"Wherefore,be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." D&C 64:33
Friday, February 29, 2008
Fabulous Friday's Forever Family Featuring...
I had it for a long time before I even figured out what wonderful information was on it! Not being able to read Italian I didn't even recognize her parents names for years and years. Rosaria Morlani was born in Terracina Italy on June 30 1865 to Vincenzo Morlani and Giacinta L'Aurora.
Rosaria immigrated to the US in 1919 where she reunited with her husband, Silviano Giannetti who arrived 6 years previously. They settled in Somerville, Massachusetts. Her traveling companion was her daughter Josephine Solferina who was 16 years old at the time. Her other two children Virginia, my grandmother, and John were already settled in Canada at this time.
I was able to get a copy of the ship manifest that she travel on from the National Archives. She came through Boston Harbor.
Below is a copy of a paper from her parish in Terracina. I believe it's in Latin, but I don't know what is says. I wrote to this parish several years ago to get information but never got a reply. Maybe it's time to try again.
Grandma Rosaria died before I was born, so I don't know much about her. She looks sad in her passport picture. She was fifty-four years old when it was taken, a little younger than my current age. But to me she looks much older. I wonder if she was happy coming to America. I think it would be easier to change countries for younger people. But she could be closer to her children so that was good. In the 1930 census she was living with her daughter Josephine's family. There were four little grandchildren running around!! Hopefully that made her smile!!!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Candy Dish or Cereal Bowl???
Aren't the colors beautiful on this bowl that Evan made a few weekends ago?? He went to the UCP Teen Club at Red Hot Pottery one Saturday a few weeks ago and made this lovely creation. Green and Blue are my favorite colors. So I love this bowl.
However, to Evan it is NOT, I repeat NOT a bowl!! It is a candy dish!! Don't those M&M's look beautiful in this bowl? I agree, they are beautiful, but they are evil M&M's full of sugar and tempting to me!! M&M's are not good for people who have diabetes!!
Now, doesn't this look better. It's just innocent Rice Krispies. Add a little orange juice, some toast and you have a very nice breakfast!! And, the best thing is, Evan would eat it in the morning and the beautiful bowl would be empty the rest of the day!!
However, Evan did not gift the bowl to me. He made it!! It's his!! And it can be whatever he wants it to be because he is an adult!! We have had this discussion several times this week. If you know Evan he is stubborn that way. Once his mind is set, it's set!! When he came home from power wheelchair soccer today and saw his bowl full of cereal he said, "MAAAAAAOOOOOM" . I love it when he says that!! He said the cereal looked "tacky" in the his colorful bowl!!
When I was young and didn't have diabetes, but my Dad did, I made chocolate chip cookies all the time. I put those cookies out and just expected him not to eat them because he knew it was bad for him. How rude was that, just to put that temptation in someone's face?? I think this is pay back time for me.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
FIFTY TWO BLESSING PROJECT, Week Eight
This week Lynne got me to pondering with this great post. She was wondering what her grandchildren would grow up to become. She asked the question, "What defines success?" And, whether we are a celebrity or a broom sweeper we are all children of Heavenly Father and He love us.
I like the simple things of life. Please don't give me anything that is gaudy or frilly. I don't want to be rich or win the lottery (my husband, however would like to give it a try, being rich that is, NOT playing the lottery). Just bring my family around me and I'm happy!! I don't want to be well known. I just want to do well the things I have been asked or required to do. I am who I am because of my wonderful ancestors. I believe they are a part of me. Many of my ancestors were poor peasant farmers. It's called "contadino" in Italian. How I love them!! They were humble, they knew that they had to rely on the Lord. Funny, but today in Stake Conference (twice a year meeting of many congregations together) they mentioned a study that shows that people that have many material things of the world are NOT as happy as those we don't!! That would be my ancestors! I'm sure they did not have much and it was hard to find even the necessities of life. I'm grateful for their faithfulness in living their Catholic religion to the best of their ability. I love my peasant heritage!!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Fabulous Friday's Forever Family Featuring...
San Felice Circeo, Latina, Lazio, Italy
About one hour south of Rome
Click to make larger.
There is another really cool thing about Italian records. You can tell if a parent was living at the time the record was registered. Notice it says "figlia di" before the parents name. That means daughter of, if they use "figlia fu" it means that the parent is deceased. So, that gives you a clue as to when those parents may have been living.
Angela and Giuseppi had at least seven children, Luigi, Emilio, Giovanni (who died as a baby), Natalino, Ascenza, Pio Celestino (my grandfather) and Maria Flaminia. Aren't those beautiful names?? I know that some of Angela's children came to the American continent and settled in Canada. I wonder how hard that would be to have your children leave you behind and go to another country. I'm sure she must have missed them terribly!! I'm always grateful for my ancestors who traveled far so I could be born Ameican. But, somehow I still feel sad for those who stayed in the "Old Country". At least we can be a forever family and one day I will ask her how she survived that heart break.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
I LOVE IT!!
