Rasmania 101: Comments

Happy 1st Birthday to Ruby and Sara and Philip this coming week.

In cleaning up some papers this week I came across another poem I had copied from my grandmother's book.

"If I could number only happy hours,
I should perhaps name all that I have known,
For days when clouds hung low and grief engulfed
Me with its surging flood, when hope had flown
And doubts obscured the way, have now passed on--
Ameliorated by times gracious hand.
Today I know that blessings ofttimes wear
A strange disguise, I better understand
The need for clouds and tears and shattered dreams.
A maze of hues will hide the rich design
Of master works of art, when seen too near--
A distant view full beauty will define:
The somber tones accentuate the bright
Give warmth and depth to modify the light.
-Maude Osmond Cook

I wanted to include this here because it adds to some previous comments that I've made about how her poetry spoke to me at a difficult time in my life and also brought me closer to her (though she died when I was only 10 yrs. old). With all the pain and sorrow my grandmother went through in her life, she could still begin this poem the way she did. "If I could number only happy hours,/ I should perhaps name all that I have known."

Crista asked me what she could do as far as genealogy goes at this time in her life. I told her she could gather stories and share them with her children as they grow. We are blessed because we have so many stories that have been written down, some even published, that we can share with each other. A good place to start is reading my dad's book. There is also one written about WW Clyde. Phineas Wolcott Cook left a journal and Janet Porter has written a book based on that journal that makes it read more like a novel except that it's not fiction. There is a book about James Henry Hart, and there are many more. Steve Christensen has also done a lot of research and gathered a lot of stories about the family.

I don't have a lot of news to share this week. Finn had another infection, most likely caused from a mosquito bite.

I tended the boys while Adrienne took Finn to the Doctor. I tried to get a cute picture but those boys don't know how to smile for the camera. They have to be as goofy as possible.

Max had to have a wart removed from his toe. They gave him something to calm him, but apparently it was pretty traumatic for him anyway.

Matt, Crista and Ruby were down from Logan for the Frontrunner Century Event. A century bike event usually indicates 100 miles, but this one was only 62 miles. Salt Lake to Ogden. Matt and Roy rode in it and felt very blessed and grateful that the rain that was forecast 100% chance all day Saturday, was delayed until the afternoon. They finished the ride, having felt only a few raindrops.
Crista dropped them off and she and Caitlyn picked them up 4 1/2 hours later. She was able to get a few pictures as she saw them off.