Ryan

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!

Yes, another Davis birthday is here! Our firstborn son celebrates his 28th birthday on December 23rd, 2008. We hope you have a wonderful birthday Ryan! 

I am writing this letter from Ryan's home in Jerome, Idaho. It's been an amazing vacation so far (our Christmas and wedding trip combined). It is twice as sweet having Sarah here and spending our time together with this awesome couple. They really are perfect for each other and we are so excited for their wedding in a week!

Well, here goes Ryan!  

HOW MY SON RYAN HAS IMPACTED MY LIFE:

I remember the feelings I had when I became a mother. There are no words to describe it. I felt the greatest joy and happiness I had ever known. I felt humble and excited, grateful and overwhelmed, determined and clueless. I have always maintained that I didn't understand what true joy was until I had a baby. Everything in life changed for the better and my life immediately had intense meaning and purpose.  As I have pondered about it, I feel it's probably because as I embraced motherhood  I  began fulfilling my God given and most important role EVER! It felt so good,  so right and so true! Being a mother has taught me more about life, about me (and my weaknesses), about God, about families, and about love than any other role (being a wife also compares).

A firstborn child does not have it easy. Parents need to "experiment" on them. Ryan - thank you for letting us figure things out on you.  We are much wiser now,  we really didn't know what we were doing. We did our best and I guess that has to be enough. We love you beyond measure and feel so much JOY as you have found your sweetheart and the love of your life! Like we keep telling you "SHE was worth the wait!!"

THINGS I AM GRATEFUL FOR ABOUT RYAN

I am grateful for the FOCUS and DETERMINATION Ryan has! When he had his mind set on something, he goes after it with all his heart. He has an undistracted focus!  He sticks with his idea and goals and has a drive and direction to reach them that is admirable. He is VERY SUCCESSFUL  in what he seeks to do because of this.  I love this about him. Ryan sets goals about his financial, his physical, his spiritual, his social life and works hard to achieve them. There is no stopping Ryan when he is FOCUSED! 

I am grateful for Ryan's HARD WORK ETHIC! Ryan is a hard worker. He started at McDonalds at age 14 and really has been working ever since. Ryan is not afraid of hard work. He wakes up very early right now to go to work. When his father recently asked him why he was at work at 4:30 AM he replied (and I am paraphrasing) "My job is not guaranteed.  I need to do the job they are paying me to do. I want to be valuable and an asset to the company I work for".

Ryan GOES THE EXTRA MILE!  The other night, he spent hours preparing his gospel essential lesson. He and Sarah spent days decorating their Christmas tree. It is 9 feet tall and the lights are incredibly beautiful! They spent the extra time on it, and it shows! In his Arizona home, Ryan spent so much time on home improvements. He painted most of the rooms, ran rope lights around the kitchen floor - (so it was outlined in the dark - a very cool effect) put  theater lights in his family room, (that dimmed as a  movie started or vice versa), etc.,  Ryan prepares, does his job and then some more, and reaps the benefits. This has brought him much credit and success thus far in life.

Ryan is AN ORGANIZER! His home (even when he was single) was (is)  neat, orderly, tidy, and everything is in it's place! It's such a great feeling to walk into your child's home and see such beauty and order. Being organized is such a GREAT trait to have!

Ryan SEEKS FOR BEAUTY!  From the  artwork and decor in his home,  to building beautiful architectural buildings (mostly hospitals -but they are AMAZING) he has beauty surrounding him (this is especially true with Sarah in his life now!) Ryan has a TRULY ARTISTIC SIDE and it's fun to watch it develop!

Ryan LOVES AND SEEKS FOR TRUTH and is VERY FAITHFUL  in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Ryan is just one of those young men who understands and lives by truth. He recognizes truth and then lives by it. He then seeks for more truth and abides by it. He reminds me of the sons of Helaman in the Book of Mormon who strove with all their hearts to live all the truths they were taught (by their mothers). Ryan STAYS ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW PATH! Ryan has been such a blessing as he has been obedient to his parents and to his God. He naturally wants to stay on the straight path and follows it intently! 

Ryan LOVES HIS FAMILY! Ryan often calls us to keep in touch with us. His phone calls mean so much. He has a deep love for his family and he keeps in touch with all of his siblings on a weekly basis. Ryan gives of himself to his family. 

Ryan has great LEADERSHIP SKILLS! During college he served in many leadership positions where he earned full tuition scholarships, including being Student body president. We, his parents, were very impressed with his "get up and go", his sincere desire to serve, and his humility in those positions. On Ryan's mission, Ryan was very humble about where ever he served. He does not serve for recognition or power. He truly desires to serve others with a quietness and a consistency that true leaders have.

Ryan UNDERSTANDS PRIORITIES! Ryan has always recognized what's important in life. He worked hard to get a good job, to serve in his Church, to buy a home and car, etc., He was successful in many areas. However, he  was not satisfied because he knew the most important thing he needed to do was to find a wife. He continued to be patient (although it was very hard) and to date and to be more patient and date, and to be more patient, and to date some more until finally that goal will be met a week from his birthday! It makes the wedding all the sweeter and more special now!

Ryan KNOWS HOW TO MAKE SACRIFICES! He has worked hard to get out of debt, to not over consume or over buy, to say no even when he wants to say yes to getting something he wants, etc., That self control and self -denial will pay off in the long run. I am proud of his ability to do this.

Ryan DREAMS BIG! In High School the home he "designed" was 17,000 square feet. His High School teacher was impressed with his lack of intimidation for big ideas and dreams.

If I were to describe Ryan in several words, one word would have to be that he is INTERNALLY GOOD  and is naturally a kind and caring man. When someone is good inside they bless others by doing good for them and by setting an example of goodness. Ryan is that kind of man.

