January 27, 2023

Dear Family:

News:    It’s Cold!!! And it’s going to be colder tomorrow.  No snow, no freezing rain, just cold. It will be down to 24 degrees tonight and similar next two nights.  I had to break out my coat that I bought to visit Jackson Wyoming with Mike/Amy/and the family for thanksgiving 3 or 4 years ago.

BIG NEWS:  Tanner, Haley & Claire have arrived.  I visited them tonight in their new digs in Oregon City.  Tanner and Conner drove non-stop from Dallas TX to Portland in like 36 hours straight.  What you do for love!!  I watches Conner, Tanner, Haley, Mike and Amy work so hard to get them here, settled and home.  What you do for love!!!!    (YOU SHOULD SEE MIKE & AMY AND  GRANDDAUGHTER TOGETHER!!)

….and  We are playing musical couches at my house again.  The big brown sectional that started life in the game room  at the Schnell-Dougall-Grubbe house in Sherwood-moved to my house, back to Amy’s house, back to my house, and now it’s final resting place at Tanner/Haley’s house.  Heck it keeps life interesting!! Doesn’t it?

Brian’s birthday was last week, Cooper’s birthday is the 8^th, Clarke’s birthday is the 6^th and Megan’s birthday is the 21 – February is a good month.  I can hardly believe this myself, but I have no gigs in February.  We are moving away from Retirement Homes and going back into playing for dances.  It’ll take some time to make the transition.  It is my decision.  We weren’t making hardly any money at all playing for retirement homes.  We will now be playing for dances, corporate gigs and special events at retirement homes.  Nice!  I just have to get the new tenor sax player oriented and then we’ll be set.

I have found out that Carter can’t read my letters in the blog, so I will be including the body of the letter in the email until he returns.  I will also put it in the blog.  That way they will be there forever or until computers are replaced by something!!!!XXXXX  who knows.

I have talked to you before about my great respect and admiration for my ancestors who joined the church in the 1830’s.  It all started with a visit by Brigham Young to north Pennsylvania to the Campbell clan (who had emigrated from Scotland).  The Short family also lived in PA and were converted.  Both those families and so many more followed the Saints to Kirkland, Nauvoo, and then on to Utah.  We have an idea of what they went through because of all the stories that have come out of the pioneer experiences.   All those generations ago!  It is kind of hard to visualize all that they went through.  I remember as a little girl thinking how fortunate I was to be born in the covenant.  I didn’t have to go to find the church.  My ancestors made it possible as did my grandparents and my parents.  I have discovered in the last year since my 65^th class reunion, that I was proud to be a member of the church as a teenager.  Several men told me that they remember me talking to them about the church.  I didn’t marry my high school boyfriend because he wasn’t a member.  I also discovered that a few school mates who were in “Youth for Christ” thought I was a member of a cult.  I discovered at the 65^th reunion that those guys were born again Christians and I was discriminated against.    I was just so young and naïve that I didn’t realize it.

But in retrospect, I’m grateful for the sacrifices and endurance of my ancestors.  They experienced so many hardships, discrimination, trials of their faith, and just plain HARD WORK.  They were just ordinary people.  They weren’t Smith’s, or Young’s or high level Mormons.  They were just hard working people who worked on the Ogden Temple, or developed new areas as the request of the prophet, or men who served 6 month missions away from their families who had to fend for themselves.

“The path of the just is as the shining light.” Proverbs 4:18  -  President Hinckley said:  “It is goo to look to the past to gain appreciation for the present and perspective for the future.  It is good to look upon the virtues of those who have gone before, to gain strength for whatever lies ahead.  It is good to reflect upon the work of those who labored so hard and gained so little in this world, but one of whose dreams and early plans, so well nurtured, has come a great harvest of which we are the beneficiaries.  Their tremendous example can become a compelling motivation for us all, for each of us is a pioneer in his own life, often in his own family …..”

I appreciate his words.  I have these feelings and thoughts, but I have a hard time making it all sound compelling. 

We have all had to be pioneers – to start our families, to endure illnesses, to overcome horrific disappointments, to realize that expectations don’t always come out the way we want.  Some of us have had to start over again, in jobs, in marriage, in outlooks on life, in our goals.

