Dec 28-29, 2010

Is there anything else that you would like me to know about my childhood.

Here again this requires multiple answers that would make this super long. Each of you though have had a lot of special experiences from church, school and community activities. We have tried to teach you the gospel through service in the church and by example. It has not always been the best and I hope you will forgive me of my short comings but also realize that I have worked hard to make your childhood special and good. I had a wonderful childhood and was raised by exceptional parents and other loved ones. I hope you feel that you have been blessed by that example given to me. I often worry about the challenges that lie before you as you raise your families knowing the temptations that each of your children will face but I know that so far you have been doing a great job and I applaud you for that work but I also promise that it will get harder and take a lot more effort as you raise them through their teenage years. It will be so important to help them find and keep good friends just as each of you have had as you went through those years. It will also be important to be there at their calls to service, games, plays and all of the other things that will shape their lives. Know their friends and be friends to them as well without losing the adult role that you will play in their lives as well. Be there for their scouting and Young Women's activities as much as possible and bear testimonies of the gospel as often as you can verbally and through hard work and service. I love each of you and are so happy with the choices that you have made in choosing a spouse. That person is also very important to us since we know they play a vital role in teaching your children also. You have wonderful families and we love each of you so much. Work hard and love harder so that they will have all of the blessings that our Heavenly father has waiting for you and your families. I want you o know how much I love my brothers and sisters and know that much of your strength will come from loving your siblings and forgiving each other of any things that they might have done to hurt you even though they most likely don't even know that it happened. I also love my grandparents so much and know that they loved me, help your children to know how much we also love them and see the beauty of their spirits. Thank You again for being patient with me and may the Lord Bless you through your lives as you strive hard to live the gospel each and every day. Thank you Hayden and Cheyenne for this opportunity to write something for each day of the year even though at times I have had to do it in streaks as I had time to sit and type as it takes me so long to get onto the screen what I am thinking n my mind. Forgive me for so many memories that have slipped beyond my grasp and enjoy the ones that have happened to get stuck in their various forms of completeness and truth. I have tried to record them as best as I can recall but realize also that the brain records and plays back with some things omitted or changed due to age and experience value with it also recalling things sometimes as you might have wished it to be rather than what it might have actually been. memory is a strange thing but it shapes our lives and helps us to become what we are regardless of pure historical fact. Now be all you can be, do all you can do, love all that you can love and live with God as the center of your thoughts and actions as well as you can realizing that we all make mistakes but that was why our Heavenly Father sent us a perfect Son to make it possible through repentance to return pure and clean to Heavenly Father and Mother and live as families eternally in love and peace.

Dec 27, 2010

Do you remember celebrating any special wedding anniversaries of your parents or grandparents?

Yes, it was my Grandfather and Grandmother Hansen's 50th wedding anniversary. It was celebrated in Centerfield, Utah. That happened 0n June 25th near the June 10, 1965 actual 50th wedding anniversary date. We had a family picture taken and of those that were living by that time the only three missing were Stan (on a mission in Argentina) and Alma and Jean my cousin. Three other cousins who had been born and passed away in childhood of course were also not in the picture. It was a big celebration and besides the approximately 50 family members that were there we also had a lot of people from Gunnison, Manti, and Centerfield (and that is only a few of the towns where they came from) come who knew Grandpa as a Stake President and holder of many other callings in the church in that area. He and grandma were loved by many people whose lives they had touched through their service in the church and community. He was also a Patriarch and gave over 6 hundred Patriarchal Blessings. It was a fantastic time for all of us.

Dec 26, 2010

Share any other Christmas memory.

I don't remember any other specifics right now. I have told about the books and guns and the homemade and boughten gifts. About the grandparents, other relatives, siblings and children's involvement. I have not remembered a lot and forgotten even a lot more but the one most consistent thing through the years has been the joys and laughter as families have gotten together because of this special time of year. It is therefore a good time to once again bear testimony of the truth of this event as recorded in the Holy Scriptures and through the histories of recorded time. It is hard to know the real truth concerning all of the events, for instance, were there three wise men or four or were there three gifts that were given by just a couple of them. Were they there the night of His birth as depicted in the stable scenes each year or was he nearing his second birthday since we know that it was recorded that the King ordered all male children 2 years and younger to be killed when the wise men didn't return to tell him where the child lived. Did the wise men thus follow the star for two years or did their journey only last 11 days. We don't know any of the real answers to most of these question only that it actually happened and even that is questioned by many today.

Well I for one know that it did happen and not at Christmas time as decided by a pagan king. It did occur and the most important king of all was born, lived and died then raised from the dead to make it possible for all of us to return to our Heavenly father into His Kingdom to live forever with them as a family. We can also become like our Father there and have eternal increase just as he has. I don't comprehend all of this but know that it is our promise from Him to whom we owe total and complete reverence, respect and love. I look forward to meeting them even though I do not know all of the details of how that will happen only that it will and I am working hard to be ready for that day. I do know that God lives, that Christ is my Savior, that the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on the earth and the truths contained in it are true and with the Bible they stand to prove all other religions are not true no matter where in the world they were created. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet called to restore this glorious truth and that Pres Monson is a true and living prophet toady for us. It has been my special opportunity to work with his son Clark Monson and through that relationship learned how very real Pres Thomas Monson is as a father and leader of the church. He is so special to each of us as has been all of the prophets that I have had the opportunity to know during my life beginning with Pres. McKay. This is the only true church on the face of the earth and it is rolling forth throughout the earth to grow in all nations until Jesus Christ can return as our King on this earth. I know this to be true and write it in the name of Him whose life we celebrate each year at this time even Jesus Christ, our Brother. Amen

Dec 25, 2010

Tell about the most memorable gifts that I have given you.

Ok now that is putting me on the spot. I cannot remember specific gifts given through the years. We amy need to have a family party where all we do is sit and talk about the Christmas memories that we have. It is always easier to recall when you begin to talk about them with others and that then brings you mind back to the specifics and what one doesn't remember someone else usually does. For instance Ben and Hayden were talking about the cork guns this year and had I been smart I would have had them continue on with as many years as they could. Another time I suppose.

I have a note written on this page also and must mention it for Hayden's sake. This is probably the most memorable gift that he will have ever given to me and in return I to each of you for it has taken a daily vigilance through the entire year of 2010 to accomplish it. The little book with each of it's questions has reminded me how much I have forgotten and yet also brought to my mind many special memories through the years that have shaped my life. It has been a lot of fun but now it has only begun since Marie gave me one for next year that is specifically LDS oriented and I will continue this blog using that book. I will also insert stories from my history story collection for days when the questions are similar to or been answered by questions in this book.

