All Things Bright and Beautiful...All Creatures Great and Small

Well, I am back in California to help Andrew and Melissa since the birth of their new baby, Asher Andrew Hatch, who was born January 30, 2011. He weighed in at 7 lb 13 oz and was 19 inches long. He is so lucky because he has come into a family that truly loves and adores him.

I love the relatively mild weather of California and Las Vegas in January and almost feel guilty that I have run away during January for the past few years and thus have not experienced the cold weather at home. I said I ALMOST feel guilty.

I have commented before, but this is such a nice place to take my morning walks. Upon arriving at Mason Park the other morning, I was so taken by the beauty of this place. The cool mist that blanketed the lawns and ponds brushed my skin as it rose to meet the sun and I could almost taste the scent of the eucalyptus trees around me.



All my senses were aroused and I felt to give thanks to our Heavenly Father for such a beautiful world. As marvelous as the world is, families are even more amazing to me, in particular my own wonderful family. Here are some pictures of Andrew's family.




Andrew commented that it is funny how much love he feels for Asher after just a few days with him. That is a wonderful gift that Heavenly Father has given us.




I discovered a principle of math that I find difficult to explain but I believe is true. If I have X amount of love for one child, with another child ADDED to the family, it appears that love now has to be DIVIDED by 2. Instead, the love is MULTIPLIED X 2 so the love for the first has not diminished but actually grows. Now MULTIPLY that X 10 and then add those children's spouses and all the grandchildren and the love I feel now expands to INFINITY. What an amazing phenomenon!!

As Ecclesiastes says "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart." I love this world, but my heart is full because of my family. I love you all.

Great For That!

Let me preface my remarks today with this little anecdote that Ammon related recently in a Sacrament meeting talk. I can't quote it word for word, but it is something like this:

Ammon and Abby's little Audrey has come up with a little addendum to things that happen to her that their family could easily use as a family motto. As I understand it, Audrey was sitting on a stool eating at the counter. She almost fell and in doing so she dropped the food in her hand. She said, "well at least I didn't fall. Great for that!" Now they can look for the good in a bad situation and say "great for that!" With that, I have a rather long story to relate about my travel experience yesterday.

Today I am at Andrew's house in California. I flew here yesterday to spend a week with Melissa and the boys while Andrew is in the Netherlands for a conference. I arrived safely following an adventure I hope to not repeat.

Abby was gracious enough to drive me to the airport yet again. She is always so willing to help me when I go on a trip. She arrived two minutes early and I had my luggage sitting by the front door. I grabbed my suitcase and she closed the door behind me as she said, "Is that everything?" I said yes as I loaded the suitcase and we took off. It was a pleasant drive to the airport and we missed the General Conference traffic so we made good time. We arrived at 9:35 which gave me about an hour to check my luggage and get to the gate by boarding time. I got my suitcase out of the car and asked Abby, "where did you put my laptop?" I could tell she was totally surprised by this question. She must have been fairly amazed that I was able to get all of my belongings and my laptop all into one suitcase, and now she realized, as I did, that I had walked off without my laptop thinking that she got it and she thought I had it packed in my suitcase. The smiles were erased from our faces as we realized the impact of this oversight. I could not survive for a week without my laptop. I made a quick assessment and realized that I risked missing my plane if we drove home and back again. She promised she would go home and mail it to me immediately so that I would hopefully not miss out on too much work. I realized that I would most likely miss out on Monday and possibly Tuesday's work and at what expense. I agreed and we parted with a hug and a sigh.

I checked my luggage and made it through security with ease. Now I had about 40 minutes before they invited passengers to begin boarding, or a little over an hour until take- off, and I had nothing more to do but contemplate my grave error. Then a thought occurred to me--maybe Abby and I couldn't drive home and back in time, but if someone at home could take off right away, the time would be cut in half. It might cost more but maybe not--but which would be less trouble for Abby. Perhaps if I asked if Ammon could stop what he was doing on his day off and run my laptop to the airport for me that would be easiest for Abby. This was definitely not the course that would give Ammon the least stressful Saturday, but it was worth a try; so I called Abby and she called Ammon. Don't ask me why I didn't just call Ammon myself. I wasn't thinking rationally at this moment. My mind was racing with the possibilities and I just had to try and get that laptop if at all possible. As is his disposition, Ammon abandoned what he was doing to serve his family that day and chose to serve me instead. He ran and got my laptop, jumped in my car and raced to the airport. We kept up a phone dialogue to assess our situation. Meanwhile I made a trial run to gate B18 and found that it would take me a full 5 minutes to trot to the gate near the very end of Terminal 1 gate B, walking beside two "moving sidewalks" (because I could walk faster than they would carry me if I had to stop for others who were letting the sidewalk do all the work), then down a corridor and down the stairs and down another corridor to gate B18. I talked to the Delta personnel at Gate 18 and told them I was hoping to be on that flight WITH my laptop. They said they would close the plane door at 11:05, but they wished me luck and told me I may save time if I met Ammon at Terminal 1 Security instead of Terminal 2 Security because it was much closer. If all else failed, they said they may be able to get me on the 3:00 flight to Orange County. With this reassurance, I called Ammon and told him of the change in plans to meet at Terminal 1 instead of Terminal 2. He was then about 15 minutes away by his calculations. I think this is going to work, I sighed.

