“Thy Walls Continually Before Me”

As Starkey feet and hands reached for footholds or hand grips ascending a climbing wall this summer,

it seems 2012 has lauded welcome new sets of tiny hands and feet tumbling to earth from heavenly 

 reaches, 


     

while families here grapple daily to secure footholds and handgrips to steady little bodies

and growing souls extend in upward motion. 

 

Starkey stirrings of 2012 brought Lanae, her husband Patrick, toddler Spencer (now 2) and soon-to-emerge Amelia (now 8 mos.)  

                           

in a move from Florida to Washington State to congregate with eldest siblings-- one older, three younger.  

 

Jannette(top left) holds down a fort in Bellevue, supervising a clinical lab “on the clock,”deciding between an African adventure, an exotic cruise, or helping the homeless while she is “off.” 

Tom and April (lower right) launched a Quality Sleep mattress store in Monroe, between fishing trips with Eleanor (5) and Thomas (now 4) and building a shed with summertime Nanny Maria (now 18) 

 

who visited them and performed her Auntie magic, post-graduation/pre-BYU.

 

Tom & April are proudly announcing an addition to our Fourth of July fireworks—grandchild number ten, the flavor yet a mystery.   

Allina (top middle of older siblings) sent Riley (10), to visit late June, joining cousin Daniel in Utah for marksmanship, canoeing, and cub scouting prior to our patriotic parade in Paris, ID. 

An attentive angel must have relayed our prayers for Brianne’s Brent, 

who recently transferred from a 2 hour daily commute to a Boeing team within walking distance from home.  Pattering of feet is heard near their Renton Christmas tree with puppy

to entertain Kaleb (turning 5) and Zoey (2). 

In September, Seattle siblings welcomed Auntie Kristen & Uncle Zach from Utah, who brought Cousins William (2) and Savanna (now 8 mos.) to play and canvass a Seattle zoo together.  Earlier, Zach Ministered Finance in a children's theater Cinderella;

Kristen has tried her hand and is mastering sewing and raising rag dolls.

Amber married Jake Galli from Atlanta

before beginning her final semester at BYU.  
Jake, his sights on Air Force piloting  

with 1 ½ years left at BYU,

hopes to do what William’s whirligig does, when we twirl it for takeoff.  Zzzzzip!

 

 It flies…“Watch!”says Grandma, and we all watch! 

Val’s
foothold remains at Boeing, while Laurene feels for pedal hooks

in a Friday afternoon temple organ hymn.

Empty nesting, we are steadying our balance and watch amazing parents who have helped their children launch their whirligigs.  

Grandma Verla just published a book;

and she and Larry have welcomed daughter Marlene

 

into their home as all rejoice while burdens in that household are lifted;

Grandparents Glendon & Shirley embrace their Kaysville ward and the world as they proclaim their testimony and love.  

So, as we reach for handholds and good grips, the words resound: 

 “Thy walls are continually before me.”

  

(Isaiah 59:16, for “Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands…”)  

May our hands grasp these kind Hands and those near us, drawing them close; may our feet ground themselves in goodness.  May the season bring a gathering

                                            that accompanies grandparenthood

                                                               

                                                            

  

and open arms.  May Christmas time bring the Spirit of Christ; may a New Year welcome growth!  Blessings to our friends near and far!  Love, the Starkeys

A Little Child Shall Lead Them

 

 

Dear family and dear friends,                                                                                     21 October 2012

  

 

Mid-September, our family had secured tickets to tour the new Brigham City temple.  I had invited Kristen and Zach.  Amber and Jake were on their month’s anniversary hike to Ensign Peak in Salt Lake, but Kristen and Zach and part of Steven’s family agreed to meet my parents and Val, who was bringing his mom.  I was following Val north on I-15, but became concerned when he did not take exit 362 (one traditionally easy to miss) to go to Logan via Brigham City.  Problem—I called him, and called him.  I needed to tell him he had missed the exit.  The problem became mine when I realized that it was not Val that I was following.  Good thing there are off-ramps on these freeways.  Good thing there are off-ramps for life in the event that we are following the wrong vehicle! 

We finally found the K-Mart parking lot and a host of familiar faces, scooped them all up and loaded the waiting charter bus.  I am unsure why I eventually got the prized position of being next to nearly two-year-old William. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What delight and freedom claimed his expression, when he could sit on a seat in a moving vehicle, something that goes “Vrrrroom,” without being soundly straight-jacketed into a toddler car seat!  With a large looming window beside him and the world in his view, the little boy could not stop grinning. 

 

 

 

Approaching the temple, we were shepherded into an underground parking garage film room where we learned of pioneers in the Brigham City area. 

The children were content and swallowed up into the tour until my dad allowed Zach to do some wheelchair derby steering,

while Kristen took a toddler’s hand

 

and handed me a nearly six-month Savanna.  Savanna seemed in her element.  It seems she has slept for six months.  But when carried into the first rooms of the temple, she came alive.  She cooed and chattered.  I was tempted to look at her little dress to find a “usher” or “tour guide” name tag attached.  From the paintings of pioneers picking peaches to the hallowed halls leading to altars and sacred sealing places, this child in my arms looked and talked and told us where we were.

 

I thought about this a few weeks later when I had learned that all my belongings had gone missing at our local hospital.  I had just wanted to call my daughters and let them know my procedure had gone successfully; I was recovering and well. 

 

But as we share cell phone minutes, we had exceeded our allotment last month during Val and my 19^th anniversary trip to Glacier, then Cardston, Banff, and Lake Louise in Canada. 

 

Thus, I hoped to phone cell to cell with the girls with no minutes charged—but I had no phone!  I called Val to ask Kristen to ask little William to pray.  He knows how to do this, with a little help.  Kristen coached, and as soon she had, and just after I decided I could forgive the hospital for losing everything (how hard is it to procure a new telephone? I needed a new one anyway)  the hospital found an envelope with a key to my locker that had slipped behind a drawer.  There is a scripture in Matthew 18:10 “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”  So William prayed, and my phone was found.   The angels were working!    Little Savanna gave us a tour of Brigham City’s new temple, and now it is our job to be angels with these children, to teach them things like taking off shoes, putting away silverware, avoiding glass, chemicals, outlets, and “fun” buttons that control computers or electronics.  “Neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men…that [they] may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts.”  (Moroni 7: 29-32)  Can we be the angels?  Are we not blessed to have the seedlings of goodness in our families and homes--if only via telephone or computer--to call us “Grandpa” even when we are “GrandMA!”) to help us become “alive” in Christ?  Are we not blessed to get dimples and wavy smiles on demand?

 Like watching green to yellow to crimson colors change outside our window with the seasons,

 

 these little lives inside our windows are constant in their change and just as brilliant. 

(above photo is from outside Cardston temple)

 

“And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?  (Matthew 21:16)  I am unsure if he was talking about Savanna’s gumby smile

 

or William’s hearty “amen” when a prayer is over…but “I sing and sing” when our little ones visit, and even when our neighbor Dylan watches from his front door to see if there is anything heavy to carry in.  “And [Jesus]…said unto them:  Behold your little ones.” 

 

What a blessing—to send our children out, and have them come back bringing something better!  May this changing of the seasons bring color, beauty, and joy!  Blessings to you, Laurene and Val

Above, was on the Road to the Sun, going to West Glacier

 

Above and below flowers are at Cardston temple grounds

All other temple pictures are from Brigham City temple

 

May your October be brilliant!