My Year of 36

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Yearly Analysis of Goals

Drum roll please, after a year of taking care of my Father, and Mother after her accident and working, I was able to accomplish tons. Again, miracles from God. I am so grateful that I was able to start this quest before I knew about about my Father's terminal cancer. Having a list of to do's helped keep my head on straight and grounded. Even though I was close to home bond many times, I was still able to achieve my goals. So thank you again Heavenly Father for helping complete so many of my goals.

My new blog for 2013 is called Love like Christ: http://becomehislovelikechrist.blogspot.com. This blog will follow my adventures on becoming closer to Christ while empowering Christ's Love at all times.

#1. Learn the Cello:

No it did not happen, but I was able to break out my flute which I had not played since 2009 and my sister and I were able to a trio to Abide with Me for my Dad's. It could not have been more beautiful. Julie singing, Lilian on the piano and I at the flute. So grateful that I was able to compartmentalize and play a beautiful piece dedicated to my Father. I love you Dad.

#2. Run 40min straight:

This summer I was able to run but this fall I could not leave the house. I will have to say I was at 19 minutes. I was half way with my goal. This year strictly marathon time. I start training in three weeks. I am so excited.

#3. Three meatless meals a week:

Yes, this was pretty easy. Currently staying with my sister for a month to take a break. She is a vegan so its been super easy to stay away from meat.

#4. Nassau Island Vacation at the Atlantis:

Nope still on the bucket list

#5. Three new temples (KC):

I got to revisit Orlando Temple (with my Dad)

I was able to see the Kirkland Temple (with my Dad)

I was able to go to the Kansas City

Going to have to say check even though Orlando was not new. It was new for my Dad and I got to experience that with him.

#6. Ski:

The trip is booked were staying in the Lodge and Spa at Cordillera. Can't wait will post pictures when I get back.

#7. Stay in lodge:

The trip is booked February 3-7. Flippin excited were celebrating my nieces 6th birthday with snow.

Magical Looking

Definitely will be there

Yes will be enjoying that fireplace

I don't think I need to say more, just look. I am so excited!!!

#8. Get movies back/Cd's add to I POD:

Check all added, ready to listen to my running tracks

#9. Get a new car:

Nope, its got to come this year

#10. Get a great job that I am happy with:

Very grateful to be working for my mom right now, this has aloud me to stay at home to take care of my dad.Still working for her and grateful to have it.

#11. Make gluten free pizza:

Yes, I made it several times this year.

#12. Read 36 books:

No I did not get 36, but I did read a lot of the 36. Very happy since reading is not my first love. I have loved reading the books I choose this year. What a great way to learn.

#13. Try new recipes (36) that I can eat (dairy free, gluten free, thiol free):

Yes, I met this. I love to bake. My mother told me a should go to Paris and take Gluten free pastry classes. How fun would that be!!!

#14. One puzzle a month:

Pretty close to one puzzle a month. I feel I completed it.

#15. Learn to french braid my own hair:

I did get a book but then I returned to the library before I could practice. Still need to work on.

#16. Read the BOM/ Institute Manuel:

Currently in the middle of the book.

#17. Preach My Gospel:

Currently in the middle of finishing it

#18. Take yoga classes/Take dance class with girls/ :

Nope could never get to the gym this fall for yoga but I was able to take a rumba class.

#19. Do at least 36 hours of service:

I can't even count my hours, I did above and beyond that number

#20. Do something fun with a friend each month:

I pretty much, completed this one. Even though it was hard to get away at times, I was able to leave at least once a month.

#21. Laugh More:

This year was great and serious. This new year must laugh more.

#22. Exercise four days a week:
When I could leave the house I was able to achieve this. Glad now that I will be able to go back to the gym and get back in the swing of things.

#23. Do genealogy:

Did a lot of genealogy was even able to visit family grave sites and was able to do the work with my Dad before he passed. Can't get better than that.

#24. Walk on the beach:

Yes, my little sister got married on cocoa beach, FL in June. It was a beautiful ceremony and God gave us a moment of no rain.

#25. Temple attendance monthly:

I have been able to attend twice a month most months.

#26. Gratitude journal 1000 Entries:

Currently on 1394.

