Las Vegas or Bust!

Anne, my youngest sister, called and said she was going to Las Vegas to see Kathryn before she left for China.   What a great idea, I inform Deb (ala JoAnn) that we are going to Vegas for some family time with the 3 younger girls.....of course she "gleefully" agrees and off we go.......well kinda!!!!

We pick the car up from Lexus, they are fixing the junction box that got wet from a leaky window that Techna Glass incorrectly installed at the end of Feb, and YES Techna glass is paying for the repair.  As we jump in the car it becomes painfully obvious that the A/C is not turning on, thankfully  we discover this before we leave the Lexus parking lot.  Whoops, a blown blower fan after 30 minutes and 150.00 we are on our way......

UNTIL.............

We hit Cove Fort, were we stop to use the "privy"  when re-enter the car and try to start the car........it won't start.  With the help  of K.C., from the conveniently placed "Cove Fort Repair" shop we push the car to the shop where K.C. announces that "you've got a blown fuel pump".   NICE..........to make a long story or trip longer, K.C. calls Jimmy, his dad, to tow us to the nearest dealer that can repair the car.  We have plenty of options:

Beaver
Richfield
Fillmore
St George or
Salt Lake

and we will have to wait for the part which won't be to any of these places by 4 Friday afternoon.  So much for leaving early Thursday so as to have enough time in Vegas.   We set our sights and wallet on St George, Stephan Wade can fix it with a part from Las Vegas.  So far, if my math mind serves we right we are in this trip for:

 550.00    Tow
 400.00    Part
 162.00    Labor
1112.00                                       
  150.00   Blown Blower Fan (whoops forgot to add this)
1262.00   Total


Jimmy kindly allows us to ride in our car on top of the tow truck, who would've have thought, which we do, car idling all the way to St. George NO ONE was going to deprive me of the A/C!!!!  Deb's sister and niece, Robin and Jenny meet us at the dealership and lend us their "ride" we drive to Sand Hollow were we take up residence at Deb's other sister Sara's house, which thankfully has a pool, A/C, and cable.

I wish I knew the end to this story, but.......we are still in St. George, Tom from the dealership says he will have the part by 4 maybe 4:30 and should have it finished by today if not "then I can have it for you on Tuesday".........

Seriously!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grandma Do You Meditate?

It was on I15 somewhere between Draper and 33rd South, that Warren asked me, "Grandma do you meditate", as I glanced over my shoulder to take a peak at Warren I saw him sitting crossed legged, palms up, thumb and second finger touching and each hand resting on his knees.  

Me:  I do meditate.

Warren:  AGH!! its so frustrating when I can't get the thoughts out of my head.

Me:  Sometimes if you focus on a word or sound it helps to clear your mind.

This is where I taught him the "Omm".

Warren:  (after a minute or so)  Meditating makes you feel calm!

Me:  Warren, where did you learn about meditating?

Warren:  Josh, my friend taught me.  I feel so much better after I meditate.

Sometimes this child amazes me, and he's right meditating does make you feel better!!!

I Want to Eat

I want to eat....something....anything and yet I can't find one thing that sounds good.  This might not sound strange to the normal human being but, to a Hickman, or former Hickman this may be the first sign of a terminal illness, for we can always find something to eat.

When I get like this I have learned to sit back and take a deep breath go inside of myself to see what I "really" need.  For I know its not food!

After mom died I spent the entire week with my sisters and family, I haven't spent that much time with them in years.  This week when I go inside to see why I want to eat and can't find anything that fills that need I recognize that I miss my sisters.  It was such a sweet experience to be back with them in our parents home.

I felt like a child again, being around them each day and, I think I can recognize that it won't happen again so I didn't want it to end.  Each day since the funeral has been over I have felt the need to call and talk to them, hear their voices, cry with them.  I have found sweet comfort in my grief hearing their voices and being reminded that I am one part of a whole. 

We each have our own homes, and families that will have to be tended to and cared for and I suspect we well go back to talking less than we would like.  But, for one week I felt like a child again and I think I know how my mother must have felt when her mother died, homeless but not "family-less" just longing for the sweet sounds of her siblings voices to tie her back to her youth.

Thank goodness my parents had the common sense to have 6 of us!!!!

I Am My Mother's Daughter

I have been reminded almost daily; that I am just like my mother, when I was young I took this as an indictment.

I was embarrassed by many things my mother did. For example: I wanted my mother to wear go-go boots like Jan Jensen’s mom. I did not want my mother to announce to friends or dates that “Melissa’s not here she broke her leg and we had to shoot her”. And, why did my mother have to be the last mom in Prove to adopt a pair of jeans? It was during these years I first heard the words of wisdom from my mother, which would dictate much of my life. 

"Melissa you don’t have to tell everything you know" and, 

"Melissa, think before you speak". (I’m pretty sure I earned those directions honestly) 

As I grew into my young adult years I began to appreciate my mom in different ways. When I entered college and wondered what was I going to do in this vast waste land (I wasn’t the scholar in the family), and I had discovered that my mom had graduated from college, I thought to myself if she can do it I can too. And then, when I left for my mission and was terribly home sick it was my mother who calmed the storm with her own brand of love and firmness, “Finnish what you start”, which I did and am forever grateful for. 

When I started raising my own children my thoughts turned towards my mother in a much different way. I now understood why she shunned those jeans so many years ago; the darn waste was just too tight. I fretted about my kid’s decisions, and worried about their futures, and above all else I would do anything for them. With these realizations in mind I called my mother one day and shared with her my understanding of what her life was like when her children made decisions that she didn’t always agree with. What I was learning then and what I can see clearly now was my mother’s unconditional love. 

With the advent of grandchildren my heart expanded exponentially each one bringing more joy than the last. I remembered watching my mother swaddle, cuddle, kiss, chase and devour each child that came within her grasp. None were safe from the arms and lips of my mother. I too have the same insatiable appetite for my own grandchildren. 

As I embraced the phrase “ you are just like your mother” I was able to look past the things I would have changed and to value those gifts she had passed onto me: the gift a gab, a sense of humor, a passion for friends and family, I would rather wear a dirty moo-moo and eat on paper plates and have friends and family at my table than to be alone in a perfect house. And most importantly to be a woman of faith, to believe deeply and passionately in all things spiritual, truly, once I stopped dreading becoming my mother I could see her Christ like qualities in their full splendor. Now when someone says, “you are just like your mother”, I find sweet comfort in those words. 

The Queen has left her court…..My mother passed away on a glorious Sunday morning, and I believe my father was at her side. I could not have asked for a sweeter experience than to be surrounded at my mother's bed with my sisters, brother-in law, nieces, nephews and Deb to witness her crossing. I can only hope that I can emulate her life by the way I live mine, full of love, laughter, good friends, cherished family and service to all!!!

Friday's

It's Friday, I should be overjoyed; its warm, I'm getting my haircut, and, I finally have a weekend at home without constant commitments.

AND.......

Let the games begin!!!

I'm gonna plant my spinach, kale, carrots, lettuce and onions

I'm going to Wyatt's hit-a-thon,

I'm watching Jazz basketball,

I'm going out to dinner with dear friends,

AND last but NOT least.........

I will be with my love, and that is the best of ALL!!!!!