Thursday, August 14, 2025
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Caregiving
Sharing:
“To My Caregivers, My Children”
—You didn’t sign up for this.
Not for the slow unraveling of the parent you once knew,
not for the days that feel like watching me
fade in real time.
You didn’t sign up for the tremor in my hands,
the halting of my words,
the way I sometimes stare at the wall
because my mind has slipped somewhere you can’t follow.
You didn’t sign up for the smell of medicine on my breath,
for changing my clothes when I cannot,
for the endless cycle of pills, appointments,
and tears I try to hide.
And yet… here you are.
Not turning away.
Not running from the parts of this that are ugly,
or heavy,
or unbearably slow.
You see me—
not just the shell of me,
but the one who taught you to walk,
who stayed up in the night when you were sick,
who loved you before you even had a name.
And now,
you love me in the most unglamorous,
unphotographed way—
with hands that lift me,
with patience that holds me together,
with a steady presence that says,
“I will not leave.”
I know it’s hard to watch me
die by inches.
It’s hard to see me slip away
and still come back tomorrow,
ready to help me take another slow step.
But please know this—
every touch, every small mercy you give me
is not lost.
It is written in the deepest part of me.
And if I could,
I would gather it all into words
and tell you how much it means
that my last chapters
are being written in your hands.
Thank you—
for carrying me
through the part of life no one dreams about.
For showing me
that love doesn’t end
when the body begins to fade.
Jess visits Traci, Ryan, Rayna Zou in China
While on her Taiwan KU Mandarin language program, Jess toured Eastern China for 8 days and met with Traci Zou in Shanghai. Traci lived in OP KS for 4 years and joined the LDS church.
BYU “Basement of love” torn down
1009 N University is no more!!!!
For 4 years, Brad & I lived here while attending BYU!!
Demolished today
Monday, August 11, 2025
Friday, August 8, 2025
Happy birthday, Catherine!
We picked up Catherine and headed to a neighbor’s swimming pool for a quick Happy birthday celebration!! It rained a bit, but that made it even more special!!
These littles love the magic of Wonderscope!!
Saturday, August 2, 2025
OP 1 reunion
Bev Laudie, Christal Forred, Jonna White, Billie Platt, Me
Patty, Daryl Ward:Joe & Christal Forred
Jonna White, Elizabeth Petree, Bev Laudie, Me, Patty Ward, Christal Forred
