Levi's Baby Blessing; My Schoolteacher Mrs. Shurtliff's Viewing; Stye in My Eye

 Our little Levi is getting bigger and learning how to smile. He hadn't had his baby blessing yet.

Ben and Haley had planned to do his baby blessing when Haley's parents were in town. Her mother was here for several weeks, but then with Covid-19 going crazy, her dad decided not to travel here from New York.

That meant no blessing happened at that time.

Since I figured Haley's parents would not be here anytime soon, and since I figured baby blessings are probably occurring in homes now, and since we had already invited Ben's family and Rebecca's family here for Sunday dinner, I suggested we do the baby blessing then.

Ben got permission to do it here with one of the bishopric members joining in on the zoom call to witness the blessing.

Ben gave a beautiful blessing and was looking like the proud papa of the newly-blessed Levi Robert Thomas.

I think Levi looks like a little, mini temple worker in his white suit and tie. SO CUTE all dressed up for this special occasion!!!!

Haley stepped in for a photo with Ben and Levi.

It wasn't long until Kade decided he needed to join the photo. He was so funny positioning himself right between his parents without anyone asking him since he had been occupied playing with toys. He knows he belongs in the family!!

Later in the day, I picked up Levi when he was fussing and that just made him more unhappy. I was having no success calming him down. 

Caroline, the baby whisperer, came over and said she would take him. He immediately calmed down and fell asleep on her shoulder. So CUTE!!! Both of them!!!

That Sunday also happened to be Dallas's birthday. When asked what he wanted for his birthday treat, he requested homemade ice cream. 

I am sad I didn't get a photo of the birthday boy eating his birthday ice cream. There was no blowing out of candles on the ice cream. In Dallas's honor, I had been waiting for the next birthday person so I could post this:

I learned one of my favorite Ogden High School business teachers passed away from pneumonia. She had just gotten re-elected to her seat in the Utah House of Representatives shortly before her passing.

My memories of her also include another high school business teacher, Mrs. Gillespie. Both these teachers helped me learn to love typing and shorthand, which helped me know the direction I wanted to go--working as a secretary.

These two teachers prepared me to become Ogden High School's 1977 Business Sterling Scholar. In the years leading up to this, they had given me the encouragement I needed to have confidence in myself to compete in several state typing and shorthand competitions. I won the National Typing Competition, which was held in Denver Colorado, that same year, 

While in high school, Mrs. Shurtliff had arranged for me to start working at her brother Parley Baldwin's law office: Browning, Blackburn and Baldwin. It was my one and only job (aside from working a few months at G&K Services helping with the Kennecott account). 

Glen's friend, Randy Brambrough, met us at the mortuary for her viewing.

It was good to see Parley Baldwin once again. Mrs. Shurtliff was not only his sister, but she raised him and was like a mother to him. He told us how healthy she had been right up until the pneumonia illness set in that took her life. 

Randy and Glen were in the same ward as Parley Baldwin when they were growing up. Parley had been their young men leader and was their bishop when they returned from their missions.

I was happy to have the chance to tell Parley how much I loved his sister and what a positive influence she had on my life. 

He reminisced about all those years ago how I came to be working at his law office. He also told me how much he enjoyed working with my parents in the Ogden Temple.

Meanwhile, back in Florida, Jacob's family was experiencing long delays at the airport and then on the plane before they finally got to take-off from Orlando to make their trip home to Omaha.

From the photos we saw of their trip, it sure looked like they had a good time.

Not only did we have a ruined ceiling tile in the basement bathroom from our recent water leak, but we had previous water-stained tiles in another part of the basement in the area that is below the kitchen sink. Those stains in the tile have been there for years. 

Glen decided since he was getting out the new ceiling tiles to replace the one in the bathroom, he would go ahead and replace the other ones as well. HURRAH!!! That made me so happy as those spots have bothered me for so long.

It was nice to get that basement home improvement project completed. I want to make some home decorating improvements on the main floor because I ALWAYS feel this way in January when the house feels so bare.

Something else, besides all the water problem issues and the many fans blowing incessantly on all three levels of the house trying to make sure all the leaking water is dried up, is my eye has also been driving me crazy!!

Yes--I have had a stye in my eye and it has been a bugger!! I consulted the girls to get their opinion on my appearance.

Then I decided to consult a professional--my Doctor of Optometry brother, Dr. Mark Ward--and this was his response.

HAHA!! That gave me a good laugh as I was dealing with my insecurities!!! I also consulted the good doctor about the spelling of my eye condition.

There you go, dear readers. You have now learned a new medical term and from the official sound of it, you will never want to have this diagnosis!!

This was me a couple of days later. 

Never been so happy to see wrinkles under both of my eyes. Sure beats stretched tight, swollen skin, that's for sure!!