Calm before the storm?

Tom's work is going well. He's graduated with his masters finally.

I'm doing well at work other than the usual district headaches.

John is doing well at work and looking forward to school. We have a trip planned for this weekend. Going to Rexburg to find an apartment, etc.

Tim is looking for work, mowing lawns and keeping himself busy.

James and Hannah are busy with school.

Other than a cold that came through this last weekend we are all doing well. My calendar has blank spaces on it.

Sometimes I just hate when things are going smoothly. It makes me wonder when the other shoe will drop.

I'll try to enjoy it while it lasts.

It's official!

The mailman brought Tom's Master's degree today!

I'm so proud of him. He worked hard for this!



Can't wait to see what changes this brings...I think! lol

Other congratulations are in order, too...

Tim was ordained an elder yesterday. I'm so proud of my boys. They are great kids and wonderful examples to me.

When Tom's dad passed away I really wanted a blessing, but Tom wasn't home. Then I remembered that John could do it. It was so neat to have my son give me a blessing. Now we have another elder in the family who can give blessings when we need them. We are so blessed!

Last Visit and more

Of course we couldn't stay that close to East High without visiting the filming location of High School Musical 1, 2, and 3!

James found an old typewriter and was in heaven!

Whenever I saw a picture or statue of Christ I was overwhelmed by a profound feeling of gratitude for everything He did for us...For his atonement and for the very fact that He made it possible for us to be resurrected and together as families in the future.

Salt Lake Temple

At the viewing...

Janet (my mother-in-law in blue) and her sister Nedra


What a handsome group! Tim, John, Carl and James


Before the viewing started...


At the cemetery...


The Disabled American Veterans performed the 21 gun salute and taps. It was very impressive.


Janet is accepting the flag.


All 22 of the grandchildren were in attendance.



I was thinking today about the last real visit I had with my father-in-law. It was last April/May when I went to BYU Women's Conference with a friend. We stopped in to see Mom and Dad on the way home. Dad was already in bed, but was happy (as always) to see us. Although I could tell he was struggling with the Alzheimer's, dad was quite lucid that day and we had a good visit. I stood by his bed holding his hand as he asked about my family and how we were doing. I think that was my chance to really say goodbye to Dad...the time I really felt closure.

Here are a few things from the funeral that I wanted to record.

He got his nickname of Bud because one of the boys in his group of childhood friends said, "I know. We'll call you Bobby Gene." Dad replied with, "Just call me Bud" and it stuck.

Dad's friend Meeks told about a time when 6 of them got together after a football game. Dad was on the team, and after the game he suggested they go to the movie at the Utah Theater. On the way there Dad suggested they stop and get "used" pies. Those were the pies that were stale and hadn't sold at the venders and had been brought back to the bakery. They could buy them for 10 cents each. So each boy bought one pie and they went to the theater. Each boy handed the usher his pie and pretty soon the usher was holding 6 pies stacked one on top of the other. They sat in the balcony and started eating their pies. Suddenly one of the cream pies flew over the railing of the balcony, and then they heard swearing from below. Meeks said to Dad, "Come on, Bud. Here's the door. Let's get out of here." We don't know if Dad was the one who threw the pie. I guess we'll have to remember to ask at some future date.

The next story happened when Dad was coaching a Little League team. They were planning a trip to the Little League World Series (1954) and decided that the two teams of the coaches who were being decided on would play a game. The winning team's coach would coach the world series team. They got right down to the end of the game and one of the other team members came sliding into home. The ump hollared that he was out, but the catcher went to Dad and said, "What do I do? I missed him and the ump didn't see. He was safe." Dad told the boy to tell the ump what had happened which he did. The ump changed his call and the other team won. Dad was an assistant coach to the World Series team instead of being the coach. He was able to film the trip because of that.

Carolyn told a couple stories about how devoted her dad was to her. When she was 11 years old, the two of them went to the county fair together. While they were there they saw the Miss Teen USA riding on a golf cart. Carolyn really wanted to shake hands with the girl, so Dad took off running after the golf cart. He flagged them down and asked if his daughter could shake the girl's hand. He was about 64 years old at the time. I can just see him doing that!

