Meet Keira Jaquelyn!

Keira Jaquelyn Goodman was born early Wednesday morning, April 28, 2010. She weighed a whoppin' 5 pounds 8 ounces and she is 18" long. Jorgen, her daddy, was 9 lbs. 3 oz. and 22" long when he was born. I think Keira is going to be petite, like her mom. She actually wasn't due to be born until May 6th, but since her mom has been "in labor" and on meds for almost three months, it is a blessing that she is well and healthy.

It is killing me not to jump in the car and head north to Provo so I can meet her, hold her, and love her! But Amy's parents are close by and this is their first grandchild, so I know Keira will be surrounded by lots of love! And I'm heading that way next week!

Have you ever wondered why we as humans, at least most humans, feel such a bond or attachment to our children? Why aren't we like snakes--lay the eggs and slither away! We sacrifice from the very beginning to bear children, the mother physically, the dad working harder to take care of his family. We love these unborn, unseen "flesh of our flesh. " And the sacrifices continue throughout our entire lives, because we love them. Oh, I know that's not the case in some families, but it should be. I believe families are meant to be eternal, to be together forever. It just makes sense. There is purpose in the plan.

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Walk for Cystic Fibrosis

I walked a 5K Cystic Fibrosis fundraiser today at Oro Valley Marketplace with family and friends of Janis Golding. Ronald McDonald and Belle joined us. What a beautiful day and enjoyable time getting exercise and visiting with friends! There are moments, fleeting though they may be, when life is good. "Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men ..." 2 Nephi 31:20

Like Son, Like Mother

Little Nick (what I used to call him) and I ran the Catalina State Park trail race on Saturday. This was my fourth time running this race, but the only time I have known other people running. It was much more fun this time and the weather could not have been nicer. There were nearly 500 people who participated which made the trail kind of crowded at the beginning, but more people means more energy! Nick ran the 10+ mile course and I ran 5+ miles.

I always look like I'm just about ready to hurl when I run! I did feel good this race, no real aches or pains, but my pace was slower than before. I have been training for the past 6 months to improve my time, and I have on some races, but not this one. The reason could be my nutrition being off for a few weeks as well as feeling some congestion lately. Every day I wake up I fight the battle of eating for health not for therapy!

Passover Seder

Since Easter, General Conference, and Feast of the Passover were so close together this year I wanted to do something unique and have a Seder or Passover dinner. So I drove to the Mosley's cabin in Pinetop with my bitter herbs, grape juice, lamb shank, mortar (charoset), parsley, boiled egg, and matza to celebrate the Passover as well as watch General Conference. We read the scriptures in Exodus that tell about the 10 plagues, and why the children of Israel put the blood of a lamb on their door ways. We also sang hymns. This was not meant to offend our Jewish brothers and sisters but to understand this tradition, and to draw closer to the Savior since He was a Jew. He was celebrating the Passover with His apostles the night of the Last Supper. This was also when He taught them about the Sacrament. I loved doing this and learned a lot.

I hope everyone had a chance to go to at least one session of Conference. What do you do to keep the uplifting feeling with you after conference is over?

Easter Week

I started Easter Week with a long hike up Bear Canyon to Seven Falls. It's not a hard hike; the trail is wide, clear (for the most part), and fairly flat to a medium incline. It is long, over 7 miles round trip, and I had to criss cross the stream at least 10 times. It was up to my knees in some parts. But the weather was gorgeous, perfect for hiking. And a perfect day to start preparing for Easter.

When I reached the falls I sat down in the warm sun, next to the lowest falls and read a talk about the last week of Jesus' mortal life. That monumental week is why we celebrate Easter, not because of the decorated eggs, the peeps or the chocolate bunny.

Being on the trail, experiencing God's gift to all of us, His creation, was a great way to start the week. I have Easter DVDs to watch, more talks to read, and of course the Four Gospels to help me become better acquainted with "the greatest story ever told." I'm planning to culminate the journey with a Passover Dinner and four sessions of General Conference. I find it more than a coincidence that Passover, Easter, and General Conference are happening at the same time. It's going to be a great week!

