Journey Memories

Today I was reminded of my many travels through life and the roads upon which I have traveled. With our recent move to Lincoln City, Oregon, I counted up ALL of the moves in my life and this one is number THIRTY! Oh my! So many boxes to pack and unpack! So many miles traveled in so many different cars. Each and every move brought trials, new friends, growth, joy and sometimes sorrow. As I reflect on the sum of all of our movei, my mind's eye has so many visions of the individual moves. I shall make an attempt to share some of them here.

When I graduated from High School in June of 1957, I had no idea where this road was going to take me. This was to be my first move away from the home of my youth -- Santa Monica, California. At the outset, I only knew that in Provo, Utah my quest was for education. My father was raised in an era where the belief that education for women was to be had only in a home as a wife and a mother. For a while, I was thinking that perhaps he was right. Maybe I should stay home and just find a job and a husband. In the end, he agreed, even though he really didn't understand why a girl needed to go to College. He did agree that I was bright and needed to broaden my horizons and so he consented to only one year at B.Y.U. I had a strong background in Mathamatics, but chose to pursue a Business Major, with an emphasis on learning to be a Secretary (which was an acceptable career for a woman in the 50's.)

If any of us had known that that particular journey would have brought the greatest joy I could imagine in my life, none of us would have hesitated to pursue it. The Lord works in interesting ways to bring about His plans for our lives, and so began the first leg of my newfound journey that took me to Provo, Utah at the young age of 17. It was there that I met my future Eternal Companion, Gerry Henderson, just 3 days after my 18th Birthday, September 30, 1957.

To be continued.....

Mother's Day Weekend

When I was a new, young (very young) mother, I was full of apprehension and moved forth every day hoping I could be 1/2 the mother that my own mother was. I wanted to make a difference in this world and raise the most wonderful children that ever walked on this planet earth. I wonder if every mother approaches motherhood with such thoughts?

Every year and every new child brought into my life some of the most enjoyable, frustrating, anxious moments I will ever experience. Some days I just wanted to run away from the awesome responsibilities that come wih motherhood. But those days were short-lived and replaced with days of wonder and joy just watching an exhausted child sleep without fears or cares in his/her bed at night. I would look at that wonderful face and see the answers all wrapped up in one small package to all of my daily questions of how or why or when?

The troubled times of raising small children are all behind me, but the care and concern never leave me. Today, my children "rise up and call me blessed!" Every Mother's Day I shed tears of joy because my children have grown up to be the most amazing men and women who have found their place in this world. They each live busy lives and still they find time to write or call and thank me for being their mom! What other job on this earth can give one such satisfaction? What other job on this earth pays you for the work you do with such priceless gifts?

Thank you, my children for following the teachings of your Heavenly Father. Thank you for listening so carefully to all that you have been taught and then acting upon those teachings. Thank you for giving my life so much joy and fulfilling the promises made to me before I ever stepped foot into this world of motherhood -- that "children would come to me who would be some of the leaders of this world!" I am truly blessed!

I spent a wonderful day and a half with Billy, who drove to our house from Redmond to spend Mother's Day with his "mommy!" It was such a joy to have him here and get outdoors on sunny days and just walk our beautiful beaches and talk about the years that are now gone, but never forgotten. He brought along his new little "friend," Anna. She is a sweet girl and Billy seems to be "smitten." Thank you, Billy, for making this old mother smile again.

And thank you, all of my children for all of your wonderful cards and Mother's Day rememberances. If you know me at all, you know that I will treasure each and every word, picture and gift for as long as I live upon this earth. You're the best!

The Mickelsons Join the World of Bloggers!

I never thought I would do it, but here I am joining my children and grandchildren with a blog site! We shall see how this grows through time and the incredible cyberspace!

I chose to title our site, "My Ongoing Journey" because that is just what I have discovered through the experiences of my life -- that all of life is just that -- an ongoing journey. And I am not alone! Each and every one of the billions and billions of humans on this planet has a story to tell and a journey to fulfill. I am but a speck in the middle of all of these "grains of sand" or "stars!"

My journey has had many ups and downs, forks in the road, mountains to climb and valleys to rest in and each new day brings a whole new experience from which to glean whatever it is one wishes to glean from it. Of late, I have chosen (yes chosen) to glean beauty in my life.

I hope future readers will enjoy whatever I have to write about and share with them. I shall begin ... soon!