Cuz He's the Bomb!

At Thanksgiving, Ray and I were presented with a jar for each of us and the jars were full of hand written notes from each of the grandchildren and children.  We have opened one each day and it has been such a delight and so heart-warming.  We are so grateful for these loving and thoughtful notes!

Today's just made us laugh!  So hats off to all of you Dad's - I don't know which grandchild wrote this, but it could have been any of your children because you are all great fathers and we are so grateful for you sons and son-in-laws, you are great men!

 "Grandma, I am thankful for you having my dad cuz he's the bomb." 

And it needs an exclamation point - don't you think?

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love

 "Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, 

the things you are,

 the things you never want to lose."

~ from The Wonder Years

I have been going through old slides, converting them into jpeg files and it has been such a delight to remember wonderful people who have had such a positive impact on my life and to recall experiences that have helped form my faith, and build my testimony and help me to become who I am today.

 Ricks College 1970-72

Bowen 11 Room-mates -
Tony Fowler, Teri Hillyard, Judy Bartlett, Clair, Marilyn Hone, Sandy Rockwood  and Vicki Taylor

New Freedom Singers -  SpringTour 1972 We sang throughout the MidWest, Arkansas, Texas and Arizona

Singing of our love for our country, our God and family, as part of the New Freedom Singers, we toured the United States, welcomed President Nixon at the Idaho Falls Airport, won the Homecoming Songfest, received the "Best Large Group Award 1972" and sang with gratitude for this great country that we live in, for the gospel, for those who have fought to retain those freedoms and for the joy of living. 

"In the morning of my life,  I shall look to the sunrise

At a moment in my life, when the world is new.

And the blessing I shall ask, only God can grant me,

To be brave and strong and true,

And to fill the world with love my whole life through." 

Valerie Rohner, Sandy Rockwood, Mike Nef, Cheryl Gunter and Jim Blaylock -
"I'd LIke to Teach the World to Sing in Perfect Harmony"

"In the evening of my life, I shall look to the sunset.

At a moment of my life, when the night is due.

And the question I will ask, only I can answer,

Was I brave, and strong and true?

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?"

BYU 1972-73

Regency 101

Debbie Searle, Mary Alice Jensen, Sandy Rockwood, Kathy Sanderson, Colleen Hammon
at Judy Eliason's missionary farewell

I had the BEST room-mates! How grateful I am for wonderful room mates who influenced my life for the good.  Our daily prayers, family home evening and scripture study began lifelong habits that have strengthened my testimony, faith and love of our Savior.  We experienced daily faith promoting experiences that have had a profound affect on my life. And our Family Home Evening family - was the best - these young men honored their covenants and were such a great example to me.

Larry  Burton, Dave Wright, Steve Jenks ~ some of our FHE "brothers"

An Older Woman Ahead of You

An Older Woman Ahead of You

“There is an older woman up there ahead of you

That you ought to know

She looks somewhat like you

She has your eyes, your nose, your chin;

And whether she loves you 

or hates you, 

respects you or despises you

Whether she is angry or comfortable

Whether she is miserable or happy

Depends on you

For you have made her

She is you grown older.”

Sometime before the new year I was contemplating my life and things that I knew I needed to work on - so many things - where do I start? Many times I have thought at this age and time of my life I would be the faithful, gracious, kind, loving, courageous woman I wanted to become when I  copied this poem into my journal while serving my mission . . . and find myself so falling short of where I wanted to be forty years later.  I was talking to Heavenly Father about my shortcomings and what I thought I needed to work on~ so many things, it is sometimes overwhelming.

A few weeks later, sitting with some friends, one of them said she had been thinking a lot about being "Gracious" and asked us what we thought that meant.  We all chimed in and then the discussion changed.  A few weeks after that we were all together again and Paula told us that being gracious was still weighing on her mind and it was something she was working on, then she turned to me and said, "Sandy, I think of you as being someone who is gracious."  Well, after I pulled myself up off the floor, I remembered a prayer a few weeks prior to that and realized that Heavenly Father, was answering a prayer, just letting me know that I am at least headed in the right direction, even if I still have a long ways to go . . .