tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30403013169247258502024-03-12T16:12:13.138-07:00Life with the Carey Gang...LIVING LIFE AND LOVING IT ALL...Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.comBlogger313125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-20542598299032719532012-12-31T20:04:00.002-08:002013-01-01T22:10:59.268-08:00OK - an (almost) unbiased review of Les MiserablesSo I saw the movie that people either loved, or didn't really like at all. Or didn't like some of it. Or mostly liked it, but had criticisms about this, that, or something else. <br />
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I am a person who loves music, have performed in jr. high school musicals, sings (on and off) in the church choir, have taken just a few voice lessons to improve what tiny amount of talent I might have, and (though I hate to admit it) generally don't like movies with a lot of singing it them.<br />
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So, the pretty average viewer. <br />
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And though I love movies in general, I have a hard time staying awake to see the whole thing, even in a theater. And watching them at home, well, forget about it . . . (it's a slightly genetic thing, I think. You'd believe me if you know my Dad). <br />
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Read a few reviews by regular people and talked to a couple people who saw it and liked it / didn't like it / liked it, but had some criticisms. <br />
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The harshest reviewers were the ones who had seen one or more live productions of the play, large and small. <br />
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They said the singing wasn't the greatest. Some performances were better than others, but generally, lower quality than Professional Opera Singers. <br />
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But for me, the only time I saw this play was a not-very-professional tape recording of a semi-professional production. And I was aware of the general outline of the movie and the characters, something that I had seen and heard during my brief run of voice lessons. <br />
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So I really didn't have any firm, preconceived notions of this movie.<br />
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Nor do I have real training, or an ear, for the perfect pitch, tone, or phrasing.<br />
<br />
(Unless, of course, you include the training I get when I watch American Idol or America's Got Talent or The Voice. I <i>love</i> those shows!)<br />
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I think that was to my benefit<br />
when I saw <i><b>this</b></i> Les Miserables. <br />
THIS movie, I stayed awake for. <br />
Not one single moment of nodding off for me. <br />
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After the first few minutes, when I became adjusted to the fact that this movies was indeed going to be mostly sung (see second paragraph) I settled in and really got caught up in the story.<br />
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This movie, without exception, was the most emotionally performed of any movie that I have ever seen in my life. (And I have been alive for quite a while).<br />
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The raw emotion, the more-than-heartfelt and gut-wrenching performances of the actors, who mostly are known for acting, and not singing, along with some really really great unknown (to me, anyway) vocalists, really made me feel the emotions of what those individuals must have gone through during that era of time. I know, I know, this is not a true story but there is always truth in every good story. It is based on historical truths of the era. I felt those truths as they were sung with such passion. <br />
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A special note about Anne Hathaway. I first saw her in "The Other Side of Heaven", which may have been her first role. Not a big part, but her career spring-boarded from there. Some bad, some good, and some excellent movies. Usually the Good Girl, <i>always</i> at<i> least</i> the Pretty Girl.<br />
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So, for her to put herself through what she must have, emotionally and physically, to play this role, is beyond compare. Shorn locks, dirt, and decay, through and through. <br />
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Her performance of the heart-wrenching "I Dreamed a Dream" was, hands down, the most passionate, anguished, and beautiful performance of any song that I have seen or heard, anytime, anywhere, by anyone.<br />
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I loved this movie. <br />
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And in the wise words of my son, Chad, "<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">the entire point of the movie is to teach a Christ like principle.... and they did it without being overly churchy. Really cool."</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-22411241447278396722012-12-06T21:57:00.003-08:002012-12-07T06:30:26.870-08:00Chloe's DayWell, with just a little drama (scheduled induction bumped, called in a few hours later, started labor, breech, and a quickly scheduled and successful c-section!)<br />
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...we now welcome <i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chloe Belle Hildesheim</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></i>to our gang!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXrmkCLoyPJV2nqHiNXlGho3b6soA3ahG-CGfCzgYmm3lpOyuTlNy2rkswcIZP_pEyYJ07uySQy60ydM-NwcaHMz4w0kBtnSXkvkRK_xS-ICovn6iJoYFOyV589Ns1X1llBFxmsbScxoZ/s1600/1206121455+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXrmkCLoyPJV2nqHiNXlGho3b6soA3ahG-CGfCzgYmm3lpOyuTlNy2rkswcIZP_pEyYJ07uySQy60ydM-NwcaHMz4w0kBtnSXkvkRK_xS-ICovn6iJoYFOyV589Ns1X1llBFxmsbScxoZ/s1600/1206121455+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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6 lbs 14 oz, 18.5", born 12-06-2012</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBIOoFP8jcYfkbSCqPCfX6FaXHIxEHAJiD9diemJiYZH7GR4llQ4nC8tqF4FyKHYbhiliGcTsd_nT2gNEhN4aTlTUN6x-moSB-0q4dxsKKAuIqR0JmvTw0kDShUg1Nf3RPpAkiombzDLl/s1600/1206121754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBIOoFP8jcYfkbSCqPCfX6FaXHIxEHAJiD9diemJiYZH7GR4llQ4nC8tqF4FyKHYbhiliGcTsd_nT2gNEhN4aTlTUN6x-moSB-0q4dxsKKAuIqR0JmvTw0kDShUg1Nf3RPpAkiombzDLl/s1600/1206121754.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-WndvyaRyJZ5IG2BsXX1UIHpvUaTMxia99iKGFjlxwybeKb4C8Sl1Bx2TwRejqaxPNUEy33SPSjUKPKAf9-M_D7wh8iKREAhfTAPo9Y3cAjrhmYATuVKdhpOgqwzbL0uj1asTQYSvlk2/s1600/1206121828a+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-WndvyaRyJZ5IG2BsXX1UIHpvUaTMxia99iKGFjlxwybeKb4C8Sl1Bx2TwRejqaxPNUEy33SPSjUKPKAf9-M_D7wh8iKREAhfTAPo9Y3cAjrhmYATuVKdhpOgqwzbL0uj1asTQYSvlk2/s1600/1206121828a+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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GREAT Day!</div>
