Mother's Day Dedication to My Wife; "Star of Justice"

Happy Mother's Day dedication to Sheri.

Booklet; Know What's Nice About You, Mother? Everything!

This is a booklet my sister gave to my mother for mother's day some years ago.  It lists many things mothers do for us:
Help us when we're in trouble
Forgive us, even if what we did really wasn't an accident
Give us comfort
Giving parties
LIstening
Being listened to
Getting us to do small tasks, and larger tasks,
Giving us a gentle push
Teaching us to do things
In the end in concludes: Everything

Written by Doris Faulhaber, illustrated by Maria Paoletti and Elena, American Greeting Corporation, Cleveland, OH, 1972.

Happy Mother's Day; Happy Birthday

Sheri had two celebrations a week apart this year.  Some years they are on the same day.  For her birthday Charity and Anthony and the girls came over.  For Mother's Day Jeremy came over with Kayla and the boys.   Miranda made Texas Sheet cake.  We put on no candles and did not sing.  However Sheri bought herself a new rug and two new chairs for the living room.

Tony's Happy Mother's Day

This is a bit slow, but this is the result of Tony's school Mother's Day Project.

This is Toy's hand on a tile.  Sheri really liked the "hands down"

decorated bag

the card

Tony myst really be into love birds because they are a common theme

Tony is a Seven-year-old Van Gogh

This is the book Tony illustrated at school for his mother.  I like the way for some of the pictures he puts in a neat background.  It reminds of Van Gogh's "Starry Night."  I also like the emotion he puts into Mother's face.  Sheri's favorite picture is the baby getting his bum changed.  Tony's seen that plenty of times.

Mothers Day: Skylar visit

Skylar is our grandson.  He came to visit on Sunday, but couldn't stay long because Jeremy had to work.

Skylar liked the big ball

He also liked to draw

I Love Camberly Rose and Her Big Blue Eyes

Kissing cousins but Tony is her uncle

she works hard

I took her to the back porch to play

Camberly is just the most beautiful Granddaughter.  I took these pictures for Mother's Day.  I am sure you will agree with me.  This is the second time Caleb has seen her via Skype.  When we at dinner she sat in the high chair, and her Dad gave her Ritz crackers.  She had one in each hand.  It was funny, but regrettably no picture.

Mothers Day Tribute to Sheri Wardle

For a recent Fifth Sunday, the Bishop asked me to provide a short presentation on Sheri, using the pattern found in an article in the Ensign.  He was high lighting the four women presidents in the ward, Young Women's, Relief Society, and Sheri from the Primary.  This is how it turned out.

Sheri

Sheri is of royal lineage.  I sang a song to her when we were married a song called Vision: "See that woman standing there, golden sunlight in her hair. Something glows above the rest, can your sense her nobleness.  A painting without frame it seems, but endless in its majesty; can you see what I see, can you see?  I see a vision in eternity, you are the vision I see.  Angels surround you in eternity, glorious queen your will be.  I see the sons I see the daughters at your side, glorious queen; Goddess forever." 

Sheri’s youth was hard.  Her parents were divorced when she was three, and she was raised by her birth mother and stepfather.  Sheri now has two fathers.  Her step father did not always treat her as he should have.  Her oldest brother was killed in a farm accident when she was in third grade.  Sheri was acquainted with grief and hardship. 

Sheri was the oldest daughter in her family of thirteen siblings.  She grew up working hard, changing diapers, cooking and cleaning; and performing farm chores.

After we were married, we were anxious to start a family.  Sheri always wanted a large family of at least eight children (not a few).  Sheri quickly became pregnant.  However her fist pregnancy ended in miscarriage.  Her second pregnancy also ended tragically with a stillborn baby boy.  It wasn’t until her third pregnancy that we brought our oldest daughter home, Natalia.  She was followed by five more siblings, each born about two years apart.  Sheri was a busy woman.

When are youngest child, Caleb, was finishing elementary school, Sheri reminded me that when we courted I had always talked about being adoptive and foster parents.  She was the spark behind us becoming licensed as foster parents.  She said she felt inspired that we were supposed to do this.

Starting about eight years ago, we brought over 35 children into our home.  Some we had for only a brief period.  Some we kept for over a year.  Tony we were able to adopt.  We have had children from many different circumstances.  Some, such as Tony, were premature.  Sheri has a special talent with premature babies and babies with prenatal drug exposure.  She has a deep seated love for children.

Sheri is an example in our home of daily prayer and daily scripture study.  She gets up early and reads her scriptures and has some time to herself to meditate and pray.

Lessons

To each is given a talent, and we should use that talent.

Having faith in the Lord he will show us the path we should go and the things we should do to leave a positive mark in the world.

Even though things don’t always work the way we would like them to, and there may be trial and pain; as we pursue with faith we receive blessings from the Lord.

What Can I Do?

Recognize and develop my talents, and use the talents I have been given.

Think about how I can strengthen my faith and trust in the Lord.

Consider how to make my time spent waiting for the Lord’s blessings more fruitful and productive.

Mother's Day:Skyping with Caleb

An hour can go rather quickly sometimes.  We got Caleb to sing happy birthday, and a song he heard in church, "There is Joy in my Heart".  But the time went very fast.  We were able to see Caleb's companion who is from Mesa, Arizona, Elder Standage.  When Caleb said he had to go it seemed way early to me, but the clock doesn't lie I guess.  Caleb did get to inspect the living room wall, and made sure his picture is there.  He also saw the rug in the living room, and chair and tables, etc.
Caleb seems happy, and he is happiest when he is the busiest.  They have some people they are teaching, and that is always good. 

