Orien Family News

Okay, enough is enough. I’m finally getting serious about figuring out this problem I have. I’ve had it since I was in my early 20’s but after all these years it is finally starting to really bug me. Really bug me! And, worry me just a bit…

You see, I figured if I ignored it then it would go away. I tried that a couple of times when I was pregnant and didn’t feel quite ready to go through another pregnancy just yet. It didn’t work then and it hasn’t worked now for this. In fact, now that I think about it, there have been quite a few times that I have tried to ignore things hoping they would go away and they didn’t. Ignoring them only made things much much worse. Like the time I had a bad abdominal pain and just kept popping pain pills for days hoping the pain would go away. It didn’t. That was the time my colon blew a hole and it took two life saving surgeries to finally make it go away. Or the time….actually I don’t think I want to go there right now on this blog because you all might think I was just a little dumb. Forget I started to mention that one. So, moving right along….

Anyway, I have this problem. Okay, here it comes…you see, I shake. Not all over. Just my hands. Actually it is just my right hand most of the time. I first noticed it when I was about 24 or 25. It happens mostly when I am doing something in front of people, like signing a credit card receipt, or taking the sacrament, or teaching a class. It has gone on for so long I don’t notice it too much, but obviously others do. It is embarrassing. For instance after I taught the gospel doctrine class a couple of weeks ago a man came up to me after and asked if I was shaking because I was nervous or because I was fasting. I didn’t know what to say because I was totally unaware that I had been shaking. I asked a couple of friends after if they noticed me shaking. They said yes but I had done it for so long they didn’t pay attention anymore. Arrrggh!

I am pretty sure this shaking is something hereditary because several of my siblings have “the shakes” as we call it. My mom and her brothers had the shakes. No one has died of it….yet. Well, actually they did die, but they didn’t shake to death. In our family we just shake. I didn’t think it was something to worry about but now that people are noticing it and making comments I am thinking it must be getting worse and maybe it is something serious.

One funny story….we had a man working on a project at our house and as he was lifting something he was shaking pretty hard. I rushed over to offer my help and he declined saying he was okay, he just has the shakes. I was thrilled to hear someone else had the shakes so that started a conversation about them. He told me having them comes in pretty handy sometimes and the best time was when they got him released from the high council. Apparently he threw the sacrament water over his shoulder one too many times as he sat on the stand. I couldn’t believe my ears that others had trouble with the sacrament. For some reason that is a time when the shakes really start up. I can’t figure it out. I do know that it doesn’t help when the deacon holds the tray so high I have to reach almost above the level of my chin. Oh boy, the shaking really sets in then. I almost can’t get it to my mouth. So embarrassing! I am sure the entire congregation is watching each week to see if I make it to my mouth or throw it over my shoulder.

So, enough is enough. Starting tomorrow, I am going to get to the bottom of this shaking business. I will begin by googling it and see what that brings up. And if that scares me bad enough I will begin to think about calling my doctor for an appointment….maybe sometime next year if it hasn’t gone away by then.

Kate loves to eat in restaurants. She is very well behaved in them so her parents don’t mind taking her out. There is no muss, no fuss and she is a good little eater. We took her to a Sushi restaurant in Las Vegas where she happily ate an entire bowl of edamame and didn’t make a peep. We ate at a little place in Salt Lake that served food from India which she loved and contently sat and ate like a grown-up. I think that is exceptional for a three-year old. However, there is ALWAYS a trip or two to the restroom and sometimes that means trouble and a scene.

For instance, on my last trip to Salt Lake we went out to eat and as usually happens, she needed to go potty. I took her and as I was getting her situated with the paper toilet seat cover she started complaining that she didn’t want the paper cover. I told her she had to have it and plopped her down on top of it. She complained louder so I told her she had to have it because it was ‘the law’. She immediately countered with a very loud “It’s NOT the law”. I said it was the law. She said it wasn’t. Back and forth we went with all the ladies in the restroom giggling by this time as they listened to our banter. It was actually quite funny to see this cute little girl sitting on the potty seat dangling her legs and demanding that sitting on the paper cover was NOT the law.

Later as I told her mom about it she laughed and told me she probably said that because they use that same line about ‘the law’ in getting her strapped into a seat belt. Now THAT is the law whereas sitting on paper in the toilet is NOT the law. She’s no dummy. They both can’t be ‘the law’.

The real corker potty story, so far anyway, happened on the trip to Las Vegas. As usual we were sitting in the restaurant when she announced she had to go potty. It must have been a ruse to explore, however, as just as soon as we locked the stall door she announced she didn’t have to go. Being the smart grandma, I told her I would go first and then she could go. I started putting the paper down on the toilet seat just like I had taught her before and as I was getting myself situated to sit she started fiddling with her busy little fingers. I don’t like her to touch anything in the restroom as all the germs make me nervous, but those busy fingers started touching the toilet and the paper causing it to shift a bit so my sit down was off and turned into more of a crouch. So there I was in a vulnerable position when her little fingers really got going touching lots of germs and filling me with concern. I expressed my concern with a stern “Kate, don’t touch that” which furrowed her brow and made her decide to bolt from the stall. We were in the larger handicap stall so there was plenty of room for her to get away from me where I couldn’t reach her while in my stance.

She unlocked the door and threw it open exposing me to the stares of half a dozen women washing hands and waiting their turn to use the facilities. They all turned to look at the commotion of course and started giggling at my obvious predicament. I gave a couple of louder ‘Kate’calls to close the door but my loud voice only strengthened her resolve to keep that door open and get away from me. I managed to grab the bottom of the door and pull it closed momentarily, but with her pushing it open it was a see-saw battle. She pushed and I pulled. We bantered back and forth. “Kate, close the door”. “No”. “KATE, CLOSE THE DOOR”. “NO!” The door opened and shut, opened and shut with our pulling and pushing. I am stronger than her but my position weakened my effort and she was close to winning. The snickering ladies were having a great time but I was NOT. This was extremely embarrassing for me but not for Kate as she continued to scowl at me and fight to get away.

Finally after what seemed an eternity, I got myself up and decent again and shut and locked the door and held it tight while I waited for all those ladies to exit the restroom. Some were so slow! My dignity was gone but at least I didn’t want to see their mirthful eyes up close. I’m sure they left that restroom with a funny story to tell while I left with very little dignity and holding tight to the small hand of a cute little girl who was oblivious to the scene she had caused.

I just returned from a month long trip ‘outside’ (that’s Alaska talk and how we refer to any place other than Alaska. Apparently we Alaskans believe that Alaska is ‘inside’ and everywhere else is ‘outside’. Inside the deep freezer? Inside prison? Outside of the deep freezer? Outside of prison? Can you tell the winter coldness and doldrums have set in and my attitude has taken a hard left from the exuberate one of 24 hour summer sun?).

Anyway, I spent time in Salt Lake City with Erin and her cute family; in Spokane with my twisted sisters and their families; and capped it off with 5 days in Las Vegas with Spencer and Melissa and their family (two cute doggies). It was while I was in Spokane that my sister reminded me of a saying my dad used to have that ‘you could get used to anything’. After this trip I decided he was partly right and partly dead wrong. Let me explain…

I had a great time in all three places but it wasn’t until I got to Las Vegas that I really got warmed up. Much to my dismay cool to cold weather has followed me around for the past year as Alaska didn’t have a summer this year so I didn’t get my fix of warm sunshine. Oh, we had June, July and August all right so technically it was summer, but it was such lousy weather we aren’t counting it. So much for global warming. Just ask any Alaskan and they can tell you exactly how many days of warm sunshine we had. Two! Yep, 1, 2. We all counted. It was so depressing.

So, when I left on this trip I was counting on some warm sun in Salt Lake. I needed it, badly! My mental health and well as physical health needed sunshine. (Seriously, my doctor tells me I need more Vitamin D so my bones don’t melt away.) Well that didn’t happen. I about froze there and it even snowed one day. Spokane wasn’t much better and I had to wear a jacket there too. I had hoped to get enough Vitamin D pumped into my bones to last me all winter when I returned to Alaska. It didn’t happen in Utah or Washington.

Las Vegas was my last chance and I was not disappointed. The weather there was glorious. It was 80 degrees sit-by-the-pool-soak-up-the-rays wonderful weather. And I did just that. I didn’t waste a second on the strip plugging quarters in the slots. I parked myself by the pool and enjoyed the warm soul-healing sunshine everyday and loved it! I decided right then and there that I could get used to this. Not hard at all. It wasn’t too hot, it wasn’t cold at all. It was just right! I felt the tension in my neck, shoulders and back created from huddling up shivering just melt away like magic. Yep, I could definitely get used to this! Dad was right about that. But, now that I am back in Alaska shivering with the rest of the ‘frozen chosen’ I am thinking Dad was dead wrong in his saying. I am not sure I can get used to the cold now that I have seen the other side of the coin. Hmmm, who flipped that coin and sent me packin’?

And by the way, now I know what that saying about “what goes on in Vegas, stays in Vegas” really means. What’s going on there is some great winter weather and that definitely stayed in Vegas! I am back in Alaska and it definitely isn’t here. Brrrrrr.

I had heard of “Body Worlds” exhibits a year or so ago. No details other than it was pretty cool. When I heard an exhibition was on in downtown Salt Lake City I wanted to go and see what it was. So today we packed up the grandchildren and went. It was awesome! I loved it and would recommend it to anyone, young and old. It is worth the $20 entrance fee for sure. Even my 3 year old granddaughter enjoyed it.

What is BODY WORLDS?

BODY WORLDS is a first-of-its-kind exhibit where visitors learn about anatomy, physiology and health by viewing real human bodies. The bodies are preserved through plastination, which is a groundbreaking method for specimen preservation invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens in 1977. BODY WORLDS 3 & The Story of the Heart features more than 200 authentic human specimens including whole body plastinates, organs, translucent body slices, and a special presentation on the heart.

At first when I saw the bodies I didn’t realize they were real bodies. I thought they were models made of plastic or some other material. There was a large crowd and as we viewed the exhibit it didn’t take long to realize that even though there were a lot of people it was very quiet and everyone spoke in hushed tones. It was almost reverent. I wondered about it and then when I found out these were real bodies, not models, I understood the reverence being shown. These bodies are real people who gave their consent, during their lifetimes, to use their bodies for plastination and specifically for the BODY WORLDS exhibits. We were informed that independent ethicists have reviewed the Institute for Plastination’s donor program and protocols and verified that the specimens were properly donated for the purpose of public exhibition. The Institute for Plastination has more than 8,000 donors on its roster, and nearly 800 of them are Americans.

Why are they real human bodies? Why not use models of other materials?

Real human bodies show the details of disease, physiology and anatomy that cannot be shown with models. They also allow us to understand how each body has its own unique features, even on the inside. As I saw the different body parts and how they really look I was particularly interested in the body parts that have given me trouble. It helped me in understanding my body to actually see those body parts that are real and not just a drawing. It is fascinating. The body is a work of art and a miracle in the way it was put together and the way it works.

If you are interested in the “plastination” process or the exhibit check out their website and if you get a chance to view it sometime, do it! It is awesome. http://www.bodyworlds.com/en.html

Have you ever been in the hospital ER and the nurse asks you to rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain ever? I hate that question. It’s stupid. Unfortunately that question has been posed to me many more times than I care to remember and I hope I have heard it for the last time. It is all relative you see. If you have never had so much as a splinter in your finger and suddenly you get one, you might say that splinter is a #10 pain. On the other hand if you have had…let’s see….for instance… 3rd degree burns on large portions your body, or given birth to some huge kidney stones, or had your colon blow a hole and fill your body with infection, or broken your pelvis to smithereens, all of which are definitely painful….if those things had happened to you, you might say that a broken leg is a #5 on that scale whereas the splinter person would be screaming #10 #10 #10! Like I say, it is all relative to past experience and doesn’t really give an accurate picture of what the pain level is for a person being asked to rate their pain.

So, last week as I was sitting in the ER for the third time in 2 weeks attempting to pass yet another kidney stone a nurse was once again asking me to rate my pain. They use a chart with those little faces that start out with a smile and end in a big time grimace as it moves up the scale. I tried to give an accurate answer but giving birth to a kidney stone is one of those painful things that takes concentration to endure and being asked a stupid question that makes you lose that concentration just makes matters worse. I quickly thought back on some past experiences with pain and tried to remember how I would have rated those and compare it to this time. I was thinking “why doesn’t she just look at my face and compare my smile or grimace to her little chart? I need to concentrate here so I don’t pull my hair out and writhe around on the floor making loud wailing noises and make a fool of myself.” But wanting to be a good patient and not wanting to mess up on this test I tried very hard to give the right answer.

I actually can’t remember now what rating I gave that kidney stone but it was obviously not high enough as I was ushered back into the hard plastic chairs of the ER waiting room for TWO more hours while folks with smiley faces went first! It wasn’t until I got into one of the back rooms and was asked to pee in a cup and they saw that it looked like tomato juice that I finally got some attention. Shortly after that I had a CAT scan and then soon after a doctor came striding into my room. “You are one tough lady” she said in admiration. “If I had three stones this big in me I would be bawling my head off and laying on the floor.”

If I hadn’t been so bent over in pain and concentrating so hard on NOT bawling and laying on the floor writhing around I would have hugged her! At last, someone who understood and could give me the proper sympathy! It made my eyes tear up just thinking of how wonderful it was to know she realized this pain was #10 pain and I didn’t even have to point that out on the silly chart. She knew! I love that doctor! I wish they had given me a rating chart for doctors and I would have definitely given her a #10 and then we’d be comrades, both of us at the highest level of our expertise.

Well, the kidney stones have been dealt with. A surgery, a stent and yet one more trip to the ER. I think they are gone. I hope they are gone. I pray they are gone. Yet there is a little twitter now and again way down deep that makes me think there might be at least one more just biding it’s time until I am least expecting it and it will demand to be born. May it be a #2 or #3. I can deal with those numbers. Those faces are only slightly frowning. It is the big grimace that scares me.

By the way, now that this episode is past, I am getting lots of advice on how to get rid of kidney stones in two or three easy steps. Just drink a six pack of Classic Coke followed by a bowl of asparagus; or drink as much pure lemon juice (no sugar) as you can force down followed by eating a bunch of parsley; or drink a gallon of orange juice; or various others I can’t quite recall as they were given while I was in my pain-drug induced stupor. I hope whoever it was that called me will call me again so I can write it all down. I promise to follow their instructions to the tee. I will do anything so I don’t have to face a nurse making me choose which smiley or frowny face I am on that stupid scale.

Today is Labor Day, the traditional end of summer. We are hoping to eek out a few more weeks of good weather before the snow flies as we have several jobs to finish up at the Lake House. This summer has been eventful and memorable with so much happening it is a shame to lump them all together instead of letting each one be examined and savored individually.

The first event which we looked forward to for two years was the homecoming of Joseph from his mission in California. He arrived home on June 10 looking handsome and bright eyed. He loved his mission and the people there but didn’t quite know what to do with himself at first as he made the adjustment from being very busy to not so busy. He managed to figure it all out though and kept fairly busy with a part time job at a bike shop and a part time job helping the folks at the Lake House. He has gone back to college now and left us alone and missing him.

The month of July was pretty crazy with activities and guests. Everyone was excited to go fishing, play at the Lake House, tour the state, and just relax. We had all of our children home except Erin and her family as they were expecting a baby right in the middle of all this. We were thrilled with the birth of Anna Sophia Lowry who was born on July 21 in Salt Lake City. Megan went down for a week to help out and then I went down for a couple of weeks. Anna is very cute and a good baby and a wonderful addtion to their family. She resembles her sister Kate but has her own look.

The Hammerman Triathlon in July was another big event for us. Orie, Jason, Joseph, Kyle and Melissa all signed up to do the full triathlon with Megan, Caroline and Nathan signed up to do a team triathlon, each one doing one leg. Orie trained faithfully all winter and was ready for the race. He wanted to redeem himself after last summer when he took off for the biking portion without his glasses and crashed and burned when he couldn’t see the trail. The rest of the Orien family particpants trained minimally but figured it would be fun anyway. Joseph tried hard to learn how to swim by practicing in the lake each night and did improve but realized swimming is not his strong suit…yet. It is weird that although he grew up on the lake and water skied and played in the lake constantly, he didn’t learn to swim well. Oh well, he is a good biker and runner and figured he could make it up in those areas. A couple of days before the race Orie and Kyle decided to ride the biking course to check it out. They found it was an extremely hard course and so hard in fact that Kyle crashed and got a concussion and had to withdraw from the race. Melissa did great on the swim portion of the race but had never ridden a mountain bike before and quickly realized that the trail was way over her head and ability and wisely withdrew. Nathan missed his plane and arrived too late to race so the Megan/Caroline/Nathan team had to withdraw. So that left Orie, Jason and Joseph as the only Orien family partcipants. They all did well, finished the race and had a lot of fun. Orie finished first in his age bracket (the old guy bracket) and therefore qualified to participate in the National Exterra Triathlon in Nevada in October.

Fishing was a big part of our summer and was really fun. Thanks to the efforts of everyone we got enough to feed us for the winter and some for them to take home. We love salmon! It is fun to catch them and delicious to eat them. It was a blast watching Spencer dip net salmon at the mouth of the Kenai River. He was a maniac! No one on that beach caught more fish, was as tough and hard working, or had more fun. The look on his mud splattered face was priceless each time he hauled in a net full of fish. He figured out the technique for catching them and hardly missed an opportunity. It took three of us on shore to take care of the fish he hauled in.

And, speaking of fishing, we had our annual end of the season float and fish down the Kenai River last weekend. It was a gorgeous sunny and warm day so the float was soul soothing and pleasant to say nothing of the fun of catch and release fishing for rainbows and dollys. The topping on the cake that day was a bear encounter that turned out well with no one hurt. As we were finishing up our day of fishing at the mouth of the Kenai River Orie noticed a large round object floating in the river just downstream. It seemed to be heading straight for another fisherman who had just flown in and parked his float plane on the shore at the mouth of the river. We suspected it was a bear and it was. A big one! The fisherman saw him but just kept on fishing and the bear swam right on by him and headed for shore with a silver salmon in his mouth. Nathan and Kyle got so excited about the bear they wanted to get in our raft and float by for a closer look…so we did. We sat off shore for about an hour watching the bear eat salmon after salmon. He would wade out a bit and come back with another fish in his mouth and then proceed to eat it. Meanwhile it was starting to get late and the fisherman walked back down river toward his airplane but Mr. Bear was between him and the plane. We watched in suspense wondering what was going to happen. The bear was right on the shore and the fisherman had to walk very close to get by him and to his plane. The fisherman made several attempts to get by him but about the time he got within 20-30 feet of the bear, Mr. Bear would raise his head and look threateningly at the man, prompting the man to scamper back a ways. It wouldn’t have taken that bear more than a few seconds to reach that guy and make mince meat of him. We were on edge and afraid we might be witness to a bear mauling, at least I was. I think the boys were enjoying it. Anyway, we all sat there quietly spell bound by the scene. Finally the guy gave up and decided to be patient and sat down on the shore to wait it out. We wondered what was going to happen and how many more fish that bear would eat. The fisherman was sitting too close for my comfort so we were trying to figure out a way to rescue him and had just begun our manueving to fetch him when the bear decided his tum tum was full for the moment and he wandered back into the woods. The guy made a dash for his plane and in a snap was in it and airborne. The show was over so we started up our motor and headed across the lake for the car and home. We got some pretty good photos but were sure wishing we had taken the telephoto lens camera with us. Who knew we could have a chance to get some great bear shots.

So, although it is September 1 and summer is officially over, we have lots of fond memories of a fun summer to think about all winter and as we contemplate the fun we antcipate the next summer. We are getting it all planned out to the day. That’s life in Alaska. We live from summer to summer with a long blur of cold winter in between all the fun.

Paula. Her name was not only on the minds of the twenty ladies on “Team Paula Power” who showed up for the “Run for Women” on that wet and cloudy day in June, but her name was also emblazoned on our bright pink tee-shirts that boldly proclaimed our support of her as she fights against breast cancer. Our group was among the thousands of women who ran or walked the race course to demonstrate the power of friendship, loyalty and love.

Our friend Paula is a very courageous breast cancer fighter who exemplifies a truly inspired attitude and unfailing spirit. Those of us who know Paula stand in awe as we watch her fight this disease with grace, humility and depth of character. We are honored to call her our friend. We pray for her speedy recovery and restoration to full health.

Paula Power Team: Rita Debenham, Julie Green, Melinda Harr, Heidi Henrie, Lindsay Hibbert, Yael Hickok, Julie Jackson, Shelly Lewis, Kira Morehead, Kristi Morehead, Trachelle Newman, Ruth Orien, Megan Orien, Nichole Skinner, Stanzie Smith, Donna Swenson, Sharlyn Thayer, Jen Thomas, Catherine Thomas. and Debbie Williams (a breast cancer survivor).

When our children were very young we bought an old one room cabin on a lake. We wanted a place to get away from town and the sometimes undesirable influences of the city malls, and TV. It was a place to bond as a family, have some fun and enjoy the beauty of Alaska. We were looking for a “time out” from the world and “time in” for family. The cabin was old and small (12x15) and had no amenities. We cooked on a gas burner, had no oven or refrigerator, no running water, no electricity or heater, and we had the added joy of finding our way up a trail outside to use the outhouse. And best of all there was neither telephone nor TV…. and that was a good thing. When it was time for bed we pulled out thin mattresses we had stacked alongside a wall, laid them down and pulled out sleeping bags. The beds covered almost the entire floor space of that tiny cabin. We slept shoulder to shoulder and had to tiptoe around if we got up to avoid stepping on one another. Joseph, our youngest, found his favorite place to sleep right between Orie and I on the one permanent bed in the cabin… safe from spiders, mosquitoes and a possible wandering mouse.

We played in the lake during the day and had a great time inside the cabin at night with no outside distractions or temptations. At night after playing games together for hours we would lie down all snug in our beds and talk until we finally fell asleep. It was cozy and warm and filled me with joy to have our children all there with us talking and laughing and enjoying being together. The children enjoyed hearing Orie tell them stories about his youth as well as a series of stories he made up about a boy and his dog. It reminded me of the old TV show “The Waltons” where at the end of each show they showed the house and you could hear all of them saying goodnight to each other as they went to sleep.

It was like that in our old cabin….a comforting feeling of being loved and secure and knowing all was well because you were together safe and sound. Sometimes there were rainy days and storms that kept us inside and I actually loved them almost as much as the sunny days. On those days we stayed inside playing games, stoking the fire and reading books. I read the book “Summer of the Monkeys” to the children several times and they read it to themselves many times afterwards. We read scriptures and discussed gospel topics and told stories we all made up. It was a bonding time. As the children grew into their teenage years they often brought friends to the cabin and we managed to squeeze them in using double-decker camp cots and adopted them into the family for the day.

Our kids often reminisce about those times at that old cabin and how much they loved it there. There was something special about being there and it wasn’t the niceness of the cabin. It had to do with the feelings and fun we had being together. I treasure those times of being close to our children and having them gathered with us.

How did we ever live without computers? I use mine every day and depend on it. It’s hard to imagine life without one, although I do remember not so many years ago when computers were unheard of and we did just fine…or so we thought. For sure the computer age has brought about many great and wonderful things: increased productivity, a higher standard of living, an ability to shop, research and communicate quicker, faster and more efficiently with others throughout the world, as well as many more marvelous things. These are wonderful things all right, but what have computers done to the communication with friends and family?

We can sit for hours staring intently at our laptops totally engrossed in the world we view there as we surf along the world wide web virtually ignoring those around us in the same room. In my own family I am often amused as I notice all of us enjoying a nice quiet day at home while everyone sits with their computer on their lap engrossed in their own private thoughts and whatever is on the screen. We used to interact…talk, laugh, play games, eat together, exercise, even fight…something! We used to invite friends over for an evening to eat, have some conversation, games and fun. Now we just stare at our laptops as if in some sort of trance. Once in a while we might make a comment on something we are reading, laugh at an email, squawk about some politician, but mostly we sit quietly, our thoughts totally within ourselves.

So when someone says computers have increased communication, they aren’t talking about communication within the walls of the home and with the family. It’s pathetic. And yet not pathetic enough that I want to give up my laptop….yet

What better thing could have happened in our family than a wedding? How about two weddings! (Although the birth of a few more grandchildren would be extremely high on my list as well. Love those babies!)

I was blessed to witness two of my children marry in the temple in ceremonies that sealed each together as a couple for eternity. Megan was married on November 24 in the Anchorage temple to Kyle, and Jason was married December 28 in the St. Louis temple to Caroline. Both occasions were sacred, joyous, and incredibly touching and beautiful. Words here cannot describe the wonderful blessings that were pronounced upon these young couples as they knelt at the altar of the temple. It is the best start any couple can make as they begin their journey down the road of marriage and life. I am thrilled for them, not only for their choice of a marriage partner but also for their desire to live their lives in this new family unit directed by their Father in Heaven. For I know that is how they have the best chance for success and joy in their lives and in their marriage.

I think back on the years of raising these children and recall the many challenges that accompany being a mother…the sleepless nights caring for them as babies and children when they were sick and later on when they were teens and out late; the thousands of meals I prepared; the loads of laundry I did; the large number of diapers I changed; the trips to and fro taking them to this and that; the countless prayers offered in their behalf that they would be safe, be good, study hard, love the Lord, and someday find the “perfect” companion for them and be worthy to enter the temple to be sealed to them for eternity. That is the goal. It was wonderful to see them reach that goal.