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Mom and baby are doing well. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iSmO7-_iYYHPCOZQUQFjyVP84wJ13T6UD4NnqDQwxgLbjAqBUTqbjXuBxy9hz3_R6A8QfNqJZQTlIZ4fWmMxrUXiqR7fheDjKk1L4gRTYl7VCepoBqLIz5ino2dkST-wpBHhDM7u-Kqo/s1600/114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iSmO7-_iYYHPCOZQUQFjyVP84wJ13T6UD4NnqDQwxgLbjAqBUTqbjXuBxy9hz3_R6A8QfNqJZQTlIZ4fWmMxrUXiqR7fheDjKk1L4gRTYl7VCepoBqLIz5ino2dkST-wpBHhDM7u-Kqo/s320/114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This morning ~</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-79812673788315640162012-11-30T19:46:00.001-08:002012-11-30T19:46:21.258-08:00Well, I For One Never Get Tired of Posting Photos of my Grandbabies . . .<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Chad with his tiny daughter . . .</div>
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(Elena's mom is in the background. So sweet)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvstWSEdnd-YPzFdx-ql9btlco6HEhK2vj5FcIKZbk3986cacqs8Uo2dFMJRMuWDMP-IKvOC5vjMbJHl6Ok_FoDf7glnhPK1Osc4y0nx0VT4yXi3Wrc9Y33zDzY7IeLkHhNgJbmaVQyH6/s1600/Chad+and+Alli.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvstWSEdnd-YPzFdx-ql9btlco6HEhK2vj5FcIKZbk3986cacqs8Uo2dFMJRMuWDMP-IKvOC5vjMbJHl6Ok_FoDf7glnhPK1Osc4y0nx0VT4yXi3Wrc9Y33zDzY7IeLkHhNgJbmaVQyH6/s320/Chad+and+Alli.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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( . . . and yes, there are going to be a LOT of these kinds of photos here, with our new little Alli, and Chloe Belle due any day now!)</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
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Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-91751065799309535202012-11-26T10:21:00.003-08:002012-11-26T16:24:56.954-08:00A Little Shower....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
...for a couple of sweet baby girls. MY baby girl, and the baby girl she is growing!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSqVUhJLCZ7rtVkLZScPbrl65o8WM8G1lu4p3sZF2dMN8xKj2N4CRaXn5vrUmKB2V1gLyADGToAjqGk7f1B-X_CQ4MpLX89_5e8ODuVVakdPn37QxlHIadoOcoVrWNitYEmOVc5gJd2Ur/s1600/kaylaBB1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSqVUhJLCZ7rtVkLZScPbrl65o8WM8G1lu4p3sZF2dMN8xKj2N4CRaXn5vrUmKB2V1gLyADGToAjqGk7f1B-X_CQ4MpLX89_5e8ODuVVakdPn37QxlHIadoOcoVrWNitYEmOVc5gJd2Ur/s320/kaylaBB1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Chloe Belle will be born sometime in the next few weeks.....we can't wait to meet her.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLlSICN1XdlX0VJlOYnnLV-TcVUvpnTcNICe0niTbk4K-gf_JX-GjYZmDZjCjtV_HSzeYUAdQWnbx2tQiClD99Vx-qKWLlqqLFoTX1FLX74FcY57uVdXWXgkKsAsFl3OL9N2BbysfuHmwr/s1600/ResizedImage_1353705420368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLlSICN1XdlX0VJlOYnnLV-TcVUvpnTcNICe0niTbk4K-gf_JX-GjYZmDZjCjtV_HSzeYUAdQWnbx2tQiClD99Vx-qKWLlqqLFoTX1FLX74FcY57uVdXWXgkKsAsFl3OL9N2BbysfuHmwr/s320/ResizedImage_1353705420368.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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(And thank you, Becca and Britney, for the fantastic shower you provided!)</div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-76599885456792554732012-11-25T08:59:00.000-08:002012-12-01T20:12:27.054-08:00Running With Friends (Right?)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge045PXmCIaDphSmNUV_Isqr9CVxgvrXLRJeJp3zaRp2oLADFiwEQFmFzc5-EUYZuv4L2UtRe0k2cueVErNFdfiTArm1X2AroMaTOOkClB6BzA-0YuTQcuxOmPeqygvM9LpTRIMqQt6j-g/s1600/run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge045PXmCIaDphSmNUV_Isqr9CVxgvrXLRJeJp3zaRp2oLADFiwEQFmFzc5-EUYZuv4L2UtRe0k2cueVErNFdfiTArm1X2AroMaTOOkClB6BzA-0YuTQcuxOmPeqygvM9LpTRIMqQt6j-g/s1600/run.jpg" /></a></div>
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Motivation is always a good thing. Especially when I comes to working out. Last year during the holidays, I did the Ironman Challenge (the Ironman 26.2 run, 112 mile bike, 2 mile swim - done over a two-week time period). That went pretty well, so I decided to do it again. Started yesterday. <br />
This morning I read a friend's blog. This is what she posted: <a href="http://susettefisher.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-2012-holiday-running-streak.html" target="_blank">http://susettefisher.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-2012-holiday-running-streak.html</a><br />
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So I am going to do it, too! I will also only do it 6 days a week, for the same reason she gave. <br />
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And I will post my progress on my sidebar - on the right, at the top!<br />
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Anyone want to join me? <br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Update: with the holidays upon us, I have decided to wait on my Ironman Challenge until after Christmas, when it will be a little more do-able.</span></i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-72387371110387876532012-11-22T09:15:00.003-08:002012-11-22T09:18:50.878-08:00Cutie Pie!<div style="text-align: center;">
Baby Allison is doing well! She weighed in at<br />
6 lbs 14 oz, 19 inches.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PWdlueWnj-GWTqd49uOGDigyU6gOGHTxeNr9t_UQnR3IE4qF0zdu8XrUZc6TaXjoo7PvBZVcV9wzKyAq4_MV3DPlNUse1wQsUr1OcN0_-o4kevBvSoMuGXYlpEemsx4nImYJaW6gLrDx/s1600/Alli1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PWdlueWnj-GWTqd49uOGDigyU6gOGHTxeNr9t_UQnR3IE4qF0zdu8XrUZc6TaXjoo7PvBZVcV9wzKyAq4_MV3DPlNUse1wQsUr1OcN0_-o4kevBvSoMuGXYlpEemsx4nImYJaW6gLrDx/s320/Alli1.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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(She still has red hair. I just can't get over it)<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">And </span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;">Happy </span><span style="text-align: start;">Thanksgiving </span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;">everyone! </span></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a><br />
