C. temple. We used a frame that my mom had. I repainted the gold on it and cut the mat to fit inside the frame. It was in our bedroom for 2 days before I decided it was too beautiful to be seen by so few. After mounting it on our livingroom wall, I then accented the portrait with our family. After all, this was the place where our eternal family began. What a thoughtful husband I have!

A Missionary Parent

When Sammi decided to serve a mission, I told her not to worry where the money would come from. Somehow the Lord would provide. I looked at my budget and knew it had to come from there, but didn't know exactly how. My dad generously donated a large sum of money to help support her but we still needed to come up with our portion. I can tell you that the Lord does provide. I've been able to deduct the amount needed each month from our income without us even feeling it. That is amazing! I know if I sat down and did the math, there is no way that it would come out. The Lord truly blesses those that serve Him.

Since I've never had a child serve a mission away from home before, I wasn't sure what to expect. I've read lots of letters from missionaries and pretty much they're all the same so I expected my daughter's letters to be very similar. Perhaps because she's very expressive or maybe because she's female, her letters are very different in many ways from those I've read from Elders.

Sammi is very outgoing and friendly. Those attributes can only help her in her efforts to share the gospel. I had an interesting experience just after getting on the airplane following us dropping her off at the MTC. The Spirit of the Lord washed over me and let me know that Sammi would be watched over and kept safe as she served the Lord. That wasn't a fear I had, but our Heavenly Father must know that moms especially need to know that their children are safe.

Sammi sent a letter home yesterday which showed the tender mercies sent from above in keeping her safe. I testify that the Lord keeps his promises. If you'd like to read her letters, any of them, they are posted on her missionary blog which is sisterpleshek.blogspot.com

Happy Birthday Mom

February 11th was the day my mom was born. It was a very cold, blustery day and my grandmother had a difficult delivery with a big baby. Doc Litzen was the attending physican at my grandparent's home. Following are a few photos of her that I found. This one is of my parents while they were dating. I understand they were high school sweethearts.


This is her high school graduation picture.


I don't know where exactly this was taken, but that's me on her lap. My brother Kurt is off to the right and brother Brett is in the foreground. It appears we are playing BINGO. I'm guessing it was at my grandparent's home.


This photo was taken outside my great aunt June's home. It seems like we visited there a lot. I recall they had a great sand hill in the back yard that we spend hours in. It's interesting that we were only a family of five. I couldn't have been more than 3 years old, yet I remember this photo being taken.


This is one of my favorite photos of my mom with her sisters and their mom. It was taken in Oshkosh at my cousin Renee's wedding in 1983. She's only 45 in this photo which is younger than I am now. She was thin!!!

I am blessed to have been raised by this very independent, head-strong, talented, practical, giving woman. I feel bad that I didn't notice how great she was while I was young. Then it seemed she was just mean. She was responsible for all the discipline in our family. I'm sure it was a chore she didn't enjoy and wished my dad would've been a more active participant. Still, as I became a mother and looked to her for advice, she always knew best. She passed far too young for my liking. So, as you no longer celebrate birthdays Mom, know that you are still loved and missed every single day.