I have been thinking a lot about Laura lately and how much I miss having her near. How much I miss watching Parker and Landon growing and the cute sweetness they have. I talked to Parker on the phone yesterday and today and he keeps asking me when I am coming to see him. Happily I was able to say Thanksgiving. He was so happy and so is Grami. So far it looks like Meghan, Kevin and I will be with Laura Thankgiving day. I know she is happy about this. I may not call you as often as you would like but know this: I think that you are such an awesome person and a loving, caring mother and wife. Her family is so blessed to have you to teach, lead and guide them. Though Parker looks just like his dad I thought Parker would love to see a picture of him and mom at his age. Loving big sister...Loving big brother

Just a quick picture of Kevin before the Marine Ball in Wendover this week.

I just noticed that there is nothing about Sean's wedding. My dad came up from Florida which was great. I was so good to see him. At the Temple there was snow piled up on the sides of the parking lot and he was so surprised to see it considering that it was a beautiful day. Warm and sunny. You couldn't have asked for a better day. The Temple was lovely and the kids had a blast at the waterfall. Alison looked so beautiful and Sean so very handsome in his tux. Welcome Alison to the Reilly clan.

Today I spent the day with Shannon's kids. I brought my camera but the batteries were low so I didn't get any good picutres. At 1 I put Kailey down for her nap and the others were outside playing with friends. The Kassidy came in and sat downstairs on the couch with me. Next thing I knew she was sound asleep. Around 4 Kailey woke up and she eventually woke up her sister. Later I brought the kids inside to help clean up the house for mom and dad and they helped me make dinner, took baths, helped clean the kitchen. Then Reilly played her two recital songs on the piano..since I won't be there for her first recital she gave me one tonight. Then we sat down and read stories. Then mom and dad had to come home and ruin everything. :) They always ask me to spend the night. They are sad when I don't. Maybe some day again I will.

Well this has been a busy weekend. I decided early in the week to spend Friday with Kellee and the kids. Payten is always so excited to see me that it melts my heart. Lilly takes some time to warm up but when she does it is complete. I spent time with the kids early in the morning and together we made cookies. Though Payten wanted to use cookie cutters for "chocolate cookie chips". Finally decided to do it another time. He only wanted to do the baking soda but they ended up helping half and half. We had a blast and they loved the cookies. During their long naps I held Kaitlyn a lot. She is so cute. When the kids woke up we played some more and then they helped me make dinner for everyone and set the table. Granted many times they just got in the way but we had fun. We finally got Lilly to hold Kaitlyn and I took some pictures of them together. After that she kept coming and saying "hold" so I would put Kaitlynn in her arms and she would say picture so I had to take their picture. When done she would say "take" for me to take her back. Payten kept wanting to hold her too. He love being a big brother. When it was time for bed a full 30 minutes early Payten wanted me to put him to bed and read him a story. so Lilly, Payten and i went downstairs to his room and read him "My mommy is great". He knows this book from front to back. He loves this story. We said a prayer together and kissed me many times goodnight and went to bed. A wonderful day for grami.

Things you learn

This has been a year of struggles that has really brought me more and more to my knees. Though I never have doubted the love Christ has for me sometimes I wondered if he was hearing my prayers. Many times I had changed my prayers around. But then a wonderful bishop spoke inspired words that brought me further into myself and discovering more about who I am from where I came. I have felt the depth of the Lord's love for me and His love for all of His children. I have learned more about Charity and the pure love of Christ. As much as I thought I understood Charity, I found how much I really didn't understand and how much I really didn't know. Studying this topic has brought a deeper understanding of His love and how far I still have to go to be as He wants me to be. In this life we often think and consider what is best for us but don't look and expand ourselves. To become more like Him I must come out of myself and search for ways to serve Him. The ways I find to serve may not be what others think is best but I must serve as He wants me to do so. Each day I pray for ways to serve and expand His love to others.