Other words to describe Ryan would be STEADY, FAITHFUL AND TRUE. He stays on course, he faithfully keeps moving towards his goal, and he is not distracted by others and the directions they are headed. What wonderful qualities to have in life!

Another word I would use to describe Ryan is SUCCESSFUL. He pays the price to be successful, he works hard and he stays determined to reach his goals. 

Ryan is also CARING and AWARE OF OTHERS FEELINGS! Because of some of the trials he has had in his life, he is sensitive to others situations and desires to lessen their burdens and make them feel comfortable in their environment.

Oh, how our family loves Ryan! We are deeply grateful God sent him to our home to be part of our family. We love you immensely and are eternally grateful for a loving and merciful God who brought you to us and now has brought you and Sarah together!

Davis Family Christmas Blog site

Hi everyone,

     Every year, our family posts a new Christmas letter (which has mostly taken the place of a mailed letter). We also post new family photo's and happenings of the year. 

     We want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. We love you! 

     Go visit our Christmas blog site at:

web.mac.com/newbremen/Site/Welcome.html

My son Jeffrey

     Today is Jeffrey's 26th Birthday. I wish to  pay tribute to him. The most important people I write my blogs for are my children (and their families). I also feel it's very important to stay in touch with our family and friends (and  I love to interact with them), and this is a wonderful way to do that! Since I do not live close by my children, I feel this avenue is an excellent way for me to express my thoughts and feelings to them, and to let them know what's going on in our lives. It's also a great way to share my life with them and help them learn and understand who their mother is (now seeing me from an adult's perspective). 

     I love the easy access to blogs and the fact that other family members and close friends can also share our lives and we can share theirs. I have learned SO MUCH about others by reading their blogs. If this tribute seems too personal for some of you, I understand. It's actually meant as a birthday gift - to publicly let Jeffrey know how special he is to me and what a wonderful son he is to me.

     I hope this doesn't come across as  bragging -  this isn't my intent whatsoever. I just wish to

highlight Jeffrey's  amazing and wonderful qualities and pay tribute to him publicly. I believe one of a mother's responsibilities is to help her child see the good in themselves, to help encourage, lift and build their sense of who they are, and their potential. So Jeffrey - this is a tribute to you!

     Most of you reading this know that we almost lost Jeffrey this past summer. He was in a kayaking accident and nearly drowned in the Snake River, even wearing a life jacket. When I was made aware of this incident, my whole being quaked, and my mind didn't really settle down until a  week later. I was up at nights, I was on my knees, I was SO GRATEFUL that the Lord spared his life and that there were no repercussions from this. I tell you this because I have seriously  pondered about my son Jeffrey's life and how much I love him and how PRECIOUS he is to me.  The thought of losing him stared me straight in the face.  I also  pondered about how others have lost sons and daughters (including my own mother) and how a loss like that affects you forever. And so my thoughts and feelings about Jeffrey are keen and sensitive and raw.

Why I'm so Grateful for my Son Jeffrey

I am SO GRATEFUL for Jeffrey's UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR OTHERS. Jeffrey treats everyone he meets as a friend. He is non-judgmental of others and respects others for who they are. When Jeffrey is around there is a spirit of goodwill, of friendship, of kindness and of charity. Thank you Jeffrey for your example of this. It's an amazing quality.

I am SO GRATEFUL for Jeffrey's SENSITIVITY for others feelings. Jeffrey always knew when I was down. He could recognize it by just looking at me. His words "What's wrong mom?" would often accompany him coming over to give me an unsolicited back rub. His hands are so large and he has such strength that he really gives the best back rubs period! He always knew when I needed a lift and a boost and he was there to give it to me. This happened even when Jeffrey was in High School. It always was and still is very touching to me. 

I am SO GRATEFUL for Jeffrey's SENSE OF ADVENTURE. He loves the outdoors and loves excitement. He has a love for nature and for the mountains. I don't think we will ever see him living in Ohio. He loves the Rockies too much. I love that he is in touch with the beautiful creations around him and thrives on being among them.

I am SO GRATEFUL for Jeffrey's CREATIVITY. I had school teachers tell me how creative he is. This is one of his talents and he is very gifted in this area. Whatever area Jeffrey works in, his creativity shows. I am usually in awe of  his gifts in this area. 

I am SO GRATEFUL for Jeffrey's SENSE OF WHO HE IS. He is one to set goals and accomplish them. He is one to make plans for his life. He is one to financially plan, to physically plan, to spiritually plan, to academically plan. If he sets a goal to get straight A's, he does. If he sets a goal to lose so much weight, he does. 

I am SO GRATEFUL for Jeffrey's LEADERSHIP skills. Jeffrey has incredible and amazing leadership skills. We as parents recognized this at a very young age. We would try to encourage him in his leadership skills. He would tell us "But Mom, I don't want to be a leader!". He has since lead in many areas including being an assistant to the president and branch president on his mission. He decided that one of the most important things to do for the youth of that branch was to have them experience going to the Manila, Philippines Temple so they could have the Spirit with them in abundance and to desire to return. He arranged that to happen, which took much planning, much sacrifice and much leadership.

I am SO GRATEFUL for Jeffrey's HEART. He really cares about others. He has empathy and compassion and goodness within. He helps others readily. 

I am SO GRATEFUL for Jeffrey's SENSE OF HUMOR. He is a lot of fun to be around. He gets that from his dad! He has an enthusiasm for life which is contagious.

I am SO GRATEFUL for  Jeffrey's LOYALTY. The loyalty he had for his friends in High School was unbelievable. His trait of loyalty will serve him well his whole life.

I am SO GRATEFUL that Jeffrey can recognize when he is not on the best path and decides to change towards a better way. This reminds me of President Oak's talk about  good, better and then best. He can change directions and go towards more light and goodness which I have seen him do many times. This seems to be the key to self-discipline, improvement and progression.

I am SO GRATEFUl for Jeffrey's DESIRE TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT. I know at times other avenues look tempting, but he strives to stick to the straight and narrow path. 

I am SO GRATEFUL for Jeffrey's SENSE OF PRIORITIES.  After his mission, most Friday and Saturday nights were spent with his family. He said he just would rather spend time with his family than with anyone else. That warms a mother's heart!

If I were to describe Jeffrey in one word, I would use the word SUCCESSFUL. He keeps trying. When given hard blows, he gets back up and keeps running. He accomplishes what he makes up his mind to do. He works hard to make things happen, and he pays the price to accomplish what he sets out to accomplish. He has a drive and an energy that brings success.

I would also describe Jeffrey as COMPASSIONATE. He has kindness and love and sensitivity in his heart, and he is just so aware of those who need their hands to be lifted up and their hearts to be cheered and strengthened.

Jeffrey is also AUTHENTIC. He is who he is. He speaks his mind, he expresses his trials and his blessings, and  he recognizes God's hand in his life. He is always SINCERE and his comments are heartfelt.

William and I and our family are extremely blessed to have this valiant son in our midst. Happy Birthday Jeffrey! We love you PAST THE NUMBERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(See slide show  below of Jeffrey)

Happy Birthday Jeffrey

Laura Lee's 24th Birthday

Singing Handel's "Messiah"

It was a GREAT day yesterday! I have the privilege every year to sing  Handel's Messiah. I am a member of  the Gateway Choral Society and have sung The Messiah at Christmastime for 12 years now. It's such a blessing in my life. Yesterday was our performance and it was very moving to me. I love music of all kinds. My favorite music is  sacred, spiritual music. Handel's music moves me like no other music!  It is really the main thing I do to bring Christmas (the Spirit of Christ) to my soul. It's actually so special, because the words and music become part of who you are and you sing whole hearted praise and testimony to "God and The Lamb".

Now I am not a gifted singer. I would love to have that talent, but it's not mine. However, I can blend and harmonize and my alto voice adds to the choir as a whole.  

Yesterday my soul was grateful beyond measure for our Savior who will be "King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and who will reign forever and ever"! 

The day ended with the First Presidency Devotional which also filled my heart! Yesterday was definitely a highlight of my year!

Below is a little about the history of "The Messiah" for those who are interested! I always find it FASCINATING that Handel wrote the Messiah in only 24 days. That goes to show you how truly inspired it really is!

 

                 The Messiah

"The Gateway Choral Society, under the direction of Phil Chilcote, will once again perform the beloved Christmas oratorio, The Messiah, written by the German-born composer George Frederic Handel (1685-1759). The work based completely upon Scripture, was first presented in Dublin, Ireland, in December 1741. He wrote it in just 24 days. The first audience was so impressed by the music that they gave a standing ovation during the "Hallelujah Chorus". Since then, audiences have observed the custom of standing for the memorable number. 

Our missionary son!

This is a picture that our son's missionary companion's mother sent to me. It makes me smile when I see it. 

Our missionary son the day he arrived in Las Vegas

These are pictures Michael's mission president sent to us! We are so grateful for them!

Happy Birthday Laura Lee

Today is Laura Lee's 24th birthday. I am beyond words  grateful for her! She is a joy in our family's life. I wish to honor her and highlight her life today. I am a better person having her in my life. God blessed William and me richly when he sent us our little girl!

I am grateful for the joy Laura Lee brings to everyone around her! Laura Lee has a spunk and enthusiasm for life! She is fun to be around! She has an energy which is contagious.  She lights up a room. She is a breath of fresh air. Others love to be around her!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's sense of self. Laura Lee is true to herself. She is real. She is not afraid to discuss her opinions with others. She sets an example in the area of self authenticity!

Laura Lee is a good friend to others. I am grateful for the friendships she has developed over the years. Since she had no sisters, she has reached outward and found good friends to share life with. She is loyal to her friends and gives honest feedback. She is generous and giving with others!

 I am grateful Laura Lee understands priorities in life! Laura Lee is a wonderful mother who knows how influential she is in Addie's life. She is a stay at home mother as her husband goes to school. She makes many sacrifices and is embracing the joys, yet challenges of motherhood. I admire her greatly for placing her husband and child at the top of her priority list. When Laura Lee was a  junior in High School, she was in a pageant, in which she placed first runner up. When asked the question "Where do you see yourself in ten years?", she responded "being a stay at home mother with lot of kids around me". She also spoke with respect about seeing me in my role as mother and wanting to follow that. She spoke with conviction about  how important a mother is in her child's life.  Many people afterwards told us they were in tears after she was done with her answer. It rang true to everyone. Also, in High School when doing a "career report" she wanted  to focus on the "career" of being a mother. She was told this was not an acceptable career choice and she needed to choose something else. It has been sad at times when others around us don't understand the importance of motherhood. Laura Lee has always innately understood this!

I am grateful Laura Lee understands the importance of home! Laura Lee seeks to make her home a beautiful place. With the little resources she has, she has made her home lovely. She has painted, sewn, crafted, bargain hunted, learned from others, etc., and because of this her home is inviting, warm and beautiful! She continually seeks to improve her surroundings to make it a place a beauty!