<br />Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-5272088752238964322012-11-20T11:56:00.000-08:002012-11-20T11:56:01.928-08:00Meet Allison.....<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Born this morning just before 8 am, Texas time, this is Allison LaRee Carey, our newest granddaughter and the newborn baby of our son, Chad, and his wife, Elena. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6S5udnL0-Ue0Uh6yhyphenhyphenth-jXVki4uditPTcSuWc1DE1NDeZ4N1t6JZbP3ig5EHo3YeNmnTrOmn8ocZLXeDCTi-z1r6VwA5ea50el7m_zfr777n4Nx7doPfm8MqmW4aUtaM2D9YPJrjKOt3/s1600/Allison2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6S5udnL0-Ue0Uh6yhyphenhyphenth-jXVki4uditPTcSuWc1DE1NDeZ4N1t6JZbP3ig5EHo3YeNmnTrOmn8ocZLXeDCTi-z1r6VwA5ea50el7m_zfr777n4Nx7doPfm8MqmW4aUtaM2D9YPJrjKOt3/s320/Allison2.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More photos to come soon! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(And, Yes - She is a redhead!)</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-81337307543812943062012-09-30T21:21:00.002-07:002012-09-30T21:21:38.055-07:00Where Did It Go?So this whole summer went by without a single non-political post. And only just a few of those.<br />
Sorry about that. I do have a life.....<br />
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But what can I say? This whole election has got me all worked up. I just need to get it out of my system. I know you must feel like I do, right?<br />
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So, my 3 readers, I will soon post about something else. My family. This summer. What my family and I did this summer,....etc. <br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-31474391302435170012012-08-17T13:19:00.002-07:002012-08-17T18:57:00.026-07:00A Little (true) Story About Mitt....<br />
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">My Mom sent this in an email to me today. I love getting these kinds of stories about Mitt Romney. It shows so much about his true character. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;"><i><b>I checked facts on this and could find no disagreement. He seems much more prepared and experienced for leading our nation than our current "leader". Suzanne</b></i></span></div>
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<strong style="line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;"><a href="http://mittromneymormon.net/15/mitt-romney-france" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" target="_blank" title="Mitt Romney’s Mission to FrancePermanent Link to ">Mitt Romney’s Mission to France</a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;"><a href="http://twitter.com/MittRomney" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" target="_blank">Mitt Romney</a> is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often known as the<a href="http://www.aboutmormonism.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" target="_blank">Mormon</a> <a href="http://mormon.org/" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" target="_blank">Church</a>. The church is a lay church. This means that all church leadership is made up of volunteers who are not compensated monetarily. Members of the Church become accustomed to finding themselves in positions for which they had no real prior training or experience and simply jumping in. They consult more knowledgeable people, they study, they practice, and most importantly, they pray. In time, they become skilled at the task they’ve been assigned. Mormons learn to do whatever needs doing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">This has been the background of Mitt Romney’s life. He learned throughout the years to do whatever needed doing. In 1968, when he was a young man, he accepted a call to go to France for two and a half years to teach the people there about the gospel of Jesus Christ. <a href="http://www.mormonwiki.com/Missionaries" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;" target="_blank">Missionaries</a> are sent away from their homes and families and are expected to learn to thrive in and understand the new cultures where they’re placed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">France was a troubled place when Romney arrived there and provided some unnerving experiences for a young American man. There were riots, disrupted communication, and a government near collapse. Romney, who faced the hardship of trying to teach religion in a country filled with chaos, prepared later in his mission for a new challenge as assistant to his mission president. Even then he was consistently a leader. He worked hard and got results. He was ready for leadership.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">Things were not perfect on his mission, however. As Romney was driving the mission president, the mission president’s wife, and Romney’s missionary companion to an appointment, another car came speeding around a curve, missed a turn and swerved into their lane, hitting them. Romney was pronounced dead by police. Though he did survive, Romney had to overcome some injuries, not the least of which were pyschological and emotional: the mission president’s wife did die. Romney’s grief was intense.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">However, despite grief and the physical pains of the accident, Romney was not allowed much time to recover. His mission president left for a time to take his wife’s body home. Romney, who was only 21 years old, and his companion found themselves in charge of an entire mission, a task normally assigned only to much older men. They were responsible for overseeing 200 missionaries and assist in serving 3,000 church members. Another mission president, assigned to Geneva, was sent in to provide emergency training and support, but he quickly found the young men knew what to do, so he returned to his own mission. He said they were quite capable. Romney pushed aside his grief and pain and focused on the task in front of him. He was excited by the opportunity to learn to do something extremely difficult under difficult circumstances.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">The expectation was that Romney and his companion would do the minimum required to keep things functioning, a tremendous task in itself. However, Romney was not then—as he is not now content with doing the minimum. He decided that although they’d only baptized 70 people the first half of the year, they’d baptize a total of 200 for the entire year. He went around the mission, speaking to the young missionaries and getting them excited about this new goal. He learned to speak to large audiences, a skill which has benefited him greatly in his secular life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline: none;">Mitt Romney’s mission introduced him to a life of unselfish service, of putting the needs of others before your own, even in the midst of great trials. This is one of the blessings that can come from a well-served mission.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-4068735522939327712012-06-13T15:53:00.002-07:002012-06-13T15:53:15.748-07:00Kindergarten Grad!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Last week my granddaughter Evalie graduated from Kindergarten!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKf5GdgfMbHz7R-66kY5DaxzldqwSeRtBd4Qi-geEl0y-Y6rSIY_bG6EvU1t-8jlFY_Kfhp54QJpcOhkzwSkfT0E-5xhFliXKJwCx4lpixURhKa77bNyH0tEzfa1LukYtvGyAzDMpdLcgj/s1600/Evalie+K.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKf5GdgfMbHz7R-66kY5DaxzldqwSeRtBd4Qi-geEl0y-Y6rSIY_bG6EvU1t-8jlFY_Kfhp54QJpcOhkzwSkfT0E-5xhFliXKJwCx4lpixURhKa77bNyH0tEzfa1LukYtvGyAzDMpdLcgj/s1600/Evalie+K.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0HbV0gqasNHZTkKuKb4s0gBlZkCwQQmWJRE1aEz0KqR3_zbfiAn7nzS1Sr1Dg2fBzKgl9z2O6YyzNqyl38pqKcCvd31Hmu5CZn5mzzocKWq2hKt6BrQDHU5_3SidpBWZa6TzO8hTfMGQ/s1600/noelle+evie+evan+K+grad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0HbV0gqasNHZTkKuKb4s0gBlZkCwQQmWJRE1aEz0KqR3_zbfiAn7nzS1Sr1Dg2fBzKgl9z2O6YyzNqyl38pqKcCvd31Hmu5CZn5mzzocKWq2hKt6BrQDHU5_3SidpBWZa6TzO8hTfMGQ/s320/noelle+evie+evan+K+grad.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's she is with her brother Evan and Aunt Noelle. </div>
