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Show -N E W S- Spanish Fork An attitude of gratitude Fun in the snow WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2008 • A3 Covering what matters most alive." Several days later, when I went out to Life After Birth check on our font lawn of weeds, I found Janene Baadsgaard something I'll never forget. If I got down on my hands knees, I could see tiny blades of When we focus on being grateful for what grass so small they looked like green sewing we already have instead of what we don't thread. All my watering and weeding was have, we will always have enough. I remem- starting to pay off. That's when I understood ber a time in my life when I had to learn this I needed patience and gratitude during the lesson the hard way. growing season. One evening, after we moved into our first It occurred to me that all the work involved home, my husband seeded our front yard with in caring for a family was like our newly grass seed. The next morning, he told me seeded lawn — a lot of work and weeds at it was important to keep the dirt wet or the first. You can't see the roots setting deep in grass seeds wouldn't sprout. Then he kissed the rich soil of parental love. Then when the me and left for work. Since it was the middle tender seedlings begin to grow, they have the of July, this assignment was a full-time job. means to sustain them through times of plenty, On top of that, I was pregnant and had two drought or frost. I also realized if I didn't stop baby daughters to care for. I stood on the front and notice the miracles of my everyday life, porch day after day, feeling light-headed and I would miss the joy in the journey. In time, nauseated, squirting the dirt while my one- my children, like the lawn, would not require and two-year old daughters tumbling down my constant care; the fleeting moments of the steps, filling their diapers, throwing their childhood will have passed. shoes in the ditch and stuffing rocks up their Life is like a roller-coaster ride, full of noses. After weeks of constant watering, our hills and valleys, twists and turns. Yet it is the front yard grew the biggest, greenest weeds in hard times that make the good times so sweet. the neighborhood. There is no smooth celestial highway. The 'This is my life," I remember mumbling as secret of life,is to be grateful for the whole I sprayed the dirt. "I water weeds. I feed one breathtaking ride. end of my little girls and clean up the other. Janene Baadsgaard, M.OM., is the author Nothing 1 do really matters." of lots of humorous and heartwarming books A few days later, I had serious complications for families including Families Who Laugh with my pregnancy. My husband raced me to . . . Last, On the Roller Coaster Called the emergency room of the nearest hospital. Motherhood, Winter's Promise, Financial After the doctor arrived and slowed the bleed- Freedom for LDS Families, The LDS Mother's ing, he told us our baby was dead. It broke my Almanac and her most recent publication heart to leave the hospital with empty arms. 15 Secrets to a Happy Home, available at When we arrived home, I found our two local book stores or on-line at HYPERLINK baby daughters asleep on our bed. Now, I'd "http.i/www.springcreekbooksxom" www. always loved my daughters, but never quite springcreekbooks.com. She can be reached at like I did that night. janenebaadsgaard@juno.com. "Thank you God," I whispered. "They are Senior Center names Citizen of the Year board. Tom made sure the tables and chairs were set up and put away, opened and closed the building for special occasions and also The Spanish Fork Senior Center opened the helped pick up those who needed rides. Tom enjoys camping, fishing and hunting new year on Jan. 4, 2008 with a membership with his family. Tom and Gladys are the dinner at the Center. We were entertained by Serena Koenig Benish. Serena has sung parents of three children: Loa, married to opera in New York and around the country. Leonard Ellis; Tom, married to Martena Cope; We enjoyed listening to her sing opera and and Gary, married to Tern Argyle. At this time, classical numbers. Thank you, Serena, for Tom and Gladys have nine grandchildren, sharing your talent with us. 33 great grandchildren and one great great Thomas M. Beckstrom was chosen as grandchild. Spanish Fork Senior Citizen of the Year. Tom Congratulation to Tom and thank you for was bom in Lake Shore to Joseph and Edna your many years of service to family, friends, Huff Beckstrom. He worked with his family community and the Senior Citizen's Center. on the farm and nights at the cannery in the The Senior Citizen's Center is open for all summer. During his senior year, his parents seniors in the community and the surrounding moved to Carbon County, and he ran the farm area who are 55 years and older. We have alone while living with his grandmother. a wonderful time and enjoy each others' Tom served in the military in Kearns, Ariz., friendship. The Center is open from 10 a.m. England, France and Germany. until 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. We Tom began his plumbing apprenticeship have crafts, games and socializing. Lunches under his uncle, Harvey Huff. He joined the are held every Monday and Thursday at 12 Utah Plumbers and Pipefitters Union in 1953 p.m.. We have entertainment to go with the and has worked all over the state. Tom has always been willing to help friends, neighbors lunches. On the first Friday of each month and family with repairs and projects whenever we have a large membership dinner with a special program as well as field trips and tours they are needed. Tom has served in the scouting program. to many different places. The Spanish Fork Senior Center wants He is a member of the Diamond Fork Riding Club, and has held many positions, including to thank the City of Spanish Fork and a year as president in 1970. Tom and Gladys Mountainland, the division of aging, for all have been active in the Senior Citizens for the support, including financial support they many years. They have enjoyed many good give to us. The Senior Center is a friendly, trips and have served on the Senior Citizen's welcoming place. Come join us. Clea Aust SENIOR CENTER A Galloping Geezer Gary Davis There's lots of white stuff on the ground this winter. Have you been thinking about clamping some boards on your feet and zipping down a hill? Go for it! It's an exhilarating blast of cold air. I took up the sport a little late in life and never skied enough to become very good, but I can handle the intermediate slopes and stay upright most of the time. If you're young, you'll probably lean toward snowboarding. If not, skiing is a little easier to learn. I read of a ski resort employee who said he can tell from the phone calls he receives if a skier or a snowboarder is calling. The skier asks, " What's the temperature? How much snow do you have? What are the wind conditions? Powder or packed powder? Any snow expected today? How large of a crowd is expected?" The snowboarder asks, "You guys open today?" If the answer is, "Yes," the caller replies, "Awesome!" and hangs up. For the newby attempting to learn the sport, allow me to offer some advice. Do not hit the slopes with a friend who is a good skier. Their intentions will likely be honorable, but before the day is out, they will talk you into taking some runs that will threaten both your friendship and your life. They all seem to forget what it was like when they were beginners. "Let's take lift number six," your friend will suggest toward the end of the day. "Isn't that for experts?" you'll ask. "Well some of it is," your friend will concede, "but you can handle it." So you'll ski over and get into line with your friend and warily eye the lift as it rises toward heaven and disappears into the clouds like a modern tower of Babel. Riding up the chair-lift together, he will point to an obscenely steep slope to our right and say, "Someone got killed on that run last month." That nugget of information will not be a confidence builder. When you finally - SMALLTOWN SERVICE" 625 North Main Street Spanish Fork Qrcle v Meat Meat Processor* for over 36 years 2008, and memorial services were held in Ogden, on Monday, Feb. 4, in Ogden. ••• Looking way ahead: The Benjamin 1st Ward Relief Society Birthday Party will be held on Tuesday, Mar. 18, 2008, at the Benjamin Church. More details will be forthcoming but mark the date on your calendars. ••• We wish everyone a very happy Valentine's Day! Worldwide worries From WORRIES • A2 A laugh for the week: As a trucker in North Dakota stops for a red light, a young blond girl catches up. She jumps out of her pickup, runs up to his truck and knocks on the door. The trucker lowers the window and she says, "Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load." The trucker ignores her and proceeds down the street. When the truck stops for another red light, the girl catches up again, jumps out of her pickup, knocks on the door and says, "Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load." Shaking his head, he again ignores her and continues on. At the third red light, the same thing happens, "Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load." When the light turns green, the trucker revs up and races to the next light. When he stops this time, he hurriedly gets out of the truck and runs back to the girl. He knocks on her window and, as she lowers it, he says, "Hi, my name is Kevin, it is winter and I'm driving the salt truck!" Your source for $ Views:; > The Spanish Fork News Covering what $ matters most HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 794-3500 %^ From BENJAMIN • A2 PORT 798-1700 Bank of American Fork BIG CITY BANKING get off the lift, the wind will whip the snow around and visibility will be five yards and dropping. "I think this is where we want to go down," he will shout to you over the whistling wind and point off into a blanket of white nothingness. I became a more religious man that day. 1 vowed never to repeat that experience with myself as the mentor, but this one particular friend seemed to be progressing really well and 1 thought something a little more challenging might... It happened several years ago when my youngest son and one of his friends convinced me and the other boy's dad to take them skiing. The four of us took off for a couple of days to a resort in the Southern California mountains. Urb, the other boy's father, was a novice but he did seem to be doing really well by the end of our second day, when I suggested we take a formerly untried lift. With some reluctance, he agreed. About halfway to the top, Urb exclaimed, "This is an expert run!" as he eyed the angle of the mountain and speed of the skiers whipping by below. I assured him that it was not a black diamond run and even produced the pamphlet clearly showing the " intermediate" logo for this particular slope. The problem was, it was an "intermediate" sort of like John McCain is a Republican. That is, in name only. Skiing in Southern California can be problematic. Often, during the day, temperatures rise well above freezing and the snow can become slushy, but as soon as the el sol drops behind the mountains, the slush becomes ice. Ice makes skiing difficult; trust me on that. When Urb and I reached the top of the mountain that fateful day, the sun had disappeared, the wind had come up and the dismount area was a solid sheet of ice. Urb ended up crashing on top of me while making both uncomplimentary and unprintable utterances. Shortly thereafter he took off his skis and trudged solemnly down the mountain. Hey, at least he didn't break anything. Life in Benjamin: ^•H ^^^P^^T ^^\ 609 West Arrowhead, Spanish Fork 798-3081 Huff's Carpets 798-6667 4O North Main Street Spanish Fork 280 N. Main, Spanish Fork • 788-6816 • N E W S mister sparky, 1-888-8SPHRKV ivtuuf.mistersDarku.com Spanish Fork Covering; What Matters Most 794-4964 |