The most important thing in my life is my family and the gospel… of course. It’s hard to divide them. I can’t separate them. I never really wanted to do anything but have a family and teach and raise my children. I did have an experience where I felt like I was prompted. We had 11 children; Kirsten was a baby. I went to the mailbox – I remember being at the mailbox – and getting a letter from Saudi Arabia, and in that letter, John Dilley asked if his son Brett could come live with us. We hadn’t been that close as friends for a few years since they left. They had lived in our area some, but then had moved to two or three other places after that and then gone to Saudi Arabia. So, this request was completely unexpected. I just had that feeling wash over me; that it’s the right thing to do. I still remember opening the letter, reading the letter, and how I felt. I felt like that was probably a personal revelation to me, that it was something I needed to do, and that I could do it. Lary felt the same way, but the decision was really a lot up to me, because I was the one who’d have to do the feeding and the laundry, etc. It was probably a little difficult for the kids to always have company, because that’s what it felt like for a while. But he gradually fit in really well. At first, he didn’t, but he related well to the younger children, and they really enjoyed it. We have lots of dear fond memories, and I feel like I was very blessed in many ways for that. It seemed like I had enough energy to do everything I needed to do. You know, that’s a lot of kids to take care of and a lot of laundry to do! I remember laundry being an issue because they played football and won state football one year. So, they all wanted their football shirts clean and didn’t want to lose them. They’d put labels in them, and in all their clothes and it was quite a deal to get that much laundry done. And to take care of all the younger kids too! We had six boys, and they weren’t just quiet little boys either. But they were GOOD! And, you know, if we had challenges, that’s another lesson I learned: That you really had to be thankful for problems and solve those problems when their young, in their early years, because it’s how you handle those kinds of things that makes them what they become later. Oh, if I had to go to the school to take care of a problem, ultimately, I was embarrassed. But I was happy to have the experience because that opens up the communication with your child, and it helps you understand what you need to work on. It wasn’t smooth all the time.
I hope I was a spiritual example because I loved to serve in the church as well. I had the opportunity to serve in many organizations of the church in many capacities. I saw all my boys receive their Eagle Scout Award. I feel like my opportunity to completely help and love and teach my children was what my role was, and what I wanted it to be. I hope I was a good wife along with that. You know it divides your time, but I never felt it was divided with worldly things. That’s where my place was, that’s what my role was. I was absolutely happy there. I never wished to do anything else. It’s what I wanted and what I did.
My proudest moment would have been our youngest daughter’s wedding, and she told EVERYBODY that they had to be there. She had sat outside for every other temple wedding, and she said, “You ALL have to be at MY wedding!” She was married in November, and everyone was there. To me that’s the most important thing – having my entire family together there in the Temple. All the kids and all their spouses were there. Probably we won’t achieve a moment like that again. That was a BIG deal, because we had kids spread out all over the country. But I have to say that’s the proudest day of my life; having our family all together in the Temple.
The funniest thing that every happened to me was when I made two pies for LeeRen on his birthday. I had Kira and Kirsten in the car with me taking them over. We had this car that stopped sometimes, and it died on the way over. So, I got out to do whatever I needed to do with the battery, and when I got out Kira had stuck one of the pies on the driver’s seat, because she got out too. So, when I got back in the car I sat on the pie! There I was with pie all over me. But there was a ditch there, so I got back out and washed myself off in the ditch! I still gave LeeRen pie. He definitely got the other pie, the good one, but I don’t think I gave him the one I sat in.
