Trip to Winona

The summer before we moved to Springville, Utah, we made a trip to Winona, Minnesota. Gramps had passed away a couple of years prior, so we were going to see Grandma Stanislawski. She said she had some bunk beds she wanted to give to us.
We borrowed Bruce's dad's van, packed in our 3 boys and one daughter - ages 9 months to 5 years old - and headed west. It was always a long trip, but the back roads through Wisconsin could leave you breathless.
We stayed a few days, loaded the van with needed furniture and headed to Nauvoo, Illinois. We have always loved visiting Nauvoo. It's so inspirational. The missionaries there are wonderfully informative and nice. We also wanted to make sure the kids had an extra influence for good in their lives.
We were absolutely exhausted by the time we drove from Winona to Nauvoo, then walked around a little bit. We needed to find somewhere to sleep, but we had very little money. There is a camp sight in Nauvoo, though, so we took our little family there.
The kids curled up in the back of the van and Bruce and I slept in the chairs in the front. Not fun. When morning came, I took Chris and our daughter to the outside toilet. It was horrible! It was an old fashioned outhouse. I took the kids one at a time and stood in there with them because they were afraid of the open drop under the seat.
We brushed our teeth with water from a pump and had crackers and cheese for breakfast. I was busy with the baby and my 2 year old when our daughter said she had to pee. I asked her if she could wait, but she said, no, she had to go NOW. I could not stop doing what I was doing and I don't remember what Bruce was doing, so I told her to go on by herself. I could see the outhouse from where we were. Off she went. She had gone into the outhouse and within a minute she started screaming. Blood curdling screams. I turned on my heel and took off for the outhouse. Bruce heard the screams and he ran to the outhouse. I got there first and yanked the door open terrified as to what I would find in there. Had she fallen down into the waste? Nope. There was my 3 year old sitting with her pants around her ankles screaming because there was a bee in the outhouse with her.
We got home at about midnight on Saturday. We wanted to be able to rest on the Sabbath, so we pushed to get home on Saturday. Bruce pulled the van around to the back of our house so it would be easier to unload. We only had a key to the front door, so he went around to let us in the back. While he was gone, a police cruiser pulled into our driveway. The officer got out of his car and asked to see my identification. Bruce walked out of the back door and he was also asked for his I.D. He asked us questions about who we were and what we were doing. When he was satisfied that we were who we said we were he told us our neighbors behind us saw a strange vehicle pulling into our yard at midnight. They knew we were gone and were afraid someone was robbing us.
Some people may have gotten mad about being suspected of being a thief, but Bruce and I were very grateful for alert neighbors. All ended well - if not exhausting.

Neighbors

We had an elderly couple living next to us in Detroit. He was 15 years older than his wife. They had an arranged marriage from 'the old country'. The husband was a sweet man who used to make his own wine in their basement. the wife was not a nice person. She was demanding and very, very cheap.
Mrs. G. would call my mother and ask her to send my brothers over to mow her lawn. One of the boys would go, but it wasn't ever good enough. We had a hand mower, not a gas or electric mower, so it was not an easy task. Mrs. G. would go out and look at the lawn then tell them they had to do it again, the other way. Then she would give them one dollar.
Mrs. G. would call my mother and ask her to send me over because her house needed cleaned. I hated going! But my mother said that we need to help our neighbors. I would vacuum, sweep, dust, mop, fold clothes and whatever else she needed. I would either get a quarter or fifty cents and a St. Christopher's medal. I had more St. Christopher's medals than my Catholic friends.
Mrs. G was a heavy woman who could not stop drinking wine. She had to have weighed well over 300 pounds by the time her legs were totally incapacitated. Every morning - I mean EVERY morning - my parents would go to the G.'s house and help her to the porta-potty then to her wheelchair. Mom would help sponge bathe her and brush her hair.
Eventually they got a type of hoist to get her out of her bed because she was so heavy.
Mr. G. tried to help, but he was old and fragile. So, he asked us to come to dinner at their house for a REAL Italian meal. My parents accepted and on a Sunday in between meetings we went to their house for a home cooked Italian meal.
Next to my plate was a full glass of grape juice. I loved grape juice. We didn't have it very often because it was an expense m parents felt we needed, I guess. Anyway, I took a gulp of grape juice and about gagged. I turned to my father and said something about the grape juice tasting bad. He shushed me and told me to be polite, drink it anyway.
We had fresh bread, real Italian spaghetti and home made lemon cake. It was great. When I got used to the taste of the grape juice, I enjoyed it also.
We were finishing up the cake when one of their daughters came in the back door. (They had 13 living children.) She came bursting into the dining room wielding an empty wine bottle. I'll never forget the exchange that took place:
"Ma! Did you give these people this wine? You know they don't drink alcohol!"
"That's not-a wine! That's-a grape juice!"
The daughter apologized to us profusely. Mr. G.'s wine that he used to make was quite potent. So, Mrs. G felt that the wine that was commercial was not real alcohol.
my dad teased me for years about being an 'alky' because I drank a full glass of wine a dinner. I had a headache for the rest of that day.

Little Israel

I grew up in Detroit 3 blocks west of the 6 Mile and Schaeffer intersection. Exactly one mile north on 7 Mile was a group of stores, a schule and some bakeries - all Jewish. People called the area Little Israel. My dad used to drive us to the bakery there and we would go in and buy bagels - fresh, smelling like heaven, all types of grains and seasonings. It was quite a treat.
My best friend, Debbie and I walked up to 7 Mile and went through the stores up there. One jewelry store had a beautiful Star of David necklace. I looked at it and counted how much money I had. The necklace was $1.00 and I had a little over .90 cents. I smiled at the little old man behind the counter and told him I didn't have enough. I started to walk away with Debbie when I heard him call me back. He asked how much I had. I told him. He grunted, gave me a sideways look then told me he would sell it to me for the money I had.
I left the store with that beautiful star nesting around my neck and a huge smile on my face.

The Main Event

When the Silverdome was the home of the ?Detroit Lions, it was an incredible place to visit. There was a restaurant inside called the Main Event. Kerry Roop had rented this huge restaurant space and set up kick-boxing fights. Roz Stetson and I sang the Star Spangled Banner and we each had a solo in the middle of the fights. At the last event I was sitting next to June and her boyfriend. Kerry came over and asked June where I was. I raised my hand (almost under his nose!) and he told me to come with him. A friend of mine was fighting in the main event - which was called King of the Ring. Kerry wanted ME to give the trophy to the winner! I was so excited. That position is usually given to a very pretty girl. Hank won the fight (my friend) so Kerry gave me the trophy and I entered the ring to present it to him. Hank gave me a huge hug. It was the soggiest, smelliest hug I've ever gotten. What an experience, though. One that I will always cherish.

Brandon's Day

It has been a busy afternoon. Bruce and I gave Brandon $20.00 cash for his birthday, and he had gotten a $3.00 gift card from Toys R Us. So Brandon and I left Josh and Ashley with Chris and Dana and went to the store. First we stopped at Burger King and got a pop. Brandon was all smiles. We went to Toys R Us and walked around until Brandon made his choice of Baku Gahn's (I have no idea how to spell this, so I apologize.). He looked for sales and for how much he could get for the money he had. He was so cute to watch. He paid for his items then we went next door to get Abby a few doggy things.
I had called Chris earlier and asked that Dana not bother to bake a cake, I wanted to take Brandon to Kroger's so he could pick out his own cake. Of course, if you have cake, it's a rule you must have ice cream. We also bought bagels and cream cheese.
After dinner that night we sang to Brandon and everyone had a slice of cake. Brandon just beamed.
We chatted in the car both ways. He is a very intelligent young man and very well spoken. Sometimes I had to remind myself that he is only 10 years old.
I think I had just as good a day as Brandon did.

Life's Lessons

I learned an important lesson when I was in Primary. One that still surprises me to this day.
Our

I have had many precious times in my life. My marriage - both for time and then for eternity, the birth of my children and grandchildren, attending marriages of my children, their baptisms, graduation from college, buying a new, never lived in house, etc., etc., etc.
Today I'm reminded of seeing my first granddaughter when she was just hours old.
Bruce and I were down visiting our daughter for Thanksgiving when she went into labor. Eime (pronounced Amy) was born on Thanksgiving Day. Bruce and I went to the hospital to visit and there she was, the tiniest angel ever.
The hospital had her in her little cart pushed up to the nursery window next to a baby boy. This little baby boy weighed over 9 pounds and was of Latino heritage. He had thick, black hair that would soon need a trim and fat ruddy cheeks. Eimi had little hair, was very light skinned and around 6 pounds. What a comparison.
When I got to hold her, I felt almost a physical connection to this little angel. I was holding a newly-arrived-from-God's-presence little spirit embodied in a sweet perfect little body. She felt so warm. I knew from holding Eimi that there is definitely an eternal connection through family lines. She was supposed to be part of my family. I instantly fell in love with her.
Now we have another little baby coming into our family. I am so excited.