Thoughts on Gramma Goddard's Birthday

Have you ever thought about it ~ if you died tomorrow, who would come to your funeral? What would that say about the life you have lived? I think I realized how beloved my Gramma Goddard, mama's mother, was at her funeral in May of 1981.

Just a few weeks before Byron's Grandmother Siddons had died. She was Esther's mother and had lived a closed, seemingly angry life. She seemed so unhappy and was never pleased with anything or any one. Even the little ones couldn't bring a smile out of her! At the funeral home there were just a few people; mostly there as friends of the Robinson family. No church services or a pastor who knew her. Even her sister and husband had traveled from the Midwest because it "was the proper thing to do." Very impersonal and sad, a lot like the life she had lived. We hosted a lunch at a Mexican restaurant for the few attendees. The best memory my girls had of that day: Aunt Jane and her husband had never ate Mexican food and wouldn't even try the chips and salsa!

On the other hand, the church was packed to capacity for Gramma Goddard's funeral! Friends and family had traveled from near and far to say goodbye to this dear lady! There were songs and stories, tears and laughter, and lots of love shared! People kept bringing platter after platter of good things to the church hall to feed all the people gathered.

I remember thinking how different one was from the other - and knew I wanted to live a life that would leave the same warm and loving legacy as Gramma Goddard.

Mary Siddons had a lot of material things in her life. Not exactly "rich", but very nice clothes, jewelry and even a fur or two. China and silver and fancy furniture and always a nice home. Married to the owner of a car dealership, she always has a new car. Only one daughter, but seven grandchildren and many great grandchildren. But she never seemed to connect to her family. There were no fun loving memories nor times or stories...

Mary Goddard, on the other hand, lived a pioneer life with very little material things. Her family members were the original settlers of Southern Utah and they made do with whatever was on hand. She married a bit later in life and raised her four surviving children in a two-room house that had originally been a railroad shack. There was no indoor plumbing and a big iron stove for cooking and heating. Clothes and home goods were made on a treadle sewing machine. Food was home grown and home canned. Lots of grandchildren and great grand children. And each one knew how much they were loved and all the family stories! Lots of shared fun.

I think the big difference in Mary Goddard's life was the love that was shared and the strong faith they held! Gramma Goddard would have been 112 on February 22, 2011. She always loved that she shared a birthday with President Lincoln, and they had both come from humble beginnings! She even giggled when the President Day weekend idea was created, "just for her."

The picture above is one of my favorites! Gramma Goddard is sitting on the couch with Grampa Frank. They're holding my cousins Jimmy and Bruce Munford and Elaine Goddard. I'm sitting front center with my sister Mary and brother Denny. And that bright loving smile is what I remember most about her! Lots and lots of happy memories!

So I hope I'm living a life that will leave the same loving thoughts and memories for my friends and family. And I hope there's standing room only at the church on the day of my funeral...

All About Valentine's Day

The Legend of St. Valentine’s Day
St. Valentine’s Day is a celebration that dates back to the 2nd Century in honor of a priest named Valentinus in Rome. The Roman Empire was forcing the enlistment of young men to fight in their newly conquered territories. Single men were sent directly the front battle lines. Many marriages were taking place in the hopes of preventing this. The Emperor ordered that all marriages were banned!
Valentinus protested this edict, saying that the people and the Church should be able to continue with the holy bonds of matrimony. For supporting the banned lovers, the Roman authorities ordered him imprisoned. According to legend, Valentinus, while in jail befriended his jailer’s blind daughter and miraculously restored her sight. Before he died, he sent the girl a note signed, “from your Valentine.” The execution occurred on February 14, 270. People were shocked and after his death, thousands of mourners tossed small gifts and letters of love into the prison yard in memory of his life and his devotion to love.


