Dad's Birthday Present

When my brother, Mike and I were only about 6 and 7 years old (March 1961), we lived with mom and dad in a trailer in Amarillo, Texas. I think every Wednesday night mom and dad would go to a bowling league and Mike and I would stay home with a babysitter and watch "Top Cat", a cartoon show on TV.

I remember one day mom loading us in the car and going down to the bowling alley and she bought a bowling bag for dads birthday. As we got in the car she turned to both of us and said, "Now listen, neither one of you are to say anything to your father about this gift. It's suppose to be a surprise.

She was also afraid that he'd make her take it back because we didn't have a lot of money back then. We were good and kept it to ourselves and I knew I was excited to see what dad did when he saw it. I knew one day I would be older and get to bowl too and I wanted a bowling ball and bag of my own.

That night at dinner as the four of us sat around the table dad was talking to us and Mike said, "Dad, mom got you a present for your birthday, but we aren't allowed to tell you what it is, but you put your bowling ball in it."

Dad did make mom take it back and she wasn't too happy with us. But we laugh about it now.

Marie Jenkins' Piano Recital, Stuttgart, Germany, Spring of 1989

We had always pushed the kids to take piano lessons and any other instrument they wanted to learn, but piano was a have to with our first 5 children; Brandy, Don, Misty, Sheri, and Ben. In fact, while stationed in Stuttgart, Germany I gave Marie a birthday present of piano lessons. She had always wanted to learn so here was her opportunity.

We had a good friend, Sister Johnson, we were stationed in Germany with that taught and lived just down the street from us so it was easy. Brandy, Don, Misty, and Sheri all took piano from her. And then there was Marie.

Marie practiced and practiced and I found that she picked it up very fast and even started to surpass the kids. The hardest part was getting everyone to practice and now with so many doing it, it made it even harder to get them to do it because they couldn’t just walk in and do it when they wanted to; too many trying to do the same thing. But we kept pushing.

After a few months of working on different songs, Sister Johnson, our teacher, told them they would be part of a recital at the base chapel a month away along with groups of students from two other teachers. Each of them was asked to pick their favorite song and practice it until they knew it inside out.

Normally that song was the one they really liked because they could play it well. Marie picked out a song, but at the same time hoped that because she was an adult she wouldn’t have to perform in front of everyone; but not the case.

It came to that Saturday and each of the kids dressed up in their best and went over their pieces in preparation for the recital. They had to have it memorized so we all got to hear over and over again all the songs. In fact, it got to the point where I thought I could have sat down and played them all by memory and I don’t play piano.

Anyway, Marie was worried. She was under a lot of stress and just wasn’t sure she wanted to do this but Sister Johnson convinced her not to worry and to perform with everyone else. As we sat in the Post chapel at Patch Barracks waiting for each person to finish their pieces, I could tell that all Marie was thinking about was her piece; nothing else.

Each one of our kids got up and performed very well. They would walk to the piano, turn toward the audience and bow, then go to the bench, sit, and begin to play like they had never played before. It’s funny how that happens. You practice over and over and over again and can’t seem to get it just right, but on the day of reckoning, it all comes together.

So it was to be that day. Then it was Marie’s turn. She was introduced and she walked to the front. I video taped the whole thing. She turned and bowed and looked so pretty as she sat at the keys. She brought her music with her because she was afraid she might forget a part so she wanted to have it there just in case.

She placed the music over the keys, placed her fingers, took a deep breath and began to play. It was magnificent. Just like the kids, it sounded so wonderful. She would look up at her music and then back down at her fingers and on she went for about 20 or 30 measures. And then all of a sudden she looked up and just stopped right in the middle of the number.

She put her hand to her lips, looked out at us and a few tears came, then she reach up and turned the music over. She had placed it upside down. All that time as she played she didn’t realize she had placed it upside down, but at that one moment it was like she needed to check and verify she was doing the right thing. But when she looked, she saw it was upside down and she stopped.

If she hadn’t looked, or didn’t have the music there she probably would have done fine. But she didn’t trust in herself so she had to check, just to make sure. And it stopped her cold. Everyone laughed as she turned the music over. She looked out at everyone and said sorry, then turned and began again from the beginning. This time it wasn’t played as well, but still sounded so beautiful.

After it was all over, everyone came up to her and said how beautiful she had done and then laughed and shared in her experience. I wonder sometimes as we go through life and learn and re-learn Heavenly Fathers teaching if the same thing happens to us. We know, we have the moves, the scriptures, the understandings memorized. But just to be sure, sometimes we check and realize we’ve gone down the road for a long time without looking and all of a sudden we feel alone, or like we’ve stepped somewhere or said something that isn’t exactly correct. We stop, and are embarrassed but know that with a little more thought, we could be correct.

What it takes is a little study, research and time to get back on track and then inside a decision not to let that happen again. But the real lesson is to study the scriptures, pray always and listen to the prophets on a regular basis so we are totally familiar with the piece. When it comes time to make decisions, there is no thought required, we walk where we’re suppose to walk and we talk what we are suppose to talk.

Even more important is if we learn to listen to the Spirit, and do as directed or suggested, our journey, wherever it might be would be safe.

On that day, in Stuttgart, Germany, at Patch Barracks, we went home as a family and talked about how well they all did and then laughed at mom. We watched the video over and over again and enjoyed her expression as she realized her music was upside down and then gently turned it over and started again.

I hope through life as we recognize our life is upside down that we don’t recluse and disappear to hide what we feel was wrong, but that we step out and turn around what was wrong, say sorry and move forward.

I can say this, my sweetheart, no matter what it is, has always done that when she’s realized that things are upside down in her life or our lives. It’s because she knows the truths well enough because of study and prayer to recognize that what is before her isn’t correct and without fail she reaches out and turns it around and corrects the fault even if in front of everyone, then turns and says, sorry.

Another lesson learned from the one that I am supposed to be one with. I love her for the eternal mate she is. I know with her we can be together for eternity in the highest degree of the celestial world. I also want to believe that we compliment each other and do the same so we grow together. I also hope that somehow we have instilled those same attributes within our children and our grandchildren.

Time will tell. It is not true that when our children leave home, we are done with them. I hear so many say, we have taught them and only had them for this period of time, now they are on their own to do what they choose to do.

I also have a testimony that even Heavenly Father taught us all that he could and then gave us a choice to come to this earth. Many of us came, but he still influences us. He still teaches us and shows us the way through many different means. As parents and grandparents we are the same. The opportunities are still there to touch each of them and remind them that their piece might be upside down and to reach out and turn it over, turn and say, I’m sorry, and begin again. It might not be perfect, but as long as we are progressing along, that’s what counts.

Purpose of Blog

We will use our family blog to share stories, pictures, video and whatever else we decide. We will talk about how we met, experiences and places we've been and about our children and their adventures before they began their own lives with their own families.

We hope each of them will allow us to attach their blog addresses to our page. So as not to duplicate, if someone writes a story or shares a picture or whatever, we will not redo that but might include in one of our stories a forward to one of their blogs in their family.

We love each and every one of you but want to make sure that everyone understands that our intentions are not to hurt any one's feelings by sharing things that might bother them so if we do please let us know as soon as possible and we will fix it.

Our goal is to have an Eternal Family in the Highest Degree of the Celestial Kingdom into the Eternities. Help us achieve that goal and we believe happiness will be found through our righteous desires and endeavors.

With all our Love

Don and Marie