Dear family and dear friends, 31
March 2024
Happy Easter! What has
lifted your step with your march into March?
February ended for us with a wonderful visit from a brother from Washington
and his wife, caring for and nurturing family members close by. 
We also enjoyed watching a grandson encourage
the rhythm with percussion in his junior high band and charm our neighborhood
with his Mozart’s Rondo a la Turka, which carries whispers of melodic streams
from a daughter, his mother at a similar time in her life.
It is gratifying to see his next younger sister join the jam,
working to perfect the hymn, “I Stand All Amazed” and “He is Risen” organ-style
on their keyboard. Little brother is learning “Bring the World His Truth” and
youngest sister, “America, the Beautiful.”
Other beloved students shared talents, playing Pachelbel’s Canon in D,
and “If you’re Happy and You Know it” at our neighborhood talent show, all a
miracle as we recovered from the flurry of activity a few days earlier.
How it started: Saturday
March 9th, a neighbor of my mother called announcing a flood in the
basement of Mom’s home due to a washing machine connection disintegrating at
its head. A kind neighbor cleaned up the
problem, and replaced the connections. Laurene
drove to two hardware stores searching replacements for an apparently leaking drain
hose. 
Monday, after researching to learn
of zero replacement drain hoses for Mom’s washer, we researched new
washers. Four thousand dollars, and any
new one would not fit the closet, after all was said and done. “What if we simply try the washer to see if
the hose works?” mechanical engineer Val suggested. Try, we did.
Work, it did. Now, to fit the
present machine back into the closet. No
problem! Never fear, invincible daughter
is here! Back against the wall, legs
pressed into the machine, it budged. The
closet door closed!! Only, on the
umpteenth try of working to get that extra smidgeon of an inch, I thought I
heard something release in my back and felt instantly weak.
“Do you want to get
it checked out?” daughter from Georgia inquired. Maybe. Only I don’t want to move, for maybe a
month! In the night, after wrestling tax
preparation I decided yes, a visit to urgent care, to ascertain no imminent,
irreversible injury, I would go. And do.
Only the next morning, 3.12.24, was a very special day. For months, to commemorate the 12th
birthday of a lovely granddaughter, we had looked forward to a morning
appointment to perform baptisms for deceased family members at the Bountiful
temple. When Val approached the bed asking
what day it was, I reminded him of the appointment. He dressed. I think we need to go to the hospital,
he said. Yes! After we go to the temple!
On the way to Kristen’s to pick up the children, Val asked where Kristen lived. He did not recognize the way to her house. “What does her husband do for a living?” When we arrived at Kristen’s, I roused this nurse son in law from sleep and invited Zach to talk to Val. "Kristen, would you be willing to drive Val to the hospital? I have an appointment with the Lord and my grandchildren!" Yes, and yes. In the proceeding conversation, Val’s answers reflected confusion. Val did not know the date. He did not remember the name of the President of the United States, although he did know how he felt about him.
While the children and I felt joy and peace and the beauty of being dressed in white, in holy places, Val was dressed in green and underwent extensive testing in the hospital emergency room, after an MRI, CT scan and more tests we found out Val had suffered an acute ischemic attack (a minor stroke.)
A highly trained neurologist released him the next day without restrictions, using the words "no residual deficits." We consider this a miracle and a wake-up up call (even though Val has meticulously chosen a healthful diet after watching his father and uncle and grandfather undergo heart attacks and quadruple bypass surgeries.) Because Val loves researching health, he located a John Hopkins article detailing how to avoid a reoccurrence. He is searching for references, ideas, principles of healthy practices. We encourage all family and friends to learn, to pay attention, to ask questions. If you have a feeling that you need to find more information, now may be the right time.
Another miracle: after two weeks of challenging back discomfort, a physical therapist explained that my Sacro ischial joint was misaligned. She helped put it back so that my left leg is NO longer, longer than the right! My pain is lessened. Perspective much brighter. God is good. Life is better. Isn't life interesting when things begin to line up properly?
Thank you for
your efforts in helping to do that daily for yourselves and others!
He lives!
Love, Laurene and Val
