Salt Lake Wins

It looks like our dear ones are headed for the Promised Valley where Derek will be completing a six week internship as part of his major in hotel management at BYU Hawaii. Derek will be working for the downtown Salt Lake Marriott. Congrats, Derek! So look forward to seeing you and Hillary in June. And getting to know again Baby (now on her feet and walking) Jocelyn!

Sold Sign

We accepted an offer on our home in Rancho La Quinta. To our astonishment, the buyer knocked on our door the next evening so excited to have closed the deal. He is a Christmas tree farmer from Welches, Oregon, (where Ray's sister lives!). Closing date is July 21st.....We will miss all the getaways and fun times with family....

You Made All My Mother's Days!

Dear Ones, as Mother's Day approaches I reflect on some thirty-four years of being a mom. I loved it all. (Maybe there's a little bit of forgetting that takes place.) You are so very dear to me and I feel enormously blessed. Early on it was a wee bit hard. Some physical challenges at the onset. But once you arrived I liked each of you very, very much. I loved being a mother!! Now I am astonished at what you have achieved and are achieving and who you are becoming that I only had the smallest glimpse of at the start. Your talents and humor and propensities and strengths. Each quite different; each a joy. Know I love you and yours and look forward to all that lies ahead....Steve wrote me when Natalie was born: "You are a mother now forever." Love, Mom

View Video to Be Prepared in Case of Pandemic Flu

Check out the instructions in this video for how to prepare yourself and your family in the case of a pandemic flu. The video explains how the flu mutates, how it spreads, and what precautions, materials and preparations are needed to be safe. Link: http://streaming.byui.edu/safetyoffice/flu.wmv Another source of flu preparation information is on lds.org under Provident Living Home, entitled, "Pandemic Preparedness Planning." You can just go to lds.org and type pandemic flu in the search box. ....REMEMBER: IF YE ARE PREPARED, YE SHALL NOT FEAR.

Easter Gathering

What a wonderful group gathered around our Easter dinner table. Mom brought miniature baskets to decorate. Steve and Jeff hid eggs in the yard while we got the dinner ready. Great to hear about Jeff's job in Mission Oaks. Average age of the employees: late twenties! He will be going out to sites, conducting inspections related to risk management and writing recommendations. Hope he will have some assignments up this way! Morgan heads back to BYU Idaho. He was able to fill a minor with music courses (plus one course which is playing in a jazz band--all this instead of chemistry, how cool is that!) and so will graduate as scheduled in December. He and Scotty spoke in their singles' ward today...They talked skiing with Ray. Everyone talked family reunions. Hawaii in December??!! After dinner a lively egg hunt. Will LOVED it. A wonderful phone call from Derek. He has finished finals. Hillary was called to be a counselor in the Relief Society. Congratulations! Natalie and Jeff took their two to Sacrament meeting dressed in Easter best. Look for photos to follow...Wonderful family togetherness. We so missed Natalie's family and Derek Williams' gang today. Family is joy. Eternal relationships is the greatest possible promise. How grateful we must be to our Savior who made it all possible.

Derek Williams Family Heads for the Mainland

Congratulations to Derek for landing an internship right here in Ventura County! He will be working for the Ventura Chamber of Commerce this June and July. We so look forward to seeing this dear family and getting to know baby Jocelyn, who was five months when we saw her last. See you all soon!

Gma's Happy Birthday

A lovely weekend out in La Quinta with Ray and Mom. Jim and Jared joined us on Saturday. Fun rounds of golf, Phase Ten and ping pong. Dinner out at Roy's Hawaiian. Highlight was listening to conference. Mother and I knit hats while we listened to the wonderful speakers. We came home today, Mom and I met Jeff for lunch and then it was yummy chocolate cake and ice cream at Laura's tonight. Thanks, dear children, for the gifts and phone calls. What a wonderful day!