Friday 25 September 2015

Counting Blessings - Simple Joys of the Day... :)


...So many simple, sweet joys in life! ... SO BLESSED! :D

Today one of my 20 year old sons suggested we have a family picnic at a nearby park. So we did. :D I LOVE that my young adults WANT to do things with our family!!!

Yesterday a couple cool things happened as well (I'll save the biggest and best for last)...


Miles and I rode around the lake, and I did it in 1 hour and 39 minutes... AND I felt GREAT, had no soreness, and did it in just four minutes longer than my record time! Either I am getting back in shape faster than I realized, or the dark chocolate and Gatorade gels I had before and during the ride gave me a ton of energy! ;D Anyhow, I know it doesn't REALLY matter, but I'm so excited about it so just had to share! :)

The bigger and better thing that happened was that when Miles and I got home, Devry, Dausen, and Levi were all in the driveway cleaning and vacuuming out the suburban! 

We recently put the Suburban up for sale, and just as we were about to go biking we got a phone call about someone wanting to look at it; so I asked Dausen to clean it so Miles and I wouldn't have to miss our much needed bike ride. :) 

With a cheerful yes, we left with confidence (we KNEW we could count on Dausen; he is a hard worker and is ALWAYS reliable!) 

I only asked Dausen to do the work, since Levi had studies and Devry tore a muscle behind one of his knees - making it really challenging to walk and stand...

I thought it great, though, that Levi and Devry helped as well, regardless of not being askedregardless of difficulty (Devry's torn muscle) regardless of having lots of homework to do (Levi), and regardless of Dausen being cheerfully willing to do it all alone. And they did a very detailed, AMAZING job! 



And then there is the full time Missionary service going on! Can you believe Mindy is serving the Lord full time in Japan! :D  It is still so awesome I keep celebrating! ;D

(Photo below - the day Mindy went to the Spokane Temple in preparation for her mission service...) 


                            


What great kids - All of them! :D 

I am a blessed mama, and I love my sweet family, so much! :D 



Corine :D

Tuesday 8 September 2015

Mindy in Japan! :D

Mindy arrived safely in Japan. Here's the proof! ;)


I received the above photos with a nice letter from the Japan Tokyo Mission President. :)

A few days later (on P-day) I received the following photos from Mindy! :D (only a few came through, sorry!)

Grocery Store in Japan

The yellow bike is Mindy's. She is REALLY happy about it! :)

MINDY IN JAPAN! :D
Mindy is so happy to be serving the people of Japan. She LOVES them, and says so much good about them. :) I'm so happy for her - and for them to have her!!! :D

She is currently in Kisarazu, which is a little town in the area of Chiba South, and the southern most part of the Tokyo Mission. She is SO HAPPY to be RIGHT THERE, as it is smaller than the rest, and near the bay. She is super excited to be near water and have the breeze from the ocean to cool the air! (Mindy LOVES water!!! Which I think is just dandy, because I happen to love it, too! :))

The people there seem to be as fascinated with her as she is of them. They frequently comment on her white skin and beautiful teeth. I think she is enjoying the attention. ;)

By the way, Mindy is teaching children to speak Japanese! :) The church has free classes and the Missionaries teach them. She is REALLY enjoying that!


The next pic is of Mindy and her roommates at the MTC. I accidentally added it here, and liked it so well I left it! :D



She probably took photos of Japanese friends as well, but these were the only photos she sent that I could see. No worries... more to come! :)

Corine! :D

Thursday 3 September 2015

Obituary - "Patty Jo" / Patricia Joanne Stanford (January 14, 1948 - August 14 2015)

I don't know how, but this didn't get posted when I wrote it, so here it is now... Better late than never! :D...

Well, friends. My sweet mama is finally home. :) I have cried many times already. I know I will cry many more times in my life, for missing her... I will miss her dearly.
However, this passing is not a tragedy. It is as big a blessing as birth was. She came to fulfill a purpose, and she fulfilled it. And now she is in Spiritual Paradise with loved ones who passed on before her. I know she was especially excited to see her mother. :) 
I will tell you more about my sweet mama and her life (and funeral) later. For now, I give you the obituary, which I FINALLY wrote today (No one else in the family took me up on it, so I get the honor once more! ;)

Patricia Joanne Stanford, devoted mother of 8, and big sister to a brother and two sisters… peacefully completed her mortal journey of 67.5 years on July 14, 2015, in the presence of her daughter, Corine, in HaydenIdaho. Patricia was born January 14, 1948 in Yakima Washington to Ruth Payne, and Lewis G Koehler (who she would have the pleasure of meeting by phone later in life).

Want to know what it is like to be Patty Jo/Patricia Joanne?
Start singing and pounding on the piano when you are just a baby. And dance as soon as your body can wiggle. Go on to become an amazing composer at the piano, and while still in your youth, play for the queen of Canada… all the while thinking you are just playing for “that nice lady in the royal family.”
Get on the bus with your mom, and go from church to church, repeatedly from toddler to teen, SEARCHING for more truth. Rejoice and be baptized when you finally find the one that has it all; love it with your whole heart and never look back!
Pretend your baby sister is your own, along with the 8 or so dolls lined up on your bed, and dream with everything you have that it will be real one day… Make that dream come true by later bearing 8 beautiful children of your own. Home school them all, and pour your everything into them, with all the excitement of a child still playing with dolls…
Raise those kids in the COUNTRY, giving them lots of chores, and plenty of time to develop talents and explore and build forts outdoors… or in. Use a cow bell to call them with because they are going to have a HUGE area in which to run and play, and they won’t hear you if you call!
TRAIN THEM to look out the window for approaching cars, and then yell to each other when they see one, “CAR! Someone’s coming!” then watch them tidy up the house like their life depended upon it! ;) Smile, because the kids did it all, and you didn’t have to say a word!
TRAIN THEM in the GOSPEL – through example, word, and weekly Family Home Evening’s. Devote your life to living and sharing the gospel, and to serving the Lord with everything you have! Teach your children to memorize scriptures, and to “serve the Lord with gladness” when they are only four!
MAKE MUSIC! SING the kids to sleep while they are little, with a family famous bed time song of your own making. When they are older, lull them to sleep at their request via the PIANO, preferably with Clair de Lune, or one of your own AMAZING COMPOSITIONS… PLAY the piano with such FEELING that you move your family to tears when they hear YOU play! When they are awake, sing WITH them, even at special public occasions... 
SERVE everyone you meet. Let people come live in your home, too! Even if they are bedridden, or need a great deal of help for any reason; love it! Be sure they know you love having them there! :D Love it so well that your children love it, too, and feel honored and blessed to help you serve…
TEACH children and grandchildren to play the piano and to learn the gospel of Jesus Christ. Love children and love teaching them – Most of all... Love the children, even if they don’t let you teach them!!! ;)
CLEAN more than any 10 people, AND LOVE IT! Do it to classical music. Make the house shine “like the top of the Chrysler building!” ;) Gather your family together to study the scriptures daily, and teach them to be clean in spirit and mind, and not just in body and home – and to strive to prevent messes, and to clean them up quickly… especially by way of repentance, daily; and renewing of covenants weekly!
STRIVE to keep ALL the commandments, especially the two greatest… to LOVE God with all your heart, might, mind, and strength; and love others as you love yourself! Study Christ’s words, so much and so well that you become a Scriptorian, and your pages are no longer white from being marked so much! LIVE what you learn and what you preach! PRAY every day, repeatedly, every time you wake, eat, leave the house, do something important, or sleep. Teach your kids to do the same. LEARN that God loves you, and doesn’t expect you to attain perfection in this lifehe only expects you to try! ;)
Go to the TEMPLE as often as you can. Be sealed to your family there, and be THANKFUL for it! Make and keep sacred covenants there, and feel honored and blessed for the privilege of doing so!
ENDURE WELL by making “overcoming” a lifetime pursuit. Transform weaknesses to strengths to the very end, so well that when your Savior DOES call you home, your family knows you are as ready as you ever will be; and no one is more ready to meet your maker than you are!
Watch through spiritual eyes, and see that, though they will miss you dearly, your children are at peace … Know that they will keep smiling, and be so happy for you that you have FINALLY RETURNED HOME! :D
Patty is survived by her husband, Larry Stanford; three daughters Carolyn (Spencer) Wescott, Corine (Miles) Moore and Kalah (Scott) Neff; five sons Benjamin (Jennifer) Stanford, Aaron (Olivia) Stanford, Eli (Shelby) Stanford, Nathan (Yolanda) Stanford, and David Stanford; two sisters Janice Howell, and Judy Vanhammen; 25 grandchildren; and 1 great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, John Herman.
NOTE to Patty from her children: ♥We love you mom! Thank you for your unconditional love and exemplary life!!! We will do everything in our power to work hard, overcome, endure to the end as you did, and to finally “return with honor” one day, too… :D
MEMORIALS: Patty was constantly stating that she wished she could send money each month to help support grandchildren on their missions. The family therefore suggests that memorials may be made to the Missionary Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, for Patricia's grand daughter, Mindy Moore, or any other young missionaries currently serving... 
President Carl W. Knight, Coeur d'Alene YSA Branch 3951 19th St., Coeur d'Alene ID. 83815
Place of Disposition: Mountain View Cemetery, 4259 E Hwy 54 AtholIdaho.

