Blessing #22

Modern Medicine is a wonderful blessing. Modern Medicine gives people a new lease on life everyday! They are continually coming up with new and improved things and curing diseases and vaccinations to prevent, etc etc. Jeff has really been struggling with his health the last few years and although there have been sometimes when the doctors are as frustrated as we are and throw their hands up as well, most of them have given it their all and have tried to help Jeff. Through our frustrations with it, and them not always knowing how to "heal" him, I am often reminded of something my dad said when he told me one time that that is why they call it a medical "practice". Modern Medicine was able to remove Jeff's Gall Bladder a couple of weeks ago without having to cut across his belly! Modern Medicine helped to prolong my dad's life so that we could be with him a few years longer. I was watching a segment about cancer the other day and they were mentioning that there are some vaccines for some cancers now. It is amazing! What developing minds there are out there. I am grateful for Modern Medicine in my life and that there are people out there with this desire and passion to heal, help and to protect.

Blessing #22...Modern Medicine

Blessing #21

It seems as if I have been able to spend a little more time with all of my brothers a lot this summer and it has been really nice. The older I get, the more that I appreciate the relationships that I have with each of them. None of them are guys that I call every week, or even once a month for that matter, but when we see each other, we have so much fun with one another. I was thinking about all of them other day and each one of them are sooo different. They all have different personalities and bring something unique to the mix, but then there are some similarities as well. We are like a little family "melting pot". It is so much fun to be able to see them all together and to see them interact with one another.

Jon is the oldest and plays that role really well. He is great at being in charge and yet being concerned about what everyone is interested in and about every one's well being. He has always been an active guy that knows how to have a good time. Everyone is drawn to him and wants to be around him. Michael helps me remember what it was like to be a child in our family. He is still a kid at heart and still does and says things that just makes us laugh. I have a lot of great memories of Michael and with Michael and it is fun to joke about those "good ol' days!" Tim is just Tim. He has always been someone who knows who he is and doesn't define himself by what others would think of him or what others would expect of him. I have always loved that about him. He has the greatest laugh too. More like a giggle. Joe is gentle, yet firm in everything that he believes in. There is no arguing with Joe. He loves to talk about things that are a little controversial and hear what others think and feel. Plus he lets you know how HE feels. He is dang adorable with his kids and with his wife Bethany. Ben, Ah Ben. Poor Ben. He seems to be the brunt of a lot of our jokes and will forever be the perpetual youngest child in the family. However, he has one of the kindest hearts that I know and is probably the most sensitive of my brothers. Even though he is focused on himself right now, one day when the time is right, he will idolize his wife and do anything for her within his control because he will love her so much. I also have a brother that I knew here on the Earth for a short time when he was a baby. Christopher only lived short of a couple of months but probably touched my life and continues to do so just as much as all of my other brothers. He was the first experience that I ever had with death and with my own feelings on mortality and of what is to come in the afterlife. Knowing I have a sibling on the other side has always helped me to live a little bit better so that I can be with him again someday.

I am super proud to be a sister to all of these great men! Those who are fathers and spouses are incredible ones and all of them conduct their lives in the way which any sister would be proud. They are all so good at what they do for professions and enjoy many other aspects of their lives (Two of my bros are Professors at BYU)!

Thanks Boys for being such a marvelous blessing in my life!

Blessing # 21...SIX BROTHERS

Teenager!

On August 29th, Jeff and I officially became the proud parents of a TEENAGER!!! Quentin turned thirteen on his birthday and I am full of mixed emotions! First of all, Jeff is getting old!, second....I only have about a third of his time at home with us left! I spent a lot of time reflecting on his birth this year. Probably because we drove by the High School after we registered him for Middle School again this year and realized that he will be going there next year!!! Yikes! Time has flown by! All he wanted for his birthday was a laptop just like his sister, but after the total "Geek Squad" guys explained to me all about video cards on laptops, or lack thereof, he decided that he just wanted to purchase a bunch of Lego Star Wars ships! It was fun to take him shopping. He's adorable! I had also redone his bedroom as part of his birthday and as a surprise to him while he was at Scout camp this summer ( watch for future post).

