Simple Woman's Daybook Entry~ Back To Blogging, I go!

Be sure and drop by other Simple Day Book Entries Here. 

Enjoy reading and perhaps join the fun!

Outside my window.....it is a partly clouded lovely day. It is a little cool but not bad. I am too busy today to get outside but it has been nice to not have rain for a few days. However, we continue to need the moisture. 

I am thinking...that I have missed reading the blogs of so many dear friends for the last two plus weeks. I really miss you all. It is amazing how you can get so close to so many through writing and commenting on blog posts. I have met some amazing women. They inspire and left me on many days. Everyone has struggles and I am astonished at the faith
and perseverance that my friends have. Also, I enjoy reading about their talents and love when they share pictures and thoughts about their family and friends. I love when they share pictures of their home environments, and places they visit. I love learning about their faith and how it helps them deal with life pressures. I find that when I am in the middle of a crisis of my own they are there to lift, comfort and pray for me as I also pray for them in difficult times. I hope they all know how much I love them. A special thank to those of you that left such loving comforting comments when my Aunt Della and my Brother John passed away recently. Those comments and prayers meant a lot. You know who you are, so love and hugs to you all. 
I will be back reading your blogs and still posting my own; but maybe not as often until I can finish what I originally planned on doing.

I am thankful...for the knowledge that I have that there is more to this life than just our earthly experience. I know that I have a lovely Heavenly Father and I feel also a Heavenly Mother along with my Savior Jesus Christ. I have felt the loving arms of my Savior reaching out to me and walking with me during the last several weeks. I believe in Eternal families and the knowledge that one day I will be with my earthly parents and both brothers and also my own Eternal Companion and our posterity. We are a forever family.

Knowing this has helped me pass through stages of grief that we all will experience in some way. Tears fall but only because I will miss them  and I know that it is not over; there is no end. I also feel at times that they are near me. Perhaps, we all have a guarding angel or two that are near. I would like to think it is a family member from the spirit world. 
In the kitchen...I think I will fixed grilled steaks and salad. Doesn't that sound good? I will need to thaw out the steak soon or it will just be grilled cheese sandwiches. 

I am wearing....a blue house dress and slippers. It is late here and I haven't got dressed yet. This is not really me; but I have just been busy catching up with a dear friend on the phone and then a sweet conversation with my daughter who is living in Texas. 
I am going...to finish this blog and hopefully read a few posts from the blogs I love to read. I then have my temple schedule to do and hopefully get to bed early for our temple shift tomorrow. 
I am wondering.....how our up coming family reunion is going to turn out. We have commitments from all our children; so I am praying they can all come. As a mother I can not stand the thoughts of any Empty Chairs at our reunion. 
I am reading.... The Book of Mormon as always. The good news is that I finally finished 2 Nephi and I am now in the Book of Jacob. It has been a long hard study of 2 Nephi; but I learned so many things that I didn't know before. I especially learned to decipher some of the writings of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon and Bible. 

The Visions of Isaiah~

I am continuing to enjoy; "The Triumph of Zion, Our Personal Quest For The New Jerusalem. I am on the last chapter in the book. It is entitled: "Obtaining Zion".I have learned so much about Zion and becoming a Zion person. It is true that in order to have a Zion society one must first be a Zion person. I continue to discover many things about Zion that I did not understand or know before. 

 I am also reading a book entitled: "Refuge and Reality - The Blessings of the Temple by John H. Groberg. This book has many sweet temple experiences that Elder Groberg and dear wife had while serving as the Temple President and Matron of the Idaho Falls Temple.  Elder Groberg was also the author of the book: "In The Eye Of The Storm";on which the movie entitled: "The Other Side of Heaven" was made. It is about his experiences of serving a full time mission in Tonga. Anne Hathaway played his wife in the movie. I would recommend this movie; is was stirring and heartfelt movie. 

Here is the Movie Information~

I am hoping...that I can get my life back to normal. When I originally decided to take a blog and face book vacation for a couple of weeks it was for me to get more organized with a few things in my life. Instead, I ended up spending time with my treasured brother before he passed away. I will cherish every moment with him and his family. I miss him so much.  

I am learning...that often times things don't turn out the way you picture them. In fact, it is probably more true than not. Life does have it's twists and turns; those unannounced moments when things just come along to disrupt your life and put you in a tailspin. Life just happens and we can choose to be happy or sad and I choose to be happy. 

Around the house....I am trying to catch up on a lot of badly needed house work. Next week I will be getting things ready for my oldest daughter to come and stay for several weeks. Her family is moving to Australia mid July. They have to be out of their home by Monday the 10th. They are coming here and then her husband is going to Australia for a few weeks. She will be here with her 5 children. I am of course anxious to have them here. When they move I won't see them as often and it is rather expensive to travel to Australia. I will hope that we can go there while they are there. 

The sweet grandchildren that will be visiting us.

Abbey, Sariah, Levi, Faith and April~ 

I am pondering...nothing. I don't have time to ponder today.

One of my favorite things....to do is go swimming. I haven't went swimming for a very long time. When I was young I went to a swimming pool in our town every day. Later on I had this vivid imagination that I would swim across a lake in Utah called Fish Lake. One year my parents told me I could if I wanted too. I was very excited. However, once I got in the cold lake water; I immediately realize that it was not going to happen in my life time. Of course, I know my parents knew that all along. 

 Fish Lake, Utah

We have fished there many times - lots of good memories~

A pet Peeve.....This is a gross one. I hate it when people don't flush the toilet after using it. I hate outhouses and have used a few through the years. I have even had dreadful dreams about outhouses. 

Something new about me....I have discovered that I really like the color pink. When I was little my mother would dress me in a lot of red and pink. Through the years I have wore more black, gray, white and other deep colors. Now at this age I think I will go for pink. However, my favorite color of all is blue. I love blue skies. Yesterday we went to the temple and as we came out it was so beautiful. The sky was a perfect Pink and Blue. 

Jordan River Temple~

One of my guilty pleasures...popcorn, yup that is a big one. 

A few plans for the rest of the week: Temple schedule - Temple Shift - A Rugby game tomorrow. I have never been to one before - A sweet quiet lovely Sabbath Day~

A  Favorite Picture to share......

This is one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite Prophets -

 President Gordon B. Hinckley

Be Grateful for the Ride~

Blessings and hugs for all~