Epic Summer Adventures 2024

 It was a beautiful summer! We had a lot of rain in the spring and the crops were beautiful and the grass was green all summer. But it still ended up being not the greatest crop for Mom and Dad. Their neighbor Scott planted peas on the land and when he was harvesting a big windstorm came up and they lost a lot of it. I know Mom is sad as they could have used that money for a few things. But the crop was still ok-ish.

Mom had her birthday on July 1st and as per tradition, we had Korean BBQ. Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Gord and Aunt Brenda and Uncle Gord came for it. Camellia and Doug were here too. We had fireworks that evening on the farm to celebrate Canada day. 

This was the summer for adventure! Camellia and I turned 40 years old on July 10th. It is hard to believe that we are that age. But I feel young and excited for the future. After the kids completed a week of swimming lessons (July 1 - 5th) with me working a lot that week, we moved Rachel and Eric (Chris' brother) and their 3 girls into their home in Lethbridge on my birthday. It was the best way to spend my birthday. To have more family move nearby. The kids are close to each other and we will all become even closer as family and friends. 

On July 15th, we met Camellia and Doug near Fort Mcleod to begin an epic adventure. A bucket list Motorhome trip. We all went in on it together to rent from Doug's brother and he gave us a good deal. We picked it up at 1200 and Chris and I drove behind in our van. For the next 13 days/12 nights we traveled around the western States. 

Our first night was in Cour de Alane Idaho and we spent Tuesday and Wednesday at Silverwood amusement park. First day was the rides and second day was the water park. The big kids really enjoyed the 5 rollercoasters. Even Selman went on the small roallercoaster. We left the park at 7:00 on Wednesday evening and drove until 1030 when we encountered a dust storm somewhere in Washington state. We pulled over by a dusty old gas station/truck stop area and all 14 of us crowded into the RV that night. Caeleb and Stirling had the bunk bed, I was on the floor with Lizzy and Mary, Liam had the couch, Porter and Selman always had the table bed, Chris and Elva were in the loft and Camellia, Doug Evelyn and Russell slept in the back bed. There were 3 nights that we all crowded into the RV and although it was cozy, it was fun.

On the Thursday we traveled to Portland and visited an old missionary friend of Camellias. Then we travelled on to the coast and stopped for a seafood supper at a popular coastal restaurant. We continued traveling down the coast that evening until 1000 or so when we came to another campground but we were too tired to set up the tent or a bed in the van, so we crowded into the RV again. 

Friday morning was spent at the Sea lion caves in Oregon which were fascinating, looking at hundreds of sea lions big and small. We later stopped for lunch at a beach and played in the waves for a bit. Then we crossed into the state of California and checked into our KOA campground by Crescent city. 

We celebrated Evelyn's birthday on the Saturday and went to the Trees of Mystery tourist attraction in the Redwoods. Those redwood trees are massive, and we didn't even see the biggest ones. We got to walk on a pathway built up high in the trees and we took a gondola up to see the trees from above. We later went to a beach by Cresent City and played again in the ocean waves. Then back to the campground so the kids could play on the very large tree stumps that were there. 

Sunday morning, we went to sacrament meeting in Cresent city and then we started a very long 14-hour drive through the forests of California and Oregon which turned into the desert of Oregon and Nevada. A most beautiful spot on our drive was close to the border between Oregon and Nevada where we drove through a vast and lonely desert valley and up a large hill. On top of the hill we stopped and watched the sun set while we ate supper outside of the RV. It was a gorgeous site looking out into the nothingness of the desert with the hues of orange and yellow on the horizon.  

We stopped at a truck stop that night at 1:00 AM and all crowded into the RV to sleep. Doug started driving the RV about 7:00 in the morning and half asleep, I yelled out, "wait, we need the van too." But he was just driving us to a nearby waste station to empty the RV tanks. After another breakfast of cereal in the RV, we drove all morning and early afternoon to reach Bear Lake Utah. We were able to spend that evening and the next 2 days with our Woolf cousins and it was so wonderful to see them all. It had been 8 years since we saw Laura and almost 7 years since I had seen Sarah when I visited her in Boston. We saw Heather too and their spouses and Aunt Marilyn, Uncle Gord and almost all their Grandkids. We swam in the lake and in the pool. Aunt Marilyn rented a few kayaks for people to use. We visited and went to the pop shop and to a mini golf course at their resort. We spent 3 nights at a campground about 25 minutes around the lake and enjoyed the lake from that side too. We set up our tent for those 3 nights. 

On the Thursday, we got up and left for Idaho. We reached Rexburg Idaho about 2:00 pm and went on to St Anthony where we spent a couple of nights at Doug's sisters house. Some of us slept in the house, some of the kids slept in the tent and I slept in the RV with a few kids. We were going to go to Yellowstone on the Friday but the farthest we made it that day was Mesa falls (I visited there times as a young adult going to BYUI). We also went to the sand dunes that day (I also went there as a student) and the big kids went to a rodeo that evening. 

We left for home by 0800 am on Saturday, drove through west Yellowstone town on the way home and our two families spit up in Helena. Camellia and Doug had to fix a tire on the RV there and Chris and I needed to make it home for me to work a day shift on Sunday. 

It was a wonderful trip with our two families. We love the Nelsons so much and we are grateful that our kids are close and have had these memories together. 

We spent the last week in July at home on the farm (except for Caeleb who went to FSY). I worked a lot that week, but we were able to visit our Lethbridge Watters cousins a few times and I even took Selman on a mommy son date to the southland leisure wave pool on the Monday when we were dropping Caeleb off at FSY. We went swimming in Champion a couple of times that week and prepared for our next adventure to Victoria. On Friday after work I was a first responder to a serious accident and was able to assess a lady with a head injury and wait with her for the ambulance. She was awake and doing ok but it was a little traumatic. 

On Saturday August 3, Chris and I loaded up the kids at 5:00 AM and picked Caeleb up from FSY at the U of C at 0730. Then we spent a long day in the car (our family is so good at long drives) and got to the Ferries by 5:00 pm. We made it on that Ferry and were to the parent's place by 7:00 PM. Amazing! We spent 2 weeks there so Chris could work on Eagle propane's computer system. We were able to see Kurt again which was so wonderful as he has not spoken to our family in more than 4 years. We drove him up to his home in Comox on the Tuesday and did not get home until after midnight. Us girls in the family were able to go to Nanaimo to take Aunt Mary out to lunch (who just retired at age 60 from nursing). Oh, goodness, I am halfway there, halfway done my career. I can do this! We had Suz's kids for the 2nd weekend in Victoria and took them swimming to Durrance lake on the Saturday and to church on Sunday. We also went to a spray park with them, and I think Wyatt and Brooklyn are getting to be better friends with my kids. 

Chris spent a morning with us going to the Breakwater and then to Gyro park the next day. I took some of the kids mini golfing and Lou Ann took all the kids to Butterfly Gardens (for Elva, it was Burchart Gardens). We were spoiled! Thank you so much. Caeleb and I did do some yard work. And cousin Calvin was working on the yard too. His brother Oliver spent many days playing games with the kids at the parents' house. 

We drove home on August 17th and Wendy and her boys drove out that day too. We spent the next week going to and from Lethbridge to hang out with them as they visited Rachel and Eric. I worked 4 shifts that week but was still able to hang out with them quite a bit and a highlight was taking Quinton and Calving to the war museum in Lethbridge on Wednesday. We celebrated Eric's birthday on the Thursday by doing mini golf at the movie mill in Lethbridge. We also had Athena, Chris's cousin, stay with us Wednesday and Thursday evening and had a great chat with her. To top it off, Caeleb and Elva did another swimming class in Champion that week, so it was a busy busy but fun week! 

Last week I worked another 4 shifts (Tuesday to Saturday evenings) and Chris spent his time prepping at the school in Vulcan and did Tuesday and Wednesday days in Lethbridge for palliser district orientation. I was able to drop the kids off at Rachels on Tuesday for the night and go watch Chris do Ax throwing for an activity with his district. I spent the night with him at a Hotel (that Palliser district put him up in). It was really nice. 

After my evening shift last Friday and before my Saturday evening shift, Chris and I were able to make a quick trip down to Cardston for an 1100 temple session. The sessions have been shortened to about an hour and 30 minutes but there were a lot of people there so we just had enough time to take my friend Lindsey out for a quick lunch at the Chinese buffet before heading to Claresholm for my shift. It was nice to be able to go to church on Sunday and have a day of rest.  

Monday we had the Gainor's down for chicken killing day (only had 5 to do) and the boys drove the truck and lawnmower while Elliette rode our horse Eva. It was fun to talk to them. 

