Christmas

It is Christmas Eve, which means there are some people going to the mall getting their last minute gifts, cookies are getting baked for Santa, hams and turkeys are getting thawed all for tomorrow.  While I will be doing a few of these things today I want to write about tonight and tomorrow.  We have been blessed to go our friends the Murray’s for the last (well it has been many years) years for Christmas Eve.  We have homemade pizza, salad, and all sorts of treats.  We watch A Christmas Story, and all laugh when we hear the line, “I triple dog dare you.”  Christmas Eve at Mike and Kathy’s is a special night.  That night we are part of their family.  It is one of my favorite parts of Christmas.  

Today while you are getting your last minute stuff done, I hope you have time to think about the real meaning of Christmas.  Can you imagine what it was like for Mary to get a visit from an angel saying that she was going to give birth to the Son of God?  She was Handmaiden of the Lord.  Wow, what a responsibility she was given, all mothers are given children of God, but this was the Son of God.  I do not want to know what it was like on the journey to Bethlehem.  I have rode horses and that is not the most comfortable ride ever but that was for a short time.  I cannot imagine being ready to give birth making that trip. 

Then I think of Joseph, he did not have to marry Mary.  He could have walked away, but he did not.  He is a great example to many fathers of what their potential is.  One of my favorite Christmas albums is called The Forgotten Carols.  A song is written from Joseph’s perspective.  In it one of the lines is, “I was not his father He was mine.”  What a good dad to bring up this little boy, loving him and taking care of him. 

The innkeeper always seems to get a bad rap in the story.  It was not his fault the inn was full.  People had come from all over the country to pay their taxes.  He felt bad for the couple and that is why he let them use the stable.  I am sure that if he knew who was going to be born that night he would have put them up in a better place.  However, remember from prophecies about the birth we now that he was going to be meek and mild.  Then born in a stable is perfect for that.  The innkeeper did the best he could. 

I think of the sheppards watching their flocks by night seeing the new star.  Following what the angels had told them to do.  Worshiping the newborn King, can you imagine what it was like?  Here was this new baby perfect like we want our children to be and He was the Savior of the world.  What it must have been like to see those heavenly hosts?  To see angels singing praising to the newborn King. 

Then the wisemen bring their gifts.  They knew who He was; they knew He was the King!  They had read the prophecies of old and new there would be a new star that they followed.  They also knew that Herod would kill the King because he was worried that his kingdom would be taken over.  Little did Herod know that his kingdom was not in any jeopardy? 

So sometime during the next few days I hope that you are all able to read in Luke 2 about the birth of the Savior of the World.  What a loving Father in Heaven we have to give the world His only Begotten Son.  Tonight is the holiest of all nights.  May we all remember the real reason for Christmas, I hope that each of you get those blessing you stand in need of and even those you do not feel like you deserve.  I know that I am blessed to have three beautiful children that I love more than anything.  My goal is to be as good as mother as I can.  I hope that I will be a little like Mary, because she is my hero when it comes to being a mom. 

Joy in the Journey

I wanted to write this post last week but, things came up and it was not done.   On Friday, I thought this was something I needed to write as soon as I could.   We live in very tough times.  As Christians, we know the signs of the times.  We know that Christ will come again to Earth; we have read the Bible and know what the outcome is on this Earth.  We know that no matter what happens the ending score will be that Christ will win and Satan will lose.  Even with us knowing the final score this life it tough!  It is not always easy and sometimes it is hard to see the forest for the trees. 

Friday, was a day that when parents came to pick up their kids more hugs and kisses were shown than on any other day.  This is not surprising; when I found out; I went over and turned off my computer at school.  I did not a student clicking on something and the news coming up.  This was a horrible event and I will not politicize what those parents, teachers, and more importantly students had to witness.  I know for me I thought, I am so glad I can hug my kids, I am glad my children are not afraid to go to school, and I said a little prayer for those parents that had to deal with what will be their own personal hell.   

