43 and Counting...

Unfortunatley, that's not pounds...Fortunately it's years!  Ed and I celebrated our 43rd anniversary yesterday!  Can you believe it!!!  Wow!  I can't remember not being married, but WOW,how the years have zoomed! We ran away from home Friday afternoon and spent the weekend at our cabin where it was quiet, coolish, and green!

Let's crunch some numbers here, 43 years...

 6   children (not a one of whom I'd send back!), Jennifer Ann, Christy Lee, Jamie-no middle name, Maury Sue,Matthew Edwin, and David Asay.  I'm proud to be their Mama!

4     one of a kind, wonderful adopted kids, Mike, Mark, Emily and Jena; 

10   grandchildren, of whom there isn't one who isn't beautiful, handsome, ultra intelligent,       and/or creative...# 11 is on the way...it isn't good to end on an odd number, maybe he or she will be twins!; Carly Dawn, Rachel Patricia, Jacob Manuel, Curtis Matthew, Samantha Grace, Bethany, Gwenyth, Alyssa Paige, Mason Edwin, and Catherine.

6    dogs, some great, others are just part of the number.  Charlie is #1 at the moment!

but I digress, Numbers Carla, NUMBERS:

 We've lived in 10 different cities: Big Piney, Wyo, a little town in Colorado half way between Greeley and Ft. Collins (Terrible but have forgotten the name); Fort Collins, Lovell, WY, Tolleson, AZ, Byron, WY, Lovell, WY, (Yup, twice...if you can't get it right, do it again, then leave!), Desert Hot Springs, CA, Yucca Valley, CA, Lovington, NM, Hobbs, NM, San Angelo, TX, Yucca Valley, CA and Toquerville, UT. 

 Now that doesn't mean one house per place!  Oh NO! Of houses the number is 17!  Note on houses; usually we've just gotten them livable and lovable then moved on; plus  2 Cabins. 

We've lived through heart attacks, house re-dos, knee surgeries,cabin building, tonsil removals, hysterectomy...(where I was asked to sign a paper saying that this meant that I knew I would never have children again.) endoscopty, the other end-oscopty, broken bones, pierced ears, innumerable X-rays, Family Home Evening fights, some with no fights...loveable singings of 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer', and 'In Our Lovely Deseret'; only one disasterous dinner of orange chicken...I learn fast, dont ya know!, concusions, cars miraculously flying out through the desert, of course of no fault of the driver, driving 99 mph...oh no!  I have that wrong; a coyote or rabbit jumped in front, causing the car to swerve into the desert...oh ya...Now, I've got it right!; 5 High School graduations, Christy and Jamie the same year; 5 missions, four for children 1 for us; Veterinary School; 1 cruise, 2 children with Masters; 5 Veterinary clinics/hospitals...

Shucks!  There's too many numbers to crunch...lovely and dear friends, life experiences that are near and dear and sacred.  It's just been too busy and  too awesome to count anymore; besides that you've stopped reading! 

 I Love You, Edwin Lee Lowe; Thanks for the memories!  I wouldn't have it any other way.  See you next year at the rantings of the # 44!  

The Movie '7 lbs.' Couldn't have been THIS good!!

This week as the weighing in ceremony began at Weight Watchers, I heard the weigher gasp!  I was looking at  a 3 month planner, trying to decide to buy or not to buy.  I looked up and saw her writing down that I'd lost 7.2 lbs!!!! Whahoo!!!  Believe me my pants aren't any looser but I don't feel like Jamie's loaf of bread either.  I know, I know this week there won't be so much loss, but hey!!! Let me live in my moment of triumph!

As Charlie and I were on our morning constitutional, two hens skittered across the road toward the creek followed pomously by a big beautiful multicolored rooster that I'd been watching.  He knew for sure that he was head rooster of Jim's yard if not the world. As we approached he stood mid-road looking disdainfully at us.  Charlie didn't seem to care about the hens, but took out after that ' proud of his station in life' rooster.  Before I could shut her down; the rooster  was missing many tail feathers and a whole lot of pride.  He was quite a squawker up in that tree...didn't sound like any rooster I've ever heard.  Charlie felt a moment of muscle bulging until she saw my look and promptly got the famous Charlie seal look.  "I'm so ashamed, he! He! HE!!!"

Gwenyth called me on the phone, "Grandma, Mom said I could have a middle name if I wanted.  Do you know what my name is? Gwenyth Carla Lowe!" Do you have any idea how quickly a grandma's heart melts?  That is, if her name is Carla.

We, (that's the royal 'we)', have extended our garden spot by 30' or more.  Our back yard slopes down, so Ed hauled in,  1 1/2  ton  at a time, cement locking blocks (80 lb. ea.) painted brown. ( 5 or 6 loads)  Which we unloaded and Ed formed a perimeter. 5 blocks tall at the bottom, with the side from 5 to 2 tall.  Then 3 loads of fill dirt delivered by a dump truck were added to the mix of grass clippings, 20+ bags of manure, peat moss and I'm not sure what else.  Ed cultivated it all together.  We have now planted early corn, regular corn, zuchinni, acorn squash and another winter squash.  The top garden already has cucumbers, tomatoes and all kinds of peppers.

The big rocks that were cemented in beneath the back patio area; Gene Wilder broke out with his back  hoe and we threw them lovingly down the 'Jacob slide' in hopes that no more dare- devil slides will be performed.

 We also had a swarm of bees, some very agressive, try to swarm at the corner of our deck. It was a bit scary but they no longer want to swarm.

The big event of the week was being able to accompany Bethany to her very first Miss and her Mom activity day.  Emily and Matthew had already scheduled a hike with the Laurels and Priests at Angel's Landing.  She was so excited!  She just knew we were going to be late, and called me at least 5 times telling me the time and when was I going to come get her?  We were the 1st ones there.  She informed me: "It's a brunch, Grandma that's B R U N C H!!!"  They usually serve breakfast things when they have a brunch.  I wonder what they will serve. I KNOW!!!  French toast!  Alot of people do that!"  Imagine her face when we walked in and Brother Jensen was making omelets with sliced olives, mushrooms and a ton of cheese, link sausage and orange rolls.  Pretty disappointing, I might tell you.  She took a bite of the roll and declared that it tasted funny and ran off to play on the swings.  We got to make bracelets and necklaces however and that was fun.  She, Gwenyth and Catherine were famished after we picked them up, so we had a picnic in front of the TV of peanutbutter and honey sandwiches, chips, and apple.  They were happy.

Ed and I were in Ace Hardware at the cashiers.  He said, "Oh, I forgot...will you?" and I answered, "Yes, I brought in my wallet."  The teenaged cashier looked at me with kind of an awe on her face, "You read his mind!!!"  "Well, I guess I should after 43 years of being married." "Isn't it kind of creepy?????"  Just seems normal to me!!!

Look it up in the dictionary...

   I knew in my heart of hearts that jelly beans, peeps, and chocolate bunnies would interfere with my Primary lesson (5 &6 year olds) about the Savior's Resurrection.  They did!  Isn't there a commandment against feeding your children sweets before church?  There should be!

    Ten children showed up bright and shiny but not all happy. Two were bawling, not quietly sobbing their sorrow but screaming it.  One informed me that he didn't want to be there and wasn't going to listen.  Two were so enthralled with their new dresses that not much else mattered.  One visitor came; he spent the day hitting, twining his legs with whomever he could, or talking incesantly.  One beautiful little girl was so excited that her birthday is tomorrow that all else paled in comparison.  All in all, not your whip-snazziest day to hold Primary.

   Mid lesson, or some semblance there of; I was to introduce the word, "IMMORTAL".  Wrote it on a poster and magnetted it,(sorry, is that a word??) to the chalkboard. Sister Lowe:  "We're going to talk about a new word that's pretty big; it's one that grown-ups use.  Can any of you read the word?  The word is 'immortal' ; that is a pretty big word!"

   Emily: "That's not a BIG word!!!" Sarcasm and disgust dripping out of her formerly bawling mouth.  Nathan, who decides to continue in the digust-mode: "In school we learned a bigger word than THAT!!!!  Hippopotimus is a lot bigger than THAT!"

   So, how was your Easter Sunday?