Tuesday (yesterday) Sept 4th, the kids started school and Chris and I saw them get on the bus before he took off for work in Vulcan and I headed to Claresholm for a work training session (non-violent crisis intervention). Lizzy went to "nana school." She starts preschool on September 23rd and I just don't know what to think about that. My last baby is going to school. I am so proud of my kids, each one of them. They were so happy to go to school yesterday. I hope Caeleb can study hard this year but most importantly be a friend to all around him. He is a pretty chill kid and faces everything that comes his way with optimism. I also love that he still is a kid and has a great imagination. He is in the hallway right now playing Harry Potter with a Chop stick as a wand. I just love that so much. Elva is a worrier like I am. I hope she can channel that into working hard but also to let go the things not in her control and just enjoy each moment. She is a witty Kid and I love the things that come out of her mouth. Mary has been so happy yesterday and this morning. I hope she can keep her growing bubbly (and a little sarcastic) personality, work hard and be a friend to everyone. Even if school is challenging, I hope she will face it head on and do the best she can, NEVER GIVING UP. Selman is always so cheerful but I know several of his friends play hockey and I hope he will be ok with being different. It is ok NOT to do things the others are doing. It is ok to stand up for his interests and values when so many are wanting to fit in. I hope he stays his happy self and cheers up all by showing his irresistible smile. And Lizzy is my little side kick. My baby. I will miss her when she is at preschool (2 days a week), but I hope I can soak up every moment of little in her when she is home and that we can spend many days playing dollys and barbies this year. 

After a busy busy busy summer, I think we are all ready to head back to the routine of school/work. They had a great first day and we were all exhausted last night and were asleep by about 8:30 pm. I pray I can be a good support for Chris this year. He needs the support as he will be going through another evaluation process for teaching. I am so done with him going from job to job to job. I don't know how else to put it. We have spent the last almost 15 years of marriage with him going through many jobs (9 jobs including 6 teaching jobs) and completing over 5 years of university. He is amazing! I struggle. I hope and pray I can be the wife he needs me to be. 

My cousin Melanie

I ended this post but feel like I just need to come back and talk about a sad part of the summer. My cousin Melanie Munns passed away at age 42. Only 2 years older than me. She left behind a husband and 4 kids ages 11 to 18. I remember playing with Melanie when we were little and her family would come up to visit Grandma in the same brick house that we live in now. I have always felt honored to be part of the Smith family, even if I have felt different at times. I am especially glad for the legacy of faith that my Grandma and Grandpa Smith left as an example to us Grandkids. Although some of these grandkids do not have this faith anymore (I am not sure what hope they have to offer), Melanie did and does! And I look up to her so much. I want to be like her, strong in my faith. 

I had a special spiritual experience the week after she passed away. Her sister mentioned on a facebook post that Melanie will be her family's heavenly angel and that her family will be her earthy hands. When I read that, the spirit testified to me that family relationships do not end after this life. Melanie is working on the other side of the veil to help her family (immediate family and extended -perhaps to include all the human family) while others are helping her do the work that she can no longer do on this earth. She will continue to influence her family and they will influence her. THAT is how it is supposed to be. Working together on both sides of the veil. I believe this can be an amazing blessing in our lives, when we keep this eternal perspective. 

I know, as President Nelson has stated, that salvation is an individual affair... but there is more than that. He also states Exaltation is a family affair. Exaltation is living for OTHERS. There are the Christians in the world who accept Christ because of what he does for them, individually. They think of it as "I am saved," I am sinless," "I get the easy life in Heaven." "It is about what I get out of it." I am not sure why else they worship God. I would like to learn more about why mainstream Christianity worships God. It is amazing when you accept Christ into your life and know that he died for YOU and your sins. It is even more amazing when you know that Christ died for ALL and that he loves all people as much as he loves you and loves them in a way that actually can make sense. This involves perfect understanding and empathy, a perfect balance of justice and mercy. 

Latter Day Saints take a different eternal view. They are not perfect now, but they are trying to help the majority in this life, and the next, to come to Christ and do his will. They will sacrifice eternally for the good of ALL mankind. It is not just about what they get out of salvation in a sinless state. It is about helping everyone get the most out of Salvation. 

This is my testimony. And just as Melanie has faith in Christ and never gave up in this life, she now is on the other side of the veil, continuing to not give up but instead do all she can there for her family and fellow man (through service and song), I too want to do the same. Thank you for your example Melanie. I will be like you. I will never give up my faith in Christ and will use that faith eternally for the good of all mankind. 

Big blessing after 5 years of waiting

We received a big blessing last Thursday! After having an interview last Tuesday and with much prayer and fasting, Chris got offered a probationary job for High school Math teacher at Vulcan county central. We have been on pins and needles since he found out about the job posting after not getting the claresholm job. It turns out, it was a blessing not getting that job as this job is so much better! 

Chris has worked so hard these last 5 years since graduating from the U of C with his teaching degree. He never complains and, as he puts it, he just plugs away day after day and year after year. He is good at that. 

He started out his first teaching job in September of 2019 at a hutterite colony near Brant (45 minute drive away), then he finished that year at Huntsville school (55 minute drive away in Iron Springs). Covid shut down schools in March of 2020 and he worked mostly from home during that time which was a blessing as we were expecting Lizzy and it was nice having him around to help out more. 

2020 to 2021 was a difficult part time temporary job at Claresholm junior high (35 minute away). The kids were coming back to school from the pandemic making it a stressful year for him and the school dissolved his temporary position after the year ended. They did not hire him back.

2021 to 2022 was spent at Nobleford (45 minutes away) and then Milo (starting February). He did not get the Nobleford position until a week or two into September. Milo was tough on Chris having to teach many grades math, science and gym in triple graded classrooms. 

Milo's position (which is 50 minutes away) ended the end of February 2023 and he was on EI and subbing until the end of that school year. I was picking up more shifts and felt blessed to have my second job at the Claresholm Hospital during that time. We started the 2023 school year with no job for Chris and we prayerfully decided to branch out and apply for jobs far away from home. He found the wonderful Druheller job 2 weeks into September and loved working for the Catholic school district there. But it was a very tough year being apart. We both learned alot and it has been a blessing in a way as well. 

And finally he has found a wonderful job in Vulcan. We pray it goes well and can turn into a forever job. 

I don't think I realized how hard this year (and the last 5) have been on me since feeling the relief of him getting this ideal probationary job! In fact it has been a demanding 8 years of our lives as he went back to school 8 years ago and spent 3 years studying hard. We were away from each other for 5 days at a time when we first moved to the farm as he was finishing up school. It total, out of almost 15 years of marraige, we have spent a year of nights apart. 

It has been hard starting out almost every September these last 5 years not knowing if Chris will have a job. I have consistently had to make up the difference picking up extra shifts as needed. We pray he will do well and that it will turn into a permanent job next Spring. Then we will be set and on course for retirement in 20 years or so as long as no other hiccups come our way. 

We feel so blessed and know that God plays a hand in our lives if we let him. 

As Fathers day approaches, I want to say how blessed I feel to have Chris in my life. He is stalwart, a hard worker and he plugs forward in any situation. His optimism carries me far when I tend to be pessimistic. He focuses on the good in people and in life. He is a good example to me and the kids. I am so grateful for him in my life. 

I am also grateful for my Father, Father in law and my brother who plug on in life with the circumstances presented to them. They don't give up. I am grateful to have them in my life.

I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and the many blessing he has given our family. I hope to share these blessings with those around me.  

General Conference

Chris and I had the opportunity to take the kids to General Conference this spring. I worked Easter weekend and the kids had their visit from the Easter Bunny when I wasn't there on the last Saturday of March. Then we left the Wednesday after for Utah to focus more on the true meaning of Easter - the Savior. We took the white van (without the TV) and the kids did well for the most part. The 3 youngest had their moments. We spent Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evening at my Aunt Marilyn's house in Ogden. It is a beautiful home with the mountains nearby. I am grateful that their home is always open to guests. 

We went on a little hike to Ensign peak and then to the government building and to Temple square to the LDS museum on the Thursday. The Temple is under construction but the grounds still look beautiful. It was a fun day with Aunt Marilyn, my cousin Heather and her daughter Brooklyn. 

It was a rainy day on Friday and we went to Chris' aunt Jan's house for lunch in Far west. She is a great person and it was fun to visit her family.

We came back to Aunt Marilyn's after and had pizza and watched a movie (Wish) with them. I am grateful for mt visits with Aunt Marilyn and Heather. I look up to and learn from them. 

Saturday morning, we dropped Selman and Elizabeth off at Heather's home and headed into Salt Lake for the 1000 session. We sat next to a family from Claresholm and a couple from our ward. It was a beautiful experience and the spirit was strong. I hope the kids felt it and will remember it. I especially enjoyed Elder Hollands powerful talk on prayer. 

