An Eternal Family

What a joyful day! Stephanie and Jeff and Ariana were sealed together in an eternal family unit. We felt the same kind of joy we felt in 1995 when Ken and Polly were sealed when Stephanie was 9 years old and Rachel was about the same age as Ariana. 

Those present to see the sealing of the Goodwin family besides us grandparents were Stephanie's Aunt Carol, Sheryl and Jonathan, Pam, Jeff's dad, and their best friends. After Stephanie and Jeff were sealed they acted as proxies for Brother Goodwin's deceased parents and he was sealed to them. He looked so happy!

Last Sunday (Father's Day) the speaker quoted the Proclamation on the Family about the role of fathers, that it was three P's--presiding, providing, and protecting. I've been thinking about that all week and how Eldon has done that for our family.

PRESIDING. There needs to be a president. Someone to call the family together for prayer and family home evening. Someone who sees the big picture. Someone who has the interests and goals of the whole family in mind.

PROVIDING. A father provides for his family and must not pawn that responsibility off on anyone else! I'm grateful that Eldon was such a good provider and saved up so we have plenty for our old age.

PROTECTING. The ways in which Eldon protects are varied. He kills the spiders that get in my bathtub. He makes sure the house and car are secure. He makes us turn off bad movies or walk out of bad plays. He watches out for me when we go on walks.

I'm so grateful for our eternal family unit. 

Our tallest grandchild

On a recent trip to Bend we discovered that Jason is now taller than Grandpa! However, he's not yet quite as tall as his Dad. 

Jason just graduated from REALMS, his middle school. They have the tradition that when they graduate each student writes a poem about himself. Here is Jason's poem:

           I Am This

I am this. 

Someone who was small. 

Who hated and was hated by. 

I liked few and few liked me. 

The time came to fear middle school. 

Miraculously, REALMS came out of the dark fear as if a pillar of light.

I am this. 

One who made a quiet friendship and from there grew with friends and decreased with hatred and frustration. 

My enemies faded away as friends faded into my life and personality.

I am this. 

A traveler. I took a journey, and discovered some of myself. 

I returned stronger and wiser, more capable of facing the life I live.

I am this. 

Beginning new journeys and facing awakening challenges. 

I am still discovering myself, what I love and anchors that weigh me down on my endless journey to who I am going to be.

I am this. 

This is now, but I have yet to be.

We have noticed a change in Jason too (besides his height). He's more sociable and can make conversation easily, even with adults. He is polite and respectful. He has many friends. He's not afraid to speak up. These characteristics will help him be a good missionary!

Next fall he will start high school at Mountain View High. Then he'll be a small duck in a large pond. But with the friends and abilities he developed in middle school, he'll do just fine. And he'll probably grow a few more inches!

Other highlights of our trip were: camping at Detroit Lake in the Hoover Campground. It was peaceful and beautiful there. We saw osprey, Canadian geese, and ducks. 

In Bend we visited the High Desert Museum and went to see the movie, Prince Caspian. 

We stayed with Trevor and Curtis on Saturday while the older people went to Portland to buy a new used car and Jason was at a friend's house. Trevor and Curtis made cookies with Grandpa. The older people came back with a spiffy black Hyundai.

Our Three Oldest Granddaughters

Two thirds of our grandchildren are girls and they are all beautiful and amazing. But today I want to focus of the three oldest girls who each have a significant event happening in their lives.

1. Jessica

The picture is of her singing at our last family reunion. Yes, she can sing, she can dance, she can play tennis, she's a top student. All that and she's pretty too. 

She celebrated her 16th birthday this week, which for a girl in a tearing hurry to become independent, was a major milestone. She got her driver's license that morning and then drove to school. She took applications around for a summer job that day. She bought her own birthday cake and celebrated with her family.

At a recent young women's awards night her good bishop read this quote when introducing Jessica. I don't know who wrote it, but Nelson Mandela quoted it in his inauguration address.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us. It's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same." 

And that's why it's ok to live in a Brendacentric universe, or a Jessicacentric universe. That's why it's good to blog and tell others about your triumphs and joys.

2. Emily

She just graduated from high school. (Read about it on her blog.) She did really well in the state track meet and was invited by the OSU track coach to join the team. 