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(Sorry about the terrible cell phone photos)</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a></div>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-12352022311240129642012-06-09T21:51:00.001-07:002012-06-09T21:55:34.862-07:00What Has America Become?<br />
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<i>This was posted online by <a href="http://conservativebyte.com/2012/06/obama-utters-biggest-gaffe-of-his-presidency/" target="_blank">Raymond1</a> today in response to President Obama's latest press conference, where he said the "private sector is doing fine". Only to retract his statement just hours later, by saying that the economy is actually NOT doing fine, which is why he held the before mentioned press conference in the first place!</i></div>
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What has America become?</div>
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Has America become the land of special interest and<br />
home of the <span style="background-color: white;">double standard?</span><br />
Let's see: If we lie to the Congress, it's a felony<br />
and if Congress lies to us it's just politics.<br />
If we dislike a black person,<br />
we're a racist<br />
and if a black dislikes whites,<br />
it's their 1st Amendment <span style="background-color: white;">right. </span><br />
The government spends millions<br />
to rehabilitate criminals and<br />
they do almost nothing for the victims. <br />
In public schools you can teach<br />
that homosexuality and lesbianism is ok,<br />
but you better not use the<br />
word God in the process. <br />
You can murder a child in the mothers womb,<br />
but it's wrong to execute a mass murderer.<br />
We don't burn books in<br />
America, we now rewrite them. <br />
We got rid of the communist &<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">socialist </span><span style="background-color: white;">threat by renaming them progressives. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">If you protest against Obama's</span><br />
policies you're a terrorist,<br />
but if you burn an American flag or George<br />
Bush in effigy, it's your 1st Amendment right. </div>
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You can have pornography on TV or the internet,<br />
but you better not <span style="background-color: white;">put a nativity scene </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">in a public park during Christmas. </span><br />
In America, <span style="background-color: white;">criminals are now called sick people. </span><br />
Parenting <span style="background-color: white;">has been replaced with Ritalin & video games. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">The land of opportunity </span><span style="background-color: white;">is now the land of hand outs. </span></div>
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And how do we handle a major crisis today? <br />
The Government <span style="background-color: white;">appoints a committee to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">determine who's at fault, then threatens</span><br />
them, passes a law, raises our taxes,<br />
then tells us the problem is<br />
solved so they can get back to<br />
their reelection campaign. </div>
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<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-58699024117786996212012-05-10T19:46:00.000-07:002012-05-10T19:46:00.246-07:00Crazy Boys!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Could these boys possibly be any cuter, crazy-er, or adorable?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfsUnuB5CK8pNrx2MGJHN1WRpkh3eBRWGXkPvuCu3FhVgcFB7PfhAiCTadVGSBV1FYwAZWR0e3UIWj90GQut6BHJp9xaAGVvln205YKKwQHoVwjLANnWGQX87IOhmZAiCXukOy715A-RX/s1600/Crazyboys2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfsUnuB5CK8pNrx2MGJHN1WRpkh3eBRWGXkPvuCu3FhVgcFB7PfhAiCTadVGSBV1FYwAZWR0e3UIWj90GQut6BHJp9xaAGVvln205YKKwQHoVwjLANnWGQX87IOhmZAiCXukOy715A-RX/s320/Crazyboys2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-11388721250761321252012-05-08T19:36:00.000-07:002012-05-04T19:49:40.462-07:00Time Out for Women (and girls!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwm51u5ztkVLxmkfxTI95pkeSWQIzfhXhseZHXguH38RwHScSDRbTz5ZbQsFRQeEkzLrjoMy8eXRf9mzv_bvQTxvMg3f8Mwil3NUJjacyowl0nnIIEmpN0kno82837Dw680PWrtSBw37z/s1600/TOFW1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwm51u5ztkVLxmkfxTI95pkeSWQIzfhXhseZHXguH38RwHScSDRbTz5ZbQsFRQeEkzLrjoMy8eXRf9mzv_bvQTxvMg3f8Mwil3NUJjacyowl0nnIIEmpN0kno82837Dw680PWrtSBw37z/s320/TOFW1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAUbnlfkzRObNHlMf3C0xGo2XOTdpKM0lVRimL19jwIout9BMDiVvwZAHbMgg_qNSwRDHdYNnSWXM6ObzeVhP_PE4qGOq0LwTZax0-uvFrOTDqewxYEjoUFB-QmSPisOE07N0KWm_qqcf/s1600/TOFG2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAUbnlfkzRObNHlMf3C0xGo2XOTdpKM0lVRimL19jwIout9BMDiVvwZAHbMgg_qNSwRDHdYNnSWXM6ObzeVhP_PE4qGOq0LwTZax0-uvFrOTDqewxYEjoUFB-QmSPisOE07N0KWm_qqcf/s320/TOFG2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Love, love, Loved it! Great weekend, and we will do it again, asap!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-24814596188427720462012-05-06T19:39:00.000-07:002012-05-06T19:39:00.214-07:00Bike Hike<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Lately, Isaac and I having been doing a little exploring at Farragut National Park.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukpuFyzIPK3CstU3aXhsOEsA30aiE47r3ALYFmXYl4PkdmUkltvS1IHWv63aNL80eZwXEMRRXCtaONQf3hbL3qzD_E8pRCleMGQYLsNjeJSkD705A5uzqV1OL6XMLLeYoOxNfUfgENQhx/s1600/BiekHike1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukpuFyzIPK3CstU3aXhsOEsA30aiE47r3ALYFmXYl4PkdmUkltvS1IHWv63aNL80eZwXEMRRXCtaONQf3hbL3qzD_E8pRCleMGQYLsNjeJSkD705A5uzqV1OL6XMLLeYoOxNfUfgENQhx/s320/BiekHike1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Jumped on our bikes and had a great time. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9poOzqTChT8wuJjm1nn_gnpcTE0tsYolxqxereNgQ-qhNmz03jxVqsMJQYuiNE5Mt85GQiAsVpKWA4kP9yux2cE9qXgfbVbBwjgwz5wIKx_QMiLsdUHsSvrlG4ja4_BgUV7OIho4iBA99/s1600/BikeHike2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9poOzqTChT8wuJjm1nn_gnpcTE0tsYolxqxereNgQ-qhNmz03jxVqsMJQYuiNE5Mt85GQiAsVpKWA4kP9yux2cE9qXgfbVbBwjgwz5wIKx_QMiLsdUHsSvrlG4ja4_BgUV7OIho4iBA99/s320/BikeHike2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This creek is runoff from the mountains, headed to the lake. Super, duper cold in April! <br />