With that said, we cannot focus on the negative; we need to find the joy in the journey.  This is tough but we need to do it.  Why, you might ask?  This life is short, if you have little children and are in the middle of diaper changes, bottle feeding, getting kids in and out of car seats you might think I am never going to get out of the “terrible 2 stage.”  This is stage is long stage in life, I do not want you to think that I have forgotten what that was like, but before you know it your baby will be voting for president.  The time when you have teenagers is a very long stage, but they are closer to the age when they can give you grandchildren and you can just smile when they talk to you about their teenager.  (For me it is at least 10 more years) 

How do we find the joy in the journey?  I think this is a day-by-day issue; sometimes it is hard to find any joy in our life.  This is normal, when you are going through the depths of hell in a trial we might not be able to even see if we are in a tunnel let alone see the light.  Last year, I had a wonderful friend give me some advice, he has probably forgotten what he said to me but I did not.  He said, “Soon you will be at the top of the mountain and think, Wow!  I did that! “  Now on my journey up the mountain there have been times when I have not been tied down to well and have fallen several feet, but getting up and trying to get to the top is something I have tried to do. 

This Christmas Season I have been blessed to see the joy in one of my favorite scriptures, in Matthew 25: 34-46, Christ is sharing the parable of the goats and the sheep.  In verse 40 it says, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. “  How blessed I have been as people are willing to help clothe, feed, and make sure my family is safe. 

It is hard being the “least of these.”  However, as I am able to have a car that runs, thank you Mom and Dad Froenk.  Yesterday when I was able to get long pants for the girls for school, shoes for kids and groceries for a nice Christmas dinner, I thought of the times when I was able to help.   Getting the help is not the easy part; it is the giving of the help.  However, I am grateful for the help that I received.  Donating to people less fortunate at this time of year is easy for most of us.  We have the Christmas spirit and we want our children to know what it is like to help others.  To those that have helped I cannot thank you enough.  You will be blessed now and in the future for your help.  To those that have to receive this year, try to find the joy in the journey then pay it forward through your deeds both great and small.

With that said, I would like to end by letting you know that I know that Jesus is the Savior of the World.  These next 9 days as you finish your shopping, make cookies for Santa, get your houses ready, take time to read the story of the birth of Christ in Luke.  Talk to your children and help them remember why we even celebrate this time of year.  Thank you again to all of those that have helped my little family in the past and will in the future.  The blessing I have received overwhelms me and I hope one day I will be deserving of every one of them. 

 

 

Thankful Hearts

Thankfulness

Many of my friends are writing the 30 days of Thanksgiving on Facebook. I thought I would write mine in a blog. Here are a few things I am thankful for.

I am thankful for many things in my life but nothing more than my children. I love them all very much. I think as Christians when we are asked to have “the pure love of Christ” you do not know what that is until you are a parent. I still do not think we have the whole picture, but as parents, we do love our kids no matter what.

I am thankful for my dad that taught me the importance of working. One of the neatest memories I have of my Grandpa Philpot is of his funeral. All of his boys got up and talked about how their dad taught them to work. My dad taught us the same thing, I have never been so happy to know how putting in a good days work in can pay off.

I am thankful for my mom that taught me how to serve others. My mother and her sister Judy donate scarves for elementary students to a local school in the Salt Lake Valley. They also spend all year, making bags for soldiers serving overseas. In these bags, they add items that these brave men and women need. Serving other has always been something important to my mom and I am thankful that she taught me that.

I am thankful for my siblings and my nieces and nephews. There were many of us that were not really close to our siblings growing up but the older we get the more important we find that relationship. I love my big family and I know they love me. My nieces and nephews know I am not the coolest aunt but they love their Aunt Flo anyways.

I am thankful for my education; I would be in a world of hurt if I had not been able to get my degree. It has been a blessing to be able to provide for my kids. I am not the best provider but they do have a roof over their heads and food for their bellies.

I am thankful for the Savior of the world. There has never been a more important gift given to any man than the Atonement of Christ. This gift from our Father in Heaven has been blessed me more than anything else in my life. What a wonderful blessing to know that He is the Savior of the world and that He suffered all for me.

I am thankful for prayer. I am thankful for the opportunity to talk to my Father in Heaven. What a blessing it is to be able to talk to God and then receive answers to questions posed. One of the blessings we have of having a loving Father in Heaven.
I am thankful for my heritage. My family has been in the United States for over 200 years. I know I am blessed to live in the greatest country on Earth. I live in US where I am able to practice the religion I love, I can work as a single mom, and I am able to vote.

I am thankful for the opportunity to vote. In some countries, they vote, but they might only have one person on the ballot. What a blessing and a privilege it is to be able to vote for those people I think would represent my family the best.

I am thankful for the opportunity to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This has been a pioneer heritage I am proud to have. I am blessed that I am able to attend church on Sundays and teach my children what I believe and about their heritage.

I am thankful for being able to go to the temple. I love being able to go to the temple and feel the Holy Spirit. No matter what has happened in my life, being sealed to my children has been one of the greatest blessings I have had in this lifetime and the next.

I am thankful for my own Red Sea miracles. I have had many trials in my life that people are glad they do not have. However, throughout those trials my own little Red Sea has been divided. There are people that might not find them as miracles but to me I know it is the love of my Father in Heaven trying to protect me as much as he could during those times.

I am thankful for my migraines, I know that seem something to not be thankful for. I know that might seem odd, but on the days, I do not have a migraine I know what living without pain feels like it. If you have ever had one you know, days without them are great!

I am thankful for friends. No one in the world has the friends that I have. They have been more important in my life than ever before. There are days that I wish I could pick up and leave Lake Havasu, but I know my support system here is better than it is in other places. I do not want to move and leave all of them. Some of them give me more than others, but I know they would all give me the shirt off their back if they needed to.

I am thankful for Facebook. Yes, I said it. What a great tool to keep in touch with old friends and distant family. I love that I am able to find out what my cousins, aunts, uncles, and old friends are doing. It is nice to see when someone writes something on your wall. I have cousins literally all over the world and it is great seeing what is happening in Korea.

I am thankful for a house to live in. I needed a place to live and one became available. It was a miracle and it keeps my children and I safe. It also helps one of my bestest friends ever. (Yes, I know bestest is not a word)

I am thankful for the scriptures. How many including myself take this gift for granted? We are able to read the word of God. It starts from the creation and moves throughout olden day prophets. We find out what it was like for those apostles that Jesus himself called and left in charge of his church. We learn about the flood, Daniel and the importance of praying, and the story of Ester standing up to the king. WOW! The bible is a wonderful book.

I am thankful for pioneer journals; I am able to read what my ancestors wrote, how they felt, and what their days were like. What a blessing that is, to know that some of the women in my family suffered what I am feeling right now.

I am thankful for modern day prophets. This is where I differ from other of my Christians, but I am so happy to know that President Thomas S. Monson talks to God and receives inspiration for the entire world. How lucky I am to know that there is a prophet on Earth today.

I am thankful for modern technology. I love writing in my blog and then I can share what I have written with the world. I also love that what I might say might help someone else. I hope that I do impact those around me for good.

I am thankful for grandparents. If you have known me a long time you know that I think the grandparent grandchild relationship is super important. I loved my Grandma Philpot more than any person on Earth growing up, I know that was hard on my parents but I did. Grandma had a way of making me feel safe when no one else could. She helped me to know that I was special and I mattered to others. There is not a day the last few years where I wish I could go see my Grandma and just give her a big hug. I knew she would hug me back and then say, “Oh, Hell Florence, get up and take care of those kids.” I am sure she says that now every day.

I am thankful for restful evenings. I do not have many of them but I am thankful for those that I do get.

I am thankful for baseball! I love baseball but more importantly, I am thankful for the friends I have at the ballpark. I love the Bagshaw family so much and I am so happy to be included in their family.

I am thankful for lost love. I have learned more about myself in two years than I have the other 40 on Earth. If I had not lost Jason, I would not have known I was a strong woman. I am tough and I have been able to hold my head high. Some days I can hold it higher but I am strong. I am woman hear me roar!

I am thankful for my phone. I love being able to talk to those people in my life I need to. I love that if my niece needs help on her homework she can call. I love that people in my life that know I need to hear from them know they can call me and help me that day.

I am thankful for the internet. What a blessing that has been to help people find their genealogy, answer questions that students might answer, and learning anything you might need to do through you tube. I might be the only one that has looked up putting ribbons in the YW personal progress bookmark.

I am thankful for books, I love that sometimes when I need to I can escape from reality I can read about a new place. I would love to be able to visit some of those places. I am grateful that I had teachers and parents that taught me to read. I would be lost if I could not read.

I am thankful for food and some of the basic things I can cook. I am not a great cook and I cannot bake but I am thankful for what I can cook. The blue box of Mac and Cheese is an awesome dinner.

I am thankful for music. There is no other thing that I think can help you change your mood. When we need to be happy, we can listen to upbeat music. When we need to be in a more spiritual, we can listen to gospel music. I am thankful that I can hear those songs.

I am thankful for blessings that are numerous. Sometimes we need more than a month to be thankful for things. Yes, it is important to be thankful but I hope that most of us are thankful for things throughout the year not just in November.