Hoping it would only take me 5 minutes to get through security and 5 more to get to the gate, I determined I could wait for Ammon until 10:55. Then I would have to decide, do I catch this plane or wait and try to get on the 3:00 plane.

Wow! Weeks seem to fly by when I am enjoying myself visiting my children, but what a slow 15 minutes followed! Then it was still a few minutes more before Ammon pulled up beside me--but not before we had a couple more misunderstandings that took him on an extra loop of the airport to finally find me at the passenger drop-off point. I just wanted to give him a great big hug and kiss but time was of the essence so I said an inadequate thank you across the front seat and ran toward Security. The Spirit whispered, whatever happens, it is okay. Then I thought, maybe I am not supposed to be on this flight. Maybe the airplane is going to have problems. Maybe it is going to crash! Should I run or not? Well, I ran anyway because I always try to give things my best shot. Now it was 10:55 and I had to go back through security and get to the gate by 11:05 at the latest. The line at Security was very short and I only had to hope that I did not get someone who questioned the odd equipment that I was carrying in my laptop case for my transcription work, thinking the pedal was a bomb device or something. I thought of the trip I took where the security guard took the pedal out of my bag and asked me to explain what it was before I could pass through, and I held my breath. There was no time for this today! The laptop passed inspection. I was soon on my way half walking, half running toward Gate B18. It was with mixed relief and a prayer of gratitude for both Abby and Ammon that I showed my boarding pass to the gate person at 11:05 and hurried to the plane. At least I didn't miss my plane. Great for that!!

Seriously, why do I relate this story? It is a reminder to me of the way the Lord helps us in times of need. We can pray for help when we have a need and the Lord will help us, but first He expects us to ponder and think things out in our minds. Then we must act on the impressions we receive and do everything in our power to do what we need to do. Finally, it is usually through others that the Lord answers our prayers. Do not deny help from others by saying, "no thank you, I can do this. I have prayed for help." And never forget, you may at times be the answer to another's prayer so always be willing to serve others when the opportunity arises. Thank you, Ammon and Abby, who were the answer to my prayer this time.

Catching Up with Summer

Air Show at Andrew's Air Force Base in May

I am not dead...just dead tired but enjoying every minute. Nearly six months have passed since I posted any adventures but I have been having a good time since I last wrote.

I had the chance to go to Washington D.C. to visit Bryce and Heidi in May once more before they moved to North Dakota for Bryce's next assignment and spent two weeks with them. I attended Heidi's graduation from nursing school.

After I came home from Heidi's, I spent a week with Alvin's kids while Alvin and Adriana went to Mexico to visit family there. I enjoyed spending time with them.




I began my trips to Annabella to stay with Katrina's girls during the summer, but I had a few interruptions so the summer went just too fast to spend as much time with them as I wanted to. One of those interruptions was a two week trip to Las Vegas when Teresa had her baby. Ephraim Mace Hardy was born June 10th.








I am glad that I had the opportunity to be with Teresa for this special time. She even made it to the hospital in time for the doctor to deliver the baby. (You remember Alex and Laura a few months ago who had to resort to Alex delivering their little girl in the car outside the hospital entrance without the help of hospital personnel.)

MEANWHILE BACK ON THE FARM---
Kyle and Katrina have added many animals to their small "farm" so we literally have to watch our step when we are outside. In addition to the two horses and three cows, they have 12 chickens, 8 ducks, three pigs, three turkeys, an annoying dog, a crippled cat, two geese, and now two new baby kittens and two chickens they just acquired at the fair last night. (I think all that is missing is the "partridge in a pear tree".)