So for two more of my children those challenges I experienced have been all worthwhile as this dream, desire and prayer of my heart has been fulfilled. They are launched and I feel very good about it. It makes me incredibly happy to see them so happy and heading down a good road.

Using a format such as this or even in a personal journal if you don’t keep it up on a regular basis it is easy to get so far behind that it is difficult to know where to begin to catch up. Such is the case with me here. I have had many thoughts and experiences I would like to share but haven’t taken the time to do so.

About the time of my last post I received an assignment to teach early morning seminary to 25 youth ages 15-16. That assignment has consumed me to the point I sometimes feel I have no life other than seminary. While a rewarding and sometimes a fun assignment, it is never-the-less extremely time consuming and difficult for me. I have never had the opportunity to teach much in a formal class setting so there is a steep learning curve in figuring out just how to approach teaching 25 sleepy teens at 6:00 AM every morning on a gospel subject. We are studying the Old Testament which is quite intimidating to me as I had never read it all the way through cover to cover. How do you teach smart kids about something I am just learning myself? I can tell you it has been done with lots and lots of reading and studying and even with that I am often only one day ahead of my students. But I am learning a lot and finding the Old Testament to be fascinating with great stories of heroes that always teach a principle that can be applied to us right now in our own personal lives. Growing up in the church I have often heard these wonderful stories but somehow never recognized all the great principles they teach. I love learning and applying these principles to myself and I am enjoying trying to help my students figure out how to do the same.

I find getting up at 4:30 AM each day to be the easiest part of the assignment. It is exhilerating to me to be up early and see the world so still and quiet. I enjoy that part of the day immensely. And then I am quite amazed when 6:00 AM rolls around and 25 sleepy students come trooping in to my class. Each day I am amazed I didn’t bore them to tears the day before and run them off. Then again, I may have bored them to tears and they are just there because they are good kids who will give a newbie teacher one more chance to do better at conveying the wonderful messages taught in the scriptures.

By the way, our seminary class is being held in a nearby Catholic church. Our chapel burned last March and hasn’t been rebuilt yet so we were so thankful to have Father Tom offer his church to us for our seminary classes. He and his parishioners have been so nice to us and their generosity in turning their building over to us for that hour is very much appreciated.

Aside from seminary, the other big word in my life and the lives of all us Oriens is weddings. Yes, plural. Weddings with an “s”. Two of the Oriens have announced engagements and made wedding plans that occur within a month of each other. Megan is marrying Kyle on November 24 in Anchorage and Jason is marrying Caroline on December 28 in St. Louis. So life at our house is abuzz with wedding plans. Fun Fun Fun! More on all that later!

I consider myself a fairly long-time Alaskan having lived here for the past thirty-one years. When I travel it is inevitable what people say when they hear I am from Alaska. “Alaska!” they exclaim. “Wow! I’ve always wanted to go to Alaska.”

As an Alaskan, I love that reaction. Alaskans are very proud of their state and proud to live here. It is an conversation opener and a great way to meet new people. We love to brag about “The Great State of Alaska”. Besides being geographically set apart from the lower 48, we are set apart by the innumerable unique features of this land of the far north and the abilities, attitudes and mind-sets we develop from living here.

I have noticed there are four main catagories to the things we brag about and keep track of up here…sort of like they did in the Old West in keeping track of very important things they did by putting a notch in the belt or gun barrell. I think the number one thing an Alaskan will brag about is how long they have lived here. Afterall, it takes a certain toughness to live here and the longer you stay the less of a sissie you are. Second is how big was their biggest fish. Third is how many times they have gone to Hawaii to escape the winter. And fourth but not least or last is how many times they have driven the Alcan (Alaska Highway) …or how many times you have not driven it. My husband liks to brag that he has never driven it and never will. Betcha he’s wrong about that if I have anything to do with it! Having just completed the drive up the Alcan for only the second time in 31 years I have a few thoughts to share about the trip.

I made the drive with my daughter Megan who needed a companion to bring her car home. Google maps says you can do the drive from Couts Alberta Canada (border crossing on Interstate 15 out of Great Falls Montana) to Anchorage Alaska in one 18 hour day. That’s 3729 kilometers or 2,317 miles. Humpf! Are they nuts? That’s about 129 miles per hour. It is obvious the Google folks have not driven that road and seen the frost heaves and winding mountain roads that slow you down to 40 mph or less for hours. And there are quite a few construction stops on parts of the road.

Megan likes to drive fast but having gotten a very expensive speeding ticket in Canada at Fort Nelson the last time we drove her other car home in 2005, she was restrained a bit more than usual. We figured we would make it in four days of hard driving. We did and we enjoyed the trip. The scenery is gorgeous. I love to drive along and gaze out at the marvelous scenes of farm land, mountains, rivers, lakes, and wildlife. We saw lots of deer, moose, goats, sheep, wild horses, buffalo, porcupine and black bear. They are right along the road so you have to be careful not to run into them. The towns are are few and far between and that’s okay. There are just enough to gas up, take a potty break and keep going. The road seems endless and it almost is. It is amazing to me that there is a road that goes from clear down in the lower 48 all the way through Canada and into Alaska. It is a long long way and goes through miles and miles and hours and hours of total wilderness. The road was originally built mostly by the US Army as a supply route during World War II and has been improved upon a great deal since then. It is mostly paved but due to frost heaves there are sections that are gravel and work goes on continually to grade and smooth.

We made friends with half a dozen other folks traveling the road one day and developed an interesting comraderie. We played leap frog with each other all day long as we passed them and they passed us stopping at times at the same place. When it was our turn to pass them they would wave their arm out the window to give us the okay signal and then wave and smile as we went by. One couple was driving a large 1980’s model Mercury that must have sucked up the expensive gas like crazy. The woman told me they had been on the road for 11 days from Toronto and were heading for the Yukon. I told her we were heading for Alaska. A few minutes later she told Megan they were heading for Alaska too. Her toothless smile made me wonder if she was missing more than a few teeth. In the end no matter how fast we went or how fast they went we all ended up at about the same place by the end of the day. We played follow the leader all over Whitehorse looking for a place to stay or gas up and forge on.

As I mentioned, Megan likes to cruise along as fast as she dares go and keeps an eagle eye out for police cars. We rarely saw any police. Being the law abiding citizen that I am but mostly not wanting to take a chance on getting an expensive ticket I kept right at the speed limit. For that reason Megan didn’t like it too much when I drove. She wanted to giddy-up and get home quick but I enjoy a more leisurely pace that doesn’t scare the beejeebees outta me on curves through the mountains. Just outside of Fort St. John there are lots of curving roads going up through the mountains where the visiblity is zero to get around any other slow vehicle. I was driving and happened to get behind the slowest moving motorhome we encountered anywhere. He was poking along at 30-40 for nearly an hour and I couldn’t get around him. Finally there came a break with some straight road and visibility so I put the pedal to the metal and zoomed around him got back in my lane and slowed down just in time to see a Canadian trooper flashing his lights right behind me. That mean guy had been hiding someplace just waiting for someone who was tired of following a slow vehicle to speed up in the only place for miles one can pass. He pulled me over showing no mercy at my explanation and triumphantly handed me a ticket for $197. I thought lots of bad thoughts about him being a weasel and a snake but kept them to myself as I could envision myself being cuffed and stuffed if I had voiced them. I could appeal of course if I set a court date sometime in the future and came back to their town to see the judge. Grrr. That, my friends, is what you call a “Speed Trap”. No doubt they make a good amount of money each day on folks who get caught just as I had. I wondered if the motor home that I was following was planted to set me up??? My husband thinks so. It sure was nice to get sympathy from him when I got home instead of the look over the top of his glasses and the murmur “I hope you learned your lesson.”

Anyway, I have another notch in my “Alcan belt” and feel pretty good about it. I could do it again and actually want to. I’d like to take it a little slower next time but not because of that mean ole trooper and his unfair punishment. I’d like to smell the roses as they say and enjoy a stop for more than just gas and potty. It is such a beautiful place it deserves more than just a passing glance from a car window at 60+ mph.

So what are my scores and how many notches do I have? 31 years; 45 lb. halibut; 4 trips to Hawaii; 2 trips up the Alcan. Ouch! In looking at my scores and bragging rights, they don’t look so good afterall. In fact, they are quite measley. I better shut up and get busy.

P.S. It is acutally 2296 miles from Couts Alberta (border crossing) to Anchorage and took us 45 hours. Salt Lake City to Anchorage was 54 hours.

