Pants-again.

I got to thinking about those pants I had on yesterday, old, baggy, warm, and comfy. (I know just like my body). It seems like the things we enjoy most are things that seem old, warm, and comfy, and that goes for friends too. I have, and I know you have , met people who you felt were old, warm, comfy friends at first meeting. I often wonder how we knew each other in the pre-life. Some people are just so familiar that you just start talking like old friends right away and feel a deep connection and understanding with them. You always feel that way with your close family but once in a while you feel that with a perfect stranger. I have several friends I feel that way about and know that I knew them in the life before this. You feel an instant kinship with them and just want to spend a lot of time with them because you feel so warm and comfy. Aren't friends wonderful?

Pants

To day I'm wearing a pair of Buckskin colored jeans that are two sizes to large. They're kinda handy, I don't have to unbutton or unzip them to take them off and they are nice and soft and warm and comfy. I enjoy wearing them even if they are baggy. The only problem is I have to be cardful getting up after I've been sitting down, they have a tendancy to just slid down my hips and right on down to the floor. Needless to say, if I ever wear them out of the house I always put on a belt and cinch it up so my pants will stay right where they belong. I'd really hate to moon someone and with my luck it would probably be a police man and I'd get arrested! Oh well, maybe they's be good looking!

I lived thru it!

Well, Bill's birthday and our Anniversary and Christmas have all come and gone and I lived thru it all. Yeah, for me. It's hard to get thru these family times without Bill, but there are still some great compensations. Time with family and friends, people bringing me food and goodies, and presents.
The 20th was the hardest but I made it thru. Christmas was great fun with Kimber, Anthony and kids. We all had a good time, the kids loved the few simple toys I managed to get for them and I loved the things I got from them and all the other kids. I even learned how to work some of the electronic gadgets I recieved. We had some good food, but most important were the great hugs I got from everyone.
Friday Paul and Tina and the kids all came over, what a crowd but what fun! Paul and Tina stayed 2 nights with me and the kids were in and out. They took me with them to a Pre-Birthday Party for Tina's parents (whom I have known for years) and it was so much fun to hear all the laughter and joking going on between them all. Tina's parents are both turning 80 this year and all their children were here for the party. I know they really enjoyed it, and of course, the food was great being that Paul grilled most of it! Later they all came to my house and had a running game of something or other going on at the game table but mostly they were laughing. It was so good to have family here during these tough times. I certainly have been blessed by a great family and I thank my Father in Heaven for them everyday.
I am grateful for this blessed Christmas season. I have had quite a bit of time by myself to ponder the blessings of the life of Jesus Christ and his sacrafice for us. I am so grateful for this blessing, it gives me so much hope to know that someday in the not too distant future I will be with my beloved husband again. What a great blessing!
I am looking forward to having Christine and Pete here for New Years. It is such a joy to spend time with them and I really don't know what I'd do without them. I was so sorry to see Paul and Tina leave for home this morning, however before they left Paul offered such a beautiful prayer. It is wonderful to have children who live such good lives and a great blessing to have sons and grandsons who hold and honor the priesthood. I am so blessed! And I do have Christine & Pete's visit to look forward to. Wonderful.

Bah, humbug

I am just not in the decorating for Christmas mood at all. I finally went to the Cemetery today to put Christmas flowers on Bill's grave, what a bummer! I put out my wreath and a Christmas throw and kitchen towel--that's it. I haven't put up a tree or any lights or anything else. This time of year is just no fun any more. I haven't even made out a single card or made ant goodies. I am just in a Scrooge mood, I guess. I can't even decide what I want to do for Christmas. I gress I'll go eat worms!!
Christine and Pete are coming down tomorrow, they want to be here to hear me talk in church Sunday. Boy that ought to be a mess. I hope they won't be disapointed. It has taken me almost two weeks to write my talk, to much info out there to decide what I wanted to stress and what the Spirit tells me is what is needed. I think the Lord is getting tired of me praying so much and not just about this talk. I certainly am glad that I have such a strong testimony that is about all that is holding me together right now Sorry if I sound down but I am.

Thanksgiving

What a great Thanksgiving we had. Kimberly and Anthony and the children came over and also Anthony's co-worker Richard Harris and his wife Claudia. It was nice to finaly meet them, as I'
ve heard alot about them. What nice people! Everyone seemed to have a really great time and we all ate too much, of course. The kids were so good and had so much fun playing both inside and outside, even though it was a little damp. We've had some lovely rain!
Anthony and Kimberly furnished the turkey, and Richard and Claudia brought a homemade Apple Cobbler and ice cream. I furnished a ham and the other fixings and of course the oven to cook the turkey (Kimber's oven is broken). We also had a wonderful Pumpkin Pie that one of my Ward members brought to me. Yum-Yum. The feast was great but being together with family and friends and the laughter is what makes it great! But I sure do miss Bill being there--He would have loved the deserts!
I am so grateful for all the blessings I have recieved this year. It's been a hard year without Bill, but I have been so blessed. I have always read in the scriptures about how much God and Jesus Christ care about the widows and now I know first hand that they do, and they really watch out for us in our times of need and sadness and I'm surely blessed and am so grateful for these blessings. I'm so greateful for loving family and friends who keep in touch with me and worry about me, what would I do without you all!?! Especially Christine and Kimberly who call me everyday. Thank you all so much, and know I love you.

Paul

Happy Birthday, Paul. Hope you have a good one. It was nice to talk to you again. What a great son you are, even if you don't call me very often. I'm proud of you and of what you have accomplished in life. I know that things are hard for you, being in Washington DC, so far from your family, and I'm proud of the way you are handling it. I know how lonely it gets! My prayers are always with you, Son.
You were such a cute little fiesty boy and I love thinking back about what a cuddle bug you always were. May God watch over you and keep you safe (especially when you are out spying). I love you.

Friends

What a fun evening I had with my dear friends Jordan and Betts and Bob and Pat Gunter (from Idaho). They are some of the people we served missions with at the Family History Center years ago. Such fun to be with! I drove over to The Strebeck's and then the 3 of us met the Gunter's at Nando's Resturant in Gilbert. It's a great mexican food place. We ate and then went back to the Strebeck's home and played 2 games of Phase 10. Of course we laughed and talked alot so we were there a long time. (I didn't get home until about 11 pm). It's so great to spend time with such good friends especially when you have so much in common and really enjoy each others company. I didn't win either of the games but that didn't matter at all, because I won a wonderful evening and made some lovely memories that will last forever. As I was leaving Jordan made me wait so we could go put and cut some roses for me to bring home with me. They have had the most beautiful roses this year (no yellow ones though). I have them in a vase on my bar and can smell the lovely fragance of roses all over the house. Wonderful!
I will be so sad to see them all go. The Gunter's are going back to Idaho today, and the Strebeck's are planning to move to St. George as soon as they can. They already bought a house there. I hope they don't go real soon, but that's just me being selfish. I will miss them so much. We get together as often as possible usually at least once a week. I know they'll be happy there but I won't be-- Boo Hoo!! Don't I sound pitiful!?!