Please remember Maury in your prayers; she's going back to teaching tomorrow after 6 weeks out, complete with crutches and a big black boot!

   P.S. Christy, thank you for bathing Charlie; it was lovely to have a sweet smelling pooch in the back seat of the car for 6 hours, instead of the one we brought with us!

   Love to you all.  Happy Easter!

   

    

   

  Just wanted you all to know that Joel and Becca Fuessel, from our mission, had their baby girl , two months early, but everything looks ok.  Lila Hope...what a miracle.  The beautiful thing is she is born in the covenant!  You can go to their blog from ours just press of Becca.  It's pretty nifty!

I've Taken the Pepsi Challenge!!!!

As most of you know, I only drink Pepsi when I have a headache or I'm thirsty!  (Thank you Jennifer for saying that when you were only 3 or 4...it's almost as good as Carly's "Pretty soon you'll be smokin' a coffee!" or something like that!)

Anyway, I didn't read the December Ensign until the family left after Christmas.  Then I picked it up and read the article on caffene and energy drinks while sipping a Pepsi, I'm almost certain.  Oh my, the picture of the spider web made by a spider on caffene undid me.  So, as a result, on the 30th of December there have been no Pepsis down my gullet!  Ohhhhhh My!  There have been headaches in my crainium, however!  Along with headaches there have been nights of no sleep along with brain-busting headaches...I don't yike 'em!  

So, as of today, it has been 19 days! I cannot honestly say that I don't want a Pepsi, that I don't dream of Pepsi, that a tall glass of ice floating in a Pepsi is out of my mind,  or that water is as wonderful as a Pepsi...yet;I'm almost there...but not quite!  I don't want to fall off the wagon as I don't want to experience any of the above once again.  I think in the 19 days I've had maybe 4 sodas but not Pepsi, not caffinated ones, but the cranberry splash  that Christy introduced me to and a Squirt but they don't taste like Pepsi so they may be off of my list too.  I wonder...do they have a Pepsi Annonymous? Ah well!

Top and Top

Tuesday we drove up the mountain to see if we could get to our cabin.  Not the true Top and Top of course as all the Lowe Kids know.  The TRUE Top and Top is of course and could only be the Big Horns but Cedar Mountain passes for top n top (lower caps at least) for us these days.  We had a beautiful drive, the roads were mostly clear and it was a great day.  There was less snow than I expected. Last year on Chrismas Eve day when Mark and Jamie went up with me we had at least another foot. Never the less we are greatful for what we do have.                                   

                                     

           We knew that we had

 arived when we spotted the trusty old hummingbirds sticking up through the snow.  Safe to say that the birds that we so enjoy all summer have departed for warmer habitats.  Here is our old cabin and garage

 peering out from the trees and the snow.

     We could tell that a lot of thawing was going on.  The road in was plowed and was beginning to get muddy in some spots.  Last year when we

 went in the road was all snow and ice.  

     Just like last year though it was neigh on to impossible to hike up to the cabin.  It was just too hard to walk through, you would just fall through the snow hip deep.  

                                   

     

   

                 

                                   

                                                                                                           

                                                                                                              However I came prepared and strapped on my snoweshoes.  A Christmas/Birthday present from me to me.                                                                                                                                                                       

                                   

                                 

     And up the hill I marched carrying a bed frame.                                                                 

        Well I had a bedframe for the downstairs bedroom.  Trust me, and it was heavy what with the uphill thing, the altitude, the inexperienced snowshoer, and the out of shape since I've not been working very hard but eating hearty since Thanksgiving time.  Mostly the latter I think.

  When I got up the hill to the cabin the view was worth the climb.

           

           

             

                   

                             

      

Where the snow had slid from the steep metal roof it is really piled deep.

                                         

              

                

                                                                                             Here is a view of the old cabin from North of the new cabin.

     As you can see there has been a lot of melting.  I don't think too much snow slid from the old cabin roof, it is composition roofing and not slick like the new cabin.

We had a great day and I know we need to get some snowshoes for Carla.  I would have enjoyed walking around more once I put the bedframe inside the cabin.

     We got some great picture on the way down the mountaihn

   

 

Here is Duck Creek.

                                                     

                                

                 

                             

           

           

                       

                        

                                   

       Duck Creek Pond.

                                                                 

                       

 With some Ducks which flew to the other side, but alsa you can't see them.  Too bad, it sort of explains the name.

  

                                                                                      

      You can see some of the ten or so turkeys that we saw coming down the mountain.  We saw five Tom turkeys going up but did not think to take a picture. 

Anyway we had a great day.  I was wondering if we could get the rest of the kitchen cabinet doors and drawers that I have built in the past few weeks along with the upstairs vanity that I just finished, along with the top and toilet that clutter my workshop, but no way am I going to pack that stuff up the hill on snowshoes.  For that matter I don't want to pack them up the hill at all.  They will have to wait until we can drive up to the cabin in the spring.    OK enough for today.

Remembering my mom

My mom, Lucy Alice Neves Asay Cox, had a lot of sorrow in her life; at 16 was the first in her family to find her murdered father; lost a beloved daughter, Carol when she was so very tiny, my father, Reed, in his forties, premature baby, Reed Willis two weeks later who lived less than a day and at Christmastime the same year lost her 21 year old daughter, Della; but she told her oldest, Richard to stay on his mission as that was where his father wanted him to be; kept teaching school, kept the rest of us together, spiritually and temporally.  She was a hard worker; her family was her center.  I don't remember her having any 'friends' outside the family; now she's nearing 100 years and counting. /What a tower of strength! February 7th is the big day.

     While LuAnn and I were there last October or November I found this poem, typed on pink paper, and cut to a shape.  It touched me; and helped me see how the pain of her first death, Carol, stayed in her heart.  It's called 'The passing, by Edith Cherrington

She was so little-oh so very small,

My palm could hold the tiny shoes she wore;

She ran them through, and yet she was not tall

Enough to turn the handle of the door.

She would call to me to "Open Please!"

then like the sunshine she would hurry through.

Now all I have are memories--such as these--

I was so foolish then, I never knew 

Her call to "Open Please!" could reach so far,

Or angels hear a voice so small and thin,

And yet an angel set the gate ajar

And she, who stood there waiting, passed within.

I'm not saying that all  was tragedy, there are memories of her singing, 'My Dear do you know..." while we rocked with her in that squeaky wooden rocking chair, her helping us give jr. Sunday School talks with 'Pazazz!  "If you're going to do something; do it with pazazz!" being in the elementary school in Lovell knowing that she was "THE" teacher to get in 4th grade; knowing that she sat up all night making dresses for us; but she put them on the front step, rang the doorbell  then ran to the backdoor so she could be with us when we discovered our new beautiful creation; her making  huge pots of chili (in the big canner kettle) so Ted or Phyllis could have a friends party; allowing me to invite my entire 3rd grade school class to my birthday party which she made wonderful; and oh my!  the smell of her bread baking when we came down the street on Saturdays, after seeing the matinee.  I remember her strength when Ted was shot and almost killed in a hunting accident when he was a teen ager, how the next year she took him out pheasant hunting, along with LuAnn and me to be the bird dogs; so he wouldn't carry the fear of guns with him the rest of his life.  She was Primary president; when it was after school.

She taught herself to knit and crochet; I don't think she took the time til she retired from teaching at about 72.  She made some beautiful treasures.

Another great thing she did was to bring Burl Cox into our family; he may not have been the very best husband, as hunting and fishing were first on his list as a bachelor in his late 40s;(after being gone in late Oct. for a couple of weeks, Mom found him in the shop refilling his grub box."Burl, where have you been?"  "Hunting, when I told you I go hunting, I stay the whole time!"   but he was a wonderful father and Grandpa.  We need him and he needed us.  Mom brought him back to the gospel, &to the temple, she was, in a way, his savior.

I guess I could go on and on, but I won't.  I hope you children will cherish her memory, and talk about her once in awhile to your children so they won't be a stranger to her.  Allow your memories of Grandma Cox to be in their hearts too.  She is a great lady, one of the best.  I love her and hate that I'm so far away.  I'd like to sing, "My dear do you know how a long time ago, there were two little children whose names I don't know...and see her smile once again.