I think they sleep on the floor . . .

So last week I posted a nice photo of Willie's room -- the study center of their place.  This morning he uploaded some new photos to the drop box and I caught a glimpse of what this room really is -- bedroom, ET AL.

Willie's mattress with the blue manatee pillowcase

I thought they had a big apartment with separate study area, kitchen, living area, etc.  With what I can see in this photo there is really one big room for everything.  That's ok -- it looks neat and clean and somewhat organized.

3:00 a.m. and checking my email??? What!?

So I woke up suddenly at 3:00 a.m. this morning.  Not sure why.  Decided to check my email -- blurry-eyed and drowsy.  I had a sense that I may just catch my son in the act of emailing.  Sure enough, I did!

3:11 a.m. Me:  I know this is cheating, but are you there?
3:12 a.m. Willie:  Yes
3:13 a.m. Me:  How are you doing sweet son of mine?
3:17 a.m. Me:  Be a good boy! I am going back to bed in a minute.
3:19 a.m. Willie: I am good.  This really isn't allowed . . .  But I do have some questions, so we will call it a tender mercy.
3:20 a.m.  Me:  I know the rules, too.  Tender mercy or nice blessing is good.
3:21 a.m.  Willie:  Bank website still doesn't work - can you set it to the LDS email account? Can you send my retainer with the next package, whenever that may be. I think it would be a good idea. I read somewhere that if you do it for a month straight your teeth will go back. Maybe you could do some research.  Also, I don't know how we will work out shoes when mine die. There is no way I will find giant ones here.
3:25 a.m.  Me:  I will update your bank account profile; you have $$.  I am not sure where your retainer is but I will look around.  Are your teeth okay?  I can send you shoes -- no problem -- just tell me when to send them -  I will get on it now.
3:34 a.m.  Willie: Just nice classy shoes.  Stylish and black.  Order them, and I will tell you when to send them.  My teeth are okay, but I can feel the middle gap starting to come back.  I figure if I'm going to suffer death by retainer, I might as well do it now.  Thanks for everything!  I love you!
3:40 a.m.  Me:  Au revoir!  Laiminga diena!  (have a good day in Lithuanian)

Then is was over!  A conversation thousands of miles away with less than a minute required to send emails back and forth.  I love technology!  I couldn't go back to sleep so I watched an episode of House Hunters International.

 

Missionary apartment -- study center

 

Willie has passed the 100 day milestone -

Willie has been serving as a missionary for now over 100 days!  Can you believe it?  The time goes by pretty quickly when you look back and seems like forever when you look to the future.  He reports that he is doing well and that the proselyting work is slow but he is very busy and all is going pretty well. 

We hear from Willie on Monday mornings.  His email is sent between 3-4:00 a.m., so when I get up I head to the computer and anxiously wait for my email to load and then look carefully for that familiar name, William Karl Petersen.  There is no greater feeling of relief and satisfaction than when I see his name in my inbox.  I know he is okay and doing fine, but I do get nervous at some point every day about his safety, health, and well-being mainly because he is some 5,000 miles from home. He puts photos in a drop box that we share but having no voice or F2F communication is tough to swallow some days.

I can't express in words how blessed Karl and I are to have such a great family -- they are good, educated, employed, own their homes, attend church and serve faithfully, and are kind and nice to others.  We get together when we can which includes Sunday dinner, ball games, programs, and just helping each other out now and again.  We also get along really well largely because we agree to disagree and respect differing interests and perspectives.

June 1 - and all is well!

June, already?  Another high school graduation season  - Class of 2014!

