Out of the Refiner's Fire

Recently all the wards in our stake had boundary changes and some had leadership changes. Ours was one of the lucky ones...lots of changes. We lost 38 wonderful sisters to another ward (sad) and gained 153 sisters from another ward (Yay!) I felt very overwhelmed thinking that I was now responsible for nearly 300 sisters instead of only 180. We also got a new bishop, new high priest group leader and new elder's quorum president. 

I lost a counselor and secretary. 

And that's the way it stayed...and stayed...and stayed. 

The Sunday after the big shake up, Bishop met with all the leaders of the ward one at a time. He wanted to get to know us and get a feel for what needed to happen in the ward. 

The next Sunday, the Spirit started preparing me for another change. I sat in Sacrament Meeting quite teary-eyed that week. 

So, finally, about three weeks later, after totally overhauling the visiting teaching, the bishop tells me that he needs to talk to me about Relief Society. I spent the next three hours praying. 

Finally, we got together after church and Bishop told me I was being released. 

I told him, "I KNOW!" 

He said he had known from before the boundary changes, but the old Bishop felt we should wait until after those changes. Fair enough. 

I feel like I did when I came home from my mission. I walked into the President's office for my last interview and said, "Can't I stay longer?" 

He said, "It's time for you to go home, Hermana Bright." 

Once I stepped onto the plane I looked forward to the future and what it would bring. (I also wrote my homecoming talk to be ready for the next day!)

I have very mixed feelings. I did my best, and although my efforts weren't perfect, they were my best and I am at peace with that. I know it is time for something new, but I'm really going to miss working so closely with the sisters in the ward. I love them all so much. 

I look at how much I have grown over the last three years and it amazes me. I know I will never be the same person I was back then. And I'm glad about that. I'm better now. Stronger. Polished. Maybe I'm closer to the person Heavenly Father wants me to be. 

0 to 50 in how long?

This weekend we went to Provo for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. After nearly a year of planning, worrying and family drama from all sides, the thing finally came together and turned out well. 

Steve and Carol on August 21, 1962

Dad told me that he doesn't think that much time has passed until he sees the pictures side by side. He sees the first picture in his mind and then looks at the second one and thinks, "We look so old."

Here's the quilt I made for them. It's hard to see the details in photos, but it turned out very nice. This quilt has hand prints from 43 people...86 hand prints in all. It is a tree with the hand prints of my parents at the roots, with the hand prints of all their descendants as the leaves of the tree. 

Bright Family

Established

August 21, 1962

The youngest grandchild...8 months old now

There are 26 grandchildren and no great grandchildren. 

The oldest grandchild age 24 and his wife. (John and Laney)

We also have teeny tiny hand prints for the two babies we lost at birth, and four sets of hand prints for the two sets of twin grandchildren.  

Tom took the kids for a drive on the Alpine Loop and nearly ran out of gas. 

The Bright family: 

Front: Steve and Carol

Back (left to right): Ann, Linda, Ruth, Ally, Nancy, Leah, Sarah, Nathan

We are pictured oldest to youngest. I'm the oldest and Nate is the youngest. Not pictured (of course) is our brother Paul who has passed away. He was between Nancy and Leah. 

Mom and Dad didn't have a wedding cake in 1962. Ruth's mother in law made this beautiful cake for them. 

Cutting the cake

This shows a very wise man: Get out of her way and let her do what she does best. 

Ahhh! They are such a cute couple still. 

Tom made friends with all the children. He introduced himself as "Uncle Tom" and handed each one a spoon so they could eat ice cream out of his HUGE bowl. 

Hotel from the Twilight Zone? 

Actual. The road was going down hill.

Harry Potter Party

 Yes, my 16-year-old daughter wanted a Harry Potter Party. We had lots of fun with it. (Lots of pictures.)

