Can I do it? The big 5-0

Back in 2012, when I started this blog, I said it was inspired by my BFF of 40+ years, and that at some point, I'd write a post about her or our shared "adventures."  She turns 50 today!  Happy B-day Corinne! And so in honor of this, her 50th.  Here are 50 things about Corinne and/or our shared adventures.  (I'm hoping I can make it to 50, but yesterday as I was driving, I started to think of some, and I'm pretty confident that I can come up with DOUBLE that....so here's to us living to be 100.....I'll post the 2nd installment then :)

1- Weight: With all that talk of 50 and 100, I remember us being excited when we each weighed close to 50 pounds and could get on the scale TOGETHER and make it hit 100!  (I don't really want to DOUBLE my weight these days, but it was fun at the time.)

2-Playgroup:  Our mom's organized this as a "pre-school" of sorts prior to our starting kindergarten.  Our playgroup consisted of pretty much all the girls our age in Logandale at the time: Corinne, Laurel McMurray, RaNae Reese, and me.  We got together and played twice a week.

3-Playgroup treats:  When we played at my house, the treat was always graham cracker/frosting sandwiches.

RaNae, Corinne, Kay, Laurel, and Bryce....Playgroup treats.....making our own graham cracker and frosting sandwich cookies

4-Playgroup rides home: The mom who hosted gave the girls in the group a ride home after playgroup.  We'd roll down the windows and flap our arms out the windows and sing (actually shout) "Nanny, nanny, nanny goat; you can't catch the billy goat."  Not sure where this came from, or why we found it fun.....it's actually rather strange.  And yes, these were the days before seatbelts.

5-Kindergarten rest time:  We had to lie "head to toe" to discourage whispering and talking during rest time.  Corinne and I always tried to find someone to lie between us so our heads would be facing the same direction and we could whisper and talk.

6-Hot Lava: Jumping from gold velour sofa to gold velour sofa in our "oh-so-fashionable" 70's living room to avoid the "hot lava" (aka avocado green shag carpeting.)

7-Sunshine family: See last post

8-Candy Violet: We both got dolls for Christmas when we were in kindergarten, and we both loved the names Candy and Violet, but we both liked the name Candy just a BIT better than Violet, so in order to be "fair" ("fairness" was a huge deal to us), we named BOTH our dolls Candy Violet.  (We were so disappointed when my little sister was born the summer after our Kindergarten year and my mom named her Jill instead of Candy Violet......but my 5 year old niece did name her new Christmas doll this year Candy Violet-at the suggestion of her dad, my brother- so the name lives on.)

Kay with Candy Violet  the first Christmas 1972

Paige with Candy Violet the second 2017

9-Teaching our Candy Violets to "fly":  This involved standing on the back of the two big Lazy Boy chairs in Corinne's living room and throwing our Candy Violets to the seats of the chairs and then demonstrating how flying was REALLY done by our jumping as far as we could from the backs of the chairs onto the floor in front of the chairs.  (I know....we were a bit strange.)

My Candy Violet today (2017) She may be a little worse for the wear, but she was well-loved and played with.

10-Gum Collection:  In Corinne's old house, she had a chewed gum collection on the trim of the door into her hallway.  (I can't believe her mom let her have that, but it was an old house, and they were building a new one.)  I always wanted to chew gum at her house so I could add to the collection.

11-Baby Chrissy Dolls: See last post

12-Teddie Holden and Tammy Collins:  We grew up in the 70's; in the days of variety shows like the  Donny & Marie Show and  the Sonny & Cher show, so we invented our own movie-stars/variety show stars and spent hours drawing pictures of them in a variety of sketches and situations for their shows.  I had a whole folder full of Tammy Collins drawings, and Corinne's Teddie Holden portfolio was just as impressive. 

13-Sleepovers: Lots of these

Sleepover in our camper: Top: Corinne, Kay. Bottom: Bryce, Rex, Henry Whitmore

14-Pet cemetery:  This was located on the side of Corinne's hill.  It seemed that we had lots of cats that died and were buried there.  We spent a lot of time beautifying the pet cemetery, making headstones out of brick pavers, and picking wild flowers to put on the  graves.

15-Yearly jaunts into the desert to pick desert holly and mistletoe for Christmas décor.

16-Birthdays:  Our birthday parties were always epic; and I was always a bit jealous that Corinne's birthday was 3 weeks before mine.....so "unfair" that she was "older." (Ironically, I don't feel that way anymore ;)

17-Doll Birthday parties: And speaking of birthdays, we planned and held some epic birthday parties for our dolls.  We'd spend weeks making presents, invitations, and refreshments and then gather all our dolls to play games etc. 

18-Summer Carnivals: These were held in our family room and again involved hours of us planning and setting up booths with games like ring tosses, bean bag tosses, and even a fish pond.  We also spent hours making the prizes for said games:  awesome things like painted rocks and mini hand-drawn pictures.  Tickets were 1 penny each, and the neighbors from "miles around" came to our "famous Hardy house carnival."  (At least that's how it seemed to us.)