• Willie has been officially serving a mission for 14 weeks.  He has been in Lithuania a little over a month.  He seems good - his emails are positive and he is smiling in the pictures he sends us.  He is in a little city in north central Lithuania, Siauliai (Shou-lay).  If you want to learn about the city you can follow the blog, Baltic Avenue, of a Fulbright Scholar teaching at the University there http://balticavenu.blogspot.com/2014_05_01_archive.html.  If you would like to know what this person thinks about the missionaries, visit the post called Street Gang, written on May 3 http://balticavenu.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-street-gang_3.html.
• We celebrated a bunch of birthdays in May.  Three of my five little grandchillins have their birthday in May - Wyatt, May 12, Molly, May 14, and Jack, May 30.  Annie and Ross also celebrate birthdays in May.
• Karl and I are keeping busy watching little ones do things -- Elliott and Wyatt in baseball, Molly in a dance program, Molly and Jack in their pre-school program, and Quinn just being an almost 2 year old.
• Karl coached a grades 7-8 AAU basketball team this spring.  So, from mid March through the first of May he worked with a dozen or so boys trying to teach them how to play basketball and more importantly how to be tough and strong basketball players.  It wasn't the most talented group of boys but definitely the nicest. 
• Grandpa is still in the rehab center and making progress every day.  He fell March 17 and broke his neck - #1 and #2 cervical vertebrae.  After surgery, unexpected urological problems, and eating through a feeding tube, he is ready to get home.  His house is ready thanks to my sister, Cindy.  The two bathrooms in the house have been completely remodeled to include walk-in showers, high sinks and toilets, and solid rails and bars throughout the house.  Dad's been out to the house a couple of times and seems anxious to get home.  He hasn't passed the swallow tests to the satisfaction of the professionals, but he is eating pureed and thickened food a couple of times a day in addition to 10 hours on the feeding tube.  He's lost some weight but looks good.
• The family swimming pool is about ready for swimmers.  It is open and getting its chemical balance adjusted for a few days.  I think this is the earliest we have opened the pool for many years. 

Memorial Day!

I love this beautiful country where we live and can take a day off not just to honor those who fought wars but also to honor those who fought the daily battles of life to make our existence at this time on earth the best ever!

Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day -- a day to celebrate all women, really.  Doesn't matter to me if you have biological or adopted children or borrow children through relatives, neighbors, friends it's the implication of the word that has meaning for today.

Definition of MOTHER
a : a female parent 
b:  a woman in authority; specifically, the superior of a religious community of women
c:  an old or elderly woman

I hope that women who have influenced me over the years know that this day is for them.  I think about them, acknowledge them, and celebrate them!

I can't say that I have ever had a more exciting Mother's Day than today.  You see, the family was here in my home this morning for a couple of hours; but for 45 min 33 seconds we had the amazing pleasure of talking with Willie via Skype.  He was here, in our office, with everyone - Karl, Annie and Ross, Haley and James, Elliott, Wyatt, Molly, Jack, and Quinn, and ME!

We (people of the world) have been blessed with some pretty amazing technology these past years and Skype provided us an opportunity to be together as a family for some invaluable time this morning.  I am pleased to report that Willie is doing so very well -- looks great, enthusiastic, giggly, and excited to just see us and we him. It's hard to imagine that he was nearly 7,000 away from home and his voice and image transferred without any time delay, etc.  How cool is that!

Elliott and Willie

Elder Petersen and Elder Marshall



Time flies when you're having fun sitting in a hospital room!

Hi blog world!  I have spent a good  part the past 13 days sitting with my dad (and siblings) in a hospital room at IMC.  Arggggggggg . . . . .

As you are well aware, my Dad fell on March 17 (St. Patrick's Day, Eddie's birthday) and basically broke his neck.  The neck repair went well and he was off to a quick recovery when it became apparent that a misguided catheter placement damaged Dad's plumbing system pretty seriously which resulted in a nasty infection.  After a few intensely painful procedures and then a risky surgery last Thursday, he is finally on the mend.  He was released from the hospital this afternoon and enrolled for rehab in Legacy Village in Taylorsville.  After a few confusing transition hours he seems comfortable and ready for rehab.  The only tube in his system is the feeding line and that is a huge relief!