Grateful:

-1387 - being spiritual fed at a church conference

-1388 - that we have talents and that we should not procrastinate but let them shine

-1389 - Mango juice

-1390 - Cell phones that work

-1391 - Reconnecting with old friends and dates

-1392 - Reading scriptures at night with Julie

-1393 - Julie's smoothies

-1394- Practicing the rumba

#27. Attend cultural events every month:

Maybe half of the year I was able too. In December my sister took me to see my favorite Christmas show the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for my birthday. Oh I wish I had not left me phone in my car. We were 20 seats away from the stage. Literally right there on the left side. The fire was so hot. What an amazing show, even my niece loved it. Especially when they had the stage move across the audience and they were right on top of us. Thank you Jen, Daniel, and Sosh!!!

Literally the stage looked like this

Name of Album They Played

#28. Learn to sing Alto:Change to Journal Writing:

Not yet learned but I am changing the goal to journal writing. Having this blog has been a blessing it has been my first journal I have stuck with for almost a year now.

#29. Learn to play tennis:

Nope not at all

#30. Swim Laps:

Yep as much as I could get in.

#31. Women's conf in May in Utah/Study my patriarchal blessing:

All researched but the last part. I feel I have been able to learn tons by studying it in detail

#32. Attend General Conf:

Nope hoping this coming year.

#33. Improve my drawing ability (portraits)

Haven't even touched that one yet.

#34. Read scriptures/pray daily:

Pretty much got this in. Really happy about that.

#35. See my Sasha my niece at least four times during the year:

So so so happy I live close. She is my angel and she helps me to remember to be childlike. Just as Christ wants us to be. I love you Sasha Bear!!!

#36. Get waffle maker:

Yes, my father gave his Belgian waffle maker to me. It the maker even means more now that he has passed

Wow a busy year. I feel great, I feel peace, I feel like I continually tried my best. I believe I would say a job well done. Can't wait to get started next year.

From the days of the Old Testament, the Lord has commanded His people to build temples-sacred structures where He could teach, guide, and bless them

#5 Visit Three New Temples -
I was able to take a trip to the new Kansas City Temple before the end of the year. It is an amazing temple, with beautiful wood accents and the olive leaf is very symbolic throughout. I feel so blessed to have been able to visit a new temple, even with all my many duties, God still made away for me to go. Again, another miracle for me this past year. Here is a website with more photos. I had bronchitis and was not feeling well, so picture time was short but I'll be back there in a few weeks again and I will take more.

My sister walking toward the temple

Yes that's snow

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Blessing Do Come True - A Closer Family

Even though it was sad to loose my Dad, Julie was blessed in a blessing last year that our families would get closer. So true was that blessing! We have been able to share my Dad's memorial with our family out West. My cousin and her family: Fred, J.d. and Ian drove 11 hours to come for the service. My Uncle booked a flight for my Aunt from California to come down. Thank you Uncle Pete! It has been eleven years since I have been able to spend time with them. How grateful I am to all of them for coming down and sharing this time with us. I just Love YOU Family!!!!!

Group Family shot at Macaroni Grill

J.d. and Ian - Brother's to Sasha

Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops...That's Where You'll Find Me

My Dad

This is the program, I made and coordinated:

Front of Program

Inside of Program; Sealing Date and Surviving Family

Memorial Service Agenda

Back of Program; We put the lyrics to Over the Rainbow and song those at the balloon release

One of Dad's Favorite Songs

I could not say good bye but God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Arrangement Julie and I did; Julie the Vocalist and I on the Flute

Here is my Eulogy that I gave:

My Dad was born July 1, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio. He had three older sisters and they all babied him.

Even at a very early age my Dad was very independent. He taught himself how to hunt and fish. He liked hunting so much that he use raise beagles.

He would always take off from school the first day of hunting season. In high school he earned a black belt in karate. He also enjoyed shop class, which is no surprise because he became an exceptional craftsman!

After high school he took off the first semester of college only to regret that he got drafted to the Vietnam War. Due to his status, he chose to join the Navy as an instant petty officer rather than going into the army at a lower rank. While waiting to leave for Vietnam, he was stationed in Coronado, California. He only had 24 hrs left before he was going to be shipped to Vietnam, but something happened for the very first time in US history. There were too many SeaB’s, so he got stationed to Adak Alaska.

Two weeks after he came home he met my mother. Upon their first meeting, he told his sister that he was going to marry her. They were married 1 ½ years later and soon after, they started a custom home building business together.

Later Mom joined the church in 1980 and dad joined in 1982.

Under the dismay of my Mother, they moved 13 times within the first ten years of their marriage. In fact my first words were dada and ba-bye. To this day, I don’t like to stay in one spot that long.

Obviously, my Dad had three daughters.