Laura Lee is a great homemaker. This one developed when she had HER OWN HOME! She has learned the homemaking skills of cooking (she's a great cook) , keeping a home orderly, budgeting, laundry skills, etc., It's a blessing to her family! She is talented at picking up homemaking skills quickly. I am learning from her at this point, and love to be taught the skills she has developed! I am grateful we can have this mother/daughter relationship  where my daughter is the teacher!

Laura Lee is a nurturer. She has taken her brothers under her wing and has been a second mother to them. She has been amazingly loving as she has helped her younger brothers (especially Michael and Tanner) in their development to manhood. I appreciate her support, her kindness and her sincere help. She has been a friend and confidant to Ryan and Jeffrey. It's a blessing  beyond words, one I can't even express adequately.

Laura Lee married well, very well! We are so proud of Marc and love him like our son. We are so grateful for Marc!  He is so good. He has so many amazing qualities. He is such a hard worker. He is  intelligent, unselfish, and  such a protector for his little family. He is so committed to his church service and to helping others when they need it. He sacrifices greatly for his family! Laura Lee and Marc work so well together. They are devoted parents. They are such givers! They are awesome together!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's talents. She has helped me in the dance arena much of her life. She embraced the love I had for dance. It was a joy watching her perform on stage all those many years. (She also competitively cheered  in High School and it was fun to see her in cheer also.) She had passion in her dancing and was an example to so many of my students. She assisted dance classes and then taught them. Later she was a backstage manager at my dance recitals, and now helps me with costume orders. Laura Lee also has the talent of thoughtful gift giving. This is such a hard thing, but she is amazingly good at this. She makes her own cards, sews many of the gifts she gives and is generous in this area. Laura Lee was first chair in flute most of her High School years. She was captain of her competitive flag corp and always placed superior.  Laura Lee is a woman of many talents and continues to develop them!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's search for truth. She had steadily gained a strong testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and of his gospel. She seeks to live by the Savior's teachings. She is unselfish, dedicated, and serves willingly. She has faith, hope and charity!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's strength. She stands for what is right. She is a leader. She has strong convictions! 

If I were to describe Laura Lee in one word it would be wise. She is wise beyond her years. She understands the plan of salvation and her role in it and seeks to follow it.  She understands priorities and choices.  She is becoming "a mother who knows" in all she does. 

Another word to describe Laura Lee is nurturing. She has become unselfish and seeks to make others happy. She seeks to help others when they need help. She is a friend to those who need a friend. She cares for others in her own special way and helps them to be their best self. She is a nurturing mother and wife. She is a nurturing sister and friend. 

Our family is so blessed to have this choice daughter and sister to be among us. We love you Laura Lee and are so grateful for your life!

A DELICIOUS PARTY FOOD!

I had a party at my home for some community friends last Saturday and had lots of food, but this was THE HIT of the evening. I found it on a website and it sounded delicious! IT IS!! 

It's a relatively healthy snack with a good balance of protein, healthy carbs, and healthy fats (and sugar which is not at all healthy, but this just wouldn't be the same without the caramel). 

ENJOY and let me know how you like them!

Caramel Apple Squares

12 ounces Brie cheese

6 - 8 ounces caramel sauce

1 cup chopped pecans

5 - 7 apples (I used Granny smith and really liked the tart/sweet flavor)

Core apples (peel if you wish - I didn't) and cut in slices. Soak apples in a pineapple juice while completing the following steps to avoid premature browning of the apples.

Pell the outer layer off of the Brie (I had to trim it off ) and slice the cheese into bite-size squares and lay out on parchment paper or a baking sheet.

Heat the caramel sauce over low heat until it will drizzle slowly of off of a spoon (just a couple of minutes)

Drizzle caramel sauce over the cheese and then top with pecans.

Drain apples

Place each Brie square on a slice of apple and place on a serving platter. (I think these are best when the Brie cheese is really soft (left out for a little bit) and melts in your mouth!

Today I'm thankful for my SKIN and BENADRYL!

I had a major problem last Thursday. I broke out in a rash and hives. I was teaching an exercise class (cycle and sculpt) and my legs started itching. I looked down and saw red bumps (a rash appearing) on my legs. As the class progressed, it got worse and worse. It was extremely uncomfortable, irritating and confusing. I have never had any problems WHATSOEVER with rashes, skin irritations, etc., By the time I got home, my  legs were  was covered with hives and I had some on my arms also.  Now I didn't even know what a hive was until my class members told me that's what I had. They said my exercising made it way worse. (I am completely ignorant of skin issues). 

I promptly took Benadryl and got in a cold bath and then shower (another thing my class members suggested.)  I was able to get some relief. I went back to the YMCA to teach a yoga class and when I mentioned I had had a rash earlier in the morning, everyone backed away from me. It was funny.

Anyway, within a few hours the rash was gone and I was terribly SLEEPY! I am figuring it was a side effect of the medication. I was so relieved to have the rash and itching problem gone. I have new sympathy for allergy sufferers and people who have allergic reactions to anything!

Now comes the hard part. What did I react to? What was I SO ALLERGIC to? I began to rack my brain. Was the problem the wool leg warmers I had worn the day earlier? (I've worn them several times before). Was the problem the breakfast I had eaten (grapefruit and cottage cheese)? Was the problem the Mexican restaurant I had eaten at the day before and had never eaten there before? Was the problem the Agape (similar to Goodwill) store I had been to the day before to donate items and had stayed there a half hour to sort clothes? I RACKED my brain trying to figure out WHAT WAS DIFFERENT and what could it be?

I still have not figured it out except for I KNOW it wasn't the Mexican food, because I had a doggie bag and decided to eat it the next day to see if that was the problem. I need to "expose myself" again to wear the leg warmers and  eat a grapefruit to rule them out.  Should I go to an allergist?  