Doesn't mom look AMAZING here? The last couple months of her life she was healthier than she had been IN A VERY LONG TIME! It was AMAZING to see miracle after miracle occur in her life. Ultimately the kidneys gave in, but she was still VERY BLESSED to enjoy AMAZING HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS before she passed. I AM SO HAPPY FOR HER!!! :)

Mama's last family photo with me and my family :D
She was very excited to take these! So were we! :D
I did not have time to shower first. :o It was very spontaneous. Mama wanted to do it, and do it "now."  She just sprung the idea upon us that morning, and we did it! Though I cringed when I looked in the mirror before the photos were taken, I wouldn't trade these photos for anything! I have family photos with my mama. :D

Sunday 30 August 2015

Mindy in the Mission Training Center

Life has been amazing!!!! :D

Guess where Mindy is RIGHT NOW? :D OK. I'm not going to tell you until the end of this post. The rest of this post can give you a big hint. But don't be too hasty in your guess, you may be wrong! ;)

On May 8th, Mindy spontaneously called friends to meet her and her family at a local park and hear her read her mission call letter... She hoped to go to Japan for years, but decided to just put the idea out of her mind and just be happy to go where ever the Lord wanted her. It would be fun to find out where she was going with friends and family present! :)
Mindy reading her mission call letter - GOING TO TOKYO JAPAN! Oh my gosh, it's a DREAM COME TRUE! :D
In June, Mindy went to the temple to make sacred covenants to serve the lord and keep his commandments. What an amazing experience! :) 

This is Mindy in front of the Spokane Temple right after she received her Endowments (made sacred covenants to keep the Lord's commandments and remain faithful to the end! :D) What a BEAUTIFUL time we had! Miles and I were with her, and a couple missionaries also joined us. She just wanted us there her first time, so we didn't invite people to come. It was a truly sacred experience and Mindy was SO HAPPY! :)
On July first, Mindy got on a plane (for the first time ever) and headed to the Mission Training Center in Provo Utah. There, she has been making new friends, building good memories, and learning the Japanese language very rapidly (though not as fast as she would like - but probably faster than she realizes ;o). She is having the time of her life among a group of very valiant young saints (like herself)It is simply Awesome!!! :D

The first letter from Mindy came with a request to gather her friend's email addresses so she could write them on her mission. I did that. Then they gave her an IPad and the recommendation that she write only family. So... It REALLY would have been nice if I had made a nice blog for her to post her letters on. But I didn't. :o (Like I had time for that! ;O) I decided today is a good day to get on the ball and at least share photos of her adventure at the Provo Mission Training Center. :)

So... Here are photos of Mindy and her new friends. She is SO HAPPY to be a missionary!!! :D


Fourth of July in the MTC was AMAZING! Mindy wrote a lot about the wonderful devotional they had in which they talked about how religious freedom brought about by this country gaining independence, laid the foundation for a free nation in which the gospel of Jesus Christ could be restored upon the earth again. Independence Day is TRULY a BLESSED day! :)



I sent a few packages to Mindy in the MTC. In this package I sent my own water bottle. It is insulated and nice, and I loved it and took it with me everywhere! But I thought of Mindy in Japan and thought an insulated water bottle would keep her water cooler on hot days, so I sent it to her. She cried when she saw it. Isn't that sweet? :) I love my emotional, sweet, and very thankful daughter! :D




Mindy had made SO MANY FRIENDS in the MTC. She has two companions, who are also going to Tokyo Japan, and after a few weeks, she also gained two more room mates! :) These girls seem to be having a LOT of fun! Mindy has sent photos of them doing EVERYTHING together... even photos of them cleaning on service days! :)


Notice this name tag has her name in both English, and Japanese.

One of Mindy's self made flash cards to help her learn the language. 



Mindy and her companions!

Mindy and a new friend.


Mindy with companions, again.