I do appreciate my pioneer ancestors.  If they could do it, I can too.

I love you all.

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, sister, Aunt Suzanne

PS - Everyone click reply to Carter and say HI to Elder Carter Schnell.  Sheri forwards his letters to me and he is doing well.

 

   

Service helps the receiver and the giver -

 Dear Family

Happy Birthday this week to Brian (Jan 24) in just two days.  News!!!  Tanner, Haley & Claire Dougall are moving back to Portland this week.  Taylor and Kelsy are expecting little boy number 3.  (It is interesting when I think back to how old I was and and when I had my 3 little ones.  Brad was 4 1/2, Brian was 2 1/2 when Amy was born.  I had my hands full.  So I really know what my grandchildren are going through with their little families.  Brad had 3 surgeries by the time he was 6.  Brian had surgery at 6 weeks.  Kenlee and Jake have lots lots trauma since Thanksgiving.  We all have had our traumas or we will have.  That's they way Heavenly Father planned it.

Today the thoughts that have been on my mind are service.  These photos remind me of the great amount of service we all give to our families.

• Service to family

To mom's and dad's serving our families seems to come naturally.  I think we get a tiny inkling of Heavenly Father and Jesus' love for all of us because of the love we have for our little families.  

I have seen this service to family in all 3 of my children and their spouses.  I watched them become parents and I watched as they worked hard to be the best parents, teachers, caregivers and examples in their work ethic, their personal habits, the way they took care of their homes, their church responsibilities and providing for their families. I've watched my grandchildren do the same.  I am in awe of you all, because I know it isn't easy.  It is hard, hard work.  It requires consistency and sometimes that is the hardest of all.  

I used to worry during the years that I was raising my family.  I worried that besides taking care of their everyday needs, was I teaching them to be contributing members of society?  Was I teaching them to have a strong work ethic, to be honest, to have integrity, to care about other people, to have a good moral code, to be prepared to be parents, to love their heritage, to have faith, to love the Lord? My grandchildren;  I think you can all be grateful for the great job your parents did and continue to do.  I've watched my children serve their children and show great Christlike love for them. I must take a moment here to mention Megan.  I have watched her devotion to her children, her sister and her sister's family, her husband and his family......and many years of serving her mother.  To me Megan is the example of Christlike love and devotion to family and her mom.  Having gone through my mother's last years and those problems; Judy and Glennda could tell you it isn't easy.  It is discouraging.  It tries the patience.  It tests your faith and inner reserves. But we love them.   It is what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to do.  Megan is my hero.  I also need to mention Kenlee and Kelsy.  I watched them along with Brad serve Joelle with all their strength in her last days. 

 

Brad was consoling Amy.  She was crying because her parents left 

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• -Service to friends

Serving our friends is easy compared to serving people we have differences with or people we don't know.  

Mosiah 4:15  "Teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness...teach them to love one another and serve one another.

President Hinckley:  "The antidote for selfishness is service, a reaching out to those about us - those in the home and those beyond the walls of the home.....a child who sees his father and mother forgo comforts for themselves as they reach out to those in distress, will likely follow the same pattern when he or she grows to maturity."

It just plain feels good to be of service.  I have devloped many lasting friendships while serving as a visiting teacher-now ministering sister.  Latest friend is Norma.  She can't stand very long, can't walk very far, is in constant pain, and needed help getting to doctor/physical therapy appointments. Last week I took her to the beauty shop. I can tell you now, we are dear friends.  It makes me feel good to help her.  One thing I also remember is that my sister Judy was a great visiting teacher.  Many of the people at her Celebration of Life, and through cards mentioned what a great visiting teacher she was.   I remember my sister Glennda tell me about her sisters that she served.  Some of them were great stories.  Thanks for the example Judy and Glennda.

• Service to associates at work, church, those in our lives

This is one of the great things about participating in our church.  We learn from an early age in Primary to give talks, to sing, to be kind to others, to try to be like Jesus. Later we participate in discussions, programs, activities all the while learning to interact and serve others.  Participating in a Roadshow or a Dance Festival is not only fun for the participant, but it give them experience in what it takes to create something worthwhile....serving together...learning to get along with others....learning what it takes to produce something as a group.  Later as they accept mission calls or accept callings in church they learn more lessons in service.  None of those responsibilities produce financial income, but they produce self esteem, experience in serving.  Those experiences in serving transfer so very well into vocations.  