Well, hopefully the mystery will be figured out sooner rather than later. I'll keep you posted!!

AND I have a new respect and appreciation for my SKIN  which has been so good to me for so long and has done it's job of protecting me. And I am thankful for Benadryl which saved me hours and maybe days of suffering!

Any ideas, comments, or suggestions would be appreciated. I am new to this problem!

Isn't technology wonderful?

Today I'm counting my blessings which involve this amazing technological world. I'm thankful for email, blogspots,  ichats , itunes, ipods, digital camera's, scanners, computers, Dish network, etc., 

It really is all a marvel. I was talking to my daughter Laura Lee and reminded her that when I had my first child, Ryan, his big time entertainment (when he was Addie's age) was a record player! No joke!  He and Jeffrey listened to "Tawny, Scrawny Lion" over and over and over again on that record player. I have been reminded of it as our grand daughter Addie wants to watch  the DVD "Nemo" over and over and over again. My conclusion - children/SAME ----technology/WAY DIFFERENT!

I have been so grateful for the blogspots and emails lately. Some of you will remember when we had to write letters to everyone to communicate in written form. If someone was really on the ball and wanted family members to know what was going on in their lives - they would write a letter and mail the letter on and  each family would write their current happenings until all the family members had received the letter.  I light up every time there is a new posting of someone I love. I cherish the photo's that are readily available and free! I love that someone can post and a minute later I can read and see everything. It's been an amazing blessing in my life. I am really big on trying to let people know how much they mean to me and how much I care about them. Keeping in touch with people I love through this method is the BEST!

I think email is such an amazing convenience!  Number one, it's free. Number two, it is so efficient. Number three, it's immediate!  I love email. I have especially appreciated it lately with a son on a mission. Our oldest son was never allowed to email while on his mission. We had to wait for letters from the Philippines. Now, I get news from my missionary the minute it's sent. I have also been emailing to Japan, Madagascar, Honduras lately and it's trouble free. I've  also recently sent emails to missionary mom's who have missionaries in our branch. I've  sent pictures and letters about their missionary son. It took me all of 10 minutes to do each time.  Every mom has been so grateful! One mom in Japan said she had not received a picture of her son in over 6 months until she got the pictures I sent through email.  What a blessing!

I think i-chat is wonderful! We watched our grand daughter take her first steps on i-chat. We met Marc and Sarah and Jenn on i-chat. We often talk to our parents, and loved ones on i-chat. It is an amazing tool and is the next best thing to being there!

Being able to watch or listen to any church talk given, get our Church's General Conference live,  dig up anything  written in a church magazine on the internet, store photographs so conveniently, retrieve information so readily is all an amazing blessing! I remember the days we would write to the TV networks thanking them for putting one session of General Conference on a station. I remember "saving" Church magazines because they were so precious and had so many good articles in them and I wanted to have access to them. I remember the library being the ONLY place you could do research. The need to store information, memories, and profound wisdom is ageless. We just have a better method now! 

Conclusion - people/SAME - --technology/WAY DIFFERENT 

The music world is INCREDIBLE now, and at our fingertips so readily! The world of photography is such a blessing. 

Well, I could go on and on like I typically do. I think I've made my point. The younger generation needs to have these blessings pointed out. It's so convenient and easy to keep in touch now,  to store our treasures, and learn from Master teachers!

One last thought  ------------ I don't think technology has made us a better people. Only as we make choices from good to better to best, and become from the inside out who we really are (sons and daughters of God) do we become better people.

Only as we put away our selfish, prideful, carnal selves  and become a Saint through the Atonement of Christ do we truly begin to reach our potential. 

Technology has made everything more convenient and easy (like washing machines and dishwashers and microwaves). People in "the olden days" treasured what we treasure today. They loved connecting and communicating with family,  they loved music and song, they loved  connecting with God, they loved capturing memories, they loved what we love today and they found the best ways they could to do that, no matter what generation they were in. We just have things so much more readily available and at our fingertips. And anything that contributes to  these fundamental needs of humanity and makes them easier IS INDEED A BLESSING!

I'm thankful for the FOUR SEASONS!

Today I am thankful for the four seasons. Over the last few days it has snowed in Ohio.  The older I get, the less I like the cold weather. However I couldn't help but notice the tremendous beauty of the snow as it came pouring down.  I couldn't help but feel the excitement of the first snowfall of the season. Yesterday the snow covered the trees, grass and bushes. It was lovely and picturesque. There is something ever so cozy about snuggling up in a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate! There is a purity about winter. There is a stillness. I heard one little girl exclaim about the recent snow  " I love it!". 

The Fall colors recently had their chance to shine and it was brilliant as well. Autumn has a  harmonious feeling about it!  There is a richness and a bounteous attitude about fall.  God's handiwork is cleverly highlighted and no one can deny the gloriousness of it all. 

The Summer is also spectacular! The flowers in various stages of  bloom are my favorite thing about Summer. God's detail to each flower, each petal is amazing! I love a green world. Ohio, during the summer,  is alive with bright green shades everywhere. The blue shades of sky mixed with the white cotton clouds blend so brilliantly with the green hues.  The flowers pop their amazing colors and the earth feels vibrant, full of life, and full of goodness!

The Spring is the most welcome time of year for me! I am so grateful when the first blades of a Tulip bulb burst through the ground, the first robin appears, and the first buds of my Lilac tree turn green. I love the Springtime. We sense an awakening of the earth at springtime.  The sun and warmth are so appreciated and so embraced. The symbols of the awakening earth sink deeply into my soul and remind me about our resurrected Savior.