Andrew, I love you!! Can't wait to see you again!! One more month!! Woo Hoo!!
A Prophet's Prayer
Monday, February 18, 2008
A MILESTONE DAY
The opening song played at our baptism was How Firm a Foundation. Guess what song was played yesterday in Sacrament meeting? Out of the three hundred and some songs that they can choose they played, How Firm a Foundation. Coincidence or not?? I don't believe so! I have had this firm foundation on which to build my life and that of my family. I hope to continue to do so for the rest of my life.
How Firm a Foundation
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
In ev’ry condition—in sickness, in health,
In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—
As thy days may demand, as thy days may demand,
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.
Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee, and sanctify to thee,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, thy dross to consume,
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
E’en down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when gray hair shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs shall they still, like lambs shall they still,
Like lambs shall they still in my bosom be borne.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!
Text: Attr. to Robert Keen, ca. 1787. Included in the first LDS hymnbook, 1835.
Music: Attr. to J. Ellis, ca. 1889
Sunday, February 17, 2008
FIFTY TWO BLESSING PROJECT, Week Seven
We have always been able to sit down and have dinner as a family. I'm grateful for that time together. Elder Dallin H. Oaks said in the October 2007 General Conference "The number of those who report that their "whole family usually eats dinner together" has declined 33 percent. This is most concerning because the time a family spends together "eating meals at home [is] the strongest predictor of children's academic achievement and psychological adjustment." Family mealtimes have also been shown to be a strong bulwark against children's smoking, drinking, or using drugs. There is inspired wisdom in this advice to parents: What your children really want for dinner is you."
Right now our family has a little bit of a challenge with my husband working a graveyard shift and leaving at 5 pm for the drive to work. But we still manage to have dinner together at least 6 days a week, it's a little early, but we do it nonetheless. This has definitely been a strength for our family.
Friday, February 15, 2008
I Did It!!
Today was "Guest Relations" day!! I actually took phone calls that came to the Church's Family and Church History Department. They were real life people with real life questions, not just training missionaries like myself!! Fortunately, my responsibility for the day was to transfer them to the right group. I didn't have to answer the questions. PHEW!! It was kind of slow, but I think I did well with the calls that came in. I had a missionary coach on the phone with me, so if I didn't know where to transfer the person, she could help. She was also online with me on Skype, so we chatted while we waited for phone calls to come in!! I will do Guest Relations again on Monday, then later next week we start learning how to answer questions!! Wow!!
Fabulous Friday's Forever Family Featuring...
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Valentines Day
Anyway, I rambled. Everyday he got a little surprise. Anything from a banana in his lunch with "I'm bananas over you" written with marker on it, to heart soap that said, "Be Mine", to fun little candies. He even got a little toy boat that said, "your my dream boat". I know, I know it's corny. But he really enjoyed it!! I used to leave him little notes in his lunchbox those first years we were married. But the kids came and we got busy and somehow those little surprises went the way side. So, it was fun to do that again. I hope I remember to give him more little surprises, this coming year, just for no reason whatsoever!!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Oh, To Be Famous!!
So, on the way out the store I ask Evan, "what's it like to be so famous?" "It's the best thing that ever happened to me!!!" Wow!! Who knew being famous could be so great!! I thought the best thing to happen to Evan was having a mom like me. But I guess being famous is better!!!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
One Hundredth Post - Temples
I love the Holy Temple! I love the peace that I feel inside. I love the Spirit that is there. I love that I can bind my family for all time and eternity in the temple!!
The Los Angeles California Temple is currently my temple!! I shared an experience that I had there in December on my blog. There is a special place in my heart for this Temple. My daughters and Katie and April were both married in this temple!! Many of my ancestors have had work done in their behalf at this Temple. Inside is a most beautiful staircase and chandelier!!
We took our family to the open house of the San Diego Temple in 1993. This is a totally gorgeous Temple. David and John married their beautiful brides in this Temple. John and Amy are currently Temple workers here. This Temple sits right beside a very busy freeway, yet it is peaceful inside. The Celestial room in this Temple reaches to heaven with beautiful stain glass windows.
The Mesa Arizona Temple was the setting for Rachel and Joey's wedding last summer. The pictures of this temple do not do it justice! Inside, the murals and writings over the doorways are lovely.
The Provo Temple is one of the busiest Temples in the world. We had the opportunity to attend this temple on one of our visits to David and family.
Katie lives in the Redlands Temple district. I was able to go to a sealing session here. It has beautiful stain glass windows
What can I say about the Salt Lake Temple? It is fantastic. Almost every time we travel to Utah we go to Temple Square. Mike and I did take the opportunity to attend a session here, once and had a wonderful experience. The sacrifice that went into building the edifice is amazing!!
One summer Katie and I took a drive just to attend this small Temple in Fresno, California!! It is beautiful and we had a great day together.
The Manti Temple is one of my favorites inside. I love how it sits on a hill and can be seen for miles.
Last Christmas we took same family names to the Mt Timpanogos and had a wonderful time in the sealing rooms.
The Orlando temple is where Richard and Laurel currently serve. Mike attend our nieces weddings here. We attend a session when we visited one summer.
The following Temple are ones that we have only been on the grounds, because we were just traveling through, or we had little ones with us. It amazes me the tranquil feeling on Temple grounds. Maybe someday we will make it inside.
The Sacramento Temple is California's newest Temple. It is surrounded by a grove of trees that used to be a campground. It is a very peaceful setting.
We were in San Antonio Texas soon after this Temples dedication. It is very beautiful.
I totally love the grounds of the Seattle WashingtonTemple. It makes me think of the Garden of Eden when I'm there. There is even a lovely secret garden and we saw the cutest little bunnies merrily hopping around. The Washington, DC Temple stands like a fairy tale castle off the busy freeways!!
The Snowflake Temple is surrounded by desert and a golf course!! The Temple Hill is very peaceful. I loved the waterfall.
We have passed the Saint George Utah Temple on travels many times and have enjoyed the Visitors Center. It stands as a beacon!! Maybe one day we will go inside!!
We used to live an hour from the Idaho Falls Temple, before we were members of the Church. It is on a beautiful setting next to the Snake River.
We have seen the Jordan River Temple many times on our travels. It's a fun temple to spot from the freeway.
The Las Vegas Temple was hard to find but worth it!! It sits far away from the hubbub of the strip!!
We have traveled to Nauvoo twice. Once before the new Temple was rebuilt and then again in 2005. The Temple here is amazing!! We attended the pageant in 2005. It was incredible. The Temple as the backdrop was awe inspiring. I'm so happy this grand Temple was rebuilt.
We were only able to briefly see the Palymra Temple. Someday I want to attend here!! The Sacred Grove is so close. This is the perfect place for a Temple. The place where it all began!!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
FIFTY TWO BLESSING PROJECT, Week Six
This week is all about I grew up in a home where I knew I was loved. I fell in love with a wonderful man. And amazingly, he loved me back!! We had children, whom I love dearly. I remember one day when my first born, David was about four months old. I sat back and watched my husband whom I loved dearly, play on the floor with this little baby, whom I loved dearly. It was so incredible that these people whom I loved the most loved each other. The love was almost tangible. Such a great feeling. The other thing I love to watch is how my children love each other. Admit it, I know you do!!! And then, there are the grandchildren! They are so fun and so easy to love!!
There is also a most special love. The love of my Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Their love is totally unconditional. I can feel their love when I look around at the world. I can feel their love when I find peace in my heart that I didn't think was there. I'm trying to show my love back to them, by loving their other children here on earth. Can you imagine not having anyone to love or not feeling anyone's love. I'm can't. I'm so grateful for all the love in my life.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Fabulous Friday's Forever Family Featuring...
Julien was born about 1630 in France. His parents names are unknown. He married Marie Langlois in 1657 in France. Julien Coutancineau was the first member of the Constantineau family to establish himself in New-France (Canada). He left Île de Ré, La Rochelle, France, in 1669, with his wife and children, , Marie, Michel, Pierre and Jeanne, and settled in Québec city, at rivière St-Charles. There they had three other children: Louis, Anne and Romaine. That is how my French-Canadian ancestry started. The name Coutancineau, was changed to Cottencineau, then Constantineau. Some other versions in the same family are Constantine, Constantino, Constant, Constine and my favorite Constantinople!! It sounds so royal!! I try to imagine life in the 16oo's and I can't. It must have been hard, but then they didn't know anything different. I would love to know how many descendants Julien has. I'm sure it's in the hundreds!! I'm proud to be one of them!!
How far back can you go on your family tree??
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Who Knew???
I have learned a lot this week as I train as an Area Support Missionary for Family and Church History. I still have a LOT more that I need to learn. But I though I would share some of the things that I enjoyed learning so far. Here goes!!
Who knew that proselyting missionaries wear their name tags on the left side and service missionaries wear theirs on the right???
Who knew there are over 700 Area Support missionaries serving world wide???
Who knew that area support missionaries use Skype to chat one with another?? If you want my Skype contact email me.
Who knew that there is an Area Authority who is assigned to help teach Stake Presidents and other church leaders about family history?
Who knew that The Family and Church History organization is divided into three divisions: information, products and support?
Who knew that the two divisions under support are: The Family History Library Division and The Worldwide Support Division?
Who knew I would be so excited to provide support under the Worldwide Support Division??
Who knew the World Support Division statement is: Always follow the Spirit to provide friendly, accurate, and timely assistance that empowers members to:
• | Identify their ancestors. |
• | Link their ancestors into families. |
• | Ensure that temple ordinances are performed for their ancestors. |
Who knew that providing area support is spiritual work??
Who knew this would be so incredibly life changing??
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Vultures
Sunday afternoon as I turned the corner coming home from church the first thing I notice is this huge bird in my neighbors yard!! Wow, there are vultures in the neighborhood!! This huge turkey vulture was feeding on something dead. At first I thought it was a cat, but it turned out to be an opossum. How a dead opossum got in my neighbors yard I haven't figured out yet!! I was intrigued . This bird is very ugly, in my humble opinion!! And it's eating a dead animal..gross in my opinion. But, then again, I also felt like it had a purpose , it was doing what nature wants it to do.
So I have done some research. There is actually a non-profit organization, The Turkey Vulture Society...who knew???? It's purpose is too: "promote scientific study of the life habits and needs of the Turkey Vulture, to protect the vulture and its habitat, and to inform the public of the valuable and essential services this bird provides to us and to the environment."
Wow, the things you learn on the internet. The most amazing fact I found out about the turkey vulture is that it's droppings are a sanitizer!! It has so much uric acid it kills bacteria. Sometimes nature is just weird!! Anyway, I don't think I'm going to try to attract turkey vultures to my yard!!! Would you???
Sunday, February 3, 2008
52 BLESSING PROJECT, Week Five
"One of the most troublesome aspects of our temple activity is that as we get more and more temples scattered across the earth there is duplication of effort in proxy work. People in various nations simultaneously work on the same family lines and come up with the same names. They do not know that those in other areas are doing the same thing. We, therefore, have been engaged for some time in a very difficult undertaking. To avoid such duplication, the solution lies in complex computer technology. Preliminary indications are that it will work, and if this is so, it will be a truly remarkable thing with worldwide implications."
This week I recieved my call to service as a part time, at home, Church service missionary. I will be serving in "Worldwide Support" under the Family and Church History Mission. Worldwide Support!! Isn't that incredible!! When I talked to my Missionary Leader Elder Martinez this week that is one of the things he stressed to me. We are serving people worldwide. That can only be done with modern technology.
On Friday I had the privilege to attend a "new missionary orientation phone conference meeting". I have never done anything like that before. I went to a specific web page, called a phone number and you see and hear everything along with other new missionaries. People from all over the country. We learned how to access the Church's online training. I was so impressed with everything on there. The Church has an amazing intranet system. I will be in training for two months, then I will use the technology to help people with Family Search, the New Family Search, and with PAF (Personal Ancestral File) programs. I'm extremely excited. I'm so grateful to be a very small part of this program inspired by a Prophet using modern technology!!!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Fabulous Friday's Forever Family Featuring...
Mike was the third son born to Gayle and Viola. A severe case of eczema as a youngster almost cost him his life when it became infected. Fortunately, he survived after many prayers from his mom.
We actually attended the same high school and were in the same Senior Literature class. He was however one of those brainy kids, and me....well, I was not!! We never even talked to each other in high school, but met at our all night graduation party at Disneyland. Mike graduated in the top ten of our class. At the time he was tired of school, and tired of living in the smoggy Los Angeles area. He packed up his bags and got a new set of problems by joining the Navy for six years.
We wrote lots of letters while he was in the service. We still have boxes filled with letters. I told my kids they can't read them until we have passed on. I mean it, you guys!! Anyway, we fell in love writing letters and we would date when he come home on leave. We got married three years into his Navy stint!! This year will be our 35th wedding anniversary.
Mike received nuclear power training in the Navy. He has a great job today because of that training even though he never went to college. One day when Mike was serving on the nuclear power submarine the USS Halibut. I came home from my job and was shocked to find Mike home with both hands bandaged. There was accident on the boat that created a fireball, a man caught fire and Mike helped to put out the fire with his own bare hands. He saved his life!! He received a special commendation. I was married to a true hero!!
After Mike's first experience out to sea I was surprised when he come home and said he was ready to start a family!! One thing he had noticed was the men who had families were the happiest! I could not have asked for a better father for our children.
Here are some of the qualities I appreciate in my husband. He has a great sense of humor, (but please don't encourage him). When the kids were little he would make up wonderful stories to tell them. We called them "Daddy Long Stories", they would go and on and on and sometimes put me and the kids to sleep!! He is honest and faithful. He has a great capacity for unconditional love. When I was going through breast cancer he was totally wonderful! I can't imagine myself married to anyone else. I love you, Mike!!