A Love Letter to My Daughter

I have had a few people ask for my talk for Katie's Young Woman Recognitionhood award. Here it is.

Dear Katie,

You are a beloved daughter of Heavenly Father, prepared to come to the earth at this particular time for a sacred and glorious purpose. You have a noble responsibility to use your strength and influence for good. Your loving Heavenly Father has blessed you with talents and abilities that will help you fulfill your divine mission. As you learn to accept and act upon the Young Women values in your life, you will form personal habits of prayer, scripture study, obedience to the commandments, and service to others. These daily personal habits will strengthen your faith in and testimony of Jesus Christ. They will also allow you to recognize and develop your unique gifts. This is quote from the front of your Personal Progress book.

Katie, I am so proud of you. You have accomplished something that not all young women do. I am happy that you have made personal progress such an important part of your life. You are an example to the other girls in your ward. Katie you are a beautiful young women and you will go far in your life.
Katie you have been born in a time that is very troubling. When I was growing up there were no cell phones, the internet was something that wasn’t invented, and all of my friends were members of the church. It was a different time. You are one of the chosen few to come to earth at this time. This means that you will be tested to prove yourself worthy to live with your Father in Heaven again.

I thought I would focus on the young women values in this talk and how you have learned from these goals and what you can learn in the future.

Faith: Faith is not a perfect knowledge it is a hope or desire to know something. You might not have a perfect testimony of all of the gospel principles right now but with increasing faith and prayer you will. Think about how much your testimony has changed in four years since you started young women. You do have a testimony of the Savior and His role on Earth and with increased scripture study and prayer it will grow. Remember you have to work on your testimony.

Divine Nature: Divine Nature is knowing that you came from a Father in Heaven. There are so many people in this world that don’t even know they have a Father in Heaven and you know this and that he is the Father of your spirit. Remember that you not only have a Father in Heaven but parents here on earth that love you. I don’t know what my life would be like if you were not in our family. You are an example of your Divine Nature to those friends you have that don’t know where they came from.
Individual Worth: I think this is one of the most important values. You are an individual and unique, you are not like the other girls. You have had trials that most of the young women won’t ever have to go through. Your Heavenly Father loves you for who you are! He knows Katie Fallis and He wants you to accomplish what you set out to accomplish. Remember that you are different and stand out in a good way. Be an example to others and make sure that they know what you stand for.

Knowledge: This is so important to gain knowledge. You need learn some worldly things and also gain knowledge of the spirit. By learning how the spirit speaks to you, you can gain further knowledge from our Father in Heaven. You also need to gain knowledge when it comes to school. Continue to learn and grow. Finishing high school is just the beginning, you need to go to college and get that degree.

Choice and Accountability: This is my favorite value because I think it is easy to see how it works. This is like in science when Mrs. Chava is trying to explain what happens when you do certain things. If you drop a raw egg off a building it will break. That is what is going to happen. Just like in nature Heavenly Father gives us choices and when we chose the right we will receive blessings, when we make poor choices we will be given consequences. Now, this does not mean the blessing we get will be immediate; sometimes they will take years to receive. This also doesn’t mean that when we make a wrong choice we cannot go back and repent and fix the problem. We have been blessed with the atonement in our life and we can be forgiven and our sins will be there no more. What a wonderful gift our Father in Heaven has given to us.

Good Works: Good Works doesn’t have to be anything big. It can be a simple act of service. It can be helping around the house, taking Noelle or Tyler where they need to go. It can be big things but it doesn’t have to be. Remember that when we do things for others we will be forget our own problems. Think of the Mary at the nursing home and what an impact she had in her life when your life felt like it was crashing down. Her sharing her life story made your life seem not so bad. Remember sometimes giving someone a smile makes their whole day.

Integrity: When I was growing up I knew this was important, but as I have gotten older this has become a value that means more to me. Think of President George Albert Smith having a dream about his Grandpa and in the dream the grandpa asked him what he had done with his name. The young George Albert Smith replied, “ I have never done anything with your name of which you need to be ashamed.” Integrity is your personal promise or word. Protect your name and what it stands for.

Virtue: Katie keep yourself clean in the eyes of your Father in Heaven. Show virtue by doing what you need to do. The value experience for virtue is reading the Book of Mormon. Read it many times in your life. It will mean different things each time you read it. There might be verses in it that you might not know are there the first few times you read it. You will get closer to your Heavenly Father by reading the Book of Mormon than any other book. There is no question why this is the value project for this value. Be like the 2000 Stippling Warriors!