My friend Catherine has turned into a blogger. I like to read her blogs as they are entertaining as well as thought provoking. She wrote one recently about an Alaska adventure their family had a couple years ago. I figured if she could reach back in time and have some fun re-telling the story, I could as well. After all, I have had some pretty crazy adventures up here in the land of the frozen north where anything can happen and usually does.

To preface this tale, let me say this. At the time I am having an adventure, I often cannot see it that way nor would I describe it as an adventure as I am not real fond of what is happening. Afterall, adventures are traditionally thought of as fun. Well, my family decided years ago that when some bad things happen we would call them adventures as opposed to calamities or mishaps or dirty rotten luck. It makes them a bit more palatable. And eventually after enough time has passed I really am able to think of that time as an adventure, at least most of the time. Some things that have happened to me will always be just plain bad dirty rotten luck!

The particular Alaskan adventure began in the spring of the year when the snow is almost gone and the warmth and smell of sunshine fills me with exhilerating joy after a long dark winter. I love to throw open the windows and let that warmth and smell filter into the house and my soul. Spring is here. Ummm. Summer is coming! It’s a heel kicking feeling. Afterall, summer is the reason we live here…but that’s a subject for a different blog.

We live on a treed acre and a half lot on the hillside so moose often walk through our yard. The moose in question came wandering by before we had “Dusty the Dog” to bark like crazy and run him off. This moose wasn’t the biggest guy I had ever seen. In fact he was a bit on the small side for a moose and even looked kind of scrawny. He stood at the edge of the grass next to the woods for a long time. Each time I looked he was there…not typical moose behavior. All day he stood there. Later in the day I could see he was lying down. The next morning it was obvious he was dead, cause unknown.

We wondered what to do with him. That was the beginning of the adventure…

I spent a frustrating week (that’s seven, count ‘em, 7 very warm days) on the telephone with every agency in town that I could think of that might come get this moose off my front lawn. Days passed with no luck in that regard as we endured the pungent and horrific smell of that poor oozing dead moose wafting indoors and making us quite nauseated. You would think there is a government agency whose job it is to fetch dead moose off people’s front yard and properly dispose of them. Unh uh. Nope. Of that I can testify.
Fish and Game and all the rest of them said, “Not our problem”.
“Can I bring it to the dump?”
“No, that is not possible” they said.
“Well, can I bring it to city, state or federal land and dump it?”
“No way” was the emphatic answer.
“What do I do?” I cried.
A shoulder shrug was all I got.

To the rescue came a friend with an idea. She called the Anchorage Daily News and reporter Sheila Toome published a front page article and photo asking the public the question of what to do if a moose drops dead in your yard. Now that got results. The next day at 4:00 AM my telephone started ringing. Newspapers from all across the country picked up the story and folks from Florida were the first to call me with advice. Calls came in rapid fire all day from hundreds of folks with how to handle that dead moose.
“Cover it with bags of lime” was the most popular answer.

Because of her article in the paper, good news came in a phone call from reporter Toome. She obtained permission from the City Dump for me to bring the dead moose there. Unfortunately there was no way for me to get it there. I called several enterprises to get an estimate on what they might charge me to take my dead moose to the dump. “$350 was the answer”. Whew! It didn’t stink that bad!

Finally a young man called who was the answer to my dilemna. He said he had just gotten into town and needed rent money. He said he would take away that stinky moose for a mere $50.
“Yippeee Skippee I told him. You’re hired. Come quickly.”

He and his girlfriend arrived shortly after in his Subaru Brat already half filled with a huge tool box. I looked at the space left in his very small pick-up and tried to compare with my eyes the size of the space and the size of the dead moose. I couldn’t imagine how it would fit.

While I called the dump to let them know the moose in question was on the way to its final resting place, the young man and his girlfriend loaded the moose into their truck. The last I saw of them was a sight I will never get out of my mind. Mr. Moose was indeed much too large for that small truck. The best they could do was get most of the body inside the back end of the small truck. As they hurried off with their shirts pulled up over their faces to cover their noses, Mr. Moose had his head hanging out the back of the truck and bounced helplessly on the road as the truck drove away. As happy as I was to see him go, I was sad to see his demise end in such an undignified and almost hilarious way.

I learned a valuable lesson with this adventure. If a moose ever dies in my yard again I am going to save myself a lot of trouble and money. I will hook a chain around his legs and drag him out to the side of the main road and let the highway department deal with him. (After dark of course.)

P.S. The reason I entitled this blog “The Moose Lady” is because a subsequent newspaper article 2 days later gave a follow-up of what happened to the moose. I got my 15 minutes of fame and was recognized at a stop sign in downtown by a pedestrian who looked up and saw me and said outloud, “It’s the Moose Lady!”. It wasn’t exactly the notoriety I had hoped for in my 15 minutes of fame, but at least I got it!

Fire and Water. Both can be beneficial and both can be destructive. The beneficial aspects are life giving and the destructive aspects and devastating. Yesterday we got to see up close and personal the destructive aspect of fire. It was so disheartening and sad to see what it did to our beloved chapel. Today we got to see the destructive nature of water and what it did to our beloved temple next door.

This afternoon while attending a game at the state basketball tournament I received an alarming telephone call from President Cox, president of the Anchorage Alaska Temple. He and I have been in touch frequently today regarding the message on the temple telephone system as we try to keep it current with what is happening regarding the operation of the temple since the fire at the chapel next door. In the phone call he indicated that he and Sister Cox had just arrived at the temple to finish up some laundry and found water pouring out the doors of the temple. What a shock that was!

I hurried to the temple and found several fire trucks and municipal pump trucks, various other service vehicles and lots of people working hard to remove 5-6 feet of water that had filled the bottom floor of the temple. The peaceful, reverent and holy atmosphere that usually greets me as I enter the doors was not there today. I waded through 6 or so inches of water to the steps inside that go up to the main floor of the temple. People were scurrying everywhere with hoses, machines, cords, etc. as they worked to remove the water. President Novakovich, who is well over 6 feet tall, said he had waded in water past his waist and that was after the water had receeded. He said it was difficult to walk and sort of like trying to go up a fast flowing river as it was flowing so fast.

Apparently a six inch water main line coming into the temple had burst it’s cap due to extremely high pressure probably caused by all the water used to fight the fire yesterday. I’m not sure how it all works, but it is obviously all related to yesterday’s events. Anyway, water burst the cap with such extreme pressure it blew a large trunk of tools through a wall and sent water gushing through the bottom floor of the temple and flowing out the front door.

I spent the rest of the afternoon until early evening making telephone calls cancelling appointments to come to the temple and sometimes reversing arrangement we had just made the day before. In making all these phone calls it reminded me how many people are involved in the day to day operation of the temple. Lots!

We aren’t sure what will happen next week with regard to the operation of the temple and how long it will take to clean up and repair the damage. We are due to close on Friday anyway for a two week maintenence so perhaps it will be a three week closure. I hope that is all it takes to get the temple operational again. And I wish that was all it was going to take to have our chapel operational. It will be a year or more before that happens. We are all wondering what we will do in the meantime. Plans are being formulated by our leaders to continue on with having our meetings and worship services and we’ll just all pitch in and make it happen despite hardships and inconvenience.

It certainly gives me pause to think about the blessing it is to have a wonderful place to meet and worship…one I won’t take for granted after this. I think about other blessings I have and hope I don’t have to lose them in order to really appreciate them.

The destructive nature fire can have was evident today as I watched the Brayton Chapel burn out of control and destroy the building where we have attended church for the past thirty-one years. It was a sad sight and a sad day for us. We love our church and use it daily for worship, seminary, activities, classes, and more. What will we do without it?

It appears to have begun in the roof. Speculation is something electrical in the ceiling might have been the culprit. Neighbors smelled smoke at 3:30 AM and called the fire department. At this time, 3:30 PM, the fire is still burning. I went to the temple next door to the chapel at 8 AM to call folks planning to come to the temple to let them know the temple had to close as the roads and parking lot were blocked with fire trucks. Between canceling appointments I watched the fire progress. Not withstanding valiant efforts by multiple ladder trucks with huge water cannons blasting the fire, it was useless and the fire burned on. The fire-resistant shingles and the fire-resistant barrier between the top roof and the bottom had the fire sandwiched and made it impossible for the firemen to get to the fire to douse it.

When I left the temple this afternoon the roof over the middle section of the building had pretty much burned and collapsed but large flames were still visible. I don’t know when they will finally get it out. Meanwhile the enormous amounts of water they have poured onto the roof has filled the building and done plenty of damage that will be nearly impossible to repair. I was told by the FM group man that the Church Risk Management Team had instructed them to salvage nothing inside the building.

This is the second time this building has been destroyed by fire. The first time was by arson just as it was nearing completion back in 1975.

I have posted photos of the fire burning, after the smoke cleared and the interior damage.

Little Brielle was born on Friday, February 2 to good friends Kristi and Bob Morehead. Megan and I got to participate closely with welcoming this new baby into the world and boy was it ever fun! There is no thrill like that of a new baby coming into the family.

Orie and I spent the day together at the Lake House yesterday. We had a wonderful time snowmachining around the lake and on the trails. The temperatures and snow were absolutely perfect and with the sunny day it was heavenly. Alaska is so beautiful. I am in awe of it’s beauty. It felt so good to be outdoors breathing the cool clean air and basking in the sights and sun all around. We took lots of back trails and explored like we haven’t done before. It is days like that that make me glad I live here. I posted some photos on the website but don’t look too closely at the one Orie took of me. I look like the Pillsbury dough girl…all puffy in my very old mismatched but quite warm clothing.

We had a fabulous time and were pretty tired at the end of the day. One reason we were so tuckered out is we had to unstuck the snowmachines big time at the very end. Orie was in front of me and got bogged down in deep snow coming up the hill so we spent a couple of hours digging him out. I want you to know my method of getting him unstuck worked and saved us much more time and energy than Orie’s method would have but it was still very hard work for a couple of old duffers. Yea for my understanding of physics! (p.s. I found out just how heavy snow machines are. They are VERY heavy. You can’t just pick them up and adjust their direction of travel with ease.)

Ruth

2006 ended with a fun Christmas trip to Salt Lake City to meet up with all the kids, except Joseph who was basking in 70+ degree temperatures in Southern California on his mission. (He is doing well and enjoying the work very much.) Nathan came out from Washington D.C. and Orie and I and Megan came down from Alaska. It was great to spend the holidays together as a family. We all got to talk to Joseph on Christmas day so that was fun to hear his voice and hear of his mission experiences. The kids all went skiing a couple of times, we ate lots of good food, watched movies, shopped, played games and talked and laughed.

The most popular person in the family was definitely Kate. At fifteen months she has already learned how to gain the attention of all around. She is adorable and charming but if that doesn’t work she screeches like a dinosaur and that always works. She is learning to talk and sign her words as well. She has a signing vocabulary of about 30+ words. Grandma Ruth learned she can communicate perfectly well and can tell her just what she wants and be quite forceful about it. When babysitting one night, instead of Grandma putting Kate to bed, Kate told Grandma to shut her eyes and go to sleep. Grandma thought it was hilarious but Mommy Erin did not!

Jason left for St. Louis on January 1 to visit his girlfriend, Caroline and her family. Nathan went back to work in Washington, D.C. and Megan left for a job in Phoenix. Spencer and Melissa and Jason Lowry had to go back to work at their jobs. So, since the party was over we left and came home. It was definitely a fun time for us. We have a great family and enjoy them so much.

We came home to Alaska on January 2 to find gobs and gobs of snow. It snowed 22 inches on January 3 on top of the 3 feet we already had. We went up the Lake House later in the week and had to walk through snow up to our waist where it had not been plowed. Let the snowmachining begin!

It was pretty fun having Thanksgiving at the Lake House. We now know that it can easily accomodate 20 people and allows for putting together a big dinner including a 27 pound turkey without a problem. We enjoyed the day with good friends as we chatted, laughed, played games and ate and ate. While it was toasty warm inside, it was bitter cold outside. We planned on doing some snowmachining but with the temperatures dipping into the minus side of the scale, it made it too cold to be out for long. The kids were the bravest and went out for an hour or so at a time to play. Orie had a mishap on one snowmachine that sent him flying topsy turvey across the frozen lake with the snowmachine tumbling right behind him. Fortunately he was not hurt but the snowmachine refused to start afterward. A good mechanic at the shop in Big Lake was able to fix it easily so we were back in business the next day. Now we just need some warmer temperatures and more snow and those seem to go hand in hand. The weatherman is giving us a thumbs up.

I hardly know where to start. So much has happened since my last post in August. I have been from one side of the country to the other with several long stops in between. I had a wonderful time and enjoyed every minute of the trip.

I left Anchorage on August 24 and came back on October 20. I met Nathan in Salt Lake City and we drove to Washington DC the first week in September where he has a new job. The drive was a first for both of us and we enjoyed it very much. I loved seeing the countryside and realized emphatically how much space there is in America. It is beautiful! We stopped in Nauvoo Illinois and Kirtland Ohio to see the church sites. We loved seeing them and gained deeper understanding and appreciation for the early Saints. There is an inspiring yet reverent feeling in both places.

We arrived in Washington DC and got Nathan settled in his apartment and job. I stayed with my sister Gayla and her family for a week and enjoyed bonding with them as well as sight-seeing around the area. Allen was so gracious in being a tour guide and taking me to see places he had seen a thousand times already.

I flew back to Salt Lake City and rotated staying with Spencer/Melissa and Erin/Jason /Kate for a few weeks. I am totally addicted to my little granddaughter, Kate. She is so adorable. I loved spending time with her. It was so hard to say good-bye and come home.

I also had a great trip to Spokane Washington to visit my two sisters, DeAnn and Rosalin and their husbands. We had a wonderful time together as we tripped down memory lane each day literally and figuratively. They both have beautiful homes and have carved out a wonderful life for themselves on that beautiful mountain north of Spokane. They are both as anxious for Gayla/Allen to join them next year after they retire as Gayla and Allen are to get there.

Orie came to Salt Lake City the middle of October for a visit with the kids and Kate and then we traveled to Saint George where he participated in the Senior Games Triathlon. He did well and loved being a participant. He wants to do it again every year until he is 85. I am not sure why he wants to stop then, but that’s what he said.

From Saint George we traveled to Las Vegas where Orie had a conference for work. We were thrilled to unexpectedly meet up with some good friends from Anchorage who were there for a different conference. We enjoyed touring the mountains outside of Las Vegas and eating at the buffets and chatting for hours each night. I am happy to report that once again I avoided putting so much as a nickel in one of the slot machines. The quicker I was out of the casinos the better I felt.

I am now back in Anchorage where winter has set in and I am shivering. It is very beautiful though and that makes it a wonderful fairyland that sings to me. We enjoyed a weekend at the Lake House where we were thrilled to only have to flip the switch on the wall to turn on the lights as the electicity was finally put in a couple of weeks ago. So, with telephone, DSL for the computer and electricity we are in business and can enjoy all the comforts of home while relaxing in fabulously beautiful setting. We are inviting several families to the Lake House to spend Thanksgiving and ride the snow machines. It should be fun!

It has been a summer of fun at the Lake House and it isn’t over yet with a month or so of summer remaining. With the cabin more or less complete but with plenty of landscaping to put in and decks and a cabana to build, Jason has spent his summer living and working at Crooked Lake. The rest of us have helped here and there but mostly played in the water and enjoyed the serenity and solitude of the lake and the new house. Spencer and Melissa came for a week long visit in late early July. Spencer, who has taken an intense interest in the Lake House construction, did what he likes to do best. He worked hard at various tasks and went home tired and sore but happy with his contribution to the work needing to be done.

Erin, Jason and Kate arrived in Alaska in mid July and stayed for 2 1/2 weeks…which wasn’t long enough for grandma and grandpa. Kate is a delightful little girl and her grandparents are addicted! We spent a lot of time at the Lake House and lost track of the number of times Jason Lowry water skied on “glass”, although we got some good photos with their new telephoto lens so we can remember how great it was. Kate was initiated into “lake life” and took to it like a duck to water. She loved the boat rides and particularly loved seeing her mommy and daddy ski behind the boat, waving to them continuously with her cute little arm. We miss her terribly and can’t wait to see her again. We are hoping the trek to Alaska and the Lake House will be an annual trek by all the Orien kids, grandkids and so on for years to come.

FYI: I had my colostomy take down surgery on June 20. It was successful and I am feeling very well. My main occupation while recovering has been supervising the work at the Lake House. I really enjoy watching others work!

Ruth

Joseph left the MTC in Provo on Tuesday, June 27 for his mission in Arcadia California. His mission president, Stephen Owen, called our home that evening to let us know that Joseph and 15 other brand new elders had arrived in sunny Southern CA to begin their missions. He said he had a nice interview with Joseph and felt he was an excellent young man and missionary and that he had sent him out to work immediately and we would hear from him via email on the next P-day in a week.

President Owen said that the Arcadia ward where he attends church is 85% Oriental. In the mission they have 92 Elders who speak English, 8 who speak Chinese, and 48 who speak Spanish. There are more languages spoken in that area though and indicated Joseph will probably learn some of each. They have Samoan and Korean branches and 2 Mandarin Chinese wards. Other than that it is English and Spanish wards throughout the mission.

An interesting note is that Bobby Shane, who was Joseph’s best buddy for years when they lived down the block and then moved to Chicago, is now just 23 miles from Joseph as they both serve their missions.

Joseph entered the Missionary Training Center in Provo Utah on June 7, 2006 in preparation for his mission to the California Arcadia Mission. Orie and Joseph flew to Salt Lake City the day before and stayed at the Lowry’s until time to leave for the MTC. The whole family, minus Ruth and Nathan who stayed in Anchorage, enjoyed some time together at dinner the night before and then escorted Joseph to the MTC. There was lots of emotion and lots of tears as they said goodbye to Joseph. He will definitely be missed during these two years but the growth, blessings and opportunities to serve that come from this mission will be worth it. We are anxiously waiting for letters with reports on how he is doing.

We had some furniture delivered to the Lake House on Friday just in time for Joseph to host his last hurrah there with friends before leaving for his mission on Monday night. I posted some photos of the furniture and the friends on the website. Take a look and tell me if we did okay in picking out furniture. We still need a few more items but at least now we can sit down and eat and then relax on the couch.

Joseph received a letter from Dean Ned C. Hill of the Marriott School at BYU informing him that he had been named to the Dean’s List. Dean Hill noted in the letter that this achievement is attained by only five percent of Marriott School students. Congratulations Joseph!

He was also informed a couple of weeks ago that he had been accepted into the accounting program at BYU, so that was great news. Again, congratulations Joseph!

We really hit the weather jackpot over the Memorial Weekend. It was sunny and hot…perfect for being at the Lake House. Joseph and I went up on Friday with the two little Morehead girls in tow as their mom and dad had to work so we got to babysit. The girls were so excited to be there they screeched and laughed and ran around all day absolutely refusing their naps. I don’t know about them, but Joseph and I were exhausted by dinner time. Their mom and dad came later that evening to spend the night with us. It was the first night spent at the Lake House by anyone. I loved it. We all loved it. Kira was higher than a kite turning cartwheels, blabbering nonsense and refusing yet again to sleep until after midnight. It was light out until very late and then faded to dim before getting light and warm again before we were done sleeping. But with bright sunlight, birds chirping and the lake beckoning we got up and got off to an early start on another gorgeous fun filled day. We boated, canoed, sunned, dozed, ate, chatted, water-skiied, explored and generally just enjoyed the lake and the beauty there. It doesn’t get much better than that.

There was another “RED LETTER” day this past week for the Orien family. Nathan graduated from Brigham Young University in the college of Physical and Mathematical Sciences with a degree in statistics. He has landed a great job with the accounting firm KPMG in Washington DC. Before beginning his new job he will be spending the summer at the University of Washington taking an intensive course of classes in accounting. When he has finished the course at the end of August, he and I will be driving across country to the new job with some sight seeing stops along the way.

The entire family gathered for the week to take part in the graduation and celebration. Orie and I came from Alaska, Megan came from Arizona and Uncle Harold came down from Boise. The rest of the family was already in Utah. We had a great time that included lots of family meals and chat and a couple rousing games of golf in which Orie won despite Spencer’s ability to drive the ball 400 yards.

We also celebrated Joseph’s 19th birthday yesterday and bought him a ton of white shirts and a couple of suits in preparation for his misson. He will be spending the next month back home in Alaska before returning to Utah and the MTC before heading out to Los Angeles.

Well, it’s official. I am addicted to my sweet little granddaughter. I am going to miss her soooo much! I have had the best time being here with her for the past couple of weeks. She has a delightful personality and is so much fun to play with. While I have been here she has learned a couple of new tricks including crawling (well, dragging herself) much to Grandpa Orien’s delight. He is determined she do the correct amount of crawling before she walks and has encouraged her as much as possible with tempting toys just out of reach. The most tempting toys are the electronic ones so she must be her daddy’s girl. He has also enjoyed giving her horticulture lessons each day as he takes her around the yard. She seems quite interested and willing for her daily lessons. We can’t wait for her to come visit us in Alaska in July.

I also had a great time in Spokane at my sister’s homes, Rosalin and DeAnn, for a short four day reunion. Gayla and Allen came out from Virginia and their son Reed and family from Portland to check on the “French Chateau” retirement home the Nelsons are building, so I stopped there before coming to Utah. Being an avid genealogist, Allen gave us all some lesson in genealogy as well as some assignments to spur us on in our research. We had a great time together and enjoyed chatting, reminiscing, laughing and eating. They are great sisters and their husbands aren’t bad either!

Joseph received his much anticipated mission call yesterday. He waited to open it until later that night so the family could gather to hear the news all at the same time. He drove from Provo to Salt Lake City with brothers Nathan and Jason and met up with Spencer and Melissa at Erin and Jason’s house. Mom and Dad in Anchorage and Megan in Phoenix got on the phone with a conference call and Jason set up the webcam so those of us out of town could see the opening. It was a lot of fun and very suspenseful as we anticipated where Joseph would be spending the next two years serving as a missionary.

There were a lot of guesses, most of them in far off places like Hong Kong and Russia. Since all the other Orien brothers had gone on foreign missions, we all figured Joseph would as well. Or not! Maybe that is a good reason why he didn’t get a call to a foreign mission, because all the other brothers did. Only Melissa guessed correctly….sort of. The rules of the game should have been defined a little better so the guess was more specific, but she played the odds and guessed the United States.

Drum roll………….

Joseph will be serving in the California Arcadia Mission (East L.A.) entering the Mission Training Center on June 7, 2006. His cousin Stephanie Nelson served there 10 years ago and loved it and so will Joseph. Besides being a great place to teach and preach and serve, it has other wonderful advantages:

Ummmm, nice weather. No winter coats, boots, gloves and hats. Yea!
He can eat the food and drink the water and not worry. Yea!!
He can get packages from home easily. Yea!!!
Everyone speaks English…or some version of it. Yea!!!!

Congratulations on your call to serve Joseph!

It is hard to miss, but in case you did, this webpage has a new look. Instead of the little green kiwi logo at the top, there is now an adorable little baby face that happens to belong to Miss Kate Lowry, my incredibly smart and cute granddaughter.

I was very pleasantly surprised this morning when I logged on to see her sweet face sitting at the top of the page. It seems her father, Jason Lowry, decided the kiwi was out and Kate was in, so he made the change and I love it. The kiwi is off my list anyway as I can no longer eat them (seeds) and Kate’s adorable face is something I will never get tired of seeing. So thanks Jason. Good job!

By the way…the little red marks on Kate’s cheek happened during her nap the other day. No, she didn’t have fun with a sharpie when she was supposed to be napping. Apparently her mom missed one tiny little fingernail on Kate’s right hand, so Kate decorated her face the painful way.

My brother-in-law, Allen Nelson, sent this quote in an email this morning. I liked it but am not quite ready to say the ‘Wow’ part yet. I’m working on my attitude though and hopefully soon will feel the ‘Wow’ with the right emphasis.

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: wow…. what a ride !!!”

I have been wondering just how I would write this particular blog. I can finally sit here at the computer with some ease and write a thing or two. I guess I’ll just go ahead and start and see how it comes out.

First let me say the Orien family had a fabulous Christmas vacation with those of us who were able to be home in Alaska. I loved having the kids here and enjoyed our time together very much. We enjoyed some fun times at The Lake House as it was nearing completion.

This month of January I have had experiences which were life threatening, life saving and life changing. I have learned a thing or two but most of all I just want to say how happy I am to still be here among living. I love my fabulous family and wonderful friends and am ever so much more appreciative of them and their goodness. They are awesome in so many ways. I realized as I thought my life was over on this earth how very much I love them and wanted to stay here and be a part of their lives for years to come. It pained my deeply to think that was not going to be the case. I am glad it turned out the way it did. I thank my Heavenly Father for prayers answered, priesthood blessings given, and a dedicated and talented doctor. I am especially appreciative of Orie and Megan for their loving care through this. Megan is an awesome nurse. She has a gift for tender loving care and compassion coupled with knowlege and professionalism. I can’t imagine how I would have gotten through this without her. Thanks Megan!

I had emergency abdominal surgery on January 8 and again on January 15. It seems I have diverticulitis (I had no idea) that had perforated my colon. The first surgery attempted to repair the colon but it ruptured again and I had to have surgery again. The surgery was a life saving one but has left me incredulous at my situation. I never thought this would happen to me. I am looking down the road to a further surgery in 4 to 6 months to put me back together again. Until then I am left with lots of emotion and deep humility.

