Barb's Blessings . . . Counting them one by one.

THE HAPPY COUPLE AFTER TWO WEEKS OF WEDDED BLISS. The four of us together for the first time since Christmas 2007. We flew Roger home and surprised Rachel. THE BUFFET TABLE Chicken Rice Salad (The only quasi-Indian dish in my repertoire) Parisian Green Salad Seedless Red Grapes Kara Kara Oranges Oriental Chicken Salad (for those who don't like curry) Rolls and butter Flowers on the coffee table in the living room (same as the guest tables) Another view below These flowers were spectacular thanks to Harold Long of "It's Your Party" He even made an arrangement for the BATHROOM On the kitchen counter On a table in the family room On the entry way table Some of Ash's family eating and visiting Our dear friends Kary and Terri Kump with Ash and Rachel. Kary and Terri drove down from Ventura for the open house and surprised us. It was the highlight of the day. Rachel's co-worker and her boss, Shirley, from the salon. Shirley couldn't come to the wedding becaus...

The open house for Rachel and Ash is two days away and I was laying in bed last night at about 2 in the morning worrying about who was going to help me at the open house. I couldn't think of anybody that I could even ask to help me on Saturday. It isn't that I don't have friends. It's that so many of them now can't stand on their feet for hours or lift, move, and do physical things. Like me, a lot of my friends have seen better days. I don't have the opportunity to help out when others need it as much as I used to because I spend so much time at work these days and then have a lot of responsibility at home. So I hate to ask when I can't reciprocate. I don't want to impose on anyone. And then I think that I don't need help and I can do everything myself. All these things were going through my head and keeping me from sleep I badly needed. Big weekend ahead of me, ya know. This morning in the clear light of day I remembered that Jody Sparkuhl ha...

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO BECAME A PRINCESS . . . The Princess all grown up The handsome prince The wedding ensemble. Yes she was married in a black abaya and hijab (head scarf). She looked beautiful. EAST MEETS WEST We called this the "Women at the Well" picture. This was all of our LDS friends dressed to show their respect in the mosque and Ash's grandma and mother on the left. Rachel and her new family in the mosque. Ash's grandmother placing beautiful rings on her finger after the ceremony. She still had not seen Ash though they were now married. Ash's family presented her with the beautiful gold jewelry. They are so kind and generous. Leaving the mosque a married woman. She still hasn't seen her husband at this point. Ash signing the marriage contract. Ash's dad signing the license as a witness. My brother, Greg, signing the marriage license as the other witness. Greg was the person who represented our family an...

Terri Kump and I shortly after their move to Ventura We had such a good testimony meeting today. Everyone who stood to bear their testimony talked about the fellowship of the saints and how much they loved being a part of the ward as well as the love they had for the Savior and their gratitude for His atonement. There are so many people in our ward who are struggling with unemployment, family issues, health problems, etc. It truly is comforting to have a ward family to lean on. I have been thinking this weekend about friends from the past who have come into my life and been very important to me and then have moved out of the area and have been relegated to an annual Christmas Card exchange. Kori Bonney and I served in a Primary presidency together and she also taught my daughter Rachel as a 4 year old in Primary. We called her the amazing Sister Bonney. How rachel loved her. Me too. She was young, enthusiastic, talented and imbued with a deep and abiding faith. Her husband, Dea...