New wedding date

New wedding date is May 4 in the Logan LDS Temple. Don-Mike & Amber are taking the temple preparation classes with Nate & Sydney Hale & Jay & Gale Hansen on Sunday evenings at 5.

Don-Mike has moved into the new addition, leaving Mother & I here alone. He comes over & spends a little while after work here with Amber

We found ties at Deseret Book. The clerk was so nice. His name is Kevin Anderson. His father's name is Jim Anderson from Tremonton. Not my uncle Jim. His parents are Jim & Betty Anderson. His father was a bishop in Tremonton. I wondered if Uncle Jim & his father were bishops at the same time. Jim was also a branch president in the nursing home in Tremonton a few years ago.

Anyway, he found 3 adult ties for us at the Deseret Book in Denver & 2 adult ties & 1 youth tie for us at the Deseret Book in Riverdale, Utah. I'll call Kim & Terri & see if they will pick them up for us.

Lent 2012

So, I've been wondering when Ash Wednesday is this year. I asked last night & my aunt Luana said she didn't know. She asked me the same question I get every year when I say I'm going to read The Book of Mormon for Lent. You're not Catholic, why do you even celebrate Lent? I don't "celebrate" Lent, I "observe" it.

In the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the season of preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.

 This year, as I have done for the last few years, I will read The Book of Mormon beginning on Ash Wednesday. Feb. 22. I will again try to finish it by Easter Sunday, April 8. April General Conference will be held March 31 and April 1. The Young Women conference will be held March 24.

I always feel like I'm unprepared - for anything.

Anger is a secondary emotion

I KNOW anger is a secondary emotion. I haven't arrived at that point yet, I'm just sick to my stomach, frustrated, irritated & ready to cry.

Amber's mother is now pushing for a civil ceremony on March 15 & then they can be married next year in the temple. Come on!! Whose wedding is this anyway??? Amber asked me tonight if Don & I were all right with them waiting & getting married in the temple on May 4. Of course, we're all right with it. I told her I'd be very disappointed if they didn't get married in the temple.

I had all these dreams for my boys. They would both earn their Eagle Scout rank, graduate from high school, serve full-time missions & be married in the temple. So 1 out of 8 ain't bad. Well, the marriages haven't taken place, so maybe I should've said 1 out of 6 ain't bad. Neither of them earned their Eagles, served full-time missions & although Don-Mike graduated from high school, he didn't get to walk with the graduates. The counselor didn't make sure he finished his online course & 2 hours before graduation, the principal & counselor show up at my door telling me my son will not walk. Nick dropped out of school, which is a whole 'nother story.

How do you explain a civil ceremony after they've already announced to the world they are getting married in the temple? Doesn't that make it look like they were sexually active, when in reality Don-Mike hasn't been a full tithe payer??

If they cave to Amber's mother, I will be angry, seeringly angry. (Is there such a word as seeringly? If there isn't, I just made it up.) Maybe I'll go talk to our bishop tomorrow after the block.

Set back

Even the best laid plans of mice & men often go awry, paraphrasing Robert Burns. Don-Mike came home from an appointment with his bishop tonight saying the bishop strongly recommends pushing the wedding back to June. Don-Mike hasn't been a faithful tithe payer. Don-Mike said he immediately felt relief.

I sat them down a few nights ago, the night I took the picture with my phone (which Amber's mom didn't like me posting on Facebook). Anyway, I told them the place was more important than the time. They both agreed & tonight Don-Mike told his bishop what I had said. The bishop said it couldn't be said any plainer than that. Don-Mike, of course, reminded me of that when I expressed my disappointment in having the wedding pushed back to June.

As Don-Mike pointed out, the invitations haven't been printed. The tablecloths have been ordered, but, of course, they can be canceled. They are not here yet.

Right brained?

I took a test to determine whether I'm right-brained or left brained and here are the results:

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others. Left Brain Dominance: (6) Right Brain Dominance: (10) Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

So, what does it all mean? I googled right brain/left brain & took this quiz, which is pretty much the same as the above quiz:

You Are 45% Left Brained, 55% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Blogthings: We Have a Quiz for Almost Everything

Hmmmm, oooooooo-kay

Don-Mike's engaged

Don-Mike and Amber

We are so excited to welcome Amber Hayes into our family. Amber grew up next door to us. They moved into the house north of us when Amber was 10. I think it was earlier, because Amber would have been 10 in 1992. Daddy died in May of '92. They already lived there when Daddy died. Amber remembers 10. We moved to Preston in 1995. It was going to be a short sojourn, but almost 17 years later, we are still here.

Mother & Daddy, Mother's parents, Fred & Jennie Porter, & Don & I were all married on Dec. 15 in the Logan LDS Temple. This year December 15 fell on a Thursday. Mother & I decided we were going out to dinner to celebrate our anniversaries. I told Don-Mike, who had a rare Thursday off, he was welcome to join us unless he had a date. Mother said he could bring his date. I was scandalized. "Mother! You don't bring a date to a family dinner unless it's Amber ... or (my brain was racing frantically. I couldn't think of anyone else I would be comfortable with.) ... Amber. You don't bring just anyone to a family dinner."

A couple of hours later, Don-Mike & Amber show up to pick up Mother & I in Don's car. Oooo-kay! I thought back to our earlier conversation & thought it was nice he had brought Amber. I love Amber. I seriously wondered if it was date, but ... wasn't sure. It's best not to assume when you aren't sure.

Mother & I sat in the back seat. We met Don & Nick at the Golden Corral. They went down in Nick's Corvette. After dinner, Nick wanted Don-Mike to go with him. Don-Mike didn't & Nick stormed out. Don said he didn't start talking until they were almost to Richmond.

As soon as Nick & Don left, Don-Mike jumped up & said, "I'm on a date! You don't just walk off & leave a DATE!" Amber & I looked at each other. "Oh! It IS a date!"

Their next date was a movie night at our house. Don-Mike rearranged the front room so the couch (love seat) is in front of the TV so they could sit together. By the end of the evening, Don-Mike had his arm around her. I put Mother to bed & I hissed, "Mother! He's got his arm around her!" Mother said, "I saw that. I've got to get my temple recommend so I can go to the temple with them."

He spent Christmas Eve with Amber's family. They went to a party at Ian & Heather Porter's on New Year's Eve & stayed out til 5 A.M. They were in good company though. Besides Ian & Heather, there was Mike & Natasha Porter & Ian's brother Cord. And, of course, the babies. Ian & Heather's daughter Xandi & Mike & Tasha's son Dominic.

Don-Mike had big plans of how he was going to ask Amber to marry him. I told him Bill Fish had asked Gwen to marry him by pushing a conversation heart that said, "Marry me." to her plate at the Senior Center dinner on Valentine's Day. Don-Mike said he was going to buy a heart-shaped pizza with "Marry me." on it. In the end he just blurted it out. Amber said he looked through all the conversation hearts she had given him, but couldn't find what he wanted.

I told Don-Mike when we talked about how to ask her to marry him that he didn't have to wait until Dec. 15 to get married. The place is more important than the date. The original date was June 15. They moved it up to March 15, which is a Thursday, & the reception will be Friday, March 16, in the Preston 1st, 5th & 8th Ward building.

Mother & Amber have always had a special bond. As have Mother & Don-Mikel. It's a good thing, because they will move in with Mother, here at 425 N. State until we can get the house finished on First East.