On the way out off the Conference center grounds, I had the opportunity to talk to an Evangelical pastor who I have talked to online many times. Evangelicals come to General Conference to persuade as they do not think us LDS are saved. I got a little emotional talking to him. You see, I still dont understand why Evangelicals choose to worship God when they think he will let most people go to a torturous hell because they did not believe correctly. Why does it matter if they are saved when most people are not? Everyone is fallible in this life so why would the one sin that the Savior's atonement not cover, be incorrect theology as to who he is? Why would God accept a fallible rejection of his gospel but not accept a fallible acceptance? No Evangelical friend I have talked too can answer this and I tried to make it clear that God truly is perfectly empathetic and in being so will provide a perfect and sensical mix of justice and mercy. Logically, this means one can not fully and infallibly reject God until that person has a perfect understanding of God. And since we are all fallible in this life and have to walk by faith, that full acceptance or rejection will not come until the next life when we have infallible understanding. Isn't that common sense? I am not sure they listen to me. They are so focused on daming people to Hell, that I can not see their relationship with the Savior. But I know they are children of God and that he loves them very much and always will. I am sure we will all have correction and learning to be had in the next life, myself included. 

We picked up the two Littles and headed for home after conference. We stopped in Butte at 9:00 for the night and went for a little swim at the hotel. Then we left at 0730 ish in the morning and made it home by 2:00 ish in time for the last session of conference. 

Baseball has taken up a good portion of our lives since. The kids are all on a team; Caeleb playing minor, Elva soft ball, Mary and Selman coach pitch and Elizabeth T-ball. After school consists of me shuttling kids to and from practices, YM/YW, Activity days and chess for Mary, piano, singing and riding for Elva. Busy Busy. Probably too busy. I have a hard time saying no. I work my 2 days a week on top of it. I was going to go back to the claresholm hospital working casual in May as Alberta Health Services is restructuring and I am at risk of losing some seniority. I stewed over this for a week or two and then got my answer (from God I believe). I couldn't care less about going back to the hospital right now. I have a wonderful 2 shift a week job at the Center and that is all I need. I can pick up more at the Center as needed (but am not doing that now). I have felt at peace with work ever since.  

Chris applied for a teaching job in Claresholm but did not get it. Maybe it is a blessing in disguise. I guess we shall see. As of now, he is going back to Drumheller in the Fall and although I was sad he did not get the Claresholm job, I am at peace with him being back at Drumheller. It has been a good job (even though we spend an extra $700 or so a month in rent and food for him). 

The kids are busy with school and seem to be enjoying same. Elva went to camp Kiwanis with the grade 5/6 class for a few days in early May and loved it! Mary went to the zoo yesterday with grades 1 - 4 and had a great time. Caeleb tied for first in high jump for district trackmeet last week and will go to zones. Selman loves kindergarten and the Oilers (hockey) as 3 other boys in kindergarten play hockey. Selman will not join them in that but I may put him and Lizzy into skating lessons next year. Lizzy is mommy's little helper at home and still loves her dresses, barbies and dolls. Yesterday Lizzy was a big help in trying to help Papa put his socks on. She is adorable. It is crazy to think she will be 4 on June 20th. 

I was able to go to a Stake Relief Society service activity today. I had a wonderful time and was able to meet a new friend. We fasted for rain in our stake a few weeks ago and it has rained alot since. Everything is so green and we are so blessed. God is good.  

Dear Chris, tender mercy

 Dear Chris,

I just want to tell you about an experience that happened to me yesterday. Actually, I already told you. I just want to write it down. I was exhausted yesterday. I am even more exhausted today Shift work is hard. An evening shift Wednesday, then an night shift following (double shift). Then Friday off and a day shift Saturday. Then off to Saturday evening Stake conference. Then daylight savings happened so one less hour of sleep Saturday night. Then an evening shift Sunday after Stake conference in the morning. 

I was so tired yesterday, I was in tears. Caeleb and Elva came to comfort me. They cried with me in selfless empathy. It was a beautiful christlike experience. I want them to know, especially Caeleb, that it is ok to show emotion. It is ok to cry. It seems like men think it is not ok to cry. I think that is part of the reason why suicide rates are higher in men. For some reason, they feel like they can't show emotion. 

It is ok to show emotion when you are sad. It is ok to have empathy for others, to feel what they feel. Yes, it is important to be able to function and reason on top of that, but empathy can lead to love. 

And I felt the empathy of Caeleb and Elva. I am so grateful for them in my life.

love Katherine

Dear Chris part 3

Dear Chris,

I don't think you read this blog often so I am not sure why I keep writing you here but I do. I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders today. I feel like a single parent most of the time. 

You don't really think of us when you are at work Monday to Friday. I did ask you to do come follow me with us in the evening and I am glad you are accommodating that. The kids need that daily interaction with their Dad. And you have many good insights into the scriptures. I have always admired that about you. 

I am happy you can unwind each evening for an hour or two Monday to Thursday in your room in Drumheller. It is important to have you time. You work so hard as a teacher!

I love you and I don't want you to have more than you can handle. I think you probably have a good balance between you time and work time when you are in Drumheller. I love your tidy, cozy, quiet little room at your place there. I am happy for you. 

love Katherine 

Dear Chris part 2

Dear Chris,

More tender mercies happened. I was mandated to work a night shift last night (after my evening shift) as the night nurse called in at 8:00 pm. Like I said in my last little note to you, it was a tender mercy having mom and dad sleep at our place last night as I did not worry about the kids in the night. Also, I was able to handle it well, just like I said in the last note. It is a good place to work. Staffing is ridiculous but the work is good and manageable. 

Dad is up and ready for the day. Now mom will watch Lizzy while I head to bed for a few hours. Then it is parent teacher interviews after school and picking the kids up from mentorship. Then maybe we will watch a movie or I will just head to an early bed if the kids allow it. 

Sometimes life seems hard to manage. But if working a double last night was manageable, and tender mercies can be recognized on top of it, life in general can be manageable too. 

love Katherine

Later on...

It is 8:50 pm and I just got Dad to bed. I am exhausted after working last night, even after sleeping hours this morning. 

I love my parents and am happy to help. I am happy they are here with us as their furnace gets fixed. 

I have been thinking about double standards in life. I don't want to be guilty of them. I am sure I am, especially when I try to cut back my kids  screen time and yet I have unlimited phone time. I need to do better. I have signed out of Facebook and don't know the password to sign back on so that is a start. I look at other people in my life and see double standards and I get confused. I can't really say more about that here or now. But it is confusing to me. 

You know I struggle with the whole work thing. My mom was mostly a stay at home mom and so was yours. But in reality, my kids probably won't be. They will most likely work alot. The baby boomer generation started the ball rolling faster for double incomes and the inflation that followed. When my kids work, they may see the double standard if I didnt /don't work as much. Everyone can handle different amounts of work and stress but I can not expect my kids to handle more than what I have to handle. I can work and do it well and not complain. I see the value in being a stay at home mom, but, I have been blessed with the job I have, even when I am mandated to work double shifts at times. 

Now off to bed

Love Katherine

Dear Chris

 Dear Chris,

I miss you, so I am blogging as though I am writing you. 

Well, I am here at work, a bit early and ready to start my evening shift. Hopefully I can handle whatever comes my way. But the nice thing about working at the Center is that I almost always feel like I can handle it. It is a good job. 

Mom and Dad have been staying at our place the last 2 nights because their furnace quit. It is getting replaced today but they will stay tonight as well. It is a tender mercy to have them over. I don't worry as much about the kids tonight when mom is around. So that is a tender mercy. 

Caeleb and Elva have been reading the binder of emails I wrote to my family when I at BYUI. It is fun to read them and I am glad mom printed and kept them together. 

I have always been a writer since my young adult years. It is therapeutic. I keep saying that. 

Well I have some co-workers here talking to me so I better go. 

Hope you are doing well and that Teaching is fun and exciting and that your work load is not more than you can bear. 

Love Katherine

Empathy

I am an empathetic person. A friend of mine once called me an empath. I feel things deeply. I feel the trials of others as though they are my own. I especially feel the trials of other people who feel things deeply. It can be hard. But it helps me put myself into other people's shoes. And that helps me know how to serve others. It also helps me think of different scenarios and imagine different outcomes in my life. And it causes me many tears and other emotions. 

Lately I have be thinking alot about how so many Christians believe God will only save about 10% of the total population. They don't  allow themselves to give it a number, but if one allows him or herself to think outside the box, I would say that is a fairly good estimate for what some people would call "true Christians." About 10% of mankind. I can't believe that 90% of Gods creation will suffer in eternal torment. It would destroy me to think that way and I dont understand why it doesn't cause those that think that way to be in a constant depth of despair. Perhaps there is a lack in empathy? 