Quincy going after the ball Reilly taking a break

I find myself greatly blessed to have so many of my grandchildren nearby. I enjoy going to as many of their activities as I possibly can. It is so much fun to watch them play and learn this game. Quincy would often during a game get tired and just stop and lay down on the field. Then get up and run after the ball again. Reilly really hates playing goalie. She gets so bored just hanging out their when the ball is on the other end of the field. You would often find her laying down in the goal just waiting for the ball. She enjoys being the chaser and running the field.

I guess for now I am lucky to only have two grandchildren playing. Imagine what it will be like when more of them get involved in sports or other things. I will be very busy.

I so much miss my two who live 10 hours away. I haven't seen them since March and I miss them so much. Maybe I will go there for Thanksgiving. That would be fun.

Reminiscing

How time flies! Was it yesterday that I held my firstborn in my arms? Nurtured her? Read to her? Taught her? Was it really 30 years ago? It seems just like yesterday. Now her youngest will turn one. Little Kailey! Can it really be that this much time has really passed? Next thing I know she is 10 and a big sister to 5 siblings. What a wonderful big sister! She helped teach her sister to pray together at night before they went to sleep. Then she is 16 and she works hard to help rear her younger siblings. She is in school full-time, works part-time, enjoys drill team and still gets up every morning for seminary. Then she is 18 and off to college so far away from home and anyone she knows. Will she stay strong? Will she falter? Will she expand herself spiritually and intellectually? Am I afraid..of course I am! My "baby" is so far away and I can't be there to help her. Oh, she blossoms into a beautiful and strong woman. Then she is 20 and married to a good man who loves her so much he takes her to the temple for an eternal marriage. Could my joy be any more full? Of course...within ten years they bring 4 adorable children into this world to enjoy, to teach, to love, to help them grow. Could my joy ever be more full? Multiply this three times with Laura, and Patrick. Soon Sean will join the ranks of those sealed eternally to a wonderful companion as his sisters and his brother. More on this later.

Here we have Shannon at 15 months and Kailey at 10 months.

As you get older

As life begins to move toward the later years you begin to see things different than when you were older. You certainly do learn to appreciate things in life with a greater and more respected way. You begin to realize what are the really most important aspects of life and our journey here on earth. Life itself is a wonderful journey mingled with happy, sad, terrified, exciting, spiritual and trying obstacles. How we chose to face each of these helps modify who we will become and who we chose to be. Do we blame others for our lot in life or do we take what comes in life and plant flowers to replace the thorns? It is easy to blame others but more rewarding to rise above the negative aspects of others and not allow them the control of who we chose to be. Life is meant to be a time of joy even through all the struggles and trials we are here to be joyful and spread that joy to others. I think of small children who exhibit this joy of life. They are the first to forgive and to embrace you with love. They say and really mean the things that they say.

Patrick came home the other day after being gone for 7 of the past 9 days. We were all sitting in the "offiice", "playroom" and in the mist of playing with the toys he looks up at his dad and says," I am so excited to have you home, daddy." What magical words to come from a 3 1/2 year olds mouth. Will he still stand in owe and feel of this love for his father in ten, fifteen years? Hopefully he will remember the joy his father brings to him and his dad will remember the same joy. Family, awe family!

The Best Times of Your Life

Christ is always the center of my life. Then comes family. I love to care for the little grandchildren while parents go to the House of God "Temple", nothing fulfills my life more than being with my children and grandchildren. Though yesterday was Laura's 26 birthday and I really missed being with her and her sweet boys I had to wonderful opportunity of spending fun time with the other six grandchildren. When mom is not around Kailey loves her Grami over everyone else. Kassidy loved showing off when she saw I brought my camera. Quincy too. Q is so wonderful with the little ones and keeps them entertained. Payten explores everything. He tried riding Kassi's bike but he kept breaking, then he tried roller skating. Then was off trying something else. Lilly loved the flowers and had to smell each set along her walk. Once she found the sandbox she was lost in imagination until time to come in. Reilly was bored..all her friends were gone. But then she called Laura and she was happy again. She really misses Laura after their visit last weekend. Once we came in she bathed, had deseret then played games on the computer until bedtime. They are so much fun to be with, it helps me remember my times as a parent of young children and in many ways miss those times. While in the Temple yesterday i was thinking of the birth of my fourth little one, Laura. Such a sweet, lovely daughter without a name until the next day. Now she is a mother herself. How times change, how we grow, how life revolves, how much we miss or forget. Life and family is such a gift from our Father in Heaven.