Hospital life is ok but extremely slow; it's like you hurry to wait!  Patients wait for medications, they wait for someone to help them to the bathroom, they wait for speech therapy and physical therapy, they wait for orders and changes in orders, they wait for someone to get them out of bed in the morning and back to bed in the evening.  However, I must admit that although life in a hospital is s l o w  we met some amazingly nice members of the hospital staff.  The nurses like Brandon, Cathy, Lindsey, Brent, January, Vonnie and others were competent, caring and helpful.  The CNAs, Regina, Carol, Laurie, Mary, and Kathy were kind and considerate and became my Dad's good friends and caregivers.  The PT, Dr. Nate and the Speech therapist, Jan were very good, as well.  They all joined in our family celebration of Dad's 85th birthday, April 4.  They became keenly aware of our love and commitment to Dad and making sure all his needs were being met.  I must say that I learned a lot.  I had no idea exactly what a prostate was/is until this experience.  Nor did I know how delicate the swallowing muscles are and if compromised take weeks, maybe months to get back to functioning.

At one point in the past weeks, Dad was frustrated that he wasn't getting better.  He had priesthood blessings and many prayers were offered on his behalf.  He was concerned that he "needed to have a little more faith."  Believe me, my dad is one of the most faithful, Christ-like men I know.  If he feels like he needs a little more faith, where does that leave the rest of the family?  I am so very thankful for the blessings Dad has received.  I am also thankful for the time all of us (the eight Huber siblings) have spent sitting with Dad in all kinds of pairings and combinations.  I can't say it was fun, but we did get along (for the most part) and let Dad know we were united in supporting him in any situation.

Needless to say, the past weeks have flown by.  When we dropped Willie off at the MTC six weeks ago, it appeared he would be there forever.  Now, his departure to Lithuania is just fourteen days from today.  I (we) have been so busy with Dad, the time has flown by. 

You know your day isn't going well when . . . .

Friday, March 28, was a day for the record books.

Karl reminded me on Thursday night that I needed to get gas in my car.  The fuel message read 45 miles to E.  Not to worry, I could get to my office and back on 25 miles to E.

My day began with a meeting at Lincoln Elementary School.  As usual, I took the "back way" route to Lincoln through a joint parking lot shared by the Jones Center.  Today, however the shared access gate connecting the two parking lots was chained and locked.  Not a problem, I decided to park at the Jones Center and just walk through the locked gate through the parking lot to one of the back doors into the school.  I was a little bummed that all of the back doors on the parking lot side of the school were locked (student non attendance day).  So, I walked to the front of the school, entered the one and only open door and proceeded down the long hallway nearly all the way to the back parking, 10-15 minutes late for the meeting.  There wasn't a chair for me ( the late comer) in the back of the room, so there was a big commotion and disruption in the meeting just to get me a chair.  Arrggg!!!!!!

Following the meeting at Lincoln Elementary, I headed to the district office for another meeting. I stopped at McDonald's for a Diet Coke on the way. The time in my office was busy but pretty uneventful.

Around 4:15, I talked to Karl and told him I was just about ready to head for home.  I pulled out of the parking lot around 4:25 and headed north on Main Street toward 2100 South.  As I approached the intersection of 2100 S Main Street, my car sputtered a little bit.  I didn't think much about it until the engine died.  I attempted to restart the car when it hit me -- out of gas. Rats! Why didn't I remember to stop and get gas at some point during the day!

Seeing a gas station just through the intersection (a few 100 feet), I so hoped that with any luck my car would make it there on fumes.  Sadly, no such luck :(

Embarrassed???  Absolutely!!!  Humiliated????  Yes!!!!  Call for help???  Absolutely not!!!

So, I turned the emergency flashers on, got out of my nice little Flex car and walked to the Shell Gas Station/Supersonic Car Wash on the NW corner of the intersection.  Once there, I approached a few workers asking if they had a gas can I could use because I had run out of gas in the intersection (I pointed to my car sitting patiently in the left turn lane with the flashers blinking).  They looked at me confused and got someone to help me who could speak English.  The English speaking worker chuckled as he fumbled through a few things in the back of the car wash building and came to my rescue with a gas can.  One of the Spanish speaking workers offered to help me.  I gladly accepted his offer even though I couldn't understand him nor him me.  I filled the can with gas and the worker and I walked to my car.  We couldn't get the gas into the tank.  Apparently there is a latch inside the gas tank area that can only be released by a gas pump nozzle.  Hmmmm . . . what do we do now?  I walked to the Jiffy Lube on the SW corner of 2100 S Main Street.  There were three workers there trying to keep their composure knowing full well my situation.  One Jiffy Lube worker decided to help.  I made him promise not to tell anyone, especially my husband.  He got a screw driver (you can fix anything with a screw driver) and after a few attempts at trying to break the fuel pipe thing, he and the car wash worker were able to release the latch inside the fuel area and pour the gas into the tank.  I told them not to share my story with anyone!  I was embarrassed and didn't want anyone to relish in my stupidity.  I drove to the Shell station where I felt obligated to pay the $3.42 price tag for gas (the most expensive gas around).

