DORIS KIRKHAM JOHNSON - 2000
¯ ® ® New Millennium ® ®¯
January 1st. The New Year, New Century, New Millennium came in peacefully in spite of predicted world-wide troubles. I missed Maurice, especially during the holidays.
I was still an aid in the Nursery, but missed McKay as she went into Sunbeams. The other little children continued to call me “Grandma” and Justin Searle said, “I’ll go into the nursery if Grandma Johnson will be there!”
I attended Singles Home Evenings on Mondays. I continued to be on the Homemaking Committee and gave a lesson regularly in “Home, Family, Personal Enrichment” meeting.
On January 14th I went to Sandy with Jerda and Kirk. One day several of us rode the Trax train to Salt Lake City, then at Carolyns, celebrated her birthday.
Phyllis and Rick came in February so we spent time with them and Rickell. Kristen and Jim made the decision to buy my house for sure, and the plan was to add some rooms and an apartment for me, so Kristen began decorating what would be her living room. We had Hoe Evening here at our house on Fast Day.
On February 14th, there was a fierce storm which frightened everyone and blew down many trees in the area. We were without power all night Rickell came and brought a little battery T.V. Maureen and Josh came also.
Carolyn, Von, Phyllis and Rick, Kanda, Roy, Damian, Gaird, Kirk, Jerda and friends, Corbett and Jason were all here and assisted with cutting down the two big trees at back as the new house addition would cover that area. I had thoughts of Maurice’s parents planting those trees in about 1928, and all the shade we’d enjoyed from them, as well as hanging clothes on the lines fastened there.
On March 8th Dale called to say he would go to Uzbekistan with and agriculture team. Maureen came to visit often and one evening we and Kristen dipped wax figures for the children.
March 18 - Rickell took me to Sandy. I met Damian’s fiancé, Brecken and her little girl Baylie. One evening we had a birthday party at Carolyn’s for Michael, Mary, Lem, Natalia, Tati and we played Family History games. I attended church at Carolyn’s Teacher Improvement class, which she taught - and did so well! Again I had a lovely weekend, a pleasant room to sleep, and gifts and treats. They were all so good to me!
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Spring came and I felt thankfulness for enjoying the season again. Maurice used to jokingly say on lovely Spring days, “It makes you wish you were alive.” I wished he was alive, and went to the cemetery often to meet him there, but he was busy somewhere else. I walked a mile a day around the property, sometimes holding Laney and McKay’s soft little hands.
In April, I watched General Conference and attended the satellite showing of the Palmyra Temple dedication.
The families came from Utah and we had another enjoyable Make-Take-It at Rickell’s house, and a baby shower for Marisa and Michael. Lem and Mary cooked dinner for us.
April 15th at Rickell and Heather’s invitation (and at Rickell’s expense), I left for Heather’s in Florida. Maureen and Josh were already there, so came to the airport. We had a lovely time there for a week. Lake Worth Beach, lunch at Lara’s workplace, Tiger Shark Park, toured Jan’s plant nursery acres, Relief Society, Disney Animal Kingdom.
On April 27th, Von, Carolyn and I flew to Dale’s in Maryland. Again, w were shown such a good time. Amish Country in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Ark of the Covenant Temple replica, weeded and planted some garden, walks through woods, Hagerstown museums, hikes around Antietam Glen property, boat ride down Antietam Creek, Allen’s music concert in New Jersey, Gettysburg, Boonsboro ice cream shop and more! Von and Carolyn returned home on May 6th and I on the 13th.
The huge gigantic tree root was still in the yard, a reminder that exciting things were going on at home, and the excavating had begun. Maureen, Kris and I went to the Blackfoot Theater to see Joseph’s Amazing Technicolor Coat, live. I tended Laney and McKay while Kris and Jim went with Carolyn and Von to Grand Gulch in Southern Utah.
On May 22nd, at our last DUP meeting for the year, I was sworn in by the Company President, Evada Bitter, as Captain of our Shelley Camp for two years.
On May 25th, I flew to Grand Forks to visit at Carl’s and Laree’s. I was fortunate to be there for David’s High School graduation and open house party. We went up to Winnipeg, Canada, the I-Max theater, museums, dinners, craft stores, Holiday Inn. I loved the ride up and back through the countryside. We went to Lake Itasca and on a pontoon around the lake. I was invited to speak at David’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor. I was proud of him. On May 27th, I returned home
June 10th, I attended District CUP Convention in Pocatello with other Camp members. Maureen and Josh came for our Flag Day, flag ceremony, and she brought breakfast. Kris and I went to the Regional Dance festival in Blackfoot, for which Maureen and Bryan had taught the participants from their ward. I attended Trent’s and Nick’s ball games several times.
Maureen, Josh and I went with the Utah families to the Manti pageant on June 24th. As always, I loved Southern Utah and the Pioneer atmosphere. Back at Carolyn’s we watched President Hinckley’s birthday celebration on TV. Maureen and I stopped to visit Bill and Jean on the way home.
Back home, the building had progressed to having my apartment framed and the ceiling up and I wished often Maurice was here, and could see and enjoy the progress, and I could hold his hand and hug him.
July 1st, it was so interesting to be right here, look out a window or door and see the house developing. Carolyn, Von, Phyllis and Rick came for a weekend. All of us here went to Idaho Falls fr dinner. Then one night, thirteen of us slept out in the unfinished house on the upper level, under the stars and watched a movie on TV. On July 3rd we went to Wolverine and cooked supper. On July 4th, Von and Carolyn bought me new barrel planters; they and Lem and Mary helped transplant some of my favorite flowers, which would be dug up by excavation for the septic tank. We watched the fireworks at Idaho Falls.
