It's a Reality!

Angel Mutual (Special Needs Mutual) is going to become a reality on October 16, 2008! Many little miracles have taken place for this to happen. So many things have had to fall into just the right place. Again we are reminded that the Lord indeed has a hand in all things.

We moved to St. George in December of 2005 and quickly learned there is no Angel Mutual here and, in fact, no one had even heard of it!

Over the past 2 years and 8 months we have met with three different stake presidents, spoken with several others, kept in contact with individuals at the Church headquarters, attended the first ever Special Needs Mutual Mini-Conference in October of 2007 in Salt Lake City, spoke with numerous Special Needs Mutual leaders in the process of gathering as much material and information as possible, and spent many hours on the telephone speaking with parents of special needs "youth." We wanted to be ready when we found the right priesthood leadership.

On May 6, 2008 we met with President Don Lyman of the Bloomington Hills Stake. He and his counselors were discussing which building to use before we even finished our first meeting! A few weeks later he confirmed their desire to help us.

On August 3 we met with our Area Authority, Elder Rick Wheeler, along with President Lyman and his counselors and were given permission to start our planning process. Before the end of our meeting they were talking about the very real possibility of having three mutuals in our area within the first year! I couldn't believe what I was hearing! We're just happy to have one!

I have since put together material for President Lyman to give to the area stake presidents at his meeting on August 24. He wants to inform them of the program and will be requesting information on all special needs individuals under their stewardships.

We are amazed at the enthusiasm of our priesthood leaders. It's wonderful to have others as excited as we are. The people here in Utah's Dixie have no idea what blessings are soon to come their way! I feel like I'm holding a big secret and I'm about to burst!!!

Brandon McCloud

I'm go grateful to have a son like Brandon. He is my youngest and only boy. I know that if the Lord had given me the opportunity to choose my own son, I couldn't have done any better.

He has been a delight. Here are a few reasons why I love him (in no particular order):

• He has a great sense of humor.
• He's very good at masking his thoughts which constantly keeps me guessing.
• He's kind to everyone, almost to a fault.
• He's a good example.
• He works hard and studies hard.
• He plays hard.
• He shows respect.
• He likes to spend time with his family.
• He makes me laugh.
• He loves the Lord.
• He is willing to serve the Lord.
• He has great knowledge of the scriptures.
• He honors his priesthood.
• He is not afraid to try new things. As a matter of fact, his intrigue with adventure has caused me some consternation at times.
• He takes me to lunch now and then.
• He is a good listener.
• He is a good friend to everyone.
• He is so sweet with Angie.

I am so proud of him.

I love you, Brandon.

Lisa Marie

Lisa is my second child and second daughter. Here is a list of only a few of the reasons I love her so much. They are in no particular order.

• Lisa Marie is a joy.
• She was my busiest child. She really kept me hopping from the time she could walk. Actually, I don't think she ever walked; once she hit the floor vertically, it was a dead run. But she kept me young.
• She was a very happy child, very pleasant. She still is.
• She is very intelligent. School was not her favorite thing, but we got through it.
• Lisa is very talented. She loves to sing and play the piano. I'm so grateful I stuck to her practicing . . .
• She is very creative. She and Rusty started a wedding planning business in 2007. They have more business than time! It is so fun to watch her plan and create unique wedding designs for each of her brides. She not only creates the decor but also designs flower arrangements and cakes. She has a very elegant touch.
• She has a knack for interior design and it is very evident when you see what she has done with her home.
• She is a hard worker.
• Lisa is probably the most forgiving person I have ever known. And she does it more quickly than anyone I have ever met.
• Her smile lights up the room.
• She married Rusty. He is a very special young man whom I love as if he were my own flesh and blood.
• She is the mother of three beautiful children: Rachel Marie, Logan Reed and Abigail Ann; and she loves them with all her heart.
• She loves to cook and is very good at it.
• Lisa loves the Lord and is willing to serve him.
• She is teaching her children the gospel.
• Lisa loves to serve others.
• She is adventuresome.

Lisa is a beautiful person. I'm so proud to be her mother.

Lisa, I love you.