I eventually made it home - 30-40 minutes later than expected.  Karl didn't say anything about my later than expected arrival.  Whew!  By this time, he was hungry so we decided to go to Red Robbin for a hamburger.  (We drove separately because I planned to visit Dad and he wanted to get back home to watch basketball games.  Had we driven together, he would have asked me about getting gas.  Dodged an awkward conversation!)  We were seated at Red Robbin and had our Diet Cokes when the restaurant manager approached us and wanted to ID us for drinks?  What???  First of all, I think we look old enough to buy drinks that require an ID and second, we had our Diet Cokes in full view.  Go figure - he had the wrong table.  Embarrassing for us and him!

Needless to say, the day came to an end without any additional awkward and unfortunate events.  I haven't told anyone about my not so good Friday; I do however, want it recorded for posterity that every once in awhile I fall flat into a series of weird, embarrassing situations or events.  If you are reading this blog post, laugh a little and know that stupid is as stupid does.  I just hope the next time my day isn't going very well, I check the fuel tank message before there are no fumes left in the car.

The end!

It's in their eyes . . .

Even wonder if my children are related?  Just look at how the squint their eyes!

What to write about . . .

I haven't written much about anything but the mission and the missionary for awhile.  Not sure there's much else going on around here.  Karl and I have been "empty nesters" for 13 days now, and to be honest, it is very different.  We've been married for a long time (yes, it's a miracle that it's lasted this long).  Annie was born in 1978 and for the past 35+ years we have had a child/children living in our home with us.  We have given 110% to our kids and their upbringing -- no fancy vacations away from them, no "dates" without them, always there for them.  Needless to say they are turning out ok.  And, even though we have a full house for Sunday dinner every week and our home is always open to any and all, it's an adjustment to go from some to none.

I think one of our secrets to parenting success over the years has been pushing our kids through tough situations and helping them grow from disappointment. Mind you, we push(ed) with them; side by side and involved. 

For example, Annie thought she was a failure at AP Calculus and that I was an ogre for making her stick with it.  The teacher was not the most positive and instilled little confidence in her abilities.  For some reason, we worked through the tough homework assignments and hours of anxiety and stress and by the end of the school year, the teacher sheepishly admitted that Annie would like pass the AP test if she were to take it.  I didn't make her take the test; and by sticking it out in the class for the entire year she benefited in so many ways.

Haley excelled academically (and still does).  Her challenges were more emotionally charged.  She struggled with going to school and as the anxiety of a new week, a new term, a new year in school came around we took her emotions a step at a time.  We plowed through the ups and downs together with notes back and forth from teacher to mom and back.  We set goals and work hard to reach them, together.  She still gets emotional about school on Sunday nights, but she has made huge progress.

When Willie tried out for the 7th grade basketball team, he got cut.  He was devastated.  He recorded his feelings  in a blog post which includes his 7th grade problem-solving process:

So the bottom line is that when things appear tough for your kids, don't succumb to their level of emotion.  Rather, help them through the situation or circumstance that brings them down and gets in their way and help them to set goals to improve, to move forward, to do better and to be better.  It's worth the effort and both you and your kids will be the beneficiaries. 

I like the quote Willie included in his blog - "Disappointment, when it involves neither shame nor loss, is as good as success . . . "

One week down and 103 to go!

Last Tuesday, Willie was 100% ready to serve!  The image is a screen shot from the MTC homepage.

Then on Wednesday, we wasted time singing to the ukulele and then we headed to Provo!

Delivered our son to the MTC -- as documented on the car monitor at 12:52 p.m. - 8 minutes early!

Now just waiting for correspondence!

One Week and Ready!

