About Me

OK, trying this out . . . I haven't figured out all the tricks to make this site look good, flow smoothly and become organized and logical but it's a start. (Thanks to a friend, Mike, for helping me get started and inspiring me to do it).

Family is my passion - the ones on this side and the ones on the other side of the veil. I'm a family history buff, though the past two-plus years have allowed me no time for this activity. Fortunately, my daughter, Natalie has just been bitten by the genealogy bug and she is taking up the slack. I know my ancestors are frustrated waiting for me so I'm grateful she is helping in this department. It really feels like she is keeping the connections going through the generations.

My children and grandchildren mean the world to me. I have six children, six more (their spouses) and 14 amazing grandchildren ages 10 and under. I am so blessed! Currently only one daughter, Aubrey and her husband, Steve live out of state (in Kansas with their two boys, stationed at Ft. Riley). Chris and Kiyomi have lived out of state (when he worked for Microsoft) and out of the country in Japan off and on since their marriage. They will be taking their annual summer trip there soon but we're glad that they now call Utah home. Fred and Jennifer sold their home and have been staying with me for the past year in order for Fred to finish his degree at the U. May 4 is graduation day for him (way to go!) and his degree is International Studies with a minor in Asian Studies. They're praying for a better job soon so he can get out of tech support (help desk) and they can buy another home. Justin and Krista, Rob and Natalie, Jon and Karla are also near enough to come for Sunday dinner. I love having them close.

I am a registered nurse, currently working in reproductive health. I guess women and children are my specialty. In addition to working full-time, I am a new member of the Doctor's Lounge Editorial and Advisory Board. We answer online medical questions. I have some excellent colleagues from around the world. www.doctorslounge.com. My work goes on in the forums, primarily OB/GYN, fertility, etc.

My interests include music (especially country and showtunes), live theater and concerts, waterskiing, the ocean, traveling, antique shopping, museums, historical sites, writing (non-fiction), family gatherings, doing puzzles (Sudoku, crossword and jigsaw), intimate conversations....OK, I like to talk!

I have talents in the homemaking arena and my first two years at college I planned to major in home ec so I took lots of related classes. I can sew very well and when I was a stay-at-home mom I did it all the time - even tailoring - but there's not much time for it now. I'm told I'm a good cook, but I don't want to do it EVERY day. I often have big family dinners and that's fun but it's not enjoyable to cook for myself after work so for now it's once or twice a week.

I can't tell a joke - the funniest part for people is watching me trying to remember the punchline - or to not give away the punchline earlier in the story! I guess my memory is not so great for details, but it also makes it easier for me to forget secrets so they're safe with me, lost wherever I'm storing all those passwords:)

I'm a native Utahn - the oldest of seven children and I'm a blue personality (Color code). As a "blue" oldest daughter I have always taken care of everybody. Sometimes that's a good thing - sometimes not so good because I'm hyper-responsible, loyal to a fault, sincere, determined and sometimes emotional, though I work hard and manage to accomplish much. Even though I was born and raised in Utah, my parents didn't go to church and I had to kind of find it on my own with a little help from my paternal grandparents. I didn't see them very often but my grandmother loved the Gospel, was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - a member of the DUP in fact. She saw to it I was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, so when the opportunities presented themselves, I had enough to help me recognize truth when I saw it, even if I took a little different path to get there. It took a long time to learn some of the doctrine that others who were raised in active homes took for granted. My mother still is not a member of the Church and this has caused a bit of a divide between us but she did a good job with us and she's a remarkable woman. I am the oldest of seven but I feel very much isolated (somewhat shunned?) from the family most of the time. I don't really know why this is.

I was named for Debra Paget, an actress who was very popular the year I was born when she costarred with Jimmy Stewart in a movie called Broken Arrow. Apparently my dad fell in love with her. I later learned that a next door neighbor of mine, Debra Peterson, who was also my age was named after the same actress in the same movie. She has since died of breast cancer. Recently I attended a training for work where I met another Debra. I asked if she was named for someone and she said, "some actress in some movie." She was also my age. So it must have been a hit! Everyone calls me Debbie though. Most of my friends had never heard of Debra Paget so it meant nothing to them in school. They often asked if I was named after Debbie Reynolds but she actually came onto the Hollywood scene later than my birth. I guess that ages me.

I have been serving as the Relief Society president in my ward for almost two years. I have loved working with two amazing Bishops. I have appreciated wonderful counselors who are truly my friends and "sisters." It is an amazing organization where the individual strengths of many women unite as they work and serve together with great love and inspiration. In my hectic life it would be impossible to do this work without the coordinated efforts of all the sisters, but especially the hardworking, devoted members of my local board. These women are awesome!

I love the Lord and the Gospel is the center of my life. Having the truth makes all things bearable. It takes lots of faith to stay focused when we can't actually see all that our Heavenly Father knows and has in store for us. Our experiences here make us who we are. Service in the Church and to our fellow beings is our God-given privilege and responsibility.

If you want to know more about me, what I believe and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, go here:

www.mormon.org or www.lds.org - official site

Whatever you do, if you want to know what Mormon's believe, don't ask a non-Mormon or an ex-Mormon - ask a true Mormon. If I want to know what Catholics, Jews, or Muslims believe, I will ask one of those - I will not ask one of their detractors.