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Mission Farewell Talk - Soon Scott and I will be gone for six months living, working and teaching on Holy Ground. I am grateful that we will be in a Holy Place. I know the faith of those who have gone before me will help sustain me. I pray for the spirit of the Lord to be with all of us as I try to describe the things of my heart. In Philippians 4:13 it says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” What does it mean to me that I can do all things through Christ? How does that look in my life? When I feel what I need to do or am asked to do requires God’s grace to make it possible, I turn to God for help. Anxiety is a reminder that I need Him, I need to Hear Him. Anxiety means I care about the outcome enough to turn to Him. It helps me remember Him. As it says in Ether 12:27,”And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” When have I leaned into God’s grace? The time in my life when I asked for God’s grace most consistently was as a seminary teacher. That is when I daily exercised the actions of 2 Nephi 32:9 and learned firsthand about the grace of God. It says, ”But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.” While I was teaching seminary I would leave my class full of the spirit because “win, lose or draw” as a teacher in class, I was always blessed with the spirit as a gift for doing my best and because I had asked for it to bless my students as well as myself. I learned early on that going straight home to prepare the next day’s lesson would allow that gift of the spirit to stay with me longer. In hindsight, I recognize that maybe it took me a little longer than most to prepare the next day’s lesson not because I was struggling, but because I loved having the spirit teach me. That spirit allowed my home to become a holy place. I wanted more of that in my life. Where we are serving our mission in Wyoming is considered by many to be a holy place because of the things that have taken place there. It is holy because of the sacrifices the pioneers made in faith to obey the prophet to gather to Zion and it is holy because of the charity and sacrifices of those who came from SLC to rescue the pioneers who became stranded due to an early winter storm as they traveled with handcarts to SLC. I remember my parents teaching me what it meant to be on Holy Ground. The most consistent time was each Sunday as we attended church. As a child it meant dressing differently when I entered the Chapel. I know they hoped my dress would help me behave differently, feel differently, and be a better version of myself. Then, I could learn how the Chapel feels differently because it is a holy place. The temple is a Holy place and ever since the first time I went to the temple I could feel that I was on Holy Ground. I could see the majesty of God there. I could see Order and Beauty. I could feel Peace. I have felt God’s Love and presence as I have visited the temple. These experiences have helped me understand how I feel on Holy Ground. My father’s grandmother, Annie Jones was 9 when her family left Wales to join the saints in Salt Lake City. I often refer to her when I tell about my connection to Martin’s Cove and the experiences of the pioneers there, but today I would like to mention her father, Elias Jones. After all, he is the reason she came. Elias joined the church in Wales in 1849 at the age of 40. He owned a grocery store and part of a Coal Mine. Elias had a large family with his wife Mary, but she passed away shortly after the birth of their youngest child in 1854. Mary’s younger sister who was a recent widow and mother of one came to help Elias with his family and they married in January 1856. They wanted to gather with the Saints. They sold the mine and their belongings, prepared their family, which consisted of 9 children ranging from 18 to 2 and left Wales in April 1856. They took a boat to Boston. They took a train to Iowa. They spent the summer building handcarts for other saints to cross the plains. They joined the Hunt Wagon Company which followed the Martin Handcart company late in the summer of 1856. They traveled with 8 Oxen, 2 cows, 2 wagons, a horse and buggy, and everything they needed to get to Salt Lake City and to establish a home there comfortably. For them everything went well for the first few weeks. Then the early winter storm came on October 19th. Imagine the weight of responsibility