We are at the final countdown with just one week until that son of mine reports for missionary duty.  Annie and Haley (mostly Annie) have prepared a "12 days before your mission" extravaganza for Willie.  Each day begins with a nice poem and includes a nice gift or activity.  We set everything up on the couch and so far the prizes have been:

 

Day 12 - 2/14: stationary, address book, stamps

Day 11 - 2/15: vitamins and vitamin d

Day 10 - 2/16: Band-Aids and mini first aid kit

Day 9 -   2/17: Tylenol and Advil

Day 8  -  2/18: mini umbrella

Day 7  -  2/19: Wednesday night dinner with grandpa and some sort of yummy treat - at mom's house.

2 Weeks (minus 1 day)

The time is creeping by as we prepare for Willie's mission.  It's exciting to be part of it all.  I have never been a missionary "Mom" before and I am, enjoying every minute of the preparation.

We have reviewed the checklists and guidelines over and over; and Willie has completed on online assessment of his preparation.  According to the missionary website, he is 80% ready to go.  By today I think that will be 91%!

50% Prepared

91% Prepared

Three Weeks!

Four Weeks from Today!

Four weeks from today is a big day for the Petersens! 

That's the day Willie reports to the Provo MTC to start his official service as a missionary.  We still have so much to do to get ready for everything. 

Most of the clothes shopping is done; just working on getting the little things purchased and ready to pack.  Getting a missionary ready for service is not an easy thing to do.  I am so glad we have had a few months to get things done.

We've had some fun getting ready.  We've been spending Friday afternoons together going to Mr. Mac's and the LDS Distribution center (ha ha).  Mostly we drive around listening to weird songs on the 60's station.  So, we were driving down Redwood Road and "What's new Pussycat" by Tom Jones came on.  The song is insane and we laughed like crazy listening to the words, you know, "You and your pussycat nose, wo-a-wo-a!"  Crazy lyrics and crazy singer.

We've taken the same pair of suit pants to Mr. Mac's 3 times and we are still waiting for the right length to happen. Getting the right fit on the new underwear at the church store has required repeat trips, too.  There are too many fabrics to choose from and you can't open the package to look at what you are getting.   But, I think we are getting closer to the fabrics Willie likes and the right combination of tops and bottoms. 

Willie is reading and memorizing all 900+ pages of the B of M, D & C, a 1937 publication of the Missionary Handbook (he found at Grandpa's house), and more.  He is also practicing the ukulele for a future musical number and teaching himself to speak Lithuanian with the CDs he got for his birthday.  In his spare time, he is doing some tutoring work at Hunter, Kearns High and Kearns Junior, Taylorsville High School and West Lake Junior and he plays weird games on the iPad.  He's been to the dentist twice this week and comes to visit me at work every now and then.  It's been fun getting ready and spending time hanging out. 

 

Some of the things left on our list:

umbrella
clothes hangers
twin size sheets (2)
sunscreen, lip balm (I think they mean chap stick)
alarm clock - no music playing components
passport holder (for wearing close to the body)
voltage/electrical adaptor
thermal underwear
24 month supply of vitamin D
moleskin
duct tape

Why I like Sugarhouse

Every now and again, I take a break from the office and get out to visit a school or even better just simply go for a drive.  I usually end up in Sugarhouse.  It's not too far from my office.  It's a nice little community tucked away in the southeast corner of Salt Lake City.  I can't drive through the area without reminiscing about days gone by.  My grandparents lived close to Sugarhouse; Dr. Newton's office was there and and after a visit to either place it was common to stop by Snelgroves for a yummy ice cream cone, a sundae or a malt or NuCrisp Popcorn for an individual bag of buttered or caramel popcorn.  I could never figure out why the bag of caramel popcorn was smaller in quantity than the butter.

I remember going to the only Sugarhouse department store, Keith O'Brien's (KOB).  Grandpa Eccles' sister Deloras worked there for years.  Both my grandmothers shopped there.  Granite Furniture and Southeast Furniture were the only places to buy furniture, appliances, carpet, and more.  You could set up accounts at either store (90 days same as cash or longer) for purchases as small as $100.  Walker Bank was just across the street from Granite Furniture and I remember going there with Grandma Eccles a few times.


