tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111540932024-03-07T00:42:35.801-06:00Anderson AfterthoughtsTrying to bring this blog back from the dead...Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.comBlogger141125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-34425324177832363152012-11-06T09:40:00.001-06:002018-06-27T17:38:24.227-05:00Go Mitt!TODAY, MITT ROMNEY WON THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR UTAH!!! I am so happy for him to have found a way back into public service without having had to deal with all the awfulness that was the last presidential election. I believe he is a good man, and a smart man, and the world needs more men like him. That's all.
Original Post from 11/6/12 Copied from Mitt Romney Central website
I want to thank my Facebook friends for respectfully supporting (or quietly ignoring) my vocal support of Governor Romney during this election season. I appreciate the lack of severe and bitter words and have enjoyed the civil and enlightening conversations that have been spurred by this amazing thing we call democracy!
I have had the opportunity to meet Mitt Romney on a couple of occasions. Years ago, he complimented me on my cute baby and his name (win), and once, not so long ago, I even ate dinner sitting immediately next to him. I watched him eat his salad, you guys. :) I know that Mitt Romney is only running for president because of a genuine, deep, and abiding love which he has for this country. He truly wants to serve the American people. He has been blessed in his life, his family is amazing, his business success speaks for itself, and he feels that he owes something big to this country where he was able to create such a wonderful life. That is what he told me (and others) that night. He sought the advice of the people in that room. He wanted to know what my concerns were as a stay-at-home mom. He is humble. He is aware of the down-trodden and the needy and wants to help them effectively. He supports mothers and working women. He prays and acknowledges that we are all children of God. He is the real deal, and I am so proud to support him with my vote.
My family has supported Mitt since 2007 (see photo of my baby boys below)! We have been on Mitt’s team through thick and thin, we have taken hits with Mitt for our common beliefs, we have supported him and Ann, we have prayed for him and for our country, and it seems so surreal to me that tomorrow is the big day. I have voted for Mitt so many times, and I am so proud to have cast my vote for him again, here in Texas.
Whatever the outcome is tomorrow (or next week or whenever this ends), I know that all will be well. I trust a loving Heavenly Father and I know that because of His love for me and because of the love of my Savior, Jesus Christ, my family will be blessed no matter who is President. I feel peace because of that knowledge. America is a blessed land; there is no doubt.
My speech is almost over. Mitt’s words tonight. He is asking for my vote as he asks for yours! “Our children will graduate into exciting careers that are worthy of their qualifications. Our seniors will be confident that their retirement is secure. Americans will have good jobs, good pay, and good benefits. Our veterans will come home to a bright future. We will have confidence that our lives are safe and our livelihoods are secure.
If you are ready for that kind of change — if you want this to be a turning point in America’s course — join us and vote Tuesday for the kind of leadership that these times demand.
This is the most important election of our lifetime — and every vote counts. We are hours away from the better future America deserves.”
Go MITT!Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-32369120399299557642011-08-16T00:57:00.000-05:002011-08-16T00:57:59.462-05:00kids insightsI need to remember not to watch a tear jerker movie when it is a certain time of the month. Tonight, I decided to watch "Miss Potter", a movie I had borrowed from the collection at work a week ago. I needed to finally get it watched and take it back. The only problem is, there has not been much "me time" in the past week. 5 days ago, our family doubled in size as we picked up the four children of Jon and Belle Dutton to have in our home for 12 days as their parents travelled to Seattle by bus, then on to Alaska on a cruise. It is a "work trip" for them as they are performing on the boat, with the extra perk of all 12 of them going on the cruise free of charge. I hope they are getting paid also, because that is a really long trip! As fun as it may be, I know it was hard for Belle to say goodbye to the kids. They are a very tight knit family, and the youngest girl especially does not spend much time away from her parents. She is 4 now, and I think this trip came at a good time to help her gain more independence.<br />
