March Madness

It's really happening--we are moving. I know, I know, you've heard that before. This time, the selling process is far enough along that I have finished the packing that I started two years ago. 

So the Gales are off on another adventure. 

This move marks one of those important junctures in life:

The Empty Nest

We are ever so happy that the baby of the family is going to BYU and he is ever so happy that he gets to launch into life right as we are uprooting again. He is planning to room with Sam in Provo this summer and then move into the dorms in the Fall.

Speaking of Sam, his release date is June 1st!

 Elder Gale will be coming home to a new home and ward. 

That new home and ward will be in Utah. Another interesting turn of events for the Gale Fam!

We realized that employment was going to require that Andy travel to serve on boards for various companies and the end result of the job he has is to sell the company and send him somewhere else. So we decided to set up a home base in a place where we can live the life we choose--having children and grandchildren around and in a place that is easier to travel to for those that are further out. 

My old joke about following Shane to college when he grew up is actually happening as well. 

Mama's retiring as teacher/administrator of the Gale Academy of Classical Education and going back to school. After shepherding the Gale kids through their upbringing and into college, it's time I followed through on all of my admonitions of the importance of education. 

I have already enjoyed for many years the career of my choice: Wife, Mom and Keeper of the Home. I have loved it and would not trade my years of loving, teaching and guiding our eight amazing kids for anything else. I feel very fulfilled and satisfied with the learning and growing and blessings and refining I received in this honorable endeavor. 

Now I am looking forward to being the student for a change of perspective and just for the pure love of learning. My Patriarchal blessing promises me that "knowledge of the arts and sciences shall come to you readily and you shall find success in fields of honorable endeavor." So I am going to do my part and see where that path leads. 

I have loved our time here and it was a tender mercy yesterday that I got to substitute in the Primary class of my Webelo scouts. I am such a fan of scouting and have loved being the Den Leader for the Webelos these past several months while we were in limbo. I had 10 of the most energetic, fun, smart, clever, cheerful, friendly, helpful (and sometimes courteous!) scouts you could ever hope to know. One of those scouts said to me "Sister Gale, I really liked the talk you gave today. I just really love to hear about Jesus straight from the scriptures." Another of those scouts gave the closing prayer and blessed that "Sister Gale and her family will be safe in their travels and that things will go well with their move." They have been telling me goodbye since our last Den Meeting and did so again after church. After a boy scout handshake, I told each of them I expect  great things from them and I want to hear that they got their Eagle. It warms my heart that they are sad that I am leaving--just not what I expected from ten year olds. 

With their faith and well-wishes, we will be just fine. 

A Semi-Annual Update

Well, how have you been? I've been caught up in the day-to-day of life. Moving, then not moving. Packing like a mad woman and then not packing like a mad woman. Enjoying new grandchildren--joy and rejoicing and all of the good stuff. Serving in my calling, feeling the love and partaking of the wisdom of amazing Relief Society women. Allowing for the mourning process of leaving this place I have come to love. I think I am an East Coaster somewhere deep down, even though I am born and bred of Pocatello, Idaho and parts thereabout. I have sent some sobbing prayers to heaven asking why I had to come to love the people and the history and beauty here and now I have to leave. But you know I also sent sobbing prayers to heaven when I had to leave Washington and then again California so I'm starting to get the idea that I am supposed to be learning something here. Perhaps that there are amazing people yet to meet and love and vistas ahead to appreciate and more history to be learned.

Luckily, I am an (annoying) optimist so I am looking on the bright side.

Which is a little easier with the bone-chilling arctic weather we have been 

enduring here as of late. 

California sunshine, here I come.

Eventually.

In the meantime, we have two offers on the house and we are just waiting for the paperwork and etc. to work their way through the various bureaucracies. We'll see which one comes out on top.

While we are waiting, I offer a pictorial timeline for your viewing pleasure:

I started taking pictures of the places I love around here so I can hold them

in my heart and see them in my picture file too.

This is the unique, historical building that is home to our

local paper: The Newtown Bee.

The bee on the roof and the bee on the door...just... too awesome.