Wow, I didn't expect to get so carried away about the Seasons. However, I just gave a talk in church last week about gratitude. It has helped me see and recognize God's hand in about everything in my life. I have a long way to go yet. I still take so many things for granted. I still 

need to work on this principle - but I am feeling so thankful in so many ways for so many blessings. This lovely earth God made for me and for you is incredible!

 

I LOVE YOU PAST THE NUMBERS

I just wrote a letter to my missionary son. As I completed the letter, I wrote:  "I LOVE YOU PAST THE NUMBERS!". In our family this is an expression of the infinite, inexpressible, vast,  love we have for each other.

It all started when our son Jeffrey was just a little boy. We were telling him, and our other children how much we loved them.

I love you "this much" we would say as we opened our arms as wide as possible. This would go on as we tried to describe our love and go beyond the previous statement of love expressed. 

We tried to make the love seem bigger. "I love you as big as this house", "I love you from here to California", "I love you from here to the stars", - anyway, you get the idea.

We  were all doing our best to describe the indescribable. Finally Jeffrey said these simple words that have profound meaning to our family - I LOVE YOU PAST THE NUMBERS!

We were all caught back and recognized the profoundness of his words.  That was the best description of our love we could come up with - and it stuck!

Michael is in LAS VEGAS!!

I was so blessed to receive a short phone call from Michael this morning from the Salt Lake City airport. (: I can't tell you how good it was to hear his voice. It brought tears to my eyes just hearing him talk. He was flying to Las Vegas with 10 other missionaries. Michael was district leader over 9 of them and knows them all very well. He says he's made some good friends. This group was to have breakfast with their mission president once they arrived.

He has grown a great deal in the last 3 weeks and we are so grateful he is doing well. His mission address is:

Elder Michael Austin Davis
3127 East Warm Springs Road #200
Las Vegas, Nevada 89120-3134

He would love your letters and we all appreciate your prayers!

I love being a missionary MOM!

She's a beauty!

Laura Lee and Addie came to visit us this past weekend! We had a lot of visitors on Saturday including our daughter and grand daughter, the missionaries and some friends that graduated at BYU with William in the Industrial Design department.

I was able to get this great picture of Addie's smile!

There's hair to comb!

Look at the hair Addie finally has!

A carpet of leaves

The leaves have fallen and fallen. This picture is the first of the "crop". We raked the second crop today.
The trees are almost bare. I am glad most of the work is now DONE!

I'm grateful for the right to vote

Yesterday when I sat down to vote, a wave of gratitude swept over me. I have never felt more grateful to vote. That freedom alone is so marvelous and is such a blessing to all of us who have that privilege! Lives have been sacrificed for our great liberty and I hope to never take it for granted!

Now, I was more involved in the political process for this election than normal, passing out right- to -life pamphlets until I had blisters! My candidate did not win and I am very concerned about the future of our nation. I pray for this nation and her leaders and will continue to do to. I know God will watch over her as long as her people will turn to Him! I think that's my biggest concern!

I believe my vote did count and it counted for every other person who had the right to vote! The people have spoken. My prayer is that American's will realize how much we need God to help us at this critical and crucial time and will ask for His help and guidance!

God bless the USA!

A Tribute to our parents!

Today my blog is about how thankful I am for my parents and for my husband’s parents. They are wonderful people! We feel so blessed that they are in good health and are so active! They set such great examples in so many areas. In their golden years they have faithfully and unselfishly served in many capacities and they are enduring so amazingly well.

Both of our parents served missions in their later years which include Nauvoo, Romania and the Philippines. We are so grateful for their example and for what they have taught us by their sacrifice and dedicated service.

My father has served in the Bishopric in a BYU-Idaho University ward for the last several years. My father was just called in September to be a Bishop of a BYU-Idaho University Ward. Now some of you may not know what that entails but there's a great deal of time, energy, and commitment spent in this endeavor. It involves many meetings, getting to know many new names and faces, callings of service for EVERY college student in his ward, the planning of worship services, activities for college students, etc., My dad is so committed to his new calling and it's been wonderful to watch him be so dedicated! I was so grateful I could be there as he was ordained a Bishop and especially to be able to hear his testimony about Jesus Christ.

This calling would tax any man at any age, but my father is in his 70's and is going strong. It's been a testimony builder for me to watch that whom the Lord calls the Lord qualifies. I know God is his strength.

My mother served in the Relief Society organization (A women's organization in our church that was started in 1842) for the BYU-Idaho college girls as an advisor. I watched her in her role as she taught a lesson one Sunday. It was a lesson that was powerful and spiritual! She is a tremendous support to my Father and is sacrificing right now to be alone more as my Father fulfills his calling.

Before my Father was called to be Bishop, my parents were workers in the Temple. They would get up very early every Tuesday morning (like 4:00 AM sometimes) to fulfill that responsibility.

William's parents were just released (this month) from their church calling with Dad being a member of the Idaho Falls Temple presidency (for three years) and his mother serving as an assistant to the matron. This also involves amazing stamina, sacrifice and energy. I have often thought how demanding that calling would be for William and me at our age, but it is very obvious that the Lord strengthened them in abundance to fulfill their responsibility. They had willing minds and hearts and did all they could do and the Lord made up the rest! They would work three or four times a week in the Temple, sometimes getting up at 3:00 AM and work rotating, changing schedules. They would work about 40 hours a week there, (ten hour days, four times a week). It’s simply amazing and faith building for me!

I would like to emphasize to our children that this is an amazing feat which both your grandparents have done! Your heritage is great and you are expected to carry it on!

Thank you mom and dad for exhibiting your faith and living your testimony!

Fall in all its glory!