One memory I have of Him was when I was almost five years old. My Dad loved to fish. He went on a fishing trip for a week to Canada. I remember I was so excited to see Him, I ran up to Him to give him a big kiss, but when I saw Him, he had his full fledged beard going on. It scared the heck out of me, I took off to my room and hid under the bed until he literally had to shave it all off. I didn't care how many times he told me it was him, Dad. I didn't believe him.

We were sealed as a family in the Washington D.C. Temple in 1983.

When I was younger, I have to admit I wasn't always keen on singing sacrament hymns. I still can remember my dad nudging me to sing. He loved listening and singing hymn music. Who would have thought when I went inactive many years ago. What I missed most were the hymns. It’s funny how Dad knew way back then.

Our family moved to Texas in 1982 from Ohio. Once my Dad set foot in Texas, he never wanted to leave and go back to shoveling snow. And He also loved the people in Texas.

My Dad loved to garden. We always ate vegetables from His garden. He loved his flowers too, especially his roses.

My Dad was better than mcguiver, (he had no writer’s writing for him) he was always rigging something up.

He was a perfectionist, his workmanship was impeccable. He made beautiful wood furniture; everything he worked on became a masterpiece for him.

Earlier this year we took a trip back to his Home town, we visited a restaurant where he managed and he told me how on break they would go out back and shoot guns illegally. He loved shooting. My Dad took me shooting when I was 7, since then we always tried to go shooting whenever we could.

His kind of Family Home Evening consisted of a very short lesson and either balloon or water volleyball.

When the Houston, Texas Temple opened, he was a temple worker. Prior to that, Mom and Dad were excursion workers.

My Dad was not a man of many words, He wished he could just hold us and our worries would just fade away.

On February 8, 2007, my Dad was blessed with his very first granddaughter, Sasha Lee.

Whenever He was with Sasha he would light up. He said she was her princess. He taught her how to play ball. You should see the way she keeps her eye on the ball. He even got her interested in football, Now at five years old she is a huge Texan fan, she watches the whole game. She is better than me, I can’t even watch the whole thing.

On September 2011, dad was diagnosed with renal cancer and was given 2 months to live. Soon after, He was given 3 hours to live just before Thanksgiving 2011.

When my Mom told him his blood pressure was dropping, he fell asleep for about 20 minutes and then woke up and said, “Dad’s bucket list! - I’m going to sit up and raise my blood pressure.”

That statement alone tells you about my Dad’s drive.

Before we brought Him home from the hospital he would always look out the window and welcome the sunshine. He missed being able to walk outside and wish the sunshine a good morning.

He gave me some advice in the hospital, he told me to pay attention to the simple things in life because those are things that really mattered. So I would like to share His message with you all.

Stop and enjoy the simple things in life

Another bucket list item for Him was to take Sasha to Disney World, which we were able to make happen this past summer. He loved watching Sash’s excitement as she was able to visit with the different princesses. There was nothing that would have stoped him from taking her. No matter how he felt.

During this past year, my Dad became very interested in doing our family genealogy and we were able to take a trip to Ohio to do more family research and submit more names for temple work. He loved remembering stories from his childhood.

Another momentous moment for my Father this year was being able to go back to the temple. He loved being in the temple and was usually speechless when he talked about his feelings regarding going back to the temple.

Those who have spent time with him this year especially, were able to witness his fight, his determination, and his will to live. An example of his will power, was when He lost the use of his dominate arm back in November of last year. He learned to not only use his other arm but he also learned to paint. We have his paintings displayed so you can see what he accomplished.

My Dad valiantly battled cancer. Even in the midst of unbelievable pain, he was still so polite saying please and thank you to those around him.

He was a doer- He hated not supporting his family and to this day. He has still supported his family.

What I will remember most about Him were his manners,

his humbleness,

His kind heart,

his ability to forgive easily

and his unconditional love.

A Purple Wedding

I had the opportunity to decorate a friends wedding the weekend of Thanksgiving. Here are a few pictures from the wedding that I worked on.

Wedding bubbles

Gift Table and Letter Bird Cage

Candy or "Goodie" Table

Every Other Guest Table had this Centerpiece

Deck the Chapel...falala la la la

I was asked to decorate the chapel this Christmas. I wanted to do more this year then just the poinsettia red. I wanted to bring in more golds and elegance.

The Complete Sacrament Arrangement

Closer look of the podium

Piano Arrangement

Organ Arrangement

Arrangements on both sides of the wall

Monday, November 26, 2012

This one is for you tonight, Heavenly Father

Tonight, as I was reading and studying my scriptures, I came upon a powerful thought after reading these two scriptures, pay special attention to verse 16.

