A Sister's Mite

Two years ago, Susie Derment found her church home/family in our ward. A middle aged single lady, she speaks freely of her past as a cocaine addict, and shares heartfelt testimonies about how her life has changed since finding the gospel and how even her nonmember family benefits from her membership.

In February, she took out her endowment in the Indianapolis Temple, and she is scheduled to come get her patriarchal blessing from Craig in April. Last week she came with our ward's Relief Society to do an endowment session, her second. Susie co-teaches Primary with Becky Jensen, a sister who befriended her and has helped her transition to being a member of the church.

Susie just glows with happiness, and is very faithful. She has very little monetarily, and lives with her parents. At Christmas she gave up her own presents so her nieces and nephews would have some gifts, only to have ward members surprise her with gifts for her, too. She was very humbled by that and never imagined that people might do that for her.

Knowing she has so little, I was surprised when she walked up to me in church Sunday and handed me a pretty gift bag. "Happy Easter!" she said, giving me a hug. Inside was two chocolate bunnies and a beautiful card.

As we opened it, Craig and I were very touched at the heartfelt sentiment Susie had written inside.

 One side was signed with her name. But it was the note written on the other side that gave Craig and me pause.

I have no idea what Susie had to give up in order to gift us with this beautiful card and the candy - no doubt it was her own widow's mite.

This is the second time in my life where I know someone has given me their all. It is a very humbling experience.

Easter Sunday

Right on the heels of the Women's Broadcast came Easter Sunday! We celebrated by going to church and then hosting a family dinner.

 The Easter Bunny hid some eggs for Ian to find.

 Finding them all required some crawling.

 There's one!

One or two were in places for Curt to find - such as the one inside the clock and the other in the Matryoshka doll.

 Mila was loved on by Granny Slash as Mommy looked on.

 Millie just wished that dinner would begin as son as possible.

As someone who lives in Indianapolis and is very familiar with the Indianapolis 500, Aunt Jenny  raced cars with Ian.

Lisa, as always, was a big help to me. Here she helps put out the food: ham (from The Farm at Prophetstown), potato salad, hot rolls, green bean casserole, honeymoon salad, deviled eggs, seven layer salad, broccoli/cauliflower/cheese casserole, asparagus, and Hershey pie for dessert!

Happy Easter!

General Women's Broadcast

My favorite broadcast of the year! Even better than General Conference (hard to believe, I know.) But for some reason, this is my most favorite. Maybe because my daughters, daughters-in-love, friends near and far, are all watching at the same time, and I feel this wonderful sisterhood that stretches across the world. Truly, it is a wonderful blessing.

The choir is multi-ethnic (50 different ethnicities are represented). There was a video presented prior to their singing about the early Saints being displaced and how others helped them (like the people of Quincy, Illinois.) Then they did a quick cut to today's refugees - clearly a commentary on being more accepting of those who need to find refuge and immigration.


Sister Cheryl Esplin, 1st Counselor, Primary General Presidency 
We are the Lord's hands here on earth. Learning to serve while young sets a pattern of service for later life. Service does not have to be bing and grandiose to make a difference.


Neill F. Marriott, 2nd Counselor in Young Women General Presidency
Her parents planted a magnolia at her birth so she would have magnolia blossoms at her Protestant wedding. Instead, as a convert of one year, she married in the Salt Lake temple. Giving up old family traditions was tough. We need support when we do that, to feel we belong. Love is making space in your life for someone else. Eve was called a mother before she had children. The more we follow Christ, the more we will feel His love. She was called up by a stranger who said she was "offended that you have brought all these children into the world." Prayed for help; responded that she would do her best to raise them so they would be positive contributors to the world. Wow!!


Another video about immigration/refugees and helping them and making a difference.


Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President
Suffering handcart Saints rescued by men and women of Salt Lake City. Brigham Young asked the Saints to receive them as their own.  More than 60 million refugees worldwide, half of them children.  As sisters, we make up half of the Lord's storehouse of help. "I was a Stranger" organized by the General RS, YW, and Primary General Presidencies. Provides a chance to serve one on one, and is one of many ways to serve.


President Henry B. Eyring, 1st Counselor in First Presidency
Meet both temporal and spiritual needs. The Holy Ghost will help us find those in need. He prepares the way for you. Go and serve. The Lord will go before your face to prepare the way, even if those whom you try to serve reject you.

Some Girl Time

I have not had a pedicure for five months - last October! And when you consider that, because of my hip, I can't do my own toesies,  it has been high time for a looooooooong time. Yesterday, I finally made it to the nail salon.

 Initially, I chose this pretty pink, thinking it would be nice for spring.

