Susan's obituary

You go can right here to read about Susan's life. 

We will miss our Susan.

Our precious Susan, my Dad's wife, quietly slipped away into the next life, on Christmas Eve morning. 

We will dearly miss her!

Susan's Memorial Service

Jan 5th, Saturday

11am

Fowler and Tollhouse 

And this happened at the post office last week

My sweet friend had a sacred experience at her post office last week, and she wrote this poem that very day. 

It is too good not to share. And she said I could. 

Reaching Out, Reaching Up

©2018 Susan Noyes Anderson

The week before Christmas, I wait at the post office,

mailing one last precious thing.

The line isn’t quite out the door, but it’s close,

and our holiday mood’s taken wing.

With senders disgruntled, and workers the same,

there’s a spirit of dissatisfaction.

A young mom, with toddler and baby in tow,

offers me a much-needed distraction.

Such a cute little girl, such a sweet little guy,

and they’re hangin’ in pretty darn well.

But after a while their endurance breaks down,

and the toddler commences to yell.

She is not a small girl, but her mom picks her up,

calms her down, and hands baby a treat.

I smile and she smiles back, a meeting of minds.

(That mother-to-mother thing’s neat.)

I mind my own business, but keep glancing over.

It’s clear that the outlook is bleak.

Her daughter now screaming, the mom’s on the floor…

and her smile looks progressively weak. 

When her turn finally comes, Mama jumps to her feet

with more vigor than I can believe.

She has 20 packages she needs to mail,

and she’s still there when I go to leave.

I walk by her window; she’s back on the floor

as the worker weighs, measures, and labels.

It’s clear that my urge to go home should give way

to a need that transcends my timetables.

I stoop down beside her and ask, “Can I help?”

She seems startled, then looks in my eyes.

She blushes, then pauses, then blurts, “Do you mean it?”

her desperate voice hard to disguise.

“Sure do,” I reply, and she grants me the grace

of accepting my offer with trust.

“Could you find the wallet in that diaper bag?”

I admit, I was somewhat nonplussed.

But I dug through the bag, found the wallet at last,

and was told where the credit card lay.

I handed it to her, but she didn’t take it,

just asked me to use it and pay.

I did as she said, so she stayed on the floor

with her little girl, now fast asleep.

When the payment was finished, her son caught my eye

with a sweet grin that warmed me, heart-deep.

He drop-kicked his Cheerios, signaling me

to retrieve them with all of his charms. 

My memory flew to another young boy

and those days he was safe in my arms.

It all came together: the mother, her children,

my Todd, and the families he’d served.

It was like he was with me, and I was his hands.

For a moment, I felt quite unnerved.

But as I said goodbye, I was happy and grateful,

strong feelings that moved me to tears…

I had sensed Todd beside me, and we were a team,

spreading Christmas cheer from our own spheres.

Mine was just a small favor, but it brought such joy.

I could see in her eyes what it meant.

Best of all, I don’t think she was very far off

when she called what was done “heaven-sent.”

You see, Todd was a helper; it nurtured his soul.

Every job that he held had that purpose.

From counseling parents to placing the homeless

to medical school…he sought service. 

This one act of kindness showed me a new way

to connect with my son, without fail.

As I reach out to others, our hands will be joined,

showing love from both sides of the veil.

Daisy Part 2

I asked Tyler and Karen how they are adjusting so far to Baby Daisy, and how their first visit together went. 

Tyler's reply:

And knowing Leo as I do, 
I know he is very serious about that introduction. 

And Karen added this:

And this. Tyler is the leader of the young men in his ward at church. His bishop sent him this little clip the day after Daisy was born...

(although we can not make out for sure what they are saying after Congratulations.)

But how very thoughtful!
Congratulations from the church youth group from Jill Shelley on Vimeo.

Daisy has arrived! Part 1

It was a very exciting night last night. But before I get to that, I want to start with Monday evening because this all ties together. 

We were visiting our very lovable 90 year old friend Neva in a care center. Not sure she wanted her picture taken so I just got this one of the little tree by her bed...

Her grandson last week had hoyer lifted her into her wheelchair 

and drove her to Dollar World 

so she could buy some decor for her door. 

It's the little things, you know.