I know, I am late late late posting this!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-16644084365815614322012-05-04T19:43:00.003-07:002012-05-04T19:48:29.105-07:00Happy Lucky 7th Birthday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpA8LEpZgRypstBVCY7OJl5-DurQ03lchHqZ8ScdP8pbfXklfjGLzZMEVUhIQyPK4YmgwLbq2BT7eWF6zwxNo5UKQ3QYmFxFgUB28LlYvtKQ1buPe8ug0RxHN9UTcUmN0JybxyMLfyMvp/s1600/Dillon7BDay.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpA8LEpZgRypstBVCY7OJl5-DurQ03lchHqZ8ScdP8pbfXklfjGLzZMEVUhIQyPK4YmgwLbq2BT7eWF6zwxNo5UKQ3QYmFxFgUB28LlYvtKQ1buPe8ug0RxHN9UTcUmN0JybxyMLfyMvp/s320/Dillon7BDay.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
Happy Birthday Dillon! Your Grandma and Grandpa and aunts and uncles and cousins all LOVE YOU!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-8530198445119919422012-05-04T19:41:00.001-07:002012-05-04T19:41:52.536-07:00Pinewood Derby winner!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Congrats on your first time out, First Place finish! You are awesome!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(and so is your dad!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhn8a5xSI1tzho1FMGxzX6VAPGETjfclly6rgc1ByoFIRthue4fJFuTXaFu6rG98v5Q6N4g14TANGq_b5qR9LCEOB8fEilAxekOwtTI3-zkaxOVaFxa8D9ATVNNo2lDwgo4K74ukY4h2T/s1600/2PWDerbyTanner2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhn8a5xSI1tzho1FMGxzX6VAPGETjfclly6rgc1ByoFIRthue4fJFuTXaFu6rG98v5Q6N4g14TANGq_b5qR9LCEOB8fEilAxekOwtTI3-zkaxOVaFxa8D9ATVNNo2lDwgo4K74ukY4h2T/s320/2PWDerbyTanner2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
....and sorry about the terrible cell phone photo, buddy. <br />
Love you,<br />
mom<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-73382772098171371232012-04-22T14:37:00.000-07:002012-04-22T14:37:55.332-07:00It's not the end of the World! (or is it?)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHct7ZdHd1NzaUAVakXtJS4qUrr97_BX798RM38pxLOMlE3gTMV5FY97j-hnR2wnPRwNUNsrBqzAh_AtRX1Msfi-Y2v30XPOGEA33VZIWykqsk0tcdm-kezOYvLLaFhx-RedyOyXe3Oz0/s1600/mayans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHct7ZdHd1NzaUAVakXtJS4qUrr97_BX798RM38pxLOMlE3gTMV5FY97j-hnR2wnPRwNUNsrBqzAh_AtRX1Msfi-Y2v30XPOGEA33VZIWykqsk0tcdm-kezOYvLLaFhx-RedyOyXe3Oz0/s1600/mayans.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-44578529304053536212012-04-21T18:15:00.000-07:002012-04-23T17:00:33.757-07:00Today....<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">My son Isaac turned twelve today. He is one of the
best kids around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">I will tell you a little story about his cake - yes this
cake - to give you an example.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdH3l0TQJqXOiaVdjzBwcg54uLBq11Vrwoyd7BH7L1SithU-oCrdYceMu-gSsB81vl-TVjN7PNM0XkO5CzQOSkwebq_gegrIgZSc55FM5gvUj4Yc8BsiyU9YqmUCQprhdlrAO9FhjRxKO/s1600/CAKE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdH3l0TQJqXOiaVdjzBwcg54uLBq11Vrwoyd7BH7L1SithU-oCrdYceMu-gSsB81vl-TVjN7PNM0XkO5CzQOSkwebq_gegrIgZSc55FM5gvUj4Yc8BsiyU9YqmUCQprhdlrAO9FhjRxKO/s320/CAKE.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">He wanted a cake that he could decorate himself with his
favorite candy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">All boy, this one. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">So we picked up a cake at Costco, his favorite flavor. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">He didn’t want any cartoons or pictures on it </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">and he didn't really want anything written on
it, either, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">(but mom prevailed). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">We got it home in one piece, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">but I set it down on our bench
near the fridge </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">while we moved things around to make space for it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">What I didn’t realize is </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">that I had set the edge
of it on a binder </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">so it was at a slight angle, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">and while we fussed with the
fridge,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">it s-l-o-w-l-y slid off the binder and upside down onto the floor. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">THANKfully the thick plastic wrap was still
on it </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">so I was able to pick it right up and flip it over. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><b>How<i>ever</i></b>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">It was pretty odd-shaped and mushed, to say the least.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">But instead of having a meltdown </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">or refusing to have it at
his party, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">Isaac just dealt with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">He knew that it was too far to drive back and get another. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">(We live about 12 miles from town, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">and we
have a Suburban. Yeah.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">He knew that I didn’t have the time or </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">the baking supplies
to make him another. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">So he just cheerfully covered it with candy – </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">I know - it looks kinda
crazy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">But crazy like the 12-year-old young man that he is
