Florida Trip

We’ve had such a long winter with a lot of snow from mid January through February. Our friends Dennis and Phyllis have invited us to their place in Florida since they purchased it last winter. Pat decided he needed a vacation and we could take four days to relax in the warmth of the sun. We packed our things and headed to Florida the first week of March. 

We arrived on a Monday morning, met our new friends Cameron and Renee, had lunch and went to the beach. As always, Pat was in the water immediately. I’ll admit it was warm. It was surprisingly salty. I’ve never been in a body of salt water before. 

We spent some time walking up and down the beach. Temperatures were in the low 80’s. We left -30 wind chills only hours earlier. This was heaven!

Renee took this photo of us prior to leaving the beach. We went immediately to a restaurant where I devoured a bowl of lobster bisque. It was delicious. I understand why people leave the cold and come to the warm climates during the winter. 

Palm trees were everywhere. That’s so foreign to me. 

The coconuts are about ready to harvest. I did find one on the ground. 

Our new friends Cam and Renee Craigo. Cam was missionary companions with Perry Bohn whom we came to know doing City of Joseph.  Small world

The Allsops are now temple ordinance workers in the Fort Lauderdale temple.We were able to spend Tuesday night in the temple.  We did a bunch of sealings with the help of the Craigos.  It was a wonderful evening!

We were able to go out on the boat into the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday.  We saw a pod of dolphins which was really cool.  They came right up to the boat and then would swim underneath.  They played and showed off for us.  I took some good video of them playing.

Our view just as we were leaving and entering the harbor.  

The "no wake" zones were posted and most of them had nests on top of them like this one.

The was apparently someone's home many years ago.  It is made of concrete.  A hurricane came through and swamped the place so now these are just a place for the birds to sit on.  They look like they could be something out of Star Wars.

The beach on some island just before we hit the gulf.  There were some of the beaches that are filled with shells.  Billions of shells cover these islands.  Shell hunting is quite easy.

I took a long walk on this beach of an island where Dennis went fishing.  This was a lot of sand but still a person doesn't want to walk barefooted as there are too many shells that could cut your feet.  

The pelicans were fun to watch.  Cameron threw some shrimp and they reacted to funny as he faked them out.

The boat club where we got our boat for the day.  There was a forklift that was bigger than any I'd ever seen.  The driver would go over to the boat he wanted and bring it down and take it to the water.  Crazy!

Sitting on the beach Wednesday night watching the sunset.  I couldn't believe how many people came out to watch the sun set.  There is supposedly a "green flash" as the sun dips below the horizon.  I didn't see one.

We treated everyone to breakfast on Thursday morning at some crazy little restaurant called the Waffle House.  The food was delicious and made right in front of us.  

The Waffle House isn't very big so the only place we could all sit together was at the counter.  I sure love these people!

Dennis let us drive his Corvette.  We had fun driving around and then we visited a high end car dealership.  We waled through that place and I couldn't imagine paying the price to purchase any of those cars.

This little tortoise was caught in the waves.  He is actually a land animal so he was saved and put back on the land.  He's called a gopher tortoise.  He was just a tiny little guy.

Dennis's car needed a new battery so we took the thing to the dealership.  While we were there, Renee went in and brought us donuts and water.  Everything had a Cadillac logo on it.  These weren't very big but we just giggled at the fact that when you own a Caddy, you get special things.

On Thursday, Dennis asked what we wanted to do.  I told him I just wanted to stay home and play some games and visit.  We had a good time and it was so relaxing.  Mostly, I just wanted to stay out of the sun as my feet and legs were really sunburned from being on the boat the day before.  The weather was a bit cooler and so sitting on the boat I kept my legs in the sun for warmth.  Too much sun has given me quite a good tan on my legs and feet.

We flew out in the early evening and got back to cold Milwaukee about 9:30.  It was so much fun to get away and not deal with anything back home.  We did have to field some phone calls but it was a great four days to just be together and be with friends doing anything we wanted.  I now understand why these people do the snowbird thing.  Warm weather and no cares about work.

A Mission Call

For many years I thought about and set the goal to one day serve a mission(s) with my dear husband.  I thought it would be when we were old.  Pat always talked about retiring when he was 57 but I didn't know how that could possibly happen.

Last year we found out that Pat would be losing his job this year.  In January we found out his last day would be May 31st.  After meeting with a financial planner we determined that we could serve this mission sooner than later.

We began the medical/dental part of the "paperwork" (everything is done online). Then the tedious task of filling out the application.  In mid January we had everything ready to go including the interviews.  Since you can't send an application until 120 days before you're available, President Lonsdale couldn't press the SEND button until February 1st.