Dec 24, 2010

Tell about the most memorable gifts that you have given me.

Since this is written for each of you then I can only generalize since I don't remember very many specific gifts given through the years. I remember dolls and bikes and snow boards and cork guns but which years that they happened and to whom they were specifically given are far beyond me now. I do remember taking pictures every year that hopefully are somewhere in my storage of negatives and I remember video taping several of them but I would have to go back to them now in order to remember specifics. We always let you each set your stocking where you wanted and there were times that they were set with lots of rom in anticipation of some big presents. One year it took us nearly four or maybe up to six hours to assemble one of the gifts but for the life of me I can only remember it taking a long time but can't remember what it was.I also remember that it took all of the front room up to accomplish it and that there was no where to move around during that process.

Dec 23, 2010

Did your family observe the birth of Jesus at Christmas? In what ways?

Yes we did. We always read the story of his birth from Luke chapter 2 and Matthew. We would sometimes act out the parts as well. It was always read on Christmas Eve and was the best part of the holiday. There were also plenty of school plays and Church plays and parties that we would have where we would have the stable scene acted out or the story read and dramatized in some fashion also accompanied by plenty of Christmas song singing. we also would have hay rides nearly every year sponsored by various school or church groups. they re always fun and plenty cold. It was also taught most every year that we are only celebrating His birth but due to modern revelation we know the actual birth took place on April 6. Thus that is why General Conference is always on the weekend nearest to that date.

Dec 22, 2010

Tell about Holiday celebrations at a relative's house during your childhood.

Here again I draw a blank. I don't remember any celebrations at any relatives homes since we always had Grandma P with us at our home and the parties prior to Christmas were always held at school or church.

Dec. 21, 2010

Do you remember a best Christmas of childhood?

This wouldn't totally be childhood but the best Christmas of my life was when Marie said yes to my proposal of marriage. It has made all of the rest of them really special as well. Of course I have had special ones through my entire life because I have always had very enjoyable ones. Even while in the mission field when our Christmas tree was just green streamers taped to the wall in the form of a tree. The year I made the little pencil holders was a memorable one as well because of the hard work of keeping the secret while working on it and then the other Christmases when we would travel to Roosevelt and buy all of our gifts at the Five and Dime store since everything was basically less than a dollar and we could get everything we needed for less than $10.00. I have had good Christmases all of my life and remember the most consistent part of it being the Christmas story on Christmas Eve that we have read every year that I can remember even the year we did it in a snow cave by the front door of our home in Mapleton.

Dec 20, 2010

Tell about your experiences with Santa Claus.

Santa would come to occasional parties at school and church. I sat on his lap each time and received the little bag of candy and nuts that he would hand out. Other than that I didn't have a lot of experience with him. I knew that mom and dad stayed up late each year and were very busy putting out things for us. You see in my childhood home I slept up stairs. It was an older home and there were two rooms upstairs where the girls would sleep in one and the boys in the other. In the girls closet there was a vent to the room downstairs. In the winter we would open it up so the heat from the old coal stove would be able to come up into the rooms to give a little heat to the rooms. The best part of that vent however was the fact that you could see down into the room and watch what was happening in that room.So on Christmas eve we would watch for a few minutes and knew what was happening. It never spoiled Santa for us however since we knew who he was and the presents were still just as great. He was the one that always brought the books and put into our stockings the ones that were signed or written in with:

"To Kent from Daddy and Mother with love- Xmas 1961"

"To Kent Dec 25, 1962"

"To Kent on Xmas 1964"

"Dec 1965 Love to Kent"

"Dec 25, 1966 Dear Kent, Here's resource material for your talks. Merry Christmas, Love Dad & Mother"

"Dec 25, 1969 Dear Kent, Sister Stewart says, beautifully, some things that mean so much to happiness. May you enjoy this little book and find inspiration and courage to live the life of happiness and joy that comes from living the principles of the gospel. Lovingly, Mother"
"To Kent with love, Dad & Mother Dec 25, 1971"

Dec 19, 2010

Tell about the worst Christmas present you ever received, as a child.

Under pants and socks. What to tell about that since they were always necessary but never very fun.I did appreciate them since they were pretty much the only clothes that I didn't receive as hand me downs. I did get new clothes but the majority of my clothes came from the older brothers who grew out of them before they wore them out.

Dec18, 2010

Tell about the best Christmas present you ever received as a child?

I received some very nice presents each year and, as I have mentioned before, there were always books in our stockings. I suppose they were the best present that I received since I got one practically every year and used them every time I had to give talks in church. I think I also used them when I talked at seminary graduation my senior year. There were other presents like clothes for school that I received every year and there were also toys, usually one a year. I remember a large tractor one year that we played with in an old tractor tire filled with sand. Along with some other toys that stayed there for several years. It was a lot f fun and we all enjoyed it.

There was one present however that remains in my memory or actually one present that I never got when I was young like I had expected. Each one of the older boys got a .22 single shot rifle when they turned about 14 years old. So I expected one as well. It was year after year that I was disappointed in that I never received one. In fact I went on my mission and had still not received one. I didn't ever really need one because I had one to use since dad owned one that I was always able to take. It wasn't until a few years later that I learned why I had never received a rifle for Christmas and it was because dad had always intended that I receive his rifle as an inheritance. The rifle no longer works well since the firing pin is worn down from all of it's use but it remains as the best present I didn't receive until I was suppose to in later years.

This was dad's brand bar triangle. Everything was marked with that brand.

Dec 17, 2010

Tell about the neatest present that you remember giving to your dad.

It was a small pencil holder made from a piece of wood cut from a limb of a cedar tree. It was about 3 inches high and tall and had the bark removed and then 3 holes drill down from the top into the wood so a pencil cut be put into it. I remember that it was pretty cold as I worked o them out in the barn so they wouldn't know about it. I actually made several of them at the same time.

Dec 16, 2010 Happy Birthday, Marie

Tell about the neatest present that you remember giving your mom.

I do not remember what I gave to mom since it was probably something small bought at at store. I know she always liked cameo pins and it seems like that was one gift we gave as several of us together one year. I think though mom and dad got more from watching the joy on our faces as we ran to our socks and opened the presents than what we gave to them. It just seems to be something I guess that comes from being a parent. I made mom lots of small gifts in school and hand prints in plaster and macaroni pictures seemed to be the norm for those years. They even hung in the house somewhere for several years.