Words really cannot describe what joy Quentin has brought to our home. I know that all of you know, but he is just plain incredible! I am impressed by him at least once a day! The other day, he told me that he was writing in his journal while he was watching a spider crawl around up his wall and I was like-what what what?? you write in a journal!??? If a mother had the right to read a journal...I would go and snatch it right up and read it while eating some ice cream! He also informed us that he was running for Vice President the other day! What what what? Our shy little Q!?? We helped him make some posters to hang up at school with the photos below. He just keeps surprising us and we love each new corner that we are privileged to turn with our first son and oldest child. Thanks for allowing us to "grow up" with you Quentin!

I don't really freak out about my kids getting older because I enjoy each new stage better than the last! It just keeps getting better! What more could a mother want than a 13 year old that is an amazing example to everyone around him (even his parents), a 10 year old daughter that loves to do everything that I do and wants to do it WITH me, and a small but mighty 6 year old that still wants to give me kisses on the lips and gives a hug that will rock your world! I love these ages and I hope that it just keeps going that way with each new stage!

Summer-IZE

The kids with their school "walking" group first day of school.

My heart is breaking. Summer is over!!!! Thankfully, we may have a few more days of warm weather-but school is in! There are a lot of reasons that I could ramble on about why I am so upset that my children started school today, but let's just leave it at sadness and I am missing them dearly already!

In the meantime, I haven't blogged for forever...pretty much all summer long and so I am going to try to summarize our activities this summer in three different parts...June, July, and August.

PART ONE-JUNE

Most of our June was centered around dad and the last days of his life here on earth. However, amongst the sadness and sacredness of that event, we did seem to be able to have some fun with our family.

Mack played his first year of T-Ball, had a rough start, loved playing catcher and pitcher, was a phenomenal hitter-every time, loved paying with all of his friends.

Mack turned SIX, Celebrated with every family member on the Ostenson side, got a lot of Batman stuff, had a double birthday party with cousin Christopher, & showed us his toothless smile (hopefully the last year!!).

Calli Turned 10! Had a few friends over, made Stromboli's and beaded watches, got peace stuff and a laptop (which she payed for 1/2), played games all night, and played "popular" girls in the morning??

PART TWO- JULY

Went on a mini family vacation south, stayed at Circus Circus, swam and rode the rides (we are an amusement park family), saw Ryan and Becca and cousins in Vegas, stayed at Grandma Nelson's Oasis in St. George and relaxed the days away! So nice being together with just our "little" family.
Mack and the clowns at Circus Circus

Still July....Visit from Grandpa Craig and Grandma Sue, taught Grandpa Guitar Hero, day at Riot Zone, Movies, Ice Cream, and Bowling, so much fun to see them and grateful that they are in our lives.

Calli's cousin, Maddie came to visit for a week and Mack and Quentin went to their house for a cousin exchange. Matching pajamas, swimming, walking everyday with mom (aunt) and grandma, rollerblading and scootering, made watches, and shopped until we dropped!!!!!

Girls Camp at Falls Creek, three girls, four leaders and two priesthood, four mile hike, shot my first gun EVER, beautiful creations of our Heavenly Father, floating a very rocky stream, punctured every raft we had, laughed until my belly was sore, Felt like a little girl again!

Love my fearless Presidency!!! These are them!!! Aren't they gorgeous????

PART THREE-AUGUST

Mack finally learned how to ride two wheels! After two fearful years of deciding that falling off wasn't fun...determination got the best of him and he conquered it after the first few minutes!! Bike rides were my favorite summer activity with my kids this year!

Aunt Bethany and kids came to visit, had a sleepover at Grandma's and went to the zoo.

Alex (Jeff's little bro) and his new wife Anna got married on the 15th!! Beautiful couple, beautiful day, beautiful grand kids, beautiful family. Such a special experience to be in the temple with Jeff's family and be able to be reminded of the beautiful blessings and promises of the sealing. A great reminder considering that Jeff and I ourselves had just celebrated our 16th (gasp!) Anniversary. We went to Jackson Hole for a night while Grandma O watched the kids and had a special time there together.

As a last hurrah, we went to Boise to do our back to school clothes shopping. SOOOOO FUN! It is a tradition that we have started and it is always so fun. The Ross family is just like family to us. The kids love each other and I won't go into how attached I am to my friend Val! We love you guys! Thank you for EVERYTHING!!!!
One more thing.... This was a common scene at our house this summer. Quentin and Calli sitting on the stairs reading. I don't think that I could count how many books Quentin read over the summer. Glad that was one of their activities.