that hits a father of 9 when he has taken his children out on a trek across an unknown country and you’re over 300 miles away from your destination. The snow is so deep you have no choice but to stop traveling. You need to be safe as you move forward. You need to help others who are in a far worse predicament because they have their families out in the same conditions with only a handcart and far less provisions and food. When the snow was trampled and the road made for the wagons the snow along the side was above the tops of the wagons. I am sure the faith that brought them to this point was the faith that got them through it. In early October Brigham Young called for rescuers in general conference and 50 men started their travels East to meet and help the pioneers on trail. So, Yes, there was a heroic effort by rescuers who came from SLC. Yes, the rescuers charity offered the pioneers comfort and care. They were needed and appreciated. The snowy conditions didn’t just disappear. They traveled slowly to Salt Lake City in snowy conditions with the last of the pioneers and rescuers arriving by December 15th. Elias and his family didn’t have as many hardships as those who were traveling in the handcart companies, but he did make sacrifices to obey the prophet and gather with the saints to establish Zion. Elias left his mother of 81 behind in Wales. He lost his infant daughter, Hannah, along the way and she was buried in Ohio. He spent his summer building handcarts for other families. His cows were stolen along the trek. He helped to bury those from the handcart companies who didn’t survive the trek. He trampled snow to prepare the road for the wagons which badly froze his feet. He left behind their possessions at Martin’s Cove so they could help transport members of the handcart company. They were promised they could return to retrieve their belongings later, but many of their precious things were stolen. He came to SLC to find the home he had purchased before leaving Wales didn’t exist. That is a whole lot of sacrifice, but his Faith in Jesus Christ and his desire to obey a prophet of God sustained him through it. After arriving in SLC he rented a home in SLC that winter. He and his wife were able to go to the Endowment House (for temple covenants and ordinances) that Spring. The next fall they moved to Spanish Fork, Utah where he established a new life and raised his family for the next 11 years until he died in 1867 at the age of 58. So, What does it mean that I can do all things in Christ? It means when I am confronted with a task or assignment that is beyond myself, I know I can turn to Him and with faith request His grace, His assistance. President Hinckley said it best when he said,” “Get on your knees and ask for the blessings of the Lord; then stand on your feet and do what you are asked to do.” Scott and I will be gone for six months living, working and teaching on Holy Ground. I am grateful that we will be in a Holy Place. I know the faith of those who have gone before me will help sustain me. I am grateful for my ancestors who brought our family to America, who chose to join the church and set the example for me of Faith, Obedience, Sacrifice and Charity. If you find yourself passing through the beautiful state of Wyoming this summer, you should stop by and see this Holy Place for yourself. Consider this your personal invitation. You can pull a handcart to Martin’s Cove. You can watch the Sweetwater River snake across the land. You can see how Devil’s Gate and Split Rock Mountain can be seen in the distance and would be used as landmarks to guide the pioneers as they traveled. You can come and say Hello to your favorite people who will be there this summer. It will be a good time for sure. I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the direction it gives me. It has brought me to this point and I know it will continue to guide my path in life. My efforts to Follow Christ and Come Unto Him help me be a better person. I am just a little intimidated to be the one wearing the name of Christ on a missionary nametag, but that is where faith comes in, right? I know that there is a God who loves each of us. He is there every time we will turn to Him. He sent His Son to be our Savior. It is through Faith in Jesus Christ that all things are possible. I am grateful for this knowledge. I have faith in Jesus Christ and it helps me to believe that I can do hard things.

It is only July but I need to file as a school board candidate.
Here is my candidate statement:

I was first elected to serve on the Etiwanda School Board in 1997. I appreciate the opportunity to serve you and your children. My experience on the board has taught me to set goals, direct policy, prioritize, evaluate results, and appreciate how our district works.

In addition to my Bachelor of Arts from CSUSB, my teaching experience at FUSD, and my volunteering and service in Etiwanda, I have completed courses in Educational Facility Planning and Funding through UCR and the California School Board Association’s Masters in Governance.
I believe in:
a strong foundation in reading, writing and arithmetic
targeting the specific needs and learning styles of all students
fiscal responsibility
a safe environment and sense of community for both employees and students.
a partnership between the schools and families of our district

I seek to communicate the high expectations of the Etiwanda School District in a clear and supportive manner. I will work hard toward the common goal of student achievement and success. 

Keep the course that has made Etiwanda School District what it is today.
I support the district motto of Excellence in Education.
Vote for Brynna Cadman

This year has been very good for Etiwanda School District. They have been recognized for all of their dedicated hard work. Etiwanda School District has a great partnership between the skilled educators and the families in our district. It makes for a winning combination and our students benefit.

My DNA Results

What do you do when your son wants to go skydiving for his birthday?
You join him.

Christmas 2016

Our family keeps growing

Hashimotos with a Plan

So, I finally had my appointment with a doctor I will try before I go on medication. She is a Chiropractor that practices in Sherman Oaks California. She does things very differently than Scott. She is very nutritionally based. So, I will start there and see where this journey takes me.
My first visit was on Feb. 23, 2011.
Here is a list of things I am to do to help myself.
1. Suggest thyroid antibodies testing for my relatives.
2. Avoid the microwave. (Take it out of the kitchen and use toaster oven to reheat things.)
3. Only eat raw chocolate. No heated, factory made chocolate. I can look at whole foods for sunfood raw cacao powder. I can't boil hot chocolate.
4. Stop taking all supplements except the ones she will give me.
5. Google raw recipes to find ways to eat the food I have.
5. Measure and drink 32 oz of water first thing when I wake up.
6. Measure and drink 2 more quarts before I have any dinner.
7. Avoid soda.
8. Lay flat 9 hours a day. Preferably sleeping, but if I can't sleep then read a book. 9 pm bedtime.
9. My diet should be 80 % raw.
10. No flax oil, but I can grind up flax in a coffee grinder and sprinkle on foods if I want.
11. 20 tablets of Super E-P-A. and 3 tablets of Beso after dinner.
12. Use cell phone rarely. Texting OK, but keep it away from my thyroid.
13. Purchase home test kit for the TSH test. They have it online.

Hashimoto's Hypothyroiditis

So, I went to the doctor to find out why my body randomly gets hives and swells. I say randomly because I couldn't make it happen even trying to test out things for allergic reactions. It didn't follow a set cycle and it didn't hit me when I was totally stressed. We did the entire allergy test on my back and then he called for a blood test too. He was good and checked for a bunch of stuff. Well, I am allergic to things that didn't surprise me like dust mites and a little to cats. I am also allergic to weed, grass, and a little to garlic. Never really noticed the garlic before so that surprises me.
Well, after talking to me and seeing the allergy test on my back he asked about thyroid problems in my family. Ha! Well, both my sisters and my mom all have thyroid problems and are on medication. That wasn't a good sign, I guess.
The day I went back to see the blood results he was telling me every test was looking good. Cholesterol good, etc. Then he looked at the thyroid which was just a little low. But the other tests show that my TSH is 38.6 and should be less than 5 and my Thyroid Peroxidase is 121 and it should be < 60. Yipes! So, Those levels are extremely high trying to make sure the thyroid produces enough because the thyroid isn't working. I am not happy. I am not happy at all about that.

A problem that requires lifelong medication to feel normal was not in my life plan.

So, what am I going to do? I will torture myself as I self experiment with diet for a while to see how good I can get it with healthy eating and supplements. Now that I know the truth so many things are making sense to me.

I know why I lost my drive to get up early and get that early morning workout done. I know why when I think of the best things to do it usually entails sitting or laying around. It doesn't mean playing frisbee or being active in any way.

The best part is I know why that muffin top just won't go away. The worst part is that there is no real hope for the muffin top to go away ever. Working hard is OK with me and always has been. Working hard and having zero results - that is just depressing.

My daughter's daughter

My daughters daughter.

I am a grandmother now. Wow. It was an amazing thing to watch my daughter give birth. Cami is amazing. She was calm and in control. She was so prepared to give birth that when I got there only about an hour before the birth I could not tell by looking at her at what stage or how hard labor was for her. I was thinking it might be a long while before she had this baby. When the nurse midwife came in and measured her though she was at 9 cm. A nurse stayed with her the entire time after that and they hooked her up to the fetal heart monitor. Only one time they both came in and seemed to be a little insistent about that. I guess because Cami was laying on her side the monitor wasn’t getting a consistent reading. They were telling us in pretty polite terms that they weren’t ok with the way things were going. So, to let them know we weren’t trying to be difficult, I asked “what do you need?” And all they needed was for Cami to roll a little more toward her back. She did and they started to monitor the baby and seemed happy about it.
The Nurse midwife, Cheryl, was getting all the delivery things ready. Cami started pushing with the contractions. To me it seemed at first a pretty long process to get the baby engaged into the birth canal. Then, I watched Carli crown and the head didn’t recede any more into the birth canal but stayed put. Finally the nurse midwife told Cami to keep it coming and that cued Cami into pushing more to get Carli out until she was told not to push so they could check the cord. (No cord around the neck.) Moments later she was born, sniffed,and placed on Cami’s belly so she could rub her all up and down and make her turn from the blue to pink. 6 pounds and 12 ounces. 8:36 am and 19 inches long. She is so tiny. I never had a baby so little. She looks like a Strasser. She has the cute little chin and lips and her ears are little and flat against her head.
After she was born and pinked up the nurse took her and they put her under the light to warm her up. I was surprised at how they didn’t clean her up very well, but still didn’t really let Cami hold her. That was probably because Cami was stitched up. I am very skeptical about Cami needing stitches. Carli was so cone headed and I never saw anything that looked like it would cause tearing. The nurse midwife said it wasn’t bad, but bad enough to need a few stitches. I hope she didn’t do it just to get a few more dollars out of the event. Even after the stitches they made Cami wait a bit to hold Carli saying she needed to get warm first and wrapped her up in three blankets before giving her to Cami. I was surprised that they didn’t sniff out more fluids from her when they took her from Cami.

Jordan Lee Rob...

September 1990 - J...

By

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2007 Yearbook by Brynna Cadman | BOOK INFO

What is Heaven?

What is heaven?

I glimpsed heaven today.
We wake up our children @ 5:20 AM to say prayers and read scriptures.
School just started and we are on morning 4 of our plan. Just long enough to be feeling the effects of less sleep and the stress of new deadlines.
So, what is heaven?
Heaven is a family full of individuals who have hearts knit together. A unity of purpose that is beyond our own. A unity in our desire to live as our Heavenly Father knows we should. It is showing our Faith in Jesus Christ thorough our actions. Today this action is the simple act of getting up at an early hour and reverently kneeling for Family Prayer.
Heaven is a mother waking up her children and before she can finish brushing her teeth seeing them all kneeling and waiting for her to join them.
Heaven is knowing they are willing to Follow God’s plan.
Heaven is knowing they all care as much as I do.
Heaven is appreciating their actions that lead to a peaceful morning.
Heaven is the peace we feel because of our obedience.
Heaven is feeling united in such a good purpose.
Heaven is being blessed with the added spirit that comes from our actions.
Heaven is believing we are here because of so many years of doing the same thing.
Heaven is seeing the work when they were young has paid off.
Heaven is being a family.


I believe the world could create heaven if everyone would be as willing to Follow God’s Plan .
I believe the world could create heaven if everyone would care as much.
I believe the world could create heaven if everyone would be united in such a good purpose.
I believe the world could create heaven if everyone would be blessed with the added spirit that comes from good actions
I believe the world could create heaven if everyone would choose peace through obedience
I believe the world could create heaven if everyone believed we could get there after many years of doing the simple things.
I believe the world could create heaven if everyone would appreciate actions that lead to a peaceful morning
Heaven is being a family

8/31/2006

Jordan, Levi and Mark -Clean up Crew

Steve and Kathryn Roberts Family April 18, 2009

unexpected, unthought of happened

I would have never thought of it. I couldn't have expected it. I am really happy that my friend Rosemary took a family picture of my sister's family at the wedding BBQ in my backyard. It is their last family picture which will include their youngest son Jordan.

So, on April 18, 2009 my whole family gets together to celebrate Cami's wedding and we take the family picture and on July 3, 2009 we are all together again only this time it is to bury my 18 year old nephew Jordan. I still find it hard to believe and it still makes me sad.

I like to think of it as a series of wrong turns and bad choices which led him to believe that he was in a trapped situation. Because of that situation, he thought it would be best for him to take his life. That thought right there shows his youth and inexperience. Nothing he did was bad enough to make that choice the best choice. Now, he doesn't get the chance to find that out and family members and friends are not able to help him.

I was so happy once again to see my family come together. It feels good to know that when it matters we will be there for each other. Even though in so many ways there wasn't anything we could do to ease the pain, we were there and each were willing to do whatever was needed to help the days go smoothly.