Christmas came and went....Shane and I felt the need to have a

real tree this year. Christmas Spirit was in short supply with 

everyone spread out across the country.

 We brought home a beautiful, fresh tree and

the amazing pine smell was magical.

We spent actual Christmas in the Golden State. Here you see our

Christmas Eve dinner. Andy saved the day by finding a beautiful spot on the 

beach right next to this awesome diner. So we enjoyed our yummy

food as we watched the sun go down over the ocean.

A perfect California Christmas...

...was made even better with some family time talking with

our missionaries. Sister Gale serving in the Illinois, Chicago West Mission

and

Elder Gale serving in the California, Los Angeles Mission. We were able to get

everyone on our Google Hangout and I loved listening to the family banter and the

grandchildren chiming in. Sam gave us a sampling of his Spanish and they both

shared experiences and testimonies. 

A few days after Christmas, we got to see family and friends in our

old ward in Ramona, California. We were there for the very special

occasion of the Blessing of our precious Mabel.

Look how adorable she is in the dress her Mama wore.

We enjoyed our time there and the Horton family hosted us

for dinner and entertainment. 

They are always fun to hang out with.

A few weeks after Christmas,

I zipped down to North Carolina for some daughter/grandbaby time. 

I love that we get to be friends now. 

One of the many rewards of mothering awesome kids.

Cuteness Alert! 

Displaced

 My comfortable little world keeps shifting and I am doing my best to keep up. I am supposed to move to California. But my house hasn't sold so I am still in Connecticut. My last homeschooler started college classes this Fall and put me out of a job I have loved for the past decade or so. Shane growing up is also putting me out of the career that has required every last ounce of love, creativity, patience, energy, and gumption I could muster for the last 30 odd years: full-time mom.

So, what next?

A while back I went into New York City to attend a career workshop put on by the church. It was held in this LDS meetinghouse in the Chelsea area. A territory I was not familiar with. It is always an adventure finding my way around NYC and any new area tests my driving and navigating skills to the limits.

The workshop promised to "Make negatives into positives" among other things. I figured 30 years out of the regular work force might be a bit of a negative to overcome. And maybe my lack of a degree or any other serious training or skill. On my drive to the city I contemplated the irony that I had worked at Bradshaw Auto Parts and then  did house sitting/babysitting and then ran a daycare in our home while Andy earned his "Three Degrees of Glory" as I like to call them. Then I pushed and prodded and nagged and cheered and hammered out essays and faxed last minute transcripts and drove apathetic scholars to early morning ACT tests, not to mention the relentless determination required to get each child to early morning seminary with the required attendance for BYU--all in an effort to get our 8 children into college-- where so far they have earned or will earn their degrees of various sorts. You can add to that the recurring  panic I went through when I first started homeschooling as I contemplated how much responsibility I had taken on for the future success of our younger five children. At least once a month I felt overwhelmed by the dread that I might be ruining their lives. It was great motivation to keep The Gale Academy of Classical Education running at a pace to prepare our scholars for higher education. So somewhere in this I had a point...

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.

Or always a determined supporter, never a college graduate...

I have teased Shane for many years that I am going to follow him to college and finish my degree. He just rolls his eyes but I think it worries him a little that I might actually do that. 

I would like to, but I will have to find gainful employment before I can make that happen.

I did my best at the workshop to prepare my Power Statements and outline my skills and strengths. I was sitting amongst some pretty heavy hitters in the education and employment categories. A professional opera singer who had sung for operas in Sweden and Austria. She had since directed an award-winning choir and was looking for a position teaching voice and choir. An entrepreneur from India who had run a big successful business there. He had an engineering degree.  A woman from Spain who was struggling with English was a talented graphic designer. It was a supportive group and I learned a lot from them. The church has a great employment program and the people who were running the workshop had a very helpful understanding and perspective on the varied, unique circumstances of each participant. 

I was grateful to be among people who valued my chosen career up to that point. They guided me through the process of taking the skills and talents that had served me well as a mom and home educator and turning that experience into a resume. I was also grateful to see that my years of service  as Relief Society President, Stake Young Women Presidency and Girls Camp and Cub Scout volunteering were all considered proof that I was a productive and capable human being. 