1 Nephi 18: 15-16
15. And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.

16. Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.

I love how the book Verse by Verse The Book of Mormon, Vol. 1, reflects on Nephi's stance during him and his family's harsh boat trip. "To remain loyal to God, especially through trials clearly not of our own making, and resist the temptations to become bitter over the Lord's nonintervention is the great test and lesson of life-'to serve Him at all hazards,' thus guaranteeing our exaltation."

Not less then an hour ago or even most of the day today I kept saying Heavenly Father give me strength or I was reminded of my blessing that blessed me with tolerance or the primary song 'Happy Family' especially the line "Love at Home," played through my head, I don't know how many times just today. Thank goodness for those primary songs that come to us when we need them most.

Here is a link to the song, Happy Family.

Back to my thinking, as I read the scripture 1 Nephi 16. Hmmm, I personally thought I was doing great by not being bitter but trying to move forward with God's help. I even wrote in my gratitude journal tonight but did I say I was grateful for the trails I had today. Nope, I sure did not. I have to admit though, that I do say that I am grateful for my trails as whole or the big picture when they over, but do I say I am grateful for those small trivial trails I have on a daily basis as I am going through them. Instead of saying give me strength and courage, I should be saying thank you, thank you, thanks for loving me so much that you wanted me to learn these lessons today.

Another testament to me about how important our scriptures are and what a great tool they are in helping us be more like our brother Christ and our Heavenly Father.

This one is for you tonight Heavenly Father:

-thank you for my Mother that tries so desperately hard

-thank you for the job we both have

-thank you for courage to ask for help from the ward

- thank you for a healthy body that I can lift my Father's body

-thank you for the patience you have taught me over the years to feed and clean my Father

- thank you for the energy and a working vehicle to take my mom to her doctor's appt at 7 pm tonight an hour away from our home.

-thank you for loving me so much, you gave us the word of wisdom to help us stay on track with eating healthy

-thank you for a body that can excerise

Monday, November 12, 2012

The MORE Love I pour into others the more I experience in MY own life

I really am enjoying the book, "Unglued." This is the second time that I have quoted a few of thoughts that are addressed in the book.

I. Biblical procure manual for us all to follow:

Remember who we are(one of my favorite sayings)
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Stay in the flow-my job is obedience in God's Plan for me only
Shift from an attitude to gratitude
My reactions determine my reach.

- The one I want to dig in deeper with is number two.

The author tells us a story about how when she comes into stressful situations she tries to just focus on Jesus.

She quotes 2 Chronicles 20:12, the Story of King Jehoshaphat.

"For we have no power to face his vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.

The author tells of a story where a women in her congregation had just learned her two grandchildren were killed in a fire. This woman fell to the ground and balled and the only thing Lysa the author could do, was pray for her. She noticed every time the word Jesus was said in the prayer, the woman would relax a bit. And how each time the name was said they felt an outpouring of power beyond what they were capable of mustering up on their own. She further talks about how on a daily basis when times are stressful she literally will just say his name out loud over and over and peace will take over her.

So I have decided to try this out. How better to help myself staying focused on our Brother. He is really the one that knows exactly how we are feeling since he felt it himself for us.

II. Are there situations or relationships that feed my insecurities?

Gosh, I really want to befriend everyone. I have run into a situation or two where I have to ask myself (which the author defines simple) does the situation or relationship bring me honor, encouragement and love?

If not...it is ok to walk away. In the end either party will only hurt each other more. If we strive to focus on God's approval only, we will continually stay grounded thereby keeping a sense of peace and happiness within.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Super Saturday

I wanted to still keep a fall theme for our Relief Society Super Saturday, even if sisters were making gifts for Christmas I have a hard time with the way our society is starting holiday decorations in June and Christmas decorations are out before Halloween. So, I wanted to make sure that we still participated within the fall real. I love sunflowers because there so bright and cheery. Here are a few pictures from the day. We had a great turnout from 9 am to 3 pm.

Sunflower centerpieces

Six tables sisters could eat whenever they wanted to throughout the day

Dessert Table

So sad we had a broken fountain for the white chocolate

Soups for Souper Saturday

Each craft had its own sign

Date Night in a Jar

I am in charge of a craft for our super Saturday in November for Relief Society. The craft I am making is a date night jar. I did not want to look kindergarten like, so I tried to make it more modern so sisters could actually post the jar in there home then maybe just put away in a cabinet. I was hoping by seeing the jar often it would promote weekly dates with their significant others. Hopefully, it will work.

Here is a list of items: