Aging is not for the "faint of heart". A week ago on Wednesday, when I got home from work, I checked my messages on my cell phone, there was a voicemail from my cousin Elaine, informing me that my mom had fallen down and then was pretty confused when the EMTs transported her to the American Fork Hospital. I called mom and found out that she had a UTI (urinary tract infection). The infection had gone systemic, probably causing the mental confusion. She spent five days in the hospital, I visited with her on the Friday she was in the hospital. I was able to go visit Mom and Aunt Thelys on Monday 1/20 Martin Luther King day, since I had the day off school and was glad to see that she was doing well.
My mom will be 90 years old on March 31st. I have watched the past 12 years (since my Dad died), as my mom has battled loneliness, injury, and declining health. Many of the medical conditions she has faced were life threatening, but she has recovered and faced adversity with grace, courage and good cheer. She sold her home of 30+ years, and now lives with my Aunt Thelys (6 years her junior). I am happy she is there and that she is not alone, but I know she misses her independence, and the connections she had with her friends. She has made friends with some widows who live in the ward that she is in now. She goes to the temple once a week, but usually does two sessions. She has dinner and watches movies twice a week with her friends. She reads, does puzzles and is active in the church. She got an iPad and I have been able to help her to learn how to use it. I am so grateful for every day she has the courage to go on, and live a full life, she is still learning, creating and setting and reaching goals. I hope that I can follow her example, she is an amazing woman and I am glad that I am her daughter.
The Hardman Family
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
No Excuses
I haven't posted a blog for two years, well at least on this account. Actually I have been blogging on a regular basis over the last year, for an educational technology course that I was taking. The blogs were centered around classes that I took and were focused on professional learning. I haven't blogged for my personal life for a very long time.
I won't even try to go over all that has happened over the past two years, I will let my personal journal be my record of what I have done ( though admittedly even my journal is filled with large gaps). What I do want to share is the big events that have not been recorded, but are worth mentioning.
First of all in 2012 one of my entries mentioned the possibility of retiring from teaching in 2013, after 30 years of teaching. That did not happen, and it looks like it may not happen for quite some time. In the fall of 2012, I had a bicycle accident and broke my right arm. Three months and two surgeries later, after careful thought and prayer, I decided to keep working. I am still working teaching at Alta High School, I am in my 14th year at Alta and my 31st year of teaching.
On May 29th 2013, Wynn Christian Knudsen made his entry into the world, our first grand son. He is a beautiful baby, very easy-going and has no lack of love from his parents, older sisters and extended family.
On August 1st 2012, our son Tyler Hardman married his sweetheart, Jessica Lynn Lamph, in the Salt Lake LDS temple. From the moment we met Jessica, we were hoping she would be "the one", she is a wonderful girl, so good to Tyler. She is the kind of girl every parent would want their son to marry. It was pretty much love at first site, and about a year after their first date, these two tied the knot.
On September 6th 2013, it became clear why I wasn't supposed to retire from teaching. Scott lost his job. After working for 32 years in the food industry, and making a good living, he is unemployed. He has had a hard time finding anything, so now the support of our family is mostly on me.
In about the middle of October, I was released from my Young Women calling. I have been in the Young Women for over four years, serving as first counselor for the last three and a half years. It has been hard to get used to. I don't have a new calling yet, but I know it will come it time.
In December of 2013, I finished my Educational endorsement, it will mean a slight pay increase for me, but mostly it has given an infusion of excitement and energy to my teaching.
As far as I am concerned, now I can start blogging again . Wish me luck! I hope you'll leave me a message from time to time.
I won't even try to go over all that has happened over the past two years, I will let my personal journal be my record of what I have done ( though admittedly even my journal is filled with large gaps). What I do want to share is the big events that have not been recorded, but are worth mentioning.
First of all in 2012 one of my entries mentioned the possibility of retiring from teaching in 2013, after 30 years of teaching. That did not happen, and it looks like it may not happen for quite some time. In the fall of 2012, I had a bicycle accident and broke my right arm. Three months and two surgeries later, after careful thought and prayer, I decided to keep working. I am still working teaching at Alta High School, I am in my 14th year at Alta and my 31st year of teaching.
On May 29th 2013, Wynn Christian Knudsen made his entry into the world, our first grand son. He is a beautiful baby, very easy-going and has no lack of love from his parents, older sisters and extended family.
On August 1st 2012, our son Tyler Hardman married his sweetheart, Jessica Lynn Lamph, in the Salt Lake LDS temple. From the moment we met Jessica, we were hoping she would be "the one", she is a wonderful girl, so good to Tyler. She is the kind of girl every parent would want their son to marry. It was pretty much love at first site, and about a year after their first date, these two tied the knot.
On September 6th 2013, it became clear why I wasn't supposed to retire from teaching. Scott lost his job. After working for 32 years in the food industry, and making a good living, he is unemployed. He has had a hard time finding anything, so now the support of our family is mostly on me.
In about the middle of October, I was released from my Young Women calling. I have been in the Young Women for over four years, serving as first counselor for the last three and a half years. It has been hard to get used to. I don't have a new calling yet, but I know it will come it time.
In December of 2013, I finished my Educational endorsement, it will mean a slight pay increase for me, but mostly it has given an infusion of excitement and energy to my teaching.
As far as I am concerned, now I can start blogging again . Wish me luck! I hope you'll leave me a message from time to time.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
New Family Search
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, and one of the doctrines that sets our church apart is our belief in the importance of the temple and the work that is done there to "redeem the dead". A significant amount of work and energy has been spent by members and the church to do Family research, and linking families together. Over the years I have taken classes and done a few basic things to keep records that have been given to me by my mother and by Scott's relatives, but nothing of note. It is something that I have on my "bucket list".
About a year ago the Church (LDS) launched a new website that is more user friendly and that is amazing at connecting families together, or rather information about families. Out of curiosity I decidedd to check our family lines since we will be working with the youth to help them research and find family names to do their temple work this summer. Anyway, what I found was not expected and I am still thinking about it today.
I first looked as far back as I could on Scott's family lines. Basically on the Baker line (Scott's Mom) there is no information that I know of. His dad's line (the Hardmans & Proctors) line went back to about the 1500s. I looked at the Clinger line (My Mom's) which dead ended at about 1500 also, so I checked the Pierce line. I went from my dad to my grandpa Pierce, to his father and so on. At some points the line became very thin, but then would branch again. One line went through kings and queens in Wales, another went through Kings and queens in Sweden, another line followed French royalty. Before long the branches were extended back to before Christ. Soon there were lines leading to some the ancient prophets, Joseph, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, and so on, then Shem, son of Noah, and so on back to Adam and Eve.
I had always thought that when people said they could trace their family line back to Adam and Eve, it was kind of said tongue and cheek, but it isn't, it is true.
Anyway this had helped peak my interest in my family history and to be excited to learn more about my ancestors and seek to do temple work, and not to put it off. I didn't think that it was so important until I did this investigation. I highly recommend that anyone interested in seeing what is out there in terms of family history information to check out our churches website new.familysearch.org.
About a year ago the Church (LDS) launched a new website that is more user friendly and that is amazing at connecting families together, or rather information about families. Out of curiosity I decidedd to check our family lines since we will be working with the youth to help them research and find family names to do their temple work this summer. Anyway, what I found was not expected and I am still thinking about it today.
I first looked as far back as I could on Scott's family lines. Basically on the Baker line (Scott's Mom) there is no information that I know of. His dad's line (the Hardmans & Proctors) line went back to about the 1500s. I looked at the Clinger line (My Mom's) which dead ended at about 1500 also, so I checked the Pierce line. I went from my dad to my grandpa Pierce, to his father and so on. At some points the line became very thin, but then would branch again. One line went through kings and queens in Wales, another went through Kings and queens in Sweden, another line followed French royalty. Before long the branches were extended back to before Christ. Soon there were lines leading to some the ancient prophets, Joseph, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, and so on, then Shem, son of Noah, and so on back to Adam and Eve.
I had always thought that when people said they could trace their family line back to Adam and Eve, it was kind of said tongue and cheek, but it isn't, it is true.
Anyway this had helped peak my interest in my family history and to be excited to learn more about my ancestors and seek to do temple work, and not to put it off. I didn't think that it was so important until I did this investigation. I highly recommend that anyone interested in seeing what is out there in terms of family history information to check out our churches website new.familysearch.org.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Giving Thanks
I love Thanksgiving, it is truly an American Holiday. I am so grateful for so many people and things in my life. I am so thankful to be able to live in this country and to be free from tyranny and oppression. I am thankful to a Heavenly Father who inspired righteous men to establish the law and government of this country. As unrest and discontent swirls around this nation I have faith that if we follow the laws that have been established and realize that the US constitution was inspired by God and founded on Christian principles, we will continue to exist and to be unique in its position in the world. If we lose our faith and fail to worship and recognize God we will lose the blessings and freedoms that we now enjoy.
I am thankful for my family, both my family of origin and for my nuclear family. As my children have grown into adults and made choices in their lives I only hope they remember how loved they are and how blessed they are. They will face many challenges that I have not, but if they stay true to themselves and the principles they have been taught, they will recognize their blessings and have hope.
I am grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I know he atoned for my sins, he bears me up when I feel lost and lonely, He is my Light and my hope. I pray that I will always have a grateful heart and that I will daily seek to become more like Him.
I want to give thanks daily through prayer for God's tender mercies and for my many blessings. Thanksgiving helps me to remember.
I am thankful for my family, both my family of origin and for my nuclear family. As my children have grown into adults and made choices in their lives I only hope they remember how loved they are and how blessed they are. They will face many challenges that I have not, but if they stay true to themselves and the principles they have been taught, they will recognize their blessings and have hope.
I am grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I know he atoned for my sins, he bears me up when I feel lost and lonely, He is my Light and my hope. I pray that I will always have a grateful heart and that I will daily seek to become more like Him.
I want to give thanks daily through prayer for God's tender mercies and for my many blessings. Thanksgiving helps me to remember.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Family Pictures
It has been three years since we had our family pictures taken, and we decided that it was time to have another family photo. Thank goodness our daughter, Brittani, is friends with a photographer and we really liked her work. Brittani did all the organizing, scheduling a photographer and assigning attire. I think if she hadn't made the effort, a new family photo may never have happened.
On the scheduled day and time, the photographer met us at Wheeler farm. It had been snowing all morning and we wondered if we would have to postpone, but it cleared up and was actually very pretty. She took tons of shots all candid, which we were not used to, and we wondered if they would be good. We have previewed some and they really seem to catch the spirit of our family.
I have posted some of the photos and now we have a gifts to give the parents for Christmas. I hope that next time we do photos (maybe in 2 years instead of 3) our family will be bigger, maybe a daughter-in-law or two, possibly a couple more grandchildren. That sounds fine with me. Too bad it isn't up to me!
On the scheduled day and time, the photographer met us at Wheeler farm. It had been snowing all morning and we wondered if we would have to postpone, but it cleared up and was actually very pretty. She took tons of shots all candid, which we were not used to, and we wondered if they would be good. We have previewed some and they really seem to catch the spirit of our family.
I have posted some of the photos and now we have a gifts to give the parents for Christmas. I hope that next time we do photos (maybe in 2 years instead of 3) our family will be bigger, maybe a daughter-in-law or two, possibly a couple more grandchildren. That sounds fine with me. Too bad it isn't up to me!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Park City
Several years ago we purchased a time share at the Park City Marriott Mountainside resort. It probably was kind of an impulse purchase spurred on by the promise of free points and free beach towels. At the time we owned a share at the Kauai Marriott and loved the property, and the idea of traveling the world with Marriott. We spent the points to go to London, which was awesome.