Cami's wedding

WOW! Cami is married and I loved her wedding. It was perfect. The best part --- family and friends who show they are there for you. Especially when it seems they are going way above and beyond what could even be asked. So, I have to say I have the best people in my life ever. I am very blessed.
Just one moment to send Kudos to the Banks' kids. I sent out the email newsletter asking for RSVPs and requests for help and they were where they needed to be to help us have the day run smoothly. It was such a relief. Today I appreciate my family more than ever before in my life. They really can come together and be a great support. Even though we are large in numbers because they each did their part it was all good. It was fun to have them together all day long. They even came to my house after and after unloading we raided the food and visited some more.
The Strassers put on a big bbq for our family. Good food. Way too much to be sure. And if it wasn't for the Kirtley family I don't think we would've even been able to start a half an hour late according to my plan. The food was so delicious and that was a good thing because I didn't eat anything at the reception. Then, when I came home from setting up the reception, the backyard was all taken down too. That was a big help and relief and I don't even know who to thank for that.
My brothers wives, Clare, Tina, and Jean along with Stacy and Kelle and Les Plotner (oh - and Nancy Murphy and Rosemary Kirkland) helped me set up the reception. The breeze was a little strong and blew over a centerpiece, made us tape down tablecloths and toppers, and made it so the flower seed packets couldn't be scattered on the tables, but it sure felt nice on an otherwise very warm day.
Sharon Dalton did the hard work. She provided all the flowers. She took care of the food and the food table and the drinks table. I totally loved the flowers. I mean totally LOVED the flowers. They were so bright and cheerful. They made everyone look happier and more beautiful.
Karen Long made a gorgeous cake according to Cami's specifications. --- just simple and white. Mindy Long made baskets to have them on different heights. I can't believe I didn't get a piece of cake. She did all this on her own birthday. She is amazing. I have frozen the top layer. I hope I did it right enough that it is good to eat for Cami and Justin later. I"m not sure about that tradition.
Talking about breaking traditions - well not breaking them, but we definitely picked and chose from them. We did the cake feeding thing - for the photo op. We did the bouquet toss and garter toss - which was so much fun. I'm so glad we did that. Cami didn't seem to feel the need to keep up with what anyone else thought and that was so nice. Who says weddings have to be formal dress up affairs? I loved the picnic. I think they did a good job of seeing their guests even without a line. Probably better than I did. Near the end I think a bunch of people came that I never had a chance to say hello to. It was a whirlwind. I was distracted by trying to see that everything was going OK and wanting to say hello and visit and knowing there wasn't much time for any one. (do the math - 120 minutes in a 2 hour reception --- 120 guests - each guest gets 1 minute) Crazy.
I loved seeing Cami with her bridesmaids. I thought she did a great job choosing friends who have meant the most to her in her life. Each for different reasons and at different times and all such good friends. Kudos to Brittany and Suzette who had to make a quick weekend trip the weekend before finals. Now that is being a good friend. Plus, all the bridesmaids had the cutest dresses - each their own style and bright and beautiful and together with Cami they were picture perfect. I loved it.
Did i mention that Mark, Ray and Glenn set up all the chairs for the reception by themselves? They were dropped off at the church inside the church and they had to take them out to the field and set them up. They did and because they did that in the morning we didn't need to later when it was warmer and we were on a tighter time schedule. That was a big help.
Karen and Glenn came from Houston. I was so glad they came. We were able to have my whole family (siblings) there because they came.
Kenny's family came from Moreno Valley. Both his kids and their families came. Ken brought his camera and was the unofficial family photographer for our family. I can't wait to see his pictures. They always turn out really nice.
Bryce's family came from St. George, Utah. They stayed at my house and made it like a big slumber party - not even complaining about their sleeping arrangements. Lia helped out big time by watching the kids while we were at the temple Saturday morning.
Jay and Jean came from Orange, CA. They brought WaWa who seems to entertain the kids and took care of him so he didn't cause any problems. It was all good.
Kathryn and Steve had their whole family come. They were a huge help at the end when everyone else was tired. Steve's truck was very helpful as we brought tables back into the church.
Brittany and Nathan Christensen watched the sign in table and gifts. That was huge because the table wasn't in the shade. Then, in the end they and the Freestones helped load up the gifts into Justin and Cami's truck. It is so nice to have people jump right in and help where they see a need and not need to be asked.
So, once again, I went to see Cami off and it took a long time because of loading the gifts and fixing the car and when I came back to the reception site the whole thing was taken down. I have no idea who all helped with that, but it was taken down quickly and that was sooo nice.
Rosemary Kirkland, Stacy Heath, and Lisa Kirtley were all taking pictures where I didn't have a professional photographer. I often like those best. Capturing moments as they happen.
I can't leave out Scott, Levi, Zac and Mark. They set up the lattices, tables and sound system. Zac worked all week- doing something each day to help us be ready. We had a huge to do list and I think by Saturday it was finally complete. Then, they helped take it all down too.
It was fun to see the boys be happy for their sister.
It was fun to see Cami and Justin sooooo very happy.
I was happy.
I am happy.
I am blessed.

Pre wedding stuff!

I don't have time for this right now and i will have less time later so I decided to just post a happy picture to show I am happy with all the busy, happy things happening right now.

Excerpts from the Proclamation on the family

A few pictures of my Family