Saying Good-bye

My friend for many years, Janis Golding, was laid to rest this past Saturday after a courageous lifetime battle with cystic fibrosis. I feel as if I had the sacred privilege of being a part of her last few weeks of mortality. Why I was blessed with this tender mercy I'm not sure, but my heart is filled with gratitude that I was.

Janis Golding, 2001
(taken at Nick Jr's wedding reception in our backyard)

Janis lived her life as one of those "elect" women you read about in the scriptures. Her health was always precarious, in and out of the hospital for much of her life, but it was always others she worried about, never herself; her influence, and her light will remain strong and bright for many throughout the years.

Being a Chaplain

Perhaps when you hear the word chaplain you think of a minister in the military; someone who prays with the troops. When we were in the Navy many years ago I met a few chaplains, one was LDS and many more non LDS.

While we lived in California I thought that I would like to be a Chaplain, but in a hospital setting, not to join the military. Although the time wasn't right for me to pursue that goal, I kept the thought. Last summer I started thinking about it again and looked online at the hospitals here in Tucson and found that NW Medical Center was beginning a training in October. I applied and was accepted. The training lasted through December. I am now a certified volunteer Chaplain.

There were nearly twenty people in the class, men and women. Some ordained ministers, but most are lay people who have a desire to help others. They have great faith and they believe, without doubt, in prayer as a way to heal the body and the soul. I have learned much about prayer and faith from them as well as from the experienced Chaplains at the hospital. It has been a great journey for me and one I have felt led to. I do not claim any authority, only that I believe in a kind and wise Father in heaven whose love and will it is to bless his children. I have had the honor to pray, while holding hands, with many of the patients, hopefully to bring them comfort and peace.

The other Chaplains know of my religious affiliation, and I have felt their curiosity at my beliefs. This is so good for me. Constantly I'm thinking of the example I need to set. I do believe there is a purpose and reason I've been prompted to do this, if not for others, certainly for me.

What's a Mother to Do???

My youngest child got knocked out by a rock or a brick and was rushed to the hospital early Sunday morning. I hate those early morning phone calls from the police, hospitals, uncles, etc. No crushed bones around his eye socket, but there is a hairline fracture.

Never fear, he landed on both feet as usual. I think he's down to about life number 6 or 7 or 5.

I remember getting a phone call many years ago a little after midnight from the hospital when Nick Jr was hit by a car while riding his motor cycle. Shudder! No helmet! Only a broken nose and slight concussion. Oh yeah, and then there was the time the phone rang at 8 in the morning from the police; Xela had rolled her Jeep, slid on the top for 50+ yards on I-10 near the Miracle Mile exit. No injuries, only glass and gravel in her hair from sliding upside down. To be fair I've received adrenalin rushing phone calls about Jorgen and Gens as well.

I'm hoping I can survive this "career choice" of motherhood, and to endure it well. Some days are better than others. There have been a few phone calls such as, "Mom, I need your prayers, my wife's mother is really sick, please pray for her," and "Mom, I've messed up, I want to get my life in order and go on a mission." Another phone call, "being away from home has helped me realize how much I love you and appreciate all you've done for me." Then of course there was the phone call from a son who said, "you're going to be a grandma!!" These phone calls are the ones that have made the trials of mothering all worth it, every second. It is true, there must needs be opposition in all things, for if we don't know the bitter how can we taste of the sweet!

Ragnar Relay #2

I ran another Ragnar Relay this past weekend. We began at 11:00 a.m. in Prescott on Friday and ended around 2:30 p.m. in Tempe on Saturday after 204 grueling miles, little sleep, and lots of fun. I was in the same van as Nick Jr as well as three of his sisters-in-laws. The other van had six team members, all clients of Nick's. We only had five team members because Nick ran double legs for a total of 34 miles! I ran 16+ miles. My first leg was 5.3,miles, then ran 7.4 miles from 12:30 to 2:00 a.m. (dark, dark, dark), and the third leg was only 3.5 miles.