I focus on the charity of God. The pure love of Christ. His atonement was the ultimate act of Charity. He felt all anyone has felt or will ever feel. The pain, sorrow, confusion. And he died for us. We can not fully understand it. But we can trust it will make all things right in this life and/or the next. 

The scriptures do say without Charity, ye are nothing. What does that mean? When Christ was on this earth, he spent so much time with the sinner, the lonely, the sick. He wept with the family and friends of Lazerus upon his death. He felt what others felt. He stood in their shoes. He stands in our shoes. He has empathy and with that empathy comes Charity. I think that means Christ will be the perfect judge and advocate for all mankind. 

I don't think the Pastors I have talked too understand this. Because to them, it appears that one must check off certain boxes of beliefs about Christ to avoid eternal torture. I can't really blame them. They go to years of school to learn theology. It is all about theology. Or so it seems. Understandably though... that is their livelihood. 

I think there is more to life than believing the right way in this life in order to avoid eternal torture. Otherwise, why would God not influence most of his creation to believe a certain way? 

What is this life truly about? Is it not about learning to be more like Christ? To learn by faith, not having all the answers? No one has all the answers. We all walk by faith. Is this life the time to be put into the imperfect circumstances needed to learn true empathy that leads to charity towards all mankind? I think it is. 

The Women in my Life

I am writing alot lately. But I just needed to express my gratitude this morning! I have been thinking alot about the women in my life. My mom is an example of plugging away when life gets hard. She is a hard worker. I read a poem once about a Mother's hands. I need to find that poem again. My Mother's hands may been calloused from the many weeds she has pulled, the meals she has prepared, the people she has served throughout her life, and she still is going strong even with the aches and pains of all the work she had done. I look up to her example. 

I am just listening to Elva's singing lesson right now and I am grateful for her singing teacher. Her house is clean and tidy (mine not so much), with bread rising on the counter. She is part of our Relief Society of Champion ward and does so much for so many people. And yet she still takes time to share her music talents and teach Elva. 

Elva and Caeleb have a piano teacher from our ward who has taken them under her wing. She was my grade 2 and 6 teacher and those were some of my best and most memorable years at school. She taught by music and music makes memories. She gives of her time and talents to help those in the community. 

I am grateful for all the women in Champion ward and in Champion town. I see so many hands of service. 

I am grateful to be able to serve others. Mostly it is my kids and parents, and the patients at work at the moment. But I am able to serve others time to time and I had a good visit with a friend the other day as I helped her move things around in her house. 

Isn't service just sharing and seeing God's love in life. Are we not all instruments in God's hands? 

Your gonna miss this

I like country music. It is always the music I go back too after hopping from 80s to 90s to classical to modern. I have to admit, classical was a childhood staple as we listen to Bach and Mozart while going to sleep as kids, as well as Les Miserables on my walkman for any road trip. I memorized most of that musical.

But I come back to country time and time again. I remember sleeping outside on the trampoline or in blanket made hammocks as a child and falling asleep to country music that Nathan played on his old radio that looked like a tiny TV. 

John Micheal Montgomery, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Paul Brant. And many others. I have learned to love the oldies in recent years such as Hank Williams. There is something soothing about his voice. 

There's a modernish country song called you'r gonna miss this. I am thinking about it now. 

I know that the tiredness, the business, the anxiety, the chaos and confusion of having a job, kids and a million things to do and places to be will go by too quickly and I am going to miss this someday. So I will hold onto it as long as I can. I am just watching 8 year old Mary sleep next to me. Sometimes 3 or 4 kids will end up with me in bed and I wake up with aches from sleeping in weird positions. But that is ok. I will miss this someday and I feel so blessed to have what I have. I am grateful to God for life. 

On a tangent...speaking of life...

I want to write a book someday. It will be about spiritual philosophies on life, explained in a metaphor. It will be about a young boy from a place called Innocence. Lets call him Noble. This boy has heared of the ultimate journey to a wonderful kingdom that he can find if he decides to venture out on difficult journey. In order to find this Kingdom, he is told that he needs to solve 3 riddles, each with a time limit. He starts this journey with 10 other people. When he comes upon the places where he is to solve the riddles, he sees people in need. One man in particular. This man offers him words of wisdom and Noble chooses to trust him. Noble chooses to help those in need and in doing so, he either misses the opportunity to solve the riddles or he gets the riddles wrong and is unable to obtain passage to the right path to the kingdom. These riddles are confusing and hard to get right. Noble is not a scholar. 

He gets lost in the forest while helping one in need and he stumbles onto a glorious golden fence. He beholds a beautiful kingdom beyond, with beautiful weedless gardens and delicious food set on tables of gold, yet he cannot get inside. There is no gate for him. He sees two of his friends that he started his journey with. They are beyond the golden fence. They are eating and drinking, singing and laughing. Noble calls out to these two friends and asks about the others that they came with. One of them reminds him that some of their friends were lost early on in the journey for various reasons. Others did not get the riddles right and consequencely were led down a different path. One of them on the other side of the fence states smugly, "what does it matter where these people are, I got all I want and need here. I am well fed, well entertained, comfy and happy" The other friend looks cowardly towards Noble, avoiding eye contact and hesitantly states "I don't know where our other friends are but I shall not go after them. I will stay here where it is safe." 

Noble looks as them with confusion and sadness. He does not remember his friends being so selfish. He continues down the path he is on to look for the others. The path takes him to a dungeon under the kingdom. It is dark, wet, cold, awful. The only light is from fires that burn the flesh as people get too close. There is no way out. He finds his 7 other friends in that place. He helps those friends and the many that are there. He sings to them, he gives of his food in his backpack and his coat off his back. He offers them hope, warmth and light. They are in despair. 

The wise man from the Journey finds Noble in the Dungeon. He teaches Noble and lets Noble decide what he wants to do. Noble wants to stay and help his friends rather than enjoy the luxuries above. This desire triggers something in the wise man and he shows his true, magnificent colors. He leads Noble and all who choose to go with him (after learning more of what the wise man has to say), on another jounry. It is a harder journey, up a mountain beyond the kingdom. They take their time and help each other along. The view at the top is incredible. The King is there, overlooking his kingdom. He teaches them what to look for and this allows Noble and all who desire too, to see in the distance those who have just started their journey from the land of Innocence. Those at the top of the mountain can make the choice to continue a difficult journey back to the start to be wise men for those there, and to help those who need help, who are reaching for something more. 

This is all I've got for now. If I don't write this book, maybe someone who thinks like me will. 

Anyways, I best be going to bed. Just wanted to write my thoughts down. 

Christmas time

It was a great Christmas! It just went too fast. I picked up 5 shifts and worked my regular 3. I shouldn't have picked up so much. I regret that. But the time and a half for working boxing day was nice. It will help us as we save up for an RV trip this summer. Camellia and Doug are going to rent Doug's brothers RV and we will share the cost and caravan with them in our Van. I wish my brother Nathan would go but he said no already. He is in a dark place it seems. It is hard and makes my anxiety thrive.

Friday December 1st, our ward did the Champion Nativity and it was really good. Not cold like last year. The town does hot chocolate, hot dogs and hay rides and it makes for a fun evening. Chris was a Wiseman, Caeleb was a Wiseman helper, and Mary, Elva and I were Angel's. 

Mom got us a tree from the scouts in Nanton and we decorated it after I worked on Sunday Dec 3rd. We watched Polar express as per tradition. It makes for a magical evening.

The kids school concert was on the 20th. I had to push hard to get it off work. It is hard not having Chris here to help with that. It was a simple hour long program, the junior high did some songs for band (only 11 of them in the band), the little kids sang songs and Elvas grade 5/6 class did a fun play about North Poles got talent. It was the best performance Champion has had yet.

Our ward party was the Friday before Christmas was beautiful complete with the usual delicious roast beef dinner. I was tired as I had short shifted the night before (evening Thursday to day on Friday). Camellia and Dougs family came. It was a good time. 

I worked the Saturday and Christmas eve Sunday was spent going to church for an hour and then preparing and eating a delicious Turkey dinner with my parents, Nathan and my friends Lindsey and Meike. We watched some of its a wonderful life and all of Mr. Krueger Christmas. And Chris read the Nativity story.

The kids were in bed by 8:30 ish. I read them The Night before Christmas as they went to bed. The oldest 3 slept in Elvas room. 

They were up by 6:00 and then down to the living room at 7:00 for stockings. We had cracked wheat (boiled wheat) for breakfast and then we helped Dad over and Mom and Nathan came and we opened gifts. Mary got a hamster that she named Peanut. Nathan kept her in his room for the week before Christmas. Elva got some horse stuff (helmet and boots from Gainors) and a Tamagotchi pet. Caeleb got some boared games. Selman got lego and a Nintendo switch game and Lizzy got an Elsa dress and Barbies. And the kids got a mini fooseball/air hockey/pool table which they love. Chris got a camera. That was a big spend. It is good that he is working.

We had a lazy Christmas day, I worked Boxing day. We spent some days watching Lord of the Rings, playing board games, eating food. We spent a night at a Lethbridge Hotel with Mom and Dad and the Nelsons, enjoying swimming, bowling and eating at Tony Romas. We missed Nathan for that. And we had sister Burbank over on New Years eve after I worked. We played a game with her and the kids did musical chairs which was a blast. We had appetizers and we watched the movie New Years Eve. The 2 Littles were asleep by 9:00 and Mary fell asleep on the couch by 10:00. But the rest of us made it till midnight.

I worked New Years Day evening and was able to do Karaoke with many of the patients which was blast for them and I and was just what was needed to boast the moral on our unit (including mine). 

One of my New Years goals was to not watch certain youtube videos (Evangelicals bashing other belief systems). It has caused alot of distress for me and there is no need for it. They can believe I am going to Hell for my beliefs, but in doing so, they will also need to believe most of mankind, including the Muslims being killed in Gaza these days and the Jews of the Holocaust, are going to Hell too. It doesn't look good on them for believing that. In fact, it appears selfish and wrong. If I am going to Hell, for having incorrect theology (which Evangelicals believe is the one unforgivable sin that Jesus' atonement will not cover), I aim to help those in Hell find faith and hope in a God who I believe is as equally merciful as he is just in a way that makes sense to all people and who will save most people in anyway he can, because of his perfect understanding of them. But they can believe whatever they want, even if it scary, selfish and dangerous. I do like to listen to David Alexander, who seems to understand things like me, BUT, in reality, I am trying to cut as much youtube out of my life as possible. 

I want to be like my cousin Melanie. When we were little, she was the one who hung out with me when she would come to the farm and her sister Maryanne would spend time with Camellia. Melanie is going through a hard time right now with stage 4 cancer. I just listened to a recent interview from her and it felt like I was listening to Grandma Smith (how I imagine Grandma sounding in her younger years). I bet Melanie would be alot like Grandma Smith the older she got. I miss Grandma. I admire Melanie's  courage and her faith and it makes me proud to be a part of the Smith family. I haven't always felt like I fit in with the Smith family. I remember some of my  cousins being mean to Nathan, Camellia and I. We were the misfits. But I always felt loved by Grandma Smith. I pray for Melanie and her family and I always put her name on the Temple role when I go. 

Chris is back to school and I miss him. Grandma Smith only had her husband for 14 years. I can be without Chris for the week days. But I miss him. And I miss him more these last few days as the weather gets to the - 30s and - 40s. 

I am chuckling to myself as I lay next to a napping Lizzy while listening to Mary sing her little heart out to The Greatest Showman. Mary is so serious, with such a sarcastic sense of humor, it is fun to catch these moments. She really likes that movie and we all watched it last night while sleeping in the living room, listening to the cold wind outside. 

Work was hard

Work was hard yesterday. No one died or got incredibly sick. But I had to send a patient off to acute psych. He had been at our center for 2 years. He was paranoid thinking we were all out to get him. He called the RCMP. We thought he was going to get aggressive as he threatened to do so, so we had one security and 2 peace officers there following him around, then 2 RCMP came and he was trying to tell them how we are at fault. So all these people were following him around the unit. Kind of funny when you think about it. 

Then a new nurse started telling how he did not think this was right and that we needed to help the patient and not send him away. That is what we have been trying to do! For 2 years. Nothing was making him less paranoid. This patient obviously needed a change. I tried to help the new nurse understand this but could have done better at that. 

I was charge nurse and was responsible for directing the whole thing so I earned my money yesterday I guess. Oh, and to top it off, a little mouse was running around the unit while we were sending the patient out and another nurse was able to pick it up and give it to me to take outside. 

My brain was foggy when I got home. I was irritable and stressed. I got upset with Chris and the kids. My brain is still foggy today and I can't stop crying. Working in mental health can strain ones mental health and I am a sensitive person. I often feel like I cant handle everything on my plate. For example I work this coming Thursday evening and then come home to be with the kids at midnight. Then I get up at 5:30 to go to a day shift. I am grateful for my Mom who helps me so much. I try to help her as well by helping to take care of Dad. Chris is gone for the week. He doesn't do anything when he sees me struggle with anxiety. He ignores me. It makes me feel distant from him. It probably would not be good for him to work in mental health. 

I think I am going to get to retirement one day, you know 60 or 65, and then wake up and be like, huh, Nursing isn't really for me. But until then I will keep plugging away. I have had many ups and downs in the profession and I need to focus on the ups as it is a blessing to have a good job! I will probably be working alot when my kids are all in school. Life is not cheap. And perhaps I enjoy vacations here and there. That is on me. 

When I retire, I think I will move to a small apartment with enough room or a park nearby so that my grandkids can come a play. I hope to visit them at their house. I want to live a simple life so that my transition to the next life won't be harder on my kids. I want to go for daily walks, walk to the library and get books to read during the day, and a movie to watch at night. I don't want to be a burden and I dont want my kids to have to tell me when it is too hard for them. They would be torn because they love me and want to help me but they have their own lives to live too. And I depend on them so much now while they are young - the older kids needing to watch the younger kids while I work. I know it is good for them to learn responsibility but I don't want them to feel taken advantage of. I never had to take care of younger siblings but my older kids do. 

I am getting on a tangent. 

It helps to write.

Just Elizabeth and Me

It is a beautiful Thursday morning (Dec 14th). The 4 oldest are at school so it is just Elizabeth (3 years old) and me at home. She is playing in the bath at this time. She wanted to have a bath which is unusual for her. She usually fights it. It is so fun to listen to her play. She is so adorable. She is always talking and asking questions. She loves to play Barbies and  LOVES princesses. She is our little Princess and is still our busy Lizzy and I just love her so much. It is hard having kids grow up so fast so I try to hold onto whatever baby is in her. I try to cherish all moments with my kids. 

Caeleb is turning into a fine young man. At 13 ( grade 8), he is entering the fun teenage age and I really think it is fun. He loves board games and basketball. He is such a good sport even when he doesn't get to play much or get the ball often. He is an optimist like his Dad and I am do grateful that he is. 

Elva (11 and in grade 5) is my little helper. She is the second mom in the home. Caeleb may cook the meals when I am at work (Mac and cheese and soup and cheese sandwiches) but she helps with the kids including putting the Littles to bed and comforting them. She takes piano and singing and does well at singing. She sang in the ward choir and the choral festival with me on Tuesday. I love her around. She is my friend.

Mary (8 grade 2) is the middle. And although she may get lost in it and have her moments of pessimism and anxiety, she is maturing so much! She struggles a bit with school but she is working hard and will get there. She is a friend to everyone and is ever so creative. I love to see her at her desk in her bedroom working on a craft. She is Nanas little helper and us always over there creating and helping. Oh, and she has her own sense of style. Overalls and a pony tale for every day of the week. Good thing Nana found her some new overalls as the old ones were worn right through. 

Selman (5 kindergarten) has a smile to light up a room. He loves technology such as video and computer games and is quick to figure things out. I think he will be like his Dad. He loves to have fun! And he loves school which is a bonus for me as Elva and Mary were not fans of going to school in Kindergarten. 

I love these kids so much and am grateful for them in my life. I watched one of my favorite movies last night. It is called "In the pursuit of Happiness". It helps put life into perspective. 

The sunrise was beautiful today and I feel so blessed to be alive. 

Changes and Challenges this beautiful Fall season

Well, where to begin. Chris started a new job on September 18th at a Catholic school in Drumheller. Since he did not get the job in Claresholm that he was hoping for, we decided he would broaden his horizons and look further away from home. He saw the dream job at St. Anthony's (High school math and science), got an interview on Monday September 11 (I drove up with him and Selman and Lizzy tagged along) and he got hired on the spot. Then he called the Branch President for Drumheller and it was almost as if he knew Chris would call, because he gave him a room to stay in for just $500 a month. What an answer to our prayers!

And now we live with the blessings and hardships of said job. The kids and I miss Chris! I am a single Mom from Monday morning at 5:30 when Chris leaves to Friday evening about 5:30 pm. I have started my new rotation at the Center for Mental Health and Addictions which means I work every other weekend days, 1 Friday day and 3 weekday evenings on a 4 week rotation. So I do not get to see Chris a lot. And when I work those weekday evenings, I rely on the older kids to put the younger kids to bed. And then my mom comes and stays with them after she gets Dad to bed, from 1000 to when I get home a little after midnight. I am so blessed to have a wonderful mom and wonderful kids. 

In a way it is a blessing that Chris lives away during the week. He has a heavy load teaching and he has always struggled with getting things done. I feel guilty when we are around distracting him so if we are not around, hopefully he will get his work done. I know he is working hard and I am proud of him. He is an amazing teaching. I am always in awe of how smart he is! 

