2 1/2 Years Later and I Still Love Paul!

 

George knows how to make me happy!  When he heard that Paul McCartney was coming to Portland, he called and asked me if I wanted to go.  Only one answer to that - YES!  Our friends the Mathews and the Lowes came.  An absolutely perfect night!

First song "Hard Days Night" - 2nd time he's performed it as a solo artist, the 1st was the night before in Fresno.  That opening guitar cord sure brought back memories to this Beatles fan!

And he went on from there with everything from "Love Me Do" to  "We Can Work It Out" to "Band on the Run," as well as recent Rihanna and Kanye West collaboration "FourFiveSeconds."
"Live and Let Die" featured blasting pyrotechnics, sprays of lasers and climactic fireworks.  Another of my favorites was his tribute to George Harrison singing "Something", starting off with uke-only and ending with a fantastic full band. 

 To quote from the on-line review of the night:

All of it was joyous, exuberant, a gift from one of the world's greatest songwriters to the fans who have followed him for decades.

That's 5+ decades for me!


 Calling a McCartney gig a concert is like calling "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" a movie. The legacy, the nostalgia, the expectations—McCartney understands all of it. His "One on One" show rolled out the expected lighting rigs and video screens, but the real stagecraft was his storytelling: he touched on playing ukulele with Harrison, meeting Russian officials who learned English from Beatles songs, being nervous in the studio recording "Love Me Do" with late producer George Martin, and penning "Blackbird" to support the 1960s civil rights movement. These moments from rock history were funny and humble, €”or as humble as one can be about, say, Jimi Hendrix learning your new song in two days, as the guitar god did for "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" upon its release. On Friday, McCartney returned the tribute with an instrumental jam through "Foxy Lady," taking his major guitar solo for the evening.

He even mentioned my home state of Arkansas as he explained the writing of "Blackbird" saying, "I heard about civil rights in places like Alabama and Arkansas and wrote the song in support."  It is a beautiful song!

 

His voice is not quite as smooth and strong as it once was but it is still great.  I told George that if he comes back in a couple of years and isn't using a walker and if we aren't using walkers, I want to go again!

April General Conference

Last weekend was our semi-annual General Conference, the weekend when millions of Mormons listen to 10 hours of talks from our General Church leaders which are broadcast from Salt Lake City in five session; three on Saturday and two on Sunday.  Also on the Saturday night before General Conference we get an added 1 1/2 hour broadcast meant especially for the women and girls from ages 8 up!  I look forward to these meetings and not just because I get to stay home and 'watch' church in my pajamas!

The Women's Conference introduced a new emphasis for our church that is so exciting.  Did you know that there are about 60 million refugees, including forcibly displaced people worldwide and that half of them are children? According to the UN, 1 in every 122 humans has been forced to flee their homes.  That is shocking! Through a new relief effort called, "I Was a Stranger" the members of our church have been  asked to 'prayerfully determine what you can do to serve the refugees living in your neighborhoods and communities.  This is an opportunity to serve one on one, in families, and by organizations to offer friendship, mentoring, and other Christlike service".

Linda K Burton, the General President of our women's organization which is called the 'Relief Society', when speaking of meeting refugees encouraged us to ask ourselves this question:

Here are a few more quotes that touched my soul and inspired me to try harder, to be kinder, more grateful, and a lot more loving!

I feel so blessed!

Of Broken Legs, New Apartments and Grandma Time!

About a month ago we got one of those phone calls no parent ever wants to get!

"Hi Mom!  I'm in the emergency room.  I think I broke my leg skateboarding."

And break it he did!  He had a nasty break that required surgery and will mean a couple of months of being 'non-weight bearing'.   George and I did some tag team parenting with Dad taking the first couple of post surgery days and Mom spending the next two weeks helping out.

I think he was glad for the help, food and company!  His post-op x-ray is pretty impressive.  I was amused by one comment after seeing the x-ray on Facebook. "You impaled a comb into your leg in a skateboard accident. Brutal."  I think he is going to set off the metal detectors in airports from now on.

 His scar is quite something too!  Yes this was some major surgery!

 

I'm happy to report that 5 weeks out, he is doing well, healing like the doc would like, and keeping in pretty good spirits!  I'm glad I was able to be there to help.

I also got to be there when John, Monica and Isabella moved into their new apartment.

 

They don't have much furniture yet but we were able to do some 'furniture dreaming' while I was in town!

 

 Plus I got to spend time with Scott and part of that time was out on a soccer field, which still seems perfectly normal!  Also enjoyed a fun pizza night!

