Reflecting

I have been down with my annual "cold" since last Thursday and I have been "reflecting" on how much I love this group of little people. My life has been pretty much in the mine-set of becoming a grandmother which my mother told me would definitely happen IF I became a mother myself. Okay, sounded great to me! It took the better part of my teenage years holding on to the man whom I wanted to share my eternity with and believe you me when I say holding on I MEAN holding on!!! To this union came five of the most incredible people who have been an inspiration and example to me!!! Then one by one they left my security and roof and began their own journey!!! As they found their eternal companions, my grandmother~clock started ticking and before long, these precious, yes~perfect, amazing little humans entered the Gardner family!! I know my Heavenly Father lives and loves me because as I watch these awesome grandchildren grow and come into their own I feel His presence daily!! Now I must admit I wish they were all a two minute drive away but their parents are so wonderful in keeping Papa and I a part of their activities and lives.

Cody Hayden ~ our hunter

Wyatt Floyd ~ our lover of life

Kaely Sue ~ our dance entrepreneur

Cambry Christi ~ our barrel racer

Doyle Brian ~ our tool man

Brynlee Dawn ~ our sweet baby

Theron Vergene ~ our lover of sports

Sydney Lillian ~ our princess

How can people not know of a divine presence when there are treasures in this world such as these. I want Chet, Delores, David, Christi, Bruce, Sandra, Chris and Sue Ellen to know how much I love and appreciate the upbringing of their children in some way, shape or form to become the most incredible spouses to our children. Yup, this Mimi IS extremely grateful for this journey and I look forward to whatever comes our way because I know we will endure anything when we endure together!!! FAMILIES ARE FOREVER!!!!!

The Class of '70 Picnic Reunion

The magnificent Superstition Mountains

Front row: Charolette, me Lou Ann, Nancy, Isabele,Sherry

Back row: Carla, Mary, Lynn, Allison




Left to right: Vergene, Dale, Bill, Vance, Chuck, Johnny, Leonard

A few weekends ago we were fortunate to be able to go to a Mesa High School Class of '70 picnic reunion at the base of one of Arizona's grandest mountain~the Superitions. It was a gorgeous day and as the sun went down the full moon was high~absolutely breathtaking!!!! Our good friend Dale Hamblin got it organized and we had people from Montana, South Carolina and as far away as Scottsdale come for a day of bonding, memories and eating! These "kids" are we fondly refer to each other have been a part of our lives since elementary school and they are still "rockin on"!!!!!!! Some of them, Vergene and I haven't seen since we graduated 40 yes I said 40 years ago!!!!!!! This reunion will be a yearly event and will bring more classmates since the world of communication now includes Facebook!!!! Carry On Jackrabbits Carry On!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Rex !!!!!!

Our boys

Can this be~yup, it is!!!

Look lively, Soldier!!!!!!

This wasn't suppose to happen. This young man was not suppose to reach his 16th birthday let alone his 29th one!!!!! He wasn't suppose to get his driver's license or go to Prom or be president of Chef Brigade or graduate from high school or serve a mission or work for Safeway or finally ending up at Disneyland and be Pluto of the Year~TWICE!!!!!!! To say we are so grateful for his love, support and what he brings to this family is to say the least!!!! People are so grateful to have Rex cross their paths both face to face and under a "head"!! He is kind, humble, focused, loving, caring, trustworthy, loyal and noble!! I am so grateful and blessed to be his earthly mother. We love you so much, REX!!!

Opposite ends of the equation......

Benji~2011

Shamoms~2011

Okay, so here is the greatest example of how opposites can attract. The stud on the top of the hill, stately, focused, so GQ and then we have the mascot/cheerleader, crazy, never stops being spontaneous, so crazy! We absolutely love these two because they so compliment each other and have easily rubbed of on each other hence Benji can be crazy and Shawna can be focused!

The spouses of our children are awesome and Verg and I love 'em like our own!!

We are so blessed for this family unit and eternity will be terrific!! Love you all!

Well ..............

Can't let March escape without a blog to make this year complete!! Geez where have I been. Today Verg and I decided to usher in Spring by planting some flowers and cleaning up out front. Well, Mother Nature also decided to let the wind blow at sub-hurricane speed so it was so much fun to try and rake up dried out tumbleweeds and try to put them in the trailor! Mercy!!!! Did the best I could and it does look alot better!!! Now it is a race to see who can become the "boss" of the terrain~~~~~the newly sprouted tumbleweeds OR me!!! Believe you me, I will go out fighting, Round Up is my new best friend!!! Oh yeah, you are history little tumbleweed sprouts, HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gotta love the Irish ....

Sometimes I wonder if in my line of ancestors, a bit of the "luck of the Irish, somehow crept in the New England Leighton-Hatch lines and took on the color of green! I love St. Patrick's Day and my favorite movie for this holiday is "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" in which Sean Connery had one of his first movie roles and Walt Disney left nothing for the imagination on how the "wee people" lived, loved and superstition-ized the world! Oh and why I think I have Irish in my line, some of my relatives have a short fuse, love for the "drink" and no-holds-barred attitude! Although green has never been one of my favorite colors, it's growing on me.
So "top of the mornin' to ya", "watch for the pot at the end of the rainbow" and "the wee people are everywhere", on the love of the Irish and Happy St. Patrick's Day (still lovin the Mustangs of Western New Mexico)!!!!!

So this year will be better.....

I told myself,"Self, we need to do better on our blog" so I can have the hard copy done for my posterity. I really would love to have a camera like the girls so I can have really great pictures when I want them. This is important to me as is going to the Temple, Family History and my scrap booking. So 2011 focus on what is important and what is needed to keep my sanity and my eternal salvation!!!!
So can Mimi do this ~~~~you bet, ONWARD AND UPWARD!!!!!! No whining, no complaining and absolutely NO EXCUSES!!!!!!!!!!!
CARRY ON!!!!!!!!!!!1