2001 - Doris Johnson Kirkham
With the holidays passed, we continued to work to complete the house. It was always fun to anticipate having my new home, thinking of the newness and arrangement of everything.
I enjoyed a short visit with Walt and Leona and KayLynn and Steve, and it was nice to have them seem well impressed with our plans.
I must mention the little joke with the family, claiming each is my favorite (why would they want to be). Dale sent the University Calendar in which he is featured - a picture and article of his accomplishments captioned was included by him - “How many other sons do you have that have been ‘pin-up boys’”.
In January I gave a lesson on “Keeping the Sabbath Holy” at R.S. Enrichment Meeting. Kristen was ill much of the month of January. I helped out as much as she wanted me to.
By the end of January, the taping and texturing was done, so we could paint and purchase flooring. Phyllis came for a week and she and Kristen painted my walls. David received his mission call to Sweden and we like to think Maurice had some influence. He’s the first of the grandsons to be sent there.
Dale called to tell me he would be receiving the Outstanding Alumni Award at Ricks College in March. I was so pleased and proud!
Carolyn, Von, Mary and Lem came and worked on the house - painting , cleaning and assembling some of the kitchen cabinets. Jim and his brother Red finished and installed them. I wrote in my journal about an especially beautiful frosty morning this month. I made and sent a baby shawl and booties for Shayne and Mollie’s baby. Rickell came and helped with cabinet doors.
Maureen took me to the temple each month.
In March we all worked to hurry the building. I helped by cooking meals, doing the laundry, and cleaning. I did a few simple things like putting on the light-switch plates and cleaning up the sawdust. Our friend Melinda came and did door and window trims, hung doors, some electrical work. My bathroom and kitchen floor tile got done.
I received letters from my missionaries Jason and Chris. Each day, if I had time, I crocheted on a baby shawl, a book mark and made a bootie for Mormon Handicraft; and knitted dish a dish cloth, worked on a baby dress, a rug, a doilie and one of 60 angels for Christmas and gifts. At DUP the lesson featured my great grandfather, Joseph Wrigley.
March 17th I was invited to apeak on “Finding Happiness as a Grandmother” at the Stake Women’s conference. I attended the ‘welcome home” sacrament meeting for Jan’s son, Kris Kirkham.
On the 20th, one of the happiest days of my life, all of my girls and LeAnn were together to attend the Awards Banquet at Ricks College to see Dale Receive the Outstanding Alumni Award. I was proud of all of them, and we had fun together. I missed Carl and Maurice. On March 25 Maureen and Bryan took Dale and me to Salt Lake. Carolyn, Von and girls had a lovely dinner prepared for us and Phyllis family and Michael and Marisa. I felt sad to have Dale leave. LeAnn stayed to visit her family in Bountiful.
On March 31 Carl and Laree came to take David to the MTC, and I went down with them. In Provo, we and Michael and Marisa and Reese went to dinner. Then they took me back to Carolyn’s to stay. They came to Salt lake on Tuesday, and we went to Pioneer Village, toured the new Conference Center, saw “The Testaments” at the Joseph Smith building. We attended the temple and after saying good-bye to David at the MTC we had dinner again at Carolyns.
In April, some of my carpeting was done, and Jim as putting on the outside siding. This months, my dear friend, Barbara Nulph died of cancer. I was pleased to have been able to spend an evening, along with other friends about a month before with her.
Chris, home now from his mission, came with his friend, Mike and spent a night, then on to Provo. On April 17th I went to Sandy with Jerda and Kirk to attend the temple for Damian and Brecken, Baylie and Brynlie’s sealing.
In May, I moved into my lovely home. I had filled the window wells with decorative white rocks and bark. Rick and Phyllis came and they and Jerda, Kirk, Jim, Derek, Damian and Fred helped move my furniture down from upstairs. One day, I counted 44 trips I made up and down the stairs, then many other days. I have appreciated all the help from the family. My home is so beautiful!
Kristen worked hard although the colitis was bothering her much. I stayed home from church to be with her. Maureen and Bryan came and brought me a beautiful new temple dress as I would be at Carl’s on Mother’s day for Chris’ welcome home. Chris told us Maurice was near him often. On his last mission day, he prayed his grandpa would then be with David. Then he felt his presence no more and was missing him. Are there spirits near more than we are aware? He was been “near” to influence Jason, Mary and Chris.
Kristen had a blood transfusion which made her feel better, and strong enough to go on our much planned and anticipated trip to North Dakota in the big bus. Carolyn, Von, Michael, Marisa, Reece, all of Kristen’s family and I left on May 9th. We had so much fun, laughed much. We arrived there on May 10. Our time at Carl and Larees was very enjoyable. They had many things planned, including attending church on Sunday, when Chris reported his mission so well. The ladies all sang, also.