 But at the last minute, I changed my mind and got a more purple shade.

Ahhhhhhh! Why did I wait so long?

I like how the color looks - springy, but subtle.

Two more things are on my spring break to-do list: order new Dansko sandals (just did that) and get the oil changed in my car. That may have to wait until Monday, but we'll see.

Temple Trifecta

Spring break means I have more time to serve in the temple, and this week I was able to serve Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings!

Tuesday night was Craig's and my usual night of service, regardless of whether or not it is spring break.

 Wednesday night, wasn't, though.

 Sister Crozier, a regular on the Wednesday evening shift, had a passion play that she was invited to.

She had subbed for me once in the past and asked if I might be able to take her shift. With it being spring break, I was happy to!

Thursday I did not go to the temple per se; I babysat for Myles and Chelsea Thomas so that they could go! They had been to the open house but had not been able to attend a session yet. They sit with us every Sunday and their children, Drew and Annalee, know me and are comfortable, so I offered to watch their kids so that they could go. Still temple-focused service, right?

As I drove home from their apartment last night, I could not help but smile. Who could have envisioned the day when a temple was that close to West Lafayette and I could serve that many days in a row?

For that, I am grateful.

Horses, and Cattle, and Chickens, Oh, My!

Yesterday I took Ian, Vanessa, and Mila out to The Farm at Prophetstown to visit Aunt Leslie and the animals. Ian was so happy there, he did not want to come home! (My little barn buddy in the making.)

As we got out of the car, Ian ran ahead and then stopped and pointed. He'd spied the horses! (Look straight down the gravel path - they're the two dark shapes in the pasture.)

 We were greeted by some of the farm's 79 chickens. (I love how Ian is crouching down to see them.)

 Great Aunt Leslie is the farm's manager, and she gave us a special tour. She got a grain scoop and showed us how to call the chickens (not that we needed to; they were everywhere!)

Suddenly, Ian spotted something really big.

 So big that he was a little hesitant to approach it. (I love how he is peeking around the shed.)

The farm's new tom turkey who went into full display when he saw us.

"Here, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick!" Aunt Leslie shows us how tame the chickens are.

 We also saw the flock of ducklings come out of their house to enjoy the warm sunshine.

 Ian's favorite place (one we went in and out of many times) was the henhouse. He loved feeding the chickens, collecting eggs, and watching the broody hens sitting on their nests.

 The wagons and tractors, though, were a close second! Wow!

 A view of the homestead.

 Following Aunt Leslie to go see the bunnies, cattle, pony, and horses. Another family had come out to see the farm; turns out they were Vanessa's neighbors from around the corner!

 Bojangles sure liked the apple we brought him.

 Time, one of the farm's standardbreds, was lying down near the fence.

 We slipped her a few apple slices.

 Ahhhhhhhh!! So nice to lay out after a long, cold, winter!

Ian and Charlie look at the rabbit cages. We also saw the "bunny playground" where the rabbits are turned loose for exercise. (There was a chicken in it, naturally. Those chickens were everywhere!)

 The farm still uses a working windmill to pump its water.

Next up were the steers. Aunt Leslie gave us some corn and had us call to them.

 "Here, cow! Here!"

 Maybe some more corn will do the trick.

 Charlie and Ian bucket-diving for corn.

The steers were not hungry - they'd been fed, and like the other animals on the farm, were enjoying the spring sunshine while they chewed their cuds.

 Jackson is a very gentle boy and does not mind being patted.

Ian wanted to go back and visit the chickens and the henhouse again.

 We ran into the "turtey" on the way back.

Grabbing the feed scoop, Ian got some handfuls of ground corn and fed Tom.

I didn't get pictures, but the turkey started following Ian all over the grounds! Ian found that a little intimidating - after all, the "turtey" was as big as he is!

After an hour and a half we finally were able to drag Ian away from the farm.  Such a lovely way to spend a spring break day!

My Girl and Me

Lisa came out with me to treat Skippy's cut yesterday, and on our way back into town, we swung past the barn to visit Abby and her friends. As a result, I got some rare pictures of myself with Abby!

 Abby came over to the gate as soon as she heard me call. Naturally, her BFF Diablo came along, too.

I sort of wished at first that I could just have Abby in the picture, but then I realized that having two horses to spend time with was a good thing! (Love the hay in Diablo's mane.)

 Carrots were the day's treat!

 And they are finger-licking' good! (Of course, so are apples and candy canes and sugar cubes and...)

 When I remember that I had NO plans to get a horse again, and how Abby came into my life completely by chance...

 ... I feel incredibly blessed as well as very, very lucky.

She brings so much into my life, just by being herself.