The kids were excited to have all these new animals, but as they are getting bigger, they put a little more fear into the girls at times--like when the rooster charged Kadance the other day. I went with her to the barn a couple days later to be her bodyguard and low and behold, that rooster attacked me too! I knew I had to show Kadance that she didn't need to be afraid of him so I just pushed back and I think I won.

4TH OF JULY
Of course, I enjoyed getting together at my house in American Fork again for the Hatch Family Reunion the 4th of July weekend. We began with a Dutch oven dinner on Friday the 2nd. This was followed by a fun auction, and then we watched the 3rd annual "Dive Inn" movie, "Litte Rascals" this year. We had a new candy launcher this year, thanks to Aaron and Ammon, and had a terrific time watching that powerful machine launch a tennis ball clear to the baseball diamond. The kids enjoyed the candy chase and of course swimming in the pool.












EXTENDED HATCH FAMILY REUNION
Verlin's siblings organized a Hatch Reunion for Saturday, the 3rd. We watched the parade in Provo on Saturday morning and several families went to Kiwanis Park in Provo to watch the fireworks following the Stadium of Fire. They just seem to get better every year even better than Aaron's fireworks:).

AMMON AND ABBY'S FIRECRACKER ARRIVES



Sunday July 4th proved to be the most exciting day of the reunion as another grandbaby was added to the mix--a little firecracker! Abby had her baby about 4:00 in the morning. UNLIKE Teresa and TOO MUCH LIKE Alex and Laura, Abby had her baby--not in the car outside the hospital but in the elevator outside the nursery floor of American Fork Hospital. Ammon was in attendance but he called out for help and a couple of nursery nurses came and caught the baby and then they rode the elevator up to the next floor to complete the delivery and clean up. They named their little boy Heber Washington Hatch after two of their great great grandfathers.

I did spend one week of July at home while Katrina's girls were visiting Grandpa and Grandma Reid. Then I picked up the girls in Spanish Fork and drove to Annabella and met up with Katrina. We drove to Las Vegas and spent two days with Brian and Teresa and attended church with them when Ephraim was blessed on August 1st.


SEVIER COUNTY FAIR
Now, I have spent the last two weeks at Katrina's again and we were up to our necks in fair projects every day. The fair is here, the items are all entered and the judging is complete so we can breathe again. Everyone had a good showing at the fair. Katrina and I even entered a couple items. I entered an afghan that I was working on and the quilt that I made for Teresa. My afghan received a blue ribbon and the quilt received "Judges Choice" in the quilt category. According to the description Judges Choice is the item that best exemplifies the theme of the fair, which this year was "We've Got a Good Thing Growing". I am not sure how this quilt exemplifies that, but I am glad that the judges liked the quilt. Maybe they knew that this quilt was for my 24th grandchild and we really do have a good thing growing--the Hatch family!!




If Katrina doesn't post soon I will add pictures of the girls' projects.

Coming Soon: Wood Badge 2010. My experiences as a Troop Guide.

Computer Savvy

A few weeks ago Katrina invited me to check out a health and nutrition website called sparkpeople.com. The Nutrition Tracker has been very helpful for me in making sure I eat a healthy diet, keeping track of what I eat and suggesting how I can do better. The Fitness Tracker allows me to map out my walking routes and keep track of how much exercise I get. So far I have several 2-3 mile maps around American Fork, including the cemetery and around the temple, and now several for Las Vegas that I use to track how far I have walked. (I look forward to many new routes when I visit family!)

Hyrum has recently learned how to play some games on the computer. The other day he was watching me as I entered the points on a map for a new map to Art Dye Park. If I click on an already established point it removes it so I was having trouble getting the return route right so that I didn't remove the previous points. After starting over twice I groaned when I had to do it a third time. Hyrum was very encouraging, telling me I could do it. When I finally was successful in completing the map he cheered me with "Yeah! You won!" I guess he thought it was some new kind of computer game.

Galloping Granny

Today at church Sis. Callahan asked me how my trip to Irvine was (Jan 14-26). I know that was quite a while ago, but I have only been back to 12th Ward twice since then. First Katrina called me Monday afternoon, Feb 8 and asked if I would want to stay with them a few days until Kasidy got over an illness that was keeping her out of school and thus keeping another family member out of school or work to be with her, so I jumped in the car and went right down. By Friday she was well enough to go to school again and I went home Thursday evening and prepared for Brian and Teresa's visit Feb 11th through the 14.