Now that I have your attention I would like to give you some advice from your mother. Before you roll your eyes listen. First, keep yourself worthy to go to the temple. Your life will be blessed if you get married in the temple. This doesn’t mean you won’t have trials, but there has never been a time I was disappointed knowing that if I live worthy and you kids do too that we will be an eternal family. Second, go to college and get your degree! That piece of paper might be very expensive but again what a blessing my degree has been in my life. Third, remember that you can help others and be a good example to others. Fourth and most importantly remember to say your prayers and read your scriptures daily. Talking to your Father in Heaven is important. Don’t just call on Him when you need a life boat, call on Him all the time. You will be blessed if you have a good relationship with him. You can receive personal revelation through him. You need to know you can always count on Him.

I love you more than you will ever know, or at least until you become a mother. You have blessed my life and the lives of those people around you. Thank you for being an example to your younger sister, your female cousins, and to the rest of the young women you know in accomplishing this goal.

Love,
Mom

Patriot Day

Today is Patriot Day, and I felt like I should write something on this somber yet holy day. Yes, I do think it is a holy day. Why you might ask, well because any day that people lose their lives saving other people I think is holy. On September 11, 2001, we saw normal everyday American’s become heroes. Yes, men and women like firefighters, police officers, and other emergency workers are everyday heroes and they lost more of their own that day. I also think of the heroes on flight 93 that when into the Pennsylvania field, who knows how many lives those men and women saved. What about those brave men and women that helped others that were hurt that day, there were heroes also.

That day changed the way I thought of our country. I remember praying next to my bed in tears hoping that my family would be safe. I think most of us prayed that they would find people alive in the wreckage. We came together as a nation that day and the days that followed. I assume that must have been what it was like on December 7, 1941 and the days after that. We were all American’s that day and the days that followed. There were no Democrats or Republicans there was unity. We stood in line giving blood, went to churches, hugged our children a little longer that night, but most of all we wept in shock and fear of what had happened.

I can remember that day like it was yesterday, I wept today as I re-watched the news footage of that terrible day. I hope and pray that all American’s can come together on this day and remember why our country is the greatest nation on Earth. We are a blessed to live in this nation. I pray that as we go to bed tonight we take time to remember those who were lost.

My Roles on Earth

As I write this morning I am hoping that a topic will come to my brain other than the one I know I need to write about. Why you ask? I don’t want to write about this but for the last three weeks I have been putting it off. I need to write about my role on Earth. I know this is my blog and it is about me, but this topic is a little too personal. On the other hand maybe someone out there needs to read my feelings on this topic.

We all have different roles on Earth; mine include (in no certain order) I am a mom, (well that is first) I am a teacher, I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father, I am a leader at school, I am a librarian, I am the first VP for our local Delta Kappa Gamma group, I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I am a woman, I am a friend, and I am the director of the after school program. This might seem like a long list but most of us would have more. I am sure that I forgot something but I only listed what I could think of in the amount of time it took me to type.

Why are these roles important? I really don’t know. Some of our roles in life are more important than others. Being a mom is my most important role. I would do anything for my kids and sometimes that is not always a good thing. Teaching is something I love to do. You might think it is easy, but trust me not just anyone could do this job. It is tough and some people that spend 4 years getting that degree find out it was not for them. The friend role is an easy role most of the time, but sometimes especially if things are tough this role might be harder. Being a daughter of a Heavenly Father is something that was natural. We are all children of God, that role to a given but it does come with responsibility.

Today I would like to focus on my primary role a mom. The last few weeks the girls and I have started school and Tyler started college. Monday was tough for me because it was a day I have been excited yet nervous for a long time. Tyler is a grown up in the eyes of the world. He is 18 and can make his own decisions. Yet, he lives at home and has to follow my long list of rules. I am sure all of the kids think I have a long list of rules but they are pretty easy to live by. I wonder if our Father in Heaven thinks that about His rules.

I love my parents and we have a different relationship than we did when I was younger. I am able to make more decisions, but I do go to them for advice. I don’t have to follow the rules I did growing up, but it amazes me when I go “home” that I still ask permission to do certain things. I would say my parents and I are now more at the friendship stage than we were when I was living at home growing up. My kids and I are close; one of the blessings that has happened over the last few years is that I have a close bond with Katie. This did not exist when Jason lived at the home. It did not have to because she had her dad at home full time.

