November 18, 1999

Thursday, November 18, 1999, around this time, my sister, Renate Ann, passed away due to breat cancer. Even after10 years, it is VERY hard and I miss Renate and her family very much! At the age of 42, she left six children behind. I still ask the question, why? Why, if families are so important, was it in the plan that she was to pass away? Why were six children left motherless? Why? And don't tell me she was needed more in Heaven, cuz her children certainly needed her and need her even now! Why did Heavenly Father not answer our prayers and spare her life a little longer? Why did Heavenly Father say, "No" to us? Why did we feel peace that everything would be okay thinking that Renate would overcome this awful Breast Cancer? I would have rather had the feeling that she would pass away or a feeling she would go and not this cal ing feeling that we all felt. What was Heavenly Fahter's plan in taking Renate and leaving six children alone? One day I hope we will come to know and understand why Heavenly Father took Renate from us, especially from her children!

Happy Birthday to Me from Me One Last Time!

So tonight, we celebrated my birthday one last time with the Jackson Family! Danny got sicker as the day went on and decided he'd better stay home. Scott drove up from Provo, and it is always fun to have him join us. We all met at Iggy's Sports Grill and had a fun time eating a visiting and watching the Utes and then the Jazz games (notice Grandpa Jackson watching the TV screen as we are trying to take the picture)! Some of the waiters and waitresses at Iggy's sang to me and brought me a Hot Fudge Sundae that we all shared - I did eat the mar chino cherry (the fun purple sweater & turtleneck are what Dave and Lisa gave me for my birthday). I bought a Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake again for our dessert. Bruce and Dave were really good in cutting the cake for 11 people. Somehow we had two pieces leftover! I now have dessert for tomorrow.

Thank you to all for making my birthday so grand this year! It was a great week of birthday celebrations!

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Travis, Rachel, Me and Bruce!

Dave, Lisa, Bruce, me, Rachel and Travis. See the beautiful tulips and flowers!

Danny was to have had dinner with us. He decided to work downstairs a little more before dinner and cut himself. 3 stitches later he came back and rejoined us!

Bruce asked me where I wanted to go to dinner for my birthday. I told him I thought going to The Cheesecake Factory for lunch on Saturday was my "birthday dinner." So Bruce decided to make me dinner for my birthday! I love it when Bruce cooks! I think he is a better cook than I! Anyway, Rachel called me to wish me a "Happy Birthday" after school and I told her all the things that happened during the day. I told her that "Dad was going to make me dinner for me tonight" and that I was quite excited. I knew it had to do with cooked shrimp. When I got home, Bruce said that Danny was working downstairs and that he invited him for dinner too, which was okay with me. Dave, Bruce's brother called, and we invited Dave and Lisa over too. After the phone call, Bruce showed me all the food that he bought, which I thought was unusual. Lisa called to see if we were sure and do we have enough food and Bruce assured her we did. We were sitting and visiting with Danny and Bruce was in no hurry to start dinner, which was also unusual! All the sudden our door opens and Rachel and Travis walk in with the video going, surprising me!!!! I was shocked! I screamed! And everything else! What a surpise!! What a grand surprise!

Rachel said that Travis had come up this fabulous idea to join us for dinner for my birthday. Rachel had called Bruce, who loved the idea. At first it wasn't going to be a surprise but then Rachel and Bruce decided to not tell me and to surprise me!!! Now Rachel and Bruce could never keep a surprise!!! You could tell in their faces or in their voices or they would just "have to tell you!" This was truly a great surprise and I was completely speechless! Bruce gave me a boutique of flowers and when Dave went to pick up the pie, he saw these Tulips and thought it would go nicely. We enjoyed a yummy shrimp/chinese noodle dinner! It was fantastic!

I want to let everyone know that I HAD A SUPER DUPER BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR! Thank you to all of you for making my birthday so wonderful!!! I will ALWAYS remember this birthday! Thanks!

A Message from Jacksonville, Florida!

My cell phone rings at work. A gentleman asks, "Is this Mrs. Jackson?" "Yes" "This is so and so (didn't recognize the name). I have a message from someone in the Jacksonville, Florida area (ROBBY!) to wish you a Happy Birthday!!!!" I just started crying and then smiling, then crying. My Robby boy remembered my birthday! Robby couldn't call me himself so he had a ward member do it! That just made my day!!!

Happy Birthday to Me from Me! :)

Sunday, I celebrated my birthday with my side of the family! Rachel and Travis came down from Ogden, my parents and Ron and Andrea and family came also. We had a potato bar with lots of delicious toppings and my mom made the Symphony Dessert (butterscotch) and I got my Birthday Cake from the Cheesecake Factory - Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake. It is to die for!

Rachel and Travis gave me this big white sack of birthday gifts with purple tissue paper. Rachel made me a purple birthday card. I am going thru a purple phase - everything purple! Rachel and Travis gave me purple house slippers - they look like baby doll shoes, purple striped socks, purple and black gloves (Rachel said she just pictures me at the check out stand with my purple purse, taking out my purple wallet with my purple gloves on. Rachel, I will send you a picture! - ha ha). They also gave me Berries and Yougert Special K Cereal because of the purple box! And then they gave me a glass framed picture that has JACKSON (in bold black) in the middle and written over the name in silver writing, "complete with camping trips, Laughter, creative crafts, and Jazz fans!" Now doesn't that describe our family!!!! I think it does!!!

Bruce gave me a black blazer jacket and a Kaki...(can't spell) blazer jacket. Also, red, teal, and black shirts to go under these blazer jackets. Thanks, hon! I love them.

My parents gave me a brown dress with green jacket. I love it! Very comfortable and cute. Also, my Dad picked out this three tier ceramic pumpkin stack. He thought I would love it - and I do!!!!

Ron and Andrea gave me Nutcracker Christmas ornaments from Modern Display. Andrea remembered me saying I wanted to get more Nutcrackers for my Christmas tree - Thanks Ron and Andrea and family! Angela, my 7 year-old niece, colored me a picture and also drew me a picture, which are hanging on my fridge!

Again, thank you all for a very fun afternoon! I love parties, birthdays, and of course, my family!