I've been slow to blog. Maybe you noticed. I have been working long hours and exhaustion hits and bed looks more appealing than the blog site. There is one story that happened the last weekend. I was on call and went to this patients home. I was sitting next to her bed and I kept seeing someone out of the corner of my eye, I would turn and no one would be there. It finally hit me what I was seeing.
I asked her family if there were parants who had gone on before . They reponded that her father and mother were both on the other side. Then I felt impressed to tell them that there was an angel, a man, who was coming to be with her. The daughter's gasped and said it must be her father, she was very close to him. They asked me to describe him and I could not..I could only see him out of the corner of my eye.
There was another time that I saw angels. I was at the Washington, Missourie ward. I had arrived earlier than the other family members so I brought out my scriptures and was reading in my car. I saw people come down the frount steps dressed in white and I looked up to give them a smile only to find noone there. This happened several times. Then I finally understood. Angels were here to be with the Hervey family during Ford's funeral. That gave me great peace to my heart. Angels are around me..and you, too. Love, Mom
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
PHT
Hollis was in his Senior year at ISU. We moved to an attic apartment not far from campus. Hollis was still working in Nevada, Ia. repairing television and found an old, old, small round television out on the junk pile sans casing. He brought it to the apartment and that was our first television. The bathroom consisted of a shower and toilet in a closet, to wash our hands we had to go to the kitchen sink.
Hollis spent much of his time at the library with the excuse that it was too distracting to study at home...I tried to learn how to knit and crochet at that time..still can't. We almost did not graduate due to Hollis being diagnosed with mononucleosis. Lay people called it the "kissing disease" because young adults seem to come down with it more freqrently. He was admitted to the school infirmary and prognosis was not good. X-ray showed spots on his lung which turned out to be enlarged lymph nodes but doctors wanted to rule out TB.
Hollis was in the hospital for about a week with the physicians telling him that he would need to rest for the next few months to recover. This was disasterous news because ISU was changing it's engineering program from a 4 year to a five year plan and the couses he would need to finish is degree would not be offered again for another year. With greath faith we called in the elders and a blessing was given . To the amazement of his doctors Hollis was able to leave the infirmary and return to complete his classwork and graduate on time...I remember glaring at the little cute nurses that would com in to give him his bedtime backrub..and resisted being sent home because visiting hours were over.
When we moved to Indianapolis we were able to put all of our worldly belongings in the back of our Malibu. I was still working so Hollis packed us...I think that is wear my knitting needles and yarn bit the dust. I have since learned that men's possessions are good stuff and women's junk and should be packed accordingly...
We stopped in Iowa on the way to Indiana and broke the news to the famlies that we were expecting..Dad's comment was, "It's about time."
More will come later..Mom
Hollis spent much of his time at the library with the excuse that it was too distracting to study at home...I tried to learn how to knit and crochet at that time..still can't. We almost did not graduate due to Hollis being diagnosed with mononucleosis. Lay people called it the "kissing disease" because young adults seem to come down with it more freqrently. He was admitted to the school infirmary and prognosis was not good. X-ray showed spots on his lung which turned out to be enlarged lymph nodes but doctors wanted to rule out TB.
Hollis was in the hospital for about a week with the physicians telling him that he would need to rest for the next few months to recover. This was disasterous news because ISU was changing it's engineering program from a 4 year to a five year plan and the couses he would need to finish is degree would not be offered again for another year. With greath faith we called in the elders and a blessing was given . To the amazement of his doctors Hollis was able to leave the infirmary and return to complete his classwork and graduate on time...I remember glaring at the little cute nurses that would com in to give him his bedtime backrub..and resisted being sent home because visiting hours were over.
When we moved to Indianapolis we were able to put all of our worldly belongings in the back of our Malibu. I was still working so Hollis packed us...I think that is wear my knitting needles and yarn bit the dust. I have since learned that men's possessions are good stuff and women's junk and should be packed accordingly...
We stopped in Iowa on the way to Indiana and broke the news to the famlies that we were expecting..Dad's comment was, "It's about time."
More will come later..Mom
Saturday, October 11, 2008
The Old Cardboard Box
About three years ago someone gave me a tattered, old cardboard box with copies of music magazines and music books. I put it in the corner of the room not sure what I should do with it.'