becoming! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">Happy Birthday, Isaac! I Love you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-91672348574468203902012-04-19T06:21:00.002-07:002012-04-19T10:18:42.546-07:00Conservatism, Explained<h1 style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: 12pt;">Why My Liberal Neighbors Aren’t Speaking To Me Anymore</span></h1><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #888888; font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-transform: uppercase;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: 13.5pt;">I recently asked my neighbors’ little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted to be President some day. Both of her parents, are liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, ‘If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?’<a href="http://www.ijreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/hippy2.png" style="-webkit-transition-delay: initial; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.2s; -webkit-transition-property: all; -webkit-transition-timing-function: linear;"><span style="color: #d00000; text-decoration: none;"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: 13.5pt;">She replied, ‘I’d give food and houses to all the homeless people.’<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: 13.5pt;">Her parents beamed with pride.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<h1 style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></h1></div><div style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: 13.5pt;">’Wow…what a worthy goal.’ I told her, ‘But you don’t have to wait until you’re President to do that! You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I’ll pay you $50. Then I’ll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, <b>(*<u>or</u> to the neighbor who hasn't had a job in a year; or to the student who is getting ready to go to college, etc etc)</b> and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house.‘<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: 13.5pt;">She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, ’ Why doesn’t the homeless guy <b>(*OR</b> <b>the unemployed man, OR the Student)</b> come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50? ‘<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<h1 style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></h1></div><div style="line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: 13.5pt;">I said, ‘Welcome to Conservatism.’<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: 12pt;">Her parents still aren’t speaking to me</span><br />
<h1 style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></h1><h1 style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: 12pt;">From the <i>Independent Journal Review</i></span></h1><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: 12pt;"><i>*My additions, lest you think that I think that the homeless guy is just too lazy to get a job....I don't)</i></span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a><br />
<h1 style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Tempus Sans ITC'; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></h1>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-85462896162304315752012-04-12T17:51:00.000-07:002012-04-12T17:51:00.651-07:00We have a Nominee!Have all of my fellow Republicans been following the primaries like I have?<br />
<br />
I doubt it.<br />
<br />
The state of our country has been weighing heavily on my mind, and so I have immersed myself in political news every day. It's driving my kids batty, I know. But they don't really understand what I have seen these past few years, the radical changes and disregard for the Constitution.<br />
<br />
Whatever your ideas and opinions about Mitt Romney may be, these photos will bring to life the real person that he is. I am going to support him 100% (of course) and I hope that you all will, too.<br />
<br />
Enjoy the photos!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-26083028749017372892012-03-27T18:50:00.000-07:002012-03-27T18:50:13.710-07:00Road Trip!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What men of ALL ages do when they go on the road together...without female supervision...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOb3QeIm2o3Xw70GtxR1jbuRZP9qrUq6h3G3vJeCYpW-ioNUEnimf38fafHjnJDRuS7DpDQD5Hw8AqQIEYa69xh-RTyA5X0o5S8iMmXDcQ1ce4ewBLUT1v9dYTr1HI4FUNSrY0R0iceynY/s1600/0325121740+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOb3QeIm2o3Xw70GtxR1jbuRZP9qrUq6h3G3vJeCYpW-ioNUEnimf38fafHjnJDRuS7DpDQD5Hw8AqQIEYa69xh-RTyA5X0o5S8iMmXDcQ1ce4ewBLUT1v9dYTr1HI4FUNSrY0R0iceynY/s320/0325121740+(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Tanner thought this was the perfect place to, well, you know. </div><div style="text-align: center;">At least he was discreet ;-)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8k9sxfI6cinGg1LsyejR6TpKm-jT9eOmdCi5bEX90frZuwlDI3legpzdBZ4eti80M0pA4f0XV0wD93XRLEwneNJqQmYit_lKWaumxBlqN9R3B59jOzh5OlJ9t5JewDaIKq-SbD3Ph-zuf/s1600/0325121738a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8k9sxfI6cinGg1LsyejR6TpKm-jT9eOmdCi5bEX90frZuwlDI3legpzdBZ4eti80M0pA4f0XV0wD93XRLEwneNJqQmYit_lKWaumxBlqN9R3B59jOzh5OlJ9t5JewDaIKq-SbD3Ph-zuf/s320/0325121738a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then they visited the fish...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMB5x8FgHwKIqDyvsfI_tMn1v6ABcrSqaNAk2GxjTihrNLZ3GS8lWBAwquvvGPxoeIDupPsG9p4stjirM0ulYZou9v3EyHDDsLzKj57G7jX0yI6AmAVJiwCuL6rmNrMw5se5WvWdmVW5t/s1600/0325121756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMB5x8FgHwKIqDyvsfI_tMn1v6ABcrSqaNAk2GxjTihrNLZ3GS8lWBAwquvvGPxoeIDupPsG9p4stjirM0ulYZou9v3EyHDDsLzKj57G7jX0yI6AmAVJiwCuL6rmNrMw5se5WvWdmVW5t/s320/0325121756.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Isaac decided to stick his hand into the tank....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRCBTSsHpTRdQF-7EADG7_c64TVlWEzYzia_h8kN4pasM2yMRMqJwtMff5UPdFu4wtyJEZIBXgusNbSQjCvGWxi4smhTIFDlHx27z41QKjbZyEbmQ7TGbjOkXleQgR6YBkYNBalNEftyj/s1600/0325121803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRCBTSsHpTRdQF-7EADG7_c64TVlWEzYzia_h8kN4pasM2yMRMqJwtMff5UPdFu4wtyJEZIBXgusNbSQjCvGWxi4smhTIFDlHx27z41QKjbZyEbmQ7TGbjOkXleQgR6YBkYNBalNEftyj/s320/0325121803.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I am just glad they are all home in one piece!</div><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-85320937243379736342012-03-20T12:16:00.000-07:002012-03-20T12:16:39.636-07:00A LOVELY STORY ABOUT HELEN KELLERMy Mom emailed this to me today....Thanks, Mom. I needed THIS...<br />
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<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">This is an excerpt from </span></div><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><i style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">A</span></i><i style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> Place of Knowing</span></i><i style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> </span></i></b></div><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>by Emma Lou Thayne</i></span></span></span></div><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2em; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-width: initial;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">(</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Emma </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Lou also wrote Hymn # 129, Where Can I Turn for Peace </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">…)</span></div></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv1652774299MsoNormalTable" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><tbody style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">