So what is my role as a mom? I need to teach my children wrong from right! I need to teach them that they are also children of God. I need to teach them the importance of work. You need to work hard and not to expect anyone to give you anything. Help is always nice and welcomed but, sitting on your rear is not going to get you anywhere. The importance of money, not that it is important to have, but that you need to spend it wisely and save what you can. The other thing I need to teach my kids is that sometimes it is okay for mommy to come first.

This last part is the hardest thing for me. I do not ever come first like most mothers. I am sure it might be that way for some dads, but I know my mom friends will agree. We will go without shoes if our kids need them. We will wear the same pants for 20 years if it means we can afford to get our kiddos new jeans. However, doing something that I like to do to make me feel better about myself is not a bad thing or a selfish thing. It does become selfish if it takes the place of being a mom. Hopefully, this weekend as I spend it in bed trying to get over this crud my kids will understand that mom loves them, but their wants will have to wait for another weekend so that I can get feeling better.

Famlies last throughout time

This last week I was able to spend some time with my family. I love my family especially my kids but today I am going to blog about extended families. I think once we leave the nest and start families of our own our siblings and parents become our extended families unless we live with them. Last weekend was the Philpot Family Reunion, and after that we were able to go visit my mom’s house and visit her. How lucky I am to have a great extended family.

During the reunion I was able to sit and listen to stories of my great grandparents, great-great grandparents, and great-great-great grandparents things I didn’t know before or had forgotten. I found out that one of them worked for Brigham Young and that they came out west on a train not on the wagon or handcart trails. (I do have those also) I found out where they settled in Utah and what their jobs were. I found out more about why my maiden name was chosen, this has always been a mystery to me.
I then went to the DUP (Daughters of the Utah Pioneers) museum where I was able to pull some family histories. This was really cool because you could find some firsthand knowledge of someone that was really there. I also found out what company they came out west with and what boat they were on. This information came with journal entries of passengers. This is important to me, mainly because I love history and if it is information on someone you know you are already invested in finding out more.

I also decided I wanted to find out more on my mother’s side of the family. Now both of my maternal grandparents loved genealogy so this was much easier to find the group sheets and names but not so much about the stories. You see sometimes just doing the paperwork doesn’t help with the stories and that was what I wanted to find. So, I had to dig further. I did find out where the land was located for my earliest ancestors that reached the Salt Lake Valley was located. I even was able to purchase a map to have real proof. I bought a book dedicated to that side of the family and their stories that includes some journaling. How cool is that?

As I was coming across these discoveries for me, I thought about the great, great-great, or great-great-great children I will someday have. I hope my posterity is great and they will want at some point in their lives want to know about me. What is the story I am leaving behind? Are they going to know that yes there is pain in this world but also great happiness? Will they know that I loved the Savior Jesus Christ more than anything and I knew I am a Child of God? Will they wonder why I did the things I do? I do not know, they might not even wonder any of these things or even care about my story. The one thing I know is that I have left things for them to read about and will now start to document my parent’s lives so that when they are gone, I will have those stories for their grandchildren and other generations to come. They might think history is just that and it should stay in the past. Yes, I agree something should stay in the past but, there is a whole new world when you know your back story.

Finding out things about the generations that came before you is part of your story. The reason I grew up in Utah and grew up as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is because of my ancestors. Some of these people walked thousands of miles to find a place where homes would be built for the last time and not destroyed again. Some came from Sweden and traveled by boat for months and then got on trains to be closer to those who believed the same as they did. Some left their extended families to go out west so that their children would not be affected by decisions they had made in the past. This does not mean I haven’t found on my own that what my ancestors believed isn’t what I believe; it just means that is where it started from. I know my pioneer heritage is a big part of who I am. I also know that there are going to be things I will be the pioneer in.

I am the first college educated child of my parents. Yes, my twin sisters got their education first but, I mean my mom and dad. I was the first one to break any bones, starting at the age of 18 months. I was the only child that lived with both my maternal and paternal grandparents. I am the first child to raise three wonderful children as a single mom. This is part of the legacy I will carry to my children and down generations. So the next time you go to a family reunion listen, take notes, and record what happened, you might end up being the documenter of your family.

I love my family more than anything, and I am so glad I was able to find out more of where I came from. This is one of the great blessings of this age we live in. Computers have made this so much easier. Don’t forget the paperwork is important because to do research you need the dates, but I think the stories are the most important part. If there is anything I learned is to write your story down, that is the best place to start.