As we left on Monday, May 13th, Carl and Laree and Janie and Savana rode in the bus about a half hour, Michael following in the car, till we said goodbye to a very lovely time in Grand Forks.
On May 17th, I slept for the first time in my beautiful blue room. The next day the families came from Utah for our Make-it-Take-it. Our DUP camp held our last meeting at the Pillsbury Park. On May 26th, Kirsten and Jim moved and organized their furniture from the storage unit, into their home upstairs.
h In May, Carl had a miserable hernia surgery, but called occasionally to report on his progress.
© © © ANDREW JAMES LINDHARDT © © ©
In June, we all went to Ogden to attend the blessing of Andrew, Kanda’s baby. I was so pleased to see the many that attended from our family. Dale called to say he was going to Uzbekistan on assignment. Carl and Laree went to Chicago to see David on his way to Sweden. June 11th was one of the saddest days. Carl called to say David was returning home, as he didn’t want to stay on his mission. I am so disappointed, not hin him, but for him. Although I urged him to go back as others did, he chose not to. But time will show he has remained a good person and a good church member.
On June 12th, Maureen and Kristen took me to lunch as it’s the two year “mark” of Maurice’s death. On June 14th, I attended by 60th class reunion in Idaho Falls.
On the 24th I left for Shayne’s in Iowa with Bryan, Maureen, and Josh. I loved the ride and one of the highlights was touring with Maureen through the old Bess Streeter Aldrich (my favorite author) museum home in Nebraska. I had a lovely time in Iowa. We walked through he beautiful countryside, saw fireflies, went to the old Karona settlement, went to Nauvoo and Carthage, saw Maurice and me on the film at the Visitor Center in Nauvoo. We saw in Iowa City where the Mormon handcart companies camped and built handcarts. We went to the German Amana colony. We arrived back in Sandy on July 1st. Carolyn and Von took us to the airport to go to Maryland. Lara had driven up from Florida to return home to Blackfoot with Maureen.
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On July 3rd we all walked three miles on the old Appalachian Trail. I loved walking through the deep woods, shady, and with beautiful plants. On the 4th, Maureen, Lara, Dale, Allen and I canoed down Antietum Creek to the Burnside Bridge. I’ll never forget the sound of Lara screaming and laughing all the way over the rapids. We watched a patriotic and pioneer movie in the evening. Other days, we saw the Gettysburg Re-enactment, Antietum Battlefield visitor center, attended the patriotic concert (with 35,000 other people). On Sunday, LeAnn and Allen gave very good talks at Church. Maureen and Lara left for home. Dale took me to Baltimore where I left for my journey home. Rickell and Phyllis met me and took me to Malad where Kristen met us and brought me home. I had such a wonderful time, and had a lovely home and family to come back to.
On July 12th, the Nelsons invited me to go to Portland to Annette’s. Again, I had a lovely time and experienced again the pleasure of being with the Nelson family. We went to Flea markets, garage sales, attended church when Tony had her baby blessed, saw the Portland temple, went to Cape Lookout, slept in a Yurt, saw the lighthouse at Cape Meares, Nedonna Beach. We returned home on July 19.
Jim and Kristen took me to Malad were Von and Carolyn met us. After dinner at Carolyn’s, we, with Michael, Marisa, Reece, Kanda, Roy and Andrew hiked the Porter Rockwell trail. Carolyn’s and Phyllis’ family and Michael and Marisa went to Heritage park. It was like a party every day, all together for meals. They were all so good to me. One day we went to the wonderful Botanical Gardens at Thanksgiving Point near Lehi, and home by way of Alpine and the Timpanogas Temple. On July 28th, Maureen met us at Bill’s in Bountiful and brought me home.
At home, Kristen’s rooms were being completed and I organized book shelves and made curtains. It was fun to have Dale come on August 8th, and I loved showing him my new home.
M On the 9th, Carl and Dale had reserved motel rooms for us in Driggs. Those traveling up were Carolyn, Von, Tati, Lili, Kanda, Roy, Andrew, Phyllis, Rickell, Kristen. The next day I went along with Carl, Dale, Michael, Maureen, and friend Holly to climb Table Rock Mountain. I was very excited and determined to climb to the top, and disappointed when I became dizzy and had to stop not far from the top. They found a nice shady place for me to wait, and I had a book and snacks, so just rested and enjoyed it and could occasionally see them farther up the trail on ridges. We think I hiked 11 miles (“m 78), half the trail going upward, over rocks, boulders, single log bridges, over creeds four times. Back at home the next day, the family reunion was in progress. The theme was Heroes and we each told of our personal heroes. On Sunday we attended Stake Conference and in the afternoon went to the cemetery and sat in the shade awhile by Maurice’s grave. I felt so sad to have them all leave.