But my time has improved! My pace was 9:40. 11:11, and 10:22. I was the slowest one on the team, but no one yelled at me, in fact they were very nice.

Nick is stretching after running a very difficult section of the race. Sorry to show him without his shirt, but I wanted you to see how we painted the van. Those are heartbeats because his company is Durapulse and also the name of our team.

This little bunny went on the whole trip with us; the other van had one, too, so we could tell which vans were ours. There were over 350 teams so you can imagine how many vehicles at the exchanges, but what a party!

Running hurts and I'll be the first to admit it. But what it does for me far outweighs the momentary pain I feel the first mile. I feel so blessed to have been led to something where I can feel this personal sense of accomplishment. I have learned to keep pushing myself even though at times I just want to quit. And believe me, it computes in to life's races as well.

Take Care of Your Mental Health

The subject of mental health has been on my mind (no pun intended) a lot lately. I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to say, but I feel there could be someone who reads my blogs that may need to think about this subject either for themselves or for a loved one.

There are many grades or levels of mental illness from slight to very severe. I am no expert, but I do know a little bit about clinical depression because a member of my family suffers from this, and it is debilitating. Just like the ad says, "it hurts, it hurts everyone."

What are you doing for your mental health? Let's face it life can "suck" some days (sorry for the expletive) but it's what you do with those days that matters. I do not discount chemical imbalances nor make light of this very real condition, but I believe people can learn skills to counteract an oncoming episode. It takes desire, it takes being aggressive, even though the depressed person doesn't feel like it, and it takes being proactive. And truth be told, anti-depressant pills only cover the real cause, plus they can either stop working or they don't work at all.

Maybe a person has said, "if only I had more faith, if only I said more fervent prayers, then I would feel better, I wouldn't feel so sad." It's what we pray for that makes the difference. We pray to be taught or shown where and how to get help, to learn the skills needed to fight off this debilitating kind of mental illness. And it is a fight, it is a struggle, but the fight is worth feeling well.

Taking care of your mental health is as important as taking care of your physical and spiritual health.

"No Empty Chairs"

I gave a Relief Society lesson on Sunday, entitled "No Empty Chairs." The purpose of the lesson was to remind the sisters how important it is to reach out and to include all of our sisters in our circle of friendship. I encouraged the sisters to share how another woman or women in their lives have mourned with them, have born their burdens for them, or who have comforted them. All covenants we made at baptism. We also read the scripture in D&C where the Lord is admonishing us to succor the weak, lift the hands that hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees (this is such a visual scripture). Many of the sisters did share experiences from their lives where another woman lifted their hands that hung down, or strengthened their feeble knees. It was pointed out that friendships with women should have no age boundaries. I cherish the friendships I have with women who not so long ago were Young Women.

I have had many female friends in my lifetime beginning in the neighborhoods where I've lived, school chums I've known that I would never forget and would always keep in contact with (didn't happen), my party animal friends from a lonnnnng time ago, lots of roommates and workmates, friends from our Navy travels, and friends from the various Ward Relief Societies and those I have served with. And I certainly do not want to forget the good women I call dear friends who I'm related to through marriage, my in-laws. And of course my relatives.

The women pictured here are four very special friends to me and have been for over fifteen years. They are my cheerleaders, my teachers, my therapists, my confidants, my ego boosters, my everything!

Missing here, are pictures of each of you reading this post. I certainly count you as a good friend! Continue being the loving, charitable woman our Creator intended each of us to be, instruments for strengthening the feeble knees of His children.

Look What I Ran Into!

I was out hiking today in a well-known spot west of town, minding my own business and what did I run into but a mountain lion walking down the trail,

and another one sunning himself,

then a huge black bear appeared out of nowhere!

I walked around the corner and saw this little bobcat looking for a sweet morsel to eat. I was hoping it wasn't me.

Okay, okay, I was out hiking and it was in a well-known spot, but all these wild, ferocious animals were in the Desert Museum. The wildest was my sweet mother-in-law Ethel posing with bat ears!