I was looking for some milder weather, so I asked if they would mind if I visited them for a couple weeks. They came to Utah for a wedding and said they would let me ride back to Vegas with them. I was able to visit for 2 weeks.

Both Hyrum and Brigham had birthdays on Feb 15. Ammon and Abby celebrated Hyrum's birthday on the 13th and the Hardy's celebrated Brigham's birthday the 15th so I was able to see both of them blow out their candles and share some birthday cake (pie in Brigham's case). Time goes so fast. It seems like only yesterday when I visited Brian and Teresa when Brigham was born.

I had a great time. We were able to go on walks together nearly every day. The walks varied from two to four miles. The weather was quite pleasant except for one day when it was down right cold, but we walked anyway. We were wishing we had dressed warmer.

One day Brigham and I went on a walk together while Teresa went to a doctor's appointment. I decided to do the three-mile walk. It was still a bit chilly so we put a light blanket on Brigham's lap (he rides in the stroller). When I was over two miles into the walk Brigham noticed that his blanket was not on his lap. I hadn't even noticed it fall and was so baffled to look back the direction we had come and it was nowhere in sight. How could it fall off his lap and I not trip over it or at least run over it?! I turned around and retraced my steps until I found it lying near the curb about a block away. I retrieved it and we headed home. After one more detour because I later turned right when I should have turned left, I managed to extend the walk from 3 miles to 4.16 but at least I found my way home. I only had to call Teresa twice!

Brigham and I had fun together.







...............We blew bubbles........







.............played basketball........



and played with his toys and read books together, sometimes I read and sometimes he did. I flew home last night and I miss him already (Teresa and Brian too), but it was fun to see Ammon's family again and get big smiles and hugs from Audrey and Hyrum when I came home.

Sis. Callahan asked me what my next plans were and told her I would be home for a week and then will spend about ten days with Kyle and Katrina's girls again while they go to Texas. After that I actually plan to be home through April and then will fly to Maryland for two weeks in May. Then summer split between Katrina's house and Teresa's when she has her baby, and then back to Katrina's while she goes to summer camp and by then it will be the 4th of July. Hopefully I will have a few weekends at home to enjoy Ammon and Abby's new baby.

I wonder why Sis. Callahan called me "Galloping Granny"...

Smoke, Rain and Snow

Snow at Shane and Sonia's
We used to say when sitting around the campfire and smoke would blow in our face--no matter where we moved around the circle--"well, smoke follows beauty". (This comment was usually followed by the remark --but Beauty is a horse".)

Well, bad weather seems to follow me like smoke follows beauty.

January 12th I flew to Irvine, California to spend time with Andrew and Melissa and watch their boys while Andrew and Melissa went on a one-week Mexican cruise. I was so excited about the lovely weather when I arrived, even though in reality American Fork did not really have that bad of weather when I left. Well, on Sunday evening when I dropped Andrew and Melissa off at the dock, it began to rain and it rained most of the week, sometimes dumping as much as 1/2 to 1-inch in an hour. Carter's school announced that there was a tornado warning, but fortunately it hit further north. I was fortunate that I only had to drive out a few times to take Parker to preschool and pick him up. It turned out to be an interesting but mostly enjoyable week with the boys. The weather was nice by the time Andrew and Melissa came home and they hardly knew what they missed--besides their cute boys that they were very glad to see!

Carter

Tristan

Parker

On Friday the 28th I drove to Logan to see my new granddaughter, Emma and of course Alex, Laura and Graham. I stayed Friday night with Shane, Sonia and Taylor. I brought my Sunday clothes just in case I decided to spend Saturday night with them also since their meetings are at 8:30 a.m. and mine aren't until 2:00 p.m. I kind of watched the weather Saturday so I could make a decision about traveling home that evening or if I could spend the night with Sonia and still make it back to American Fork safely in time for my meetings. The Saturday night 10:00 news said there would be a little snow, mostly in Northern Utah, probably about an inch. Well, we woke up to more like a foot of snow.

Do I really have to get up?!

TURN OFF THAT CAMERA NOW!!

It was a rough night for Taylor, too! We did wake her up a bit earlier than usual to get to their 8:30 meeting. I went ahead and went to church with Shane and Sonia and decided that I would just stay until Monday until the weather was better. I am grateful that I was able to visit some of my children and beautiful grandkids.

Emma

Graham

Taylor