When the Church elevated Valentinus to Sainthood, February 15 was already the pagan feast of Luperccalia. This was a raucous celebration where a young Roman man chose a “mate” for the holiday by drawing her name from a box. The Church replaced this bawdy pagan feast with St. Valentine’s Day, a holiday for friends and lovers to exchange tokens and notes of affection.
Although today most people send paper or e-mail Valentines, there have been many other ways to express sentiment on St. Valentine’s Day. Victorian jewelry sent secret messages with stones set into a pin or bracelet. The stones were arranged by the first letter of the gem’s name. Thus, a line of ruby, emerald, garnet, ruby, diamond and sapphire spelled “regards.” A piece a jewelry shaped like a snake with its tail in its mouth meant “eternal love.” A heart shaped locket holding the giver’s hair expressed true love.


There were also many superstitions connected to St. Valentine’s Day activities in centuries past. If a girl pinned a bay leaf to her pillow or ate the white of a hard-boiled egg before sleep, her true love would appear in her dreams. Your lover would arrive soon after visiting a graveyard on St. Valentine’s Eve. Running around a church and singing a special song would also guarantee that your heart’s desire would come into your life.


Other early customs are also no longer a part of our celebrations. In the days before postal service, a Valentine note was attached to an apple or orange and tossed through an eligible girl’s window. In some parts of England, groups of children went door to door “Valentining”; singing love songs in the fashion of Christmas carols. But today, most of us send a Valentine card. In America, this custom started with hand-made cards in the 18th century and continued with commercial cards that were first introduced by Esther Howland of Worcester, Ma. in 1847

However you choose to celebrate, its interesting to know the history and customs behind St. Valentine’s Day!
Wishing you a Happy St. Valentine’s Day with all my Love!

Thinking of Dogs

Don't know why, but for the past few days I've been thinking about family dogs that have passed. Guess I've been watching more Animal Planet lately...
Anyway, most of episodes have an evaluation of a dog's social skills before their adoption. I was reminded of my old Shadow dog:

Funny, I've looked and can't locate any pictures of him, but he was a big ol' lovable mix of black lab and ???. He was already a senior boy when we met and his teeth were very ground down in the front. The foster people said he had probably been left alone in a yard and chewed on rocks out of boredom.

We met at an adoption clinic at a PetSmart. The people in charge were trying to match me with a very rambunctious collie mix. I have stability issues and that wasn't happening! I was drawn to Shadow's pen because he looked so calm and intelligent. So I asked if I could take him out for a trial. You are encouraged to walk around the store with the dog and see if you bond. He was very happy to be out the pen and responded to my commands very well.
He was tugging at my heart and I was seriously considering him as a new family member, when an incident just around the corner settled the issue for both of us! We started down another isle and suddenly a young girl about 8 or 9 appeared. She obviously had Down's Syndrome and was very happy! She saw Shadow, dropped to the floor directly in his face, grabbed both of his ears and shouted, "Doggie!"
Now remember, I didn't know this dog at all! I had no idea if he was familiar with or liked children! (And that was a consideration for me as our granddaughters were both little ones.) I had visions of a bite to the face or worse; I was even thinking, "Well, he's not mine and I'm not responsible, and..."
Shadow immediately sat down and looked up at me for a response. When I said, "Okay," he reached out his big ol' tongue and gave her a kiss! The little girl giggled with glee and they visited for a few minutes until her mommy caught up with her. She apologized if her daughter had been "bothering us." I told her she actually had made it final that Shadow was going home with me! I didn't really explain (didn't want mommy to have a heart attack) but I knew this was MY dog!
Shadow lived with us for quite a few years and was a sweet addition to our family! He loved Amanda, protected Emily and loved to travel. He enjoyed the pool and would come to the steps and help me gain my feet to exit. The girls at the Starbucks shop loved him and would fill a cup with whipped cream just for Shadow whenever we came by. We made his last years comfortable and he gave us all the love and loyalty he had.

It's true, dogs really do leave pawprints on your heart! Miss you, Shadow!
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