We used all our proceeds from the carnival one year to buy paint to paint this old abandoned shed, which we planned to convert to a cool fort......I think the painting of it was the most time we spent in it.....it's almost always more fun MAKING the fort than actually PLAYING in it when done.  Left to right: Bryce, Corinne, Kay

19-Going with each other on family trips: Disneyland, FishLake, etc.

20-Halloween Costumes, yearly school Halloween Carnival held in the old gym, and trick-or-treating together:  Many times we had matching costumes, always homemade by our mothers.  (See Raggedy Ann Costume in last post.)

Matching "baby" costumes.....even down to the booties, conveniently styled to go OVER our shoes :)

21-Getting off the bus at each other's house and playing together daily

22-Calling each other daily.....still know her number (7-2458.....this was before the 398 prefix even existed....this was all I had to dial: five numbers)

23-Making houses and playing "old ladies" in her basement.

24-Making houses and playing in the trees behind her backyard fence.

25-Dressing up:  It didn't matter in what-her dad's clothes or my mom's old prom dresses.  We loved to dress up.

Kay, Corinne, and Trina dressed in my mom's old prom dresses.....quite the models....I'm surprised 17 magazine wasn't beating down our doors.

26-Bike rides:  I learned to ride a bike in her yard.  Sometimes we'd go on bike rides to pick asparagus that grew wild along the open ditch banks of Wells road.

27-Playing together at recess, and being so excited when we FINALLY got in the same classroom for 3rd and 6th grades.  (There were only two teachers for each grade, and somehow, we always ended up in different classes.....now as a teacher, I'm wondering if that was somehow orchestrated ;)

28-Swimming in the Reservoir behind her house.

29-Daily 2-hour swims at the Logandale pool EVERY day in the summer.

30-Riding the bus to school together daily:  As I remember, there was ONE bus for the entire valley that started at the Indian Reservation and made its way to Overton.  It transported all students grades K-12.  I got on at the Old Logandale School, and always tried to find Corinne and her big sister Camille to sit with them.  (It was a little intimidating as a young elementary student to be on the bus with all those big kids.)

31-Cheerleading:  We were cheerleaders together all 4 years of high school, cheering for football and basketball, including a state championship football game our senior year!

MVHS Varsity Cheerleaders 1984-85: Jeri Thomas, Cobi Whitney, Patrice Pulsipher, Corinne Adams, Tiffany Simmons, Kay Hardy.

Marty Taggart holds the 1984 State AA football trophy

32-Climbing onto the roof of the school to hang signs:  (Cheerleaders were responsible for school spirit signs.....I can't believe that we climbed onto the roof and leaned over the side to tape the signs to the side of the school building-not too safe.....one time we dropped our tape; Corinne asked Kent Barlow-a "scary boy" two years older than us to throw it up to us....When he bent over to pick up the tape, she spit on him!  And when we came down, he put her in a dumpster.  This was all done in fun, but I thought she was so brave to interact with an older boy, who was so cool.....and......I later married this "scary boy.")

33-Raising the flag at football games as JV cheerleaders:  This was always a little unnerving; we were always worried about the rope pulley working properly, the flag being right-side up, and getting the flag up in a timely manner (before the band finished the star spangled banner.)

34- Studying for tests together: Algebra, Biology, Chemistry

35-Double dates in high school:  Senior prom when we ate dinner at Tivoli Gardens at the Liberace Museum in Vegas since we had choir festival the same day as Prom and our group were all members of the choir.

Sad that I don't have any pics with our whole group:  Kay with her senior prom date, Rob Cooper

36-Being homesick together Freshman year at BYU.

Kay: First day of school at BYU: Fall 1985

Corinne: First day of school at BYU: Fall 1985....It was our first time to have backpacks....Corinne accidentally wore hers like a purse all day......she figured out how to wear it properly by day two.

37-BYU Freshman year Halloween Costumes and cookies.

38- Other BYU Freshman year adventures:  Burnt roast (our first attempt to cook Sunday dinner), Pink hair (an unsuccessful attempt at home hair color), BYU football games every Saturday, attending General Conference, night biology class with Moapa Valley friends Melissa Robison and Mendis Cooper. (This should probably be 4-5 separate items.....I told you I had a lot :)

Heritage Halls Young Hall kitchen with our burnt roast and pink hair

39-Rooming with Becca, Jenn, and Tina at BYU:  The Steve Lindsey drama and Tina's "Snookums."

Tina (left and "Snookums"-the well-loved teddy Bear) and Becca (right)

40-Adopt-a-Grandparent weekly visits to the nursing home while at BYU.

41-Grocery shopping at Albertsons in Provo on Saturdays for all the free samples (especially the broken chocolate chip cookies.)

42-Hosting Corinne's bridal shower/ serving as a bridesmaid at Corinne's wedding.