Blessing #20...HOPE

I was reading in a past Ensign this morning for part of my study and came across an amazing article that I needed to read today! Loved it!! I woud send a link-but figured that more of you would read it if it was right on my blog. I highlighted some of my favorite parts. We all need Hope and so we all need to read it! Blessing #20...Hope

Larry Hiller, “Hope: The Misunderstood Sister,” Ensign, Jun 2009, 8–9

Hope is anything but wishful. It is expectation based on experience.
I think of them as three famous sisters whose names are frequently linked, always in the same order: Faith, Hope, and Charity. They are mentioned several times in the New Testament and with remarkable frequency in the Book of Mormon.
Of the three, Faith may be the most well known and popular, the one whose companionship is sought most often. She’s active and energetic, definitely the can-do type. Faith can move mountains, if necessary.
I picture Charity as being modest and refined, beautiful and gracious. In her presence you feel genuinely loved and accepted. She’s unfailingly kind and generous, patient, empathetic, aware of every need, and responsive without being asked. How could you not want the companionship of someone like Charity?
Then there’s Hope, who seems to have a problem with the way people perceive her. It may be her name and the way it’s commonly used: “I hope the car passes inspection.” Or, “I hope the weather will be nice for the wedding.” Used this way, the word hope is the verbal equivalent of keeping your fingers crossed. Consequently, many seem to think Hope is unsure, even fickle—she may or may not grace you with her companionship. But surely that’s not the kind of hope our Father in Heaven commands us to have. Nor would it be the kind of hope our Savior offers.
My desire to know Hope better was sparked when a high councilor speaking in our sacrament meeting quoted Romans 5:3–5:
“We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
“And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
As I read and reread those verses and pondered and prayed about them, the one concept I could not seem to wrap my mind around was how experience fits in the equation. I could understand that tribulation “worketh” (or brings about) patience. Often that’s all we can do in tribulation—have faith and wait patiently upon the Lord. But what is the experience that patience brings about? And how does it result in hope? This seemed to be what I call a puzzle piece.
For me, things I don’t understand about the gospel are like pieces of a larger puzzle I’m working on. If I don’t see where they fit, I put them aside and work on other parts of the picture. From time to time I pick them up and look at them. If I still don’t see how they fit, I put them aside again. I have already received a witness that the whole picture—the restored gospel—is true and complete, so I don’t worry about the pieces that haven’t come together for me yet. They will. And so one day, as I reexamined this particular puzzle piece, I saw a possible connection I hadn’t seen before. When we endure tribulation with faith and patience, what we experience is the Savior’s awareness of us and His love for us. We experience them through the ministrations of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. We receive this witness after the trial of our faith (see Ether 12:6).
In my own life, when I patiently endure trials, the Savior, who took upon Himself all of our ills and sorrows (see Alma 7:11–12), ministers to me through the Spirit. I experience the Savior’s tender mercies. My trials may continue, but having taken upon me the yoke of Christ, I find Him sharing my yoke, making my burdens bearable, and giving me hope. I then have strength to endure. I have assurance that all will be made right, not just in eternity but also for eternity. Hope is anything but wishful. It is expectation based on experience.
I see Hope more clearly now. She is serene. Her eyes have the deep, knowing look of someone well acquainted with sorrow, the luminosity of recently being wet with tears. Hope has the confidence of one who clearly sees a bright future even when the next hours seem fog shrouded. Hope is steady and strong, a friend I am glad to have beside me during my own trials.

Walking with Two Sisters
By Larry Hiller
Faith walks before me,Holding up her lamp

As I try not to stumble in the ink-dark hours before the dawn.

Her light illuminatesOne step and then another.

Beside me, Hope, arm linked with mine, encourages and steadies.

Sometimes in the tedium,Distracted by the pain,

My mind begins to wander, then my feet.

I hesitate.

Unsure, I look to Hope.Her hand takes mine.

The touch reminds me of another hand held out to me,One pierced and scarred

Yet oh so tender

Lifting me and blessing me when I had fallen and despaired.