<tr style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><td style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;" valign="top"><blockquote style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: rgb(16, 16, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1.5pt; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 40px; margin-top: 5pt; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 4pt; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div id="yiv1652774299ecxyiv1987091143" style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; 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outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><blockquote style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 4.8pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 5pt; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 6pt; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv1652774299MsoNormalTable" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><tbody style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">
<tr style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><td style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;" valign="top"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><blockquote style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 40px; margin-right: 40px; margin-top: 5pt; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Many years into my adulthood,</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">when asked by a Jewish poet friend why I stay in my Mormonism, I explained it with a story, the details recounted by my mother. It is my mother’s story transposed into an allegory about <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" />My believing.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /> </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">When I was a little girl, my father took me to hear Helen Keller in the Tabernacle. I must have been about eight or nine and I’d read about Helen Keller in school, and my mother had told me her story.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">I remember sitting in the balcony at the back <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /> of that huge domed building that was supposed to have the best acoustics in the world.</span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Helen—everybody called her that—walked in from behind a curtain under the choir seats with her teacher, Annie Sullivan. Helen spoke at the pulpit—without a microphone—but we could hear perfectly, her guttural, slow, heavily pronounced speech.</span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">She spoke about her life and her beliefs. Her eyes were closed and when it came time for questions from the audience, she put her fingers on her teacher’s lips and then repeated for us what the question had been. <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /> She answered questions about being deaf and blind and learning to read and to type and, of course, to talk. Hearing that voice making words was like hearing words for the first time, as if language had only come into being—into my being at least—that moment.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Someone asked her, “Do you feel colors?”</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">I’ll never forget her answer, the exact sound of it— “Sometimes. .. . I feel . . . blue.” Her voice went up slightly at the end, which meant she was smiling. The audience didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">After quite a lot of questions, she said, “I <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" />would . . .. like to ask. . . a favor of you.”</span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Of course, the audience was all alert. “Is your Mormon prophet here?” she asked.</span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">There was a flurry of getting up from the front row, and President Grant walked up the stairs to the stand. She reached out her hand and he took it. All I could think was, “Oh, I wish I were taking pictures of that.”</span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">“I . . . would like . . . ,” she said, “to hear your organ . . . play . . . your famous song—about your pioneers. I . . . would like . . . to remember hearing it here.”</span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">All the time she was speaking she was holding his hand he had given her to shake. I liked them together, very much.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">I remember thinking, “I am only a little girl <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /> (probably others know) but how in the world will she hear the organ?” <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /> But she turned toward President Grant and he motioned to Alexander Schreiner, the Tabernacle organist who was sitting near the loft. At the same time, President Grant led her up a few steps to the back of the enormous organ—with its five manuals and eight thousand pipes. We were all spellbound.</span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">He placed her hand on the grained oak of the console, and she stood all alone facing us in her long, black velvet dress with her right arm extended, leaning slightly forward and touching the organ, with her head bowed.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Brother Schreiner played “Come, Come, Ye Saints,” each verse a different arrangement, the organ pealing and throbbing—the bass pedals like foghorns—as only he could make happen. <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /><br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" />Helen Keller stood there—hearing through her hand and sobbing.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">Probably a lot more than just me—probably lots of us in the audience were mouthing the words to ourselves—</span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">“Gird up your loins; fresh courage take. / Our God will never us forsake; / And <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /> soon we’ll have this tale to tell— / All is well! / All is well!”</span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">I could see my great-grandparents, converts from England, Wales, France, and Denmark, in that circle of their covered wagons, singing over their fires in the cold nights crossing the plains. Three of them had babies die; my great-grandmother was buried in Wyoming.</span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">“And should we die before our journey’s through, / Happy day! / All is well! / We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;<br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" />/ With the just we shall dwell! / But if our lives are spared again / To see the Saints their rest obtain, / Oh, how we’ll make this chorus swell— / All is well! / All is well!”