Happy Birthday Dave ! ! ! !

Happy Birthday to my hubby, Dave! He's outside working hard in the yard, but I think we may go to his favorite store today,....NPS. You gotta' know the place to see why it is his favorite. Me? Uhhh, not so much mine. I go there because he loves it so much,.....hummmmm. What a girl wouldn't do to make her feller smile a little.

SPRINTIME AT HOME

 The Blossoming of a Tree

By: Janette – April 2011

It started in March when buds started to form,

Even tho’ the weather hadn’t started to conform.

It rained and it snowed and the wind it was cold,

Hard to believe this tree was getting ready to unfold.

The beauty of it all was soon to come about,

Although many of us had some serious doubts.

Every few days these buds were starting to show,

Just how beautiful they would grow and grow.

Here is the countdown from buds to flowers,

The March snows have turned into April showers.

Now the flowers are slowly blowing off with the wind,

Soon the tree will be full of green leaves limb to limb.

For the leaves are popping out in their color of green

They’ll be big and beautiful sometime this Spring.

TEN......NINE.....

EIGHT,.....SEVEN,......

SIX,.....FIVE,..... 

  FOUR

 THREE

TWO

ONE

BLAST OFF !!!



FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY WE SAID GOODBYE TO OUR DAD - 1928-2007

I LOVE MY MOM AND DAD!

I MISS MY DAD ALOT!

SMILE ON MY FACE!

Here's April ! ! ! !It’s Putting A Smile On My Face!

By: Janette – 2011

I’m excited for April

I’ll tell you right now,

The buds on the trees

Are covering the boughs.

The first of the month

Is for jokesters we know,

They think they are funny

And sometimes it’s so.



It’s also a month

Where the poets come out,

They show off their talents

Some of the best, no doubt.

April is the beginning

Of the springtime showers,

It’s a time to renew and get ready,....

For May and all her flowers.

Happy Beautiful April Everybody!

A Birthday Wish for Auntie Sue!

Birthday Wishes for Susan

By: Janette – March 27, 2011

Today is your birthday

Dear sweet Suzie-Q!

You aren’t very old

Even at Sixty-two!

This day should be special

I am sure it will be,

I have so many wishes

For you from me.

You’ve touched many lives

Mine is one that is true,

Every day you are present

I celebrate you!

You were a special gift

From Heaven above,

When you came into this world

You brought so much love.

You may have some doubts

You would not admit,

But you’re one of life’s treasures

With such a gift of wit.

Once upon a time

Our space we did share,

We’d tell each other secrets

In our room they’d stay there.

We did pretty good

We didn’t fight much,

We were like sisters

My heart you did touch.

So Happy, Happy Birthday

Susan so dear,

Lots of good wishes

For you all year!

The Hope of Spring?

Ok,.....I am sick of WINTER and need SPRING! Not tomorrow (it's suppose to snow!), not the next day,... but NOW! Don't want the winter blahhhhhhhhs anymore!

Below is a picture I took this last weekend that gives me hope for beautiful blossoms next month. Seemed like last Spring was so wet and cold. Dave left for AZ on Mother's Day Sunday thinking I would get all the stuff planted he bought before leaving and we would have a beautiful garden over at his mom's. I did plant it all, but the springtime weather was so icky, it ruined most everything I planted. Much later, I went and bought more garden stuff and thanks to Ashley, we got the garden replanted and did enjoy a little bit of our 'fruits of labor'?

Here's hoping the snow tomorrow does not freeze my buds and we'll still have a beautiful tree when it warms up a little.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

My 2011 St. Patrick's Day poem (see next post down),...My St. Patrick's Day Tree at home (a little more decorated this year than last) and my Cubby SPD deco's at work.

It's Already St. Patricks Day In 5 Days!

A St. Patrick’s Poem - 2011

By: Janette Spencer Sprankle

In an Irish Village called Blarney
At a castle that is well known,
Tis’ a fact that most Irish folks
Will go kiss the Blarney Stone.

I love the sounds of an Irish Tenor
Singing praises ta’ their Irish home,
It isn’t quite the same I feel
If the singer is a Baritone.