I have been learning a good deal about having a healthy colon and how important that is. It seems that eating right is critical to one’s well being. Imagine that! I thought I ate healthy but apparently not healthy enough. I have been learning about the importance of eating a high fiber diet and avoiding junk and sugar foods. My doctor tells me that drinking Metamucil each morning is very important…for all age adults. It may save you from ever going through this ordeal so drink up! He also tells me the new guidelines on the pyramid food chart are to know and follow. Lots of fiber!!! A good balance of good food which eliminates the junk stuff will literally save your life. Trust me, you don’t want to go through this as I have… so eat that fiber. I remember my dad saying to me constantly, “The whiter the bread, the quicker you’re dead”. And “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. He was absolutely right. So pay attention and be smart in what you eat. It will save your life.

Orie and I were peacefully lounging in front of the tv the other night when the phone rang with the frantic voice of our neighbor screaming that her house was on fire. That’s the kind of call that gets your attention and catapults you off the couch quickly. By the time we got on our shoes and coats and ran out the door to her driveway there was an enormous amount of toxic smoke streaming out of her garage. Six or more fire trucks answered the call and did a good job of putting out the fire quickly and saved her home, although the garage was destroyed and the smoke damage in the rest of the house was extensive. Her two trucks in the garage were destroyed as well. It seems she had a “dog dryer” plugged in and running in the garage. She had left it for 5 minutes and when she came back out there were flames and smoke enough that she ran for her life in nightie and slippers. The theory is that the extension cord got hot and began to burn. It makes me think twice now before I plug in an extension cord, especially with Christmas here and all those extension cords I use to light up the Christmas tree. The fireman said to be very careful with extension cords and treat them gently when you plug and unplug them as the wires can weaken at the ends and short out.

I just returned home after spending nearly 3 weeks in Utah with Erin, Jason and baby Kate. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and it was great to spend time with the kids. All were there except Megan who was working in Boston. The best part, of course, was being with Kate, watching her grow and develop. She is adorable and I am addicted to her. She is without a doubt the cutest and smartest baby ever. I miss her terribly and can’t wait to see her again. It is pretty fun having a grandchild. I knew it would be and it is all I anticipated.

Dad and I went up to the cabin yesterday to check out the progress that had been made while we were gone. It is coming along nicely. It was a cold day but when we walked into the cabin it was warm and cozy. Everything looks good and we are quite pleased with how things are turning out. We are looking forward to using it both winter and summer.

We put up some “No Tresspassing” signs around the property. The snowmachiners have cut a trail that goes from Big Lake to trails further west and cuts right through the side of our property. There is a trail for them to use just to the north of our property and over the hill, but they like to buzz the lake so they have made a new trail. They cut down trees and put up markers just in the last few weeks. We posted it but don’t have high hopes it will keep them out. It would be nice if snowmachine people were the kind that respected private property.

I’m back home after the hands-on daily experience of being a grandma to Kate. It was wonderful being there with her for a month. I love being her grandma. I’m hooked, addicted and in love with my little sweetie pie. Boy, do I ever miss her! I can’t wait until Thanksgiving time when I will see her again. I wish I could be with her everyday. Maybe I could sign up to be her nanny and just move in…

The house is very quiet now that all the kids have left. It has been thirty years since Orie and I were alone with no children in the home. I don’t know quite what to do with myself. I like it better when the kids are here and there is hustle and bustle and lots going on. I love being a part of their lives on a regular basis. Maybe I could sign up to be their nanny too….

September 21, 2005 was a bonanza day for me. My sweet little granddaughter Kate was born to my daughter Erin and Jason. We have anticipated this day for a long time and are thrilled and thankful for this healthy and beautiful baby girl. I arrived in Salt Lake just hours before her birth and made it to the hospital just in time. It was instant love the moment we saw her. There is no other feeling that I have experienced that is so wonderful, exhilerating, and filled with awe and love than seeing a precious little child come into your family. It is a high like no other, even for me as a grandparent.

Kate was blessed with wonderful parents. She has a loving hands-on Dad and a adoring capable Mother. I think there will be lots of teaching and learning going on with her. I can see it already. While her parents will be very diligent in raising and teaching Kate all the things she needs to know, she will also be teaching them. She already is. It is fun to see. Jason and Erin are well prepared and ready for this very special opportunity but I think they might learn a lot along this road of parenthood. We all do.

F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, “trouble has no neccessary connection with discouragement–discouragement has a germ of its own, as different from trouble as arthritis is different from a stiff joint.” We all have troubles of one sort or another, but the “germ” of discouragement is what we have to avoid. A small germ can get inside us and grow and spread until it becomes a way of thinking and living and that is where the greatest damage is done. It takes an severe toll on our spirit and erodes our religious commitments.

I have been a keen observer this past month of those with troubles. I have seen how different people handle similar troubles. My friend Carol LaCroix has been faced with trouble which has made her very sad, but she is not discouraged. The opposite is evident in her attitude and spirit. She is determined to go forward in life with faith, hope and happiness for her life and her children and finds joy in life and living. Her attitude is an inspiration to me.

The troubles on the southeast U.S. coast these past few weeks with Hurricane Katrina have beem devastating to those living there. Amidst all that trouble I have seen quite a few vignettes on TV that were indicative of this same up-beat attitude in those folks. The verse in 2 Corinthians 4:8 comes to mind, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken; cast down but not destroyed.”

Michael LaCroix, husband of my dear friend Carol, passed away on July 25, 2005 due to an accident while attending the National Boy Scout Jamboree in Virginia. While we are all devastated by this great loss, we gain strength daily as we contemplate the reality of the the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ, the blessings of the temple and the knowledge that families are eternal and they will be together again. Without that understanding this loss would be unbearable.

The Orien family loves Crooked Lake. Orie always tells me not to say that too loudly. He doesn’t really want everyone to know what a great lake it is as they might move on in and crowd us out. He would like to keep it more of a secret and more private…..so, shhhhh. But we had such a fun day there yesterday and have had so many more fun days there in the past 20 years that I had to post a few pictures and say a few words about Crooked Lake. Just don’t tell anyone….

We bought an old cabin on the lake in 1985. It was old then and is really old now. It is tilting to one side a bit as the log foundation is slowly decaying. Each spring as we boat around the corner of the bay heading toward the cabin , we strain our eyes to see if it is still standing. So far, so good, but this year it is getting kind of scary looking as it has tilted so much the porch boards have popped off. We wonder if it will fall down on us as we sleep some night.

Joseph was born a couple years after we bought it and has grown up there spending many happy days with the family. Spencer was the first to waterski. He was eight. Nathan was next. He was six. The rest followed along shortly. Orie pulled them in a 12 foot V bottom aluminum boat with a 7.2 hp motor. He would lean as far forward as he could to get the boat on step and get the kids out of the water. They used a couple of real wide plastic red and white stripped skis we borrowed. They worked great. The kids just popped right up out of the water and had a blast going round and round the lake. We have had various and sundry toys to play with in the water and enjoyed many many hours of enjoyment on that lake.

Night time was fun too. We hauled out the sleeping bags and matts and all bedded down in one small room sleeping shoulder to shoulder all in a row. We would play games until we were too tired to keep our eyes open and would finally lay down and talk until we all fell asleep. It sort of reminds me of the TV show about the Walton family and how they would all say goodnight to each other from their beds. That was one of my favorite things about going to the lake. It was really fun to all be there together talking into the night and falling asleep together. All summer long we spent as much time as we could at the lake and hated going back to town where it was noisy and crowded and filled with blacktop. Even rainy days were sort of fun as we would all get out a favorite book and read all day while a crackling fire warmed and brightened the cabin. The kids got really good at making fires but I never could get the hang of it very well. Mine always smoked too much.

I could go on and on with remembrances of good times at the cabin. There are lots. Maybe some of the kids will make comments about that. And then there was the one really really bad time, but it wasn’t the cabin’s fault so I won’t mention it. We’re just glad it didn’t burn down.

Anyway, what this is all leading to is that there is a new era about to begin for the Orien family at Crooked Lake. We are building a new cabin! Wow. We can’t believe it is going to happen. We bought another piece of property on the lake just down from the old cabin and are about to begin construction. The well is dug and the foundation and septic will go in this week. The builder has sharpened his saw and can be seen rubbing his hands together in anticipation of getting this show on the road. We can’t wait. It will be a little bigger and nicer cabin with room for friends to come visit and even spend the night. It will have running water, a flushing toilet and lights that turn on with a switch. It will be a little more like a small house but most importantly, it is on Crooked Lake, the most beautiful lake around or maybe even the U.S.A. and we will love it. We won’t forget