My Boys

 

David Lafaele, Eric Lafaele, Ta'ei Lafaele, Etimani Lafaele, Nathan Schwalger, A'ana Lafaele - 2010

 

Ta'ei Lafaele, Eric Lafaele, David Lafaele - 2006

 Ta'ei, Eric & David
Mom's Funeral
December 2000







I came across this somewhere on the internet.   I tried to find the author.  I thought it had some pretty good ideas.  I would probably add a few more to it, but it pretty well covers it. 

I used to think I was a good mother, until they grew up and there are days when I really question whether I am or not.  I guess we all go through life, just trying to do the best we can, and I can honestly say, I did the best I could. 

20 Things a Mother Should Tell Her Son

1. You will set the tone for the sexual relationship, so don't take something away from her that you can't give back.

2. Play a sport.  It will teach you how to win honorably, lose gracefully, respect authority, work with others, manage your time and stay out of trouble.   And maybe even throw or catch.

3. Use careful aim when you pee.  Somebody's got to clean that up, you know.

4. Save money when you're young because you're going to need it some day.  

5. Allow me to introduce you to the dishwasher, oven, washing machine, iron, vacuum, mop and broom.  Now please go use them.

6. Pray and be a spiritual leader.

7. Don't ever be a bully and don't ever start a fight, but if some idiot clocks you, please defend yourself.

8. Your knowledge and education is something that nobody can take away from you.

9. Treat women kindly.  Forever is a long time to live alone and it's even longer to live with somebody who hates your guts.

10. Take pride in your appearance.

11. Be strong and tender at the same time.

12. A woman can do everything that you can do.  This includes her having a successful career and you changing diapers at 3 A.M.  Mutual respect is the key to a good relationship.

13. "Yes ma'am" and "yes sir" still go a long way.

14. The reason that they're called "private parts" is because they're "private".  Please do not scratch them in public.

15. Peer pressure is a scary thing.  Be a good leader and others will follow.

16. Bringing her flowers for no reason is always a good idea.

17. Be patriotic.

18. Potty humor isn't the only thing that's humorous. 

19. Please choose your spouse wisely.  My daughter-in-law will be the gatekeeper for me spending time with you and my grandchildren.

20. Remember to call your mother because I might be missing you.

 

States

As I lay in bed last night and thought about my day yesterday.  I’ve decided I have a sickness.  I must be OCD – obsessive, compulsive, disorder.  I was looking on Pinterest and came across a couple of vintage posters for different states.  I then couldn’t help myself, but I started creating boards for every state and looking for different items for each state.  Such as: maps, vintage postcards, flags and of course, places of interest.  I have now worked my way across the country and I’m finishing up on the east coast.  It has also helped satisfy my need to collect things.  I have little collections here and there that collect dust.  I have my salt and pepper shakers from all over.  I have my Christmas bells that I get out once in a while and of course I have my regular junk that I’m sure I’m going to need some day!

I’ve decided as I’ve been doing this that it has a positive side.  I’ve had mulling around in my mind for years all kinds of ideas about books, traveling etc.  What this has done has allowed me to organize my mind and put some kind of order in it.  I’ve also done a board on People of the World.  I became fascinated about this thinking that we’re all God’s children and I wanted to see the differences and of course, recognize the similarities.  This board has given me a greater insight to the world.

So if you look at my Pinterest you’ll at least know it has a purpose, a purpose for me, and there are some interesting pictures there.  I might try to find the vintage posters made, I’m guessing in the ‘40’s, of the girls in the skimpy suits advertising their state.  (another collection)

Memories

 Front Porch

LM Peery, Grandma Peery, Donna Ann Peery, Mom, Keith Peery, Dad, Me on Dad's lap

As we were driving home from Dave’s last night, I rolled down my window.  All of a sudden a flood of memories hit me.  It felt like summer in Springlake, and I had a longing for home that was so intense.  I let my mind wander and I could see myself as a little girl riding a bike that was much too big for me, around and around in the drive way.  Later I saw myself ride that same bike down to the Springlake Store where I could buy penny candy.  It was always fun to ride downhill by the lake and turn where the water ran out of the lake and down into the fields.  There were always large shade trees by the Deuel’s house that would give me a break from the heat.  I saw myself riding that bike down to the church in the evening where we would all meet and play red-light, green-light, until Rowena Knapp would come out and tell us it was time to go home.  Many times we could play flash light tag a little while longer.  We always had so much fun.

