ONE FINE DAY

Today is starting out like most every other day begins,  up at 3:00am.  Wishing I were still in bed, I come into the office and begin my day.

I am not really anticipating any spectacular or amazing event to take place but I DO know that it is going to be a great day.  How you may ask, well it is simple.  I start by believing in God,  I thank Him for all that I have, and then I open my eyes to find a day ahead of myself to choose how I want to approach it!

I am thrilled to be ALIVE and ABLE to make these choices.  It gives me pleasure to step outside in the crisp morning silence and take a big deep breath of the air.  I love to feel the cold concrete on my feet.  Smell the freshly rained on ground and be reguvinated.

I anticipate spending time looking out at my back yard and seeing the beautiful Maples in full Fall colors.  Oh how I love the colors they give me.  I so love watching the leaves do their final dance as they fall off of the trees.  I love the way they lay on the grounds and invite us to gather them and become a child again, making a pile and jumping in.  I only wish I had the strength to do that again.

I know I will be seeing some of my grandsons, and that is the BEST thing ever.  I plan on accomplishing some of my many tasks I have to do and at the end of this gorgeous day I will be able to chat with my sweetheart as he will call me to talk about our days and tell me "sweet dreams" and that is how I know I will have a great day!  

Anything extra will be an added bonus and I look forward to finding them.

MASON JOHN BORN

WELL TODAY WAS SUCH AN AMZING DAY.  WEIGHING IN AT 7.57 LBS.  BEING 20" LONG AND HAVING SOME DARK HAIR (GRAMMA THINKS IT IS GOING TO BE CURLY)  IS OUR NEWEST GRANDSON  MASON JOHN OSTLER!
            HE CAME ON JUNE 16TH 2012.  HIS DUE DATE, AT 8:46 AM.  SARAH HAD GONE TO WORK ON FRIDAY EVENING AND CALL US WITH IN A COUPLE OF HOURS AND SAID HER WATER HAD BROKEN.  THE FUN BEGAN..............GRANDPA RAN TO GET HER FROM WORK AND MYSELF AND ALL THE AUNTS AND UNCLE ANDY BEGAN SQUEALING AND JUMPING FOR JOY.  I HOPPED IN THE SHOWER AND BY THE TIME THEY RETURNED HOME WAS READY TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL.  THIS IS HOW ARE JOURNEY BEGAN.....
            WE GOT ALL CHECKED IN AND BEGAN THE WAITING GAME.  SHE DID WONDERFUL THRU IT ALL.  THEN TI TIME FOR THE PUSHING CAME.  EVERYBODY LEFT THE ROOM ACCEPT ME AND 1 NURSE AND THE DR.  IT WAS SO SWEET AND SEREAL.  THE ATMOSPHERE WAS AS THOUGH THE THE HEAVENS OPENED AND GENTLY LAID THIS TIMY LITTLE INFANT ON HER HEART!  SHE DID SO GOOD DURING IT ALL.  SHE WAS VERY FOCUSSED AND DID SO GOOD.
            HE WAS BORN AND IMMEDIATELY OPENED HIS EYES.  I WAS SO AMAZED.  HER BABY BOY WAS FINALLY HERE AND IT SEEMED AS THOUGH HE HAD TO LOOK AROUND THE ENTIRE WORLD.  HE KEPT HIS EYES WIDE OPEN FOR 2 HOURS THEN GENTLY FELL OFF TO SLEEP.  THIS WAS ONE OF MY MOST PRECIOUS MOMENTS.  I GOT TO CUT HIS CORD AND HELP WITH HIS FIRST BATH.  WHAT A TREAT THAT IS FOR A GRAMMA!
           I NOW HAVE 6 GRANDSONS AND AM IN LOVE WITH EACH ONE OF THEM.  BEKM SI MY GRANDSON IN HEAVEN BUT I COULD FEEL HIS PRESENCE IN THE PEACEFUL QUIET NESS OF HIS LITTLE COUSINS BIRTH.  I KNOW HE WAS THERE WITH HIM.
          I LOVE MY GRANDBABIES WITH ALL MY HEART.  I CHERISH EVERY MOMENT I HAVE WITH EACH ONE OF THEM.  BOYS.........YOU ARE MY SPECIAL TREASURES!

Day of simple fun....

Today is a day of such simple fun.  I have one of my grandsons, Bently, here with me and i am so in love with him.  his sweet little face and his cute little voice is music to my life.  He is 4 1/2 months old now and could not be any cuter.


I am getting ready to have some of the Young Women in our ward come over this evening to make some earrings and i am so excited to have them.  Their giggles and love for life is the best medicine I could ask for.  The skies are pretty clear and the air si just right.  Hope tonight is as fun for them as it will be for me!  

OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY

Our day started out as  I woke, combed my hair, brushed my teeth and then ever so quietly leaned over and kissed my sweetheart and whispered "Happy Anniversary darling".
 I  went downstairs and began my day.
             I  fixed breakfast for us and he went off to work.  I then went about my day as usual.  Checking my facebook games which I do everyday and then my email.  I must say....my family think I spend too much time on facebook but I am my own person and have decided it is ok!
            As the day went on memories of the past 30+ years kept me intertained and helped me to remember just why I had fallen in Love with my sweetheart.  
           We met when we were only 15 years old and became fast friends, best friends and then sweethearts.  He had my heart from the beginning and I had his.  We went all thru Highschool together. Then off  to Michigan he went to serve the Lord for 2 years.  I stayed busy finishing my college up and then went to work.
           Fred came home in the Fall of 1980 and we were married on January 24th-1981.  I chose that day because it was my grandma Alice's bday and I loved her so much.  Our day was wonderful.  Very snowy and could not have been better.
           We were married and sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple at 8:00 am.  We then drove back to Pocatello and began getting ready for our reception later that evening.  Fred built the backdrop for our line of  people and friends to greet us at the reception.  We had a huge amount of family and friends that came to wish us well and support us.
            We have gone thru all gammetts of emotions and trials,  joys and happiness during these 30 years.  We are who we are because of all these learning years.  One has asked if I would ever change anything and my answer is...absolutely NOT!  I would marry the same man, have the same experiences, cried the same tears, laughed and giggled over the same things and loved even deeper now than I ever thought possible.
              We ended our day with Fred taking me to a very nice restraunt named the Cottonwood Grill.  We enjoyed our dinner and stayed and visited for sometime before leaving to go to a movie.  We had such a wonderful time.  We had the theater to ourselves! Not another person in there while we watched a very good movie.  What a treat that was! It was quite a night out for us. I  am one very lucky lady.


             I love you my darling,  May we be blessed with another 30 years:))
                                                                                                                                     

Fall days bring great anticipation!

Fall being my favorite season, brings to me many wonderful ideas, thoughts, and a happy heart.
Looking out my office window i have been completely enthralled watching this season come to it's glory.
From the crisp air to the beautiful dancing leaves making their selves known.  I am one who loves nature and the spirit it brings to me.

The days are getting shorter now and the leaves have begun the final show.  With winds gently blowing today I have watched the "Finale" of the leaves show.  They seem to be twirling and fluttering as if to show me their best show ever.

The colors are vibrant and muted.  The sun giving her way to light the path of this concert of their dance.  I remember as a child how in the 5th grade my teacher would tell us to look out the class windows and day dream about what ever we chose.  I so loved that.  This brings great memories to me now.

The smell of Fall is in the air and I am anxiously waiting to make the carameled apples, the apple pie popcorn balls for the little spooks who come to out home.  I so love this time of year.

Prom 1977

Beautiful day to say good bye!

A DAY OF MOURNING , YET A DAY OF JOY!


Today we wait for last time we will see Great Uncle Don's physical body.  He passed away this week and his funeral is tomorrow.
He is one of the most gentle, sweet, caring  family men I have ever known.  He has led a life that was one with trials, sadness, and much love.
He is the last of the NORTON people who I have grown up knowing.  He is my dad's uncle.  
If I may give him a tribute it would be that he is one man who was a friend, a brother, a son, and a very loved man.  He is in my opinion one in a million.  I hope that he is rejoicing in the reunion he is having with his parents, wife, brothers and many many others he has touched.  I love you Uncle Don:))

WORRIED MAMA

or the 2 days I have been one very worried mama.  My sweet Katie Bug is in the hospital with menengitis.  We are not sure weather it is viral or bacterial at this point but she is surely ill.
These are the times I wish I could take her place.  She needs to be well to care for her little son, Landen and he really needs her.  My prayers are constant and I know that they are being heard. Bless my daughter, Father.  She is hurting and so ill. 

A DAY LONG AWAITED

ON TEH MORROW MY BABY GIRL WILL BE A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.

THAT BEING SAID, MY THOUGHTS ARE RACING BACK TO THE DAY SHE WAS BORN.  WHERE HAS ALL THE TIME GONE?  WHEN DID SHE GROW-UP SO FAST? IS SHE READY FOR THE BIG WORLD FACING HER? DID I DO MY BEST AT RAISING HER?  THESE QUESTIONS GO ON & ON.

HERE IS A POEM THAT I FOUND MANY YEARS AGO THAT SAY MOST OF WHAT I AM FEELING:

               MONDAY THE BABY LEARNED HOW TO WALK

MONDAY THE BABY LEARNED WHO TO WALK.

TUESDAY TEH BABY LEARNED HOW TO TALK.

WEDNESDAY SHE LEARNED TO WRITE HER NAME,

TO KNIT A SWEATER AND BUILD A FRAME.

THURSDAY SHE LEARNED TO READ A BOOK,

TO USE A COMPUTER, TO SHOP AND COOK.

FRIDAY SHE LEARNED TO PLUG A LEAK,

TO TRANSLATE RUSSIAN INTO GREEK.

