Passwords

I remember having a discussion with my father when I first got my Social Security Number. He counseled me to memorize it. I did so and put it in my head with my address and phone number. I had a fairly normal childhood - memorize the bike combination, the locker combination. License plate number, Driver's license - it was all pretty simple.

I find it very unfair that the older I've gotten when my brain doesn't always "find" information as quickly, that I have to have a password for everything. Scottie and I were talking one day and he told me my blackberry had this great thing. i could actually enter all my passwords into this spot on my phone. So he showed me how it worked. We entered one. Of course I had to use a password to get INTO the password section.

I realized yesterday that I have no memory at all of what the password was that I set to get into the password file on my phone.

My biggest fear in life right now is that when I die and end up in a hotter place than I had hoped...that it will be an endless questioning of what all my passwords were in life!

Where did the time go?

I never cease to be amazed at how quickly time passes. Then, I think - what have I been doing. Life - just Life. Work, laundry, dishes, sleep. Work, laundry, dishes, sleep. Sprinkled in with all that though has been a few movies (well, more than a few)! I know - I'm addicted to movies and reading. I've been reading books to help pass along suggestions to my mother. It has been fun to talk about books we've both read. I discovered Lori Wick - a "christian" writer. Just like all those LDS novels out there. But these are available through all libraries more readily and so I've gotten my mom hooked too. She has busied herself with many opportunities to serve and made many new friends. I'm so happy for her and the adjustment she is making. She still misses Daddy so very much, but it is getting easier for her, I think.

Last weekend, I went to the wedding of a dear friend. Well, in all honesty, I feel she is one of my "own". You know all those little kids I tended will always have a special place in my heart. Jessica Robertson is one of those dear people in my life. Now she is all grown up and married. Attending her wedding in the Manti Temple was very special to me.

For Mother's Day last weekend, my dear children gave me a new digital camera. I told them they cannot complain when I want to take pictures - afterall they've "contributed" to my urge by giving me a new one! I feel such freedom to "flash" whenever I want. Hopefully, there will be new pics to show on my blog.

The Bright Spot of My Job

One of the reasons I LOVE working at BYU is because of our student employees! I love these kids. Most of the people linked to my blog are due to friendships made during their time on campus. Then they graduate and think they can move on in life and usually that means moving AWAY from Utah. I treasure their friendship and rejoice in their accomplishments. But I always go through withdrawal and miss them so much. Such is the case of Annie. Annie has been one of our receptionists in our office. She works the first shift and was always a cheerie person in the morning. I loved having her around. She has officially graduated from BYU and is now "moving on". My only hope is that her husband still has a few years left on campus to finish his degree. I was very happy when Annie came to me with the camera in hand asking for a picture of the two of us.

Scott SLC Half Marathon

We all cheered Scott on as he ran the Salt Lake City Half Marathon on Saturday. It was great to see him accomplish his goal. Sharing moments together like this always makes me even more grateful I live close to my children.

Tricks from the "other" side...

So, I climb into bed last night and look up at my fan light. It has three light bulbs; one of which has been burnt out since before Christmas. When I say burnt out I mean it was even brown and looking dead. I sighed to myself and thought – I’ve got to remember to change that light bulb this Saturday. When I see it at night I’m too tired to even think about changing it. You can see how well that line of thinking has been working for me. So, then my mind raced to some show I watched where they were talking about how those that have crossed over to the other side can make lights flicker. I kind of laughed to myself and then said outloud, “Okay, Daddy, can you make the lights flicker?”

That light bulb that had been dead since before Christmas, turned on. I just burst out laughing. I figured –yeah, Daddy was always one for a good trick or joke. I just layed there for a while – I didn’t want to turn the light OFF. So, this morning I awoke and shook my head a bit…did that really happen last night? Or did I dream it all. I turned the light on – yup all three lights came on.

I shared the story with my mother this morning and she told me that they had a discussion after watching some TV show called CROSSING OVER and Daddy told her if it was possible after he passed on that he would play tricks on us. I think he is….

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity, Jig

The miles between here and Minnesota are always felt hard when flying. I usually do a non-stop flight. This time I flew Southwest Airlines. Yes, it was another flight of Minneapolis to Salt Lake City via China. No, just kidding - it just felt like it!

Back to the reality of being a working woman. There is comfort in a regular schedule. I'm grateful sometimes for the familiar things that are always there - like laundry, dishes and toilets to clean. It's the things you can do without thinking. Seriously, sometimes they can be a real blessing in our lives.

I, Cindy, having been born of goodly parents...

Yes, I recently started reading the Book of Mormon again. I only got to the first sentence and I was pondering. I often find myself saying...I am the luckiest of mothers or the luckiest of daughters, sisters...on and on. Even though I've had so much time to prepare for the loss of my father, I've decided in someways one can never really prepare. It is like so many things in life. You take a big breath and walk through it.

Sitting at the Memorial last Saturday in the Princeton Ward Chapel, which was full of family and friends, I was overcome with memories, love, gratitude, and feeling the presence of my father. Everyone was so kind, so understanding of the feeling of loss yet relief he is no longer hurting. Ed Hunt spoke and I realized the friendship he and my father shared was a wonderful treasure. Another friend of 50 or so years shared his tender feelings. Uncle Ronnie (one of the many "adopted" relatives) made us laugh while our minds were full of memories we all shared.

I'm so grateful for my parents. My life could have gone so many different directions. The one thing I treasure most is feeling like I'm "on track". My parent's example helps me to seek that out. Living by the spirit. Enduring to the end. Seeking the light.

Oh, how I will miss my Knight in Shining Armor.