I proceeded to tell Neva that 

we are expecting a grand baby any day now.

She asked what her name will be.

When I said, "Daisy" she right away started singing, 

"Daisy, Daisy, Give me your answer do

I'm so crazy, all for the love of you...."

Soon Dennis was singing too. 

He knew all the words, and then I thought, ohmygosh, so do I.

I had not thought of that song in years!

Then I remembered, my Mom use to sing this around the house while she was cleaning. I have it locked in my brain because of her. 

And now all these years later, the song comes to surface, 

waiting for our little Daisy to be born. 

So the following night, l learned Daisy was on her way! 

I took my phone to bed with me about 9pm (something I never do) and got to share the labor/delivery journey with them through texts, pictures, videos and even FaceTime.

She arrived at 11:31 PM (Idaho time) on 12-18-18

6 lbs, 7 oz

19 1/2 inches

And here she is! 

Today the siblings got to meet her for the first time.

This picture has love written all over it. 

I have more to share about welcoming Daisy, 

so I'll be back later...  

An odd combination of updates

1. We are on baby watch around here. Karen is dilated to a 4 and has been for days. I jump every time the phone rings, which is so not me. 

2. Last night walking around Savemart with Dennis, I suddenly saw this new ice cream flavor, and felt sick. Really, pancake flavored ice cream? This actually appeals to someone?

3. Den still has what it takes....
Even the man at the shooting range said, "The old guy still has it!"  

4. McKenna says McKay and Annie look like twins here...

5. Just a little FYI that's interesting...

6. And this is pretty much perfect...

Thinking about my Mom today

This was written on Saturday, December 8th.

The only birthday party I ever remember my Mom talking about, was the one she had on Dec 7, 1941 when she turned 12.

(actually she turned 12 the next day, Dec 8th)

I grabbed this from my Mom's writings....

My favorite line in all of that above,

"After this, major changes took place in our lives, 

some good and some bad. It was years later before 

we knew which was which." 

This morning as I first turned on my computer I noticed that Facebook sent me an alert about one of my "friends," 

Boyd Willden, also having a birthday today. 

Boyd Willden was the missionary who baptized 

my Dad into our church in 1955. 

I hadn't realized he shared a birthday with Mom.

So I went right to his page to wish him Happy Birthday, 

and noticed he passed away about 3 weeks ago!

A little searching and I found THIS LINK to his obituary.

Then the day was rounded off by a text 

that my niece Natalie sent to her Dad:

Sounds like Natalie had a Grandma Gaynor kind of day.

Right down to the bell pepper!

We sure all miss her. I think of her everyday.

Truth be told, several times everyday.

If I could say one thing to her, it would be "THANK YOU." 

I did not tell her that enough while she was alive.

Here's where the Rozier and Bush families intersect

Well, just barely, but still interesting enough to mention.

President George and Barbara Bush lived for a short time in Bakersfield, Ca in 1949. Along with 3 year old George W. 

2101 Monterey Street

 
My Mom was born in Bakersfield in 1929, but moved from there to Fresno, before 1949. Their homes were just 2 miles apart.
So their paths didn't exactly cross.

However.....

I have a cousin in North Carolina that I recently found (actually he found me through my blog.) His name is William Rozier, and he's the grandson of my Grandpa Romeo's brother William. 

Yesterday my cousin William sent me a clip of himself nearly 40 years ago, in a commercial with George HW Bush. 

The video clip is interesting all these years later, even if you don't want to see my cousin.

Go to This Link

Then select "George HW Bush for President" thumbnail 
Right about 3:29 you will see a Real Estate Agent in a red coat. That's my cousin William Rozier. 

The house was actually a listing of Rozier Realty, the firm William's Mom, Marian Glidden Rozier, founded. 

Christmas 1983

The year was 1983.

Brock was 6, and Logan 4. 

My sister Robin had brought over a sort of heavy Christmas gift for them and put it under our tree days before Christmas. They were SO excited about that gift. I remember them touching it, talking about it. 

Finally Christmas came and they got to open Aunt Robin's gift. 

Now before you see their reaction, keep in mind that it truly was a great present and I was very pleased with it, and I know they used it A LOT. 

But sometimes kids don't appreciate the best gifts right away.