Fast foreward to two months ago. I arrived a my patient's home to find her sitting outside under an umbrella. We made the usual greetings and then she asked if I had heard of a song called "Wafaring Stranger". I asked her to sing it to me. In a soft, whispery sweet voice she sang a few bars. I was touched and felt impressed that I needed to learn this sone.
I started looking by looking the words up on the internet and then looked in flea markets and bookstores for old songbooks and could not find the song. I returned home on my last attempt and turned and saw the old tattered box sitting behind the loveseat. The dust mites were stirred up as I started to plow through the magazines and there in the bottom was a book of American favorite songs. And there it was.
I brought the book to my patient and she was pleased that I cared enough to search for the music. I left the book .
The song touched me and I decided that I needed to lean it well enough to sing at November's memorial service. So I asked for the return of the music book. Before she returned it to me she asked me to sing it to her. I did..then she said, "You'll sing it at my funeral." She turned to look at me , "You will won't you." I'm not sure if that was a statement or question.
Friday night I sang it at her funeral...God moves in mysterious ways through a tattered cardboard box.
Fast foreward to two months ago. I arrived a my patient's home to find her sitting outside under an umbrella. We made the usual greetings and then she asked if I had heard of a song called "Wafaring Stranger". I asked her to sing it to me. In a soft, whispery sweet voice she sang a few bars. I was touched and felt impressed that I needed to learn this sone.
I started looking by looking the words up on the internet and then looked in flea markets and bookstores for old songbooks and could not find the song. I returned home on my last attempt and turned and saw the old tattered box sitting behind the loveseat. The dust mites were stirred up as I started to plow through the magazines and there in the bottom was a book of American favorite songs. And there it was.
I brought the book to my patient and she was pleased that I cared enough to search for the music. I left the book .
The song touched me and I decided that I needed to lean it well enough to sing at November's memorial service. So I asked for the return of the music book. Before she returned it to me she asked me to sing it to her. I did..then she said, "You'll sing it at my funeral." She turned to look at me , "You will won't you." I'm not sure if that was a statement or question.
Friday night I sang it at her funeral...God moves in mysterious ways through a tattered cardboard box.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wedding story
Hollis continued to work in Nevada, Iowa , at a tv repair shop. He returned to Keosauqua the night before we were to leave for Arizona and our wedding in the Mesa temple. A July storm had centered over the area and buckets of rain had come down. The road to his parent's farm was being prepped for back topping and dirt and gravel now a mucky, rutted mess. He needed to return to his parents home to get written permission to be married . Arizona had a law that women must be 18 or older and men 21 unless notarized permission signed by parents.
Hollis had not quite been a member for a year and his temple recommend needed to be signed by the Mission President . We all got into dad's big Mercury and our first stop was in Independence, Missouri were Hollis got his temple recommend signed. Mother had bought me this cute sleevless sundress earlier that summer and I was wearing it when the mission presendent had me come join Hollis. His eyebrows went up when he saw my attire; gave me a brief lecture about from now on I would have to wear more modest clothing. I assured him that I understood.
We stayed at Aunt Bessie's home in Casa Grande. Kathy and I slept with mother and the night air was hot and still. Aunt Bessie had some of those big black fans that were placed in the room to cool and stir the air. Hollis had to sleep with Dad.......He had , nor had he had any pajamas.. but while still at BYU I had jokingly sewed a night shirt with cap for him and that is what he wore to bed..sleeping with my father..Dad never said a thing.
Mother did not give me any preparation for what would happen in the temple. There were not temple preparation classes either. So I was shaking like a leaf when the first ordninance of washing and annointing done...I don't think I understood a thing.
My wedding dress was second hand , purchased from Dad's Utah friends while I was there..It had a full skirt that was to be worn over a hoop skirt. Of course this was not worn in the temple so the dress came way down on the floor. You have to understand that at that time Mesa did not have the film that allowed participants to stay in their chairs as the endowment progressed. Instead we were moved from room to room and the murels on the wall were magnificent. However my dress was frequently stepped on. At one time someone whispered to ''Keep moving!'' and I had to whisper back, "I cant', you're standing on my dress!" So much of the time I was simply mortified that so much attention was being directed at me.