Caeleb turned 13 on September 14th. And Chris turned.... Caeleb had almost all the Champion Junior High to our place to play board games (about 12 kids came). I can't believe my oldest is a teenager now! He is such a good kid, kind, calm, chill and just fun to be around. 

Mary turned 8 on September 19th and had her baptism on Saturday the 23rd. It was a beautiful simple baptism. She looked so cute in her little white home sewn dress. I am proud of her choice to follow Jesus. She is nanas little helper - so compassionate and empathetic and yet full of fire too.  Grandma and Grandpa drove out for that and stayed for a week and a half. Then Grandma flew out the day before thanksgiving and stayed for another 2 weeks to help me settle in to the single mom life and finish up some last shifts at the hospital. It was wonderful to have her around. She watched the kids while Chris and I spent a night, for our 14th anniversary, at the downtown Sheraton Hotel in Calgary. We had spent our wedding night there. He got us a nice room and we were able to enjoy going to the lounge for appetizers and breakfast on the top floor. We went swimming and out to supper. We walked around Princess Island Park which is Chris' favourite park in Calgary. And we went to the Temple the next day which was wonderful. It has been a great 14 years full of ups and downs. I am grateful I can spend life with Chris. 

I quit my job at the Claresholm Hospital. Nov 3 was the last day. It was sad but it needed to be done. I had only been there about a year and 4 months but was only picking up 2-3 shifts a month on average and that was not enough to become competent in Emerg even though working on the floor was going well. Now I can't pick up at all there since Chris is not around to help with the kids. The second last shift I had in Emerg, I assisted with putting a chest tube in. I have done many chest tube dressing changes but it was my first time assisting with an insertion and I was a bit flustered trying to understand what the doctor wanted me to do. He was very patient with me. But I did not feel confident. I got a nice compliment my last day of work there. And I was told the door is open for me to go back if I so choose in a few years when my kids are all in school. I would do a Triage course and an Emerg course first. It is a lot of work, skill and knowledge working there and I so admire the nursing staff. But I kind of think I will just stick with mental health for a while and maybe end my career in 20 years just as I started it (19 years ago), working with sick and tiny newborns. There is a NICU at the South Health Campus in SE Calgary. We shall see what life brings. It is crazy to think I am about halfway done my career. I have been blessed with many different experiences in nursing. Some good and some not so good. The year of 2023, I worked 3 shifts a week on average (the beginning half of the year was almost 4 shifts a week). In 2024 it will be 2 shifts a week. Alot more manageable without Chris around and I can focus on being a mom. 

The weather has been gorgeous. No snow on the ground at this time (Nov 13) and the grass is green which is great for the horses. We have had some rain this Fall. 2 days ago was the worst wind storm we have seen. The play house fell over and was damaged and hundreds if not thousands of tumble weeds blocked our driveway so we spent a while Saturday evening clearing a path to get vehicles through.

The kids enjoyed Halloween although we wish Chris had been here. We had a Peter pan theme. Selman was Peter, Lizzy was Tinkerbell, Elva was Captain Hook and I was Mother Darling. Mary decided to not go as Wendy and instead used by Green MandM costume that my mom made when I was about 11. Her favorite color is green and I knew that costume would stick with her as she has a tendency of changing her mind. Caeleb ordered a funny shirt online that said "costume not found: error 404." He went out with friends trick or treating around Champion while I did the Champion costume parade with all the kids (except Lizzy who stayed to help Nana hand out candy) and then took the kids (minus Caeleb) to the 12 neighbors around our place. Trick or treating always takes us about 3 hours and I go for the visits. I need to be a better neighbor and visit at other times of the year as well. We usually pick something out to sing: This year it was "we can fly" from Peter pan of course. We carved pumpkins a couple nights before at my parents house and we got plenty of Halloween movies in this October. You know, the usuals - Hocus Pocus, the Haunted Mansion, Casper, etc. I like my kiddy scary movies. 

A couple of days ago was Remembrance day and Elva and I recited "In Flanders Fields" by memory at the little Champion service. It is such an important day for me. So many sacrificed  everything for our freedom. Lest we forget. We watched the movie Narnia last Sunday as a family and that is a good movie about world war two and about the ultimate sacrifice from our Savior and the fight against evil. There appears to be so much evil in our world. I hope I can teach my kids to seek to do right. It really is the easier path. 

Well, I best be going to bed. Until next time. Love you all. 

Tired but still trying

I am tired today. We all are. We went to the Zoo yesterday. It was hot out - about 36 degrees. But we were prepared. We had water bottles, melted freezes, a spray bottle to spray us to cool down.  And when we got home, us girls including Mary and Elva went to water aerobics in Champion and that cooled us down as well and was a blast! My friends Lindsey and Chelsea came to the zoo and to the pool. Lindsey has been my friend since a year after Chris and I got married. We call her Aunt Lindsey as she is like an Aunt to our kids. We have done a lot for her. She lived with us for a while and we even watched her cats for a while while she was living in China. And I think Chris might be allergic to cats. Chelsea is in our ward and is 18 years old. She is headed off to University in Kelowna in just a week. She has babysat numerous times for us and we all adore her. She is a kindred spirit. I think talking to her in the car brought both Lindsey and I back to our BYUI days. I sure miss it there. It was a highlight of my life and I am so happy that I got to experience it. I hope my children get the same opportunity of having prayers before class starts, Tuesday devotionals, FHE, etc. My testimony was strengthened by going there. I am excited for Chelsea and I am excited for my kids. Life has so much opportunity for learning and growth and it can be wonderful. I hope my kids can always look at life as an adventure. 

Right now Chris and I are trying to figure out what learning and growth needs to happen in our lives. I have been working 3-4 shifts a week while Chris has not worked this summer and was only doing 2 subbing shifts a week March to June. It is hard with him not working much but I love him and we will keep plugging away. My biggest issue is that I want to be home to watch the kids. Selman goes to kindergarten 2 times a week this Fall but Lizzy has 2 more years at home. I feel lots of guilt and fear of missing out when I am not around my kids; when I am not at the cross roads in their lives. It is hard to know how much to work but I really feel like 3 days a week is enough for me right now. 

Back to the zoo. 3 year old Lizzy's favorite was the Giraffe. She was so excited to see them. Even today she says it was her favorite animal. The kids did so good at walking and taking turns riding in the wagon. We made sure to see the Penguins twice as it is cool in their enclosure. If we still lived in the city, I would have a zoo pass. I loved having my zoo pass when we lived there and I took my children many times when Elva was 3 and Mary was a baby. The 3 things I miss about the city are: being close to grocery stores, the beautiful paths and my zoo pass. 

But we are settled here at the farm. We have had a great summer. I worked on my Birthday but the Saturday before, we took the kids on the train to downtown Calgary for the free Rope Square stampede morning activities. Elva and I square danced which is my favorite. we had a free pancake and bacon, went for a walk, listened to music, etc. And in the afternoon we went to Spruce Meadows to watch horse jumping. I love watching horse jumping but I do not like that it is a sport for rich people. We camped a couple nights in Champion as per usual the second week in July while the kids did swimming lessons. I worked alot that week and even shortshifted, spending a night sleeping in the van before starting an early shift at the Center after a evening shift at the hospital. 

Chris played a HUGE role in applying for government interest free loans and grants to get new windows for our house as our old windows were falling apart and not energy efficient at all. I mean this house is about 110 years old.  The new windows were installed in July, cost us 67000ish dollars (over a 10 year interest free loan) and look beautiful. I wish we could have kept the green windows at the top but we did keep the old window in the kitchen for nostalgia. It was hard living in a mess for a few weeks but the results of the new windows have been fantastic and it is so nice to be able to have windows we can open and get a breeze. I am so grateful for all that Chris did for arranging for these windows to be installed. 

I worked 14 shifts in July but have been able to stay home more in August. It has not been a good one for the farmers though. We had a drought this year and the crops are awful around these parts. 

We had Chris' parents stay at our place for 5 nights the end of July. It was a very peaceful time. We went swimming a couple of times, talked, watched a movie, watched a thunder shower on the porch of our house and went to church together. I hope they felt the peace and tranquility that I felt when they were around. 

Then they went to a Brown family reunion while we went to Drumheller for a couple of nights. The $200 we spent on camping, the museum, food such as hotdogs and tin foil dinners, climbing the big dinosaur, etc was cheaper than the $900 for the reunion. So that is why we chose to do that. But we did stop in for an afternoon visit at the reunion in water valley on the way home and it was good to catch up with the Brown family. We had our niece Olivia camp with us and she fit in perfectly with our family as a 6th kid for a few days. Chris arranged this trip which was very thoughtful of him. 

