Wedding anniversary and musings

It has been a long time since I have blogged but I have decided to get back with it and record and share some good things from my life. Things that may help or inspire others. I hope at least that they help someone see the every day ordinary happy life of a Mormon Grandma and the family that surrounds me and my wonderful husband of 53 years. We just celebrated out 53rd wedding anniversary by spending a weekend with out youngest daughter and her family with four delightful children. The most outstanding thing about this family is that there is not much fighting. The kids really love each other and exhibit that. There is a lot of teasing going on though and a lot of good natured fun and hard work. Ball games, plays, picnics, gardening, raising 4-H lambs for the county fair and serving others. Serving in the church and teaching others of their testimonies of Christ. We even got to watch some great fireworks. We spent Sunday afternoon with four of our grown children and their families and some extended family for a party in our honor. We had a wonderful time and are so very blessed. Our son made a cupcake display with our wedding picture on the top like a cake topper. It was so cute.

Taylor

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Relief Socity Birthday Celebration

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60 parent packets for parents of babies in the NICU at local hospital. Numerous Clothing protectors for rest home patients. several lap blankets for rest home and red, white and blue ones for vets. All local needs. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed serving others.

19 dresses for WCA

 

I just donated 19 little dresses sizes 3-8 to the Women's children's alliance. The pictures are of only 14 of them because there are duplicates of some. It took a few weeks with interuptions to get them done but I had them almost done in 2 weeks then took another to finish up. My hope is that the little girls and their moms will be delighted with these new little dresses. They are all poly/cotton and easy to fit and no buttons or zippers so they are durable. Most of the fabric was donated by ladies from my LDS ward. They were so generous when I mentioned it.I buy the elastiac and thread and interfacing plus some matching fabric. I have already made up most of my own fabric and with some of their fabric. The first batch of 19 (I don't know why I ended up with 19 both times ) went to Ethiopia. I also sent 6 dresses and shirts and underwear that was given to my by others.

There is a huge need out there for help in so many ways. This is just a small thing that I can do. It feels good. My greatest goal is to lift a burden and let them know that someone cares.

Great grandson is here-

He is so cute. We couldn't be more pleased unless we could be there to hold him in person.

Merry Christmas

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Matson Family Grows

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Halloween Wedding Party 1987

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I never laughed so hard as when I drove the car in this mask and had this bride and bridesmaid with heavy veils on. We went to several stores and a couple of homes and just had so much fun as people stared and wondered who we were.

Dru

 
She is as sweet as they come. Thank heaven for babies. Ten months old here.

Happy 13, Lucky number

 
Happy Boy. 13 is a great age.

 
I love the colors of the fall season. These are all from our little yard.

Moose Family of 4

 

This is the whole moose family we saw in Island Park Idaho recently

this beautiful Papa Moose was guarding his family while they all ate in the river at Mack's Inn

Size 1 dresses

 

2 of these dresses are our great granddaughter. The other four will go somewhere in the world to little needy girls. It is fun to make these cute things for such a purpose. I try to imagine how cute they will be and happy to have such a nice little dress. so glad that I could contribute a little to someone's happiness.

Preemie Twins

 

It has been a privilege of mine to hold a couple of darling preemie twins each day that there mother can't make it
the 2 1/2 hour drive to the hospital so that translates to about 4 or five days a week when I and my granddaughter (21) can go and hold them for one to two hours. They were only 8 inches long when they were born and weighed 1.5 lbs. It has been about 3 1/2 months and they are now about 4 lbs 10 oz and 3lb. 11 oz. Yesterday was their first time out of the isolete. It is pretty amazing how much better they do when they are being held regularly. We just hope and pray that they will continue to progress so they can go home as healthy normal babies before too long.

Hats off the a wonderful loving family who are so willing to adopt these babies from the beginning in spite of all the unknowns.

Dresses for orphanages

 

I have been busy making little girl's dresses for orphanges in Ethiopia and humanitarian services. It has been a very rewarding experience. Friends have also donated a lot of fabric so I will be able to do it for quite a while. I plan to keep doing it for a very long time. I will keep adding to the fabric stash. There is something about helping those who cannot help themselves.

County Fair

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Beautiful Island Park Idaho

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Shoshone Falls in Idaho

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Hugging grandkids on the way home was so much fun.

Here we are cutting the last link of the chain that the Muir kids made to count down the days til we would be there.

Our first stop was to see this great family in Knoxville TN. 6 grandkids here ( Caleb was out of town) and two on the way!!!

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cutting the ribbon at the "finish line" and a welcome home party.

There were others in the house and following up with more surprises.  So much fun.  the sidewalk had sayings like "where have you been and what have you been doing?"  You left us for 18 months. You are grounded". Welcome Home -Let's Party.

Favortie Picture.

My favorite picture of all time. I just wanted to show this one last time. This beautiful large Blue Herron just posed for me on this log. I got several great poses of it but I love this one the most. A pictures like this is a gift! I am grateful. Only in Louisiana!

It has been an amazing mission

We have learned so much about

• The employment program of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints.. It is an amazing, caring and effective program to offer help to job seekers free of charge
• Poverty and how hard it is for people to overcome it.
• People in general
• How to bring comfort to the distressed
• How the atonement really works
• Service
• Human nature
• Diversity
• Adversity
• Testimony
• LDSJobs.org (try it)
• Trials of others
• Climbing Stairs
• Beautiful Louisiana
• Birds
• Flowers
• Alligators
• Heat and humidity
• Leaders
• The struggle between jobs
• Ourselves
• Each other
• Wonderful southern hospitality
• Southern food (deep fat fried everything ) including sea food
• The Gulf
• Mardi Gras (only in part)
• Comunication with others.
• Southern French spelling
• Swamp tours
• Love
• Faith
• Caring
• How very blessed we are to have been born to goodly parents. 
• How blessed we are to have such a strong and wonderful family.  We are grateful.  
• How much a person can really change when they get the gospel in their lives and trust in the Lord.

It has been a marvelous experience.  We shall never be able to repeat such an experience. We are grateful to the Lord and to all the people we have met.  They have all blessed our lives so very much.

Last Day In The Office

Sisters Foster, Matson, Goodin, Garcia

Elder Matson & Bp. Dohm

Last Swamp Tour

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Farewell Open House

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