Dad and Mom came up to Cedar City to attend our Stake Conference. Erik gave a wonderful talk. We celebrated mom's birthday by having her favorites. Just like when we were young, she would make our favorite foods on our birthdays. We also made sure to have a few "green" things as it fit perfectly for the day of being St. Patrick's Day. Mom likes spaghetti & meatballs, complete with mushrooms in the sauce. We also had asparagus and zucchini strips, pistachio salad, green jello salad. She likes chocolate cake with Rocky Mountain White Frosting. I also had to make a jello poke cake for fun, too. (White cake with green jello) I didn't have 80 birthday candles... I didn't even have a single one birthday candle. But we did have an "emergency" candle that we put a green ribbon on it to make festive. haha Mom didn't blow out her candle. She tried to extinguish the flame with her fingers. Oh, mom! It didn't work because she really needed her fingers wet to not get burned, but someone else jumped in and helped her "blow" out her candle... with their fingers. haha!
It was fun sharing the day with both dad and mom as we chatted, caught up with happenings of life and of the family. We talked about temples and noted that there were but 7 temples on the earth when dad and mom were born, then 8 temples when they were married. There were 15 temples when their first child, DeAnn had graduated high school and then 27 temples by the time their 7th and last child, JoLene graduated from high school in 1984. There were 48 temples dedicated in the span of two years... the same timing that their first great-grandchild was born, Joshua Ellingson, making the total of operating temples a whopping 102! (Interesting fact: Before President Gordon B Hinckley became president of the church, he had dedicated 22 temples. Over his life he dedicated 85 temples. I wonder what his passport looked like! Such an awesome work to be involved in!)
And just yesterday...the 141st temple being dedicated... the Honduras Temple. Beautiful! Our neighbor across the road is in Honduras on his mission. The saints are so excited to have this temple in their midst. What an opportunity for them to have temple blessings of eternity.
Blessings come in a variety of forms from Temples... and one such blessing mom recounted her visit to the Redlands temple recently (with Randy & Joyce & Brittany). She bumped into an old time friend from the past. She mentioned how that has been such a wonderful event to be able to meet a friend again unplanned at a far away destination for both of them at the same time. I believe there are no coincidences with the Lord. He has a hand in all things and He just knew it would make mom's day! Several pictures of their reunion are on a previous post of this blog.
Dad and mom both told stories from the past and it was fun to hear about them. Dad is a great husband to mom, taking good care of her and being a good companion and friend. I am glad they enjoy St. George and have a nice place to live.
I loved our family sibling conference call with all of us being in 8 different locations! What great technology! It was a great tribute to mom, and dad as well, to help celebrate her 80th birthday. What fun memories we share of growing up and being raised by such good parents who love us. There are so many dysfunctional families out there. We have it so good. As mom mentioned how it was hard at times, we all pulled through together. We don't have it perfect in this life, but I am reminded of this quote:
Thanks for being my family....Love JoLene
As Grandma Polatis-Clark would often say... and mom says it all the time too....
Blessings on You.
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