Spring!

April 21, 2015

I think I have been more excited for spring this year than ever before.  Vermont is beautiful, but I am looking forward to green.
We were told by one woman, "If you think you are sick of white, just wait until all you see is green."  I think the flowers will make all the difference. We are already seeing the colors pop.

I love the sweet colors of spring!

Last night we had "Family Home Evening."  It consists of the five Senior couple missionaries, and several members of the South Royalton Ward, who are empty nesters.  We enjoy this.  It gives us an experience to make good friends.  Elder and Sister Broberg led a discussion about the "Beauty of the Earth." There were so many memories brought back to my mind.  

I remember the first time we spent a night in our home in Peterson. The night was so breath taking, the stars so bright, they looked like they would come down and literally touch the ground. There were not many homes around us then and the lights were few. The mountains and the sky, the valley and river all brought joy to my heart.

Anne was very little when she would go over the hill and gather wild flowers.  She would bring them to me. She was so small that sometimes I couldn't see her because the grass was so deep. She loved being in nature.

Roger planted the raspberry patch one new start at a time.  Within three years we had a nice stand of raspberries.  This patch became a spiritual experience for me each time I entered it. I didn't allow arguing, or loud music; it was the peace I loved.  One summer we were picking berries and Mary found a bird's nest.  It had three little eggs in it. Each of the kids looked, and each day they would check to see the progress.  The mother bird was very protective of her nest.  She would fly around us and dart at us. We were very careful not to touch the nest. Soon the eggs were opened and featherless baby birds appeared; they were mostly wide open beaks. One day, after watching them, we could hardly wait to see them. They had been growing and they seemed to be too big for the nest. But this day they were gone, and the nest was empty. 

The raspberries have pulled the family together every summer. I love the talking and the laughter that comes from the patch now. Every child has had the chance to be a part of it.

MaLeah and a big bucket of raspberries.

Heidi and Natalie and some amazing berries.

There is a hymn I love that describes my feelings:

For the beauty of the earth,

For the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies.

For the beauty of each hour

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale, and tree and flower,

Sun and moon, and stars of light.

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth, and friends above,

For all gentle thoughts and mild.

Lord of all, to thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

Happy Birthday Diana!

April 13, 2015

Happy Birthday PRINCESS DI!

You are another year older, but loved to the eternities. You danced your way into our hearts from your first breath, your spinning, leaping, and high kicks.  Each day with you has been an adventure.

You were happy to see Santa until the kids before you cried.

 

You have blessed us immeasurably.  We can never forget your performance in "Wonderful Book of Gold."  Here on Santa's knee we knew we had a live wire on our hands. 

You did your own hair from the time you were four years old. We wondered sometimes when you would leave for school if your teacher thought your mother ever combed your hair.  But by the time you reached Junior High you were really good at fixing it!

Girls camp dress ups

You loved high school, you loved the drama of it, loved having lots of friends, and even your brother.

You even invited your parents to the promenade at Prom. That was a first for us. Your lead in "Singing in the Rain" was a highlight. You were the choreographer for Ovation, the prize winning vocal group of all time.

Senior

Boys swarmed the house on any and every occasion. Dances, parties and plays. You were a great student and a fun kid to raise. Since you left home you've always returned to run RAGNAR. We can never forget thinkin of you running way up in Henefer at 1:00a.m. Seven miles all alone in the dark!

Ragnar's " RUNNIN MOMMA"

Your greatest accomplishment to this day is the family you have raised. They're the cutest, most photographed children of all time, and we love every picture. Ben has been a power in your life and ours. We love him!

Happy Birthday!

April 11, 2015

Happy Birthday to our Favorite Ute!

Max #57 Center for U of U, Lance Rice quarterback

Thirty six years ago today Maxwell Kent Petersen blessed our lives.  He was born in Mission Hills, California.  He was born before the time when you could have an ultra-sound and know if you were having a boy or a girl.  We waited with great anticipation, and were happy to have another boy.  We made the move back to Utah when he was a month old, placing our family in Peterson, Utah, the only home he would know growing up.

Max loved Charlie our dog

Max in kindergarten

Max was always a good, boy. He did well in school. He loved sports; he would play whole football games on paper using different strategies to win the game. He played baseball, basketball, football and won the State title in shot put. He was sought out by many university football programs his senior year, and earned a full scholarship to play for the University of Utah after he graduated. He excelled at football and became the starting center under Coach Urban Myer.

He chose to serve a two year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

The MTC at Provo Utah

You can take the boy out of the farm, but you can't take the farm out of the boy.

Because he was willing to serve the Lord he was blessed. It was on this mission that he met Heidi, through letters, and from this he blessed our lives forever.

Max and Heidi, Bountiful Temple, December 16, 2000

Max, Meg, Andrew, Katelyn, Heidi, Isaac

We love you Max!

Happy Birthday!

April 7, 2015

Spring?

Spring is trying so hard to come to Vermont! As I look out our office window I see the snow receding but still a foot deep in spots. Several spots.  It is raining today so maybe more snow will melt. We have had a couple of teaser days with the temperature in the low sixties, but that was short lived.

Roger and I took a drive a week ago to see how the melt was coming.  The upper tributary to the White River is starting to move.

You can see here and there the ice starting to be overtaken by the cold mountain water.  There is an interesting phenomenon that takes place in the rocks here.  The water that filters through the rocks freezes and makes it look like frozen waterfalls all along the highways.  It is a pale blue in color and breath taking to behold.

The White river that we cross on a daily basis has had chunks of ice flowing toward the Connecticut River that has massive amounts of ice chunks itself.  

It is almost clear now.  It is beautiful!

We have enjoyed our drives through this beautiful state. It has some beautiful farmlands, lakes and trees.  Perhaps most beautiful in all the US.

I have also loved the covered bridges that can be found on the many roads that cover these Green Mountains.

The most beautiful, peaceful spot in all of New England is the place we see every day.  The angels do attend all who come here! 

God Lives! His spirit is in all we see, all that is virtuous, lovely, all that is of good report or praise worthy, and I will seek after these things.