Happy Birthday!

April 4
‎24 years ago today, I looked at the tiny, wrinkled bundle I was holding and wondered if I was really ready for the ride that was about to begin. It's been fun, crazy, obnoxious, weird, sad, happy, frustrating...I could go on, but I won't. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN! I'm so glad to have you as a son!


April 15
Seventeen years ago today, another little bundle was placed in my arms. I thought his name "James Stephen Jenson" was bigger than he was and wondered how he would grow into it. I'm proud to say he has done it very well. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMES! I love you and I'm proud of you.


Today, April 22
21 years ago the bundle in my arms created a bond immediately. A bond that included a knack for non-verbal communication between him and me. I never even heard him cry for the first six weeks of his life because we were so in tune with each other, and it continues to this day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TIMOTHY! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU IN 12 DAYS!!!


Today in Relief Society: 
President Christensen: Sister Jenson, please stand up. Now sisters, notice her face. ...How many days? 
Me: 12!

Time Flies When...What the heck. It just flies

Not much has been happening around here other than school, work and church work. Indexing is in full swing, and I'm enjoying helping with that. It's a good change from Relief Society all the time. 


The big news is that TIM COMES HOME ON MAY 4!!! We are all so excited to see him. I remember those last days and weeks of the mission. You're excited to come home, but at the same time you're nervous about the future. Real life isn't as structured as a mission. You will be worrying about finding a job and where to go to school. In some ways you want to stay there. I'm feeling very similar things. I'm so excited to have Tim home again, but I'm also worried about him finding a job and going to school. It's hard to figure those things out when you're just getting started. 

Timothy of Green Gables!

Tonight we're having James' birthday party. He has five young men coming over for s'mores. I can't believe my youngest little boy is now 17 years old! He was so tiny when he was born; I thought his name was bigger than he was. 

James with his friend George

We'll celebrate the other three birthdays on May 5 when Tim is home and John and Laney are in town. 

They sure don't make them like they used to

I've been experimenting with sourdough this week, so I've made two batches of bread. As the second batch of bread came out of the oven, I reached for a knife. Two out of three bread knives were needing a wash, so I ended up grabbing the oldest of my bread knives.


As I cut the bread I thought about this knife. It's the oldest knife I own. It has a fingernail polish mark on the handle because I took it to college and needed a way to tell it apart from the knives my roommates brought with them. It was new back then and didn't even cost that much. Thirty years later this knife has cut countless amounts of bread, tomatoes, and cardboard boxes, yet it's still going strong. Yesterday it cut through my freshly baked bread like...well, like a knife! A sharp knife!


I only hope I last as well.

The Best Visiting Teaching Experience Yet!!!

While we were on the cruise, my sister in law and I were talking about visiting teaching and some of the amazing experiences you can have. 

Then we arrived in Cabo San Lucas and went about having fun. Tom, the kids and I found a water taxi and made our way to Lover's Beach. We got out of the taxi and made our way across the beach to find a place to leave our stuff while we played in the water. Suddenly I hear, "Ann! What are you doing here?!" It was one of the girls I visit teach. I knew they were going on a cruise, but hadn't kept track of when and where. We set our stuff by theirs and went about playing and visiting a little. Later we made our way to the boat and I told Christi that I had made a visiting teaching contact that day. 

Yesterday this girl told me the rest of the story. At the time she was (understandably) upset because of losing her wedding and ctr rings in the water. She said that even though we didn’t talk all that much it really helped to have someone she knew there at that time. 

I have no doubt that Heavenly Father had his hand in our being there. He’s the only one who knew she would need someone at that moment. For us to be on that trip and on that beach at the precise moment She needed someone is too far fetched to not be Heavenly Father’s work. He knows each of us and our needs, and He meets those needs in very unexpected ways sometimes. 

Cruisin'

Warning: Lots and lots of photos! 

I didn't even remember this until we were on our way. 28 years ago my roommate and I started planning a trip to Mexico. I ended up going on my mission to Honduras instead. So this trip was kind of fulfilling a dream for me. 

The first evening we drove to Twin Falls and stayed with my sister. Friday morning we went to the temple with her and then headed south through Nevada. We stopped in Ely for lunch because Tom's great grandfather had passed away there.  

We finally arrived in Las Vegas a couple hours ahead of everyone else, so we took the shuttle to the strip. We watched the show at the Treasure Island casino, and joked about the For Strength of Youth violations. James and Hannah both said, "I've heard about Las Vegas all my life and now I'm here I see it's fake." The next morning we read Helaman 15:1 and just had to laugh. 

Saturday we traveled to the LA area and spent some time with Tom's brother and sister and their families. 

Sunday we boarded the ship.

Setting sail in LA, California

We learned pretty quick that it was good we were eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. That's about the only time we ever saw James and Hannah. 

Kimball Majors: I'm so tired. 

Water, water, everywhere...

Tom

Tom, as we approached Cabo San Lucas. Behind him you can see "Divorce Beach." It's called that because the Pacific side of Land's End has dangerous riptides and waves. 

Land's End: The big rocks and the arch

Lover's beach. The back side of the beach is Divorce Beach. 

Tendering to land...Hannah and James

The arch

Snorkeling: Tom and Hannah

Our ship: Splendor

That's my girl. On this trip she played with a snake and an iguana. 

