The Travels of Meranda

**Disclaimer** This is the only "beach" picture I have!

Just talked to Meranda, she was walking on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii.....yes that's right! When she was hired to be the manager, they said she would probably travel with the team. Well, with budget cuts, they weren't sure which trips she would go on, if any.

She has done such a good job--and they basically love her--so the only trip she hasn't been on was the first one to UCLA. She has been to Las Vegas, Tuscon, Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Corvallis, Eugene, Portland and now Hawaii. The remaining trips are to San Jose, Reno and Provo!

I have a copy of their Hawaii Itninerary - sounds like they will have some free time and some team activities. But as far as she is concerned, Breakfast on the Beach is awesome and she is sure she will want to go back some day!

I'm happy for her. She sent a picture from her Hotel room - nothing but ocean - "Holy Moly" she said...I'm happy for her!

Okay - this is funny

Our next door neighbors have a daughter that is a couple of years younger than Parker. Well, I guess she likes him and it drives him crazy.

It seems like she is always looking out the front window when we come and go gazing in Parker's direction. He said that he has seen her blow kisses to him. I have been a bit skeptical. But he insists and even "pinky swears" that she does it.

So I was on the phone with him this afternoon and the doorbell rings and it's her at the door. Her mother is my visiting teacher and she is delivering a sack of candy from her Mom to me. Parker is on the phone and says to me "It's Heather Cameron". To which she says "You mean Heather Wood".

Ok Parker, I believe you!

Dad

Since Mom passed away, we have been focused on her passing and what she meant to all of us. But, as I think about Mom, I can't forget Dad. I never really understood the love that Dad had for Mom until she was gone.

My Dad was always so big and strong to me. He worked hard and supported our family financially. He has served in the church my entire life. Yesterday, he came to dinner and told us that he had the same calling now as when he first started. I said - ward clerk, young men's - neither of those "Nothing" was his response, and then he laughed. You see he has been the gospel doctrine teacher for the past 29 years. A couple of weeks ago, the bishop told him that they were going to release him. When asked how he felt about that, he said it was probably time someone else had that opportunity.

He has said some poignant things over the past weeks that have touched my heart. From "I can't believe she's gone" to "She didn't teach me to cook". He wanted a younger picture of Mom so he would remember what she looked like when he meets her in heaven. He has a strong testimony of where she is and what she is doing right now! He gets tears in his eyes as he talks about her. He pays the bills, does the laundry (still three times a week), sends birthday cards...all in an effort to keep doing what she would have been doing.

He isn't afraid to accept help from his family, but still wants to remain somewhat independent. He wants to know exactly how much money he has in the checking account. He is more than willing to have someone else go to the grocery store for him, and he has ventured out a little more each week.

He is a great man, who got there with the help of his great wife! This week will be a tough one for him - 60 year anniversary on March 19th - but he won't be alone. We will be remembering and celebrating their life together!

Spring Break for MK

Meranda has been traveling with the USU softball team over the past week. They left on Thursday, March 3rd and will get back to Utah on Sunday, March 13th.

She is seeing the difference between JC and D-1 softball.
Nice Hotels - only two to a room.
Flying most places.
Eating at some different restaurants (some the same - like Subway).
Driving her own van.

This week during our snow storm, she was in California wearing shorts and a tee shirt.
Today they have a day off and are going to the Beach - tomorrow to Downtown Disney.
**UPDATE** NO BEACH...NO DOWNTOWN DISNEY.....SHE'S NOT SURE WHY.

She had an all-expense paid Spring Break! What a deal.......

Another weird thing....

While I'm at it - another weird thing.

When we were in Las Vegas a week ago, we were sitting at a softball game and I had set my purse in the empty seat in front of me.

Moments later, I saw a "younger" person holding what I thought was my purse....guess again....it was her's but was exactly like mine.

Later on, another person walked by, you guessed it, with a purse exactly like mine.......

Weird........

***Weird Dream***

I don't really dream very much - but Monday night I had a doozie!

I needed to get up on Tuesday at 5:00 a.m. to take Parker and a friend to Water Polo Practice (he thought he might give it a try). Well Parker couldn't go to sleep Monday night --- which meant I didn't go to sleep and neither of us slept very well.

I don't know about you, but when I need to get up at a different time, I find myself waking up off and on during the night checking the time. That was no different Monday night, other than when Parker came in at 5:01 a.m. with a "deer in the headlights" look, I had just had the most bizarre dream.

I was leaving the house to pick them up from practice and was greeted by a cat that jumped up on me and sunk its claws into my sweat pants. I tried to shake it loose, but ended up needing a baseball bat to help. On my way to the school to pick them up, I couldn't get out of the neighborhood because there was some police activity blocking the road out. Somehow I made it to the school and they loaded in the car, but then I had to stop and get them something to eat and was trying to put some kind of gooey stuff in a paper cup. It kept overflowing and making a mess. On the way to take them to HJH, somehow we ended up in Magna.

Then I woke up to Parker's nudging "Mom it's 5!"

Wow - that was weird!