Actually, this post is to invoke sympathy from my readers! Fall is glorious. I love the colors and sights of fall. I love the aroma's and tastes of fall (apple cider and pumpkin pie/bread are two of my favorites). We have had an incredible fall this year. HOWEVER, there is one thing I dread about autumn. My children know what it is!

We have 6 very large maple trees in our yard. Every year we must RAKE their fallen leaves all to the curb. Now that we are down to just Tanner the workload will be shared between just the three of us. (Okay adult children, I know you are gleeful about this!) We just bought a new leaf blower {we wanted the backpack kind - but it was $500.00 ):} but someone still has to rake the leaves.

And so the leaves have turned their brilliant gold/yellow color and will soon fall. (Tanner and I already did one small raking.)
And so WISH ME THE BEST! It's a TON OF WORK! Our neighbors have few trees and our leaves all blow into their yard. This makes this time of year even more stressful, because they don't necessarily like raking OUR leaves. (We often go into their yards and rake our fallen leaves.) New Bremen residents are meticulous about their yards and often mow up or rake up every leaf!

I at least need my granddaughter here to PLAY in the leaves at least ONCE before they are taken away so we can ENJOY THEM!
They are one of God's best play toys!

A quiet home

With Michael on his mission and William out of town our home was quiet this last week. A quiet home is something I have always loved! My family is LOUD. They are boisterous. They have energy and excitement and passion. I have yearned for peace and quiet most of my married life. And yet now, I am realizing that I NEED some excitement and noise. I didn't realize that a home can be TOO quiet if it's for a longer period of time.

Now, I still love a quiet home. I love silence when I read, or write or study. But, I am coming to the conclusion that there needs to be a balance. I've grown accustomed to the noise and I amazingly DO miss it. I guess it's not the noise I miss, but my family!

I suppose this is my introduction to being an empty nester. I am grateful Tanner is still home and that we can enjoy two more years with him. He is a wonderful son. I was grateful to be able to spend some one on one time with him this last week.
( It was very strange for me to cook for only two this past week. I haven't done that in 28 years. It feels foreign to me! I still had a fridge full of food by the end of the week.)

And so I will learn and adapt in this new phase in my life. I thoroughly love having adult children who are examples to me and teach me! I love being a grandmother and having Marc and Laura Lee live so close by.( It would be a much harder stage without them near.) I love to watch my children become... I love the fact that Ryan is getting married next month to such a wonderful young woman. I love to watch Jeffrey strive to reach his potential in his talents. I love to watch Marc and Laura Lee be such devoted and loving parents to Addie. I love to witness Michael's transformation into a missionary. I love to see Tanner set goals and be so motivated to achieve them.

And so for now, I will bask in this new stage of life. I will enjoy the quiet more reflective times. And when the louder, more chaotic times come, I will be grateful!

What I love about Michael

Since Michael has "left" for his mission, I wish to express my gratitude for him. We love him with a pure and tender love and feel so blessed to have him as our son.

I am so grateful for a son who is kind and loving and sensitive. I am grateful for his ability to laugh and enjoy life. I am thankful for his fun loving nature and for his ability to find joy in life. He loves to tease and joke and play around.

I am grateful for his unique talents and abilities. Michael has always been incredible with children. He has great patience with them, and works well with them. Our granddaughter, Addie loves him so much and would rather be with him at this point than with her grandparents. One of his jobs at the YMCA has been to work with local children as they learn basketball, soccer, sports in general, etc., He is a natural with ALL children. I have always told Michael he will be a GREAT father because he loves children so much!


I am grateful for Michael’s goodness. He wants to do the right thing and has been willing to serve wherever he is needed. In our small church branch, Michael has usually been the “substitute” whenever one is suddenly needed. He has been a relief teacher in Primary, and nursery quite often.

I am grateful for Michael’s willingness to serve. His last church calling was as a branch missionary. He has gone on MANY splits with the Elders. He has learned much from them and their examples.

I am grateful for Michael’s desire to cleave to his family. He has always had an internal need to know where the members of his family are, what time they will be back, when they are home, etc., The biggest sacrifice he will experience while on his mission is missing his family. One of his greatest wishes before his mission was to meet his future sister-in-law Sarah before he left. Thank you Ryan and Sarah for making that happen!

I am grateful for Michael’s love for the gospel. Michael’s major desire before his mission was to attend General Conference. We were able to fulfill that dream and he was so grateful and said it was one of the best weekends in his life.

I am grateful for Michael’s enthusiasm. He seems like a quiet child (he even has a label from his aunt, “The perfect child”), but he can hoop and holler when he watches football. He has a great love for football (especially college football) and we will miss his excitement for the game.

I am grateful for Michael’s perspective. He injured his shoulder (big time) playing football (the guy who injured it is now an Ohio State football player) and had to have surgery on it and forfeit playing High School football. His perspective was amazing (for one so young). He told me “Mom, I think I am supposed to learn something from this”, and also said “I know this trial will make me stronger.”

I am grateful for Michael’s compassion. He has a special friend in our village named Jake. Jake has down’s syndrome and has a hard time fitting in. He is about 16 and goes to school with the other kids his age. Jake was always calling our home and asking if Michael “could play”. Michael was truly a friend to Jake and Jake knew it! They would go play basketball together, go to the YMCA and swim, play video games in our attic, watch movies together, etc., I really believe Michael understands how special Jake is. I am grateful for Michael’s example in this area!

If I could describe Michael in several words, the first word I would use is that he is valiant. He has shown courage in many situations of standing for the right. He has been an incredible influence and an example to many, many people in our community. It has not been easy for him in many circumstances living in the mission field, but he has been strong and valiant and has overcome what he has needed to overcome.