It is a new phase of life for me and I am ready to jump in. 

As soon as the house sells. 

And we get moved to wherever we are going to live in California. 

And I get a job. 

Assorted and Sundry Goings On

Shayla finished up Spring term at the BYU and came home.

Her mission call finally caught up with her:

Illinois, Chicago West

Some cute grandbabies came for  the Fourth of July (see above)

(and below)

Shane had THREE Birthday Celebrations...

With the fam

the ward

and his friends--they had the cake late at night and I missed getting a picture,

so you will just have to take my word for it.

We went to Palmyra for the pageant.

Wow.

Loved it!

It's exhausting having that much fun with your family.

A nice stranger took this picture of me and Shayla in front of the Palmyra Temple.

The stained glass is exquisite.

Shayla had a birthday while we were there

We visited the sites around town. A dream come true for me.

 Since I was a little girl in Sunday School learning about church history,

 I wanted to visit all the special places where our history took place. 

Smith Family log home where they were living at the time of the First Vision:

The Sacred Grove

The hearth where the plates were hidden:

E.B. Grandin's Print shop--the first copies of the Book of Mormon were printed here:

Shayla had just taken a church history class at the Y so she was a

great traveling companion to have along:

  enthusiastic and informative. 

Sam and Shane were 15 and 17 year old boys--

but hopefully we made some memories

that will mean more to them later.

We are sewing, daily sewing.

Countless skirts of modest length.

Some of the mission prep going on around these parts:

And in conclusion. Our Sam earned himself a scholarship to the BYU.

All of his studiousness paid off.

He was to send a thank you note to the scholarship committee with a picture of himself.

This is the one Shayla picked out for him.

And there you have it. 

Gale Family madness is an ongoing phenomenon so I will keep you posted.

Full Disclosure- Part 2

When little Miriam was born, I got to spend two enjoyable weeks with Shanna and family. I was in Nana heaven with a fun little two year old and a sweet little newborn to love on. It was also so fun to spend the day with Shanna and, for a week of that time, Siara too. It's the great blessing of motherhood to get to the point where your children become your friends. We discussed matters great and small and swapped recipes and helpful hints. Sometimes we were reduced to giggling like little girls when something struck us especially funny. Siara cut our hair and styled it for us and we did our nails and tried each others' makeup. Luckily for Austin, he was at work for most of that time.

Seeing Shanna with her little ones, and reassuring her that she would figure out how to handle the doubling of her motherly responsibilities, reminded me of my promise of more "posts from the trenches"...


So here is another Day in the Life of Mama Gale, word for word, from my journal:

For this episode, I was the mother of six little darlins.
The baby in this entry is played by Shayla.
9-26-94 (Mon.)
"I ran errands this morning. Let me elaborate:
Scott had a science project to get to school--something involving one of my baking sheets, rocks, dirt, water and a hair dryer and a little flour. For snow-he explained. Seth was asleep and the baby was hungry. Andy took the van because there was plywood in the back. We have  a huge dumpster in the driveway because we are putting on a new roof, and it rained last night and there is roofing debris and supplies everywhere. SO I had to get the baby down our steep driveway without slipping on gravel or tripping over shingles in the rain. I got Scott and his masterpiece to school and then came home and dressed and fed Spencer, Seth and the baby and then went to the fabric store to get lace for Shanna's dress. Then we went to Target to get diapers and a pair of shoes for Seth. Something i can get on his feet without a prybar! When we got out of the car, Spencer shut the door and Seth wanted to do it. I had already locked it and just wanted to go in the store--Seth did not--he began to whimper, then blubber, then wail at the top of his lungs. I patiently led him toward the store and said 'You can close the door next time--it was Spencer's turn.' Once he gets worked up I just have to wait it out so we trooped through the store with Seth expressing his unhappiness very loudly. I tried shoes on his feet while he was sprawled on the floor kicking and bawling.Soon after that, he decided his life could go on  and cheered up. Then he wanted to point out every item in the store and say 'Mom! Look!' and then refuse to move on until I said, 'Yes. I see."

