La Rondine by Puccini

A friend gave me the opportunity today to visit the theater that had Live from the MET which was the Metropolitan Opera being broadcast live in HD all over the world (a new thing to expose children all over the world to opera) and the opera today was La Rondine (The Swallow). It was so beautiful. If you ever have the chance to go to see a beautiful opera this would be one that is for the young. It is lighter and a simple, very passionate and very sad love story. I actually cried at the end. Angela Gheorghiu and her husband Roberto Alagna sang/played the parts of the lovers who have to part in the end and I was just thrilled. I have been to live theater and there is nothing like that in the world but this was the next best thing to it. It was like sitting the MET audience. We clapped and stood and did all that in our theater and it was the most thrilling performance I have been to in a long while. I was able to go because the cost was kept very low due to senior citizen status. See there are some really good things to look forward to about getting old (ha ha ha). I so think of Levi and Rebecca being able to go to the real thing there in New York and envy them that chance, but today I had the next best thing.

In Support of Large Families

I have had the opportunity to make many new friends during this move to Florida.

Among them is an Irish girl from Dublin and she is culturally so like me it is not funny. In other words she and I share the same humor.

Anyone who has traveled to another country will understand that statement.
Humor is the one thing that, unlike music, that sometimes gets lost once it crosses borders.
Anyway we were talking about the current statistics in Ireland with every home only having 0.8 children, which means only one household in 8 has a child. This is very different from the 1950’s when there were 8 children to every household!

It has really become of critical concern in Ireland (and Japan) now.
Anyway where am I going with this thought?

I had the opportunity travel home to Ohio December 6th and spend time with my lovely children, be treated like royalty and feel like the gracious

queen and rejoice in the news of new babies to come.
Eli, growing into a lovely little man, was baptized,

Lizzy renewed her plea to visit the beach,

Bella assured me that she would come too and

Anna just loved being a princess and fairy.
When I came home I had the opportunity to spend Sunday evening with

Donna and Stephen and their ever increasing family; with new

babies on the way, Ruby and Rosie playing imaginary games,

Lillie grinning from ear to ear...

and Simone loudly voicing

her opinion in very definite “baby-talk”.
The boys and Stephen had gone fishing and they, the children, came over to cook the catch and serve supper and enjoy the fruits of their labors.
What a joy and how rich are our blessings to have grown up daughters
and sons with families of their own.
I say, bring it on. The Lord knew what he was doing when he said
“Multiply and replenish the earth…”

SO HAPPY NEW YEAR TO

ALL THIS BIG FAMILY OF MINE!

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

Christmas… was so different this year, and here are my thoughts on the situation…
Christmas… only works when there are people to share it with.
Christmas……… must include family and those you love.
Christmas is only Christmas when there is laughter of children and
shining eyes that go with the ripping of wrapping paper and the rustling of tissue paper.

However,
December 25th, the day representing the birth of Christ,
can be the loveliest day when spent alone.
It can be the most spiritual as you sit in the sun with your feet up and read the story of the Nativity,
contemplate the blessings He has given you,
and the opportunities He has opened up for you.
It can be the most peaceful as there are no phone calls, no television, no deadlines to meet and no hurried places to get to. It can be the most secure as you sit reading all the cards you have received, letting you know that you are loved and thought of and remembered with fondness.
This year was very different, but very satisfying and although I would not want to do this every Christmastime
I was so grateful to have the opportunity to contemplate the security and safety of the family I have and the knowledge that I was born of goodly parents, and
to know that I am loved and have a knowledge of the Lord’s plan,
and a family to love and remember at such a
Joyous Season

May He keep and bless you all!

OPPORTUNITIES FOR MISSIONARY WORK

Well, I told you that I had a flat tire.
I had to take it to the shop and have 2 new tires placed at the sweet cost of $300.00.
But, bear with me, the real story is coming…
I had to leave my car, have someone take me back to the hospital, and then get a ride back to pick it up later in the day.
Well this nice black man, tall and thin, soft spoken, rides me back 50 blocks to the hospital, about 15 minutes. We talked a little, he asked me to visit his church, I told him I was LDS and he ASKED for a Book of Mormon!
I dropped it off to him with my testimony and the missionaries phone number inside.
Could be a whole lot of reasons I am here in Florida, and could be that this was just one of them…Who Knew!!!!!

THE PARABLE OF THE ACRYLIC NAILS.