I would also describe Michael as family-oriented. He loves the sociality of a family and loves being with his family. He loves the closeness and togetherness of a family.

I know so many of you love and appreciate Michael also and are praying for his success as a missionary. Thank you for your kindness to him and to our family!

Well, you can tell how much my heart is involved in this bittersweet moment in a mother’s life when she lets her missionary go. The main emotion I am feeling however is GRATITUDE (roller coaster high) to God for blessing me in such incredible ways!

A "modern" family portrait

Our family picture (with Aunt Missy in it). Addie our granddaughter was in bed!
Hey, it's the best we could do for two years!

Michael with family on the day before he entered the MTC

Michael went out to lunch with family (thanks mom and dad) and were able to have a fun memory of being together.
I love my family!

Michael at the MTC with Jeffrey and Jennifer

Jeffrey, his girlfriend Jennifer, and Michael's Aunt Missy were able to drop Michael off at the MTC. We are so grateful they could do this. Thank you to all three of you. You are very loved!

Saying goodbye to Michael at the Dayton airport

Wow! I’m a missionary mom again. I count it as one of my greatest privileges and blessings in life! There is nothing else like it! My heart swells with gratitude and love. This week has been an emotional roller coaster. I have such thanksgiving in my heart for Ryan finding Sarah (thank you Missy) and for the fulfillment of their anticipated engagement. I honestly couldn’t have hand picked anyone more wonderful than Sarah. I feel the same way about my son-in-law Marc. I never knew I could love others like I love my own children, but I do and it’s wonderful!

I am so grateful for Ryan and Jeffrey and Marc who have served a mission. I am so grateful for Michael who has made that decision and is just at the commencement of his mission. My life has been blessed in countless, amazing ways because of my son’s (including Marc) decisions to serve missions.

We dropped off Michael at the Dayton airport on Monday, October 20th 2008. We had a delicious breakfast beforehand (which is a tradition in the Davis family). I must say we all (Lynda, William, Michael and Tanner) cried many tears. It was so hard to say goodbye. (This was the downward spiral of the roller coaster.) Michael did not go to college before his mission so his leaving seemed very abrupt to us. Although it was difficult to say goodbye, our gratitude is so much greater than our sorrow and deep inside it feels so right. A missionary mom recently wrote to me about the idea that the Lord can do more with your son in 2 years than a mom can do in the first 19 years, it’s so true! I am so grateful he has the opportunity to serve the Lord (and others) and learn more lessons about humility, relying on the Holy Ghost, charity, and focusing on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful he can lead others to Christ. What more could a mother want for her child?

Michael was so ready to go on his mission and we have heard so many comments from others about how well prepared he is and about what a great missionary he will be. The woman who sat next to him on the airplane even called us and told us what a special missionary he was! It warms our hearts when we hear from others how special they think he is. Every mother joys in that. One of my favorite scriptures is found in 3 John, which says “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth”.

My feelings have been especially sentimental lately. It has been such a privilege to be a mother of four sons and one daughter. “My cup runneth over”.

Michael - on the day he was set apart as a missionary

This is a picture taken right before Michael was set apart as a missionary. It was a great day! One of our good friends, President Dennis Smith set him apart. The Smith’s gave him the suit pin he is wearing in the video (below), which stands for “Endure to the End”. We all had dinner at their home after that. I was grateful Laura Lee, Marc and Addie could come. Thank you Marc and Laura Lee for being so influential in Michael’s life. He looks up to you in so may ways!

Video of Michael entering the MTC

This is a beautiful video that my son Jeffrey made for us. Jeffrey dropped off Michael at the MTC and we were so grateful to see it like we were there. This video goes right to our hearts!


Michael MTC Video from Jeff Davis on Vimeo.

GUESS WHO'S ENGAGED!!!!! YEAH!

We are thrilled to announce that Ryan and Sarah Davidson are engaged to be married on December 30th, 2008 in the Idaho Falls Temple. They will be married by William's father.

We are so excited to have Sarah join our family and we love her so much!

Congratulations to you two! We couldn't be happier!

To see Ryan and Sarah's story visit their cute new blog: ryan-sarah.blogspot.com

8 Random things about me (Lynda)

I have been tagged again. Here goes:

Theses are 8 random things about me.
#1. I am a romantic at heart. I love romantic movies, music, sentiments, letters, etc., I have learned however that most of the time I need to be a realist in rearing a family.
#2. I love musicals- any kind. I like them better with good dancing! I recently went on a movie watching spree and rented movies with with Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn, Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Ester Williams, etc., and had the time of my life.
#3. I have never mowed my lawn. I have gotten behind a mower before and done some mowing but have never completely done it. (I don't like doing it either. Maybe that would change if we had a riding lawn mower?).
#4. I color code my scriptures and have about 18 categories. I have done this for about 25 years now and wouldn't know how to mark my scriptures another way. When marking them, I mark every word a color. Crazy, huh?
#5. I enjoy exercising! Every time I am introduced to a new form of exercising I am intrigued and learn to really like it. Right now I am into "Zumba" which is a Latin dance class which is geared to make you work up a sweat and yet feels like a dance party. I love Yoga, Pilates, Cycle (Spinning), Step, Walking, and like Swimming and running. I teach Yoga, Pilates and Cycle sculpt right now at the YMCA.
#6. I needed to get reading glasses this year. It's the pits! Enjoy your close vision while you can!!
#7. My secret wish for my family (before I was married) was for us all to sit around the piano and sing songs together. Talk about faulty expectations!!!!
#8. One of my "favorite things" is cards and letters of any kind. I love sending them, receiving them, reading them. I love to receive them from children, family (hint, hint) and others.