Dec 15, 2010

Did your grandpa or grandma ever make gifts for you? Tell about them.

The one gift that I remember being made for me by a grandparent was a 3 legged bear made from the old upholstery that was taken off the couch that I ended up having for many years after we were married. The old brown couch we had until 1993 was given to me by mom and dad and was the couch that was redone with new fabric when I was only about 5 or 6 years old. Grandma Poulson used that old fabric and made all of us little animal pillows or what we always referred to as a stuffed bear. I still have it somewhere in my stuff.

Dec 14, 2010

Did you hang a Christmas stocking?

Yes, kinda. We never had a fireplace so we would each get a spot in the room where we could put one. Usually a chair or on the couch. We would always look forward to going to our socks and I remember the two things that we could always count on being in the sock were an orange and a small thought book from mom and dad. I don't really remember when I stopped believing in Santa Claus and maybe that was because I knew mom and dad were always a part of it since they apparently gave the books to him to put into the sock.

Dec 13, 2010

How did you decorate your trees?

We always made fresh popcorn strings. We would make a long string and then put it around the tree. It usually would reach around several times due to the length that we would make them. We would also put the glass balls on the tree and also hang an incredible amount of tinsel (which we would have to remove string by string as well). There would be the few and far between ornaments that we would make in school that would be hung on the tree as well.

Dec 12, 2010

When did you put up your Christmas tree? Where did you get them?

We usually put up the tree about two weeks before Christmas. We would either go cut down a tree (cedar) on the hillside above our home or we would buy one from the Scouts who would sell them for fund raisers. I even was a part of going after those trees for a couple of years. It was always nice to have the smell of fresh cut trees in the home but in our married years we had to buy a fake one that would last for several years due to the raising costs of the fresh trees , that around here were never fresh.

Dec 11, 2010

Were you ever in a church or school or Holiday pageant?

I remember a lot of plays that I was in when I was in Mutual and school. I don't remember any pageant however even though I am sure I had to have been in them at one point of time. I remember being in May Day programs and in July 24th parades but I don't remember ever being in a Christmas Pageant.

Dec 10, 2010

Tell about something that you built, designed, or made as a youth.

Well as I think about it I made hay stacks probably the most of anything. Every summer we would build two or three of them and only once did it fall over. I think I have told about that day already.

Dec 9, 2010

What did you like to look at there?

I already answered this on the last blog. I need to read ahead a little more.

Dec. 8, 2010

Tell about your favorite stores to browse in as a child.

That's not hard since there was really only one store to browse and that was Kohl's. It was in the middle of the business block on main street and we had to walk past it every time we walked to Primary so that was when I would "browse" if it could even be called that since we really only had a few minutes to get there after school. I use to like the candy section followed by the tools section. We had everything in that store from clothing to candy to tools and lumber or hardware. It was the only store in town for a lot of years before Wilkerson's built the IGA that then basically ran Kohls out of the food part of the business. There was only one cafe also for many years Cowan's Cafe and to this day I have only been in it once and that was as a representative for the school yearbook asking for donations. I don't know why I have never eaten there but it was a cafe and I usually went to the Dairy Queen or the Frost Top, fast food places. There was also one drugstore that I would frequent once in a while but not much compared to Kohls.

Dec 7, 2010

Pearl Harbor Day--- If you are not old enough to relate a memory of that day, relate any other childhood remembrance.

I was not born until many years later from this historical event so I can relate no memory of it. I remember the Viet Nam war and grew up in the era of the draft evaders such as one of our future presidents was during that time. I remember Stan going to Viet Nam and the events around his Honorable Discharge from the Army and I remember Clair serving as a Military Police at Fort Ord and I have known many who were in that war. War is never a pleasant thing even when it is written in the history books many years later.

Dec 6, 2010

Do you have any knowledge of how your first name was chosen?

I really do not.

I may have to ask Alma and see if she remembers.

Dec 3,4,5, 2010

Use the next three pages for anything else you would like me to know about your childhood.

The question is why I have put these three dates together for this entry. Since I can put as much as I need on a blog page and not be limited to the small pages in the book.

I hope you have learned a little about me this year that might be of worth to you for your life. I have enjoyed the experience even though I know that most of you have hardly followed it anyway but that's OK since it is now written and I am on a roll to add a lot more that you may never read but it has been fun. I am a bit ashamed of all that I have forgotten about my youth but in a few moments will tell you about what really mattered most anyway as I was growing.

Many people consider their childhood as a painful experience and even though I had some challenges as a youth I must admit that they were lessened extremely by those whom I was associated with during that period. I have written about the Marie Behrmann's, Ray and Donna Hansen's, Sister Beverly Caldwell's, Harold Spencer's and Steve Aycock's that were there for me and gave me great direction. But I have not written as much about the Grandparents, parents and siblings that really were the greatest blessing of all that I had. Yes I have told you about Leesa (Tim) throwing the sugar bowl lid and hitting me but I haven't told you about the many times that she was a mentor and loving sister. She gave to me a great example to follow and I will always appreciate it. She had high grades in school that eventually prompted me to seek for the same. She was active in Seminary and church which made it easy for me to follow the same path. She was fun to be around and when pauline was added to the family it was even better as I got to be a part of their life as well together. Alma (Loyle) was always my best friend, and I thank her the most for having taught me to love to sing as she was the one who taught me to sing alto in a song that we sang for Sacrament meeting as a family one year. Stan (Nadine) was the one who first set the example of going on a mission and giving service to his country as he went to VietNam during the war in the military. He told me once after his mission that he never dated because he wanted to go on his mission, serve in the army, and complete his education before he married. He did just that too and we were shocked the month before he graduated from Utah State University when he brought Nadine to a concert that Lynn, Leesa and I were performing in at Snow College. he was married a month after he graduated and had already served. I loved listening to him play his guitar also. Both he and Clair played the guitar. Clair (Ruth) was a great mentor to me also and to his credit he was the more rebellious hot headed one that learned what life was all about and changed so that he became an example of the right things to do in learning how to control his temper and refrain from swearing. He was in a bishopric and setting a great example by the time I was called to serve a mission from the same ward. Lynn (Julie) was closer to my age and consequently we probably fought more with each other. I never remember having any fights with Stan and Clair even though they fought each other enough as it was. Lynn and I did though and he always won(he had four years on me). However it was with Lynn where I probably learned to work the most since he and I were the ones at home, after Stan and Clair had left, to be the ones to help dad with the farm work. We hauled a lot of hay together and it was usually just the two of us by that time. We had the haystack fall over that we had to rebuild and plenty of other experiences but most of all he set the example to get his Eagle Award in scouting and instilled the desire in me to also want it. We were also room mates during my first year in college and I have always been grateful for that even though I hardly ever saw him.