Bridesmaids at Corinne's wedding: Shona, Dianna, Rebekah, Kay, Camille, and bride Corinne: Gotta love the big 80s hair!  the bigger the better :)

43-Double dates with Matt and Corinne while Kent and I were dating.....and plotting as to how to get Kent to ask me out/be interested in the first place......it was helpful that Matt was a member of and coached the intermural basketball team that Kent played on.

44-Corinne was a bridesmaid at my wedding.

Bridesmaids at my wedding: Standing back: Corinne, Jill.  Sitting left: Jamie, Tracy. Sitting right: Carolyn, Lynne. Center: Bride Kay

45-Being pregnant with our first children together:  Austrie was born 6 days before Dallin, which was very UNFAIR since she was due about 3 weeks after Dallin.  (She was a preemie.)

46-Having my daughters take Creative Dance and Clogging from Corinne.

Kaylee and Lynae ready for Creative Dance Recital

47-3 generations of friends: Our dad's were the same age and grew up and went to school in MV together.  Corinne and I are the same age and grew up and went to school in MV together.  And our daughters, Kaylee and Mady, are the same age and grew up and went to school in MV together.

48- Having our daughters Kaylee and Mady room together at BYU.....and even live in the same dorm that Corinne and I lived in as Freshmen.

Kaylee and Mady-BYU football game, freshman year, fall 2012

49-Building homes in Logandale about a mile apart from each other.

50-I could go on: high school plays, FHA conventions, dance Saturdays in Vegas....and on and on, but I'll end with this for #50: BFFs for almost half a century!  Here's to the 2nd half.  Happy 50th to us (me in three weeks :)

Flower Child

This morning as I was lying in bed contemplating whether I should get up now or later. (It's one of those rare days off work.)  I started to think about growing up in the 70's.  I started kindergarten in the fall of 1972 and started middle school in the fall of 1979, so my elementary school years were all during the 70's. Although I've kept a journal for years, I don't know that I've ever commented on some of the things that were just a part of my life.  So here's to being a child of the 70's and some of the things that were a part of my life:

1-The Sunshine family: A Barbie-doll style "Hippie" family consisting of a mom and dad and baby as well as a grandma and grandpa.  This family drove a truck with a  camper attachment, had a small, conservative home (nothing like the Barbie dream house), wore long dresses, and made pottery.  And they were "cute" (not "sexy" like Barbie).  My BFF and I spent HOURS playing Sunshine family and owned every accessory that was sold.  We always played at Corinne's house since she had no younger siblings (I had 5) to mess up the set up of the Sunshine family "compound" which usually covered her entire large living room, and the components of which required several very large boxes to store.  (I remember my mom driving me to Corinne's with the entire back seat of the family car, stacked to the roof with Sunshine family storage boxes.)

My personal Sunshine family which now sits on a shelf in a shadow box in my office.  (I had an "extra" baby: twins are so much more fun :)

See how awesome their Van/camper was?  They sold pottery and leather products out of it. 

2-Peace:

The peace sign, made by holding up two fingers, was an integral part of my 70's childhood.  Although I really don't think I had any idea about the political or ideological meaning of this symbol and its ties to the Viet Nam War protests and hippie movement,  I did use this sign and proclaim "peace" on a regular basis.
Instead of waving good-bye after our almost-daily play-dates,  Corinne and I always made this sign with our fingers and screamed, "PEACE" as we departed each other's company until the leaving friend was out of sight. 
I can still picture Corinne standing in the big window of her living room, making the "PEACE" sign, and screaming "PEACE" while my mom drove down her hill after picking me up from her house, while I returned the sign and screamed back "PEACE!" 
My mom noted that our "PEACE-full" childhood farewells to each other were, ironically, anything BUT peaceful. ;)

Raggedy Ann and Andy:  Raggedy Ann and Andy were popular during the 70's.  Corinne and I both dressed as Raggedy Ann (complete with yarn wigs sewn by our mothers using a pair of panty hose with the legs cut off as the skull-cap base for the wigs) for Halloween in kindergarten and 1st grade. We spent hours drawing pictures of Raggedy Ann and Andy, and had Raggedy Ann and Andy Room décor, dolls, and even cookie cutters.  (I loved eating Corinne's mom's Raggedy Ann and Andy cut out sugar cookies, made from her Grandma Gublers sugar cookie recipe.) And I think Corinne even had a Raggedy Ann and Andy metal lunch box, and we both had Raggedy Ann themed birthday parties.

Kay-Halloween 1973 (Raggedy Ann doll made by Grandma Monson) 

Also check out the gold velour couch and green shag carpeting, and FYI, we also had avocado green velour wallpaper with silver shiny designs adorning a wall in this house. 

We made these plates in school every year.  My picture of choice in 1973 -1st grade?
Raggedy Ann (in a tree house) of course :)

These plaques adorned my bedroom wall during my childhood and still hang on the entry wall into Luke's (my baby's) room.  They were hung when he was small, and I'm not sure he realizes they are still there.....he's almost15 now.  Shhh don't tell ;)

I had (and still have these dolls)

70's Raggedy Ann and Andy Cookie cutters-my mom still has these.

Blowing out 6 candles on my Raggedy Ann cake

Long dresses: Yep the 70's were the era of long dresses.  Check out the matching long dresses Corinne and I got for Christmas 1973.  ( I think these may have been made by my Grandma Monson.)

Baby Chrissy Dolls:  Corinne and I both got "Baby Chrissy Dolls" for Christmas 1973. (See the picture above.)  These dolls were awesome because 1-They were the same size as actual babies (they could wear real baby clothes) and 2-they had hair that could "grow" via a hole in the top of their heads.  (This hair could be pulled back in -via the string attached to the doll's back-  for a short hairdo.)

I could add more: gauchos, bandanas, the "shag" hairstyle, playing jacks at recess, Chinese jumpropes, crocheted ponchos, and week day primary, but this post is long enough. So here's my shout out to the 70's and my wonderful childhood. 

The Best Thing

Sometimes when you're husband asks you what was the best thing to happen to you in the last month, you can say, ""Getting a tour at the E.B. Grandin Press in Palmyra, New York."

I'm Weird-Post #4

It took me a while to go back and find out what number this "I'm weird" post needed to be....it appears that it is #4.....my last "I'm weird post" (find it here) stated that I LIKED to run.  That is a perfect "lead-in" to this post.....

I'm weird because try as I might, I am just not all that concerned about how I look when I run and often other times.  Now lest you think I am a complete slob, let me state that I am not.  I am always clean, I like to look at fashion magazines and contemplate new hairstyles (and covet long, thick hair, which I do not have.)  I like to go shopping, and am excited when I find something that is cute and looks and fits "just right."  I have plenty of shoes, and I do wear make-up.  However, oftentimes (especially when I go running) my "look" is more of one of comfort and convenience than of style.  I have tried (really I have) to buy and wear "cute" running clothes.  I actually own an $80 under-armor cute fitted running jacket, and I wear it .....sometimes.  But my outer-wear of choice when running in cold weather is one of Kent's XL hoodies.  I can pull the over-sized sleeves up inside my fists and my hands stay MUCH warmer than if I am wearing the stylish fitted running jacket with gloves. And the hood of the hoodie pulled over my ears with the drawstrings tightly drawn is ever-so-much more warm than the cute running ear-band that I purchased several years back.  Furthermore, I prefer old shoes.  The running shoes I am currently wearing are "several pairs back"-meaning I've purchased several new pair since then.  However, I somehow just keep coming back to these old ones.  I have worried about the wear and tear on my feet and legs that might come from wearing worn-out shoes, but then I read this book about barefoot running, and just decided to stick with what I like and what is comfortable.  I do put on one of the newer pairs of running shoes if I'm going to be running a race, but for day-to-day use, I prefer my old stand-bys.  (Maybe I'd do better in the races I run, if I'd WEAR my old stand-bys, instead of being so vain and feeling like I need to "look good" for the race.)

Now I DO try to dress up to go to work each day, but I find myself having to "set goals" to wear jewelry, cause I just don't think about it (and besides, those long necklaces sometimes bump the first-graders in the head when I lean over to help them.)  And I can only stand to wear stylish, yet not-so-comfortable shoes about one day per week.  I remember my mom changing out her purse to match the season or the outfit she was wearing.  I tried that.... I even had a system: I put all the contents of my purse into ziploc baggies and hung several purses right inside my kitchen door so I could easily "change out" my purse according to my outfit.......I think I did it twice.  Lately, however, I've become super pathetic ( or "weird"), using a plastic grocery bag to carry items back and forth to school.  I just throw my phone and my wallet into a bag and anything else that I might need (including my lunch).  It's lovely, I can just throw the bag away when I'm done or donate it to a child who may have forgotten his/her backpack.  So now am I not only not changing out my handbags according to my outfit and/or the season, but I'm also using a plastic grocery bag as a purse. ......Lovely......(and "weird.")

Last time my daughter was home from college, she pulled on a middle school hoodie that someone had left lying around and headed out.  She lamented that she really needed to start "caring more." She said, "I'm going to set a goal to try to be more 'high-maintenance'.....you know maybe get hair extensions or color my hair, and wear more jewelry." I laughed and asked, "Why?"  She stated that she felt that this might be the best way to "get a man."  (Let me just say that this daughter has NO trouble attracting men.....but apparently she has not yet attracted a man to suit her liking.) Anyway, whatever the case, I guess that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" when it comes to being a "high maintenance" woman.....which neither of us are.

So I'll probably keep wearing over-sized hoodies and worn out shoes and carrying a plastic grocery bag in place of a cute purse......and remember that MY apple didn't fall far from the tree either.  (My dad wore a white t-shirt and jeans most EVERY day of his life, and was never concerned if his clothing, vehicle, and/or home were stylish or beautiful, as long as they were functional.)

My current running shoes (circa pre 2012??? or earlier....the gold and blue ribbons were from the Salt Lake Marathon 2013.....it was the first marathon after the bombing at the Boston Marathon, so all runners got gold and blue ribbons for their shoes to honor the bombing victims.....I think these shoes were already pretty worn out back then.)  I also note that I have been wearing old frayed sweat pants with a couple of small holes in them this week to run in.....yep, I'm definitely "weird."

My current "handbag"

"low maintenance" Kaylee bathing in buckets on her mission

Mom and Dad- Dad's birthday-note his attire (white t-shirt-which is unusually clean and free of cement- and jeans)

Saint Patrick and the Snake

Saint Patrick and the Snake

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!  I had no intention of posting today and really have no time to do so.  But....both my mother and my daughter requested that I send them a copy of the poem by my great, great grandfather, John Joseph Hayes, which explains why there are no snakes in Ireland, and since I had to type it up anyway for them, and in honor of my Irish heritage, here it is:

Saint Patrick and the Snake

By John Joseph Hayes

Saint Patrick was no Irishman, as history does declare,

And yet he is the Irishman, all Irishmen revere.
Because tradition does relate, he traveled o’er the bogs,
And by the power which he possessed, destroyed the snakes and frogs.
He traveled east; he traveled west; he wandered north and south,
And told the ugly creeping things, “From Irish soil get out.”
They started off or busted up as I have heard folks say;
For sure there are no snakes or frogs in Ireland today.

But here was one great monster snake that said, “I will not go,

For I have lived here in the south, how long I do not know.
Killarney is my native home, the lake my native bed.
And by the rattles on my tail, Saint Patrick I don’t dread.”

Then Patrick went into the wood and cut a large oak tree.

He got a saw and cut some planks, such boards you ne’er did see.
And then he got some iron clamps, and made a box so strong
That Sampson could not break it ope, if he should come along.
He put on it a patent lock, with double header snap,
And then exclaimed, with saintly pride, “That wiley snake I’ll trap.”
The saint then took this heavy box, and packed it to the lake
Where sporting on the glistening sand, he spied the wiley snake. 
"Look here Acushla*,” Patrick said, “I’ve brought you a fine house
Where you can be snug and warm, and cozy as a mouse.”
“But I don’t want your house you see, ‘tis too small for a cat;
You think a genteel snake like me would live in such as that?”

“Look here you varmint, how could a snake be any judge of size?

You know that since the days of Eve snakes always will tell lies.” 
“Indeed, Good Saint, it is not fair that you should thus begin
You know that in your holy church, you preach original sin.
But I don’t care for all your talk; I want to let you know
That you can’t get me away from here, because I will not go.” 
Then Patrick took his Irish harp, and soon began to play,
And then the snake came creeping round as if he’d like to stay.
Then Patrick played the Irish jig, the snake could not refuse it. 
It made him feel so very gay, to hear his native music.
“Balance all,” St. Patrick cried, “Next swing your partner by your side.”
“Sashay to sashay,” the snake now said, “Allaman left and all promenade.” 
The excitement made the snake so drunk, he fell exhausted in the trunk.
Then quick as lightening Patrick slid, up to the box, and shut the lid.
The double header did not fail. Saint Patrick shouted, “Mind your tail.”

The snake now fast began to rave, and much palaver there he gave.

But the Good Saint did entirely fail to see the moral of his tale.
“Oh, blessed St. Patrick, pity take, and set me free for pity sake.”
The saint now slightly touched with sorrow said, “I will the day after tomorrow.”
The St. Patrick took the heavy box, and waded in the lake
Until the water reached his chin, and there he dumped the snake.
And now the fishermen declare, as they sail o’er the deep
A mournful sound they always hear, as though someone did weep.
It never ceases nights or days, and is always full of sorrow,
These hopeless words it seems to say, “When will it be tomorrow?”

*An Irish word meaning darling

Of Interest regarding St. Patrick and snakes in Ireland: Background info taken from aboutreligion and Christian Scientist websites:
St. Patrick and the Pagan Snakes of Ireland:
St. Patrick's Day is named after the 5th-century missionary who was famous for banishing all of the snakes from Ireland. With staff in hand, the Christian preacher cast the slithering critters into the sea, never to return – at least that's the story.
The Emerald Isle is indeed one of very few places in the world without snakes, not counting the few serpents kept in zoos or as pets.
St. Patrick is known as a symbol of Ireland, particularly around every March. One of the reasons he's so famous is because he supposedly drove the snakes out of Ireland, and was even credited with a miracle for this. Some people believe that the serpent was actually a metaphor for the early Pagan faiths of Ireland. He did not physically drive the Pagans from Ireland, but instead St. Patrick helped to spread Christianity around the Emerald Isle. He did such a good job of it that he began the conversion of the entire country to the new religious beliefs, thus paving the way for the elimination of the old systems. Keep in mind that this was a process which took hundreds of years to complete.

 And some more info on my great, great grandfather, the author of the poem :)

John Joseph Hayes was born in Ireland.  He began his education in the parish school in Clonakilty. The only textbook was the Holy Bible.  He kept himself in school year after year after year by winning the scholarship prizes given for memorizing the greatest number of chapters.  He was really a "walking Bible." He joined the Mormon church after a debate with the missionaries, which he handily won.  (In fact, he was carried off on the shoulders of the crowd as the victor.)  However, he later said, "When they asked me where I got my authority, I could not answer.  I could only shout and bluff.  Studying and searching to overthrow their doctrine has given me understanding, and I believe it is true."  He married Rachel Eleanor Wagstaff, and they emigrated to Utah.  They became the parents of my great grandfather Henry Nephi Hayes, who was the father of my grandmother, Elese Hayes Monson, who was the mother of my mother, Ann Monson Hardy.

For more info on St. Patrick's Day traditions in our family, see this post.


John Joseph and Rachel Eleanor Hayes and their children.  Henry Nephi (my great grandfather) is sitting in the front to the left of his father.

The 3 Witnesses

I have been wanting to write this post for over 6 months. That's how long I have had 3 daughters simultaneously serving missions.  But just keeping up with their e-mails and e-mailing them weekly has been a full-time job, leaving me little to no time to blog.  But since daughter #2 (Kaylee-who was actually the FIRST to LEAVE on her mission) will be returning home in about a month....one month from yesterday to be precise, I decided to forgo leaving a clean house when I leave for work, and instead compose this blog post. However, based on all I want to say, this could be a long post, but that's OK cause this is MY blog, and I can write as much or as little as I like (see blog rules in this post http://kay-yakity-yak-yak.blogspot.com/2012/03/somethings-brewing-ever-since-i-made-my.html)
But, back to the task at hand.....Another reason why this post has been so long in the making is that I didn't know how to approach it.  It seemed a monumental task to best convey how amazing and how awesome it has been to have 3 daughters being witnesses for Jesus Christ throughout the world.  (Kaylee in Mexico, Analise in Peru, and Lynae in New York.)  However, a few weeks ago, Kent and I were asked to speak about our daughters and their missionary service in sacrament meeting.  Although, I didn't write out and "read" my talk word for word, I did write it all out so that I would have a record of my thoughts and feelings, and just yesterday, it dawned on me that my written "talk" would be the perfect way to express my feelings in this post, which I have been wanting to compose for sometime.  So what follows is the talk I gave in sacrament meeting a couple of weeks ago and then a LOT of pictures for further illustration and also because it is so HARD to choose just a few pictures when I have such amazing and talented and beautiful daughters (and I'm not biased at all!  :) It is wonderful to have all 3 of these "sisters" (pun intended) serving !

Talk given by Kay August 16, 2015 in Logandale 5th ward sacrament meeting:

 

For those of you who don’t know me, I am Kay Barlow, and my husband, Kent, and  I currently have 3 daughters serving missions.  They are all close in age – only 3 ½ years separate daughter #1 from daughter #3, but none of them are twins… (That’s a question we sometimes get when we say we have 3 daughters serving.)

For those of you who may not know them, their names are- in order of age-Analise, Kaylee, Lynae.  (Alphabetical)….but that’s not the order in which they left on their missions.

For the purpose of our messages today, I will explain how we came to have 3 daughters serving simultaneously-something we never planned on, nor even imagined- and then Kent will share a little bit about their service.

Let me also say that my mother is currently serving a mission in Nauvoo, Illinois.  The scripture on my mother’s missionary plaque that hangs in the foyer is John 13:17 “If ye know these things; happy are ye if ye do them.” Those of you that know my mother, know that this is the PERFECT scripture for her…she is ALWAYS happy.  But I would like to base my remarks today on this scripture, specifically that true happiness comes when we first come to KNOW and then follow through and DO God’s will for us.  And, while God has an “overall plan” for his children, He also has a specific plan for each of us, which, if followed, will lead to our personal happiness. 

It was fun to have 3 little girls close in age growing up, and while we never told them they couldn’t or wouldn’t serve missions, most of our “when you serve a mission” discussions were directed to our sons.  (We also have 3 sons.)

When Kaylee, our middle daughter began her freshman year at BYU, she expressed an interest in possibly serving a mission when she turned 21.  That October, President Monson announced the age-change, allowing young women to begin missionary service at age 19. All 5 of Kaylee’s roommates immediately began preparing papers.  Kaylee did not; she was determined not to just “be one of the crowd.” Instead, she enrolled for another year at BYU….and things did NOT go well.  While nothing was seriously wrong, she had many troubles: roommate troubles, job trouble, boyfriend troubles, and even troubles deciding on a major and classes. She was constantly stressed and in turmoil. After several months of this, she decided to seriously fast and pray about a mission.  She got an immediate and strong answer and called home saying she wanted to put in papers as soon as possible.  Everything fell into place very quickly, and  in one weekend she completed all her medical and dental work and had her papers turned in in 3 weeks.  She was happy.  Things fell into place at school and work.  She KNEW God’s will for her, and she was DOING it.  She left in April of 2014 for the Mexico, Aguascalientes mission.

Lynae, our youngest daughter, was next to go.  She was still in high school when the age-change was announced.  Shortly thereafter, she got her patriarchal blessing which talked specifically and directly about her mission. She KNEW God’s will for her and she DID it.  And she was happy.  (Any of you that associated with Lynae prior to her mission can probably attest to that.) She went to one semester at BYU and left for the New York, Rochester Mission/Hill Cumorah Visitor’s center in February 2015, just  3 weeks after turning 19. 

Analise, our oldest daughter, planned NOT to serve a mission, and was totally fine with this plan (as were we, her parents.) Her patriarchal blessing stated specifically, “It is not required of you to go on a mission at a young age.”  And we often joked as a family that she had a “mission excuse note” written by the Lord himself.  When the missionary age-change was announced, she was well into her major course of study at BYU, and was focused on finishing her degree in civil engineering.  As the time for her graduation from BYU approached, she found herself unable to decide what to do: graduate school, work, date one of the several boys pursuing her…. Nothing seemed right. She said she felt grumpy and unhappy even though she should have been happy.  Now, just a side-note regarding Analise’s personality.  She is VERY stubborn, and if told what to so, will often do the opposite just to prove she can.  About this time, both she and I “just happened” to re-read her patriarchal blessing (neither of us knew the other had been re-reading it) and the same line stood out to both of us.  It was the line that followed the line which stated she was not required to serve a mission.  It stated, “but IF you decide to go, the Lord will bless you abundantly and increase your abilities greatly.”  She and I both stewed over that line independently for weeks, she wondering if a mission was the right choice for her, and me wondering if I should say anything to my stubborn, “don’t-tell-me-what-to-do-Analise.”  She finally decided to fast and pray about a mission, and she told Heavenly Father that she needed a very direct and undeniable answer if He wanted her to serve. About this same time, encouraged by my visiting teachers, I decided to craft a very carefully-worded e-mail to Analise expressing my recent thoughts and feelings regarding her patriarchal blessing.  A few days later she called me and told me about her decision to fast and pray about a mission.  She said that just a few minutes after closing her fast, she opened the e-mail from me; she had her answer.  She said she began to feel more at peace and happy with things in her life.  Analise graduated from BYU and left for the Peru Lima North Mission just 3 weeks after Lynae.

Once my daughters KNEW what they should do and then DID it; they were happy.  Remember John 13:17 “If ye KNOW these things; happy are ye if you DO them. “

Furthermore, each of my girls have expressed happiness while serving despite difficult circumstances.  Circumstances which it would seem would make one anything BUT happy, but because they have aligned their wills with God’s and are serving Him, they are nevertheless happy. 

Let me end with a quote from each of them that illustrates this point.  From one of Kaylee’s emails:

“Oh and did I also mention that I’m back to showering with buckets again? Yeah we don’t have a shower here either, so I really only went 2 weeks in the last 5 months that I got to actually shower. Those little blessings you just gotta enjoy while you can I guess. Other fun fact - our toilet doesn’t have a toilet seat and it doesn’t flush so every time you go to the bathroom you have to fill up a bucket of water and dump it in after to flush... I never guessed I would miss flushing a toilet so much! But really I love it here. I can’t believe just how fast I’m falling in love with this new area, with these members and with our investigators. It´s amazing being a missionary. I hope I never take this precious time for granted!”

 

From one of Lynae’s e-mails:

“The work is hastening and I couldn't be happier.  Seriously, the other day as we were spraying our hair and coats with febreeze because we smelt like smoke after our lesson I just kept thinking how happy I was.  It makes no sense.  I should not be happy that I have the talent of breaking up groups of people faster than anyone else I know (seriously, people see us coming and just run).  I should not be happy that I'm sleeping on a cot.  I should not be happy when I'm eating cheese and crackers covered in hair because I am someone's "guest" during bible study.  BUT I AM!  I am soooo happy, and I definitely attribute that to the fact that my will is more closely aligned with God's than it ever has been before.  I know that when we do what God wants us to do we can be truly happy.  I'm just a little frustrated that it has taken me 19 years and coming on a mission to figure that one out.”

 

From one of Analise’s e-mails:

“Also Cristian.  He is a new investigator of 14 years and wants to get baptized.  Yesterday he showed up to church and we were kind of freaking out.  The young men in our ward were awesome. They took him everywhere he needed to go, even during sacrament meeting.  They brought him in and had him sit on the bench behind them while they passed the sacrament, and then after they joined him and sat by him the rest of the meeting.  I wish I could describe how happy I was when I saw that, but I just cant.  Just know I was so happy.”