I went to Provo with Dale where he attended classes for two days at the Church Education Conference, as he teaches Seminary. We stayed at Carolyn’s at night, then returned home to Shelley. Dale did some chores around the house for me.
M On August 17th, Maureen, Dale and I went up to the Targhee Resort and climbed to the top of Fred’s Mountain, then rode the chair lift down. On the next day Marueen’s and Kristen’s families and I went to Wolverine and cooked supper. On Sunday we attended Wolverine Ward to see Janie’s baby, Alexis, blessed. I was sad to have Dale leave for home. 9 On August 21st, all four of Kristen’s children boarded the bus for school. As Kris and I watched from the front porch, we saw them all holding hands, then Trent lifted McKay up into the bus. What a nice memory!
After Heather had her baby, Avery, she was extremely depressed. Kristen felt she was the one who could go to be with her and help out, until Marueen could go in a couple of weeks, so she went to Salt Lake to fly out. Well, September 11, 9-11- happened and the whole country upset, and all airplanes were grounded, so Kristen came back home. It was such a dark, frightening time, that changed the lives of everyone, never feeling quite so safe again. However, America became united, and many stories of heroes were told. The “Day of Prayer and Remembrance” meetings were conducted at the National Cathedral and also the Church Satellite, with President Bush speaking at one and President Hinkley at the other. Also, we joined in the candle lighting with the country. It was an occasion when it would always be remembered what we were doing, when we heard the news. Kristen was gone, and Jim came down and said, “have you seen the news on T.V?” We sat and watched as the second tower was hit, and both towers collapsed.
“It was our darkest day and our finest hour” - Reader’s Digest.
“Night fell on a different world on September 11". President Bush.
“This nation is peaceful, but fierce when stirred to action.” President Bush
“Out of tears and sadness, we’ve seen the best of America.” President Bush
“They will change the way we live, or we will change the way live - we’ve chosen the latter.”
Secretary Rumsfeld.
h On the 16th of September, Carolyn became very ill and was in the hospital. It was a relief when the time came that she improved. Chris came down from Ricks College occasionally to visit.
On October 11th, Kristen and I were invited to give a lesson on “Strengthening Family Relationships” int he South Stake RS. The next day we went to Sandy for our Make-it-Take-it and had a lovely time, as usual. Through the summer we attended Trent’s football games and saw they were always the winners. Maureen, Robyn, Kristen, Jerda and McKay took me to lunch for my birthday. I received lovely gifts and cards including a microwave from the children.
The headline news was now “America Strikes Back.” “They hide in dark places - we will shine a light of justice on them.”
By this time Kristen was aware that she was to have surgery to have her colon removed. Also, by this time, I had finished the 32 Random houses to finish the grandchildren’s snow villages - for Christmas. We had a lovely Thanksgiving, happy to have many here in the new homes. Thirty-seven of my family and the Nelsons came.
h On December 13th, Kristen had the surgery at University of Utah hospital. I went down also to be with her and took turns with Jim and others to be there. It was such a hard, sad, frightening time, to see her so sick and in such pain. On the 18th, we were all prepared for Christmas, Kristen having helped me decorate before the surgery. She had returned now from the hospital. On the 19th, Carl, Laree and David, Janie and Jeremy came for Chris’ marriage to Trenna Bates. I went with them to the Salt Lake Temple. Carl and Laree hosted the lovely luncheon at the Palmyra Room in the Joseph Smith Building. We had our annual progressive dinner at Maureen’s, Jerda’s, and our home.
Merry Christmas
On Christmas Eve, we, with Carl’s family and the Nelsons had dinner and the Nativity performed by the cute little children. Christmas was so enjoyable with Carl’s family with us.
Chris & Trenna’s reception was held, with everyone helping. Carolyn’s family came from Utah. Kristen had some bad days following the surgery, but felt better by New Years Eve, when Nelsons came down for the evening.
What a year it has been! Such a good one for me in so many ways. I continued to just love my new home. My children and grandchildren took good care of me, always. This year I:
Did 100% Visiting Teaching,
Taught R.S. Enrichment lessons,
Read Book of Mormon,
Attended Temple monthly,
and was Visiting Teacher Supervisor.
“God gave us memories that we might have roses in the December of our lives.”
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