 

And of course I relished my 'grandma time' with little Miss Isabella!

 

5 months is a fun age!  She learned to reach for her Moma!

 

And tried her first solid food!

 

Which she did learn to enjoy!

 

She now rolls over, loves books, smiles and makes adorable happy noises!  I love that sweet girl.  She is pure joy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodbye Seminary! Hello Relief Society!

For almost all the time we've lived in Portland, I've taught seminary which is a four year program for high school students designed to teach them to study and use the scriptures in their daily lives.

 In our church we are asked to serve in various callings for a time and we feel that these 'callings' are given to us by Priesthood Leaders who receive inspiration.  My years in seminary have been absolutely wonderful.  I can honestly say that being a seminary teacher is the best calling in the church.  I mean it is just plain fun as well as being spiritually uplifting and testimony strengthening.  The first years I taught every other day from 7:35 - 8:50 but this year I've taught every day from 6:10 - 7.  That means I've been getting up at 4:45 a.m.  I have to admit that it has been hard but so worth it.

One of my last lessons was on David and Goliath.  The 9 foot tall Goliath I created 4 years ago was used again. Here he is with two of the tallest boys in the class.

 

And here with two of the shortest girls!

After attacking him with pencils and using a sling shot to shoot marshmallows at him.....

 

We had a really wonderful discussion about the Goliaths in our own lives, hulking giants with evil intent to destroy and weaken us.  How do we defeat them?  In the words of our last prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, "You need not fear if you have the slingshot of truth in your hands. You have been counseled and taught and advised.  You have the stones of virtue and honor and integrity to use against these enemies...when they challenge you, you can hit them between the eyes.  You can triumph over them by disciplining yourself to avoid them.  You can say to the whole lot of them as David said to Goliath, "Thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear, and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, who thou hast defied". Victory will be yours.  There is not a person in this Church who needs to surrender to any of these forces.  You are a child of God. You have His power within you to sustain you.  You have the right to call upon God to protect you.  Do not let Goliath frighten you.  Stand your ground...and you will be triumphant. "

Can you think of a better way to start your day than with a discussion like that?

No calling lasts forever though.  

One of the quirks of the LDS church is that our wards or congregations are determined by geographical boundaries.  If you move across town, or around the world, you can figure out which 'Ward' you should attend.  Other times you might stay in the same house only to have the ward boundaries change around you and suddenly you are in a different 'ward'. One lady I know has been in the same house for 30 years and has been in 4 wards!  The 7 congregations in our area just experienced a boundary change.  Instead of 7 wards now there are 10!  And with that change came a new 'calling' for me!

I'm now the President of the Relief Society which is the organization for adult women in LDS wards.  To quote from Mormon.org

The Relief Society is the oldest and largest women's organization in the world. Relief Society was established in 1842 for women 18 years of age and older. Its purpose is to build faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and help those in need.

So it is goodbye to my 21 teenagers and hello to 126 adult women! My circle of love just expanded.  A few months ago I barely knew the kids in my seminary class.  But now I can honestly say that I love them.  I want to keep in touch with them and hear about their lives.  My love for them won't go away with a new calling.  They have a new teacher that will learn to love them and that they will learn to love.  And I'll learn to love the women in the Lakeridge Ward in a new way.   Love doesn't end when callings change. Love just expands.  It's funny that way!

#26 - Todd

Foster Guide Dog #26 is a big boy named Todd!  He treasures all his bones. And LOVES having his head scratched.

 He'll be with us for awhile until he is ready to start his training.  We think he will be a great guide dog as he's super friendly, obedient, and interested in everything going on around him.

Because he's a young dog with lots of energy we go on many walks during the day.  This time of year that is a real pleasure, especially in our beautiful neighborhood by the Willamette River!

Weekend to Remember Part 4

It was hard to say goodbye to all those beloved faces!

 

Our drive back to Portland was uneventful and quite beautiful.

 

We came home to extensive boundary changes within our Stake.  The 7 wards that had made up the Lake Oswego Stake are now 10 wards, 10 small wards! We are right on the edge but still in our Lakeridge ward.  The same ward, minus a couple of hundred people!  New adventures await!

Weekend to Remember - Part 3

George and I were so happy to have our four 'kids' together!  Seems like that is getting harder and harder to do as they get older.  Mary still calls her youngest brother 'Shorty'.  This picture proves that she may need to think of another nickname for him!

 

It was also great for Isabella to meet her Aunt Mary.  Every girl needs an Aunt Mary!