'True to the Faith' - Hymn #254

I've been waiting 14 years for this! It's so wonderful to have a daughter to share it with! Saturday, Sarah and I spent most of the day together in Salt Lake. We shopped, met some friends for dinner, then rode trax to the conference center for the General YW Broadcast. We scored some terrific seats (thanks Carol!) and just soaked it all in. As I watched my daughter embrace this experience, take meticulous notes, and listen intently to a prophet of God, I said several prayers in my heart for her righteous choices and virtuous life. We mothers like to think we're in control, but the more I learn about agency, the more grateful I become for moments like these when you see those you love the most choosing the better part.

'We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice and Accountability
Good Works
Integrity
AND VIRTUE

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values,
we will be prepared to
strengthen home and family,
make and keep sacred covenants,
receive the ordinances of the temple,
and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.'

'I Hope You Dance' - Lee Ann Womack

The older I get, the more I love funerals. For the most part, they can be uplifting, reflective, and celebrations of lives well lived, and inspire me to live my life better. Not to mention, you get to see family and friends you haven't seen in a while. Last week I went to Idaho to sing at the funeral of my great-uncle, Ray Phillips. He was the 'favorite' uncle in the family, always cheerful and fun-loving, even though he faced great adversity and chronic pain his entire life. It was a treat to see extended family, and laugh and cry together. The heavens smiled on this man and his family and gave us a beautiful sunny day to say good-bye to him.

Can one ever have too many moms? The first picture is of my 'other mother', Sue, me and my mom, Nancy. At the graveside service, here's my mom, me, and my Grandma Parks.

'Grandpa' - The Judds

This week my Grandpa Parks would have been 86. I miss him so much. He passed away just a few weeks before our son Parker was born, almost 14 years ago. That's one of the reasons Parker bears the name he does. I loved my grandpa so much, and as the oldest grandchild, I was blessed to have him in my life longer than the rest of my siblings and cousins. It felt like he raised me. The older I get, the more I'm mindful of this gift.

When I think of my grandpa, I remember him like he looks in this picture when he was helping build our house....strong and vibrant, working with his hands, in his coveralls and yellow ballcap. Yellow was his favorite color. He was so handsome and tall, with beautiful wavy gray hair. He loved to give whisker rubs, and nicknames. I rarely see or taste a Snickers candy bar without thinking of him.

One of my most precious possessions is the last thing he gave me. He and grandma were driving through Utah on their way to their mission in Oregon. They stopped to say good-bye, and he pulled a pair of his work shoes out of the backseat and said to give them to someone who could use them. He always wore the same kind of work shoes...with white socks. I could never part with the shoes, and after we learned of his sudden death, I hugged them close to me. They are in the bottom of my closet. I pull them out from time to time and am reminded of what he taught me by example...integrity, honesty, sacrifice, and the strongest love of family I have ever known. I love you, grandpa. I miss you.

Love, Buzz

'A Woman's Heart' - Tyler Castleton

When March rolls around, I can always count on a few things...snowflakes on my spring bulbs, boys pulling out the golf clubs and baseball mitts, and Relief Society birthday parties. It's been well over 5 years now that I started singing with these wonderful ladies. We usually perform about twice a year...in March for birthday parties, and at Christmastime Relief Society celebrations. We are all in busy seasons of our lives, so we rarely get to see each other. When we do get together to sing, it feels like a fun reunion. I love these dear sisters.

Mindi Childs, Collette Worthington and I have very different voices, but we seem to blend so well together. I'm sure Christy Alger, our accompanist, has something to do with it. She is truly the 4th voice in our collective sound. Combined we have a wide variety of life experiences, but our testimonies of Jesus Christ unify us. Our offerings are always simple and straightforward, but they come from the heart. It sometimes feels like a challenge to juggle schedules and fit it in, (there are 24 kids and 4 grandkids between us) but we're always so grateful that we do.

Our performance this year was for an older and established ward near the Provo temple. What wise and beautiful women. As a performer, you always get a feel and play off of your audience. That night we were filled so much more than we gave. I love that about the gospel. When the spirit is present, all are lifted and edified together. Thanks Mind, CoCo and Christy. I'm so grateful we get to share these experiences together. And Happy Birthday to all of us!

'Phantom' - Maury Yeston

We just got back from the Saturday matinee of 'Phantom' at the Hale Centre Theatre in West Valley. When I originally bought the tickets, I thought this was the Andrew Lloyd Weber production, and for a minute I was disappointed. But boy was I wrong! This production is much better, on every level. Sure the music and scenery may not be quite as dramatic and sensational, but the story and the warmth endeared this show much more to me. Even our kids who weren't crazy about giving up a Saturday afternoon, were some of the first out of their seats for the standing ovation. This story was much easier to follow, as the dialogue was spoken instead of sung like the ALW version. It also wasn't nearly as dark. Similar story line, but much more depth into the characters. We saw the MWF cast and they were exceptional. It plays through April 18th. Our expectations weren't very high, so maybe that's why we loved it so much. I hate to gush fearing you may be disappointed, but I really did love it.

'Hello Old Friend' - James Taylor

I know this sounds silly, but I have missed Costco! With my 2 monster eaters in the mission field, I've had to adjust my shopping and cooking habits. I remember after Taylor left, we had the same 3 gallons of milk in the outside fridge for over 2 weeks! And for the first time in a long time, we often have leftovers. I don't go to Costco nearly as much as I used to, and the good news is, our food budget is significantly less. But I must admit, it was like going to lunch with an old friend as I pushed my cart around with a smile on my face, nibbling the plethora of sample foods peddled by sweet old ladies. It's good to be back!