GRATITUDE

Our basement flooded, again!  The Weber water was turned on yesterday and we had an open hose spigot.  It filled the window well in Alex's room and ran into the hall and a little in Jed's room.  This is  the third time this area has been flooded.

As Dad and I were struggling to get the water out with our one shop vac, I did a totally uncharacteristic thing for me.  I called for help.  I called Janet Smith who is now the RS president and who was a counselor of mine in the Primary, and who will always be a good friend.  She immediately sent her very big son with some box fans.  He helped Dad move the bed out to the game room and after surveying everything, said he would be back with their shop vac.  He said I get out of school (at Weber) at noon, so I have plenty of time to help.  Janet showed up with this mondo carpet cleaner that she used to vaccuum water out of the carpet.  Julie and Marty Farmer came with their shop vac and worked for hours.  The Bishop came to help but saw we had more help than we could use.

Then Janet's husband showed up with KFC--Dad's favorite.

I don't know why I called for help this time, but I'm so grateful.  I told Janet we just didn't have time for this, with everyone coming home next week.  With everyone's help I think things will be fine.

Before the Smith's left I said I didn't know how I could thank them enough.  They said, "thank you is enough."  Just "pay it forward".  We will.

Another Subject

Dad is preparing for the Vendor's show for the Dental Association in Feb.  At the suggestion of our sons, he has made a small putting green.  The dentists will have a chance to putt and win a prize.

Red Letter Day

Yesterday was a red letter day--Dad and Luke laid the tile for the floor of the shower.  So...it's coming along. Samantha and Matthew, etal will arrive Thurs. night.  The shower will not be done. So  it seems we will have eight people here, all using one bathroom.  We have instructed Dad that he will have to do his reading someplace else, while everyone is here.  I'm sure we will survive.

Progress

We are making good progress with the shower.  The new pan is on the floor. The new ceiling is up and the sheetrock on the walls as far down as needed. Luke and Hebe helped Dad with that.   Dad put the pipe in for a real shower in the hall bathroom.  Luke was here Saturday and again today texturing the ceiling and walls so they can be painted.  He will probably come again tomorrow to help Dad with the cement board that covers the insullation.  He has been a huge help.  Then we are ready to tile. Thanks again to all of you.

Memories

Every Christmas I take a walk down memory lane as I get out the ornaments for the tree.  I started giving each child an ornament in 1980, when Jed was one.  That's why his very first ornament is a high chair.  I also get one for Dad, so that when everyone is married and has taken his ornaments away, we will still have each year represented.  I used to surprise Dad but I don't anymore, since he is so involved with the process now.  I have done this every year with the exception of 1983.  Mama died in 1979, but then I had Jed and there were so many things to do. And then Daddy died in 1981.  Christmas in 1983 without parents seemed too much, I guess.  So that's the year Dad took you kids out and each of you picked out a Precious Moments ornament to give to me.  (Notice I don't send those with you.)

This year as I put them all away I spent a good deal of time looking at them and remembering. One year I took a tole painting class with Bonnie Peterson, and I painted the ornaments for that year in class.  One year pom pom bears were in so I made those.  (The cat ate Luke's so I had to make another.)  In the early years everything for Hebe had a train, if possible.  Reference to the Heber Creeper.

The big stuffed snowmen we got in Chicago when Dad was there for work.  We stayed a night or two with Alex and Sarah in their great place there.  One year was particularly rough economically--that's the year of the Debbie Mumm scented envelopes. Those have pretty much lost their scent, now. Some I like more than others, but they all carry memories.  I can remember where we bought or made each one of them.

Then Matthew and Kim started sending an ornament to me each year.  Dad thought that was great, so he made the suggestion to all the marrieds.  That has spread our ornament collection all over the world.  From Matthew there is Guam and Oceanside and Missouri.  Samantha's are from VA, some homemade and some not.  From Rach I even have one she picked up in Prince Edward Island.  And from Alex and Sarah,  England last year, the Smokey Mountans of TN this year and some from Chicago and everyplace else they have lived.  This Christmas Luke joined in and gave me two beautiful ornaments;  one from his trip to Hawaii and one from the trip with Hebe and friends to Saba, in the Carribean.

I love them all and love you all.  It's a Christmas tradition I treasure.

And More

Demolition

Thanks to the generosity of all of our children, we are getting a new shower in our bathroom. Unfortunately, before you can put in the new shower you have to demolish the old one.  On Dec. 30 Dad started that project.  Luke is here helping today.  So far we have uncovered moister behind the tile on the east wall and today they found a bed of ants behind the tile that was the curb to the shower.  Luke was grossed out, but a quick shot of Raid did the trick.  My mother was greeted by ants  each morning when she came down to her kitchen.  But we lived in a beach town.  Anyway...I think that makes this a necessity rather than a luxury.  Thanks again to all of you.