Sometimes we perceive ourselves as very strong, especially within our comfort zone.
We can take anything the world can throw at us because we have built up our resources around us within easy reach and we can duck, laugh, stand back or come out swinging as the need arises. However, once our façade has been removed, once our familiar walls have been taken down and our familiar resources have changed we can find ourselves somewhat weakened and not as strong as we thought we were.
What brought these deep thoughts on?
Well after 6 years of having acrylic resin painted over my own nails, which gave me incredible strength to do anything with those nails, I went and had them removed.
You see, I want to take a pottery class and I need sensitive fingertips for the making of pots.
So anyway, I had them removed.
And what did I find.
My own nails had been weakened to the point of being paper-thin, like a new-born.
So although the façade looked great, I was really being weakened daily underneath.
But only in the nail department I tell you, because, as has been proven with this move to Florida,
David and Jane (bless their ever-loving souls) Smylie
had taught me not put my strength in anything that is a facade,
but in the Lord and His truths, which do not weaken us
but make us stronger each time.
I had a flat tire! Whom did I call – my home teacher who helped me get help.
I needed help moving in – who came to help me move, family and my Bishop!
I lost my wallet -with green card, social security card, driver’s license
(FOR WHICH I NEED A GREEN CARD TO REPLACE)
and all my other stuff.
I lost it for 2 days and prayed like I had never prayed before and just KNEW as I got ready for work that I would have to call for replacements once I got to work.
I found it as I walked out to my car to go to work, it having slipped down into a little well at the front of the arm rest between the two front seats.
I had looked and looked all over the car for 2 days…but there it was once I had asked in fervent prayer.
NOTHING DOUBTING!!!
Amazing what strength we have when we use the Lord as our constant resource!

Cyber hugs and kisses

Dear all: I have had my nose to the grindstone for the first month getting an office that had been let go for 2 years without anyone there, and now had to be brought up to standard for accreditation. I am happy to say that this will not always be the case. I have been able to work very hard with the help of some great staff and get some shape into the office so that it now has some processes in place, some productivity plans and some light at the end of the tunnel. We cannot be totally accredited until March of 2009 due to the restrictions placed on us for not being up to scratch, but by then we will be the shining light. I just wanted you to all know that I have not been totally lazing in the sun and letting you all freeze in Ohio, I really have been working very hard. I will be coming up for the Baptizm and b'day celebration of Elijah and plan to fly in December 4th and leave December 8th. We will have an early Christmas. However, lest you think I have been only working....last week end I did take the Saturday with some sisters from Church, some new friends, and we all went to Siesta Beach, white sands, clear water, and tons of little nick nack shops that I was getting ideas for Chrissy presents. I am so happy about the baby news from both Ariana and Rachel and so happy that Sariah was not hurt in her accident. I think it is a good idea for her to live in Piqua thru the Winter, as Highway 36 is just a menace with ice and drifting snow and she can have all her classes there and be five minutes from school. This will not be the last accident Sassy, but we all have to learn how easy it is to be involved in one. I am at the library once again and they book you in for a half hour's time so I wanted so bad to take this time to let you all know that I love you very much. I miss you terribly. I will probably have T/Giving with Uncle Steve and Auntie Donna and family and there have been lots of invitations for other stuff here so do not worry about me being too lonely. The people at church are not family, but they are the next best thing. We even have an Aussie brother and sister (newly married) who are from Melbourne and will go back to Aussie later with the World Tennis organization.....lucky people....I suggested they get me as a towel carrier or water girl...who knows. I love you all dearly. Thank you for your sweet phone calls, your concern and your love.....I will collect hugs and kisses first weekend in December....see you all then....will write again next week. Don't hold your breath, but I might have pictures too by then. Cyber hugs and kisses from afar for now........much love..........Mum/Dinah

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM GECKOS

Be energetic.
Be friendly.
Always look like you are going somewhere important.
Be interested in people.
Look like you know what they are talking about.
Always wear a smile or look like you are smiling anyway.
Don’t say much, just look bright and intelligent.
Make the wardrobe casual and stay with the basic earth tones.
Watch for larger things coming your way and move out of the way fast.
If you lose your tail,

never mind,

life is just as happy without one.

This is serving me well in my new job. I move fast and with “purpose” and stay out of the “big guys” way. I look like I have it all together and have something secret to smile about and people are drawn to find out what it is that keeps me happy! Nothing special,
I am just following the Gecko’s lead and who doesn’t love a Gecko?
The hospital’s tropical landscape is full of Gecko’s and I love them.

Love and miss you all terribly, but I am cozy warm and making friends……mum…xoxoxo