More Pics

July 4, 2007

On July 4th we usually get together for a picnic and fun times and what for fireworks. Kellee's parents were there also. We had a blast and enjoyed family time. It is usually a pain to get out of the maze of cars at the end to get home, but one day a year is not so bad. The kids love to play and spend time together. They loved the water balloon fight.

Fun Times

The past 4 days were so much fun. I had the priviledge of watching Payten and Lilly. I only gave Payten one nap during the whole time so that i could have special time with him playing games. He loves chutes and ladders and candy land. We always had to play both games and use all the pieces for candy land. That was always a lot of fun. Saturday I also had Shannon and Brady's four for several hours and this was awesome. I took them all swimming to the Payson Pool. Talk about a challenge...six kids under 8. It was so much fun. I didn't need to really watch Reilly and Quincy since they swim well. Little Kassi got brave and went off to a semi-deep area ( it went to her chin) and kept jumping in and climbing out and jumping in. She really enjoyed this. Payten loves slides and couldn't get enough of the slides...but wanted to go on the big slides. No one to take him though. Kayley kept crawling out and going up to meet people who were sitting poolside. Lilly just laughed at herself and splashed around. One time I took them all around the wave pool with four of them hanging on. It remined me of the old days when i took mine when they were little. When we got back to Shannon's I ran them all through the tub with Reilly's and Quincy's help and got dinner ready then we played downstairs until Shannon got home and then Payten and Lilly and I went to Grami's house and spent the night. Headed to church the next day and was amazed on how well behaved they were during sacrament meeting and they both enjoyed their nurseries.

Kevin

Today Kevin came home from over a year in Okinawa. He flew into Vegas on Monday and spent a couple of days with Meghan in Cedar City and I picked him up today. Though I did see him in February when he came to Florida to visit his Granny before she passed away I didn't really have much time with him. It is so good to have him home. He has grown a lot since he joined the Marines two years ago. The old Kevin is still there but better and more refined. He really looks good and I had an enjoyable drive home with him. We stopped off at Patrick's and spent about a hour and he was really enjoying rough housing with Payten and a little with Lilly. Payten just laughed and laughed the whole time with Kevin. Now the only one not close is Laura, Jeremy, Parker and Landon. They are not to far but far enough to be truely missed by me. I am so blessed, lucky and fulfilled with the love and care of such great children.

Never Easy

Decisions we make in life are rearly easy and they more often than not affect us for many years to come. Whatever pocesses us to make some of the choices we make are mind boogling and we would like to kick ourselves later for being so dumb. What really defines us is how we react to the choices that we make or the trials that are put upon us...good or bad. When we fall we must pick ourselves up and push forward. That doesn't mean that you cannot have a few bad days where you are down and sad and frustrated. In the end we must smile and be happy and move forward. Life is happy, sad, good times and bad times, love but lets hope never....hate.

I cannot help but think of the wonderful example I had growing up. My mother was fantastic. She had a difficult life, especially in her twenties. The one thing that all of my children remember about her is her smile. Even in the end she did her best to smile. She loves me, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. Now she is totally happy now that she is being re-united with her husband (high school sweet heart), her sons, her parents and so on. She continues to learn and grow in this new deminsion of life she envelopes her now. I hope that my children will have positive things to remember me by and be happy.