Our version of Honeydukes

Dumbledore's Lemon Drops, Pretzel wands, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Peppermint Toads, Chocolate Frogs

Dragon Snot Punch

Playing games

Tim's present was silly string

Vicki

We even played Quidditch...complete with an injury

More games

The loot

Giving Matt a manicure and pedicure...He's loving the attention

James: "I'll grin and bear it...if I have to"

School Registration

It's crazy to think I only have one more year of this. James is a senior, and Hannah is a junior. I don't know where the time went. 

The best part of registration was letting James go by himself. He was armed with a semi-blank check. I dropped him off just before 9 am and by 11 am we ran into each other at Fred Meyer. I think I'll make Hannah do that next year. 

Hannah's registration was uneventful, EXCEPT the Hannah JensOn and Hannah JensEn confusion. We had that last year, too, and it got really fun when they had a class together. Our Hannah was always getting call slips for the other Hannah until the office figured out that there was a small difference in their names. 

Last year and this year, this is what happened: 

We finally get to the table to get her locker. The man looks at her ID and types "Hannah JensEn" into the computer. 

Then he says, "We have a problem here. We already assigned you a locker." 

We say, "No, you didn't. Her name is spelled with an O-N." 

He says, "OH! I missed that." 

We say, "No worries. It happens all. the. time."

Funny thing is...it's only adults that have this problem. The kids never get mixed up. 

Proud Mama

Yes, I'm the proud mama of TWO college students...THREE counting Laney. Tim was accepted into the BYU-I Pathway program. He will be studying online and living at home while (hopefully) working! I think this will be very good for him. It's a way to spruce up his study skills and get ready for full-fledged college. 

Ya-hoo! Way to go, Tim!!!

Good music makes a huge difference!

This is what I listened to as I ran this morning. Music by "Jericho Road"

Song 1:
I'm always looking beyond the mark
I've been way too far away to clearly see
You gave me courage to open my heart
And find the strength
Deep inside of me. 

Song 2:
There is no end
There is no death
But a love that's big enough 
To cover every single step
There is no way
I will give in
Cause I can face tomorrow
If I know where to begin 
And as long as I have you
There is no end

Song 4:
It's time
To make the best of time
Just trust and you will find
There's something you can do
To make the best of time
You gotta understand
When you just reach out your hand
Someone's reaching out for you
Just leave your fears behind
It's time

I could have run farther, but decided that one minute longer than what was scheduled was enough. 

Sweet 16!

One day Tom and Ann decided to get married.

Tom said, “This is good.”

Ann said, “You know what would make it really good? Baby!”

Baby finally arrived.

Tom said, “I’m a dad!”

Ann said, “Look at that dimple!”

And they saw it was good.

Later Tom said, “Life is good.”

Ann said, “You know what would make it better?”

Tom said, “Baby?”

Baby finally arrived.

Tom said, “Another boy!”

Ann said, “He’s so sweet!”

And they saw it was good.

Still later Tom said, “Life is good, but could be better.”

Ann said, “I know.”

Tom said, “Baby!”

Baby finally arrived.

Tom said, “Another boy!!!”

Ann said, “Boys are nice, but I want a girl.”

And they saw it was good.

Baby was still a baby…

Tom said, “Should we try again?”

Ann said, “This time is as good as any.”

Baby finally arrived.

Tom said, “It’s a girl. I am complete.”

Ann said, “It’s a girl! I’m not alone in a house full of boys.”

And they saw it was PERFECT.

Happy Birthday, Hannah! I can’t believe you’re 16!!! We’re so glad you came to round out our family and fill it with sweetness and kindness. 

Emotional Week

I'm feeling very sad. 


First, Tom flew to Salt Lake City last weekend because his mom was not doing very well. He came home Sunday knowing that the end is near. The rest of the family is coming to terms with it. One brother in particular is having a rough time. As of today they are finding a nursing home that can take care of her needs. We'll be playing it by ear, day by day until the end. 


Second, we received word of yet another couple who is calling it quits after 20+ years of marriage. I feel so sad that they chose this route, sad for them to go through it. Tom is so sweet. He said, "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." We started saying that to each other several years ago, and it really helps sometimes...like now. 


And one lesson learned...


Rice, beans and vegetables DO NOT do the job when you're emotionally eating.