When we first decided to serve, we went to the senior missionary website and there we found a list of opportunities.  There were several that were facility management type of missions.  One at the Nauvoo temple and another in historic Nauvoo.  What?  That's just the type of thing we would love to do!  We picked out several of those but there is no guarantee that you will get what you pick out. 

Pat is a guy who wants to know things and he isn't afraid to call people and find things out.  He called the mission department last week and found out that our call would be made on Thursday.  That means our call would probably be here on Tuesday.  On Tuesday I got a text at work as well as an email saying our mission call was available to view.

Now I'm a bit nervous.  I know what we picked out but where does the Lord want us to serve?  I printed off the call letter at work and sealed it in an envelope and I didn't peek!  We waited for family to gather and then with Erin and Andrew and Cierra on FaceTime and a live Facebook feed to our family group we opened our letter.  I invited the Thornes over as I've been talking with Tracy about this for months.

Pat said he's done this before so I needed to read the letter.  Interesting that we both got the same letter but one for each of us rather than one for both of us.  We got called to the Illinois Nauvoo Mission to work in the Historic Site FM Office.  Yippee!!!  We report to the Provo MTC on June 3rd.  Wow!  That doesn't give us any time between the end of Pat's job and the beginning of this mission.

I think our children and grandchildren were as excited as we are.  They love Nauvoo and this way they will be able to see us when they come for vacation.  I desire to serve and this seems like a good fit for us.  At least this time around.

I Am a Daughter of God

This is me back in 1979.  I was a senior in high school. This is probably my favorite picture of myself.  It was totally candid.  I don't know who took it, but I got a copy.  I'm using it because I don't really have any photos of just myself.

A few weeks ago I had an experience that caused me some distress.  I felt like the only people that I could really count on were my immediate family.  I recognize now that the adversary tried to blow my emotions out of proportion.  I know that I have many, many people in my life that I have always been able to count on and will always be there for me.  

Still, I was hurt.  I also hurt for members of my family.

My sweet husband gave me a blessing and promised me that all would be well.  I spent several days in the temple where the world cannot affect me.  I also spent much time in prayer and fasting.

I had another experience where I came across an opportunity to serve.  I served this individual several days in a row.  My heart has been healed.

I see God's hand in my life.  He directs all things for good.  I feel blessed to know that He is real and He cares for me and loves me and calls me His daughter.  

Family Pictures 2018

On December 28th, Erin, Andrew & Cierra came home to spend a week with us.  It is always so wonderful to have all my family together.  It makes my heart full to overflowing! 

We decided we needed a better family photo since we didn't get a good one at the wedding in May.  The consensus was to go out to the Wood Fiber and use something there as a backdrop.

As I drove into the yard, I decided we could use a pile of hemlock as the backdrop.  It was really a good spot as not only does it look really great, it blocked the wind.  These five incredible people call me Mom.  I am ever grateful for them.

 Together we make up a pretty great family.

So far, three of these children have brought three more wonderful people into our family.  How blessed we are to call them ours.  It would be tragic if all parents don't feel this same way about their "married in" kids as we do.

Of course, with marriage comes children.  We are currently blessed with eight little people who call us Papa and Nana.  I look forward to the day when there are more people added to this photo and to our family.  

I feel blessed beyond measure as I look at all of these faces.  Blessed to be able to call them mine.  Blessed to know each of their personalities as well as their strengths and struggles. God is indeed good!  I never dreamed 36 years ago, that this would be my posterity.  Blessed beyond words.

The Rose

I had a difficult week emotionally.  The reason doesn't matter.  What does matter is that I learned something beautiful through the Spirit.

As I was struggling, my husband offered me a blessing.  I wept as he pronounced God's words upon me and I felt His love.  He told me to learn of my Savior.  I spent the next day reading from the Book of Mormon and then from Jesus the Christ.

 Pat's job ends on May 31st.  We had a meeting in Minneapolis to help the employees find alternate employment and to understand what benefits they will receive. Since we were in town we went to the temple and again I felt of God's love for me.

I was planning to go back to the temple during the meeting but the roads weren't so great since it had snowed overnight.  I went out to do some shopping.  On my way back I heard the song The Rose playing on the radio.  I have always loved this song with the message of hope it gives.

As the song was ending, I heard the final words,

Just remember in the winter

Far beneath the bitter snows

Lies the seed that with the sun's love

In the Spring becomes the rose.

Those aren't the words I heard though.

