Chocoate Wisdom

Recently someone gave me a miniature candy bar that had a message printed on the wrapper. It says: Treasure the Moment.

This is good advice. We all have those little moments every day that come and go with no fanfare but they are important and often fleeting. Time moves quickly, things change.

It does not seem that long ago that my children were small. When Kimberlee, the youngest, was born I had five children under the age of 7. This was a challenge, obviously. It was also a lot of fun. Each child was busy in their own way and kept life interesting.

John David learned to ride a bike in one day. He also was the victim of the "long distance tickle" I could stand across the room from him and wiggle my fingers in his direction saying "tickle tickle." He would collapse into fits of giggles and roll around on the floor.

Shanna had an imagination that would not quit. One day she was telling me about the mud room at school. She said it was full of mud and that they played in the mud. Thinking that I, of course, was much smarter than a kindergartner tried to trip her up by asking her questions about why when didn't come home muddy etc. that girl had an answer for every thing I threw at her. It was amazing! She also wanted to go live with her school teacher because she loved the teacher so much.

James walked about five miles from several blocks north of downtown Provo to Grandpa and Grandma's house because his uncle Joseph had said no Utah Jazz fans could ride in his car. James took this literally and was able to find his way home. He also made such good friend with the playground supervisor that she bought him the Mr. Bucket game Santa forgot to bring

Michael was obsessed with Barney. Totally resisting wearing shirt that did not have a picture of Barney on it. He curled his toes and refused to even try on a new pair of shoes that were not "Barney Shoes". We had to drive to the next town to find a shoe store with Barney shoes. He could not ride in the car without listening to Barney CD's screaming "Barney talk" repeatedly until it was turned on. I had to sing the brushing teeth song from Barney to get him to brush and it goes on and on.

Kimberlee just cried and ate and slept, she was a newborn. ;) As she got a little older she loved to play hide and seek. She met Donny Osmond and was surprised that he was at the bookstore because she thought he lived inside our TV. She also learned to spell her name when she was only two.

It seems as almost no time has passed, but now Kimberlee is almost ready to start high school, Michael has one year before graduation, James is a missionary, Shanna is going to be a mother herself, and John David is the family handyman.

These little moments from my children's lives exist now only in memory. Time and life march on, relentlessly. Someday Shanna's first pregnancy and James' mission service will also be memories. I hope I can enjoy these experiences vicariously through them and savor these unique times.

Treasure these moments. Experience the daily joys those little bites of time and events that make life rich and delicious.

My preferred method of eating chocolate is to let it melt on my tongue savoring the sweetness and flavor. Chewing ends the episode too quickly and diminishes the opportunity to really taste and experience the sweetness, the creaminess and deliciousness of the candy.

Life life like you are eating chocolate slowly, notice the moment, savor it, treasure it.

Hearing Voices

One of the time honored traditions for moms of missionaries is that the missionary gets to call home twice a year, on Christmas and Mother's Day.

A lesser known part of this is that some missionaries get to do a "pre-call" where they call at a random time to arrange the time for the real call. I had never heard of this before.

One day in December I was talking with a co-worker when my cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and it showed a call from Kentucky not knowing anyone in Kentucky I hit the ignore option and continued my conversation. A minute later the phone rang again and my friend said "I guess Kentucky really wants to talk to you. I answered the phone with a tentative "Hello..." expecting some telemarketer or something. Then I heard one of the greatest sounds I could imagine "Hi Mom!" It was James, my missionary son, doing a surprise pre-call! It was almost bouncing with excitement. Exclaiming over and over "I just love hearing your voice."

I got another pre-call the Friday before Mother's Day. It was short, but again it was so wonderful to hear his voice that it made my day.

Sounds are all around us. The hum of the computer, the whisper of the fan blowing the air that is either heated or cooled to a comfortable temperature, the rhythmic beating of rain on the roof and pavement, music, birds chirping, leaves crunching in the fall, laughter and so much more. The sense of sound is such an amazing gift!

One of the best sounds we can hear is the sound of a loved one's voice. Memories linger, photos capture frozen images of moments in our lives, but voices seem to fade which is sad.

After Katelyn passed away Michael made a tribute video of her to give to her mother, Patsy. I was fortunate enough to go with him to deliver it. Patsy watched with smiles and tears. Part of the video was of Kat talking for a few seconds before bursting into her wonderful infectious laughter. More than once we saw and heard Kat saying a few words then laughing.

When the video was finished. Patsy looked at Michael and said "Thank you for giving me her voice. I have lots of pictures, but now I have her voice"

We listen to many voices each day, but how often do we stop to think how precious those voices are to us?

Just as we can easily recognize and identify people by their faces, we also can identify a voice, especially of someone we love. The sound of one of those voices can make our day.

I am waiting with eager anticipation to get to hear my wonderful missionary son's voice tomorrow. Music to my ears.

In Loving Memory of Katelyn Mikolasy

On March 6, 2009 this world lost a wonderful person. My son Michael's friend Katelyn Mikolasy was accidentally shot and killed by a friend.

I never had the opportunity to meet Katelyn, known as "Kat" to her friends. I wish I had met her. By all accounts she was a bright, vivacious beautiful girl that was full of life. Kat was always kind to everyone. She sought out those who especially needed friends and befriended them.

Kat was fun to be around and made others feel better just by being near her. She laughed all the time. Michael and Kat had a TV Broadcasting class together. They worked on a few projects together. Michael has shared video clips with me of Kat's wonderful infectious laugh! She was a bright spot to all who came in contact with her, even many who never actually met her.

I know that Kat is in a wonderful place. She is reunited with her Father in Heaven, She is, I believe. as Lehi described "encircled about eternally in the arms of his love". This can provide some comfort, but does not lessen the ache we feel when we miss her so much.

Less than an hour before Kat passed away she was in contact with her mother, Patsy. Kat had texted a request to stay out past curfew. When her mom replied that she should some home on time Kat agreed. When the doorbell rang at about the time Kat was expected home her mother was puzzled as to why her daughter was ringing the bell. Instead of Kat a police officer was at the door to break the tragic news.

Despite the tragic manner in which Patsy lost her only child she recognized that Katelyn's death was an accident and forgave the young man who had been playing with the gun immediately.

Katelyn's Christ-like friendship and love for people as well as Patsy's Christ-like compassion and forgiveness inspire me so much.

Only once before has the passing of someone so profoundly touched my life. I have learned a lot from the way Kat led her life.


Reach out to others, love the unlovable, let go of judgements, assume the best of all you meet.

Life is fragile. Live each day with fullness, leave no loving word unsaid, leave no kind deed undone.

Make a difference each day: smile at someone, give somebody a hug, say that nice thing you are thinking, laugh out loud!

Live, Laugh, Love!!!