Jaime Lynne

Jaime is a blessing in my life. She is my first child and my first daughter. These are the reasons she is so special to me (in no particular order):

• She is and always has been very responsible.
• You can count on her word.
• She has a real zest for life which makes her a "fun girl."
• She has many friends because she is one.
• She loves to read.
• She loves to take pictures and is very good at it.
• She is a very creative scrapbooker. I love that she loves to document even the littlest things in life.
• She brought Rob into our lives. I couldn't have chosen a better husband for her and I love him with all my heart.
• She is a good example.
• She is a very talented musician, who sings as well as she plays the piano.
• She is not afraid to share the gospel.
• She loves to serve the Lord and others.
• She reads her scriptures daily.
• She keeps a journal, sometimes. When she was younger, she wrote in it daily.
• She is a hard worker.
• She loves to serve others and looks for opportunities to do so.
• She is beautiful inside and out. Her beauty glows when she smiles.

It's a privilege to be her mother.

I love you, Jaime.

Acting Silly

I do my best to act silly, but it doesn't come naturally most of the time. However, there is hope if I continue to hang around Jaime and Rob long enough. Maybe it will become a habit!

This picture was taken on our trip to Disneyland in April of this year. I had fun taking these pictures, but it was a stretch for me. When Jaime joined the Lea family, they decided to take a personality color test. She brought it to us. I learned that I am very gold (organized, need a schedule) but also a suppressed orange (one who loves to let her hair down and be spontaneous).

Since I have been aware of color personalities, I have watched our interaction as a family and found it very interesting. I have determined that I have been a suppressed orange for so long I don't even know how to let loose anymore. What a shame. I'll have to work on it . . .

It's My Birthday and I'll Cry If I Want To . . .

Today I turned 56. I never thought about being 56 before.

Birthdays are not my favorite thing, but I suppose everyone has to have one at least once a year. I prefer to think of myself as "29 + postage and handling." That's good enough for me and I think it fits!

Angie has been reminding me all week, several times a day, that I'm the birthday girl. Now I ask you, how can one ignore one's birthday with her around?!

I came across this little ditty that I quite enjoy. I suppose that if one has to have a birthday one might as well find some humor in it . . .

George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . . You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony. YOU BECOME 21. YESSSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're just a sour dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you reach BEDTIME. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90's, you start going backwards. "I was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"


This morning Duane fixed me one of his famous omelets. Brandon called first thing this morning (First thing for him, that is. He was still half asleep at 10:00.) By the end of the day I had heard from each of my children, my sister, and my friend Vickie. My parents dropped over mid-afternoon. We went out for Mexican food in the early evening, then came back and played a little 399 (Duane's invention). The evening was spent watching the Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony in Beijing, China.

All in all it was a good day -- 08/08/08. This date will never come again!

Escape to Paradise

I believe every woman deserves to be treated like a queen at least once in their lifetime. If it happens more than once, they are really blessed! I can think of two experiences in my life when I felt like I had died and gone to heaven.

One of those times is cruising on a "big boat" (as Angie would say). The luxury of ordering anything you want to eat without thinking about the cost, having your bed turned down for you. No schedule: eat when you want, sleep when you want, play when you want. No real purpose. I suppose it's my idea of "the life of the rich and famous."

The other time I indulged in the life of the rich and famous was yesterday, August 6, 2008. Jaime and Rob gave me an amazing gift for Christmas last year. It was the Great Escape Spa Package at the St. George Day Spa. I think they were a little annoyed with me that I hadn't used it yet, but I told them I was waiting for Jaime to come up so we could do it together.

She did and we enjoyed an amazing, relaxing three hours at the spa. It started with a European facial, then a great Swedish massage, and ended with a pedicure. I felt lighter than air as I walked out of that spa. It had a great deal to do with the treatments we received, but more to do with the time we spent together.

I must admit I was surprised at how tired I was after we got home. We both needed a good nap.

Sometimes I think it's a shame I don't run in the circles of the rich and famous. Living like that could be habit forming. And then I remember that that isn't what life is all about and I've come to the conclusion that I'd rather be where I am: living the life of the not so rich and famous.

Thanks again, Jaime and Rob!

Life's Little Pleasures

As one marches along through life, one comes across experiences and taste treats that really make a difference. Peanut Butter Cups do it for me. They have been a part of my life almost as long as I can remember!

It used to be Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. I'm sure I spent a good amount of my babysitting money on them. I remember an experience in Junior High School..... I played the clarinet in the band and sang in the choir. My teacher, Mr. Garlinghouse, was always catching me with peanut butter cups and giving me a royal scolding. On the last day of school, he presented me with a package of ten! I was so thrilled (and embarrassed).

When Jaime was at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho, she introduced me to the Walmart brand, Great Value. I was hooked immediately! They are so creamy. Now I can't even eat a Reeses.

I hadn't had one for a while, so I made my husband stop at Walmart on a recent trip to Salt Lake. Ahhhh, life is good!