 When we got through that and back to the car I noticed it was low on gas. I still had to pick up Andy's dry cleaning so I stopped to get gas. When I flipped the lever to open the door to the gas cap, it opened--but when I let go, it shut--I could not get it to stay open. Finally I jammed my keys under the lever and leaped toward the little door to grab it before the keys slipped out. I got the boys food and drinks at McDonald's because I realized I wouldn't have time to fix lunch before my presidency meeting. We were pulling into the street when Spencer informed me he needed to go potty. If he brings up the fact that he needs to go--it is a lost cause--he doesn't mention it until he's close to disaster. I got a diaper from under the seat and had him sit on it--we could at least save Dad's leather seats. After I got the drycleaning and we were headed home, Seth said 'Oops'. I looked back and saw his orange drink tipped over in the space behind the arm rest--so we got Dad's leather seats after all.

We came home long enough to haul the baby up the driveway, change Spencer's clothes, change Seth's diaper, change the baby and re-dress her (spit-up) and nurse her and change my clothes (spit-up) and head out for YW presidency meeting. I hauled the baby back down the driveway and loaded them all into the car. I somehow managed to get through pres. mtg. with Shayla fussing, the boys wrestling and fighting over who could sit in Shayla's seat while I was holding her etc. The meeting got over in time for me to pick up the older kids from school. They all had to squeeze in--luckily Scott decided to walk home.

I'm teaching Joy School tomorrow."

The Hurrier I Go, The Behinder I Get

Sweet Little Trio of Girlies

Gentle Reader, I realize my blogging has been scarce as of late--it's just that we have been inundated with disasters and storms and family milestones and drives to New Jersey and grandchildren arriving from heaven in need of snuggles and cheek-smooshing and other grandchildren in need of story telling and song singing. Not to mention homeschooling decisions and early college admissions in addition to church callings and career considerations and so on and so forth. 

It's always something.

Winter storm Nemo brought us about two feet of snow.

The snow-plow driver destroyed our mailbox (again).

I beat the storm to New Jersey and waited it out there with our son and his family. They were going to bless new baby June that weekend but Pops and Uncles were snowed in in Connecticut. So that has been rescheduled. 

Perhaps for next Spring.

If the snow melts by then.

We caught the fringe of the storm in Jersey and got about four inches of snow.

So the girls bundled up to play in it. Bailey decided her Tinkerbell pjs were just the thing to keep her warm.

 Norah had done some avantgarde face painting with a dry erase marker. Her installation included the office carpet. She's kind of a free-range artist.

Ready to head out. Cinderella Barbie was part of the entourage.

Back indoors, the girls found many ways to entertain themselves and Nana. Here you see Norah in her cat costume jumping over a box (their Dad is doing some remodeling--like father, like son) riding a horse. Bailey's(imaginary) horses are named Lula and Scarlet. When one gets tired, she rides the other. 

Baby June-bug all dressed up for church. June is the most pleasant of baby companions. She is content and laid-back and only fusses when absolutely necessary.

 She is surrounded by love and she is thriving  in it.

The last day I was there, Bailey woke up and stretched and announced

 "Let's have  a Valentine's Party today Nana!"

So we did. She decided  the agenda:

Make Valentines

Decorate

Dance

Tell Stories

Have Treats

So we did.

A good time was had by all.

One day playing "School"

Norah: "Close your eyes and say the magic word."

Me: "What's the magic word?"

 Norah (whispering): "Kitchen."     

When it was Bailey's turn to be the teacher: 

Bailey: "You can call me Miss Bailey or Miss Gale. Or you can call me whatever you want."

Me: "Can I call you Silly Sue?"  

Bailey: "MISS Silly Sue!"     

That's about it for now from our neck of the woods. 

Life is good.

If you need a little enchantment in your life, remember the magic word.

Kitchen         

Fast Forward

I enjoyed some time last week with these two little darlins:

"My parents are going to find me a unicorn house." Bailey informed me when I told

her that Mom and Dad were looking for a new house in New Jersey.

We had fun at the park and enjoyed building a fort out of the couch cushions.

"Can you help me?" was the sweet request of little Norah many times a day.

And Nana was happy to help.

One night Norah couldn't get to sleep so I got her up and rocked her and sang "I am a Child of God" to her.