Even though she was younger by three years Marsha (Scott) was always fun to be with as well. She helped me to stay active as well since I was the one to whom she most likely looked to for guidance at church and school. I will never forget the accidents that she had where I wish I could have taken the pain from her. The broken tooth from jumping into the pile of leaves that I had also been jumping into, and the fall from the car onto the road where she was scrapped up so badly and the doctor had to scrub out the rocks with a wire brush. As I look back though I am sure glad that was what had to happen with so many other things that might have happened.

I have not really told much about my grandparents and cousins. There are too many cousins to really mention them here but I had some great friends in them as well. Although my cousins on Dad's side of the family were all much older they were still some great mentors to me. It was more their children with whom I played when at reunions since they were all in the range of age that I was. Many of them are dear friends as well today and have set great examples for me as well. My mother's side of the family were also a lot of fun and great examples. I was toward the middle of the ages there and so had older ones to look up to and ones my age to always play with. Some of my dearest friends are cousins as well. My Aunts and Uncles were always a special part of my youth (and adult life) as well. I only knew two of my father's brothers since Melvin (Helen) and Veda (Jack Skewes) had both passed away years before I was born but I loved to be with Mont and Florence and to go to Tennis and Fern's place in Orem. They were the two brother's of dad's that I knew. Then on Mom's side there were all of her sisters and their husbands that I grew to love dearly. There were Velma and Kay Lyman, Zelma and Lyle Clement, Helen and Chester Hill, Carma and Carling Allen, and Ardyth and Doyle West that were all very dear friends and I learned a lot from them and how they treated people especially each other. I had many special experiences with each of them and their families. I hope to continue my blog well into the future as I put my history into stories on this blog for you (and probably mostly for your children). I am reminded that there are a lot of stories that I have not listed that I should tell about where my cousins were a huge part of my life.

Grandpa George Alma Poulson was my one grandparent that I can only vaguely remember as my only memory of him was sitting on his lap in their home in Duchesne. Grandma (Nana) Rozilla Johnson Poulson however was a huge part of my life as I spent every afternoon of my kindergarten year in her home until Mom and Dad were done with work. I loved her tapioca pudding and great chocolate cookies and raisin cookies. She was with us in our home for each Christmas including her last the day before she passed away. She was always such a special part of my life in Duchesne. Grandpa Charles Savern Hanse from whom I received my patriarchal blessing at the age of 13 and Grandma Alvira Westover Hansen who always had fresh bread and was always cooking something in her kitchen when we arrived in Centerfield, Utah to visit was a huge part of my life. Every birthday we could look forward to a dollar bill in a birthday card from her. Mostly though what I got from each grandparent was a knowledge of the fact that they loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and were always great examples of living it to the fullest. I had very very special grandparents.

Dad (Kermit Poulson) and Mom (Gertrude Ilean Hansen Poulson) however were the greatest factors in my having a childhood that was fun and not very full of heartache from wrong choices. They set the example that I should follow and helped me to learn all along the way. I spent a lot of my childhood days at the feet of my parents during Family Home Evenings, a thing not stressed yet by the church, and around the piano singing as a family. I went to church with them and enjoyed their company at many of the activities in the ward. We always went as a family to tithing settlement at the end of each year and they taught us the principles of the gospel and how to live them. I rode with dad to many a ward meetings throughout the stake as he served on the High Council and then later rode to many meetings with him since he was in the Bishopric during my teenage years. I also spent a lot of time with him during the summer going to schools to work with him throughout the county as he was the Superintendent of Buildings and grounds for the Duchesne County School District. I spent many years with mom also in the library at Duchesne High School learning to love books and how o properly care for them and how to file them. I spent one entire semester at school organizing and cataloging all of the schools periodicals for her. Most of all though I learned from them to love the gospel as they bore testimony of it in all that they did in their lives. Dad was not always active in the church and in fact was smoking the first time mom saw him as he came out of the post office with Tennis shortly after she moved to Duchesne to take a job as a county social worker. She changed his life and he changed mine.

Now I have not been as good as them and I have had my own personal challenges through my life but I do want each of you to know that I am working hard to be like them as I want to be with them through the eternities. I have spoken of many today in my family that have had a great influence on me and my testimony of the gospel is stronger each day because of my desire to be more like them. I have worked hard in the church because they worked hard in the church and showed me why it was so important. I love the gospel and though I have made mistakes they are not nearly what they could have been had I not been raised with such loving family and friends. I hope you each know how much I love you and want the best for you. I hope you each strive to do all you can for the Lord as you continue to build your strength in the gospel and your testimonies of it. You have a great heritage and it goes even beyond me and my parents for many generations. We have truly been blessed by each of them even though we have not known them personally here on this earth. I believe that we did know them before and made promises to them to try our best and to follow their righteous examples that they tried their best to do when they were here for their test. May the results of our test be acceptance back into the presence of the ones from whom we have had the greatest help and example, our brother Jesus Christ and our loving Parents in Heaven, we call him God the Eternal Father and we call her Mother since she is so precious to him that we know little else about Her. We do know she loves us as well though and wants along with Him to have us each back with them. This gospel is true, strive your hardest to learn that for yourself and gain a strong testimony of it. Now I want each of you to know that I love you and that I know this gospel is true because I have felt the promptings for the other member of the Godhead even the Holy Ghost as I have been in some very special places and He has let me feel of the goodness and truth of this gospel. May the Lord Bless each of you along your way as he has been blessing me to this point and I know will continue to so do through the rest of my life.

Dec. 2, 2010

As a youth, who was your favorite movie star? Why?

John Wayne. He was just a rugged cowboy in most of his movies and that was where my roots came from so I enjoyed his movies.

Dec. 1, 2010

More Favorites:

Bible Verse- The Lord's Prayer

Pastime- Rabbit Hunting, We would take .22 rifle's and go up above the house and hunt Black Tail Jack Rabbits. They were a problem but it was probably more the fun of hunting that we did it. I don't care to hunt anymore with guns but love to go out with a camera instead.

Nov. 30, 2010

More favorites:

TV Show: Rifleman, and Lone ranger and Zorro. Yeah that's three but I liked all of them a lot.

Song: "Hey Jude", by the Beatles. I was dancing to it with Marie once when I was tapped out by Leon Mallow. I was really liking Marie and didn't like that I got tapped out but I still walked her home after the dance.

