2014 hasn't been hard in those ways for me but I started off the year knowing that from Jan.1 to March 7, life was crazy busy. I feel that I am going from one task to another without a breath between them. Now these events are mostly of my own creation--I "chose" to accept the responsibility for the Utah Down Syndrome Foundation and I have to do the things I think are important for that and to respond in a caring way for all of those I interact with, I chose to go to Roots Tech and get excited about family history, and I chose to gather our extended family for an activity. I chose to accept responsibilities within the Church. And I even chose to cook dinner and clean house (occasionally) for my sweet husband and Jena and Ben. All of these things I have chosen to do and I love it. I love the opportunities I have to be involved with life and with others. I am grateful that I have the freedom to do these types of things. However, I have to say that as I check each things off in these past weeks, I am really looking forward to sleeping in on March 8 and to feel a bit of a break until the next wake of things come up. I just hope some of that I do matters to someone.
Monday was President's Day which was a nice day to sleep in a bit and then eat some pancakes which Jena made.
Then I worked on a picture project for our Hall Cousins' Gathering on Friday night. It always takes longer than you think to gather pictures and put music to it, but by nighttime, I was happy with how it turned out. We included pictures of Gary's parents and their parents, then went through a number of pictures of Gary and his sisters as they were growing up, then I tried to put in pictures of the cousins together as they grew up including many of the family pictures that I could find. I gleamed pictures from Valerie's box which I have and also from Gary's mom and my brother-in-law. I dreamed pictures all time long on Monday but it was nice to have it ready so early in the week. It really is amazing what technology can do.
Tuesday was basically a UDSF computer day where all I did was work on things on the computer for the foundation (and reviewed our video and added some final touches).
Wednesday I had a fun phone conversation with a woman from South Carolina who is in town visiting who also has a daughter with Down syndrome. They had had dinner at Red Lobster and met Scott. He gave them my number after telling them "all about Jena and me", according to Lisa. Lisa and her daughter both loved Scott. We are going to have lunch with them on Wednesday.
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| Skier Jena |
Then I headed out the door to take Jena skiing for the afternoon. Usually that means for me 2 hours of reading whatever I wanted to. This time I was in the middle of reading a proposal for funding for the State Board of Education. That wasn't a fun task but it was interesting to review and then meet with educators of all types on Thursday and review the proposals and share our input. My scores were fairly in-line with other people so I didn't feel totally out of it during the discussion. Interesting but I won't want to spend my life doing that type of thing.
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| Tosha happened to text me when I was at the ski school scoring the proposals. Fun times????? |
"Hi Grandma Judy,
I just ordered a book for you and it should arrive on the 19th. I couldn’t see anyplace on the order to tell you it’s for your Grandma kit and it’s from someone who loves you a LOT. Me. I’m crossing my fingers that you don’t already have it. If you do you will soon have two. I LOVE reading this to my daughter in laws tummys and good luck doing it without tears. Keep a box of tissue close by. I love you dear friend. I am soooo excited for your journey of Grandparenthood. You and Gary are going to be the best!
SLY
Rob"
SLY
Rob"
How sweet is that. I hope that you all are as lucky as I am to have such a great friend even if we are separated by these long distances. And the book is so sweet. It is called "I love you before You were Born". It is in the voice of a grandmother telling her grandchild how much she loved him before he was born and how she dreamed and wondered about him. It has beautiful pictures. It is so true. I don't think I realized how much my parents and Gary's parents thought about their grandchildren before they arrived. But as an "expectant" grandparent now, I am surprised how often I think of the two little ones on their way to our family. I wondered if they will love books read to them or if they will like to play in our sand box. Would they like to go with their grandmother to a BYU football game or will they want to travel to Nauvoo? At random times, I wondered about them--and their moms and dads, too. My mom once told me that one of the greatest things in life is seeing your own children as parents. I can imagine it. It thrills me so much how much Scott and Chantel and Tosha and Austen are excited about being parents. Many in our world no longer see parenting as a life option they wish to have. Parenting is not easy but it is one of life's journeys I am so glad I was able to experience---even better than walking on the Great Wall of China or cruising through the Panama Canal (and you know how amazing those were to me.).
Wednesday night I FaceTimed with Tosha and Austen and read the sweet book to their little one. It seemed right that I should read it to them first as Tosha and Sister TO (which all of my kids, even as adults, still call Robynn) have a strong bond with each other. I expect that my little Oklahoma grandchild might get some loving from Sis. TO when Tosha and Austen are missing family and can make a quick trip to Plano for some hugs. I am sure that Thiots would be glad to be there as well as all of the Texan Gibersons.
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| This is how cute they looked as I read the sweet story to "Baby Lemon" (the fruit of the week last week at 14 weeks) |
Chantel and Scott got to see the book the next day when they dropped in for a visit. I can't wait to read this book to both of these grandchildren in person. This summer will be so excited.
Now the book has its own spot on our entry way bookshelf where I can look at it every day. Thanks, Robynn, I love it.
Thursday was an all-day meeting day for the proposal readings and UDSF. Part of the day I checked out places for our Buddy Walk and I think we have found a place in West Jordan. Waiting now to see if the city will accept our proposal.
Friday---too much UDSF stuff in the morning so I turned into the "Party witch" which is what I describe myself before we have people to our house. I am much better than I used to be when I had little kids around, but I get a "bit" tense about the house getting ready before people come. This time it didn't all get done, so luckily no one asked to see my laundry room (stacks of unfolded clothes), my refrigerator (needing to be cleaned) or my master bathroom and closet (not cleaned either). I am not sure why I need my master bathroom and closet cleaned before we have company (nor does Gary!) but it must be a woman thing because my friends says they can relate.
Despite the uncleaned items in the house, it was great fun to have Gary's sisters and their husbands and the grandchildren who could gather together for a dinner and game night. It was fun to talk without worrying about the little kids. We missed those who couldn't come because they lived so far away, or working (Scott and Chris) or they were sick (Jessica and Grandma Hall). It was really sad that Mom Hall was unable to come. She would have loved to see her grandchildren and hear their conversations with each other. For one of the games we played "Scattogories" centered around Syracuse and some of their memories of Grandma's house. She would have loved to hear their stories. Then with dessert we showed our 8 min. slide show which was great. I cried even though I had seen it many times. I loved watching it with these awesome people which I am related to. Now that is what real FUN TIMES are about.
A sampling:
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| Holly and Wayne Hall wedding day-1954 |
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| Holly and Wayne Valerie, Gary and Charon |
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| The grandchildren in 1984 |
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| Grandchildren plus in 2013 |
Saturday was another busy day as I had a meeting and then hosted a brunch for new parents of children with Down syndrome. We had a panel of teens and young adults with Down syndrome of which Jena was one. They all did fine. I didn't get a picture, but Jena took this picture of herself before the panel started.
We then headed home for a couple of hours as I had to work on some other things at home and then Jena and I headed south again to attend a dance for the Salt Lake/Tooele group of UDSF. I asked Jena if she wanted me to invite a friend to come with her and she told me no that she could make new friends, and she did. She danced for almost the whole two hours with a group of teens and young adults who were there. I think she stopped briefly to eat some chips and salsa. I only dance one song as I talked with different parents all time long. It made for a long day as we headed home but it was good and we had made many new friends along the way.
We were happy for 11:00 Church as the two of us slept until 9:30, although poor Gary was up at 6:30, I think. We have enjoyed our quiet day today. Getting ready for another fun filled week of adventure ahead.
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