A Mission Highlight

Sterling and I have enjoyed many sweet experiences while serving here in Hawaii, and Friday was among the sweetest. We’ve been teaching temple preparation classes to some of the members in our branch, and Keely was one who attended. She went through the temple for the first time, and we were able to be with her on this special occasion and have lunch with her and her family afterward. We love being a part of the young single adult branch and spending time with these spiritually strong and happy people…definitely a mission highlight!

Two Wonderful Women

I’ve thought a lot lately about how grand life is and how grateful I am for the people in my life who influence me for good. Of course, my sweetheart is the most important person in my life (btw, he’s recovering nicely…often tired and needs a daily nap, but slowly getting stronger), and I feel blessed to spend so much time with him and to have had the opportunity to serve him lately.

My thoughts then obviously go to our beautiful family, including our extended family, and their examples in our lives of love, support, and goodness. They truly teach us and bless our lives in immeasurable ways. And, of course, my life would be incomplete without all the fabulous people we get to associate with from around the world.

I usually don’t write of a person’s passing, but with Sterling’s recent stroke and the news that two special Stampin’ Up! demonstrators passed away during this past week, it’s a poignant reminder that life really is short and should never be taken for granted.

These two wonderful women, who struggled with debilitating illnesses, have been a part of the Stampin’ Up! family for many years, and my fond memories of them and the way they touched my life will forever be remembered. Among their notable qualities, Joann was one of the sweetest women you’ll ever meet, and Susy had a way of making everyone laugh. They will truly be missed.

I honor them and thank them for being part of my life. I also thank all of you for your influence in my life. I am blessed!

An Unexpected and Happy Visit

At the last minute, Shanna and her twins were able to come for five days and spend Thanksgiving with us at the Marriott Ko’Olina. It was the perfect way for Sterling to recuperate! While he got lots of hugs from adorable grandchildren, he spent most of his time resting and napping while Shanna and I were at the pool and the beach with the kids. Liam and Abilgail were like little fish and loved playing in the sand for hours. Shanna got more sleep than usual and was able to workout while I played hide-and-go-seek with the kids and read books to them. It was sad to see them walk away at the airport tonight, but we’re grateful for the unexpected and happy visit!

Wake Up Call

Sterling found himself a little weak and wobbly in his lower left leg when he woke up on Saturday morning. I asked him if it could have been a stroke (the Spirit’s first nudge to me that I ignored), and he told me he thought he’d just slept wrong and that it would go away during the day.

We went about our preparation day as usual, doing laundry and cleaning, with Sterling standing on a chair to clean our sliding glass door and climbing the stairs to our favorite little café for lunch. Sterling then drove us to Equine 808, where we donate time on Saturday afternoons, and he trimmed horses’ hooves. I haltered and gathered to minimize his walking. Then we vacuumed the car, had it washed, and stopped by Walmart. By this time, Sterling was getting tired and was happy to lean on the cart while I raced around the store.

On our way home, I insisted he stay in the car and take a nap while I ran into the store and grabbed some groceries. We hurried to shower and get ready for stake conference, and while we were sitting and waiting for the meeting to start, I decided to do a little research online. (This time I listened to the prompting).)

The first paragraph I read alarmed me, and I knew right away that I should have gotten online earlier in the morning. Sterling started to read with me, and everything described was exactly what happened. It was a great meeting, but I have to admit, we were both a little distracted, researching different kinds of strokes and nearby hospitals.

Shortly after the meeting, we headed to the hospital emergency room where we didn’t wait at all, and the staff was efficient and friendly. At first, the staff wasn’t sure what to think because Sterling’s symptoms were so subtle, but after a CT scan and an MRI, it was determined that he had definitely had a stroke. Today he’s getting an echocardiogram, and we hope to go home.

We don’t know all the details of the stroke and the plan moving forward because we haven’t seen the neurologist yet, but after physical therapy yesterday, the therapist discovered that Sterling had also lost a little mobility in his left hand, but overall he’s doing very well and should recover fully.

It was an emotional Sabbath day, FaceTiming our family and counting our blessings. The doctors and nurses tell us this is a wake up call. Well, we’re definitely awake…and feeling extremely blessed!

We wish all of you, our dear family and friends, a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

An Unforgettable OnStage Experience

Hi Everyone, Sara here…

I am currently sitting in the airport in Brussels waiting to fly home and I am overwhelmed… in a good way. :)

We just wrapped up our first-ever OnStage Live event and our 11 world-wide Local events are concluding as well. Words cannot adequately express my feelings of gratitude, unity, and hope. I feel so blessed to be a part of such an inspiring Stampin’ Up! community.

I don’t think I will be able to capture all that went on around the world, but I have loved watching social media and seeing all of your comments and posts with friends. This is exactly what we were hoping for when we announced these new events!

We began our event here in Brussels with an opening General Session that unveiled the new Occasions (Spring/Summer) catalog! Our CentreStage event came after that later in the evening where we boarded a boat, had a “walking dinner” and a chance to visit with everyone.

Day two of the Live event included General Sessions and Product Spotlight where it actually felt like we were walking through pages of the catalog and being introduced to the amazing products inside. So awesome!

Day three brought with it the tragic events in Paris from the night before. Hearts were heavy, but the outpouring of love strengthened us and brought all of us together.

We concluded our event here with a final General Session and CenterStage Leadership.

All in all, an epic OnStage experience and new chapter in the history of Stampin’ Up! Hugs and love to all of you until we meet again in April!