Tony and Camberly entertaining Caleb

Life in Manteca 67: Sheri Wardle's Birthday and Mother's Day, Caleb Band Awards

We had a busy week.  I stayed home from work Wednesday so I could take Sheri out for dinner for her birthday.  Sheri goes to school on Wednesdays to volunteer.  They sang to her, but she didn't wear the birthday hat.  When they got home we went to Chili's, Sheri's favorite.  Tony went with us. I took pictures, but lost my camera.  Sheri received a few gifts, a journal from April Petersen, A plant from her visiting teaching partner and plant pots from me.

We did not do cake on Wednesday
as Caleb had something for music.  Instead we had
cake on Sunday.  Charity and Anthony brought flowers, and I got flowers and chocolates.  We had a calm day.  Sheri did not want a movie, so a few pictures suffice.
Caleb had his Band Awards last Thursday.  He received his Jazz patch and trumpet pin as well as a certificate for Outstanding Musicianship.  Combo A played, and Caleb was on the drum.

Mother's Day Thoughts from Church

The biggest thought I have been left with was from Brother Crockett during priesthood meeting.  He related a story of when he was set apart as a Bishop.  He visited a stake conference at the tri-stake center in Oakland.  The visiting general authority interrupted the meeting, and made a comment that all he saw was women carrying the babies out.  He admonished the men to take care of this task, as the women were with the babies all week and deserved a break on Sunday.  President Crockett remarked how the brethren quickly repented, as he saw only men taking children out of the meeting after this.
Sister Emily Herrera was the youth speaker in sacrament meeting.  She talked of time with her mother being important, first to teach her how to cook and how to shop.  She goes shopping weekly with her mother, but is now cooking by herself at least one meal a week.
Sister Peterson, our neighbor, talked of some of the trials of motherhood, as well as the blessings.  She is tried in childbirth with a tailbone that always breaks.  She also talked of a couple trials with baby messes; but also the joys of being a mother, relating stories of her siblings.
Brother Poole, former bishop, talked about mothers and the priesthood, and how the roles between man and woman is an equal partnership relationship.  God took the rib, to always remind man and woman to walk side-by-side.
Sweet times with Primary Children singing, and young men young women distributing flowers.
My thoughts: I think sometimes I feel certain tasks belong to Sheri, and even though I do them, I always do them with a chip on my shoulder, "see there, what I have done for you."  I think that attitude does not reflect a side-by-side attitude and I need to repent. 

Sheri's Birthday and Mother's Day Celebration

Sheri had double duty today: birthday and Mother's Day.  It would be nice if she got twice as much stuff, but such is not the case, she just misses out on one celebration. 

Charity made and decorated the cake.  She also selected the pearl necklace and earrings.  Sheri needs to have he ears repierced.  Caleb barbecued the carne asada and put love post-its ll over the house.  Miranda made a card.  Mark was here for Marines and made it back in time for dinner.  Tony thought it was his birthday and decided he is now five.  There were other gifts of candles and lotions.  All in all it was an enjoyable day.

My thoughts about Mother's Day Sacrament Meeting

I wanted to share a few thoughts about our sacrament meeting.  The most memorable part about our meeting was the music, I think that is the way it is on Mother's Day.  

For opening they sang my own mother's favorite hymn, Love at Home: 

Love at home

There is beauty all around, When there’s love at home; There is joy in every sound, When there’s love at home; Peace and plenty here abide, Smiling sweet on every side, Time doth softly, sweetly glide, When there’s love at home. Refrain: Love at home, love at home; Time doth softly, sweetly glide, When there’s love at home. In the cottage there is joy, When there’s love at home; Hate and envy ne’er annoy, When there’s love at home; Roses bloom beneath our feet, All the earth’s a garden sweet, Making life a bliss complete, When there’s love at home.  3. Kindly heaven smiles above, When there’s love at home; All the world is filled with love, When there’s love at home; Sweeter sings the brooklet by, Brighter beams the azure sky; Oh, there’s One who smiles on high When there’s love at home. My mom always strove to have a home of peace, filled with love, where the azure sky could beam. .

The primary sang "Mother I love You"  I hadn't realized our primary was so small.  Tony, who is a Sunbeam, was too shy to get up with them.  

The closing hymn reminds me that our goal, is to live worthy of going to the temple, and then live a life where the temple blessings become effective.  I have two daughters married in the temple, and I count Billy Boy as a further success in this regard.  However there are still four children who have not married in the temple.

Families Can Be Together Forever:

I have a family here on earth.
They are so good to me.
I want to share my life with them
through all eternity.
Fam'lies can be together forever
Through Heav'nly Father's plan.
I always want to be with my own family,
And the Lord has shown me how I can.
While I am in my early years, I'll prepare most carefully,
So I can marry in God's temple for eternity.
Ruth M. Gardner (© 1980 LDS)

In talking about those children who have not yet made it to the temple, where they can partake of God's greatest blessings, I cam across this statement of comfort from Joseph Smith.  This was part of a priesthood lesson.  on a conference talk "The Temple is About Families" by Richard H. Winkel:


“The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught more comforting doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain.” 

^{A couple of my sons seem to have forgotten about the temples.  I hope they remember.}