Baby & Blessed Momma

Melody is a mother. Little Junie Lane was born January 20th at 5 lbs+. Both mom and baby are doing great even though she was a few weeks early. We paid them a visit and held the precious angel in our arms. How sweet and perfect she is. It always amazes me how our bodies can create such perfect beings. Thanks to the great plan of the Lord for making it happen so.

Melody, my brother's daughter, knows her dad would be proud and the best grandfather. Perhaps he has known and been with Junie in heaven. He passed away sixteen years ago this month, but loved his children big. Choosing a life that compromised his health sealed his fate.

Christmas as a Kid -Best Memories

Grandma spent hours sewing our PJ's every year. No matter the weather or her health, never fear; She made forty with Christmas looming near. We cherished our new ones. Now she is no longer here.

Sometimes I would get a nightgown or a top & pants. The soft plush flannel kept us warm all winter. Two of my sisters have carried on the tradition, with their children and now grand children. It is a huge undertaking. I wonder if it is appreciated by their little ones.

Bubble lights at my grand parents home were the best to watch as the air bubble bobbled up and down. We asked our parent's to get some. They never did. I was glad the lights came back in style, but I haven't bought any. When opening gifts with the whole family, we were required to take turns to see what everyone received. As our meal was prepared we played with cousins and enjoyed our gifts. It was a tight squeeze to fit everyone in or at the table. Some small tables were set up for the little ones. It was a big deal when we grew enough to eat at the adults table.

Remember When - Thanks to Grandparents

I remember when we went to our grandmother's home for Thanksgiving dinner. Those sweet angels had truly been slaving over a hot stove. Both of them had black cast iron ones heated with wood or coal. Now I understand why their pies, roasts and many things were a bit on the browned side (burned). They didn't have timers and perfect heating elements that made life easy, like it does today. Thanks to you both for your unselfish service all my life.

This milk separator was at my grand parents in a shed near the house. Each night after milking my brother, but before him my father and before him my grandfather, would carry the freshly obtained milk in pails to the "Milk House" to be separated. The sweet rich cream was the part we divided from the rest of the milk. With this cream we would churn butter, whip up whipped cream, make sweet treats and sell it. I never had pasteurized or homogenized milk until years after I married and moved away. Thank you Granddad, Dad and Jim, my brother, for providing this wonderful drink for our families. We were able to drink as much milk as we wanted. Now and since then, I have rationed it out knowing how costly it can be. When we were in Hawaii years ago it was $6 per gallon.

When or if I want to iron I just plug it in and turn it on, but my grandmother's had to heat their irons on the cook stove. when they were hot enough, they began the arduous task of ironing their wrinkled cotton clothes, bed sheets, pillowcases, and everything else. I hardly iron anything anymore. We are certainly spoiled.

Making do Like Women Do

Emily and her companion tried to heat up hot dogs in their toaster. Who knows what was in their heads or if the microwave was on the blitz.

I think I have tried the same thing a few times a work when the others heating devices were full.

The bush here is very full of fruit and looks tasty. The adventures of Sister Welch and her companion are lots of fun to read about. Be sure to get the emails forwarded from Camille, Paula or any family member. You wont want to miss a single one.

Rain is Falling All Around

Emily's companion has been lots of fun and they work well together. They have grown and taught many people and spiritual experiences have been abundant. So have the scary ones, but she walks on the other side of the street, stream or strip of mud. Keep up the great work, Emily.

If you missed the Facebook posts and email messages, here is Sister Welch up to her shins in water from non-stop rain. Ponpei is one of the rainiest islands in the world. They are getting what California wants. Emily is a good sport and trying to think of ways she can take advantage of all this water.

Emily Eases into the Eel

Emily is the missionary extraordinaire. She has been super busy teaching lessons, baptizing people, eating eel and more things than any of us will experience in a life time.

Best wishes Emily and may the force be with you.

Grandpa Crane's Birthday June 19th

I will always remember Grandpa Crane for the challenges he endured. Allergies and asthma were some of them. Living on a farm made it even more difficult when hay, grain, animals, dust were swirling in the air. The pasture where the sheep grazed was full of thistle. One summer as we grand children played, remember Grandpa out all day, week and month digging up the thistle plants. Not only did he hate them as well as being bad for the sheep, they made it difficult for him to breathe.

I wish now to have been a better grand daughter, that I had gone out into that field and helped my granddad dig out those thistles. If we all would have helped, the job would have been done quickly. He would have been spared a hot tedious job. Our appreciation for him and his for us would have been much stronger. Please forgive me, for being so selfish that summer long, long ago. Love you.