Saturday, October 23, 2010

Happy Birthday Mother 1925-2009






My mother Kerma Dean Craner Bernard was born September 29, 1925. In January of 2011, she will have been gone 2 years. I miss her, but knowing she is with my father and my sister Andrea and so many other of our extended family , I cannot mourn her absence, but my memories of her are very tender indeed.
My mother grew up in Emmett Idaho. There were 6 children in her family. 4 girls and 2 boys.
As a young teenage girl she would rise early before school and return after school to work in the towns bakery, making doughnuts and other scrumtious morsels earning 5 cents an hour. This is where she learned to decorate cakes. Consequentely my older sister and I both learned to decorate wedding cakes among other delectables from watching her provide beautiful cakes and desserts for so many weddings and other special events.
Her father owned the local shoe shop. She worked very hard there during high school, and during the war after she and my father were married. Because of the work ethic that was instilled at such a young age, she was a real work horse.
After mom and dad moved to Mountain Home she worked as a deputy sherriff for 9 years at the county sherriffs office. This was convienent since my father was a Idaho State patrolman. She also worked in the courts in Twin Falls and Boise until she retired.
Mom was a wonderful seamstress, and a good cook. I was 5 years old when we had 26 different missionaries living in our basement over a two and a half year period. And though they had a small kitchenette, when ever the aromas from my mothers kitchen reached the elders, we very often had them join our dinner table with my mothers open invitation.

Mother had a very generous nature. She was very giving and would do anything for her children, husband, extended family, and neighbors. She had a very spunky personality at times, and when she made her mind up about something, there would be no dispute about it.
We called that "The Craner Stubborness". There was one that could always calm and soothe her though , and that was my father. She laid eyes on him at the end of the hallway in the 8th grade and at that very moment she knew that he was the one for her.
I was blessed to have mother live with me in my home with my family for 9 years. I know what you are thinking. Yes, there were bitter sweet moments, but the sweetness far out weighed any times that were not so sweet. When she left my home, there was a great spiritual void. Something I remember her saying often was "When the prophet speaks, the debate is over". She was faithful to God, and kept her covenants. Many were the times I would watch as she carefully washed and prepared her clothing to attend the temple.

She served in the Boise temple for several years where my father served as a sealer, and continued to do so after he passed away for 4 years. Dad also served as the Stake Patriarch, and mother was his scribe. Many admired her elegance. She was near perfection when it came to her looks. Never a hair out of place. Because of my mother, I am much of what I am today. I am better because of her, and have been changed for good ....

The Boy Is Back In Town


This post is long over due, but since Jacob returned from his mission to Neuqen Argentina life has been whirling to say the least. He returned Wednesday, August 25th. It was a wonderful reunion. Having a son serve a mission fills a mothers heart with immense graditude to the Lord. I knew as he left to serve that he would be cared for by the Lord in ways that not even a mother could provide . For that I was very thankful. The days and weeks that have followed have been very satisfying and rewarding. Seeing the boy who left, though large in stature , returned an amazing man..... Heidi Jane our youngest daughter is off to BYU-Idaho, majoring in music and loving all that college has to offer. We miss having her climb onto our bed to snuggle and watch "The Three Stooges". But knowing that she is not far away helps. I believe Scott has as many withdrawls with Heidi being gone as I did when Jake was on his mission. As much as we love and adore all our children, absence truly does make the heart grow fonder.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Newest Addition To Our Clan



Sherstine, Wayne and Baby Gage



GAGE JACOB MORTENSEN was born Tuesday July 20th, at 10:12 pm, weighing 8-lbs 7 oz and was 21 inches long.... Out of our now 5 grandchildren, Gage is our second boy, with his brother Gavin 2 years old as the first grandson. Gage's oldest and only sister (so far) Livia is almost 5 years old. Lucy is 10 months(Kaylene and Johnny) and Emmy(Erika and Riley) is over 8 months old.....Each one of these little darlings are a great blessing to our family... We count ourselves very blessed for the 5 we have, and look forward to more in the future.
There is nothing quite so sweet as a brand new baby straight from Heaven.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Happy Birthday Dad ... 1924-1990

Dad's Navy Photo
About 18 Years Old


Colonel of Idaho State Police


Dad and Mom On Their Last Trip Together Visiting Missouri Cousins


Dad was born August 2nd of 1924 . He died almost 20 years ago after a 6 year battle with cancer at age 66 on a Sunday morning, October 14th of 1990. I could write pages and pages about him, the influence he had on my life, how I knew he loved me and of the love and kindness he gave to everyone that knew him. My sister Kathy and I were both daddy's little girls. Kathy was 10 years old when my parents adopted me. I was less than a day old. My sister Andrea who was just 2 or 3 years younger than Kathy lived only 11 hours, and returned to heaven.

