My Life From Ricks Forward

I recently heard from a friend I lost contact with in after 1983. I started writing this email to her and toward the end I thought it would be a good record to keep since I hope to print the posts I make as a journal.

After I graduated from Ricks College, I served a mission to Quito, Ecuador and it was a life changing experience. It strengthened me in many ways, and learning Spanish has opened doors and opportunities ever since.
I returned home in May of 1985, just about when you were going back to California, I guess. I went straight to BYU and met my husband my first Sunday at church. Wow, in fact, my first Sunday was Mother’s Day! I spoke in Sacrament Meeting and Nelson came up to me afterward and asked me out. I dated a few other guys all summer, but he was the one! We got married and started our life together in Florida.
In Florida we had two daughters, Amy and Christie. Right after Christie was born; we decided to try to go back to school, so we moved to Provo. We lived there all spring and summer, but it wasn’t going to work out. Nelson couldn’t find a job there, but got two interviews and two job offers in one weekend in California, so that’s where we headed next.
California has been good to us. We had two sons and one more daughter. Joey is 19, he turns 20 next week. He is goes to a Comm. College full time and works part time. Josh is 17 and thinks he’s going on 25 (itching to be independent). He has a year of High School left and can’t wait to move away to BYU after that. Becky is our ray of sunshine and she is 16. She is funny, cheerful and outgoing. She makes friends with everyone she meets. Amy is our oldest daughter. She is married and lives in Rexburg. She just returned to school and is enjoying it more now, I think. She has a daughter, Madison, who just turned 3. We wish we lived closer and could visit her more often, but we are glad they live where they do. Our last daughter is Christie. She is 22 and lives in Provo. She is enjoying working and living in Utah. (We all love Utah in our family!) Oh, to be single and be able to choose where you go and what you do whenever you want!
When we got married I had one semester of school left to graduate. Nothing I can say to explain that decision! Ten years later through miraculous events, the opportunity came to return to BYU and finish my degree. In California I would have had to start all over, but at BYU I would need only one year to complete my degree. I moved there with the girls (Becky was only a few months old) and started the program again. Sometimes the boys would come and stay a few weeks or a month. It was a challenging and wonderful time for our family. Nelson had to stay in California to keep his job and keep our house! We met every other weekend in Mesquite. Some of Amy and Christie’s favorite memories are from those days in Provo. I will be forever grateful to my mom and dad who financially backed my return to school and encouraged me to finish my degree.
Before I even graduated I had a job with the school district where we lived. I worked there for 12 years teaching Kindergarten and First grade. I also worked as school site EL coordinator and the District EL coordinator. Three years ago I had the opportunity to begin working at a charter school nearby. It is an amazing school and I work with wonderful people. Right now I am a part time Independent Study teacher; I teach 2 classes of High School Spanish II, I am a BTSA support provider and the District EL Coordinator. I keep busy!

That’s my life in a nutshell! I have had wonderful experiences and some experiences that worked out for my growth and to stretch me. Some things I don't understand yet, but I know someday I will get the whole picture. This has been a very difficult year for me for a few reasons. Early in this trying season I read the following scripture and it struck me to my core with an overwhelming force. It has become something that I repeat to myself. It has given me the strength to face what is hitting me at the moment and to let go and let Heavenly Father be in charge.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Sunday was wonderful. Mostly because Joey woke up, showered and asked if it was okay to go to church with us. Some things just shouldn't be taken for granted, and my heart was full of joy and rejoicing. It is so hard to trust in the Lord and not lean to my own understanding and let Him direct my path, and the paths of those I love.

Nelson gave a great lesson on Moses and the children on Israel. The part that impressed me was how Miriam was made leprous for speaking against the Lord's anointed, her brother, Moses.

What I Did on Spring Break

We had a great Relief Society thingy awhile back on gardening. Jeannie Bradley is an inspiration in many ways, one of which is her amazing raised garden beds. Nelson and I walked away motivated to make our own garden. Over Spring Break I made 9 raised vegetable beds.
My car made many trips back and forth to carry the wood and the garden soil. The frames were easy to put together, and can be made in any size. These are 10 X 4.

Joey, Josh and friends helped lug the lumber and bags of soil to the backyard.
Becky helped shovel and mix our dirt with good dirt.
Christie was amazing at digging holes and mixing just the right concoction for our fruit trees. (She came home for the weekend.)

By the way, our yard is more riverbed than yard. We filled the entire side of the walkway with rocks plucked out. Christie dug out these two beauts when we were digging a tree hole. They are as big as basketballs. Both of these were in one hole!
Now we have a huge garden and things are starting to sprout.

We planted tomatoes, strawberries, acorn, butternut, crookneck and zucchini squash, tomatoes, strawberries, onions, garlic, peas, beans, tomatoes, strawberries, green peppers, 6 kinds of chili peppers! We also have an artichoke and celery plants that survived the winter and look better than they did last year! Did I mention the tomatoes and strawberries? We'll have lots of 'em in a few months.
We went a little wild on trees... 11 all together. Cherry, nectarine, peach, plum, a couple apple and four pear trees. Nelson likes pears.
I wanted to take a picture of the whole garden, but I couldn't fit it into the frame. It is more practical than lush, but we like it! We should be able to feed a few families soon:)