Hollis took me through the veil and we gathered in the Celestial Room. My family was gathered around and then dad turned to Hollis and with a very serious face asked if he really wanted to do this. (I think he was meaning marriage for eternity) Now was the time to back out if He wasn't sure. WHAT!?.... Dad witnessed the marriage certificate.
Mother was elated. During the gathering in the Celestial Room mother and dad got to greet several friends that remembered them . One of dad's friends asked if Nellie was his daughter..mother was dying the grey in her hair and dad had not....
Dad then drove us to Uncle Lynn's house just around the corner from the temple. He gave us the keys to the Mercury and his gas credit card. Kathy, mom & dad were to have Uncle Lynn take them to the train station for their trip home. I carefully laid the wedding dress across the back seat and Hollis and I took off. We got out of Mesa and Hollis stopped to have the oil changed before the trip home...It took hours! Hollis told me the attendants at the station so the dress in the back and decided to postpone our honeymoon for as longs as they could.. I think we were there for 3 hours.
We got back to Ames, Iowa with fifty cents between us. After a small reception we set up housekeeping in a sublet apartment in Ames. That first week all we had to eat was leftover wedding cake....Hollis told me before we got married that he could support himself while going through school but if I wanted to eat , sleep or have a bed I would have to support myself...so I did..I became a stenographer at Iowa State University , Library, Order Dept.. For this I was awared a PHT (Put Hubby Through) certificate.
We were active in the Ames branch at Church. I was called as a BeeHive teacher....and so the story will go on...later.
Hollis had not quite been a member for a year and his temple recommend needed to be signed by the Mission President . We all got into dad's big Mercury and our first stop was in Independence, Missouri were Hollis got his temple recommend signed. Mother had bought me this cute sleevless sundress earlier that summer and I was wearing it when the mission presendent had me come join Hollis. His eyebrows went up when he saw my attire; gave me a brief lecture about from now on I would have to wear more modest clothing. I assured him that I understood.
We stayed at Aunt Bessie's home in Casa Grande. Kathy and I slept with mother and the night air was hot and still. Aunt Bessie had some of those big black fans that were placed in the room to cool and stir the air. Hollis had to sleep with Dad.......He had , nor had he had any pajamas.. but while still at BYU I had jokingly sewed a night shirt with cap for him and that is what he wore to bed..sleeping with my father..Dad never said a thing.
Mother did not give me any preparation for what would happen in the temple. There were not temple preparation classes either. So I was shaking like a leaf when the first ordninance of washing and annointing done...I don't think I understood a thing.
My wedding dress was second hand , purchased from Dad's Utah friends while I was there..It had a full skirt that was to be worn over a hoop skirt. Of course this was not worn in the temple so the dress came way down on the floor. You have to understand that at that time Mesa did not have the film that allowed participants to stay in their chairs as the endowment progressed. Instead we were moved from room to room and the murels on the wall were magnificent. However my dress was frequently stepped on. At one time someone whispered to ''Keep moving!'' and I had to whisper back, "I cant', you're standing on my dress!" So much of the time I was simply mortified that so much attention was being directed at me.
Hollis took me through the veil and we gathered in the Celestial Room. My family was gathered around and then dad turned to Hollis and with a very serious face asked if he really wanted to do this. (I think he was meaning marriage for eternity) Now was the time to back out if He wasn't sure. WHAT!?.... Dad witnessed the marriage certificate.
Mother was elated. During the gathering in the Celestial Room mother and dad got to greet several friends that remembered them . One of dad's friends asked if Nellie was his daughter..mother was dying the grey in her hair and dad had not....
Dad then drove us to Uncle Lynn's house just around the corner from the temple. He gave us the keys to the Mercury and his gas credit card. Kathy, mom & dad were to have Uncle Lynn take them to the train station for their trip home. I carefully laid the wedding dress across the back seat and Hollis and I took off. We got out of Mesa and Hollis stopped to have the oil changed before the trip home...It took hours! Hollis told me the attendants at the station so the dress in the back and decided to postpone our honeymoon for as longs as they could.. I think we were there for 3 hours.
We got back to Ames, Iowa with fifty cents between us. After a small reception we set up housekeeping in a sublet apartment in Ames. That first week all we had to eat was leftover wedding cake....Hollis told me before we got married that he could support himself while going through school but if I wanted to eat , sleep or have a bed I would have to support myself...so I did..I became a stenographer at Iowa State University , Library, Order Dept.. For this I was awared a PHT (Put Hubby Through) certificate.
We were active in the Ames branch at Church. I was called as a BeeHive teacher....and so the story will go on...later.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Love at home
That summer Hollis was true to his word. The missionaries came to the farm house each evening to him his the lessons. I was scared that he would reject their teachings and then reject me so I sat in on the discussions but did not contribute much. After teaching the Plan of Salvation the missionaries left and Hollis made a comment. "If I were God, that is how I would do it." He further explained that the Gospel was simple in it's purity. He had been active in early highschool in the MYF, Methodist Youth Fellowship, but got burned out when more influencial members dictated to the minister what should be preached or done in the parish.
I will always remember the first time I heard Hollis pray. The missionaries had given the lesson on prayer and then turned to Hollis as asked he would like to say a prayer. I almost jumped up and shouted "No!' For fear that he would be embarressed..His prayer, however, was awsome.
It was not long that he committed to baptism.
Hollis was baptised in the Mississppi river at Nauvoo, Ill. The missionaries took him to change clothes in the Times & Season's building then drove down a dirt road to the edge of the river. On the way back to Keosauqua Hollis related that it was then that the missionaries thought it was wise to tell him that not only was tithing important, and Hollis was agreeable to this ; but that then there were fast offerings, ward budget , building and missionary funds that would be expected. He related he almost had secound thoughts.
We were on our way to Nauvoo when the Methodist minister came by the Hervey farm and told Bob and Helen that Mormon girls dated non-mormon boys to get them into the waters of baptism then they would drop them like a "hot potatoe". Maybe he had heard the phrase "flirt to convert." He was too late with his warning..Hollis was comitted.
I was accepted into BYU, Provo, Utah for that next fall semester. Hollis and I were constant companions. He was my best friend and we did just about everything together. Mom, as I said , liked Hollis and pointed out that while I was wearing his class ring it would not be fair to go off to college without giving him a opportunity to look elsewhere if that is what I was doing. So drama queen that I was, and probably still am, I gave Hollis is class ring ..but with the understanding that we would keep writing to one another. Oh, what patience he already had for me.
Dad later said he sent me to the "Y" to be sure I would not find a good Mormon boy out there. It was already too late. I was truely smitten . Letters traveled via post office along with goddie boxes and I even taped messages to him...yeah, I even sang to him...How pitiful is that?
At Christmas time I was not sure how I was going to get home. I found a ride on the message board and hooked up with some kids who were returning to Ames, Iowa..in a 1944 Olds. Traveling across the mid=west during winter blizzards was not a wise thing to do but I wanted to get home to my sweetheart. In Nebraska we hit an ice storm . The owner of the Old car was tired and wanted to stop and rest somewhere but I was sure this would ruin my ability to meet up with Hollis before he left ISU so I offered to drive. I did not get very far before the back of the car waffled and there was nothing to do but let it slip/slide slowly into the ditch . We did not even have to get out of the car before we saw a farmer on a tractor coming to pull the car ahead of us out of that same ditch a few hundred feet ahead. He just came on down the road and pulled us out...
The Owner then creeped into the next town , stopped at a service station and put on chains.. but by the time he got them on the sun was up and road melted and chains no longer needed...
That Christmas I got my engagement ring. Mom was acting funny all day and fussed about my getting ready on time for my date. Hollis picked me up and we went to Spurgeons Jewelry and we found a modest ring. I thought it was gorgeous. Mr Spurgeon said it had a small speck but I could not tell it. Later I found that Hollis had sold all of his ham radio equipment so that he could purchase the ring..I was humbled, he really loved his K0TCC , cq, cq, cq talk across the country
more later
I will always remember the first time I heard Hollis pray. The missionaries had given the lesson on prayer and then turned to Hollis as asked he would like to say a prayer. I almost jumped up and shouted "No!' For fear that he would be embarressed..His prayer, however, was awsome.
It was not long that he committed to baptism.
Hollis was baptised in the Mississppi river at Nauvoo, Ill. The missionaries took him to change clothes in the Times & Season's building then drove down a dirt road to the edge of the river. On the way back to Keosauqua Hollis related that it was then that the missionaries thought it was wise to tell him that not only was tithing important, and Hollis was agreeable to this ; but that then there were fast offerings, ward budget , building and missionary funds that would be expected. He related he almost had secound thoughts.
We were on our way to Nauvoo when the Methodist minister came by the Hervey farm and told Bob and Helen that Mormon girls dated non-mormon boys to get them into the waters of baptism then they would drop them like a "hot potatoe". Maybe he had heard the phrase "flirt to convert." He was too late with his warning..Hollis was comitted.
I was accepted into BYU, Provo, Utah for that next fall semester. Hollis and I were constant companions. He was my best friend and we did just about everything together. Mom, as I said , liked Hollis and pointed out that while I was wearing his class ring it would not be fair to go off to college without giving him a opportunity to look elsewhere if that is what I was doing. So drama queen that I was, and probably still am, I gave Hollis is class ring ..but with the understanding that we would keep writing to one another. Oh, what patience he already had for me.
Dad later said he sent me to the "Y" to be sure I would not find a good Mormon boy out there. It was already too late. I was truely smitten . Letters traveled via post office along with goddie boxes and I even taped messages to him...yeah, I even sang to him...How pitiful is that?
At Christmas time I was not sure how I was going to get home. I found a ride on the message board and hooked up with some kids who were returning to Ames, Iowa..in a 1944 Olds. Traveling across the mid=west during winter blizzards was not a wise thing to do but I wanted to get home to my sweetheart. In Nebraska we hit an ice storm . The owner of the Old car was tired and wanted to stop and rest somewhere but I was sure this would ruin my ability to meet up with Hollis before he left ISU so I offered to drive. I did not get very far before the back of the car waffled and there was nothing to do but let it slip/slide slowly into the ditch . We did not even have to get out of the car before we saw a farmer on a tractor coming to pull the car ahead of us out of that same ditch a few hundred feet ahead. He just came on down the road and pulled us out...
The Owner then creeped into the next town , stopped at a service station and put on chains.. but by the time he got them on the sun was up and road melted and chains no longer needed...
That Christmas I got my engagement ring. Mom was acting funny all day and fussed about my getting ready on time for my date. Hollis picked me up and we went to Spurgeons Jewelry and we found a modest ring. I thought it was gorgeous. Mr Spurgeon said it had a small speck but I could not tell it. Later I found that Hollis had sold all of his ham radio equipment so that he could purchase the ring..I was humbled, he really loved his K0TCC , cq, cq, cq talk across the country
more later
Sunday, September 14, 2008
New Understanding
While at BYU I took the opportunity to get my patriachial blessing. Bro. Fairbourn had move his family to Provo and was kind enough to take me to the stake patriach's home.
The original has long been lost so I need to write to Salt Lake to get a copy but I do remember reading it over and over. One of the statements made was that I would have many children that would hold my name sacred. I always wondered what that meant. I did not live in Utah so I figured I would the be the General Primay president and while I had 6 children I did not think that constituted "many children" for me that seemed just a normal number. Even when I worked in the Primary on the branch , ward or stake level I did not feel that this was what was meant.
It finally came to me . This blessing refers to the many children of my patients. I feel that it is truely awsom to have been apart of their lives and look forward to seeing their parents on the other side when it is my turn to cross.
Oh, yes, I hope my children also hold my name sacred....Love, mom
The original has long been lost so I need to write to Salt Lake to get a copy but I do remember reading it over and over. One of the statements made was that I would have many children that would hold my name sacred. I always wondered what that meant. I did not live in Utah so I figured I would the be the General Primay president and while I had 6 children I did not think that constituted "many children" for me that seemed just a normal number. Even when I worked in the Primary on the branch , ward or stake level I did not feel that this was what was meant.
It finally came to me . This blessing refers to the many children of my patients. I feel that it is truely awsom to have been apart of their lives and look forward to seeing their parents on the other side when it is my turn to cross.
Oh, yes, I hope my children also hold my name sacred....Love, mom
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Special Song
Thursday I called a widow to check up on her. She had asked me to sing at her husband's funeral which I agreed to do. I sang "Goin' Home" by Fischer. She told me that many of the people there came to her and told her they had never heard that song before but it had touched them. "That has now become JP and my song, thank you for singing it." That sentiment will keep me going a little bit longer in hospice. mom
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