Visiting Great-Grandpa Bill on 04.09.10 from MelinFamily on Vimeo.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
On Tuesday
Grandma Lyn is clearly being buoyed up and strengthened by the Spirit. She is being remarkably brave and organized and clear-minded about all of this. Yesterday she got all the legal and financial papers in order and Jay Busby came with a notary to get them signed. He promised Grandpa he would be sure she was well cared for, as did Joe Ballantyne (their financial guy) last night. The great thing about these men is that, not only are they excellent at their jobs as attorneys and accountants, they LOVE my grandparents with all their hearts, and what a joy and relief it is to have people you know and trust in those positions at such a time as this! Bless Grandma's brave heart! She reminded Grandpa all day long, "I am okay...I am being loved and cared for, you don't have to do this, you can go whenever you want..." It's really the most exquisitely bittersweet thing.
Being at the hospital all day was like a This Is Your Life episode. First thing in the morning, sweet Bill Doane came by--he was my Bishop in High School and saved me from a world of hurt. There are no words for how nice it was to see him, nor for the stab of pain in my heart as he took Grandpa's face in his hands, with tears running down his cheeks and said, "We love you, President. You've blessed our lives so much." He took a tissue as he left and I saw his shoulders shake as he walked away crying. What a wonderful man. Later, other friends and the current Bishop came, my sister Jill and brother Michael, my Elrey uncles and cousins Joseph, David, and Scott, and President Busby and Joe Ballantyne.I had lunch in the cafeteria with Grandma while Aunt Marti and Jill went to the Cheesecake Factory and bought cheesecake for the nurses. During lunch I talked on the phone to my sister Laura and my brother Sam. Later while Grandma was picking up Chinese food for Grandpa's dinner, my sister Lisa called--she lost her father in law last night...sad days (our prayers are with you and your family today, Chris).
I took Grandma to renew her temple recommend at the stake center, where Barney Lewis interviewed her through tears when she told him that Grandpa had signed what was certainly his last Patriarchal Blessing today. "He always said he wanted to live to be 85 and give 700 blessings," Grandma explained. "He turned 85 last Monday and today's blessing was number 701, so I guess he's done!" Amazing.
It's so good to be here...I am thankful for he chance. But I want our loved ones who can't be here to know that Grandpa is mindful of you. I know he feels your prayers and knows of your love. He wants us to know that "all is well"--he said that over and over yesterday (he repeated the phrases, "all is well" and "so much love" several times yesterday, which I think says a lot about his state of mind...at peace). He wants us all to be focused on our families, to attend to "the holiness of daily living," and to continue his legacy by building eternal families of our own. Don't break the chain! ;)
I am too sick to visit him today. They gave him some immunosuppressant drugs last night and he nurse said I can't expose him to my germs. So I plan on hanging out with Kristen and Owen at her mom's for a while and doing chores/errands around Grandma's house (goal #1= fix her computer! I read her all your emails and facebook messages from my laptop yesterday and she loved it!). Laura, call the room today and see if he's well enough to talk--520-873-5108. He said he would love to talk to you yesterday, but there was never a long-enough, quiet moment. Thank you for your messages and prayers. We feel them. XO
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
SomeLetters
I am writing by dim light on my tiny travel keyboard that always skips the "m's", so this may turn out goofy. I am in a hotel room, half a mile from your hospital bed, and a half mile in the other direction from your home, which is where my heart is--well, part of it, at least. I still get butterflies when I pass the yellow fire station sign and get ready to turn down the street to your house (once my house, too). I called from the road near Flagstaff to check on you today and was surprised when you answered the phone, sounding so normal. The sound of our voice nearly made me cry. It reminded me of one time when you called from Africa, and I did cry for joy at the sound of your voice because it was very much like a "voice from the dust"--you were so far away and I missed you and needed you so much then!
When I came alone to your room tonight, the lights were off and you were asleep, half sitting up with your mouth open a little. Your hair was toussled a bit, with just the silver catching light, and your face was so gaunt from that angle, I did not recognize you. Oh, no, I thought, I'm going to wake this poor little man--I'll go ask where my grandpa is. And then the nurse sent me back to room 8. I went back and looked closer, walking roun to the other side of the bed, and in that light, I saw the rest of your hair, and your soft cheeks and knew it was you. I put my hands on yours and watched you for a minute. You began to struggle to breathe and your mouth seemed dry, so I moved your chin to close your mouth a bit and tried to give you a drop of water. You didn't stir, so I kissed each cheek and told you I love you and hoped you'd make it through the night. Then I walked back out to my family, where my big, sweet husband gave me a big sweet hug that reminded me that I am going to be okay.
I hope I get to see you awake and that you recognize me. I hope you remember all the things I have said before, about how much you have meant to me, how your love gave me the self-respect to make good choices and led me to understand my Heavenly Father's love, and planted the seeds of the testimony I have today that makes me strong. Don't get me wrong--my heart is so heavy thinking of this world without you in it, without our weekly chats and special visits--but I am also excited for you to progress, to graduate from "this mortal coil" and be free from what ails you. God knows you have fought the good fight! I will continue to strive make my life a worthy memorial to you. Your love will always motivate me, no matter which side of the veil you happen to be on.
I'll see ya in the morning, lovey...Love, Jamie.
***
Dear SisterFriends and Mom Melin in Montana,
I would so love to be going through this with you by my side. I miss each of you so much and I am so touched and blessed by your thoughtful words and acts. I listened to my BYU Classic Speeches podcast today on our long drive thru AZ. The talk was from 1964 by apostle GB Hinckley and it was called "How Lucky Can You Be?" Even in this hard time, I truly feel blessed and lucky because there is so much love and so much Spirit in my life, and much of it comes from YOU. You do the errand of angels thing so well!
Love, Jamie
***
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for giving me a Grampy to show me Your love and The Way home. Thank you for giving me a kind and patient husband and brilliant, hilarious children to light up my days. Thank you also for giving me the experience of feeling joy in the temple on Friday, then edifying me with conference on Saturday and Sunday, so that I can face this week with grace. You are always so good to me; you always prepare a way.
Love, Jamie
Saturday, April 03, 2010