I heard,

"Lies the seed that with the Son's love

In the Spring becomes the rose."

As I was singing, a lump formed in my throat and I wondered why I had never realized what the song was saying.  Then I recognized that the song didn't change, I did.  I heard it in a way that made it so much more powerful.

That difference from sun to son made all the difference in how I thought about my struggles from earlier in the week.  

My Savior loves me and when I recognize His love, I can become exactly what He desires me to be.  I am to become a beautiful rose and not remain a seed under the snow.

In other words, I have a potential that can only be realized as I embrace my Savior.

How grateful I am to know of my divine potential!

Christmas Letter 2018

ONE broken down car left TWO young men (Andrew and nephew Evan) stranded in Miles City, Montana on Andrew’s way home from school in the spring. We found out that there are Godly  people living in that city who helped our two stranded travelers.

ONE new daughter-in-law joined our family this year.  Andrew married Cierra Su’a on May 17th in Nauvoo.  We love her dearly and she fits in our family beautifully.  She is a student at the U of Utah while Andrew is at LDS Business College. They are making their home in Salt Lake City until they both finish school.

TWO are the number of dear friends that surprised us in Independence, MO, for Andrew and Cierra’s reception there. They came from Wyoming and it was truly a surprise beyond words. What joy fills our hearts with such a surprise!

THREE is how many times Erin has come home to visit this year. We love when she’s home with us.  She’s working/living in Provo/Orem, Utah.  One day soon she’ll move back to Wisconsin and we will receive her with open arms!

FIFTH places seem to be the best Tom can do at his Special Olympics track meet.  However, his bocce team came home with the FIRST place blue ribbons.

EIGHT is the number of grandchildren we are blessed with at the moment.

8.2 are the number of miles around Mackinaw Island.  We took a few days to get away and have a vacation for just the two of us.  One of our stops was Mackinaw Island where there are lots of bicycles and horses.  No cars allowed.  We biked the outside of the island as well as much of the interior. We actually put on a lot more than eight miles.  Another of our stops was in Paradise, Michigan where we visited the Shipwreck museum on Lake Superior.

ELEVENth of October is the day Sammi and Jeff’s twins joined our family. Henry Allen and Lydia Sue are a joy to have in our home.  We recognize God’s wisdom in women giving birth in their younger years.

THIRTEENth of April is when Eli Mack Gourley joined our family.  He is the 4^th son of Clare and Clint’s FIVE children.  We love getting new grandbabies!

FIFTEEN was the number of the jersey of our oldest granddaughter’s volleyball jersey.  That was the same number worn by her mom and her aunts! How are we old enough to have a grandchild in middle school?

30+ inches of snow blessed us from April 13-15^th.  That wasn’t the way we wanted our spring to begin but it was impressive and then melted rather quickly.  Driving home from Milwaukee in that storm was very time consuming.  Home felt really good when we got here!

35 years of marriage were celebrated in January.  We count ourselves blessed beyond measure to be married to one another and be each other’s best friend.

120 days from January 1^st is how many more days Pat has until he retires from a job he’s held for 31+ years. With some restructuring, his job is being eliminated.  He gets a great severance and we will determine what’s next for us in the upcoming months.

150 pieces of fry bread were made for the wedding reception.  I waffled about what to serve at Andrew’s wedding reception and finally determined that I would serve his favorite food.  Indian Tacos were a hit!

THOUSANDS are the miles we put on driving around the state and U.P. speaking to the congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints about the importance of doing their family history and sharing their memories.  We were able to spend a few days in Kirtland, OH at a seminar on that subject.  Check out familysearch.org and get started!

INFINITE are the blessings we have received as a family over the past year.  We owe all that we have to Jesus Christ and His infinite goodness.  We COUNT ourselves blessed to be able to celebrate His birth and remember Him throughout the year. 

Twins!

Fillmore twins were born this morning at 7:50.  Baby boy weighs 6 lbs 10 oz while his sister weighs in at 6 lbs 6 oz.  No names have been given yet.

What a great size!  They were born 2 weeks early but this was a planned C-section.  Only 15% of women carrying twins make it to 38 weeks.  She made it which means they will most likely not need any extra measures.  Sammi reported that she had some significant contractions prior to having the spinal block.

I recall Tom being only 6 lbs 10 oz and how that was a full two pounds less than Clare.  He seemed so tiny.  But then when Andrew came along at 5 lbs 1/2 oz, I knew the meaning of small.

With all the miraculous things that transpired to get these two here, I am nothing short of grateful for answered prayers.