</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">So then—that tabernacle, that singing, my <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" />ancestors welling in me, my father beside me, that magnificent woman, all combined with the organ and the man who played it and the man who had led her to it—whatever passed between the organ and her passed on to me.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"> <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" /></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">I believed. I believed it all—the seeing without seeing, the hearing without hearing, the going by feel toward something holy, something that could make her cry, something that could move me, alter me, something as unexplainable as a vision or a mystic connection, something entering the pulse of a little girl, something that, no matter what, would never go away.</span><span style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"></span></div></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="yiv1652774299MsoNormal" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.2em; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;">What it had to do with Joseph Smith or his vision or his gospel I never would really <br style="line-height: 1.2em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" />understand—all I know to this day is that I believe.</span></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div></blockquote></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-62751132802092222372012-03-09T19:49:00.001-08:002012-03-09T20:10:06.365-08:00The Results...<span style="font-size: large;">...as you already know, that Romney WON Idaho!</span><br />
<br />
My OWN county, on the other hand, not so much. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Things That I Loved about the Caucus:</span><br />
-That a prayer was said before the process began.<br />
-That the Pledge of Allegiance was also said, and everyone cheered afterwards.<br />
-That of everyone we chatted with,<br />
NO MATTER WHO THEY WERE VOTING FOR that night,<br />
one thing was completely AGREED: <br />
We all need to vote for the Nominee, whoever it is! <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3 Regrets About the Caucus:</span><br />
<br />
1. I regret that I couldn't convince more of my like-minded friends to come out and vote.<br />
(I know, I know, Romney won anyway, after all, but I just want people to get IN THE HABIT of voting, in general)<br />
2. I regret that I didn't eat a big dinner before going. We were there for more than FIVE hours!<br />
<br />
(Who ever thought it was necessary to vote, then eliminate the person with the least amounts of votes, then vote again, and again, and again, until you end up with the overall winner? Why not just go with the top vote- getter in the first place? <br />
<br />
I KNOW there must be a good reason - I really do want to know. <br />
Will someone please explain?)<br />
<br />
OH - I know I only stated two regrets, not three. <br />
I couldn't think of the third one!<br />
I am really glad that I participated :-)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-31989819894684602732012-03-05T16:27:00.002-08:002012-03-06T09:27:08.906-08:00Idaho Super Tuesday!This Republican primary cycle, Idaho actually has a say in who the nominee will be. <br />
<br />
I am going tomorrow afternoon to stand in line<br />
<br />
( I assume there will be lines, since for the Washington state caucus<br />
on Saturday it was standing room only)<br />
<br />
<br />
to caucus (strange word and an unfamiliar way to vote)<br />
for MY choice of nominee.<br />
<br />
I am looking forward to - literally - having my voice heard. <br />
<br />
I will report back!<br />
<br />
Guess who I will be voting for....:-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV0Lm8Ratv43AzfupJBrJNfsAseb6m6qFyRM0Px4S1_xgr_eqpqmDNbgnLebcJtvSTz3YQuH-o4Kc1hZkFYSxJQXZU3kTNuov7t5fxXupB6lLQseXqb-rRQRGwvd3iZ5l2D_NKRaSicnI/s1600/ron+paul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV0Lm8Ratv43AzfupJBrJNfsAseb6m6qFyRM0Px4S1_xgr_eqpqmDNbgnLebcJtvSTz3YQuH-o4Kc1hZkFYSxJQXZU3kTNuov7t5fxXupB6lLQseXqb-rRQRGwvd3iZ5l2D_NKRaSicnI/s1600/ron+paul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV0Lm8Ratv43AzfupJBrJNfsAseb6m6qFyRM0Px4S1_xgr_eqpqmDNbgnLebcJtvSTz3YQuH-o4Kc1hZkFYSxJQXZU3kTNuov7t5fxXupB6lLQseXqb-rRQRGwvd3iZ5l2D_NKRaSicnI/s200/ron+paul.jpg" width="143" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cG_EVX9mgR1k2glm-SwRRYHPmtPr9q4eRK9t6hXxumw4K8KNQ7Z2C8CNuEhHtdGL7HL6PYcXkZRW20kf59aAlBfvOTk18J3W42nkF-xO7QPlfxxuiIILFHBOOgGalSog29Sgcunuew9i/s1600/newt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cG_EVX9mgR1k2glm-SwRRYHPmtPr9q4eRK9t6hXxumw4K8KNQ7Z2C8CNuEhHtdGL7HL6PYcXkZRW20kf59aAlBfvOTk18J3W42nkF-xO7QPlfxxuiIILFHBOOgGalSog29Sgcunuew9i/s200/newt.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy063ywm1Y99gJy_RMWzaEYhs7d8Z0ZOajnGMUwoxRDsl_mrbNVp5FMFDwHJAHVOFoIzMgSa1zRbMVDhAq_1OO6GqBHbO9LWH34AvkMbbfkQAKVY9DAVBcDKhYREL8gKI9KmXrXFW7X5jB/s1600/Santorum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy063ywm1Y99gJy_RMWzaEYhs7d8Z0ZOajnGMUwoxRDsl_mrbNVp5FMFDwHJAHVOFoIzMgSa1zRbMVDhAq_1OO6GqBHbO9LWH34AvkMbbfkQAKVY9DAVBcDKhYREL8gKI9KmXrXFW7X5jB/s200/Santorum.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxUfc8TFOQ5mSyu-L7ywtbnwHanvWYzIrzoXqfHjQ1JtoGMJrjRfkBEWwS9dn0D72vfLbp_SZhDcL9lBqGhayF8nakz3SkCDcuBWWbokBJIAYLfgb25CiAwV5OtJtz3GwkeO_PCcrPa8D/s1600/Mitt_Romney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxUfc8TFOQ5mSyu-L7ywtbnwHanvWYzIrzoXqfHjQ1JtoGMJrjRfkBEWwS9dn0D72vfLbp_SZhDcL9lBqGhayF8nakz3SkCDcuBWWbokBJIAYLfgb25CiAwV5OtJtz3GwkeO_PCcrPa8D/s320/Mitt_Romney.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3040301316924725850.post-31185513665846703732012-01-17T16:39:00.000-08:002012-01-17T16:39:13.393-08:00I am Not a Ron Paul fan but....A friend of mine texted this photo to me. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKB1nE5mD0XNWyPSXSvUeeFnxL32HwtA1kICrGsZps_9-pIFx5NIO6260KG_IKngrBuopyxzZHt_jamDu0np6AYxFh5-HUE6WfJpo4a9ZamXlpYS3iHiCyqAWygndOrzYmZ-ZvgNx3RdfX/s1600/Rp-Ob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKB1nE5mD0XNWyPSXSvUeeFnxL32HwtA1kICrGsZps_9-pIFx5NIO6260KG_IKngrBuopyxzZHt_jamDu0np6AYxFh5-HUE6WfJpo4a9ZamXlpYS3iHiCyqAWygndOrzYmZ-ZvgNx3RdfX/s320/Rp-Ob.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I think it's pretty funny, don't you?<br />
<br />
(That might just be an Obama look-alike, though. What do you think?)<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/114/4DC16BB0E6F3B6BA2413B6C2368D048C.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Loralee and the gang...http://www.blogger.com/profile/07203655646949305050noreply@blogger.com3