THE ONE THINGS WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND IS:  Mosiah 4:27

"See that all these things are done in wisdom and order, for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength....."

That was one thing that I learned the hard way.  All mom's put pressure on themselves to do, save, work, fix.  I have enjoyed the posts where Jake is helping the girls, and helping Kenlee.  I've watched Taylor help Kelsy.  I watched Corbin help Riley with Cole at Thanksgiving. This is good stuff!

Thank you for looking at my memory photos.  I didn't have a cell phone or FaceBook.  I love watching the posts from you my family.  Please keep it up.

Have a great week.  

Love, Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne

More memories

Congratulations to my sister Glennda and husband Scott Field - 51st Wedding Anniversary

 

Happy Anniversary to Glennda and Scott Field.  51 years of marriage.  Don and I were invited to celebrate with them.  Of course...we went to the all time favorite SAYLER'S COUNTRY KITCHEN. Don and I shared a ride to the restaurant and we caught up on family news.  Danny and JoJo finally got married.  I passed on the news that Tanner, Haley & Claire Dougall will be moving to Oregon in a couple weeks.

This photo was taken last July on our "Sibling Cruise to Alaska".  We took a train ride up into the mountains on one of our stops.  It actually wasn't fogged in that day.

I've spent the week coming back down to earth after visiting Utah. The reason to go was Aunt Estella's funeral, but it was so great to go see Brian, Megan, Hayden, Marissa and Clarke.  I missed going for Christmas because of sub-freezing weather and freezing rain cancelling flights.  

 Not much else going on.  It's been rainy and windy today.  The Blazers have won the last two games which were against Dallas Mavericks.

 My thought for today is related to Glennda and Scott's anniversary, as well as to Judy and Don who were married for 54 years before Judy's passing.

     Thou shalt live together in love.  (D&C 42:45)

"True love is not so much a matter of romance as it is a matter of anxious concern for the well-being of one's companion."  President Gordon B Hinckley

Have a wonderful week everyone.  

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister & Aunt Suzanne

Visiting Utah for Aunt Estella's funeral and visiting Mapleton family

 On Sun, Jan 8, 2023  

Dear family: 

I’m in Utah for my aunt Estella Leishman Romero’s funeral. 

Seated left to right 

Erma Busenbark, Reta Fox York. Penny Romero

Standing: Tami Fox, me, Dixie, Cindy Busenbark Jensen, Holly Busenbark, Penny’s head, Kelli Fox

Aunt Erma is fragile lives in Ogden. Aunt 

Reta looked better than she did last summer. 

Estella was about 17 when I was born. From the time I was 1/2 to 3 mom and I lived in Logan while dad was in the service. We visited Wellsville (grandma Mary Leishman) very frequently. Estella her husband Arnold were there most of the time. My earliest memories include Estella and Arnold. 

When I was 15  Arnold and Estella stayed at our house just after they picked up Dixie from adopting her in Tacoma. I remember it vividly. When they got home they were notified that another local girl was available. Penny and Dixie are 6 weeks apart in age. 

Aunt Estella was 95. Prior to her passing she asked that I would sing or play piano at her service. (How Great Thou Art). I was honored. 

I flew to Provo late Friday. I fly home tomorrow evening. 

Arnold and Estella were at the temple when Rich and I were sealed when Brian was about 9 months old. They came to Amy’s wedding and brought her one of her great grandmothers hankies to carry with her in the temple. 

They came to visit many times and one I remember was when we lived on 57th near Halsey. They took videos of Brad (3 years old) swinging his arm as he walked down the sidewalk.  

Brian and Megan have memories of visiting them when Michael was a toddler. 

If they were that involved in our lives - you can get the picture of how heavily they were involved in the lives if their two girls, Estella’s sisters, and the dozens of nieces and nephews who lived close to them. 

They were an admirable couple. They treated each other like royalty. They remained active in the church  served a mission to the Cook Islands and served in the temple 30 years. 