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I have had some very sweet conversations with these kids, and really have enjoyed getting to know them better. Last summer I spent several weeks with them during Dutton Day Camp, and among all the Dutton kids I think these were the ones who stole my heart the most. That is why, when I heard the cruise was only for grown-ups, I offered to their parents that we could take them during the week they were gone. That 7 day offer turned into 12, but it is going quite well so far. One reason for writing this blog tonight is to relay a conversation I had with Natalia today. She mentioned something about me having more kids, and I replied, "for some reason God thinks two is enough for me, because this body is not able to make any more little people." I have more. Her insightful comment was, "Maybe Heavenly Father only sent you two so you could help a lot of other people out with their kids." I believe there may be a lot of truth to that statement. Her comment gives me more of a desire to magnify my calling, and offer service to others as often as possible. I do feel I was placed here on earth with talents specific to relating to children and teaching them. My commitment to spread happiness among children has really grown this week, as I have seen these kids so happy as they have stayed here and interacted with my fmaily. One of the best ways to benefit mankind is to lead the next generation by caring about them and spending time teaching them. I am thankful God has given me several opportunities to do this. And now, it is time for me to share my Helaman 5:12 song with the world of Primary. I was inspired by Beatrix Potter to pursue my dream, and share my talent to bless the lives of others. Before the end of Sept. I want to send it it! (Goal)Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-40000723105145579592011-03-07T18:30:00.001-06:002011-03-07T18:33:06.529-06:00Thank Goodness for EternityFor now, I have abandoned my Anderson Afterthoughts blog and started a new one at Wordpress.com. I find Wordpress easier to use, and easier to put pictures on the site. So, If you would like to read more about my "afterthoughts" just head on over to www.thankgoodnessfor eternity.wordpress.com <a href="http://www.thankgoodnessforeternity.wordpress.com"></a> To all of you in the blogger.com world, keep up the good blogging, and I will keep on reading from time to time as my schedule will allow. I do admire you all for the great things you accomplish as mothers, wives and most importantly as daughters of God.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-13159591650575615272010-12-26T22:09:00.001-06:002018-06-27T17:48:42.815-05:00Favorite Christmas TraditionTonight we continued the tradition of going around town with Christmas light awards to present along with a few Christmas carols to selected homes. This is an idea we came up with in 2002 while living in Normal, IL and we have done it every year since then. (at least every year that we were at home for Christmas).Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-65846310213099917402010-10-22T04:50:00.000-05:002010-10-22T04:50:12.474-05:00Two of my favorite people<a href="http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/?action=view¤t=MittandNieNie.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/MittandNieNie.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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Though I have not met Mitt Romney or Stephanie Nielsen in person, I feel like they are two of the people who have influenced my life the most in these past couple of years. Both are examples of determination and conviction that inspire me to be strong in the face of adversity. I am happy to find out that NieNie (Stephanie) is a Romney fan like I am. I look forward to hearing more from Mr. Romney soon as he prepares for a likely 2nd presidential campaign in 2012. Not sure if the country is ready to elect such a righteous man, but I am sure that I will be supporting him all the way! Two blogs to check out if you have not seen them before www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com and www.evangelicalsformitt.com (this was one of my favorites during the 2008 campaign cycle, and they are active again now supporting Mitt)Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-4320932190849887532010-09-26T23:09:00.000-05:002010-09-26T23:09:51.668-05:00Charity Never FailethLast night I had the privilege of attending the Women's broadcast with 50+ Relief Society Sisters from the Branson 1st and 2nd wards. There are so many great women in the church here and every chance I get to know them better is such a blessing to me. We have been here almost 1 1/2 years now, and I am so pleased with how connected we feel. People here are more busy than any place I have ever lived, so we learned early on to expect to be invited to many get-togethers or not to expect for others to reach out to get to know us much. But, I have also learned that there is always a need for friendship among sisters especially, even if they act like they are way too busy to have friends. I have enjoyed the challenge of finding ways to be connected with the ladies here and becoming a friend to them in spite of their time-consuming jobs and church involvement. At the meeting last night we were reminded of the importance of not wasting time judging others, because that prohibits us from having time to love them. I really like that idea of devoting my time to loving others, and preserving the time that I might otherwise spend judging them. As we seek to love all those we come in contact with, it makes all of our associations more meaningful. Not sure if all this is making sense, but it is late and the later the time the more philosophical I attempt to be. So, I am going to bed now. I just wanted to write this quick note to remember how much I felt the Spirit at the conference yesterday and then again at church today. It has been a Spirit filled weekend. I am so thankful!Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-50608196569214776582010-08-23T19:00:00.003-05:002010-10-28T21:20:40.661-05:00End of Summer<a href="http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/Dutton%20Day%20Camp%202010/?action=view¤t=FireHouseTour.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/Dutton%20Day%20Camp%202010/FireHouseTour.jpg" border="0" alt="Fire House"></a><br />
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One week ago today we had our last outing with the Dutton Day Camp. It was a very stressful ending to a very fun summer. We went to the Track family fun park, which proved to be quite a challenge with such a large group. We had all 17 of the Duttons plus my two boys that day. Though it was chaotic, the kids seemed to have fun and behaved themselves for the most part. The summer really did go by quickly, but it does feel like time to move on to school for the boys and a less busy schedule for me. I've started a blog called "Branson Kids on the Go" (www.bransonkidsonthego.blogspot.com) to display some of the pictures and details about the day camp. I am posting one here of our visit to the Branson fire station. I am still working at the Dutton Inn three days per week, and I will be babysitting the 4 pre-schoolers on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This time they will just come to my house rather than trying to run all over town with them. I am glad I will still have some regular contact with these little cuties. I am very thankful to have been able to spend so much time doing fun things with my boys this summer because of Dutton Day Camp. They had a blast being a part of such a fun group. Wonderful Memories! I hope we can make some more memories next summer.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-76676686184735370292010-08-05T09:22:00.001-05:002010-08-05T09:24:59.547-05:00My Super Cousin JerieNote from Jeanie: We just returned from an amazing family reunion trip to Quincy and Nauvoo, IL about which I will write more later. For now, I wanted to share this post from my "super cousin" Jerie. (I think I just created a new super hero character "Super Cousin") Here is a beautiful summary from Jerie as to why these reunions must go on! Thanks Jerie for putting into words that which I feel but often don't take the time to express.<br />
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<b>Second Cousin Once Removed</b><br />
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If Jozianne lived next door to me, we would be best friends. As it is, we see each other every two years. Our intermittent, bi-annual conversation picks up where we left off without awkward silences. I'm not sure when we got heart-close like this. Over the 47 year span of my life, we've spent maybe six weeks total, a mere handful of days, together. Second cousins--it sounds more distant than it feels. <br />
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2010. An even year. That means a Boyack Family reunion--my mom's side. Boyack was never my name. Before I became a Jacobs, I was a Sandholtz. But spending a few days with my extraordinary kin last week confirmed that Boyack runs deep in me. It's not just the blue eyes, exact mirrors of my own, that surround me at reunions. It's good humor and generosity, deep commitment to faith and family, the propensity to spin a yarn. Wherever we assemble, it feels like coming home.<br />
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Jozianne's daughter,Jane, played cards with us and we laughed into the wee hours of the morning. Second-cousin-once-removed hardly describes the way we fit. I met Darren and Chrissie, pretty much for the first time, and felt like I had always known them. Jeanie and Merrilyn, my first-cousins-who-feel-like-sisters, planned our three day convergence with sufficient care to create a sweet sliver of what heaven must hold in store. <br />
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At the end of every Boyack reunion we meet to discuss the future of these mad, glorious events. The logistics are daunting. Try finding a venue for a couple of hundred Scots who talk a lot and eat a lot and stay up all night because they don't want to sleep through a minute of their time together. "Can this possibly continue?" we ask. Honestly, it is sheer insanity.<br />