Then when Carolyn was graduating from college, Dad was determined to be there. He fell and cut his head quite badly on the step of Carolyn's house, but wouldn't let them take him to the hospital. So Carolyn's husband and her brother put bandaids on Dad's head and they went to the commencement exercises. After that they still needed to do the smaller graduation ceremony. Carolyn wanted him to go to the hosptial, but he wouldn't. He sat front row and center, wiping blood from his forehead just so he could see her graduate. No one had attended his graduation and so it was very important to him to be at his children's graduations.

That's all I can think of right now. I'm wondering if I needed my boys to hear the story about the pies...

This was the view as we left the family dinner.

Goodbye

In memory of my father-in-law,

Robert Gene (Bud) Jenson.

December 12, 1921 to September 11, 2009.



We'll miss you, Dad.

Tribute to Dad

Tom's dad, that is. One of the best men around.

This picture was taken in 1942 when Bud was 21 years old. Bud was always active in one sport or another. I remember most how he loved to play golf. Tom remembers how his dad often coached their teams, and was a referee for many games. One of the teams Bud coached (he was assistant coach) went to the Little League World Series in 1954. One of his players was Kenny Hubbs. Bud was able to film the trip.

Bud (pictured in the center) was unable to serve a mission because of the war. His service was in the navy during World War 2. He was stationed in New Caladonia. We say he was the single most powerful man in the navy...because he had control of the liquor stores on base. He was a hero, and helped save lives on at least one occasion. He was injured during that experience and lived with the after-affects the rest of his life.

Bud taught elementary school for many, many years. Also, he was on the PE team that traveled between the different elementary schools. He developed what is called "Movement Exploration" which is a teaching method for elementary PE teachers. His oldest daughter uses many of the principles today in her elementary PE classes. Bud was well loved as a teacher and as a coach.

Bud's youngest children were born when he was in his 50's. Now at the age of 87, his youngest child (shown in this picture) is 34 years old. There are 6 living children: Christi, Dave, Tom, Ken, Eric and Carolyn. Bud was always very supportive of his children in whatever activity they chose to do. Three of the boys served missions which Bud whole-heartedly supported. Three of the children have graduated from college. Five of the children have married in the temple. As an in-law I have felt the same support and encouragement from Bud.

Bud was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2003. Tom says that his dad has been having Saturday every day since then. We have learned to live in the moment with Bud, and to enjoy the time we have with him even if it is tripping down memory lane or repeating the same thing over and over and over.


The years have taken their toll. The Alzheimers has progressed and he is experiencing the challenges of aging physically. Bud has been cheerful, happy, and considerate of his wife, Janet the entire time. Last week he offically entered the wandering stage by leaving his apartment at 2 am and telling the night guard that he was going to work. This morning Bud suffered a massive stroke. The doctors say he has 25% chance of surviving.


So now it is a waiting game. Will he survive and have to enter the VA nursing home or will Heavenly Father take him home? Whatever it is, we trust the Lord and know it will work out for the best.


I love you, Dad! Thanks for your encouragement, acceptance and love. See you soon.

Swapping stories

So, today John, Tom and I were doing our favorite pastime...swapping missionary stories. John told about an eternal investigator who moved from his first area (Franklin, IN) and happened to move to one of John's later areas (Martinsville.)

That led to my story about a family that moved from one area to another. I need to share some background first. When I was a child I didn't talk much. It wasn't because I couldn't. I just wanted to know I was saying it right before I said it. So, when I was 4 years old I was suddenly talking in sentences after not saying much before that.

My first companion was from Honduras and had had many companions from the states. All the other companions talked and made mistakes like normal people. But not me. I only talked when I knew I had it right. She was so frustrated with me, but I told her that I was learning Spanish the way I had learned English and she'd just have to trust me and be patient.

So, there was one member family in my first area whose father liked to tease the new missionaries by talking as fast as he could and confusing them. Whenever he tried to do it with me I just quit talking. This family moved and I was surprised to see them in my third area. At that time I was speaking Spanish well, and had a companion who had been in the country one month. This man started doing his game with her and she just went along with it. He had a lot of fun teasing her. Of course, I knew Spanish well enough by then that he couldn't trip me up anymore.

Then two of John's girl friends came to pick him up and we had to stop telling stories. He starts graveyard shift tonight. That's right up his alley. He's a night owl.