Best Gifts of 2008

There are so many! I think I might just burst if I don't write them down tonight before 2008 gives way to 2009.

1. The generosity and kindness of friends, family, and strangers. Not only were medical and other expenses met through their combined efforts, but physical, spiritual, and emotional needs were met as well. We weren't left financially in debt, but we owe a huge amount of gratitude to so many wonderful, wonderful people.

2. The miraculous cure of a broken heart. It wasn't just broken, it was shattered, crumpled, kicked, stomped upon, folded, spindled, and mutilated beyond recognition! Thanks to the grace, mercy, and love of God, it is whole again. The final piece slid into place just this week, on Monday, the 29th, as I spoke with my counselor for the last time for the forseeable future. She helped me understand forgiveness in a new and profound way. Trust God, that is the answer to everything. For grief, trust God. For worries and fears, trust God. For unjust condemnation, trust God. He can, and He will, make all things right in His own way and time.

3. A heart and conscience at peace. In Acts 24 : 16, Paul wrote: "And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men." That favorite website of mine, http://www.gospeldoctrine.com, supplied this commentary:

Joseph B. Wirthllin
We see an example of individual peace amidst strife and contention in the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Near the end of his life, he was at the center of a whirlwind of turmoil and tribulation caused by devious associates, false accusations, and cunning plots against his life. Yet a few days before his death, he said, ‘I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men.’ (D&C 135:4.) His inner peace sustained him through monumental adversities, even his own martyrdom.” (“Peace Within,” Ensign, May 1991, 36)

Lorenzo Snow
“Are we seeking to purify ourselves? How can a Latter-day Saint feel justified in himself unless he is seeking to purify himself even as God is pure —unless he is seeking to keep his conscience void of offense before God and man (see D&C 135:4) every day of his life. Many of us, walk from day to day and from week to week, and from month to month, before God, feeling under no condemnation, conducting ourselves properly, and seeking earnestly and in all meekness for the Spirit of God to dictate our daily course; and yet there may be a certain time or times in our life, when we are greatly tried and perhaps overcome; even if this be so, that is no reason why we should not try again, and that, too, with redoubled energy and determination to accomplish our object.” (“Blessings of the Gospel Only Obtained by Compliance of the Law,”Tambuli, Feb. 1979, 37)

So, even though it is true that I went through a period of darkness this year, a time when my faith flickered and wavered in the winds of adversity, I can gratefully say that it did not go out! It is strong and bright, warming and comforting me even though I know more danger lies ahead.

4. My testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it is true. I know a testimony is available to anyone who seeks with a willing mind and a humble heart for as long as it takes. I believe in prophets, ancient and modern, Adam, Enoch, Moses, Abraham, Noah, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Lorenzo Snow, Thomas S. Monson, to name but a few.

Good, now I won't burst! Happy New Year, everyone, or, at least, may your new year be as safe as possible, and tight like unto a dish.

Christmas Wrap-up

Oh no! Ethan called on Monday and said they wouldn't be able to make it here for Christmas because of snowy weather and road closures. But yippee, he called back on Tuesday, and said they were on their way! We've been jingle-bell-rockin' ever since. Without these two exuberant little girls around, it might have been hard to hang onto the joy of Christmas, because a dear brother-in-law/uncle was emergently hospitalized in the wee hours of Monday morning with a serious illness. After several tense days and five hours of surgery, the news is looking brighter, and we're almost ready to believe we've beheld an honest-to-goodness Christmas miracle. We are rejoicing with you, Lonnie and Julie. Hurray for you, and hurray for all of us who love you!

Without Missy, we might have been subsisting on pizza, oranges and bananas this week. I have had one doozie of a cold and wasn't up to spending much time in the kitchen. Pumpkin biscuits were my one and only culinary contribution. Oh wait, I did make the broccoli for our Christmas dinner of ham and mashed potatoes, etc. and I did get Dan to fill the piñata with candy after Missy's tasty tamale dinner last night.

Ethan and Colin and I went to the cemetery on Christmas day. It's good to see that brotherly camaraderie the brothers have with Jordan. Colin wiped the snow from the headstone and the wreath we'd placed there a couple of weeks ago, and then he threw a snowball, and said, "Wanna have a snowball fight, Jordan?" Ethan said, "Looks like Colin won that one." We sang Silent Night, and said a prayer, and talked a little, light-heartedly, just as if Jordan were there with us. It gave me such a sense of peace to know we had made him part of our Christmas. He has to know he is still, and will always be, a treasured part of this family.

What a wonderful Christmas we have had together. Ethan and Missy left for home this morning, but had to turn back because of more road closures. They will keep checking, but they may not be able to make a break for it until Monday. Woe are they, but happy are we. And now, may God bless us, every one, all the whole year through.

Grandma Got Run Over by the Reindeer

So, she made her first snow angel, and goofed around outside for a little bit before coming in to thaw out.

Sometimes, Grandmas just wanna have fun....too!

Which Pic Should Grace Our Christmas Cards?

Time is running out. Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat! I mean, Christmas is coming, and we haven't yet mailed a single Christmas card. So, please hurry. Help us decide which of these two Christmas trees to put on our cards.

This one?

It's our cheerful little tree, just right for our minuscule wants and needs.

Or this one?

Our happy, talking Christmas tree!

Oh, and merry Christmas and thank you for your help!

A New Day for Brianna

Happy, happy day! Brianna just became a lawful permanet resident of the United States of America! This morning's interview was brief, friendly, and best of all, successful! She now has many of the rights of a U.S. citizen. College is definitely in her future now, since she won't have to register as an international student, and pay exorbitantly high fees for doing so.

We owe a big thank you to our wonderful attorney, Kathy Railsback, to Jordan, forgetting the process started, to Dan, for seeing it through, and to all the kind people who wrote letters of recommendation. I also want to thank God. I feel so very blessed that this day has come and our worry about Brianna's status is over! She will not have to go back to China unless, or until, she chooses to.

Ironically, we celebrated the granting of her Green Card with lunch at the Pad Thai House. I bet someone is smiling down on us this day. Yes! Jordan, we did it!

This Night

One of the days that I've dreaded has come. It was one year ago tonight that I received the phone call from Jordan telling me that he had just come from the doctor and that something was wrong. One year ago, the world changed.

Before he called, I had jusd lived some of the happiest months of my life. Our family had enjoyed a blissful reunion at Bear Lake in August. As far as I knew then, all was peaceful and well between all of us. Missy had helped me with a fun Christmas project for the family, a photo book of the reunion. We'd spent a great Thanksgiving with her and Ethan and the girls, and they had even left Brooklyn and Lilly with us for the following week. What a blast that was! My heart was so full of love and gratitude that I conquered my fear and bore my testimony in fast and testimony meeting that day to publicly thank Heavenly Father for all my blessings, and to testify of Him and His Son, and the gospel. Life seemed perfect that day.

Then came the phone call from Jordan in China. I stayed up all night that night, talking with him and Brianna, and sending e-mails back and forth, researching, praying, waiting for more information. They boarded a train and went to a specialist in another city right away. She wanted a large sum of money and to admit Jordan to the hospital to begin treatment. Jordan, Brianna, and Dan and I quickly decided that it would be best for him to come to America for treatment. He arrived on Dec. 5th, leaving a fully supportive, but sad and lonely Brianna behind in China. She had extracted a promise from him that he would find a way to get her here within two weeks. We worked frantically, and he/we did it too, almost. It took two and a half weeks.She flew in on Dec. 23rd.

So many ups and downs since then. Such an unfamiliar, arduous road we've traveled, beginning that night, one year ago. Jordan traveled the whole way with courage and composure.We've stumbled once in awhile since he's been gone, but we're moving ahead now, making slow but steady progress. To live with the courage he had, to take joy in simply living and interacting with other people, and to keep a sense of humor as he did, are just three of the things about Jordan that I want to emulate.

All of us Washburns have a stripe of silly in our souls. Jordan's may have been the widest. Tonight, we will exercise that silly stripe when we take our Christmas family photos. We need a reason to laugh this night.