We (Nick, his mom, and I) had a great afternoon wandering around this living museum and learning more about the wonderful desert we live in. Did you know the female tarantula lives for 15 or more years and neither the male or female mate until they have lived for 10 years? Once mated the male wonders off and dies and the female lays 300 spiderlings, and will mate again. There is your desert fact for the day!

How Lucky is this Grandma!

I got to play grandma to Sam and Jake this weekend. We had so much fun playing in the backyard and in the mud! Remember the days of mud pies and cakes? Why is it that grandmas make more time for play than moms do? Listen up you moms of young ones out there--take the time to play with your little ones. I regret that I didn't, or at least I don't remember if I did. It seems like we were always rushing to this or that practice, appointment, rehearsal, etc.

Sam and Jake are awesome, creative little boys. We traveled years in the past; we dug for gold; and we flew to Jupiter in our space ship.

Grandma did take some time for herself after the parents came home, of course. I went rock climbing, something I have wanted to try for a long time. It was unnerving and fun!! I plan on doing it again in the very near future so I won't forget what I learned at the rock climbing gym.

Where is that darn foothold?

Almost there!

Yay, I made it to the top, now how do I get down?

My Life

I always do a lot of self analysis at the beginning of each new year, trying to figure out where I've been and where I'm going. I was blessed with a few personal weaknesses, some I've been able to master and some I'm still working on. Truthfully, I would like to be able to say I've mastered them all because they rear their ugly head too often in my life. But, what reason would I have to get out of bed each morning, if I didn't have something to work on, something to humble me, something to call upon my dear Father to help me with. So I do.

1976

2009

I read a great talk by Robert L. Millet in the January 2, 2010 Church News about the quest to become like Christ. One point he made that struck me was Self-denial. I quote this talk: "During His mortal ministry, Jesus called upon those who followed Him to deny themselves, to use personal restraint and moral discipline, to take up their cross (our weaknesses) daily (Luke 9:23). 'And now for a man to take up his cross,' the Master clarified, 'is to deny himself all ungodliness, and every worldy lust, and keep my commandments.' (JST, Matthew 16:26)"

Brother Millet goes on to say: "But it becomes painfully apparent after a while that sheer grit and will power can only do so much; that dogged determination has its limits; and that doubling and tripling our efforts may well prove in the long run to be both physically exhausting and spiritually counterproductive. ... the sweet promise that if we lay our burdens at His feet He will care for us; that is, if we can learn to trust Him, rely upon Him, and have complete confidence in Him (we call this state of being faith), he will do the worrying, the fretting, and the caring for us."

Life has taught me quite a few lessons in the past 33 years (the span between the two pictures), and although I probably wasn't listening during Life Class 101 as much as I should have since I've had to repeat some lessons, I am determined this new year to be yoked to my Savior, to let Him carry my burdens, and to believe that He will.

New Post, New Look, New Year!!

Isn't this the cutest little shepherd boy you've ever seen? Well, at least I think so, and probably because this young shepherd is my grandson, Magnus! We had the annual Goodman Christmas nativity play with most of the youngest grandchildren and great-grandchildren of my mother-in-law Ethel, participating. This year's performance was one of the best with music, lights, and action. We did miss those who couldn't come.

Here's the whole acting company, only one little shepherd, Jake (my #3 grandson) had a hard time staying up on the stage until all the songs were sung and the words were spoken which lasted about 20 minutes. Each child was so excited and content to play their part. Sam and Dailan were two of the three kings this year. We have been doing this since my children were tiny. It used to be in our homes, but now we have to have it at the church there are so many of us!

I must say Christmas was a little different for me this year. There were some really good parts, and some really not so good parts. But, now it's time to prepare for 2010, a new year! And I'm excited because beginning a new year is like waking up in the morning to a fresh start, a rebirth. It's not just another day, it's a new year!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Goodman Family 2009

What a joyous time of year when we can reflect on the past 12 months, and see where we've been, where we are, and where we need to be!

Nick and Linda are grateful to be in their desert home.
Linda is still running races!