 

I am thankful and HAPPY to be a missionary mom.  And I have a testimony that the Lord loves every single one of his children and knows exactly how to bless and teach each one according to his/her individual needs.  For example, my “germ-a-phob” Kaylee is learning to bathe in buckets; my picky dresser, Analise, had all her laundry stolen and is now wearing Peruvian thrift store apparel; and my directionally-challenged Lynae is driving in an unfamiliar city, learning to find new locations with only the assistance of her GPS, who she has affectionately dubbed “Sister Siri.”  I don’t think Brother Pulsipher  (who gave all my children their patriarchal blessings) knew that Analise was stubborn and probably wouldn’t respond well to a specific directive to serve a mission, but the Heavenly Father did, and the wording of her patriarchal blessing allowed her to make the right decision at the right time for her.  The gospel is true.  Joseph Smith was and is a prophet; we have a living prophet today, and when we KNOW and DO what the gospel and the prophet teach us, we are happy. 

 

Photo journal of Kaylee's experiences in Mexico: 

Kaylee and her comp, dressing the part....when in Mexico....

Kaylee and her comp at Hermano Pedro's baptism

Pig's nose?!? A Mexican "delicacy" ?!?  And Kaylee actually looks excited about it!

The closest thing Kaylee can get to "soaking" in a "bath" in Mexico.  She has spent much of her mission bathing with buckets:  One bucket is dumped over her head to wet herself.  Then she "soaps" up and gets a second bucket to rinse. 

Kaylee writes, "Only in Zacatecas can you be in the middle of the city and still ride a donkey."

Street of Fresnillo, Mexico EVERY time it rains even a little.  (Luckily Kaylee's seen a few good Moapa Valley floods so this doesn't phase her ;)

Washing clothes by hand.  Kaylee writes, "And I thought I hated doing laundry before....."

Photo journal of Lynae's experiences in New York:

Lynae's mission is an I-Pad mission.  Here she and her comps (she was in a 3-some) "model" their I-Pads.  (quite a contrast from Kaylee's bathing-in-buckets, laundry-by-hand mission ;)

As a "site sister" -someone who gives tours at the church history sites in Palmyra- Lynae thought it was easy to learn the stories and history of each site, but she struggled to keep the dates and time frames straight, so she made this giant timeline, which she posted on her apartment wall, to help her study.

Lynae and her first two comps welcome you to Palmyra :)

Lynae at the Joseph Smith log home, one of 5 church history sites where she gives tours.  (The other 4 include the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center, the Joseph Smith frame home, the Sacred Grove, and the Grandin Press.)

Lynae's first baptism: Victoria. As a "site sister," Lynae works at the sites for half the day and is a regular proselyting missionary with an area to "work" the other half of the day.

One of the "perks" of being a site sister and giving tours is that sometimes Lynae gets to see people she knows who are there to tour the area.  She actually got to see all the youth from our stake this past summer, when they were on a church history tour back east.  This picture shows her with the Turners from our ward in Logandale (Logandale 5th ward) after she gave them a tour of the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center.

Lynae was one of 4 sisters chosen to be a "cast trainer" for the entire cast of the Hill Cumorah Pageant. She had to "train" over 800 cast members.  It was a bit exhausting, and for the weeks of the pageant, she got little sleep and no p-day, but she had the time of her life.  Here she is with the other cast trainers and some of the pageant dancers posing with some pageant props. (Don't worry, it was all posed; they really did all love her. :)

The Hill Cumorah Pageant

 Photo Journal of Analise's Experiences in Peru

Analise at the Lima MTC (or CCM as it is referred to in Spanish.) Analise was the only one of our children who did not report to the Provo Missionary Training Center.  Instead of driving her to Provo, like we'd done with our other 3 missionaries (Dallin, Kaylee, and Lynae), we drove her to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and watched her go through security all alone and tried to have faith that she'd make it safely to Peru with no cell phone and not knowing any Spanish..  This pic proves she made it :)

Analise points out her mission on the "big" map in the Lima CCM (It's not too "big" of a map compared to the one in the Provo MTC. :)

Analise and her comp at the Lima temple

Analise and her comp overlooking Lima

Analise and her comp at Cristian's baptism.

This "lovely" shirt was included in some donations Analise got after all her laundry was stolen.  She thought it was quite "appropriate" in a weird, ironic sort of way.

Analise told the Peruvians she would try "Suri," a Peruvian delicacy.  She writes, "I didn't know the worm would be THAT big and be eaten LIVE."  You can see how she felt about it, but she reports that she did eat it, with no ill effects.

And, because I really can't leave out the 4th "witness," here is a picture of my lovely mother serving a mission in Nauvoo, where she gets to dress in period clothing, sing, dance, and perform, and give tours of the church history sites there.  She is doing marvelous things, but that will be a post for another day.

 

Missionaries are the best; and I have LOVED every minute that I've had being a missionary mom (and daughter)!