Grit

"I was in a place in my head during the kayak that I'd never been.""

To be an adventure racer, you have to have to be sort of odd...or oddly mentally tough.

Mike, girls and I spent a couple of days this week, along with other parents and supporters, with the New Plymouth Hillary team at the end of their 5-day championship adventure race near Tongariro National Park - the Hillary Challenge.

It felt sacred somehow....to watch the team cross the finish line and then try to take it all in.

I've never had a bigger feeling inside of me for our son, Noah, 

captain of the 2015 NPBHS/NPGHS Hillary Team.  

TedTalk about Grit

Mothers' Day

Mothers' Day walk, Lucy's Gully

I love Mothers' Day!  I like hearing the talks in church about mothers, and I like getting all the notes and treats from Primary!

Mothers' Day brekkie

I like breakfast in bed, and I like being treated with extra sensitivity all day by my family.  Thank you to my family for making it such a great day!

 My wish for Mothers' Day afternoon was a hike up Lucy's Gully to give a FHE lesson in the trees.  I got to tell all the interesting stories and anecdotes from my trip to the States.  

I kept a running list on my phone when I was traveling, so I had a lot of interesting stories to tell!  Everything from seeing a woman hiking in the mountains with a handgun strapped to her chest (to protect against moose), to stories from the funeral service, to Marshall's dance moves on YouTube, to what Abby thinks about boys who try to use "sexy" as a compliment, to seeing Jared on his knees praying in the morning by the side of the hide-a-bed couch...plus many more.   

These are the uniforms the boys wear when they represent our school at an event outside the city (Oak, cross-country; Danny, basketball).   Noah is doing an impromptu haka-move as a photo bomb.  

All 3 Jones Boys are in this picture of the house haka competition.
The boy standing up is leading the haka.

 These are the regular school-day uniforms.  Noah and Oak are on the left.  Danny on the upper right.

It still remains to be seen how going to an all-boys school will affect our boys.  They seem happy, in general...

Most people here, including the local boys, believe in the single-gender education system.  They feel that boys are happier and more free to develop as individuals, that the boys don't do as much posturing, and that the school is more able to incorporate the physical exercise and sports that help boys thrive.

Book of the Week:

Thanks, Stacy!

 I almost didn't pick up this book because of the subtitle, "from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games."  I didn't want to read any more about the terrible atrocities committed by child soldiers in the African wars.  This author, however, escaped the rebel army before being asked to become a soldier.  A very inspiring and interesting book!  It would make a good audiobook in the car for the whole family.

No Tears for Me!

Last week, I travelled to Venice, Utah to attend Grandma's funeral.  I am very thankful to have been able to spend the weekend with my family, celebrating the life of "Grandma Great."

I am including an essay, "No Tears for Me!" that Grandma wrote.  She asked that it be read at her funeral.  When Grandma says she was "different," I guess she is referring to the birthmark that covered half of her face.  She received an anonymous note during her teens that included a cut-out advertisement for face cover-up cream, which she started using.  She taught 3rd and 4th grade for about 10 years while in her 20's.  When she was 30 years old, she married Grandpa, LaRue Miller.  They had 5 children, who are my Aunts Margaret, Camille, Carolyn, Pauline, and my Dad.  

 

No Tears for Me!

After some of the sting of my "departure" has eased I hope that the kind carpet of pleasant memories has started to unroll.

I ask only one thing:  No tears for me, for every wonderful and delightful experience and emotion life has to offer has been mine.  



I must say that my childhood had some sadness and hard times because I was "different."  But I had a good mind, and throughout my years in school, I stayed at the head of the class.  And I was well - never missing a day of school or being tardy, 'til in the 8th grade, when I got the Chicken Pox!!

Please remember me with a fond smile - as a mother and friend who shared your laughter, tears and dreams throughout the years.

Save your sadness and tears for those who go before their time.  I have lived a good span of years and have enjoyed most of them.  

I've laughed a lot and cried some, also.  I've seen a host of sunsets, beautiful moonlit nights, early morning dew on the grass, and walked in April rains and December snows.  

I've sat under the moon, on the bank of a stream or lake, or in the mountains, or on our front porch, or in the car as we travelled, with some one I loved and respected.  I have been loved by a man who is strong, loyal, and loving throughout our 64 years together.  

I've been blessed to be the mother of five precious children.  I've held each of our children in the bend of my arm and cherished every moment.

"I have been loved by a man who is strong, loyal, and loving..."

I have watched our children grow and become beautiful young adults.  I was happy as I watched them from the window as they happily left for school or play.  They have grown up, accomplished many things, have been good faithful church members and good citizens.  I am so proud of all of our children!

And who could dream of anything more precious than twenty-seven beautiful grandchildren - thirteen handsome grandsons and fourteen beautiful granddaughters.  They have brought sunshine into my life.

Yes, life has been goo to me in so many ways.  There have been ups and downs, but that only made the good times more cherished and special to me.  

I hope that you will remember the happy times we shared together: the summer campouts, the Christmas times we spent together, trips with grandchildren, family dinners, and especially our family reunions. 

We have been so proud of our grandchildren and the things they are doing.

Whenever I enter your thoughts, please think of me as just on a vacation with our loved ones who have gone before me.

Smile, and know that I am happy.  

This is our wish for our children and grandchildren, "May you walk with sunlight shining, may your hopes and dreams become realities, may you walk with pride and honor, may the everliving arm of peace and contentment be yours now and always.  May we always be a family of love, care, and concern for each other.  That is what the good life is all about."

Your Wife, Mom, Grandma, whose life was full because of your love.

PS  Music has been a great joy in my life.  I love music.  I love playing the piano, tho I am not that good at it, though I do ok with "oldies but goodies."  Also, I think I play hymns ok, and I love to play accompaniments for people to sing.

I hope I have instilled a love of music in my children, and we have a number of accomplished pianists and vocalists among our grandchildren.  

I also hope I had a good influence on most of the piano students I tried to help over the years.  I know many of them have gone on and have done very, very well, and I am proud of them.  I sincerely tried to help all of them.  

(Grandma noted that the postscript should be read first at the funeral)

2013 - Just 2 years ago!
When we lived in UT, we enjoyed monthly recitals with Grandma Great.

 Last night, when Noah saw this picture of Oak, he said, "Why didn't we start calling him 'Scrub' sooner?"  Oak is now almost as tall as I am.  He told me yesterday that one of his teachers at school tells them to "act your age, not your shoe size."  (Most of the kids in his class are 14 with a shoe size of 10.)  But Oak can act his age AND his shoe size, since they are both '13.'