Over the years we have watched as the owner fees have doubled going from about $475.00 a year to now being well over $1000.00, ouch. We have hung onto the property with the thought that we can trade it for time at other resorts (once we traded it for a week in West Palm Beach, Fl.) but usually we come to Park City. It is close to home but usually sits empty most of the week, it is a quick getaway, and it means the family can come up and use if for part of the week.
Tomorrow is an end of term day, and teachers are paid to attend 4 hours of school and work on grades etc. . I worked late and finished my grade so I would be able to come here instead, and have kind of a mini retreat. I brought school work and reading that I never seem to get to because of all the distractions at home. Brittani and the girls will join me later tonight, Scott will put in a days work tomorrow and then come up tomorrow night til Sunday, but for right now I can just kick back, relax and enjoy the beauty of Park City and the quiet of having time to myself, something I rarely have.
Over the years we have watched as the owner fees have doubled going from about $475.00 a year to now being well over $1000.00, ouch. We have hung onto the property with the thought that we can trade it for time at other resorts (once we traded it for a week in West Palm Beach, Fl.) but usually we come to Park City. It is close to home but usually sits empty most of the week, it is a quick getaway, and it means the family can come up and use if for part of the week.
Tomorrow is an end of term day, and teachers are paid to attend 4 hours of school and work on grades etc. . I worked late and finished my grade so I would be able to come here instead, and have kind of a mini retreat. I brought school work and reading that I never seem to get to because of all the distractions at home. Brittani and the girls will join me later tonight, Scott will put in a days work tomorrow and then come up tomorrow night til Sunday, but for right now I can just kick back, relax and enjoy the beauty of Park City and the quiet of having time to myself, something I rarely have.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Blogging Once Again
I thought I would give blogging a shot and after taking a class this last summer, and learning a few tricks. So far I have written about four or five blog posts but upon reading them decided to delete them and start over. I don't want my blog to be a gripe session or to say things that I would regret later or would possibly hurt or embarrass myself, other people especially family members. Also I don't want my blog to be a brag fest, no one wants to read about somebody's perfect life and then to wonder if theirs is normal.. I have read a few blogs and the ones I like to read are reflections of peoples lives that I can connect to in some way. So that is what I will try to do.
I got an iPhone for my birthday and its probably more phone than I need or will ever need. Thankfully my son Tyler is patient and is teaching me what it can do with this phone and how to make it a useful tool. Today he taught me to download updates, we took pictures of some things that I want to sell on ebay. We got my ebay seller account set up and hopefully we are up and running. Tyler has the heart of a teacher where it comes to technology. Kids (this kid is actually 24 years old) know how to use technology and are not afraid or timid in using it. With me it is not second nature, I'm great with keyboarding skills, but they don't necessarily carry over to texting or computer tech stuff.
So I set up a facebook account, I have websites for my students to use, I email and try to keep up with all the new technology, but I long for the times when I could just pick up the phone and call someone, and they would actually answer because they weren't looking at caller ID and screening all of their calls. Or better yet go over to their house or have them come here for a nice visit.
I got an iPhone for my birthday and its probably more phone than I need or will ever need. Thankfully my son Tyler is patient and is teaching me what it can do with this phone and how to make it a useful tool. Today he taught me to download updates, we took pictures of some things that I want to sell on ebay. We got my ebay seller account set up and hopefully we are up and running. Tyler has the heart of a teacher where it comes to technology. Kids (this kid is actually 24 years old) know how to use technology and are not afraid or timid in using it. With me it is not second nature, I'm great with keyboarding skills, but they don't necessarily carry over to texting or computer tech stuff.
So I set up a facebook account, I have websites for my students to use, I email and try to keep up with all the new technology, but I long for the times when I could just pick up the phone and call someone, and they would actually answer because they weren't looking at caller ID and screening all of their calls. Or better yet go over to their house or have them come here for a nice visit.
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