The next photos are of Mindy and her room mates. Do you think they are having any fun? ;o





LOL - Oh yeah! :D

Mindy sent zillions of photos, but I just randomly grabbed a few to share here. And with this goodbye kiss (I really don't know what they are doing in this photo, but that's what it looks like) - I will say good bye and end this post. But first I need to tell you WHERE Mindy is, RIGHT NOW. Did you guess?

Mindy and her companions are on an airplane ON THE WAY TO TOKYO JAPAN!!! :D

I am so excited to read her next letter WRITTEN FROM JAPAN! :O   :D

Corine :D



Monday 24 August 2015

Mini Missionary Adventure! :D

(Re-posted from Joy in the Journey blog)

Hi all. :) Levi has had a very busy schedule this past couple of weeks! He had a river rafting trip with other Priests (16-17 year old Mormon boys preparing for missions). Followed by a week long mini-mission in Cheny Washington with his good old buddy Elder Keppner. :D ...and his companion Elder Bowring. These guys are great, let me assure you of that! It was fun to hang with them when we met up to hand off and then pick up Levi. :D


Almost matching ties, as Levi and Elder Keppner both have the SAME favorite colors! Red and Black! Imagine that!
Hi Elder Bowring! Your tie is nice, too! :D Even though it isn't red and black, we think you're pretty OK! ;)
Miles and I had a good time picking Levi up to bring him home. "The gang" (as Elder Keppner called us) had a party in the parking lot during hand off! ;)



Levi had a great time and learned a lot. This should help him to know what to expect when he does his full time mission around a year from now (though he said it is just as he imagined it - I suppose lots of interactions with Elders over the years has helped with that). More importantly, I think the experience probably inspired him to start studying and preparing more fervently. ;P Am I right Levi?  Levi? :o LOL - Don't worry Levi, I know you're gong to do great at accelerating your preparations for the real deal! ;D


Levi got to go to Cheny Washington for the mini-mission. AND then he got to go camping with the family for the weekend. Despite loving it all, he is SO READY to be HOME! And I am so ready to work him some more! ;D Let the slave driving begin! :) (JK. Well, maybe not! Maybe I will wait a week and let him rest a bit, cause I'm really nice that way. ;0 he he)





Well, enough of that. I'm just so happy to have Levi for a son. I'm thankful for ALL my sons. Each is so great in his own way and I am SO proud of them all! :)

TTFN! And I'm excited to tell you a bit about Mindy in the MTC soon!
Corine :D

Thursday 13 August 2015

Just a Little News, From Before June 7th - Closer to Current! Getting Closer! ;o

Hi! :) I have been a terribly inconsistent blogger (I know, nothing new as of the last couple years! :o). I have some catching up to do... My mom moved in with me the last day of February, and being consigned to a bed, my job as care taker was consistent. Oh how BLESSED I was to be able to do it! Mama passed away, and now that the funeral is behind me, I am TRYING to get back into the swing of a new life! (I DO still need to go through her belongings though, and give the bedroom up to the kids! :o). 

Anyhow... I love my mom SO MUCH, and can not begin to tell you how THANKFUL I am that I got to have her here with me! :) Nevertheless, time was VERY LIMITED. So much has happened that I could not make time to write about! (Or I wrote in my personal journal about but failed to share it here). So I decided to post a journal entry to get started on "catching up" ;o After that, I'm going to write about my mom some more! ;o You can read it or not, but I just really need to pay tribute to that great woman who gave me life. :) Talk to you again soon. Corine :D

June/07/2015

"So much GOOD has gone on around here!!!! :D

Devry has been visiting our family again and is now talking about staying for a while – yeah and wow! WE LOVE HAVING HIM HERE! :D He has gotten his brothers on an exercise program and helped them to improve their eating habits. He has grown in so many ways since he moved out 10 months ago and it is so great to see how well he is progressing and maturing. I love that he is still the same helpful person he always was… taking care of friends and family when sad or in need of any kind of emotional support. Mom (aka. Grandma) also now calls on Devry regularly when she needs assistance. What a sweet young man he is! :) By the way, Devry is also helping Mindy with an exercise program that she can use while on her mission... :D I love that kid!!! :D
Speaking of which... Mindy got her mission call!!!! :D

Mindy will be serving the people of Tokyo Japan! :D ~


Mindy loves the people there, and I am SO HAPPY FOR her to get to go and serve the Lord and his children there!!! :D She sent for her passport and eagerly awaited the day when she would hold it in her hands. And how fast it came!!! Every day she prepares for her mission in several ways from one of her lists of things to do to prepare for her mission. What fun to watch! :)
And even better than going on a mission, Mindy has done something even bigger… she has gone to the temple of the Lord and made sacred covenants with the Lord there. This is a very big step in one’s spiritual progression. :)

Miles and I are SO pleased that Mindy has prepared herself spiritually for this big step in her life! We went with her when she made her covenants, and what a great experience it was! :D 


With our girl in front of the Spokane Temple :)

A couple missionaries who have been friends of our family were also there with us… Elders Keppner and Molder - Both served in our ward at different times and became great friends of the family, and are now companions together in SpokaneHow cool is that? :D It was SO GREAT to have them there with us! :D  


Monday 2 March 2015

MOM IS HOME! :D

March 2, 2015 6:47 AM

Good morning! :D

After driving almost nonstop for three days (between travel there and travel back home)… with just cat naps for the most part…, we (Eli - my wonderful brother, his sweet teen son Bennie/ my awesome nephew who has the tradition of posing with me for a photo of us flexing our guns me each time we get together.., and I) - finally got mom to her new home here in Hayden Idaho! :D  

That’s right… MOM IS HOME!!! :D - In her new home with me and my family! :)

Mom slept in the back of Eli’s van, cradled in pillows and blankets on a cushy foam bed (thanks so much for sending those foams with us, Lizzy!!! :D)

There are still boxes by the front door to go through and find a permanent place for. Photos still need to be found and hung on the wall. We don't have her dresser yet etc. (or much of anything - other than basic necessities). But mom is out of that stinking nursing home and right where she belongs… with family! :D We are all very happy to have her here, and I know she is too. It hasn’t even been 24 hours yet, but already I have enjoyed taking care of mom and making and serving her yummy foods… chicken salad, chicken broth, sautéed vegetables, coconut water, and apple slices with cinnamon and cloves accompanied by strawberry slices. When mom saw Mindy and I walk in with the fruit platter, she exclaimed… “I think I just went from Hell to Heaven!” We knew she was referring to her move from the nursing home to here. :D LOL

Eli and Ben left the table before we thought to get a photo...
As we arrived in Salt Lake City we received a phone call from an old friend... Sharon Stevens. She wanted to treat us at a restaurant, along with a few other family members and other old friends who have been very close to the family for years and years (who were there to help get mom ready to move or to say goodbye – 7 in all, plus Ben’s little girl). What a treat for us to all be together like that! :D And the location and view was amazing! Eli and Bennie and I enjoyed taking photos of the exquisite Joseph Smith Memorial building and Salt Lake Temple while we waited for the others to arrive. That was a great experience, and so much fun to reconnect together with dear old friends!

Who else was there, you ask? :D My brother Ben and one of his darling little girls; Dad; and Ruth and her husband… (Sorry I forgot his name). WE ALL HAD SO MUCH FUN! Oh, and I had salmon on wild rice and asparagus. It was amazing! :)

We went directly from the restaurant to mom… When we got to mom we were all fed and rejuvenated for the late night drive home. The men loaded mom and a few of her belongings, while I talked to the nurse about mom’s needs. We never did talk about her schedule. I think the medications WERE the schedule. :o That place was really ugly and downright dreary!  …really looking forward to adding a little spice to her life and SO HAPPY that she is out of there and over here with me and our family!!!


Grandma and Granddaughter... :)
Well, time for me to go. But first, a special THANKS to all family members and friends who have pitched in to help out in various ways…
from prayers and traveling to visit her while all alone there at that nursing home, to brainstorming plans to move her near or in with family (I'm so glad "in with" won!), and shopping for things she needed, to bringing her to her new home (and soon her belongings)...

Special thanks to Eli for driving mom home, and to his son Bennie, who served as a navigator to his dad (my awesome brother, Eli), as well as an extra set of hands close by mom (his grandma :)). I have a photo of the three of us on my phone but haven't figured out how to get it to email and don't have a transfer cord, so this photo will sadly have to wait. :( I'll add it later when technology pulls through.. :D

Special thanks to Ben and Dad for meeting us there and being a support.

Special thanks to friends who met up with family to visit, and said goodbye to mom.

Oh, and let’s not forget the son in law and grand kids who rearranged living quarters/bedrooms to make room for mom, then painted and laid down new carpet to make her new room nice for her! Thanks Miles, Dausen, Levi, and Mindy! :D There has been a lot of fast acting work going on in preparation for this move, and I am SO THANKFUL to be a part of such a kind and supportive family!!!! We are truly blessed. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH… FAMILY AND FRIENDS, FOR YOUR BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY SUPPORT AND LOVE!!!

And last but not least... a special thanks to the two angel missionaries who tore out carpets and painted walls to help us get the house ready for mom: Elder Keppner and Elder Saunders - you are life savers!!!! :D.


These Elders were transferred just after mom arrived and things started to settle down. Both were in our area for longer than anticipated, and for what ever reason they were here as long as they were, I can't help but wonder if they it was, at least in part, for us... I'm SO THANKFUL that the Lord allowed them to stay here long enough to help us through this very busy time! And to them for being so willing and eager to serve! They young men are as good as angels! :)

PS. Miles has done lots of CNA work in the past, which has already proven to be very valuable! He is a great help and blessing and mom is in good hands!!! :D Thank you Miles, for being so supportive of mom being here and of helping to take care of her!!!!

Hospice came yesterday and is ALREADY an AWESOME support! I am so thankful for the support and feel incredibly blessed!!!!

And friends have served in various small ways... One friend made a dinner for us, and gave mom a TV! (Another angel friend!!!). Another came and hauled some of our furniture off that we had to get rid of to make room for mom. We have been truly blessed and are so thankful for these many blessings! :)
...happy day to you all and thank you for all your love and service!
Lots of love...
Corine :D

Monday 16 February 2015

LOVE at First Sight...

Happy Be-lated Valentines Day, friends and family! :)

Something wonderful happened the day after Valentines Day. My family got "heart attacked!" :D We are just certain we know who did it. Our Awesome Elders in the Hayden Second Ward! :) And man do we love them! I will have to find the photos of our door covered in hearts and come back to post them here. :)

Another wonderful thing is about to happen which is worth mentioning today. My mom is living in a nursing home far away. In a week a brother and I will go get her and bring her here to live with us. It has been somewhat of a mental transition anticipating the changes coming. But I love my mom SO MUCH. And I am SO EXCITED that she will be coming to stay with me and my family!!! :)

Now... a few words about LOVE... and about my sweet husband and our "LOVING" beginnings! :D




I believe that love is a VERB. It is about sacrificing for others and doing what it takes to make another happy - every bit as much as you work to make your own life happy. It is selfless and giving.

You can't have done that with someone you just met!

~ AND YET...

There are those who experience SUCH A CHEMISTRY OF ATTRACTION that the DESIRE to love them and be with them is there INSTANTLY.

My husband and I experienced such an attraction. :)

I didn't think it was possible until it happened.


Before we had even been on a date, the thought entered my mind and heart that I was going to marry him.

I was curling my hair, getting ready for a date with a 16 year old boy. I was barely 18. It was just a fun date with a friend. Anyhow, as I curled my hair I heard my 9 year old brother, Nathan, running through the house yelling, "Corine, a guy named Miles is here to see you!" I dropped the curling iron instantly. My quick reflexes caught it, but I dropped it again - and again - as I found myself repeatedly muttering with excitement...

"This is the man I"m going to marry! This is the man I'm going to marry!"

I DON'T KNOW HOW, BUT I JUST KNEW.

Boy was I nervous though!!! I was supposed to marry him! Like some premeditated expectation from another lifetime! Somehow I just knew it! :o ? ?

But here he was in my living room, at the age of 26..., while I waited for my "date" of the age of 16...

"Oh dear Heavenly Father, please don't let them meet! :o

"If he knows I'm going on a date with a 16 year old he'll never ask me out, and then how will I marry him? You can't let them meet, Lord, PLEASE!!!!"

My prayers were answered! :) 

Some of you may think it just an awesome coincidence, but my "date" was an hour and a half LATE. Miles and he passed each other in the driveway... as my date drove in, and Miles drove out. :) LOL Yeah, I know! ;D

Us, many years after marrying (we were skating on a pond with our kids, and he caught me when I slipped...
Special thanks to the kids for catching the moment on camera! ;))

By the way... I wasn't the only one with premature ideas... :)

On our first date Miles looked at me, pointing to me with his right index finger and saying,

"Some day, I'm going to marry you." 

I laughed out, responding as if he were joking,

"Yeah, right!"

But inside my head was whirling...

"He really means it...
He REALLY IS going to marry me!"

Trust me. It really did feel like love at first sight (or close to it), though I realized years later what love really was...

Miles and I were engaged after 2 months, and married after a "lengthy" courtship of two months (four months after our first date).

Instant love.

That was 25 years ago.

Sometimes I think we must have loved each other" before"... So much that "our song" (you know... the one that makes you think of each other, EVERY time you hear it) starts out, "I knew I loved you before I met you. I think I dreamed you into life." :) Yeah. I think of him every time I hear that song. EVERY time. Like clockwork... :)

Love at first sight didn't save us from challenges in our marriage. It didn't save us from unhappy moments, or struggles that resulted from selfishness and poor decisions... but the gospel of Jesus Christ has continually given us a DESIRE to CHANGE when we made poor decisions - or when we realized we're being selfish. It helps us to WANT to be kinder and more selfless. 

And you know what is awesome, we do! Every day we strive to repent of our own imperfections and to love each other unconditionally - despite how the other's imperfections affect ourselves (and despite how many times we BOTH mess up!). And every year we love each other more than we did the year before - and are delighted to find that IT IS WORTH IT!  :)


Recent photos, taken when we went out to eat as a family to celebrate our daughter's birthday...






Do you think love at first sight REALLY does exist? ;) ...just wondering...

Corine :D

Sunday 11 January 2015

HAPPY NEW YEAR! :D

Dear friends and family...
HAPPY NEW YEAR! :D
2015 is already AWESOME!

HOME MADE! ;D ~ Dausen made most of this snowman... Miles and Corine finished it with him. :)
Hi! :D This is Corine writing... yes, I AM FINALLY WRITING A LETTER! :D I know it has been a LONG time, and I am so sorry. I do miss and love you tons! In addition to future visits, hopefully there will be many more awesome letters to to come. ;D

Well... Another year has come and gone… and my family and I are SO EXCITED about the coming year! :D …SO THANKFUL for life! For 2014. For the good. The friends. The sunshine! The snow!!!! :D (Seriously, we keep playing hide and seek in our backyard at night... somehow it is just so much fun in the snow! :D)

I'm sitting here now, thinking of the past year and all the experiences given to us in that glorious year...I'm also thinking fondly of the coming year. I love starting over and leaving past mistakes and weaknesses behind... ;) I also love goal setting, and having a blank calendar, in which to plan NEW experiences to fill it up with! :) I know... The excitement I feel for New Years seems to be similar to that of a child's! And And I FEEL almost like a child... like a child on Christmas Eve... wondering what surprises are in store for me! :D

Are you excited? Have you set any New Years Goals? Before I set goals, I take a little time to reflect on the year behind. :) Ahem...

2014 has been filled with ups and downs –  it has left its mark! The beginning of 2014 was fraught with much struggling in our family – between finances and health issues – the refiners’ fire is very real... The Lord has work to do! ;)

Still… LIFE HAS BEEN AMAZING! :D And we are learning so much! If you have seen the furnace of affliction  in the Moore home this year… rest assured, the Moore family is happy and in good hands! :D If you haven't seen it, you aren't missing anything! ;) There will be many wonderful stories to share of greater interest! :)

Here are a few changes and experiences resulting in 2014…

In April we learned of a teen boy named Damien in need of a home; he moved in and is with us still. It has been a pleasure to watch him grow from kid to young adult! It seems that longer he is with us the more we may annoy him :o. Regardless, he is still working his way into our hearts and we may soon count him as one of our own – giving him, yet another family to love and be loved by. :)

A few months after Damien moved in Devry decided to spread his wings and fly the coop – to southern Idaho, with his second family, the Byrds. We love the Byrds, and are SO happy that Devry is still near “family” while away from home. He has since moved in with Joshua and Nina (previously Byrd) and their little caboose, Aaron – still, Devry visits the Byrds frequently... We love and miss you so much, Devry, and are anxious to come visit you soon! :D AND, when I talked to him a week ago he was about to move into his own place! Wow! My baby boy is growing up so fast!!!! :o

Dausen is back to drawing again, and the family is excited about that. He is such an amazing artist! He enjoys photography as well, and has a brand new Deviant Art website. Since he and Devry share passions (art and photography) Dausen was anxious to get Devry on Deviant Art as well. He was successful, and both now enjoy sharing their photography and art with the world as well as with each other. Dausen also recently decided to try facial hair on for size. Mom got him a beard trimmer for Christmas, and my goodness does he look good! :D (Seriously ...so handsome! And I am NOT prejudice! ;)

Levi turned 16 this year and couldn't wait to get a “real job.” He has been working at Jimmy John’s since and loves it. It is a very small part time job, which is just perfect for a homeschooling high school student. Levi recently opened a savings account to help him save for his mission (he still has another year of school after this one). He also attends Mission Preparation class each week, and is attending early morning seminary and studying his scriptures every day. We are SO happy that he is preparing! :D Levi is such a good kid and it is so much fun watching him grow up to be awesome like his siblings! :)

I have been building clientele as a housekeeper, and my schedule is now officially FULL. I keep saying that though, then adding another job! LOL :D - Miles and I may partner together with a couple of my jobs, and maybe even add some more! :) We are both very excited about that! I'm so lucky to have a husband who wants to help me! :) (BTW - Miles and I are getting really good at supporting each other and working together as a team, and it is SO GREAT! :)

Adding the cleaning jobs to my schedule has been a transition for my schedule, but it is getting easier and the longer I do it the better I get at managing my time. Finding time to both socialize and exercise both became challenging with this new transition to working more... Thankfully, Heavenly Father is blessing and helping me with both of these issues.. Already, in the wee beginning of 2015, I have just started running again with TWO different friends... I AM NOW EXERCISING AND SOCIALIZING, and at the SAME TIME!!! ~ 2015 is going to be AWESOME! :D Time to start training for another half marathon! :)

As for Jan 1, 2015 - Miles is still planning to keep busy working Sail Marine, and to have me with him at the sailboat shop during the busy season as much as I can (We love to work together! :D). We are also expanding the business together this year to promote freeze dried and dehydrated foods and other EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS supplies (through THRIVE); AND we hope to start helping people with their health with magnetic therapy (through NIKKEN) as well. These are to be Miles’ new winter work sources, with me as his lovely assistant. :) About a week ago we hosted our first classes at the Sail Marine store (cooking, emergency preparedness, and meal in a jar classes). Let us know if you need anything, and please share the word with others who need what we have... we'd love to help! :)

Speaking of sailing related news… In 2014 Miles organized a new Sea Scout Ship, and roped me into being a leader as well (co-ed requires both male and female leaders). I consented with a small amount of trepidation about having enough time; but the summer was so much fun with Sea Scout Activities (family included), I decided that Miles was a genius to start the ship. It is so great to offer service to community members and to get to know people and make new friends! :D - Check out the family blog in the coming week to see posts about the fun we had in 2014! :)

BTW. Miles is THE most amazing sailor and adventure trip organizer I know! ;) WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE HIM IN OUR LIVES! :D - If interested in ideas for fun sailing and or swimming, camping, or hiking activities in the Inland Northwest, you may want to check out our calendar of events this past year (go to the Sail Marine website – www.funtosail.com and look for the “calendar” tab. Sea Scout activities are marked with the following symbol...


Oh yes... I am still a Family Research Consultant on a weekly basis, and super thankful for the calling and great friends that I make there at the center. I LOVE YOU FAMILY HISTORY FAMILY! :D

Enough rambling, TIME FOR THE BIGGEST NEWS OF ALL…

Mindy will also be moving soon, as she FINALLY just finished her mission paperwork!!! :D All that remains is for her to finish paying off her medical and dental bills and then the paperwork can be sent to the First Presidency, and she should hear from them very quickly after that.

MINDY has been a very independent girl her whole life, but time is ticking, and I know she would be MOST THANKFUL even for small contributions if anyone would like to send her a few bucks to help pay the medical bills or to help with some of the monthly funding while she is out. Please do not feel badly if you can not. Thank you for your love, we all do our best with what we have to offer…

As soon as Mindy’s call arrives I will post about it on the Moore Memoir blog. I need to do better with making family memories, and keeping n contact with friends and family, so this is my attempt to do better with both. Please come visit us there! www.moorememoir.blogspot.com (Yes, it still exists, along with the old one in which I ramble on about all kinds of things!) I think I will set a “New Year’s Resolution” to post weekly or at least bi-weekly this year!!! :o – I also have a goal to write a few posts about a few special events of 2014… feel welcome to read if you are interested.

As a family, we thank the Lord for our lives, each other, for you, and for this wonderful year! And we thank Him for continuing to bless and be with each and every one of us in the coming New Year… We pray you have a very Happy and Productive New Year! :D

Please let us know how YOU are doing!!! We would love to hear from you!!! :)

Love and Hugs,
The Moore Family :D