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Hurrah for my crazy cousins who decide, time and again, to go forward. Thank heaven for old-school lunacy that favors face-to-face conversation over Facebook; that drives or flies 1,500 miles to catch-up with family instead of just catching their Twitter; that doesn't settle for an extensive Contact list in lieu of actual contact. I have no fear that the sad irony of living in a hyper-connected world and yet feeling disconnected from real people will ever overtake the Boyacks. No. We'll do what it takes to find ourselves in a room together, wearing goofy Boyack t-shirts and laughing out loud, drawn by the singular delight of coming home.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-51868101340488143222010-06-25T09:54:00.004-05:002010-06-25T10:02:54.196-05:00My Summer PlansFor the past three weeks, the boys have been going to summer school, which they really enjoyed. It seems to be more fun than school, which is fine with me since after all, it is summer. Lots of people here enroll their kids in the 3 weeks of summer school, because it helps to shorten the summer that often seems too long to keep kids entertained. I went to Girls' Camp during the first week of Summer school, then I have have been back to my part time Front Desk job at the Dutton Inn for the past two weeks. However, next Monday life will become more busy again. I will be starting up the "Dutton Day Camp" which is a 4 hour per day enterprise that I designed to put my recreation management skills to good use. We did our first week of Dutton Day Camp the week before summer school started and it was a great success. The theme for that week was "Underwater Adventure Week". Next week will be "Discover Nature" week. Later in the Summer we will have "We love Animals Week", "History Week" and "Creative Kids Week". I really enjoy working with kids, and these particular kids are so much fun. There are 18 kids (ranging from 2-13 yrs. old) among the 5 performing Dutton siblings and their spouses. I only take up to 12 at a time, and my own boys get to go along each day as well. They love it! I took some good pictures during our first week of day camp, but of course we can't find the camera right now and I have not yet gotten them downloaded. So, for now, I will post a link to the <a href="www.theduttons.com">Dutton Website</a> to introduce you to the families I have the privilege of working with. The Duttons have a spectacular family show, which is a must see if you ever come to Branson. I've probably seen it 10 times by now, and I still really enjoy watching them every time. Go check them out on You Tube if you are not familiar with them. Anyway, I will write more later about our adventures, for now I just wanted to provide a brief update of what we are up to.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-55399372242168719322010-05-15T06:37:00.001-05:002010-05-15T06:48:43.586-05:00Camp Songs C.D. - I'm at it againThose of you coming to my blog in search of words to camp songs, look in my blog archives for July and June of 2009 and you will find them there. I was excited to have so many new people request a copy of the C.D. - mostly because I know many of these camp songs will be sung this summer at girls' camps all over this great country of ours. Please comment to me here or on Facebook to let me know you recieved your C.D. and that it worked okay when you tried to play it. Also feel free to browse around my blog and get to know us better. I'm definitley not a blog-a-holic, but I have added some meaningful posts over the years.<br />
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Your Camp Ritchie friend, Jeanie Anderson<br />
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p.s. in case you are wondering about the voices on the C.D., mine is the strong alto voice which sounds quite raspy in some of the songs because I had a very sore throat one of the days we recorded. Alexis is the soprano who sang the solos on "Walk Tall" and "God created Camp Ritchie". (she was only 14 at the time we recorded) Her older sister Camille switches between singing harmony and melody depending on the song, also she played the flute for us on Walk Tall (Camille is 17 years old) My husband Garrett is the one who sings the PBJ love song. He did great!Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-78659716387943465672010-03-18T17:46:00.002-05:002010-03-18T18:05:08.388-05:00March 17th, 2001I wanted to post this wedding picture to commemorate our 9th wedding anniversary which took place yesterday. The time has gone quickly, yet I can hardly remember life before Garrett. It seems he has always been there with me. He has worked hard to try and learn all about the 24 years before he knew me, so he can talk with me about my memories just as if he had been a part of them. He is such a caring person who does well at remembering details. That is a great quality, to remember things people have told you so that they know you were really listening. I could use some improvement in that area. I ask people a lot of questions about themselves, but sometimes I am so busy thinking up the next question that I don't always listen to the answer as closely as I should. This is only one of many areas that Garrett has been a good example to me. He is a very loving father and friend to our little boys. He plays with them tirelessly every chance he gets, which sometimes includes staying up way past bedtime. But, I don't fault him for this because I know he just can't get enough of them and often his time at home is limited due to his busy work schedule. Garrett is also very diligent in his church calling as Young Mens' president. He really cares about those boys too, and tries to plan activities that will help them grow into responsible young men. Of course their parents do most of that work at home, but the Priesthood programs of the church are there to supplement the parents' efforts and give the boys responsibility to which they can rise. I know his experiences now in this calling will help him be prepared to be a father of teenage boys in just a few years. I didn't really know where this blog was headed when I started it, I just knew I wanted to pay tribute to my eternal best friend and sweetheart, Garrett DuAne Anderson. So, on with the tribute:<br /><br />Thanks for always loving me, even those days when I have not been easy to love. Thanks for encouraging me in my many pursuits, and helping me keep focused on my most important job of motherhood. Thanks for being a 21st century man who believes that household chores are a shared responsibility. Thanks for folding the laundry and doing the dishes so often without being asked. Thanks for never saying, "I wish you were more..." and always saying, "I am so thankful for who you are". Thank you for leading our family in Spiritual things from attending church, to having weekly Family Home Evenings, to paying tithing and saying our prayers together. Thanks for finishing my sentences when I can't come up with the words, and for being quick to forgive unkind words I say things should have been left unsaid. Thanks for doing CPR on my jokes when necessary and for always being willing to eat my leftovers. I love you sweetheart, and look forward to many more years of life and eternity with you and your two sons. Most importantly, thanks for helping me become a mommy!Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-27662186473116791912010-03-16T03:09:00.003-05:002010-03-16T03:13:47.509-05:00Arizona TripWe have really enjoyed reconnecting with family here in AZ. Today we went to the zoo, and it felt like July to me instead of March. I think we chose the right month to come, any later in the year would have been way too hot for me.<br /><br />My kiddos are having a blast with their cousins. Maybe I will get ambitious and actually post some pictures on here. For some reason that task seems to take too many steps so I don't do it very often. Anyway, just wanted to write a short blog here and say how thankful I am to have married into such an awesome family. <br /><br />The Andersons are a great bunch of people, and I wish I could spend more time with them all. I told Garrett, we may end up moving here if we ever need to move on from Branson. Not because I love Arizona, but because there are so many Andersons here. I would love for my boys to be close to cousins during their teenage years especially.<br /><br />Tomorrow evening we get to go see the Duttons perform. It will be fun to introduce our family to our favorite family in Branson. Should be nice evening. Okay, I am tired now. Goodnight.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-36834191418938007902010-02-26T19:34:00.000-06:002010-02-26T19:34:10.720-06:00Fundamental Premises of Our Faith - Talk Given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks at Harvard Law School - LDS NewsroomI thought this was very interesting so I decided to post it here. Enjoy.<br /><br /><a href="http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/fundamental-premises-of-our-faith-talk-given-by-elder-dallin-h-oaks-at-harvard-law-school">Fundamental Premises of Our Faith - Talk Given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks at Harvard Law School - LDS Newsroom</a>Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-68598347188178485532010-02-16T10:08:00.001-06:002010-02-16T10:17:39.800-06:00Back to NormalWe spent the weekend visiting the Anderson Grandparents which was a lot of fun. I have not been back to Normal for almost a year, so it was good to get back. Garrett's parents really live in Bloomington, IL which is the neighboring city to Normal, but I still usually refer it it as Normal since that is the town we used to live in and the place where Garrett grew up before his parents moved to the house they now live in. <br /><br />It was great to spend time in familiar places with family and friends. We got to visit with the Reeds, Wheelers and Escobars. Also we saw many other old friends when we attended church on Sunday. When I see the teenagers now, who used to be primary kids when we lived there, I realize how much time has passed. We moved away (for good) just after Jerry was born five years ago. Though it has been a while since we lived there, we still feel very connected to the community and to our friends there.<br /><br />The boys love going back there, mostly because they love to be at Grandma Susie and Gramps' house. Also, they love visiting their friends who are like cousins to them. It is funny how they remember people's houses by what toys they have, even if they have not been there for several years. I think kids memories are more geared towards remembering toys than people. After seeing the people again they usually remember quickly enough, but when talking about going to see certain friends, they often mention the toys they remember playing with there. <br /><br />It is sad to live so far away now. When we were in Centralia, the drive was only three hours. Now that we are 8 hours away, a weekend trip is very exhausting. Though we are worn out, it was still worth it to make the trip, especially since we all got to visit the dentist while we were there. Thanks Gramps for taking care of our teeth.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-35965462915222366842010-01-29T20:20:00.002-06:002010-01-29T20:28:14.758-06:0010 things I am thankful for right now1. Being warm inside my house even though outside the world is frozen.<br />2. My sweet husband who is sitting in the boys room playing legos with them right now.<br />3. Garrett's job which provides a very comfortable living for our family.<br />4. An upcoming trip to AZ to visit lots of cousins, looking forward to it is exciting<br />5. Our cars and readily available gasoline<br />6. Heavenly Father's Plan<br />7. Music, especially when sung by my two little boys<br />8. My boxes of papers (I love looking back through old letters and school papers, somehow it brings me joy...though I am trying to minimize the amount of boxes I have)<br />9. Missionaries - when ever I am around missionaries it makes me feel hopeful about the future of the church and of the world. They are all such good kids!<br />10. My Parents -they were here over Christmas, and it was great to be with them again! <br /><br />(Thanks Alena for giving me the idea to do a gratitude list)Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-41873679225534839722010-01-01T16:43:00.001-06:002010-01-01T16:43:47.894-06:00<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bHQ9MTI2MjM4NjEwNzQwNiZwdD*xMjYyMzg2MTQ2ODEyJnA9Mzg2MzYxJmQ9Jm49YmxvZ2dlciZnPTEmbz**NmRkMDJlNTAxNDc*NTRlYjgxYzVhZDkzM2ZmZTczMCZvZj*w.gif" /><a href="http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/Branson/?action=view¤t=Christmas2009-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/Branson/Christmas2009-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-90194499429167597072009-12-18T13:58:00.001-06:002009-12-18T14:02:48.296-06:00Stephanie Nielson - an inspiration to all mothers everywhere<a href="http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/stephanie-nielson-intro-120609.html">Stephanie Nielson: Plane crash survivor regains hope</a><br /><br />(this article has ten chapters to it, I reccomend reading them all in sequence to get the full impact of the story.)<br /><br />This woman is absolutely amazing to me! Whenever I start feeling sorry for myself, or discouraged about anything, I go back to her blog and feel humbled. If she can do it (life I mean), so can I. She survived the fiery flames of a plane crash, and has to deal with the pain of the burns every day. Yet she goes on, thank you Stephanie for being an inspiration to us all!Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-12907619766787130012009-12-06T07:32:00.003-06:002009-12-06T07:51:06.369-06:00Sending my love to Africa<a href="http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/?action=view¤t=Fouriefamily.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/Fouriefamily.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />This picture is of some friends who I met in Africa back in 1999 when was living in Zimbabwe teaching at Camelot School. Ian, the dad in the picture, became a very good friend to all of us American students. We got to know him through church, and he soon became our protector and our taxi cab. He was such a good friend and we really enjoyed spending time with him and his family. <br /><br />At the end of my stay in Africa, he was the one who accompanied me on the bus trip down to Johannesburg, South Africa on my way home. His trip was mainly for the purpose of attending the temple for the first time. Garrett, who was on an internship in Mozambique, Africa at the time met up with us at the temple and served as Ian's escort in the temple. It was a very special day.<br /><br />When Ian met Patience (his wife) a few years later and decided to get married, we were very happy to hear the news. We assisted him in getting a wedding ring for her from here in the States because inflation had skyrocketed so badly over there. We stayed in contact with them and enjoyed getting updates and sending gifts when they had their children. I never officially met Patience, but felt like I knew her from seeing pictures and reading Ian's updates. <br /><br />The purpose of me telling you about them is to ask for your prayers on behalf of this family. Yesterday I got the news that Patience died a few days ago. She leaves behind an adoring family and three young children. I am very sad for Ian at this time, but I am also extremely thankful for the knowledge of eternal families<br /><br />They have been sealed in the temple, and I know that they will see each other again and will be together as a family eternally. It may be many years of separation until that time, but knowing of the eternal plan God has for families gives us hope, and motivation to go on during times of sadness. We love you Ian and will be praying for you and your children. <br /><br />With Love, Jeanie and Garrett AndersonJeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-16139289892170420122009-11-23T08:10:00.002-06:002009-11-23T08:25:07.238-06:00Thankful HeartsWe are so thankful this Thanksgiving for answered prayers. Our sister-in-law Teresa is recovering well from the awful infection than ravaged her body about a month ago now. For a few days there we were all afraid we might lose her. But, many prayers were offered on her behalf, a family fast occurred and the good Lord intervened. She is back home again now, working to regain her strength. We are happy that Garrett's mom was able to go to Arizona to help be a support to the family as Teresa continues to recover. <br /><br />As we approach the holidays, we reflect back on all that our own little family has been through the past year. I have come to appreciate my health and strength, after going through so many months of sickness in 2008. Also, the miracle of the two healthy boys we have in our lives has become the focus of our gratitude. After not successfully bringing their two little brothers here to earth, we know how blessed we are to have realized the miracle of parenthood with Solomon and Jeremiah. We still feel a void in our lives, as our family still feels incomplete without Abraham and Elias (those are the names we intended for them). But, we know that the Lord is the great Completer, and he will bless us with the gift of a complete eternal family in Heaven if we will put our trust in Him and follow His teachings. <br /><br />As for the present, we will enjoy each day of this life with Solomon and Jeremiah and will look forward with hope and anticipation to all the God has in store for us. We are thankful to be living in a place now where enjoyment is so very easy to find. It would be great to live closer to family, but since that is not possible for us at this time, we are happy to be in a city surrounded by good people. Last night, we were invited to the Dutton's Christmas party and talent show that they have each year for all their employees. Though we don't know them too well yet, it still felt like for an evening we were a part of an extended family here. It was very fun. I even got up on stage and played my trombone for old times' sake.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-77645434394959038732009-11-23T07:56:00.002-06:002009-11-23T08:08:25.426-06:00Table Rock Dam<a href="http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/?action=view¤t=Dam-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/Dam-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br /><br />Here we are with Stanley at the Table Rock Fish Hatchery right by the dam. This was taken back in September when the weather was still warm.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-10642304120439807332009-11-05T07:22:00.002-06:002009-11-05T07:25:33.704-06:00The Power of WordsWritten by DeAnn Flynn - a "Time Out for Women" presenter<br /><br />(This is a great message for all of us parents to remember, so I decided to share it)<br /><br />Before I got married, no one ever sat me down and had "the talk." You know, the talk about...laundry. Remarkably, even without previous counsel, I've developed some pretty sweet laundry skills and learned a great deal over the years. Perhaps my greatest realization is how much I've come to respect bleach. <br />With seven active children, bleach has become my trusted companion – often saving a seemingly hopeless article of clothing. It has disinfected things I would only touch with rubber gloves and a gas mask. But my careless use of this powerful aid has also ruined many more things than I'd care to admit. <br /><br />Once, in haste, some drops of bleach landed on my favorite laundry room rug. I noticed these drops right away and tried to rinse them out quickly, but the power of that bleach proved to be immediate and irreversible. The next day, I carefully colored the spots in with a mustard colored marker. (I challenge you to find one of those!) It helped, but I'm still reminded of that mistake every time I do my wash. Those bleach spots have taught me a priceless lesson. <br /><br />You see, bleach is a lot like words.The words we choose can lift and mend, restore and renew. They can also permanently damage and deface. Words are quick and powerful. Once uttered, they cannot be retracted. Whether we use them with care and respect, or thoughtlessness and haste, words can (and do) change lives forever. <br /><br />I'll never forget the time I overheard some friends joking about some of my weaknesses to one another in a mean-spirited way. When they realized I had heard them, they quickly came and asked to be forgiven. I did forgive, but the experience has been difficult to forget. Like bleach, the cruel stain was immediate and irreversible. Their repentance helped to fill in the painful spot (like my rare and wonderful mustard-colored marker), but the memory of those harsh words has been hard to completely erase. <br /><br />The Apostle Paul delivered these wise words to the ancient Ephesians, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers....Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:29-32) <br /><br />It's so easy to speak before we think. But most of us don't use intentionally hurtful words, we just get lazy and careless. We let our words fly like little drops of bleach here and there without measuring the effect they may have upon the hearer. The problem is, little children (and big adults) believe what we say to them. “Something's wrong with you," or "You just don't get it," or "If you could just see yourself." <br /><br />I once called my daughter a "turtle" because she often moves like cold tar. One month later, while in a piano lesson, her teacher asked her to play more quickly. She replied, "I can't. I'm a turtle." My careless words had stained her self-perception. If only I could take those damaging words back... <br /><br />Each day we have the opportunity to mend hearts and empower lives with our words. When we use them to build and inspire – people grow. We we degrade and criticize – people shrink. Our simple words of encouragement and praise can be life-changing. <br /><br />As a matter of fact, they are.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-85573294314774826072009-10-09T00:59:00.003-05:002009-10-09T01:20:35.907-05:00General Conference makes me happy"When we sin, we turn away from God. When we repent, we return toward God. We each need to feel the Saviors arms of mercy through the forgiveness of our sins. I testify that the Savior is eager and able to forgive our sins. Forgiveness is a divine gift of the gospel, removing guilt and pain from our hearts and replacing it with joy." Elder Neil Andersen<br /><br />This is just a small sample of the inspiring words we were given this past weekend at General Conference. It is so fun to be able to go onto LDS.org and listen to these messages over and over again. I am thankful for the spiritual feast we are given every six months. Now, with modern technology, we can partake of that feast every day if we want. I always feel the desire to improve when I listen to the prophet and apostles, yet it is not in a guilt feeling of not doing well enough, but a motivated feeling of "Yes, I can do this, I can improve with the help of my Savior." Okay, time for me to go to bed. I just wanted to share a little something on here from Conference before too many days have passed. This has been a great week because it started off right. It is so true that our attitude is affected by what we put in our minds. I can't think of anything better than revelation from God.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-44574705217932313022009-09-17T00:46:00.002-05:002009-09-17T00:50:20.806-05:00Flat Stanley comes to townI have to admit, I have never actually read the story of Flat Stanley...but it is time for me to check it out from the library since we have him staying in our house right now. He is a very quiet visitor, no trouble at all. He is very photogenic and seems to enjoy seeing the sights of Branson. We wanted to introduce him to Branson's many great restaurants, but he never seems to have much of an appetite. We are glad our nephew Clayton sent him to us. We have many fun plans for the next couple weeks. I was proud of the slide show I made on Photobucket.com from our trip to the Wax Museum tonight. That is my first time successfully making a slide show. Now that I know how there will be more to come in the future. But, for now I need to get to bed, Goodnight.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-12565118003174801822009-09-17T00:22:00.001-05:002009-09-17T00:22:02.988-05:00<img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border=0 width=0 height=0 src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.11NXC/bHQ9MTI1MzE2NDg3NDk*OCZwdD*xMjUzMTY*OTE3NjMyJnA9Mzg2MzYxJmQ9Jm49YmxvZ2dlciZnPTEmb2Y9MA==.gif" /><div style="width:480px; text-align: center;"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://w3.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/ce8cf284.pbw" height="360" width="480"><a href="http://photobucket.com/slideshows" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn.gif" style="float:left;border-width: 0;" ></a><a href="http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/Moffersons/?action=view¤t=ce8cf284.pbw" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn_viewallimages.gif" style="float:left;border-width: 0;" ></a></div>Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11154093.post-51830669755706390042009-08-17T04:29:00.002-05:002009-08-17T04:39:15.556-05:00Summer Days coming to an endWe have had such a blast this summer acting like tourists here in Branson. My friends here keep correcting me when I say we are acting like tourists, because they assure me that it is okay to have this much fun even when we are all settled. There is so much to love about this place: the people, the scenery, the entertainment, and a great job for Garrett that brought us here. Thanks to the city of Branson for allowing us to get a fresh start on life. It has been a refreshing summer. We look forward to the change of seasons to see the Ozarks with new colors on in the Fall and covered in frost in the Winter. Time has been going by so quickly these past few months, I actually want it to slow down so we can have time soak it all in. My boys are learning and growing so much each day. We are enjoying the stages they are at in life. Solomon is always eager to teach Jeremiah new things. They are a great pair of boys who have so much fun together. Jerry and I will miss Solomon during the day when he goes to school. But, it will be a good thing too for them to have some time to themselves. I hope to get a Joy School co-op going for pre-school with Jerry to avoid having to pay lots of $$$ for preschool. I am only working two days per week, so I will have lots of time to enjoy my last year with Jerry at home. I better get back to bed to catch a few more ZZZs before my boys wake up. Bye for now.Jeanie Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03614578880447325556noreply@blogger.com1