She laid her head on my shoulder and relaxed and then she said:

"Go bed now, Nana. I go bed now."

When I laid her down in her crib she rolled over and went to sleep.

Awww good times.

In the meantime, things have been snowballing on the homefront. 

We put our cabin on the market just to see if there would be any nibbles.

And it sold within the week.

I was hoping it would at least take as long as the California house to sell.

But no, that vixen of a cabin lured in buyers the minute they saw her alluring pictures on Craigslist.

The Pollyanna in me is trying to play the Glad Game and be happy about that but I'm not quite there yet.

Then, we FINALLY got an offer on the hacienda here in Cali. 

I had to do some long-distance paperwork but we got everything agreed upon and

now it looks like the waiting game is over.

We are in full packing mode.

Bring on the chaos.

And that means I will bid farewell to another garden.

To top it all off, my baby girl grew up and left home.

Shayla is off to Washington to have an adventure restoring her 1971 Nova with Grampa Gale.

Then from there to Provo to fulfill her BYU dreams.

She left me outnumbered--even the dog is a boy.

I don't remember giving her permission to grow up.

Unsettled

Once again the Gale Family is in a state of limbo. Waiting. Wondering. Our provider and protector is on the other side of the country while we hold down the fort here. Actually, we are trying to sell the fort here. Anyone looking for a nice family home in a warm, sunny locale? Palm trees swaying in the breeze right in the back yard? Surrounded by great people and minutes from beautiful beaches? Disneyland is less than two hours away. Is it snowing and cold where you are? Today it's  70 degrees, blue skies and warm sunshine here. Just in case you are looking to relocate.

I have been continuing to pack--I assume that we will eventually move. Our house feels a little barren and we keep saying-- "We'll do that when we get moved". It's a strange, detached dimension we live in. It happened to us last time there was a change in employment and I was hoping not to have that challenge ever again. It just might be  that my need for consistency means I need to be tested and tried--to be pushed out of that comfort zone. So I am forward, pressing forward while trying to maintain consistency in the things that matter most. Our ward is kindly still including us and the kids have plenty of activities to keep us busy.

And I decided to go ahead and plant the garden. I was feeling a little stingy last spring when I thought the house would sell by summer's end and I didn't want to do all of the sowing and not get any of the reaping. Selfish I know. So I am repenting and renewing. I am willing to "come what may and love it". It felt good to be out in the dirt. I pruned the pear tree and pulled weeds. Shane hauled some mulch for me and Gunner ran around and barked and chased off any and all intruders (insects, lizards and birds).

Each day is a gift wherever we are. I am soaking up the sunshine while I can. We can look back with gratitude and see the Lord's guiding hand in our lives up to this point and I have the surety of faith that we will sell the house and get on to the next thing all in good time. By the way the orange tree we planted when we first moved here died. The roots were devoured by ravenous moles. Being the cock-eyed optimist that I am, I yanked it out and planted a new one. I may not see my own harvest of oranges but I have certainly enjoyed the generous harvest of the good people here who have shared their oranges with us.

Resolution

It's a new year. And as I look back on the past year, it's kind of a blur. But there are some things that stand out. It was certainly a year of changes for this gal, her guy, the 8 kids--even the two cats. Last year at this time we were living in a cabin, down by the river--in the rainy Northwest. Now we are living in a house, up in the hills--in sunny California. Last year we were jobless, this year we aren't. Last year we were trying to convince our kids that they would somehow survive a move from everything they had known their entire lives. This year they can't imagine living anywhere else. Last year I was in mourning; thinking of leaving behind friends and a calling I loved. This year I am grateful for new friends (and for modern technology to keep in touch with old and new friends!) and loving both callings in my new ward. Last year we were looking ahead to Spencer going on a mission, this year he is in the MTC studying the Hmong language. Last year we were full of gratitude for the tender mercies we were shown through all of the challenges we were going through (and the toughest ones had nothing to do with our employment situation). This year we look back and see the hand of the Lord in our lives in ways we didn't even realize at the time. Last year I placed my trust in the Lord and this year I see how He directed my path. Yes, life is good.