Color: Blue

Nov. 29, 2010

Tell your all-time favorites:

Food- Baked potatoes, I loved the peelings after they came out of the oven and after I had scooped out the potato and put butter into it then squeezing it together and taking a bite of that hard crusty peeling. Of course that wasn't my only favorite food since I absolutely love homemade ice cream and root beer.

Book- My favorite books from my youth was probably the books that mom had where we would go to identify birds that we would see in the yard at various times of the year. It was always fun to find out what they were.

Movie: Well I don't know that it was my favorite movie but the one I always remember the most was Old Yeller. I really did like it a lot even though it was very sad.

Nov 28, 2010

Tell about the Thanksgiving traditions of your youth.
I don't remember a lot of the traditions but it seems as though we use to go play basketball in the front of the barn where we had a hoop mounted. We couldn't really bounce the ball since it was all dirt in front of the barn but we could play Horse and we had a lot of fun. I do also remember preparing the turkey that we had raised that year. I was involved from the start when we caught it to when I helped eat it. I don't remember being upset by it because as i remember it was a pretty big turkey and I was a little bit scared of it.

What foods were on your Thanksgiving table?

Turkey, Carrot Pudding, mashed potatoes, rolls, fruit and juice. Well I am only guessing on most of these because that is what we have had most of the last several years at our home but I don't really remember what we had but I do remember always being too full after it was over.

Nov 27, 2010

Share a favorite Thanksgiving memory.

One year when we were living in Verl's home (now Dawna's) we had all of her family down for thanksgiving. We were in the midst of making carrot pudding in a pressure cooker when it blew off the top and spewed carrot pudding up to the ceiling and left a lasting scar that was there until the day Dawna and Scott remodeled the house. I always liked carrot pudding and was a little disappointed when I didn't get much that year. It was quite funny though when it happened. Grandma was always a bit embarrassed over it also.

Nov 26, 2010

Share your favorite funny story of me as a child.

Strange there is really only one funny story that sticks out at this time and it is about Hayden. So I will relate it and then as I can remember others I'll try to add to this post.

Marie called me at work one day and asked frantically how to use the camera. She then used it and we have proof of the fact that Hayden is very blonde or at least was for one day. Marie had been baking and he was only about two years old but somehow pulled a bowl full of flour off the counter and onto his head leaving a ghostly blonde little boy sitting amid a world of white flour. We have smiled over that memory for many years.

One not so funny but still in my memory was actually a series of events.

Tia we called the Tick magnet because no matter where we went where there might be ticks she would get them on her. One day in fourth grade (we don't remember for sure which grade) she had two teachers one lady in the morning and another lady in the afternoon. Well the morning teacher found the tick and wasn't too worried about it as long as we got it out when she got home but the afternoon teacher freaked out and we had to go get her and have it removed at once.

Ben was a pizza delivery boy for Slice A Pizza when he was in high school. One night he called and told me the car wouldn't stop roaring. The engine was racing at full speed. Marie and I went over and I ended up riding on the engine holding the throttle back while he drove over the Max's Car Repair shop where they found that the cruise control had stuck. He removed the link to the throttle and we drove it that way the rest of the time that we owned that car.

Jeff's memory was one day when he was coaching soccer and he came running into the house looking for something and soon after a neighbor from on Larsen's lane showed up and was wanting to talk to him about driving 40 miles an hour down the road. He had motioned Jeff to slow down but Jeff motioned back to him something that made him mad so he got in his car and followed Jeff home. I cooled him down and said that I would take care of it. He didn't actually live on that road he was just there with his dad when the event happened. Jeff to say the least was pretty hot about it and so was the other guy.

Loren has a series of funny stories that have followed him. The funnest one was when as a family we went to the National Jamboree in Virginia and visited a number of sites while on the trip which included the Statue of Liberty. For some reason, and this was probably fear in a two year olds mind, he cried all the way up the narrow steps to the top of the statue where we were able to peak out small holes to the little people below in line waiting for their turn to come up. I am not sure what everyone else behind and in front of us thought but all I could do was carry him and keep telling him we could not go down because of all the people behind us, beside the fact that I wasn't going to go back anyway. When we got to the top he stopped crying and was just fine after that. We have it all on tape because I left the video recorder going the entire time as well.

OK So I'm on role and won't have to edit this later.

Brittany's was on the same trip when we were in West Virginia and had stopped at a Motel for the night. We had two rooms and while carrying in the luggage Tia and Brittany were in one of the rooms. Somehow Britt pulled a set of lockers down on her and had cut her head open. Tia couldn't do anything about it and for some reason the rest of us were locked out. When we finally got in I cleaned up Britt and then we went to the pool where the owner of the building was at and was also a doctor. He looked at her and did the necessary first aid. It was not funny at the time but since then has become one that has put a smile on our faces several times.

I am sure there are many others such as when Marie and I went to Parent Teacher's conferences and were told by Hayden's teacher that She has had to learn to tell any students that were sitting around Hayden to be quiet because it was obvious it wouldn't work with Hayden since every time she tried catch him and would ask him a question he would not skip a beat as he quit talking, told her what she wanted to know and would go back to talking.

Well that's it for now.

Nov 25, 2010

What were my other childhood addresses?

Besides the three addresses given we only lived in one other place and that was for only 6 weeks. It do not even remember the address but it was in the Jex subdivision in Spanish Fork on the bench across from Mapleton. We were there such a short time because the fellow who purchased the home on Maple Street heard that we had looked into buying it and so he called and asked us to move in for two years while he completed his occupation and could retire then move from California to Utah. So in January of 1983 he called and told us he was moving up in July. I then started looking around for a builder and we started this home on April 1, 1983 and moved into it on July 24, 1983. The loan was actually cleared on April 1, (April Fool's Day) but due to an unusually wet spring the builders, Roy and Dean Tew (Grandma Behrmann's cousins), were not able to start digging the hole for the foundation until May 24th or somewhere around that time. They were able to finish it two weeks after the owner of the Maple Street home moved to Utah and we had our things in this garage for that two weeks and lived in the old home with Grandma and Grandpa Behrmann for those two weeks.

Nov 24, 2010

What do you remember most about my first month of life?

It is all a blur now. With Ben and Jeff I was working as a TV repairman for American Television Service in Orem and for the rest of you I was working at Signetics, an Integrated Circuit manufacturer in Orem also. The thing that comes to mind first and foremost was the fact that we had a baby or another baby in our home and it was a lot of work and a lot of fun but mostly a lot less sleep during that first month after each of you came home. Usually Marie was in the hospital for three days with each of you as was the practice during that period of history.