We are excited because she is going to live with us when she goes to OSU next fall. Can you imagine what good that will do to two oldsters like us to have a young person around to cheer on and nurture and give rides to and listen to? We are looking forward to it. The only thing we're worried about is how much her Dad is going to miss her. 

She says she doesn't want to go to the University Ward because she doesn't want to get involved with guys until after her mission. I can see her point because with those hazel eyes, beautiful smile, and a killer tan, she is a knock out. But I think she could be involved in the excitement of the University Ward and keep her heart locked at the same time. But it's up to her.

3. Stephanie

The big event for Stephanie is that she is going to be endowed and sealed to her husband and daughter next week in the Portland Temple. We are really proud of them for wanting to work toward and prepare for this important event. We know that the covenants she makes in the temple  will be a strength and protection for her as she goes through the challenges that life will bring to her. Plus she will find joy in serving others as she does temple work for deceased persons. And she will find answers in the peaceful environs of the temple itself. We are happy that we can be there with her and Jeff and Ariana.

My new Mac

Ken replied to my first blog by saying I was a technosavvy greatgrandma, which made me feel good. Then he suggested I tell about my experience getting a new computer. So here goes.

When both computers went belly up I called Ken in a panic. After all he works for HP and knows a lot about computers, right? He said, "Let's go shopping." I think he even took some time off work and we immediately went. 

First we went to the Apple store down town. Such a nice place. Stuffed leopards in the decor and couches to rest on. And computers hooked up you can play on them. And a nice salesman who answered questions but did absolutely no pressuring.  Plus the Mac is so smooooth. 

Then we went to OfficeMax to look at the HP computers. There was one on sale but they didn't have one in or even in the warehouse. Didn't know when they'd have it. There were none hooked up to try and the salespeople seemed to care less.

I have to add that setting up the Mac was a dream. Just plug it in, basically. No extra stuff to choose from or take off. It was a bit of a challenge to learn how to use it, but Ken bought me a pocket guide and I am now quite a pro at it. I did have to buy a new program called Print Explosion that's made for the Mac so I can still do cards and calendars but what's another $50 after all I'd spent on the two computers.

And besides, Carl owns a Mac and he can log onto my computer and fix things I mess up. (I felt a moment of panic when a person named Chuck commented on my first blog, but Brenda assured me that was Carl. Perhaps you could put a picture in there, Carl as an identifier?)

When I think that I can remember back to a time when there WERE no computers, what a long way we've come. I'm especially impressed with how much computers have helped further the work of salvation for the dead! They are so much a part of our life that we have to buy laptops to take with us on trips so we'll never be without them! And we're devastated if something goes wrong  with our computer.

On getting old

Six months ago I became a greatgrandmother! How did that ever happen? (Ariana's the cutest little baby you ever saw.)  

So after five children, 21 grand children and now starting on the great grand children, I can begin to feel rather elderly. But that's ok. Age has it's advantages. You can be as eccentric as you want and no one will scold. You no longer worry about styles or manners and customs. 

On the eve of my 70th birthday I'm in awe of how fast time has gone by, how old and venerable I've become, how many memories have accumulated. But I worry still about the future, however long it is. Will I hang in there? I've got to endure to the end!

Getting old means now you've got the time and money to do the things you've always wanted to do, but you no longer have the energy and enthusiasm needed in order to do them!  What a catch 22. 

We were visiting the Nashes to show them Familysearch indexing and Louise's theory is that when you go on a mission as a senior couple you lose your reputation and have to build a new one. Which for us was not quite true in San Diego. We came with one that was fastened to the calling. And then she says when you get back both you and your reputation have been forgotten. Which I would agree with. We're in a large ward and don't feel very needed. I keep trying to convince myself that it's the young people's turn to have the callings because they need to learn from them (and they can do them better). But to sit back and relax doesn't feel right at all. With my vast experience why don't they want to hear from me any more?

Even the children are through listening. They are now so independent and capable  we often turn to them for help.  So the roles are reversed.

As I see it, life is like a 3-act play. We are in the second act right now. The ancestors who've gone on before are in the third act and are cheering us on, saying, "Come on, you can do it. Do a good job so you can come and join us." And our future descendants who are still in act one are also watching us and saying, "Come on Grandma, or Mom, or whoever. Do a good job so we can come and enjoy a good heritage." And they may even be giving us nudges in the right direction. I can feel those nudges sometimes. They are mainly to do with fostering relationships. For "that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy."