Happy Farmer's Thousand Island Dressing

Coach and his great-grandbaby Dexter

Thousand Island Dressing

1 pint miracle whip
3 boiled eggs (chopped)
1/4 cup green onion (chopped)
2 Tablespoons sweet relish
1/2 cup ketchup
1 pimento (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions: Mix ingredients and let set overnight in refrigerator before serving. My dad loves salad and this was his favorite dressing.

"The Happy Farmer"

My Dad (Coach) loved having a garden. After the kids all grew up, dad took down the above-ground pool in the backyard and put a garden in its place. He also had lots of fruit trees. He loved doing a garden mainly because I think he loved sharing all the fruits and vegetables with loved ones. One year he even came to North Carolina and I asked him to do three things, help me start a garden, help me coach my daughter's softball team and vacuum my floors. He was great at all of them and I loved having him and mom stay with me that spring. I had a great ball team, wonderful garden and the cleanest floors. Ironically, about eight years ago when I went to visit my parents, I noticed that my dad wasn't coaching ball, didn't have a garden and the floors in their house hadn't been vacuumed in a very long time. It was then I truly suspected something was wrong with Coach. Later he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. After my mom passed away last year, we were blessed to have my niece Cassie live with him and then there's Teresa his caregiver who comes faithfully each day and takes care of him. What a blessing it is to have their love and care for my dad. It has taken a lot of burden off our family. My sister Martha, her husband and family have done so much. I am so grateful to them. I like to refer to Coach as "The Happy Farmer" because he loved to garden and he could play the song on the piano. Jessica has been playing that same song now for the past three weeks so its made me think a lot of my dad. Coach is truly "The Happy Farmer."

"The Lord knows and loves

the elderly among His people.

It has always been so..."

~Ezra Taft Benson

The Power of the Priesthood

Coach, Adam, me, Mark, Martha

I love my Dad but our relationship wasn't always smooth sailing. I'll never forget on one occasion when I was a teenager and I wanted to do something out of the ordinary (typical teenager) and my parents wouldn't let me do it (typical parents) and we had this huge blow up with a lot of angry words being said. I went to my room in a huff, thinking my parents could never really understand me and they were just "jerks." But then something happened that I never would have anticipated. My dad came into my room sheepishly and asked if he could talk and I hesitantly agreed. He took out the scriptures and read to me in Doctrine Covenants 121 about how the power of the priesthood's influence could only be made through, persuasion, long-suffering, by gentleness, and meekness, love unfeigned, kindness and pure knowledge...Anyway, he then told me something very simple, "I'm sorry" and left the room. The Holy Spirit touched me that day. I knew my father wasn't perfect but from that moment on, I knew how perfect the priesthood was. I'm so grateful for the priesthood and power and influence it has had in my life and I'm grateful for a father who honored it the best way he could.

Coach, me and Mom
October 2009

"Fathers are so special,

with a very special love,

They watch us and protect us.

They guide us and direct us

back to our home above."

~Dawn Hughes Ballantyne

Sunset Years

Coach & Mom

A few weeks ago, my mom went on hospice. Her health issues have gotten progressively worse, so the four kids got together to be with my parents. I think it was good for mom to see us all together again. It has been hard to see my parents age. My sister has taken on a majority of the leadership in caring for them. A few years ago, Teresa came into our lives and has been a blessing, taking care of my parents on a constant basis. As I've prayed for peace in my parents lives, I've felt impressions of teaching moments that I received through my life at the hand of my mom and I've been telling my mom about them. As sick and weak as she feels, its been a blessing to have her somewhat alert to hear, communicate and respond. I forever pray for peace and comfort of the Holy Spirit in their lives. I know Heavenly Father is aware of them and that

"His (God's) Will Be Done."

Coach, Me & Mom
Mark, Martha, Beth, Adam
Coach, Mom
The Kids Again
Jake, Martha, Kathy, Adam, Emma, Jolinda, Mark

Coach, Teresa & Mom

“At some period in our mortal mission,
there appears the faltering step,
the wan smile, the pain of sickness—
even the fading of summer,
the approach of autumn, the chill of winter. …
“I extol those who,
with loving care and compassionate concern,
feed the hungry, clothe the naked,
and house the homeless.
He who notes the sparrow’s fall
will not be unmindful of such service.”
~President Thomas S. Monson

My Pioneer Parents

Here's a picture of my parents a little over ten years ago serving as missionaries in Nauvoo, Illinois. We went to Nauvoo the year they served and have sweet memories of seeing my parents perform in a play and also listening to my mom tell the stories of the Mormons of Historic Nauvoo. My mother has always been a natural storyteller and it was a wonderful experience to hear her retell history of the Nauvoo community especially at the temple site. In the coming week we plan to meet Angie in Missouri and go to Nauvoo again for the first time after ten years. It won't be the same without my parents who are a great example in our family of going on a mission in their senior years.

"You don't have to push a handcart,

Leave your fam'ly dear,

Or walk a thousand miles or more,

To be a pioneer

You do need to have great courage,

Faith to conquer fear,

And work with might

for a cause that's right

to be a pioneer!"

~Ruth Muir Gardner

Some Favorite Pioneer Quotes:

Truly the Lord encourages us

to walk in faith

to the edge of the light

and beyond—into the unknown.

After the trial of our faith,

He once again shines the light

ahead of us, and our journey of faith

in every footstep continues."

~M. Russell Ballard

That first trek of 1847,

organized and led by Brigham Young,

is described by historians

as one of the great epics

of United States history. . .

Can we somehow find the courage

and that steadfastness of purpose

which characterized the pioneers

of a former generation?. . .

Oh, how the world needs pioneers today!"

~Thomas S. Monson

Just Me & My Dad

My Baptism Day

June 1965

Some Favorite Quotes about Fathers

"Any man can be a father.

It takes someone special to be a dad."

~Anonymous

"Fatherhood is pretending the present

you love most is soap on a rope."

~Bill Cosby

"It is much easier to become a father

than to be one"

~Kent Nerburn

"When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant,

I could hardly stand to have the old man around,

but when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much

the old man learned in seven years."

~Mark Twain

“By profession, I am a soldier and take pride in that fact,

but I am prouder--infanitely prouder--to be a father. . .

it is my hope that my son, when I am gone,

will remember me not from the battle but

in the home repeating with him our simple daily prayer. . ."

~Douglas McArthur

"It should have great meaning that of all the titles

of respect and honor and admiration that

could be given him, God himself, he who is the

highest of all, chose to be addressed simply as Father."

~Boyd K. Packer

Finally, I love this quote by D. Todd Christofferson that was in the mormon message video, "Let Us Be Men"

"Though he will make some sacrifices and deny himself

some pleasures in the course of honoring his commitments,

a true man leads a rewarding life. He gives much

but receives more and lives content in the approval of his

Heavenly Father. The life of true manhood is the good life."

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

REMEMBERING FATHER. . .

Living near Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, makes it easy to appreciate the service of our many men and women who put themselves in harms way for our freedom. Lately though, my thoughts are of my father. My dad served in the Navy for 6 years. He joined when he was in high school, returned and finished school and then re-enlisted after graduating. He didn't really talk about his military experience much but I do know that it was while he was in the service that he was introduced to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ by my mother. He read the Book of Mormon while at sea and was converted to its teachings. He is now 81 years old and sadly to say, he's been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. We don't get to visit as much as we'd like. He hasn't talked to me over the phone in years but when we visited last summer, he did recognize me and called out "Bethany" when he saw me which gave me great joy and comfort.

". . .And should they die

before their journey's through,

All is well, All is well. . ."

Jessica, "Coach" & Carson

Summer 2008

Visiting "Coach"

(Dad's endearing nickname)

My brothers called him "Coach" when

he was coaching them in little league baseball.

The name stuck and he's still called "Coach"

by all who know and love him.

VETERAN'S DAY MEMORIES 2008

(Jody P., Dave & Melissa G.)

Stake Youth Activity

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Placing Flags on Veterans' Graves

The Heavens Weep

"My Flag, My Flag, My Country's Flag,
I Love to See You Wave"

Jessica had a great time, rain and all.