When I was a little girl I wanted to grow up and marry my daddy. For me, he was perfection. He loved my mother with all his heart and he loved his girls, just as much. Every day after work when he came through the door, he found my mother, hugged her and kissed her, and then he would find Kathy and I and do the same. I remember him always doing this while I lived at home. And from then on when ever I entered his home or he entered mine we would greet each other in the same manner, including all of his grandchildren. It was easy for all of us to show affection for each other because of him. I remember fishing trips to Hagerman , pheasant hunting, camping near Featherville, and brownies, meatloaf and rhodes bread every week on his day off. There were many family picnics and reunions. He came from a family of 13, so the Bernard gatherings were great fun.

He worked hard as a peace officer. First as deputy, and Sheriff in Emmett Idaho, and then as a patrolman in the Idaho State Police, where he worked his way up the ranks until he was at the very top as Colonel of the State. There he retired at age 60.
In his life he served his God, his Family , his Country, and any who crossed his path.
For most of his adult life he was very well acquainted with physical pain, but very seldom let it stop him from what he was doing.

The legacy of love, kindness, and service he left to me, I hope is felt by those in my own family, and by any who enter my home.

One of the great lessons I learned from him was "Never judge one by his outward appearance,
never judge another by someone else's words. Come to your own opinion of a person, by your own experience with them. Be quick to forgive, trust someone until they give you reason not to trust them. Be kind to every-one, in every- way that you can....."

Though I have missed him now for nearly 20 years, I continue to Remember him, everyday....




Thursday, July 1, 2010

Flowering Pots Galore




I love flowers, and flowering pots. For years I have poured over magazines with ideas and ways to landscape, and decorate decks with plants and flowers.. My dear neighbor and friend Verna who is about 70 years old, is a flower queen. Her back yard is smaller than mine. Even so her yard is always plush with beautiful plants and pots loaded with cascading flowers and vines, just like the pictures in the magazines. Very inspiring . Well, this summer I decided to try my hand at it ...Hopefully I'll get better with practice. But for now, I am enjoying trying, experimenting, and learning. I have certainly found some favorites . My thumb is not naturally green like some folks, but I do think that I am noticing a little shade of something coming to the surface of the skin!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Grandkids...

Here are my 4, (soon to be 5) grandchildren. They are perfection !!! It is fun learning how to be a grandma, and Scott is the best grandpa already, and very natural at it..... Emmy belongs to Erika our 3rd daughter and her husband Riley. Livia and Gavin belong to our first daughter Sherstine, who is expecting (our #5) another boy July 19th 2010 and her husband Wayne. Lucy belongs to our 2nd daughter Kaylene and her husband Johnnie.... "Rejoicing In Your Posterity"
has brought a whole new meaning for us. And it is just the beginning !



(Emmy)



(Livia, Gavin)



(Lucy)




Thursday, June 17, 2010

67 Days....

The Days cannot go fast enough for me until Jacob returns from his mission in Neuquen Argentina. The first year went very slow for me. Between his terrible homesickness , the language barrier, and stomach illnesses from living in a foreign country with different kinds of intestinal bugs in every area, there have been many tears shed. At about 7 months out he experienced the "gift of tongues" and has loved his mission, the people, and all of his companions since. Well, there was one companion , that caused him some grief, but he was only with him one transfer. Some days it seems like I will never see him again, but the days are finally winding down for his return.
Many asked us if we would be traveling to pick him up. For us the cost was far too great, but the thing that helped was that when he comes home it will be the middle of winter there. Very cold, and not the time of year to be seeing the sights of his mission. I am content to receive him at the airport , as has been done by so many mothers . Jake may likely be our only missionary , unless his youngest sister Heidi decides to serve. I have wondered many times how mom and dad Spjute sent 7 of their 9 children out into the world to serve....Truly it takes greater faith than ever before to send a child out into this world of uncertainty, to take the gospel of truth to the Lord's children.
Though I have missed the absence of my son's presence in everything we do, there have been many rewards, blessings and gifts brought to our family and especially to me, because of his willingness and desire to serve his Lord and Savior. This experience has been a privilege ....