Nick Jr, Rachel, Sam, and Jake thrive in Fountain Hills, AZ. The parents continue to do their X-Terra and triathlon races as part of their multi-sport training business.

Gens, Nicci, Dailan, and Magnus welcomed Soren Genson, a new son/brother, into their family in March right before moving to El Paso, TX where Gens is in his first year of Orthopaedic residency at the Army Hospital.

Xela is surviving grad school at ASU, but will be so glad when that comes to an end in May. She is more than ready for a new adventure on foreign soil.

Jorgen married Amy Lynn Holker in July. What a happy occasion it is when we welcome another new member into our family. Jorgen and Amy are students at BYU-Provo. They are expecting a girl in the spring!

Anders has yet to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up. No doubt someday that will happen!

Our five grandsons and soon to be one granddaughter are reasons for rejoicing, to see life begin fresh and new and perfect!

We hope your Christmas will be filled with joy and love this 2009 holiday season! Thank you for your friendship and the love you send this way.

My Trip to El Paso

I spent a few days in El Paso last week to celebrate Nicci and Mag's birthday, and to take them their Christmas presents. Cheaper than mailing! The little boys are full of life and delightful. I must say having grandkids is the payoff for having kids, and that's not to say I didn't enjoy my kids, but being a grandma is special. By-the-way, we have number six on the way and she's not a boy! I cried when Xela was born, and I cried when I heard Jorgen and Amy are having a girl. Something about being a role model I guess! Although I do love my five little grandsons.

I brought a pinata for them to bust wide open and gobble the candy.

A tradition is to decorate a gingerbread house together. This candy was gobbled up, too!

Notice Mag's Superman suit, he was on the third day and night wearing it!

I've been working on feeling the Christmas spirit this year by listening to Christmas music, watching Christmas movies, getting the 100+ Christmas cards ready and sent, preparing packages for family and friends, shopping, baking, reading Christmas stories, and decorating the house. Unfortunately I have felt a lot of stress along with glimpses of the spirit. Why feeling stress? I have let the busyness over power what is most important--taking time to ponder and stay on tract. I know that when I feel good about myself, I feel good about everything else! The Savior said that the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves. Which must mean we are commanded to love ourselves first so we can love our neighbor. I will celebrate the Godliness within me this Christmas season.

Tis the Season

I did count my bounteous blessings at Thanksgiving--family, friends, health, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. But since life has a way of running interference with unencumbered joy, I rejoice in this season as I seek for comfort and peace from that divine personage who came to earth as a newborn babe. I know His love will be manifested in many ways--through other people, a particular scripture, a beautiful sunset, and the sweet whisperings of the spirit. I'm counting on it.

I will need to do my part. I will study the scriptures and talks by our modern day prophet and apostles. I will stay awake when I pray and make those prayers meaningful. I will submit my will and have faith that it is His will. I will serve Him and others.

The gift to me will be a peaceful heart, strength to carry on, and to be assured of His plan for me. All this because a God entered mortality the very same way each one of us did, pure and innocent.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Count your many blessings, name them one by one! It just might surprise you, what the Lord has done! He is the giver of all blessings.

My Saturday

Last Saturday, November 14, I drove to Snowflake, Arizona with my mother-in-law to attend the funeral of a man I had only met once, maybe twice. By the end of the services I was really sorry I hadn't known him or been friends with him. The life story, the talks, the sharing from relatives was glowing and uplifting. He was a genuine family man, who loved everyone and everyone loved him. His funeral was the kind I would like for myself, or a close loved one. I'm sure this man wasn't perfect (there were some great stories told!) but he lived his life serving others and serving his God.

Harry and Ruth were married for 18 years. She brought three daughters to the marriage and he one. Her three are the daughters of my brother-in-law. They are beautiful women, inside and out, with children of their own. What makes this a unique situation is the Christ-like love all family members feel for each other. The love is palatable. I can feel it and touch it. What could be uncomfortable or even unbearable, isn't.

Funerals are so much more than sorrow felt, or grief, but a manifestation of God's love for each of us.