SATURDAY SHE LEARNED TO FIX A TIRE,

TO DRIVE A BUS, TO SING IN CHOIR,

TO STAGE A PLAY,TO PLAY THE LYRE. SUNDAY THE BABY PLANS TO RETIRE.

MEMORIES OF THE PAST

Today brings me to a place I shall call....MEMORIES of the past!

I can remember being so thrilled this one spring morning because as we often did,  mama, daddy and Jack, my little brother, were outside sitting on the front stairs of our porch. The sun was shining, grass was green and the air was fresh.  We were talking and one of our neighbors, Mr. Thornton, came walking down the sidewalk and right up to us.  He sat and visited for a time and then stood to leave.

As he did a big bird came flying by and dropped a worm right on Mr. Thorntons' shoulder.  We laughed so hard, enjoying the sight when suddenly this bird came swooping down just chattering and tried to find the worm.  At that our Neighbor said..."Well guess it is time to go, next time he might drop some doo-doo on me".   

I think of that time often remembering how times were so simple and neighbors were really neighbors!  

Just a note~~

Today I have been thinking alot about where I am in my life and have decided that..."I am 1 lucky lady"!  I have 4 healthy children 3 healthy grandsons and 1 very wonderful man as my family.  They are on my mind all the time and this is where I find my life!

I do not see them all enough. And I miss my Logan and Braxton so much.  I have lost seeing them grow and do the simple little things of growing up but...I know they know that I LOVE them and that helps. If I could say just one thought it is this... Live the day you are in, remember the days gone by and look forward to what is ahead of you to find!  I love you all so much  XOXOXO

Spring

I looked out the window and what did I see?  One of the most beautiful mornings of this new year! Birds singing at my window,  sun shining in my home,  and I feel so alive.  A plane just flew high above and I wish I could be like that.

Being able to fly like a bird would be one of my dreams.  Imagine the sights one could see and the experiences one could enjoy.  I love to see our world and being able to be high above and watch the earth blooming into Spring would be something of such great magnitude!

I must say that I am enjoying my little piece of Heaven here on earth.  I am so greatful for my home, my yard, my family and all of my senses that give me the abilities to be a witness to these miracles that happen every day!  What a great day this will be!!!

Good times

Remembering my parents doing some crazy things, I have been reminded of the Love we grew up with.  Oh how I miss them and find comfort in taking time to ponder about the past.  I found myself giggling out loud today as I remembered some fun times we had as a family.
~~~Daddy chasing mama down the middle of the street all the way to the grocery store( 3 blocks away) and all of the neighborhood kids running right behind them laughing and skipping all the way!~~~

Gearing up for Spring

Oh how wonderful this morning is.  Sunshine is peeking in the windows of my home bringing such a fantastic light show.  I opened the blinds just enough as to have my room become a place where I could watch and listen as the day begins. Still chilly outside, and warm and cozy inside,  Spring is just starting to slide in.  I can feel it knocking at the earth and gearing up for the work ahead.

I long to get my hands in the dirt and smell that sweet smell.  Working with the soil to bring beauty to my yard is a true treasure to me.  I give my daddy the honor of that joy.  He taught us in our lives that this work is good with the earth and most importantly good for the soul.  I miss you daddy.  This seemed to be "our" shared season.

THE BEAUTY OF LIGHT REFLECTIONS

Sunday morning as I came around the corner of my staircase I noticed that our home seemed to be glowing. What is this, I thought. Knowing that a treat was waiting for me to discover, I quickly finished the trek down the stairs, went straight to the front door and threw it opened.  WOW! The light was even more brilliant outside than inside. 

The sky was mostly filled with clouds of many shades of gray, white and very slight yellow. Then looking over to the south there I found an opening in them. Behind this was the sun trying to fill in the space of that opening with it most intense brightness. The earth seemed to be glowing GOLD. I stood in awe and soaked in it, as it quickly changed from this to an almost solemn soft hue of light gray.

Once again I was the recipient of one of God's masterpieces.  May I suggest that we all look for the most simple things to see, hear, touch, or witness that will remind us everyday that we are children of the Master of ALL!  ~~~

Art work of My Father

Looking at the world around me this day, I have found some extraordinary pieces or art....  The sky is a light gray with some slivers of blue. The air is crisp and wonderfully refreshing. I close my eyes and breathe what I shall call an ABSOLUTE CALMING & DELICIOUS breath of life, I heard the birds, the slight rustle of some leaves on the ground as I stepped out onto the cold sleeping lawn, and opening my eyes to view my back yard I witnessed a new portrait.  My yard is waking from the winters sleep!

This is a day I have long awaited.  I am beginning a journey.  I am going to share my thoughts, feelings, adventures, and my life's journey with any or all who would like to read this.

This day has begun as most days do.  Landen one of my grandbabies came in early this morning and my day began.  I so love seeing him every morning, his mama works very hard and long so I have the privledge of caring for him for a few hours and then deliver him to the babysitter. My life is so full!