Nov 23, 2010

What was the address of my first childhood home?

For Ben, Jeff and Hayden it was:

(Dawna and Scott's address now)

2023 S 800 West

Mapleton, Utah

84663

For Tia it was:

333 W Maple Street

Mapleton, Utah

84663

For Loren and Brittany it was:

(our current home)

2101 S 800 W

Mapleton, Utah

84663

Then sometime later the zip code was changed to 84664 for this address.

Nov 22, 2010

Many people remember just what they were doing when they heard of the assassination of President John F Kennedy. If you are not old enough to have that time etched in your memory, relate any other childhood story.

I was old enough alright and remember it well. Here is how I have written the story in my history.

President Kennedy's assassination

Nov 22, 1963 was a day that I would end up never forgetting. It was one of those days that in the years to come you would always be able to remember what you were doing, where you were doing it, and why you remembered it so well. I have had several of those years in my life and this particular one comes to mind now since it is Nov 20, 2005 when I am writing this and in two days we will remember as a country the day that John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

I was in elementary school, 4^th Grade, and 10 years old. Mr. Leo Foy was my teacher and playing marbles was the highlight of our recess periods and lunch hours. We usually spent our recess in doors during this time of year due to the cold weather but that day we were outside. My school always made me think of the Texas Alamo even though I had never been there or visited it. The front had a part that was built like the front of the Alamo. Coming straight out from the front doors was a wide sidewalk that was level and had a couple of steps several feet apart that ended up making the sidewalk level with the street by the time it got to the street. My classroom was on the second story to the right of that built up part. We had to go up a lot of stairs as I remember to get to it. But at that age that was no problem since I was built to run so it seemed.

I had some real good friends and always played with them. Marbles was not always the choice of games because we would often play kickball or baseball. Other times we would play on the swing set, pumping as hard as we could until we several feet in the air and then bailing out to the ground below. It was a contest to see who could go the highest before bailing out. I think back on it now and wonder why we didn’t have numerous broken legs and arms from the activity. Then there were the days when we simply chased the girls for whatever reason but mainly because it was fun and some of them were really cute.

This particular day however I was content to play marbles on that huge sidewalk in the front of the building. It was our noon recess so we had a little extra time to play. I had my favorite taws just like everyone else but I don’t remember ever really playing marbles for keeps. It always seemed more fun just to see how many we could win and then give them back to each other at the end of the game. There were just two of us playing that day as I remember but I can’t remember who the other person was at the time. Someone came out of the front doors in a rush yelling to us to come inside because Pres Kennedy had been shot. I don’t remember any of the rest of the day but do have some memory of the funeral services a few days later.

It was ten years later, while serving as a missionary in Texas, that I had an opportunity to go to the place where it had all happened and to see where the motorcade had gone and where the rifle had been fired. There was a special exhibit in an old building that housed all of the information. I remember it being a somewhat dumpy part of Dallas and understand that in the years since my mission it has been cleaned up and made into a very beautiful memorial for JFK.

One month and four days later, the day after Christmas, Grandma Poulson passed away in our home after suffering for an extended period of time from the effects of a stroke. That is another story but part of that memorable holiday season of that year.

Nov 21,2010

If you have a baby picture of me to share, place it here.

Ben Kent Poulson

Payson Hospital

Dr. Thomas Judd

Feb. 23, 1976

Monday, 6:13 A.M.

6 lb 9 oz

21 1/2 inches long

Jeffery Kermit Poulson

Payson Hospital

Dr. Thomas Judd

Oct 31, 1977

Monday, 4:39 A.M.

8 lbs 11 1/2 oz

20 inches long

Hayden Verl Poulson

Mountain View Hospital

Dr. Thomas Judd

Oct 16, 1979

Tuesday, 3:03 P.M.

7 lbs, 13 oz

20 1/2 inches long

Tia Marie Poulson (Underwood)

Mountain View Hospital

Dr. Thomas Judd

Aug 27, 1981

Thursday, 8:32 A.M.

7 lbs, 9 oz

20 inches long

Loren Ray Poulson

Mountain View Hospital

Dr. Frampton (Judd was on Vacation)

Jan 26, 1985

Saturday, 3:40 P.M.

10 lbs

21 1/2 inches long

Brittany Poulson (Averett)

Mountain View Hospital

Dr. Steven Nance (Judd had retired, he had been the one who delivered Marie as well)

Apr 22, 1987

Wednesday, 8:0 P.M.

7 lbs, 11 oz

21 1/2 inches long

Jeffery and Ben

Nov 20, 2010

Who was President when I was born?

(1st United States and 2nd LDS Church)

Ben: Gerald Ford

Spencer W Kimball

Jeff: Jimmy Carter

Spencer W Kimball

Hayden: Jimmy Carter

Spencer W Kimball

Tia: Ronald Reagan

Spencer W Kimball

Loren: Ronald Reagan

Spencer W Kimball

Brittany: Ronald Reagan

Ezra Taft Benson

Nov. 17, 2010

What other names did you consider for me?

Time has erased all memory of any of other names considered for any of you. It seemed to have been a fairly easy choice each time since we named you after you were each born and didn't know your gender until the day you were born.

Nov 18, 2010

How did you choose my name?

Ben not Benjamin was Marie's choice, she liked it as Ben but not as Benjamin. Where she came up with it I do not know Ben's middle name was after me, Kent.

Jeffery not Jeffrey mainly because I just mis-spelled it. I liked it better as Jeffery anyway. I saw a sign for a company in Ferron Utah while doing TV repair and just liked it. Marie seemed to like it also and we have both liked it ever since. Jeff's middle name "Kermit" was after my father who had suffered a stroke two weeks before he was born and passed away three months later.

Hayden named after Hayden McMillan in Midland Texas. We taught him the gospel but couldn't baptize him since he was not quite old enough to not need parental permission and his mother was hook on alcohol and wouldn't give permission. It was the first time I had ever heard that name and since then it has become somewhat common and I even discovered a mountain (or peak) named Haydn that is at the headwaters of the Duchesne river. "Verl" Hayden's middle name was after Marie's father.

Tia was chosen by her three older brothers who liked the name from a show called "Escape to Witch Mountain" with Tia and Tony as the stars. The name Marie just seems to go with anything really well and since it her mother's name we gave it to Tia as well for a middle name.

Loren was a favorite name of mine and I even had a relative named Loren Westover on my Grandmother Hansen's side of the family, in fact it was her brother if I have my facts correct. Loren's middle name was after my Scoutmaster Ray Hansen.

Brittany was a name chosen by Marie. It was one of her favorites and I rather liked it as well. We didn't give her a middle name due to the length of her first name.

Nov. 17, 2010

Tell about the day I was born.

Since I am writing this for all of you I will not put anything here. OK I'll be truthful I can't remember very many details on any of you. For Ben I remember the fat nurse telling Marie, when she voiced here concern that it was a false alarm, "Honey, you will be laughing at the doctor by the end of the day." with Jeff Dad had a stroke the day he was due or close to it and we went to Roosevelt to see him and the nurses were all scurrying to find a wheel chair for her and she exclaimed that she was not there to have a baby but rather see dad. With Hayden I don't remember much other than the fact that Marie was in an actual labor room with him and then was moved into the new delivery room. The hospital was new and so it was really nice and with him being the third one I was able to control my emotions so that I didn't have to go to the bathroom and putting my head between my legs so that I wouldn't faint. I was finally able to enjoy the birth. With Tia we went to the hospital while Stan and Nadine were at our home in Spanish Fork and beginning the move of our things to Mapleton. We left from Spanish Fork and came back to Mapleton two days later. Then with Loren there was a 14 hour period of labor and a lot of worry and stress before that big 10 pound baby was born. Finally with Brittany I really don't remember much other than we now had a second very beautiful daughter and it was a special time. So that is what I remember , now there should be a letter from me and mom that we wrote the day or soon after you were each born.

Nov. 16, 2010

Tell the full names, birthdays, and birthplaces of all of your children.

Ben Kent Poulson Feb. 23, 1976 Payson, Utah in the old Payson Hospital.

Jeffery Kermit Poulson Oct. 31, 1977 Payson, Utah in the old Payson Hospital.

Hayden Verl Poulson Oct. 16, 1979 Payson, Utah in the new Mountain View Hospital.

Tia Marie Poulson Aug. 27, 1981 Payson, Utah in the new Mountain View Hospital.

Loren Ray Poulson Jan. 26, 1985 Payson, Utah in the new Mountain View Hospital.

Brittany Poulson Apr. 22, 1987 Payson, Utah in the new Mountain View Hospital.

Nov 15, 2010

Tell about the most serious problem or challenge you faced during your early years of marriage.

The most serious was probably the fact that I had no job when we got married and then after just three years I was unemployed again. Three months later I was employed again and within a year making three times the income that I had been making at AM TV. Ben came just after 8 months and 1 week of our marriage so we had a family very soon and that made unemployment a little more of a concern. However through all of our years of marriage and many challenges the Lord has always been there to help us and carry us through until his blessings were there again to get us back on top.

Nov. 14, 2010

What qualities in my mom did you try unsuccessfully to change?

Her negative attitude but there was so many positive things that I never really tried to hard to change it. She is very special to me and I love her.

Nov 13, 2010

What was you job at the time.

Shortly after I was married I went to work for American Television Service in Orem , Utah. I was a TV repairman for three years and traveled around the state of Utah repairing televisions and installing antenna's. After I quit that job I was without employment for three months and then went to work For Signetics in Orem where I worked for nearly 15 years before the company was moved to New Mexico.

Nov 12, 2010 (Clair Melvin Poulson birthday)

Tell about where you lived when first married.

We moved into Verl's house in Mapleton, Utah. We spent many hours prior to the wedding fixing it up enough for us to live in the basement and then after that worked on it for nearly a year after which we moved up-stairs. We ended up living there (2023 South 800 West) for 6 years before we moved to Spanish Fork for 6 weeks and then back to Mapleton on Maple Street for two years and then built this home where we have lived since then to present.

Nov 11, 2010

Veteran's Day...

Name the veterans in your family and times during which they served.

I have had a number of relatives that have served in the military, only one of which I know was killed in action. that was a cousin who was killed in Viet Nam. However in my immediate family there are two of my brothers that have served in the military. Stan was in an Engineering Corp in Viet Nam and was discharged with an Honorable release. He developed double vision one morning that continued until he was finally sent to Denver to the VA hospital where he woke up one morning and it was gone. He was there for several months before that happened and I have always felt the Lord intervened to bring him home early. Stan was drafted into the military.

Clair was also in the military but he enlisted before being drafted. He was trained and served as a Military Police and served in Ft Ord in California. He was locked in the jail cell with several inmates once and was blessed to get out without harm. He enlisted because he had wanted a vocation in law enforcement. After he was discharged he became a Utah Highway Patrolman then became a Sherif's Deputy and then Sherif in Duchesne County. After he lost re-election too a crooked officer he was elected as a judge in the district court in Duchesne County where he is currently serving.

Nov 10, 2010

Did you go on a honeymoon?

Yes. We stayed in Duchesne and went to church sunday and then stayed at at mom and dad's house sunday evening. Monday after Leon Bright, mission companion, helped us with the truck transmission we loaded our camping gear and went to Moon Lake and stayed in a cabin there. We hiked around moon lake the following day and then met Tim, Leesa and Matthew and they stayed in a another cabin that night and then wednesday night my family came up for the evening and we played games and had dinner. It was a fun three days at Moon Lake but not the normal honeymoon as you might expect.

Nov 9, 2010

Tell about any other circumstances of your wedding day.

There are a couple of stories that I remember well.

1st. My parents and family all went to Manti the night before the wedding since we had to be to the temple quite early. We stayed in the Manti motel just below the temple. When we got to the temple we were early and Marie's family had not yet arrived. I started to get concerned when they were really late and even went outside and paced in front of the temple in my temple white suit. They finally arrived and I found out that Ann had slept in and so she was late getting ready and thus late meeting the family since she was staying in Provo and they were at the house in Mapleton. Marie was still very beautiful even though she was frustrated as well.

We didn't have the reception that night and since I didn't have a photographer there at our wedding then Uncle Orie took a few pictures of us after we came out of the temple. We then got in the old blue chevy truck that dad owned and I had taken to college. We went south from Manti and drove to Centerfield where I showed Marie where my grandparents had lived and where their graves were. We went back to Mapleton where we stayed in the house that night. When we went to bed Marie came out dressed in her pajama's complete with toes enclosed.

We went to Duchesne the next morning and had the reception that night. We stayed that night in the hotel when the reception was over. It was fun because we had rooms for all of the other guests, LD Singers, as well as others. We had our room right in the middle of theirs. However we drove around long enough that they were al in their rooms and didn't see us come in. It was fun listening to them though through the walls.