On the way home from the reunion, Wendy and her boys caravanned with us and came to the farm for a couple of nights. I am grateful we live on this farm that anyone is welcome to come and visit. We have space for people to sleep in the house or pitch a tent in the yard, to explore and to just be in a calm, serene place away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It was so good to have them out for a visit and I admire all that Wendy does for her family. 

We had chicken killing days last week. Did 8 one Monday and 14 the next Monday. And we still have 8 in the freezer from last year. So we will eat a chicken a month for the first Sunday supper of the month with Mom and Dad. 

I took the 3 big kids to the Carston catraige house theater play "The wizard of Oz" last week and it was very well done as like all plays are there. 

Caeleb has been working a little this summer at the Champion Library summer reading program in Champion on Monday and Wednesday. He has taken it very seriously and has done well to clean up after. I am proud of him. Him and Elva did a second set of swimming lessons this week and Elva has caught up with Caeleb. She is a strong swimmer. I remember failing my swimming lessons when I was Caelebs age and never continuing on after that. 

My garden was a disaster this summer. Maybe it was the cats pooping in it, or the chickens pecking at it or the grasshoppers. Nothing grew except 5 peas and lettuce the size of Lizzys hand. And that is all I have to say about that. 

Chris applied for a job at a nearby high school last week and he had an interview a couple of days ago but he did not get the job. We found out yesterday that he did not get the job and it put a bit of a damper on the Zoo day. I really feel for Chris. He was so excited about this job. The guy who told him he did not get the job told him he needs more experience but how can he get more experience if he can not get jobs that give him experience. Sometimes it just does not seem fair. Maybe he will need to find a job in Tim buck two and come home for weekends.

So I will continue to work 3 days a week. Hopefully not more but it will probably be more in the summer. If I can get 1 - 2 days of vacation pay a month plus work 13 shifts a month, we will be ok. But Chris will need to sub 2-3 days a week as well and we will need to be frugal. I know God has blessed us in our lives. He has blessed me to get the nursing jobs that I have got. He has blessed me with the gift of frugality. He has blessed Chris with the brains to figure out how to get the most out of our money when it comes to mortgage, loans, grants, etc. I know Chris wants nothing more than to teach Math. He loves to teach kids and he has a talent with teaching math and science in different ways that kids can understand. I hope and pray he will get the opportunities in his life that he desires. 

Our small blue SUV drove its last drive yesterday and quit by Nanton on the way home from Costco after the zoo. Chris and Selman were in it. It will never run again and AMA towed it to the farm today. So we are without a second vehicle. When it rains it storms I guess. 

And although we are all tired today and a melancholy feeling hangs over our house, we will keep trying to live life to its fullest. 2 more weeks with the kids at home before school starts. I work this weekend but then get almost 2 weeks off. Let's make the most of then. (And I am smiling now because I hear the kids getting along and playing in the attic - I hope it lasts!). Now to help Chris in the kitchen get supper ready. 

Can't sleep

I can't sleep tonight. It is 3:49 in the morning. I worked Float RN in Emergency yesterday. I didn't eat, go to the bathroom, have a break, barely sat down (only to do an IV), for 8 hours. I did an IV, failed at 2 other attempts, did 2 ECGs, triaged many many people, did a dressing change, admitted a patient to the unit, did a urine test, gave a tetanus shot, gave other meds, started blood, etc etc. I felt like an idiot several times and did not feel like the asset to the team that I so desperately want to feel. Emergency is hard. There are a lot of sick sick people who pass through there. We had a chain saw injury and a table saw injury, GI bleeds, heat stroke, diabetic crisis, etc. I find it fascinating but do not feel like I am enough. I came home to a family I love and the kids were all over me as soon as I set foot in the door. I will miss that some day. And my brother needed a shoulder to cry on tonight. He is having a hard time and I feel deeply for him. I cried too. I wish I could take all the pain away from him. I love him. I have 10 more shifts at my acute care site. Then I will stick to my mental health nursing for now. I would like to take more training someday. A course in nursing. I was thinking it might be fun to end my nursing career the same way I started it. At a step down NICU. I worked in the little NICU in Rexburg Idaho 18 years ago and maybe I could someday work 12 hour shifts at the South Health Campus at the south end of Calgary. I was talking to NICU nurses there when I took my Connect Care training in February/March. We just launched this new computer system at the mental health facility I work at and I love it. We have had it for a year at the other hospital I work at. Anyways, back to NICU nursing. It is specialized so I would definitely take a refresher course in it. I love to learn and I love those little babies. It is a focused area and not the overwhelming knowledge base needed to treat hundreds of different Emergency cases. 

I have been humbled time and time again in my career, often not thinking I am good enough. If I can teach my kids anything from this, it would be to use your experiences to learn to have empathy for ALL people. We can use our hard experiences to learn this. That is what life is all about, I think. To learn to love in a state of being (with bodies) where we can learn pure and true love and empathy. Because none of us are perfect. The harder life is, the more we can relate to other people and learn empathy for them. I believe the Savior had perfect empathy. 

Lately I have been distracting myself by continuing to listen to other peoples beliefs. It has strengthened my own belief system. I truly believe that we are here on this earth to learn to love ALL people with an eternal love. To help God bring to pass his eternal goal which is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. This life is so short! If there is an after life, we are here to learn to love all people not just for this life but for that afterlife even if it is not all sunshine and rainbows in that afterlife. Even if it takes more learning and growth. It might be hard but it is worth it because we will be helping God fulfill his purposes. God loves all people. And his love is eternal! This eternal perspective helps me get through day to day. It is living for something beyond. I wish others could see what I see and understand what I understand. There is so much more out there then walking on streets of gold and building your own mansion for eternity. We work hard learning and loving in this life, why would it be different in the next? 

Well, I should try to go back to sleep.  I keep meaning to do an update about Christmas and after. Life has been busy. We are plugging along and hoping that Chris has a job for the Fall as he is just subbing for now. His contract at Milo ended the end of February and he is picking up on average 2-3 subbing shifts a week now. It means less stress for him and more stress for me. I am working 3-4 shifts a week. We went out to Victoria for Spring break and it was so lovely seeing the Watters family. I love them so much. And I love my Smith family here at home. Mom works so hard taking care of Dad and making the yard look so beautiful. I help with Dad too where I can. We love them very much. There has been a lot of smoke from wild fires up in northern Alberta and we are praying for those affected by them. I feel for them. Our air quality in Alberta last week was awful. The skys were gray from smoke as the wind drove it in our direction. But it is beautiful outside now. The grass is green, the lilacs on the bush outside are starting to come out. I love the smell! The birds are chirping outside as I type this. It is almost morning. And we had our first thundershower a week or so ago which I love. They make me giddy and a little scared. It was not a lot of rain but it was something and the crops are starting to come up a bit. Life is good. The simple things in life are beautiful! And loving others makes life all the better. 

Talks in Church

Chris and I talked in church last Sunday. He talked about his favorite Christmas hymn "I heard the bells on Christmas day." He got a little choked up when quoting it. That meant something to me. I gave the following talk. I want to remember the stories so I am posting it here. It is a very cold, - 30s, very busy week getting ready for Christmas. Almost there, just a few more gifts to get. But I baked Christmas cookies with the kids today, washed the floor, put up more lights and folded lots of laundry. The spirit of Christmas is in our home. Merry Christmas everyone!

Good morning brothers and Sisters. Chris and I did not have a lot of time to prepare our talks. I hope our thoughts come out clear and that you can learn from the Spirit what you may not be able to learn from us. 

Chris and I are speaking on the scripture in 2 Nephi 2:25. Adam fell that man might be and men are that they might have joy. So simple but so true. I am so grateful for the simplicity of the Book of Mormon. Studying the Old testament this last year has been hard. I joke that it is like reading Shakespeare. Hard to understand and quite harsh at times. It was hard for me to see the love of God over the harshness of God in the old testament. I have to admit it. I enjoy studying the Bible, but the Book of Mormon has made the Bible, and its description of a perfectly balanced loving and just Heavenly Father more clear to me. Without it, I am not sure where I would be.

 

 I am going to let Chris talk about the first part of 2 Nephi 2:25. I just want to talk about Joy. I need to reflect on it. I think we all do. I want to talk about three stories on my mind as of late.

Story #1). Have you ever seen the play the Forgotten Carols. I saw it once in Idaho Falls when I was going to school at BYU-Idaho. And I like to watch it every year at Christmas and listen to the music. I like the music. I like the simple story. It is about a Nurse who lives what I would call a melancholy life. She works all the time, she is very serious and does not seem to find joy in life. She is alone in the world. She is haunted by her past. Her mom and dad had passed on and her mom was very stern with her. She didn't know her dad. She is sent to take care of a friendly older gentleman at the home he is living in. She is pretty cold and distant at first but eventually, through songs called "forgotten carols" about the Savior and the beauty in the world, she warms up to him. He helps her see the beauty in Christmas and in life. I used to think this musical was a little silly because the carols in it are nothing like the carols we sing that are centuries old and very well known. But the story is a beautiful story. It taught me that there is beauty in the little things in life. If you have not seen this musical, I recommend it. It is on youtube. And we have a copy if you want to borrow it.