As I strolled down memory lane, in my mind with the soft warm breeze blowing through the window, I saw myself as a young teenage girl mowing the front lawn in hopes that some of the boys would come by and visit.  Usually one did.  I can see myself sitting on the front steps and talking.  I had many good talks there, sometimes with Mom, sometimes with Dad, but usually with friends.  I see myself lying on a blanket in the back reading a book.  Those books would take me to faraway places and show me the adventures that the characters would have.  On those hot summer nights, I can see myself walking down the road, as I would get to the top of the hill, and start down, I could feel the cool air from the lake and hear the frogs and crickets.  Many times I would lay in my bed, always with the windows open because we had no air conditioning and listen to the frogs and crickets.  To this day, the sound of a cricket reminds me of home.

As I continued on my walk down memory lane, I remember so many times in the summer going to change the water with Lee.  I remember the many rides we would take, whether up the canyon or just around town.  I always loved the lot summer air and the breeze in my face.  When I graduated from High School and left Springlake, really never to go back permanently, I can remember how excited I was to get away from home.  Now as I get older,  my yearnings for warmth and love that I equate with Springlake sweep over me and create such a feeling of melancholy I have to shake myself.  I realize my life is wonderful now, but I did have a memorable childhood.

Pace Maker

Doris and I hiking in Capital Reef.

I was asked by a friend to write my experience about my pace maker down.  I decided to publish it.  Maybe it can help someone. 

In 2006 – 2007, I had been having hard time breathing.  I went to an internist who said all I needed to do was lose weight, and that I had acid reflux, which was partly true.  She gave me medication for that.  Then in the spring of 2007, we went with Greg and Doris to Capital Reef and decided to do a mild hike.  I could only go a little ways because I was having such hard time breathing.  I was also extremely tired.  I thought that a lot of this was because I had bad hips.  So when we came back, I went to a different doctor.  He suggested I go and get my stomach scoped.  I went to a gastroenterologist and the nurse prepped me, and as he was doing this, he tested my heart rate.  It was 39.  My frustration was that neither of the other doctors had caught this. 

I went back to the GP and he referred me to “Heart of Dixie.”  I went there and they did a stress test on me, and I suppose they did some kind of x-ray.  Anyway, they found out that the bottom two chambers of my heart were not working.  In November of 2007, I went into the hospital and they put me under a local anesthetic and put my pace maker in.  The room was interesting.  I could see the big screen that showed them what they were doing.  The doctor looked at it as he worked the wires into my heart.  It took maybe 30-45 minutes.  As they were doing it, I started to come to and so they had to put me under more.  I remember saying, “I can feel you.”

I spent one night in the hospital.  After that I felt much better.  I had more energy.  I was still having trouble breathing, but didn’t think anything of it.  Finally this past spring, five years later, I mentioned it to the heart doctor and they gave me bistolic.  I can now breathe much easier.  I go into the doctor every six months to have my pacer checked.  They put an instrument around my neck that on the end has a small piece of equipment that is about the size of a mini donut.  It is hooked up to some computer and it checks my heart rate.  They can increase the pacer or slow it down.  It also tells them how much battery life is left so that they’ll know when they’ll need to go in and change the battery.  They stated that usually the batteries have to be changed every ten years.  But because I am so dependent on my pace maker, I’ll probably have to go in more often.  It has been five years and they told me the last time I went in that this would probably last another year and a half.  So we’ll see how they do that when the time comes.  

I have worried about having a pace maker put in, because I wondered if it would shorten my life.  However, my neighbor’s mother had one and she just died at age 94.  I believe that my life has been prolonged because of the pace maker, but it has taken me a while to get this through my head. 

Apology

Karla Peery                                           Ann Cowan

                                              Susan Peery

As I was sitting in church on Sunday, we sang a song that suddenly brought a wave of guilt over me.  We were singing “Truth Reflects Upon Our Senses.”  I remembered when I was about ten years old, maybe third or fourth grade, there seemed to be contention between the three girls my age in Springlake.  Of course, when living in a small farming community and there only being three girls my age, there was bound to be trouble.  Any time there is three, watch out!  One will always be left out.  Of course, there was myself, Karla, my cousin, and Ann Cowan.  You can imagine that just by family ties, Ann was left out.  Our Primary leaders recognized it, and so they decided that the three of us would sing a song in Sacrament Meeting.  Guess which one?

        Once I said unto another,

        “In thine eye there is a mote;

        If thou art a friend, a brother,

Hold and let me pull it out

        But I could not see if fairly,

        For my sight was very dim,

        When I came to search more clearly,

        In mine eye there was a beam.”

       

                                Eliza R. Snow

I suppose this was to help us see the error of our ways.  I don’t know that it did, because, as with all childhood relationships, it was up and down.  Ann moved away a few years later, and I think about her now and wonder how her life has turned out.  If I could see her and sit down and talk to her, I would apologize for anything that I might have done to hurt her feelings.  

“Let us oft speak kinds words to each other.”