Now tis’ known my favorite color
Is that o’ the sky so blue,
I’ll wear the greens on St. Paddy’s day
Fe’r I don’t want a pinch from you!

Oh,..the words o’ “My Wild Irish Rose”
Are truly the sweetest I’ve ever heard,
Tis’ one of my favorite Irish songs
In it a love story has occurred.

As I sit and think ‘bout the Shamrock
And the luck they say it brings,
It brightens my days in the middle o’ March
Ta’ think I may be rich by Spring.

An Irish phrase of my youth I would say
I wasn’t sure back then what it really meant,
“Hunky Dory” means ‘good’ and now I know
I should have said it with an Irish accent.

On St. Patrick’s Day we’re all Irish
For we help ta’ celebrate the day,
Tis’ fun, tis’ happy and tis’ really green
What more about it can I say.

There’s many an Irish Blessin’s
That I wish for my loved ones so dear,
But good health, good luck, and happiness’
Tis’ what I want for them thru’ the year!

Happy Birthday Suesie! My Sweet Sister-In-Law

The third of March was my Sister-In-Law, Sue Sprankle Wilson's Birthday! Want to let everybody know that she is the BEST, and we love her dearly. She makes beautiful beaded jewelry and you can't find it prettier than what she makes. She has been making me all colors of landyards for my badge at work. I wear a landyard to the office one day, and she has orders for many more the next. One young lady that had ordered one, got hers today. After she put it on, she came and showed it off and said, 'now I feel like one of the girls', because so many of us have them now. Besides the landyards, Sue has made bracelets and ear rings to go with them for those that wanted them. She has also made a few watch bands to match for another co-worker. Besides my landyards, she has made me bracelets and necklaces of all styles. And I am always getting compliments on them. Thank you Sue! (The picture below is her in the bead store she use to volunteer in before Fort Lane Shopping Center started getting torn down. Big changes have taken place in Layton, Utah!) Any way, for anybody that is interested, I would be happy to hook you up with her or show you pictures of some of her stuff. This sweet lady is very talented! Love you Suesie! I hope your birthday was one of your best!

A Little Something For My Mom - Happy Birthday!

This is the poem I wrote for my wonderful Mom's 80th Birthday and how it looked after I decided how I was going to present it. The poem is below.

Nadine Fry Spencer
February 23, 1931
You’d Never Know It,….But She’s Eighty

By: Janette Spencer Sprankle

It isn’t very often
And all would agree,
You’d see an eighty year old woman
With her original knees.

The sparkle in her eyes
Is where it’s always been,
We won’t count the transplant
In her eyes of the lens.

The hips are truly hers
They haven’t been replaced,
No tightening anywhere,
not even in her face.

Now her boobs are her own
Nothing fake we all know,
She’s even got her original
‘Fry’ mouth, ears and nose!

She’s had some cleaning out
Of the spine within her back,
There’s been a fix on her arm
Although all is intact.

The only part that’s not
In their original form,
Are her upper & lowers
With which she was born.

Her smile has always been
The one we adore,
It Radiates true beauty
And goes right to the core.

So Mom, keep on smiling
You are awesome as can be,
We all love you dearly
And please don’t forget,…..
Take care of them knees!

Happy Birthday Nathan ! ! !

Can't call it a day until I have wished my Son, Nathan a Happy Birthday! He is awesome and his Momma (and Dad) loves him dearly. This picture is still one of my most favorite pictures of him. It was taken at the Kennesaw Mt. National Battlefield Park (click on the link to learn more about the park) in Marietta, GA (right next to Atlanta). We were visiting Dave's sister Sylvia and brother-in-law Bob in Atlanta this weekend and went over there to the park. Dave has always been a history buff so where ever we traveled we were learning a history lesson at the same time. Nathan has lived in Arkansas for 2 years (the beginning of March), and it's been 2 years ago in May since we saw him last. So, today has been an emotional day just because I miss him so much and when thinking back on the day he was born 36 years ago in Concord, MA., it was an amazing day. What an event that was! I wrote a poem last year for his birthday, so I don't have one this year but if you want to read it you can go to my blog post last January. Love you N8!

It Is A New Year!

2010 Out, 2011 In ! !
By: Janette Spencer Sprankle

The end of a year it’s so hard to believe,
It’s here already and New Year’s Eve.

When twenty-ten goes out we'll get up and shout,
It’s gonna’ be a good year, I have no doubt.

At midnight fireworks will color the sky,
With kisses and hugs shared between each girl and guy.

With lots of good wishes and lots of cheers,
To bring in the happy and prosperous New Year.

We’ll start a new book with pages that are bare,
With each new day we will have lots to share.

With new opportunities and resolutions to make,
In God I trust,…and that’s NO mistake!

Yes it’s time to start a new year it’s true,
With lots of good wishes from me to you!

HAPPY NEW YEAR
To all those I hold dear!

And So Comes Another Christmas - A Time To Celebrate!

Merry Christmas – 2010
By: Janette Sprankle
Christmas, Christmas don’t be late,
It’s the birth of our Lord whom we celebrate.

An angel appeared to spread the news of the birth,
To shepherds who were happy and full of mirth.

The Star of David that rose high in the sky,
Led three men to the babe, they were very wise.

They found the sweet little baby Jesus dear,
The angels were singing,… his mother Mary and Joseph were near.

Gifts of all kinds were brought to the stable,
There Jesus was found wrapped and in the cradle.

This day was the beginning of a beautiful season,
For all of us to celebrate for one very good reason.

The birth of Christ, a gift from God up above,
He has shown us how to one another Love.

Never forget all your blessings from one day to the next,
It’s truly a wonderful world in every aspect.

And so again we wish you a Merry Christmas

from our house to yours,
And God bless you and keep you whether rich or poor.

Lyrics to "The Christmas Guest" sung by Reba Mcentire

I love this song/story by Reba. It really tugs at the ole' heart strings.

It happened one day near December's end,

Two neighbors called on an old friend.

And they found his shop so meager and lean

Made gay with thousand bows of green

And Conrad was sitting with face a-shine

When he suddenly stopped as he stitched a twine

And he said "Old friends, at dawn today,

When the cock was crowing the night away

The Lord appeared in a dream to me

And said "I'm coming your guest to be.

"So I've been busy with feet astir and

Strewing my shop with branches of fir.

The table is spread and the kettle is shined.

And over the rafters the holly is twined.

Now I'll wait for my Lord to appear

And listen closely so I will hear

His step as He nears my humble place.

And I'll open the door and look on His face.

So his friends went home and left Conrad alone

For this was the happiest day he had known,

For long since, his family had passed away

And Conrad had spent many a sad Christmas Day.

But he knew with the Lord as his Christmas Guest

This Christmas would be the dearest and best.

So he listened with only joy in his heart

And with every sound he would rise with a start

And look for the Lord to be at his door,

Like the vision he had had a few hours before.

So he ran to the window after hearing a sound

But all he could see on the snow covered ground

Was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn

And all of his clothes were ragged and worn.

But Conrad was touched and he went to the door

And he said, "You know, your feet must be frozen and sore.

I have some shoes in my shop for you

And a coat that will keep you warmer too."

So with grateful heart the man went away

but Conrad noticed the time of day

And wondered what made the Lord so late

And how much longer he'd have to wait.

When he heard a knock, he ran to the door

But it was only a stranger once more.

A bent old lady with a shawl of black

With a bundle of kindling piled on her back.

She asked for only a place to rest

But that was reserved for Conrad's Great Guest.

But her voice seemed to plead "Don't send me away,

Let me rest for awhile on Christmas Day",

So Conrad brewed her a steaming cup

And told her to sit at the table and sup.

But after she left he was filled with dismay

For he saw that the hours were slipping away

And the Lord hadn't come as he said he would.

Then Conrad felt sure he had misunderstood.

When out of the stillness he heard a cry

“Please help me and tell me where am I?"

So again he opened his friendly door

And stood disappointed as twice before.

It was only a child who’d wandered away

And was lost from her family on Christmas Day.

Again Conrad's heart was heavy and sad

But he knew he should make the little girl glad.

So he called her in and he wiped her tears

And quieted all her childish fears.

Then he led her back to her home once more

But as he entered his own darkened door

He knew the Lord was not coming today.

For the hours of Christmas had passed away

So he went to his room and knelt down to pray

And he said "Dear Lord, why did you delay?

What kept you from coming to call on me?

For I wanted so much your face to see.

”When soft in the silence a voice he heard."

Lift up your head for I kept my word.

Three times my shadow crossed your floor

And three times I came to your lonely door.

I was the beggar with bruised, cold feet

And I was the woman you gave something to eat.

I was the child on the homeless street.

Three times I knocked, and three times I came in.

And each time I found the warmth of a friend.

Of all the gifts, love is the best.

And I was honored to be your Christmas Guest.

Happy Birthday Cheryl ! ! ! !

Had the opportunity to go see the Judds Thursday night at the Energy Solutions Center. I took my oldest sister Cheryl for her Birthday, which is Dec. 12th,...today already. I love the passion and powerful singing of Wynonna and the beautiful voice and entertaining of Naomi. I am so glad we got to go and share the time with one another and have an enjoyable night out. Happy Birthday Sister!!!! Love ya' allot!!!!!

BEING THANKFUL!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Friends and to every member of my family. We have truly been blessed. I am THANKFUL for not only the bare essentials in my life and all that I have, but for God and his love. We live in a great nation and I am thankful for those every day that has made the sacrifices they do to keep us free. To those that are traveling, please travel safe. Love to each and every one of you! Now go get some Turkey!

Letters in THANKSGIVING -
What They Mean To Me
By: Janette – November 2010

‘T’ is for THANKING all my friends and loved ones so dear,
For it is most definitely that special time of the year.

‘H’ is for the HARVEST and the bounty it holds,
And the season’s colors I love from the reds to the golds.

‘A’ is for ALWAYS loving one another,
As Jesus has loved us, what a loving brother.

‘N’ is for NEVER doubting our God up above,
He’s always there with his unconditional love.

‘K’ is for KNOWLEDGE God has instilled in our brain,
To use what we’ve learned, I’m sure it won’t be in vain.

‘S’ is for the SUNSHINE we are always so blessed,
Even on grey days we should ‘shine’ and do our best.

‘G’ is for GIVING to those who are in need,
It doesn’t hurt us one bit to do a few good deeds.

‘I’ is for IMAGINE and having something to create,
Look what God did and it turned out great!

‘V’ is for VISION to see what is true,
To be balanced and square in all that we do.

“I” is for INDIVIDUAL and being distinct,
For we are humans and should go with all our instincts.

‘N’ is for NEW experiences we should participate in,
Do it with friends and all of our kin.

“G’ is for GRATITUDE, a way to express,
To God for that which we have been truly blessed.

Sharing A Story With A Great Message

My son Christopher sent me this in an email. I loved the message! It said to share the story by forwarding it on. I thought those that follow my Blog and who believe in God, would like the message it holds.

THE BRICK

Author Unknown

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money.. Why did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic. ‘Please, mister....please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.'

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat.. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts.. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy! push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

Thought for the Day:

If God had a refrigerator,

your picture would be on it.

If He had a wallet,

your photo would be in it.

He sends you flowers

every spring.

He sends you a sunrise

every morning.

Face it, friend - He is crazy about you!

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

Read this line very slowly and let it sink in...
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

All That's Left On This Tree

Eight Little Fall Leaves

By Janette Sprankle

November 2010

Eight little Fall leaves left hanging on the tree,
They better fall off cuz’ they’re gonna’ freeze.
Back in the Spring they budded out green,
And now that it’s Fall their tree is looking lean.
The colors they've turned since it's gotten cold,

Were a pretty red, orange, and now a yellow gold.

All the other leaves have fallen to the ground,

These eight are all that's left but will soon join the mound.
The wind will catch them I am pretty sure,
It will whirl and twirl them before hitting earth’s floor.
Once they are down they'll carpet the ground,
The kids will trample thru’ them to make a crunchy sound.

Someone will rake them and put them in a pile,

The Eight Little Fall leaves will only sit for a while.
For soon all the leaves will be bundled up tight,

In a bag they'll be together during the cold winter nights.

Leaves from the same tree already on the ground

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CHRISTOPHER - 11/14/2010

My 37 year old son with his daughter, Diana. I cannot believe how the years just fly by!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ASHLEY!

My 27 year old baby girl!

BEFORE and AFTER

BEFORE



AFTER

A Nice Slice Of Life - A Story of Longevity

I got this through an email. I really enjoyed the story. Take a few moments and read it if you have a few minutes. I'm not sure who wrote it.

My father never drove a car. Well, that's not quite right. I should say I never saw him drive a car.
He quit driving in 1927, when he was 25 years old, and the last car he drove was a 1926 Whippet. 'In those days,' he told me when he was in his 90s, 'to drive a car you had to do things with your hands, and do things with your feet, and look every which way, and I decided you could walk through life and enjoy it or drive through life and miss it.'
At which point my mother, a sometimes salty Irishwoman, chimed in:'Oh, bull----!' she said. 'He hit a horse.'
'Well,' my father said, 'there was that, too.'
So my brother and I grew up in a household without a car. The neighbors all had cars. The Kollingses next door had a green 1941 Dodge, the VanLaninghams across the street, a gray 1936 Plymouth , the Hopsons two doors down, a black 1941 Ford -- but we had none.My father, a newspaperman in Des Moines , would take the streetcar to work and, often as not, walk the 3 miles home. If he took the streetcar home, my mother, brother and I would walk the three blocks to the streetcar stop, meet him and walk home together. My brother, David, was born in 1935, and I was born in 1938, and sometimes, at dinner, we'd ask how come all the neighbors had cars but we had none. 'No one in the family drives,' my mother would explain, and that was that.
But, sometimes, my father would say, 'But as soon as one of you boys turns 16, we'll get one.' It was as if he wasn't sure which one of us would turn 16 first.
But, sure enough , my brother turned 16 before I did, so in 1951 my parents bought a used 1950 Chevrolet from a friend who ran the parts department at a Chevy dealership downtown.
It was a four-door, white model, stick shift, fender skirts,loaded with everything, and since my parents didn't drive, it more or less became my brother's car.
Having a car but not being able to drive didn't bother my father, but it didn't make sense to my mother. So in 1952, when she was 43 years old, she asked a friend to teach her to drive. She learned in a nearby cemetery, the place where I learned to drive the following year and where, a generation later, I took my two sons to practice driving. The cemetery probably was my father's idea. 'Who can your mother hurt in the cemetery?' I remember him saying more than once.
For the next 45 years or so, until she was 90, my mother was the driver in the family. Neither she nor my father had any sense of direction, but he loaded up on maps -- though they seldom left the city limits -- and appointed himself navigator. It seemed to work.
Still, they both continued to walk a lot. My mother was a devout Catholic, and my father an equally devout agnostic, an arrangement that didn't seem to bother either of them through their 75 years of marriage. (Yes, 75 years, and they were deeply in love the entire time.)
He retired when he was 70, and nearly every morning for the next 20 years or so, he would walk with her the mile to St. Augustine 's Church. She would walk down and sit in the front pew, and he would wait in the back until he saw which of the parish's two priests was on duty that morning. If it was the pastor, my father then would go out and take a 2-mile walk, meeting my mother at the end of the service and walking her home.
If it was the assistant pastor, he'd take just a 1-mile walk and then head back to the church. He called the priests "Father Fast" and "Father Slow."
After he retired, my father almost always accompanied my mother whenever she drove anywhere, even if he had no reason to go along. If she were going to the beauty parlor, he'd sit in the car and read, or go take a stroll or, if it was summer, have her keep the engine running so he could listen to the Cubs game on the radio. In the evening, then, when I'd stop by, he'd explain: 'The Cubs lost again. The millionaire on second base made a bad throw to the millionaire on first base, so the multimillionaire on third base scored.'
If she were going to the grocery store, he would go along to carry the bags out -- and to make sure she loaded up on ice cream. As I said, he was always the navigator, and once, when he was 95 and she was 88 and still driving, he said to me, 'Do you want to know the secret of a long life?'
'I guess so,' I said, knowing it probably would be something bizarre.
'No left turns,' he said.
'What?' I asked.
' No left turns,' he repeated. 'Several years ago, your mother and I read an article that said most accidents that old people are in happen when they turn left in front of oncoming traffic.
As you get older, your eyesight worsens, and you can lose your depth perception, it said. So your mother and I decided never again to make a left turn.'
'What?' I said again.
'No left turns,' he said. 'Think about it. Three rights are the same as a left, and that's a lot safer. So we always make three rights.'
'You're kidding!' I said, and I turned to my mother for support 'No,' she said, 'your father is right. We make three rights. It works.' But then she added: 'Except when your father loses count.'
I was driving at the time, and I almost drove off the road as I started laughing.
'Loses count?' I asked.
'Yes,' my father admitted, 'that sometimes happens. But it's not a problem. You just make seven rights, and you're okay again.'
I couldn't resist. 'Do you ever go for 11?' I asked.
'No,' he said ' If we miss it at seven, we just come home and call it a bad day. Besides, nothing in life is so important it can't be put off another day or another week.'
My mother was never in an accident, but one evening she handed me her car keys and said she had decided to quit driving. That was in 1999, when she was 90.She lived four more years, until 2003. My father died the next year, at 102.
They both died in the bungalow they had moved into in 1937 and bought a few years later for $3,000. (Sixty years later, my brother and I paid $8,000 to have a shower put in the tiny bathroom -- the house had never had one.My father would have died then and there if he knew the shower cost nearly three times what he paid for the house.)
He continued to walk daily -- he had me get him a treadmill when he was 101 because he was afraid he'd fall on the icy sidewalks but wanted to keep exercising -- and he was of sound mind and sound body until the moment he died.
One September afternoon in 2004, he and my son went with me when I had to give a talk in a neighboring town, and it was clear to all three of us that he was wearing out, though we had the usual wide-ranging conversation about politics and newspapers and things in the news.
A few weeks earlier, he had told my son, 'You know, Mike, the first hundred years are a lot easier than the second hundred.' At one point in our drive that Saturday, he said, 'You know, I'm probably not going to live much longer.'
'You're probably right,' I said.
'Why would you say that?' He countered, somewhat irritated.
'Because you're 102 years old,' I said.
'Yes,' he said, 'you're right.' He stayed in bed all the next day.
That night, I suggested to my son and daughter that we sit up with him through the night.
He appreciated it, he said, though at one point, apparently seeing us look gloomy, he said:
'I would like to make an announcement. No one in this room is dead yet.'
An hour or so later, he spoke his last words:
'I want you to know,' he said, clearly and lucidly, 'that I am in no pain. I am very comfortable. And I have had as happy a life as anyone on this earth could ever have.'
A short time later, he died.
I miss him a lot, and I think about him a lot. I've wondered now and then how it was that my family and I were so lucky that he lived so long.
I can't figure out if it was because he walked through life, Or because he quit making left turns.
Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it.'

Time to stick my neck out & get down off my post!

It's Time To Take A Risk

By: Janette

I'm taking a risk

I cannot say how,

In due time I may tell

But this will be it for now.

I can always stand to hear

A positive word or two,

Of encouragement, it helps

Or a pat on the back from you.

I was told to come in

And "WOW all of us there",

I'm pretty sure I did just that,

But it still turned out unfair.

I try to be positive

I hate when I'm not,

I try to do good

But "not good enough" is what I got.

So, for now just wish me luck

And yes, in due time I may tell,

For now, my spirit they have broken

And THEY have made me feel like hell!

I don't know how many of you read my post about turtles as part of what I'm thankful for last November, but if you did you will know that a turtle doesn't get anywhere without sticking it's neck out. And a quote from my cousin back in VA, "Turtles may be slow but they are tenacious and single minded. A lot can be accomplished with those traits." Just because a turtle is older, it doesn't mean it can't get a job done, AND the older they are, the wiser they are. I was told once that maybe it's time to take a risk and be like the turtle I wrote about and stick my neck out. It may have been meant in a different way, but I get to choose the way I do it!!! It's that time,....I'm going to give it a try and see what happens. And in time, we will see how much was accomplished by doing just that.

Something Strange & Hard to Explain

Caught Between Here and Somewhere

By: Janette

It was such a weird feeling

I experienced today,

I was caught between here and somewhere

But it's hard for me to say.

When all things went bright and white

All around me it was such a blur,

It seemed to last forever

A feeling I did not prefer.

I didn't know what I should do

So I just stood there and held on to the pole,

I prayed I would not fall down

I was in a state I could not control.

I struggled with words that

I could not get out,

People were talking to me

I didn't know what it was about.

No, I didn't know what was happening

like being in another realm of glory,

I did finally make it through all that

And now I share this story.

I put a post on Facebook yesterday evening after I got home from the U of U football game. It was an awful feeling that came about. Diana and I went to use the girl's facility and get something to drink for her, Christopher, Ashley and myself. But after going up the stairs from our seats, everything went very scary and weird. After what seemed like hours (maybe 10 minutes or so), I was taken in to the First Aid Station at the stadium. The medical people came to the conclusion this was all due to dehydration. It was much hotter at the game than we all thought, in fact it was miserable! I had to put Ashley's jacket over my legs because the sun was burning them through my pant legs. She brought it with just in case it was to cool down later on. When we first got there, I bought a bottle of water ($3.00) to share until later in the game. Well part of a bottle of water and none earlier is what caused this situation. Once they started getting water down me, I started feeling better. The above was what I was feeling during all of this. I'm telling this story so you all know, ....... fluids, fluids, fluids ! ! ! ! when it's hot, hot, hot ! ! ! !

It's been a MONTH of non-stop! Maybe I'll post soon.

NOTICE:

Today is under construction.

Thank you for your understanding.

Today will be ready tomorrow.

(maybe)

Birthday Wishes All The Way To Heaven!

Heavenly Birthday Wishes for Dad
August 7, 2010
By: Janette
Today is but a special day
In so many, many different ways.
Happy Birthday to my sweet dear Dad
Eighty-two of those are what he would have had.

Although Heaven is where he has gone to reside
He’s got Grandma and Grandpa forever at his side.
Today is the day he comes ‘home’ for a visit
No doubt in ‘his’ chair,….if only in spirit.

In the Temple he’ll be sealed forever
To his Mother and Father so dear.
There will be members of the ‘Spencer Club’
Who will witness this great ceremony of love.

His presence will be felt in the place that he stands
There will be Love abounding and spiritual shaking of hands.
I’m sure there will be wishes he has for us all
That will be delivered by angels from that Heavenly Hall.

Families can be FOREVER Dad, and from this day forward, you’ll be having Happy FOREVER Birthdays!

AS I RECALL,.......

Grandpa’s Old Truck
By: Janette Spencer Sprankle
July 2010
Grandpa’s truck, well it seemed mighty big,
It surely was an enormous huge green rig.
Next to it us kids were all so small,
But it was the best darn truck to make his hauls.

In the back of the truck we’d be so high,
Back then it seemed we were high as the sky.
My dad and us kids would help load it up,
It was fun for us all to be up in the truck.

Sometimes when we were done, Grandpa would say,
“Climb on in”.…. then we’d be on our way.
Off to ‘market’ us few would happily go,
With all the produce in the truck we’d go real slow.

It was fun when Grandpa would say “click-click-click”,
From one red light to the next he’d do a magic trick.
For just as we approached the dreaded red lights,
The magic did happen, the green would pop up bright.

No stopping for us,…no not at all,
On through the intersections we’d go at a steady crawl.
My Grandpa was special cuz’ he could make it happen,
Those of us with him would do a lot of clappin’.

We'd take Beck Street in to the big city,
That turned into 3rd West that got kind of busy.
Pretty soon the Market Place would appear,
Grandpa would sale his stuff and say “we’re out of here”!

It is hard to recall the year, model and make,
If Dad were here he could tell us with no mistake.
I was always so happy when the truck would pull up,
So I could climb up in to my Grandpa’s Old Truck.

It's Independance Day !

Happy Birthday America ! ! !
By: Janette Sprankle
July 4, 2010

The VA is the place that I work,
It’s top notch in every way.
It employs great doctors and a whole bunch of nurses
Who take care of our Veteran’s every day.

It’s my ‘home away from home’ no doubt,
I’m happy to say I LOVE what I do.
To serve those who serves us all,
And to honor the RED, WHITE and BLUE.

Independence Day is the birthday of our Nation,
It’s what the founding fathers fought for.
If the parchment hadn’t been signed on that day,
What would our country have had in store?

As I think of our fallen soldiers,
Those who sacrificed and fought until the end.
I can’t help but feel in my heart,
They are my heroes, their bravery I will commend.

Our country is so unique,
From sea to shining sea.
When we celebrate this great holiday,
We’ll think of those who keeps us free.

While standing at the parade and as the flag passes by,
The anthem will surely be played by the band.
I’ll stand with pride at attention,
And to my heart I’ll raise my hand.

When night-time comes upon it all,
The fireworks will begin to rise.
The colors that light up the heavens above,
Will surely make us look up and marvel at the sky.

So Happy Birthday America!
It’s time to come together and strike up the band.
While we eat our hot dogs, potato salad and corn on the cob,
We’ll celebrate the freedom of this great land!

Watching The Skies Together - Sun., 6/6/10

I was over at my mom's tonight when we started seeing thunderstorm and flood warnings around northern and western Utah, along with parts of Wyoming. It was so amazing to see the clouds rolling in as the sun was beginning to set. Pretty soon I could hear thunder and seen some lightning. Didn't get much rain out of it all however. I didn't have an actual camera, but I had my phone so I decided to start taking pictures. The picture above is my favorite. Actually, Whitey had been taking pictures with her Nikon camera and we were able to get the same cloud formation that probably floated above her house right before mom's along the mountains. Since my pictures were taken with my phone, they weren't as nice. I loved being outside while all this was happening. Mom was in and out with me. I came home and wrote some thoughts down on paper and came up with this.

Watching the Skies Together

By: Janette Sprankle - 6/6/2010

As I sit here with my mom.
There’s a lot that comes to mind,
In the early hours of the evening,
There are thoughts of every kind.

The sun is slowly setting
In the blue skies to the west,
Through the years I think of pretty sunsets
In Utah, they are the very best.

The clouds are starting to gather,
The thunder starts to roll,
It won’t be long til’ it starts to rain,
The breeze is soothing to my soul.

It was such a sight to see
It was beautiful to say the least,
We went in and out of the house
We looked to the west and then the east.

As my Mom stood out beside me
And we looked up with our eyes,
She said “Dad was up there for you girls
Swirling the clouds around the sky”.

And now the sun has disappeared
Behind the island of the lake,
The clouds are forming big grey puffs,
This is so beautiful,…we’ll just stand here and partake.

Mother's Day

With Love On Mother's Day - 5/9/2010
By: Janette

Of all the Mothers on the earth,....I confess,
That my Mother is the very best.
You raised me to give all my love,
To those who are here and up above.
I was the one that was sweet and good,
You did not hesitate to tell it, as well you should.
You taught us girls to sew and clean,
And how none of us should treat others mean.
You made sure our clothes always looked nice,
Having clothes with wrinkles would not suffice.
Our hair was always fixed just right,
Even when the scissors made you feel contrite.
The pixie dolls you made for us girls,
Had our own hair but not enough for dad to twirl.
You were always there to wipe my tears,
You taught me how to have no fear.
There are times when it's just you and me,
We sit and watch your shows on t.v.
I love you Mom and glad you're mine,
God sent me to you with his love divine.
You are always patient and forgiving,
Every day I have you is a day of thanksgiving.
I'm not your favorite, but I'm pretty sure,
I'm definitely one of your 'top' four.
It's hard to explain the love for my Mother,
It seems you're always there like no other.
This is your poem Mom and I want to say,
I hope you have a Happy Mother's Day!!