Para sailing

James, Ann and Tom

Hannah

We asked the owner of the tour company where to eat. He asked, "Where you eat or where I eat?" We said, "Where you eat." He directed us to a "cart." It was a cooking truck. Delicious tacos!

And we learned a trick...a little bit of salt really tones down spicy food. All the food I ate in Mexico was just right. The spice was added in hot sauce. 

At the "cart" we asked how to get to a beach without a water taxi. The man joked with us. "There is a beach about 5 minute walk from here. We call it the Mexican beach...no tourists allowed. But you can go there." Five minute walk and we were on a very nice, uncrowded beach. 

Sunset

The whole group

Back row, left to right: Dale, Ada, Brittany Majors, Christi Majors, Khadijah, Carla Rae (almost hidden), Hannah, Julie and George Majors, Marian Bergeson, Greg Shaffer, Me, James, Tom, Bruce and Jillian Majors, Audrey Majors 

Front row: Carl Majors, Courtney Majors, Sydney Bergeson, Kaitlin Bergeson, Jeremy Bergeson, Anya, Kenny Majors, Kimball Majors, Trevor Bergeson, Presley and Alex

See the iguana?

Ann, Hannah, Tom and James in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is a very pretty and clean city. It is filled with good, honest, friendly people. Wish we could have spent more time there. One day in Cabo and two in Vallarta would have been perfect. 

James and Hannah holding a macaw. 

Carl entertaining Kimball

Kaitlin and Jeremy

Puerto Vallarta--I had so much fun trying to talk to them in Spanish.

That evening a Mariachi group came on board and did a show for us. They also had some dancers doing folk dances. It reminded me so much of Honduras, and I was overcome by my love for the Hispanic people. Everyone else was excited, but I was crying. ha ha!

Among, our steward from Indonesia. He was fabulous. He knew our names from the beginning and even knew the names of the others of our group that he was helping. 

Among, left amazing towel animals for us every night. 

Sunset in Puerto Vallarta

Our last sea day started out rough. 

That was the morning they provided barf bags by the elevator just outside of the dining room. 

Trevor enjoying his second entree. 

Our amazing waiters

They got to know us so well that they didn't offer coffee, tea or alcohol after the second night. They could almost guess what we would order...including the 10-12 chocolate melting cakes our group ordered every night! 

Max, from Ecuador. He said he had been working since 1986. 25 years. 

Here's the breakdown of our group: 

George and Christi Majors (mom and dad--Christi is Tom's sister)

Jeremy, Marian (daughter), Trevor, Sydney and Kaitlin Bergeson 

Dale (son), Brittany, Kimball and Ada Majors

Bruce (son) and Jillian Majors

Audrey (daughter) Majors and her kids Anya, Presley and Alex

Julie (daughter) Majors

Kenny (son) Majors

Courtney (daughter) Majors

Khadijah (neighbor of the Majors)

Greg Shaffer (neighbor of the Majors)

Carla Rae (George's sister)

and those crazy Jensons

"I fell among cutthroats"

Although I had been given great advice before the biopsy, this is what I thought of during the procedure...


President Kimball said, “I must tell you what has happened to me. I went away to the East, and while there I fell among cutthroats. …”


The doctor who did the biopsy was very personable and reassured me that I had a 95% chance of it being nothing. He only had to do one pass (thankfully), and sent me on my way. I was sore for a couple days, but only needed ibuprofen for the first night. All the twinges are finally gone as of today. 


Wednesday I got the news I was waiting for. It was negative. Now for the fun of finding a med that will work...hopefully, one that will allow me to lose weight. 

Valentines

This year Tom and I wanted to continue supporting each other in our health goals...even on Valentine's day. 

For Tom

For me

It an African Violet. Grandma Housley had lots of these and seemed to have a knack for keeping them alive. Hmmm, I wonder how long this one will last? Anyone want to take a guess? I can tell you one thing. I'll enjoy it for as long as it lasts. 

Riding the rollar-coaster of life

Gordon B. Hinckley said: "Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed. The fact is that most putts don't drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey: delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."


In the category of "delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts": My thyroid numbers are all over the place. Everywhere except where they should be. The ultrasound showed three nodules. I visited the ENT Thursday, who was very old school and all business. I left feeling like I'm just another body and the plan is laid out whether it's right for me or not. Tomorrow I'm getting a biopsy on my thyroid. I'm hoping and praying for the best possible outcome. I hate the fact that I will probably be on meds for the rest of my life. After we learn the results I will be seeking a second opinion, and hopefully, will find a doctor who will let me have some say in my care. 


In the category of beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed: Tom's sister called about 10 days ago. She and her husband are taking their family on a cruise, but one son is unable to go. So we were invited to use the four available spots. We have never gone on a cruise. We will be visiting Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! We are all super excited! 


Some good advice from a friend for tomorrow...


 just think the whole time.. “in a few weeks I’ll be on a cruise ship”, repeat over and over..  

That's me!

Pretty much sums it up. 

Things I never knew

Cooking can be fun! 


I'd have so much fun finding new recipes and learning new ways to cook. 


Vegetables taste delicious! 


Vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans taste great without all the sugar and fat. 


I wouldn't miss meat. At. All. 


Dairy (and especially cheese) would easily slip into the category of condiment. 


All meals can be FAST, EASY and TASTY! 


If you're interested in more details you can check my "Rediscovering Me" blog.