Markers

It is funny how you mark time.  The older you get, the more time markers you have.  February 13 is the day our first child was born.....42 years ago.  I remember everything from the ride through the "cold gray Chicago morn" to the University of Illinois Hospital, to the nurses who seemed slightly oblivious to me, to the young Korean resident who kindly stayed with us until Derek was born, to watching the drab colors of day turn dark.  It was a day of wonder.

He was perfect and perfectly beautiful.  His smallness terrified me.  I was so grateful to have my mother awaiting our arrival in our apartment a couple of days later.  She knew exactly how to hold him, to burp him, to bathe him.  He was a patient and even-tempered baby who thrived in spite of his novice mother.

My mother used to replay for us the events of the days each of her children were born.  I find myself doing that as well, and now I have 13 grandchildren added into the mix, with another due in early May.

Sweet little Anna was also born on this day.  She is 10 years old.  I look often at our family pictures taken on a sun-drenched day last Spring with oranges dangling from the trees behind us.  We have a serious pose with everyone standing at attention, and then one that I love...with everyone leaning in together and laughing.  Each one in the photo brings a smile to my face...just makes me happy.

Anna in yellow daisies on black leans her head softly against her sister Lauren.  While nearly everyone but the two youngest boys is looking at the camera, Anna's gaze is downward and not focused.  She has a gentle smile on her face, as though she is thinking of something wonderful.  When I think of Anna, I think of that smile.

We had our Institute/dinner this evening.  We were fewer in numbers tonight - 21 - most likely because of the grand Valentine's weekend in Sweden that many of them will be going to tomorrow.  It is a four-hour drive to get there, where they will stay in dorms and have activities and a dance and then a sacrament meeting on Sunday.

I visited with an enthusiastic young man from Germany who is going to the Sweden YSA activity.  He decided to visit Copenhagen and the center on the way there.  He sat at the piano for nearly a half hour before things got underway and sent lovely music wafting throughout the rooms.  I was in the kitchen (of course) and thoroughly enjoyed the concert.

A beautiful young women came tonight for the first time....she recently returned from her mission to Temple Square, Salt Lake.  In fact, we visited her last summer while we were waiting for our visas.  We searched all over Temple Square looking for a sister with a missionary badge from Denmark.  We were excited to find her and visit with her - partly in Danish.  She will be going to law school here.

We had two other young men who were there for the first time....so there was a lot of visiting to be done!  Is it just my imagination, or does the presence of one beautiful young woman and two handsome young men add excitement?  I hope everyone gets to Sweden safely and enjoys the social gatherings there.

I spent time with several different YSAs and got to know each a little better....my respect and love for them grows with each chance to talk.  A quote attributed to Plato says "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."  It seems to be a true statement.  Life is not easy for anyone.

Yet they all say in one way or another, "Life is so much better with the Gospel."

Their calendar markers are "The day I was baptized." or "The day the missionaries knocked on my door." or "The day I went to the temple."

Think of all the exciting calendar markers they have ahead.