What a marvelous example to all. 

Brian, Megan, Hayden and I visited her in 2019 after we did a nostalgic trip to Wellsville and Logan.

Glennda and I visited Aunt Stella, Aunt Reta, Dixie, Penny and Reta’s daughter Kelli  last May 22, 2022. 

Glennda and I felt fortunate to make the trip and visit for 2 hours. ( Again Brian and Megan made it possible)

Just a few days after Christmas Estella called me - my Christmas card was returned- she said she just wanted to hear my voice. 

I hope I’ve been able to convey to all of you how much Estella and her family, her sisters, and my cousins mean to me. We were raised in another state and weren’t able to be as close as my cousins are to each other. But yesterday I was welcomed by all of them including Cody and Cameron(Dixie’s sons ) and her wonderful husband. I feel so blessed. 

It is just further proof that family is everything. 

My mother, her sisters and their families and my siblings families are all connected. I have so much love in my heart for all of us. 

Have a wonderful week my dear children, grand children, grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews. 

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, cousin and aunt Suzanne. 

Happy New Year 2023

 

January 1, 2023

Dear Family:

Today is Hayden’s Birthday (22?), Brian and Megan had an anniversary last week, Jude Mic Packam was born last week, Emery got to come home from the hospital (with a pic line in - however - her daddy is taking care of it), Brad and Sheri are home from helping Kenlee & Jake with their family challenges, The Schnell-Dougalls are home from Mexico, Jay and Alena are home from Utah, I don’t know if Taylor and Kelsy are home from Arizona yet – I’m sure they will be home soon. Haley seems to be weathering her 2^nd knee replacement in just a few months pretty well.  I’ve enjoyed all the updates via texts,  Instagram and Facebook.  Thank you guys!  I missed writing the last two weeks. 

I missed going to Utah for Christmas. 😢😢 I realized a few days early that there was going to be an ice storm.  I moved my booking to July (thinking about catching a rodeo).  As it turned out, the flight was canceled.  But I was able to connect with family so – all was well.  

I had 3 gigs last week and all went well. There has only been one New Year's Eve in the last 25 years that I haven't been playing music.  The one last night from 7-8pm was very rewarding.  It is a privilege to bring music that I love to people who are starved for my kind of music.  It was a retirement home only a mile and a half from my home.  They were so thrilled and many wanted to talk to all of us afterwards. This won’t last forever – these are old songs and someday those who remember these old songs will be gone.  But in the meantime, it’s fun. Here are a couple that I just posted on Youtube,  from 12/31/22:

https://youtu.be/06eXdRHlgno

https://youtu.be/CRzqR46vUpg

 I guess I’ll keep doing this until I can’t.

Today in church there were two sisters sitting in front of me.  Heidi Bruno and her sister and their returned missionary Conner Bruno was sitting between them.  I remembered all the emotions that come with your son coming home from his mission and all the excitement, favorite meals & desserts, girlfriends, cousins, plans for college etc.   I was especially touched when the two sisters leaned into each other and whispered.  It touched my heart – I miss my sister Judy.  It has been 19 ½ months since she passed and not a day goes by without her coming to my mind.  Thankfully Glennda, Jay and I have made a pact to check in with each very frequently and that has been very sweet. It is wonderful to touch bases with them almost every day.

I think the most precious gift that Heavenly Father blessed us with is family.  I didn’t appreciate my sisters as much as I should have while we were growing up.  They were there and I probably took it for granted.  Jay came along as I was just starting married life.  At this stage of my life having the love and care of my siblings is an amazing blessing.  (As you will all discover in time, when your family grows up, leaves home for missions/college, get married and have children.)  It is the way it is supposed to be, but I loved raising my family, family get-togethers and camping trips. 

·        “Family is not an important thing. It's everything.” – Michael J. Fox.

·        “The memories we make with our family is everything.” – Candace Cameron Bure.

I agree wholeheartedly.

I spoke with Brent Pederson for the first time after Sacrament Meeting today since the ward boundary changes.  We spoke about Kenlee and their family and about all they have been through.  So I guess the moral of the story is “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”  You are strong Kenlee.

Have a Happy New Year and I remind you how much I love you all.

 

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne