Thanks for Thanksgiving!

I have been inspired by the people who are counting their blessings each day on facebook. 
I think it is a wonderful way to mark the days as we look forward to Thanksgiving.

I love Thanksgiving! 
For one thing, I don't need to worry about shopping for presents. 
I just need to find ways to love and serve everyone gathered around me. 
Every year it may be someone different. 
Every year, there is always someone in my heart who is far away. 
But it is a great time for family and friends to stop and reflect on the blessings of our lives and the gifts given to us by our Heavenly Father. 
We try to say 'thank you' throughout the year, but to have a holiday for Thanks helps us refocus when we get caught up in the world, lost in our troubles, and overwhelmed by life itself. 
Sundays and Thanksgiving are two of my greatest blessings!

Spoiled girl... are you murmuring again?

It was the worst of times, it was the best of times...
Well maybe not the worst - but hard! 

Am I murmuring again???

Now that Roger's health is improving I can stop worrying so much about him and it's time for me to get to work...  Yes, real work.  I am looking for a job!  WOW!  Nothing like a dinosaur trying to fit indiscreetly into the modern world. 

Every day I tell myself...

 

'I can do this! 

This is important! 

Everything is going to be okay!'

Then I start looking for jobs, filling out applications and going to interviews.  By the end of the day I think I am lying to myself. 

Murmur... Murmur...

My head is screaming 'you don't fit in, you don't belong here'...  And in many ways, this is true.  My heart is at home.  I am not a career minded woman.  My favorite job is 'Volunteer'. 

Murmur... Murmur...

The hardest job in the world is job-hunting... No one would argue with that. Nobody is job hunting for the joy of it.   Once hired, things will get easier!

 

It's not that I'm afraid of work.  I like to keep busy.  I am afraid of a job.   I know that when I start a job, it can become a priority and I don't like it when home takes second place.  It happens so easily to me, so quickly... 

But there is no other choice, we need the income.  It will be for the best!  And I know that I am not alone, small prayers are answered every day.  I have many blessings to count and there is a reason for everything.  So I will continue to pray and tell myself...

'I can do this!

This is important!

Everything is going to be okay!'

 

---------------------------------------------------

Thankfully,

the best of times comes as a buffer with the hardness of life. 

Welcome Elise!

 

Healthy, beautiful little girl!!!

Joy of my joy!

She is a reminder that life is full of experiences that warm your heart one day, and test your strength another.  That all bad things come to an end and true happiness is eternal.

I don't get everything I want, poor spoiled girl...

but I do have everything that I need!

 

No more murmuring!!!

My daily walk through the scriptures

I have spent the last few weeks studying talks that quote Nephi's famous statement in The Book of Mormon,

"I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." 

This has always been a favorite scripture, especially when I am facing a new assignment at church or making a stand of obedience facing oppostion.

The talks I have read come from speakers at the General Conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1942 to 2012.  They have opened my eyes to so much more meaning than I saw at first.  What is almost unbelieveable, is how each talk unfolded to give me the comfort and counsel I needed on the day that I needed it most.  I was just reading down the list provided at http://scriptures.byu.edu/.  When I started to read the Book of Mormon again at the beginning of the year I chose this website as my study plan.  I have read about 70 talks and have about 20 more to go on this single scripture! 

This means I started reading when things in my life were on a smooth plane and about midway, things changed rapidly.  We went from stability to unemployment and then to loss of health.  And every step of the way, I read the words I needed the most all following one scripture. 
It still amazes me!

I am so grateful for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I am so grateful for modern prophets and apostles, general authorities and auxilary leaders who valiantly stand for the right, give us words of warning and prophesy to the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Their words of love and encouragement uplift and sustain me when I need it most.  Their examples inspire me to do better.  Their testimonies help reassure me that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love me and will never give up on me.  Their messages remind me that there is purpose in my life and my daily decisions make a difference.  They instill in me the desire to pray, to study and to serve.  They build my desire to be like my Savior, Jesus Christ.  They feed me words of hope and comfort and joy, which satisfy my soul and yet - make me want more and I read longer than I should!

My scriptures have notations and post-it notes on many of the pages, but now I keep a separate scripture journal to write down my thoughts and feelings as I read.  There just isn't any room in the margins anymore!  What is so wonderful about the scriptures is that I know one day in the future when I read the same passages again - I will find something new that is meant for me when I need it most.

This new method of studying scripture has really helped me 'go and do the things the Lord commands'... 

Remember Journal Jars?

For years I have carried this jar from house to house as I have moved.  I have placed it on dressers, windowsills and bookcases with the idea that someday I will answer these questions.  I have dusted it faithfully.  I have even answered a question or two!

The illusive someday is here!

When I got a new journal for Mother's Day, I decided it would be my
 'Journal Jar' Journal!

To help me stick to this goal, I decided that I would post a question on facebook each week.  It is a blatant reminder and sometimes the family will add a comment or two, which brings a laugh or starts my thinking process!

There are about a hundred questions with a variety of topics. 

Although I haven't been doing this for very long, I have come to enjoy it.  Every once in awhile, as I close my journal I have thought... Wow, I didn't know that about myself! 

I guess I have not stopped to think about what I like, or what I am good at for a long time...  I am learning more about myself. 

A lot of the questions would have been answered very differently through the timeline of my life and that makes me think more about getting my personal history in order.  Another lofty goal....  Thank you facebook, for your timeline idea... it has been a great help!

Another reason I think I like it, is because I am very different from everyone else. 

I may not be as bright as some people, definitely not as beautiful and my sense of humor is a bit out of date; but it's okay to be me! 

Anything that helps a person identify with themselves, see their strengths and their weaknesses and discover their likes and dislikes is a good thing! 

I should have done this years ago!

“Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”

Do you ever get the feeling that something is about to happen?

I've had that feeling many times!  You continue your daily routine, but feel like something is around the corner and you want to be prepared; but prepared for what?  And then...

It's happened again!  Unexpected unemployment looming over our heads! 

It's not like I ever had control over anything, but now I feel totally out of control!

I feel like the navigator on an airplane that's falling from the sky.  What good am I?  Everything is in the pilot's hands right now, I just need to stay low, keep out of the way and cheer on the pilot to fix everything before we crash!

Yes!  I know it's not that bad...  but I am feeling useless. 

Roger will look at job openings and ask questions like:  Would you rather live in Georgia or New York?  How would you like to live in Wisconsin?  What do you think of the Philipines?

Then I realize how busy he is and see that no applications have been filled out yet, no resumes have been sent...   I have to bite my tongue and try not to worry! 

Of all the problems we could be facing in life, this is not the hardest; but it is the one we have to face right now and I can't wait for it to be over...  Have I been praying for patience?  I don't remember asking for that.  Ahh yes, faith...  Is this how you get faith?


Guess it's time to count my blessings!

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30. 31.32.33.34.35.36.37.38.39.40.41.42.43.44.45.46.47.48.49.50.51.52.53.54.55.56...

John Edwin Carr

John Edwin Carr is my great grandfather.  He is the last known link on my Carr family line.  Beyond him, is still a mystery.  There are many guesses where he comes from and what age he was born, but conflicting records leave us with indecision.

At the time of his death in their Monthly Meeting Minutes, The Boise Society of Friends posted this note, "DEATH - John E. Carr died at his home Sunday evening Aug. 16, 1936. He was the oldest member of our monthly meeting at the time of his death, being 91 years of age."  Also found was a Record of Membership in Friends Church which lists his birth at Hull, England and the names his parents:  Christofer and Anna Carr.  This is the only clue we have of his parent’s names.  His obituary says that he was born in Liverpool England and came to the United States when he was 17 years old.

Timeline of his life:

22 Jan 1845 / 22 Jan 1848 – Birth.  Obituary gives the birth place as Liverpool, England.  Church record says Hull, Yorkshire, England.  His marriage application gives his birth as about 1851 and census records also vary.

1860/1883 – Immigration to United States.  Obituary says that he came to the United States when he was 17 years old.  Census records vary between 1860 and 1883.  The census records say that he had started filing for citizenship, but I haven’t found any naturalization papers at this time.

23 Dec 1887 in Ophir, San Miquel, Colorado John Edwin Carr married Josephine Mary Bly Wyatt, a widow.  On his marriage application he states that he was 36 years old, which would make his birth year about 1851. 

In 1900 John is listed on the federal census as J.E. Carr, born Jan 1853, age 47.  He was married for 14 years, (about 1886).  He and his parents were born in England and he states that he immigrated to the United States in 1883.  He was living in Mercur, Tooele, Utah and his occupation was a blacksmith.  He is living with his wife, Josephine; his stepdaughter Myrtle A. and his children, Sydney C. age 11, and Edwin age 8, who were born in Colorado; and his daughter Ethel age 6 and his son Shelby age 6 months; who were born in Utah.

In 1910 John is listed on the federal census in Fall Creek, Elmore, Idaho.  His age is 62, he was married once, for 22 years.  He and his parents were born in England.  He immigrated to the United States in 1861 and was a naturalized citizen.  [I have not found any naturalization papers.]  He was living with his wife, Josephine (it was her 2^nd marriage), and their children, Edwin, Sidney, Ethel Josephine and Shelby.  His occupation was farmer.

In 1920 John is listed on the federal census in Brandon, Sheridan, Madison, Montana.  His age is 75, he was born in England.  His father was born in Ireland and his mother in England.  He immigrated to the United States in 1878 and filed papers for citizenship.  He is living with his wife, Josephine and their sons Edwin and Shelby.  His married daughter Josephine is also living with him, as well as a grandson, Melvin.

18 Dec 1924 a Record of Membership in Friends Church, Boise Idaho was received by request.

In 1930 John E. Carr is living with his son Sydney C. and his family in Boise, Ada, Idaho.  John’s age is 84 years, he married at age 20.  He and his parents are from England and he immigrated in 1860 and is a naturalized citizen.  His occupation is dishwasher in a restaurant.

16 July 1936 - John Edwin Carr died in Boise, Ada, Idaho.  He is buried at Morris Hill Cemetery. 

The sources for my information can be found on my family tree posted with ancestry.com.  There is a link provided to this tree posted on my blog.

I am interested in any additional information about John Edwin Carr.

On the Road!

Roger and I just took a whirlwind road trip to North Carolina!  Stephen will start school at Wake-Forest in June.  It took us about 35 hours for three people and two cars.  I don't know why, but I always imagined the country to be more crowded!  There is a lot more farm land and more small towns than I realized.  I noticed this even more as we flew home.  Most of the land looks like a checkerboard.  I really enjoyed the trees and all the greenery!

Alyssa and the kids flew in after we arrived and everyone is settled in their beautiful new home!  I think they are going to like it there!  Alyssa is really good at sharing lots of pictures of the kids and we have not lived very close by for awhile, but it felt like a long goodbye.  I hope we can go visit them again soon!

We are now in the process of shuffling our storage around and doing some yardwork on the house, so Mike and Celeste can move in.  I have been surprised at how much 'stuff' I don't really miss!  Besides a few pictures on the walls, I have been able to leave it behind without a thought!  I'm hoping to visit a few friends and spend some time with Mike and Celeste before we leave. 

We've done so much driving we are planning on making the trip home in two steps.  I think Roger's biggest plot is to be in Buckeye with extra time to take Alex to the movies!  I must admit, I was hoping to stop by on the way home, since we couldn't on the way to Utah!  We left home at 2am and no one wants company that late!

Karyn and Sean have announced that 'It's a Girl!'  The name they have chosen is Elise Mckenzie.  (I may not be spelling her name right!)  Time to look at patterns and do some shopping!!!

I am going to need to rest after this vacation.  But all in all, it has been a great trip!