One day, I went to offer money to Ivan Christensen, who had come and offered a loan to us during the dark days of our bankruptcy. I offered to continue to pay until the debt was finished He refused it and said he didn’t need it, and to keep it for myself. I felt it was such a Christian action on his part.
Phyllis came the July 6th weekend as Jerda was ill. Then we spent an evening watching a video and refreshments. Another part! We took Rickell out to breakfast as she is now moving to Utah to attend college.
For our Family Reunion, we went out to Bingham Park and camped. We spent the next day with meals at home here, and finished by meeting at the cemetery. Attending were Carolyn, Von, Mary, Lem, Kanda, Roy, Maureen, Bryan, Robyn, Heather, Jan, Jake, Luke, Josh, Phyllis, Rick, Rickell, Brecken, Damian, Baylie, Gaird, Jennie, Derek, Jerda, Kirk, Kristen, Jim, Trent, Nick, Laney, McKay and me.
BY July 24th, the old and new house floors were joined and we could see the whole length of it which looked very long!
I was so happy to have Carl, Laree, and David come and we went to Utah for the blessing of Michael and Marisa’s baby, Maurice Carl Johnson. Kristen and family also were there. While there, Dale had come from Maryland to attend a Seminary Symposium, as he teaches early morning Seminary. The time worked well for he and Carl to both be in Shelley for a day. They rode around the farms and old places. After his seminar, Dale came and he, Maureen and I went up to West Yellowstone, a lovely day.
On Sunday, Crag Cutler was made our new Stake President at conference. Dale and Maureen hiked up to Alaska Basin, then he came, did several jobs on the house, and returned to Maryland. I must add that Jim’s family and mine have assisted with the building of the house.
In August, I began attending Single Home Evenings at Marie and Neil Andreason’s home one Monday each month. Also, in August, Mary was baptized. August 24th, summer ended sadly as always, when the yellow bus came by and took the little children to school - Trent, Nick and Laney. I remembered how I loved summer when my children were home, and when school started, summer was over! I think sometimes when little Carl’s teacher said she bet the mothers were happy to have school start, and Carl said “No, my mother likes to have us home.” I did.
September 2, Christensen’s and Huntsman’s came for Nick’s baptism. Thirty-two members from both families came. At the baptism, the tape Maurice had recorded for Derek while we were on our mission was played. I felt it was appropriate and spiritual. All came out here for lunch. On Spud Day, some of us went to Rickell’s house in town to watch the parade - Rick, Phyllis, Jerda, Kirk, Rickell, Jim , Kristen and children.
At this point in September, Jim had finished the electrical work, and started on the sheet-rock walls with help from Rick, Phyllis, Rickell and Melinda Howard.
In October we had Make It Take It at Phyllis’ in Sandy. One evening at Carolyn, the children had a surprise birthday party for me, and gave me lovely gifts for my new home. One Saturday, Maureen and I went to the ribbon cutting of an old schoolhouse, brought down from Alridge in the mountains, then rode up to where it was formerly located. I also went with Phyllis, Rick, Jerda and Kirk up to Afton, Wyoming to see the Fall scenery and have lunch. I have such fun - thanks to my children!
I was assigned a new visiting teacher partner, Karen Eborn and we were to visit Myrtle Olsen, Karon Curtic, and Elda Blackburn.
I watched several of Trent’s football games, his team being undefeated in the series. The highlight of the Sydney Olympics was seeing Rulon Gardner from nearby Star Valley, and a relative of Jim’s and a Mormon win the Gold Medal in Wrestling.
October 29th, Kris’ family and I took part in the Primary presentation in Sacrament meeting. Kris and I were in charge of two crafts for relief Society enrichment craft day.
November 15, Kristen and Jim took me to the “Malad pass-off”, where Phyllis then took me to Sandy on my way to Dale’s in Maryland. Allen’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held, and he had requested I be a speaker. I was surely impressed with his response and intelligence. I taught a Primary class for Leann who is president. Dale and I walked all around his lovely fenced property. Leann walked with us to the Pry House, which had been General McClellan’s headquarters during the Civil War. We could enter and look all though it. Other days we rode up South Mountain, celebrated Nathan’s birthday, played games with Mark, walked through the woods to help Sarah find a cut a Christmas Tree for her room.. Thanksgiving there was just lovely, on their huge Amish-made table, four guest missionaries and two older friends, and beautiful decorations, lovely food.
Then they decorated for Christmas while I was there - all around the house. I rode with Leann often to drive children to and from school and activities and did much handwork and reading. Dale put me on the plane in Baltimore then picked me up in Salt Lake as he was to attend a Conference in Salt Lake, and couldn’t get on the same plane. I was able to be with Dale and some of his co-workers at the Conference Banquet where he was awarded the National Award for International Service. He then brought me home, stayed a day, and returned to Maryland.
We decorated just a little (only one Christmas tree) for Christmas. Through the year, I’d made 60 lace angels, 95 crocheted trees to ad to the villages I’d made for all the family. Michael, Marisa and Reece came to be with us Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Little Brynlie was born to Damian and Brecken on December 27th.
I missed Maurice as always, but especially this season he loved so much. I remembered the years when all our little children were home, but was happy to see them have their own lovely Christmases. All the children called me and gave gifts. They are all always good to me. I am so fortunate and blessed.
THIS YEAR:
Daughters of Utah Pioneers lesson leader
Relief Society Teacher
Nursery Teacher
100 Percent Visiting Teaching
Read Book of Mormon Through
(Added by Carolyn)
Began Building a New House
Did oodles of handwork
Nurtured and supported 6 children, 6 in-laws, 30 grandchildren, and almost 10 great grandchildren
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