 

Story # 2) The beauty in the little things in life reminds me of my own life when I was a missionary. I was in Guayaquil Ecuador 16 years ago for Christmas. It was my first Christmas away from home. I remember going to sleep on Christmas eve in my plain ordinary bedroom that I shared with my companion. I remember there was blue paint chipping off the walls, windows with bars on them like many house had in that big city. I probably fell asleep on my knees at the side of my bed as I often did on my mission. My simple bed had but a single sheet as the weather was still hot and muggy at that time of year. It was always hot and muggy and dirty. My parents had sent a few small presents. I woke up in the morning, Christmas day, and went into the bathroom to open my few gifts by myself. Some of my companions didn’t get as much as me and I wanted to be alone. We spent the day singing Christmas carols in Spanish. We went to an investigator family that evening and spent some time with them reflecting on the birth of the Savior. They lived in a old scraped together house with few belongings. But I remember they were happy. I remember their smiles and we talked and sang songs. It was not the Christmas I was used to but it was beautiful because the focus was on the Savior. The focus was always on the Savior during my mission. It was supposed to be. And through all the struggles I had on my mission, I saw his hand in my life, time and time again including that simple joyful Christmas day.

Story # 3 is a favourite of mine) Lately I have been wanting President Monson back on the earth to tell us Christmas stories. He really is our Christmas prophet and I miss him. One story he told, not at Christmas, but one that has stuck with me is called Yellow Canaries with Grey on their wings. President Monson starts “Some thirty-seven years ago, I was called as a young man to serve as the bishop of a large ward in Salt Lake City. The magnitude of the calling was overwhelming and the responsibility frightening. My inadequacy humbled me. But my Heavenly Father did not leave me to wander in darkness and in silence, uninstructed or uninspired. In his own way, he revealed the lessons he would have me learn.

One evening, at a late hour, my telephone rang. I heard a voice say, “Bishop Monson, this is the hospital calling. Kathleen McKee, a member of your congregation, has just passed away. Our records reveal that she had no next of kin, but your name is listed as the one to be notified in the event of her death. Could you come to the hospital right away?”

Upon arriving there, I was presented with a sealed envelope which contained a key to the modest apartment in which Kathleen McKee had lived. A childless widow seventy-three years of age, she had enjoyed few of life’s luxuries and possessed scarcely sufficient of its necessities. In the twilight of her life, she had become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Being a quiet and reserved person, she revealed little about her life.

That same night I entered her tidy basement apartment, turned the light switch, and in a moment discovered a letter written ever so meticulously in Kathleen McKee’s own hand. It rested face up on a small table and read:

“Bishop Monson,

“I think I shall not return from the hospital. In the dresser drawer is a small insurance policy which will cover funeral expenses. The furniture may be given to my neighbors.

“In the kitchen are my three precious canaries. Two of them are beautiful, yellow-gold in color and are perfectly marked. On their cages I have noted the names of friends to whom they are to be given. In the third cage is ‘Billie.’ He is my favorite. Billie looks a bit scrubby, and his yellow hue is marred by gray on his wings. Will you and your family make a home for him? He isn’t the prettiest, but his song is the best.”

In the days that followed, I learned much more about Kathleen McKee. She had befriended many neighbors in need. She had given cheer and comfort almost daily to a cripple who lived down the street. Indeed, she had brightened each life she touched. Kathleen McKee was much like “Billie,” her prized yellow canary with gray on its wings. She was not blessed with beauty, gifted with poise, nor honored by posterity. Yet her song helped others to more willingly bear their burdens and more ably shoulder their tasks. She lived the message of the verse:

Go visit the lonely, the dreary;

Go comfort the weeping, the weary.

Oh, scatter kind deeds on your way

And make the world brighter today.

The world is filled with yellow canaries with gray on their wings. The pity is that so precious few of them have learned to sing. Perhaps the clear notes of proper example have not sounded in their ears or found lodgment in their hearts.”

So what do these 3 stories have in common? Well, they each talk about a woman navigating experiences in life and perhaps turning a hard situation into something good. But furthermore, they talk about how Joy is found in the simple things in life. And that is where true Joy is found. Not in how much you have or where you have traveled or the big things you have accomplished. True joy is found in knowing the Savior by following his example in thinking of and serving others. 

 

As implied in President Monson’s story, we are all yellow canaries with gray on their wings. I think the grey on my wings and maybe that of my husbands at the moment is trying to balance everything on our plates, from work to kids. Just yesterday I had to miss most of the ward party because the time changed and I had to work. We struggle with balance and I do not know if we will ever find the exact balance in this life. Sometimes it affects my mental health. Perhaps you have some grey on your wings as well. Whether it be physical or emotional ailments, trials that you are working through or imperfections that you are trying to overcome. I guess like President Monson said in his story, the pity is when we dont learn to sing during difficult times. We can find the joy in every moment, we can learn to sing in every situation. That is what Kathleen McKee did in the story. Her life was simple, uncluttered, tidy, and good. She did not leave a lot behind but her song helped others bear their burdens. She truly found true joy and beauty if life and shared that with others. Back to a few days ago in my life, As I was struggling to know what to do about the ward party, a friend I look up too texted me “Life is too wonderful to get bogged down in guilt.” Although it is hard to feel sometimes, I know what she said is true.  

Life is wonderful …hard… but wonderful and we can see the joy in it daily if we choose to do so. Remember, it is a choice to find joy even if it is hard to make that choice. Some have it harder than others making that choice. And in some circumstances, it seems or will impossible to make that choice for a while. We lost a brother this summer because of his inability at the time to choose joy and life over misery and death. I want to make it clear that I know there is hope in the next life for him and there will be joy for him if he accepts it upon having a clear mind. Our Heavenly Father is truly a loving father.

So how do we choose joy when life seems complicated and cluttered? I think many of us can find ways to declutter our lives so that we can see the beauty in it. Maybe we need to find a balance in our home and work lives, which Chris and I are forever seeking for, maybe we can prioritize what is important, like scripture study and prayer and pondering. Maybe we don’t need to attempt to do everything or have everything. Maybe we can take a leap of faith in changing some of our habits and routines, to allow for more room in our lives to fill with the simple joy of the Gospel. What do you need to do to have more joy in your life? I think this is something we can all ponder on today and everyday.

The Gospel is Good News. That literally is what it means. It is about joy and I am so grateful that the Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints has clarified that for me. We truly believe, as latter day saints, that everyone is a Child of God, whether you are a member of the church or not. That is our doctrine. And it means the world to me. We were all made in the image of God, he loves each and everyone of us. Although he allows us to be in different circumstances that may cause different experiences in life, including those of pain and suffering, and although he lets us deal with the consequences of our own actions and those of others, which can be good and bad, he also gives us all hope not only in this life and but in the eternities to come. As we accept the gospel and the atonement of Christ, as we use it to change and become better, as we follow in Christ’s footsteps and go on the path to becoming more like him and our Heavenly parents, we truly see more and more of the pure eternal Joy that God wants for all of us. He will give us eternal joy no matter what our circumstances are and he will give us as much as we are willing to accept. That joy comes from hope in his perfect love and mercy for this life and the next. And that is something that everyone can strive for and enjoy in this life and the next. I have a strong testimony of this.

 

I think my favourite Christmas carol is Silent night. But my favorite non hymn Christmas carol is Have Yourself a Merry little Christmas. I might sing it for you, but thank goodness it would probably not be appropriate for sacrament meeting. So I will spare you that. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song written in 1943 and introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 musical Meet Me in St. Louis. These were world war 2 times and songs like Have yourself a Merry little Christmas and Im dreaming of a White Christmas which was written in 1942 were written for those times. Im dreaming of a White Christmas which was a favourite of my Grandpa Selman who served in world war two, and songs like it helped people like my Grandpa get through those hard times. Have yourself a Merry little Christmas goes…

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on
Our troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yule-tide gay
From now on
Our troubles will be miles away

Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more

Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

 

I know that because of the carol Silent Night, or in other words the Birth, life and Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can focus on the carol I just read to have ourselves a merry little Christmas. Our hearts can be light. Because of the hope of the gospel, One day our troubles will be out of site, and faithful friends who are dear to us, even those who have passed on, will be together with us again. And we can have Joy this Christmas and in everyday. If we seek eternal joy in eternal things, we will find it.

I pray that you will all have yourselves a Merry little Christmas and a joyful life as you keep the message of Christ in your life.