I have so many beautiful pictures, stories, and conference thoughts to share, but I will be occupied for a while. I'll get online as soon as I can. Happy Easter, dears.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Day One of Spring Break: Friday


Friday, March 19, 2010
Today, so far: a photo essay





Thursday, March 18, 2010
PRAY DAY
We've been saying more fervent prayers around here. Illness and addiction are running rampant in my family of origin, and lots of hearts are hurting. My dear cousin-like-a-brother-to-me was deployed to the middle east this week, just weeks after learning his first child is on the way next October. My Mom is having a spleenectomy at 2pm today in American Fork. She also has blood clots in her lungs, for which they installed some kind of filter yesterday. None of this is sounding very good to me, but we are praying it all goes well and everyone involved be inspired and comforted. And trying to say "Thy will be done."
Also today in Tampa our friend/piano teacher/neighbor/ former VT, Carrie Kling is beginning treatments to relieve debilitating back pain. She and her husband have scrimped and saved to make this trip, so we pray the doctors will be inspired to know what to do for her and she won't have to do many more big trips. For those of you who know Carrie and want to keep up with what is happening, you can click here (you'll need to register and then type in her name under "find friends") to go to her care page which Aaron (Carrie's husband, our home teacher) is keeping updated. I really enjoyed his last update, and hope he won't mind if I share his testimony here:
"I have had questions about my faith and if it is strong enough and a very good friend talked to me about faith. I know that it will be through the healing powers of Jesus Christ that this will work. But, just so we can be obedient and prove our faith and trust in Christ and Heavenly Father, we will be fasting Tuesday night through Wednesday evening and then giving Carrie a blessing. The Priesthood has been restored to this Earth and is real. It is the power of Christ to act in His name according to His will and Spirit. The Priesthood's purpose is to serve others through our humbleness and obedience to God's will. I pray that our faith will be sufficient and that healing is in God's plan for Carrie. May God's will be done. Thanks again everyone!"
I am trying to have the faith that Aaron has today. I do know with all my heart that Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to learn and grow. I know that families can be together forever and that "happiness is the object and design of our existence and will the end thereof if we pursue the path that leads to it" (J. Smith Jr.) and "I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
So Behind
Saturday began with a Primary activity (breakfast and games in their pajamas), then Heidi had a bowling birthday party for her friend Gabe.


Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Birthdays

TODAY, March 10th, my nephew Jared Lehman turns nine!

...and so was my sisterfriend, Melissa's--and I MISSED IT! :("Spencer Down Under"
On March 2nd, my nephew Spencer turned six! Here is Spencer last Fathers' Day with his Dad (my bro Willy) and family.



Last Friday
(this is a xerox copy of a favortie photo of my cousins Larkin & Candace from one of my old photo albums)
Last Friday was Cousin Candace's 23rd birthday, the one-year anniversary of my thyroidectomy, and a no-school (grading) day. So the girls had some friends over for a Tea Party (at which they all split one cup of vanillaomile tea and mostly drank strawberry Crystal Light and cookies and cupcakes).This is Addie hugging her friend Elizabeth at their tea party table. Later, their friend Aurora came, and Heidi entertained Aunt Debbie and Haylee, too (but I didn't take pictures then...dang)
[click to enlarge]