Remembering,I move ahead

Buoyed up by Hope, who sees the end with perfect clarity.

Blessing # 19...Reconnecting

I have been reconnecting with a lot of people from my past lately thanks to Face book! I have enjoyed it a lot. There are people that I didn't really know that well that have added me as a "friend"??? but there are people that I have been able to get in touch with that I have wondered about for years and have been able to reconnect with and find out some cool things about them that I would have never guessed about them. I have really loved it! I have to admit that I limit myself to checking it just a couple of times a week because I could totally get addicted to all of this. I already have my blog and I am not sure that my family and my YW would appreciate suffering from my negligence to the more important things in life. With that being said, I have this amazing friend that I had lost touch with for many years. Well, let me rephrase that...we send Christmas cards every year, but haven't spoken and haven't seen each other for YEARS!! Kathryn Weaver Tomany. I think that the last time I saw her was in Boise at her wedding reception before I even had children!! That is not ever going to happen again because reconnecting with Kathryn has been amazing!!!!! I loved her from the day that we met when I was just turning 12 and her big sis was my YW leader and Kathryn came to stay with her sister in IN for the summer... we hit it off so quick!! We had a lot in common and reading her blog has reminded me of how incredible she was then and still is! I am so grateful for her and grateful for the way that she touched my life then and now again with her sweet life experiences that she shares on her blog so many years later! My children did an exchange with their Uncle Jon this week and so I had his daughter with me and he had my boyz down in Utah and when we exchanged today in Ogden, I decided to go and see my long lost friend Kathryn. It was as if we were 16 again! She looked exactly the same (minus the poofy bangs)! Beautiful as ever inside and out. Instead of us doing flips off the diving board, talking about gymnastics, bugs in our cups at girls camp, the hippest music, the New Batman movie with Val Kilmer, and the cute boys in the FW ward, we were talking about potty training, Binky's, the loss of a beloved child and father(s), our husbands, siblings, houses, jobs, all of the grown up stuff that we could think of! It was so much fun to follow through with the "reconnecting" Thank you Kathryn!! So~Here's to reconnecting with those we have loved and who have touched our lives. With such uncertain times for all of us, isn't that what is most important? All of the people in our lives that have touched us in one way or another. What would we do without each other!!!??? Get in touch with someone you haven't talked to for a while today!!! Blessing #19...Reconnecting

Saying Goodbye

Saying goodbye to dad was a special time for all of us with many mixed emotions. We were glad that he wasn't suffering anymore and we were sad that we were going to be missing him so much. The day of the viewing, mom and all of the us kids went to go and dress dad and then mom sat with all of us by dad and gave each of us letters that dad had written to us and a letter from her and a copy of Dad's patriarchal blessing which after I read it, realized that dad had fulfilled his mission on the Earth. It was like a check list with everything checked off! We had the viewing on that night of the 17th and then the funeral on the 18th. My older kids sure had a hard time that night. I felt for them. They are some of the oldest grand kids and have a lot of memories with grandpa. It was an emotional time for them. After the viewing was over, Jeff said that to listen to all of us, you would have thought that we were having a party instead of a viewing. There was a lot of memories shared with those that walked through the line and to see dad and even laughter. That's how dad would have wanted it. My mom said that he would have liked that party. It was so precious to meet some of the people that dad and mom talked about and have them mention how special dad was and the impact that he made on their lives.

The next day at the funeral, was harder than I expected. Someone came through and said that this is the hardest part and in my mind I kind of laughed at her, but then when we followed dad into the chapel, the floodgates opened and I didn't stop crying until it was over! I guess that it was bound to happen sometime. It was amazing though. Being on the stand with my only sister and all of my brothers and sharing that time in unity remembering dad was something that I will cherish forever! Daddy (the cruise director) was very prepared and had given us topics to speak on and even time limits so that the funeral wasn't too long. Everyone did such a great job! When I would look down at mom, I knew that she was going to miss him, but the joy that I could see on her face for her family overpowered that day and she was smiling knowing that dad was there smiling with her. Everyone did a great job remembering and honoring dad.

Thank you again for all of your support, kindness and friendship that we have felt through this time. I don't know what I would have done without all of you that helped and gave us kind words and offers to help.