Nov 8, 2010

Who performed the ceremony?

William Bliss Daniels was our Sealer, and I believe he was the Temple President at the time or one of the counselors.

Who stood up with you?

This author is obviously not of our faith and doesn't understand that we kneel not stand for this ceremony.

However at the reception we had Scott Poulsen as my best man

and Aunt Ann was the Maid of Honor, then Marie's roommate Robin Lee, then a best friend from high school Lynette Hadden and then Marsha.

Our parents were also in the line with us and it was the last marriage dad would stand in as he passed away before Marsha was married 3 years later.

The groom and the bride.

The short fellow in the line was our Seminary Teacher Neil Decker.

Nov 7, 2010

What did you wear?

White Temple Clothing for the wedding and I wore a White Tux and Marie wore her cousins white wedding dress for the reception the next evening in Duchesne, Duchesne County, Utah.

Nov 6, 2010

When and Where were you married?

June 20, 1975 in the Manti Utah Temple in Manti , Sanpete County, Utah.

Nov 5, 2010

If you had a picture taken during your courtship to share, place it here.

Marie in the Miss Duchesne County Queen Contest

This is our engagement photo

Nov 4, 2010

Tell about how you proposed marriage to my mom.

I had been dating Marie at college for the fall semester. We went home to Duchesne for Christmas and I had decided to propose during the break. I was also working for Dad at the schools delivering groceries. I went to Roosevelt one day and picked up some roses for Marie and when I got off work I went to her home to give them to her and in reality was testing the waters for what I wanted to do later in the evening. We had planned to go with Ann and a couple of her college friends out caroling. We had taken them sleigh riding earlier in the weekend and now it was time to go caroling. So we went caroling and when we got back to Marie's home I was stuck with a small problem of getting Marsha away while I popped the question. Finally I got her to go in and look at the new pool table dad had bought for their Christmas. Then I quickly pulled the ring from my pocket and hugged Marie. I had her arms wrapped around her back so I could pull off her glove and slide the ring on her finger. Oops I got the wrong finger and for the longest time she wouldn't bring her hands around to see them. Finally she did and I asked if she would marry me and she didn't really answer for some time before finally saying yes. We then went into the house and she told everyone about it. That's how I remember it at least.

Nov 3, 2010

What qualities first attracted you to her?

She was so darn cute and fun. It was fun to be with her and she was very pretty. I also enjoyed talking to her whether it be out side of her window or in the car in front of her house until dad would flip the porch light on and off signaling it was time to come in. I enjoyed watching her perform in the debutantes and she was also very athletic. All around she was just very attractive to me.

Nov 2, 2010

Tell about your first date with her.

Neither one of us can remember our first date but I remember well my our first kiss, here is the way I have it written in my history stories.

A Stolen First Kiss

I hesitate sometimes writing about some of the events of my life since it really shows how human I am and some of my weaknesses but it is for that reason that I write concerning this particular event of which I remember only a short part. Maybe by reading some of these my young friends and grandchildren may be able to side step such temptations.

I was a senior in high school and was also very infatuated by a beautiful junior girl named Marie. She and I had actually liked each other for several years and I had officially started dating her when she turned 16 just a year and a few months before this event. We were in the same LDS Ward and so we had lots of chances to be with each other. I guess in today’s terms we were “Hanging Out” as often as circumstances would allow. We spent time together at MIA (Young Men and Young Women’s activity night) on Tuesday nights and never missed a fireside or sitting by each other’s side during them. I am sure there were other cute girls that I could have sat by but this one was definitely my choice. I also remember the often given council at these firesides, church classes, parental suggestions and advice that asked or suggested that we date many members of the opposite sex so that we would know better the person that we would like to marry. Well being young and stupid as we often are in our youth and having liked several girls throughout my youth in elementary I felt it OK to see this young lady as often as occasion would permit. I think back on the temptations that were created by so doing and am very grateful for liking a young lady that had very high standards and wouldn’t compromise them.

So now on to this stolen first kiss episode. We were going to a school dance one night and I don’t even remember which one but for some reason after I had picked her up from her home, only two small blocks form the school, we went to my home about two miles from the school either for me to change my clothes or for some other reason of which I have no recollection. That two miles however included a drive across part of blue bench where there was no lighting, other than the stars and the moon which was probably full that night, before dropping off a small hill to the rest of the road along the canal below which I lived. We were returning from my home to town and the dance when I decided to stop the car (there is a Stake Center very near the spot now) and steal a kiss from this beautiful girl that made my heart skip so freely every other beat when I was around her. I remember well that it was my senior year because I was wearing something that had been totally foreign to my style throughout my life. I had just received my Senior Key and I never wore necklaces of any kind. I had to be toward the end of the year since we didn’t get them until we were about to graduate and I was wearing it on a chain around my neck. I suppose I felt it was time for a first kiss since I would shortly be graduating and going off to college and then on my mission so I might never get to kiss the girl that had been so much a part of my life for the past few years. Well Marie was wearing a very beautiful knitted sweater. Now I would never have remembered this since I seldom notice what others are wearing and have not really felt the need to memorize what they were wearing except that this particular time that was not the right thing for her to have on while I tried to steal a long and lasting kiss. I pulled the car to a stop along this stretch of dark lonely road and of course she wondered why so it didn’t take me long to let my intensions to be known as I leaned over and stole the kiss. In those days cars seldom had bucket seats and seat belts were not yet popular so she was sitting very close to me as she most always did. It wasn’t a very long or lasting kiss except in my memory, because about that time the Lord sent the needed interceptor along as a car drove up over the crest of the hill so that it’s light were directly on my parents car and well into our eyes. I have no idea to this day who it was but I remember well the fact that we couldn’t just swing back into our seats as though nothing were happening because the loop holding my senior key to the chain around my next had ever so slyly hooked itself through one of the strands of that lovely knitted sweater so that she and I became somewhat inseparable. I was probably a fairly bright red color by the time the car passed and it wouldn’t have been due to the fact that the tail lights of the car were red either. It only took us a few minutes to finally separate ourselves but the memory of the moment lasts to this day. I can’t remember much of the rest of the evening or even when we had our second kiss but I will actually cherish that memory for it put into my mind the lasting memory of kissing my future wife for the first time. Now I am lucky that she ended up being my wife and we have had many kisses since that time. She will often come up to me when I am busy working on pictures or something where I am very involved and give me a very passionate kiss and then I want to continue with more but she puts me back to work just to painfully wait for the chance to steal another kiss.