At Christmastime, Santa was always waiting to visit with little ones in a little shed-like house on the Sugarhouse diagonal (2100 S 1100 E).  And we always drove through the Blaine Street and Christmas Street neighborhoods to see the lights.

It's been nearly fifty years since many of those memories were made and they are still fresh in my mind when I take time to escape the office and take a nice warm ride down a memory lane -- 21st South through Sugarhouse.


I like the new features of Sugarhouse -- Barnes and Noble shopping area, Sundance Catalog Store, Sugarhouse Park, the Dodo Restaurant, Schmidt's Bakery and the newly rebuilt McDonald's.  I guess the bottom line is that Sugarhouse is one of those comfort places I like to visit again and again.

2014 is Here!

It's hard to believe that just a little over two weeks ago we celebrated Christmas.  It just about kills me off every year getting ready for the big day and then it's over in a matter of hours.  I do enjoy all of the preparation; and it's so fun to see and feel the excitement that comes with all that's involved.

This was a long week at the office.  After two weeks off with some sleeping in, eating out, spending time with family, etc., getting back in the routine of the 5:45 a.m. alarm was not that exciting. But, we did it and survived!

Willie is patiently waiting his mission report date - February 26!  He and I ran some errands today (mid-day lunch break for me) and picked up a few things for the mission.  He misses school.  If he were in school this semester he said he would probably be taking four science classes.  He loves math and science and writing and really enjoyed his business class last semester. He started two part-time jobs this week in the schools -- AVID tutoring in the morning and credit recovery tutoring in the afternoon. (With the high turnover of hourly school personnel, there's always something available.) He is also finding time to do the crazy INSANITY exercise routine and is getting into studying Lithuanian. (His birthday present finally arrived - Lithuanian language CDs.) Plus, he's been to my office a few times this week and that's been fun.

Molly and Jack hung out with us last night (their parents were working late).  I love all of my grandchillins so much - even more when I have them without their parents.  We have amazing conversations!  Molly is a jabber box and says the craziest things.  Grandpa Huber hasn't been feeling well and she was concerned about him, "Grandma," she said, "why is, why is, why is your dad sick?  What is wrong with him?"  We talked about great-grandpa and I told her he is feeling much better.  Then at dinner, she needed something on the table closer to Grandpa Karl than she could reach.  Instead of asking him to get what she needed, she said, "Grandma, will you tell Karl to get me . . . .?"  Kids are funny and when they get to that age of figuring out names and identities conversations are so entertaining.

Thank you for the photo, Annie!

Well, it's Friday night -- Friday nights are not as busy for us as they have been in 3-4 previous years.  We are home in our respective spaces just hanging out.  I am sitting on the couch in the family room watching HGTV Dream Home 2014; Karl is reading, somewhere; and Willie is downstairs watching a variety of basketball games.  We are happy, healthy, and thankful for all of the blessings and opportunities of 2013 hoping that we will be blessed likewise in 2014.  If you are reading this, know that we love you and hope that your 2014 is a year of blessings and opportunity!

Happy Birthday, Baby Boy!

Merry Christmas!

My Christmas Wish For You

by Ruth Kephart

My Christmas wish for you, my friend

Is not a simple one

For I wish you hope and joy and peace,

Days filled with warmth and sun.

I wish you love and friendship, too

Throughout the coming year,

Lots of laughter and happiness

To fill your world with cheer.

May you count your blessings, one by one

And when totaled by the lot

May you find all you've been given,

To be more than what you sought.

May your journeys be short, your burdens light

May your spirit never grow old,

May all your clouds have silver linings

And your rainbows pots of gold.

I wish this all and so much more

May all your dreams come true,

May you have a Merry Christmas, friend

And a Happy New Year, too.

She's Home!

My sweet niece is home!  She has been serving an LDS mission in Paraguay.  She left balmy Paraguay and entered a winter wonderland in Salt Lake City late Thursday night. 

It didn't take long to start the transition to non missionary life.  She sent me a text last night with her new phone number.  Meranda is an amazing niece and we are so happy to have her home safe and sound.  There is so much in store for her as she takes the next steps in her life!